Recipe: Caveman Coconut Cooler

Wifezilla's Caveman Coconut Cooler

▪ 1 cup frozen melon pieces
▪ Juice of 1 lime
▪ 6 ice cubes
▪ 1 can of coconut milk
▪ Stevia or sweetener of choice

Cut a cantaloup or other fresh, local melon in to ice cube-sized pieces. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze. Put 1 cup's worth in a blender. Bag up the rest and keep in the freezer for future use. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until ice cubes are crushed. Makes 2 servings.

While this is a more paleo friendly recipe, low carbers not on induction might enjoy this every once in a while.

Approximate carbs per serving:
Melon - 6g
Lime - 2g
Coconut milk - 5g
Stevia - 1g
Total: 14g

Remember, this is for 2 servings...around 10oz a piece. It is very easy to get carried away and drink it all. You might want to make this with a friend to be sure you share!

Reasons to Low Carb That Nothing To Do With Weight

People usually turn to a low carb diet for the weight loss benefits. After following the diet for a while, they begin to notice other things happening to them that have absolutely nothing to do with weight loss, but are just as exciting. Every once in a while, a thread about these unexpected benefits pops up on low carb discussion forums. The lists are pretty impressive. One recent list on the Active Low Carb forum has been going for several days and is getting quite long. Here is compiled list from several forum members showing what low carb can do for a person even if they don't need to drop any excess pounds.

• No more joint pain
• No more migraines
• Better looking skin
• Better sex life
• Waking up refreshed
• Better moods
• Reduction or complete elimination of diabetes medication
• Nails are much stronger & healthier
• Reduction of psoriasis symptoms
• Reduction in acne breakouts
• Skin is glowing or luminous, more elastic
• Elimination of acid reflux
• Teeth are much cleaner, plaque takes much longer to form
• Allergies have cleared up
• Don't constantly think about food
• Age spots fading
• Not as anxious
• Sleep better
• Blood pressure lower
• Feet not swelling
• Less bloated
• More energy
• Less food obsession
• No more heartburn
• No more stomach cramps
• Healthy cholesterol, glucose and triglyceride levels
• Improvement in gum health
• Lower resting heart rate
• Rosacea flare-ups reduced
• Healthier, shinier hair
• Better tolerance of temperature extremes
• Improved self-esteem
• Decreased use of over-the-counter pain killers
• No more binge eating
• Reduction in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

As you can see there is much more to low carb than just getting skinnier. If you find yourself suffering from any of the symptoms listed above, overweight or not, low carb may be just the thing for you.

Recipe: Lower Carb Broccoli Salad

I first had broccoli and grape salad at a pot luck about 2 years ago. Broccoli and grapes sounded like a weird combination to me, but I was feeling adventurous that day and took a spoonful. It was delicious. It was also on the higher end of the carb spectrum due to carby ingredients like raisins and the addition of sugar when following the traditional recipe. But with a little tweaking the carb count can be lowered, bringing it to line with many low carb eating plans. Here is my version of the broccoli salad recipe with a higher protein content and lower carb count than the original.

Wifezilla'a Lower Carb Broccoli Salad

2 heads of fresh broccoli, flowerets cut small and stems "slawed"
1 cup salted sunflower seeds
1 1/2 - 2 cups mayonnaise (make your own if possible)
1 cup diced jicama
1/2 large red onion - chopped
3 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp Da Vinci Simple Syrup (or a couple of Splenda or Truvia packets)
1/2 cup red mini grapes (or regular seedless grapes cut in half)
1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients. If it appears on the dry side, add some more mayo. Chill for a few hours before serving to allow flavors to blend. Great for pot lucks, picnics, or a tasty summer lunch. If you want to kick it up a notch, add crumbled fresh cooked bacon right before serving.  The first version I tried did not include bacon, but many published versions do and it is hard to go wrong by adding bacon!

Asian Cabbage Stir Fry aka Crack Slaw

When you low carb, a simple tasty recipe that can be made in minutes is always appreciated. One such recipe has earned the name "Crack Slaw". Because of the name, I thought it was some variation on coleslaw and never bothered to look in to it. I already have plenty of ways to make a good cole slaw and wasn't really interested in attempting something new. Then someone explained that it wasn't a cold cabbage salad, it was an Asian-style stir fry that uses shredded cabbage as a base...and that it was a bit addictive...hence the name Crack Slaw. Well that was something entirely different and I decided to give it a try.

My rendition of crack slaw using bay scallops and a bagged chopped cabbage blend with a side of wasabi.

This version used Nappa cabbage, steak pieces, extra mushrooms and some cayenne pepper.

It was delicious and it is something I now make on a regular basis. Most recipes call for a bit of toasted sesame oil to be added right before serving. I consider that ingredient essential. It totally makes the dish. I also use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. If you are avoiding wheat or soy, coconut aminos are a tasty replacement for soy sauce and are available at many health food stores.

I have made this several times using different proteins, different bagged shredded cabbage blends or even shredding my own. It is a very versatile dish and can be easily changed to use whatever ingredients you have on hand. Don't let the name scare you. Crack Slaw is a nutritious and delicious low carb recipe you might want to incorporate in to your weekly meal plan. Here are a few different versions to get you started...

Crack Slaw by Sooz Cooks

Linda Sue's Hamburger Cabbage Stir Fry

247 Lowcarb Diner's Crack Slaw

Wifezilla Quick Tip #1

This may sound weird, but adding chia seeds to any ground meat that tends to be on the dry side will help lock in moisture. Chia works especially well with ground turkey and ground buffalo. A couple of tablespoons per pound will do.