Archive of ‘Cheesy’ category

Low Carb Pizza and Ranch– the Dynamic Duo

UPDATE on 7.23.08: I made this recipe again here, using coconut flour in place of the protein powder.

Quick update. I just had a blog-worthy lunch, and felt the recipe needed to be shared. It’s a healthy take on everyone’s favorite–PIZZA! What’s make a pizza a pizza? The crust, of course! I modified this recipe for an easy and delicious gluten-free low carb (almost no carb) crust. Many thanks to NancyElle at the low carb friends forum who came up with the amazing original recipe.

Simple Low-Carb Pizza Crust

Makes two to four servings

Ingredients:
2 cups whole or part-skim organic mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 large organic eggs
2 tablespoons golden flaxseed meal (optional)
2 tablespoons unflavored whey protein powder or coconut flour (optional)
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

Preparation:
Mix cheese, eggs, flax meal (if using), protein powder or coconut flour (if using), and baking powder. Spread with a spatula to 1/4″ thickness on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees, flipping halfway through the baking process. Remove from oven, slide off of parchment paper, and flip over again onto the pan so the crust cools with the pretty side up. Once crust is cooled, top with sauce, pre-cooked veggies or meats, and cheese. Broil on high for 2 minutes, or until cheese topping is melted and bubbly.

~8g net carbs, 974 calories per crust (made with coconut flour)

Now comes the fun part… toppings! Ranch makes everything better (try it on eggs, I kid you not), and it’s the star ingredient in this Bacon Chicken Ranch pizza. I had some homemade ranch sitting in the fridge (recipe coming soon!), and it really made a difference in the flavor. This half of the pizza pie is definitely my favorite. For you less adventurous types, I tossed sauteed red pepper and onions on the other half. It’ll make for some good cold pizza come breakfast time tomorrow!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Makes two to four servings

Ingredients:
10 slices nitrate-free bacon, fried and crumbled
1 lb cooked organic chicken breast or thighs, chopped into chunks
organic cheddar, shredded
ranch dressing (check for carb count and additives)

Preparation:
Spread ranch over crust in a thin layer. Top with chunks of chicken and crumbled bacon. Sprinkle shredded cheese over everything. Broil until cheese melts, and drizzle ranch dressing over slices before serving. Leave the dressing off of leftovers.

Tips:
~Use chicken thighs for better flavor and value. If you’re buying organic, the cost savings can be huge.
~Cut up the chicken thighs and sautee them in the bacon grease conserved from frying, and season with a ranch seasoning packet or herbs to add another layer of flavor. It’s quick and easy!
~Look for nitrate-free bacon for a healthier option. Niman Ranch makes a delicious all natural product.


~1g net carbs per slice (plus toppings)

I’m lovin’ it– The Healthy Egg McMuffin made with Coconut Flour (Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Diabetic-Friendly)!

I really like breakfast food, and in my previous unhealthy life, didn’t always make time for a delicious and healthful breakfast. Me and Mickey D’s, we go way back. During my crazy mornings senior year of high school, a quick stop at McDonald’s took 5 minutes on a good day. You could chow down in your crappy space in the parking lot until the first bell rang, or just sneak the McMuffin in between your books if you had the cool teacher. They are unbelievably sturdy little buggers, and you ever notice how they don’t even mold… but I digress. Ah, fond memories… until the GERD set in before 2nd period.

Fast forward to now, where I still get a hankering for a fast food-style breakfast sandwich every once in awhile. With my gluten-free low carb english muffin recipe, you can enjoy the McMuffin and the period after consumption! The only hard part of this operation is the bun. Make up a batch and keep ’em in the fridge for food emergencies. I like organic or imported cheddar (no rBGH!), free-range organic eggs, and uncured pork sausage. I cheated this time and bought the round little patties from a box (they photograph better, nyah nyah!), but you could snag a tube of organic pork and make ’em yourself! Finances permitting, I ususally go that route and cook up a giant batch at once. They keep in the freezer and reheat just the pre-cooked kind for breakfast in a pinch.

Now don’t give me that look. Quit making excuses for running out the door with a donut clutched in your teeth. Instead of hitting the snooze button, get out of bed 10 minutes earlier to assemble this made over breakfast classic that will satisfy the convenience food junkie inside you.

Made-over Breakfast Sandwich

English Muffins
adapted from a recipe by Bruce Fife, N.D.

Makes five muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup coconut flour (Bob’s Red Mill preferred)
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2-3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat together eggs, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Add coconut flour and baking powder, whisking into the batter until there are no lumps. Stir in the cheese. Spoon batter into 5 buttered ramekins. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm. Let cool completely before cutting into. For best results, make these the night before you plan on eating them. Store in the fridge.

~4g net carbs per muffin

Sandwich Assembly Instructions:

Slice muffin in half and toast until heated through. Top one half with slice of cheddar cheese. Reheat sausage per package directions and place on top of cheese. Cook egg in a buttered ramekin or other circular muffin-sized microwaveable dish, covered in plastic wrap, on 50% power for 1 minutes 15 seconds, or until yolk is firm (remember to poke a hole in the yolk before cooking!). Slide egg out carefully. Sprinkle on sea salt and pepper to taste. Place the egg on top of the sausage and top with other muffin half. Consume immediately, or wrap in a napkin and get going!

~5g net carbs

Don’t have the time or the will to press buttons and get multiple items out of the fridge? Make a sweet variation of the muffins for spreads that don’t play well with garlic!

Sweet Variation of Breakfast Muffins:

1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup coconut flour
4 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2-3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, finely grated

Throw some peanut butter on your sweet buns, or better yet, bust out PB’s healthier twin sister– almond butter! AB is packed full of monounsaturated fats and flavor, with a distinct natural sweetness. For these reasons, no jar of almond butter lasts long enough to actually put it on something in my house.