DARdreams

The weather is getting warmer for many of us and it's a good time to use our crockpots rather than our ovens for meals.  Radishes are now in season here and I'm again playing with these yummy little veggies.  Here's my latest creation:

 

 

1 lb radishes

1 lb ground beef

1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground sage

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

1/16 teaspoon black pepper

 

Wash and trim radishes.  Cut large radishes in half.  Place in crockpot.

 

Mix remaining ingredients well and form into about 12 meatballs.  Place in crockpot with radishes.

 

Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring halfway through if possible.  Add salt and pepper to taste when finished cooking.

 

This makes 2 servings with about 3 net carbs each.

In case anyone is wondering, I'm still here!  I've just been swamped (literally!) lately.  Our hot water tank leaked all over 1/2 of our garage and anything stored in cardboard boxes had to be sorted, salvaged (if possible), and repacked into large plastic containers.  This has taken weeks!  

 

I have been giving things we no longer want/need away on Freecycle and looking to see what people want on Craig's List as well as just putting things in my driveway with a FREE sign on them, yet there is still a lot of stuff left and a lot of it has found its way into the house to be dealt with.  Soon I'll make a run to the Gospel Mission with a load.  I hate clutter, but am surrounded by it!  ARRGGHHH!  Get me out of here!!!

 

Kitchen experiments have been pretty much on hold while I've been occupied elsewhere, but I hope to have some time to play again soon.  The weather is trying to warm up and makes it in bits and spurts, so I hope to finally get around to playing with ice cream ideas soon.  It has been on my to-do list for years!  But I have been accomplishing something else that is on my to-do list and that is using up low carb items I have had in my cupboards for awhile.  Unfortunately, anything creative I do with them can't be posted if the item is no longer available... 

 

I hope you are all having a good summer or winter or whatever season it is where you live!  8+)

My dear friend and co-moderator, Gracie, on the Low Carb Diets forum told me about chayote squash and I had to try it.  You can find her recipe using it here.  It makes a great apple sub for cobblers and crunches.  Yum!  8+d

 

 

1 chayote squash (about 12 oz)*

1/8 cup granular erythritol

1 teaspoon Fiberfit liquid

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted salted butter

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granular erythritol

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

 

Cut squash into approx. 1/2" cubes.  (I didn't peel mine, but you can if you want.)  Put in 7" square microwavable dish.  Add next 4 ingredients.  Mix well; cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients (starting with melted butter) in the order listed.  When the squash is finished cooking, stir it, then sprinkle the crunch mixture over the top.  Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes. 

 

You can eat this warm or let it cool completely.  It would be great with a dab of real whipped cream on top!

 

The entire recipe contains about 12 net carbs.  It makes 4 small servings or 2 large ones. 

 

* Chayote squash is green and looks similar to a large pear.  I found mine at Walmart.

Many of my recipes use Hood Calorie Countdown, but unfortunately, some people can't get it any more or never could in the first place.  Making a sub for it has been on my recipe "To Do" list for ages, but I haven't gotten around to doing it. 

 

Recently, my dear friend, Jennifer Eloff (of Splendid Low-Carbing fame), posted a Hood "milk" sub on her blog.  Rather than reinvent the wheel, I'll just send you to her website.  While you're there, look around!  I have all of Jen's low carb cookbooks and they are wonderful and very creative!     

This was an interesting experiment.  The meatballs turn out more sweet and the radishes turn out more sour.  The radishes taste similar to pickled beets when cooked this way.  I really like the contrast in flavors.

 

 

1 lb ground pork

1 lb whole radishes

2/3 cup sugar-free Pineapple Da Vinci syrup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

 

Form ground pork into 20 meatballs; place in crockpot.  Cut large radishes in half and leave small ones whole; place in crockpot.

 

Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over meatballs and radishes.  Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring carefully halfway through cooking time (if possible; if you're not available, don't worry about it).

 

If you want, you can thicken the juices with a little guar gum and/or serve this with them, but I just served the meatballs and radishes without the juices.

 

This makes 2 large servings with about 3 net carbs per serving.