Halloween Ghosts Pops

My friend, Marietta, shared these precious Halloween Ghosts Pops with me.  They are so simple and yummy!  Here's what you need:

Double Stuffed Oreo Cookies (use the orange Halloween ones)
White Melting Chocolate (you can get this at AC Moore or Michael's)
Melted Chocolate Chips for eyes and mouth
Sucker Sticks

Just put the sucker sticks through the Oreo center.  Dip in the white chocolate.  Let it set and then add eyes and mouth.

Mmmm!  SPOOK-tacular!!!

Low Carb Cranberry Nut Bread

The worst part about a low carb diet is not having any bread.  I really miss my bread, but I did find a cranberry nut bread recipe that is worth sharing.  It's made with almond flour.  It is good, but I still want real bread!

Low Carb Cranberry Nut Bread

2 cups whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 1/2 cups almond meal/flour
1/3 cup powdered egg whites
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar or the equivalent with artificial sweetener
1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)
3 eggs
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a large loaf pan and butter the bottom and a little way up the sides.

Chop cranberries or pulse in a food processor.  Be careful--not too fine or they get lost because they shrink during cooking. (I just left mine whole.)

Mix dry ingredients together (almond meal, egg white, baking powder, salt, sugar or sweetener if it's powdered).

Add the wet ingredients and mix well.  Fold in cranberries.

Pour batter into pan and bake about 40 to 50 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Low Carb Ranch Hamburgers

Here's another low carb recipe I found at www.lowcarbfriends.com.  Too bad I couldn't eat these delicious burgers with fries or mashed potatoes.  I'll be glad when this diet ends :-) 

Low Carb Ranch Hamburgers

1 pound ground beef
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
1 cup shredded cheese

Mix all above ingredients and make into hamburger patties.  Broil, bake, grill--however you like your hamburgers cooked.  The ranch dressing and cheese add lots of flavor.  Oh, the ranch dressing packet has only 2 carbs.

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

I went for my yearly check up and found out my triglycerides were up.  The doctor put me on a low carb, low sugar diet for the next two months.  So I've been searching the internet for some good low carb recipes.  If you have any, please share them with me.  I found this delicious tilapia and asparagus recipe at www.kitchendaily.com and it is one of the best tilapia recipes I have ever made.  I don't even like spicy foods, but I loved this.  Of course, my son-in-law says it's not spicy, but it is to me.  Spicy or not, it is out of the world!

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces (I left mine whole)
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound tilapia, Pacific sole or other firm white fish fillets
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Put asparagus in a steamer basket,place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.  (I didn't have steamer basket so I just put asparagus in the boiling water.)  Transfer to a large plate, spreading out to cool.

Combine chili powder, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a plate.  Dredge fillets in the spice mixture to coat.  heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the fish and cook until just opaque in the center, gently turning halfway, 5 - 7 minutes total.  Remove tilapia when done to a plate.  Immediately add lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and asparagus to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the asparagus is coated and heated through, about 2 minutes (I covered the pan while they cooked).  Serve the asparagus with the fish.