Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

1 cup oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoon splenda
1 cup diced rhubarb
1 cup diced strawberries

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Microwave butter in a glass 8 x 8 baking dish.

Place oats, flour, brown sugar and salt in melted butter and mix. Stir until clumps form. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumble mixture. Press the rest of the crumb mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan.

Spread the diced fruit over the crust. Sprinkle it evenly with lemon juice, and then the splenda. Scatter reserved crumb topping over fruit and bake 40 minutes.

Let cool in pan and serve warm with cool whip, if desired. Store leftovers in fridge.

Roasted Sausage Ratatoulli with Cabbage Shreads

With garden overflow I made a wonderful sausage ratatoulli with cabbage shreads.

1 Large eggplant
2 Summer squash
1 Large onion
4 Hot banana peppers
3 Fresh tomatoes
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pound breakfast sausage
4 ounces mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
For cabbage shreads
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
Butter
Salt to taste

In a covered dutch oven brown the sausage.

Chop all veggies in uniform pieces.

Drain the sausage but leave enough to coat all veggies.

Add veggies and salt to the sausage stirring to coat with grease.

Cover and roast in a 350 degree oven for one hour.

Uncover and slice another tomato on top and cover with cheese and fresh parsley. Bake another 15 minutes uncovered or until cheese bubbles and melts.

For the cabbage shreads just shread cabbage and cook in microwave 10 minutes covered in butter and salt to taste.

Low Carb Eggplant Parmesan

I harvested my first eggplant. It was beautiful. I got six 1/2 inch slices from it.

I wanted to do parmesan but needed to low carb it.

Pork rinds. That’s the ticket. Just grind rinds fine and add italian season and garlic powder.

I served it with garden green beans and garden tomatoes. So very good.

Low Carb Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
4 ounces pork rinds, ground fine
1 teaspoon dried italian season
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup low carb spaghetti sauce, purchased or home canned
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 cup grated parmesan
12 ounces mozzarella

Preheat a deep fryer.

Grind your pork rinds and add the garlic powder and italian season.

In a small bowl whisk your egg with water.

Dip your sliced eggplant in the egg and then dip into the pork rind. Press the rind into the pieces of eggplant, getting it to stick , and then one at a time fry in the deep fryer until golden, about 4 minutes.

Drain eggplant on paper towels and then transfer to a casserole dish.

In a skillet on the stovetop, brown and drain the groundbeef. Add spaghetti sauce to drained groundbeef .

Pour about 2 tablespoons prepared sauce on each piece fried eggplant. Top each with parmesan and then 2 ounces mozzarella.

Place casserole dish in a 400 degree oven until cheese melts and bubbles.

Serve immediately.

Low Carb Shepherds Pie

We are covered up in summer squash now, so I thought I would add some to a shepherds pie.

Low Carb Shepherds Pie

topping
1/2 head cauliflower
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Dried parsley

filling
1 pound ground beef
4 ounces tomato sauce
1/4 cup each diced onion, carrot, bell pepper and summer squash all diced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper

For topping place broken up cauliflower in microwave safe bowl with the butter, salt and pepper.  Microwave on high until tender. Place in a food processor and process with the cream and sour cream until smooth. Set aside.

For filling brown and drain the ground beef then add all filling ingredients and pour into a greased covered casserole dish.

Top that with the cheddar cheese and then spread the mashed cauliflower over the entire dish. Sprinkle on parsley.

Cover and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Chicken Salad and Waffles

Still being on low carb regimen, I decide to try the cloud bread I made earlier with a twist.

A pecan waffle twist.  It did cut back on the eggy taste of the cloud bread.

The waffle iron made them more sandwich stable.

The chicken waffle sandwich might be my new lunch standby. You can stick these waffles in the fridge or freezer and toast when ready for them.

Chicken Salad Waffle Sandwich
1 egg separated
1 tablespoon chopped pecan
1 tablespoon cream cheese
pinch of cream of tartar
pinch of garlic salt
pinch of onion powder
1 teaspoon Stevia sugar substitute
About a cup of your favorite chicken salad and garden fresh lettuce.

Separate your egg and mix the yolk with the cream cheese, pecans, garlic salt, onion powder and Stevia sweetner.

In a separate bowl whip your egg white with cream of tartar to a stiff peak stage.

Carefully blend the yolk mixture with the whites.

Spray a waffle iron very well with cooking spray and then preheat.

Mound 1/2 your egg mixture in the middle of your preheated iron and slowly lower the lid.

Bake until done. Mine only took about 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with the second half of egg batter.

Layer lettuce on each waffle half and salt and pepper then mound on your chicken salad. Place pieces together and enjoy.

I’ll be sharing this with Tell em Tuesday Blog Link Up # 16

Pesto Chicken with Kale Alfredo

For the past two weeks I have been eliminating breads, pastas, and potatoes from my diet.

It was hard at first but slowly cravings have subsided.

What happens when an Alfredo craving hits? I substituted kale for pasta. I think it was a successful venture.

This low carb adventure seems to be working for the time being. It’s only for a few weeks. Maybe I’ll feel better and take it on longer next time.

Pesto Chicken with Kale Alfredo

2 skinless boneless chicken thighs
4 tablespoons Pesto sauce , store bought or homemade (I made a pesto with garden basil, parsley, and Nasturtium leaves)
4 ounces mozzarella cheese
season salt
3 cups chopped kale
1 clove minced garlic
2 spring onions chopped
Alfredo sauce (I used a canned but homemade would be awesome)
1/2 cup mushrooms sauteed in butter
Bacon grease for frying

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt some bacon grease in a covered dutch oven. Lightly season your chicken with season salt. Fry one side of chicken until it browns well and then turn it over. Place 2 tablespoons pesto on each thigh and cover that with 2 ounces of mozzarella cheese. Cover the dutch oven and place in preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

In the meantime melt a small amount bacon grease in a frypan. Add garlic and onion and kale. Cook kale down and then add Alfredo sauce. Simmer on lowest setting until chicken is done.

Saute the mushrooms and then place some kale on a plate along with a chicken thigh and top each with the mushrooms.

2 servings

Banana Strawberry Ice

This ice is so easy and creamy tasting, without the cream. You might need a little sweetner if you like it sweeter, but it is just right for me.

It’s a great way to use up some garden strawberries too. We are about strawberry jammed out around here.

Banana Strawberry Ice

1 frozen medium banana
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
3 heaping tablespoon light whipped topping,  frozen

Freeze your banana and whipped topping.  Place all ingredient in a food processor and process until mixed.

Serve immediately.  2 servings at 80 calories each.

My Garden My Friend

I am having troubles with broken devices and slowed connection so here is a little diddy I wrote back several years ago. It may be all I post for a while. I will have to get things up and running again. 🙂

My Garden, My Friend

My Garden called out to me last week. It is mid February and the soil outside my window , she wanted to converse.

My Garden said not to look at the stark nakedness of her present condition but to remember the lush green foliage of spring. To remember the awesome large fruit in the neat straight rows of summer. She said to look at her rich dark substance.

Of course my Garden is good at half truths because she failed to mention the rocks she keeps vomiting up, or the weeds that pop up in the scorching June sun. Neither did she say anything about the way she abuses me with dirt under my nails or that ache in my back.

You know, I built my Garden a fence and she doesn’t  appreciate  it because her cucumber vines keep trying to get out and explore the yard. She certainly has no respect for the beautiful straight rows I dig in the morning. She has moved them by the afternoon.

As a matter of fact my Garden is a liar, because I remember those molded marble tomatoes last year and that darned rabbit she keeps inviting over for dinner.

My Garden and I are not speaking this week.

Of course by spring we will be friends again. I don’t hold grudges long.
by- Sue Edwards

Pad Thai Cucumber Salad

I used cucumber,  carrots, radishes, green peppers. You can use whatever you have available.  Zucchini and onion would be nice.

Pad Thai Cucumber Salad

Cut cucumber and assorted vegetable into “noodles” using a mandoline

Whatever won’t mandolin well, like green peppers, dice fine.

Just slather on dressing and serve.

Ingredients
1 large cucumber, mandolin
1  large carrot, mandolin
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped fine
4 radishes, chopped fine

Dressing
Juice of 1/2 lime and the zest
3 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 clove of garlic, pressed
2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped fine

A pic of my herb bed cilantro. I LOVE that stuff.

Summer Squash Ratatouille

I’m trying again. Trying to grow eggplant.

I have yet to be successful so I have to improvise if I have one of my favorite dishes, ratatouille. This is a throw together with no real measuring. Just layer with plenty of garlic and basil.

I always freeze enough summer squash for months of this dish, so that is what I use.

I freeze the blanched slices of summer squash about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. I’m also using frozen basil here.

I start off by spraying a low rimmed casserole dish with olive oil and then layer onions, green peppers, basil, sea salt and garlic. I top that with my frozen pieces of summer squash and mozzarella cheese.

Another spray of olive oil.

Layer more onion, basil, garlic, salt and green peppers.

Top that with a layer of tomato.

Then a bread crumb parmesan topping on top of that. I added a bit of fresh parsley to the bread crumbs too.

Press the topping down over the layers and spray with oil again. Cover with aluminum foil tightly. Bake in a 350 degree oven about one hour 15 minutes. Uncover and place back in the oven long enough for the bread crumbs to brown.

Pretty easy just layers of onion, green peppers, garlic, basil, summer squash, tomato, salt and olive oil spray with a parmesan bread crumb topping.

I like to serve it on top of spaghetti with garlic toast.

Anyway keep your fingers crossed that I will be successful growing eggplant this year.

In the meantime here are some pics of a few things growing well so far.

Radish

Strawberries

Chives and baby kale

Lettuce, cabbage, and onion.

A lot of things aren’t peeping out of the ground yet.

Oh please little eggplants…grow!

I am sharing this with Tell em Tuesday #11