Salmon Cakes

Serves Two -  Serve a Salad on the side.  These are also wonderful served in a bun with sweet potato fries on the side.

• 7 ounces canned, wild caught salmon, drained
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup small-diced red onion
• 1 stalk small-diced celery
• 2 Tablespoons cup small-diced green bell pepper
• 2 Tablespoons shredded carrot 
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Dash hot sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 1/2 slices stale bread, crusts removed OR 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup good mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Drain salmon and flake.  Place in refrigerator to chill.
2. Place 1 tablespoons of the butter, 1 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, celery, peppers, carrots, parsley, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
3. Break the bread slices in pieces and process the bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. You should have about 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. Place the bread crumbs on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 minutes until lightly browned, tossing occasionally.
4. Flake the chilled salmon into a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the vegetable mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into 4-5 (2 1/2 to 3-ounce) cakes.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
6. Add the salmon cakes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a preheated 250 degree F oven and serve hot.

Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers

Here's a great low-carb dish to serve when you need to reduce your carbs.

8 ounces Thinly Sliced Roast Beef
8 slices Provolone Cheese
1 medium Sweet Onion
8 ounces Baby Bella Mushrooms
2 Green Peppers
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Slice peppers in half lenthwise, remove ribs and seeds
2. Slice onions and mushrooms.  Saute over medium heat with butter, olive oil, and a little salt and pepper.  Saute until onions and mushrooms are nice and caramelized. About 25-30 minutes.  Add the minced garlic the last minute.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
4. Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion/mushroom mixture.  Allow to cook 5-10 minutes.
5. Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese
6. Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing
7. Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown.
9. Make 4 servings - 6 carb per serving.

Pickled Garlic

Ingredients:

12 large heads garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons sea salt
2-4 tablespoons whey

**The quickest way to get whey is to place a cup of plain yogurt in a cheese cloth and hang in a jar.  Let the whey drip from the yogurt overnight in the frig.  You should have about 1/4-1/2 cup of whey and what remains is yogurt cheese which is a low fat version of cream cheese with all the goodies (probotics and enzymes).

Directions:

1. Set the garlic heads in a 300 degree oven and bake until heads open and cloves can be easily removed.  This doesn't take long so watch then carefully!
2. Remove garlic from skins and place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar.
3. Mix oregano salt and whey with 1/2 cup water.  Pour over garlic, adding more water if necessary to cover the garlic.  The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.
4. Cover tights and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

This garlic will keep in  your refrigerator for several months.

Eat two a day to keep Colds and Flu at bay or use in any garlic dishes as you would regular garlic.  This fermented garlic will be milder that normal garlic.

Pincushion Gifts

I was looking for a Pincushion to make for a gift exchange at my quilt group and found this cute idea.  I think I'm going to use the tiny 4 ounce canning jars and fill it with old buttons.  Maybe I'll use this idea for gifts for all my sewing friends!





Supplies you will need:• Mason jar (complete with ring and lid sealer)
• Fabric
• Cardboard
• Batting
• Glue Gun
• Scissors
• Pen

Step 1:• Trace lid sealer onto cardboard and cut out.
• Cut a circle out of fabric that is approximately 1" in diameter larger than the lid sealer. Don't worry about it being perfect because your edges will soon be tucked away and out of site.

Step 2:
• Form batting into a ball and place between fabric and cardboard circles. Push through bottom of ring until fabric and batting pop through the top and cardboard hits the rim.

Step 3:
• Fold edges of fabric around the cardboard and tightly glue into place. If it's too bulky the lid will not screw onto the jar. I learned this the hard way. Thanks again sis for bailing me out ;)

Step 4:
• Line inside rim and center of cardboard with glue. Push Sealer through rim and hold firmly until glue is set.

Step 5:• Stick pins into cushion, screw lid onto jar and fill with all types of sewing goodness.

Used by permission from the LITTLE PAPER DOG

Surrendered In Praise

Whenever I'm low and sinking down
When I'm overwhelmed and doubts abound
When I've lost all heart and the will to fight
When despair sets in and my day is night
...
Lift up my head, make steel my gaze
Cast out my fear, move me to faith
Surrendered in praise
To Your glorious grace, Jesus

Whenever I'm tired and I feel alone
When oppression mounts and trials come
When the father of lies, his arrows fly
When there are no answers
And my dreams, they die

In my heart of hearts where these battles rage
My strength it fails and my courage fades
In my distress I cry aloud to You

You lift my head, and You steel my gaze
You cast out fear, and I'm moved to faith
Surrendered in praise
To Your glorious grace, Jesus

Day 7 Low Carb Fast Day 7 Menu

Breakfast
2 eggs scrambled in 2 teaspoons coconut oil, with 1 ounce diced ham, 2 tablespoons each diced zucchini, onion, mushrooms. (heat oil in skillet, saute the veggies first then add the beaten eggs to scramble.  Use medium heat)

Snack
Green Vegetable Juice

Lunch
Large salad with chopped romaine, raw mushrooms, red pepper (can use green), shredded carrot and chopped broccoli.  Add 4 ounces meat of your choice.

Snack
1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup diced fresh peaches or pineapple or 1/8 of a canteloupe

Supper
Unstuffed Cabbage

Low Carb Fast Day 6 Menu with recipes

Breakfast

Three Hard Boiled Eggs
Low Carb Blueberry Muffin

 
Snack
Green Vegetable Juice

Lunch
Chicken Club Salad



Snack
1 cup strawberries with 1/2 cup yogurt








Supper
Chinese Five Spice Chicken
Asian Broccoli Stir Fry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Low Carb Blueberry Muffins

• 2 cups almond flour/almond meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup blueberries (if frozen thaw first)

 

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

2) Butter a muffin tin. You can really do it with any size, but I'm basing the recipe on a 12-muffin tin.

3) Mix dry ingredients together well.

4) Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly (You don't want strings of egg white in there and you don't have to worry about "tunnels" when you are using almond meal).

5) Put in muffin tins (about 1/2 to 2/3 full) and bake for about 15 minutes.

Chicken Club Salad

• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1 heart of Romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons  mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• pinch pepper
• 2 cooked bacon strips, chopped

1. Roughly Chop the lettuce into a large bowl.
2. Combine the chicken, bacon, celery and onions, add to the bowl. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture and toss all together.

Serves Two

Chinese Five Spice Chicken

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken (any combination -- ideal if they are similar sizes -- works great for thighs, but I've done a variety)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 teaspoon five spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dry sherry

1. Combine all ingredients except chicken, and use as marinade. Then, marinate chicken at least an hour, but can marinate overnight.
2. Bake in a 375 F. oven (baste once or twice), or grill, for about 45 minutes or until done.

 This recipe has no carbohydrate.  Serves 2-3

 

Asian Broccoli Stir Fry

• 1/2 bunch broccoli - cut into florets, stem peeled and chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced, grated, or pressed
• 1 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dry sherry
• 1 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

1. Lightly steam broccoli, or microwave in a covered container in small amount of water for 3 minutes.
2. While that is happening, if the almonds aren't toasted, you can do that in the skillet you're going to use for the broccoli - either in a dry pan or a small amount of oil.
3. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, and sweetener.
4. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet.
5. Stir-fry the broccoli in hot oil for 1-2 minutes, until almost tender. Push to the edges of the pan.
6. Put ginger and garlic in the center of the pan (add a little more oil if need be), and saute 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
7. Put sauce in the pan, and toss all ingredients together. Top with almonds.

 

Makes 3-4 servings.