Easy Chicken Spiedies

Chicken Spiedie Salad

I have a feeling that if you aren't from upstate (central) New York, have never visited the area or do not love someone who is from there, you have no idea what I'm talking about when I say "spiedies." 


First, so you don't mispronounce the name and get all embarrassed when you talk to your friends about these, "spiedie" is pronounced "speedy." I won't get into the history and all - you can Google that on your own time. But I thought it was important you know that we're talking about an Italian-inspired meat dish that hails from New York and, once you get past the marinade stage, is speeeeed-ie to throw together.

Buffalo Chicken Salad (With Celery Leaves!)

The worst week of my life was the week I spent at sleep-away camp. I should have loved it. I was about 12, and two of my friends and I decided to spend one week of our summer break in a cabin at a Christian camp in the mountains.

The counselors were cool (one of the counselors in my cabin even had red hair, which only made me love her more). We sang fun songs, we did arts and crafts, and camp was right on a lake. It sounds like a great time, doesn't it?

Well, it wasn't.

I know, I know, plenty of kids think camp is great. My brother was one of them. Although my parents didn't send him to the same camp, he loved sleepover camp. He went more than one summer.

Momma apparently didn't cry when she dropped him off.

It's Like Pizza

Low-Carb Pizza 

He folds my laundry, makes sure the air filter is changed regularly, takes the garbage out and balances the checkbook. The list of things the husband does goes on and on. I probably shouldn't list all of them, though, you know, in case he decides to read this post. We wouldn't want all of this praise to go straight to his head.

Long story short: I already knew I married a good man. But when I suggested we have low-carb pizza for dinner - pizza that wouldn't have a nice wheaty crust - and my carbaholic husband went along with it, I knew I picked the best husband of all. 

Low-Carb Cheesecake Squares

In my dreams, I don't have to wash my hair every morning - my bangs don't stick straight up in the air when I get out of bed. I'm also the same weight I was the day I married the husband, and I can wear size 4 Banana Republic jeans without squatting to loosen them up in the butt area.

Chance doesn't bark constantly in my dreams, and he isn't afraid of thunder. Stella wriggles just as much in my dreams, but she doesn't snore.

We live within 30 minutes of Macy's in my dreams, and our parents live nearby, too. They take turns having us over for Sunday dinner every week.

In my dreams, I can eat just as many carbs as the husband and my body does everything it is supposed to with the insulin.

But this is real life.

Bacon & Egg Muffins

A Bacon & Egg Muffin and a Low-Carb "Faux" Waffle. (Don't worry, the black stuff in the muffin is just pepper!)

Before work

Wife: So it looks like we're having breakfast for dinner tonight.

Husband: Does that mean we'll have bacon?

Wife: It can.

Husband: OK, then, we're having breakfast for dinner!

After work

Husband: Bacon and eggs for dinner, bacon and eggs for dinner!

Wife: Well, I wanted to make something like bacon and egg muffins.

Husband: What?

Wife: It's like scrambled eggs, but I'm going to bake them.

Husband: But they'll look like muffins. [hesitates] Alright. Just because I love you. Do whatever floats your boat.

Low-Carb Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Old spices and all, the husband really liked dinner. I just wish I liked the photo better!

We keep a clean, well-organized house around here. At least, I liked to think that. 

I sweep, vacuum and mop; the husband always makes sure the dishes are put away. We change our sheets regularly, clean the bathroom, you know the drill.

And then company will come and I'll realize the baseboard in the hallway has a big brown dirt spot on it. Yes, a huge dirty mark running about a three-foot span. 

Healthy Southwestern Burgers

The husband's Southwestern burger, served on a whole wheat bun with rice on the side.

Whenever we have company we end up eating out more than usual. Sure, I enjoy cooking for our visitors, but when we're out and about it's a given we're going to end up at a restaurant - at least when it comes to lunch.

We ate our last lunch with Da and my stepmother last weekend in a downtown pub. None of us had ever been there before, so it took us awhile to order, but eventually we all chose typical pub grub - sandwiches, wraps - and Da ordered a burger.


The thought of ordering a burger crossed my mind, but I hate ordering the same thing as someone else when we go out to eat ('cause I'm weird). So I went with a Buffalo chicken wrap that had the husband asking me in front of the bartender if I needed some sour cream to go with my meal, embarrassing me all to heck and making me want to kick the husband under the table, but that's another story.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

The husband is a known snacker. It doesn't matter how much I feed him for dinner, there's a good chance he's going to get up off the couch at about 8 pm, go into the kitchen and start looking for a snack. He tells me he gets it from his father. For the record, I don't know why he feels the need to blame his daddy. The husband should just admit he likes his snacks. I'll admit it: I like to snack.

I also like snacks in milk. And when the husband is in the kitchen poking around for his after-dinner snack, all I need to hear is a cupboard open and his hand rummaging around in the silverware drawer to know he's about to eat cereal. 

This never bothered me until about two months ago when the doctor put an end to my cereal eating. Now, I don't want to harp on the fact that I can't eat a lot of carbs these days, that's life. But I've just got to get this off my chest: I miss some of my old favorite snacks. I miss snacks in milk.

So I thought I needed to find a way to make myself a little something I could enjoy while the husband's eating his evening bowl of cereal. I found that little something in flourless peanut butter cookies - they're not exactly low-fat and they're a little crumbly, but they taste fab in almond milk. And I don't care how much I ate for dinner, it's 8 pm, and I have room for a little cookie. 

Happy Chili Halloween

Low-Carb Chili Topped With Fat-Free Greek Yogurt

Sunday was a hang out around the house and watch football kind of day, which means it was also a perfect day for chili. The husband wanted something a little spicy; I needed something that wasn't loaded with carbs. We compromised with a low-carb chili recipe I came up with using whatever I could find in the fridge and pantry. The recipe didn't require a lot of ingredients, but it fit the bill. And best of all? We had leftovers we could enjoy tonight while waiting for trick-or-treaters. So far, we've seen one hippie.

Reuben Casserole

 

I made just about the easiest dinner ever last night. It was super simple to throw together, which was great because I came home late after a long meeting at work, and it tasted pretty darn good, too, another plus because I was starving.

Even the husband agreed that dinner, though it sounded a little strange to him at first, was good. I toasted and buttered bread for the husband and made him a reuben sandwich from this dish, but I ate mine straight from the casserole. Mmmmm. Corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, hot out of the oven in 25 minutes? I'm not sure it gets better than that after a long, long day at the office.

Reuben Casserole
Serves 2

1/2 lb. corned beef from the deli, sliced thin
4 Tbs. sauerkraut
2 slices low-fat Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. 

Spread the meat evenly across the bottom of the dish. Layer the sauerkraut on top of the meat and top with cheese. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and, if you like, starting to brown. Serve on a sandwich or eat with a fork. You may even want to serve with dressing.

Enjoy!

Low-Carb Waffles

High-Protein, Low-Carb Waffles

You know that feeling you get in the back of your throat after you've just eaten so much bread so quickly that you're about to get the hiccups and know you're going to need some peanut butter? No? Are you telling me you've never eaten bread so fast you've gotten that hiccups or that you don't cure hiccups with peanut butter?

Oh, well. Let's not start that debate.

Let me just tell you that these waffles were a long time coming. I tried them with three egg whites, which resulted in a volcano of a waffle erupting all over our kitchen countertop. I tried adding water, which made the waffle iron sizzle and steam - and make very crispy, airy waffles.

Finally I stuck with two egg whites, skipped the water and ended up with waffles.

Thank God.

Winning Chicken Dinner

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

Bake chicken, ham and cheese. Who knew that's all I had to do to make the husband an ah-maze-ing dinner? Seriously. He loves chicken cordon bleu so much (news to me) that I've made it twice in the last three weeks - and one of the last three weeks we weren't even home. So let's just say I've made him this meal twice in two weeks.

I can't complain, though. This a simple dinner that tastes great, is low in carbs and the husband absolutely loves it.

High-Protein, Low-Carb "Pancakes"

High-Protein, Low-Carb "Pancakes"

Wife: People who see me eat lunch probably think I'm so weird.

Husband, pointing to himself: You mean like this guy?

That was us yesterday discussing my recent brown-bag specials, which have consisted of turkey and cheese roll-ups and chicken salad made with Greek yogurt. I don't eat a lot of carbs - doctor's orders.

So even though the husband wasn't home this morning when I was eating breakfast, I could picture him in his usual spot across the table from me, saying the exact same thing he said to me yesterday afternoon:

Whatever makes you happy, honey.

Well, some might consider this a strange breakfast, but these "pancakes" made me verrrry happy this morning.

High-Protein, Low-Carb Pancakes

Inspired by This Guy

1/2 cup liquid egg whites

1 scoop 100% whey protein powder (I used vanilla)

a dash of apple pie spice

cooking spray

spray butter

Combine the egg whites, protein powder and spice in a shaker and shake for two minutes. The mixture will thicken and begin to look like batter.

Heat a griddle over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour the "batter" onto the griddle. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until small bubbles begin to form. Flip. Cook on the other side.

Continue making "pancakes" until all of the batter is gone. Top with butter spray or your favorite syrup or fruit. Next time, I might even use a little Greek yogurt and see how that tastes.

Enjoy!

Serves 1

207 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5.7 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 38 g protein