Sunday, September 28, 2008

BUNS!!! Almost 0 carb!

Hey y'all!

This is what I'm having for lunch today.

Raven's Mushroom/Asiago burger with"Bun".

Fixin's:

I sauteed 1/2 inch of onion (thin rings) with about a 1/4 cup sliced mushroom in butter, with granulated garlic. Then I set it aside.

Then, I took about three or four handfuls of pork rinds and crushed them in my hands (till I had a little more than half a cup) and added 1 egg, and two small handfuls of Mexi-melt cheese, and mixed them well. (It's a dry mix, don't be put off by this.

I added a little granulated garlic and basil to the mix for seasoning.

I poured about a tablespoon and a half of peanut oil into a crepe pan, and made two patties out of the mixture. (It tends to be prone to falling apart-- however, I'm stubborn-- I got two hand sized buns out of this, with a small "bonus bun" leftover. That one became a snack.

Then I fried them (on low medium heat) till they were golden brown on one side-- flipped them, and cooked them till they were golden brown on the other side.

Then I took some organic ground beef-- seasoned it with Trader Ho's beef grill seasoning, and made it into a patty to fit the "buns" I'd just made. I cooked it till just a little over medium rare.

I put the Onion/Mushroom mixture on top of the burger and covered that with two thin slices of Asiago cheese. I covered the whole thing with a lid that fit the pan, cooked for about 4 minutes or so-- until the cheese was well melted. I let it cool for about 2 minutes.

Then I placed the burger on one slice of the "bun" and slathered mustard over the other one, and topped the burger.

The completed burger held up all day-- I tend to eat one quarter of a burger at a time, with about 2 hours between each mini-meal. The bun did not get too soggy.

Oh. My. Heavens!!!YUMMMY.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

A Low Carbing Black Woman Revisits Turnips...

Turnips are a great Low Carb food.

However they elicit a response from me-- that is almost visceral.

Why?

When I was a very little girl, I knew this very old Lady-- her mother had actually been a slave-- she was about six years old when she was freed. Some of the slaves were not freed at the time of the Emancipation Proclamation-- because they could not read, and *some* of the slave owners did not enlighten their slaves about the situation.... regardless... I got a great recipe out of this.. and the fact that this is a recipe from my past-- from someone I knew-- who went through the experiences she did...makes it even more meaningful. My grandmother let This wonderful Older Lady live on our property in Mounds, Illinois, until she died.

Anyway-- this lady was nearly a hundred years old when I knew her-- and I was about five or six, myself. She made the best Turnips I've ever had in my life. Lots of butter. Pepper, and salt and garlic and onion. And that was it. She stewed them ...forever and a day... but they were GOOD.

And she lived a long, long time. That should tell you something. Think about what she lived through. This should tell you something. Low Carb is GOOD for you.

One of the things I remember that she did was to put fatback in the pan and get it browned before adding the turnips and the water. And I think she might of soaked the turnips in salt water for about an hour before she cooked them. Maybe half an hour.

**; also Mr. Rabbitt, who drove me on the bus to the little schoolhouse in Mounds where my Grandma taught..to Mr and Mrs. Schurlock who lived down the hill, and my very first friends--Maria and Jan.

I miss you all, very much.
__________________

How To Cut Your Meat Budget

It's expensive to be on a Low Carb Diet.. here's an article on how to cut those prices...

Survival As A Low Carber During Times Of Emergency

So-- with all the brouhaha around this election, and hubbub around Hurricane Ike, and possibility of riots (I live in Seattle-- home of the WTO riots)-- I thought it might be a good idea to think about how to prepare for emergencies or disasters.

Let's face it-- Low Carbers have very specific needs-- and if the only foods available are granola bars—or high sugar foods handed out by rescue workers.. well, we're in trouble.

I grew up in Southern Illinois and Southern Indiana and I got used to being snowed in-- two weeks out of the year.

And, just my opinion, but losing your job also qualifies for the designation of disaster. In these crazy economic times I think it's very important to be prepared. So here we go.

Oh, and if you're reading this and have suggestions, please feel free to comment!

So on to my list and suggestions.

I've got some large quantities listed here, but you don't have to buy all of this at once! Check sales at drugstores and Costco and buy in quantity when the items listed are on sale. I'd store this food in a couple of foot lockers or a few of boxes in the basement or a closet. If you're lucky enough to have a pantry, you may want to section off a part of it as “Emergency Only”.

Because there may not be power-- the foods listed here are foods which do not require refrigeration that will be safe to use during an emergency situation:

First the obvious:

(And this is for dire emergencies-- like flood, fire, getting trapped in your car)

Atkins Shakes, canned, two or three dozen (for the car 1 dozen)

Atkins Bars, 3 boxes (for the car, 1 box)

Lots of bottled water (for the car 1 dozen)

Vitamin packs (1 dozen for the car)

Emergen'cy packs sugar-free ( 1 container)


MEATS

Canned meats: Tuna, Salmon, Chicken, Corned Beef, Ham, fish(sardines, kippers, herring) 6- 1 dozen each

Spam , 1 dozen

Deviled Meat , 1 dozen

Canned cocktail sausages , 1 dozen

Beef Jerky 6- dozen packages

Pork Rinds 2 or 3 dozen large bags


VEGETABLES:

Canned Vegetables, Spinach, Mushrooms, Olives, Artichoke Hearts,Asparagus, tomatoes

get at least 6 cans of each


OTHER CANNED GOODS

Canned Salsa (lowest carb brand you can find)

Chicken Broth, 6-12 each

Beef Broth, 6-12 each

Cream of Mushroom Soup , 6 each

Canned Macadamia Nuts 1-2 dozen cans

Canned Salsa, 6 each

Bottled Water, 2 cases per person

Diet Soda, 2-3 dozen cans or 6 per person


LEGUMES:

Canned Black Soy Beans, 1 dozen


DRY GOODS

(For these items I heartily recommend investing in a Vacuum Sealer-- the better to protect your food from water or contamination. )

TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) Sealed

Powdered Eggs

Soy Protein Powder (unflavored)

Dreamfields Pasta, All Types, 1 or 2 dozen

Crystal Light To Go , 4 o 5 cartons containing 10 packs each

Splenda Packets (individual)

Stevia

Shiritaki Mushrooms



The Prosecution of George W. Bush For Murder

It's a joke, right?

Some sort of Left-Wing propagandist fantasy?

Ah--no.

The author of the book "The Prosecution of George W. Bush For Murder" happens to be Vincent Bugliosi, a very famous prosecutor-- in fact he's the prosecutor who put Charlie Manson away.

He's got a very long and distinguished record as a lawyer and prosecutor; Bugliosi successfully prosecuted 105 out of 106 felony jury trials, including 21 murder convictions without a single loss.

He also happens to be the author of the classic best-selling true crime book “Helter Skelter” .

He wrote best-sellers on the Kennedy Assassination, and the O.J. Simspon Trial.

So why is this renowned writer's work suddenly blacklisted from the media? He has the Cred. He has the contacts, and a track record. But he's made the mistake of laying out a case in which George W. Bush can indeed, be prosecuted for murder. How?

Check out this article to find out for yourself.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

How I'm feelin' today

Axis: Bold as Love..

Change is gonna come....

Change.....

Friday, September 12, 2008

Preventing Voter Fraud:

Current conditions in the U.S. election system have shattered the basis for confidence in results:
  • Millions of voters are illegally denied the right to vote.
  • Votes are counted by computers that can produce any result, regardless of the voters' real votes.
  • Exit polls, used worldwide to detect suspicious election results, are altered to match official totals.
Here's where to go to take action:

Thursday, September 11, 2008

My Asian-Style Shrimp and Scallop Stir-Fry

Miracle Noodles? Otherwise known as Shirataki Noodles?

Hmmmmmn. A lot of folks think they're weird. But, as a low carber-- I acknowledge that we often eat weird food. But this stuff is awesome.

Shirataki Noodles can be found at your local Asian Grocery, or online at Konjac Foods.

Here's an explanation of what they are, where they come from:

"

What are Konjac Foods?

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a water-soluble dietary fiber derived from the root of the Konjac plant. Konjac foods, also called Shirataki Nooldes In Japan, made from Konjac Glucomannan, are traditional Chinese foods with a history spanning over two thousand years. Referred to as Moyu or Juruo in China, and Konnyaku or Shirataki Noodles in Japan, Konjac foods are a popular health food in the Asian markets.

Konjac foods - Shirataki noodles ....

  • are naturally water soluble fiber with no fat, sugar, starch, or protein.
  • contain zero net carbohydrates and zero calories.
  • are wheat and gluten free.
  • pure Vegetable
  • can be stored in the room temperature for about one year. Don't need refrigeration
  • JAS (Japan Agricultural Standard) Cetified Organic
  • are translucent and gelatinous, with no flavor of their own - they easily absorb the dominant flavors of any soup or dish.
  • are instant and come in a variety of styles and shapes - you can simply toss salsa with Konjac instant pasta for a quick meal."
MY WAY OF USING THEM:
Shrimp Scallop Stir-Fry

With the Plain Konjac variety, I put two bags into a colander and rinse them really, really well. Then I fry the heck out of them in about a teaspoon or so (a dollop) of bacon grease. When they have reduced a bit and are a bit more opaque, they are ready for the rest of the "recipe".

Most of the time, I simply add a mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, rice wine . sesame oil and celery, shredded Napa cabbage, chopped green onion mushrooms, water chestnuts, chopped broccoli and onion-- a little granulated garlic, and red hot chili oil as well.

I also add about 1/2 teaspoon of Splenda.

Then, I add lots of large frozen shrimp and scallops. I cook this until it's heated through. If the sauce seems too thin, I'll remove the food mixture from the pot, reserving the liquid.

Then I thicken it up with about 1/8-- 1/2 teaspoon of Xanathan gum. Then I just pour it over the dish, and mix well.

In another pan, I may toast sesame seeds, peanuts, or cashews. (About a handful) and use it as a garnish.

I've also used this method with Black Bean Sauce and Tofu or Cubed Chicken.

I don't ever use Western sauces , such as Spagetti sauce with these noodles. It just doesn't work. These were originally used in things like Sukiyaki. So, I use them for Asian-Style dishes only.

*Note* They are better the next day-- as the noodles seem to absorb a bit more of the sauce. And they also make a very good cold Asian salad. Try serving with a side of Korean Beef Ribs or Bulgogie Beef:

Korean Beef Short Ribs
( I don't know where I found the original recipe, and I low-carbed it from the original)


Bulgogie Beef

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings (More like 2 servings for a low carber)

Ingredients:

2-1/2 pounds beef chuck flanken-style short ribs, cut 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick*
¼ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon Splenda or Xylitol or ½ teaspoon of each
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

1. Place ribs in large resealable food storage bag. Combine water, soy sauce, green onions, splenda, seasame oil, ginger, garlic and pepper in small bowl; pour over ribs. Seal bag tightly, turning to coat. Marinate in refrigerator at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

2. I fry these in hot peanut oil ( not much, just a dollop) in the skillet.

3. Brush tops lightly with reserved marinade; turn and brush again. Discard remaining marinade. Continue to cook, covered, 5 to 6 minutes for medium or until desired doneness is reached. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

YUM.

Raven's Low Carb Asian Meatballs

Makes about 30 or so meatballs, at a trace carb each.

Ingredients

2 lbs Ground Turkey or Pork or one pound of each
1 ½ cup crushed spicy pork rinds
1 tablespoon Chinese Five Spice Powder
2 tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Fish Sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons Sesame oil
½ teaspoon Splenda
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 or 3 stalks green onion, finely minced
½ cup Shitake mushrooms, stems removed-- soaked, dried, minced finely.

Mix all ingredients well, place into baggie and refrigerate overnite.
Form into small 1 inch diameter balls.

When ready to cook, you have three options:

Fry them in a skillet with a little peanut oil, till done.

Drop them into hot Asian-style flavored soup, cook and serve with the soup.

Bake them at 350 degrees in oven for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes.

These are WAY YUMMMY. Good snack food, works as a main dish. You could also serve these with Shirataki noodles and a low carb peanut sauce.

9-11, Seven Years Later...

Let's all take a moment today to remember those who died in the horrific events of September 11th.

PAX.

Comfort Food: My Extremely Simple Low Carb Egg Drop Soup

In the words of Barack Obama, ENOUGH!

Even I get sick of politics.... and banging my head on the keyboard is getting me nowhere!

Comfort Food is required!

My Extremely Simple Low Carb Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken Broth, 4 cups
2 Leeks or 4 Green onions, cleaned and sliced thin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1teaspoon dried lemon grass
4-5 eggs.

Instructions:

In a large sauce pan saute leeks and dried lemon grass in sesame oil on low heat until tender.
Pour in Chicken Broth and other ingredients and bring to a boil.
In a small mixing bowl, break and mix eggs. Strain eggs through fork tines a little at a time, and stir well for a few minutes till egg ribbons are cooked through. Serve hot.

This makes a very satisfying soup-- it's quick, it's easy. Serve with Asian Meatballs , Cauli-Fried Rice, and Low Carb Egg Foo Yung.

Lose your house, lose your vote

Michigan Republicans plan to foreclose African American voters

' "We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren't voting from those addresses," party chairman James Carabelli told Michigan Messenger in a telephone interview earlier this week. He said the local party wanted to make sure that proper electoral procedures were followed.'

Uhmmm.. Isn't this illegal? It sure as HELL is unethical! Click the above link to read the whole article. Grrr.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008