25 Quick and Easy Low Carb Recipes:

Delicious Food That Helps You Stick to Your Diet

Volume One: Breakfast

By Lisa Douglas

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Note on the Carb Counts

Eggs

How to Cook a Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Cheesy Eggs Benedict

Veggie Parade Scrambled Eggs

Baked Eggs

Texan Huevos Rancheros

Feta, Ham and Basil Scramble

Creamy Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Basil

Chive and Parmesan Shirred Eggs

Omelets, Frittatas & Breakfast Quiches

How to cook a perfect omelet

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

Sweet Potato Omelet

Basic Baked Omelet

Spinach Breakfast Frittata

Mediterranean Frittata

Sweetheart Baked Omelet

Sides

How to Cook Perfect Bacon

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Low Carb Pancakes

Egg and Sausage Muffins

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

Breakfast Smoothies

Attack of the Health Monster Smoothie

Wake You Up Smoothie

Strawberries and Cream Smoothie

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

Have a Blue Cow Smoothie

Notes

Copyright

Introduction

You might be reading this book because you’re a low carb dieter who can’t face another plate of bacon and eggs, a diabetic watching your blood sugar, or someone who just plain wants to cut back on refined carbs. Whatever your reason for reducing your carb intake, I wrote this book for you and I hope the recipes and tips in this book help you stick with a very healthy way of eating.

For most people, the hardest part about sticking to a low-carb diet is the eventual boredom that sets in after the novelty of all-you-can-eat bacon wears off. At its heart, low-carb eating is about eating real, unprocessed food, which often means actual cooking is involved. These days, most people are busy and don’t have much time to cook, so can fall into the habit of eating the same easy-to-prepare breakfast foods over and over again. Boredom kills diets, so having a stockpile of delicious, quick-to-make low carb recipes in your arsenal is absolutely crucial to your success.

This book is about breakfast and I’m starting here because multiple studies have shown eating a protein-filled breakfast helps people control their appetite for the rest of the day. Long story short, eating breakfast will help you succeed on your diet and you should do it every day. (I’ve included a section in the notes at the back of the book with speedy low carb breakfast ideas for the mornings you’re in a hurry and have no time to cook.)

In creating this book, I deliberately made sure the ingredients didn’t include many substitutes for high-carb foods, because they are usually pale imitations of the originals. The one exception is Splenda (sucralose), which is a very good alternative to sugar. Every recipe, except for the Low Carb Pancakes (because what’s a breakfast book without pancakes?) is made with ingredients you can find at any grocery store. This means you can also prepare the tasty dishes in this book for your non-low-carbing family members and say goodbye to cooking separate meals.

There are a variety of low-carb plans out there, Atkins, Paleo, Protein Power, and so on, and they all have different guidelines and daily carb limits. There are also people interested in just cutting back on carbs, generally. With that in mind, I included recipes with a variety of carb counts in this book. Generally, though, I kept the carbs as low as I could without sacrificing taste, to keep this book useful to as many people as possible. If you track what you’re eating, complete nutrition counts appear at the end of every recipe to help you do that.

A Note on the Carb Counts

All of the nutritional information in these recipes was calculated using Fitday.com. The counts shown for carbohydrates include fiber, which is listed separately from total carbohydrates. A count of Carbs 4g, Fiber 2g would mean that the food has 4g of total carbohydrate, of which 2g are fiber.

Eggs

How to Cook a Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Eggs are, in many ways, the perfect low-carb food: filled with nutrition, inexpensive, and incredibly low in carbs. So, before we get seriously into the egg recipes, I thought I’d take a moment to share my simple technique for the most basic of egg dishes: the hard-boiled egg.

A perfectly boiled egg has a tender white and slightly moist golden yolk at the center. Unfortunately, if you cook them too long, things can quickly go horribly wrong, leaving your egg with the texture of rubber bands and the yolk a completely gruesome green. Fortunately, this easy method for making hard-boiled eggs will stop that from ever happening to you.

To end up with a perfect boiled egg, you need to start with room temperature eggs (this stops the shell from cracking when it comes in contact with the boiling water). Food safety experts recommend storing your eggs in the fridge, so let them sit in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for ten minutes to bring them to room temperature. Or, if you’re like me, and comfortable dicing with death, then leave them out on the kitchen counter overnight.

Before you start cooking, fill a bowl with ice water and have it nearby.

Turn your burner on high. Add enough water to cover your eggs in a saucepan just big enough to hold your eggs, and then bring your water to a boil.

Using a large spoon or tongs, gently lower the eggs one at a time into the water, being careful not to damage the shell. Reduce the heat to medium-high and boil the eggs for exactly 8 minutes (or 10 minutes if you plan to do something like make deviled eggs.)

When your timer goes off, pop the eggs into the bowl of ice water to cool so they stop cooking immediately. When they’re cool enough to handle, crack the shells all over, then peel the shells off under the water, which stops the shell bits from sticking.

Serve your perfect hard-boiled eggs and enjoy!

Cheesy Eggs Benedict

Classic Eggs Benedict is made with Hollandaise sauce and English muffins. Hollandaise is considered one of the most difficult French haute cuisine sauces to master. Since all of the recipes in this book are designed to be easy, the Hollandaise sauce has been replaced with an incredibly delicious cheese sauce.

I think you’ll really enjoy this recipe without an English muffin, but if you feel something is missing, adding a low-carb English muffin is an option, of course.

1 1/2 cups half and half

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

8 eggs

1 teaspoon white vinegar

8 cooked bacon strips, crumbled

8 slices Canadian bacon, heated

For the sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the half and half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add mustard, salt, pepper, Cheddar and Parmesan, stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Cover and keep the sauce warm until the eggs are ready.

For the poached eggs: in a deep-sided pan, bring approximately three inches of water and vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat until the water and vinegar are simmering. Break each egg into a saucer, then, holding the dish close to the water’s surface, slip the egg gently into the water.

Poach four of the eggs at a time without a cover for 3-5 minutes, or until the whites are completely set and the yolks start to get thick. Remove each egg with a slotted spoon or spatula. Repeat with the other half of the eggs.

To assemble your low carb Eggs Benedict, layer one slice of warm Canadian bacon with one poached egg, the cheese sauce and then top it with crumbled bacon.

Serves: 4

Ready to Eat in: 30 minutes

Carbs 6g Fiber 0g Calories 496 Fat 38g Protein 33g

Veggie Parade Scrambled Eggs

I love the colorful variety of vegetables in this recipe. They remind me a little of confetti at a parade, which is where the name of this dish comes from.

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato

6 eggs

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced mushrooms, chopped onions and green peppers. Sauté the vegetables until the onions are transparent.

In a large bowl, beat together the half and half and eggs. Add the egg mixture to the skillet with the vegetables, and then stir in the tomatoes. When your eggs are almost completely set, stir in the Cheddar cheese. Allow the cheese to melt. Serve immediately.

Serves: 3

Ready to Eat In: 20 minutes

Carbs 6g Fiber 1g Calories 278 Fat 21g Protein 17g

Baked Eggs

Though this is, technically, a recipe for bacon and eggs, there’s nothing boring about eating them this way. They’re delicious and the end result is a treat for your eyes, as well as your taste buds.

This recipe is for one baked egg, but you can make as many eggs as your muffin pan will hold. Just multiply the ingredients and be sure to space the eggs out in the pan so that they cook evenly.

1 slice bacon

1 egg

1 teaspoon melted butter

1/2 slice Cheddar cheese (the right size for the top of a muffin cup)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook the bacon over medium high heat until it’s brown but still fairly soft. The bacon will continue to cook in the oven, so keep that in mind. Wrap a single bacon slice around the interior of each muffin cup. Pop a teaspoon of butter into the bottom of the muffin cup. Break one egg into each muffin cup.

Bake the egg in the oven for 12 minutes. Slide the muffin pan out to place a slice of cheese on top of the egg, and keep cooking until the cheese is melted and the egg is cooked, about another 5-10 minutes.

Serves: 1

Ready to Eat in: 30 minutes

Carbs 2g Fiber 0g Calories 182 Fat 15g Protein 11g

Texan Huevos Rancheros

Huevos rancheros are traditionally served with corn or flour tortillas, but the tortillas can add a whopping 40g of carbohydrate per serving! This recipe skips the high-carb tortillas and focuses on the ingredients that give huevos rancheros their distinctive Mexican flavor. (Although, if you really love tortillas with your huevos rancheros and have the carbs to spare, La Tortilla Factory and Mission both make excellent low-carb wheat tortillas.)

8 bacon strips, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

3 (14.5 ounce) cans Mexican diced tomatoes

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained

10 eggs

1/2 cup shredded Colby cheese

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy, and then drain away the excess fat. Stir in the chopped onion, Mexican tomatoes and drained green chilies. Simmer uncovered, until the onion is tender and turning transparent.

Make 10 wells in the vegetable mixture with the back of a spoon; break one egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook the eggs and vegetables over low heat for 15-18 minutes, or until the eggs are firm. Sprinkle everything in the skillet with cheese. Cover the skillet again until the cheese is melted, about a minute. Serve with avocado slices and sour cream if desired.

Serves: 5

Ready to Eat In: 30 minutes

Carbs 15g Fiber 3g Calories 287 Fat 17g Protein 20g

Feta, Ham and Basil Scramble

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup cooked ham, diced

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoons butter

Start warming a skillet at medium heat. Beat the eggs lightly in a bowl, then whisk in the feta, ham and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the butter to the skillet. When the butter is melted, pour the egg mixture into the skillet and scramble eggs until they’re firm, about 5 minutes.

Serves: 2

Ready to Eat In: 15 minutes

Carbs 5g Fiber 1g Calories: 321 Fat 22g Protein 25g

Creamy Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Basil

3 tablespoons sour cream

4 eggs

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 teaspoons butter

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

Beat the sour cream and eggs in a bowl until they are smooth. Stir in the shredded mozzarella. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place a skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Pour in the egg mixture and stir slowly until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir in the basil during the final minute. This is especially delicious served with diced fresh tomatoes on the side.

Serves: 2

Ready to Eat In: 15 minutes

Carbs 4g Fiber 1g Calories 311 Fat 24g Protein 21g

Chive and Parmesan Shirred Eggs

The basic version of this recipe is fabulous, but you can make lots of different variations. You’re really only limited by your imagination and the low-carb ingredients you have on hand. A favorite variation of mine is adding a little shredded prosciutto and crumbled goat cheese on top of the cream.

8 teaspoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon softened butter

8 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

4 teaspoon minced fresh chives

4 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place four 6-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet and butter the insides. Crack two eggs into each ramekin without breaking the yolks. Position the yolks in the center of the ramekin with the back of a spoon; then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the rest of the eggs.

Bake the eggs in the oven until the whites of the eggs are starting to set and turn opaque, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle each ramekin with about 2 teaspoons of heavy cream. Sprinkle a teaspoon of chives and Parmesan over the cream and return the eggs to the oven until the eggs are set, but the yolks are still a bit runny. Remove from the oven and let cool for one minute before serving.

Serves: 4

Ready to Eat in: 35 minutes

Carbs 1g Fiber 0g Calories 174 Fat 13g Protein 14g

Omelets, Frittatas & Breakfast Quiches

How to cook a perfect omelet

Omelets freak out a lot of cooks because, before the advent of nonstick pans, cooking a perfect omelet meant mastering some specific and tricky omelet-making techniques, as well as owning a perfectly seasoned iron skillet. However, making a great omelet at home is now something anyone with a nonstick pan can accomplish quite easily.

All you need are eggs, a little butter, a non-stick pan, a fork and a spatula to make an omelet that could go toe-to-to with the best work of any French chef.

The Perfect Omelet

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons butter

1. Lightly beat the eggs and a pinch of pepper and salt with a fork until the yolks and whites are completely combined.

2. With the stove set at medium high, heat the butter in a medium non-stick skillet (8-9 inches). When the butter stops foaming, add the eggs. Give the edges of the omelet a few seconds to start to set, then begin stirring the eggs in the pan with the back of a fork (make sure the tines don’t come in contact with the pan). This integrates the uncooked egg with the cooked egg and gives the finished omelet a wonderful, consistently tender texture.

3. When the eggs are thickened, but not set completely, use a spatula to pull the cooked edges of the omelet toward the center of the pan. As you do that, tilt the pan in that direction so any uncooked egg runs to the edge. Keep doing this until the omelet is set, but still moist on top. Cook for just a few more seconds to brown the bottom of the omelet.

4. Now it’s time to fold the omelet. You have the option of being fancy and jerking the pan sharply away from you to slide the omelet up the opposite side of the pan while using your fork to fold the edge in towards the center. Or, you could be like me and do it the easy way by just folding your omelet using your spatula. Either way, your omelet will be delicious!

Serve immediately.

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

4 eggs

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup torn fresh spinach

Lightly beat the eggs, then mix the garlic powder, salt, pepper flakes and cheeses in and then set the egg mixture aside.

Add the olive oil to an 8-inch non-stick skillet. Sauté the green pepper, onion and mushrooms for 4-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the spinach and cook it until the spinach is wilted. Add the egg mixture to the skillet. As the eggs begin to set, lift the outer edges of the omelet, so the uncooked egg can flow under the edge. As soon as the omelet is completely set, slip off onto a plate. No folding required! Cut your omelet into slices and serve immediately.

Serves: 2

Ready to Eat in: 20 minutes

Carbs 6g Fiber 2g Calories 205g Fat 13g Protein 16g

Sweet Potato Omelet

Sweet potatoes are a great substitute for white potatoes in many low carb recipes. Though they have a similar carb count to potatoes, they are far lower on the glycemic index (a measure of how quickly blood sugar goes up after eating a food) which makes them a far better choice for anyone watching their waistline.

3 bacon strips, diced

1 cup diced peeled sweet potatoes

1/2 small onion, chopped

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook the bacon until crisp in a medium non-stick skillet. Set the bacon aside and drain off most of the bacon fat from the pan, but keep the drippings. Sauté the sweet potatoes and onion in the skillet until tender. Add eggs, salt and pepper and mix gently with the contents of the skillet.

Cover the skillet and then cook over medium heat until the eggs are set. Sprinkle cheese all over the top of the omelet. Cover and remove from the heat and let stand until the cheese is completely melted. Sprinkle with bacon. Loosen the omelet by running a knife gently around the edge of the skillet. After you’ve transferred it to a plate, cut the omelet into slices and serve.

Serves: 2

Ready to Eat in: 25 minutes

Carbs 20g Fiber 3g Calories 357 Fat 21g Protein 22g

Basic Baked Omelet

This is a great recipe for any low-carber to have in his or her arsenal. You can whip it up quickly and put it in the oven to bake while you go grab your shower and get shiny for your day.

This is the basic version, but you can add all kinds of great ingredients to make variation after variation. Try adding artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes some summer morning.

8 eggs

1 cup half and half

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

3 ounces cooked ham, diced

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 glass casserole dish and set that aside.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs and milk. Add in the seasoning salt, Cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, ham, and minced onion. Pour the egg mixture into the greased casserole dish.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for three minutes before serving.

Serves: 4

Ready to Eat in: 55 minutes (mostly baking time)

Carbs 6g Fiber 1g Calories 356 Fat 26g Protein 26g

Spinach Breakfast Frittata

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 (10 ounce) package thawed frozen chopped spinach, drained

5 eggs

3 cups shredded Muenster cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the onions until they are soft, and then stir in the drained spinach. Continue cooking the onions and spinach until any extra moisture has evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Combine the cheese, the eggs and the salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the spinach mixture and stir well. Pour into the prepared 9-in pie pan.

Bake in the oven until your frittata has set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for five minutes before serving.

Serves: 4

Ready to Eat in: 60 minutes

Carbs 11g Fiber 3g Calories 480 Fat 36g Protein 31g

Mediterranean Frittata

I live in Seattle where the mornings are almost always gray, even if the sun comes out later. This frittata evokes the sunny Mediterranean and is a wonderful antidote to a gloomy morning, no matter where you live.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove, peeled and flattened

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly chopped

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup olives, pitted and minced

6 large eggs

Adjust the oven rack to the middle-upper position. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Over medium heat in a medium-large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Once the garlic begins to color slightly, remove it from the skillet and swirl the oil to spread it evenly around the sides and bottom of the pan.

Add the basil, oregano, tomatoes and olives and make sure they’re well coated with oil. Spread them evenly over the bottom of the pan in a single layer.

Sir the feta cheese and black pepper into the eggs and then pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Stir lightly with the bottom of a fork until the eggs start to set. Use a spatula to pull the cooked edges of the omelet toward the center of the pan. As you do that, also tilt the pan slightly in that direction so any uncooked egg runs to the edge and under the frittata.

Return the skillet to a flat position and swirl it to redistribute the eggs. Cook for about 30 seconds and repeat the previous step and keep repeating until the egg on top is no longer runny.

Transfer the frittata to the oven in the skillet and bake until the top is dry to the touch, anywhere from 2-4 minutes. Make sure to remove the frittata as soon as the top is set, because you want it to stay tender inside.

Let cool for a minute, and then loosen the frittata by running a spatula around the edge; invert onto a plate, then serve warm cut into wedges. This is also pretty good at any temperature, including straight from the fridge.

Serves: 4

Ready In: 12 minutes

Carbs 3g Fiber 0.5g Calories 197 Fat 15g Protein 12g

Sweetheart Baked Omelet

This is the lightest omelet on earth and perfect for mornings when you crave something sweet, but don’t have carbs to spare. Serve with a little sour cream and low-sugar raspberry jam to induce a morning mouthgasm.

4 eggs separated

1/2 cup half and half

2 tablespoons Splenda

2 tablespoons butter

Pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the egg yolks well into the half and half. Add a pinch of salt and Splenda.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff.

Melt the butter in a large skillet (which must be ovenproof) with the burner set on medium.

As soon as the butter is melted, fold the egg whites gently into the yolk mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook for about two minutes until the bottom is set

Transfer the skillet with the egg mixture into the preheated oven. Bake until puffy and lightly brown, about 10-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves: 2

Ready to Eat in: 30 minutes

Carbs 5 g Fiber 0g Calories 338 Fat 29g Protein 14g

Sides

How to Cook Perfect Bacon

If you’ve never cooked bacon in the oven before, get ready to have your world and your taste buds rocked. Not only does it turn out perfect every single time, but it’s incredibly easy to clean up after.

First, grab a cookie sheet and line it with foil, curling the edges up a little to catch the bacon fat.

Then cut a package of bacon in half down the middle. This makes the slices of bacon half as short as they were when you started and they are now really easy to fit evenly on the cookie sheet, as well as lay out without stretching the meat (which can lead to uneven cooking).

Half a package should fill one standard-sized cookie sheet with approximately 18 half-pieces of bacon. You can wrap up the other half of the package and pop it back in the fridge, or you can be tricky and cook two batches of bacon at the same time since it’s so easy. Store the extra cooked bacon in the fridge or freezer to eat later. Bacon’s easy to reheat and a low-carber with a bacon stash is a happy low-carber.

Slide the cookie sheet into a cold oven and close the door. Set the oven to 400 degrees F and set a timer for 17 minutes. Then go and do something else (like cooking some delicious food to go with your perfect bacon).

When the timer goes off, check the bacon. Depending on the thickness of the bacon and your personal preference, it may be done. If it’s not, keep checking it every minute until it’s ready. At this point, the bacon will cook very quickly, so pay very close attention to what’s happening in the oven, or your bacon could burn.

Take the pan out of the oven and put the bacon on a plate lined with paper towels as quickly as you can. You can enjoy your bacon after it has cooled for about a minute.

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

These are so great that no one will notice you’ve swapped out the white potatoes with the low-glycemic goodness of the sweet potato.

1/4 pound diced bacon

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 pound peeled and grated sweet potatoes (about 3)

In a skillet large enough for all the ingredients, cook the bacon until it’s crispy. Without straining the bacon fat from the pan, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the onions until they’re soft (about two minutes). Add the sweet potatoes and garlic and a bit more salt and pepper. Fry the hash browns for about 12-15 minutes. Serve warm and don’t eat them all!

These freeze really well and are also great as a side dish with steak or pork at dinner.

Serves: 4

Ready to Eat in: 30 minutes

Carbs 26g Fiber 4g Calories 260 Fat 12g Protein 13g

Low Carb Pancakes

This is the only recipe in the book that requires low carb substitutes for high-carb ingredients (flour). I wanted this book to be filled with great meals that anyone would enjoy eating, low carber or not. But, a breakfast cookbook without pancakes would be a bit strange, so I’m including this recipe, which I happen to think is pretty darn good. Soy protein isolate and vital wheat gluten can both be found at most health food stores and many Trader Joes stores in the US.

This one’s for my fellow pancake freaks.

2 Eggs

2 tablespoons Cream

1 tablespoon Sour Cream (optional)

2-3 tablespoons Water (to desired thickness)

3 tablespoons Soy Protein Isolate

3 tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand)

1 tablespoon Splenda

3/4 tsp baking powder

Whisk dry ingredients together, set aside. Combine wet ingredients and then gently add to dry ingredients until they are just mixed in. It is okay to have lumps in the batter. It’s very important not to over-mix the gluten, because you will have an unpalatable rubbery disc as your end result.

Cook between medium to medium-low heat in an oiled frying pan or griddle. It’s important to watch the heat on these, and you may need to lower the burner heat as you cook each pancake. They burn more easily than regular pancakes, but they’re just as yummy. Serve with butter and your favorite low-carb pancake topping.

You can make a variation with 1 tablespoon of oat flour, which improves the texture, but adds 3g of carbohydrate to the entire recipe. If you use oat flour, you will want to add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of water to the recipe.

Serves: 2 (makes 4 pancakes)

Ready in: 15 minutes

Carbs 12g Fiber 2g Calories 355 Fat 18g Protein 40g

Egg and Sausage Muffins

These are fabulous to make ahead and store in the fridge for mornings when you’re in a rush. You can grab one, be out the door in 30 seconds and eat it in the car.

1/2 pound ground pork sausage

1/2 (4 ounce) can chopped green chili peppers, drained

12 eggs, beaten

1 small onion, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Lightly grease all the muffin cups in a 12-cup pan, or line them with muffin papers. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook sausage in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain the excess fat and set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix together the chilies, onion, garlic powder, sausage and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sausage and egg mixture into each prepared muffin cup.

Bake in your preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the egg has set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each sausage muffin comes out clean.

Serves: 12

Ready to Eat in: 40 minutes

Carbs 3g Fiber 1g Calories 132 Fat 9g Protein 10g

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

A lot of commercially available breakfast sausage has sugar in it, so if you’re really watching your carbs or really don’t want to eat any sugar, this easy recipe offers a great alternative to buying pre-made sausage.

2 pounds ground pork

2 teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pinch ground cloves

Stir together the sage, black pepper, salt, red pepper, marjoram, and cloves until completely blended.

Add the spice mix to the pork in a large bowl. Smoosh the pork and spices together well with your hands. Form the sausage meat into patties and set them on a plate.

In a large skillet, sauté the patties over medium high heat for 5 minutes each side. If you’d like to check with a meat thermometer, you want the internal temperature to be at least 160 degrees F.

Serves: 8

Ready to Eat in: 25 minutes

Carbs 0g Fiber 0g Calories 298 Fat 24g Protein 19g

Breakfast Smoothies

Attack of the Health Monster Smoothie

It hasn’t been proven by science (yet), but I believe that just reading the ingredients in this smoothie could make you healthier. It’s absolutely chock full of stuff to make your body happy. The best part is that you’d never think you were drinking a health elixir, because it’s so sinfully delicious.

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt

1/4 frozen banana, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

Two scoops vanilla whey protein powder

1 1/2 tablespoons flax seed

1 teaspoon Splenda

In a blender, pulse all the ingredients until the smoothie reaches the desired consistency. Add a tablespoon of water to thin the smoothie if necessary.

Serves: 1

Ready to Eat in: 5 minutes

Carbs 28g Fiber 6g Calories 434 Fat 23g Protein 35g

Wake You Up Smoothie

Get your breakfast and your java all in one. This is also really great spiked with instant coffee and an extra half-cup of ice.

1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt

1/2 cup half and half

1 cup chilled coffee

1/2 cup ice

2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder

3 teaspoons Splenda

In a blender, pulse all the ingredients except the berries until everything is smooth.

Add the berries and blend again until the desired consistency is reached.

Serves: 1

Ready to Eat in: 5 minutes

Carbs 13g Fiber 0g Calorie 412 Fat 14g Protein 50g

Strawberries and Cream Smoothie

This is a simple recipe, but delicious and good for people on tighter carb budgets.

1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt

1/2 cup frozen strawberries, unsweetened

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 teaspoons Splenda

3-4 ice cubes

In a blender, pulse all the ingredients until the smoothie reaches the desired consistency. Add a water to thin the smoothie if necessary.

Serves: 1

Ready to Eat in: 5 minutes

Carbs 15g Fiber 2g Calories 256 Fat 16g Protein 14g

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

1/4 frozen banana

1/8 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup half and half

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

2 tablespoons Splenda

3 ice cubes

Pulse all the ingredients in a blender and blend until the smoothie reaches the desired consistency. Pour into a glass and top with a banana slice for garnish.

Serves: 1

Ready to Eat in: 5 minutes

Carbs 20g Fiber 3g Calories 463g Fat 32g Protein 30g

Have a Blue Cow Smoothie

Blueberries are low in carbs as well as a very low glycemic index food, which means they don’t cause a spike in your blood sugar. They’re the perfect fruit for adding to low carb smoothies, especially frozen. This is a simple recipe and filled with delicious nutrition to start your day.

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt

1/2 cup half and half

2 tablespoons Splenda

2-3 ice cubes

2 scoops vanilla protein powder

Pulse all the ingredients in a blender and blend until the smoothie reaches the desired consistency. Serve in a tall glass.

Serves: 1

Ready to Eat in: 5 minutes

Carbs 28g Fiber 3g Calories 388 Fat 18g Protein 33g

Notes

One of the most important things any dieter can do to ensure success is to eat breakfast. Multiple studies have shown that people who eat a high protein breakfast have an easier time controlling their appetite and naturally eat less during the day.

But, what do you do if you’ve overslept the alarm and you’ve got a meeting in 20 minutes? Don’t worry; I’ve got your back. Here are some ideas for quick low carb breakfasts you can grab on days you’re in a rush or just don’t feel like cooking.

Ten Super-Speedy Low Carb Breakfast Ideas

1. Steel cut oats: though these take about 30 minutes to cook, you can prepare a large batch in advance and store them in the fridge all week. They are fantastic warmed up in the microwave. I love mine with cream, butter and Splenda on top. For extra protein, you can always chuck in a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder.

2. Greek yogurt and berries: Greek yogurt has about 9g of carb per serving and about twice as much protein as regular yogurt. This also makes it a fabulous smoothie thickener.

3. String cheese and nuts (smoked almonds are especially good.)

4. Cottage cheese with berries or low-sugar jam.

5. Leftovers (there’s no law that says breakfast has to be breakfast foods.)

6. Ricotta cheese with a tablespoon of vanilla essence and some Splenda. This is one of my favorite breakfasts, especially on days when I’m craving a treat. Add some flax seeds or chopped nuts for some crunch.

7. Any of the breakfast smoothies in this book.

8. Lox and cream cheese on high fiber crackers (Like WASA).

9. Hard boiled eggs with butter and salt. I often will boil 8-12 eggs at a time so I always have some low-carb emergency food stashed in the fridge. Preparing to succeed goes a long way!

10. Breakfast wrap. Gotta run? Throw your scrambled eggs into a low-carb tortilla with some cheese and a little salsa, wrap it in a napkin and off you go.

Copyright

First Kindle Edition January 2012

© 2012 Lisa Douglas

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced or distributed in any manner without the express written consent of the author. No part of this book may be transmitted in any form or by any means: mechanical, photocopying, recording or electronic without the express written permission of the author.

Medical Disclaimer

Nothing in this book should be considered medical advice. Readers should not rely on the information given in this book to make medical decisions. You should always consult with your doctor before starting any weight loss plan or making any major dietary changes.

The statements in this book are based on the personal experience and opinions of the author, not on medical expertise. Your results may vary.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Note on the Carb Counts

Eggs

How to Cook a Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Cheesy Eggs Benedict

Veggie Parade Scrambled Eggs

Baked Eggs

Texan Huevos Rancheros

Feta, Ham and Basil Scramble

Creamy Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Basil

Chive and Parmesan Shirred Eggs

Omelets, Frittatas & Breakfast Quiches

How to cook a perfect omelet

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

Sweet Potato Omelet

Basic Baked Omelet

Spinach Breakfast Frittata

Mediterranean Frittata

Sweetheart Baked Omelet

Sides

How to Cook Perfect Bacon

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Low Carb Pancakes

Egg and Sausage Muffins

Homemade Breakfast Sausage

Breakfast Smoothies

Attack of the Health Monster Smoothie

Wake You Up Smoothie

Strawberries and Cream Smoothie

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

Have a Blue Cow Smoothie

Notes

Copyright