Low Carb Pasta

I would recommend low carb dieting to anyone who would like to lose some weight and be able to keep it off. For our family, it has become a life long eating habit, vs. a crash diet where the weight lost is only temporary. Being the pasta lover I am, I have developed a fondness for low carb pasta and have been able to satisfy that crave quite well with some of the products I have shared with you. My favorite low carb pasta is Miracle Noodle by far.

Most of the low carb meals I prepare consists of boneless, skinless chicken, steak, pork, bacon, shrimp, salmon, eggs, cheese, and various other fish and meats. I use a sugar substitute to make my own sauces, dressings, and dips, rather than buy the many bottled sugary sauces found in the grocery store. Another food I’m fond of is potatoes, which contain a great deal of carbs. So I make a “mock” potato salad using cauliflower instead. I want to share with you one of my favorite “potato” salad recipes today. Try this at your next get together and it will be a hit! (And you’ll be asked to bring it again and again)

You will need:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1/2 lb of prepared bacon (see tip below)
• 1 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup pickle relish (no sugar added)
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar substitute (Splenda recommended)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 2 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons prepared ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

1. Break apart the head of cauliflower int nickle and dime sized pieces. Place in a bowl, then into microwave for 6 minutes on high. Remove and place on paper towels to remove some moisture.

2. Place the remaining ingredients into a bowl (except for the eggs) then stir to blend well.

3. Add the cauliflower and eggs to the mixture and gently fold until combined.

4. Cover and chill completely.

* Bacon bit tip: Partially freeze your package of bacon. Use a sharp knife and cut the frozen bacon into long strips about 1/4 inch wide. Turn the bacon and cut the strips into pieces also about 1/4 in wide. You now have perfect raw bacon pieces to fast fry. No need to separate. They will separate during cooking. Perfect bacon bits. Add 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bacon while cooking.

This makes the best “mock” potato salad I’ve ever tried. Leave a comment and tell us your results. And remember; you can low carb!

Technorati Tags: cauliflower, Diet, Low Carb Pasta, recipe, salad

It can be a challenge for a low carb dieter to stay on course if there aren’t good choices around when its time for a snack. Being prepared for those between meal times is crucial. You can completely throw your body out of ketosis if you consume too many carbs at one time. It does not take a lot of work to have the right choices available when you need them.

Low Carb Pasta offers another recipe to help keep you on the path at snack time. This cracker recipe is very satisfying and the taste is delicious too. Its also very easy to make. So let’s get into the kitchen and cook! If you want to learn to be creative and enjoy a low carb diet, check out Low Carb Pasta’s free recipe for crackers.

Special Equipment You Will Need:

Food processor or hand blender with chopping bowl attachment
Parchment Paper- About $3 per roll   (Do Not Try This With Wax Paper! It WILL Stick)

Ingredients:
1 cup nuts (almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or try a mixture)

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt (or 1/2 teaspoon if you perfer saltier crackers)

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2.  Place the nuts in the food processor with the s-blade and chop until finely ground.

3.  Add the cheese and salt. Pulse the processor several times until well blended. (8 to 10 times will be fine)

4.  Add the water, pulse several more times. A ball of dough should form in the bowl.

5.  Turn the “dough” onto a sheet pan or a cookie sheet that has been lined with the parchment paper.

6.  Tear off another equal size of parchment paper and place it on top of the dough ball.

7.  Begin to press down on the dough that is now between the two sheets of parchment paper making it thinner and thinner. Don’t be in a big rush. Take your time.  This is important to making a good and crispy cracker. The thinner the better. Keep pressing and working the dough evenly without leaving holes. When you are finished, there should be a very thin layer of dough between the sheets of parchment paper.

8.  Now the hard part is over. Remove the top piece of paper and lightly sprinkle salt over the dough. Take a pizza cutter or use a sharp knife and score the dough in squares, triangles, or whatever shapes you like.

9.  Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove then peel off the bottom piece of parchment paper. Let crackers cool, then break apart. Enjoy!

The crackers should be stored in an airtight container and will keep for about a week. The carb count will vary depending on the type of nuts used and size of each cracker. But if you eat the whole recipe, you will have about 13-15 net carbs. Use these any way you would use a cracker.

Technorati Tags: free recipe, ketosis, low carb, Low Carb Pasta