1001 Low-Carb Recipes: Hundreds of Delicious Recipes From Dinner to Dessert That Let You Live Your Low-Carb Lifestyle and Never Look Back (23 page)

Check after a minute; the steam will have cooked the tops of the eggs. If there’s still a bit of uncooked white, give it another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lift out and serve.

Yield:
1 serving

About 1.5 grams of carbohydrates, no fiber, and 16 grams of protein.

For the easiest eggs, use a skillet that fits the number of eggs you’re frying. A 7-inch (18-cm) skillet is just right for a single serving, but if you’re doing two servings, use a big skillet.

1 tablespoon (14 g) butter or oil

2 eggs

3 tablespoons (49 ml) salsa (hot or mild, as you prefer)

2 ounces (55 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Spray a heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray and set it over medium heat. Add the butter or oil and crack the eggs into the skillet. Turn down the heat and cover. Let the eggs fry for 4 to 5 minutes.

While the eggs are frying, warm the salsa in a saucepan or in the microwave.

When your fried eggs are set on the bottom but still a little underdone on top, scatter the cheese evenly over the fried eggs, add a teaspoon or two of water to the skillet, and cover it again. In a minute or two, the tops of the eggs should be set (but the yolks still soft) and the
cheese melted.

Transfer the eggs to a plate with a spatula, top with warmed salsa, and serve.

Yield:
1 serving

4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbohydrates and 25 grams of protein.

This Italian dish turns a couple of eggs into a light supper. This looks like a lot of instructions, but none of the steps takes much time.

1 pound (455 g) asparagus

½ teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove garlic, crushed

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese

8 eggs

Preheat the broiler.

Snap the bottoms off the asparagus where they break naturally. Put the asparagus in a microwaveable casserole dish or a glass pie plate. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and cover. (Use plastic wrap or a plate to cover a pie plate.) Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes.

While the asparagus is cooking, stir the garlic into the olive oil.

When the asparagus is done, drain it. If you have 4 single-serving oven-proof dishes long enough to hold asparagus, they’re ideal for this recipe—divide the asparagus between the 4 dishes. If not, you’ll need to use a rectangular glass baking dish. Arrange the asparagus in 4 groups in the baking dish.

Whether you’re using the individual dishes or the single baking dish, drizzle each serving of asparagus with the garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and divide the cheese between the 4 servings. Put the asparagus under the broiler, about 4 inches (10 cm) from low heat. Let it broil for 4 to 5 minutes.

While the asparagus is broiling, fry the eggs to your liking. Either use your biggest skillet to do them all at once or divide them between two skillets.

When the Parmesan is lightly golden, take the asparagus out of the broiler. If you’ve cooked it in one baking dish, use a big spatula to carefully transfer each serving of asparagus to a plate. Top each serving of asparagus with 2 fried eggs and serve.

Yield:
4 servings

Each with 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 16 grams of protein. If you’d like 22 grams of protein, add a third egg to each serving.

This was originally a sandwich recipe, but it works just as well without the bread.

4 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

4 thin slices onion

4 eggs

4 thin slices cheddar cheese

Begin frying the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat. When some fat has cooked out of it, push it aside and put the onion slices in, too. Fry the onion on each side, turning carefully to keep the slices together, until it starts to look translucent. Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside.

Continue frying the bacon until it’s crisp. Pour off most of the grease and distribute the bacon bits evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Break in the eggs and fry for a minute or two until the bottoms are set but the tops are still soft. (If you like your yolks hard, break them with a fork; if you like them soft, leave them unbroken.)

Place a slice of onion over each yolk and then cover the onion with a slice of cheese. Add a teaspoon of water to the skillet, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.

Cut into four separate eggs with the edge of a spatula and serve.

Yield:
This serves 2 if they’re good and hungry or 4 if they’re only a bit peckish or if they’re kids.

In 2 servings, each will have 4 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 27 grams of protein.

1 tablespoon (14 g) butter

2 eggs

¼ cup (30 g) shredded Gruyère cheese

1 scallion, sliced

Spray a heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray and melt the butter in it over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry them until the bottoms are done but the tops are still a little soft.

Scatter the Gruyère over the eggs. Add a couple of teaspoons of water to the skillet, cover, and let cook another couple of minutes until the cheese is melted and the whites are set.

Move the eggs to a serving plate, scatter the sliced scallion on top, and serve.

Yield:
1 serving

2 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 19 grams of protein.

Serve this versatile dish for brunch or supper. And don’t be afraid of those chilies: The mild ones aren’t hot, they’re just very flavorful. (And if you like hot foods, feel free to use hotter chilies.)

5 eggs

3 tablespoons (15 g) soy powder or (24 g) rice protein powder

r ½ teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (225 g) small-curd cottage cheese

8 ounces (225 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated

3 tablespoons (42 g) butter, melted

1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) diced green chilies, drained

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Spray a 6-cup (1.4-L) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter it generously.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a whisk. Whisk in the soy powder, salt, and baking powder, mixing very well.

Beat in the cottage cheese, Monterey Jack, melted butter, and chilies. Pour the whole thing into the prepared casserole dish, put it in the oven, and bake for about 35 minutes. (It’s okay if it’s a little runny in the very center when you spoon into it; that part acts as a sauce for the rest.)

Yield:
4 servings

Each with 7 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbohydrates and 30 grams of protein.

Don’t know how big your casserole dish is? Fill it with water using a measuring cup. You want one that just holds 6 cups (1.4 L) of water, although just a tad bigger or smaller won’t matter.

This is a great comfort-food-type supper.

4 eggs

1 batch Ultimate Fauxtatoes (page 209)

¾ teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

½ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon (15 g) butter

2 cups (240 g) shredded Swiss cheese

4 scallions, sliced, including the crisp part of the green shoot

2 tablespoons (7.6 g) chopped parsley

4 drops hot pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5).

Separate your eggs. (Since whites with even a tiny speck of yolk in them will stubbornly refuse to whip up, do yourself a favor and separate each egg into a small cup or bowl.) Dump the yolks into the Fauxtatoes and beat them in; add the salt, pepper, and butter. Dump your (presumably yolkless) egg whites into a deep mixing bowl and set aside.

Stir the shredded Swiss cheese into the Fauxtatoes and then stir in the scallions, parsley, and hot pepper sauce.

Now, using an electric mixer, beat the whites until they stand in soft peaks. Fold gently into the Fauxtatoes. Spoon the whole thing into a 6-cup (1.4-L) casserole dish you’ve sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Yield:
4 to 5 servings

Assuming 4 servings, each will have 32 g protein; 18 g carbohydrate; 8 g dietary fiber; 10 g usable carbs.

This dish reheats particularly well, making it the perfect leftover meal.

¼ pound (115 g) ham

¼ pound (115 g) cheddar cheese

1 green pepper

1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) mushrooms, well drained

5 eggs

3 tablespoons (15 g) soy powder or (24 g) unflavored protein powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

1 cup (225 g) small-curd cottage cheese

2 tablespoons (30 g) grated horseradish

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Spray a 6-cup (1.4-L) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter it generously.

Use a food processor with the S-blade in place to grind the ham, cheddar, green pepper, and mushrooms together until finely chopped (no chunks of pepper or ham should be bigger than a ½-inch [1.3-cm] cube).

In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the soy or protein powder, baking powder, and salt and beat well again.

Beat in the cottage cheese and horseradish and then add the chopped ham mixture.

Pour the egg mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for about 40 minutes or until it is puffy and set but still jiggles a bit in the middle when you shake it.

Yield:
4 servings

Each with 10 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 8 grams of usable carbohydrates and 29 grams of protein.

The carb analysis of your recipe may vary from mine, depending on the ham, cheddar, and cottage cheese you use. As always, you can trim this carb count by using the lowest-carbohydrate ingredients you can find. And watch out when you buy your horseradish: I had to read a lot of labels to find one that didn’t add sugar.

Disguise your Friday-after-Thanksgiving leftovers in this delicious puff.

5 eggs

¼ cup (20 g) soy powder or (32 g) unflavored protein powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (225 g) cottage cheese

½ pound (225 g) Swiss cheese, cubed

¼ cup (120 ml) melted butter

¾ cup (130 g) cubed cooked turkey

6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Spray a 6-cup (1.4-L) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter generously.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a whisk. Whisk in the soy powder, salt, and baking powder, mixing very well.

Beat in the cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, melted butter, cubed turkey, and crumbled bacon. Pour the whole thing into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Yield:
5 servings

Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 33 grams of protein.

1 pound (455 g) pork sausage (hot or mild, as you prefer)

½ cup (75 g) diced green pepper

½ cup (80 g) diced onion

8 eggs