MAITAKE MUSHROOM FRIES

Maitake mushrooms (Grifola fondosa) are prized for their rich, woodsy flavor and meaty texture. They are also called Hen of the Woods because their feathery rosettes resemble the ruffled plumage on a speckled hen. They are popular as an ingredient in stir-fries, soups, and stews or they can be eaten raw as a snack or in salads. They are also used to make tonics, teas, and herbal extracts that are reputed to have powerful healing properties. Maitakes have been used by  practitioners of Asian medicine for…

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RATATOUILLE: A LOW CARB CLASSIC

I tried a lot of classic recipes for this dish before hitting on just the right combination to make the magic happen. This makes a lot, but it gets even better with time so plan on leftovers. You can cut the recipe in half or cook the veggies in batches if your pan is not big enough. RATATOUILLE    Something magical happens when the ingredients for a ratatouille meld, proving once again that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. 2 small…

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SUBLIME SLIME?

  Jane Tunks called okra, “sublime slime,” but it doesn’t have to be. If you think you don’t like it, try roasting it whole. It’s divine, but without the slime! ROASTED OKRA Start with the smallest, freshest okra you can find. Leave the pods whole and cook them quickly. They will be creamy inside, not slimy, with seeds that pop when you bite into them.  ½ pound (about 38 to 40 pods) small, young okra pods, 2-to 3-inches long or less 2 tablespoons light olive…

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ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH BACON, LEMON PEEL, CHILIES, AND OLIVES

Cauliflower is a staple in the low-carb/high-fat community, where it is used to fill the void where the potatoes, rice, or pasta used to be. Here’s proof that it can outshine its starchy counterparts. It doesn’t have to imitate anything and it certainly doesn’t need to be boring! ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH BACON, LEMON PEEL, CHILIES, AND OLIVES Move over, ho-hum sides. Meet my new love! Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds) cut into florets 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided Coarse salt (use sparingly as…

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HOME FRIES AND FAUX POTATOES

HOME FRIES, (c) 2012, JUDY BARNES BAKER HOME FRIES This can be a lifesaver for a meat and potatoes man (or woman).  Recipe from Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance. 4 slices bacon (3¼ ounce or 93 grams) 2½ cups (15½ ounces) Rutabaga Faux Potatoes (See following recipe.) ½ cup (2½ ounces) peeled and chopped onion Salt and pepper to taste Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Chop and reserve. Pour off the fat from the pan. Measure 2 tablespoons…

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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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BAKED RED PEPPERS CAPRESE

These beautiful peppers combine the flavors of a traditional Caprese salad with tender-crisp red peppers for a delicious and easy side dish. Recipe from Nourished; a Cookbook for Health, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Balance. Ingredients: 1½ teaspoons olive oil 1½ teaspoon of red wine vinegar Sugar substitute equal to ¼ teaspoon of sugar 1 clove garlic (1/8 ounce), peeled and minced (1 teaspoon) 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes (5 ounces) 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quartered if large (1½…

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KABOCHA SQUASH FRIES

We are invited to my daughter’s house for a cookout. There will be hamburgers (D and I will have lettuce wraps) and french fries. I plan to take Faux Sweet Potato Fries made with kabocha squash as our potato alternative. I included recipes for fries and chips made from fresh pumpkin in Carb Wars, and posted some recipes on my blog  here and here, but I recently tried using kabocha squash instead of pumpkin. Kabocha (pronounced, kah-bow-cha) is a Japanese pumpkin that is available most of the year while fresh pumpkins are only available in the Fall. They have about the…

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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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HOMINY ALERT

I’ve posted about how it is hard it is to determine the real nutritional data for foods before. (Here is a past article about dueling labels on dairy products: http://carbwars.blogspot.com/2009/09/when-does-16-x-049-zero.html.) I do my best to check things out to be sure my information is correct, and I contact the companies if there is any question, just to be sure. When I first noticed that the net carb count on Mexican Style hominy was significantly lower than that for regular hominy (4 net in a 1/2 cup serving versus about…

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