BEYOND HAMBURGERS: 15 LOW CARB GROUND BEEF RECIPES

Grass-fed ground beef is available at some of my local stores now, but grass-fed roasts, chops, and steaks are harder to find. One butcher told me he quit ordering the more expensive cuts because they didn’t sell fast enough and he always had to mark them down. I have to admit, the prices are a deterrent for me too. As a result, ground beef has become a staple in my diet and I’m always looking for new ways to cook it. Here are some of…

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YELLOW CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

A rich, moist, basic cake that can be varied by using different flavorings, frostings, and toppings. It is sugar-free, grain-free, gluten-free, and delicious. ¾ cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) almond flour ¾ cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) coconut flour ¼ cup (2 ounces or 56 grams) granular erythritol or other bulk sweetener* 1 teaspoon baking powder A pinch of salt ½ cup (4 ounces or 1 stick) butter, softened to room temperature 4 ounces whipped or regular cream cheese, softened to room temperature…

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CRISPY FLOURLESS CRAB CAKES

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FLOURLESS CRAB CAKES, (c) 2015, JUDY BARNES BAKER The secret to making crisp crab cakes that don’t fall apart without flour or bread is to drain the crab mixture very well. It can be made a day ahead and the cakes can be formed and refrigerated for several hours before cooking. (Recipe adapted from one by David Hagedorn featured in the Washington Post.)  1 pound of jumbo lump crabmeat 2 green onions, white and light-green parts, finely chopped 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1/4 cup…

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PARMESAN ALMOND CRACKERS

These taste like my savory Parmesan Crisps from Nourished, but they are bigger and thicker with a lovely soft crunch. They have a few more carbs (0.7 net grams compared to 0.02 net each) but are still very, very low for a nice, substantial cracker. Ingredients: 3 cups almond flour (750 mL) 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (60 mL) Sugar substitute with bulk* to equal 1 tbsp sugar (15 mL) 1 tsp baking powder (5 mL) 1 tsp salt (5 mL) 1 large egg 1/4 cup…

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CORNED BEEF HASH WITH POACHED EGGS

One corned beef brisket can provide enough for several delicious meals. Make Corned Beef and Cabbage for dinner, use some  to make this tasty hash for breakfast, then polish off the rest in Reuben Sandwiches for lunch. If you prefer, you can buy corned beef from the deli or even (gasp!) in a can to make your hash. Ingredients: Rutabaga Faux Potatoes made with about 1 pound of rutabaga (or left over from Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe) 1 pound corned beef, cooked and cut into…

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MY FAVORITE FLATBREAD: GLUTEN-FREE, GRAIN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, EGG-FREE PITAS

I was trying to make egg-free, almond-free tortillas that I could eat with my newly discovered allergies, but I was pleasantly surprised with this recipe. They turned out to be thicker and softer than a tortilla and more like pita bread (except that they don’t separate to form a pocket). I made mine with cashew and coconut flour and a mixture of coconut oil and pasture lard from Fat Works®. GLUTEN-FREE, GRAIN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, FLAX-FREE, EGG-FREE FLATBREAD Ingredients 14 tbsp. or 7/8 cup (sift before measuring*) coconut flour (98 grams) 4…

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THE PERFECT WAY TO PIG OUT ON SUPER SUNDAY!

  The Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Hot Wings The original Buffalo wings were invented at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York in 1964. They are the perfect low-carb snack for Super Sunday. To turn them into a meal, use drumsticks instead of wings. To super-size your snacks, use turkey wings! Ingredients: 20 to 25 chicken wing “drummettes,” the meaty first section of the wing Heat-stable oil or fat for frying, such as light olive oil or grass-fed beef tallow 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) 1…

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FRUIT AND NUT TREATS

I’ve been making my own snack foods since cutting out all the likely sources of allergens. Most purchased low-carb snacks and bars contain whey, egg, chocolate, and/or almonds. I found several raw, vegan, and Paleo brands, but most of them use dates and flax to hold everything together. Chunks of Energy, pictured above, are pretty good and the Chia Orange flavor has no flax, but lists dates as the first ingredient and also contains raisins. They have 12 net grams of carbs per ounce (two small squares). I thought I could do better. I kept the…

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PEANUT AND CHICKEN SOUP

  Fragrant, earthy, spicy, and perfect for a cold winter day! Recipe adapted from “Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance.” Ingredients: 2 tablespoons peanut or coconut oil ½ cup chopped onion (2½ ounces) 2 teaspoons minced garlic (¼ ounce) ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder 3 cups chicken stock (home made or zero-carb canned stock) 1 can (14½-ounce) diced tomatoes, without added sugar 2/3 cup natural peanut butter, creamy style, or nut butter of choice 1 cup (8 ounces) coconut…

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COCO-CHOCO-CHIA BARS

This is another of my favorite recipes from Nourished. Is it candy or cookies? You can decide. They are good and good for you! Nourished contains a total of 237 recipes including: Vanilla Spice Broiled Chicken, Home Fries, Cheddar Biscuits with Butter and Jam, Candied Fennel Tart, and Raspberry Marshmallows. (The Amazon Bookmatch sale is still in effect!) COCO-CHOCO-CHIA BARS Chocolate, coconut, walnuts, whey protein, chia, and pasture butter are known to possess remarkably healthful properties. These moist, chewy bars could qualify as super-food candy; it’s…

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