Pepperoni Stuffed Zucchini Pizza

Ingredients: 

Per person

Left: four cheese. Right: Parmesan

2 medium zucchini

⅓ cup diced onions

1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

12+ slices of pepperoni, diced

½ cup shredded four-cheese blend or Parmesan cheese.

Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. With a metal spoon, scoop out most of the insides, chop fine, season with salt & pepper, and set it aside.

• Transfer the zucchini shells to a baking sheet, season with salt & pepper. Bake for 10 minutes at 375°.

• Over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic. As they begin to soften, add zucchini. As it softens, add pepperoni.

• Remove from heat. Fill zucchini shells with a layer of cheese, spoon this mixture into zucchini shells. Top with cheese.

• Bake (375°) for 12 or 13 minutes, until cheese is browned slightly on top. Cool before eating.

Nutrition: 9 grams carbohydrates, 2.6 grams fiber, 198 calories

Fruit Crumble, Various

Fruit Crumble Crust:

½ cup almond flour

¼ cup flaxseed or coconut meal

3 TBSP low carb sweetener

3-4 TBSP butter

¼ tsp salt

Maybe some whey protein.

Directions: Toss it in the food processor & fire it up. That’s all.

Apple Crumble Filling:

3-4 ripe apples (I used yellow transparent)

2 TBSP low carb sweetener

⅓ tsp cinnamon

2 TBSP water

(optional: something to thicken it)

Directions:

• Slice or cube apples: not very big.

• Add apples, sweetener, water to saucepan. Cook for a few minutes until they think about softening. Note: crisper apples will need to cook longer than yellow transparent apples.

• Fill pie pan ¾ with apple mixture

• Top with crumble.

• Bake at 375° until the top is brown. Cool before serving with ice cream.

Bacon Zucchini Chicken Rolls

Ingredients

2 or 3 strips bacon, mostly cooked, diced

¼ medium onion, chopped

2 tsp olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cups diced zucchini

¼ cup diced sweet red pepper

1-2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

Salt & pepper

1 boneless chicken breast, thawed

Directions

Slice the chicken breast into ¼” thick pieces. Lightly salt & pepper both sides. Set aside to warm to room temperature, under plastic wrap.

In a medium cast iron skillet, fry bacon until it’s beginning to firm up. Remove and dice (or dice before frying).

Sauté onion in remaining bacon fat for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add zucchini and red pepper; saute for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Remove from the heat; stir in the bacon, cheese, basil, salt and pepper.

Roll vegetable mixture up in slices of chicken breast. Secure with toothpick

In the same skillet, brown the chicken rolls. Drizzle with seasoned olive oil.

Microwave or fry the remaining chicken slices. Top with remaining filling. 

Bake it all, uncovered, at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°.

Comments: I forgot the basil, and I was out of bell pepper, so I added roasted bell pepper powder and fresh mushrooms  Good. Consider fresh rosemary. 

Low Carb Chili

INGREDIENTS

1½ pounds lean ground beef

2 slices bacon, diced

½ medium red onion, chopped and divided

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large ribs of celery, diced

1 2 TSBP pickled jalapeno slices

6 ounce can tomato paste

14.5 ounce can tomatoes with green chilies or Mexican seasoning (or fresh tomatoes & peppers)

1½ TSBP Worcestershire sauce

2 TSBP chili powder

1½ TSBP cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp oregano

1 pinch of ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp cayenne or habanero powder

1 bay leaf

INSTRUCTIONS

•Heat slow cooker on low setting. Or cast iron stockpot.

•In a large skillet (or in the cast iron stockpot) over medium-high heat, cook bacon to half-done. Add ground beef, salt & pepper, half of the onions, half the minced garlic. Once the beef is browned, drain grease.

•Transfer ground beef mixture to slow cooker, if you’re using one, or continue in the cast iron stockpot. Add remaining onions, garlic, celery, jalapenos, tomato paste, tomatoes and chilies (with liquid), stewed tomatoes (with liquid), Worcestershire sauce and the spices.

•Stir until all ingredients are well combined.  Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove the bay leaf before serving.