THE NEW ATKINS FOR A NEW YOU
Page 24
Tip: A Greek diner is almost always a good low-carb bet for a Greek salad full of feta cheese, olives, olive oil, lettuce, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Ask for more feta instead of the stuffed grape leaves that are a typical garnish.
MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANTS
Many popular dishes are built around rice, chickpeas, and lentils. Instead, concentrate on lamb and other meat dishes. Eggplant also gets star treatment in this cuisine.
Thumbs Up: Babaganoosh (roasted eggplant mixed with garlic and tahini); Loubieh (green beans cooked with tomatoes) and other vegetable dishes; grilled skewered dishes: lamb shish kebab, kofta (ground lamb and onion balls), and Shish Taouk (chicken pieces). In later phases: hummus, labnee (thickened yogurt with mint), tabbouleh, fatoushe, kibbeh.
Thumbs Down: Falafel and other chickpea dishes, pita, and baklava.
Tip: Instead of using pita bread for dips, ask for celery sticks, green pepper chunks, or cucumber spears.
MEXICAN RESTAURANTS
There’s much more to this cuisine than the tortillas, beans, and rice in Tex-Mex, New Mexico-style, and Cal-Mex restaurants. The primary seasonings of garlic, chilies, cilantro, and cumin can be found in any number of carb-smart dishes.
Thumbs Up: Salsa (with no added sugar) or guacamole (with jicama strips for dipping); jicama salad; grilled chicken wings; Sopa de Albondigas (meatball and vegetable soup); “naked fajitas” (minus tortillas and beans); grilled chicken (Pollo Asado) or fish (pescado); Camarones al Ajili (shrimp in garlic sauce); chicken or turkey mole.
Thumbs Down: Chips or nachos; any taco, tamale, burrito, tortilla, or enchilada platter or dish; stuffed jalepeño peppers or Chiles Rellenos; quesadillas, chimichangas, or flautas; shrimp enchiladas.
Tip: Ask for dishes such as Enchiladas Verdes without the tortilla and with the sauce atop the chicken. Or order a tostada/taco salad with beef or chicken minus the rice and beans and leave the tostada itself, just as you would a plate.
FRENCH RESTAURANTS
French food is actually a collection of regional specialties and includes everything from bistro fare to haute cuisine. Many French sauces, such as hollandaise, are based on butter or olive oil and thickened with egg yolks rather than flour.
Thumbs Up: French onion soup (without bread topping); frisée salad; Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops in cream sauce); Steak au Poivre, Entrecôte or Tournedos Bordelaise; Veal Marengo, Coq au Vin (minus potatoes and carrots); Boeuf Bourguignon; mussels in white wine sauce or Bouillabaisse (skip the bread for dipping); Duck à l’Orange; cheese plate for dessert.
Thumbs Down: Alsatian tart, Vichyssoise, Croque Monsieur, pommes frites and any other potato dish, Crêpes Suzette.
INDIAN RESTAURANTS
India has several distinct cuisines, many based on rice, wheat, or legumes. But there’s still plenty of protein and low-carb vegetables on the typical menu, which also offers many options for vegetarians and vegans.
Thumbs Up: Tandooris (meats, fish, and vegetables baked in a clay oven); meat and fish curries; grilled shrimp, meat, or chicken kebabs; raita (yogurt and cucumbers—after Induction); korma, saag, and paneer (cheese curd) dishes; chicken Shorba soup.
Thumbs Down: Naan and other breads; dals, including mulligatawny soup (acceptable in Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance); biryani dishes; chutneys made with added sugar; samosas and fritters.
CHINESE RESTAURANTS
The regional cuisines include Szechuan, Hunan, Cantonese, and Shandong, but rice is a staple of all of them. Order a small portion of brown rice if you can handle whole grains.
Thumbs Up: Egg-drop soup (made without cornstarch) or hot-and-sour soup; sizzling shrimp platter, steamed or stir-fried tofu with vegetables; steamed beef with Chinese mushrooms; stir-fried chicken with garlic; Peking Duck and Moo Shu Pork (minus pancakes and plum sauce).
Thumbs Down: Any sweet-and-sour dishes; fried wontons, egg rolls, spring rolls; white or fried rice; any breaded or battered or noodle-based dish.
Tip: Most Chinese dishes rely on a sauce thickened with cornstarch, as do many soups. Request the sauce on the side; better yet, ask for it prepared without sugar or cornstarch.
JAPANESE RESTAURANTS
Again, rice is a staple, as are noodles. As an island nation, Japan has many seafood dishes, but a number of other protein sources have found their way into the cuisine.
Thumbs Up: Miso soup; sashimi; Shabu-Shabu; grilled fish or squid; Negamaki (scallions/asparagus tips wrapped in sliced beef); steamed and grilled vegetables; pickled vegetables (oshinko), including daikon radish, Japanese eggplant, and seaweed; Sunomono salad (cucumbers, seaweed, crab); edamame (in the later phases).
Thumbs Down: Shrimp and vegetable tempura; sushi; gyoza (fried dumplings); seafood noodle dishes; sukiyaki and beef teriyaki (there is sugar in both the sauces).
THAI RESTAURANTS
A blend of Chinese and Indian culinary traditions, Thai food has its own unique combination of seasonings: coconut milk, lemongrass, tamarind, cilantro, turmeric, cumin, chili paste, dried shrimp, fish sauce, lime juice, and basil. In general, stick to sautéed dishes and avoid noodle-based ones and dipping sauces.
Thumbs Up: Tom Yum Goong (shrimp soup) or Gai Tom Kha (chicken and coconut milk soup); Nuuryungnamtok or Yum Plamuk (main-dish salads with sliced steak or squid, respectively); sautéed shrimp, scallion, pork, beef, or vegetable dishes; curries (without potatoes); steamed fish (sauce on the side); green papaya salad.
Thumbs Down: Dumplings and spring rolls: fried and white rice; Pad Thai and any other noodle dish; deep-fried fish.
KOREAN RESTAURANTS
Korean cuisine is a blend of Mongolian, Japanese, and Chinese elements with many dishes ideal for carb-conscious diners.
Thumbs Up: Grilled or stewed fish and shellfish; marinated grilled pork, beef, and chicken dishes (omit rice or noodles); ditto for Kalbi Tang (beef-rib stew); any bulgogi (barbecue) (minus the sugary sauce); Shinsollo (hot pots); tofu; kimchi (fermented vegetables with chilies; pickles).
Thumbs Down: Noodle-based soups; dumplings; any rice dish; Pa Jon (scallion pancake).
Chapter 12
RECIPES AND MEAL PLANS
Many low-carb cookbooks and hundreds of recipes at www.atkins.com and other low-carb Web sites make it easy to produce Atkins-friendly meals. For that reason and because we simply don’t have space to include too many recipes in this book, we’ve taken a different approach: with the exception of the broths, these dishes aren’t designed to be eaten alone. Instead, use these delectable sauces, marinades, salad dressings, and flavored butters to complement or enhance meat, poultry, fish, or tofu, as well as salad greens and other vegetables, while complying with your weight management program. Even your family members who aren’t on Atkins will enjoy these tasty recipes. In addition to a protein source and vegetables, just make some brown rice, sweet potatoes, or another nutrient-rich starch for them.
Master several of these simple recipes, and you’ll be able to:
1. Add flavor and variety to basic meals, so you’ll never get bored eating the low-carb way.
2. Find delicious ways to consume all the healthy, natural fats you need to do Atkins properly.
3. Make low-carb alternatives to condiments such as barbecue sauce and cocktail sauce that usually are full of added sugars.
Different noncaloric sweeteners have varying degrees of sweetness. We’ve left the choice of sucralose, saccharin, xylitol, or stevia up to you in most cases where a recipe for a sauce, salad dressing, or marinade calls for a sweetening agent, unless the recipe calls for 2 or more tablespoons, in which case we’ve specified xylitol, which is not as sweet at the other three alternatives.
For each recipe, we’ve provided appropriate phases, nutritional data, the number and size of servings, and the total amount of time it takes to make, as well as the active time. For example, a sauce may need to simmer for an hour to blend flavors but take only 10 minutes to assemble. In the case of specialty ingredients, we’ve provided sources o
r alternatives.
So let’s get cooking!
RECIPE INDEX
SAUCES
Aïoli
209
Herb Mayonnaise
208
Alfredo sauce
215
Lime Mayonnaise
208
Arugula-Walnut Pesto
218
Mushroom Gravy
207
Barbecue sauce
212
Mustard-Cream sauce
211
Basic Tomato sauce
216
Peanut sauce
213
Basil Pesto
217
Raita
214
Béchamel sauce
206
Rémoulade
211
Brown Butter sauce
221
Romesco sauce
214
Caper-Dill sauce
210
Rouille
209
Carbonara sauce
216
Salsa Cruda
219
Cocktail sauce
212
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
218
Dill sauce
210
Tartar sauce
210
Hollandaise sauce
220
Tomatillo salsa (salsa Verde)
219
Mayonnaise
208
Tzatziki
214
Blender Mayonnaise
208
Velouté sauce
205
Chili-Cilantro Mayonnaise
209
Vodka sauce
216
COMPOUND BUTTERS AND OILS
Butter-Oil Blend
221
Herb-Flavored Oil
223
Herb-Butter Blend
222
Parsley Butter
222
SALAD DRESSINGS
Blue Cheese Dressing
227
Creamy Italian Dressing
231
Caesar salad Dressing
224
French Dressing
233
Carrot-Ginger Dressing
231
Fresh Raspberry Vinaigrette
227
Creamy Coleslaw Dressing
226
Greek Vinaigrette
224
Hot Bacon Vinaigrette
225
Roasted Garlic-Basil Dressing
229
Italian Dressing
228
Russian Dressing
233
Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette
232
Sherry Vinaigrette
226
Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing
232
Sweet Mustard Dressing
230
Ranch Dressing
230
MARINADES AND RUBS
Asian Marinade
235
Mediterranean Marinade
236
Chipotle Marinade
236
BBQ Rub
238
Hearty Red Wine Marinade
237
Cajun Rub
239
Latin Marinade
234
Moroccan Rub
239
BROTHS
Beef Broth
241
Vegetable Broth
241
Chicken Broth
240
SAUCES
There are countless sauces and many ways to make them. Sauces that get their rich texture from cream, butter, oil, or puréed ingredients are a boon for people who are watching their carb intake. Mayonnaise, hollandaise, and basil pesto, for example, rely on eggs, cream, or oil to do the thickening. Even sauces that aren’t usually low carb, such as barbecue sauce, are easy to adapt, as our recipes demonstrate. Similarly adaptable are pan sauces, which are usually made by thickening the drippings of roast beef, turkey, or another main dish with a roux (a flour-and-fat mixture). Condiments, such as tartar sauce, salsa, aïoli, and other zesty complements to meals, also add zest to meals.
In most recipes, we’ve relied on oils such as olive oil and canola oil that are primarily monounsaturated. Occasionally, small amounts of the polyunsaturated sesame or peanut oil are specified to remain faithful to a sauce inspired by an Asian cuisine.
Also check out these sauces on www.atkins.com/recipes: Chimichurri Sauce, Béarnaise Sauce, Classic Mint Sauce, Creamy Herb Sauce, Pico de Gallo (tomato salsa), Guacamole, and Simplest Turkey Gravy.
Velouté Sauce
Don’t be intimidated by the French name. This tasty sauce is easy to make. The classic version relies on flour as thickener, but our version makes it a perfect low-carb accompaniment. The specific broth depends on whether you’ll be using the sauce with poultry, meat, or fish.
Phases: 1, 2, 3, 4
Makes: 4 (½-cup) servings
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
2 cups Chicken Broth or Beef Broth (pages 240 or 241), or canned or Tetra Pak chicken, beef, or fish broth
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon ThickenThin not/Starch thickener
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Combine broth, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Whisk in thickener; simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; swirl in butter until melted. Serve warm or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
PER SERVING: Net Carbs: 1 gram; Total Carbs: 3 grams; Fiber: 2 grams; Protein: 3 grams; Fat: 6 grams; Calories: 70
Tip: ThickenThin not/Starch thickener thickens sauces the way cornstarch or flour does, but without the carbs. All its carbs are fiber, so it has 0 grams of Net Carbs per serving. You can order it online from numerous low-carb food Web sites.
Béchamel Sauce
Béchamel is a mild sauce that can be used in soufflés or simmered with finely chopped vegetables or meats. Traditionally thickened with a mixture of flour and fat, our version uses heavy cream and a low-carb thickener instead.
Phases: 1, 2, 3, 4
Makes: 6 (¼-cup) servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup water
½ small onion, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ThickenThin not/Starch thickener
1 tablespoon butter
1. Combine cream, water, onion, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes.
2. Strain cream mixture; return to saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in thickener; cook until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; swirl in butter until melted. Use right away.
PER SERVING: Net Carbs: 2 grams; Total Carbs: 3 grams; Fiber: 1 gram; Protein: 1 grams; Fat: 17 grams; Calories: 160
Mushroom Gravy
This low-carb gravy gets its rich flavor from sautéed mushrooms rather than pan drippings. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Phases: 1, 2, 3, 4
Makes: 10 (¼-cup) servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (10-ounce) package sliced mixed mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 cups Chicken Broth (page 240), or canned or Tetra Pak chicken broth
1½ tea
spoons ThickenThin not/Starch thickener
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and vinegar; simmer until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add broth and boil until mixture is reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Stir in thickener and thyme; simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted. Serve warm.
PER SERVING: Net Carbs: 2 grams; Total Carbs: 3 grams; Fiber: 1 gram; Protein: 2 grams; Fat: 5 grams; Calories: 60
Mayonnaise
Store-bought mayonnaise may be convenient, but it’s usually made with soybean oil and often with added sugar. Homemade mayonnaise is delicious, especially spooned over steamed vegetables. Use it to make tuna, shrimp, or egg salad or as a base for dips or sauces such as Tartar Sauce (page 210–11) and Rémoulade (page 211).
Phases: 1, 2, 3, 4
Makes: 8 (2-tablespoon) servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
1 large egg yolk (see note, opposite)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ cup olive or canola oil
Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; add oil in a slow and steady stream, whisking constantly until sauce is very thick. Serve right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If mayonnaise is too thick, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons water to thin.
PER SERVING: Net Carbs: 0 grams; Total Carbs: 0 grams; Fiber: 0 grams; Protein: 0 gram; Fat: 29 grams; Calories: 260