lil carb Mexican Style Frittata

Check out my YouTube video above and watch me make this recipe!

Sometimes I labor over the recipes that I write.  I try really hard to perfect them with switching up ingredients and looking online for ideas for what's in season and see what people are eating.  This recipe however, I came up with right on the fly. I combined a few ingredients that I had in my pantry and fridge and voila! A perfect Mexican-style frittata was born!  I find that when I am trusting my gut and throwing in a lil bit of this and a lil it of that I come up with the best recipes.  Luckily I jotted down all the ingredients I used so I could share this "first time is a charm" recipe with you!

lil carb Mexican-Style Frittata- Makes 5 large slices
7 eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream or half and half  (whatever you have)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

9 oz of breakfast sausage, raw or precooked (whatever you have)

15 pickled jalapeno slices (I used tamed so they are not spicy)
1 can of tomatoes and green chillies, drained of all liquid
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, divided into 1/4 and 1/4 (or use cheddar jack!)
1 1/2 cups greens, kale, spinach, arugula etc. (whatever you have)
1/2 tsp taco seasoning, click HERE to get my homemade version!

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Spray a pie plate with cooking spray- I use coconut oil spray.
Start by cooking your sausage.  Once it's cooked through set it aside.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add in the butter and sauté the onions and garlic for about 1 minutes until the onions soften.
Next, drain the tomato and green chili can as best you can and add that into the pan. Stir well and cook until the tomatoes are warmed through.
Then add in the jalapeño slices, stir, and then add in the greens.  I used a prepackaged mix of arugula and baby spinach.  Once the greens are wilted- about 1 1/2 minutes.
Next, add in the breakfast sausage that you cooked earlier. Then sprinkle everything with the taco seasoning. Mix. Then add in 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese.  Stir everything around and turn off the heat.  Season with salt and pepper.
Then in a medium size bowl, crack open 7 eggs and add in the cream.  Scramble well.  Pour in the veggie/sausage mixture from the skillet.  Then pour the eggs into the pie plate over the veggie/sausage mixture. Using a spoon, mix everything around to even distributed throughout the pie plate. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese.  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Feel free to sub or omit ingredients, use whatever you have on hand!
I served taco sauce with my frittata but you could also use, hot sauce, Cholula sauce, or even some sour cream and avocado slices!
Enjoy!

lil carb Cauliflower Fried "Rice"

Watch me cook this dish above! 

Chinese food is such a wonderful guilty pleasure.  As is most 'fast food'.  It all goes along with the allure of not having to cook and being able to order by phone and pick up in 15 minutes. That used to be my favorite thing to do especially on nights when I just wasn't in the mood to cook. Once I began the low carb journey I was really sad to think I would never be able to taste those flavors again. But once I got comfortable trying new recipes I began recreating flavors I thought I could never eat again.  That's the beauty of this blog and why I wanted to start it.  You can eat healthy and actually lose weight if you cook with fresh ingredients and stay away from sugar and flour and starch. This is one of those recipes that when I am eating this fried "rice" I feel like I just ordered it and picked it up!  It's that good! I hope you like it too!  If you try it let me know what you think!

lil carb Cauliflower Fried "Rice"- Serves 3-4

1 head cauliflower- grated
1 medium onion, diced into large chunks
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
3-4 eggs, scrambled/mixed
3-4 Tbsp soy sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste

**The best way to prepare this "rice" is to prepare all the veggies ahead of time so you can just drop them in the sauté pan or wok - this doesn't take long to cook at all!  The key is to mix it constantly because the heat will be on high.

Start out with grating a whole head of cauliflower. Put aside.
Cut up an onion into a big dice. Mince up the garlic. Put aside.
Get the frozen peas and carrots into a measuring cup.
take 3-4 eggs and scramble them in a bowl. Put aside.

Now that all the ingredients are ready heat the olive oil over high heat in a wok or a large skillet.
add in the onions and stir constantly until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Then add in the garlic and cook another minute. Make sure to stir often because the heat is on high.
Then add in the cauliflower and stir well.  Let this cook for about 2 minutes until the cauliflower is warmed through then add in the frozen peas and carrots.  Stir for another 2 minutes until the frozen veggies are warmed through. Then create a well in the center of the wok/skillet and add in the eggs that were scrambled earlier.  Let them sit on the bottom for a few seconds then stir them into the cauliflower mixture.  Let this all cook together for about 2 more minutes making sure to stir well. Then pour in the soy sauce and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper and then it's ready to be served!

***I served this dish with the General Tso meatball recipe from the blog ibreatheimhungry.com.
The only thing I changed was I used ground beef and I did not use chiles instead I subbed crushed red pepper flakes and used them sparingly.

Enjoy!

For another recipe using cauliflower 'rice' check out my lil carb veggie stir fry!

lil carb Spiced Chicken Marinade

It's that time of the year again!  That awkward time where the temperature is still in the 80's everyday but there's pumpkins and halloween candy in every grocery store.  Fall is trying to sneak in but it still feels like summer.  I don't want to totally give up on my summer yet! In an effort to keep it going Jason and I wanted to grill some chicken.  Just the smell of the grill on a summer afternoon puts me in my happy place. This quick chicken marinade is easy to put together and packs in a ton of flavor!  It also pairs wonderfully with my Coconut Basil Cauli-Rice.  The flavors in this dinner rival some restaurants I have been to.  One of the main ingredients in my marinade is red chili paste.  It's something I like to keep in my pantry for a few reasons- it is low carb and it contains a great depth of flavor which means less work for me! Like most of my recipes- this meal comes together almost effortlessly- especially because I left Jason to do the grilling! Which he aced- as usual lol

Spiced Chicken Marinade

2 heaping tbsp red chili paste

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp red pepper flake (optional)

pinch of salt & pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined.

Depending on the heat you prefer adjust the red pepper flake accordingly.

-I used 3 chicken breasts and coated them in a shallow dish with 2/3 of the mixture.

Let them marinate for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. 

Then grill up the chicken on the first side, then flip and brush with the rest of the marinade.

Go HERE to get my recipe for lil carb Basil Coconut Cauli-Rice!  Its the perfect pairing of flavors- especially since I still am overrun with basil!  You will not be disappointed with this nostalgic summery dinner!

lil carb Spicy Mussels Fra Diavolo

It's time to fancy it up today in the Hart Kitchen!  I made the most amazing mussels dish the other night and after I instagram-ed (@princesskuttah) it I could not wait to share it with everyone!  I must admit, mussels were never my favorite thing but they had such lovely looking mussels at Wegmans and Jason loves them so I thought I would try to recreate the classic Mussels Fav Diavolo at home.  OMG-was I glad that I did. If you are on the fence about mussels go to a good quality fish market and check them out and give them a try! If you like clams or oysters you will probably like mussels.

Sometimes I love going out to eat- getting dressed up, people watching, having an elaborate cocktail, etc.  BUT making restaurant dishes at home is one of my favorite things to do. There are up sides to cooking your own food; You know the exact ingredients that went into a dish, strangers aren't touching your food and more importantly you get to eat the fruits of your labor at the end! The best part about this dish is Jason and I actually made it together- he cleaned and washed the mussels and then let them sit in a flour bath while I made the delicious sauce they would be cooked in. It was a team effort and I definitely ate too much but it was so much fun and definitely tasted better than any restaurant I have been to!

There are a couple steps that are involved in this dish but they are noting too complicated.


Step 1: Cleaning the Mussels
2 lbs mussels, beards removed
1/3 cup flour
Water

Start off my putting the mussels in a large bowl and removing the beard if any have it- it is a kind of fuzzy looking piece that is between the two mussels shells.  The mussels we got had most of them already removed but Jason took the rest off and threw them away.  If any are really dirty you can scrub them with a sponge.
So, in the large bowl add the mussels and cover them with water and the flour. Mix with a big spoon until the flour dissolves and let them set for 30-35 minutes.
This step is very important because it cleans out the mussels. They spit out any sand or grit they were carrying. P.S. They will move and wiggle! They are alive!

Step 2: The Marinara Sauce

For this step you need to make your signature marinara sauce.
The sauce I used was my simple marinara sauce that I use for almost everything!

Click here to get my recipe for Simple & Fresh lil carb Marinara Sauce!

You can also use jarred sauce- then just skip to the next step. Whatever you prefer!

Step 3: Cooking the Mussels

3 tbsp olive oil
1-3 tsp red pepper flake
2 shallots, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup white wine
3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

In a large stock pot add the olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flake.  Adjust the red pepper flake to your desired spice level- I used 3 tsp and it was perfect! Stir constantly for 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine- I used Chardonnay!
Allow the wine to bubble for a few seconds then add in the marinara sauce.  Stir well.
Turn up the heat to medium high and allow this mixture to come to a boil.
Drain the mussels and rinse them from the flour bath from step one.
Add them to the boiling sauce mixture.
Put the lid on the pot and wait 3 minutes.
Stir the mussels around and put the lid back on and wait another 3 minutes.
If some are still not open put the lid on for an additional minute.
Spoon out the mussels into a large serving bowl then pour the sauce right over the top of the mussels and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

See!  That wasn't too bad! The key is having all of your ingredients ready to pour and drop into the pot once you are ready to cook the oysters.  It makes the process a lot smoother!

Since the theme of our day was shellfish- Jason decided to learn how to shuck oysters! He did amazing! The perfect appetizer before we stuffed our bellies with mussels!

K. Harts Marinara Sauce

K. Harts Marinara Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced ( Use more or less depending upon preference)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 cup chicken stock OR white wine OR red wine
*For a spicy Sauce- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes*- optional
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes*
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes*
2 tbsp fresh chopped basil leaves (optional)
Salt & Pepper

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat.
Add in the garlic, onion, and carrot.
Stir for about 3 minutes until the veggies soften slightly.

Deglaze with either white wine or chicken stock.

Scrap the bottom of the pan and allow mixture to bubble and reduce by half about 4 minutes.

Then add in the canned tomatoes and stir well.
If you want a spicy sauce add in the red pepper flake at this point.
Then season with salt and pepper.
Bring up to a boil and stir well and low heat until you have a low bubbling. (I use medium low on my stove)
Allow to cook for 25-30 minutes.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

At this point if you like a chunky sauce you are good to go!

If you prefer a smooth sauce like we do then using an emersion blender, remove the sauce from the heat and blend until smooth.

You can also add fresh chopped basil right at this point! Then you're ready to serve!

Check out some of my recipes that you can make with this fresh and simple sauce! 

-lil carb Mussels Fa Diavolo-

-Use as a side dish to my lil carb Spicy Sausage-

-lil carb Lasagna-

-Use as an alternative sauce to my Meatballs Recipe!-

*Make sure to check your nutritional labels before you buy canned tomatoes.

Every brand is different as far as carb counts. Some brands that include other flavors like "garlic and onion" or "peppers and onion" tomatoes have a significantly higher carb count per serving. I like to keep my count to 4 grams or less per serving- which is usually 1/2 a cup. 

Fiesta Corn on the Cob

OK, so I know corn is not a low carb veggie... however- I have a sweet spot at this time of the year for Jersey-fresh sweet corn.  It's something I have never deprived myself of when it is in season.  I follow a low carb diet but when it comes to a fresh veggie, like corn that when it's in season it is delicious- I will definitely indulge!  Plus it's not a whole cheesecake... it's a piece of corn!  I have to remember to live a lil! Living in New Jersey all my life has really spoiled me.  We have amazing corn that grows in every field surrounding my house.  Even the house we just bought in Pennsylvania right over the Jersey border has fields upon fields of corn.  This time of the year it is fresh and sweet and perfect for this recipe.  Since corn is not low carb I had to make sure everything else that I was adding to it was. Fresh is always best and I have a way to add some Mexican flavors to spice up a cob of corn.  Believe me, butter and a sprinkle of salt are are great but this is a different take on a summer veggie favorite! I brought some bold flavors and some Mexican spices to create a great appetizer or side dish to add to your fiesta.  We all know how I feel about cilantro- yuck! But for those of you who like it, chop it up and sub it for chives!

Fiesta Corn on the Cob - serves 2
2 ears of corn, husked
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp mayonnaise
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 a lime (about 1 Tbsp)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup queso fresco (or shredded mozzarella cheese)
2 Tbsp chopped chives -or- cilantro
Lime wedges for serving

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then heat a grill pan to medium high heat.  Drizzle 1/2 tbsp of olive oil on each ear of corn and spread around with your hands.  Place on the grill pan rotating every few minutes until grill marks brown up the corn.  While the grill does it's job assemble the topping for the corn. In a small bowl combine all the mayo, lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder.  Mix well and set aside.
Once the corn is lightly charred, tear off 2 squares of aluminum foil. Place each ear of corn on their own foil square and top each one with half of the topping mixture. Roll the corn around to coat it then top each ear with half of the queso fresco cheese.  If you cannot find this cheese just sub mozzarella!
Wrap up each ear of corn into it's own pocket leaving the top open just a little but to let out the steam.
Pop 1/2 Tbsp of butter into the opening at the top of the pocket then place each foil wrapped corn on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Once the timer is up, open up the foil packet and top with fresh chives or cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice!

lil carb 15 minute- Taco Chili

Watch me make this recipe!!

I love tacos...more importantly, I know I am not alone. However, low carb means I have to skip out on the shells.  So I thought why not morph these flavors into something else entirely?  My favorite part about tacos in general is that everyones tacos are different.  You can top them with whatever you enjoy most. I love dinners like that!  Another dinner that comes to mind that includes multiple toppings is chili.  So my brain gears started turning and I thought, hey- why not combine the two into a chill bowl filled with taco flavors and assorted toppings?  Well I know you will be thanking me because not only is this an amazing combination of flavors but it can be assembled quick for a really fun dinner experience!  I actually set up a little taco bar for Jason and I when I make this.  I fill bowls with chopped up toppings then as soon as the chili is ready - which only takes about 15 minutes- we can just go right down the line and add to our heaping piles of taco meat goodness with whatever toppings we want!  Even the chili ingredients are customizable to whatever you have or like!

15 Minute Taco Chili: Serves 3-4
1 lb ground meat- You can use beef, chicken, or turkey (however you like your tacos!)
1 bell pepper, diced -any color you prefer
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis including the juice
2 cups of kale, shredded into bite size pieces (optional)
1 cup cheese, you can use cheddar, jack, pepper jack, or some store have a "fiesta blend"
Taco Seasoning- make my homemade version here!

To start brown up your meat and pour off the excess grease. Over medium heat add the onion, garlic and pepper to the browned meat. Stir them around for 2-3 minutes until the veggies soften.  Then add in the taco seasoning. I usually add in about 2-3 tablespoons. Mix this around to coat.  Then add in the diced tomato can and then fill the can 1/4 of the way up with water to loosen stuck tomatoes and get the extra juice out of the can and add that to the skillet. Stir this around and let it bubble up for about a minute then add in the kale.  Stir and allow the kale to wilt down.  Once the kale is wilted turn the heat to medium low and top with the cheese.  Cover the pan for another minute until the cheese melts. Then it's ready to serve!  See below for some of my toppings ideas!



Taco Tips:
-Use any kind of ground meat that you have or prefer.  Thats the beauty of this quick chili, it is versatile too!
-I have made this dish with and without the kale.  Surprisingly when I made it without the kale Jason was asking where it was. Believe me, it was shocking! If you do add it, I do recommend that you cut it into bite size pieces that way it doesn't get too stringy. If you don't like kale, use spinach!
-Taco seasoning- once I hade my own I have never purchased it never again. I love making my own spice mixtures. I double the recipe and keep it sealed in a mason jar in my pantry! Get MY RECIPE!
-Now, the cheese... use whatever you prefer! I listed some of my favorites above but it can be whatever you want as long as it's shredded!
-Toppings!!!
More cheese.. yes please!
Black olive slices
Sliced jalapeños
Avocado slices
Taco sauce
Sour Cream
Salsa
Guacamole
Diced raw onion, red or white!
Oyster crackers
Scallions

...Anything your heart desires!

lil carb Layered Eggplant and Zucchini Platter

Watch me make this recipe!

I know I say all the time that one dish is my favorite and then a few days later I say another dish is my favorite but I'm serious this time... this zucchini salad is my favorite! ha! How could you not love a side dishes that combines fresh veggies, fresh chopped herbs, nuts, cheese, olive oil and... balsamic glaze!?  It already sounds good, doesn't it?  Do I have your attention now?  This dish is also great for entertaining because it can be served at room temperature and all of the ingredients can be prepare before hand so that once the veggies are grilled you can throw it all together and serve it whenever you're ready.  Its a great way to use in season veggies and herbs too!

Layered Zucchini and Eggplant Salad- Serves 4

1 medium size eggplant, cut into slices

1 large or two medium zucchinis, cut into slices

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Olive oil for drizzling

Balsamic glaze (or vinegar) for drizzling

Brush both sides of the zucchini and eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Grill them until they have dark grill marks.  Arrange them in a single layer on large platter. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese while they are still warm from the grill. Then top with pecans then chives, then basil.  Sprinkle with more salt and pepper to taste then drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Then drizzle with balsamic glaze!  If you are using vinegar use 1-2 tablespoons. Easiest way to serve this is with a wide spatula. Enjoy!

lil carb Basil-Coconut Cauli-Rice

Video link above to watch me make this!

One of my favorite restaurants called Third and Ferry Fish Market makes an amazing coconut rice and I have been craving it for quite some time- I would order the grilled mahi-mahi covered with pineapple salsa all served over coconut rice- YUM!  The best thing about this recipe is - I made this  using no rice at all!  Instead I used grated cauliflower and oh boy... it was amazing!  It also keeps well stored in a tuber ware in the fridge.  I just finished the last of it as I am writing this and it was just as tasty as the first night I made it!  Pop it in the microwave, sit back and enjoy the flavors! If I would have known it would be this good on the first try of a new recipe I would have doubled it!  The best part is, it's one of those recipes where I eat it and I literally think I'm eating rice. In a low-carbers life, what more could ya want?!  The subtile flavor of coconut paired with fresh herbs is absolutely perfect. If you are looking for a side dish to accompany grilled fish, chicken or shrimp this is it! It's so versatile and light and summery that it will go with almost anything- OR eat it on it's own! Let me know what you think!

lil carb Basil Coconut Rice- Serves 4

Sauce:

1 13.5 oz can Coconut Milk- unsweetened (check the carbs)

2 Cups fresh Basil Leaves
1 small garlic clove

3 Tbsp Jarred Jalapeño Slices

3 Tbsp Butter

4 Scallions, sliced - separate the white and the green

4 Cups cauliflower, grated (about half a large head)

Salt n Pepper to taste

Start by pureeing the 3 sauce ingredients along with 1/4 tsp of salt in a blender for 30 seconds.  

**If the mixture is over-blended the coconut milk will separate- so be careful and keep it to a 30 second blend.

Set that aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the scallion whites and sauté for a few minutes.  (the smell at this point is intoxicating. Nothing better than onion n butter smell- to ME anyway!  When I look at that picture above, I can actually smell it!) Next, add in the cauliflower, coconut milk puree, and an additional 1/2 tsp of salt.

Bring this mixture to a simmer and mix often.  Once it is bubbling turn the heat down to medium low and cover with a lid.  Let this continue to cook and reduce the sauce for about 20 minutes. I stirred at 10 minutes and 15 minutes into cooking time.
Since it's cauliflower and not rice it will not soak up as much liquid but the puree will reduce down creating a thick sauce.

Once it is nice and thick stir in the scallions greens and season with salt and pepper. 

lil carb Picnic Broccoli Salad

Watch me cook this amazing summer salad by clicking the video above!

Since we are right smack in the middle of the summer I wanted to share one of my favorite summer picnic salads.  Raw veggies are the star followed closely by fresh picked herbs and a light summer dressing.
This salad is a great substitute for the traditional picnic favs- pasta or potato salad- even though those are amazing...they have tons of carbs.  So I'm keeping it light with a low carb alternative!  This low carb salad pairs well with burgers, hotdogs, grilled chicken, really any summer dish.  Which is great because it can easily be made for a weeknight dinner as well as a potluck or a picnic!  When I bring this broccoli salad to a picnic or a BBQ I always get complimented on how great it tastes and people always want the recipes so here it is!

lil carb Broccoli Salad- Serves 8-10
 6 cups raw broccoli florets, cut into small bite size pieces
1 medium red or white onion, chopped small
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
8 slices bacon, cooked and broken into small pieces
3 Tbsp fresh chopped chives
Paprika

Dressing:
1 cup mayo
2 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 packet of Truvia or 1/2 tsp of your favorite granulated sweetener
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the bacon until it is crispy.  Let it cool then break apart with your hands or chop into small pieces.  Toast the almond slices over a medium low heat until the nuts are fragrant.  Remove them from the heat and reserve.
Combine the broccoli, onion, almonds, and bacon into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the broccoli mixture.  Mix well and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to get the best flavor! When you are ready to serve garnish with chives and a sprinkle of paprika.

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The broccoli and chopped onion really bring a seasonal freshness to this salad.  The toasted almonds give an alternative crunchy texture and the creamy mayo dressing along with the fresh lemon juice  marries all the flavors together.

Try this out and let me know what you think!

lil carb Bobby Flay Summer "Shrimp-spiration"

I am always on the look out for new recipes.  I browse Pinterest and my favorite blogs. I'm also addicted to the Food Network- if you couldn't tell.  I was watching Bobby Flays show last weekend and he made a shrimp dish that looked so amazing I had to make it this week. It was already low carb and falls into the "simple yet flavorful" kick that I have been on lately. As an added bonus it includes some of my favorite thing: fresh herbs, bacon, and garlic. Although garlic was not in the recipe itself I felt like adding it. Hey, it could only make this dish better! In my opinion garlic is a food group.

In the original recipe there is cilantro.  I am one of the few percent that cannot eat cilantro. I just do not like it!  Take note everyone because there are not many foods I won't eat. Easy fix though, I just subbed cilantro for fresh parsley from my herb garden!

I prepped my ingredients so I could drop them in the skillet when I was ready.

Fresh thyme, fresh parsley, scallions, garlic, and bacon!

It said to sauté the bacon in the skillet- I personally don't like when bacon has a rubbery consistency so I opted to bake mine in the oven and then I used some of the bacon drippings to start the vegetable sauté.

I had to get a second picture including the tomatoes.  I used Roma tomatoes and cut out the juicy centers.

I love cooking with all fresh ingredients!  This is the definition of feel-good-food!

Saute the tomatoes in about 1 tbsp of bacon grease over medium heat for about 1 minute then add all the other ingredients.

Then add in some red wine vinegar to create a lil sauce.

This doesn't take long at all. Saute just until everything is warmed through. After about 3-4 minutes I turned the heat down to low just to keep the pan warm. 

What beautiful colors! 

In the meantime Jason prepped our shrimp!  We used18 shrimp for the two of us.  He put them on skewers, patted them dry, brushed them with olive oil and then used a spice grinder that we have.  In the spice grinder was a mixture of sea salt, pepper, red pepper, cumin, garlic, and onion.  But really salt and pepper is all they need! He grilled them just until the shrimp turned a light pink.  Very proud of my hubby- he's the grill mater of our house.

Spoon some of the tomato mixture on the plate and top with the shrimp!

The fresh shrimp and fresh herbs really pop with this dish then you get the smoky bacon flavor and the crunch from the scallion and finish with the warm tomato- YUM!  

Thank you Bobby Flay for your inspiration and this recipe! 

Find the original recipe HERE!

My take on Bobby Flays Grilled Shrimp Dish- Serves 2

18 Shrimp- raw, deveined with shells removed

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper or a few grinds from your favorite spice grinder

Sauce:

10 slices of bacon- reserve 1 Tbsp of bacon grease

6 Roma tomatoes, juicy centers cut out and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp parsley, chopped *You can sub for cilantro*

2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

3 scallions, sliced thin

2 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Prep the shrimp by patting them dry, skewering them, brushing with olive oil and seasoning them with salt and pepper or your favorite spice grinder.

For the sauce I cooked the bacon in the oven at 395 degrees for about 20 minutes then cut it into large chunks and set aside along with the bacon grease.  

Add the 1 Tbsp bacon grease to a large skillet over medium heat.  Drop in the tomatoes and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Then add in the thyme, parsley, scallions, and bacon. Mix all the ingredients together and cook for another minute. Then add in the red wine vinegar and mix again. 

At this point you can turn the heat down to low and cook your shrimp. As soon as the shrimp are done spoon some tomatoes mixture onto your plate and top with shrimp and some extra salt and pepper. 

I served this with easy grilled asparagus- Thanks to Jason ;)  In a shallow dish mix asparagus spears with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder and lemon pepper seasoning.  Sprinkle with salt and grill!

If you're baking the asparagus try my Simple Asparagus Side Dish Recipe!

Let me know if you try this or any of my recipes!  I would love to hear from you!

lil carb lil Clam Dinner

Weekends are amazing, aren't they?  Since Jason and I both work full time our weekends are all we look forward to and we try to get as much done as possible.  Today we were running errands all day and then we decided to grab lunch a lil later than usual.  Late lunches can be deadly - I know from experience.  It's so easy to eat lunch late and then come home and want to snack instead of make a full dinner.  Fear not of the deadly I'm-not-hungry-enough-for-a-full-dinner-muchies! There are low carb choices that you can make instead and you will feel satisfied and guilt free!  It's all about planning ahead.

Jason and I knew we would be victims tonight- so we came prepared.  We stopped at Wegmans and picked up some little neck clams. They are so good!!  Once we got our hunger pains around 7pm Jason cooked them right on the grill!  My favorite way to eat clams.  They spit out a lot of the extra juice they're carrying, and before they spit it out they cook in it.  I am not a fan of boiling anything so the grill is my go to!  Once the clams are open they are ready to go.  I melted some butter and served with some lemon slices. Nothing better.  Fresh, flavorful, simple, and totally light.  This night could have gone bad but we saved it by being prepared with a low carb and tasty dinner!

Throw the clams right on a preheated medium high grill.

Close the lid.

Check on them in 2-3 minutes.

As they start to open up pull them off, squirt with some lemon, dip in melted butter and close your eyes and savor how amazing life can be :)

Gorgeous!  So simple yet fresh and light. It really is easy to eat healthy you just have to plan ahead!

There you have it!  A bowl full of shells. 

I'd say this dinner was a success! 

lil carb Spicy Sausage

I've been on a sausage kick lately. Luckily Jason likes the links like I do because I cook em up a couple times a week. Why?? Because it's so simple!  There's nothing better than sausage baked in the oven, or grilled or sautéed... sausage any way is just YUM!  I have been trying to think of simple alternative ways to prepare sausage and I came up with a great idea!  Since I made a big batch of homemade pesto the other day, why not make pesto-sausage?!  I love the flavors of Italian sausage so instead of masking it I just decided to enhance it. Once you see how easy it is you'll make it too.  This is a really great dish because it is easy and flavorful- my 2 favorite things.  I have been trying to keep my recipes with a small amount of ingredients and as healthy as I can making everything seem complicated when it's really not!


Pesto Sausage- Serves 3
6 Sausage Links- hot or mild
1/8-1/4 cup Pesto- jarred or try my homemade version

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean up and lay the links down piercing them with a knife about 2 times on both sides to let the steam out as they cook.
I cook them until they are browned up, turning them once halfway through.  This usually takes about 20-25 minutes.
In the meantime I scoop the pesto into a bowl.  After the sausage is done cooking I take it out of the oven and let it sit for a minute or two then I slice it and toss it into the bowl with the pesto.  I stir it until the warm sausage is coated in the pesto.  YUM!

 Serve with some grated parmesan cheese for a sharp, cheesy topping!

For the perfect meal serve with some spaghetti squash noodles and some spaghetti sauce! The combo of pesto and tomato sauce is one of my favorites!

Or serve with my Italian Baked Squash! Can you believe it's low carb? Recipe coming soon!

lil carb Pesto Mozzarella Chicken

I just love summer! The sun is hot, pools are open, grills are smokin', and herbs are flourishing!  What's not to love?!  Speaking of herbs I recently made homemade basil pesto.  Now I usually wouldn't do much with it, just serve it along side a crusty baguette and call it a day. But with trying to stay away from loaves of bread and carbs in general I decided to take the pesto and incorporate it into my basil mozzarella chicken.  With the pop of the pesto and the creaminess of the cheese I bet you will be wishing it was summer all year round!

I start with marinating my chicken for about an hour using my lemon n garlic chicken marinade.  You can skip this step but I love the underlying lemon flavor on the chicken. I think it works really great with the pesto!  That marinade is also a great starter and you can take the meal in many different directions.  If you skip the marinade just make sure you salt and pepper your chicken before sautéing or grilling it.
Which brings me to my next step- cook your chicken however you prefer. I used boneless skinless breasts and sautéed them until they were cooked through.

Next, I placed the cooked chicken on a foil lined baking sheet and topped it with about 1 tablespoon of my home made pesto!  Get my recipe HERE! Then I topped the pesto with a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. Just thinking about this chicken makes my mouth water. Look at that!! Beautiful!

Look at those beautiful colors! Not only is this chicken super flavorful but its a really gorgeous dish.

Now, you can eat the chicken just like this. I almost did because I was so hungry but I popped mine in under the broiler and watched it carefully for a few minutes until the cheese was bubbly and just starting to brown.

Perfection! 

Simple and fresh ingredients at its best!!!

Pesto Mozzarella Chicken- Serves 2

Optional Marinade

2 large bonesless skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise

4 Tbsp pesto, jarred or use my homemade recipe

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

To start off trim up the chicken, mine was super thick so I cut it in half lengthwise.  

The next step is optional- marinate the chicken for about an hour using my garlic n lemon chicken marinade.  If you choose not to marinate the chicken that's fine!  Just make sure to salt and pepper the chicken.

Next step is up to you again- grill the chicken or sauté it.

Once it is cooked place it on a foil lined baking tray.

Top with 1 tablespoon of pesto on each piece then top with about 1/8 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Broil for a few minutes until the cheese is just turning brown.