Category Archives: Levels 2 And Above

These recipes are for the higher levels when you begin adding higher carbohydrate vegetables into your way of eating.

Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe, Soups

Chicken Soup and Canned Chicken Broth

Leave a comment

I did not grow up eating many root vegetables, so when I found a recipe for chicken soup that included parsnips and turnips I was highly skeptical. After I made it, I was hooked! There can be no chicken soup (or broth) without them! In this video, I am not only making soup but am canning broth. For the specifics on the equipment (and tools) you will need, please read my Home Canned Meat post. I am not including a nutritional analysis with this recipe. This recipe is so variable and I have no way of knowing how many carbohydrates are in the strained broth.

Print Recipe

Chicken Soup and Canned Chicken Broth Recipe

Author: brendanolen Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients

For the broth:

For the soup:

Instructions

  1. Place all of the ingredients for the broth in a large pot (or slow cooker, electric roaster, or pressure cooker). Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium or medium low (you want it at a slight boil). Depending on your cooking method, let cook for 4 to 12 hours (you want everything cooked to absolute mush). Strain the broth from the solids, making sure to remove all bones.
  2. Place the broth back in the pot. If you used whole pieces of chicken, separate the meat from the bones (once cooled enough to touch).
  3. If you are going to can your chicken broth, you can evenly distribute your chicken meat between all of your jars and top with broth or just leave the meat out. Process in a pressure canner for the recommended pressure (and time) per your elevation. Remember that this broth can be used just like store-bought chicken broth. You do not want to over-season the broth prior to canning it to allow you the flexibility to use the broth however you wish.
  4. Now, if you aren’t canning your broth, throw the rest of the ingredients in the broth, bring to a boil, then turn down to medium. Let it boil until everything is cooked. BAM! You have soup for days! 🙂
Keywords: chicken, soup, broth, can, preserve, keto, low, carb, paleo

Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Jerky!

Leave a comment

Yes! I made jerky (and since this is low carb, I am posting this everywhere)! Join me for my first time and check out the updated recipe below. I learned a lot. The first thing I learned is it’s not as difficult as I thought it would be. The second thing is, when it comes to dehydrating, time is relative. In this video, I cut the meat VERY thin and now I know it didn’t need to be in the dehydrator for over 5 hours. This was fun and I can’t wait to try other meats (maybe some fish?).

Print Recipe

Jerky

Author: brendanolen Cuisine: Courses: ,
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 10

Ingredients

Jerky

Instructions

  1. First, decide what meat to use. If it is frozen, let it thaw a bit (when the outer edges are thawed, that’s good). If the meat is fresh, place it in the freezer until almost frozen. This makes slicing any meat easier.
  2. Next, make your smoked salt. You can either place some salt on a heat resistant pan (metal pie pans work great) and place it in your smoker. Here’s a write up all about how to do it: https://heygrillhey.com/smoked-salt/. OR you can cheat. Mix 1/2 cup of your chosen salt (I used kosher) with 1 Tablespoon of liquid smoke. It doesn’t matter what flavor of smoke you use. Spread it onto a heat resistant pan and place it in your oven. Turn the oven on warm and stir the salt to ensure it dries evenly. Once dry (and cooled) store in a container. Use to add a bit of smoky goodness to any recipe! Place all of the ingredients (except your meat) in a Ziploc bag and mix.
  3. Next, slice your meat 1/4 inch thick (thinner will take less time in the dehydrator and give you a crisper result) and add to the Ziploc bag. Close the bag and squish the meat to ensure the marinade coats every slice. Seal, trying to remove as much air as possible. Place in your refrigerator for 1-12 hours (or more, depending on how flavorful you want your jerky).
  4. To kill most food borne pathogens, you need to heat your beef to 160 degrees F and your chicken to 165 degrees F. To do this when your dehydrator temperature is too low, heat your oven to 300 degrees F. Pour your meat into a baking dish and heat in the oven for 10 minutes (if you aren’t sure, wrap a piece of meat around a meat thermometer). For other jerky safety tips, check out this page: https://www.jerkyholic.com/6-steps-to… Line your dehydrator shelves with parchment paper and add your meat slices, making sure the slices are not folded or touching.
  5. Dehydrate at 145 degrees F for 5 to 7 hours (but begin checking it at the 3 hour mark). Let cool and store in an airtight container. If you are worried about shelf life (especially if you live in a warm area), store in the refrigerator.
  6. For only Chicken Breast Per Serving: 140 Cal (22% from Fat, 71% from Protein, 7% from Carb); 24 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 2 g Carb; 0 g Fiber
  7. For only London Broil Per Serving: 166 Cal (58% from Fat, 37% from Protein, 5% from Carb); 15 g Protein; 11 g Tot Fat; 2 g Carb; 0 g Fiber
Keywords: jerky, beef, chicken, dried, preserve, snack, low, carb, paleo, carnivore
Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Diabetic Cookery – Published 1917

Leave a comment

Well, a link to this cookbook was posted today and, since I’m a nut for old cookbooks, I had to check it out.  What surprised me is the fact that this cookbook seems to support a low carbohydrate lifestyle!

You can download this from the link or scroll to the bottom.
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL7095821M/Diabetic_cookery

It supports the use of “diabetic flours” (one of which is almond flour) in bread making and it lists free foods (those you can eat to your heart’s content) as mostly meats and low carbohydrate veggies.


Unfortunately, some of the items needed may not be available any longer.
Aleurnat Flour: Made from aleurone, a protein found in protein granules of maturing seeds and tubers. If there is someone smarter than me who can figure out if this is available for purchase anywhere, please share!


The following is from New and Nonofficial Drugs …: Containing Descriptions of the Articles which Stand Accepted by the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association (Google eBook)



I have barely skimmed through it but I’m excited!  I hope we can find some of the alternatives used then.

diabeticcookeryr00oppeialaDownload
Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

3 Comments

I’ve seen many variations of this recipe but the first time I saw this (and made it) I got it from “Cooking Light” magazine. Oh, boy, is it heavenly. If you have ever had roasted garlic, imagine that infused with chicken. Serve with toasted French bread for spreading the roasted garlic love.

Print Recipe

Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic

Author: brendanolen Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 8

Description

I got it from “Cooking Light” magazine. Oh, boy, is it heavenly. If you have ever had roasted garlic, imagine that infused with chicken. Serve with toasted French bread for spreading the roasted garlic love.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

     

    Heat a deep sauté pan on medium heat and add the oil and butter.

     

    Dry the chicken pieces, season them with salt and pepper and brown in the oil/butter.

     

    Once the chicken pieces are all browned evenly, remove them from the pan and keep aside.

     

    Throw in the garlic cloves and let them barely brown. You do not want to burn them or they turn bitter and ruin the dish.

     

    Once the garlic cloves are browned, add the chicken back to the pan, add the thyme, chicken broth, and wine.

     

    Cover and place in the oven for about 40-45 minutes.

     

    Once the chicken is done, place the chicken and garlic onto your serving platter. Heat your pan on medium high and reduce the liquid to barely a cup. Add some parsley, a squeeze of lemon and serve.

Keywords: chicken, garlic, roast, fried,
Dinner, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

How To Cook Greens

Leave a comment

I was given these instructions from my husband’s co-worker. Hubby said how much I disliked greens and he said it was because I wasn’t cooking them right. 🙂 On a personal note, I made this with beet greens and collard. It was fantastic! The beet greens added a sweetness that was wonderful. As a matter of fact, last year we only grew beets just for the greens. If you are lucky enough to live in a climate where dandelions actually die off during the winter (I’m in California, where the only plants that die off are the ones you don’t want to), you can throw some of the young spring leaves in here also. They taste really good. The older dandelion leaves are just way too bitter. AND nothing says yum like bacon! I don’t use any vegetable oil. I only use olive oil and animal based oils. So, I used bacon grease, with chopped, cooked bacon thrown over the top when serving. YUM! I also love kale and beet greens chopped up and thrown into soups.
So, word for word, here they are:

Print Recipe

How To Cook Greens

Author: brendanolen Cuisine: Courses: ,
Difficulty: Beginner

Description

From my husband’s co-worker

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. I was raised on Collard and Turnip Greens. Since becoming an adult and cooking on my own, I have always mixed two types of greens for a fantastic flavor.

    Collards/Mustards or Collards/Kale or Turnips/Kale. I don’t mix collard and turnip greens, just a personal preference.

    I use a bunch of greens per adult person. I use a one to on or two to one ratio at times. 1 bunch of Turnip Greens to 1 bunch of Mustard Greens or 2 bunches of Collard Greens to 1 bunch of Kale.


    I use vegetable oil instead of meat to grease my greens. A meat would be a cheap buy of beef stock.

    Pick your greens. I pull the leaf from the stem. I put great emphasis on cleaning my greens. I soak them before thoroughly rinsing. Nothing worse than biting down into a serving of greens and finding a rock or clump of dirt.

    I start with 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil and a quart of water. Water amount depends on total amount of greens to be cooked. Bring to a boil.

    Place the cleaned greens into the boiling water. Add seasoning: salt, pepper, etc. No salt if using meat instead of vegetable oil. Bring the greens to a boil, making sure that all greens are covered with water. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir occasionally and watch the water level. Do not allow the water to deplete. When adding water, adjust your seasoning.

    Cook on medium to low heat for 45 to 60 minutes. Greens will change color as they cook. Check for doneness by sticking with a fork. I cook my greens on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours.


    Greens taste best with good old fashioned corn bread. If you leave some stem on the greens, you will need to cut them prior to eating. If you cooked only the leaf, get a plate full and enjoy.

Level 1, Levels 2 And Above

Water

3 Comments
dic_symbol-yuck-b

Usually, when I say the word water, I make a face and say the word like a little kid agreeing to do something they don’t want to do.  I am not naturally a water drinker.  As a matter of fact, I typically have to force myself to drink any.


Well, I wanted to tell you how I force (yes, force, especially now that the weather has cooled) myself to get in any water during the day.


First: There has to be ice in the water.  No matter how cold it is coming out of the tap, it just doesn’t taste right.


Second: In the beginning, I added a little salt and the squeeze of about 1/8 lime. It was still quite warm when I came back full bore and this was very refreshing. That is, until my teeth started hurting. It seems they couldn’t handle the added acid.


Third: I drink my water with a straw. When we had that awful day driving to Fry’s electronics with nothing to drink, on the way home we picked up some 44 ounce sodas (mmmmm …. diet Mountain Dew). I liked the cups, so that’s what I started using for my water. I managed to drink three of those every day without thinking about it too much. Well, even though I was hand washing, the Styrofoam didn’t hold up so I went back to my 32-ounce thermos mug. I could barely finish 2 of those. Then, I came across a posting on Reddit where many said they drank more with a straw. So, in that little hole on the top went a straw and I was up to 3 of those a day (I need a bigger mug … I actually get lazy when I’m in the middle of doing something and don’t want to get up just to fill up my water).


Fourth: I bribe myself. No matter what else I’m drinking, I have my mug-o-water next to it. If I want another swig of coffee,tea or soda, I need to drink some water first.


That’s it.  Now, to practice what I preach and fill up my water mug.  Happy Drinking!

Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe

Favorite Chili Recipe Ever

4 Comments

I have always loved chili (Hormel’s No Bean chili).  About a month into my low carb journey, I had chili dogs (2 hot dogs, in a bowl, with chili, cheese, sour cream and a little onion).  Now, granted, I had about 1/2 cup of chili poured over these hot dogs but I was shocked at my blood sugar response!  That morning was 104 and after my meal it was 137!  That was when I read the label.  That chili not only contains corn flour (which was a huge “Duh!” but also, oatmeal).  I have since been on a mission to find a substitute.  I have yet to find one but this … this looks promising!  Just do away with the corn meal and I’ll be good to go!  I’ll scrounge through the freezer and hopefully be able to try this recipe out tonight!

You NEED to click on the link below. This is, really, the best chili recipe.


Let Me Teach You How To Make Texas Red Chili



UPDATE:  Well, I didn’t have any bulk meat so I threw in what I could and ended up with chili soup.  That being said, the flavor is spot on!  I love it!

  • 1/4 lb Fat [I use clarified bacon fat but beef suet would be more traditional]
  • 5 lbs Beef Tips [Chuck Roast cut into cubes is best but you may use the product labeled beef tips in the market]
  • 1/2 Cup Chili Powder [Gebhardt is king in Texas but if you can’t find it use common sense and buy a good brand. Preferably from a market that sells a fair amount of it so it’s fresh. If you have access to a genuine Mexican market then you can find the really good stuff and get a pure chile powder like Guajillo]
  • 2 T. Cumin [I like to buy the seeds, toast them on a comal, then grind them in a spice grinder but powdered cumin will work just fine
  • 2 T. Ground Oregano aka Mexican Oregano [Not the Italian kind, this Oregano is sold as a powder and is essential in this dish]
  • 1 T. Salt or to taste
  • 1 T. Cayenne [obviously if you’d like to ratchet up the heat just add more]
  • 1 bulb Garlic [Freshly minced garlic,not the stuff that sits in a jar of oil in your fridge]
  • 2 quarts Stock [I use chicken which is not traditional, beef is recommended here for purists. If you don’t have time to make stock the brand Better Than Bouillon is surprisingly good]
  • 1/2 Cup Masa Harina [If you can’t find masa mix in your part of the country, corn meal will do just fine-the finer grind the better]
  • 1/2 Cup Water