She's Back!

Oh, my, but it's been a while since I've done anything with this blog.  If anyone is still out there and interested, this is for you...and for me.  I find I need a place online to have my recipes accessible when I'm not at home.  Plus, while Alexx and I are touring the country in our RV we continue to meet more and more people that are dealing with type 2 diabetes.  The biggest complaint seems to be the same one that Alexx had before I started investigating ... food he can eat doesn't have much appeal.  So over the past two years, I have compiled quite a collection of food he now loves.

One of things we love to do in our travels is find local farmer's markets and buy fresh veggies and meats from local ranchers who have sustainable practices, use no hormones or antibiotics and have grass fed beef, and vegetarian chickens for meat and eggs.  We also look for no nitrates added in homemade sausage.  On a recent visit in Portland we found some of these goodies at the Lake Oswego Saturday morning market.  So here is today's dinner:

Sausage and Onions
Whipped Cauliflower
Wedge Salad (lettuce, bacon bits, Gorgonzola cheese, hard boiled egg, homemade ranch dressing)
Lemon Bars

Growing up, sausage was a favorite in our family for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  My dad's heritage is Luxembourg and he grew up in a small town in Iowa.  As long as I can remember, whenever visiting my grandfather, we always made a special trip to Spencer to visit the butcher.  A few years ago, Alexx and I made a side trip back to Spencer to see if we could find the butcher shop we used to frequent.  It was gone but we found an older gentleman at the town square who remembered it.  Ah, memories.  Anyway, whenever I can find local butchers, I always check out their sausages.  Alexx also loves sausage.  If you cook it slowly, you can release most of the fat, and just leave the flavorful tenderness of the pork and spices.  I use a slow-cooker for mine that is filled with a good quality IPA (hoppy beer) and the sausages.  I let this cook for about 5 hours.  I will serve it with sliced red onions and mushrooms that I have also purchased at market.  The onions are also best when cooked slowly in a tablespoon of olive oil and seasoned with salt and garlic.  I add the mushrooms the last 10 minutes of a 30 minute cook time.  I let them cook until they are completely softened.  Then before serving I cut the cooked sausages into slices and mix them with the onions/mushrooms.

The whipped cauliflower is very simple and a nice compliment to the sausage mixture.  The cauliflower is chopped into small pieces and placed in a small baking dish.  I cover the cauliflower with butter and coconut creme (I get this from Trader Joe's in a can) and sprinkle with salt and onion powder.  Then microwave the vegetable until it is soft.  You can do this ahead of time and just reheat it and whip with an immersion blender before serving.

The wedge salad is Alexx's favorite so I make this alot.  The salad dressing is an adaptation of a recipe I got from my niece and nephew Cindy and Brian Diederich.  We had it for dinner at their house and loved it.  Brian said the key is to use lots of fresh garlic.  I don't always have fresh garlic on hand in the RV so I do substitute garlic powder when needed.  This recipe is very low carb, but not quite as delicious as the original recipe which you can find at annie-eats.com if you search for Ranch Dressing.
Ingredients:

3/4 cup	Veganaise
3/4 cup	Greek yogurt
6 cloves	fresh, minced garlic
1 tablespoon	fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon	extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon	dried parsley
1 teaspoon	dried onion powder
1/2 teaspoon	sea salt
1/4 teaspoon	ground pepper
1 cup	coconut creme

Directions:

Blend all ingredients except the coconut milk. Add the coconut creme slowly and whisk to the consistency that you want for your dressing. (You don't have to use the full cup.)

Finally - the Lemon Bars.  What a nice tart ending to this dinner.  I make a small pan for the two of us, but you can double the recipe if you wish and use an 8x8 baking pan.  If you do that, then use 3 whole eggs when you double the ingredients.  You will also need to increase the cooking time.  You can also use bottled lemon juice if you don't have fresh, but there is nothing as wonderful as fresh lemon flavor.

Ingredients:

	Cake:
1 whole plus 1 white	beaten egg
1/2 cup	almond flour
3 tablespoons	sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon rounded	baking powder
	Topping:
1 whole	beaten egg
1	egg yolk
1/2 cup	sugar substitute
2 tablespoons	fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon	baking powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine all the cake ingredients and mix well. Pour into an 4x4 inch pan greased with non-stick cooking spray. Bake on the center rack until lightly browned, about 7-10 minutes.
While the cake is baking make the Lemon Topping by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Removed the browned cake from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake while it's still hot and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until firm. Refrigerate for 2 hours to serve chilled. Cut into 6 bars and enjoy.

 So that's tonight's dinner...one of our favorites and very low carb.  Alexx can eat this complete dinner and when testing his blood sugar 2 hours later it will have not risen more than 5 points.  Score!

Progress on the Cookbook

For those of you who have asked how is the cookbook coming...here's an update that I shared with my ASU professor.  You can look to purchase your own copy of the cookbook by next summer!  Stay tuned!

Chocolate Mousse Pie - one of the featured recipes in the cookbook

Fall, 2013 – Semester Review

The completion of this semester has brought with it much awareness of the work involved in writing a cookbook.  I have accomplished much this semester in determining the contents of the cookbook, but I had no idea how much work that would actually entail. 

Last semester I collected many recipes that I thought would be worth adapting for sugar free, gluten free, low carbohydrate, high fat recipes.  This semester I culled through that collection and experimented with them until I found recipes that Alexx and I agreed were “cookbook worthy.”  Many of these recipes took multiple trials to get to the point where we felt they met our flavor standards.  Some of them never made the cut (for example, barbeque chicken lost out to crab stuffed chicken) and some passed our flavor standards but didn’t pass the glucose test.  (Turkey noodle soup was one of Alexx’s favorites, but his glucose rose over 30 points when tested.  Our standard mark is no more than a 20-point increase.)

One of the great awakenings I had about the way I cook brought me a greater appreciation for cookbook authors.  I hate to measure.  When it comes to adding spices and fats, I like to eyeball it.  Of course, when creating or revising a recipe, I have to be able to duplicate what I have done, so that means measuring.  I also need to measure so I can be accurate with my nutritional information.  I have learned to be more disciplined in measuring ingredients for the purpose of the cookbook, but I don’t enjoy it.  Part of the fun in cooking for me is free forming on the creation.  Alexx, however, much prefers that I am measuring and recording how I make something.  In the past when he enjoyed something, he’d often comment, “I guess I’ll never get this again, will I?”  I’d laugh and agree as I often couldn’t remember what ingredients I used, let alone how much of them.

I also learned from developing these recipes that I have been stocking a big variety of ingredients.  Although it’s fun to have everything that any recipe ever calls for on my shelves in the pantry or refrigerator, it really isn’t necessary in order to achieve great flavors.  There are many benefits to using fewer ingredients: it’s easier and faster to cook, it uses less dishes, it’s less expensive, and most importantly for cooking in the motorhome, few ingredients take up less space! 

This semester I created a blog to capture many of my discoveries and shared them with people I met in my travels as well as family and friends.  I had hoped to create a blog for all 15 meal plans, but half-way through the semester, I found organizing the cookbook by 15 days of meals was not really user friendly.  The posts gave my readers ideas for different recipes, but no one except us seem to desire a fully planned meal for a day, let alone 15 consecutive days.  Given that discovery, I will still offer recipes for 15 breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts in the cookbook ; however in addition to the full day of meal planning, the recipes will be organized by their categories.  I am also adding a category of side dishes which will include salads, vegetable dishes and breads.  This way the cookbook user can choose more than one side dish if they wish.  For instance, they might want to make a big salad to accompany an entrée one night, but the next night they might prefer a vegetable dish and some nut bread.  We found that we didn’t always want to choose the original side dish that I had planned for the cookbook.  I might have planned a bean side dish for one entrée, but that week we may have found asparagus to be on sale or more available at the farmers’ market. 

The recipes that have made the final cut follow:

Breakfasts:

1.       Green Eggs and Ham

2.       Basted Eggs with Sausage

3.       Chocolate Chip Pancakes

4.       Shrimp and Veggie Omelet

5.       Veggie/Chorizo Hash and Eggs

6.       Creamed Tuna on Crackers

7.       Poached Eggs on Veggies with Sausage

8.       Chili Relleno Casserole with Eggs

9.       Beefy Blankets

10.   Lox and Egg Crackers

11.   Veggie Seafood Quiche

12.   Granola

13.   Cheesy Egg Scramble and Bacon

14.   Lox and Cheese Omelet

15.   Shrimp and Pepper Crepes

Lunches:

1.       Chicken Enchilada

2.       Shrimp and Walnuts

3.       Boca Burger

4.       Curried Salmon Cakes

5.       Tuna Salad Salad

6.       Peanut Butter and Bacon Wraps

7.       Hot and Spicy Chicken

8.       Turkey and Cheese Wrap

9.       Hamburger Sliders

10.   Shrimp and Avocado Salad

11.   Chili and Cheese Toasty

12.   Hot Soup and Egg Salad Wrap

13.   Tuna Melt

14.   Chicken Satay

15.   Jerk Chicken Salad

Dinners:

1.       Grass Fed Cheeseburger

2.       Herbed Catfish

3.       Crabby Chicken Rolls

4.       Grilled Blue Steak

5.       Spicy White Fish

6.       Kung Pao Chicken

7.       Chili Relleno Casserole

8.       Paprika Salmon

9.       Shrimp and Egg Casserole

10.   Stuffed Meatloaf

11.   Cajun Seafood Pasta

12.   Chicken Lavosh

13.   Corned Beef Sandwich

14.   Korma (Chicken, Beef or Lamb)

15.   Perfect Pork Tenderloin

 Snacks:

1.       Almond Buttered Apple Slices

2.       Stuffed Jalapenos

3.       Cottage Cheese & Granola

4.       Butter Clam Bisque

5.       Berries and Whipped Cream

6.       Cauliflower and Ham Soup

7.       Smoked Oysters and Crackers

8.       Red Pepper Soup

9.       Nutbread, Cheese and Lunchmeat

10.   Cheese and Crackers

11.   Cottage Cheese and Fruit

12.   Cheese and Lunchmeat Wraps

13.   Berry Smoothie

14.   Popcorn and Peanuts

15.   Sardines and Crackers

Side Dishes:

1.       Lovely Lettuce Salad

2.       Peas and Peanut Salad

3.       Cranberry Gelatin Salad

4.       Bacon Blue Wedge Salad

5.       Sautéed Peppers and Onions

6.       Cauliflower Mash

7.       Stuffed Mushrooms

8.       Veggie Glop

9.       Green Beans and Walnuts

10.   Cauliflower Patties

11.   Asparagus and Pepper Stir Fry

12.   Brussels Sprouts and Cheese

13.   Easy Yeast Bread

14.   Squash Muffin Bread

15.   Cinnamon Bread

Desserts:

1.       Chocolate Hermit Cookies

2.       Frozen Custard

3.       Strawberry Crème Pie

4.       Toffee

5.       Cheesecake

6.       Pumpkin Chocolate Bars

7.       Chocolate Mousse Pie

8.       Chocolate Chip Cookies

9.       Sugar Free S’mores

10.   Best Brownies

11.   Pavlova Berries

12.   Ice Box Cake

13.   Lemon Bars

14.   Fruit Crumble

15.   Chocolate Layered Squares

The nutritional information has been calculated for seven meal plans which include 42 recipes and appear in my blog: DiedreCooksLoCarb.blogspot.com.  In addition to five days of meals there are two special posts: “Cooking Out with Friends” and “Special Holiday Meals.”  This was a very time consuming task using a free calculator program online as provided by Sparkpeople.com.  Up to this point, my process has been to create the recipe, then enter it for nutritional evaluation, and then write it into the blog.  This tedious three-step process will be reduced next semester as I have purchased the Cookin’ software program by DVO Enterprises, Inc.  This will allow me to enter the recipe once and automatically generate the nutritional information, post it to my blog, print it on recipe cards and save it as a pdf version for publication purposes.  This should make the organization of the cookbook much simpler if the software indeed does all that is promised in the marketing material.

Winter, 2014 Semester Work Plans

My proposed work for next semester will be to finish entering the remaining 10 meal plans which will include 60 more recipes and writing the “stories” that go with the meals as I have done with the blog posts.  Since I have already created the recipes, this should not take as long as generating the first seven meal plans.

I will need to ensure standard formatting of the meal plans for the cookbook so all meal plan recipes will need to be entered into the Cookin’ software.  I will also need to review and edit the recipes and stories for accuracy and continuity.  I will need to capture pictures for all of the recipes that I do not currently have recorded.

I will also create shopping lists for the cookbook.  There will be quick reference shopping lists for a five-day meal plan (in case the user opts to use the cookbook the way we use it) and one large shopping list to help the user see all the ingredients that are needed to prepare the 15 meals.  This will especially be helpful for the people who need to conserve space like those who cook in motorhomes.  I plan to use the large shopping list to help me plan “a place for everything” when I’m loading the RV for our annual trip and then as a reminder when I am running low on an ingredient.  Not having a lot of space means I need to shop more often; consequently lists will be set for five-day meal plans.

Finally, an index will be written that organizes the recipes and major ingredients alphabetically for easy reference.

For the most part, I have included only recipes that meet Alexx’s nutritional needs as have been determined by his physician.  However, sometimes we stray from her guidelines when Alexx is really hungry for a particular food (examples of rice, peas, and Culvers Frozen Custard come to mind).  In those instances, we have included that food in a small enough amount that he can tolerate it based on his glucose test.  There are also a number of foods that could be included in the meal plans but are not, because they are foods Alexx doesn’t like.  This cookbook will primarily serve our needs, but it is creating interest for others who are curious about seeing the success Alexx is having with this meal plan.  To that end, I will also include Alexx’s testing results for each meal plan as well as his long term A1c levels over the two years of writing this book.  At this point, his improvement has been significant, moving from 12.1 before starting the lo-carb, high-fat approach to eating to 6.1 within three months and then 5.6 after six months. 

The overall intent of this cookbook is to encourage people to seek a healthy meal plan that works for their unique needs and tastes.  Many people have expressed interest in Alexx’s story of having to dramatically change his diet and how he manages the change.  Does he miss the foods that he enjoyed for so many years – the Dairy Queen Blizzards, the candy bars, the huge plates of pasta, and the terryaki rice bowls?  Yes, of course he does.  But he also recognizes the importance of managing his glucose with meal planning that works for him.  We are excited about this cookbook as a tool to help us with that management and hope that others may benefit from it as well.  It is my intent to have a finished copy of the cookbook by the end of the Winter semester.

###

Special Thanksgiving/Christmas Dinner Meal Plan

Pumpkin Chocolate Pie, Turkey, Gravy before dinner is served

Oh, my...it's the day after Thanksgiving and while the rest of the world may be out shopping the Black Friday sales, I am in recovery mode from the 2-day stint in the kitchen preparing a Thanksgiving seafood brunch for family, and a Thanksgiving dinner for Alexx and me.  Let me just say, the brunch went well and everyone raved about the meal, but the dinner was more challenging and actually the leftovers became the biggest hit of the holiday weekend for Alexx.

So here is the deal - when you are cooking for a diabetic who has joyful memories of past Thanksgiving meals, do not expect to recreate that feeling with gluten free and sugar free recipes.  No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do it and I challenge anyone else to be successful at it.  The standard Thanksgiving meal that Alexx has ingrained in his heart, mind and stomach memory is really quite simple: Roast Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, jellied cranberries (from the can), peas, creamed onions, crescent rolls and chocolate silk pie. Doesn't sound so tough to duplicate does it?  But gluten free bread doesn't make stuffing that tastes like the old fashioned kind.  I could have used cornbread, but corn is still a grain with a high glycemic factor, so that wouldn't work.  I used the left over yeast rolls that I shared in an earlier blog, but the almond meal ingredient makes them break down in the stuffing recipe so it's rather mushy.  The turkey and gravy were fine and there's no change there.  And although tasty, the cranberry gelatin just isn't the same as that canned jelly with the ridges in it.  I happen to love the mashed cauliflower, but Alexx just tolerates it and it certainly doesn't fill the bill for homemade mashed potatoes.  And where are his buttered peas?  Sorry. They just have so many carbs that I thought I could make a substitute for the traditional green bean casserole, that would satisfy him.  This is my menu which I quite enjoyed, but I think next year I will go back to the traditional menu with smaller portions and just call it a cheat day.  If I had served this meal on any day but Thanksgiving, I think he would have enjoyed it, and perhaps you will too...I did.  But I missed seeing that satisfied look from Alexx that I used to get every holiday that I served all his favorites.  
So if you want to try a gluten free and sugar free menu, this is a pretty good one.  Just be ready to let your tastebuds be open to change:

• Turkey

• Dressing

• Gravy

• Mashed Cauliflower

• Green Bean/Mushroom/Onion Casserole

• Sugar Free Cranberry Gelatin Salad

• Chocolate Pecan Pie

 Roasted Turkey

7-10  lb fresh whole cage free turkey

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped thyme

1/4 cup chopped sage

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups organic broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 cup white wine

1.  Preheat oven to 325ºF. 
2. Drizzle oil over outside of turkey. Season liberally with herbs, salt and pepper, covering entire bird inside and out.
3. Place seasoned turkey on roasting rack in a high-sided roasting pan. 
4. Pour broth at the bottom of the pan. Cover loosely with foil, then roast for approximately 2 1/2 hours. 
5. Remove foil and pour wine over the bird.
6. Continue roasting for another hour or so until the internal temperature registers 175ºF in the thickest part of the turkey.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Stuffing 

4 cups yeast rolls cubed

1/4 lb homemade chorizo sausage*, cooked and cooled

6 fresh oysters and broth

1/4 cup organic butter

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 lightly beaten large egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup organic chicken broth

1. Spread bread cubes in one layer on a large baking sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes or until cubes are dry but not browned.

2.  Allow the bread cubes to cool.  Place cooled cubes in a large mixing bowl.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onions and green pepper and saute for about 10 minutes or until onions are translucent.

4.  Add herbs to vegetables and saute an additional 2 minutes.

5.  Add chorizo sausage, oysters and vegetable herb mixture to bread cubes and stir to mix.

6.  Pour lightly beaten egg into mixture and stir to blend.

7.  Add seasonings and stir to mix.

8.  Add chicken broth and stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients.

9.  Transfer stuffing to a buttered baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

* I make my own chorizo sausage.  It is grass fed beef mixed with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper and organic apple cider vinegar.  The amount of spice used is depending on your taste.  For every 1/2 pound of meat you should add 1 tablespoon of vinegar.  Mix the spices and vinegar completely with your hands.  Then fry the meat at a medium heat until done.

Turkey Gravy

Reserved pan juices from turkey roasting pan

Cooked and deboned giblets that have been pureed in Vitamix

2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 Tablespoon cold water until smooth

1/2 cup coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Pour pan juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

2. Add cornstarch mixture to the juices and stir for about 5 minutes until thickened.

3. Add cocunut milk and seasonings to taste.

4. Serve with turkey and dressing.

Mashed Cauliflower
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup sharp cheddar, grated + 1/4 cup for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Add garlic and thyme and sauté until cauliflower is lightly golden.
3.Place in oven and roast for 5 to 8 minutes longer.
4.Remove from oven. Spoon off and discard any excess oil. Sprinkle cauliflower with ¼ cup cheese. Return to oven for several minutes, or until cheese is melted. Taste cauliflower, adding additional salt and pepper if needed.

5. Pour all ingredients in Vitamix and blend until smooth.  Place in baking dish and top with remaining ¼ cup cheese.  Return to oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.


Green Bean Casserole


1 small bag frozen green beans - about 8 oz. thawed
4 oz mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1/2 large onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Herb de Provence
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup organic canned coconut milk
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water until dissolved
2 tablespoons almond meal
Cajun spice to taste
1 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Chop half of the onion and saute it with mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Add salt and seasonings.
3. Add the cornstarch mixture.
4. Add the coconut milk and simmer for one minute.
5. Mix the beans with the saucy mixture and place in a baking dish.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes - while baking make the topping:
7. Saute the remaining onion in 1 tablespoon oil.
8. Add salt and Cajun spice.
9. When the onions are soft, remove from heat and toss with almond meal and Parmesan cheese.
10. Add the topping to the baking casserole and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the mixture browns.

Cranberry Gelatin Salad

6 ounces fresh cranberries
2 ounces unsweetened applesauce
1 ounce crushed unsweetened pineapple
7 ounces Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry juice
1 package (.3 ounce) sugar free raspberry gelatin
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Cook the cranberries according to the directions on the package.
2. Place the cooked cranberries in the Vitamix while they are still warm.
3. Add the applsauce and gelatin and puree for 1 minute on high.
4. Add the cold juice and blend for 20 seconds.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
6. Stir in the pineapple and walnuts.
7. Chill for 4 hours.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Crust:
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup pecans, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. liquid vanilla stevia
2 tablespoons sugar substitute
1/2 tsp. xanthum gum
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Filling:
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar free maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or sugarfree chocolate chunks
2 cups pecan halves

1. Mix ingredients together and press into a pie pan - set aside
2. Beat together eggs, syrup and oil
3. Add chocolate and nuts
4. Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell
5. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees
6. Cool and serve with whipped cream

Tip for Leftovers

The best part of Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers!  But more than one day of reheating the goodies above is too much for us.  So on the third day, I make soup.  I made soup with and without Dreamfield noodles, but the soup with the noodles didn't test well for Alexx.  But we found he liked the soup almost as well sans the noodles.  This is a great way to finish the leftovers and it freezes really well.
Mix the leftover gravy and turkey (shredding or diced) with chicken broth.  Add the leftover Cauliflower Mash and Green Bean casserole.  Add chopped chili peppers (either Hatch or jalapeno) and 1/2 small onion.  Cook on very low heat for an hour or more.  I like to add a few peas (not many as they are very high glycemic, but a few appease Alexx's Thanksgiving craving that he misses.)  I serve this with the leftover cranberry gelatin and a slice of leftover pie and whipped cream.  It feels like a different meal but it finishes the leftovers and it feels like a night off in the kitchen!

Happy Holidays!

Day 5 Meal Plan

Well the beauty of a blog is the opportunity to think through a project and make changes accordingly before anything goes to print.  Such is the case with this blog.  Alexx and I have been experimenting with recipes for over a year now, trying to settle on the best combination for a rotation of 15 meal plans.  When I first started this blog, we thought it would work to do one posting at a time with a collection of recipes that we felt worked for a full day's meal plan.  But now that we have been doing this for a year, we are finding that based on what is in the cupboard and the refrigerator, it might not be the most convenient approach to have the same combination of meals each time we do the rotation.  So, moving forward...I'm going to be revamping some of the meal plans.

And here is a special treat for you!  We have the full plan outlined now for what the intended rotation will be, but when we print the cookbook, we will have a full index of recipes so if you decide to mix it up you can do that.  We will be testing each meal for Alexx's glucose reaction to the meal and we will provide you a copy of the form we use, so that you can do your own glucose tracking.  If you don't have a good reaction (glucose spikes more than 20 points after 1 hour from beginning the meal) then you can adjust the meal to meet your specific needs.

We have aligned Breakfasts, Lunches, Snacks, Dinners, Side Items and Desserts for each day.  Our meal plans will balance by the end of the day to meet our goal for a distribution of Carbs/Fat/Protein to be 15-20% Carbs/65-70% Fat/15-20% Protein.  If you are following the same plan but decide to mix up the meals than just watch the nutritional values so at the end of the day you are meeting your goal.

So for now, I won't change the first 4 meal plans as they have already been calculated, but they will be changed in the cookbook.  Moving forward, I might have some recipes repeated, and I'll refer you back to one of those meal plans.  Yay for flexibility!!

We have also found that Alexx's glucose numbers tend to be high in the morning when he first awakes. So now we are shifting his eating schedule just a bit.  He now has two snacks and three meals but the portions are all smaller and the times have shifted to accommodate our schedules.

Day 5 Wakeup Snack: 6:30 AM

Almond butter on a cracker.

Day 5 Breakfast: 9:30 AM - Hash and Eggs

 This is one of those breakfasts that Alexx says "Oh, boy!" when I tell him we are having hash and eggs for breakfast.  This is not your typical hash that you would find at a breakfast restaurant.  This has consists only of meat and non-starch veggies.  What brings the excitement to Alexx is what kind of meat I choose for the hash.  You can really choose any meat that you wish, and depending on leftovers it might be ham, chicken, or beef, but usually it is chorizo sausage...and that is his absolute favorite.  If I'm not using chorizo sausage, then I use the spices that give chorizo it's great flavor: cumin, chili, cayenne pepper.  So no matter what I put in the hash, he loves it because of the spices.  The eggs are just fried in olive oil and steamed at the end with whatever cheese I have on hand.  On this particular day it was cheddar, but gouda, provolone and Swiss are also favorite choices.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cooked and drained (remove as much fat as possible before adding to the cooked veggies)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped green pepper

2 tablespoons chopped zucchini

2 tablespoons chopped mushrooms

2 drops Franks hot sauce

1/4 tsp Cajun spice 

2 eggs

1 ounce cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon water

Salt, pepper and additional Cajun spice to taste

Saute the veggies until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are tender.  Add the sausage and mix well.  Move the hash to one side of the pan to make room for the eggs.  Crack the eggs into the skillet and when the white of the egg begins to set add the shredded cheese.  Add the water and cover the skillet.  Continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Yolks will cover but should remain soft.  Slide the hash onto a plate from one side of the skillet.  Add the cooked eggs on top of the hash.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

I serve this with Alexx's cocoa.  Since he doesn't drink coffee, he gets a mug of hot chocolate each morning with his breakfast.  I mix in the magic bullet blender: 6 ounces almond milk, 1 teaspoon Truvia; 2 teaspoons dark cocoa; 3 drops Sweetzfree; 1/4 tsp peppermint extract.  I heat the mixture for 1 minute in the microwave and top with a tablespoon Rediwhip.  It brings a guaranteed smile and good morning kiss when served!

Nutritional Values will be added at a later time.

Day 5 Lunch: 2:00 PM - Tuna Salad Salad

This is an easy lunch and it's nice to serve it on a day that I don't serve a lettuce salad with dinner.  

Ingredients:

Iceberg lettuce wedge

Tuna salad scoop: 1/2 can of tunafish mixed with 1 tablespoon mayo, 2 tablespoons avocado; 1 hardboiled egg, chopped; 1 tablespoon green pepper; 1 tablespoon either chopped onion or jalapeno peppers.

Top lettuce with chopped almonds, 1 ounce feta cheese, 1 ounce sliced apple, 1 ounce sliced cucumber, and 2 tablespoons Roka Blue Cheese Dressing

Serve with Kali Parmesan Crisps (http://kalithebakinggoddess.com/creations/original-parmesan-crisps/)

Do you remember Alexx's excitement when we discovered he could eat Culver's Vanilla Frozen Custard without increasing his glucose more than 20 points?  Well, such is the case with his absolutely favorite chocolate candy.  We discovered Mouses Chocolates (www.mouseschocolates.com) when we were traveling through Ouray, Colorado.  Their chocolates are so high quality that we thought perhaps we could test them and see if they spiked Alexx's glucose.  We figured the worse case scenario would be that it is the last time he will ever taste their heavenly dark chocolate toffee.  Well let me just say there were more shouts of joy 1 hour after he consumed a 2 ounce bar of the toffee.  His glucose rose 11 points - well within the safe range.  So for an early Christmas present, we just received a 1lb box of Mouses chocolates.  So this was his dessert for lunch.  More typically it would be 3 squares of Endangered Species Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut toffee as although pricey, it's not as expensive as Mouse's chocolates.  If you really want a treat though - they ship! 

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 654; Carbs: 35; Fat: 50; Protein: 30

Day 5 Dinner: 6:30 PM - Spicy Fish on Veggie Bed, Aunt Bea's Peas & Peanut Salad and The Best Cheesecake

This is one of the changes I mentioned.  You will find this in Day 3 Dinner Meal Plan that I have already posted.  The Day 3 new dinner meal plan will be Barbecue Chicken and Cauliflower Mash. I'll make those changes to the blog in the future.

The dessert however will now be cheesecake.  I have only made this recipe in the large springform pan and it's a favorite every time that I serve it for company.  I am adjusting the recipe now though for a small springform pan that is perfect for serving the two of us.  The topping for the cheesecake can be as simple as sour cream, mashed berries heated, or a melted square of dark chocolate.  But it's tasty enough to eat all by itself.  It lasts quite a while in the refrigerator without drying, but I would recommend the smaller version unless you are entertaining.

The Best Cheesecake

Ingredients:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup sugar substitute

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs

Directions:

Prepare the oven by putting a shallow roasting pan with one inch water in it and place it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

In the heavy duty blender (Vitamix) combine the cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream and sugar substitute.  Blend on high speed for 30 seconds or until well blended and a fine consistency.  In a separate bowl whisk together the cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and eggs.  Put the Vitamix at low to medium speed and slowly add the liquid.  Turn the blender off as soon as all the liquid has been added so you do not overmix it.  Pour the batter from the Vitamix into a small springform pan that has been coated with coconut oil.  (If you use a large springform pan you will need to double the recipe.)  Put the pan in the roasting pan water bath.  Bake it for 10 minutes (15 minutes for a doubled recipe) and then lower the temperature to 275 degrees. Continue to bake the cheesecake for an additional hour (90 minutes for a doubled recipe) or until the top is lightly browned to a golden color and the cake has started to pull away from the sides.  The center should no longer jiggle.  Turn the oven off and leave the cake in it until the oven is completely cooled (approximately 2-3 hours.)  Remove the cake from the oven and refrigerate it for an additional 4 hours or overnight.

Top with your choice of toppings mentioned above.  

Nutritional Information and photo will be added later.

Day 5 Bedtime Snack: 10:30 PM - Berry Whip

This varies depending on the season as to whether I have fresh berries available or frozen.  I only like to buy organic berries and they are not always available fresh at the market.  During the summer months I can usually always find them in the Farmers Markets, but during the winter months I notice organic berries are either scarce or not available at all in the produce section.  In that case I head to the freezer and I can usually find either organic frozen raspberries or wild blueberries.  I serve the fresh berries either with Cool Whip or Redi Whip if I'm tired.  If not, I will whip heavy cream and add some vanilla stevia.   I also have been known to serve frozen berries without thawing them and topping them with almond milk.  The combination is kind of like ice cream!

Day 1 Blog

Day 1 Lunch (see details below)

So the plan of this blog is to provide 15 Days of Meal Plans that meet Alexx's requirements for a ratio between 20:50:30 of carbohydrates: fat: protein and 15:65:20. This lo-carb meal planning is what keeps his glucose levels at a manageable range of 100-126 and his A1c levels below 5.2. We are continuing to monitor his blood lipid levels every 3 months, with the exception of 6 months in the summer when we are traveling in our RV. Our plan is to create 15 meal plans that we can rotate through the summer keeping meal planning and grocery shopping easy.

We would appreciate your feedback on any of the recipes that are included in the blog. In order for a recipe to be a part of a daily meal plan it has to have received a score of 3.5 or higher on Alexx's rating scale of 1-4. A 3.5 is his "very good, yes, I like this" rating and a 4.0 is "oh, my, I love this!" rating. (Pretty much anytime there is chocolate in the ingredient he rates it a 4.) Eventually, we would like to have all 4 ratings but that may take a while. We'll see how it goes. I have been creating and revising recipes for the past year and now I will put them together into meal plans that meet the ratio and rating criteria.

So check back regularly. It takes a few trials to come up with a full day's meal plan that balances things correctly. Sometimes one meal might be higher in one area and lower in another than what our goal is, but we try to balance things by the end of the day. When we do this, we find his glucose numbers do pretty well.  Alexx only tests one meal a day as he gets tired of pricking his fingers. But which ever meal is tested that day, we will include it in the blog at that time. Eventually, we will have every meal plan tested as we rotate through the meal plans every 15 days.

Day 1 Breakfast - 7:00am

• Breakfast Nut Granola (see recipe below) - 1 servings (1/4 cup)
• Almond Milk - 1/3 cup
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil mixed with 2 tsp olive oil
• Frozen blueberries, thawed - 2 tbsp
• Cottage Cheese, 1/2 cup, 4% fat
• 1 Tbsp flaxseed oil mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon

I mix the sesame seed and olive oil into the Breakfast Nut Granola before adding the Almond Milk. The cottage cheese is mixed with the thawed blueberries, flaxseed oil and cinnamon.

Nutritional totals: 518 calories; 32 carbs, 44 fat, 57 protein (This is more carbs than he usually has for breakfast, but he welcomes a change from eggs. By the end of the day, his carbs will be in the correct ratio for his goals.)

Breakfast Nut Granola

• Introduction
• Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low-Sugar, Dairy Free cereal option! 
• Minutes to Prepare: 15
• Minutes to Cook: 30
• Number of Servings: 14

Ingredients:
Shelled pistachios, 1 oz
Raw cashews, 1 oz
Macademia nuts, 1 oz
Sunflower seeds, 1 oz
Sesame seeds, 1 Tablespoon
Almonds, 2 oz
Walnuts, 2 oz
Pecans, 2 oz
Coconut flour, 2 Tablespoons
Flaxseed meal, 1/4 cup
agave nectar syrup, 1 Tablespoon
20 drops vanilla creme Sweetleaf
Ground Cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon
sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon
Liquid Aminos, 1 teaspoon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon
Sesame Oil, 1 Tablespoon
Fresh Ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon

Directions:

1. Pulse the nuts, flaxseed, and flour until the nuts are rough ground – like big gravel pieces
2. Mix into a bowl with ¼ cup olive oil, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar, and 20 drops of vanilla crème stevia, salt and spices
3. Spread the mixture on a baking pan that has been rubbed with coconut oil.
4. When the mixture is evenly spread, spray with liquid aminos and sprinkle an additional tablespoon of olive oil.
5. Roast at 275 degrees for 30-45 minutes, stopping every 15 minutes to toss and redistribute the mixture evenly.
6. When the mixture is evenly roasted and fragrant, shave fresh nutmeg overall. Let cool and then keep in airtight containers. Keeps well in the freezer.

Serving Size: Makes 14 one-quarter cup servings

Tips: Serve with almond milk and berries of choice. A little goes a long way! The next time I make this I will substitute sugar free maple syrup for agave syrup and will be able to lower the number of carbs in the mix.

Nutritional Information per single serving of 1/4 cup:
Calories 112.7; Net Carbs: 17.8g; Fat: 9.4g; Protein: 44.5g

Day 1 Lunch - 11:00 am (see photo at top of page)

• Mission Carb Balance Tortilla Wrap, 1
• Hormel Natural Choice Turkey slices, 3
• Romaine Lettuce, 1 inner leaf
• Egg Salad made with 1 hard boiled egg, 1 tablespoon of peppers (red, green and jalapeno), 1 tablespoon raw onion, 1 tsp. flaxseed oil, 1 tsp olive oil mayo, 1 tsp spicy mayo
• 2 slices Nature's Own no nitrate bacon, center cut

Use the above ingredients to make the wrap.

Serve the wrap with 3 medium strawberries, an additional hard boiled egg sliced in two and topped with spicy brown mustard, and 1 maple chocolate chip cookie (see recipe below.)

Nutritional Information for Lunch:
Calories: 627; Carbs: 22 g; Fat 45g; Protein: 29 g

Alexx likes egg salad and the Mission Carb Balance tortilla is as close as he can get to having bread. The fiber content in this tortilla is very high so the net carb is just 4.

Glucose testing on this lunch was 104 at the start and 110 after 1 hour.

Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Easy to make and so tasty!
  
• Minutes to Prepare: 5
• Minutes to Cook: 10
• Number of Servings: 21

Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients:
Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour, 1+1/4 cups
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp soda
1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients:
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup Walden Farms Pancake Syrup
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract (sugar free)

Directions

1. Blend the dry ingredients in a small bowl. 
2. Blend the wet ingredients in a 1 cup measuring cup. 
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until evenly blended. 
4. Prepare a small cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven at 350 degrees. 
5. With a teaspoon, measure evenly 7 scoops of dough on the sheet. 
6. Press each scoop flat. 
7. Bake for 10 minutes. 
8. Repeat for next two batches of cookies. 
9. Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They also freeze nicely.

Serving Size: Makes 1.75 dozen small cookies
Tips: A sugarfree maple syrup can be substituted for the Walden Farms Pancake Syrup but will slightly alter the nutritional components. I use a small cookie sheet in the RV stove, but a large cookie sheet could easily be used and accommodate more cookies at one time. I have also successfully made these on a pancake griddle when I don't want to heat up the oven in the RV!

Day 1 Snack - 2:00pm
Alexx is not a great fan of vegetables but knows he needs to include them in his diet.  He goes by the "old boot" philosophy...if you put enough cheese and bacon on anything it is tolerable...even an old boot!

This is the mixture in his salad bowl:
Iceberg lettuce, chopped, 1 cup
Kale, 1 leaf, chopped small, approx 3 grams
Green onion, chopped, 1/4 cup
Green peppers, chopped, 1/4 cup
Cucumber with peel, chopped, 2 tbsp.
Feta Cheese, crumbled, 1/4 cup
Hormel Natural Choice, no nitrate bacon, 1 slice crumbled
Blue Cheese Dressing, 2 tbsp.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 353; Carbs: 11g; Fat: 13g; Protein 10g

Day 1 Dinner - 6:00pm
Pancakes are usually saved for a breakfast entry and Alexx's favorite pancakes will be shared on a different meal plan day.  On this day, we have our version of Pigs in a Blanket.  I used to love to make Swedish Pancakes, but since flour has been eliminated from our diet, I had to find an acceptable substitute.  This is as close as we have come so far and we are pretty happy with the result:

• Beefy Blankets (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 2 Tbsp whipped cream

Total Nutritional Value for the meal:

Calories: 611; Carbs: 17g; Fat: 51g; Protein: 20g

Beefy Blankets

Minutes to prepare: 15
Minutes to cook: 20
Number of servings: 2

Ingredients:
Ricotta Cheese, whole milk, 2 Tbsp.
Egg, 1 large
Sugar substitute, 1 Tbsp
Vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon, ground, 3/4 tsp
Organic Butter, 1 Tbsp
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 tsp divided
Open Nature Uncured Beef Franks, 4 franks
Sugar Free Maple Syrup, 1/4 cup

Directions:
1. Saute the franks in 1 tsp olive oil on medium low heat.
2. In small blender pulse together until blended: ricotta, egg, sweetener, cinammon, vanilla
3. Stir in the remaining 2 tsp of olive oil to the batter
4. Heat a crepe pan or skillet to medium heat and add the butter to melt.
5. Make one crepe at a time with 1/4 cup of the batter.  Tip the pan so the batter spreads evenly.
6. Cook the batter for approximately 1 minute.  You will see the crepe setting.
7. Turn the crepe carefully to cook the other side.  (If you are confident the crepe won't land on the floor you can try flipping it!)
8. Repeat until all four pancakes are made. (If you can keep them warm in the oven that is nice.)
9. Roll one frank inside each pancake.
10.  Top with sugar free syrup and serve.

Nutritional information for a serving of 2 Beefy Blankets:
Calories: 572.5; Net Carbs: 9.9g; Fat: 49.2g; Protein: 19g


Day 1 Late Snack - 10:00pm
Alexx absolutely loves dessert and when he was diagnosed with diabetes he sadly said goodby to his favorite eating establishments of Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins.  We never dreamed we would be able to add desserts into his meal planning, but with a little bit of research and trial and error in the kitchen has resulted in some very nice options.  Consequently, we are including 15 desserts in our meal planning so every day there is something to look forward to for sweetness.  Sometimes a recipe will make a larger portion than for the two of us, and sometimes I don't care to have dessert (that is a hard concept for Alexx to comprehend) so he will have the remaining portions on the following day(s).  Despite that, we have included 15 different recipes for desserts.  All our desserts have been tested on friends too so they work well for entertaining too. It's such a treat for Alexx to be able to eat the same food that everyone else is eating and all enjoy it.
All the desserts are tested so that we know they don't spike his glucose numbers.  But that's just Alexx. Everyone does not respond the same to ingredients, so if you are using our recipes for a diabetic person, please be sure to have them test the foods to see how they react.  Hopefully, it will be as successful as it has been for Alexx.  (Oh, by the way, I don't like to cook every day so sometimes he just gets a Carb Smart ice cream bar.  They are only 9 net carbs per bar and they fill the bill quite nicely.)

• 1/2 cup frozen vanilla custard
• 1 Tbsp. Smuckers Sugar Free Fudge Topping mixed with 2 tsp walnut oil
• 5 halves chopped walnuts
• 1 Tbsp Redi Whip topping
• fresh berries for topping

Nutritional Information for the snack:

Calories: 302; Carbs: 14g; Fat: 27g; Protein: 4

Low Carb Frozen Vanilla Custard

Minutes to prepare: 5
Minutes to cook: 20 plus overnight to chill custard and 30 minutes in the ice cream maker
Servings: 4 scoops of 1/2 cup each

Ingredients:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. powdered stevia
1 Tbsp. sugarfree vanilla syrup
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan mix the cream and milk and stir over medium-high heat until foam begins to appear.
2. Remove pan from heat.
3. Beat egg yolks and sweeteners until light and fluffy - about 2 minutes.
4. Gradually pour the cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk constantly so there is no curdling.  If any lumps form, remove them.
5.  Place the bowl with the combined mixture over a saucepan of simmering water and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, cooking until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon.
6. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue to stir the custard for 2 minutes.
7. Stir in the vanilla extract and syrup.
8. Cover the bowl and let it cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.
9. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
10. Transfer the cold custard to the ice cream maker and use as directed.
Nutritional Information for one 1/2 cup serving of ice cream:
Calories: 88; Carbs: 8g; Fat: 8.1g; Protein: 1.8g

Total Nutritional Information for Day 1 Meal Plan:
Calories: 2401; Carbs: 94g (15%); Fat: 198g (67%); Protein: 121g (18%)

Day 4 Meal Plan

Breakfast - 7:00 AM

• Chocolate Chip/Raspberry Pancakes
• Chicken Andoulie Sausage
• Alexx's Cocoa

Some days it's nice to just look at the cookbook and say, "It's Wednesday, Day 4 - it's chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast today" and some days I just want to create an omelet out of what is leftover from last night's dinner.  So don't feel tied to the seemingly structured approach to this cookbook.  You can definitely change things up when you feel like it, and know that I do too.  But if I ask Alexx on ANY day - "What would you like for breakfast?" you can be assured he will respond, "Chocolate Chip pancakes!"  And this is from someone who never cared for pancakes.

Really?  Pancakes for a lo-carb diet?  Yes, because remember, I use almond flour instead of wheat flour. And these pancakes are tried and true (with the Alexx taste buds) and I would match them against any IHOP pancakes that are reported at 720 calories, 103 net carbs, 23 g fat, and 20 g protein for 4 pancakes. The key is a little goes a long way.  By adding just 3 dark chips per pancake, Alexx gets a hit of great chocolate that satisfies his craving for chocolate and my using dark chocolate chips he gets the advantage of anti-oxidents to boot!

I use my little blender to mix the egg, oil, and milk and then stir it into the dry ingredients.  If you make these ahead of time, you will need to add some liquid before pouring the batter on the griddle.  I just add about a tablespoon of water so the nutritional value doesn't change.

Chocolate Chip/Raspberry Pancakes

Ingredients:
Mix in the small blender:
4 Tablespoons almond milk
1 egg (any size is fine - if not a large just add enough water to make 1/4 cup.
1 Tablespoon grape seed oil

In a separate bowl mix:
1/2 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons raspberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Need 14 dark chocolate chips

Mix the liquids and solids together gently and pour onto a heated and greased griddle.  (I use about a teaspoon of coconut oil to a griddle heated to 375 degrees.)
Make four pancakes with the batter and bury 3 chocolate chips into each pancake.  When bubbles begin forming on the pancake (approximately 2 minutes), flip the pancake.  Let the pancake cook for at least another minute or two before sliding it onto the serving plate.  Top with a few raspberries and a couple chocolate chips for garnish.  Serve with  1 tablespoon organic butter and 2 tablespoons sugar free syrup.
3 pancakes of the 4 it makes (I eat the 4th for my breakfast):
Calories: 472; Net Carbs: 17g; Fat: 45 g; Protein: 8 g

The breakfast also includes a cup of Alexx's cocoa and a Chicken Andoulie Sausage.  Yes, it clearly makes a happy way to start this chocoholic's day despite being a diabetic.

Nutritional Information for the full breakfast:
Calories: 409; Net Carbs: 27g; Fat: 31 g; Protein: 19 g

 Lunch - 12:00

• 2 oz Cheese divided
• 6 oz Ham slices
• 1 slice nut bread

     By now you know we enjoy going to the local Farmer's Markets for fresh produce, eggs and meat.  But what I forgot to mention is the fabulous array of goat cheeses that we have found in our travels.  There are all kinds of reasons to eat goat cheese over cow's milk cheese, such as it is lower in saturated fat and higher in protein as well as lower in calories than cheese from cows milk.  But frankly, we love the taste of it!  Besides making a good lunch, I love serving goat cheese and crackers with a drink before dinner.  Depending on the aging process, goat cheeses vary so if you try one and don't like it...try another.  The vendors at the Farmers Market usually have samples available.  In Montrose, UT, we found a wonderful vendor that had a 6 month aged cheese that was more like a Parmesan texture, a blue cheese, and a soft cheese.  I could easily have bought all three, but due to the expense we just opted for the soft cheese as it works best for spreading on crackers or bread.
     For the meat and cheese portion of the meal, I just spread the cheese in two Hormel's Natural Choice turkey or ham slices and roll them up.  They are easy to eat and a perfect complement with the bread.

     So this is a quick lunch and easy to prepare if you have made the nut bread and brownies in advance. Neither of them take long and they both are quite delicious.  I have made the nut bread with zucchini, pumpkin, and squash depending on the time of year.  My sister uses zucchini and adds raisins.  Alexx doesn't care for raisins and doesn't need the added sugar, so I skip them.  I know people who have tried this with carrots too, but again, the glucose value in carrots is too high for Alexx.  I tend to like the texture of the bread best when I use acorn squash or pumpkin.  

     The key is to roast the vegetable yourself instead of buying canned.  The flavor is richer and the texture is better - plus there are no additives in fresh vegetables.  (I quickly cook the squash in the microwave.  I buy the smallest size I can find and cut the gourd in quarters.  I place the quarters upside down in a microwave safe pan with 1/4 inch of water.  Microwave for 15 -20 minutes until you can easily stick a sharp knife through the skin.  Scrape the pulp away from the skin and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.  It usually will make about a cup and I can make two loaves of nut bread with it.  If I don't have enough squash or pumpkin I use pure applesauce to fill in.)

Nut Bread/Muffins

Dry Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. soda
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. mace
• 1/4 tsp. stevia (I use Truvia)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup roasted acorn squash or pumpkin
• 1 Tablespoons organic blue agave nectar
• 1 Tablespoon sugar free maple syrup
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls until evenly blended.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients in one bowl and mix with a large fork just until blended.  Do not over mix. (I like to use a Foley fork to do this instead of a mixer, but the wet ingredients can be mixed in a bullet blender before mixing with the dry ingredients.)  Line a small loaf pan with parchment paper and grease with coconut oil. (You can also use muffin cups if you prefer.  It will make approximately 10 muffins.)  Bake the loaf for 35 minutes or the muffin cups for 25 minutes. (Sometimes I double the recipe and do both muffins and a loaf.  The muffins freeze well.)  Serve the bread after it has cooled at least 30 minutes but is still warm.  Add a pat of organic butter if you wish.
Nutritional Info:
Calories: 236; Net Carbs: 4.9g; Fat: 21.2 g; Protein: 7.5g

Nutritional Info for the full lunch: Calories: 563; Carbs: 11; Fat: 40; Protein: 42

Dinner - 6:00 PM

• Salad
• Cajun Chicken Lavosh
  
• Best Brownie 

Perhaps the hardest food item for Alexx to relinquish has been pizza.  Actually, he hasn't given up trying to find a pizza that doesn't spike his sugar.  We have found a few - Grimaldi's New York Pizza and Paul Newman's frozen pizza are two we have discovered. I have tried to make homemade pizza with gluten free crusts and cheese crusts, and just about everything I could think of, but none of them satisfied his taste for pizza, until we tested Lavosh cracker bread as the base for his pizza.  Bingo!  It doesn't spike his sugar and the topping is exactly what he loves.  So now we have a dinner "pizza" that he can count on every 15 days which makes him very happy.  And when we are fortunate enough to land in a town that has a Grimaldi's he also get's to indulge then!  (There actually are quite a few and they seem to be opening more of them around the country.)  The key to making the lavosh is finding the cracker.  It's usually in the international foods section of the grocery story, but sometimes it's in the bakery.  You just need to ask.  If the grocery store doesn't carry it, you might find a Mediterranean market that carries it.  This is the one I find most often: 

It has three crackers to a package and each one makes a large "pizza" that is usually enough for dinner and lunch the next day or an evening snack.  The cracker keeps well, but if you don't think you will use all three within a month, then you might want to invite the neighbors over!  It's a great party meal!

Cajun Chicken Lavosh

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken breast

1/4 cup olive oil separated

2 T lime juice

1 tsp jalapenos

salt

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 cup Havarti cheese

1 cup Swiss cheese

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped green peppers

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons cooked and chopped bacon

Directions:

Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1 tsp jalapenos with salt and chicken breasts.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a skillet and saute marinated chicken breasts until slightly pink inside.

Layer remaining ingredients on lavosh in this order: Mozzarella, Havarti, Swiss, onions, peppers, Parmesan and bacon.  Drizzle olive oil over the top.  Bake at 475 degrees for 15 minutes and edges of lavosh are browned.  Serve immediately.  This keeps well in the refrigerator for lunch and snack leftovers.

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 515.4; Net Carbs: 24.5g; Fat: 34.4g; Protein: 24.8g

Best Brownies - from Elana's Pantry Blog

I have tried many different brownie recipes and adapted many as well. But none have been as good as the recipe I found from Elana's Pantry.  I change her recipe only in the area of the sugar and chocolate so I can reduce the carb count.  She uses regular chocolate and honey but I have used substitutes.  Grain free brownies can often be dry.  These are not!  They are moist every time and topped with a bit of no-sugar-added ice cream they have become one of Alexx's favorite desserts.  (Dreyer's mint chocolate chip is his favorite but he only gets about 2 tablespoons to keep the carb count down.) They freeze well so I can always have some on hand.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces creamy roasted almond butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugarfree maple syrup
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup sugar free chocolate chunks

In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth.  Add eggs, agave, maple syrup, and vanilla.

Blend in cacao, salt and baking soda, and then the chocolate chunks.

Pour batter into a 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 325 degrees for 25-40 minutes.  Makes 24 brownies.  I freeze them in 6 packages of 4.  (When I'm in the RV I make 1/2 the recipe and use my small baking pan.)
Nutritional Info per brownie:
Calories: 199; Net Carbs: 7.8g; Protein: 4.1g

Nutritional Info for the full dinner:

Calories: 1,430; Carbs:74*; Fat: 99; Protein: 66
*This is a very high carb count for a typical meal for Alexx, but for whatever reason, this meal does not raise his blood sugar more than 15 points for the meal.  So we keep it on the list as a special meal - he loves it so and the numbers don't always tell the whole story.

Snack - 10:00 PM

Alexx only needs to eat something light to get his pills down at night.  Smoothies fit this bill quite easily.  I like to use whatever I have on hand, but I also always have frozen fruit available in case the refrigerator is low on fresh fruit.

In a small blender add and pulse:

1/3 cup Diet Cranberry Juice

1/3 cup Almond Milk

3 frozen strawberries or 1/4 cup frozen berries

1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil or meal

2 ice cubes

Nutritional Info for this single serving:
Calories: 180; Net Carbs: 6.1g; Fat: 14.8g; Protein: 4.5g

Nutritional Information for the entire day:

Calories: 2,582; Carbs: 121; Fat: 185; Protein: 131

18.12% Carbs - 62.26% Fats - 19.62% Protein