Egg Roll in a Bowl

Egg Roll in a Bowl

This is a very low carb dinner. the carbs are in the vegetables. Which to me means, no carb, since those are some of the best carbs to eat. :) As I'm trying to keep my blood sugars under control and find foods that are low in carbs and healthy and filling, I am looking on Pinterest for ideas. This recipe I found on Pinterest and it made enough to feed our family of 5. I had a full plate, my other family members had a slightly smaller portion as they are not huge fans of cabbage. They still ate it all and said it was delicious. That is saying a lot. The original recipe I found called for ground ginger or fresh ginger... I had neither so I made mine without. It might be even better if you like the flavor of ginger... I think it's more of an acquired taste. Each to his own. So, Here is the original recipe. Mine is listed below :)

Egg roll in a bowl

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 lb ground beef or ground pork (NOT sausage)
6 cups sliced/chopped cabbage (I used regular green cabbage, but napa or red would be good too)
2 cups shredded carrots (4g carbs per 1/4 c serving)
1 med onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic (I used refrigerated pre minced)
1/4 c Braggs Amino Acid (less than 2g of carbs per meal)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a large skillet or wok, season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to med-high add onion and sesame oil, heat until onions are translucent. Add garlic and amino's to the pan and stir. Next add the cabbage and stir. Cook for a few minutes stirring and mixing to help the cabbage soften and wilt. The cabbage will reduce in size. Add the carrots and heat through, stirring to incorporate together. Once carrots are incorporated and warmed, and cabbage is softened. It is done... Serve :)

Serve warm.

Serves 4-6

Notes:
This recipe is quick. The longest part will be the chopping and shredding. Best to chop cabbage and shred carrots before starting this recipe. This recipe would be good with ground pork as well.

Banana Pancakes or 3 Ingredient Pancakes

Banana Pancakes

Aka  3-ingredient pancakes

These pancakes are my second favorite pancakes thus far, in my quest to find the best low carb pancake solution. I know it's crazy that I'm searching for the best pancakes. But it could be worse. :)

These pancakes are moist, and very banana nut bread flavored. I'm thinking a more browned banana would have tasted better. My banana wasn't too soft, these will be great with a bit of walnuts or pecans mixed in or coconut flakes for added texture. I also found this recipe on Pinterest. (are you noticing a pattern here?) These are super fast and easy to make. Great for if your in a rush and don't want to pull out the blender or mixer. These can be quickly made with a fork and a bowl. The flavor is very banana, and it has a kind of spongy texture. I kept thinking while I was eating them that they needed a little something different, maybe I wanted the nut crunch like banana nut bread but these were good and quick. I ate these with just a little butter on each pancake. No syrup or added any thing else.

Ingredients:

1 banana

2 eggs

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mash the banana with a fork, add the eggs and mix together. Add the cinnamon, mix together. Cook on heated griddle until browned, flip, brown and enjoy! :)

Super easy and fast. Enjoy!

Please let me know if you add any other ingredients to this and how you feel they turned out.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

I have been trying a bunch of low carb or no carb breakfast pancakes, to help me keep a lower blood sugar during this pregnancy. We love, I mean LOVE pancakes for breakfast here at my house. I can't have the regular pancakes because there are too many carbs, plus the sugar from the syrup. Therefore I've been scouring Pinterest for low carb or no carb pancakes and trying each one, to see which one I like the best. I found this recipe on Pinterest, and I halved it, since I was only feeding myself. These are the most "Pancakey" (I'm saying it's a real word) like pancakes. They are fluffy, and don't run when you pour the batter on the griddle. They make a thick batter. However, I thought the consistency was odd. Not bad, just odd. Very spongy. I don't know if I will make these again, but they were definitely interesting to make. I enjoyed the option to make these out of cottage cheese, and eggs. I generally love cottage cheese, and eggs of course. However, if you want pancakes that look like pancakes, but don't really taste like pancakes... These are for you. They will work for me in a pinch in the future.

Ingredients:

3/4 c cottage cheese

3 eggs

a pinch of kosher salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 c flour

1-2 dash cinnamon

1/4 tsp double strength vanilla

Directions:

Mix the eggs together until light in color. Separately blend cottage cheese until smooth in appearance. (I used an attachment to my submersible blender that acts like a food processor.) Once done, mix together with whisk the egg and cottage cheese, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Once all those are incorporated together add the vanilla and cinnamon. Heat griddle, spray with non-stick spray, and pour on griddle. Cooking @ 350 for about 1-2 min each side, then flip. Both sides should be browned. 

Serve with fresh fruit topping, or agave nectar.

Breaking News!!! Philly Steak Salad and Low Carb Cream Cheese Pancakes

Baby JellyBean #4 Due June 3, 2015

OK, I know it's been a while since I've updated this blog. I apologize, I have been under the weather and sick. I found out a year ago I was a diabetic and have been trying to get my blood sugars under control. That being said, I also just found out that I'm pregnant with baby #4... It's my 5th pregnancy but 4th baby (so far). I am still diabetic, with crazy blood sugar. My Dr. said I need to get it below 95 fasting and 140 when I eat or I'll be put on insulin. I am doing everything I can NOT to go on insulin. I have made a dramatic change since last night. After I realized that the "diabetic diet" I got from my Dr was still putting my blood sugars way out of whack! I am going to do a no carb or low carb eating from now on. I plan on cutting out all processed carbs like rice, bread, pasta, and even potatoes (except sweet potatoes). It will be a lot like a mixture of Atkins (r) and Paleo. I plan on eating lots of veggies and meats, while limiting several fruits and carbs. I am hoping this will help my body to work better and lower my blood sugar. I have already seen a drastic change since last night and this morning. That is saying something.

My average after meal BS level was between 250 and 350 with medication. My fasting BS average was between 150 and 220 depending on what I had for dinner the night before and if I had any snacks between dinner and bedtime.  Those numbers will make me have to be on insulin. I decided last night to try something... This was not what I wanted... I wanted to lower my BS numbers, not raise them.

Last night, I made Philly Steak subs for my hubby and kids. I emphasize Steak as I had cut up actual steaks and not those thin pieces from the freezer section. While they had it on hoagie buns, I had mine on a bed of lettuce, with extra bell peppers, onion and mushrooms.  It was delicious and filling. I did crave something sweet after dinner, but I think in time that will go away. I didn't have my after dinner snack either. My BS level an hour after eating was 165. That was a good start to being around where it needed to be. This morning my fasting BS was 121... that is a HUGE difference then the day before. So for breakfast I decided NO carbs or very low carb intake.  So I made low carb pancakes. OMGoodness! They were so delicious and easy to make, plus... I could eat every one I made! :) They were very crepe like and sweet enough without syrup on top, or anything extra added. Talk about delicious! I may need to make those again, later today or tomorrow for breakfast just because they are so good! I've posted the recipe and a pic or two of the dinner and breakfast.

I am planning on adding more recipes, reviews and updates to this pregnancy and diabetes as it affects me as the months progress. Thanks for stopping in and leave a message to say HI!

Philly Steak and Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

4 oz steak, sliced thin

1/2 cup diced bell peppers

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (bella)

1/4 to 1/2 cup diced onion

1 Tsp dried Italian seasoning (the kind for spaghetti)

1 Tsp seasoning salt

1-2 Tbsp oil

1 slice swiss cheese

1 slice yellow american cheese

Directions:

Sauté bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms in the oil and season with Italian seasoning; until onions are translucent and bell peppers are softened. Add thinly sliced steak and season with seasoning salt. continue to sauté until beef is cooked all the way through. Add the cheese slices to the top of piled beef and veggies. Add about 1-2 Tbsp water and cover once cheese is placed on top, and let heat and melt cheese for about 1 min or 30 sec. depending on how thick the cheese slices are. Remove and place on bed of lettuce. No dressing needed. Enjoy! 

Low Carb Cream Cheese Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 oz cream cheese

1-2 Tbsp Agave Nectar

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together. I used a cup attachment to my Ninja blender. Heat griddle or pan sprayed with non stick spray until hot. Pour batter on heated griddle in (4) 4-6 inch size pancakes. Flip after about 1-2 min when sides are dull looking and bubbly. Make entire amount of batter. Enjoy when all cooked. * These are very thin and crepe in texture. They will cook quickly and spread fast. 

** These pancakes are so delicious and are only 2 grams of Carbs per 4-6 in pancake. If you are allowed 15-20 grams of carbs for breakfast. Then you get the whole stack of pancakes, with no guilt! Even if they look like mine and fall apart because they are so thin, that's ok!  :) they still taste delicious!