Thursday, March 20, 2008

Low Carb Feasts

When it comes to the holidays, lots of low-carbers get very nervous, and many - thinking they have no real options - prepare to cheat and then get back on track. That's called "setting yourself up" and it's so unfair to do that to yourself! Be good to yourself, will ya?

Low-carbing is so easy when it comes to a generous spread (and so elegantly decadent that others will never even know it's a low-carb feast!). The following are some ideas that provides 2 appetizers, 3 veggies, and 2 or 3 entrees...plus dessert ideas and after-dinner coffee ideas!

Appetizers
--Veggie tray (cauliflower, broccoli, parsnips instead of carrots, celery, and either cheese cubes or olives for the center section).
--Dip: Full-fat ranch or low-fat ranch (depending on what you're doing with your low-carb cycling), or a spinach/ranch dip. Imho, anything that is full-fat and low-carb is just fine!
--Deviled eggs (with real mayonnaise, NOT salad dressing that tastes like it OR with ranch dressing, or ranch dressing mixed with a bit of cream cheese to slightly thicken the mixture. After the egg yolks and mayonnaise or ranch is mixed and placed back inside the egg, sprinkle all of them with paprika, cover, and refrigerate!)
--Italian salad (mixed greens like romaine and iceberg) with cucumbers, a few tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), a few radishes or slices of pepper, and a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. Tip: Replace real onion garlic and onion with sprinkles of onion and garlic POWDER - which is much less in carbs!
--Low-carb Italian wedding soup! Substitute the high-carb veggies of potatoes and such with celery, parsnips, green beans, fresh or frozen spinach, etc. and at least 1/2 of a "soup" chicken (with the skin on). Or use organic, boxed, full-fat chicken broth. Bring it to a gentle boil and do the egg white trick to make it Italian wedding soup. Serve hot with fresh Romano or Romano/Asiago/Parmesan cheese. Magnifico!

The Main Meal (with Side Dishes)
---Small meatballs (with either a sugar-free apricot glaze made from SF apricot preserves and a bit of lemon, or sugar-free tomato sauce). Use parmesan cheese mixed with crushed porkrinds to replace bread crumbs, and generously add oregano, basil, garlic and onion powder - less carbs that way - for the meat mix. Fry in extra virgin olive oil! Drain on paper towels before adding the sugar-free sauce or glaze of your choice.
--A whole turkey and a Virgina-baked ham (spiral, boneless, no honey or glaze, if possible)
--Home-made gravy made with Thick-n-Thin (not cornstarch)
--Or try "chicken piccatta" (boneless, skinless chicken, dredged thru an egg wash, then coated with parmesan cheese mixed with garlic powder). Saute in melted butter or in PAM (but it's better with butter) or lay in a pan lightly coated with extra virgin olive oil....tightly cover with foil and bake in a 350 F oven. Turn chicken once after 15 minutes, cover again, and finish baking for another 15-20 minutes until a light golden brown.
--Want pasta of some sort? Buy Dreamfield's somewhere on line. (I haven't yet tried it, but I hear the brand is very good)
--Want low-carb, rich and filling bread? The very best is the kind you make yourself, but it IS another option!
--Creamed faux potatoes with cream cheese OR sour cream, and salt, pepper, perhaps garlic powder and a few sprinkles of Parmesan cheese (Faux potatoes made from steamed cauliflower, which is then mashed in the food processor)
--Green Bean Almondine
--Asparagus sauted in evco (extra virgin coconut oil)

Dessert & Beverages
--After-Dinner Ideas: Low Carb Cheesecake (homemade, of course) or Low Carb Pumpkin Pie or "Mousse" or other SF (sugar-free) desserts you can make that don't contain aspartame ingredients. Any of these things (and many others) can also be made into "mini-muffin" or "torte" pans, so that you can offer trays of low-carb goodies!
--Beverages: For you, some ideas include homemade eggnog (made with Splenda and/or SF DaVinci's syrups), or SF Rock Star Energy Drinks or flavored bottled 0 carb/0 calorie water or seltzer water with slices of real lemon! (Please avoid diet soda - in my experience, not only can aspartame blow all of your best menu efforts and make us stall, it eventually can crystallize our organs! Ewwww....)
--Coffee and tea (decaff or not, your choice) can be served with half-n-half (high in calories but low in carbs - perfect for the low-carber and a very rich addition to your menu). Your guests can have it, too - but you want to use either stevia or Splenda for your own sweetener.
--You can make a great low-carb cappucino with coffee (decaff or not, your choice), real whipping cream or (believe it or not) 2 tbsps. of original Cool Whip (it's low carb!), a sprinkle of real cinnamon (not cinnamon sugar), and Splenda or stevia to taste - for yourself and/or your guests, too! Another option: 1-2 tsps. of Sugar Free Davinci's syrup instead of cinnamon...great flavors include hazelnut and amaretto.

Then when the feast is over, won't you have the greatest fun and delight, letting your guests know it was an all-low carb spread????

For those of you visiting others during the holidays, bring a dish or two from which you can eat, and also don't forget to first focus on your allowable proteins, salads, and veggies...get full on the good food first and you won't be so tempted to go off plan! (And don't forget - the dish or two you bring are YOUR appetizer or dessert backups!)

3 comments:

Becky, The Travel Maven said...

ewwwww... yeah... I like your blog! Someone posted a link and I really really like your information and the way you write. Thanks for taking the time to put all this down and share the information. I think we have bumped into each other in the lowcarb world before. Great blog and Great loss ... wtg.

The Divine Miss M said...

Hi, Regandy! Thanks so much for visiting and for leaving such a nice comment, too!

The Divine Miss M said...
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