Click my YouTube link to see how I made this refreshing cocktail!
It finally feels a little like Spring! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday! I definitely did and with the weather finally warming up I immediately started dreaming about summer cocktails! If you go to a restaurant and order a fruity, slushy cocktail chances are it has more carbs than you think. I started experimenting making my own versions at home where I could customize the flavors and carbs to my liking. I started last summer infusing vodka and gin and it is a lot simpler and tastier than I ever imagined! Trust me, you will want to try it too! The measurements don't have to be perfect and the longer the gin sits the more flavor will infuse. Who doesn't love a lil carb summer cocktail!?
lil carb Infused Gin
1 handle of gin
Big bunch of fresh Thyme
Big bunch of fresh Rosemary
1 cucumber, sliced
Add the thyme, rosemary, and cucumber slices to a handle of gin.
Place in the freezer for 7-10 days.
After that time pour out the gin into another container- I used a left over 2 liter bottle.
I wrote on it in sharpie what the alcohol was and what it was flavored with and stored in the freezer for whenever I was ready to make my next cocktail.
Infused Gin & Tonic- Makes 1
1-2 shots of infused gin
Diet tonic water
Lime juice & Slice
Ice
Fill up a tall glass with ice.
Add in your desired amount of infused gin.
Top off with diet tonic.
Squeeze in about 1 tsp lime juice and garnish with a lime slice.
I may or may not have taken a few sips from this before I snapped the photo...
When going to a get together I try to bring something that is low carb so that just in case there's no other low carb munchies Jason and I have something to snack on. I don't usually broadcast that my dishes are low carb because then I think people might be hesitant to try them. I know before I ventured into this low carb lifestyle if someone told me something was "diet" food I would probably have a preconceived notion that it maybe didn't taste as good as the chips n dip and I probably wouldn't try it. Silly, yes but that is just how my brain works. Instead I bring my food and plop it down on the appetizer table and I walk away with an empty plate at the end of the night. Everybody wins! This dish is so perfect for a one bite appetizer. I also make some of these and keep them in my fridge and pull them out to have a snack. These bites are so simple with only a few ingredients but pack tremendous amount of flavor. Plus they come together in minutes!
lil Carb Goat Cheese Bites- Makes about 20
1 Medium size cucumber, sliced 1/8-1/4 inch thick
2 oz Goat Cheese
1/2 cup Arugula
1/4 cup Walnuts, broken into pieces and toasted
Balsamic Glaze
Slice the cucumber pieces.
Spread with 1/2- 1 tsp of goat cheese.
Put 3 pieces of walnut on, pushing it into the goat cheese.
Take 2 arugula leaves, tearing off the long stem and push into the cheese.
Arrange on a large platter.
Right before serving drizzle balsamic glaze over all the bites. Enjoy!
One of my go to meals lately has been lettuce wraps. They are low carb friendly but also have a whimsical feel to them. This recipe in particular is great for 2 or cooking for a crowd because you can marinate the meat ahead of time and prepare the toppings and lettuce wraps before guests arrive. Cooking the pork takes minutes so you don't miss any of the party! Plus, you know I believe everyone loves creating their own personalized food. Like I have said before with my Taco Chili or a burger bar- guests can feel special by creating exactly what they want based on the toppings that you provide. This meal doesn't even have to be labeled as "low carb" you can offer a variety of toppings and let others decide. Most important, the flavors in this dish are pretty complex for only having a handful of ingredients. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised! Plus who doesn't love the smell of fresh chopped ginger! lil carb Marinated Pork Lettuce Wraps- Serves 2
Pork Marinade
1- 1.25 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and sliced thin
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 packet Truvia
Lettuce Wraps
1 head Bibb lettuce
Cole slaw mix*
Spicy Sauce
1/8 cup Sriracha Sauce
3 heaping Tbsp Sour Cream
1 tsp soy sauce
Trim and slice the pork tenderloin as thin as you can.
Mix together all of the marinade ingredients and add in the pork.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high heat with 1 tbsp of oil.
Add in the pork and the marinade.
Allow to cook stirring often until the pork is no longer pink.
Mix together the spicy sauce ingredients and taste- if it is too spicy for you add more sour cream. If it is not hot enough add in a squirt or two more of Sriracha sauce.
To assemble the lettuce wraps I take a lettuce leaf, top it with cole slaw, pork and then spicy sauce!
Enjoy!
*You can find the cole slaw mix by the bagged lettuce at your grocery store. It usually has shredded carrot, and white and purple cabbage. Other wise you can sub chopped cabbage!
Italian dishes are some of my favorite dinners to make. However, they are not always low carb friendly. This recipe has very few carbs and you can enjoy it with just a side salad. You will never miss the pasta or the bread. I made this and served it with a caesar salad that included my own homemade dressing that you can find HERE and topped with homemade parmesan crisps!
Even my non-low carb eating family members loved this dinner.
Don't ever think that just because you are living a low carb lifestyle you still can't enjoy your favorite foods. That is my main blogging-goal: to show everyone that food can be healthy, simple, and totally flavorful all while keeping low on carbs :) This is a lifestyle that I am trying to make effortless!
lil carb Meatball Parmesan- Makes 20 2-Tbsp scoop meatballs
*Only 2 grams of carbs per meatball!!*
Veggie Prep 1 small onion, minced 2 Tbsp chopped garlic, 4-6 cloves 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil Heat a small skillet over medium low heat and melt the olive oil. Add in the garlic and onion and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and become translucent. Don't let the mixture burn, adjust the heat accordingly depending on your stove. Once they are softened remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Making The Meatballs 2 Lb Ground Beef- I used 85/15 2 eggs, slightly beaten with a fork 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs Butter & Olive oil Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl add in the parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs and stir to combine. Then add in the egg and mix together. Mixture will form a paste consistency. Then add in the onion and garlic that were cooling in the skillet and mix again. Then with clean hands add in the ground beef and mix until everything is combined- do not over mix. In a large skillet melt 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. I used a 2 Tbsp scoop and formed the meatballs, rolled them in my hands and dropped them into the skillet to brown on all sides. Once they are browned move them to a paper towel lined plate. For the second batch I added into the skillet another 1/2 tbsp of butter and 1/2 tbsp oil and added in the rest of my meatballs to brown. Now... the Parmesan!
Assembling The Parmesan! 1-2 cups tomato sauce plus extra for serving- Homemade or store bought just check the carbs 1 cup parmesan cheese 1 cup mozzarella cheese Chopped Parsley for garnish In a large baking dish put 1 cup of sauce to cover the bottom- add more until the whole bottom of your dish is covered. Add in the meatballs right on top of the sauce. Dont's stack them make sure they all touch the bottom of the baking dish. Alternate layers of cheese right on top. Put into a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Finish under the broiler for 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and dig in!!
*This recipe makes 20 meatballs but you could certainly cut the recipe right in half and make 10 meatballs! Or double it and make 40!
