Posts from Nana's Little Kitchen

I will be posting all my latest recipes over at my new blog home, Nanaslittlekitchen.wordpress.com please click on the link to re-sign-up and follow me over there if you've enjoyed getting my latest recipe updates in your e-mail.

Thanks,
Teresia

Skillet Enchiladas in Chili Gravy (S)

This recipe has been moved and updated on my new blog. 

http://nanaslittlekitchen.com/skillet-enchiladas-in-chili-gravy-low-carb-s/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/514395588665603486/

Here's a recipe that I developed using my Enchilada Gravy.  These enchiladas cook up in one skillet with no dipping and rolling or even baking necessary.  I developed it to make up for the extra step of cooking up the gravy.  It is just one more easy step but still...I thought this might help y'all out, because it did me!  Enjoy!

Enchilada Gravy

This recipe has been moved and updated on my new blog. 

http://nanaslittlekitchen.com/grain-free-enchilada-gravy-lowcarb-s/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/514395588665600304/

I have made enchilada gravy for years, and to be honest, although I know there are some fine enchilada recipes that are THM friendly and look great, I just haven't eaten any beef enchiladas since starting this diet.  The reason is that none that I have discovered, have used the chili gravy that I love. This is probably because corn flour is traditionally involved in the making of  good enchilada gravy and corn flour is a major no-no on a carb restricted diet like ours.   Then I discovered how  to make real cream gravy after reading the gravy recipe from this wonderful low carb cook  by replacing the regular flour with coconut flour!  From there it was just a short hop to figuring out that I could convert my beloved enchilada gravy recipe, and so here it is, Yay!  I'm so happy about this!  I made it for my husband last night and he declared it to be as good as my old recipe and better than the restaurants!  Wow, that's high praise from my guy that was born and raised in Houston's East End!

Grain Free Cream Gravy (Cream Sauce (S)

Pin It!

For many of us,  the Trim Healthy Mama diet is about more than losing weight, it is about developing a lifestyle of good, healthy, eating that will last a life time.  It was with this idea in mind that I took on the quest to find a good cream gravy recipe, because as a Southerner I remember that ultimately it will be very hard for me to be faithful to a diet, long term, without a really good gravy!  But, as a THMer I remember that it will be hard to keep that "trim" while eating the traditional fat/carby gravy!  Below, I'm also sharing the two links for the gravy recipes that helped me develop the THM version of the gravy recipe I make now.

Lemonade Frosty, Sugar Free - FP

This recipe has been moved to my new blog home:

http://nanaslittlekitchen.com/sugar-free-lemonade-frosty-low-fat-low-carb-fp/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/514395588665208606/

So good, so refreshing,  and so simple.  I'm providing the super low fat version for us THMers, but if anyone wants a full fat smoothie it is still great.  Just sub in whole milk cottage cheese and splash a little cream in there for the growing kids and hungry husbands!  This FP version is as satisfying, and filling as any smoothie I've ever tried and it's so lemony!  Win/win!

Homemade Sugar Free Syrup made with Xylitol

I grew up watching my grandma make "sugar syrup".  It was 1 cup water to 1 1/2 cup sugar and then flavor with anything handy; and that was usually plain ole vanilla.   From the time I started this diet I craved syrup, but resigned myself to the fruit variety, which is really pretty good especially when made with fresh fruit.  But on pancakes it is still fruity and, sadly, not able to replace maple syrup for me. 

Thousand Island Dressing (S)

 Cole Slaw made with Easy Thousand Island Dressing!

PinIt!

If the only thousand island dressing you've ever eaten has been from a bottle, then you are in for a very pleasant surprise!  By my standards thousand island dressing should have a smooth, slightly sweet, creamy flavor, a light bumpy texture and a  creamy color.   I have never found a bottled thousand island dressing that I liked; it always has a sharp twang, usually indicated by a orangey color which I find unpleasant.

Do I sound OCD about thousand island dressing?  LOL, I hope not, but,  I am picky about it; and all sauces and condiments.  I think they make or break a meal and this dressing has made ours many times.  Of course, since starting THM there is the small matter of having to make your own ketchup first, (unless you have a very good sugar free one that you can buy).   Making your own is a very small inconvenience because it zips together like nothing and sits there in the fridge for a LONG time till you get ready to make something else with it and the Trim Healthy Mama's ketchup is very good as an ingredient even if you are a picky ketchup eater.  This ketchup is made with 3 ingredients that you should have around the house.

Trim Healthy "Tamale" Pie (S)

Pin It!

Looking for a new casserole that has the kick of TexMex, but is totally THM'd?  Here it is, the recipe for my all time favorite stuffed pepper filling and Texas hash all encased in one of my all time favorite low carb "cornbreads" for my S version of Trim Healthy Tamale Pie!  This recipe skips the casserole dish too and cooks right in the skillet! 

Sugar free, Low carb, Short Bread (S)

A THMer and cake baker extraordinaire name Susie Z. posted a very good cookie recipe on the THM main page a while back that put me onto this recipe.  It was a cute little cookie with cream cheese in it and you rolled it up and chilled and sliced it off.   It looked like a great idea so I started tweaking and became more fascinated with this recipe the more I learned about it.  I shared my tweaks with her and started baking and making more changes to this recipe that turned out to be way more than just a cookie.  Everyone that tried it, loved it, so I have continued to experiement with it extensively.   I am now routinely subbing out up to 1/3 of the almond flour in recipes with extra fiber and protein powder.  First of all because it helps with weight loss, (that's always nice) and secondly because, most of the time it improves the texture and flavor of the baked product; which is the case with this cookie.  Susie's recipe had a cup of xylitol in it.  I love the sweetness of xylitol, but normally, it does not love me.  I've discovered though, that if I cut the full amount in half and sub in either erythritol for the other half  or mix in a small amount of stevia, the problem is solved.  Since so many people love xylitol I like to post recipes with it from time to time so I went with the xylitol as Susie had done but cut it in half.  You might be able to substitute Sweet Blend or Truvia in here, but it will change the consistency of the cookie and since I have already cut it down from 1 cup sweetener to 1/2 and since it is one of the best cookies I have ever eaten (sugar free or otherwise) I decided to leave it.   It is also one of the easiest cookies I have ever made, just mix in one bowl, roll it up in parchment and pop it in the freezer for later or line a skillet and press it into the pan and cook! Here are a few of my latest variations of this healthy version of a classic shortbread cookie.   You will find more information on shortbread here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortbread
Below I pictured this cookie made into skillet shortbread.  The ingredients and amounts for the Pecan Shortbread cookie and the Skillet Shortbread are the same.
 

Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites (S)

This post has been moved to my new blog and you can find it here:

http://nanaslittlekitchen.com/chocolate-covered-cheesecake-bites-low-carb-sugar-free-s/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/514395588667544213/

I am not a chocoholic.   If I am going to eat chocolate I usually have to have a good reason, either it is too good to resist or it is a special occasion, or both.   My favorite chocolate indulgences are brownies, turtles and cheesecake bites, so when  I saw a picture of chocolate covered cheesecake bites on Pinterest it was love at first sight.  Not first bite mind you, because I never made it as shown, but when all the tweaking was over it really turned out well!  The shell has the creamy consistency of a really good quality chocolate, which  was a big relief because, once I got started on the quest for  good, sugar free, chocolate covered cheesecake bites, I was not going to stop until this thing yelled Valentine's candy!  Even if it took me till next year!  First of all the chocolate in the original recipes were basically skinny chocolate, which is good, but I wanted something more room temperature stable for this so I switched the cocoa for Lilly's stevia sweetened chocolate chips and used less of the refined coconut oil, because I didn't want coconut cheese cake bars.  For flavoring, I went with plain vanilla first, but ended up giving into my turtle craving and adding some caramel flavoring to give them a chocolate turtle flair.

Breakfast Roundup

Around here, we are breakfast people and I take time with this meal almost everyday even if I have to skip lunch (I guess you'd call it Brunch then).    So when I tell you I know a little about cooking up a good hearty breakfast you can believe it, because I have company that will come to my house for breakfast instead of supper!   So, whether you're stopping by here for ideas for a THM'd Saturday or Sunday Brunch at your house or "you're a breakfast is the most important meal of the day"  person...give these a try, they are some of our favorites.     

Ever wish you could just butter a piece of Ezekiel bread and fry it up with an egg and still lose weight?  Well, here's your ticket!  Cut a hole a little smaller than a mason jar lid.  This will reduce your carb count by about 1/2.  One slice Ezekiel = 12 net carbs divided by 1/2 for hole = On Plan (S-helper)  **Beginners might want to go slow on all grains except Joseph's in an S setting.  The Joseph's Pita and Lavash are a frankenfood that is specifically low carb and we can have a little more of them in an S setting. For people who are trying to jump start their weight loss as Beginners or for Turtles who lose very slowly you have to be a lot more cautious, so take that into consideration. Otherwise, enjoy! 

Egg-In-The-Hole (S)
Lightly toast one side of the bread, flip, add the egg and cook it almost done then flip again till done as you like!

Following are a list of previous breakfast posts with links and pins for each.  Enjoy!

Tiramisu Frappuccino (THM-S)

This post has been moved to my new blog home:

http://nanaslittlekitchen.com/tiramisu-smoothie-lowcarb-s/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/514395588666253848/

I have made no secret of my love for sweet drinks, but before Trim Healthy Mama I really thought I would never be able to enjoy them without guilt, and that if I were ever going to lose weight and keep it off I would be deprived of them, forever!  I can barely contain my joy at finding that not to be true...I have enjoyed every sweet, creamy drink that I have tried on this diet, but this one is just in a class of it's own for me.  I concocted it a few days ago, because I decided I needed a quick Tiramisu fix without the trouble of making a full scale dessert, so I went looking for it and....nothing!  I got busy and mixed this up with the distinct flavorings that I have always enjoyed in the homemade Tiramisu made by our favorite Italian restaurant.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

New THM Pinterest Board of Helpful Resources

Update to my pinterest project for new THMer's and some newer bloggers that some of you seasoned ladies might find fresh inspiration from as well! I've added comments to most of them to give you a little idea of their specialties, in my opinion, and/or how they've helped me.  Do you know of others?  Send me a pin and I'll check them out!  I love finding new helpful resources and sharing them!

http://www.pinterest.com/nanaslilkitchen/thm-resources/

Lazy Day Beef Stew -Low Carb (S)

Let me start by saying I'm not really a slow cooker kind of gal.  I'm more of a pressure cooker person, but, I understand that the nutritional values of the food are better preserved by slow cooking and it can be a convenience, so I have adapted.  I still have a tendency to want to rush though, so I have given directions for cooking this dish on high for 5 hours and then adding the veggies in and cooking for another hour or so till they are done.  But it could just as easily be cooked all day (or night) on low before the veggies are added in then and turned on high for an hour or more.  Either way, this is a lot of food bang for the amount of prep time, buck!  It is also the recipe for some of best stew that I have ever eaten.  I have been making it for almost 40 years and it is a family classic for us.  I THM'd it by switching out the potatoes and carrots for radishes and green beans, and changing the Worstershire Sauce in it for Bragg's Liquid Aminos.  We can't even tell the difference!  It's still winter's number ONE-derful stew for us!

Mashed "Potatoes" - From Frozen Cauliflower

I've been attempting to make these for a while and they were always good enough to call them mashed potatoes and calm the "beast within" that longed for mashed potatoes with steak, roast gravy, etc.  But it has taken me a while to be able to say what I can say today!   "My new favorite MASHED POTATOES are not potatoes!" Yes, you heard right, I love this stuff! It has a lot more flavor kick than potatoes and a great texture.(No funny grainy stuff going on here!)  I have never been able to get the fresh to work out no matter how much I complicated it LOL, until I just went and bought some frozen cauliflower. Two of my bags serve 3 well or leave 4 wanting a second helping. ONE regular bag from the grocery store would probably equal to my 2 bags of organic though. So keep in mind,  it is a quite a bit more expensive if you go the organic frozen route.   

Restaurant Guides and Trim Healthy Mama

Just getting started with Trim Healthy Mama?  Remember the rule of thumb for S meals is try to keep  carbohydrates under 10grams; for E meals try to eat no more than 5 grams of fat and at least 20 grams of carbohydrates and not much over 45 grams.  As a general rule the S (low carb) meals will be a little easier to manage at restaurants - just be careful of breading on meats and sugars in sauces and condiments. On occasion I  do find that the Light Fare menus can fall into the E (low fat) range and usually the nutritional info is pretty readily available for these meals.  Let's take a look and see how a few favorites stack up to this diet.

Jason's Deli...My very favorite!
https://www.nutritionix.com/jasons-deli/nutrition-calculator

Panera Bread Lover?
https://www.panerabread.com/content/dam/panerabread/documents/nutrition/Panera-Nutrition.pdf

I do love Pizza Hut....
http://www.pizzahut.com/assets/w/nutrition/BrandStandardNutritionalInformationFINAL111314.pdf

Denny's has something for everyone at decent prices and good clean place when you are traveling...
http://www.dennys.com/files/nutrition_facts.pdf

One of my other favorites?  Subway!
http://www.subway.com/nutrition/nutritionlist.aspx

Do you love you some Wings?
http://www.wingstop.com/menu/nutritional-information/nutritional-facts/

And Chick fil A being well....Chick fil A... is very user friendly with this Meal Calculator, check this out!
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/food/meal

Taco Bueno-A notch above Taco Bell
http://www.nutrition-charts.com/taco-bueno-nutrition-facts-calorie-information/

Did I leave out a few of your favorites?  Maybe this will fill in the blanks for you?
http://www.nutrition-charts.com/

Trim Healthy Mama is pretty much of a free styling diet.  If you eat out on a very regular basis you will need to be a little stricter, but if it is just a once a week treat then just try to meet the general guidelines and stay away from the sugary condiments, desserts and be sure and bring your own sweetener to make lemonade out of lemon water or sweet tea from their unsweetened.  Remember protein with every meal and the lean protein like very lean ground meat and boneless skinless chicken breast will likely be your protein for the E meals.

Hot Mulled Apple Cider (with ACV) FP or S

I've been enjoying this warm, refreshing drink for a couple of weeks now and did a quick post last week on it before I actually got it on the blog.  So here is the full recipe.

2 cups hot water

1 bag of Apple Cider Tea (I found this at Kroger)

Steep for a few minutes then add:

1  Tablespoon Bragg's (or natural) apple cider vinegar

1 pinch of celtic sea salt

1 tsp. sweet blend or 2 tsp. truvia

(or to taste-this can get too sweet-fast!)

OPTIONAL 1 tablespoon cream

I like it both ways, my husband does not like the cream.

Holiday Cooking--Plumping Cranberries

So I don't forget:

PinIt!

1 cup of hot water

1 cup of whole fresh cranberries

2 tablespoons of sweetblend or 4 tablespoons of truvia

(Alternately retain all the tartness, but eliminate the crunch for cheesecake, etc. by reducing or eliminating the sweetener.)

Heat the water and berries till you hear the first 2 or 3 pop.  Remove from heat and cover for 15-30 minutes.  Stir around in the juice and remove with a slotted spoon, then sprinkle with a little extra sweet blend or just erythritol or xylitol.

These make a great topping, still somewhat tart, but with a little sweet, juiciness added to the fruity flare too.  Gorgeous in cookies because you can leave them whole without anyone getting any too-tart surprises!

Hot Fudge Pie (S)

Pin It! 

This recipe has been moved to my new blog but not updated because it was just that good!

Hot Fudge Pie (S)

Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels! (Texas Pimento Cheese) S

PinIt!

I made these for a snack the other night and as I was rolling them up I thought,

"This would make a good THM holiday finger food,"  and then "hey, I have THM friendly food blog!".  Well, one thing lead to another and here they are! This really is my "pimento" cheese, I'm not joking.  It contains the magic cheese mixture of 1 part cheddar to 1/2 part cream cheese and when you see that mixture combined with almost anything...you are probably looking at a winner!