Gastronomous

The Holidays are rapidly approaching and you are on a low carb diet. There will be mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, cookies and candies galore! Are you feeling impending doom? Not to worry, it is possible to survive the Holidays and prepare a low carb menus that are worthy of this time of year and will not make you feel terribly deprived .

First of all, turkey, chicken and other roasted meats are not a problem  even if they are glazed with honey or maple syrup, because the amount of sugars you’ll get from the meat is still low. The problem consists  of the never-ending parade of side dishes, appetizers and dessert. 

So let’s put together a meal!

Appetizers: 

Best low- carb choices consist of veggies platters or cheese platters. Please check nutritional label on store-bought dips! Some are low fat but have tons of sugar and starch to compensate. But we all know, this is not everyone’s favorite.

Try these delicious and easy to make appetizers  

Roma Tomatoes With Mozzarella And Olive Tapenade,                      Marinated Olives

Zucchini fingers                                                    Buffalo style chicken wings

Main Courses: 

Honey-Mustard Roasted Turkey Breast 

Orange Roasted Duck                                             Tuscan Style Standing Rib Roast

Our favorite low-carb side dishes are:

Quick Creamed Spinach Bake                                              Green Bean Salad

Baked Cauliflower                                                 Yellow Squash With Jarlsberg and Grana Padano

This is a modern version of classic fried green tomatoes.
They are so simple and fast to make!
It’s what to do with those tomatoes that quite did not get to ripen in time.
I jazz it up with some cayenne pepper when in the mood for some “kick”

Ingredients:

2 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
fresh ground black pepper & salt to taste
1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tsp finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp olive oil

Place the sliced tomatoes on a plate, salt & pepper to taste, let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a sauté pan and place the cornmeal and the other ingredients in a bowl, mix well. Take the tomato slices one by one and coat both sides with the cornmeal mix. Cook the tomatoes on both sides till slightly brown. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Want to be daring? Surprise your guests? Start a rumor that you are a well seasoned chef? Serve roasted DUCK!  It’s sophisticated yet simple to prepare, and duck in now available frozen in most supermarkets. It’s a traditional holiday dish to enjoy for special occasions, and it’s a wonderful variation of the Sunday chicken dinner. Once trimmed it’s surprisingly low in fat, especially since we discard the skin. Serve  with orange or tomato jam .

Ingredients: (for 4 servings)

One 5 lb duckling, trimmed of excess fat and without the gizzards
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbls herbes de province
1/2 cup of Bitters or Angostura 
the juice of one orange.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub the skin of the duck with salt and pepper. Then carefully drizzle the angostura, use as a binding agent for the herbs. After the duck is completely coated, place on a rack in a roasting pan, put 1/2 inch of water under (make sure it does not touch the duck). Let the duck roast for 20 minutes or till the skin is browned, lower the temperature to 325 degrees drizzle the bird with the orange juice. Place back in the oven and let cook for one and a quarter hour or till a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh.

Let the duck ‘rest’ for 10 minutes before carving. The meat will be tender and moist cooked at this temperature and method. It is not greasy or heavy. Serve with orange sauce and cornbread stuffing if desired. Enjoy with a fruity, fragrant wine.

Bonjour Compact Meat Thermometer and Timer    Monitor the inner temperature of poultry or meat without opening the oven door with BonJour’s Compact Meat Thermometer. To use, select the type of meat and desired doneness level, such as “beef” & “medium-rare”. Next, insert the 6″ stainless steel probe into the meat. An alarm will sound when the actual temperature reaches the desired doneness level. Features include: pre-programmed with cooking temperatures, memory function to program other meat temperatures, 99 minute timer, magnetized backing for the outside of oven door, easel stand for the counter top and 3′ cord easily reaches inside oven door. Batteries included. $24.95

Forget disposable aluminum roasting pans, they bend, break, they can’t even hold their contents!!

Get a nonstick set for 99.99 ( baster and lifters included) or just the pan with rack for 59.99

Cooking.com will ship it free till NOV 20 just click below and use code C89225at checkout

Calphalon 16×13x3-in. Nonstick Contemporary Nonstick Roasting Set    Purchase this roasting pan and receive these bonus tools: a baster, injection needle and set of poultry lifters, everything you need to prepare your holiday bird. New looks from Calphalon’s Contemporary Nonstick line. The stainless handles are slim and flared and are multi-riveted for added strength. Made of hard-anodized aluminum with a nonstick interior, this new roaster heats evenly and quickly and comes with a removable, nonstick rack that holds up to a 25-lb. turkey – also ideal for chicken, pork or beef tenderloins. As your main course browns and glistens, vegetables roast and caramelize at the bottom of the pan. $99.99