[Melf]

I absolutely LOVE this recipe. Have made it several times & it is great. DH loves it too. Freezes well.

Great substitute for lasagna!
Ingredients:
2 large eggplants, sliced (the thinner the slices, the faster it cooks)
2 large tomatoes, sliced
8 to 16 ounces if mushrooms, sliced
1 medium bell pepper, sliced
half cup green onion, chopped (or regular onion thinly sliced)
1 small container of low fat ricotta cheese
1 large container of low fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 can/bottle of no sugar added spaghetti sauce
1 packet of Splenda or other artificial sweetener
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup romano cheese, grated
4 tablespoons of parsley flakes
2.5 cups of mozzarella, shredded (more is okay!)

Preparation:
Layer the eggplant, tomato, mushrooms, bell pepper and onion in the bottom of a lasagna pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, cottage cheese and garlic. Mix until it has a consistent texture.

Spoon mixture on top of the layered vegetables. Try to spread it evenly across the pan.

Open can or bottle and mix in 1 packet of Splenda or other sugar substitute, then pour sauce evenly over mixture.

Sprinkle grated cheeses across the length of the pan.

Top with an even layer of mozzarella. The mozzarella will form a "lid" to help trap steam and cook the vegetables thoroughly.

Scatter parsley flakes on top of mozzarella for a little color and flavor.

Bake at 425 degrees for one hour, or until eggplant is soft and pliable.

Use a knife to cut the mozzarella to allow steam to escape and let it sit long enough to cool a little and allow it to set.

Serving Suggestions:
This is enough food to feed a small army. :-) It is a wonderful legal substitute for lasagna without using whole wheat noodles.

Rissa
Love yourself. Learn to take a compliment. Laugh loudly and often.
SugarBusters! since May 1999



A Sane Way of Eating © 1999-2002
http://www.prettyimpressivestuff.com/SugarBusters

[Tranquil]

Baked Spinach
Ingredients:
• 1/2 Cup butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 2 10 oz. pkgs frozen spinach
• 1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add 2 packages of spinach. Break up and stir. Add cream cheese and onion soup mix. Stir well. Place in a casserole and bake at 300°F for 45 minutes.

Makes 6 Servings. 6.8 carbs per serving.

Elegant Puffed Broccoli
Ingredients:
• 2 bunches broccoli, cut into spears, cooked to desired tenderness
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup -real- mayonnaise
Arrange hot cooked broccoli in shallow 1 1/2 quart pan or broiler proof serving dish. (Spraying dish with PAM before cooking will make cleanup easier!) In small bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Fold in cheese and mayonnaise; spoon evenly over broccoli. Broil six inches from source of heat four minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 8 Servings. 5 carbs per serving.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms
• 7 to 8 ounces crabmeat (canned or fresh picked) NOT IMITATION!
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground savory
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup no-sugar mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, combine crabmeat (rinse if using canned), green onions, herbs, and pepper. Mix in mayonnaise and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese until well combined. Refrigerate filling until ready for use.

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Remove stems. Spoon out the gills and the base of the stem, making deep cups. Discard gills and stems. Fill the mushroom caps with rounded teaspoonfuls of filling, and place them in an ungreased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle tops with Parmesan and paprika.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve immediately.

Serves 6. Approx 5 carbs per serving.

Stir Fried
Ginger Shrimp

Ingredients:
• 3/4 pound cleaned and deveined shrimp
• 1 Tablespoons Canola oil
• 1 Tablespoons Walnut or Stir Fry oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoons peeled ginger root, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes, or to taste
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and ginger root and stir fry 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, celery, walnut oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and shrimp. Stir-fry until shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings. 5 carbs per serving.

Skillet Chicken Dijon

Ingredients:
• 4 boneless chicken breasts with or w/o skin
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil (or any oil)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons white wine
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
Heat oil in a skillet; then add the minced garlic and cook, stirring often for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken breasts and saute until browned. In a separate bowl, mix wine, soy sauce and mustard. Pour generously over the chicken. Cover and cook until done. Spoon the sauce over the chicken when serving, or pour extra sauce into small dipping dishes to serve.

Serves 4. Trace carbs.

Kentucky Bourbon
Barbeque Chicken

Ingredients:
• 8 pcs. chicken (breasts, thighs, legs or your favorites)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup Kentucky Bourbon whiskey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoon Brown Sugar Twin
• 2 pkts Splenda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder or sprinkling of finely diced onion
Preheat oven to 325°F.

Melt butter in a skillet and brown chicken on all sides. Transfer chicken to baking dish. Add other ingredients to pan/skillet, stirring to loosen browned particles that cling to bottom. Warm completely; then pour over chicken in baking dish. Try to distribute sauce as evenly as possible. Cover and bake chicken at 325°F for 45 minutes. Uncover, baste and cook uncovered an additional 15 minutes.

Serves 4. Approx. 3 carbs per chicken piece.

Spinach Meatloaf

Ingredients:
• 1 lb ground round/sirloin
• 1/2 lb ground turkey or pork
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
• 1 1/2 cups drained+chopped spinach
• 2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
• Salt, pepper, and garlic to taste
• 2 medium eggs
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Mold meatloaf in large bread pan or meatloaf pan. Place in oven approximately 50 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6. 3.5 carbs per serving.


No Noodle Lasagna

Ingredients:
• 2 pounds lean ground beef, browned in olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced
• 15-16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten slightly
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/2 small can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• fresh chopped parsley
• 5 large mushrooms, sliced thin
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
• 1 pound spinach, steamed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Brown the meat in about 2 Tablespoons olive oil. When meat is nearly done, add the onions and bell pepper and sauté until the onions just begin to soften. Add garlic and continue cooking until onions are transparent. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste along with the red wine. Mix well; add seasonings and simmer until quite thick.

Beat the eggs and ricotta together with some fresh chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with olive oil or butter flavor Pam. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture in the bottom of the pan. Top with sliced zuchinni. Spread zuchinni with the ricotta mixture, and top with spinach and mushroom slices. Top that layer with half of the cheeses. Cover with remaining meat mixture, top with remaining cheese. Bake at 325°F until the cheese is bubbly and starting to get golden (about 35 to 45 minutes.)

Serves 8. 6 carbs per serving.


Ratatouille

Ingredients:
• 1 pound ground sirloin, round or chuck
• 3 meduim zucchini, washed, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and diced and salted
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 green peppers
• 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup or 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced canned/jarred mushrooms
• salt and peper to taste
Brown beef in a skillet using minimum oil if necessary. Remove from skillet and set aside. Peel and dice eggplant; salt and put aside. Chop onions and garlic; slice zucchini and peppers. Salt and pepper the entire mixture. Pour 3 Tbsp olive oil into skillet and when hot, add all the the veggies except the mushrooms. Mix to stir until onion begins to caramelize, about 10–15 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté for another 5 minutes. Add browned beef, canned tomatoes and herbs and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Before you are ready to serve, top with cheeses.

Serves 6. 6 carbs per serving.


Eggplant Casserole

Ingredients:
• 4 cups eggplant - sliced thin
• 10 ounces provolone cheese - sliced
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese - shredded
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic - sliced
• 1 cup mushrooms - sliced
• 1/2 cup celery - chopped
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 16 ounces Newman's Sockarooni sauce
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Saute lean ground beef in frying pan with mushrooms, garlic, onion, celery and Italian seasonings. Fry until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess oil and remove. Peel eggplant and slice it very thin. Grease bottom and sides of a 9x13 glass baking dish with olive oil on bottom and sides. Layer half the eggplant on bottom of pan. Sprinkle eggplant with additional Italian seasoning if desired. Layer half of the meat mixture, half of the sauce and half of the provolone (lasagne style). Repeat layering with remaining eggplant, meat, sauce and provolone. Spread mozzarella over the top of the casserole, cover with foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until done, taking foil off last 5-10 minutes to brown.

Serves 6. 4 carbs per serving.

Cashew Chicken Salad
Lettuce
1/4 cup whole Cashews
sprouts
2 hard boiled eggs
shredded cheddar cheese
small pieces of chicken cut into chunks
black olives
your choice of salad dressing (I prefer Fiesta) It's half ranch and half salsa
ENJOY!
Courtesy of Low Carb Café

Riceless Spanish Rice
1 lb. Turkey ground
1/2 head of cabbage
1 can tomato product any kind
seasonings....salt pepper garlic etc.
1 large onion
1Tbsp. grated cheese
1 green pepper
Brown meat, add all ingredients. Simmer all ingredients for about 35 minutes. Delicious.


Sausages and Tomatoes
1 package of Johnsonville Brats (other brands tend to shrink to much)
what ever flavor you like I mix the brats with the hot italian sausages
1 can of Hunts Italian style diced tomatoes
2 tsp. Basil
4 oz or more Monteray Jack cheese
13 X 9 baking dish
Cook the brats completly and then slice into about 1/2" pieces, put into baking dish, add the canned tomatoes and basil, mix well then top with cheese, Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 min. Serves 4