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.

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.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

(Raven's Tweak)

Ingredients:
Brussels sprouts
olive oil
salt and pepper
Hungarian Paprika
granulated garlic
nutritional yeast and/or Parmesan Cheese (Kraft Type in the box)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the sprouts in half lengthwise, removing any loose, outer leaves and trim the bottom stems.

Toss sprouts in a little bit of olive oil and and add spices. Make sure the sprouts are well coated. Spread cut side up in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. (use nonstick foil.)

Bake 400F for 30-40 minutes, or until browned and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Sprinkle with a bit more Parmesan Cheese and serve. Sometimes I also sprinkle these with Mitmita which is Ethiopian Pepper -spice.

Serve these immediately- - these are best hot. (my roommate and I had these as a sub for taters, along with cauliflower popcorn when watching a movie the other night!) This was great the next day for lunch. This is also great finger food for parties, served with a nice dip, like a Tzzikki sauce.