Most people diet for one of two reasons, to look better in their clothes or for health reasons. An effective eating plan that may accomplish these objectives is a diet low in carbohydrates, suggests the Mayo Clinic. It cautions that informed choices are necessary when you choose low-carb foods. Fats should be unsaturated and trans fat free, and the limited carbohydrates that you do eat need to be high in fiber and whole grains.
Stuffed Peppers
Atkins offers a stuffed peppers recipe as a dinner entree. It contains 9.5 g of net carbs and provides 3 g of fiber per serving. You'll need 1 lb. of ground beef, 1 cup of ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, 1 cup of low-carb tomato sauce, four green peppers and salt and pepper to taste. Combine all the ingredients, except for a half cup of the sauce, half the mozzarella and the peppers. Remove the tops, seeds and ribs of the peppers and fill with the meat mixture. Place in a greased baking dish and add the remaining sauce. Cover and bake in a 350 F preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Remove cover and top with mozzarella cheese. Continue baking for about 50 more minutes. Add a green salad with an oil and vinegar dressing and you have a tasty low-carb dinner.
Ginger Shrimp
The Zone diet offers a low-carb recipe for ginger shrimp. If you use a plastic zip-lock bag and line your baking pan with foil, clean-up should be a breeze. In a plastic bag place about 6 oz. of raw shrimp, a half cup of olive oil, two or three scallions diced, 4 tbsp. of soy sauce, 2 tbsp. of minced ginger, 2 tsp. of minced garlic, 2 tbsp. of red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Shake the bag until the shrimp are well coated. Pour the contents onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Serve with steamed broccoli florets garnished with butter. For a summer meal, you might try grilling the shrimp on the barbecue. This entree may have about 5 g of carbs.
Filet Mignon with Bacon and Gorgonzola Butter
A low-carb recipe you can make for a special dinner for two is also suggested by the Atkins site. You'll need two, 8-oz. filet mignons, 2 tbsp. of soft butter, 2 tbsp. of crumbled blue cheese, such as gorgonzola, two slices of bacon, one finely chopped scallion and 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Sprinkle each steak with the salt and pepper and wrap with bacon. You may secure the bacon with a toothpick. Using about 2 tsp. of olive oil, brown all sides in a medium-hot skillet. Transfer the steaks to a baking pan and bake for seven to 10 minutes or until done to your liking. In the meantime, mix the butter, gorgonzola and scallions to garnish the filet mignons when done. Serve with sauteed mushrooms. Atkins states there are 3.5 g of net carbs per serving.
Member Comments