Have A Low-Carb Holiday Feast

If you were to hop onto any Internet search engine and type in "low-carb," you'd likely find yourself picking up shards of your monitor from the carpet, because the sheer volume of responses would cause the screen to overheat and explode.

With recent studies seeming to back up the Atkins and other low-carb regimens' success claims, the need for recipes that will mimic "sinful" foods without blowing the diet is at an all-time high.

So, when the folks from Stringbeanz, in San Diego, offered me some holiday selections from their recipe box, I jumped at the chance to bring them to you.

Now, they're not selling their wares online just yet, although that IS in the works. In some of the recipes, you'll see mention of products "from Stringbeanz." These or a close approximation can most likely be found at your local health food store.

Now, loyal readers will know that I'm not much of a dieter. I generally turn my nose WAY up at any recipe that purports to be "just like" or "almost as good as" my cherished favorites, but I've gone over these carefully and darned if they don't look GOOD. The seasonings are right, and the substitutions make good sense. Enjoy!

Low-Carb Turkey Stuffing

From Stringbeanz
Loaf of low-carb bread
Other Ingredients
½ c. butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium celery ribs with leaves, chopped
¼ c. fresh parsley, chopped
3 cups homemade turkey stock, or chicken broth, as needed
Poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper

Cut each slice of bread into half-inch size squares and place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning. Cook in the oven at 350° Fahrenheit until the top is golden brown.

Take out of oven and turn over each piece and sprinkle with more poultry seasoning, then place the pan back in the oven until the other side is golden brown. Take out and let cool.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Scrape the vegetables and butter into a large bowl. Add the stuffing and parsley. Stir in enough stock to moisten the stuffing, about 2 ½ cups. Season with 2 tsp. of the poultry seasoning and use to stuff the turkey. Or place in a buttered baking dish, drizzle with an additional ½ cup stock, cover and bake as a side dish.

Mock Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

2 heads fresh cauliflower
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. minced onion flakes
4 tbsp. butter
2 oz cream cheese (optional)
4 tbsp. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 370° Fahrenheit. Cook cauliflower on stovetop until it is very well done (fall-apart-pork tender).

Drain well and mix cauliflower with all other ingredients except cream. At this point you may add the cream cheese if desired. The cream cheese will make for really rich and creamy potatoes.

Use a hand mixer to beat until desired consistency is reached. For creamier potatoes use a food processor. Add cream slowly and mix again, being careful not to add too much liquid.

Spray an ovenproof dish with cooking spray mixture. Add pats of extra butter on top for an extra buttery potato. Bake 15-20 minutes, until hot.

Low-Carb Flaky Pie Crust

From Stringbeanz
2 c. Low Carb Chef Baking mix or almond flour
1 ½ tbsp. Splenda
Other Ingredients
½ tsp. salt
10 tbsp. butter
1 egg
3 tbsp. ice water

Mix together the flour, Splenda and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the mix with a pastry cutter. Work the dough until the butter is in small pieces.

Mix together the egg and water in a small bowl, then add the flour/butter mixture. Knead through the mix with the heels of your hands until the dough barely holds together.

Make the dough into a disc shape, being careful not to overwork it. Then wrap it in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Next, roll out the dough for the pie shell and place in a 9-inch pan. Mold the dough until it covers the entire pan 1/8th of an inch thick (there may be leftover dough). Lastly, pour in your choice of filling and cook accordingly.

Low-Carb Pumpkin Pie Filling

¾ c. Splenda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
1 16 oz. can Libby's Pure Pumpkin
12 oz. heavy whipping cream

In a small bowl mix the Splenda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.

Beat eggs in a large bowl, and then stir in the spice mixture. Next, gradually stir in the heavy whipping cream. Pour into low-carb pie crust.

Bake at 425° Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 350° for another 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for two hours and serve or refrigerate.

Low-Carb Pecan Pie Filling

From Stringbeanz
1 c. Xylitol
½ c. Steel's Honey
¼ c. Davinci Vanilla Syrup
Other Ingredients
3 eggs
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
½ c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. pecan halves

In a small mixer bowl beat eggs, xylitol, salt, butter, honey, and cream. Stir in vanilla syrup, then add the pecan halves.

Pour into low-carb pie crust and bake for 30-45 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit, or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. Cool on a rack.