Oatmeal "muffins"

I found the recipe for these oatmeal "muffins" on pinterest. The original recipe is from http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/personal-sized-baked-oatmeal-with-individual-toppings-gluten-free-diabetic-friendly/ and copied here:

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 banana, mashed
• 6 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1 1/2 teaspoons stevia powder or use 1/2 cup honey
• 5 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats { I used Bob’s Red Mill}
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal*
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups milk (I used 1%)
• Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and Stevia together in a bowl.
3. Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients.
4. Finally pour in milk and combine.
5. Spray a 12 and 6 capacity muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
6. Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups.
7. If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter.
8. Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.

But here's what I did, cutting the recipe in half and substituting for the banana:

My version:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 3 Tbsp stick butter, softened
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2.5 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
• 1/8 cup flaxseed meal
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/8 cups milk 
• Optional toppings: I used toasted pecans, craisins, and dried blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, butter and honey together in a bowl.
3. Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients.
4. Finally pour in milk and combine.
5. Spray a 12 capacity muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
6. Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups.
7. If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter.
8. Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.

Lemon Frittata with Leeks and Goat Cheese

Here is the original recipe (which I totally stole from somewhere on Pinterest), but this is not quite what I did. I'll include my version below.

Lemon Frittata with Leeks and Goat Cheese

7 eggs
1 Meyer lemon, zested
3 ounces goat cheese
olive oil
2 Large leeks, cut lengthwise and rinsed
1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Preheat the broiler. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly bubbly and well mixed, then stir in the lemon zest. Crumble in the goat cheese.

Heat about a Tbsp of olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. It can be cast iron or another metal; just make sure it can go in the oven. Trim the leeks of any dry or browned edges on the green tops, then slice the remaining stalk into half moons. Toss into the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the leeks are softened. Stir in the parsley and cook just until wilted. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool for a minute or two, then pour the cooked leeks into the bowl with the eggs and stir.

Put the skillet back on the heat and film lightly with a bit more olive oil. Pour the egg and leek mixture in and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the frittata has mostly set. Use a spatula to lift up the edges and make sure it's cooking evenly, letting the uncooked eggs run down into the bottom of the pan.

When the frittata has set, put under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and slightly puffy.  Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Flip out onto a platter and serve immediately.

My edits

5 eggs

1 lemon, zested

2 ounces goat cheese

Butter

1 Large leek, cut lengthwise and rinsed

1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly bubbly and well mixed, then stir in the lemon zest. Crumble in the goat cheese.

Heat about a Tbsp of butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. It can be cast iron or another metal; just make sure it can go in the oven. Trim the leeks of any dry or browned edges on the green tops, then slice the remaining stalk into half moons. Toss into the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the leeks are softened. Stir in the parsley and cook just until wilted. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool for a minute or two, then pour the cooked leeks into the bowl with the eggs and stir.

Put the skillet back on the heat and film lightly with a bit more butter. Pour the egg and leek mixture in and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes or until the edges of the frittata have set. Place the frittata in the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until it has mostly set.

When the frittata has set, put under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and slightly puffy.  Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Flip out onto a platter and serve immediately.

Low-Carb Thanksgiving, addendum

Slow Cooker Turkey

7 pound or less turkey breast (I used a half turkey breast and 2 thighs)
1/2 stick butter, cut into lots of pieces
olive oil

Rub:
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder (or dried onion)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning

1.  Mix together your rub and cut up your butter.

2. Spray the slow cooker with no-stick cooking spray.

3. Wash your turkey pieces and pay dry, and then place into the slow cooker.

4.  Rub it down with olive oil and the sprinkle with the rub.

5.  Place butter squares all over the turkey.

6. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 5 hours.

7. If you want, make your gravy out of the drippings (or make a sauce for your turkey).

Obviously I haven't had this yet, but it's cooking and it's starting to smell really yummy in here!

Low-carb Thanksgiving

Trying to plan a meal that is traditionally high in carbs (cranberry sauce, bread, pie, potatoes, etc) for a low-carb family is a bit of a challenge. It seems less challenging this year than last year.  This year's menu is:

Roasted turkey with cranberry-orange sauce
Cranberry-almond quinoa
Twice-baked cauliflower
Whole berry cranberry sauce
Tossed salad

Cranberry-almond quinoa (from 30 minute meals for Diabetes):

1 cup uncooked red quinoa
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped baking apple
1.5 cups veggie or chicken stock
1/2 cup OJ
almonds (or pine nuts or whatever your favorite is)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly by placing in a fine-mesh strainer and holding under cold running water until water runs clear, about 2 minutes; drain well

2. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, apple, and quinoa. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in veggie stock and OJ. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15-20 minutes (I find it actually takes longer) or until all liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.

4. Meanwhile, toast nuts if desired.

5.  Fluff quinoa with fork. Stir in cranberries, nuts, cheese and salt. Sprinkle with parsley.

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Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

I essentially follow the usual directions on the bag of cranberries, but this year I used Splenda in place of the sugar, and I always add some orange zest.

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Twice-Baked Cauliflower

I chop up the cauliflower and put it in a microwave-safe casserole dish with 1/4 cup water. Microwave for 12-14 minutes.  Drain the cauliflower.  Use a potato-masher to mash the cauliflower.  Add in 2 Tbsp butter, 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/4 cup sour cream and mix well. Stir in bacon bits and a handful of shredded cheese.  Return to the microwave-safe casserole dish. Top with more cheese, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and hot.

More freezer meals ready to go in the slow cooker

Today's trip to Sam's Club meant that I came home with 5 pounds of ground turkey, and large packages of boneless chicken breasts and chicken thighs. Before packaging them to freeze, I found some more recipes for meals that I could freeze and then just dump into the slow cooker. Today's stash? Two bags of "beef" vegetable soup, two bags of garlic lime chicken, and one bag of chicken fajitas.  Here are the recipes:

From http://www.savingyoudinero.com/2012/09/17/part-3-1-hour-1-mess-5-crock-pot-meals/:

Garlic Lime Chicken
serves 6

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon chicken bouillon
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½  teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients into your ziploc bag.

Write on the bag

1. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

From http://www.savingyoudinero.com/2012/06/12/1-hour-1-mess-5-crock-pot-meals/:

Chicken Fajitas
( 5-6 servings)

• 2 peppers (your favorite)
• 1 onion
• 1 1/2 pound chicken breast
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• taco seasoning packet
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt

You will also need tortillas, cheese, cream, etc.

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients in a large freezer bag. (Make sure you label the bag with instructions.)
2. When it’s time to cook it, dump it all in your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
3. When it’s cooked, shred the meat and add it back to the pepper mixture and serve on warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

From http://melissafallistestkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/freezer-cooking-slow-cooker-meals.html:

Savory Vegetable Beef Soup (2 Bags)

• Chop (1) Onion and Chop (2) Cloves of Garlic- Brown in Pan with the Ground Beef- once cool divide mixture between bags
• (2) whole carrots chopped per bag
• (2) celery stalks chopped per bag
• (3) Red Potatoes chopped per bag
• (1) can v8 split between bags
• (1) 28oz can diced tomatoes SPLIT between bags
• (1) cup frozen green beans in each bag
• (1/2)TBSP Worcestershire per bag
• (1/2) cup Beef Broth per bag
• (1) TBSP Parsley per bag
• (1) tsp Basil per bag
• 1/2 tsp Thyme per bag
• (1/2) tsp salt per bag
• (1/2) tsp pepper per bag
• (1) TBSP Sugar per bag

*Place in Crockpot with 1.5 cups of water and 15 oz Beef Broth. Cook on LOW 8 Hours.

For this last recipe, I skipped the red potatoes (because we do low-carb) and replaced the sugar with Splenda.  I also didn't have any V8, so I just used tomato sauce. I'm hoping that substitution doesn't alter the taste in a bad way.  I guess it would be better to say that my version is:

Savory Vegetable Beef Soup (2 Bags)

• Chop (1) Onion and Chop (2) Cloves of Garlic- Brown in Pan with the Ground Beef- once cool divide mixture between bags
• (2) whole carrots chopped per bag
• (1) celery stalks chopped per bag
• (1) small can of tomato sauce per bag
• (1) 28oz can diced tomatoes SPLIT between bags
• (1/2) pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half, in each bag
• (1/2)TBSP Worcestershire per bag
• (1/2) cup Beef Broth per bag
• (1) TBSP Parsley per bag
• (1) tsp Basil per bag
• 1/2 tsp Thyme per bag
• (1/2) tsp salt per bag
• (1/2) tsp pepper per bag
• (1) TBSP Splenda per bag

Frozen meals ready to go into a slow cooker

So, I've found some recipes on Pinterest that I'm trying. Today I hit the grocery store and then prepared a bunch (ok - five) bags of meals to go in the freezer. When I am ready, we'll just pull them out of the freezer, leave them in the fridge overnight, and then slow cook them while I'm at work the next day.  Chop the veggies and put them in a freezer bag, then add the meat and the sauce ingredients. Seal, pushing the air out, and freeze flat.  Here's what I prepped:

1 bag of Teriyaki Chicken:

1/2 bag baby carrots
1 red onion, cut into large chunks
1 20-oz can of pineapple, undrained
2 garlic cloves
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

The directions say to add 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce to the mixture on the day that you cook, then cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

2 bags of Healthy BBQ Chicken:

2 green peppers, cut into slices and split between the two bags
1 red pepper, cut into slices and split between the two bags
1 zucchini chopped and split between the two bags
3 onions chopped and split between the two bags
4 garlic cloves chopped and split between the two bags (or about 1 Tbsp of minced from a jar in each bag)
4 chicken breasts split between the two bags
1/2 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca per bag
1 15-oz can of tomato sauce split between bags
1 Tbsp of splenda per bag
1 Tbsp worcestershire per bag
1 Tbsp mustard per bag
1/4 tsp salt per bag.

Cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours.

2 bags of Beef Stew:

1 green pepper chopped and split between the two bags
2 onions chopped and split between the two bags
2 carrots chopped and split between the two bags
2 chopped garlic cloves per bag
3 pounds of beef stew meat split between the bags
1 6-oz can tomato paste per bag
2 tsp paprika per bag
1/4 tsp black pepper per bag

Cook on high 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  If you want to make this into goulash, add 1/2 cup sour cream to the slow cooker about 10 minutes prior to serving.

I'll let you know how they turn out - or you tell me!

Greek-style Lamb Chops, Yogurt Soup, and Roasted Veggies

Roasted veggies are one of my favorite "goes with anything" sides - pick your favorite, chop them, toast them with some olive oil and seasonings (stay away from too much salt) and put them in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes. Tonight it was broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and sweet potato (sliced thin).  I then tossed it with olive oil and Greek Seasoning.

Cucumber-Yogurt Soup

(From The Dreaded Brocolli)

1 large seedless cucumber or 2 regular cucumbers, peeled and seeds removed
2 scallions
1/4-1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until you've achieved the consistency you like. Chill thoroughly. Stir well and taste before serving - you may need to add some more mint, lime, or salt.  Sprinkle with nuts or scallion tops if desired.

Greek Style Lamb Chops

(from http://www.food.com/recipe/greek-style-lamb-chops-103527)

Lamb cops
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped OR 1 tsp dried
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest


In a saute pan heat olive oil.  Season lamb chops w/salt and pepper, saute 5 minutes per side, remove and keep warm.

Add 1/2 c chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits.  Add garlic, cook for a minute.


Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.


Add mint, oregano, lemon juice and zest, cook for 1 minute.

Pour tomato olive oil mixture over lamb chops. Top with crumbled feta and garnish with mint and lemon slices, if desired.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

It's been forever since we posted, but here is our latest slow-cooker recipe. I'll be using that a lot this fall.... This was easy, but did require a little time to brown the pork chops before assembling....

From Diabetic Living Quick and Easy Meals:

Mushroom-sauced Pork Chops

4 pork loin chops (about 1.75 pounds total)
1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 10.75 oz can reduced-fat and reduced sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/5 cup apple juice
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp garlic  powder
1/5 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1. Trim fat from pork chops. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chops; cook until browned, turning to brown evenly. Drain off fat. Coat the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Place onion in the cooker.  Add chops. In a medium bowl, combine mushroom soup, apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and garlic powder; stir in mushrooms. Pour over chops in slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4.5 hours.

Total carbs: 17 g per chop and 1/2 cup mushroom sauce.

Note - next time I think we'll try to thicken the sauce with some cornstarch or flour. But it was yummy!

Spinach Ricotta Pie

When we first saw this recipe, we thought we would miss the crust. We didn't. YUM!!!!!

From Idiot's Guide:

Spinach and Ricotta Pie


1 10-oz package frozen spinach, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
4 oz prosciutto
1 clove garlic, minced
3 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or Italian cheese blend, which is what I used)
1 15-oz package ricotta cheese (I used low-fat)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook spinach according to package directions (I microwaved it for 8 minutes on high, stirring half way through).  Drain and squeeze dry (the less water left in the spinach, the better for your pie).

3.  Chop prosciutto into small pieces (like you would dice bacon).  Heat butter in small skillet. Add prosciutto and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and remove from heat.

4.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs until lightly lemon colored (I have no idea what this means, but I beat them until fluffy, about 5 minutes with a whisk).  Gently stir in ricotta and then parmesan, trying not to flatten the eggs.  Then stir in spinach and prosciutto and mix lightly.

5.  Pour into a greased souffle dish. Bake for 50 minutes or until browning and pulling away from the sides of the dish. Cut into 8 portions to serve (or 6!?!?!).

We finished this with turkey bacon and green salad.  A really excellent meal!  I was a little doubtful about the meal being filling enough, but it definitely was - and it was a treat of Italian flavors. A definite repeat.

Boneless Buffalo Wings

One of the things that Robert misses most is wings. We occasionally splurge and get wings out, but it's difficult because so many of the sauces include a large amount of honey or sugar. We stick to the mild, medium, or hot wings, or others that aren't very saucy.  Finding recipes that allow us to make wings (boneless or otherwise) at home where we also avoid the extra fat from frying, makes this a little easier.  This is our latest attempt - we used drumsticks because that is what we had in the house, but I look forward to trying this again with chicken fingers.

From Diabetes and Heart Healthy Cookbook:

Boneless Buffalo Wings


Vegetable oil spray
2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt-ree seasoned pepper blend
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (or wings or thighs or drumsticks)
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (or skim milk, which is what I used)
1 tsp red hot-peper sauce
1 cup crushed cornflake cereal (about 2.5 cups flakes)
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.

2. In a large airtight plastic bag, stir together the flour and seasoned pepper blend. Cut the chicken into 28 strips. Add to the flour mixture. Seal the bag and shake to coat.

3. Add the milk and pepper sauce.  Reseal the bag and shake gently to coat.

4. Put the cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken, turning gently to coat. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the chicken with vegetable oil spray.

5. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes (45 or so for drumsticks), or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the coating is crispy.

6. Meanwhile in a medium bowl, stir together the BBQ sauce, vinegar, and honey.

7. Add the cooked chicken to the sauce, stirring gently to coat, or serve the sauce on the side.

We didn't coat the chicken because the kids were going to be eating some of this, and Robert took advantage of having the sauce on the side to add more spice - he added a few more drops of hot sauce to his.

We finished this with Cucumber-radish slaw and a green salad.

Slow-Cooker Swiss Steak

This is a great slow-cooker meal, which made last Monday really easy. Finish this with a salad and some noodles (we use tofu noodles, which have almost no carbs), and you have a quick weeknight dinner. I will warn you - this is one of those slow-cooker meals that requires a little prep work - it is not a dump the ingredients in the pan kind of meal. I counter this by doing the chopping the night before, but I still get the meat ready the morning of, and it takes me 15-20 minutes.

From Diabetes and Heart  Healthy Cookbook:

Slow-Cooker Swiss Steak


2 Tbsp wheat (or all-purpose) flour
1 tsp dried basil, crumbled
1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1.5 lbs boneless top round steak, all visible fat discarded
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I use already minced)
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1.5 cups fat-free, low-sodium spaghetti sauce (this is the small jar)
8 oz dried no-yolk egg noodles or tofu noodles
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (I usually omit this)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
shredded parmesan cheese for topping

1. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, dried basil, oregano, salt and pepper

2. Cut the beef into 6 pieces. Sprinkle half the flour mixture over one side of the beef. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the flour into the meat. Turn over. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, pounding until all of it is absorbed into the meat.

3. Put the onion in the slow cooker. Put the meat on the onion. Sprinkle with the garlic, then with the bell pepper. Spoon the spaghetti sauce over all. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.

4.  About 15 minutes before serving time, prepare the noodles.

5.  To serve, spoon the noodles onto plates, top with meat. Stir the vinegar into the sauce (if using). Spoon the sauce over all. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

YUM!

Cheesy Baked Eggs

This was a nice Sunday breakfast. Easy, and not too time consuming (bake for 15 minutes).  I didn't manage to have onions in the house, but used a combination of onions, green peppers and carrots as the base. I also didn't have cream, so used chicken broth (also lower in fat and in calories).  Neither Robert nor I really like egg yolks, and so to have used the entire egg with the yolk unbroken didn't really work for us.  Instead, next time I'll break the yolk, although not scramble the egg. These were tasty and a nice part of a breakfast. This morning we finished this with turkey bacon and french toast made with low carb bread.

Adapted from Idiot's Guide:

Cheesy Baked Eggs


Butter for sauteeing and for coating the individual baking dishes
1 onion, finely chopped (or green onions, which is what I used)
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup shredded carrots
salt and cayenne to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup (heavy cream or) chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Melt butter in a skillet and saute onion until tender. Butter 6 individual baking dishes and layer onions on the bottom, topped with salt, cayenne and half of the cheese.  Gently break each egg (breaking or not breaking yolks, as desired) onto cheese. Cover with chicken broth (or cream), and top with remaining cheese.

3. Cover dishes with foil and bake 15 minutes until yolks are set and whites are cooked.