Friday, November 9, 2007

Goth is in again.. like it ever left?

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/78106/weve-gone-goth

Ga-ga for Goths

Why are people online excited by the dark attitude of Goths once again?

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Friday, August 31, 2007

My new fave band...

The Horrors...

Check 'em out here...

http://www.myspace.com/thehorrors

Me And My Damned Pork Rinds!!!

Pork Rinds.

I love them.

Why? How about this:

According to Men's Health,Genuis Junk Food

A 1-ounce serving contains zero carbohydrates, 17 grams (g) of protein, and 9 g fat. That's nine times the protein and less fat than you'll find in a serving of carb-packed potato chips. Even better, 43 percent of a pork rind's fat is unsaturated, and most of that is oleic acid -- the same healthy fat found in olive oil. Another 13 percent of its fat content is stearic acid, a type of saturated fat that's considered harmless, because it doesn't raise cholesterol levels.


High in Sodium:


Yep, they are... however, they are about as high in sodium as potato chips, and if you don't eat much salt to begin with-- well, I think they are worth it.

So that's my stance on the Pork Rind thing.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Heartbreaking; Hate Crime results in death of Goth Girl

Honestly, when I first heard about this, I thought it was a hoax. It had to be... right? Not so.

Here's the page to get updated info on this story:


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20070824/tuk-goth-girl-dies-after-gang-attack-in-45dbed5_4.html

Goth Girl Dies After Gang Attack In Park

SkyNews

By Sky News SkyNews - Friday, August 24 01:48 pm


A 20-year-old woman attacked by a gang in a Lancashire park has died.


Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend were set upon while walking through Stubbylee Park in Bacup on August 11.

They were both beaten up in a vicious assault.

Miss Lancaster was left in a coma with serious head and facial injuries and died this morning.

Her boyfriend Robert Maltby, 21, was also left in a coma with bleeding on the brain but has recovered.

He had been briefly let out of hospital on Wednesday to visit Miss Lancaster.

The pair, both from Bacup, have been described as "Goths" who usually dress in black and wear heavy face make-up.

It is understood the couple had been targeted in the past because of the way they dressed and looked.

Five male youths have been already been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Police said those charges would now be the subject of a review by detectives and the Crown Prosecution Service.

A 15-year-old and a 17-year-old have been remanded in custody, while two 15-year-olds and a 17-year-old were released on bail.

They were all due to appear before Burnley Youth Court on September 27.


Politics and Low Carb?

Well, uhm.. yeah. Sugar is the biggest enemy of Low Carbers-- and most everyone else, too. With sugar and corn syrup as ingredients in almost EVERYTHING, it's easy to understand why Americans are getting fatter and fatter.

But why would food manufacturers sell what amounts to poison to us, their loyal consumers?

Politics and of course, profit.

Take a look at this article:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pubs/cashingin_sugar/sugar03.html

And then this one...

Sugar Industry Tries to Block World Health Initiative on Obesity

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jun/2/sugar_industry.htm

No wonder Diabetes is reaching epidemic status in America.


Sunday, August 26, 2007

Pics of Bats Day at the Park here...

My band played the pre-event at Bats day this year. It was a blast!
Here's where to find pix!

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/08/24/goth_day_at_disneyla.html

Friday, August 3, 2007

Erica's (Raven's) Cajun-Style Boiled Ribs

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Ribs:

6 pounds country style ribs, bone in, cut into 3 inch pieces
Old Bay Seasoning 4 tablespoons
4 ribs celery
2 onions, quartered
5-6 cloves garlic peeled
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar-free chicken bouillon paste
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sage

Put the ribs into a large pot, combine with ingredients, fill the pot with water enough to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 45 minutes and remove from the heat immediately. Remove the ribs with a slotted spoon or spatula and place in a glass bowl.

Discard veggies, save broth for soups by letting it cool and then pouring into single serving sized freezer baggies.

Sauce:

¼ cup oil
1 onion chopped fine
1 tablespoon sugar-free chicken bouillon paste
2 cups mild Salsa (lowest carb count you can find)
½ cup low carb ketchup, either store bought (Hunt's—1Carb ) or homemade
1- ½ teaspoons maple extract
1 teaspoon splenda
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Caramelize onion in butter, cooking very slowly. (This is important-- it gives the sauce a certain sweet stickiness that you can't get using artificial sweeteners.)

Combine the rest of the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, simmer for about a half hour. Let cool.

Pre-heat the broiler on high.

Finishing up the ribs:

Line a Lasagna sized baking pan with foil, spoon 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of the pan, then lay out the ribs in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the ribs. Use a basting brush to make sure all the ribs are fully covered. Place about 6 inches under the broiler cook 5-10 minutes. Check for carmelization of the ribs, then remove. Don't let them actually blacken.


Nutritional Information:

Ribs: trace of carbs:
Sauce:

Onion: about 1 cup chopped: = 11.8
Sugar Free Bullion Paste: = 1 gram Carb
Salsa , 2 Cups= 32 grams of Carb
Low Carb Ketchup: = 16 grams Carb
Maple Extract: 0 grams Carb
1 teaspoon Splenda Granular: = 1 gram Carb
1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce:= 0 grams Carb
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder:= trace grams Carb

Total Grams per recipe: 63.8 grams carb.


Total Grams per Serving: 7.975 grams carb.
*Keep in mind you will have sauce leftover—bringing your carb count down a bit, depending on how much sauce you use.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Baked Mushrooms

This is a simple but surprisingly hearty and filling side dish.

Ingredients:

1 pound large white mushrooms
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 tablespoon Onion Powder
1 tablespoon Granulated Garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Clean mushrooms and remove hard part of stem. Place mushrooms in a 9x12 glass baking dish, cap up.

Drizzle oil over the mushrooms, then sprinkle with seasonings.

Bake at 400 degrees, (turning once or twice) for 45 minutes to an hour.

Carbs Per Mushroom: 0.8 g
Per serving (6 per serving) : 4.8 grams carb
Large serving: (10) 8.0 grams carb

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

I'm Takin' My Country Back Fauxtato Salad

In honor of Independence day! A plea for the return of our Civil Rights! Without further ado...


I'm Takin' My Country Back Fauxtato Salad

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked cauliflower, chopped
1 cup boiled turnips, cubed
1 cup raw celery, diced
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 green onion, minced
1/2 cup mayo, more if needed
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 TB minced parsley
1 tsp chopped Dill pickle
1 packet Splenda
dash of garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

To Prepare:

Chill all ingredients before combining. Mix all together in a large bowl. Check seasonings. Pack into a 1 quart container and let it chill in fridge for at least 3 hours (overnight is better).

Cauliflower : 1 cup boiled, drained with salt: cup
(1" pieces 2.55g x2 = 5.1 grams carb

Turnips: 1 cup boiled with salt, cubed: 7.89

Celery : 1 cup chopped: 3.00

Hard Boiled Egg = 0.56 x 3 = 0.168

1 green onion, tops only minced = 0.68

Boars' Head Mustard, Delicatessen Style : 1 tsp= 0 grams

Pickles: Kosher Dills, Mini Claussen, 1 chopped: 1 gram

Makes about a quart of salad with 16 carbs net = 8 half cup servings @ 2 carbs each.
Total Carbs for entire recipe= 17.158
6 servings: 2.8 grams carbs per serving


* The Carb count has been checked using the USDA Nutritional Database by R.

For When You're Really Feeling Deprived...

This is unbelievably decadent Southern Style Country Food...

Chicken "Fried" Ribs

Ingredients:

  • 2 Lbs of Country Style pork Ribs, boneless.
  • Soy Sauce, about 1/4 ( rub it all over the ribs)
  • DaVinci sugar-free low carb maple syrup about 1/4 cup- rub all over ribs.
  • 2 cups Crushed Pork Rinds
  • Pinch Paprika, Garlic (Granulated), Lawry's Seasoned Salt
  • Mayonnaise 1/4 cup

Slather the Soy sauce and Maple Syrup all over the ribs. Let ribs sit for a day or so in the fridge.

Pre-heat oven to 400.

Place a large corning ware dish into the oven, add one tablespoon of peanut oil.

Slather each of the ribs in Mayonnaise and then roll in crushed pork rinds that have been seasoned with a little Lawry's seasoned salt, granulated garlic, and paprika.

Put each of the ribs into the corning ware dish, and cover with the rest of the pork rind mixture.

Turn the ribs over in 1/2 hour, turn down the heat to 350.

Cook for another half hour to 45 minutes.

Drain in paper towel covered colander, and enjoy.

Serving with Salsa/Sour Cream Dip, and maybe a small salad. Fauxtatoes goes well as a side dish.

This recipe has trace amount of carbs for the entire recipe.

Another Great Fried Fish Recipe

Crispy Crunchy Fish
Raven's variation on a theme....


Ingredients:

  • Parmesan cheese (finely grated from a can)
  • Almond flour (meal)
  • Golden flaxseed meal
  • (Optional) Finely crushed pork rinds for extra crunch; lowers the total carb count.
  • 1 tablespoon sugar free Mayonnaise
  • Cajun seasoning or seasoning of your choice
  • Fish fillets that are fresh or thawed (I love to use catfish pieces that are the size of large nuggets)
  • Oil for deep fat frying (I used Canola)

How To Prepare:

Mix equal parts of the Parmesan cheese, almond flour and golden flaxseed meal in a bowl or pie plate. Season the mixture if you'd like with the seasoning of your choice (I used Cajun seasoning). Don't add salt, the Parmesan Cheese is salty enough.

Set aside.

Slather a thin coating of Mayonnaise on the fish pieces, roll in breading mixture.

Heat up your oil 'till it sizzles when you flick a drop of water into it.


Fry the fish a few pieces at a time until golden brown--about 3-5 minutes each side.

Drain on paper towels.
I served this with a fantastic dip...mayo mixed with Cajun seasoning and minced garlic.

Another favorite; Sour Cream with salsa.

(1) I have made this using Crushed Pork Rinds instead of the Almond Meal, which I didn't have at the time. I still got awesome results. It's great with all four breading ingredients, though. For a real kick, use Salt and Vinegar flavored Pork Rinds.

(2) The breading reminded me a lot of what I remember from the Church Picnic Fish Frys I went to as a kid, in Southern Illinois. Definitely the best thing about having to go to church!

Nutritional Info:

almond meal: 5 grams
Parmesan Cheese: 0 grams
pork rinds: 0 grams
flax meal: 4 grams
fish :0 grams
mayo :0 grams
spices :1 gram

Total Grams per recipe: 9

Recipe: Raven's Mock Cannelloni

This is what I made today.

T'was YUMMY!

Raven's Mock Cannelloni


Ingredients:

8 -10 slices Oven Roasted Turkey from the deli,( I use Boars' Head, so I don't have to worry about Nitrates and Fillers-- get it sliced to medium thickness.)

1 8 oz container of full fat Ricotta Cheese

4 tablespoons Medium Salsa (2 grams carbs per 2 Tablespoons)

A handful sliced Crimini Mushrooms

1 cup shredded Mexi-Mixed Cheese.

Instructions:

Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Take one slice of Turkey and fill with about a teaspoon of ricotta cheese. Roll it and place it "seams" down in a glass pie plate. Repeat with all the turkey slices and ricotta until you've filled the pie plate. Spoon in the Salsa, spread it over the turkey rolls with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the mushrooms over the top, then the shredded Mexi-Cheese.

Place in oven and bake, about half an hour to forty minutes-- or until cheese is bubbling.

Should have no more than 10 grams of carbohydrate for the entire dish.

Nutritional Info:

Turkey: 0 grams carbs
Ricotta Cheese : 7.6 grams carb for 1 cup
Salsa : 4 grams for 2 tablespoons
Shredded Mexi-Cheese: 0.2 grams carbs per 1 cup
Sliced Crimini Mushrooms: 1.5 grams carb per 1/2 cup


Total Carbs: 13.3
Per Serving (2) 6.65
Per Serving (4) 3.325





Why Another Low Carb Blog?

I'm a big fan of Low Carb...because it works.

I think that there are a lot of misconceptions about my diet-- which is the 1972 version of Atkins.

It means I have no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate per day. Not Net Carbs, Carbs.

Well, so far since late May of this year I've lost 21 lbs... easily. Things I'll likely do with this blog:

Post some of my original recipes,
Pontificate about the evils of the sugar industry,
Post links to sites and other Bloggers,
List Books and Articles I find helpful,
Talk about the differences between Atkins '72 and Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution (DANDR)
...And I'll probably talk about day-to-day-Low Carbing, joys, trials and tribulations...

Here's one of my favorite recipes, which I have when I'm feeling nostalgic for Soul Food.

Raven's Southern (Oven) Fried Catfish
Atkins's Induction Friendly (Both '72 and DANDR)

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

Catfish, 6 fillets
1 egg
1 large bag of Mission Chiccarones (Pork Rinds)
2 Tablespoons Paprika
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Lowry's seasoning salt
1 Teaspoon Cumin
2 Teaspoons Granulated Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Granulated Splenda
1/2 stick of butter

Directions:

Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place a 9x12 pyrex baking dish with 1/2 stick of butter in oven.
Beat egg in small bowl, pour into pie plate.

Using a rolling pin, crush chiccarones in the bag, till they form very fine crumbs. Add seasonings. Pour *some* of the breading into a shallow pie plate. Dip each fillet into beaten egg, drain off excess, and then press into breading mixture in the pie plate. Turn the fillet over, and bread the other side. Place onto a plate. Repeat this procedure with all the fillets.

By now, the butter should be melted and sizzling. Place all fillets in baking dish, sprinkle with a handful for crushed pork rinds. Cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn fillets, and lower heat to 350. Cook for an additional 15-30 minutes. Remove from oven, place fillets on a plate with paper towels to drain grease. Serve with Mustard, Turnip and Collard Greens, Cauliflower Dirty "rice" Cajun style. (Recipes to follow.)

This recipe should only have a trace of carbs per serving.