Snack time!!

Are you craving something salty? Don't grab a bag of potato chips!! Steam some Edamame with sea salt! Yummy yummy without the tummy!!

Are you craving a something sweet? Let the girl scouts go! Bananas with peanut butter will satisfy that sweet tooth!

Be the best you that you can be!

Slow cooker pulled pork

Talk about mouth watering...sweet Jesus this was DELICIOUS! If you are looking for the key to a mans heart, make him this meal! mmmm mmmm!!

I just threw the pork (about 2 & 1/2 pounds) in the crock pot with half an onion (sliced), 1 cup of water, and about 20 ounces of BBQ sauce

After about 3 hours I flipped the pork but that is not a necessary step. I cooked it for a total of 5 hours and then shredded it with a fork. 

I also made some deviled eggs for a low carb side. I place the eggs in cold water and set them on high heat for 20 minutes. Next I chill them in ice for about 30 minutes, peel them, slice then, put the yolks in a bowl, mix the yolks with miracle whip and a little bit of mustard and then sprinkle each one with salt, pepper, and paprika. 

I also used a little bit of cabbage mix as a side and it was PERFECT!!!!

Meatloaf!!!!

I don't know about you, but I am a huge meatloaf fan! 

first I chopped up some fresh bell pepper and onion and lightly simmered it in about a tbsp butter for a few minutes and then mixed it in with two pounds of ground beef, two eggs, 1/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs, I package of onion soup mix, 3/4 cups of water and three spoon fulls of spicy marinara sauce.

Next I buttered a baking dish (13 by 9) and formed a loaf out of the mixture. 

I put a thin layer of spicy marinara over the meatloaf and baked it for 40 minutes and then covered the meatloaf with the remaining jar of spicy marinara and baked it for another 20 minutes 

I let it sit for ten minutes and it was done! DELICIOUS!!!!

Mashed Cauliflower

One of my favorite comfort foods is mashed potatoes, low carbing is hard without potatoes.....or so I thought! Mashed cauliflower tastes just like mashed potatoes!!! 

First I took a medium head of cauliflower rinsed it, cut off the leaves, chopped it up, and boiled it for 6 minutes in lightly salted water

Next I strained out the water, threw the cauliflower in the food processor (a blender would also work) I added about two tbsp butter, two tbsp cream cheese, 1tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sea salt, a pinch of rosemary, a pinch of garlic powder, and a splash of milk.

Once it was done I added some chives and it was PERFECT!!!

Snack

Favorite low carb snack: Jimmy Dean Hot sausage! mmmm mmmm!!!

Spaghetti Squash & Steak

Are you in the mood for some pasta? Spaghetti squash definitely hit the spot for me!!! MMM MMM!!!  This is one of those meals that you feel like you should be gaining weight from! 

 I'll start with the steak. So first I poked them all over, front and back with a fork

Next I put them in a plastic ziplock bag with some delicious marinade and let them sit in the fridge for about twenty minutes. (usually I do this for two hours but tonight I didn't have the time)

Next I laid them out in a frying pan on low heat 2-3 and cooked them for about 15 minutes flipping them occasionally. (They were cooked medium-rare) 

For the squash I started by poking holes all over it with a knife (I've heard it can explode if you don't do this) then I baked it for 1 hour an 20 minutes at 375 degrees, flipping it after 40 minutes

Next I let it cool down, scooped out the seeds, and started flaking it with a fork. (it literally falls into noodles very easily. 

Next I put an entire stick of butter into a cup with about a tsp of black pepper and two tsp of sea salt into the microwave for 30 seconds

 I mixed the butter, salt, and pepper into the squash and also added Parmesan.

And that is it! I threw everything on a plate and it was delicious!

 Yummmmyyyy!!! Eating good & losing weight!!

Mac&Cheese.....low carb substitute!!!!

So I have been feeling a little under the weather lately and the only thing I have been craving is some good ol fashion Mac & Cheese, but I don't want the belly that comes along with it....what a predicament right? Wrong!!! Cauliflower and cheese is just as delicious! 

First I took a head of cauliflower and broke it up into a baking dish and added in some chives, fresh garlic, salt, black pepper, and a tbsp of melted butter. I put it in the oven for thirty minutes at 400 degrees.

Next I melted about two tbsp of butter in  about a cup and a half of milk to start off my cheese sauce 

Once the butter melted I added in two cups of sharp cheddar cheese and continuously stirred until the consistency was correct. 

Once the cauliflower was ready I poured the cheese sauce over the dish and added a generous amount of Parmesan cheese over the top and baked the dish for another 5 minutes and it was ready!!!!

  Even the boyfriend LOVED it!!!

Garlic & Butter Shrimp with Parmesan Mushrooms

I seriously don't understand why everyone doesn't choose the low carb route to drop pounds quick! I am shedding pounds and eating like a queen! Tonight I made the most delicious dinner O.M.G.!! (Yes I am saying that in the a super obnoxious valley girl accent) But seriously it's easy, and defreakinglicious!!!

First I washed my shrimp and shrooms (don't worry, I won't show you a picture of that) Next I chopped up some fresh garlic and green onions. For the shrimp I started sauteing the garlic and green onions in about 2 tbsp of butter.

For the mushrooms I melted about a tablespoon of butter in a cup and mixed in the green onions and garlic and poured it over them in a baking pan and baked them at 425 degrees for twenty minutes

Next I added the shrimp into my garlic and green onions that were sauteing and I also added in about a tsp on garlic powder, a tsp of onion powder, a tsp of black pepper, a tsp of sea salt, and I squeezed half of a large lemon in as well. 

I cooked the shrimp on medium heat adding between 1 & 1/2- 2 tbsp extra butter during cook time. 

I sprinkled some Parmesan on the mushrooms and that was it! Delish!!!!! 

Low carb sloppy joes..say wha??

Tonight is definitely a lazy, curl up in a blanket and read kind of night. I don't really feel like cooking for three hours so instead I'll make some quick and easy sloppy joes!!

I just brown 1 pound of lean ground beef and add one can of mild green chilies.

Next I add one can of hunts bold sloppy joe mix

simmer on low for about 3 minutes and toss some on a crisp slice of cabbage 

Delicious. Simple. Sloppy. Low carb!

Best chili EVER!!!!

Have I got a treat for you my low carbing friends!!! Holy moley I can't even put into words the flavor extravaganza I just put on for my mouth, but don't worry I am going to try for you! 

So I didn't realize how hard low carb chili was going to be (not really hard, it just made me use my brain a little more) because I typically put beer, flour, and sugar in my chili so this time I mixed it up and it turned out even better!!!

I decided to add some hot sausage links this time so I put them on low heat in the frying pan until they were brown on each side

Next I browned two pounds of lean grounds beef and added in 1 finely chopped medium white onion, 1 small can of mild green chilies, and I let that simmer on medium heat 

Next I sliced the sausage up and added two cans of hunts tomato sauce, 1 can of kidney beans, three tbsp of chili powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1&1/2 tbsp ground cumin, and 5 beef bullion cubes

 

I covered it, cooking it on low heat (between a 2 & 3) stirring occasionally for 1 hour

I prefer it spicy (which is why I used hot sausage links) so I added a tsp of hot sauce 

last step was stirring in some cheeeeese!!!!! mmmmmm mmmmm mmmm!!!!!

Low carb chili!!! Done and Done!!! Delicious!!!

Cream cheese and BACON stuffed Tilapia!!!

Let me start by saying this was so freaking delicious I feel like I went to a gourmet restaurant and I can't believe I am losing weight eating it!!!


I started by chopping up about half of a medium sized onion
I would normally add some fresh celery however I was out & lazy so I added some celery salt
I added some parsley, cilantro, black pepper, and sea salt as well

Next step is tossing all of this into a sauce pan with about a tbsp of butter

I just cooked this for about 7 minutes on low 3-4 because it is still going to bake so it does not need to cook thoroughly. While that it cooking I threw some bacon on the stove, because as you know, any low carb diet should consist of at least 50% bacon (I kid I kid...but seriously)

Note: I did not use all of this bacon, but I like to cook it all because I can still munch on it and use it for the boyfriends lunch tomorrow and so forth.

I cooked the bacon until it was close to crispy and then took it out and chopped it up. Next I mixed up the onions, seasonings, bacon, and a bar of Philadelphia cream cheese.

Once everything was mixed I rolled the mixture into the center of the tilapia filets and stuck a skewer through them to keep them secure.I put a little bit of butter on top of each one and squeezed a fresh lemon on top of them.

I baked them at 350 degrees for thirty minutes and they turned out PERFECT!!!! 

 Low carbing is getting easier and easier....

BACON

Breakfast time!!! I used to hate bacon (what is wrong with me right?) One thing you will learn about low carbing is that everything is way more delicious when you lay off carbs, I'm not sure if it is our brain giving us a break because we miss our beloved carb friends or because our taste buds are back because the carbs burned them all off, either way, bacon is delicious and when you are on a low carb diet you can eat as much as you want! 

This morning I made a heaping pile of BACON! I like to cook my bacon on low heat because I am terrified of starting a grease fire and I hate the popping so I keep my stove on a 3-4, it takes a little longer but still comes out delicious!

The boyfriend would be perfectly fine with nothing but bacon for breakfast but I like variety so I also hard boiled some eggs to go along with it. There are many ways to hard boil eggs, I set them on high in cold water for 20 minutes and they are perfect for me! 

No carb breakfast is served! Yummm!!