A stunning collection of 63 mouth-watering low-carb recipes. Perfect for healthy eaters who are looking for new ideas. Pin and share this lovely collection!

A stunning collection of 63 mouth-watering low-carb recipes. Perfect for healthy eaters who are looking for new ideas. Pin and share this lovely collection!http://pinterest.com/pin/174514554283462587/

Guy Savoy

Guy Savoyhttp://pinterest.com/pin/105553184991069659/

Fun food: Tree Snack for Kids

Fun food: Tree Snack for Kidshttp://pinterest.com/pin/169236898470725970/

Avocado, Cream Cheese, and Salsa-Stuffed Puff Pastries (with a vegan option)

An easy appetizer packed with bold flavor and creamy texture! Always a hit at parties and tastes far more 'complicated' than it really is. Whip up a batch for your next event or for an easy lunch or light dinner dish.

YIELD: About 9 puffs, depending on size of squares and how thin dough is rolled

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: about 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 large sheet puffed pastry, thawed (I used Trader Joe's brand, look in your grocer's freezer case)
1 ripe avocado, halved and mashed (approximately 1 tablespoon of avocado per pastry square)
1/3 cup cream cheese (approximately 1 teaspoon of cream cheese per pastry square)
1/3 cup salsa (approximately 1 teaspoon of salsa per pastry square. I used a combination of Trader Joe's Salsa Verde and Trader Joe's Mango Red Pepper Chutney)
salt and pepper, sprinkled to taste
1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and prepare two baking sheets with either parchment paper, Silpat liners, or spray them well with cooking spray.


2. Thaw one large square of puffed pastry for about 10 minutes. Flour your countertop or working surface and roll out the pastry square as thinly as possible.  With a pizza cutter or knife, slice the puffed pastry into approximately 2-inch by 2-inch squares.  From the one thinly rolled large sheet of frozen puffed pastry, I created 18 squares.


3. On half the squares (9 squares for me), place a dollop of avocado, then cream cheese, then salsa, season with salt and pepper.  Use the remaining squares as the lids and place one lid over the filling mounds. Seal the pastry packages by pressing the edges with a fork, taking care to seal the edges well, pressing the fork in repeatedly, so no filling escapes during baking.


4. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork, and apply an eggwash to each of the pastry packages.


5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until desired browning and puffing has occurred. Watch them closely after 10 minutes in case your oven is hotter or your brand of puffed pastry cooks faster.


6. Remove from the oven and serve. Pastries are best fresh, but extras will keep for up to 48 hours airtight in the refrigerator; reheat gently in micro before serving. To keep vegan, use vegan cream cheese such as Tofutti and there are many recipes on the internet for 'vegan puffed pastry' that you can make at home. Pepperidge Farm brand puff pasty is vegan, but of course read the label as ingredients can be changed or varied. Omit the eggwash and if desired, lightly wash with almond milk or soy milk.

Coconut chia pudding with mango and mint

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• For the chia pudding:


• 2 cups coconut milk (see recipe below)


• ⅓ cup chia seeds


• 1.5 TBSP sweetener of choice (raw honey/maple syrup)


• ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon


• Toppings:


• 1 ripe mango, peeled and cubed/sliced


• handful of fresh mint (Moroccan mint goes really well)


• pinch of chia seeds


• pinch sesame seeds


• 1 TBSP coconut yogurt per serving (you can omit this if you don’t have any available, but it’s gorgeous with)


• A bit of freshly squeezed lime juice (don’t worry if you have none, it’s awesome without as well)


• optional: bee pollen


• To make coconut milk:


• 2 cups water


• ½ cup coconut (dry, shredded, dessicated – whatever you have, just not flour)


• pinch sea salt flakes


• pinch vanilla seeds

Instructions

1. If you’re making coconut milk only for this recipe, the easiest way is to add everything to the blender, both the ingredients for the coconut milk and for the pudding, except the chia seeds. Add: water, coconut (dry, shredded or dessicated), pinch sea salt, vanilla seeds, cinnamon and sweetener. Blitz until you get frothy milk.


2. For the purpose of this recipe, there is no need to strain the milk as the pulp will give the pudding more creaminess.


3. Pour the spiced coconut milk to a bowl or mason jar, add the chia seeds and give it a good stir or shake. Cover it and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour (until the chia fully expands and absorbs all the milk) or overnight.


4. Add the toppings and be prepared to be dazzled.


5. Serve chilled

Quick and Easy Skillet-Fried Apples (NO Sugar)

Ingredients

• Lots of apples (7 pictured here)


• Butter (don’t be afraid)


• Cinnamon


• Pumpkin pie seasoning mix (or other spices you want to include)


• Vanilla extract or Vanilla bean paste

Instructions

1. Peel and cut your apples. Sometimes I do slices like this. Other times I cube them. It doesn’t matter.


2. Heat your skillet on high.


3. Add your apples and top with butter. Don’t touch for a couple of minutes. Wait for the apples to get a little bit crisp on the bottoms.


4. Stir/flip the apples around, and let new parts get a little bit brown/crisp.


5. Stir/flip again and turn the heat down to medium low. Now you’re just going to let the caramelization happen.


6. Add cinnamon and other spices at any time. I like to do it a few times while the apples cook, after stirring/flipping.


7. Keep stirring/flipping every 5 minutes or so.


8. When the buttery/caramelized-apple-juice-y sauce thickens and the apples are soft, you’ll know your apples are finished.


9. Splash in a little vanilla extract or add a dash of vanilla bean paste toward the end.


10. Don’t forget to let them cool a little before you dig in!

Notes: You can leave the peels on if the apples are organic, but I don’t love the texture when the apples shrink but the peels don’t as much… so I’d leave them out even then, too.

Quick Beef & Barley Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces


• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided


• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided


• 1 medium onion, chopped


• 1 large stalk celery, sliced


• 1 large carrot, sliced


• 2 tablespoons tomato paste


• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme


• 3/4 cup quick-cooking barley


• 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth


• 1 cup water


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1-2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

PREPARATION

1. Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.


2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Add tomato paste and thyme and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated with the tomato paste and are beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.


3. Add barley, broth, water, salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the barley is tender, about 15 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juice to the pot and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vinegar to taste.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 250 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 26 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 17 g protein; 5 g fiber; 701 mg sodium; 573 mg potassium.

The Bitten Word's Roasted Brussels Spouts with Bacon and Apples

Ingredients:

1 pound Brussels sprouts

2 slices bacon (uncooked)
1 apple, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes (we use Honeycrisp if available. Gala, Fuji or Pink Lady apples work great too)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

Remove any damaged or discolored leaves from the outside of each sprout and cut off the tough white stem base (if necessary). Cut each sprout in half.

Place the Brussels in a roasting pan with the diced apple.  Slice 2 slices of bacon into 1/2 inch pieces.  Drop them uncooked into the pan with the sprouts and apples. Drizzle the sprouts and bacon generously with olive oil.  Toss to combine.

Roast 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Toss.  Continue roasting 15 to 20 minutes more, until the vegetables are nicely caramelized.

How to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed if necessary


• 2 cups liquid (water, chicken stock, etc.)


• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Check the quinoa package to see if your quinoa needs rinsed. If it does, pour 1 cup of quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.


2. Place quinoa, your liquid of choice, and salt into the rice cooker.


3. I use the quick cook setting on my Zojirushi Umami Rice Cooker, and then press the start button to start the cooking process.


4. The rice cooker will beep after about 30 minutes, and your quinoa will be ready to serve.


5. For a standard rice cooker without all of the bells and whistles, one cooking cycle should be enough to do it. Note that you should let the quinoa set for about 4-5 minutes after it's done cooking and then fluff it.

Cooking Quinoa on the Stovetop

1. To cook quinoa on your stovetop, simply follow the instructions for rinsing and place all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Let the quinoa set for about 4-5 minutes after it's done cooking and then fluff it.

Quadruple Chocolate Soft Fudgy Pudding Cookies

YIELD: about 17 med/large cookies

PREP TIME: 15 minutesCOOK TIME: about 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 3+ hours, for dough chilling

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 packet instant chocolate pudding mix, about 3.7 to 3.9 ounces (not sugar-free and not 'cook & serve')
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (I used Trader Joe's 72% Pound Plus Bar)

DIRECTIONS:

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.


2. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the pudding mix, cocoa, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.


3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.


4. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.


5. Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 17 equal-sized mounds of dough. Roll into balls, and flatten slightly.


6. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.


7. Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked and glossy in the center. Don't overbake which is easy to do with dark cookies. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don't use a rack.


8. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Skins

Yield: 4 potato skins (feel free to double or triple)

Ingredients

• 2 baking potatoes


• Coarse salt


• (Foil for baking the potatoes)


• 4 chicken tenders


• 1/2 packet of ranch seasoning


• 1/4 cup of ranch dressing


• 1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese


• 4 slices of crispy bacon

Instructions

1. To bake the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350. Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Rub them (still damp) with some coarse salt. Poke a couple of holes with a knife and wrap them in foil, individually. Place on a baking sheet and bake for an hour or two, depending on the size of your potatoes. You can check the potatoes after an hour by slowly sticking a knife in them and if it goes in smoothly, potatoes are done. If not, cook for about 30 minutes at a time until done. (**Note: try sticking the knife along the side of the potatoes, where you will be cutting it in half later. This way, you won't have any extra holes in the potato skins.)


2. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the chicken: Preheat a medium pan with a little bit of oil. Coat the chicken in some of the ranch seasoning and cook it in the pan, on medium heat, until completely done and golden. Chop into small pieces and set aside.


3. When the potatoes are done, cut them in half. Carefully scoop out most of the potato meat but don't go too deep or you will break the skin.


4. Fill the potatoes with chicken.


5. Sprinkle the cheese on top.


6. Drizzle with some ranch dressing and top off with crispy bacon.


7. Place back on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.

Jalapeño Cheddar Dutch Oven Crusty Bread

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour


• 1 teaspoon yeast


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup cheddar cheese, finely cubed


• 1 large jalapeño, chopped


• 1 ½ cups warm water

To add in the last 10-15 minutes of baking:

• 3 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated


• 6 thin slices of jalapeño

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Fold in the cheese and jalapeño until well coated. Add the water and stir until a shaggy mixture forms (mixture will be loose and sticky; this is what you want). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours (up to 24). Overnight works great.


2. Preheat oven to 450. Place a cast iron dutch oven with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the risen dough onto a heavily floured surface (mixture will be sticky; do not knead) and lightly, gently shape into a round loaf.


3. Remove the hot pot from the oven, remove the lid, and carefully set the dough inside. Cover the Dutch oven and return it to oven for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid, sprinkle the top of the loaf with grated cheddar and jalapeño slices, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp. Carefully remove the pot from the oven and place the loaf on a cooling rack to cool. Best enjoyed warm, fresh from the oven.

Liquid Skittle~ 6 oz. Malibu Mango Rum, 12 oz. Strawberry Daiquiri Frozen Mix, and 6 oz. Gatorade Lemon-Lime

Liquid Skittle~ 6 oz. Malibu Mango Rum, 12 oz. Strawberry Daiquiri Frozen Mix, and 6 oz. Gatorade Lemon-Limehttp://pinterest.com/pin/153896512240726737/

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.http://pinterest.com/pin/179229260145052652/

coffee

coffeehttp://pinterest.com/pin/260997740879493822/

Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Spinach and Herbs~an "even i can do it" recipe

Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Spinach and Herbs~an "even i can do it" recipehttp://pinterest.com/pin/502503270895158822/

rainbow fruit kabobs

rainbow fruit kabobshttp://pinterest.com/pin/249668373062247225/

Juicy Couture Cake. OH EM GEE why did I not think of thissssss!!! ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Juicy Couture Cake. OH EM GEE why did I not think of thissssss!!! ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡http://pinterest.com/pin/28780885092902087/

Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup unsalted butter (half of 1 stick), melted
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sour cream or thick Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 medium/large very ripe bananas, mashed (2 1/2 cups mashed bananas; if your bananas are huge you may only need 4 or 5; if they're small, you may need more)
one 3.4-ounce box vanilla instant pudding mix (not Cook 'n Serve)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt, optional and to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside. If necessary, you may need to use a muffin pan or mini loaf for pan a small amount of batter.


2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power. Allow the butter to cool momentarily so you don't scramble the eggs.


3. Add the eggs, sugars, sour cream, vanilla, and whisk to combine.


4. Add the bananas and stir to incorporate


5. Add the pudding mix (just add it dry like a dry ingredient; don't actually make pudding), flour, baking soda, cinnamon, optional salt, and fold in with spatula or stir gently with a spoon; don't overmix or bread will be tougher.


6. Bake 9x5 loaf for 60 to 75 minutes (I baked 68 minutes), or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. In the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking, or at any point if your bread is getting a bit dark before the center is setting, tent with foil.


7. If baking a mini loaf is necessary, bake for about 35 minutes, or until done; I estimate 2 or 3 muffins will take about 20 to 25 minutes. Baking times for loaves will vary based on moisture content of bananas, pan sizes, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.


8. Allow bread to cool in pan for about 20 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Serve plain, or with butter, jam, Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, Strawberry Butter, Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze, or your favorite spread. Makes excellent French toast. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Flatout Wrap

Ingredients:

1 Flatout® Light Flatbread

1 Tbs reduced fat peanut butter
1 Tbs sugar-free jam
2 strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 banana, cut in half lengthwise
2 Tbs low fat granola

Instructions:

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Spread peanut butter evenly over entire Flatout. On one rounded end, spread jam. Layer strawberry, banana and granola. Roll, cut and enjoy!

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263 Calories ● 14g Protein ● 50g Carbs ● 12g Fiber ● 8g Fat