Atkins and Paleo Challenge Box Set (10 in 1): Over 400 Atkins and Paleo Recipes With Pressure, Slow Cooker and Cast Iron for Busy People (Atkins Diet & Paleo Recipes) (14 page)

Name: Cauliflower Pasta

It does not mean that you are on a low carb diet that you cannot eat pasta anymore. However, we need to make some changes on the actual pasta before we can enjoy it. This is what I did so I can have the “pasta” that I like while still having the low carb diet that I need. You can use this recipe whenever you make a low carb sauce, and you need to pair it with low carb pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
  
• 5 zucchinis
  
• 1 cup onion, diced
  
• 28 oz tomatoes, diced
  
• ½ cup vegetable broth
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 tsp basil flakes
  
• 2 tsp oregano
  
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Put all ingredients, except the zucchini into the slow cooker
   
2. Cover and cook for 3 ½ hours on high
   
3. Take the cauliflower from the slow cooker and mash to create pasta out of the florets, put back into the slow cooker
   
4. Slice the zucchini into round shaped pieces
   
5. Scoop the cauliflower and top over the noodles
   
6. Serve
   

Name: Lentil Soup

I read an article from the Heart Association that lentils do wonder for the heart and blood pressure. I listed it on top of my grocery list, and I was not disappointed. Lentils taste great, but they are made even better because of their low carb content and their texture when they are cooked using the crockpot. You can have this recipe throughout the challenge, but it is best taken as early as the first few days.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups brown lentils
  
• 1 bunch spinach, stemmed and chopped
  
• 8 cups veggie stock
  
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  
• 1 onion, diced
  
• 1 cup celery, chopped
  
• 14 oz small tomatoes, diced
  
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
  
• 1 tsp thyme
  
• 1 tsp oregano
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Put all the ingredients, except the spinach and lemon juice into the slow cooker
   
2. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low
   
3. Remove the cover and add the spinach and lemon juice
   
4. Cover and cook again for another 30 minutes on low
   
5. Serve
   

Name: Kale and Parmesan

Another popular food item that I had to try was kale. It has a lot of health benefits aside from being low carb. Use this towards the end of the challenge though because it may have low carb content but it is slightly above the carb limit for the first phases of the challenge.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz kale, chopped
  
• 15 oz Cannellini beans, keep the juice
  
• 2 onions, chopped
  
• 14 oz small tomatoes, diced
  
• 5 cups veggie stock
  
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 4 sage leaves
  
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  
• 1 cup Parmesan rind
  

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Put the oil into a pan, add the onions and cook until translucent
   
2. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, cook for another 2 minutes
   
3. Coat the slow cooker pot with cooking spray
   
4. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker
   
5. Pour the beans and its juice into a food processor, pulse until chunky, set aside
   
6. Remove the ribs of the kale, chop and wash, set aside
   
7. Put the cheese, kale, beans, tomatoes, sage and the stock into the slow cooker
   
8. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low
   
9. Serve
   

Name: Sweet and Sour Tofu

Whenever I hear and cook tofu, I often think of it being soft or sometimes soggy. When I ate out at a Chinese restaurant, I was surprised at how crunchy their tofu is. I asked how they did it and thankfully it was not part of their restaurant secrets. Turns out you need to prepare your tofu aside from draining and rinsing it. A tablespoon of starch is all that you need to thoroughly coat the cubed tofu and when you can fry it to create a crunchy shell but still softcore.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb tofu, drained
  
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped into florets
  
• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
  
• 2 cup bell peppers, thinly sliced
  
• 10 oz sweet and sour sauce
  
• ½ onion, chopped
  
• 1 tbsp butter
  
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
  
• ½ tbsp water
  

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Cut the tofu into cubes and put the pieces into a zipper bag
   
2. Add the cornstarch and shake until cubes are coated
   
3. Put the butter into a pan, fry the tofu until the crunchy coat is achieved, turn to the other side
   
4. Add the tofu and the vegetables into the slow cooker
   
5. Drizzle the sauce over the tofu
   
6. Add water and toss gently
   
7. Cover and cook for 3 hours on low
   
8. Serve
   

Name: Brussels Sprouts Dip

Another veggie that I have to sneak in for my kids is Brussels sprouts. So imagine my sheer and secret joy when I find them eating the dip with their potato chips and other snacks. They asked me what it was, and I said it is cheese dip, and they asked for more. Little they know there is about a pound of the veggie in the bowl in front of them. I joined in knowing that it had a low carb content that I wanted, and I hope you will enjoy too.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts
  
• 4 oz cream cheese
  
• 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
  
• ¼ cup sour cream
  
• ¼ cup parmesan, grated
  
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
  
• ½ tsp thyme, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Put the sprouts, oil, garlic, salt and pepper on a baking sheet, roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, put into a slow cooker
   
2. Put remaining ingredients into the slow cooker
   
3. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low
   
4. Serve as a dip