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!

Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad

I am sorry I thought I took a picture of this beautifully, yummy salad, but I didn't. :(  I know how sad. Well. When I make it again I will take a picture of it and post it. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. :) I brought this dish to our Cub Scout Blue and Gold banquet this tuesday. It was a real hit! Super easy to make, just lots of chopping fresh ingredients. But this is a delicious salad. Totally worth the time chopping veggies. Enjoy!

Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad

2 – 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ears of fresh corn, cooked, and kernals cut off the cob

2 peppers – 1 yellow bell pepper and 1 orange bell pepper

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp minced shallots (1 Medium shallot)

2 tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1-2 Tbsp stevia (optional)

3 passes around the bowl with olive oil

2 limes (The juice of 2 limes)

zest from 1 of the limes

½ cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish (can substitute cilantro)

2 – medium avacado’s diced

1 cucumber, peeled and diced (if using English cucumbers leave peel on)

4 roma tomatoes, diced

1 bunch of green onion stalks (dice the green off the tops of 1 bunch of green onions)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl except the avacado. Cover and chill for a few hours or over night. Right before serving add the avacados and mix gently. *Do not mash the avacados. Garnish with a few sprigs of chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 8-10 people generously

Fruit Salad

Today I had a baby blessing to attend, and then a pot luck meal afterwards. I was asked to bring a fruit salad. I for some reason am a little intimidated by fruit salad. I worry about allergies, and putting the right combination of fruit together, so that everyone will like it. I am a people pleaser... or at least I try to be. I don't recall ever putting together my very own fruit salad, unless it was from the store and or a frozen fruit mixture thing. This today was done all by myself. I cut all the fruit that needed cutting or at least picked it all up from my local grocery store fresh the day before. I had my husband come with me to help me pick out yummy fruit. That was also one way that I could make sure he liked what was in it. Sometimes I do have ulterior motives for why I do things the way I do. With that being said. This was fairly easy to put together, I don't think I will ever use a store prepared one again. It was so fresh and delicious. I would have eaten the whole thing but I decided I would be patient incase there were any leftovers I could bring some home. I was glad I didn't eat it all there, I still had about half of the salad left and brought some home. Now mind you, this makes a TON of fruit salad. It might be good for freezing half of it for when you have several gatherings to go to, or just a HUGE neighborhood get together or family reunion to attend. Even a church pot luck this would be great, because it makes so much.

Ingredients:

2 clam shells black berries
2 clam shells blue berries
2 clam shells strawberries
1 cantaloupe
1/2 a seedless watermelon
7 nectarines
1 big bag of red or green grapes

Directions:

rinse all the black berries and blue berries, place in large bowl, then rinse and drain the strawberries cutting the green stems off and slicing, then adding to the bowl. Cut the cantaloupe and add to the big bowl, then cut the nectarines up and add to the bowl. Cut half of the watermelon up and add to the bowl. Rinse and remove stems from the grapes and add whole or cut to the salad. Toss with two spoons gently, but allow fruit to mix completely. Serve chilled or right away.

Verdict:
This makes a great summer snack for the kids, or even for a pot luck. The fruit was in season and so flavorful. I highly recommend using any fruit that is in season. It cuts the cost down and the flavors will be so tasty. After I was on my way to the pot luck, i realized that kiwi's would have been a yummy addition to this recipe as well. There is no added sugar or flavorings.

Taco Salad

Tonights dinner was a kind of like the saying "when life gives you lemons make lemonaid", kind of night. I wanted to use up a pound of ground beef. I decided I would either make my enchirito's or Tacos. The consensus of the house was Tacos. So I started making tacos. I had purchased a big taco dinner kit, a couple of weeks ago. I was going to use that. Well, the kit came with two packages of 10 tacos, 2 pkg taco seasoning, and two taco sauce packages. I was so excited to have everything I needed. Then I pulled out the taco shells to bake them in the oven, and they are all CRACKED! I just really dislike that... don't you?!

Well, I informed the boys no taco's tonight. They started asking why after I got them excited about dinner. So, I told them nevermind, we would have taco salad instead. I quickly added a few other ingredients, cooked the broken shells and made a delicious thrown together, last minute salad. I had two helpings with extra greens. It was so tasty :)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chili's
1 can refried beans with green chili's and lime
1 pkg taco seasoning with instructed water
1 pkg taco sauce
sour cream
cheese
1 bag mixed salad greens
4 cups spinach
10-20 crushed or broken taco shells

Directions:
Brown ground beef. Then make the taco meat per package instructions, adding water, and taco seasoning to the browned ground beef. After the taco meat is made, add the refried beans, and Rotel tomatoes. Stir to combine.

While the refried beans, taco meat, and Rotel tomato's are heating through, place the taco shells in preheated oven (per package directions), and mix together the mixed salad greens and spinach in a large bowl. set aside

Once the taco meat mixture is heated through remove from burner and turn off stove. Remove the taco shells from the oven (heating them), then start layering your salad.

On each plate, place a generous portion of salad greens/spinach mixture. Then top with taco meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Next sprinkle some taco sauce around the top of the salad, then sprinkle the warmed broken taco shells on top. Larger pieces can be placed around the edge for scooping the salad. Serve warm.

Verdict: I loved it! I really liked the salad. I have some leftover salad mix and taco meat, I will be eating that for lunch tomorrow. :)

Chicken Salad Sandwich with fresh spinach

Today was my first day subbing at my children's school. I didn't want  the ham and cheese I was sending my children with for lunch today, so I made myself some chicken salad with fresh spinach. I had leftover chicken from my chicken cooked last night. I thought it would make a great chicken salad sandwich.

Makes 2-3 sandwiches

Ingredients:
1/2 a slice of red onion - diced
2 dollops of salad dressing/mayo
1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked chicken, chunky diced
1-2 Tbsp Ms. Dash
8-10 leaves of fresh spinach
4-8 slices roma tomatoes
2 -4 slices of bread (any type)

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the diced onion, mayo, chicken, and ms, dash. Lightly toss, incorporating all ingredients while leaving chicken chunks. On 2 slices of bread spread some of the chicken salad mixture. Next layer the Roma tomatoes, and spinach. (use the spinach in place of lettuce). Place another slice of bread on the top of the tomatoes and spinach and cut in half, and enjoy! this is a tasty and healthy alternative.

You can use low fat mayo and even cut it in half. The spinach adds a nice flavor and gives you more essential vitamins than lettuce.  This was a satisfying lunch sandwich that really was tasty :) I really enjoyed the flavor.  I forgot to take a picture of it as I was running late. And lunch was rushed... If you try it, submit a picture of your sandwich. :)

Steak salad with homemade croutons

Ok, so I tried something new tonight. I have never made homemade croutons before. I know that may sound funny. But it's true. I think they turned out pretty good.

My salad had the steak that I marinaded the other day, the recipe for the marinade is in a previous post. Then I broiled it for 5 min on each side. It was a flank steak. I let it rest for 5 min. Then sliced it into small pieces. I put the pieces over a salad mix and cucumbers. Then I cut up some homemade bread I had made last week that was getting a little stale, into small cubes. Then I put them in a single layer on a jelly roll pan. Drizzled it with olive oil to lightly coat the bread. Lightly tossed it to coat all bread pieces. Then I sprinkled a packet of ranch dressing on the bread cubes, then lightly tossed it to try to coat the bread. Then placed in a preheated oven at 400F. For 10 min then tossed and set it for another 10 min. They came out nice and toasty and yummy. I placed them on top of the salad and then I drizzled with a store bought BBQ sauce.

The verdict... SO TASTY... It was an amazing salad. I highly recommend it!