Easy Egg Bites

If you enjoy the Starbucks sous vide egg bites but dislike their rather high carbohydrate content here is an easy recipe you can make and keep in the fridge ready for a quick reheat in the microwave or eaten cold; good both ways. This recipe is for the bacon-gruyere egg bites but you can leave them plain or add any combination of ingredients you prefer, for example ham and swiss.

Set over to 350F/176C Makes 12 egg bites.

6-7 large eggs

1 cup/128g cottage cheese

1/4cup/32g cup heavy cream

1/4 cup/32g shredded gruyere cheese (or aged parmesan or pecorino romano)

6 slices bacon cooked and cut into pieces

Put egg, cream, and cottage cheese into a blender and mix well. Next, add a little of the shredded gruyere and bacon pieces well oiled cupcake/muffin pan (unless using silicone pan) placed in a larger pan to which you will add hot water (bain marie) to keep the egg bites tender. Bake for 10 minutes or until the centers no longer jiggle. Do not over bake or the egg bites won’t have that silky texture of the sous vide variety. Cool and store in air tight container in the refrigerator.

You can also cook these sous vide according to your gadgets recommendations; I found this method too much trouble.

Getting More Protein with Protein Coffee

Most women, probably most men as well, are not getting enough protein, especially as we get older. The bare minimum will not keep bones and muscles in good shape which we need to be strong and upright. Just look how many older people are stooped over from sarcopenia (weak muscles) and osteopenia (weak bones).

The general requirement is for about 1g of protein per day for you ideal body weight (remember the RDA is a minimum, not what is best); so if your ideal body weight is 150 lbs, you need about 150g of protein per day. Spacing the protein out over your eating window works best. First make sure to eat plenty of healthy protein foods: fish, poultry, red meat, shell fish, etc. In addition, we can increase our protein is to add collagen, whey isolate or egg white protein to beverages; decaf coffee is my choice.

Add 2 cups of brewed black coffee to a blender; add 1 scoop of protein powder and 1 scoop of collagen, a bit of cream is okay, too. Blend well. For a frothy cappucino-type drink, blend on higher speed and you’ll get a lovely foamy drink.

Easy Beef Jerky

Jerky is my favorite food to take on trips when the low carb higher fat foods I prefer are not readily available. Most store brands have far too much sugar and are expensive; so I make my own.

A slicer makes this wonderful snack food easier, but a good sharp knife or mandolin makes it possible. Whatever method you choose, you want to begin with a leaner cut, I like london broil or thick round steak or round roast; have the meat semi-frozen to make slicing easier. Cut off any excess fat or fascia. Slice as thin as you like and lay pieces on dehydrator racks, or racks or parchment paper on a baking sheet. The number of racks or baking sheets needed will depend on the amount of meat you select.

While many people like to marinate the jerky meat, I don’t think it adds anything but unnecessary sugars, and all you really need is salt, but you can omit salt if you prefer. I like to use different kinds of salt: jalapeno salt (my favorite), Himalayan pink salt, smoked salt, truffle salt all give the meat a lovely flavor.

Using a dehydrator, follow your machine’s directions. I tend to use mine at 135F/57C for 4-6 hours. If the jerky is still too pliable and moist, continue until the meat is dry as you like.

For the oven method: heat the oven to the 135F/57C range; my oven is electric and won’t begin to operate unless I set it to 180F, which I do, then turn off when my oven thermometer reaches the desired temperature; then turn off the heat and let the oven light do the rest overnight. Gas ovens are more flexible and you may be able set the oven at low or just the pilot light will provide sufficient heat over night to dry the meat.

Store the jerky in an air-tight container.

Scotch Eggs

These tasty morsels are reputed to have been invented in the 18th Century by the famous London market Fortnum and Mason as a travel meal; naturally, this is disputed. Regardless of who invented the dish, they are delicious.

These are so easy to make, and an excellent recipe to make with children or bored adults. During these covid-19 stay-at-home days, cooking is getting more attention as it should. It is much easier to eat healthy meals free of highly processed junk/fast foods anyway. All you need is sausage and hard boiled eggs.

Using a standard one pound roll/package of breakfast sausage (any soft sausage would work, I prefer a spicier breakfast sausage), you easily can do 5-6 large eggs, more of small eggs.

Hard boil the eggs, peel and allow to cool.

Divide sausage into six portions.  Place cling film on the cutting board with sausage on top, use another piece on top of the meat, then roll or press out the portion—not too thick or too thin. Dry off the egg, then placing your hand under the cling film, with sheet of sausage on top, wrap around and press sausage on the egg covering completely. Place on a tray for baking. Repeat with all the eggs, then bake at 375F for 20minutes.

Serve with a dollop of spicy mustard or homemade sugar-free ketchup.

Turkey Casserole

I had left-over turkey in the freezer from my last roast turkey, so I did a Google search for a new casserole recipe, there are lots out there. I chose one close to this because of the fewest ingredients, and added higher fat to adapt for hflc. This is very basic, easy to tweek, and quite tasty.

4 cups diced turkey

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 c sour cream

1 cup sliced cooked mushrooms

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Salt and pepper to taste.

Opt: Season to taste with flavors you like such as garlic, onion, diced green chilis, jalapeño peppers, pimento peppers, bell peppers. Also, try other types of cheese like swiss or gouda.

Soften the cream cheese, add the sour cream and seasonings, then add mushrooms and the turkey. Place in a casserole dish; I used medium 2quart size. Top with cheddar and bake at 350F for 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Hay Stacks-No Bake Treat

I fondly remember making no-bake chocolate haystacks as a kid: butter, sugar, cocoa, peanut butter, and oatmeal all stirred up in a pan on the stove. Since two of those items are not in my food plan, oatmeal and sugar, I made my own no-sugar version using unsweetened coconut. This makes a small batch of 10-12 depending on how you portion them out.  There are other ways to do this recipe, but this is the easiest I’ve seen.

1/3 cup Lily’s dark chocolate chips sweetened with stevia

2 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup unsweetened peanut butter (I used chunky)

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (add more if you want a denser cookie)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter, then add the butter and vanilla, mix well then add the coconut.  Using a cookie scoop place on parchment, or silicone baking sheet, or in silicone mini-muffin pan.  Refrigerate.  After they are firm store transfer to your favorite contain and keep in fridge.

 

Chipotle Sauces 1 & 2

I am a recent convert to spicy fish meals; a take-off on fish tacos (minus the tortillas). Any firm white fish cooked to your liking, on top a bed of lettuce &/or cabbage with a few pickled or green onions, a bit of tomato, and a generous drizzle of chipotle sauce makes a very tasty meal.

Chipotle sauce is also good on any meat dishes you want to make spicy and flavorful. A dollop of chipotle sauce on plain ground or roast meat changes the dish from boring to exciting.

I buy chipotle peppers in a can with adobo sauce. Chipotle peppers are smoked dried jalapeño peppers.  I puree the peppers and keep in the freezer for it doesn’t take much to get a lot of spicy flavor.

 Chipotle Sauce #1  

1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream,

1-2 teaspoons chipotle puree (or one canned pepper)

1 clove of garlic

1-2 Tablespoons lime juice (1 small lime)

Salt to taste

 

Chipotle Sauce #2

1 cup mayonnaise

1-2 teaspoons chipotle puree (or one canned pepper)

1 clove of garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1-2 Tablespoons lime juice (1 small lime)

Salt to taste.

 

Chipotle Sauce #3

1 cup good oil

1-2 teaspoons chipotle puree (or one canned pepper)

1 clove of garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1-2 Tablespoons lime juice (1 small lime)

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt to taste.

 

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into your blender, and whirl until smooth and creamy.

Store in airtight container in the refrigerator. Also freezes well.

Flax Bread

Sometimes I want toast, a substrate for smoked salmon, or other good foods. After trying many faux bread recipes, I found one that suits my hanker for a decent toast substitute, and it freezes well.  I don’t need to have this very often, but when the lox & bagel urge arises, I know I can use this bread to replace the unhealthy bagel, and truly enjoy the gustatory beauty that is smoked salmon, cream cheese, onion, & capers on a healthy slice of toasted flax bread.

My favorite breakfast is a slice of this bread toasted topped with butter, a couple thin slices of tomato, and a sprinkle of salt.  Enjoy!

Flax Bread   (adapted from Elana’s Pantry recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups golden or brown flax meal

1 tsp baking soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tsp salt

5  large eggs

½ cup water

⅓ cup coconut or any good oil

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine flax meal, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt

In a smaller bowl, mix together eggs, water, and olive oil

Stir wet ingredients into dry, mixing well

Allow batter to stand 2-3 minutes to thicken

Pour batter into a greased standard loaf pan (line bottom with parchment paper)

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean

Cool on a rack for 30 minutes before slicing

Wrap in paper towel, keep in plastic bag in the fridge. Or, slice, & freeze 1-2 slices in sandwich bags; wrapped in paper towel or wax paper to easily separate.

For toast, use lower temp and toast longer to keep from burning the edges.

Makes 15 slices

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving Size: 1 slices

Calories 132

Calories from Fat 107.6

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 11.96

Saturated Fat 1.22g

Cholesterol 62mg

Sodium 143.85mg

Total Carbohydrate 3.32g

Dietary Fiber 2.13g

Sugars 0.06g

Protein 5.29g

 

 

Root Vegetable Fries

I love root vegetables, especially when oven roasted. You can quarter and roast as normal, but if you want a browner version, a bit of crisp, try making fries. You can deep fry, but the oven version is quick and easy.

For oven-fried turnips,sweet potatoes, rutabaga, beets, carrots:

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.

–Cut the veggies into fries.
–Toss the cut veggies with olive oil (or fat of your choice) and rosemary.

opt: a quick trick, to speed up oven time, microwave for 2-3 minutes to soften.

— Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or rub a non-stick baking sheet with a little oil.  Spread the cut fries in a layer–don’t crowd, and sprinkle with salt.

— Bake on an upper shelf for about 25-30 minutes

opt: Turn the veggies for more even browning.

Dip in homemade mayonnaise or aioli.

 

Crispy Vegetables & Spicy Dipping Sauce

I love crispy foods. There is something about that crunch that is so satisfying.

Choose any naturally crisp vegetable: green beans, broccoli, cauliflower sweet potatoes are my favorites.

Ingredients:

Fryer or heavy pan

Frying Fat of choice-tallow, lard, bacon dripping, olive or coconut oil

Egg

Coconut flour + salt and pepper to taste

Process:

Heat the fat in heavy pan to frying temperature 340-350F/171C.

Cut up the veggies into smaller piece–green beans can be left whole.

Dip the veggies in egg beaten with 1-2 tablespoons water

Dredge in seasoned coconut flour–a big bowl works well to toss the veggies around

Drop piece gently into hot fat–don’t crowd, watch until they turn golden brown, remove to warm plate.

Spicy Dipping Sauce:  Mix together

1/2 cup mayonnaise (homemade is always best)

1-2 T of sriracha hot sauce (to desired spiciness)