Low Carb Mini Sausage Biscuits

Low carb works for me and I have been trying to get it to work for my family as well. This can be challenging since my littles are not always on board. They will try everything I put before them, but they are quick to let me know which way their favor is going to go. I’ve also been learning how to work with almond flour. I definitely prefer it over coconut flour.

I find myself needing a lot more inspiration this time around. Prior to being off the low carb wagon for personal and medical reasons, I was doing great with making low carb meals. As I was making this month’s menu, I realized that I was a little burnt out on some of the dishes I was making and I knew if I was, my family certainly was.

This led me to making a purchase that I will hopefully review later. It has also led me to getting a little more creative in the kitchen. I used to think that a low carb way of life meant that you had to live without the food you love. Not so. Today’s recipe is living proof. I tried the original recipe by Peace Love and Low Carb and really liked it. I enjoyed them so much that I began trying different versions, adapting here and there and my sausage version has become a family favorite.

I love these little cheesy nuggets. Best yet, they are low carb, easy to make, freeze well and are toddler approved!

Ingredients*

4oz low fat cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1 ¼ c shredded, sharp cheddar cheese

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp Italian seasoning

1 ¼ c almond flour

¼ c heaving cream

¼ c water

4oz ground maple or breakfast sausage, browned and drained

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

In your mixer, cream the cream cheese until smooth and then add the egg. Blend well. Add the seasoning, spices and cheese. Mix on low or mix by hand with a spoon.

Combine the flour, cream and water with the cheese mixture until it is well incorporated. Gently mix in the sausage.

Scoop generous tablespoons of batter into a well-greased mini muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden and no longer spongy to the touch.

Serve warm or cool and then freeze. If freezing, simply thaw and warm in the microwave until it reaches your desired temperature.

My kids are “dippers” and these pair well with ketchup or syrup.

Makes approximately 10 servings (3 muffins).

Nutrition (according to MyFitness Pal): Calories 339, Fat 28.8g, Sodium 475mg, Net Carbs 3.8g

* The fat content, as well as all other nutritional values will change depending upon the types of ingredients you choose to use. For example, full fat vs low fat cream cheese.

The add-ins are endless!

Low Carb Mexican Chicken Bake

I've been trying to come up with low carb recipes that will allow me to enjoy our weekly Taco Tuesday nights without always resorting to a taco salad. This has led me to a new favorite...

Mexican Chicken Bake

Ingredients 

1.5c diced chicken (I used leftover rotisserie chicken)

1/2c black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2c Rotel

1/2c shredded pepper jack cheese

1/2c shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat your oven to 400. 

In an 8x8 baking dish that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray, mix the chicken, beans and tomatoes together. Top with both cheeses. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and melted completely. Enjoy with a little sour cream or on a low carb tortilla. 

Serves 6

Fall Is My Favorite

A beautiful fall sunrise from earlier in the week.

If I could have this fall weather all year with a few snow days mixed in I'd be one happy girl. I love fall. There are so many wonderful things that are solely reserved for this time of year. We've had a lot happen over the last week and we're working on checking off more things from our Fall Fun List.

[Apple Pie Filling]
We went apple picking the other week and I've got oodles of apples to use up. I decided to make some apple pie filling.  It's really versatile and is perfect for holiday get togethers. It freezes well and makes a good amount.

Apple Pie Filling

12c sliced and peeled apples

1/2c white sugar

1/2c brown sugar

1/2c cornstarch

2 tsp apple pie spice

3c water

Prepare the apples and set them to the side. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large pot and stir well. Bring to a boil and as it begins to thicken add the apples. Lower the heat to medium/low and mix well so the apples are coated. Cover and cook until the apples start to soften a bit (10-12 minutes). Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 30-45 minutes. 

Scoop about 2.5c of apples into each quart freezer bag. It yields about 4 quarts. Allow to cool completely and then freeze.

[Family Pictures]

We had family pictures done and got them back this week. I'm in love. You can check out more of them here. 

[6 Years]

We celebrated 6 years of marriage on Saturday.  Our friends graciously watched our daughter so that we could enjoy a night out. 

Our view from our dinner table

We took a walk around the lake after dinner

The restaurant

Smores! 

We returned to their house and cozied up next to the fire and made Smores. 

[Trunk or Treat]

Our friends' church had their annual Trunk or Treat on Sunday evening.  I must say we have the cutest little ladybug. We enjoyed dinner and of course there was candy. We'll enjoy our church's Fall Festival this Friday.

[Fall Field Trip]

We took our class to a local pumpkin patch. They enjoyed lots of fun activities and got to take home their very own pumpkin. 

Linking up with Tickled Pink

Linking up with Green Fashionista

Homemade Beef and Broccoli

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I love a Girls' Night In. I love Chinese food. So naturally it's only appropriate to put the two together. (In all the excitement I forgot to take a picture of the spread but I promise it looked as good as it tasted.) I prepared a couple of my favorites and then I explored a new recipe. The menu...

Sesame Seed Chicken

Brown Rice
 

Simple Sesame Noodles
 

::via::

And the newbie to my Chinese smorgasbord...

Beef and Broccoli

::via::

 

Ingredients
1/2tbsp cornstarch
1lb uncooked flat iron steak, thinly sliced against the grain
1c low sodium chicken broth, divided
3c uncooked broccoli florets
1/2tbsp ground ginger
2tsp minced garlic
1/4tsp red pepper flakes
1/4c water
1/4c low sodium soy sauce

Directions:
Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Cook the beef on medium heart until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl with slotted spoon.

Add 1/2c of broth to the same pan. Stir to deglaze the pan. Add the broccoli, cover and cook, tossing throughout until broccoli is tender. Uncover and add the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Toss and cook for about a minute.

In a small bowl, whisk together water, soy sauce, 1/2c broth and cornstarch until blended. Stir into the pan. Reduce to medium-low heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken.

Return the beef to the pan and toss to coat.

(The original recipe from Frugal Maine can be found here.)

 

 

Linking up with Green Fashionista for Tasty Tuesday and Love in the Kitchen for Tuesday's Table.

Tasty Tuesday: Dinner and Dessert

::via::

I debated back and forth about which recipe to share and I simply could not decide. I love both of these recipes and they've been people pleasers every time. I hope you'll enjoy them just as much.

Let's start with dinner...I can't get enough Chinese food but there are 3 major problems with that. 1. It's not cheap to frequently eat out. 2. We live so far from town that it's just not sensible or economical to drive out to town just because I've got a craving...and no one delivers out here. 3. The sodium and calorie count is through the roof!

Because of these things I've begun making some of my favorite take out at home. I've made this  recipe for Sesame Chicken several times and it always turns out well. I pair it with brown rice and veggies...yum! The original recipe can be found at Food.com.

Sesame Chicken

6 chicken breast, boneless, skinless and cubed
1/2tsp ground ginger
1/2c honey
1/2c low sodium soy sauce
2tbsp corn starch
1/4tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1tbsp toasted sesame seeds

On Medium heat a skillet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the chicken for about 10 minutes or until the pieces are no longer pink.

In a medium bowl, mix together the honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken and mix well.

In the same bowl, mix together the water and cornstarch. Stir into chicken mixture. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Turn down the heat and simmer for another 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

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While this dinner meal is super yummy, one can't help but get even more excited over dessert. I made these tasty treats for our Labor Day cookout and then again for a friend's birthday breakfast. Super easy and delish!

I originally found this recipe for these amazing Deep Dish Fruit Pizzas at Banner Boutique. I made a few tweaks and couldn't have been happier. Everyone loved them and the recipe was requested several times.


Deep Dish Fruit Pizza

1 package of pre-made sugar cookies (I used Pillsbury Ready to Bake)
1 pkg. (8oz) fat free cream cheese
1 container (8oz) of Lite Cool-Whip
2-3 cups of fruit, sliced (I used nectarines, strawberries, blueberries and kiwi)

Place one cookie in each cup of a 24 mini cupcake pan. Press down to form a shell. Bake according to package directions.

Allow to cool completely, remove and place onto your serving platter.

Whip together the cream cheese and whipped cream. Scoop into a gallon sized bag. Snip off a corner and pipe into the shells.

Place the fruit on top. Chill for about an hour (if you can wait that long) and serve.



Linking up with Green Fashionista...

Chicken with Drop Dumplings

The other night I was craving my grandma's soup...loving deemed "Uncle Curtis' Soup". If there is an actual name for it, no one in the family knows. In fact, on my recipe card the recipe is simply labeled "soup". It has forever been my uncle's request at family gatherings and I grew up expecting this soup every Christmas (and maybe once or twice throughout the year if we were lucky.) My grandma has three dishes that compete to be my favorite: meatloaf, flat pancakes, and Uncle Curtis' Soup. The only thing that ever tastes like she makes it when I attempt it in the kitchen is the soup.

She has such distinct handwriting...pulling out this recipe card always brings sweet memories.

So back to the other night. I was really wanting her soup. I knew thought I had everything, right down to the spices. Unfortunately I realized, only after I began cooking, that I did not have smoked sausage. I decided to get a little creative and came up with my spin on Chicken n' Dumplings. I hope you'll enjoy this just as much as we did! You can't beat something made in the big red pot.

Chicken with Drop Dumplings

Ingredients:
2tbsp butter
1 clove minced garlic
1/4c diced onions
2c chicken broth
1c water
1 1/2 tsp Hungarian Paprika
1-2c cooked, diced chicken

Dumplings:
2eggs
dash of salt
3/4c flour


Begin by melting 2 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of your pot.



Add 1 clove of minced garlic and 1/4c diced onion. Allow to cook for a few minutes to draw out the flavor. The onions will become translucent as they cook.

Once the veggies are good to go, add 2 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of water. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp. Hungarian paprika and a dash of salt and pepper. Allow it to simmer on low heat.

While the broth simmers, grab a medium size bowl and combine the following ingredients to make the dumplings: 2 eggs, a dash of salt, and 3/4c flour. Mix well. The dough will be thick.

In small spoonfuls, drop the dough into the simmering liquid. The dumplings will cook as the broth continues to heat. The dumplings will swell a bit. Continue to add the dumpling dough until you are stratified with the amount of dumplings in the soup.

Finally add 1-2c of diced chicken. I had some leftover rotisserie chicken and that worked very well. Otherwise, cooked chicken breast would do. allow the soup to cook through and continue to season to taste.

This soup was a big hit in our house and I hope the same for yours. Enjoy!



 

 



Needs vs Wants

It's a rain drenched day in the countryside and we're home on the mend. The meds I was given for my sinus infection seem to finally be kicking in...I can taste more of my food and breathe a little better. The best part is that most of the pressure in my sinuses has been relieved. Thank you Jesus! G is still a snotty mess, continuing to run a low grade fever. The doctor said it's just a cold and like all things, this too shall pass...we just have to wait it out. Poor baby.

I've been doing really well with my sodium intake and portion control. I can't wait to do my weekly weigh in on Monday (I've never looked forward to that haha). I've been learning an important, long awaited lesson over these last few weeks: need the food you eat. I know you're thinking, duh, we NEED food to live. Yes...but do you need to eat pasta multiple times a week? Do you have to submerge everything in a tasty cream sauce? Do candy and other sweet things have to be a staple in your home? No.

Needs vs Wants is a topic that I teach in my first grade classroom. It's funny because I've never really applied it to my eating habits but it totally goes! Do I need another helping or do I just want one? When I want something sweet, do I need a handful of Rolos? I'm learning to accept substitutes. Substituting seems so much better than completely denying myself. If I want something sweet, instead of a handful of Rolos, I opt for an apple and peanut butter. Every once in a while I'll indulge, but I'm proud to say these sweet treats are becoming the exception instead of the norm.

I'm learning what my body needs. This is not to say that I do not occasionally enjoy a white fudge Oreo or a delicious creamy Alfredo, but I'm learning and embracing the idea of giving my body more of what it needs instead of what it wants. (And I'm told in time my body will begin to actually want what it needs...yippee!) I'm expanding my nutrition horizons. This week I ventured into the world of kale. This resulted in a go to "healthified" version of one of my favorite soups, Sausage, Potato and Kale, a BBQ Chicken and Kale pizza and a Sausage and Kale breakfast casserole. Yum!

I'm also learning how to balance the things I eat and portion control. A lot of prayer has also gone into this. I continue to give this "getting healthy" part of my life to the Lord. I honestly feel like this submission has been one of the biggest reasons I've felt so successful over the last 3 weeks. When I get the urge to go against my discipline, I feel that gentle pull bringing me back to what I know I need to do instead of what I want to do. I also believe this is a major reason why I'm feeling more content when eating. Just three weeks ago I would not feel "full" if there was food left on my plate or extra left on the stove. I would just have to have an extra helping! Now I feel content after eating. If I'm hungry a little while later I have healthy snacks just in reach. God is good and evident in all things.

This healthy way of life has also challenged me in my cooking. I'm finding healthy alternatives to many things I use...primarily sodium. It's amazing how many low sodium/sodium free options there are! (Thank goodness!) Tonight I'm treating us to a tasty Balsamic London Broil. It's a new recipe so I'm hoping it turns out well. I'll probably pair it with some brown rice and green beans.

This next week, since my illness seems to be subsiding (fingers crossed) I'll be beginning the exercise component of my health goals. Woohoo!

P.S. I'm so proud of my bestest for making it to the gym this morning! You rock!