Low Carb Sushi - 3 Ways

I looooove sushi!  It's like crack.  If this pyramid of sushi and the $150 price tag doesn't prove that then nothing will

(For the record though....this was for a girls weekend so I didn't eat it all myelf.  But....give me 3 days alone with this stuff and I'm sure I could have)

But considering that eating white rice is basically the same as shoveling sugar into your face, sushi has now become a rare treat for me...and oh how I miss it so!

That's why I was so thrilled when I came across a pin on Pinterest that showed rolls made with cauliflower rice instead of sticky rice.....flippin genius!!!

Why didn't I think if this??  I mean I already make cauliflower mexican rice and fried rice....why did this idea never enter my little brain?

I googled a bunch of different low carb sushi rolls and somewhere on a message board I remember someone suggesting that you mix a little cream cheese into the cauliflower rice to make it more sticky.....again with the genius thoughts!  I'm convinced that low carbers are some of the smartest people around ;)  I wish I could remember where I read that....but thank you to that smart person somewhere out there in the cyber world 

Here's what I did

First I shredded a head of cauliflower in my food processor.  I really prefer the way it comes out in the processor as opposed to hand grating it

Place it in a bowl and  microwave for about 4-5 minutes or until done

While it's still hot, stir in some cream cheese until it starts to stick together more

If I had to guess I think I used between 1 and 2 oz of cream cheese...but just do it until it feels like it's started to bind it together slightly.  You don't want to go overboard with it and have the cream cheese flavor be overpowering

Here it is all mixed through.  See the difference in textures and how it looks more clumped together?

Put it in pan and let it sit in the fridge to cool down.  A larger pan with more surface area will make it go faster.  I left it in for an hour but I'm sure it was probably cool enough sooner

Then you're all set fr sushi makin!

Spread your cauliflower rice on the nori just as you would the sticky rice, leaving an inch on one side

And add your fillings

First filling I made was spicy crab

If you're eating low carb you have to fork over the extra cash to get real crab meat for this.  No imitation.  Real crab has virtually no carbs but the imitation is loaded with sugar.  That's because crab has a naturally sweet flavor and in order to mimic that the imitation takes a white fish if some kind and adds sugar....and still doesn't taste even remotely the same haha.  Plus it just tastes better than the fake stuff anyway.

To make your spicy crab add mayo and sriracha to taste.  I like mine extra spicy.  I also added a little chopped green onion to the mix

 Put on top of your cauliflower rice and start rolling

Next up....ahi tuna.  With cucumber, green onion, and avocado

That's it in the middle

And some shrimp sushi.  Again with avocado, cucumber, green onion, and sriracha because I just can't stay away from the stuff

And last but not least....spicy tuna!

To make that all you do is fine chop your tuna

 

And mix it with sriracha to taste and a little bit of soy sauce

Voila!

Once you know how to make the rice...you can put together whatever flavor combinations you want

I have a feeling I'll be making this alot now

Low Carb Spam, Eggs, and "Rice"

I love Spam....let's make that clear

So much in fact that I wrote an award winning poem about it in the second grade

Well.....at least the first line of the poem

And I'm not kidding about the award....I was the district wide contest winner for my grade level.....what now sucka!

Prepare yourself for some poetic genius

Ahhem.......

I Like Spam and I like to skate

But there are things I really hate

Like hair in the sink and mushy peas

And wet smelly dogs that make me sneeze

I like Saturdays and rainy days

And going to the movies when my dad pays

But most of all I like to sing real loud

And talk on the phone when I'm not allowed

Why Robert Frost is famous and I'm not....I'll never understand

;)

So as you can see....I have a passion for Spam.  I don't care what people say about it.  I don't care that you plop it out of a can....nothing can sway my feelings of love for that salty pink meat.  Nothin!

I've never been to Hawaii....but considering how much they love pineapple and Spam, as do I, I'm sure I would love it  

Oh....and the beautiful weather and scenery couldn't hurt either....but mostly the Spam

But from what I've heard and seen a plate of white rice, Spam, and eggs is a very popular meal

I wanted to recreate it here at home but with a low carb twist

Start by slicing your spam....I like mine kind of thin

And pan fry it until crispy

If you don't like Spam I'm convinced you've just never cooked it right

I paired it with scrambled eggs (with a drizzle of sriracha) and cauliflower rice with loads of butter....because I can

(for those of you who have never made cauliflower rice it's just shredded cauliflower fried in a pan with some chicken stock added to let it steam and cook through)

 It was delicious and exactly what I was craving

I think a low carb lifestyle is easiest to stick to when you find a way to satisfy any cravings you have by reinventing it and making it fit your new eating habits.  It just takes some tweaks and a little thought....but it helps stick to it in the long run

Bullet Proof Coffee Flavor Variations

If you live a low carb or Paleo lifestyle there is a good chance you have heard of bullet proof coffee already

If you haven't, I'll give you the basics:

It's coffee blended with grass fed butter and MTC oil.....but I use coconut oil because I'm cheap

While this sounds completely nuts to the average American (simply because we have this false idea of eating low fat as being healthy drilled into our heads) a low carb or Paleo lifestyle promotes high quality healthy fats as vital part of your diet

I had been eating low carb for about a year and a half  when I knew I needed to up my fat intake....this was the perfect way to do it

Go to  The Bullet Proof Executive website to read more details from the master himself

www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bulletproofexec.com%2Fhow-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too%2F&ei=uCisUa6UIcjpigKV64HQBA&usg=AFQjCNHvxY1nfSSsaS5kA7v2QSs5DDbAKA&sig2=30WWqcByYvBwtU9hf7f0fg&bvm=bv.47244034,d.cGE

Just a forewarning though....the first couple days you may be a hot mess.  At least I was.  It gives you CRAZY energy thus the "bullet proof" name.....but those first couple days I was far from it

I think it may have been magnified by the fact that if I go any extended length of time without drinking caffeine and have it again it's as if I'm having it for the first time ever and my body has a really shaky, cracked out, tweaker reaction.  Prior to drinking bullet proof coffee I was never an every morning coffee drinking kinda gal at all....and I had recently cut sodas out so I hadn't had caffeine in quite some time

Also, I have a fairly labor intensive job with alot of repetitive motion and walking in circles (I cook) so if I am even the slightest bit nauseated the motion only makes it worse

Moral of this story is if you think you might be prone to a bad reaction the first few days, I highly suggest trying it out on a more low key day....maybe even your day off from work.  That way you can veg out if needed.  I was practically holding back heaves at work in a hot and humid kitchen......not fun at all

But after I got over the ick of the first 2 days I felt AMAZING!  And I'm not kidding.  I had such a boost of energy and it keeps me full and satisfied until my lunch break.....and I'm incorporating healthy fats into my diet that would up my metabolism for the whole day.....winning!  Now I can't start my morning without it.  

Here are 2 flavors I do to switch it up.....but coffee is a blank canvas anway

First up is cinnamon 

Add in your desired amount of butter and coconut oil (I use 2 TB of each) and about 1 tsp. of cinnamon.   I also add in a splash of Mexican vanilla.  You can also add Stevia if you like more sweetness

Blend it up....I keep an immersion blender out on my counter

The butter and oil create a nice creamy foam on top....almost like a cappuccino


Mmmmmm

Next is chocolate....or I guess Mocha in the coffee world

 I put in a little less than a tablespoon....which does add 1 carb.  But I don't think that one carb is a big deal when you realize how delicious it makes it.  I also add vanilla to this and sometimes Stevia

Here's proof that coffee can be delicious without high sugar coffee creamers....and it be healthy for you too!

 






 

 

Low Carb Everything "Bagel"

Recently there has been one thing I've been craving.....an everything bagel

Considering there are over 60 carbs in one.....making my own version had to happen

So here's what I came up with

Start out by making your basic One Minute Flax bread

1 pat of Butter 

1 Egg

1/2 tsp. Baking powder

2 Tb. Golden flax flour

1/4 C. Cheese

Start by spraying a ramekin with nonstick spray.  Melt the butter in the ramekin, then mix in the egg, baking powder, flax, and cheese.  It will look like this

Microwave it for....you guessed it....one minute.  Flip it over and if it isn't done on the bottom cook it about 20 seconds more

Just plain like this it's perfect for sandwiches and burgers....whatever!  Here it is as a breakfast sammie with bacon, tomato, a little mayo, and a fried egg

Now to make it into a bagel...

I made some of the "Everything" seasoning by combining equal parts:

Seasame seeds
Poppy Seeds 
Minced dried onion
Minced dried garlic

Plus 1/2 the amount of salt of all the other ingredients

Whether it be teaspoons, tablespoons,...however big a batch you want to make

I sliced my minute bread in half and sprayed the outsides with nonstick spray and dipped it in the seasoning

 Then toasted it in the toaster oven, cut side down to keep as much of the topping on as possible

Then I dressed it up the same way I do my bagels.  Loaded with cream cheese, tomatoes, shaved red onion (literally shaved with a vegetable peeler) sliced avocado, salt and pepper

So here's the deal.....don't go into this expecting it to really feel like a bagel.  It doesn't. Bagels have that very chewy...VERY doughy feel that this will never have.  Actually, this bread in general is much closer in texture to an english muffin.  I only call it a bagel because the flavor profile of the everything bagel is what inspired the idea

For me it was less about the bagel "feel" and more about the taste of the seasonings and gobs of cream cheese....I never ate bagels plain.  It was all about how I loaded it up.  So for me....this is a delicious alternative.  I was delighted to get all those flavors together again....and in a "toast" like manner

Note: Some of my topping did fall off.  The dried onion I bought was really big and chunky and I think that was part of the problem.  It was heavy and didn't stick as well as the other ingredients and took some of them with it.  I will look for smaller onion pieces and possibly use egg whites to stick on the seasoning next time.  Over all though it didn't really bother me.  What did fall off I would scoop off my plate and sprinkle on top of my bagel so I wouldn't miss out on the flavor

Ceviche

The first time I ever had ceviche was at my friend Kristina's house in high school

 That day the clouds parted, the sun came out, and my life was changed forever.  f you think this sounds dramatic....it's not.  It's just really that good...promise

It's so refreshing and addictive....and the bonus of it all is that it's actually really healthy . It's just shrimp and veggies.....whose gonna complain about that? 

It's a perfect summer time dish because like I said, it's super refreshing and requires no heat....so you get a meal without heating up your house.  A bonus for me because living here in AZ I avoid turning on the oven and stove at all costs about 4 months out of the year

Here's the delicious ingredients you'll need

Fresh shrimp, cilantro, red onion, orange and yellow bell peppers, cucumbers, and lemons

Start by fine dicing your red onion

And your cilantro

Then start to finely chop your shrimp.  When you think you've chopped it fine enough...you haven't.  Keep choppin!   I usually buy the larger tail on shrimps and it takes me longer to take the tails off and chop, but this time I paid a little more and got the smaller tail off ones to make it go a littler faster

 In a non reactive pan (I suggest glass) mix together the minced onion, cilantro, shrimp, and the juice of your lemons.  I usually used about 10 or so.   You want to put it in a pan with alot of surface area (I use a 9x13 baking dish) so everything can lay out in an even layer to allow the lemon juice to cook the shrimp evenly

Correction....it's not exactly "cooking"  Let me drop a little knowledge here.......

Technically, to cook something you have to apply heat.  The shrimps reaction to the lemon juice is actually just a denaturing of the protein.  The same denaturing process happens in cooking....but with the use of heat.  In this process the denaturing is being done by acid.   Make sense?

I paid thousands upon thousands, upon thousands of dollars to learn that.  Wanna thank me for this tidbit of information?  Feel free to send a check on my behalf directly to Sallie Mae....please and thank you

I kid, I kid

Unless of course you REALLy want to....I won't fight it ;)

Here's how it will look right after you mix it all together

Put it in the fridge and let it "denature" ;)  Stir it occasionally to make sure it is all getting coated in the lemon juice

I let these ingredients sit on their own for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours

In the mean time, finely dice your bell peppers and cucumber

I've seen some ceviches where they leave the shrimp whole and everything is really chunky, but I prefer everything chopped small so that you get a little bit of everything in every bite

After about 2 1/2 hours you'll see a difference in the shrimp.  It will be firmer and orangeish in color compared to the translucent blue look from earlier.  This means your shrimp is now "cooked"

Now mix in your bell peppers, cucumber, and diced avocado.  Add salt to taste

Your ceviche is ready!

Eat it on a tostada or with tortilla chips

I warned ya.....this stuff is CRAAAAZY addictive.  I crave it so bad I sometimes have to make stops at the ranch markets for theirs to tide me over.....but it's nothing compared to this

I also made some Posole today in honor of Cinco De Mayo

Go Here for the recipe 

*Low Carb Note*  This could easily be adapted to low carb by eating it with pork rinds, lettuce leaves, zucchini chips, or simply with a fork

Ceviche

2lb. Shrimp, finely chopped (white fish can be substituted)

2 sweet bell peppers, finely diced

1 red onion, minced

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

5-7 avocados depending on size

10 lemons (roughly)

Salt

Mix together the red onion, cilantro, shrimp, and lemon juice and let sit in a glass pan with alot of surface area (such as a 9x13 baking dish) for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occassionally.

After the shrimp looks "cooked" stir in the bell peppers, cucumber, avocado, and salt to taste and let that sit and marinate together for another hour or so before serving

Artichoke Cheese Squares

Do you like artichokes?   What about cheese?  If you answered yes to these questions there is a pretty good chance you'll fall madly in love this recipe.  I mean I make no guarantees  (I'm no eharmony over here)....but it's entirely possible

It's a recipe that you can completely adapt to your tastes.  The basic recipe is.....

15 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

4 eggs

2 cup shredded cheese

Salt & Pepper

Olive oil

.......but that is just a starting point. Add whatever your in the mood for....or whatever is in your fridge that's on the verge of growing fur.  Or veggies that are gonna begin to "juice" themselves if you don't hurry up and eat them.  You know what I'm talking about right?  That brown juice that accumulates at the bottom of your veggie crisping drawer.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who experiences this "juice" from time to time.... Right?   I blame the damn lettuce personally....

Anywho....

Some ideas are:

Bacon

Diced ham

Zucchini

Tomatoes

Different kinds of cheese

Oregano

Cajun seasoning

Hot sauce

Spinach

Garlic

You get it....it's whatevs!

This particular time I added bacon. So I chopped up about 5 or 6 slices and began to render it in a pan.  When it was almost crisp, I tossed in the onion and cooked them until soft and translucent. Then add in your chopped garlic (I used 2 cloves)  If you weren't using something like bacon that gives off it's own fat just use olive oil to cook your onion

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, cheese, and artichokes.  Pour in your cooked onions and garlic and bacon in this case.  Add seasonings (I used salt, pepper, and oregano....go easy on the oregano because it is strong....maybe 1/4 tsp) and mix all together.  Pour into a well greased 8 in baking dish

It will be more chunky than eggy.   Bake at 325 for about 25 minutes or until set

Let them cool.  I like to eat mine semi warm or room temperature.  They are good to keep in the fridge to have on hand for a quick meal or snack.  I only heat them up about 45sec-1 minutes and then I let them cool a little.

Pair it with a salad and you have a tasty lunch

Low Carb Zucchini Chips 2 Ways

IF there is anything I thought would KILL me about cutting out starches and sugars in my life I thought for sure it would be chips

I never had a huge sweet tooth. Granted I do get a hankering now and again like any normal person but I don't crave sweets on a regular basis....but chips on the other hand...oooh lawwdy!

I could devour an entire bag of potato chips myself.  Heck I'll even hoover a bag of tortilla chips...don't matter to me as long as it was crunchy and salty

But surprisingly I have handled a chipless life quite well.  Once you don't have them in your house you realize you can do it.  Parties can still be rough on me....because what's a party without 4 different flavors of chip? (at least in my family)  I have my strong days and my weak days at those events....but over all I do ok.

I did however think it was time to branch out and start trying a LC chip alternative besides my go to pork rind that I could possibly pack with lunches or bring to those gatherings for myself to lessen the temptation

This first recipe is not my recipe at all.  It is straight from http://yourlighterside.com/.  This site is simply amazing.  It is all about adapting your old favorites to your new lifestyle of eating and she does an AMAZING job at it!  She is the original creator of the cauliflower pizza crust! 

Here is a link to her original recipe and post for these chips http://yourlighterside.com/2009/05/zucchini-nacho-chip-recipe-2/

But I added a few steps when I made that I wanted to share

2 cups grated zucchini

2 eggs beaten

2 cups cheese

She doesn't state this in the original recipe, but whenever I make anything with zucchini that I intend to get crispy I take the extra step in trying to remove as much water as possible.  You do this by sprinkling the shredded zucchini with salt and letting it sit for about 10-15 minutes.  This will draw out all the water and then you wring out as much as you can either in a dish towel or ricer

Add your zucchini to the egg and cheese.  Scoop your mix onto a well greased piece of parchment (I used a silpat) into 6-8 inch circles

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 12 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes or so or until brown

Take them out of the oven and let cool slightly before cutting into chips

Her recipe states to put them back in a cool oven to dry out and crisp for 6-8 hours, but I decided to go another route.  I have a dehydrator so I just loaded them up in there over night.  In the morning I had perfectly crisp chips!

I made them into nachos that day at work

Here is the instagramed version of the pics. Come follow me! TheBusyBroad

One thing I did notice was some were the perfect chip thickness and some were a little thick and crackery...so next time I will be sure to spread the mixure a little more thin and even.  Otherwise they made a good hearty nacho chip

And since I had a leftover zucchini and the dehydrater was already out, I made another version of chips

Just thinly sliced zucchini, tossed with a smidge of oil and some cajun spice

Ended up with some darn tasty and spicy chips.  I think I could go wild making all sorts of flavors of these babies!

I think the first recipe is better suited for nacho or cracker type applications, where as the second one is more similar to a potato chip.  Now I have all my chip bases covered