New low carb cooking ideas as world tour continues

This week we travel to France. Much of this food has rich sauces and many carbs. Our recipes will give you the rich taste with fewer carb. Just remember that healthy living takes planning and moderation.

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole 

6 cups cooked chicken (shredded, from about 2 lb chicken)

6 ounces ham (cut into bite size pieces)

4 ounces butter (melted)

6 ounces cream cheese (softened)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine

2 ounces lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 ounces swiss cheeseJioiu

Preheat the oven to 350. Put the chicken in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer the pieces of ham on top.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the melted butter, softened cream cheese, white wine (if using), mustard, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until a thick sauce forms. Spread this sauce over the chicken and ham in the baking dish.

Lay the slices of swiss cheese on top of the sauce. Bake for 30-40 minutes until hot.

I broiled it for 2 minutes at the end so the cheese would get more golden and bubbly. If you decided to do that do not leave it unattended. It's very easy to burn the cheese topping.

 

Low Carb Quiche Lorraine

1 batch pie crust 

1/3 pound bacon (diced and cooked until crisp)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

5 large eggs

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

ground pepper 

4 ounces Swiss cheese

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Make 1 batch of the Easy Low Carb Press-In Pie Crust (omit sweetener) and press into a 9 inch glass pie plate. Refrigerate the crust while continuing with the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350F and place one rack at the bottom position and 

 other in the middle position.

Chop bacon and place into a frying pan over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp - about 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

While the bacon cooks, chop the onions and grate the cheese. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and add the cream, water, salt and pepper. Beat until frothy with hand beater.

Pour the bacon fat out of the pan, leaving a coating of oil in the pan for the onions. Sauté the onions with the sprigs of thyme until the onions soften. Remove the thyme from the pan and the onions from the heat.

Remove the crust from the refrigerator and layer 1/3 of the cheese into the bottom of the crust followed by 1/3 of the bacon and 1/2 of the onions. Add a second layer of cheese, onions and bacon. Pour the custard into the crust and finish by adding the final layer of cheese and bacon.

Place the quiche onto the bottom rack and cook for 30 minutes. Then, move the quiche to the middle rack and cook for 7-10 minutes more or until the crust and quiche are browned. Cool to room temperature before enjoying or cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

 

Low Calorie French Onion Soup

2 sweet onions (large, sliced)

2 red onions (large, sliced)

4 garlic cloves (minced)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup red wine

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 bay leaf

42 ounces fat free beef broth

1/4 cup fresh chives (minced, or scallions)

6 slices whole wheat bread 

1 cup fontina cheese

In a Dutch oven, heat the butter and 2 tablespoons bone broth over medium heat. Add the onions. Caramelize onions according to the instructions here, about 30-40 minutes total, adding the additional 2 tablespoons bone broth after 20 minutes. Push the onions to the sides of the pan and make a well in the center. Add the minced garlic and thyme leaves. Saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.

Add the remaining broth and bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the 90-second bread. Using a rectangular baking dish, you’ll double the recipe to make 2 rectangular slices, then cut those in half to make 4 square slices total.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 3-5 minutes, until golden on the bottom.

Flip and toast for 3-5 more minutes, until golden on the other side.

Remove the bread from the oven. Set the oven to broil.

Ladle the soup into oven safe bowls and place them onto a baking sheet or baking dish. Top each bowl with a slice of bread, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and browned.