Sausage and Cabbage Soup

Note: serves 6, Total Carbohydrates: 64 (instead of daikon radish. You can use zucchini if you prefer.)

To make this soup you can use potatoes or zucchini.

Ingredients:

1 small cabbage, ( or ¾ of a large one), cored and shredded

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 lb. pork sausages, your choice, though spicy Italian or chorizo are great

6 cups chicken or beef stock, or water

salt and pepper

1 lb. daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 cup sour cream

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the cabbage. When the water returns to a boil, cook the cabbage for 1 minute and drain. Return the cabbage to the pot along with the butter, stock or water and sausages. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for I hour. Add the daikon and cook for 30 minutes longer. Remove the sausages and cut into bite sized pieces. Return to the soup, which by this point will be very thick. Pass the sour cream separately.

Pisano Egg Drop and Parmesan Cheese Soup

Note: Serves 4 Total Carbohydrates: 2 . So each serving is less than a gram of carbs.You can add cooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces to this soup if you want something a bit more hearty. This is very good with a thin slice of lemon floating on top.

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock or broth

Salt and pepper

2 eggs

4 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the stock or broth to a boil over high heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs with the Parmesan and parsley and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Slow stir the egg mixture into the soup and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until the eggs float to the top and form tiny “flakes”. Serve Immediately, or let it cool a bit. Either way its tasty

Cabbage and Tofu Soup

Note: Makes 4 servings. Total Carbohydrates: 30. Delicious If you like a Chinese flavor, add the sesame oil. For a Southeast Asian flair, and my favorite, garnish with the cilantro, green onions, chilies and a squeeze of lime. Taking a trick from Vietnamese beef noodle soup, the boiling soup can be poured over extremely thinly sliced raw beef. The heat of the soup will cook it through.

Ingredients:

7 cups chicken stock

3/4 lb. daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4 1/4-inch slices fresh ginger

sea salt

1/2 lb. Chinese cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped

1/2 lb. soft tofu, sliced

chopped cilantro, green onions, chilies and fresh lime wedges if desired

a few drops of sesame oil, if desired

In a large pot, bring the chicken stock, daikon and ginger to a boil. Season lightly with salt. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes until the daikon is tender. Add the cabbage, return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tofu and heat through. Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Vegetable Cream Soup

Note: The dairy is optional .Makes approximately 12 cups, total Carbs 61

Ingredients:

1 lb. cauliflower

1 1/2 lbs. broccoli, or one of the suggestions above

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

10 cups chicken stock

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. dried tarragon leaves, or herb of your choice

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

heavy cream, optional

Trim the broccoli and cauliflower and chop coarsely. The core of the cauliflower and the broccoli should be used too. Save a few tiny florets of broccoli to add later.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sizzle until it smells fragrant. Add the broccoli, cauliflower, stock and salt. Bring to a boil, turn down and cook at a lively simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree in batches in a food processor or blender - a blender works best for this - with the mustard and tarragon add the broccoli florets and season to taste. Thin with stock or water if the soup is too thick. Add the cream if desired.

Italian Egg Drop and Parmesan Cheese Soup

Note: Serves 4, Total Carbohydrates: 2

You can add cooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces to this soup if you want something a bit heartier. This is very good with a thin slice of lemon floating on top.

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock or broth

salt and pepper

2 eggs

4 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the stock or broth to a boil over high heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs with the Parmesan and parsley and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Slow stir the egg mixture into the soup and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until the eggs float to the top and form tiny “flakes”. Serve immediately.

Blissful French Onion Soup

Note: Serving size,1 cup.  Carbs per serving ,:  7.6 grams of carb. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups thinly slicked onion (sweet)

2 Tablesps butter (1/4 stick)

1 Tablesp Wondra flour

3 ½ cups stock or canned, low-carb chicken beef, or mushroom broth

   salt to taste

   freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 Superb Rolls

1 ounce butter

4 ounces grated Swiss cheese

            After this soup has finished simmering, preheat oven to 375ºF.  Have ready a lightly buttered, ovenproof earthenware soup bowl or deep casserole dish.

            Heat 4 Tablesps butter in a heavy, medium saucepan.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add the flour and stir.  Add the broth and stir.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Put the soup in the ovenproof bowls.

            Thinly slice the Superb Rolls, discarding the ends.  Toast the slices in a toaster oven (they will brown quickly, so take care not to burn).  Butter the slices and put them on top of the soup.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Do not cover.  Put the bowls in the oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese and Superb Roll slices look crusted over and slightly browned.  Serve at once.

Pan Asian fried Rice

Note: Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a side dish (very low carb count total carb count is 57 for the whole meal)

This is a pan-Asian mix combining flavors and techniques from China, Thailand and Vietnam. Chinese like their fried rice to be white, Thais like the flavor of golden fried garlic and Vietnamese like to add a bit of black pepper.

You can use raw meat, shrimp or prawns. Just make sure it’s in small pieces and thoroughly cooked before adding the eggs.

If you’re used to the darker version, add a splash of soy sauce - go easy or the rice may be too wet - and reduce the salt. You can use this without the meat as a side dish. Delish with crumbled feta, olive oil and chopped tomato on top. The variations are endless: a bit of curry powder, some grated lemon rind to go with fish, some chili powder…

Ingredients:

2 lbs. trimmed cauliflower

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 cups diced, cooked meat

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Grate the cauliflower using the medium sized holes of a grater. Grate the core too. With your hands squeeze out as much water as you can. This may not be necessary for some cauliflower as they vary in degree of wetness.

Over high heat, heat the oil (bacon fat can be used here too) in a wok or large heavy frying pan and add the garlic. Stir-fry until pale gold. Add the meat and fry until lightly browned. Break in the eggs and fry until softly scrambled. Add the grated cauliflower, sprinkle with salt and stir and fry until it’s tender-crisp, about 5-8 minutes. The length of time will depend on the cauliflower.

Stir in the green onion and pepper. Check the seasoning and serve.

Savory Roasted Chicken

Note: Serves 3-4 . Total Carbohydrates: 20

Ingredients:

1 chicken, 3 1/2-4 lbs.

salt and pepper

1/4 lb. prosciutto, in one piece, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1/3 cup shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup whole green olives, un-pitted

1/2 cup white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

With a sharp heavy knife, split the chicken down the backbone and open it up. Turn it breast side up and flatten with the palm of your hand. Cut a slit in the skin at the bottom of the breast and slip the “ankles” of the chicken through the slit. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken, breast side down, to a lightly oiled roasting pan. Bake for 45 minutes. While the chicken is baking, prepare and combine the prosciutto, shallots, garlic and olives.

Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a plate. Remove any accumulated fat from the roasting pan. Scatter the prosciutto mixture evenly in the roasting pan and add the white wine. Place the chicken skin side up into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes longer.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Either carve the chicken or cut it up into serving pieces. Pour the prosciutto mixture over the chicken and serve.

Swiss & Crab Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup Swiss (or cheddar), shredded
8 oz crab meat
3 beaten eggs
3/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c water
1/2 t salt
dry mustard to taste

Preheat oven to 325. Sprinkle cheese in large quiche or pie pan, lightly sprayed with PAM. Top with crab. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over top. Bake 40-45 min.

Serves 4 @ 3 carb

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

3 cups spaghetti squash
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta
1 beaten egg
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix squash, 1 egg and Parmesan. Press evenly into 9″ pie plate. Mix ricotta and other egg and spread over squash mixture. In skillet, brown ground beef with onion and green pepper. Drain excess fat. Add tomato sauce and spices and simmer for few minutes. Spoon over ricotta mixture in pie plate. Bake approx. 15 min. Sprinkle with mozzarella and make 10 min. more to brown cheese. Remove from oven and let sit 5-10 min before cutting. Serves 6 @ 11 carb.

Don’t get turned off by the list of ingredients! This is really easy. I cooked the spaghetti squash on the weekend and put in the fridge in a container. I always have some browned ground beef in the freezer, so this didn’t take much time to assemble. (To cook spaghetti squash, pierce with fork, then put in the microwave for 15 min. Let cool a little, cut in half, scoop out seeds and run fork over the squash - it will separate into spaghetti-type strands).