Craving pizza again? Ya, me too. LOL
Don't derail your diet journey- just make these eggplant pizzas instead! You might already have all the ingredients on hand! If you think you might not like this recipe for whatever reason- eggplant skin, small portion, thick cut eggplant.... just make it and thank me later. If you follow my directions for this one I promise you'll love it. Oh yea and I didn't invent this. It's a recipe that's all over the internet. BUT I think I've cracked the code to making them taste amazing every time! I hope you love em too!
Eggplant Pizzas- 1 Serving
4 slices of eggplant- cut 1/2 inch thick (about 7 ounces total)
2 Tbsp marinara sauce
4 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
garlic powder
onion powder
Italian seasoning
Salt
Pepper
chopped parsley for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with tin foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
lay the eggplant circles on the baking tray and brush with olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Flip the eggplant and brush with olive oil and season the other side with spices.
Bake for 18 minutes.
After they are finished remove from the oven and top with 1/2 Tbsp each of marinara sauce and then 1 Tbsp each of mozzarella cheese.
Broil for 4 minutes but watch them closely so they don't burn. Depending on your oven you might need more or less time.
Top with some chopped parsley and ENJOY!
Low carb comfort food is ready to awaken your taste buds with this recipe! One of my favorite high carb dinners is chicken parm and like I always say- surviving on a low carb diet is all about finding a healthy alternative to anything and everything that you're craving. This recipe will do just that. Serve these meatballs as a dinner or lunch prep with some zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash OR make smaller meatballs and pop some toothpicks in them and serve them as an appetizer or as a snack during game day! They are also a low calorie bite as well! Everyone will enjoy these so definitely try them out! Did I mention they're super easy?? You all know me by now and everything is delicious and super easy when it comes to cooking great food! low carb Chicken Parm Meatballs- makes 12 medium sized meatballs
1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flake (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl add the ground chicken, egg, onion powder, red pepper flake (if using), dried oregano, fresh parsley, chopped garlic, the 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
Using clean hands mix everything together until well combined.
In a 10 inch skillet (use a skillet that can go from the stove to the oven, I use THIS cast iron skillet)
and heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium/ medium high heat.
Form the ground chicken mixture into meatballs and drop them onto the skillet. Let cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip over and cook another 1-2 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Add in the sauce then top each meatball with the remaining Tbsp of parmesan cheese and the 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the oven 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
*Be careful because the skillet will be very hot* Enjoy!
Nutritional Info
(for one meatball with sauce and cheese - when making 12 total)
By reading the title of this post you already know what the recipe is but what you might not know is... this is going to be your new go-to dip for pretty much everything in life. This dip is so easy with minimal ingredients that you cant help but make it for every occasion. Need an appetizer for game day? What about a Thanksgiving finger food? Gotta bring something to a party? Having people over for Halloween and need a fun snack? Craving a cheesesteak but don't want to make an actual cheesesteak? Low carbing and missing cheesesteak flavors? I could literally go on and on.... Whatever the occasion, hey, Tuesday night is also an occasion... you need to try this dip!
low carb Chicken Cheesesteak Dip- Serves 6 people as an appetizer
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped small
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
4 oz provolone cheese, shredded or chopped small
2 Tbsp olive oil
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a 10 inch cast iron skillet (or oven safe skillet), heat olive oil over medium high heat.
Saute the onions and green bell pepper for 5-7 minutes until the onion are translucent and the peppers have started to brown on the edges.
Then add in the chicken and stir to combine.
Cube up the cream cheese block into about 8-10 pieces and drop that into the skillet. Let it sit for a few seconds to warm up and then stir in carefully.
Then add in the mayo, switch to a spatula and fold everything together.
Turn off the heat.
Then add in the provolone cheese, fold together again and then smooth into a single flat layer.
Pop into the oven for 20-25 minutes until it is golden brown and bubbly.
Be careful because the pan will be very hot.
Let sit for a few minutes before digging in!
Everyone will love this dip- serve these options for dipping!
-toasted baguette
-celery sticks
-bell pepper sticks
-cut a low carb wrap into "chip" shapes and toast at 350 degrees until crispy
Every time Jason takes me to a steak house I crave the wedge salad. I love the refreshing crunch along side a nice juicy steak! I recently realized I can recreate that at home... yes, I really I am late to the party on this one. I shared my salad on Instagram and Snap Chat and I got quite a few messages saying to share the recipe. While this is so simple you can make it with your eyes closed, I decided to share my wedge salad with everyone! Serve this as a quick and simple lunch or as a side dish with your favorite grilled dinner.
My favorite way to enjoy this one is with a grilled strip steak and some grilled or roasted asparagus!
low carb Wedge Salad- Serves 1
1/4 head of iceberg lettuce
1/8 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/8 cup shredded red cabbage
4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half or fourths
3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled up
Salt & pepper
+ your favorite salad dressing
To assemble, put your iceberg on a plate and break it apart a little.
Then add your dressing on top- this will help all the other ingredients to stick to it.
Then layer on the bacon, tomatoes, red cabbage and blue cheese crumbles.
Sprinkle with a little salt and some black pepper. Enjoy!
Just in time for the Super Bowl I thought I would share my recipe for what might be the best "dip" you ever had. Bring this to a party and it will be devoured! I love to serve this with bell pepper chips to keep it low carb but if you're bringing it to a get together I would definitely serve it with some thing sliced baguette. The perfect appetizer and game day food!! I hope you love it like I do! And please have an extra bite for me since I'm 30 weeks pregnant and staying away from lunch meat right now! #jealous!!!
lil carb Hoagie Dip-Serves 10 people as an appetizer
1/4 lb ham lunch meat 1/4 lb turkey lunch meat 1/4 lb pepperoni lunch meat 1/4 lb genoa salami lunch meat 1/8 lb American cheese 1/8 lb provolone cheese 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1/4 cup finely chopped pepperoncini peppers 2 1/2 cup iceburg lettuce, chopped 1/2 cup chopped tomato, without the seeds
Sauce: 3/4 cup mayo 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp died oregano 1 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp red pepper flake (adjust to your taste or leave out) 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Prep the lunch meat and cheeses by cutting into small pieces and making sure to take the time to separate the pieces. (Tip: When you stack and cut lunch meat it can stick together- separate the pieces otherwise they will stick together in the actual dip)
Mix together all of the "sauce" ingredients and set aside.
Combine the cut up meats, cheese, chopped tomato, lettuce, onion, and pepperoncinis in a large bowl. Mix this with a spatula. Then add in half of the sauce mixture. Mix well. Add in the remaining sauce and mix well again.
Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving for the flavors to merry. Overnight is best.
Serve cold with bell pepper chips. Enjoy!
*This mixture also tastes great on top of a bed of lettuce as a salad or inside of lettuce cups!
This recipe I have for you today is very versatile. I made these for a brunch I hosted at my house for my mom for Mother Day! They also work well as meal prep for a quick make ahead breakfast or snack. And if you're like me you make em and eat em! I have customized 3 flavors today but really use whatever you like and have on hand. I absolutely love meal prepping but if you don't then you will like this recipe because it is super quick and makes a bunch of lil egg cups.
*Pan I used was 24 cups, 2 inches around and 1 inch deep.
lil carb Egg Cup Trio-Makes 24 cups- 8 of each flavor
Eggs:
8 eggs
2 Tbsp half and half
Salt and Pepper to taste
Broccoli Cheddar Egg Cups:
8 tsp finely chopped broccoli (about 3 small florets)
1/2 slice Cheddar Cheese or about 8 tsp of shredded cheddar
Ham and Cheese Egg Cups:
2 thin slices deli ham of your choice, chopped
1/2 Slice American Cheese
Assembling:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
To start off whisk your eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper and the half and half.
Set aside.
Spray your pan liberally with cooking spray.
8 Broccoli cups- add in 1 tsp of finely chopped broccoli to each muffin cup.
8 Ham and Cheese cups- add in 1 tsp of finely chopped deli ham to each muffin cup.
8 Mushroom cups- add in 1 tsp of finely chopped mushroom to each cup.
Next, pour the egg mixture into each cup, filling each one almost to the top.
Top each cup with the appropriate cheese.
Bake for 9 minutes.
They will puff up so when you take them out let them sit for a minute or so and then remove them to a serving tray and enjoy right away or let them cool and then pack them up in some tuber ware and store in the fridge. To reheat simply microwave for about 1-2 minutes until they are warmed through. ENJOY!
Pizza is one of those foods that can be really hard to replicate but with around 30 grams of carbs for ONE slice of pizzeria pizza I had to figure it out. I have tried all different low carb versions and they all were flops. Cauliflower crust sounds promising but the fact that you will never have a crispy crust is where you lose me. Same with a lot of pre-packaged crusts. Extra money and extra ingredients that I couldn't pronounce. I had almost given up on finding a low carb pizza that would rival actual pizza until one day when I was craving pizza soooo bad and I looked in my pantry, saw my Tumaros wraps and knew I had to give it a shot. That is when this recipe was born and now I have the perfect go-to, low carb pizza and it is truly amazing! I cannot stress enough how important it is for everyone to try this recipe. Especially if you are watching your carbs- especially if you love pizza as much as I do- this recipe is a game changer!
lil carb Personal Pepperoni Pizza- Serves 1
1 - 8 inch low carb wrap- Click HERE to see the ones I use
2 Tbsp low carb marinara OR pizza sauce - I use Raos Brand
No drooping pizza crust here!!!
12 slices pepperoni
1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Pinch of dried oregano
pinch or two of crushed red pepper flake
pinch of garlic salt
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Place the wrap on a baking sheet and evenly spread the sauce covering the entire wrap in a thin layer.
Lay down the pepperoni slices in a single layer.
Sprinkle with the oregano, red pepper, and garlic salt.
Sprinkle next with the parmesan cheese followed by the mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Let cool for a minute then cut using a pizza cutter ENJOY!
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Everybody! Get excited! This is my favorite time of the year! Back to back to back holidays! Lets kick this season off strong with a fun video and a tasty snack!
This is the perfect Halloween or Thanksgiving appetizer for your family and friends! Fun and festive and totally EASY! Bring this to a party this season and everyone will be asking you for the recipe and they'll be telling you how cute it is!
Check out the video above because I had a special guest come into the lil Piece of Hart kitchen and teach me how to make this... hehe! Hint: she may or may not have come all the way from Kansas!
lil carb Pumpkin-Shaped Cheese Ball
8 oz softened cream cheese
3/4 cup colby jack pre shredded cheese
3 Tbsp pesto, jarred or homemade (I used my homemade traditional basil pesto- click here for the recipe!)
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 clove of garlic (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 orange bell pepper
+extra veggies for serving- I like to use celery, baby carrots, red or green bell pepper and a leaf of iceberg to use in the center of the veggie platter underneath the pumpkin ball.
In a food processor add in the cream cheese, colby jack cheese, pesto, minced onion, oregano, salt pepper as well as red pepper and garlic clove if you are using them.
Pulse until well combined. If mixture balls up just break it up with a spatula and pulse again until everything is well combined.
Turn out the cheese mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap.
Cover in plastic wrap and form mixture into a ball.
Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm up and for the flavors to develop.
When you are ready to serve take 3/4 of your orange pepper and chop it into very small pieces (watch my video above for clarification) and reserve the stem of the pepper any extra large pieces of paper just put them on the veggie platter for dipping.
Roll the chilled cheese ball in the orange pepper pieces pushing the pieces into the cheese.
Put the cheese ball on a leaf of iceberg lettuce in the middle of a veggie platter or large plate. Surround with cut up veggies for dipping and take the orange pepper stem and press it into the top of the cheese ball to resemble the stem of a pumpkin.
Then dig in and Enjoy! *Hint: Double this recipe to make a larger cheese ball OR make 2 cheese balls so when guests dig into the first one you can replace it with a new pumpkin!
Labor day is now a memory and I still can't believe how fast this Summer went. I swear every year it goes by quicker and quicker. Anyway- in my effort to keep Summer alive I am sharing a really tasty side dish with you! Summer tomatoes are the best- so get em while you still can and enjoy these marinated tomatoes tonight using only a handful of fresh ingredients. Happy Summer!
lil carb Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes- Serves 4
2 Large Tomatoes, sliced thick into 4 slices (end slices sprinkle with salt and pepper for a snack)
3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, chopped
2.5 oz of greens- arugula, spinach, kale, or a Vita Blend Mix
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Slice tomatoes thick and place in a shallow dish. Pour balsamic over tomatoes, turning tomatoes to coat and set aside. Let them marinate for at least 10 minutes.
Take tomatoes out of the marinade and place on a baking sheet and sprinkle each tomato with salt and pepper- reserve balsamic marinade.
One of the first things I knew I wanted at our new house was fresh herbs. I love cooking with them! Fresh herbs bring a welcomed earthiness and enhance the flavors of food. It's such a treat to go out side and cut what I need right off of the plant. Sometimes I just stick my nose right in the plant and inhale- Mmmm and I can't help but smile. Jason thinks I'm nuts but I don't care. At the old house we had a whole garden but decided on just keeping a few planters this year. We planted basil, rosemary, chives and parsley this year. These pictures were taken the day we planted them but in a few short weeks the plants have grown huge. So huge that I decided to whip up some basil pesto. It's a great way to trim down your herbs to keep them healthy and a great low carb addition for your next meal!
*The best part about pesto is you can change up the recipe to suit whatever you like. For instance- start with the basil and pine nuts then add more or less parmesan depending on how cheesy you like pesto- same goes for the garlic. I love garlic but some people only like to use it sparingly. Lastly, depending on how chunky or wet you want the constancy to be you add more or less olive oil. That's the beauty of cooking my peeps- add in a little of this and a little of that until you enjoy the flavor. Cooking is never an exact science. That's where the fun begins!
lil carb Basil Pesto
4 cups of fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1 cup* parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup pine nuts
4+ garlic cloves* ( I like everything extra garlicky- I added 7 cloves!)
1 tsp salt - adjust to your taste
1/2 tsp pepper
1+ cup extra virgin olive oil*
Combine everything except the olive oil into a food processor.
Turn on the food processor and let it go for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients are combined.
Then drizzle in the olive oil while the processor is still on.
If you like more oil add it until you get the consistency you want.
I like it a little thicker just like this:
This will keep in the fridge for about a week in an airtight container.
You can also freeze it for up to six months. The best way to do this is put a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it fresh and to keep it from turning brown. When it's snowing out and you're craving pesto just take out your container, let it soften enough to scoop out what you need then let it come to room temperature and serve!
What can you make with this pesto besides dipping bread in it?!
One of the first things I knew I wanted at our new house was fresh herbs. I love cooking with them! Fresh herbs bring a welcomed earthiness and enhance the flavors of food. It's such a treat to go out side and cut what I need right off of the plant. Sometimes I just stick my nose right in the plant and inhale- Mmmm and I can't help but smile. Jason thinks I'm nuts but I don't care. At the old house we had a whole garden but decided on just keeping a few planters this year. We planted basil, rosemary, chives and parsley this year. These pictures were taken the day we planted them but in a few short weeks the plants have grown huge. So huge that I decided to whip up some basil pesto. It's a great way to trim down your herbs to keep them healthy and a great low carb addition for your next meal!
*The best part about pesto is you can change up the recipe to suit whatever you like. For instance- start with the basil and pine nuts then add more or less parmesan depending on how cheesy you like pesto- same goes for the garlic. I love garlic but some people only like to use it sparingly. Lastly, depending on how chunky or wet you want the constancy to be you add more or less olive oil. That's the beauty of cooking my peeps- add in a little of this and a little of that until you enjoy the flavor. Cooking is never an exact science. That's where the fun begins!
lil carb Basil Pesto
4 cups of fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1 cup* parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup pine nuts
4+ garlic cloves* ( I like everything extra garlicky- I added 7 cloves!)
1 tsp salt - adjust to your taste
1/2 tsp pepper
1+ cup extra virgin olive oil*
Combine everything except the olive oil into a food processor.
Turn on the food processor and let it go for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients are combined.
Then drizzle in the olive oil while the processor is still on.
If you like more oil add it until you get the consistency you want.
I like it a little thicker just like this:
This will keep in the fridge for about a week in an airtight container.
You can also freeze it for up to six months. The best way to do this is put a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it fresh and to keep it from turning brown. When it's snowing out and you're craving pesto just take out your container, let it soften enough to scoop out what you need then let it come to room temperature and serve!
What can you make with this pesto besides dipping bread in it?!
If anyone follows me on social media (I'll include my links below hehe) then you know Jason grew a fig tree from a 5 inch stem from his moms fig tree and now 4 years later the thing is massive and we finally have figs! So far this year J has picked 170+ and I have been trying to come up with different ways to eat these lil jewels but we must admit we can't eat them fast enough and have made little jam jars for people and are also just giving them away! Here is a recipe that I came up with as a snack to use up whole figs. This recipe is great for entertaining because you can prepare them ahead of time and they taste great at any temperature. Hot right off the grill pan, at room temp, or cold from being in the fridge. You can't lose! My favorite kind of recipe lol
lil carb Prosciutto Wrapped Figs- makes 6
6 whole, fresh figs
3 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half long ways and trimmed of fat
3-5 walnuts broken in half
1/8 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Extra Virgin Olive oil for brushing
Balsamic glaze for drizzling Tools:
6 toothpicks
Grill Pan
Nonstick cooking spray
Preheat a grill pan to medium high heat and spray with a little non stock cooking spray.
Clean figs then cut off the tip of the fig where it was attached to the tree.
Stand the fig up with the part you just cut on the top and cut about 80% of the way down the fig (watch my video above for exactly how I do it).
When stuffing the fig- do not overstuff... resist the urge! lol
Stuff with 1/2 walnut and about 1/2 tsp of gorgonzola cheese.
Squeeze the fig very gently and wrap a piece of the prosciutto that you cut in half around the fig, overlapping if you need to.
Secure with a toothpick through the center, avoiding the nut piece.
Brush with a little olive oil and put top side down onto the grill pan. "Top" meaning where the filling is showing.
Grill for 1 1/2 minutes then flip over and grill for another 1 1/2 minutes.
Remove to a platter and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Eat warm, at room temperature or cold from the fridge! ENJOY!
Basil and summer pretty much go hand in hand and since I grow my own you guys know I have a TON right now. This classic platter is just so timeless and delicious but with the lil spin I put on it you will enjoy it like its a new dish! Adding buttery pine nuts gives the platter a welcoming crunch and fresh chopped chives give a subtle onion-y flavor that I always crave in any salad. I love enjoying these last few weeks of Summer where my herbs are plentiful and tomatoes taste like heaven! Pretty soon well be drinking pumpkin everything and wearing scarves lol! lil carb Tomato Basil Platter- Serves 4-6
3 tomatoes, sliced
3 Tbsp fresh chopped chives
1- 8oz ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
About 1 cup of basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar or Glaze, about 3 Tbsp (use as much or as little as you prefer)
Salt and pepper
On a oval or round platter layer the tomato and whole basil leaves around the platter. Slice the mozzarella then cut it in halves or quarters and pile in the center of your platter.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drizzle with olive oil and top with chopped chives and toasted pine nuts. --At this point you can prepare this platter ahead of time and cover it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.
Right before serving drizzle with balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!
I have yet to find a low carb sloppy joe recipe. Every one that I came across had brown sugar, granulated sugar, or BOTH in the recipe. This will not do for me because I love me some sloppy joes! SO... I began recipe testing and you all will flourish in my rewards of this perfect recipe. Dare I say this is the best sloppy joe mixture I've ever tasted?! Well it is. I stuffed mine into peppers but you could easily take this healthy sloppy joe recipe and add your favorite hamburger bun for the traditional sandwich. SO GOOD- you need to make this asap- it might seems like quite a few ingredients but most of these ingredients I had in my pantry and fridge already- and don't be scared of the steps- I wrote everything out the way I did so that it would be easy to follow.
Get in the kitchen and whip this up tonight! lil carb Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers- Makes 4 peppers 1 lb ground beef, Use 90/10
4 bell peppers, any color you prefer
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , to taste (optional)
Pinch of allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup low sugar ketchup
2 cups low carb tomato sauce (the cans that say tomato sauce, not marinara sauce)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
_______________________________________
Start off by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
Cut off the very top of the peppers with the stem and reserve.
The bottom of the peppers remove the seeds and the cores from the inside.
Put the pepper bottoms in your oven for 8 minutes to soften them up.
Then take them out of the oven and set them aside while you make your sloppy joe filling.
Take the pepper tops and cut around the stem - chop up the good pieces so that you have about 1/2 cup of chopped bell pepper.
Chop all your other veggies and get them done before you heat your skillet.
In a large skillet over medium high heat add in 2 tbsp olive oil.
Then add in your carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Then add in the onion, chopped up pepper tops, and celery.
Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes until the veggies soften. Lower your heat if the veggies start to get dark brown.
Add in the garlic and stir constantly for 1 minutes so the garlic does not burn.
Remove the veggies from the skillet and put into a small bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet raise the heat to high and cook the ground meat until it is cooked through.
Drain off any excess fat.
Lower the heat back down to medium.
Add the cooked veggies back into the skillet with the ground meat.
Add in the dried thyme, paprika, cayenne (if using), allspice pinch, salt and pepper.
Stir to evenly distribute the spices.
Then add in the red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
Then carefully stir in the ketchup and tomato sauce.
Let this mixture bubble up and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat and it will become nice and thick.
Stir often.
After 10 minutes fill your 4 pepper bottoms with the sloppy joe mixture and top each one with about 2 oz of cheese.
I use a square baking dish to help them stand up and bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes then pop under the broil for 1-2 minutes until your cheese is brown and bubbly.
Let sit for a few minutes - they will be very hot.
Garnish with some fresh chopped parsley then.....ENJOY!
Pizza, Pizza Pizza! My craving for pizza will never be satisfied for as long as I live. Sooo I decided to come up with a fun snack that tricks my tummy into thinking I'm eating pizza. By using some traditional pizza flavors and a low carb pizza sauce for dipping you do not have to feel guilty about eating my pizza bites!
The recipe is for 2 bites- because let's be honest- when the pizza craving hits, you just need a few minutes to throw these babies together.
But by all means, multiply this recipe as many times as you need to until you get the amount of pizza bites you are in need of.
lil carb Pepperoni Pizza Bites- makes 2 Bites
2 Tbsp shredded pizza blend cheese OR mozzarella cheese
1/8 tsp italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/16-1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
2 slices of pepperoni
Low carb pizza sauce for dipping- I use Raos brand- MY FAV!------->
(Check your labels! This is the lowest carb brand I have ever found!)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
I use a silpat on a baking sheet ( you can find the one I use HERE )
Using a tablespoon measure put 1 tablespoon of cheese on your baking sheet in a neat pile. Then make a second one using the other tablespoon of cheese.
Divide the seasoning between both cheese piles and then top with one slice of pepperoni on top of each pile.
Bake for 7 minutes.
Let cook briefly after they are done baking them move them to a plate or serving platter.
Serve along side a small bowl of pizza sauce and ENJOY!
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!
Of all days to enjoy some homemade, baked, wings- Super Bowl is the day! The first time I made wings a few years ago I was amazed at how good they were! I was able to control how crispy they were and how much sauce they had. But even more importantly, I bought the raw wings so I could pick if I wanted a mixure of drums and wings and also how big or small they were. When ever Jason and I are out we love to try different wings so I know exactly how I like mine- extra sauce, wings only, not too big, and extra extra crispy! Keeping that in mind I made 2 different kinds of wings today to celebrate Super Bowl 50- Garlic Bread Wings and my Traditional Buffalo- both low carb. These were so tasty today but they're so easy they can be made any day of the year. I also made my homemade blue cheese dressing yesterday and let all the flavors merry in the fridge- that was SO delicious!
Garlic Bread Wings- Topping coats about 8 medium size wings
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup parmesan cheese plus more to garnish
dash of dried oregano for garnish
Salt & Pepper
Follow my recipe HERE for crisping up your buffalo wings. If you want them crispier put them under the broiler longer- making sure you watch them carefully.
In a small sauce pan melt the butter and oil over medium heat.
Add in the garlic. As soon as it begins to sizzle lower the heat to medium low.
Add in the garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Let this heat for about 5 minutes- softening the garlic and flavoring the butter and oil.
Once the wings are cooked to your liking toss them in the sauce.
Then sprinkle on the parmesan and toss again. I like to use a spatula to coat al the wings evenly.
Let the warm wings sit in the bowl for about a minute to really let the flavors develop.
Then serve and sprinkle with as much parmesan and oregano as you desire!
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!
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!
Jason and I LOVE wings! I'm a wing girl and he's a drum guy- it's like we were meant to be or something... hehe.
When we started our low carb lifestyle I was pleasantly surprised to find that buffalo wings were low carb and if you pick the right blue cheese or ranch, that's low carb too. In honor of the Dayton 500 today I decided to make my lil carb buffalo wings. The method that I use to cook the wings is a great starting point for any sauce that you want to toss the wings in. We prefer our wings extra crispy and today I made a spicy buffalo sauce to toss them in.
*Watch me whip up Homemade lil carb Blue Cheese Dressing*
I started out with about 1 and 1/4 lbs of wings.
Already trimmed and ready to go.
I place them on a baking rack that I sprayed with cooking spray and laid that on top of a tin foil lined baking sheet. This step really helps keep my wings crispy.
I also gave the wings a quick spray with cooking spray then I put them in the oven.
Then I prepped my sauce. I used a combination of Xtra Hot and Buffalo.
If you want mild wings just use all Buffalo.
I just warmed butter and those sauces in a pan until it was hot and the butter was melted.
And the sauce is done!
These are the crispy wings themselves! Ready for the sauce!
Then I poured the sauce into a large bowl and tossed all the wings.
I let the wings sit in the sauce for a minute or so to really soak in the flavor.
For the blue cheese I did not have all of the ingredients to make my own but I did have store bought blue cheese. To make it my own I added in a pinch of black pepper and some extra blue cheese crumbles.
I plated the wings with some celery and chowed down with Jason!
lil carb Extra Crispy- Hot Buffalo Wings - Serves 2 -
1- 1 1/2 lbs of Wings
1/2 Stick Butter
1/4 Cup Buffalo Sauce - Franks Brand
1/2 Cup Xtra Hot Sauce - Franks Brand
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cover baking sheet with tin foil. Place baking rack on top of foil (optional).
Spray baking rack with cooking spray.
Lay all the wings on the rack spreading the wings out so they have room to cook evenly.
Spray the wings lightly with cooking spray and bake for 30 minutes on the center rack of your oven.
Flip the wings over, increase the oven temperature to 420 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Flip them over again and move them up one rack so they are closer to the broiler. Broil the wings for 4 minutes. Watch them closely to decide how crispy you want them. For the sauce, in a medium saucepan melt the butter and stir in the buffalo sauces until warm and combined. Remove the wings from the oven and toss them in the sauce allowing them to sit in the sauce for about a minute then serve up with celery and blue cheese or ranch!
For my homemade lil carb Blue Cheese Dressing go HERE!
