The Low Carb Whole Food Gluten Free Foodie

Vegan Mashed Cauliflower with Marinated Mushrooms or Mushroom Spinach Marsala - How I Learned To Live Without Take-Out, Part 3

When I began to convert the take-out recipes I loved to low carb, my initial attempt was Mushroom and Spinach Marsala. I was weaning myself off of the take-out, but was still relying on the few low carb options available in Berkeley, CA. One of these was a grilled chicken breast topped with mushroom and spinach marsala. While I couldn’t be certain, I suspected the restaurant had prepared this dish using corn starch and/or white flour as thickeners. I didn’t even want to guess what other ingredients might be involved so I started researching marsala recipes on the internet. It was easy enough to convert the recipe substituting xanthan gum as the thickening agent. A small amount yields the same results as the other thickeners, with fewer calories and net carbs.

When I stopped eating meat, I kept the veggies and the sauce because the taste is really great - in fact, it can stand alone as a side dish, but I wanted to pair it with a side dish to turn it into a main dish. It has a distinctive and rich flavor so you’ll want to pair it with some thing relatively bland. You can pair it with cauliflower rice, but I decided I wanted to focus on perfecting a vegan cauliflower mash recipe. After trying just cauliflower, a mixture of cauliflower and celery root (which was pretty good), I came up with the idea to add nutritional yeast with mashed cauliflower. Lo and behold, the recipe achieved the desired texture and tastes wonderful. I use it as the base for the marsala and it also works well with a simple marinated mushroom recipe, which I’m including in this post.

Mashed Cauliflower with Nutritional Yeast (LC/Vegan/Gluten Free)

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  • low carb
  • gluten free
  • vegan
  • cauliflower
  • mushrooms
  • spinach
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  • recipes
  • low carb recipes
  • gluten free recipes
  • vegan recipes

• July 24, 2012, 6:24pm

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Vegetarian “Fried Rice” and Broccoli & Bok Choy: How I Learned to Live Without Take-Out, Part 3

I remember a time when Chinese food and pizza was pretty much all that was available for food delivery service and take-away. Now, if you live in a fairly metropolitan area, you can find a wide variety of restaurants representing food cultures from all around the globe, and many of them have take-away and/or delivery service. Thanks to the internet, ordering food online has become de rigueur and restaurants that normally wouldn’t provide delivery can now use the option of a food courier service.  And with all the variety available, the majority of restaurants available for take-out with delivery seem to be Chinese.

When I first began to experience the symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia (namely, chronic pain and exhaustion), I relied heavily on food delivery. I didn’t have the energy to cook or wash dishes, so I ate of lot of prepared food. I used to get most of my groceries delivered and many of my meals from restaurants that provided delivery service.

One of the staples of my pre-low-carb-whole-food diet was Chinese take-out.  My favorites were vegetable fried rice, garlic eggplant, dry-cooked string beans, and spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce. Once I started doing low carb, my days of overdosing on cornstarch, grease, and MSG were over. I was able to find a few low carb recipes that satisfied my desire for that particular taste. As a general rule I don’t eat soy (or flaxseed) products, as they contain phytoestrogens, but fermented products like soy sauce are supposed to be ok. And fortunately, with the currant awareness about gluten-sensitivity and celiac disease, it’s fairly easy to find gluten-free soy sauce these days.

Aa I mentioned in my previous post about Indian food, one of the many things I used to dislike about Chinese take-out was the rice. Don’t get me wrong - I love rice. It just doesn’t love me. Every time I ate rice, I felt bloated, with a thick lump of starch like a stone in my digestive tract. I had no trouble giving it up when I began low carb and I much prefer cauliflower rice. It’s considerably lighter fare, and my stomach has a much better time digesting it. By using gluten free soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions and fresh garlic, I was able to create a “fried rice” dish. While it may not taste exactly like traditional fried rice, it does satisfy my desire for that particular taste. If you’re going to use sesame oil,  it’s important to know that it needs to be refrigerated - it goes rancid pretty easily and is often packaged in smaller bottles to keep spoilage to a minimum.

Vegetable “Fried Rice”

Ingredients:

1/2 T sesame oil

1 clove garlic, forced through press

2 oz bell peper, diced

10 g green onion (about 2 shoots), thinly sliced (about 2 T)

1 stalk celery (about 62g/3 oz), washed, trimmed, and using a vegetable peeler, strip the outside of the stalk.

100 g raw cauliflower, grated (use the one with the large holes)

1/2 T gluten-free soy sauce

sea salt, to taste

Optional:

1 egg, well-beaten

Preparation:

*Heat the oil in a medium-sized non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat.  Add the bell pepper, celery, and half of the green onions and sauté for 1 - 2 minutes.

*Add the garlic and cauliflower and blend and sauté, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Turn off the burner and add the soy sauce and salt to taste, and stir mixture until well blended. Garnish with the remaining green onion.

Makes 1 serving and has 127.7 cal, 6.33 net carbs, 7.02 g fat, 5.55 g fiber and 2.83 g protein.

Variation with egg:

I’m not crazy about fried rice with egg, but if you want to use egg, follow the above instructions up until the part where you add the soy sauce and salt. After turing off the burner, use a spatula to move the vegetable mixture to one side of the pan, creating a space. Pour the beaten egg into that space and allow to cook for about 30 seconds. Then blend the egg and the vegetable mixture together until the egg is cooked to your desired consistency. Add the soy sauce and salt to taste and garnish with the remaining green onions.

Makes 1 serving and has 197.7 cal, 6.33 net carbs, 11.52 g fat, 5.55 g fiber and 8.83 g protein.

Broccoli & Bok Choy

Broccoli and bok choy is a fairly common pairing in Asian cuisine. Bok Choy (sometimes referred to as pak choi or just plain Chinese cabbage) is a pretty amazing vegetable. It’s a cruciferous vegetable, being a member of the cabbage family and it’s relatively low in calories, carbs, and has no fat. Bok Choy is an excellent source of the anti-oxidant vitamins C, A, and K. It aslo contains the following minerals: calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium and phosphorous. Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, nutritionally  dense with folates, fiber, calcium and ascorbic acid. To give it a more  authentic flavor, I use sesame oil, fresh ginger, and gluten-free soy sauce.

Ingredients:

1/4 C mushroom broth

1 T sesame oil

2.5 oz baby bok choy

3 oz broccoli florets

1 clove garlic, force through press

1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger

1/2 T gluten-free soy sauce

sea salt, to taste

Preparation:

*Trim bok choy, separating the leaves from the stalks. Bring the mushroom broth to a  gentle boil in a medium sized non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat and add the broccoli florets and the bok choy stalks.

*Cover and simmer for about 4 minutes over a medium-low heat. Uncover and cook until liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and add the bok choy leaves, garlic and sesame oil. Return to the burner and cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add the ginger and soy sauce, tossing thoroughly. Serve over cauliflower rice.

Serves 1 and has 172.01 cal, 6.13 net carbs, 14 g fat, 3.96 g fiber and 4.05 g protein.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

100 g raw cauliflower

1/2 tsp  sesame oil

Preparation:

*Grate the cauliflower using the largest holes on your cheese grater.

*Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly until cauliflower is soft and starting to get a little toasty, approximately 3 - 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Makes 1 serving and has 85 cal, 2 net carbs, 7 g fat, 3 g fiber and 2 g protein.

• Tags:
  • vegetarian
  • low carb
  • whole food
  • Chinese
  • cauliflower
  • bell pepper
  • celery
  • green onions
  • gluten free
  • gluten free soy sauce
  • weight loss
  • health
  • fitness

• February 14, 2012, 12:52am

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Vegetarian Coconut Curry & Cauliflower Rice: How I Learned to Live Without Take-Out, Part 2

One of the things I miss about getting take-out is the fabulous array of “ethnic” food - Indian, Thai, Japanese and Chinese being my favorites - available in Berkeley. We have quite a lot to choose from and it isn’t too difficult to reproduce many of the recipes at home. Unfortunately, most of my favorites require ingredients I no longer use. Soy sauce and oyster sauce (because I’m avoiding soy due to phytoestrogen - you can get gluten-free soy sauce nowadays), fish sauce and curry paste for thai curry (because I’m avoiding prepared food products). However, I also love Indian-style curries, which are fairly easy to revise so that they meet the standards of low carb, vegetarian, whole food and gluten-free. The spices found in pre-mixed curry powders vary somewhat, so it’s important to read the label and see what they’re made of.

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  • cauliflower rice
  • zucchini
  • mushrooms
  • coconut milk
  • weight loss
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  • fitnes

• January 25, 2012, 1:22am

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Re-Defining The Casserole: Low Carb,Vegetarian & Gluten Free

For many Americans, casseroles are considered standard fare, especially during the holidays. Perhaps the reason that I am fascinated by them is that I grew up in a house where they were never served. Though we weren’t two-sets-of-dishes kosher, we certainly never mixed milk and meat. And the closest we came to the infamous tuna-noodle casserole was Kraft Macaroni & Cheese mixed with canned tuna. We loved it and I continued to make it for myself as a young adult. Like many things that were forbidden or unavailable (real butter, cheeseburgers, and bacon, to name a few), they became exotic by default. And so, I went in search of low carb casserole recipes to see what I could come up with.

Casseroles have a complicated history - some historians believe that casseroles have been around since prehistoric times:

“…when it was discovered that cooking food slowly in a tightly covered clay vessel softened fibrous meats and blended succulent juices….With the addition or subtraction of leftovers or inexpensive cuts of meat, the casserole is flexible and economical in terms of both ingredients and effort. The classic casserole, a French dish, was originally made with a mound of cooked rice…In the twentieth century, casseroles took on a distintive American identity. During the depression of the 1890’s, the economic casserole provided a welcome way to stretch meat fish and poultry. Certain items were also scarce during World War I and leftovers were turned into casserole meals. The same was true during the Great Depression of the 1930s.” (Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink In America, 2004)

 According to Wikipedia, types of casseroles include ragout, hotpot, cassoulet, moussaka, lasagna, shepherd’s pie, gratin , and carbonnade; what distinguishes all of these is the fact that they are essentially one dish meals:

“The idea of casserole cooking as a one dish meal became popular in American in the twentieth century, especially in the 1950s when new forms of lightweight metal and glassware appeared on the market. The virtues of easy to prepare meals were increasingly promoted in the women’s magazines of the era, thereby supposedly freeing the housewife from the lengthy drudgery of the kitchen…By the 1970s casserole cookery took on a less than sophisticated image…” (The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, 1999)

The “less than sophisticated image” may stem from the fact that the characteristic method of preparing the Great American Casserole for the last 40-60 years is to use condensed cream-of-something soup as a base. The most popular and iconic are the tuna noodle casserole, prepared with canned tuna, cooked pasta, and cream of mushroom soup, and the green bean casserole, made with green beans, cream of mushroom soup topped with french fried onions. But as a whole food enthusiast I don’t use canned soup; partly because I don’t like to use prepared food and largely because most canned cream-of-something soup contain MSG, along with other nasty things that I try to avoid: soy protein isolate, modified food starch, and way too much sodium.

  To my way of thinking, casseroles have a special kind of alchemy. You can throw together seemingly unrelated ingredients and  end up with something resembling poetry (food poetry, but poetry nonetheless.) The sum is greater than it’s parts and the results can be delectable.   It’s a challenge to find low carb casserole recipes (in addition to cream-of-something soup, the Great American Casserole usually uses items such as breadcrumbs and noodles) and an even greater challenge to find vegetarian low carb casserole recipes, but they do exist. They tend to rely heavily on various dairy products, so I’ve tried to increase the amount of vegetables so they’re not quite so rich. But they are comfort food dishes, which generally means that they’re higher in fat and calories. But I think it’s important to indulge ourselves, especially when we have the holidays to contend with. I don’t care what anyone says, this is not the most wonderful time of the year - it’s back-to-back stress, inconvenience, and alternating bouts of rage and boredom. There’s nothing like forced merriment, competitive shopping, and the nightmare of navigating grocery shopping and getting prescriptions refilled when stores are either chaotic with frantic consumers or closed for the holidays. We have to do whatever we can to make our lives as sane as possible.

The good news about casseroles is that you can use the oven this time of year without worrying about suffering the effects of heat stroke and you can make and freeze several servings at a time, either cooked or uncooked. And they do taste awesome! Another advantage is that you can use frozen vegetables, if need be. And while casseroles without meat are seen by many as side dishes, these are substantial enough to pass for main courses.

Spinach  Casserole

Ingredients:

2 - 10 oz packages of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

4 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened (you can substitute cream cheese, but it has more fat, carbs and calories.)

1 large egg, beaten

2 oz cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 T dry white wine (you can also use fresh lemon juice)

7 g finely shredded parmesan cheese

butter for greasing casserole dish (or ramekins)

Optional:

1/2 T butter

2 oz leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced

Preparation:

*Preheat oven to 350º.

*Grease a casserole dish (I use a 4 x 4 inch square baking pan) or four 6 oz ramekins with butter.

*If you are using the leeks, saute in butter for a few minutes and add 1/4 cup water, cover and braise over a low heat for 4-6 minutes. Set aside.

*In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients, except the parmesan, until thoroughly blended. Spoon mixture into the dish or the ramekins and sprinkle the top with the parmesan.

*Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until slightly brown and bubbly. Remove from heat and allow to cool before eating.

Without leeks:

Makes 4 servings and each has 227.55 cal, 5.56 net carbs, 15.75 g fat, 1.75 g fiber and 9.56 g protein.

With leeks:

Makes four servings and each has 263.63 cal, 7.06 net carbs, 18.5 g fat, 1.75 g fiber and 9.56 g protein.

Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

9 oz / 250 g fresh broccoli, cut into florets

1/4 T butter, softened

4 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 oz cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder/granules

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Optional:

1/2 T butter

2 oz leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced

Preparation:

*Preheat oven to 350º.

*Steam broccoli for about 3 minutes. Drain and in a large mixing bowl, add cheddar, cream cheese, spices and leeks (if you’re using them) and mix well. Spoon mixture into a well-greased, oven-safe baking dish and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until slightly browned and bubbly. Allow to cool slightly before eating.

Without leeks:

Makes 4 servings and each has 166.18 cal, 3.6 net carbs, 13.81 g fat, 1.88 g fiber and 10 g protein.

With leeks:

Makes 4 serving and each has 210.43 cal, 5.06 net carbs, 15.19 g fat, 1.88 g fiber and 10 g protein.

Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower is the low carb wonder vegetable - it can be transformed into substitutes for rice, mashed potatoes, hash browns and even pizza dough. It is a member of the family of cruciferous vegetables (so called for the cross-shaped flowers that bloom on the plants) , which also include broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage and bok choy. They are all high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, and they are considered by many to have disease-fighting phytochemicals. Cauliflower is a good source of fiber, folate and vitamin C and has a high nutritional density.

Ingredients:

14 oz / 400 g fresh cauliflower, cut into florets

4 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened

1 T butter

1 large egg

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

nutmeg - optional

2 oz cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

butter for greasing casserole dish

Preparation:

*Preheat oven to 350º.

*Grease casserole dish with butter and set aside.

*Steam cauliflower until fork tender (you can also boil it)

*Using a stick blender, mix together cauliflower, cream, butter, and seasonings until thoroughly blended.

*Add the egg  and blend well. Adjust seasonings to taste.

*Spoon mixture into prepared casserole, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 30-40 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Makes 4 servings and each has 202.55 cal, 3.06 net carbs, 14.5 g fat, 3 g fiber and 9.56 g protein.

• Tags:
  • low carb
  • vegetarian
  • gluten free
  • casseroles
  • broccoli
  • spinach
  • cauliflower
  • health
  • fitness
  • weight loss

• January 13, 2012, 1:23am

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