Simple & Healthy Low-Carb Main Dishes ~ And a Dessert

Cooking for my family is a joy and a privilege, but some days I spend more time on my projects than in the kitchen!  Here are some of the meals I fix when I don’t have too much time to cook – all less expensive and more healthy than take-out.

 

Simple & Healthy Cooking Tips & Notes

  • Buy chicken and pork chops in bulk, separate into dinner-sized portions and freeze in separate freezer bags.  Remove one bag the night before and thaw overnight, or quick-thaw them as soon as you remember that it’s almost time for dinner!  (Be careful to follow food safety guidelines.)
  • Use a digital cooking thermometer.  These can be a little pricey depending on the brand, but mine saves me much time checking to see if the meat is done with a regular thermometer.    The kind I like has a probe (that inserts into the meat) connected to a cord that plugs into the main unit.  Look for one that alarms when the set temperature is reached.  Be sure to follow the instructions included with your thermometer so that your meat reaches the correct temperature.
  • Keep side dishes and vegetables simple and cook them while the meat is cooking.
  • A note on “healthy” cooking – these days, everyone has different ideas on what is considered “healthy”.  I believe the ingredients I use are healthy in moderation.  However, these recipes are very adaptable – use the ingredients that you prefer, and they should still be tasty!
  • You’ll notice I don’t use measurements – adapt these to the number of people that you will be serving.  You’ll also notice that I’m not a gourmet cook, but my family does like my cooking!
  • There are no pictures because I don’t have time to take them while I’m cooking (and my pictures of food usually don’t turn out very well.)

 

Main Dishes

 

Simple Pot Roast (Crock Pot)

Place thawed meat in gallon-sized plastic zipper bag and pour in some olive oil and shake in some seasoning.  Rub meat with the olive oil and seasoning.  Let sit in a plastic zipper bag overnight in the refrigerator (if you have thought of it the night before).   In the morning, brown the meat on both sides in a skillet on the stove top (if you have time).  Place seasoned meat in the crock pot with the vegetables.  If you would like a thicker gravy, use a can or two of Cream of Mushroom soup.  Mix the soup with water and pour over the meat and vegetables.  Make sure the meat is covered with liquid, or it will dry out (or at least mine always does).  Cook 8 – 10 hours in the crock pot.

 

Simple Garlic Pork Chops

  • Boneless Pork Chops
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic Salt
  • Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place pork chops in greased baking pan and baste with olive oil.  Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Insert digital cooking thermometer probe into the center of the smallest cut of meat – be careful not to insert it so far down that it touches the bottom of the pan.  Set the thermometer for “Pork” (160 – 170 degrees).

When the smallest cut of meat is done, take it out of the pan and move the thermometer probe to a larger cut of meat, until all is cooked to the correct temperature (you can skip this step if all your cuts are about the same).

Sometimes right before the pork chops are done I turn the oven up to Broil for 2 minutes to brown the top.  Just be careful with your thermometer – I think I ruined one of mine doing this too many times!

 

Simple Parmesan Chicken

  • Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese in bowl
  • Unseasoned Bread Crumbs (optional)
  • Olive Oil or Butter
  • Beaten Egg White in bowl

Melt butter in skillet on stove top on medium heat, or preheat skillet and add olive oil.  Mix unseasoned bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together in one bowl if you are using the bread crumbs.  Dredge both sides of the thawed chicken breasts in beaten egg white and then in the grated cheese mixture.  Place in skillet and cook 3 – 5 minutes (depending on size of chicken breasts) on medium heat or until cheese is browned.  Turn over, add more butter or oil if necessary, and insert digital thermometer probe, and set to “Poultry” (165 degrees).    Cook until thermometer alarms.

You can also bake these in the oven instead of cooking on the stove top.  Bake at 375 degrees until the digital thermometer set to “Poultry” (165 degrees) alarms.

Simple Pecan Chicken

  • Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • Chopped Pecans in bowl
  • Beaten Egg White in bowl
  • Butter
  • Salt

Melt butter in skillet on stove top on medium-high heat.    Mix chopped pecans with salt to taste in one bowl.  Dredge both sides of the thawed chicken breasts in beaten egg white and then in the pecan mixture.  Place in skillet and cook 2 – 3 minutes on Medium-High heat one side or until browned.  Turn over, add more butter and brown other side of chicken breasts 2 – 3 minutes.

Turn heat down to Medium, and cook 3 – 4 more minutes.   Turn over and insert digital thermometer probe, and set to “Poultry” (165 degrees).   Cook until thermometer alarms.

 

Simple Filets

This method also works well with other steak cuts.

Place thawed meat in gallon-sized plastic zipper bag and pour in some olive oil and shake in some seasoning.  Rub meat with the olive oil and seasoning.  Let sit in a plastic zipper bag overnight in the refrigerator (if you have thought of it the night before).   In the morning, sear the meat on both sides in a skillet on the stove top.  Place seasoned meat in a baking pan.  Insert digital cooking thermometer probe into the center of the the smallest cut of meat – be careful not to insert it so far down that it touches the bottom of the pan.  Set the thermometer for “Beef“.  (I prefer filets cooked to 160 degrees – filets are an excellent cut of meat and it would be a shame to overcook them!)

When the smallest cut of meat is done, take it out of the pan and move the thermometer probe to a larger cut of meat, until all is cooked to the correct temperature (you can skip this step if all your cuts are about the same).

 

Low-Carb Dessert

Low-Carb Pudding

  • Jello Instant Sugar-Free Pudding Mix, one box (many flavors available)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1-1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk (available at the grocery store near the cow’s milk)

Measure cream and almond milk into large Tupperware-type bowl.  Add pudding mix and beat on low speed with hand mixer for about 1 minute.  Do not beat the full 2 minutes as directed on the package because it tends to approach the consistency of butter.  Cover with the lid to the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 5 – 10 minutes.  Serve in individual bowls with light whipped cream.  Yum!  (Note: this is not a low-fat recipe, but it is low-carb.)


Copyright 2012 Kathryn Depew

Have you tried one of these recipes? Please comment below and leave your ideas and suggestions! Would you like to share your simple & healthy recipe? Please contact me!


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One Response to Simple & Healthy Low-Carb Main Dishes ~ And a Dessert

  1. Judi Fikes says:

    Congrats, Kathie on your new blog! I LOVE the recipe suggestions! I will try the pudding next…I have lost 45 pounds on low carb and Joe 70! He is trying for 30 more. Keep up the good work!

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