Garlicky Cauliflower Steaks

Cauliflower, it turns out, is a low-carb dieter's dream!  It's not only low in carbohydrates but super high in vitamin C, and due to it's mild taste there are a million things you can do with it.  If you have a head of cauliflower and you aren't sure what to do with it, this is a quick and tasty recipe.  I like to use this as my main course, paired with a salad or a side veggie.

Garlicky Cauliflower Steaks

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• 3 - 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• juice from 1/2 large lemon
• fresh or dried parsley
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. Remove the base of the stem and any leaves from a head of cauliflower.  Slice the head down the middle into 1/2 inch "steaks".  The middle pieces will stay together nicely, but the edges will start to break into florets.  The larger florets you can slice the same way.  The smaller pieces you can throw on the pan with the others, or save them for salads or something else.
3. In a bowl combine garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and salt.
4. Brush the olive oil mixture over both sides of the cauliflower steaks and pieces.
5. Bake at 475 for about 10 minutes or until the edges just start to brown.
6. Flip the steaks and pieces over, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake for 5 more minutes.
7. Remove from oven, squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the finished steaks.  Enjoy!

Macros:

(Amounts are approximate and may vary with ingredients)

Makes 4 servings

Total carbs: 24g Carbs per serving: 6g

Total fat: 65g Fat per serving: 16g

Total protein: 21.5g Protein per serving: 5g

Daikon Radish "Latkes"

I share a produce box from Coon Rock Farm (http://coonrockfarm.com/) with a friend of mine.  This week I got a giant daikon radish.  I thought, "What in the world will I do with this thing?!"  So I got online, found some good ideas, and adapted them for my purposes.  That's my favorite way to cook!


I used flax meal in place of bread crumbs to hold the cakes together.  It turns out that flax meal is high in fat and has zero net carbs.  I'm planning on using it to bread and fry all kinds of things!

I also used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.  I like the taste of coconut oil better, for one thing, but there are also a ton of health benefits.  Coconut oil is chock full of medium chain triglycerides which are used quickly for energy by people in ketosis and can help your body burn more fat.  Check out this site for more info: http://authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/.

Daikon "Latkes"

Ingredients:

• 1 big-ass daikon radish (or 2 or 3 smaller ones)
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups flax meal
• salt, pepper, whatever spices you like
• Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Directions:

1. Peel and grate the radish with a box grater.  Sprinkle with salt and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to draw some of the water out of it.
2. Put the radish gratings into a colander, press with a towel to get as much water out as you can.
3. In a bowl stir together the radish, onion, garlic, egg, flax meal, spices, and a generous squirt of Sriracha.
4. Form mixture into patties with your hand, no more than 1/4 inch thick.
5. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat your coconut oil.  Add the radish patties and cook until browned, about 3 or 4 minutes on each side.
6. Drain on a paper towel, and eat while hot.
   

I mixed up some Sriracha mayo to accompany these "latkes", but I think blue cheese would also taste good.

Macros:

(Amounts are approximate and may vary with ingredients)

Recipe makes 8 cakes

Total carbs: 25g Carbs per cake: 3g

Total fat: 82.5g Fat per cake: 10g

Total protein: 40.5g Protein per cake: 5g

Lettuce Leaf Tacos

I have become a connoisseur of fake meats while on this diet, and let me tell you that this is one of my favorites:

It’s your basic tofu crumbles with Mexican spices already added in, and they taste fantastic.  So if you’re feeling like a little Mexican for dinner, give this a try as filling for tacos.  Add some coconut oil to the pan to increase the fat content even though the package instructions don’t say to.  Avoid the carbs of corn tortillas by using lettuce leaves for the taco shells.  I like romaine for the crunch but you could use green leaf or bibb lettuce.  Accessorize with your choice of cheese and veggies, sour cream, guacamole, really whatever you want!  This is a fast, healthy, and super tasty dinner and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Ingredients:

• Tofurky Chorizo style tofu crumbles
• 1 - 2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil, or vegetable oil, whatever oil you like)
• 6 large lettuce leaves.  
• Shredded cheese, as much as you like.  I used cheddar.
• Your choice of veggies.  I used heirloom cherry tomatoes and avocado.  Olives and peppers would be yummy too.  

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium high heat, melt your coconut oil (or heat your olive oil).
2. Add the Tofurky crumbles and stir while cooking for around 5 minutes.  
3. Rinse 6 lettuce leaves and dry with a paper towel.
4. Grate cheese and chop veggies.
5. When the crumbles are done cooking, spread them into the lettuce taco shells.  Then add the shredded cheese over the hot crumbles to get it a little melty.  Then top with your veggies and you’re ready to go!

Macros: 
This is the info for the tofurky, coconut oil, cheese, and lettuce. Add in your own info for whatever veggies you put in your tacos

(Amounts are approximate and may vary with ingredients)

Servings: 6

Total carbs: 10.5g Carbs per serving: 1.75g

Total fat: 99.5g Fat per serving: 16.5g

Total protein: 77.5g Protein per serving: 13g