Olive Garden Italian Dressing Dupe

Who doesn’t love this dressing, and I found this copycat version at dessertnowdinnerlater.com

Here’s the click, this one sounds like a winner!  ~ Jan

Recipe from Dessert Now Dinner Later website

Pioneer Woman's Spinach Salad

 

I made this today and it was over the top delicious.  The difference is caramelized onions.  You saute onions in bacon drippings and it takes away the hot, raw taste.  This recipe is absolutely delicious.  Thanks Pioneer Woman, you’ve done it again.

This is her recipe and below is her original link which you will want to look at for step by step directions.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 whole Eggs
• 7 slices Thick Cut, Peppered Bacon
• 1 whole Red Onion, Small
• 1 package Mushrooms, White Button
• 8 ounces, weight Baby Spinach, Washed Dried And Stems Removed
• 3 Tablespoons Reserved Bacon Grease
• 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Sugar - I used 3 drops EZ-Sweetz
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 dash Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook eggs: cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 20 minutes. Drain off water and add ice on top of eggs.

Fry bacon until crispy/chewy. Remove to a paper towel. 

Remove 3 tablespoons grease and set aside. 

Add 2 add'l tablespoons of grease to a separate skillet over medium heat.

Slice red onions very thinly, then add to skillet. Cook slowly until onions are caramelized and reduced. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Slice mushrooms and add them to the same skillet. Cook slowly until caramelized and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Chop bacon.

Peel and slice eggs.

Make hot bacon dressing: Add 3 tablespoons bacon grease, vinegar, sugar, and Dijon to a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk mixture together and heat thoroughly.

Add spinach to a large bowl. Arrange onions, mushrooms, and bacon on top. Pour hot dressing over the top; toss to combine.
Arrange eggs over the top and serve.

Enjoy!

Link to PIONEER WOMAN’s original recipe here

Delicious Low Carb Cauliflower Salad

 

This Cauliflower Salad is so good you won’t even miss the potatoes.  We all tend to tweak recipes, but this one is so good  made exactly as is.  ~ Jan

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 4 cups/1 quart florets) - I used 16 oz. of frozen cauliflower and cooked it covered for 10 minutes on high in microwave, don’t overcook, you don’t want it mushy
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1 medium stalk celery, minced (including leaves)
• ½ cup chopped red or green pepper, chopped
• 2  green onions chopped (green and white parts)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 1-2 drops hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper - I used cayenne
• 3 drops of EZ-Sweetz
• 1/4 cup sugar-free sweet pickle relish or you could use dill
• Salt and pepper

PREPARATION

1) Break or chop the cauliflower into smallish florets. If they are too big, they're difficult to cook so that they have the right "bite" and flavor - the outside tends to overcook.

2) Microwave florets in a covered container with a small amount of water, or steam on the stove. I've never tried boiling, but cauliflower tends to hold on to water, so I'm a little skeptical. You want them to be fork-tender (a fork slips in easily), but not overcooked (avoiding the stronger smell and flavor which develops with longer cooking).

 

3) Drain and put into a medium bowl. Chop the egg and add. Toss with salt and pepper. I like quite a bit of pepper, and it does seem to take a surprising amount of salt, but this would be to taste. 

4) Mix the ingredients for the dressing (mayo, lemon juice, spices, etc.). Taste for the balance of flavors you like. Mix the chopped vegetables and the dressing into the cauliflower and egg mixture. Add chopped fresh herbs if you wish - chives, dill, or parsley work well.

Garnish with the herbs, or sprinkle with paprika. Chill.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information: Each serving has 3 grams effective carbohydrates plus 1.5 grams fiber, 3 grams protein, and 99 calories.

 

Cukes and Onions...

 I took my Paderno for a spin today using the flat blade to make paper thin slices of cucumbers and onions.  It worked like a charm, too and soooo easy...

I used one large cucumber and one medium onion for this.

The dressing:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup sweetener (I used 10 drops of EZ-Sweetz)
salt and pepper to taste

You will have more veggies than vinegar solution, but the veggies wilt.  Put in covered container and turn upside down a few times, let marinade in fridge for a few hours - it’s wonderful!  ~ Jan

Vinagrettes explained...

DJ Foodie explains everything well.  He’s a chef, the ultimate low carber, and in this posts he delves into vinaigrettes, balsamic and otherwise, along with proportions.  It’s a must read!  

Grab it here

Green Bean, Tomato and Salami Salad

George Stella has done it again.  This recipe is from his new cookbook and looks wonderful.  I snagged it on Facebook and had to share.

Green Bean, Tomato, and Salami Salad 
with Tangy Italian Dressing
Recipe by George Stella / StellaStyle.com

Prep Time 20 min/ Chill Time 1-2 hrs/ Serves 8

Shopping List
Salad
6 ounces thick cut salami
1 bag (14-16 ounces) frozen whole green beans
3 medium tomatoes
3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
Tangy Italian Dressing
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1⁄4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Let green beans thaw on counter for 45 minutes before preparing. Slice salami into 1⁄4 inch thick matchsticks about 11⁄2 inches long.

2. Slice tops off of tomatoes and then slice each into 8 wedges.

3. Create the dressing by adding the Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and Italian seasoning to a large mixing bowl. Whisk rapidly as you slowly pour in the olive oil until all is combined and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste, though I suggest about 1⁄8 a teaspoon of each.

4. Add thawed green beans, sliced salami, tomato wedges, and diced red onion to the large mixing bowl containing the dressing and toss all to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to marinate before serving.

George’s Tips | You can make this even easier with about 1⁄2 cup of store bought Italian dressing; just make sure to read the ingredients for added sugar as some Italian dressings can have as much as 8 grams of the stuff per serving!

Variation | Adding 4 slices of provolone cheese, sliced into thin strips, takes this salad to an even greater place

calories: 145|fat: 12g |protein: 4g |fiber:2g |net carbs:4g

You can order his new cookbook on Amazon - here’s the link

Thanks again George for another great recipe.

photo courtesy of George Stella

Jan's Awesome Taco Salad..

This was so good, and so easy to make.  If you love Mexican food, this is a winner.  ~ Jan

First the shell.  I bought Chicago Metallic Non-Stick Large Tortilla Shell Pans a few months ago from Amazon.  They’re not expensive, a set of 2 is $8.69 Prime. Since they were so cheap I also bought the Taco Rack.  Here’s the link if you’re interested.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Brush both sides of tortillas with olive oil, put in tortilla pans and bake 10-15 minutes until brown and crisp.  I use Mission Wheat Carb Balance Tortillas, 6 carbs per tortilla, and they’re really large.

While the tortillas are baking I brown hamburger, seasoning it with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.  I don’t measure, I just sprinkle it in, taste and adjust.  Packaged Taco seasoning has carbs, so I use my own spices instead.  I sauté the burger until it’s really brown and crispy, then drain and set aside.

I chop lettuce really finely, dice a bit of onion, a few cherry tomatoes that I’ve halved, and then start the assembly.  The burger goes in first, then the veggies, topped with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese, and finally a big dollop of sour cream and about 1/4 cup of salsa.

That’s it, quick, easy, and absolutely delicious.  I’m not sure of the carb count, but I would guestimate it to be around 10-12.  

The BEST Low Carb Western Dressing

 

 

If you’re a fan of Western Dressing, you will love this!  It’s an Atkins recipe, tweaked slightly, hubby loves this stuff.  The only change I will make next time is to try making it with red wine vinegar instead of apple cider, because I thought it was just a little harsh.  It’s a keeper recipe, just a good, basic french salad dressing.

• Ingredients:
• 1 cup light-tasting olive oil - I used canola, I know it’s not all natural, but I do like it….
• 1/2 cup low carb ketchup - Heinz Low Sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar - trying red wine next time for a smoother finish
• 1/4 cup Splenda - I used Erythricol, because Splenda has carbs, and Erythricol doesn't
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 heaping tsp onion powder
• 1/2 heaping tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. heaping tsp paprika
• 1/4 level tsp xanthan gum - this gives it the thick texture.  I dissolve my xanthan gum in a bit of oil before mixing it with other ingredients so that is disperses evenly and doesn’t clump
• Dash hot sauce (Omit for French-style salad dressing)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to the food processor or bowl with an immersion blender. Process for 20-30 seconds until well combined.

Here’s the bottle of Wishbone Western, if you’re unfamiliar with this salad dressing,  it’s been around for years and is a midwest favorite.  This recipe is surprisingly similar to the bottled version, except it’s fresh and we all know that fresh is best.  ~ Jan

The BEST Low Carb Horseradish Coleslaw

 

A friend of mine had horseradish coleslaw in a restaurant and loved it, so I decided to make it at home.  It turned out so good, it’s very forgiving, you can just add or subtract the amount of horseradish to taste.  You could even try just adding horseradish to your own creamy coleslaw recipe ~ Jan

Ingredients

1 large bag of coleslaw mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 lemon, juice of

1 tablespoon horseradish ( or to taste)

1-2 tablespoons Splenda or Swerve

1 tsp. dry mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Shred cabbage, and soak in cold salted water for one hour.To prepare dressing, combine all remaining ingredients together.When ready to prepare salad, drain cabbage well and toss with dressing.