Pesto Green Beans

Green beans have been on sale at our local grocery store for about three weeks running. We have, let's just say, an abundance of green beans in our house right now. Adam deserves the credit for this recipe as I'm not sure I ever would have thought to put a green sauce on green beans. Had I never tried it, though, I'd have missed out on a very nice side dish.

12 oz green beans
¼ c Spinach-Walnut Pesto
1 T butter
2 T water

1. Steam beans for 4-6 min or until just tender.
2. Stir together beans, pesto, butter, and water over medium heat. Simmer until thickened (about 5 min).
3. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ⅔ c Serving per Recipe 4

Amount per Serving Calories 118 Total Fat 9.9 g   Saturated Fat 2.9 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g   Monounsaturated Fat 4.8 g Cholesterol 9 mg Sodium 73 mg Potassium 221 mg Total Carbohydrates 6.7 g   Dietary Fiber 3.2 g   Sugars 0.1 g Protein 2.5 g

Creamy Green Beans Almondine

I really enjoy green beans, but it can get a little boring to just top them with butter and a little salt and pepper. As we usually have both almonds and cream in the house, I decided to try my own twist on Classic Green Beans Almondine.

1 lb green beans, cut into 1- to 2-in pieces
4 T butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ c heavy cream
½ c chopped almonds, toasted (2 oz)
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper

1. Steam beans for 6-8 min or until they are no longer crunchy.
2. Melt butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic, cooking until fragrant (about 1 min).
3. Add cream, almonds, salt, and pepper. Simmer until sauce has thickened (about 6-7 min), stirring frequently.
4. Pour sauce over (drained) beans and stir until well coated.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ⅔ c Serving per Recipe 6

Amount per Serving Calories 219 Total Fat 20.1 g   Saturated Fat 9.8 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 1.8 g   Monounsaturated Fat 7.3 g Cholesterol 48 mg Sodium 164 mg Potassium 253 mg Total Carbohydrates 8.3 g   Dietary Fiber 3.7 g   Sugars 0.5 g Protein 4.1 g

Jicama Slaw

I tried jicama for the first time just a few months ago, after I discovered it had fewer carbs than carrots. I was surprised by how sweet it is. I based this dish on a recipe for Green Apple Slaw that I'd found while researching coleslaw variations. The jicama adds a nice sweetness to the mix without all the carbs you'd get using apples.

¾ c mayonnaise
3 T vinegar
¾ t salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
4½ c shredded cabbage (11 oz)
1¾ c shredded jicama (8 oz)
¾ c shredded carrot (3 oz)
½ c coarsely chopped roasted almonds (2 oz)

1. Stir together mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and peppers until smooth.
2. Pour dressing over vegetables and almonds, mixing until thoroughly combined.
3. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Stir before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 c Serving per Recipe 8

Amount per Serving Calories 202 Total Fat 18.9 g   Saturated Fat 2.6 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g   Monounsaturated Fat 2.4 g Cholesterol 6 mg Sodium 363 mg Potassium 228 mg Total Carbohydrates 7.0 g   Dietary Fiber 3.4 g   Sugars 1.3 g Protein 2.6 g

Focaccia Bread

One of my favorite dishes from my high-carb days was a focaccia bread. I've been working on a low-carb version and I'm pretty excited about how well it has turned out. This recipe could also make a nice thick-crust pizza, though if I'd be covering it with cheese, I would leave off the oil and probably cut the Romano by about half.

⅓ c peanut butter (3 oz)
⅓ c almond butter (3 oz)
4 eggs
2 t baking powder
1½ c grated Romano cheese (3 oz)
1 c finely shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
1 T olive oil
1 t oregano
½ t thyme

1. Beat together butters, eggs, baking powder, and cheeses until well blended.
2. Spread batter over a parchment-lined baking sheet until it is ¼- to ½-in thick.
3. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle herbs over top of bread.
4. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 min or until golden.
5. Add toppings, if desired, and broil for 4-6 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 slice (plain) Serving per Recipe 8

Amount per Serving Calories 260 Total Fat 21.1 g   Saturated Fat 5.8 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 3.8 g   Monounsaturated Fat 10..2 g Cholesterol 115 mg Sodium 410 mg Potassium 208 mg Total Carbohydrates 5.5 g   Dietary Fiber 2.2 g   Sugars 1.2 g Protein 14.5 g

Almond Butter Flatbread

I've been craving sandwiches lately. I haven't yet perfected a low-carb loaf of bread, so I decided to go with what has been working for me and bake myself some flatbread.

⅔ c almond butter (6 oz)
2 c grated Romano cheese (4 oz)
4 T butter
4 eggs
1 t honey
½ t salt
2 t baking powder

1. Beat together all ingredients.
2. Spoon ⅔ c batter onto each of 3 greased 9-in baking pans* lined with parchment.
3. Spread in an even layer to the edges.
4. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 min or until the edges have browned.
5. Let cool 1-2 minutes on pan before removing to a wire rack.

*NOTE: If you prefer square slices, you can use a single 11x17 baking sheet in place of the 9-in pans. You may need to add a few more minutes baking time if you choose this method.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 slice (¼ round) Serving per Recipe 12

Amount per Serving Calories 181 Total Fat 15.5 g   Saturated Fat 5.1 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 2.3 g   Monounsaturated Fat 7.2 g Cholesterol 82 mg Sodium 390 mg Potassium 139 mg Total Carbohydrates 3.8 g   Dietary Fiber 1.7 g   Sugars 1.2 g Protein 8.2 g

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

As I started going low-carb, one of the things I really missed was potatoes. I used to make mashed potatoes as least once a week. I found a recipe called Mock Garlic Mashed Potatoes and had to give it a try. It really didn't work out well for me. The raw garlic was too overpowering and the whole thing just flopped. I recreated the dish with my own twist and this has been our go-to "garlic mash" ever since.

1 head cauliflower (1¼ lbs)
3 T butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ c heavy cream
1 c grated Romano cheese (2 oz)

1. Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water until well done (10-15 min).
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, cooking until fragrant (about 1 min).
3. Add cream and simmer until sauce begins to thicken (4-6 min), stirring frequently.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese.
5. Drain cauliflower well and wring out in a kitchen towel, removing as much liquid as possible.
6. Puree cooked cauliflower and garlic cream sauce together until smooth.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ¼ recipe Serving per Recipe 4

Amount per Serving Calories 222 Total Fat 18.3 g   Saturated Fat 11.4 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8 g   Monounsaturated Fat 5.0 g Cholesterol 58 mg Sodium 280 mg Potassium 456 mg Total Carbohydrates 9.1 g   Dietary Fiber 3.6 g   Sugars 0.1 g Protein 7.9 g

Creamed Spinach

Spinach isn't something I remember liking or eating much growing up. I bet if my mom had used this recipe, I would have appreciated spinach a whole lot more as a kid. My own daughter was disappointed tonight when she discovered I hadn't made enough for her to have a third helping with dinner.

10 oz spinach
1 T butter
⅓ c heavy cream
½ c grated Romano cheese (1 oz)
Pinch nutmeg

1. Blanch spinach in boiling water 1-2 min or use frozen, thawed spinach. Drain thoroughly and roughly chop.
2. Melt butter over medium-high heat and add chopped spinach.
3. Sauté spinach in butter until wilted.
4. Add cream and reduce heat. Simmer until sauce begins to thicken (6-8 min).
5. Remove from heat. Add cheese and nutmeg, stirring until smooth.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ½ c Serving per Recipe 4

Amount per Serving Calories 103 Total Fat 8.7 g   Saturated Fat 5.4 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4 g   Monounsaturated Fat 2.4 g Cholesterol 29 mg Sodium 165 mg Potassium 411 mg Total Carbohydrates 3.1 g   Dietary Fiber 1.6 g   Sugars 0.4 g Protein 4.5 g

Ozark Dressing

Surfing the low-carb internet waves in my search for new ideas, I found a series of posts featuring Thanksgiving recipes, including one for cornbread-like low-carb stuffing made with coconut flour. Since we'd recently had to exchange our decades-old toaster oven for a model with a rotisserie feature, I've been wanting chicken with cornbread dressing. Since I'm not known for leaving well-enough alone, I created my own version of "corny" coconut muffins inspired by Jeremy Jackson's Ozark Cornbread recipe.

3 jumbo/6 standard Ozark muffins (see recipe below)
2 T butter
½ c diced onion (2 oz)
1 c diced celery (4 oz)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t thyme
¼ t sage
¼ t each salt and pepper, or to taste
1 egg, beaten
1 c chicken broth

1. Cut muffins into ½" cubes and toast in a single layer for an hour at 350°F.
2. Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and sauté until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, herbs, and seasoning, cooking for a minute longer.
3. Stir in egg, broth, and muffin cubes.
4. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture is golden brown and liquid has been absorbed.

Ozark Muffins
½ c coconut flour (2 oz)
1½ t baking powder
¼ t salt
6 eggs
Scant ½ c almond butter (4 oz)
4 T butter, softened
¾ c almond milk

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with remaining ingredients until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour egg mixture over dry ingredients and mix until combined.
4. Divide batter among 6 well-greased jumbo* muffin cups (about ½ c ea).
5. Bake at 400°F for 30 min or until golden brown and set.
6. Let cool completely before serving.

*NOTE: You can make this recipe in standard-sized muffin cups. It will make 12 muffins and baking time should be cut about in half.

Nutrition Facts (Dressing)	Nutrition Facts (Muffins)
Serving Size ¼ recipe Serving per Recipe 4	Serving Size 1 jumbo muffin or 2 standard muffins Serving per Recipe 6
Amount per Serving Calories 323 Total Fat 28.8 g   Saturated Fat 13.3 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 3.4 g   Monounsaturated Fat 10.1 g Cholesterol 217 mg Sodium 795 mg Potassium 374 mg Total Carbohydrates 7.8 g   Dietary Fiber 3.5 g   Sugars 1.4 g Protein 10.6 g	Amount per Serving Calories 322 Total Fat 28.8 g   Saturated Fat 12.1 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 3.7 g   Monounsaturated Fat 10.3 g Cholesterol 205 mg Sodium 450 mg Potassium 237 mg Total Carbohydrates 7.0 g   Dietary Fiber 3.7 g   Sugars 1.5 g Protein 11.1 g

Carrot Chips

My husband sent me a recipe for baked carrot chips that he'd found online. We tried it a couple of times, but the chips never got crispy without getting burnt. So we dusted off our deep fryer and gave our own version a try.

3 large carrots (¾ lb)
Peanut oil (or other oil appropriate for deep frying)
¼ t salt, or to taste

1. Heat oil in a deep pan or electric fryer to 400°F.
2. While oil is heating, peel each carrot into long strips from stem to root with a vegetable peeler. You will have about ½ lb strips. Set aside remaining carrot pieces for another use.
3. Deep fry carrot strips in small batches for 3-5 min, until bubbling subsides and chips turn a golden brown.
4. Remove to paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Chips will crisp as they cool.
5. Leftovers, if there are any, should be stored in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size ½ oz chips Serving per Recipe 4

Amount per Serving Calories 53 Total Fat 3.5 g   Saturated Fat 0.6 g   Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1 g   Monounsaturated Fat 1.6 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 185 mg Potassium 182 mg Total Carbohydrates 5.4 g   Dietary Fiber 1.6 g   Sugars 2.6 g Protein 0.5 g