Part 15 (1/2)

1 can (14 ounces, or 400 g) artichoke hearts, drained 2 ounces (55 g) prosciutto or good-quality deli ham, thinly sliced cup (50 g) chopped kalamata olives 1 medium tomato cup (10 g) chopped fresh basil 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white wine vinegar 1 clove garlic teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Splenda Coa.r.s.ely chop the artichoke hearts and throw them into a mixing bowl. Cut the prosciutto or ham into strips about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and inch (6 mm) wide and throw that in, too. Chop the olives and add them; then dice the tomato and put that in. Finally, throw in the chopped fresh basil.

Mix together everything else and pour it over the vegetables. Stir. Let it marinate for several hours before serving.

Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each serving will have 7 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrate, and 1 gram fiber, for a usable carb count of 9 grams-but a lot of the fiber in artichokes is in the form of inulin, which has a very low glycemic index, so this is considerably easier on your blood sugar than that 9-gram figure would suggest.

Submarine Salad Here's a salad with everything you'd find in a great submarine sandwich-except the bread! If your grocery store deli doesn't have some of these cold cuts, subst.i.tute your favorites. Except bologna. One slice of bologna, and you've lost your East Coast sub shop accent.

8 cups (160 g) shredded lettuce, loosely packed 1 ounce (30 g) prosciutto or boiled ham 1 ounce (30 g) capacolla 1 ounce (30 g) mortadella 1 ounce (30 g) Genoa salami 1 ounce (30 g) provolone cheese (smoked provolone if you can get it!) 1 ounce (30 g) mozzarella cheese [image]medium red onion, sliced paper-thin 3 tablespoons (21 g) roasted red pepper, diced 4 fresh basil leaves, minced small tomato, sliced in thin wedges 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar 1 dash pepper 1 dash salt Make a bed of lettuce on each of two serving plates.

Slice the meats and cheeses into strips. Arrange artistically on the beds of lettuce. Top that with the onion, diced red pepper, and chopped fresh basil. Add the tomato wedges, too. Now mix together the oil, garlic, vinegar, pepper, and salt. Drizzle it over the salads and then serve.

Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 18 g protein; 13 g carbohydrate; 5 g dietary fiber; 8 g usable carbs.

Italian Roast Beef Salad This makes a great meal, all from deli roast beef! Feel free to use leftover steak in this instead if you have that.

8 cups (160 g) bagged European or Italian blend greens cup (40 g) thinly sliced sweet red onion medium green pepper, sliced into small strips 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoons (23 ml) balsamic vinegar teaspoon spicy brown or Dijon mustard cup (30 g) crumbled Gorgonzola 4 ounces (115 g) sliced deli roast beef 2 tablespoons (18 g) toasted pine nuts Place the greens, onion, and green pepper in a large salad bowl. Combine the oil and garlic, pour over the salad, and toss well. Stir together the balsamic vinegar and mustard and set them aside.

Crumble the Gorgonzola (if you didn't buy it precrumbled) and add it to the salad. Slice the roast beef into strips and throw it in there, too. Pour the balsamic vinegar mixture over the whole thing and toss very well. Pile onto 2 serving plates, top each with a tablespoon of pine nuts, and serve.

Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 19 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of fiber, for a total of 10 grams of usable carbs and 27 grams of protein. You'll also get 1,153 milligrams of pota.s.sium and 247 milligrams of calcium, plus almost three times your daily requirements of vitamins C and A, and 100 percent of your daily requirement of folacin.

Gorgonzola is the Italian version of blue cheese. It is a bit milder and creamier than most blue cheeses. If you can't find it, subst.i.tute any blue cheese you like.

French Vinaigrette Dressing No, this is not that sweet, tomatoey stuff that somehow has gotten the name ”French dressing.” No Frenchman would eat that stuff on a bet! This is a cla.s.sic vinaigrette dressing.

teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper to[image] cup (60 to 80 ml) wine vinegar cup (60 to 80 ml) wine vinegar teaspoon Dijon mustard cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil Put all the ingredients in a container with a tight lid and shake well. Shake again before pouring over salad and tossing.

Yield: 12 servings 12 servings Each with only a trace of carbohydrates, fiber, and protein.

The French Vinaigrette and Italian Vinaigrette Dressing recipes make approximately enough for two big, family-size salads, but feel free to double them and keep them in the fridge.

Italian Vinaigrette Dressing Add a little zip to the French Vinaigrette, and you've got Italian Vinaigrette.

[image]cup (80 ml) wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic, crushed teaspoon oregano teaspoon basil 1 or 2 drops hot pepper sauce [image]cup (160 ml) extra-virgin olive oil Put all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake well.

Yield: 12 servings 12 servings Each with 1 gram of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and a trace of protein.

Variation: Creamy Italian Dressing. This is a simple variation on the Italian Vinaigrette. Just add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise to the Italian Vinaigrette Dressing and whisk until smooth.

Big Italian Restaurant Dressing This is my clone of the dressing from a popular Italian restaurant chain-minus the sugar, of course.

cup (120 ml) white vinegar [image]cup (80 ml) water [image]cup (80 ml) olive oil cup (6 g) Splenda 2 tablespoons (30 g) grated Romano cheese 2 tablespoons (30 ml) beaten egg 1 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon (3.8 g) minced parsley 1 pinch dried oregano 1 pinch red pepper flakes teaspoon guar or xanthan This one's really easy: Just a.s.semble everything in your blender and run the sucker for 10 to 15 seconds. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

Yield: 1 cups (360 ml), or 12 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) 1 cups (360 ml), or 12 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Each with 1 g protein; 1 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber, 1 g usable carb.

If you're uncomfortable using 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of raw egg, you can use egg subst.i.tute or pasteurized eggs instead.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing This dressing is so sweet and tangy. Raspberry vinaigrette is a favorite you'll get to enjoy more often once you're making your own low-carb variety.

cup (60 ml) Raspberry Vinegar (see below) cup (60 ml) canola or other bland oil 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (45 g) mayonnaise 1 teaspoon spicy brown or Dijon mustard Pinch salt and pepper Blend all the ingredients and store in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with a trace of carbohydrates, fiber, and protein.

To make your own raspberry vinegar, combine cup (120 ml) white vinegar, teaspoon raspberry cake flavoring (this is a highly concentrated oil in a teeny little bottle), and 3 tablespoons (4.5 g) Splenda and store in a container with a tight-fitting lid. This makes about cup (120 ml), with 11.5 grams of carbohydrates in the whole batch or 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon, with no fiber, and no protein.

c.u.min Vinaigrette This dressing is good with anything South-of-the-Border-ish or Middle Eastern, for that matter.

[image]cup (160 ml) olive oil [image]cup (80 ml) lemon juice 2 teaspoons ground c.u.min Salt and pepper to taste Just whisk everything together and toss with your salad.

Yield: 1 cup (240 ml), or 8 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 g) 1 cup (240 ml), or 8 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 g) Each with trace protein; 1 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 1 g usable carb.

Sweet Poppy Seed Vinaigrette cup (12 g) Splenda cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil 2 teaspoons minced red onion 1 teaspoons poppy seeds 1 teaspoon paprika teaspoon salt Measure everything into a bowl, whisk it together, and it's ready to go!

Yield: Makes roughly cup (120 ml), or 4 servings of about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Makes roughly cup (120 ml), or 4 servings of about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Each with trace protein; 2 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 2 g usable carbs.

Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Vinaigrette 8 sun-dried tomato halves 2 tablespoons (30 ml) balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons (30 ml) red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic, crushed teaspoon salt cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 4 teaspoons dried basil, or 2 tablespoons (5.3 g) fresh, minced Chop the sun-dried tomatoes quite fine. Now simply whisk everything together and toss with your salad.

Yield: Makes roughly Makes roughly[image] cup (160 ml), or about 5 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cup (160 ml), or about 5 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Each with 1 g protein; 5 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 4 g usable carbs.

Balsamic-Parmesan Dressing 3 tablespoons (45 ml) balsamic vinegar [image]cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon (14 g) mayonnaise 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon grated onion teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon spicy brown or Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon (6.3 g) grated Parmesan cheese Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake or whisk again before tossing with salad.

Yield: 6 servings 6 servings Each with 1 gram of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and a trace of protein.

Citrus Dressing 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lime juice 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar 2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola oil teaspoon orange extract 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda 1 teaspoons sugar-free imitation honey Simply combine everything in a bowl and whisk together. Alternately, a.s.semble the ingredients in your blender and run it for a few seconds.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings 4 to 5 servings a.s.suming 4 servings, each will have trace protein; 2 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 2 g usable carbs. a.n.a.lysis does not include polyol in imitation honey.

Greek Lemon Dressing The use of lemon juice in place of vinegar in salad dressings is distinctively Greek.

cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil cup (60 ml) lemon juice 2 tablespoons (10.8 g) dried oregano, crushed 1 clove garlic, crushed Salt and pepper Put all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake well.

Yield: 12 servings 12 servings Each with 1 gram of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and a trace of protein.

This is best made at least a few hours in advance, but don't try to double the recipe and keep it around. Lemon juice just doesn't hold its freshness the way vinegar does.

Soy and Sesame Dressing 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce 1 tablespoons (25 ml) oil 1 tablespoons (25 ml) rice vinegar 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda 1 clove garlic, crushed teaspoon dark sesame oil 1 teaspoons lemon juice teaspoon pepper Simply whisk everything together or whirl in your blender.

Yield:[image] cup (80 ml), or 3 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cup (80 ml), or 3 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Each with 1 g protein; 2 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 2 g usable carbs.

Orange Bacon Dressing 3 tablespoons (45 ml) bacon grease cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice 1 tablespoons (2.25 g) Splenda teaspoon orange extract Simply combine everything in a bowl and whisk together.

Yield: cup (120 ml), or 4 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cup (120 ml), or 4 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Each with trace protein; 1 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 1 g usable carb.

Ginger Salad Dressing cup (40 g) minced onion cup (120 ml) canola oil [image]cup (80 ml) rice vinegar 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water 2 tablespoons (20 g) grated ginger 2 tablespoons (20 g) diced celery 2 tablespoons (30 g) Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup (page 463) 4 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons Splenda 2 teaspoons lemon juice teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper 1 clove garlic Simply a.s.semble everything in your blender and run for 10 to 15 seconds. Store in a snap-top container in the fridge.

Yield: 1 cups (360 ml), or 12 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) 1 cups (360 ml), or 12 servings of 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Each with trace protein; 2 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber; 2 g usable carbs.