Low-carb: cooking with soul

With more and more people watching their carbohydrate intake, it appears that the low-carb revolution is here to stay. Whether you are just starting a low-carb weight-loss program or are continuing one, you can incorporate the recipes on these pages into your new plan during the new year.

Herb-Crusted Fish

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 6- to 8-ounce each fish fillets (such as catfish, snapper, grouper,
etc.) Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped flesh dill weed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.
Place fish fillets skin-side down on work surface; season with salt and
pepper; spread each fillet with 1/2 tablespoon of the mustard. Combine
dill, parsley and lemon rind in small bowl. Sprinkle dill mixture over
each fillet to coat evenly. Place fillet skin-side down on baking sheet
and bake until fish flakes easily with fork and is opaque throughout,
about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 181, TOTAL FAT 4.9G, CHOLESTEROL 73MG CARBOHYDRATE 1.5G, PROTEIN 31.1G, SODIUM 194MG.

Okra And Tomato Skillet

1 pound fresh okra, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 medium tomatoes, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley

Heat about 1 cup of salted water to
boil in small saucepan; add okra.
Cover and cook okra over medium
heat until tender, about 10 minutes;
drain. Heat olive oil in large skillet
over medium-high heat until hot.
Add the onion, garlic, thyme and
crushed red pepper. Cook and stir
until onion is tender; add tomatoes,
salt and pepper; cook and stir for 5
minutes. Add cooked okra and cover;
continue cooking for 5 minutes longer.
Garnish with chopped parsley.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 112, TOTAL FAT 7.0G, CHOLESTEROL 0MG, CARBOHYDRATE 10.8G, PROTEIN 2.6G, SODIUM 50MG.

2 slices bacon
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 small carrot, cut into thin strips
1/2 small red bell pepper, cut into
thin strips
1 medium head cabbage, cut into
thin strips
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons water

Cook bacon in large skillet until
bacon is crisp; remove bacon to
paper towel to drain. Add onion
and carrot to the skillet. Over medium-high
heat, cook and stir onion,
carrot and red bell pepper in bacon
drippings until tender. Add the cabbage,
garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Cook and stir until cabbage is
tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add
water and cover skillet with lid.
Cook until cabbage is done, about 5
minutes longer. Crumble bacon and
sprinkle over cabbage.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 73, TOTAL FAT 2.0G, CHOLESTEROL 3MG, CARBOHYDRATE 12.3G, PROTEIN 3.6G, SODIUM 370MG.

Country Egg
Scramble

1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 cup diced cooked ham
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons chopped red bell
pepper
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
3 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a skillet over
medium heat. Add the ham, green
pepper, red bell pepper and onion;
cook and stir until vegetables are
tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in
the eggs and scramble until the eggs
are set. Season the egg mixture with
salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Yields 2 servings

CALORIES 182, TOTAL FAT 14.0G, CHOLESTEROL 296MG, CARBOHYDRATE 2.5G, PROTEIN 11.3G, SODIUM 370MG.

Mock Mashed
Potatoes
(Cauliflower)

1 head fresh or 1 1/2 pounds
frozen cauliflower
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook or microwave the cauliflower
until soft. Drain the cauliflower
thoroughly and put it through
the blender or food processor until
it's well-pureed. Add the butter, salt
and pepper to taste.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 142, TOTAL FAT 11.8G, CHOLESTEROL 31MG, CARBOHYDRATE 8.0G, PROTEIN 3.5G, SODIUM 157MG.

Stewed Okra

1 pound fresh okra
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon hot chiles, finely
chopped
4 medium firm red tomatoes,
peeled, seeded and diced
2 large cloves garlic, finely
chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the tops off the okra. Melt the
butter over medium heat in a heavy
10- or 12-inch skillet. Add the onions,
stir and cook for 5 minutes; do not
brown. Add the chiles, tomatoes and
garlic; cook and stir, covered for 5
minutes. Add the okra, salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat to low and cover
tightly. Simmer for 15 minutes, or
until the okra is tender.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 98, TOTAL FAT 3.4G, CHOLESTEROL 8MG, CARBOHYDRATE 15.3G, PROTEIN 3.5G, SODIUM 185MG.

Steak And Mushroom

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 porterhouse steaks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup assorted mushrooms
(shitake, baby portobello, etc.)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Combine garlic powder, onion
powder, seasoned salt and pepper in
small bowl. Season the steaks on both
sides evenly with the seasoned mixture.
Heat olive oil in large skillet
over medium-high heat. Brown steaks
on both sides; reduce heat to low.
Cover and continue to cook until
desired doneness; remove and keep
warm. Add butter to skillet and melt.
Add the assorted mushrooms. Cook
and stir until mushrooms are done.
Season the mushrooms with salt and
pepper. Serve mushrooms over the
steaks. Garnish with chopped parsley
if desired.

Yields 2 servings

CALORIES 479, TOTAL FAT 30.3G, CHOLESTEROL 151MG, CARBOHYDRATE 2.5G, PROTEIN 47.1G, SODIUM 717MG.

Easy Vanilla
Cheesecake

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese,
at room temperature
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 packets sugar substitute

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place all
ingredients in a blender and blend
for 15 minutes. Pour mixture into a
9-inch spring-form pan. Place in a
pan of hot water in oven. If water
evaporates during baking, add more
hot water as needed. Bake for 1 hour,
turn off oven and leave cheesecake in
oven 1 hour longer. Garnish with
mint leaves if desired.

Yields 12 servings

CALORIES 190, TOTAL FAT 18.3G, CHOLESTEROL 95MG, CARBOHYDRATE 2.0G, PROTEIN 4.8G, SODIUM 135MG.

Chicken Wings With
Spicy Cilantro Butter

2 pounds chicken wings
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind

Split wings at each joint and discard
tips. Season the wings with salt
and pepper to taste. Deep-fry wings
in oil at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes
or bake in 400-degree oven for 25
minutes until crispy. Drain wings on
paper towel. Combine butter, cilantro,
lime juice and the lime rind in
small bowl. Place the hot wings in
glass serving dish. Brush butter mixture
over the wings and toss to coat
evenly. Garnish with lime if desired.

Yields 4 servings