Barbeque and Buffalo Wings

Barbeque and Buffalo Wings

For the love of everything spicy, here is my one chance to make something without everyone giving me "the eye" just because they can't have something they cannot eat. So, to resolve matters, I made TWO recipes out of one meat. That way they can eat what they want, and I can eat what I want to my hearts content.

AND IT'S NOT FRIED! Whoohoo! So, here are the recipes that I used;

Twice-cooked pork with bean sprouts

Twice Cooked Pork with bean sprouts

Okay, another Asian inspired dish that I have here, the recipe I found was too 'pure meat' so, I incorporated it with a little vegetable mix to add variety, color and volume. It was really good! You should try it sometime.

Pork Pepper-o-nuts!

Pork Pepper-o-nuts!

The past week seemed like it was a week of Asian foods. I got tired of cooking the same old concept of low carb that I needed to find something 'new' to my taste. Or, perhaps not that new at all. My Filipino culture is known for its mixed diverse culture when it comes to cooking. The influence is wide. The category for every food is non-existential. So here's a taste of Asian cooking, blended with, I don't know but hey, cooking is about creativity, outlet and health!

Chile Chicken

Chili Chicken

This recipe is also popularly known in my country (Philippines) as "halang-halang" or spicy food. Mostly it is a cooked spiced chicken skin, similar to this one except that I didn't use any skin.

It tastes very good, with that little salt and sour spicy mix. Perfect for fall. You can adjust the spiciness of this recipe to your liking.

Cucumber Salad

Cucumber Salad

This is a great starter or just plain snack. It is healthy and light, and yummy, yummy, yummy! It doesn't matter season you prepare this. It's QUICK and EASY!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pc Cucumber, peeled, and sliced thinly in circles
A few pieces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Pc medium red onion, cut into rings
1 Cup rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Just mix everything, season to taste and refrigerate. Best served if chilled.

Grilled Prawns with Avocado Salad

Grilled Prawns with Avocado Salad

Another cooking adventure I took on was about shrimps. I used to cook shrimp and they ALWAYS came out rubbery. Yes, you read that right. I always thought that you have to cook them longer you know. AND THEN, I just learned that you have to cook them in as little as 2-3 minutes so they will NOT come out rubbery AT ALL.

This was a surprise because I DID NOT ever imagined that the shrimp and avocado salad could come out good together. EVER.

Broccoli Chicken Potato Parmesan

Broccoli Chicken Potato Parmesan

This is a new recipe that I found on the internet, and I was curious to try it out. I just wanted to find something to do with the frozen cooked chicken breast nuggets my child won't eat. AND this was a GREAT IDEA! After adding some twist to that boring old nugget, my child did ate everything on his plate.

It was really creamy and tasty. I still have some of those nuggets left and I can't wait to try this out again. Maybe without the potatoes though, because I don't want to eat them.

For the ingredients, I always try to substitute the ingredients to make them healthier by choice, so my family and I can still eat them without worrying so much about the risk factors.

No Pasta Lasagna!

No Pasta Lasagna

I love everything pasta, but ever since I started following the low carb lifestyle, I tend to avoid anything that has heavy carb contents. BUT this? I never knew that it was possible to eat pasta without the PASTA itself!

I am glad that I found this recipe, because now I can make them anytime and eat without the guilt. I carry enough baggage already to add more of guilt.

The creator of this dish was right, it is indeed easy but takes time to do so. Don't be scared with all the ingredients it asks, because in the end it will all be worth it. You won't even notice the difference that the REAL PASTA isn't there.

Baked Turkey Burger Mix Patty

Turkey Burger Mix Patty in Avocado Salad

This makes wonderful light meals, you can eat them any mealtime. I thought of making this because I kind of miss eating picadillo but I don't want to eat using turkey meat. Instead I just thought of making something else. Next time though, I'm going to make the patties a 'little' wider so they won't come off as mini-burgers. PORTION people. PORTION!

Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters with Asparagus

Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters with Asparagus

I bet you just want to sink your teeth into that leg right now. Me, too. I was having one of my lazy days and I just wanted a quick fix for food but I do not want to make anything that's from a box. Here, you can have before 30 minutes is up. Fast, easy and YUMMY! Very.

Chicken in Avocado Salad

Chicken in Avocado Salad

This was supposed to be a chicken salad avocado wrap, but the wrap that I bought was not the one I wanted so it ended up as a salad instead. It's still good, just missing the tortilla, that's all. This can be served as an appetizer, snack or light meal. Anyway you like it.

Parmesan Crusted Shrimp

Parmesan Crusted Shrimp

Ahhh, the shrimp. This is also one of those dishes that I made for my sister's birthday. Sadly, it didn't last very long. It almost didn't made its presence at the dinner table. I don't know if the cooking is really that good (Can you sense some false humility there?) or they just really like shrimps. Aherm.

Baked Spaghetti with Cream of Mushroom

Baked Spaghetti with Cream of Mushroom

When I made this spaghetti for my sister's birthday, the noodles were a little undercooked and I can't throw it away because I already put everything in it. Stupid huh? I was assuming that it was already one, and I was also preparing and cooking other dishes as I was doing this.

Ranch Chicken Skewers - Low carb recipe!

Ranch Chicken Skewers

I wonder why is it that when I cook something from a recipe, it doesn't come out and looks exactly the way I followed it to the letter. Just like this one. I can't say it taste bad because it was literally so good that I was holding myself down not to finish all of it.

Chickie-Shrimp in Mixed Green Bean Stir-Fry

Chickie-Shrimp in Mixed Green Bean Stir-Fry

I rarely cook vegetables that requires stir-fry because I prefer them baked, blanched, steamed or anything on that level. BUT since this looks so good and I had everything as well, I decided to take it into consideration, which I didn't regret and I WILL definitely cook it again. A MUST TRY!

Sweet Chili Stir-Fried Shrimp

Sweet Chili Stir-Fried Shrimp

I found this recipe from a fellow blogger who has a knack of cooking Asian foods, and I happen to like sea foods for that matter. This is really easy and the aroma is just...mouth watering.

Low Carb Spiced Chicken Thighs

Spiced Chicken Thighs

Ever since I started this low carb lifestyle thing, I have been a little obsessed with looking for recipes that I can use for this special diet.

Right now, I am really lagging behind with all my blog posts, I still have more than 10 recipes that needs to be uploaded. With all these things going on around me, I hope I can finish it all this week. Sometimes I wonder where the time goes, it seems there is too little of it left at the end of the day.

Oven Baked Crispy "Fried" Chicken (Low Carb and Gluten Free!)

Oven Baked 'Fried" Chicken

Enjoy the chicken ala-'fried' without worrying about the fats and oil from deep frying.

I always love chicken, no matter what the recipe, and come on, oven baked'fried' chicken without really frying? It's something worth trying. I gave up (not totally) on eating fried foods because I am trying to lose weight here, but this is too good to pass up.

Asparagus Salad

Asparagus Salad

This by far is my easiest discovery. You can just make these any way you want. You can grill, saute, blanche, use it for salad or side dish. I just love these!

Squash, Veggies and Beef Casserole

Squash and Beef Casserole

This sounded so good and I was a little disappointed that I THOUGHT this was 'healthy' just because it was veggies. I mean, to me it is unhealthy because I am watching my carb intake. Only to find out later that I have EATEN so much of this and bloated. Well, I can't blame the food. It was very good.

Yummy Bacon Meatballs (Low Carb and Gluten Free!)

Yummy Bacon Meatballs

As I was browsing through a fellow bloggers blog, I found this but with a slight difference in presentation and flavor. This is perfect for a small gathering and you want to prepare something cute but not too fancy but still good.

Broccoli and Cheese Frittata

My first ever Broccoli and Cheese Frittata

I was a little intrigued to see frittatas over the net. They look delicious and tempting to eat. I like temptations. That is another reason why I love to try new things to add to my cooking adventure.
So here's another to my many firsts.

Roasted Cauliflower w/ Herbs and Parmesan Cheese

Roasted Cauliflower


I saw this recipe from other low carbing bloggers as a substitute to their potato or rice and I decided to give it a go.
I am glad that I did because it really satiated my cravings for the rice.

Progress

Photo: chandrajones.blogspot.com

I started my journey to be healthy, one month two days ago. I am proud to say that I have lost a considerable amount of weight and feeling fine, which NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE! no matter what kind of diet or exercise I have gotten myself into.

I wouldn't call this dieting since I can pretty much eat anything I still want to eat but I chose not to, I just substitute them for healthier choices and not waste my calories away.

How To: TIps on Soaking Beans, Dried and Legumes

Photo: prudhwija.wordpress.com

I have found a gem of a book, called the KITCHEN COMPANION by POLLY CLINGERMAN. It is an absolute kitchen bible for me that I can't help but share her bits and tips to help beginners learn.

SOAKING

- can make dried beans cook quickly
- when soaking, first rinse, then pick through small stones
- use 2 quarts of cold water per pound of beans

TO SHORTEN SOAKING TIME

- cover beans with cold water by 2 inches, bring to a quick boil and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes
- take pot off the heat and let the beans stand covered for an hour.
- discard water when you are ready and get on with recipe

Low Carb Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

Inspired by Peace, Love and Low Carbs recipe. A must try!

Pork and Beans

Homemade Pork and Beans

Watching my father in the kitchen when I was younger, this was in the books whenever there is a family gathering. We grew up looking forward to every meal and leftovers when we have this at the dinner table. It was always a happy occasion.

Pork Kilawin

Pork Kilawin

Okay, although it says 'Kilawin" - or raw food, It's not what it is. That is our left-over pork chops and I need to do something else about it because we just have too much meat. That is the only thing change in the recipe. Everything else, I got it.

This is good to have if you have a boys night 'in', or some gathering where drinks (beer) are being served.

Meaty Spaghetti

Meaty Spaghetti

As per request, I had to cook a spaghetti because my son loves it so much.

Low Carb Skillet Chicken and Broccoli

Skillet Chicken and Broccoli

I found this recipe from Campbell's Kitchen, and decided to make it a go. This is really good.

Stir Fried Angel Hair Pasta Noodles

Stir Fried Angel Hair Pasta Noodles

One of those days where I just have to get 'crazy' over a recipe or something. I was looking for a vermicelli noodle but we don't have any, so I decided to use the angel hair pasta and tried to make it work. I am glad that I did just that because the flavor was just amazing.