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…

Continue reading

BRAISED FENNEL

Fennel, (c) 2012, Judy Barnes Baker Fennel is to vegetables what bacon is to meat. This mild cousin of anise can be used raw in salads or cooked in stews and soups, but it only reaches sweet, glorious perfection when braised, sauteed, or fried. If you have never tried it, you are in for a treat! BRAISED FENNEL Ingredients: 2 fennel bulbs (about 1 pound, trimmed) 1/3 cup olive oil 1/2 cup water Salt Black pepper Grated Parmesan cheese Directions: Cut off the stalks close to the bulb, reserving some of the feathery…

Continue reading

IS THERE ALREADY A CURE FOR OSTEOPOROSIS?

I went in for a medical checkup yesterday since I hadn’t had any tests since 2010. Along with the standard regimen of tests, the doctor prescribed a bone-density scan. I’ve only had one, about 15 years ago, and my rank was almost 100% then, but if I am diagnosed with osteoporosis, he will probably suggest the usual treatment: calcium, vitamin D, and drugs like Fosamax (bisphosphonates) and Prolia (denosumab). Bones are constantly being remodeled, with new bone replacing old bone. These drugs work by altering the cycle to slow the…

Continue reading

STRAWBERRY SEASON

Strawberries are in season, and this is the only time of the year when you can experience them as nature intended, freshly-picked, ripe, and sweet. Even so, you may have to seek out a local produce stand or farmer’s market, as the best varieties are too fragile and ephemeral to make it to the supermarket. I bought the berries in the picture above from Flower World, a large nursery that has a produce store that sells garden-fresh fruits and vegetables as well as eggs from their chickens out back. The eggs are often still warm…

Continue reading

SLOPPY JOE STUFFED PEPPERS

SLOPPY JOE STUFFED PEPPERS Trade those soggy buns for tender-crisp, baked red peppers! 1 pound ground beef ¼ cup chopped onion, about 1 ounce 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in garlic oil, snipped or diced* ¾ cup tomato sauce Sugar substitute equal to 1 teaspoon sugar 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon dry mustard ½ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 3 red bell…

Continue reading

NEW PHILLY FUDGE

Cream cheese is an indispensable ingredient for low-carb cooking. It provides the missing bulk in sugar-free recipes and adds a smooth, creamy texture to faux potatoes, frozen desserts, cheesecakes, frostings, and baked goods. William Lawrence of Chester, N.Y. accidentally invented cream cheese in 1872 while trying to reproduce a French cheese called Neufchatel. He wrapped his cheese in foil wrappers and sold it under the brand name Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Kraft Foods took over the Philadelphia brand in 1928 and began promoting the use of…

Continue reading

“Risotto”

default image

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to splurge on duck breasts—you only need two servings. I haven’t decided if I will use the Duck Breasts with Raspberry Glaze recipe that I created for the new book or the Pan-seared Duck Breasts with one of the sweet chutneys from Carb Wars. Either way, I will be making my faux Risotto as the side dish. It is super easy, it tastes as good as the labor-intensive ones served in fancy restaurants, and we can enjoy it guilt-free,…

Continue reading

MYSTIC PIZZA

default image

Variations of this ingenious pizza recipe have been circulating online in the low-carb community. I can’t pinpoint its creator, but I suspect it may be progeny from Jamie Van Eaton’s accidental recipe called Oopsies. The always amusing Jamie, who blogs as Cleochatra (http://cleochatra.blogspot.com/), was making a recipe called Revolution Rolls that appeared in one of the early Atkins books when she misread 3 tablespoons of cream cheese as 3 ounces. The rest is low-carb history, with countless variations and even competitions for the most creative…

Continue reading

GNUDI: PASTA THAT MAKES ITSELF

Gnudi © 2008   Gnudi with Browned Butter Sauce © 2008 I spent a lot of time on this recipe a while back but never published it on my blog. It was luscious, gorgeous, and very easy, so why didn’t it make the cut? Because I couldn’t figure out a way to do an accurate nutrition count. I decided to post it anyway and see if anyone out there could come up with a solution (other than actually paying to have the final dish analyzed,…

Continue reading

TOO DELICIOUS FOR WORDS: BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE CUSTARD

default image

The word “custard” doesn’t prepare you for the beautiful, brown, cheesy crust. I could have called this Macaroni and Cheese Soufflé (it tastes like one, but that makes it sound much harder to make than it is), or Crustless Macaroni and Cheese Quiche (no improvement over the first title), or Cheese Puff (sounds too much like Cheetos®). Whatever you call it, I know you are going to love this versatile macaroni and cheese dish: it can be served for breakfast; as the main course for…

Continue reading