Brussel Sprouts... Not as boring as you think!!!

One of the most delicious appetizers I have ever had are yam fries. I don't eat them anymore and I miss them a lot!! But... It just so happens I have found a substitution for the crispy yummy treats!!..(^_^) I was reading a magazine not too long ago and came across one of Jennifer Love Hewitt's favorite 'not so naughty' treats. She said she likes roasted brussel sprouts. I assumed she was being just plain silly, because how could brussel sprouts be a "Treat"??.... But I did think the method of cooking them looked interesting... So I made them... And they are to die for!! They remind me so much of yam fries and roasting them completely changes their taste! (Well.... The awful taste that my taste buds remember, from being forced to eat them as a child... ) Yams have approx 37.5g of carbs per 1 cup (you can minus 5.3g of fiber from that total), and brussel sprouts only have 7.9g carbs per 1 cup (minus 3.3g fiber), making them a  much better choice for a low carb diet. 

Sunday night I made rosemary garlic chicken breasts, roasted brussel sprouts & asparagus. I also whipped up a  yummy  spicy garlic mayo dip. 

I have made the roasted little treats with both fresh and frozen sprouts. I find fresh works best, as they tend to turn out crispier.  

Crispy Sprouts :

Cut the brussel sprouts in 1/2 and put them in a bowl. Add a few Tbsp of olive oil, a dash of sea salt and pepper (and any other interesting herbs and spices you might want to experiment with) and toss. 

Then lay them face down on a non-stick pan ( I usually use my Teflon baking mat that my gorgeous Mama gave me after falling in love with hers, but I used that for my asparagus)...

I then pop em' in the oven at 400* for about 15minutes. I keep checking them every 5-7minutes to make sure they don't get too brown on their little bottoms. When the bottoms get to desired crispiness, I turn them over onto their backs and put them back in for a few more minutes. The timing all depends on how crispy you like them. 

Roasted Asparagus:

I love love love Asparagus. It is so delicious and so good for you!! It has 5.2g carbs per 1 cup (minus from that 2.8g fiber). I can say though, that nothing is worse than having to eat mushy asparagus. My way of taking this little mushy problem away is by roasting!

I start by snapping off the woody ends of the little guys, because aside from the awful mushiness the chewy bottoms are just as annoying!. (I saw on the food network how to do this and get it right every time!. You just grab it an inch or 2 from the tip, and then grab the bottom end in your other hand and bend the stalk... It will break at the right place everytime. Every piece is different, and this way you don't waste any of the good parts, and you won't get any unpleasant bites of the hard parts..)

I then line them up on a baking sheet (in this case I used a cookie sheet covered by my Teflon mat). Pour some olive oil onto them, not a lot, just enough to lightly coat them when rolled around. I also add a little bit of sea salt and pepper and usually another herb or spice.. I find some fresh or dried thyme goes really well with asparagus..

I threw them in the oven with the brussel sprouts at the same temperature, but the asparagus only takes about 10-15 minutes, taking it and rolling them around at about half time.

While they were both in the oven and my chicken was cooking away, I made a "Mmmm!!" spicy mayo to dip the brussel sprouts in. 

Spicy Mayo:

I swear that every time I make this stuff I do something different, but Sunday night I used REAL mayo, garlic, pepper, Frank's red hot sauce (buffalo wing flavored one), and some dill. For the garlic, I smash it and chop it and fry it in a pan with some butter so that it has a nuttier taste and isn't so hot and harsh. I just eyeball the ingredients and taste it as I go along to see how I'm liking the outcome. 

When the brussel sprouts and asparagus were done roasting I took this picture to show you what they look like when they are done (for my liking anyways).. (and yes, my camera is AWFUL, but I hope to upgrade very soon).. 

This is what my dinner used to look like......

This is what my plate looks like now..... Mmmm!! 

Enjoy ♥

Spaghetti Squishes

This is one of my absolute favorites!!

Spaghetti is one of my all time favorite meals and I never dreamed I could give it up.... Until this little culinary invention happened. Well, until I did it my way. I’m sure lots of people have made it, but nobody's Spaghetti Squishes taste like mine!! 

You will need:

1 or more Spaghetti Squash (Squishes :D)

Pasta sauce (I usually use the cheap stuff in the can... No need to pay more than $2.00 for pasta sauce!!)

Parmesan Cheese

Havarti Cheese (or any type of cheese you prefer)

Olive Oil

Hamburger

Peppers (I use all different colors)

Garlic

Onion (I usually use yellow, although it does give the recipe a slightly different flavor if you use a red onion)

Mushrooms

Zucchini

Basil

Chives

Salt and Pepper

Directions: 

I start by cutting the squash in 1/2 and placing it in a baking dish that has a lid, hole side up. I then smash and chop some garlic and put it into a bowl, along with some basil, chives, and some salt and pepper. Brush the flavored oil all over the inside and top edges of the squash. Cover and bake. I usually bake it at about 375* and I don't really time it. I actually never time anything when cooking, I just take it out when it looks done or feels done when I poke it with a fork. . 

While the squash is baking in the oven (you will notice it starts to smell a bit like garlic bread.. Mmmm.. I do miss garlic bread...) I start on the sauce. 

I put the hamburger in a heavy bottom saucepan, and when it is almost brown I add a chopped onion. Then after a few minutes I add the chopped peppers. zucchini,  some, smashed and chopped, garlic along with basil and salt and pepper. I add the mushrooms last and let them cook a bit and when they are just starting to look like the heat is getting to them I add the pasta sauce. It would be ideal for me to make the sauce from scratch and eliminate the, sugar and corn syrup and so on, but sometimes I just don't have time. (and I guess I choose to ignore those ingredients because I'm not eating the pasta. Oh god, just typing this out just makes me realize that I really need to start making sauce from scratch!!.... But....baby steps right??) 

I let it simmer away until the Squash is done. I spoon the meat sauce into the "Squishes" and cover them with cheese and a bit of Parmesan and bake them at 375* for about 15 minutes. I broil them with the lids off for an extra few minutes to make the cheese bubbly and browned. 

They are so delicious I can't even begin to explain the taste, and I don't miss the pasta one bit!! 

(The picture below is one that I found, not my own.... I add more cheese :)

Hello Everyone, Hellooo....

I am new to the blogging world and it will take time before things are running smoothly, but I promise I will do my best. I started this blog because I have recently changed my lifestyle and the way I eat and I FEEL GREAT!! The blog is called 'Low Carb Love' because that is exactly how I eat. Low Carb. A lot of people that eat low carb are probably a bit more strict with ingredients than I am, but this is what works for me. I don't eat grains, flour, pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, or high sugar foods. (Well, most of the time.... We all have our weaknesses ♥). At first it was really hard to cook and live without those foods and ingredients but now that I am learning how to substitute and exclude them in my recipes, cooking low carb is actually quite easy, not to mention delicious!!  I used to feel sluggish after eating and would feel hungry again within a few hours which would often lead to snacking on high carb foods that I had always been taught were 'healthy'. Thanks to a very good friend, (: and sometimes co-worker and boss :), over the last 3-4 years I have been getting tidbits of information regarding the truth about carbs. I am currently reading a book called "Good Calories Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Taubes. The information provided is astonishing. I hope everyone likes my tips and recipes!!