Chapter 20

Cooking Dinner in a Low-Carb Heartbeat

In This Chapter

Planning ahead to keep your low-carb lifestyle on track

Making a low-carb menu for the week

Discovering the convenient and tasty advantages of packet cooking

Creating skillet sensations

Recipes in This Chapter

Rosemary Steak

Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

Salmon Fillets with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Steamed Fish and Veggies

Zucchini Skillet Supper

Tarragon Chicken with Apples

Turkey Brats and Cabbage

30-Minute Chicken

Y ikes! You just came flying through the door from a long day, it’s 6:30 p.m., and you don’t have a clue what’s for dinner. Sound a bit familiar? How would you like to change this picture? There seems to be a strange myth associated with low-carb healthy living and cooking. The myth is that you have to spend hours in the kitchen to serve up nutritious meals. Take it from an old-fashioned, Midwestern cook — nothing is farther from the truth. By shifting a couple gears, your low-carb kitchen can turn out all kinds of delicious meals quickly. You can also become more creative in your cooking, which is great news for your low-carb lifestyle because it brings variety to your table.

Recognizing the Power of a Plan

If you’re flying through the door at 6:30 p.m. without a clue of what you’re going to prepare for dinner, that can spell trouble. But take it one step further: If the refrigerator is running on empty, you’re really up a creek. I know that planning sounds like something you just don’t have time to do, but it can really pay off by actually saving you time in the end. Imagine walking in the door at 6:30 p.m. with the fridge and cupboards full of low-carb staples, and you have already planned a menu for the evening. What a concept, huh? The time that you’ll save simply by not stopping at the grocery store on your way home is huge — and you don’t have to stand in those aggravating after-work checkout lines. When you have a plan, you’re not roaming the kitchen waiting for an idea for dinner to jump out of the cupboard at you. You’re armed and ready, reducing stress and complementing your low-carb lifestyle with a great preplanned healthy meal. Feel the power of preplanning! In Chapter 3, I help you stock your kitchen with all the low-carb staples you need to make it through the day. Check it out. Go ahead. I’ll wait right here.

Having no dinner plan and no healthy, wholesome foods to work with is one of the easiest ways to get into trouble with your low-carb lifestyle. Think about it. What do you do? You either rummage through the cupboards and come up with some old snack foods that make you feel miserable after you eat them, or you jump in your car and are so tired and hungry that you turn into the first drive-thru fast food restaurant you see.

I graciously give you the key to creating quick, healthy, low-carb meals in one word — planning. Planning ahead makes creating menu options that fit your low-carb lifestyle a pleasure rather than a chore.

Planning ahead isn’t that difficult — trust me. You do it all the time or at least most of the time: If you have to be at work at 8 a.m., you plan ahead to give yourself time to shower and dress, grab some coffee and breakfast, and drive to work so you arrive on time. Lunchtime rolls around, and you may plan to dine out with a friend or co-worker, or you may have thought ahead and brought your lunch to work (see Chapter 19 for ideas for brown-bagging it). Heck, you may have even planned to run some errands or work out right after work before you head home.

But this is where the picture gets murky for many folks. What do you do about dinner? Surprisingly, research shows that more than 70 percent of Americans don’t decide what they’re going to eat for their evening meal until well after 4 p.m. But doesn’t it make sense that you’d plan what you’re going to have for your evening meal? After all, you owe it to yourself as a reward for surviving the long day.

Plan ahead and keep some smart snacks on hand so you can nibble on something healthy and low-carb while you’re cooking a quick dinner. Nuts are always good, and I like to crunch on celery with a little dilled cream cheese while I cook. If you love dill pickles, roll up a crunchy pickle spear in a slice of deli turkey. Sometimes foods with crunchy textures ward off hunger pangs better than other choices.

The freezer is your friend

Keeping your freezer stocked with frozen veggies, meats, and even frozen herbs really helps you in your quest for healthy, low-carb meals in minutes. If you run out of the fresh stuff in the fridge, you need back-ups in the freezer. Be sure to add items to your grocery list as you take them from your freezer.

Keep in mind that homemade soups and stews freeze well, so make a big batch on the weekend and stick it in your freezer. Then simply pop the frozen item in the fridge to thaw as you’re running out the door to work. When you get home that night, you have homemade soup in minutes.

You can also opt for freezing individual servings in those semi-disposable freezer containers. Use containers of the same size so you can stack them nicely in the freezer, thus maximizing space. These containers are inexpensive, and I find them at the dollar store in packages of four for a dollar. They come in all shapes and sizes, and I use them over and over. Freezing individual servings adds another option for grabbing something from the freezer to take to work for lunch.

A list is your lifesaver

Buy one of those to-do or list-type notepads with a magnet on the back and stick it in the middle of your fridge. Tie a pen or pencil to another magnet. (This method should be incorporated after you stock your low-carb kitchen with basics; see Chapter 3 for details.)

When you find a recipe that’s appealing to you and you don’t have the ingredient, write it on the list. When you’re close to running out of something in the pantry, the fridge, or the freezer, write it on the list. Some people even go so far as categorizing their lists according to produce, frozen foods, fresh vegetables, meats — you get the picture. That method may sound like overkill, but it can actually save you time in the grocery store, and you like to save time, don’t ya?

Scheduling a Week of Low-Carb Meals

The country club even has chili night on Wednesday, so why not adopt a similar schedule for your house? Look at your week and your household’s favorite meals. I suggest you create a two-week schedule with ten different meal varieties, and then you can begin to mix and match as the weeks progress.

Your new meal schedule for a week may look something like the following. You can accomplish this full week of meals by going to the grocery store no more than twice a week. Do your main shopping over the weekend and then stop by the store once during the week for some fresh produce. That’s it! And because you’re becoming a master planner and list maker, these trips to the grocery store should be no sweat.

Monday: Slow Cooker Night. Mondays are hectic, but you may have time on Sunday nights to prepare something to pop in the slow cooker as you dash out the door on Monday morning. Your slow cooker offers variety in very low-carb meals. See Chapter 16 for slow cooker recipes.

Tuesday: Stir-Fry Night. Stir-frying is without a doubt one of the quickest ways to a complete nutritious meal. If you had chicken in the slow cooker on Monday night, you may have leftovers to toss in your stir-fry. Look for varieties of frozen veggies, especially the packaged kinds, for stir-frying. Grocery stores are beginning to package fresh produce the same way. See Chapters 11 and 12 for some stir-fry recipes.

Wednesday: Packet Cooking Night. Packet cooking is a quick and easy way to prepare nutritious meals, and there’s very little clean-up. You can cook anything from fish to chicken to a combination of meats and veggies. (See the “Packet Cooking” section later in the chapter.)

Thursday: Grilling Night. You can grill steak, pork chops, lamb, chicken — the choice is yours. And to jazz up your grilling night, just plan ahead and place the meat in a marinade on Wednesday night before you go to bed. Also, do yourself a favor and invest in a grilling basket for veggies, so you can prepare your whole meal on the grill.

Friday: Soup and Salad Night. Have a variety of greens on hand, some fresh veggies, and even some deli meats and cheeses for your big salad night. Buy prewashed, ready-to-eat greens, and just dump them in a big salad bowl with your other low-carb ingredients of choice and some homemade vinaigrette (see Chapter 8 for recipes). For soup, have homemade soup in the freezer that you made in advance (see the section “The freezer is your friend,” earlier in the chapter), or whip up a quick batch (check out Chapter 7).

Variety is the spice of life, and this menu plan is just the beginning. When you get into the swing of scheduling your meals, all kinds of other quick ideas will come to you. Here are two more to consider working in:

Breakfast Night: Breakfast isn’t just a morning meal anymore. Check out some quick breakfast recipes in Chapter 6 and have breakfast for dinner once in a while.

Skillet Supper Night: Be sure to include skillet suppers in your schedules (see the “Skillet Suppers” section later in the chapter). Skillet suppers are hearty meals, and you cook the whole meal in one skillet. If you want to add a salad, you’re good to go quickly with little cleanup.

Rosemary Steak

The rub for this recipe is an incredible combination of flavors and spices that results in one of the best steaks ever if you’re looking for a little variety rather than just another steak. If you haven’t cooked with fresh rosemary, do yourself a culinary favor — I guarantee you’re in for a treat!

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Refrigeration time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 8 to 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

4 boneless New York strip steaks, 6 ounces each

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 fresh sprigs of rosemary for garnish (optional)

1 With a sharp knife, score both sides of the steaks very shallowly in a diamond pattern.

2 In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, lemon zest, sea salt, and pepper, mixing well. Rub the mixture on the steaks. Refrigerate for at least 25 minutes.

3 Grill the steaks on a gas grill on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness (4 minutes per side will give you medium-rare steaks).

4 Slice the steaks diagonally in 1/2-inch slices. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Per serving: Calories 278 (From Fat 124); Fat 14g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 93mg; Sodium 372mg; Carbohydrate 1g; Dietary Fiber 0g (Net Carbohydrate 1g); Protein 35g.

Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

This recipe is quick, quick, quick — with a hearty flavor and fresh taste. It’ll work great on one of your stir-fry nights. The great thing is that you dump it all in one skillet and have a meal in literally minutes. Stir-fry and skillet meals are great for your low-carb lifestyle because they get you in and out of the kitchen quickly and provide a wonderful home-cooked healthy meal. Depending on how many you’re serving, you might even be lucky enough to have some leftovers for lunch the next day. To make this dish even easier to prepare, pick up fresh mushrooms that are already sliced and peppers that are already cut up (in the frozen section). To thaw your frozen stir-fry veggies in this recipe, just put them in the fridge in the morning. They’ll be good to go by dinnertime.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: About 20 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

1 can (14 ounces) bean sprouts, drained

1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained

4 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup mixed frozen bell peppers (not necessary to thaw)

1 package (16 ounces) frozen stir-fry veggies, thawed

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon freshly grated gingerroot

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Cut the chicken into thin strips. Using a large skillet or wok, cook the chicken over medium heat, stirring often until juices run clear in chicken, about 7 minutes.

2 Add the garlic and onion to the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes.

3 Add the bean sprouts, water chestnuts, mushrooms, peppers, and stir-fry veggies. Cook the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes or just until crisp-tender.

4 Combine the broth, gingerroot, and soy sauce. Stir the broth mixture into the skillet mixture. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for 1 minute.

5 Serve immediately.

Per serving: Calories 107 (From Fat 18); Fat 2g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 32mg; Sodium 648mg; Carbohydrate 8g; Dietary Fiber 3g (Net Carbohydrate 5g); Protein 15g.

Salmon Fillets with Tarragon Cream Sauce

This recipe is a culinary delight, and it’s a great way to take in some of those important omega-3s (discover the importance of omega-3s in Chapter 9). Serve this with some steamed veggies on the side, and you have a meal that guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen preparing. Ah, the secrets of quick cooking pay such great dividends.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 12 to 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

2 scallions (white part only)

1 Roma tomato

2 tablespoons butter

4 fresh salmon fillets (about 4 ounces each)

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2/3 cup light cream

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

1 Finely chop the scallions. Remove the seeds from the tomato and finely chop. Set both aside.

2 Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the fillets with salt and pepper to taste.

3 Place the fillets in the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning only once. Transfer the fish to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

4 Add the scallions to the skillet and cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally and don’t allow them to brown.

5 Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cornstarch. Return to low heat and slowly stir in the cream and sherry. Stirring constantly, let the mixture simmer until it thickens — about 3 or 4 minutes.

6 Add the tarragon and the chopped tomatoes to the cream sauce in the skillet, stirring to combine well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the fillets. Serve immediately.

Per serving: Calories 281 (From Fat 160); Fat 18g (Saturated 9g); Cholesterol 106mg; Sodium 247mg; Carbohydrate 3g; Dietary Fiber 0g (Net Carbohydrate 3g); Protein 26g.

Packet Cooking

You’re going to love this style of low-carb cooking! Wrapped in parchment paper or foil, the contents steam while the juices of the meat, fish, or poultry mingle with the herbs you’ve chosen. And the vegetables present a flavorful and nutritious burst when you serve the packet. Packet cooking is kind of like a mini pressure cooker minus the pressure, and it’s fast. Foods are cooked at high temperatures, usually 425 to 450 degrees. Less fat is needed because you’re using high temperatures, and food cooks in its own juices, keeping it moist and upping the concentration of the natural flavors of the food.

You can cook anything in a packet — well not a cake — but fish, poultry, meats of all kinds, veggies, and even fruits for desserts. This packet cooking is good stuff, I tell you!

If that isn’t enough to get you into low-carb packet cooking made easy, here are a few more reasons for you to jump in:

You can cook an entire meal in handy individual servings. You can cook your veggies and meat together in individual packets. Cut those veggies a bit smaller than usual so they’ll be done at the same time the meat is.

Packet cooking makes make-ahead meals a snap. Just prepare the packets the night before, and when you walk through the door, simply preheat the oven while you’re changing into something more comfortable. Pop the packets in the oven, and dinner is served!

You can cook the packets in the oven or on the grill. If it’s a hot summer night, you can stay inside in the air conditioning while your packet meal cooks on the grill and doesn’t heat up the entire house.

The individual servings are great if your family can’t all sit down to dinner at the same time. When a hungry member of the family comes through the door, just pop a packet in the oven, and he’ll have a hearty and healthy fresh meal in minutes.

Parchment paper and aluminum foil both work, and I love the presentation of parchment paper for those times when a dramatic touch is nice, when time is of the essence and convenience is a must. My vote, however, is solidly behind heavy-duty aluminum foil. Foil packets offer the following advantages:

They easily withstand the high temperatures of packet cooking whether it’s in the oven or on the grill.

They produce more liquid, because they’re more airtight than the parchment packets.

They make crimping and sealing the packet a breeze.

They allow you to prepare food in advance, which you can’t do with parchment.

If you’re wondering how to fold these little packets, see Figure 20-1. These particular instructions are geared for foil, and they’re just one of many different ways to fold your packet (see Chapter 9 for some instructions on using parchment paper for cooking fish in a packet).

The key to successful packet cooking is making sure the seal is very tight throughout the cooking.

Figure 20-1: Wrap it up, and I’ll take it.

With packet cooking, you can cook many foods in individual servings in 10 to 20 minutes, and the cleanup consists of tossing the foil or the parchment. Cooking individual servings also reduces the cooking time, which means you get out of the kitchen faster. Isn’t this time-saving stuff fun?

Quick cooking hints

Here are some tips to help speed up your cooking and reduce your overall time in the kitchen:

Use your microwave for melting butter and thawing foods quickly.

Keep two sets of measuring cups on hand so you don’t have to wipe one out or wash it when measuring consecutive ingredients.

Clean up as you go along so you get out of the kitchen faster. Doing so also makes the cooking time seem shorter.

Use your freezer to cut down on prep time. Freeze shredded cheeses, and they will keep for a long time and are easily accessible. Chop fresh red, green, and yellow bell peppers in 1/2 cup quantities and freeze them in self-sealing plastic bags and freeze. Do the same with onions in 1/4 cup quantities and fresh basil and Italian parsley in smaller quantities. These are great time-savers for stir-fries, soups, casseroles, and skillet suppers.

Steamed Fish and Veggies

Fish and veggies are a great combination in packet cooking because they both cook so quickly. You’re going to be amazed at the flavors that packet cooking captures and the way the process accentuates the herbs and spices. This one is sure to spoil you and spur you on to more packet cooking that’s so low-carb user friendly.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 to 18 minutes

Yield: 1 serving (can easily be doubled)

Nonstick cooking spray

1 whitefish fillet, 4 ounces

1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini

1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow squash

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt-free lemon pepper seasoning

1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill

1 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a 12-x-15-inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil with the cooking spray. Place the fish in the middle of the foil.

2 Place the zucchini and squash on top of the fish fillet. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, parsley, lemon pepper, and dill.

3 Fold the foil over and fold the edges in twice, making a pouch for the fish fillet. Place on a baking sheet.

4 Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the veggies are crisp-tender and the fish easily flakes with a fork.

Per serving: Calories 174 (From Fat 62); Fat 7g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 70mg; Sodium 62mg; Carbohydrate 5g; Dietary Fiber 1g (Net Carbohydrate 4g); Protein 23g.

Skillet Suppers

I’ve been cooking for a long time, and I still rely on my cast-iron skillets and Dutch oven. In fact, I can’t cook without them! My Grandad McCracken bought them for me a hundred years ago for a wedding gift. I’m still using the same ones! (See Figure 20-2 for a picture of a cast-iron skillet.) I’ll admit that new, heavy-bottomed skillets are available that do almost as good a job holding heat as the cast iron. (But cast iron definitely has its merits, and it’s like anything else you’re accustomed to — cast iron is just comfortable for me.) So don’t shy away from these great recipes just because you may not cook in cast iron. Use whatever cookware puts you in your own cooking comfort zone. Just get cookin’!

Cooking with cast iron has a bit of a reputation of being difficult to deal with — especially getting it ready to use for the first time. But I just found out that there’s a company out there that now makes preseasoned, ready-to-use cast iron cookware. (If you’re interested in finding out more about cast iron, you can check out Cast-Iron Cooking For Dummies, written by Tracy Barr and published by Wiley.)

Skillet suppers may seem kind of old-fashioned, but they fit very well into your low-carb healthy lifestyle and your desire for quick meals. Skillet suppers also conjure up a feeling that you’re eating comfort food, which is always welcome to low-carbers. If you have a pretty skillet, you can take it directly to the table and serve from it. Dinner is ready in a matter of minutes with very little cleanup.

Figure 20-2: Skillet supper, anyone?

Zucchini Skillet Supper

It’s all in the skillet! Fresh ingredients cook up quickly, and the skillet doubles as a serving platter — it goes straight from stovetop to the table, so it’s no-muss, no-fuss cooking. Your rewards are a great meal and low-maintenance cleanup. This is low-carb comfort food at its freshest and finest. And the end result is pretty too.

Preparation time: 12 minutes

Cooking time: 15 to 18 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups diced zucchini

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

3/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

1/3 cup picante sauce (find the type with lower sugar and carb counts)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 medium tomato, diced

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large 12-inch, heavy skillet or a small Dutch oven. Add the zucchini, carrots, onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic powder to the oil, and cook until the veggies are crisp-tender.

2 In a small bowl, combine the basil, oregano, salt, pepper to taste, picante sauce, and Dijon mustard. Pour the mixture into the skillet with the veggies and cook, stirring for 3 minutes until well mixed.

3 Stir in the tomatoes just to heat them through.

4 Dish immediately onto individual serving plates and top with the cheese so that it melts over the veggies.

Per serving: Calories 171 (From Fat 110); Fat 12g (Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 361mg; Carbohydrate 8g; Dietary Fiber 2g (Net Carbohydrate 6g); Protein 8g.

Tarragon Chicken with Apples

This is a very special meal on the low-carb side because it lends a bit of sweetness. It’s a tad bit higher in carb counts, but it isn’t off the charts by any means. So languish in this very special and quick entree.

Preparation time: 5 to 8 minutes

Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons butter, divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 ounces each

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup apple juice

1/4 cup light cream

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cool water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh tarragon

1 Using a large, nonstick, heavy skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 8 minutes per side over medium heat. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and remove from the skillet. Cover to keep warm.

2 In the same skillet, cook the apples in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter just until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the skillet and cover to keep warm.

3 Add the apple juice to the skillet, stirring constantly for about 4 minutes, until the juice is reduced by half. Combine the cream and 1/4 cup water to make a milk mixture, and add it to the apple juice in the skillet.

4 Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 10 minutes, or until the juices from the chicken run clear.

5 In a small bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon water and the cornstarch so there are no lumps and stir the mixture into the juices in the skillet. Bring to a boil, cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.

6 Add the apples and tarragon and heat through.

Per serving: Calories 259 (From Fat 104); Fat 12g (Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 88mg; Sodium 208mg; Carbohydrate 15g; Dietary Fiber 2g (Net Carbohydrate 13g); Protein 24g.

Turkey Brats and Cabbage

This great skillet supper provides a bit of a crunch at the end of the day. You’re going to need a nice large skillet for cooking this one, and I recommend using a Dutch oven if you have one. Be sure to start your onions cooking first so you can keep the crunch in your cabbage.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Small head green cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 medium yellow onion

1 package (20 ounces) turkey bratwurst

Nonstick cooking spray

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 Cut the cabbage in quarters through the core and remove the core. Cut the cabbage in 1/4-inch slices. Set aside.

2 Cut the onion in half and then in 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.

3 Cut the bratwursts into 1-inch pieces

4 Coat a large, heavy skillet (or Dutch oven) with the cooking spray. Cook the bratwurst pieces over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, or until they’re browned on all sides. Drain (depending on how lean your brats are) and remove the bratwurst pieces from the skillet. Set aside and keep warm.

5 Using the same skillet, add the olive oil and the onion slices. Stirring often, cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the cabbage and continue cooking the onions and cabbage for another 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, pepper, and soy sauce, cooking and stirring for an additional 4 minutes.

6 Return the bratwurst pieces to the skillet and cook an additional 2 minutes. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the bratwurst pieces are cooked through.

Variation: Feel free to substitute the brats with a specialty sausage. I buy a chicken sausage with spinach, fontina, and roasted garlic that’s nothing short of divine. And the great news is that these sausages have 1 gram of carbs each. Be adventuresome and shop around a bit — you may be delightfully surprised at what you find.

Per serving: Calories 353 (From Fat 169); Fat 19g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 124mg; Sodium 1,630mg; Carbohydrate 14g; Dietary Fiber 5g (Net Carbohydrate 9g); Protein 34g.

30-Minute Chicken

Here you have “quickie chicky.” By cooking the chicken on high heat and sealing it in aluminum foil, the chicken cooks quickly, and the juices are sealed in, making the end result tantalizingly moist. With the veggies, this entree needs no other sides, making it a very quick low-carb meal.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Nonstick cooking spray

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 medium zucchinis, sliced

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

3/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced fine

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a 9-x-13-x-2-inch baking dish with the cooking spray.

2 Place the chicken in the baking dish and top with the onion slices. Sprinkle with the pepper and seasoning blend.

3 Layer the mushrooms over the chicken and layer the zucchini on top of the mushrooms.

4 In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes with the basil, oregano, and garlic. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

5 Bake for 30 minutes, making sure the chicken juices run clear at the end of the baking time. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Per serving: Calories 202 (From Fat 41); Fat 5g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 67mg; Sodium 284mg; Carbohydrate 12g; Dietary Fiber 4g (Net Carbohydrate 8g); Protein 29g.

Always practice safe leftover-handling procedures by transferring cooked food to shallow containers, covering tightly, and refrigerating promptly. The bacterial content of unrefrigerated food can double in 20 minutes. Be sure to eat leftovers within a couple days.

Quick low-carb quesadillas

I suggest you always have whole-wheat, low-carb tortillas on hand (they keep for quite a while in the refrigerator), as well as shredded cheeses in the freezer. With those two ingredients available, you can whip up some low-carb quesadillas in a hurry. Just preheat the broiler and place the low-carb tortillas on a baking sheet. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and, if you like, a little chopped onion, diced tomato, drained green chiles, or whatever carb-conscious ingredients you have on hand. Place the tortillas under the broiler. Watch them carefully and, when the cheese begins to melt, fold the tortillas in half and broil them until crisp (this happens very quickly). Cut into wedges and serve with a nice salsa.