Cooking

The approach of summer brings with it the availability of many wonderful seasonal varieties of fruit. Even if you’re a low carb dieter, you shouldn’t pass up the bounty of the season. Once you’re past “induction”, as long as you know the carb count of various seasonal fruits and are clear on what the portion size is for each you can most likely indulge in the sweet goodness summer has to offer and get lots of nutritional bang for your buck, too!

Spring!! It’s finally here…time to shake off the doldrums of winter, and take advantage of the season’s fresh fruits, veggies, and lighter fare.

If you’ve got a holiday meal coming up that has to be special, low carb and family-friendly, I’ve got some ideas for you. This spring menu is elegant, low carb, and surprisingly simple to prepare. You do all your preparations while the lamb roasts, and then finish up the side dishes while it rests. The dessert is almost instant, and a light, refreshing finale to a great meal. I’ve included a shopping list to get you started, and recipes for using up any leftovers. Happy Spring!

LCE is pleased to present guest author Karen M. Rysavy, author of Cooking TLC: Truly Low Carb Cooking.

Absolutely anyone - and by that, I mean YOU - can make traditional, "canned-off" jam or jelly. Even if you skip the canning part! 'Since it is now the season to do just that, here are step-by-step illustrated directions to help insure that you don't let late summer's abundance slip away - preserve it inexpensively for months to come, instead.

Cooking TLC: Truly Low Carb Cooking Volume 1 author: Karen Rysavy asin: 0971492913

While there are many delicious foods we enjoy on a lowcarb woe, beans aren’t generally one of them. After a few weeks of lowcarbing, many people really begin missing some of their favorite carby comfort foods and start looking for substitutes. In general, the lowcarb world has done a pretty good job at “subbing” many carby items but old fashioned goodies like “Navy” Bean Soup and Cheesy Bean Dip have all but disappeared.

I’m here to tell you that you can. Can what? Have beans! You can have bean soup, chili, and yummy mexican style beans dripping with cheese. How? With Eden Foods, of course! 

Every experienced lowcarber is familiar with the classic “mock mashed potatoes” in the form of a cauliflower puree. I’ve tried several recipes myself but have never found one that I really loved. They always seem too runny no matter how hard I tried to get all the water out.

Well, for those willing to try, I’ve got a new technique which should lead to some of the best tasting and best textured “cauli mash” you’ve ever had.

I'd like to share my technique for a favorite dish, 7-Bone Roast with Fresh Herbed Gravy. This just happens to be the perfect entree to serve with the cauli-mash and we have it often in our house. It's a great way to spend a Sunday evening.

Are you tired of having the same old thing every week? Tired of steak? Tired of salad? Tired of the same flavors? If you answered yes to any of these questions, grab your apron, peel some shrimp, and let’s get frying.

Frying? What frying, you say?

Deep-Fried Coconut Shrimp!

How can a person (namely me), forget one of her favorite dishes and let the last 10 years go by without making it once? How can that happen? I used to make this dish ALL THE TIME! Why did I suddenly stop? I have NO idea. However, I can tell you that I've recently re-discovered this past favorite and am happy to report that it converts to low carb VERY well. The mystery dish in question?

Chicken Divan, of course!

Are you guys ready for the 4th of July? Ready to munch on veggies and dip? Ready to down a few burgers dripping with cheese? Ready to guzzle water while everyone else is guzzling beer? Ready to enjoy your favorite low carb cheesecake while.....wait a minute! Cheesecake? Again?

Yes, yes, I know. You love cheesecake. So do I. But let's face the facts, we all need a little something different once in a while, right? We can't be eating cheesecake for dessert at every single family gathering for the rest of our lives can we?

Sawat dee kha! This phrase is the traditional "hello"greeting of Thailand. The Land of Smiles. Thailand is one of my favorite places to go because the people are kindest, the shopping is to die for and the food is colorful and bursting with flavor.

Chinese is actually my overall favorite Asian cuisine but nothing beats grilled up pork strips with a spicy sauce made of coconut milk, peanut butter, and nam pla (fish sauce). Actually, this dish is made in many Southeast Asian countries including Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. What I'd like to make for you today is my own low carb version of a classic Pork Satay with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce. If you like peanut butter and coconut, you're sure to be in heaven!