High protein, low Carb, gluten free Pi day pie

The low Carb/high protein/gluten free pi day pie I made, chopped cashew crust, 1 cupnsugar free strawberry yogurt, 1 package sugar free chocolate pudding, 12oz milk and 6oz cream cheese and almonds on top.  Very yummy actually

PI Day – DS healthy protein cheesecake Pie

PI Day every geeks favorite excuse to make Pie and play with math

So while my friends are making decadent and wildly unhealthy pies I decided to make 2 healthy ones
One savory pie and one sweet

Quinoa Crust Chicken Pie
Ingredients:
1 cup of cooked Quinoa
3 eggs
1 pound of chicken breast baked and diced
6oz of shredded cheese
1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup of chopped broccoli steamed
1 tbs cornstarch

Directions:
Oil a large pie pan or 8×8 cake pan
in a bowl mix together the quinoa and 1 of the eggs and pack into the bottom of the pan
bake this crust for 15 mins in a 350 oven (check after 10 mins, it should be slightly firm but not over cooked)
in a microwave safe bowl mix shredded cheese and ricotta and microwave for 45 seconds to soften them
mix the cornstarch and cold milk together and heat over medium temps in a sauce pan and as it begins to thicken add the cheese mixture and stir.
Season to taste
remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes then whip in the remaining 2 eggs
Place the diced chicken and chopped vegetables over the quinoa and then pour the cheese and eggy mixture over it
place the pan back into a 350* oven and bake for 30mins or until a knife inserted in the middle comes back clean.

 

WLS Friendly High Protein cheesecake pie

Ingredients:
1 graham cracker crust. (I use store bought since it is such a small part of the pie but you can make a crust with SF cookies and butter)
2 sm packages of Sugar Free Cheesecake flavored Jell-o brand pudding
1 cup of whipping cream
1 1/2 cups milk
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I prefer Syntrax Nectar)

Directions:
in a medium sized mixing bowl measure out 1 cup of whipping cream, using cold beaters whip the cream until medium stiff and set aside
in another bowl mix the protein powder and milk and then add the pudding mix and begin mixing it with the beaters
start folding in the whipped cream and continue to mix until fluffy
pour into the crust and refrigerate

If you wish to add fruit such as strawberries of blueberries I suggest slicing them and heating them in a small pan with an oz of SF Italian Syrup such as Torani or DiVinci until they are somewhat soft, cool and spoon onto the plate beside the pie

Super simple Cheesy chicken and broccoli

This is a very high protein dish that can be eaten by itself or just as easily be served over rice or pasta or quickly made into a pot pie for family members.

1 rotisserie chicken deboned (or 2 pounds of baked chicken)
8 oz of frozen broccoli
8 oz of frozen cauliflower
12 oz of milk
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup chicken broth

Directions :
Debone the chicken into a medium sized crock pot on high and add the milk.
Add half of a one pound bag each of frozen broccoli and frozen cauliflower to a large microwave bowl with the broth and heat on high for 5 mins or until the vegetables are fork tender.
In another bowl add the ricotta, shredded cheese and sour cream and the now hot chicken broth and stir then microwave for 1 min and stir again.  If the cheese mix is not smooth yet heat for 45 more seconds.
Add the cheese mix and hot vegetables to the crockpot and allow to cook on high for 30-45 mins while doing other stuff and then then to low.

To make into a cheesy chicken pot pie for the family scoop a cup of the mix into a large oiled rammikin and using Jiffy or Bisquick mix make the topping.  I use half a cup of mix and add small amounts of milk til I have a some what soft biscuit batter and spoon it on top of the cheesy chicken casserole.

Quinoa crab (or salmon) loaf

This is so easy to make I made a double version with sarimi
(crab or salmon flavored fish blend) I used both kinds but this recipe is for the bread pan sized loaf

Ingredience
1 cup of pre made quinoa
1 package of crab (10-12 oz) shredded you can also used canned salmon
4 eggs beaten
2 oz milk
4-5 oz shredded cheese (any kind)
1/2 to 3/4 cup Steamed veggies (I like diced broccoli and cauliflower)
Spices (I use lemon pepper and Lawrys)

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredience in a large bowl making sure the meat is well mixed in
Press the mixture into a well oiled loaf pan and bake at 350*f for 35 mins.  Check doneness by sliding a knife into the center to see if it comes back clean.  Add time if need be.

Substitutions … instead of shredded seafood try using 12oz of very finely shredded stewed chicken meat

Cream of mushroom sauce/soup

I am very allergic to msg and all of the thick canned mushroom soups I have looked at have lots of it and the natural ones are pricey and I don’t enjoy the taste of them.  When I saw mushrooms on sale today for $0.98 a pound I decided to make my own sauce my own way.

crimini mushrooms nutritional information

I bought a pound of the fresh crimini mushrooms and sliced them into my 2.5qt crockpot

and in a large sauce pan I added 1/3 a stick of butter and thinnly sliced up 2 medium onions, 1 sweet and 1 yellow though you could easily do all one or the other and adjust the amount of onion to taste.  I added a teaspoon of diced garlic, about 4 medium cloves and sauteed them for 10 mins on med

I then added a 12oz can of no msg chicken broth and two cans of water along with some ‘Better than bullion’ veggie base

I simmered the broth and onions for 10 mins on Med high and then poured the hot mixture over the mushrooms

I then cooked it in the crockpot for 90 minutes on low.

To this I added 2/3 cup Ricotta cheese and 2.5 oz of cream cheese (you cab use low fat versions) and allowed it to melt into the mushrooms.

I then used a 12 oz can of regular condensed milk and 4 oz oz cold water to liquify 4 tablespoons of cornstarch.

I thickened the cornstarch mix in a small sauce pan over Med heat and then added a cup of the hot broth and stirred it smooth.  This I added to the mushrooms and then since cheese is one of my major sources of protein I added 2/3 of a cup of cheddar jack shredded cheese to it.

The soup came out amazing and I was able to store 2 qts of it and still have about a cup to eat.
Tomorrow I am buying 2 pounds of the mushrooms and making a thicker sauce by reducing the broth from 32 oz to 24 and doubling the ricotta and the cornstarch. I will try to add photos of the sauce then.

Vinegar fights sugar cravings. Making refrigerator pickles

My sugar cravings are through the roof…today in the store I wanted a tiny bit of spice gum drops from the bulk section and while I resisted them it nearly brought me to tears.  I ended up eating 2.5 oz of a 70% dark chocolate bar and have spent the entire evening wanting to eat the last oz of it.  It feels as if I am quite literally fighting a battle with my body every minute of the day and night.
What little bit of candy is left is getting taken out of the house tomorrow (cinnamon and butterscotch disks) and I am not buying more chocolate and when Alex wants some I am, for the next month or so, going to ask that he has it when I’m asleep or he is at work.
I am also cutting way back on milk while increasing my protein intake.  I have gotten in the habit again of drinking a good 35+ oz of milk a day and I plan to reduce that to 18 oz a day.  Even though milk is good for me it is full of carbs and I can add more calcium to my diet.  Milk and cheese are different in the rate you absorb the carbs and in my case in how my guts react.  I need to make as many changes as I can right now.
So I have been rereading up on natural things to help stabilized blood sugar and stop sugar cravings.  I am going back to taking Omega 3-6-9 fatty acid pills and some other things like picolate and zinc which are suppose to help with blood sugar levels and insulin uptake (I am insulin resistant) all of which should slow down the worse of the physical part of these cravings.
Another thing I read was how vinegar can help fight sugar craving by helping to stabilized the Ph balance and acidity in your body which makes it easier for your body to process sugars and create the right amounts of insulin especially after meals.
Unlike my grandma I have never been good at the whole drinking vinegar thing so I am making refrigerator pickles and other marinaded foods tonight.
Refridgerator pickles are super easy…the most basic ones are sliced cucumbers in vinegar with a little spice and can get quite involved and diverse after that.  I had made a large batch this summer using armeanian named cucumbers, shredded carrots and sliced onions in a mix of basalmic vinegar and white vinegar and a few tbs of sugar.
The batch I made today are made from 3 peeled regular cucumbers and 2 oz of low sugar sweet red pepper sauce, 6 tsp sugar and some splenda.   It will take a week for them to be ready and then they should be great.
I also marinaded some thinly sliced Roma tomatoes and Maui sweet onion.  I am also concidering doing up a few cans of whole tender green beans.
I do know I don’t feel so frantic for sweets after eating about 3-4 oz of this summers pickles so who knows it might help.

Squashy “lasagna” Recipe

I made this last night and made a HUGE batch so that we would have leftovers so I cut my batch down by half but it is still a pretty big batch so size it how you want.

INGREDIENTS:

Meat Sauce*

*2 pounds lean hamburger (though I have been known to use any ground meat I have and drain it well and to use more)

*2 medium onions

*1 large red or green pepper

*3 cloves of garlic (or a tbs of minced)

*2 cans (14oz) Italian Style diced tomatoes

*1 large (28oz) can of tomato sauce (NSA or it should have no more than 8g of carbs per .5 cup)Seasoning to taste)

*Seasonings to taste

1 medium Spaghetti Squash

2 medium sized Zucchini

1 cup of 2% cottage cheese (small curd works best)

1 cup Ricotta cheese

3 eggs

8oz shredded Italian cheese blend (I used Tillamook 6 cheese blend)

 

DIRECTIONS:

(2 hrs or more ahead) Place the ground meat in a large baking dish with the chopped up onions, peppers and garlic, Bake until the meat is finished cooking and then drain grease.  Place the meat in a medium sized crock pot with the  tomatoes and the tomato sauce (you can use spaghetti sauce but most is way too sweet for my taste)  Season to taste and cook on high for at least 2 hours.

Use a very sharp knife and put a few small holes in your Spaghetti squash by twisting it a little (this is to vent steam) place the squash on a plate and microwave for between 8 and 10 mins til the outside is soft then allow to sit for at least 5 mins in the microwave to finish steaming. (I do this about  an hour ahead of time while I am grating the Zucchini and then put the hot squash in the fridge to cool before opening and deseeding it.)  When it cools a enough to touch easily use a sharp knife to open around it and carefully scoop out the seeds then using a fork gently shred out the pulp which should be in spaghetti like strands.

While the Spaghetti squash is in the microwave finely grate the two Zucchini then toss it with some salt, maybe 1/2 teaspoon per medium zucchini and let drain in a colander for about 1/2 hour, pressing on it and stir gently a couple of times. If you’re worried about it being too salty, it seems to me that the salt kind of drains away with the water.  Afterwards roll it up in a a few thick paper towels and gently press it, which also removes some of the salt)

Pre-heat the oven to 375*

In a small food processor mix half the cottage cheese and the eggs and blend, pour into a bowl with the rest of the cottage cheese and the ricotta and mix well.  Pour half of this mix in the oiled pan (I use a 9×11 but if you want it thick use a smaller pan) with the drained Zucchini and mix well then spread over the bottom of the pan.  Spread on a layer of Meat Sauce and then in a bowl mix the Spaghetti squash you have pulped with the rest of the cheese/egg mix and layer it on top of the sauce.  Now layer in the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for at least 35 mins (longer if you make this thick).  Turn off oven and allow the mixture to sit for another 10-15 mins

Dish up like Lasagna.

Oven roasted tomatoes

This is the time of year most people have more tomatoes than they know what to do with and I was given half a shopping bag full of Beefsteak tomatoes so I am making roasted beefsteak tomatoes (you can use any medium or larger tomatoes)

Here is how you do it:

put olive oil and diced/chopped garlic in the bottom of roasting pans
cut tomatoes into thick (1-1.5 inch) slices and layer on top of garlic (you can add large wedges of sweet onions and whole garlic cloves as well)
lightly cover in an oil and vinegar dressing
(I mixed olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, spices, basil, garlic and a little sugar together)
Bake on 300-325* for 2-3 hours, checking every 30 mins after an hour
turn off heat and open oven door when they are done, they will have reduced their thickness and the juices in the pan have thickened to a serious glaze
allow to sit on rack for 30 mins and then use or freeze, you can also store them in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks by putting them in a jar and covering them with Olive oil, then after they are gone you can use the oil in cooking.

Use them in salads, dice up in pastas and cook in soups … or slice them thin and nibble them

Amazing curry chicken salad using rotisserie chicken and the 4 bean salad – Recipe

This uses either Deli baked (or BBQ) chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the store and the Super Simple 4 Bean Salad I posted below this one to make a great salad

Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 thighs and 2 breasts of a Deli chicken (skinned)

1/2 a cup of miracle whip light

2 tbs of honey mustard dressing (or just honey mustard)

1 tsp curry powder

1 cup of the 4 Bean Salad OR 1/2 a cup of garbanzo beans and 1/2 a cup of steamed shelled Edamame (soybeans)

1/3 cup chopped peanuts (or cashews)

Directions:

Skin the chicken and de-bone it then dice it into small chunks

mix in the salad dressing and the honey mustard with the curry powder and stir well

in a large bowl add the chicken, the beans and the nuts then top with the dressing mix and stir well.

 

Enjoy as a sandwich filling or by itself… I like to eat it on rice crisps and with a side dish of sauteed Zucchini

Yummy 4 Bean Salad – Recipe

This is such an easy Salad and I love it, I eat it by itself and I also add it to other things such as chicken salad and even a scoop in soup is wonderful… I have also topped these beans with thinly sliced marinaded grilled beef

Super Simple 4 Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1 can of White Beans

1 can of Garbanzo Beans (chick peas)

1 can of Kitchen Cut Green Beans (1-2 inch cuts)

1 Bag (16 oz) of steamed mukimame (Shelled Edamame-soybeans)

4 oz Zesty Italian dressing

2 oz balsamic Vinegar

Garlic seasoning and Lemon pepper

Directions:

Follow the directions for steaming the soybeans in the microwave and then pour them and all the cans of beans in a colander and rinse well, this reduces salt and also will remove any thick starchy buildup in the can that can cause gas

Add everything to a bowl with a lid and shake well… allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours, stirring or shaking it every so often to get everything well covered and to let the beans marinade.

Makes about 12 Five oz servings, each serving has about 115 calories, 8 grams of Protein, 15 grams of Carbs (a lot of it fiber) and only 2 grams of fat mostly from the soybeans

 

DS WLS healthy Swai (fish) recipe

I had a friend once who made chicken dish that was so rich it was a heart attack on a plate and I have not been able to bake with mayo on top of food without thinking of it since then.  They took a can of mushroom soup and a half cup of mayo and whisked the mixture together with white bread crumbs then spooned the crumbs on the chicken and then topped it with and half a stick of melted butter ….no spices cause well they would brag about being from the mid-west and somehow in their minds that meant no spice.

There was no way I would make that recipe but since this one has a bit of Miracle Whip it makes me think of it for some reason… mind you this is a much better version.

Swai with Almond Breading

Ingredients:

3 medium sized Swai Filets (or two large ones)

2 tablespoons butter melted

1 tablespoon olive oil

teaspoon diced garlic

1-2 tablespoons Miracle whip (or any salad dressing or mayo but MW has the least amount of calories actually)

1/3 cup Almond flour or meal (ground up almonds)

1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1/4 cup slivered almond lightly crushed

Lemon pepper

 

Directions:

Melt the butter with the diced garlic and mix in the olive oil and miracle whip

Place the thawed fish in a oiled baking dish and lightly cover with the butter mixture

mix together the bread crumbs, almond meal and slivered almonds with lemon pepper and spoon over the mix

Place pan in a 350* and bake for 20 mins (more depending on the thickness of the fish)

 

Seafood Quiche (high protein WLS friendly Recipe)

Seafood Quiche

Ingredients:
6 oz Imitation Crab Meat
3 oz salad shrimp
½  cup cooked quinoa
1/3 of a large sweet onion (about ½ sliced)
1 medium sized zucchini
4 eggs
½ cup milk
2/3 cup Ricotta
1 cups shredded cheese
Spice to taste

Directions:
Thinly slice the zucchini and onion and place in a microwave bowl with a little bit of water and spice mix and microwave for 3 mins to soften it up.
Slice up the crab and spread it on the bottom of and oiled 8 or 9 inch square cake pan with the shrimp, the quinoa, the shredded cheese and the microwaved vegetables.
In a large bowl add the eggs, ricotta and milk and whisk til they are smooth and lightly frothy (I use the whisk on my hand blender)
Pour the egg mixture over the other ingredients and stir them up til they are pretty evenly dispersed into the egg mix.
Bake in a 350* oven for 30 mins and check for doneness by sticking a knife in the quiche and seeing if it comes out clean, cook longer if needed.

You could also bake these is ramekins or cupcake tins for smaller individual servings.