Chicken and Pumpkin Tin Foil Stew

Ingredients, per serving:

¾ cup cubed pumpkin. I used frozen.

½ cup frozen corn.

½ cup leftover chicken, cubed.

1 cup cubed carrots.

¼ cup dehydrated tomatoes, cubed.

3 cloves fresh garlic, coarsely chopped.

1 small under-ripe Scotch bonnet pepper, seeds & placenta removed, chopped finely.

1 TBSP pesto. I used frozen.

1½ tsp dried mushroom powder

½ tsp smoked salt.

1 tablespoon olive oil.

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

One tablespoon butter.

Instructions:

• Mix everything except the butter together till seasonings are evenly distributed.
• Place butter in the middle of a sheet of aluminum foil. Deposit the mixture on top of the butter, and wrap to a log shape, sealing the edges. Turn the resulting aluminum foil log over, and wrap again in a second layer of aluminum foil.
• Grill over medium high for 20 or 30 minutes, until you can smell things cooking. (Alternatively, roast in the toaster oven.)
• Unwrap, serve and enjoy.

Sue’s Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked red or purple potatoes, diced large (golf ball size)
3 cups uncooked leeks, chopped
3 cups kale, chopped
1 bratwurst or sausage per person (optional)
1 TBSP canola oil
3 cups low-fat milk (1%? 2%?)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Pepper to taste.


Instructions:

• Cut potatoes into golf-ball size pieces. Spread on microwavable plate, cover & cook on high until tender, about 6 minutes.

• In stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. When it’s warm, add chopped leeks, chopped kale & salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. 
 
• Dice the sausage (if you're using them) and fry over medium heat.

• Add cooked potatoes, milk & nutmeg to stockpot and reduce heat to medium low. Mash potatoes into small chunks. Simmer until flavors blend, about 5 minutes.

• Serve in wide bowls, perhaps with crackers or toast. Garnish with pepper, finely chopped green peppers.

• Enjoy. 
 
COMMENT: Also works with rice milk instead of dairy milk; makes it vegetarian.

Vegetarian; no sausage.

Not vegetarian; with sausage.

 

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.

Low Carb Coconut (or Almond) Tortillas / Chapatis

INGREDIENTS
(Ten tortillas or so)

½   cup coconut flour (or almond flour)

6    large Eggs

1¼ cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk)

¾   tsp salt (optional)
  

INGREDIENTS
(six or seven tortillas or so)

⅓  cup coconut flour (or almond flour)

4   large Eggs

¾  cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk)

Salt (to taste)
  
OPTIONAL:
Herbs and spices of your choice.

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Let the batter sit for a minute or two to account for the natural thickening caused by coconut flour. The batter should be very runny right before cooking - it should pour easily (add more almond milk and eggs in equal proportions if needed to achieve this).

  

Heat a small skillet (about 8" diameter) over medium to medium-high heat and grease lightly (use oil of choice or an oil mister). Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet and immediately tilt in different directions to evenly distribute. You can fill in the sides with a little more batter if needed.

Cook, covered with a lid, until the edges are golden and you see bubbles forming in the middle. The edges will curl inward when you lift the lid (about 1-2 minutes). Flip over, cover again, and cook until browned on the other side (1-2 more minutes). Repeat until the batter is used up.

Comment: Meh. Needs more refining.