300 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes (9 page)

Now slide the whole thing under the broiler for just a minute until you're sure the top is set and then cut in wedges and serve.

Yield:
4 servings, each with 438 calories, 34 grams fat (70.3% calories from fat), 28 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, trace dietary fiber, 315 mg cholesterol, and 727 mg sodium.

Eggs Fu Yong

This can be made on the stove top, is quick and cheap to make, uses up any sort of leftover meat, is high in protein and low in carbohydrates, needs no side dishes, is infinitely variable, and tastes good to boot! How much more can you ask from a recipe? Because this recipe can be varied so much, what I've given you is more a guideline than hard and fast rules.

4 eggs

2 teaspoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce

Peanut oil, or other bland oil for frying

1/2 teaspoon grated gingerroot

2 to 3 ounces (55 to 85 g) leftover cooked meat, cut into small strips* or 2 to 3 ounces (55 to 85 g) canned chunk turkey, chicken, or ham, or canned shrimp, or crabmeat

1 cup (70 g) Napa cabbage or (90 g) green cabbage, finely shredded, or bagged coleslaw mix (90 g), or 1 cup (104 g) bean sprouts, or some combination of the two

1/4 cup (18 g) mushrooms, canned or fresh, finely chopped

1/4 cup (40 g) onion or (25 g) scallions, finely minced

1/4 cup (33 g) bamboo shoots, cut into matchstick strips

* Use ham, pork, turkey, chicken, or shrimp—whatever you've got. If they're little bitty shrimp, leave 'em whole. If they're great big shrimp, chop them coarsely.

Beat the eggs with the sherry and the soy sauce. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons (28 to 45 ml) of oil over high heat. Add the ginger, then the meat and vegetables. Stir-fry until the onion is translucent and the cabbage or bean sprouts are tender-crisp. Stir the meat and vegetables into the seasoned eggs. Add another few tablespoons (28 to 45 ml) of oil to the skillet and heat.

Ladle in about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the egg mixture at a time and fry on both sides until the egg is set.

You can cook this in a wok if you want to be terribly authentic, but I actually find that a skillet is a lot easier for this recipe.

Yield:
2 servings. The carb count will vary a little, but each serving will have close to 6 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 26 grams of protein.

Asparagi All'Uovo

This Italian dish turns a couple of eggs into a light supper. This looks like a lot of instructions, but none of the steps takes much time.

1 pound (455 g) asparagus

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese

8 eggs

Start by snapping the bottoms off the asparagus where they break naturally. Put the asparagus in a microwaveable casserole or a glass pie plate. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and cover. (Use plastic wrap or a plate to cover a pie plate.) Microwave on High for 3 to 4 minutes.

While the asparagus is cooking, stir the garlic into the olive oil.

When the asparagus is done, drain it. If you have 4 single-serving oven-proof dishes long enough to hold asparagus, they're ideal for this recipe—divide the asparagus between the 4 dishes. If not, you'll need to use a rectangular glass baking dish. Arrange the asparagus in 4 groups in the baking dish.

Whether you're using the individual dishes or the single baking dish, drizzle each serving of asparagus with the garlic and olive oil. Salt and pepper lightly and divide the cheese between the 4 servings. Put the asparagus under the broiler, about 4 inches (10 cm) from low heat. Let it broil for 4 to 5 minutes.

While the asparagus is broiling, fry the eggs to your liking. Either use your biggest skillet to do them all at once or divide them between two skillets.

When the Parmesan is lightly golden, take the asparagus out of the broiler. If you've cooked it in one baking dish, use a big spatula to carefully transfer each serving of asparagus to a plate. Top each serving of asparagus with 2 fried eggs and serve.

Yield:
4 servings, each with 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 16 grams of protein. If you'd like 22 grams of protein, add a third egg to each serving.

Colorful Eggs on a Plate

I wanted to come up with something completely microwaved, though I can't really explain why. This is quite good, and heaven knows it's quick.

1/4 red bell pepper

1/4 green bell pepper

1/4 onion

3 ounces (85 g) ham

1 tablespoon (15 g) bacon grease or melted butter

2 eggs

3 tablespoons (22 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Cut the veggies and ham into a few chunks, throw them in the food processor, and pulse until chopped to a medium consistency.

Spray a microwaveable plate with a rim with nonstick cooking spray and dump the veggie-ham mixture on it. Drizzle the bacon grease or butter over it, stir it all around, and then spread it in an even layer. Nuke on high for 1 minute.

While that's happening, scramble up your eggs in a small bowl. When the microwave beeps, pour the eggs over the veggies and ham. Put it back in and nuke for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the eggs are mostly set.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and nuke again for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and then eat.

Yield:
1 serving, with 510 calories, 37 grams fat, 32 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber, and 8 grams usable carb.

Ham and Eggs with Veg

The recipe I adapted this from—from a 1960s cookbook—swore this was a Spanish recipe. I don't know if it's anything vaguely resembling Spanish cooking, but it's tasty, quick, filling, and unusual.

1/2 cup (75 g) frozen peas

1/2 medium onion, diced

3 medium fresh mushrooms, chopped

4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil, divided

3/4 cup ham, cut into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) cubes

4 eggs

4 green olives

Put the peas in a microwaveable bowl, add just little water, cover with a saucer, and nuke on high for four minutes.

In the meantime, dice your onion, chop your mushrooms, and start them sautéing in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat using 2 tablespoons (28 ml) of the olive oil.

While all that is cooking, cube your ham. Throw it in with the onions and mushrooms and stir it all up. Let it sauté a bit longer.

Fry the eggs in the rest of the olive oil in another pan. You want the whites set but the yolks still runny.

By now the microwave has beeped! Stir the peas into the ham and veg mixture and let them cook with it a touch longer.

Pit and chop the olives.

Okay, divide the ham mixture onto two plates and top each with two fried eggs. Scatter some chopped olive over each portion and serve.

Yield:
2 servings, each with 517 calories, 42 grams fat, 23 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams dietary fiber, and 9 grams usable carb.

Blintzlets

This falls somewhere between a blintz and an omelet—hence the name. These are not dirt-low in carbs, but they're really yummy. They can be a special breakfast—you'll want to add a little more protein on the side, maybe some ham—or even a light dessert.

1 cup (225 g) cottage cheese*

2 tablespoons (30 g) sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda

4 eggs

1/4 cup (40 g) vanilla whey protein powder

6 tablespoons (120 g) low-sugar strawberry preserves

* I use 4% fat cottage cheese; don't drop below 2%.

Put the cottage cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and Splenda in your food processor with the S-blade in place. Process until smooth.

Put the eggs and the protein powder in a blender and whirl for 20 seconds or so.

Heat an 8- or 9-inch (20 or 23 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure it's hot before you cook! Even though it's nonstick, spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Now, pour in a small puddle of the egg mixture and swirl the pan to coat the whole bottom—the idea is to use just enough of the egg mixture to cover the bottom of the skillet with a thin but solid layer. Cook until the top of the egg is set—this takes only a minute or so—then turn briefly. The protein powder makes this mixture very fragile, so be careful.

Lay the thin, eggy pancake on a plate, spread 1 tablespoon (20 g) of the preserves on one half and spoon 3 tablespoons (42 g) of the cottage cheese mixture over it. Fold and serve. Repeat.

Yield:
Makes 6, each with 9 grams of carbohydrates and 11 grams of protein. You can cut the carb count of each serving 3 grams by using just 1/2 tablespoon of preserves in each one. Or you could thaw 1/2 cup (128 g) of frozen unsweetened
strawberries, mash them with a tablespoon or two (1.5 to 3 g) of Splenda, and use them in place of the preserves. This would save 5 grams of carbs per serving—but you'll be pushing that 15-minute time limit.