300 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes (41 page)

This dish has spicy, rich Southwestern flavor.

3 turkey legs

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried, powdered sage

1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 or 2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, plus a couple of teaspoons of the sauce they come in

8 ounces (225 g) tomato sauce

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

6 tablespoons (42 g) shredded queso quesadilla cheese (optional)
^*

Guar or xanthan

^*
This is a mild, white Mexican cheese. Monterey Jack is an acceptable substitute.

Plunk the turkey legs in the slow cooker. (If you can fit more, feel free. My slow cooker will only hold 3.) Put the cumin, chili powder, sage, garlic, red pepper flakes, turmeric, chilies, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in the blender, run it for a minute, and then pour the mixture over the turkey legs. Cover, turn the slow cooker to Low, and leave it for 5 to 6 hours.

When it's done, remove each turkey leg to a serving plate, thicken the juices in the pot with guar or xanthan, and spoon over the turkey legs. If you like, sprinkle 2 tablespoons (14 g) of shredded cheese over each turkey leg and let it melt for a minute or two before serving.

Yield:
3 servings, each with 8 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and—depending on the size of the turkey legs—40 to 50 grams of protein.

Choucroute Garni

This is a streamlined version of a traditional dish from the Alsace region of France—the name means Garnished Sauerkraut. It's so simple and so good, especially on a cold night.

1 can (14 ounces, or 400 g) can red sauerkraut

1 tablespoon (15 g) bacon grease

1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons (28 ml) gin

1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine

1 pound (455 g) meat—your choice of any combination of kielbasa, smoked sausage, frankfurters, link sausages, 1/4-inch thick (6 mm) ham slices, or smoked pork chops
^*

^*
I use 1/2 pound (225 g) each of the lowest carbohydrate kielbasa and smoked sausage I can find.

Dump your sauerkraut into a colander, rinse lightly, drain, and dump into the slow cooker. Add the bacon grease, vinegar, Splenda, onion, gin, and wine and give it a quick stir. Plunk the meat on top, cover the slow cooker, and set it to Low. Cook for 5 to 6 hours.

Yield:
3 or 4 servings. Assuming 3 servings and depending on what meats you use, each will have in the neighborhood of 9 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs (you can cut this by using the very lowest carbohydrate sausages you can find) and roughly 16 grams of protein.

We just love ribs around here, but I've never thought of them as something “quick and easy.” Then I thought of putting them in the slow cooker. Wow!

Slow cooker ribs aren't exactly like ribs done over a slow fire, of course, but they're incredibly tasty and falling-off-the-bone tender. What's more, they're really, really easy. Here are a few ideas on how to cook ribs in a slow cooker.

Rosemary-Ginger Ribs with Apricot Glaze

Blue Slaw
—or any coleslaw—is good with these. Also, feel free to use a full-size slab of ribs—about 6 pounds (2.7 kg) worth—and double the seasonings if you're feeding a family.

1 slab baby back ribs, about 2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg)

Purchased Rosemary-Ginger Rub (Stubb's makes this)

2 tablespoons (40 g) low-sugar apricot preserves

1 1/2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

1 teaspoon Splenda

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

Sprinkle both sides of the slab of ribs generously with the Rosemary-Ginger Rub. Curl the slab of ribs around and fit it down into your slow cooker. Cover and set the slow cooker on Low. Forget about it for 9 to 10 hours. (No, I didn't forget anything. You don't put any liquid in the slow cooker. Don't sweat it.)

When the time's up, mix together the preserves, mustard, Splenda, and soy sauce. Carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker—they may fall apart on you a bit, they'll be so tender. Arrange them meaty-side-up on a broiler rack. Spread the apricot glaze evenly over the ribs and run them under a broiler set on High, 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) from the heat, for 7 to 8 minutes, and then serve.

Yield:
2 or 3 servings. Assuming 3 servings, each will have 5 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 38 grams of protein.

Slow Cooker “Barbecued” Ribs

Okay, it's not really barbecue because it's not done over a fire. But this recipe tastes great and lets you dig into your ribs within minutes of walking in the door.

1 slab baby back ribs, about 2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg)

Memphis-Style Dry Rub
(
page 306
, or you can purchase good dry rub in most grocery stores)

1/4 cup (65 g)
Reduced-Carb Spicy Barbecue Sauce
(see
page 311
) or 1/4 cup (65 g) purchased low-carb barbecue sauce
^*

^*
Atkins makes one, and so does Walden—these are both available through online retailers. There's also a brand called Stubb's, pretty widely distributed in grocery stores, that has less than half the sugar of most commercial barbecue sauces and tastes great. That's what I use.

Sprinkle the slab of ribs liberally on both sides with the dry rub, coil the ribs up, and slide them into your slow cooker. Cover, set to Low, and let them go for 9 to 10 hours.

When dinnertime rolls around, pull the ribs out of the slow cooker—as in the previous recipe, do this carefully because they'll be falling-apart tender.

Lay the ribs on a broiler rack, meaty side up, and spread the barbecue sauce over them. Broil 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) from the broiler set on High for 7 to 8 minutes, and then serve.

Yield:
Your carb count will be a bit different depending on whether you use homemade sugar-free barbecue sauce or commercial low-carb sauce. If 3 people share these, each will get about 5 grams of carbohydrates, no fiber, and 38 grams of protein.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Ribs

These are sweet, spicy and tangy and falling-off-the-bone tender. The 15-minute time frame does not include making the ketchup, but the teriyaki sauce should fit in, and you'll want to have ketchup on hand all the time, anyway.

6 pounds (2.7 kg) pork spare ribs, cut into 3 or 4 pieces so they fit in the pot

3/4 cup (180 g) Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup or commercial no-sugar ketchup

1 batch
Teriyaki Sauce
(see
page 313
)

1/4 cup (6 g) Splenda

1/4 teaspoon blackstrap molasses

1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Guar or xanthan

Plop the ribs in the slow cooker. Mix the ketchup, teriyaki sauce, Splenda, molasses, and garlic together, pour it into the cooker, cover the pot, and set it on Low. Forget it for 10 hours.

When the time's up, use tongs to pull out the now unbelievably tender and flavorful ribs. Ladle out as much of the pot liquid as you think you'll use and thicken it using the guar or xanthan. Serve the sauce over the ribs.

Yield:
6 servings, each with roughly 3 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber (depending on how much of the liquid you eat), and 48 grams of protein.

“I've Got a Life” Chicken