Levels 2 And Above – Brenda Nolen

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

Chicken Soup and Canned Chicken Broth

March 17, 2020September 23, 2021 brendanolen

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.

Chicken Soup and Canned Chicken Broth Recipe

For the broth:

2 to 3 pounds of chicken (either whole pieces or leftover chicken carcass)
2 parsnips, roughly chopped
3 to 4 turnips, roughly chopped
2 to 4 carrots, roughly chopped
2 to 4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves , roughly chopped (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Water, to cover

For the soup:

2 to 3 pounds chicken meat (either from the broth or fresh)
2 to 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 to 4 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 to 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (optional) 1 to 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Water, to cover
Optional ingredients for soup: 2 to 3 zucchini, spiralized 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced or 1 to 2 cups of dry rice or 1 to 2 cups of dry pasta (bow ties, rotini, egg noodles, etc.) or 1 to 2 cups of chopped greens (spinach, beet greens, kale, etc.) or Matzo balls or 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh dill, minced 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

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.

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).

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.

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! 🙂

Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Jerky!

February 6, 2020September 23, 2021 brendanolen

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?).

Jerky

10-ish servings?

1 1/2 pounds meat (I used chicken breast and London Broil)
1/2 c soy sauce
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
1 t lemon juice
1 t smoked salt (directions below)
1 t ginger powder 1 t garlic powder
1 t black pepper, ground
1 t red pepper flakes (all dried seasonings are to taste)

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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

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

Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Chortillas! (Cheese Tortillas)

January 30, 2020September 23, 2021 brendanolen

I adapted this from the Fat Head pizza crust recipe here: https://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2013/06/30/weekend-bonus-the-older-brothers-oldest-sons-faux-carb-pizza/.

Here we have two types of Chortillas:

one with mozzarella and yellow corn meal and
the second is cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and almond flour.

I had a lot of fun making these. The only special equipment you will need is parchment paper. Almond flour is available almost anywhere, which is truly amazing. When I started this website, it was so rare (and if you found anything, it was usually almond meal).
I hope you enjoy these! I am especially proud of these! As a bonus, I cut them up and baked them at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes and made chips! They are sturdy enough to handle any salsa, guacamole, and MAYBE bean dip (not sure about that one).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (or 1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar/jack blend, grated)
1 1/2 ounce cream cheese
1/4 cup yellow corn meal (or almond meal)
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut 12-24 pieces of parchment paper to roughly 5 inch squares. Place grated cheese and cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl.

Microwave 1 minute, stir, then microwave 1 minute. Let the cheese mixture cool slightly, then pour the corn meal over the top, followed by the egg. Carefully mix (it will slosh around) until it looks like a cohesive dough.

On a flat surface (not a tile countertop), drop dough by Tablespoons (or use a Tablespoon cookie scoop) on 1 piece of cut parchment paper. Place a second piece of parchment paper on top of batter and gently flatten with your fingers. Take a flat plate, pie pan, or board and gently press down to flatten the dough. Don’t use all of your strength! You don’t want the edges too thin.

Place the parchment paper dough package on a cookie sheet (you can try to gently peel off the top piece of parchment paper so you can reuse that but it’s not necessary) and keep going. Once your sheet is filled, place in pre-heated oven for roughly 9 minutes, until there are a few brown spots. Let cool and place in a Ziploc bag to store in the refrigerator.

To serve, just heat them on a pre-heated skillet, on medium heat, just until warm.

Nutrition information: For 1 Corn Chortilla: 71 Cal; 4 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 3 g Carb; 0 g Fiber For 1 Cheddar Chortilla: 84 Cal; 4 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 1 g Carb; 0 g Fiber

Dinner, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Product Review

Product Review: Real Good "The Supreme" Pizza

February 8, 2018September 23, 2021 brendanolen

So, I have been seeing these everywhere (and even have a few friends who have tried these and liked them). I had a rebate coupon and, since I had to go to Walmart (broke my neighbor’s coffee pot while trying to clean it), I bought one. This is what I bought: Real Good “The Supreme” Personal pizza. I have never made a chicken pizza crust so I thought this would be the best way to test it out.
First, at Walmart, the price for this tiny pizza was $5.95. That is quite a bit of money for me to pay for something that can be considered a light lunch (and I was really happy I was going to get a $2 rebate).

Second, I baked this in the oven, on parchment paper (I don’t particularly like the taste of cardboard). This is what happened (it’s not the first time I have made ugly food):

Now, onto the flavor: the sauce. Remember back when frozen pizzas had the worst heartburn-inducing tomato-based sauce? Yeah, that’s what this had. I took one nibble of the melted cheese and knew there was no way for me to eat the entire pizza without paying for it all day.

So, onto the crust (since that was really why I bought this). I cut a bit and took a bite with all the toppings on there. The texture wasn’t bad and it definitely tastes like chicken but between the crust and all the toppings, it was way too salty for me. I then cut another bit off and scraped off the toppings. I don’t want to be rude but that “chicken breast” crust has to be mechanically separated meat. It tastes like a slab of ground, pressed cheap lunch meat (but it obviously is not cheap). It reminded me of the “turkey” in Swanson’s frozen Turkey dinners I had as a kid.

That crust has tainted my views of all their products. Not only will I never buy any of their pizzas again but I will never buy any of their other products.

Health, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above

Dr. Atkins Interview

January 28, 2018September 23, 2021 brendanolen

While researching, I stumbled onto an interview that Larry King did with Dr. Atkins in 2003 (just before he passed). I spliced, edited, synched the audio and uploaded it to my channel. I may have missed a commercial break or two but I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (though I REALLY do not like Larry King). This was just before he published “Atkins for Life: The Next Level”. If you listen to him, what he says really hadn’t changed since he published his first book in 1972 (except in 2003 there were many more options for low carb eaters).

1972 Recipes, Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe

Atkins "Noodles"

March 12, 2015September 23, 2021 brendanolen

Atkins “Noodles”
2 eggs at room temperature, separated
1/4 teaspoon Krazy Salt (or seasoned salt)
3 Tablespoons butter
Melt butter in a cookie sheet that has sides.
Beat whites with salt until stiff.
Beat yolks with a fork and fold them into the whites.
Spread egg mixture on the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned. When cool, slice into strips and use in soups.
Total Grams: 1.2
Grams per serving: .6
From the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972)

1972 Recipes, Dinner, Journal, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe, Soups

Atkins Matzoh Ball Soup

March 12, 2015September 23, 2021 brendanolen

Matzoh Ball Soup
Serves 8
1 egg, separated
1 1/2 Tablespoons chicken fat (or butter if you can’t find it)
1.4 cup hot water or soup
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup crushed Baken-ets (pork rinds)
2 quarts chicken soup
Beat yolk of egg with softened chicken fat (or butter) until thick and well blended.
Pour into hot water and beat well.
Fold in salt and Baken-ets.
Beat egg white until stiff but not dry, and fold into pork rind mixture.
Chill for about 1 hour.
Heat 2 quarts chicken soup to boiling.
Wet hands with cold water, and shape mixture into medium-sized balls, about the diameter of a quarter.
Reduce heat, cover, simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, and serve.
Total Grams: Trace
From the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972)

1972 Recipes, Appetizers, Breakfast, Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe

Diet Revolution Rolls

March 12, 2015September 23, 2021 brendanolen

Diet Revolution Rolls (aka Oopsie rolls or Cloud Bread)
There are tons of variations of this recipe out there (and I have tried quite a few, including substituting avocado for the cottage cheese) but this one is the best! These are not excessively moist, do not collapse to nothing (they do collapse when they cool but not nearly as bad as other recipes), and they have a great texture.
Makes 6 Rolls (2 rolls per serving)

3 eggs separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 Tablespoons cottage cheese (NOT low-fat)
1 package Sugar Twin (or 1/4 teaspoon sweetener of choice)
Pam spray (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray Pam on Teflon cookie sheet (or use ungreased parchment paper).
Separate eggs very carefully (make sure that none of the yolk gets into the whites). Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until whites are stiff but not dry.
Blend yolks, cottage cheese and Sugar Twin together until thoroughly incorporated. Fold yolk mixture into beaten egg whites (be extremely careful not to break down the egg whites). Mix for no more than a minute.
Place the mixture carefully on the teflon cookie sheet (parchment paper), gently putting one Tablespoon full on top of another until each “roll” is about 2 inches high (or use 1/3 cup ice cream scoop). Repeat this until you have 6 piles. Rolls should resemble delicatessen rolls.
Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for about 1 hour. Let them cool before removing from the baking sheet (the will deflate a bit).
Do not slice to use for a sandwich (they are not thick enough).
One roll=one slice of bread
Per Roll: 39 Cal (56% from Fat, 38% from Protein, 6% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 1 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar
Caraway Rolls

Mix 1 Tablespoon of caraway seed into yolk mixture.

Per Roll: 40 Cal (56% from Fat, 38% from Protein, 7% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 2 g Tot Fat; 1 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar
Onion Rolls

2 Tablespoons minced onion
1 Tablespoon butter

In a small frying pan on medium heat, sautee 2 Tablespoons Onion in 1 Tablespoon melted butter until they are almost brown. Let cool, then mix into yolk mixture.
Per Roll: 58 Cal (68% from Fat, 26% from Protein, 6% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 4 g Tot Fat; 1 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar
Serving examples:

Bread Crumbs

One entire batch of Diet Revolution Rolls (without sweetener or salt, if you plan on using either in the bread crumbs)

Put the six cooked (and cooled) rolls into a blender or food processor. Process until the rolls become fine crumbs. For drier crumbs, either let the rolls dry overnight before processing. Season according to your tastes/recipe and use in any recipe to replace traditional bread crumbs. When used as breading, this tastes like flour breading (not actual bread crumbs).
Total Grams: 3.1

Diet Revolution Bread

2 Tablespoons Soya Powder (if you have to buy this, here’s a non-affiliate link to what I bought: http://a.co/d/ggqvd01)
1 Tablespoon water

While making the Diet Revolution Rolls above, mix these ingredients in with the yolk/cottage cheese mixture. Let this sit for 15-20 minutes. This allows the soya powder to re-hydrate (and not become hard rocks in the bread). Proceed with the rest of the recipe above.
Originally from the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972), pages 225-227.

1972 Recipes, Journal, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe, Sauces

Atkins Mustard Sauce

March 12, 2015 brendanolen

Mustard Sauce
Makes 1 cup (16 Tablespoons)
3 Tablespoons onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
8 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon chopped chives
Saute onions in butter until soft.
Stir in mustard and cream until well heated (do not boil).
Blend in Worcestershire Sauce.
Sprinkle with chives.
Serve hot.
Total Grams: 7.0
Grams Per Tablespoon .4
From the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972)

1972 Recipes, Breakfast, Journal, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Scrambled Eggs with Spicy Ham

March 12, 2015September 23, 2021 brendanolen

I am adding the 7 day menu from the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972) book to the About 1972 Atkins page. In doing so, there are dishes listed that I have not posted to my blog (until today). Get ready for some posting craziness! 🙂

Scrambled Eggs with Spicy Ham
Serves 2
4 thin slices boiled ham
Mustard sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
4 eggs
Salt
Pepper
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
Cut ham in half to make squares.
Spread with Mustard Sauce.
Melt butter in skillet.
Beat eggs with cream, salt, and pepper and scramble in the butter until lightly cooked.
Spoon out some scrambled egg in center of each square, roll up, fasten with toothpicks, and serve hot.
Total Grams 4.0
Grams Per Serving 2.0
From the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972)