Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pan Gravy

This is a quick and tasty way to cook very thin cuts of meat.  You could also do this with a chicken breast or thin boneless steak - and that's why there is a 'chicken' label on this post- so there!

This is also the first time I’ve put caution to the wind and slapped together a pan gravy and it actually worked!  Are there certain things that just do NOT work for you when you cook them?  Regular gravy is one of those things for me.  I can make a hell of a sausage milk gravy though…or else life wouldn’t be worth living.  Oh wait a minute…now I’m getting an idea on how to adapt sausage gravy and biscuits to P10 so I’ll have to get back to you on that one. 

I served these with the Zucchini Tots I posted the other day and we dipped the tots in the gravy too.

Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pan Gravy

1 package of very thin pork chops, boneless

olive oil

butter

salt and pepper

1/4 cup ground flax meal
(you could use almond or coconut flour but it would give you a sweeter taste)

1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken or veggie broth

cream

Season meat with salt and pepper.



It looked much better in person.



Melt butter and olive oil in a fry pan over medium heat.  Once oil is heated, add 2-3 pieces to the pan and fry until brown, 3-4 minutes on each side.  Do not crowd the pan.

Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil, keep warm.  Continue until all pieces are cooked.

For your gravy, reserve the oil in the pan, at least a few tablespoons.  If you don’t have that much in there, add some more.  Keep the crumbly good bits in the pan, it flavors the gravy.

Add the flax meal and mix until it looks like slush.  If too runny, add more flax meal until it looks almost dry. Brown this mixture but keep stirring it to keep from burning it. If you don't brown this mix, the gravy will taste uncooked.

Slowly add in SOME of the broth and watch it turn into a thick, bubbly gravy.   Then, slowly, a little at a time - add a little more broth to thin it out and make enough for everyone.  Then, just before it gets too watered down, stop and add a splash of 1‑2 tablespoons of cream.  That finishes it off just right….Taste then season as desired.  Once again - I love Lawry’s seasoning salt in my gravy.

3 oz serving of meat = 1 protein serving and 1/2 fat serving

Print the recipe:  Pan Seared Pork Chops with Pan Gravy

Zucchini Tots

These were a wonderful treat to have with pan seared pork chops and gravy and easy and quick to make.  I doubled the recipe and made 24 mini muffins and I used half parmesan and half cheddar and that was really good.   We each ate about 5 of them and had some left over, so count on about 5-ish per person.  Bubba liked dipping them in the pork gravy.

When these were baking, they smelled just like tater tots.  And "tots" does mean small and these are small (baked in a mini muffin pan) so the name fits.  If you wanted to make regular sized muffins then try cooking for about 15-20 minutes and check on them until they're done all the way through.  But I think these are better in little bites.

Zucchini Tots

Recipe adapted: Curious Country Cook

makes 12 mini muffins

1 cup zucchini, grated

1 egg

1/4 yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup cheese (cheddar or Parmesan work the best)

1/4 cup almond meal

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease a mini-muffin tin with butter or coconut oil or olive oil, set aside.

Grate the zucchini and then place in a dish towel to squeeze out the excess water, wring it out really well.

In a bowl mix the egg, onion, cheese, almond flour, zucchini, salt and pepper.

Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, fill the muffin cups to the top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the top is browned and set.

3 zucchini tots = 1 veggie serving

Print the recipe:  Zucchini Tots

Chicken Fried Steak

Holy Gravy Batman!  This turned out to be just wonderful!  It had both a sweet and savory kick to it and it was just the perfect Sunday afternoon dinner.  And once again, it was one of those meals like feels 'bad' but it's not.  For those of you who haven't tried this dish, it's a steak breaded and fried like chicken.  But no chickens were actually harmed in the making of this dish.

This recipe calls for round steaks, I used cube steaks and they kept falling apart in the marinade so don’t make that mistake EVEN if the butcher swears they will work just as well, ‘cause she was WRONG!  Also, most CFS recipes call for re-dipping and re-breading at least twice but that didn’t work well for this recipe.  The best piece I made was the one-time dipper.  I also used almond milk in the gravy so it was a little sweet but still tasted great.  Kind of offset the crispy-crunchiness just right.

ALSO – you will have to measure the seasonings TWICE so get two shallow bowls ready – one for the marinade and one for the breading as you measure so you don’t get all the way through those darn little spoonfuls and then have to go back and do it all again.

I served it on top of Mashed Cauliflower with a side of Roasted Veggies.  If you want ‘biscuits’ with it, make a few of these ahead of time: Gluten Free Buns.

Chicken Fried Steak

makes 3 servings

1 1/4 lbs round steaks (boneless fat trimmed and pounded a 1/4 inch thick)

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4  tsp black pepper (fresh ground)

1/4  tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder 

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup coconut or almond flour

1/4 cup coconut oil

milk, whole or almond

Using a meat tenderizer hammer (or rolling pin), pound out each steak until about 1/4" thick.

Soak meat in creamer mixed with vinegar, salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and set aside.

Duplicate the same measurement of the seasonings, and combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, sea salt and pepper in a shallow bowl with the 1 cup of flour.

Drain meat of milk and dredge in flour mixture. Set meat on a rack set over a baking sheet while the oil heats.   DO NOT DISCARD the milk or flour mixtures.

Place oil in a deep fry pan over medium heat. Once oil is heated add pieces to the pan and fry until brown, approximately 4-5 minutes on each side. Do not crowd the pan.

Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil, then immediately place meat on a wire rack and place in a warm oven. Continue until all pieces are cooked.

For your gravy, reserve about 1 tablespoon of the oil in the pan and set the rest aside.  If you don’t have that much in there, add some more.  Keep the crumbly good bits in the pan, it flavors the gravy.

Add about 1 tbsp of flour mixture used to dredge the meat into the hot grease and mix until it looks like slush.  If not thick enough, add more dredge until it looks almost dry. Brown this mixture but keep stirring it to keep from burning it. If you don't brown this mix, the gravy will taste uncooked.

Slowly add in the remainder of the cream marinade until it makes a thick, bubbly gravy.   If you run out of marinade, - slowly, a little at a time - add a little more cream or milk to thin it out and make enough for everyone.

Taste then season with salt and pepper if needed.   I love Lawry’s seasoning salt in gravy.

Serve each piece of meat with gravy on top. 

Print the recipe:  Chicken Fried Steak

Ch...Ch...Ch...CHIA!



and absolutely NO side effects!



Chia seeds…yes, the same ones.  Yes, really - the same ones we used to smear on little clay sheep and Tweety Birds and such a waste!  Of course, if our mothers had caught us eating them we’d probably have gotten smacked. 

There, there now, I thought the exact same thing you’re thinking right now but once I tried them and got used to it I was hooked and you will be too.  They have SO many health benefits and are easy to use.  First and most important of all – their texture is similar to sesame seeds, crispy and chewable, not at all like the nasty blackberry seeds we all hate to get caught in our teeth.  And it has a mild taste so hopefully it shouldn’t really bother you. 

And, I’m here to tell you that you can believe the hype.  I put a heaping spoonful of chia gel in my morning smoothie or eggs and I can tell the difference in energy levels and fullness.  For a mid afternoon pick me up, I eat  a spoonful of solid coconut oil rolled in chia seeds and that’s a great combo to feel full and get energy. 

This is the article I read that turned me on to eating Chia - The Chia 'Cheat Sheet' and Ten Raw Chia Recipes

The following information is excerpts from the article BUT please click the link and read all about it, I just hit the highlights.

Why would you want to eat Chia?

Chia seeds are said to have:

*2 times the protein of any other seed or grain,

*5 times the calcium of milk, plus boron which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones,

*2 times the amount of potassium as bananas,

*3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries

*3 times more iron than spinach

*copious amounts of omega-3 and omega-6, which are essential fatty acids

They are a complete source of protein, providing all the essential amino acids in an easily digestible form. They are also a fabulous source of soluble fibre. Like flax, chia is highly hydrophilic: the seeds absorb water and create a mucilaginous gel. They can hold 9-12 times their weight in water and they absorb it very rapidly - in under 10 minutes.

Which medical conditions can Chia help relieve or support?

Chia is reported to be beneficial for a vast range of issues, for example:

*weight loss/balance

*thyroid conditions

*hypoglycemia

*diabetes

*IBS

*celiac disease

*acid reflux

*lowering cholesterol

The Basic Gel

To make a basic chia gel, simply add 1/3 cup of seeds (2oz) to 2 cups of water. Stir the mixture well, to avoid clumping, then leave it in your fridge, in a sealed jar. This will yield around 17oz of chia gel. You can begin to eat the gel almost immediately if you like. Just 10 minutes is enough time for the gel to be formed. More of the nutrients will be easily accessible after a few hours however, so many people like to make up a batch like this and leave it in the fridge. It will stay good for about three weeks. Then you can just reach into the fridge and take out some of the ready-made gel whenever you need it. You might add it to smoothies, mix it with salad dressings, puddings or granola, or simply take it by the spoonful.   

Whole Seeds

You can also sprinkle the dry seeds onto salads or add them to granola mixes. You may also want to experiment with grinding them first in a coffee grinder, to make a 'chia flour' you can then add to smoothies, soups and so on.

My family is also partaking of this lovely treat and are completely clueless!  I like to put the gel into their food where it won't show, like scrambled eggs with chopped veggies.  My husband has noticed the difference in energy in the mornings.   Try it and see how you like it and let me know. 

I will follow up with some recipes in the near future.

Parmesan Chicken Breasts



Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor...not a photographer



I had been craving chicken parmigiana and then I saw this quick and easy meal.  Of course, I didn't want to serve pasta with it, so I was racking my brain to figure out what to make with it.  Quinoa just didn't seem 'eye-talian' enough with this dish so I made Creamy Polenta and that was just the trick.  Please bear with my amateur attempts to document my dishes...all pics are taken with my iPhone and shaky hands. 

Do you guys want a polenta recipe?  I have a foolproof version that turns out great each time.

Parmesan Chicken Breasts

makes 6 servings

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup grated Parmesan, (can use the stuff in the round green shaker if you have it)

4 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

4 tablespoons butter

Marinara sauce and extra parmesan cheese



served with a side of Creamy Polenta
and a green salad



Lay the breasts between two pieces of foil and pound until they are uniform thickness, then cut each breast in half.  Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.

In a pie plate, combine the cheese and all the seasonings, mix well.  In another pie plate, beat the eggs.  Dip the chicken in the eggs and then the cheese, pressing firmly to coat both sides.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat (or else the cheese will burn) and sauté for 4-5 minutes per side.

I like to serve this with a drizzle of marinara sauce and topped with some extra parm.

1 piece of chicken = 1 protein serving and 1/2 fat serving

Print the recipe:  Parmesan Chicken Breasts

Chocolate Pudding

As I was making this I was reminded that these are all items I use in smoothies (well, maybe not the lemon juice) but I was curious to see how this recipe would turn out.

It certainly was easy - except for the part when the phone kept ringing while my hands were covered in avocado.  I made this in the blender and poured it into ramekins.

NOTE:  Please for Pete's sake use a less ripe banana then I did.  A regular yellow banana would sure taste a lot better.  Both Bubba and Kid said 'dang, there's an overripe banana in this, isn't there?'  :(
But otherwise, this turned out pretty good!

Chocolate Pudding

serves 4

1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons agave
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup of cocoa
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks

Add ingredients to the blender in this order, blend until smooth.

Pour into 4 ramekins or small bowls and refrigerate for one hour or until set.

Wait for your family to be freaking out over getting to have pudding and don't tell them what's in it.

1 serving = 1 serving fat and 1/4 serving fruit

Print the recipe:  Chocolate Pudding

Oopsie Rolls (Gluten-Free Buns)

When I noticed this recipe, I wasn’t sure…until someone said ‘it tastes like a croissant’ and then I just about came unglued (trigger food for me).  Could it be?  This would be so awesome if it works…so I decided to give them a try.  Three simple ingredients and gluten free?  Sign me up.

Mine didn't taste like a croissant but that's because I didn't put any sweet or savory seasonings in this first batch.  They are very soft and can get mushy unless stored properly.

Of all the tips I read, the most important one is - don't eat yellow snow...wait...oh yeah, make sure the egg whites are completely whipped.  You'll know they are done when you can turn the bowl sideways/upside down and they stay in there. 

The recipe is the brainchild of Jamie Van Eaton, she created them by accident when she messed up another recipe (hence the name...sure glad she didn't call them Oh Crap Rolls).  Please go to www.yourlighterside.com  to check out her low-carb website and then go crazy over all the neat recipes. 

Per Jamie's request, please follow this direct link to the Oopsie Roll recipe: http://yourlighterside.com/gluten-free-low-carb-buns-aka-oopsie-rolls/

She also has many different versions of the roll available to use in other recipes as well:

http://yourlighterside.com/low-carb-oopsie-roll-based-recipes/

Also, in case you miss it, she offers some tips on making these rolls for those of us who might not be familiar with working with eggs whites or baking:  http://yourlighterside.com/tips-for-trouble-free-oopsie-rolls/

Jamie has asked that if you repost her recipe, please don’t copy and re-post it, but rather include links to her site to respect her rights.  BUT she did say you could pin it to your Pinterest – so go for it!  I’d do that if I had any idea how to use Pinterest but it’s got me all confused.