HERB ROASTED OLIVES

An Amuse Bouche is a flavorful, bite-sized appetizer that “entertains the mouth” as it awaits the main event. Set out dishes of assorted olives and nuts, and no one will complain, but roasting the olives makes them slightly chewy and concentrates the flavors in a way that is guaranteed to keep your bouche amused. Serve them solo with skewers for spearing or with  low-carb crackers or Parmesan Fricos. Ingredients: 1 cup (4 ounces) pitted black olives 1 cup (4 ounces) pitted Kalamata olives 1 cup…

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EGGS EN COCOTTE

Yet another study has exonerated saturated fat and cholesterol of any link to heart disease and fingered the real culprit. The new research, just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found no evidence that eating saturated fat led to an increase in heart disease or coronary events. The researchers evaluated the best evidence to date from almost 80 studies with more than half a million subjects. They looked, not only at what people reported eating, but the composition of the fatty acids in their fat tissue…

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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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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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TURKEY CRACKLIN’S

The best thing EVER to do with Thanksgiving leftovers! Reserve any extra skin or lumps of fat from the neck and body openings when preparing your holiday turkey for roasting. After your gorgeous, golden-skinned turkey has been presented, admired, carved, and devoured, don’t throw it out; you still have the best part left! Cut away the skin from the back before tossing the carcass in a pot for making bone broth. Slice the skin into strips or squares and spread them flat on a greased sheet pan, adding any reserved fat and skin. If you prefer flat pieces, you can set…

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STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS FROM “NOURISHED”

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms Fresh zucchini blossoms only last a day or two, so don’t expect to find them in the supermarket. Zucchini is notoriously prolific, however, and very easy to grow. A few plants on a sunny patio should give you an abundant supply. Many farmers’ markets sell them in season as well. Recipe from Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance. Ingredients: 1 cup (8.5 ounces) fresh, whole milk ricotta cheese 2 egg yolks 6 fresh chives, green part only (2 tablespoons or 6 grams, chopped) 1/4…

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CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Chocolate Peanut butter Fudge by Judy Barnes Baker

Here’s my new, favorite fudge recipe. I love to eat it straight out of the freezer.  Ingredients: 1/2 cup of butter or part coconut oil 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, plain or chunky 2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Liquid sugar substitute equal to 1 cup sugar (I used EZ-Sweetz) 1/3 cup vanilla whey protein powder, such as MRM brand 1/3 cup cocoa powder Dash of salt 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional) Directions: Butter a 5×7-inch baking dish or pan and line…

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A SWEET DEAL ON A NEW LOW-CARB SWEETENER

Watch for the EZ-Sweetz infomercial due to air on The Food Network, the Cooking Channel, and some other channels tomorrow or Wednesday, Sept 18 or 19, 2012. (Update: they are now scheduled to start of Friday.) Low-carb celebrity chef, George Stella, stars in the ad (doing his best imitation of the guy in the ShamWow commercials!). EZ-Sweetz is offering a fantastic deal to introduce this new sweetener, which will soon be available in retail stores nation-wide. The booklet pictured above that I put together for them will be included…

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VIDEO #3: EZ CREAMY STAWBERRY PIE

EZ CREAMY STRAWBERRY PIE This luscious strawberry pie is low-carb, gluten-free, and probably the easiest pie you will ever make! Ingredients: 1 (9-inch) Almond Pie Crust, recipe below, baked and cooled 8 ounces frozen strawberries (to make 1/2 cup of cooked puree) 2 tablespoons lemon juice 10 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced 16 ounces (two 8-ounce tubs) whipped cream cheese 8 ounces plain, Greek yogurt with live cultures 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Liquid sweetener, such as EZ-Sweetz* or LC-Sweet, equal to 14 tbs of sugar A few grains of…

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Video #1: EZ Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Gourmet, chocolate-dipped treats are the perfect gift for the special someone in your life. Easy to make and not just good, but good for you! Recipe adapted from Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance. Ingredients: 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate 1/4 teaspoon (24 drops) EZ-Sweetz or other liquid sweetener equal to 1/2 cup sugar A second liquid sweetener, such as stevia, equal to 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons no-trans-fat shortening, such as Spectrum, or use coconut oil* A few grains of salt 12 to 16 fresh…

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