How Simple is THAT: Salmon Patties

Yes, we are talking SIMPLE food when we talk Salmon Patties -- BUT did you know that they could be low-carb?! With just a few simple tweaks, they are low-carb and pretty dang yummy too!

Tuscan Kale & Strawberry Salad

Mr. Dreamy is growing kale in his garden this year -- not just ordinary kale, but Tuscan kale.

Other names this variety of kale goes by are Lacinato Kale, Black Kale, Dinosaur Kale, & Palm Tree Kale -- but I like the sound of Tuscan Kale best.

How Simple is THAT: Poached Salmon (and some sauce recipes to top it )

As our weather continues warming up and I am wanting to spend more and more time outdoors, meals get lighter and less complicated. The grill comes into play a lot BUT I don't want to eat grilled food EVERYDAY -- I have found a solution to that -- poaching, salmon to be exact.

How Simple Is THAT: Taco Seasoning - Low-carb, Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Grain-Free

It's Tuesday - must be tacos!! We love tacos, taco salads and all that yumminess. With warmer weather coming on, easy menus are on my mind and tacos and taco salads fit that bill well.

Did you know that a packet of taco seasoning has carbs? A LOT of carbs. The culprit is usually cornstarch -- a totally unnecessary ingredient! It can also have added sugar in the form of maltodextrin - also unnecessary. Don't even get me started on things like MSG, lol. 

Did Someone Say Low-Carb Stuffed French Toast?

Oh, yeah -- THAT is what I am talking about!! 

Sugar-Free Maple Flavored Syrup

In the beginning of my low carb journey, I never even considered eating  things like pancakes, waffles and such. They were never anything I was crazy about anyway -- then I met Mr. Dreamy!

How Simple is THAT: Chicken Salad w/Sriracha Mayo

I LOVE chicken salad and make a few different versions. In my catering days I made it by the tons, but this version just recently came to me -- something so simple and yet outstanding!

Reuben Casserole

A quick stop into our small town grocery store this morning netted me something I didn't think I would be cooking to usher in May -- a Corned Beef. Actually I picked up 3 of them because they were at cannot-pass-up pricing. I knew I needed to cook or freeze them today and only 2 fit in the freezer. That left one for cooking!

So I asked Mr. Dreamy, How do you feel about Reuben's?

Individual Coconut Custard *Pies*

Custard is a very old-school, English, Southern, comfort food kind of food -- BUT best of all, it is easily modified to fit into a sugar-free, grain-free, low-carb kind of life. 

How Simple is THAT: Chicken Breast w/Wine Reduction Sauce

Every cook should have a quick-prepare recipe in their repertoire -- something that you always have the ingredients on hand for and can make at a moments notice. Chicken Breasts w/Wine Reduction Sauce is my go-to dish. I can have it from frozen ingredients to *on-the-table* in quick order and it seems as though I've gone to A LOT more effort than I actually have. Best of all, a perfectly low-carb meal when paired with a salad or veggie (or both).

Almond & Chocolate Tart

There is hardly a more wonderful combination than almond and chocolate. As a little girl, my most favorite candy was a Hershey bar with almonds -- guess I still am in love with that combination! 

Coffee Cake & MANY THANKS!!

Almond and Coconut flours are staples in our low carb pantry. Imagine my delight when I was contacted by 

Cathy from Wives with Knives and told that I had won her give away from Bob's Red Mill. 

How Simple is THAT: Ranch Dressing (Low Carb)

Salads are HUGE in our house. We grow as many salad fixins in our backyard garden as we can and when we can't, we bring in the bestest and freshest available to us. 

So, just what do we dress these salads with....

How Simple is THAT: Egg Salad

Yeah, I know everyone has their version of egg salad -- and in my years I have eaten a lot of versions. Since going low-carb for life in 2010 Egg Salad has become one of my ultra low carb, go-to foods! Especially in the warm weather months. Since we've only now arrived at spring, it has been a while!

Recently I was browsing some of my favorite blogs and visited Kitty's Kozy Kitchen -- she had posted her version of egg salad -- and some pretty dishes and a sweet story too. Then I looked closely at her recipe -- I felt like I was peeking into my own kitchen. Her technique for cooking the eggs -- the same as mine (well, actually I learned that from Martha Stewart decades ago). Her technique for cooling the eggs -- the same as mine (again, may be M.S.'s). Her technique for mashing the eggs -- the same as mine (pretty sure Martha's also, lol). I NEEDED to make this recipe, because it wasn't the same as mine and it looked a whole lot more interesting (and originally hales from Cook's Illustrated and I know you can't go wrong with them)!

Low-Carb Puff Pancake

Have you ever heard of a Dutch Baby? How about a Swedish Puff? German Pancakes? If you haven't, then you might be wondering just what that is -- well what it is, is a cross between a soufflé, an omelet and a pancake. They are all puffed (the egg mixture billows up to unbelievable heights) and crispy around the edges while retaining a custardy, pancake-like tenderness in the middle). Other names this terrific (and simple) dish goes by are Bismarck Pancake, Pannenkoeken and David Eyre's Pancake and akin dishes are popovers and Yorkshire Pudding. AND they are easily made into low-carb wonderfulness!!

Thai Fish Curry w/Thai Cauli-Rice

One thing that keeps us going strong on our low-carb way of eating is variety!! LOTS of variety!!! I love both trying new recipes and developing new recipes (and Mr. Dreamy LOVES being the guinea pig, lol). And sometimes inspiration for a new dish comes practically out of nowhere -- like this Thai Fish Curry!!

Phil's Clam Chowder - Low Carb Recipe

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind! We wrapped up some BIG home improvement projects, had a slew of company, got married, took a honeymoon trip to Dallas and are now settling into some new normal....at least for a bit! 

My beloved, Mr. Dreamy, who's given name is Phil (although he does like being called Mr. Dreamy, lol), decided to take on the monumental task of feeding a crowd the evening before the wedding -- by himself (isn't he a dream come true?).

Basic Almond Flour Muffins & Variations - Grain-Free, Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free

Long time no post. I have been a little busy -- you see, Mr. Dreamy and I were married last weekend and that has had a lot of my attention lately (look to the end of this post for a photo) Hope you understand, now back to regular posting :)

Muffins -- I love them! As a low carber, I avoided them for a long time - then I wanted to add them back into my diet and have tried and developed a lot of different recipes. But something always was a little lacking. In my prior life I had a wonderful basic muffin recipe that was the base of all the *flavored* muffins in my bag of tricks -- THAT was what I wanted.

Kielbasa, Turnip & Cabbage Soup

This week's soup is based on a German recipe I saw -- except that recipe called for potatoes instead of turnips. I cannot imagine it tastes any better made with the potatoes and Mr. Dreamy and I did not miss the extra carbs either.

Caramelized Onion & Beef Soup

This week's low carb soup is Caramelized Onion & Beef Soup -- really a take on French Onion without the bread. Who needs the bread with all these flavors working together?