Low Carb Cooking 101
By Di Bauer, CarbSmart Editor
Sometimes you aren't stuck cooking dinner for the whole family, but you still need to eat and want something quick. The week's meal fits the bill, and requires virtually no planning or preparation. You probably have all the ingredients already on hand, and can put the whole meal together in less than 15 minutes.
Presentation:
Eating alone does not mean that you forget about the components of an aesthetically pleasing meal! Set the table; do not gulp this or any meal down while sitting in front of the computer! Use a real plate, not a paper or plastic one, and put your water in a goblet, not a plastic mug from a discount store or (heaven forbid) right out of the plastic bottle!
So, why go to the all the extra trouble? Because if you don't treat yourself well, who on earth is going to? You should treat yourself as well as your treat not just your family, but company. You deserve it!
Since I began low carbing, I have spent some time accumulating a variety of tablecloths, placemats, napkins, candles, and seasonal table decorations for the kitchen table. I can now change the table decor each month for a new look, and all that's needed for a nice presentation is to add the silverware and napkins and light the candles.
Some of the themes are based on holidays; some are seasonal. It's taken me a couple of years to do this because I'm seriously cheap and only buy things after the holiday or season when they are steeply discounted, but it's been worth it.
I buy a boatload of candles after Christmas when they are 50% to 75% off. If you buy plain candles in red, white, green, and blue, you can cover most of the traditional holidays with them. For example, for July I took out pillar candles of varying heights in red, white, and blue. I bought flag stickers and stuck them in a row on the top and bottom of a tall dark blue candle. I got glittery silver star stickers and put them on the shorter red candle, and painted alternating lines of red and blue on the small white candle. The candles are groups on a nice dinner plate with a red rim, and are placed in the center of the table, which is covered with a red, white, and blue star-spangled tablecloth.
At the end of the month I will wash the tablecloth and put it, the candles, and any other 4th of July decorations I have in a box labeled "July" and put it away until next year. Out will come the August table decorations, and I'll have a whole new look for the kitchen!
One cautionary note, though: do not store boxes with candles in your attic or crawl space! I did this one year and ended up with blobs of melted wax that only an abstract artist like Paul Klee would appreciate. (I'll bet this has never happened to Martha Stewart.)
Here's this evening's simple menu:
- Pizza Frittata
- Tossed Salad
Here's the shopping list for the meal. You may very well already have some of these things on hand:
- 3 eggs
- small pepperoni rounds
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 bag Italian Blend prewashed salad greens (or salad greens of your choice)
- Italian seasoning blend
- Italian salad dressing (or salad dressing of your choice)
- 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- butter
Here's the game plan:
The Pizza Frittata cooks very quickly, so set the table and prepare the salad before you begin cooking it. Do not add the dressing to the salad, though, until you are ready to eat.
Prepare all the toppings for the frittata before you begin cooking the eggs. Preheat the broiler and then continue on according to the recipe directions. In less than 15 minutes you will be sitting down to a well-deserved, relaxing meal.
And, finally, here's the recipes:
Pizza Frittata
You can substitute you own favorite pizza toppings on this quick, easy frittata.
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 1/4 cup quartered pepperoni rounds
- 1/4 cup sliced canned mushrooms
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat the broiler.
Melt the butter in a small cast iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly whip the eggs and add them to the skillet. As the eggs are cooking, lift the firm, cooked sides of the eggs up and tilt the pan to let the uncooked eggs to flow to the bottom of the skillet. Continue lifting the sides of the eggs and tilting the pan until most of the uncooked eggs have been transferred to the bottom and the eggs are firm but not browned.
(The eggs will still look slightly wet on the top.)
Carefully flip the eggs over and remove the skillet from the heat. Don't panic if the eggs break. The Frittata won't be as pretty, maybe, but will taste just as good.
Top the turned eggs with the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, quartered pepperoni rounds, mushrooms, and cheese. Place the skillet under broiler until cheese has melted.
Serve warm.
Serves 1.
***Note: This recipe can be doubled or even quadrupled using a larger cast iron skillet. The cooking time will be somewhat increased, but not substantially.
Variation #1: If you don't have a tomato on hand, you can substitute 1/4 cup of Ragu Pizza Quick sauce for the tomato. If you do, omit the Italian seasoning. You can also substitute diced ham or 1/4 cup cooked and crumbled Italian sausage for the pepperoni.
Variation #2: To make the Pizza Frittata a vegetarian meal, omit the pepperoni and add some diced green bell pepper, diced onion, and/or whatever other vegetable toppings you choose.
Simple Garden Salad
You can, of course, alter this in any way to choose to use what you prefer or have on hand.
- 2 cups Italian Blend prewashed mixed salad greens, loosely packed (or lettuce blend of your choice)
- 1/2 medium Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 2 - 3 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
- zesty Italian salad dressing (or salad dressing of your choice)
Place the salad greens into a bowl or onto a salad plate.
Sprinkle the prepared tomato, cucumber, and green onions over the greens. Top the salad with the shredded mozzarella cheese, if desired.
Drizzle the zesty Italian salad dressing over the salad only when you are ready to sit down and eat.
Serves 4.
***Tip: To "chop" green onions quickly and neatly, simply wash the entire bunch of green onions and snip the needed amount off with a pair of kitchen shears.
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