Tonight’s dinner: small steak, creamy mashed mock potatoes and salad
I am surprised at the number of people who are interested in low carb eating and encourage me to post my meals. I would have expected that to be horribly boring to most people. I’m glad that’s not the case.
Before Ron went in the Army, he worked as a meat cutter. He is gifted at choosing tender, juicy cuts of meat from otherwise tough cuts. Although some chuck eye steaks can be tough and leathery, these little heavily marbled steaks were melt in your mouth.
They are a little overdone because I was listening to Willie Nelson sing “You Were Always on My Mind” while they were grilling. 🙂
The mock mashed potatoes are actually cauliflower — like you never tasted it before. Properly prepared, it is mild, creamy and delightful. Improperly prepared it can be watery and strong tasting.
I steam, never boil, either fresh or frozen cauliflower until it is just done, being careful not to overcook it. For a 16 oz. bag of cauliflower, I add 1 oz. cream cheese, 1 T butter and 2 T heavy whipping cream and salt. Everything goes into a food processor and I process it for 30 seconds. It’s superb! (My food processor is a mini–I’m not sure how long it would take in a heavy duty full size processor.)
Yummy no-cook LC blonde fudge with almonds
I have been falling behind in my job of keeping Ron supplied with low carb sweets. He resorted to buying Atkins bars. After he suffered tummy distress caused by the sugar alcohols, notably the maltitol, in the bars, I felt guilty enough to make a huge batch of low carb blonde fudge with almonds for him. So the refrigerator and freezer are now stocked, and that should keep him happy for a few days!
They are fat bombs! Perfectly legal, but I have to leave them alone to keep from ODing on calories since my BMR is so low.
I found the recipe on one of my LC forums, but can’t find it now to provide a link. Sorry! But here’s how to make them:
(I doubled the following recipe so I would have plenty to freeze for later.)
No Cook Fudge
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 stick butter
2 oz. cream cheese
1 c. Splenda or erythritol (or combination)
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
I added a handful of almonds because I wanted more texture in the candy.
Put almonds in food processor and pulse until you have almond bits the size you want in your candy. Melt peanut butter and butter in microwave for a couple of minutes. Stir. Microwave a little longer if needed. Use a larger bowl than you think you need because the mixture can bubble up. Stir in cream cheese. Stir in sweetener. Stir in protein powder. Stir in almonds.
The recipe said to spread the candy in a buttered dish. Instead, I put saran wrap over a cookie sheet and just spread the mixture on that. Refrigerate for at least one hour to set. Use pizza cutter to cut into small squares.
I kept half in the refrigerator so Ron could eat it immediately and froze the other half for later.
Well, I had some other ramblings to add, but this is getting too long, so I will save them for later.
Am really feeling desperate to get out camping, but it’s not an option right now. I’m thinking about driveway camping in the Casita for a few nights. 🙂
Tinycamper's Blog 
Bradford Harris
/ January 18, 2014Once again you’ve posted food that sounds healthy and great! I can’t wait to try the mashed potato style cauliflower. It sounds like a great alternative to what I’ve been eating – 2 of the tiniest size B potatoes – a quick “fix”. Keep on posting – we appreciate it! 🙂 — VT
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tinycamper
/ January 18, 2014Brad, I can pretty well guarantee you will LOVE that cauliflower!
Let me know after you try it. 🙂
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Judy Crankshaw
/ January 18, 2014Food, and life in general would all be a bit more harmonious if we all listened to a bit of Willie Nelson while cooking. Glad you are so inspired to stick with your new meal plan – it’s obviously working well for you.
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tinycamper
/ January 18, 2014Old Willie. I love him more and more as the years go by. 🙂
I find it so crazy how a diet that consists of all the “wrong” things can have such amazing health benefits. Funny thing is, I also love vegan and would eat that way if I could stick to it!
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Kim
/ January 18, 2014Hey, driveway camping is still camping! And beats no camping at all.
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tinycamper
/ January 18, 2014I wonder what there is about camping that evolves from fun to a serious NEED.
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Peggy
/ January 19, 2014We had your chili cheese chicken the other night and it was fantastic! Sometimes when I make mashed cauliflower I switch out the cream cheese for some grated Parmesan cheese, and increase the butter a little. Also a tiny bit of garlic powder can make them mock garlic mashed potatoes! So good!
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tinycamper
/ January 19, 2014I am SO GLAD you liked that chili cheese chicken. It is one of my very favorite recipes!
Ooohhhh… it would taste like a whole different dish with more butter and parmesan! Or garlic! Can’t wait to try that!
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cozybegone
/ January 19, 2014I love anything cauliflower….and mashed is one of my favorite ways to cook it! Keep up the foodie fun…always an idea or two that gives me a thought of something to add to our list. Jerry baking his first cake in a toaster over today…said if it works….a pumpkin pie is next on the list :O)
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tinycamper
/ January 19, 2014I hope the cake in the toaster oven works out. Mine doesn’t get as hot as my regular oven, I don’t think, so things take longer in it.
If it does work, it would be awesome! Pumpkin pie! I love that so much I will eat it for breakfast if I am lucky enough to have a piece left over! 🙂
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alex
/ January 19, 2014As an RD I’ll never get tired of talking about food. A recipe for the books: Cauliflower raw, run through the shredding blade on the processor. Cover closely (like in a covered glass dish), season and microwave 10 minutes. A good “rice” substitute.
Hunger is governed by hormones. Leptin, ghrelin, insulin all interplay to regulate your hunger and blood sugar. Non nutritive sweeteners (splenda&etc) can affect this negatively. If you hit a plateau, or experience hunger, you may consider testing this out for a defined period to see if it increases your sense of wellbeing and blood sugar stability.
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tinycamper
/ January 19, 2014Hi, Alex. Good to hear from you again. Will try the shredded cauliflower because I do miss rice sometimes. I have found a “macaroni” recipe that looks better than some. Will also try it this week.
Thanks for the tip on the sweeteners. I’ve cut WAY back on the Diet Coke. I used to drink it all day. Am down to 1 a day now. Still use Stevia in coffee sometimes.
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Jo
/ January 19, 2014Plate looks really good. I can’t buy a good steak if I paid $20. for a 3 oz . one. I think I had those mashed potatoes before. I should pick up some Cauliflower next time I shop. I leave the fudge to your hubby.
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tinycamper
/ January 19, 2014I generally let Ron pick the meat. He is so much better at it than I am!
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Horst Kelly
/ January 20, 2014I will be trying “mashed mocked potatoes” this week…thanks for sharing…keep this posts going and you have a “Low Carb Cookbook” in the making…..Have a terrific week…Horst sends
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tinycamper
/ January 20, 2014Horst, most of the recipes are gleaned from elsewhere. The mock mashed potatoes are everywhere… I just gave a couple of tips I learned to keep them from being watery and strong tasting. 🙂
You have a great week, too!
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Old Guy
/ January 20, 2014Hello, I have been low Carb for a while..I did not need to loose weight..I was on Supplements { over the counter trying to lower cholesterol {sic} had severe pain in my stomach } ..I went to the Doctor..She said my color was off..[Yellow ] ..Did Liver Panels they were out of sight…Turns out the Supplements were causing problems in my Liver,,The pain was from an Ulcer..I stopped taking ALL Supplements and my Liver values came back to normal…and the ulcer went away…So I started reading about Diets and went on a Low Carb Diet ,,After three months{of being low carb }..I had follow up Blood work done..My cholesterol was almost normal..No Pills Just Diet…Triglycerides went from 333 down to 95…I would suggest anyone with certain health issues read about how certain carbs are bad for you..Low carb eating is a life style…Some of us are addicted to the SUGARS in Carbs,,But as you are proving LOW Carb eating does not have to be tasteless…Please continue to share your receipes…If just one person benefits from it, that will be a great thing.. Doctors are stuck on LOW FAT..But in order for food to taste good the Fat is replaced with SUGARS…SUGAR that has many NAMES…OLD GUY
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tinycamper
/ January 20, 2014OG, so glad to hear from you. My cholesterol is also off the charts and I have zero tolerance to statins. I’ve read that cholesterol may skyrocket at first, but by 6 months, it’s usually much improved. I can’t wait to have labs done at 6 months.
My doctor insists on my eating a low fat diet. But I have checked my blood sugar after a low fat meal and I know that she is simply repeating the outdated, erroneous stuff she was taught. She is also very overweight. So instead of arguing with her, I just smile and do what I believe to be best. The lab results will give me an opportunity to explain why they are so much improved. Until then, I am sure she would not listen.
I’ve read that those studies back in the 60’s that vilified saturated fat were flawed and did not take into consideration the role of carbohydrates. Funny how an obesity epidemic started in the 60’s after they told us not to eat fat, isn’t it?
I am SO GLAD to hear about your experience with supplements! What is your opinion of one whole foods all natural vitamin like Alive?
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Old Guy
/ January 20, 2014I ask my Doctor about a Multi-Vit and she told me I did not need one…The only thing she suggested was get back to taking a Fish Oil Pill { I was taking it Before the Liver issue came up } ..I may start taking it again,But as long as My blood work shows improvement without any supplements I am staying away from them…I have added a few carbs back { just the naturally occurring ones in Fruits and Veggies } ..I am off Processed Foods,Sugars,White Starches,,Etc..As long as my cholestrol numbers stay good I am going to keep doing what I am doing now…LOW CARB …Old Guy
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tinycamper
/ January 20, 2014Thanks, OG. I already have some of the whole foods vitamins ordered, so will take those, but will not reorder if I don’t feel I need to. My doctor also recommended fish oil, but I dislike taking pills so badly, I can’t get into a routine with them.
Those naturally occurring carbs are great. To my mind, the great evil in our food supply is all the processed quasi-food.
And that includes the artificial sweeteners that I still use. I am gradually weeding them out of my diet…. don’t think I can get Ron off them. Not yet, anyway. 🙂
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Old Guy
/ January 21, 2014Hello,In one of your earlier post you stated the Cholesterol Numbers can go up when on a Low Carb Diet,,A book I read by Jimmy Moore explains Cholesterol, The book is Cholesterol Clarity, What the HDL is wrong with my numbers…Jimmy Moore is not a doctor, But he has a Dr. Westman comment through out the book..Jimmy Moore also has a Web Site ..The book clarifies Cholesterol…I do NOT Personally Know either of the Authors Nor am I making any Money etc. from writing about the Book..Just passing on some of the info that I read that made me look at a LOW CARB Diet.. It is on Amazon..Look it up if you are interested..Thanks Old Guy
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tinycamper
/ January 21, 2014Thanks, OG. I’ll check it out.
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