Spaghetti Sauce - Save It Series - 2

 

Waste Not: Everything-But-the-Veggie-Drawer Spaghetti Sauce

This is a favorite waste not, want not situation of mine—spaghetti sauce!

Who doesn’t have a veggie drawer with things that are coming to that decision of toss or use?

If I’m busy and I know I’m not going to get to something in time, I’ll take it and pop it in the freezer until I find the time to make this. You can keep doing that until you have enough to make a batch.

The tomatoes I used this time actually weren’t going bad at all. They were just too abundant at the moment, so I put them in a gallon freezer bag, just like they were, and tossed them in the freezer.

What Went Into This Batch

Today I had frozen sweet peppers—the stragglers that somehow get overlooked even when you look in the veggie drawer—onions that were needing used, green pepper, mushrooms, basil and carrot sticks.

And really, the only prep for this was removing the stems and anything non-edible.

I loaded everything into my air fryer. Mine is a Ninja 6-in-1, so it can hold quite a bit like this. If you are doing yours in the oven, I would use a sided pan, because these vegetables are going to release juices and you want all of that goodness for your sauce.

I roasted mine for, gosh, about 40 minutes, checking and stirring along the way. I was trying to get a little char on some of the vegetables, but just a light one.

I also threw in about ½ jar of spaghetti marinara sauce that I had made last week.

Turn It Into Sauce

When everything is finished, let it cool a little and then load it into your food processor. You could also use an immersion blender.

Blend it all together and it makes a really flavorful spaghetti sauce.

And every batch is probably going to taste a little different because it depends on what you have that needs to be used!

Use It for More Than Spaghetti

This sauce can be used just about any way you would use a tomato sauce.

Sometimes I will use it in stuffed peppers, meatloaf, meatballs, maybe even in a lasagna—or just use it the regular way over spaghetti.

Nothing Went to Waste

This saved me from throwing out anything.

Even the scraps that were non-edible—the stems, ends and pieces I removed—went into the compost pile.

From this month's save, I got a good quart for the freezer and about 2 cups for the refrigerator, ready for a quick something for someone.

That is really the whole premise behind these Waste Not posts.

Before something goes into the trash, I try to ask:

Can I use it? Can I freeze it? Can I turn it into something else? And if we can't eat it, can it go into the compost?

Sometimes that veggie drawer that looks like it needs cleaning out is actually dinner—or several dinners—waiting to happen. And we all know that is where the $$$$ can go in the garbage fast. 

Let’s Connect

Have an idea?
Share it in the comments, and always thanks for stopping by. 

Till we meet again

love and find joy in your day 

Louise

Sourdough Bread (or any bread)- Save it Series 1

Waste Not: Homemade Sourdough Bread Crumbs

I’m going to start sharing some of the little tips and hacks I use around here to stretch a meal, stretch the budget, stretch the groceries—well, you get it! Mostly, I just hate seeing good food go to waste at the end of the week.

Today’s Waste Not tip is bread crumbs.

Sourdough Bread — or Any Bread!

About every 2–3 weeks, I gather up all of my sourdough bread heels and any pieces of bread that didn’t get eaten. You can really do this with any kind of bread. I just wouldn’t mix a bunch of very different breads together unless you know you like the flavors combined.

I cut all of the leftover bread into small pieces or cubes.

Another Option — Make Croutons!

This is also the perfect point to turn some of those bread cubes into homemade croutons.

Just toss the cubes with a little olive oil and whatever seasonings you like. Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper are all good choices. Then put them in the air fryer and cook until crispy and browned, stirring or tossing them around as they cook.

These are best eaten freshly made, and they are wonderful on salads or soups.

So before you turn all that leftover bread into bread crumbs, you might want to steal a handful and make croutons for dinner!

Back to the Bread Crumbs

For bread crumbs, I don't put anything on the bread at this point—no oil, butter or seasoning.

I put the bread pieces in my air fryer and cook them until they are completely dried out and crispy.

Keep an eye on them! Check often and stir or toss the pieces around so everything dries and browns evenly. You want the bread nice and dry before turning it into crumbs.

Once it is done, I spread everything out on a sheet pan and let it cool completely.

Now Make Your Bread Crumbs

Once cooled, everything goes into my food processor.

I usually divide mine into two batches:

Plain Bread Crumbs:
Nothing added. I leave these completely plain so I can season them however I want when I use them.

Italian Bread Crumbs:
For the second batch, I add some Italian seasoning from my seasoning drawer and process it right along with the crumbs.

And that’s it!

This time, all of those bread heels and leftover pieces gave me about 1½ quarts of homemade bread crumbs—from something that could have easily ended up in the trash.

How I Store Them

I put my bread crumbs into clean, dry mason jars. Then I use my little vacuum sealer attachment for mason jars—or, as I usually call it, my “air sucker outer thing” because I can never remember what it’s called! 😂

I vacuum seal the jars and label them with the date.

For us, I make an amount we can use within about a month. I always make sure the bread is completely dry and the crumbs are completely cool before putting them into the jars.

One Less Thing to Buy

It may only be a container of bread crumbs, but these are the little things that add up.

I already bought the flour and ingredients to make the bread. We ate the bread. Then instead of throwing away the heels and leftovers, I turned them into something else I would normally have to buy.

Bread → meals → leftovers → croutons or bread crumbs → another meal.

That’s what I mean when I talk about stretching the grocery budget and wasting as little as possible.

Nothing fancy. Just using what we already have.

And I think I’m going to start sharing more of these little Waste Not things I do around my kitchen. Some save a few cents, some save a few dollars, but over time—it all counts.

Let’s Connect

Have an idea?
Share it in the comments, and always thanks for stopping by. 

Till we meet again

love and find joy in your day 

Louise

Tortilla Hand Pies - Sweet

 

Tortilla Hand Pies - cheap and easy

Sometimes you just want a little something sweet without making an entire pie — and this was one of those let me see if this works ideas that actually worked!

I had bought one of those little tortilla/dumpling crimpers and, of course, I wanted to see what else I could do with it.

A package of tortillas and a can of pie filling later, I had hand pies!

No homemade pie crust. No rolling out dough. Just a really simple little dessert using things you can easily keep on hand.

What You Need

• 6 small flour tortillas
• 1 can of your favorite pie filling
• 1 egg, beaten with a little water for an egg wash
• A little sugar or brown sugar for sprinkling
• A tortilla/dumpling crimper — or just use a fork

That's really it!

I used cherry, but there's no reason to stop there.

Cherry, apple, blueberry, peach, strawberry — use whatever pie filling your family likes or whatever you happen to have in the pantry.

The Handy Little Crimper I Used

This came with 4 different sizes, and they store inside each other. My other two are in the dishwasher. I was so excited to share, that I skipped getting them all together for you.

I have to tell you about the little gadget I used because it made the job so easy.

It's a 4-size tortilla/dumpling crimper set that I found on Amazon. The different sizes fit together and store inside one another, so you're not trying to find room in a drawer for four separate gadgets.

You simply lay your tortilla or dough across the crimper, add your filling, fold it over and press it together firmly. It crimps and seals the edges at the same time.

I used mine for these tortilla hand pies, but I can already see using it for all kinds of things — dumplings, empanadas, little pizza pockets, fruit pies and other filled treats.

You certainly don't have to have a crimper to make these. A fork will work just fine. But if you like little kitchen gadgets that actually make a job easier, this one has already earned a spot in my kitchen.

Let's Make Some Hand Pies

Place a tortilla in your crimper and spoon some pie filling into the center.

Here's the first trick:

Don't overfill them.

It's tempting to add another spoonful, but you need enough room around the edge for the tortilla to seal.

Fold it over and press the crimper really tight. You want a good seal all the way around so that wonderful pie filling stays inside.

No crimper? Fold your tortilla in half and press around the edge really well with a fork.

Once they're crimped, don't handle them too much.

I simply lifted each one out of the crimper and laid it right on the tray I was going to cook it on. Once they're filled and sealed, the less you move them around, the better.

Brush the tops lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with just a little sugar or brown sugar.

Into the Air Fryer

I used the basket-style tray in my air fryer. That lets the hot air circulate underneath, so the tortillas can get nice and golden on both sides without having to flip them.

Air fry at 425°F for about 5 minutes, watching closely for browning.

Air fryers vary, and tortillas brown quickly, so start watching them before the 5-minute mark.

You're looking for a lightly golden, crisp outside and warm fruit filling inside.

And one warning before you dig in:

Let them cool for a few minutes!

That tortilla might feel ready to eat, but the fruit filling inside can be hot!

That's a Hand Pie!

For something this simple, these really do satisfy that craving for a warm fruit pie.

And instead of making an entire pie, you've made six individual desserts.

That's especially handy in my house because sometimes I don't need a whole pie hanging around!

Want to Make Them a Little Lighter?

Here's the nice thing about this recipe: you can make the regular version or change a few ingredients to cut back on the sugar, carbs and calories.

For mine, I used:

• 60-calorie low-carb tortillas
• Great Value No Sugar Added Cherry Pie Filling, sweetened with sucralose
• Egg wash
• A light sprinkle of brown sugar substitute

That's it.

You certainly don't have to make them this way. Regular flour tortillas, regular pie filling and a little regular sugar or brown sugar will work just fine.

The lighter version is simply another option.

And with the ingredients I used, I ended up with a little fruit dessert that came in at around 100-ish calories per hand pie, depending on exactly how much filling and topping you use.

That's not bad for something that tastes like you're having a real dessert!

Cheap & Easy

This is one of those recipes I love because we're not buying a bunch of special ingredients just to make one dessert.

Tortillas can become tacos, quesadillas, wraps, breakfast burritos — and now apparently hand pies!

Pie filling is easy to keep in the pantry, and you can choose whatever flavor is on sale or whatever your family likes.

And while that little tortilla crimper certainly makes them cute and easy, you don't even have to buy one. A fork will get the job done.

Have some pie filling left?

Put it in the refrigerator and use it over pancakes, waffles, yogurt or ice cream — or make another couple of hand pies later.

That's the kind of recipe I like.

Simple ingredients. Very little work. Very little cleanup. And something good to eat at the end.

Sometimes cheap and easy really is enough.

Let’s Connect

Have an idea?
Share it in the comments — I’d love to hear what’s working for you during your different phases 💛

Till we meet again

love and find joy in your day 

Louise

Chorizo & Potato - Cheap Meal Ideas

 

Cheap Meal: Chorizo & Potato — Three Ways

Let's make a cheap dinner.

One of the easiest ways to stretch a meal is to take something with a lot of flavor and add an inexpensive ingredient that makes it go further. Chorizo and potatoes are perfect for that.

Start With the Main Filling

For this meal, we're using:

• 1 package (9 oz) chorizo

• 2 medium potatoes

That's it for the main part of the meal.

Dice the potatoes fairly small so they cook quickly and you get a little potato and chorizo in every bite. Cook the chorizo, add your potatoes, and cook everything together until the potatoes are tender.

The chorizo has so much seasoning and flavor that the potatoes don't feel like something we're adding just to make the meat stretch. They become part of the dish.

And now we have choices!

🌮 Tacos, 🌯 Burritos or Tostadas?

Use the same chorizo-potato filling and choose what works for your family — or simply use whatever you already have in the pantry.

Tacos: Grab a box of crunchy taco shells.

Burritos: Use a package of flour tortillas.

Tostadas: Grab inexpensive corn tortillas and crisp them until they're crunchy. You can fry them in a little oil, bake them, or put them in the air fryer.

No need to buy all three. Pick one.

That's one of the secrets to keeping this meal cheap.

Now Let's Talk Toppings

Here's where it's very easy to turn a cheap dinner into an expensive one.

You do NOT need every taco topping known to mankind!

Look in your refrigerator first.

Some possibilities are:

• Shredded lettuce

• Shredded cheese

• Tomato

• Onion

• Jalapeño

• Salsa

Use what you have and what your family will actually eat.

If you have half an onion left from another meal, use it. One tomato sitting on the counter? Perfect. A little cheese left in the bag? That's enough.

But What Did Dinner REALLY Cost?

This is something I think we get wrong when we talk about inexpensive meals.

If I buy a bag of shredded cheese for $2.50, I didn't eat $2.50 worth of cheese for dinner.

If I open a jar of salsa, I didn't use the whole jar.

The same goes for lettuce, onions and jalapeños.

So there are really two different numbers:

What did I have to spend at the grocery store today?

and

How much food did we actually use for this meal?

For our chorizo-potato dinner, the main filling is only around $3–$4, depending on what you pay for chorizo and potatoes.

Add roughly $2–$3 for your choice of taco shells or tortillas.

Then add only the portion of toppings you actually use.

We're looking at roughly a $9–$10 family dinner, give or take a little depending on prices in your area and what's already in your refrigerator.

And that's the whole idea behind a cheap meal.

One Filling. Three Choices.

Chorizo + two potatoes.

Turn it into tacos.

Roll it into burritos.

Pile it onto crispy tostadas.

Top it with whatever you have.

And if a little chorizo-potato filling happens to survive dinner?

Put it in the refrigerator.

Tomorrow morning, scramble an egg into it, wrap it in a leftover tortilla, and breakfast is taken care of too.

Cheap doesn't have to mean boring. Sometimes it just means making the ingredients you buy work a little harder.

Sides for this could be mexican corn casserole, spanish rice, pintos and cheese. 

Always and most importantly — thank you to my family and friends for all the love and support that has carried me this far. I will be back for me in the days ahead. This is just the beginning. 💛

Let’s Connect

Have an idea?
Share it in the comments — I’d love to hear what’s working for you during your different phases 💛

Till we meet again

love and find joy in your day 

Louise

Sushi Imitation Crab Bake

I am back, some days I get a hankering for sushi, I went to Sam's club today and ogled the sushi in their case. I refused to actually pay money for something I can make at home. Now a days there are so many recipes on how to make at home. Little quick hacks and all.

Today I did the sushi bake and the flavor was spot on. I am a bariatric sleeve gal, but my family loved this also. I made 4 single servings 4x6 pans and took one of them and broke into thirds which is just my size. 

I’d turn that into a little “What It Cost Me” section for the blog. Based on the prices you remember, the important distinction is between what you paid for the packages and what you actually used. Your actual recipe cost looks surprisingly reasonable. See below after the recipe

I looked over your edited version. I’d keep the personal parts because they make it sound like your recipe, but clean up the wording, put the rice vinegar/sweetener step where it belongs, and make the family-size option clearer.

One correction: I changed “let it cook a bit” to “let it cool a few minutes”, which I think is what you meant after taking it out.

Easy Imitation Crab Sushi Bake

This turned out so good and is surprisingly easy to make and portion for meal prep. I made mine with jasmine rice and imitation crab and baked everything in small individual glass dishes. Then we scooped the warm, creamy sushi bake onto crispy roasted seaweed snack sheets and topped it with avocado and cucumber.

You can make this as four individual sushi bakes like I did, or put everything into one larger baking dish for a family or party-size sushi bake.

Ingredients

Sushi Rice

• 1¼ cups dry jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sugar or sweetener, optional

• Furikake seasoning, to taste

The little bit of sweetener is completely optional, but I think it gives the jasmine rice more of that sushi-rice flavor. Any white rice works for this recipe.

Creamy Crab Mixture

• 1 lb Crab Classic imitation crab, shredded or chopped

• ¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise

• 6 oz cream cheese (¾ of an 8-oz block), softened

• Sriracha, to taste

• Furikake seasoning, to taste

For Serving & Topping

• Avocado, sliced or finely diced

• Cucumber, finely diced

• Green onions, sliced

• Roasted seaweed snack sheets

• Crispy French fried onions, optional

• Extra Kewpie mayonnaise

• Extra sriracha

• Soy sauce or coconut aminos, optional

• Extra furikake, optional

Make the Rice

Cook the jasmine rice according to the package directions.

While the rice is still warm, gently mix in the rice wine vinegar and, if using, 1 teaspoon sugar or sweetener.

Assemble the Sushi Bakes

Divide the cooked rice evenly among four small 4×6-inch baking dishes and gently press it into an even layer.

If you'd rather make one large family or party-size sushi bake, simply spread the rice into one larger baking dish instead.

Sprinkle the rice with furikake.

In a bowl, combine the imitation crab, Kewpie mayonnaise, softened cream cheese, and sriracha to taste.

Divide the creamy crab mixture evenly among the four dishes and spread it over the rice. Sprinkle with a little more furikake if desired.

Bake

Oven: Bake at 350°F for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until hot and creamy throughout.

Air Fryer: Bake at 340°F for approximately 15–20 minutes, checking a little earlier since air fryers can vary.

Optional Crispy Onion Topping

During the last few minutes of baking, sprinkle some crushed crispy French fried onions over the top.

Put the sushi bake back in just long enough for the onions to warm and lightly toast while staying crispy.

Finish It

After removing the sushi bake, drizzle thin lines of Kewpie mayonnaise across the top. Then drizzle sriracha in the opposite direction to make a simple crisscross design.

Let it cool for a few minutes before digging in.

Serve It Sushi-Style

Top your serving with fresh avocado, cucumber, and green onion.

Scoop a little of the warm sushi bake onto a roasted seaweed snack sheet, add some of the fresh toppings, fold it up, and enjoy.

A Few Little Hacks

Avocado cups work too! If you have individual avocado cups instead of a fresh avocado, just spread a little over your serving after baking and then add furikake.

I like to dice the avocado and cucumber really small. That way you can get a little bit of everything onto each of those small seaweed snack sheets.

You can also add extra spicy mayo, Kewpie, soy sauce, coconut aminos, green onions, or furikake to make each bite your own.

Bariatric-Friendly Portion

Being a bariatric sleeve gal, I could only eat about ⅓ of one little sushi bake. I loaded up 6 little roasted seaweed snack sheets with my sushi bake, avocado, cucumber, and crispy onions.

And honestly, they were six of the best little bites ever!

The nice thing about making these in individual dishes is that you don't have to eat an entire serving at once.

Meal Prep

This recipe makes four small 4×6-inch sushi bakes.

I like to bake them all at once, enjoy what I want, and refrigerate the others. When you're ready for another serving, simply reheat the sushi bake and then add your fresh toppings.

Keep the avocado, cucumber, green onion, seaweed sheets, and other fresh toppings separate until you're ready to eat so they stay fresh and crispy.

One small sushi bake can easily make 2 or 3 smaller meals, depending on your portion size.

Approximate Macros

Sushi Bake Only — Before Fresh Toppings

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
1 whole 4×6 bake	~465	~13g	~61g	~18g
½ bake	~233	~6.5g	~30.5g	~9g
⅓ bake	~155	~4.3g	~20g	~6g

My Smaller Serving

I ate approximately ⅓ of one bake with 6 roasted seaweed snack sheets, ¼ avocado, ¼ cucumber, and about 1 tablespoon of crispy French fried onions.

My meal was approximately:

290 calories • 6g protein • 27–30g carbs • 15–17g fat

Macros are estimates and will vary depending on the exact brands, amounts, toppings, and sweetener used.

It Was a Hit — And Here's About What It Cost

I have to add that this recipe was a HIT! I was already asked to make it again this weekend, so this one is definitely going into our regular rotation.

And one of the best parts? It really wasn't expensive to make, especially considering that several of the ingredients will make more than one batch.

Here's approximately what I paid at Sam's Club and what I actually used:

• Crab Classic imitation crab: The 2-lb package was under $7, and I only used half of it.
  Cost for this recipe: about $3.50

• Kewpie mayonnaise: I already had this on hand. You only need about ¼ cup, and regular mayonnaise will work just fine if that's what you have.

• Cream cheese: I always have this in the refrigerator too. I believe the multi-pack is around $4-ish for four blocks. This recipe uses ¾ of one block.
  Estimated cost used: about $0.75

• English cucumbers: A 3-pack was under $3. You only need part of one cucumber unless you're feeding a crowd.
  Estimated cost used: about $0.50–$1.00

• Avocados: A 5-count bag was about $5.96. How many you use will depend on how much everyone wants on top.
  About $1.20 each

• Roasted seaweed snack packs: A 24-pack was around $8.
  About $0.33 per snack pack

• Jasmine rice: An 8-lb bag is around $11, but this recipe only uses 1¼ cups of dry rice.
  Estimated cost used: well under $1

• Furikake: About $3 a container, and you only use a small amount.
  Don't have furikake? Crumble up a little seaweed instead.

Don't Buy Special Ingredients If You Don't Need To

This is one of those recipes where you can easily work with what you already have.

No Kewpie? Use regular mayo.

No furikake? Crumble some seaweed over the rice.

No little roasted seaweed snack sheets? Cut regular nori sheets into smaller pieces and use those for scooping.

No fresh avocado? Individual avocado cups work too.

So What Did the Whole Recipe Cost?

Based on the amounts actually used, I'd estimate the basic sushi bake itself at roughly $7–$9, before optional toppings and depending on what you already have in the refrigerator and pantry.

Even adding avocado, cucumber, and seaweed for serving, you're probably looking at roughly $10–$13 for the whole batch.

And remember, this recipe made four individual 4×6 sushi bakes for me.

That's roughly $2.50–$3.25 per individual bake, with each little bake potentially making 2–3 smaller meals depending on your portion size.

For something that everyone liked enough to request again a few days later, I'll take that!

Always and most importantly — thank you to my family and friends for all the love and support that has carried me this far. I will be back for me in the days ahead. This is just the beginning. 💛

Let’s Connect

Have an idea?
Share it in the comments — I’d love to hear what’s working for you during your different phases 💛

Till we meet again

love and find joy in your day 

Louise

Just sharing some quick meal ideas, Used AI to make it look simple

 

These I created because you can keep it all separated until you want to create that portions. Almost like a meal prep in pieces. 

This is the casseroles

These are some quick ideas for a meal in the air fryer and can be prepped quickly. 

and who else needs a one pot multitasking kinda food. This also freezes so well.

Look into those freezer cubes, they are a cool way. But if not a freezer ziplock and flat works well for space. 

Again thought since I was working on ideas for my son, and being a new cook, looking for simple and cheap.

Have a wonderful day. 

Comment any time

Louise

High-Protein Seeded Bread - Bread Machine

 

I am at it again....

🍞 High-Protein Seeded Bread

Bread Machine Recipe • About 15g Protein Per Thin Slice • Best Toasted!

I've been experimenting with homemade breads, trying to find something that gives me a lot of protein without a lot of carbs, while still letting me enjoy bread.

This one has definitely been an experiment! The first version was a little too dense and needed some tweaking, but that's part of the fun of making things yourself. You change a little here, add a little there, and eventually find something that works for you.

For this version, I used real maple syrup instead of an artificial sweetener and added sunflower and pumpkin seeds along with hemp hearts.

The result is a hearty, seeded, high-protein bread. One thing I learned pretty quickly: this is definitely a better toasting bread! Depending on your toaster, it may even need a double toast to get that nice crispy texture.

We also use a meat slicer for our homemade breads, so I was able to get 12 nice, thin, even slices from my loaf.

---

🌻 Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water

• 1 tsp real maple syrup

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 2 Tbsp butter, softened or melted and slightly cooled

• 28 g oat fiber

• 70 g ground flax meal

• 180 g vital wheat gluten

• ½ tsp xanthan gum

• Salt, to taste

• 1 Tbsp active dry yeast

• ¼ cup sunflower & pumpkin seed mix

• 3 Tbsp hemp hearts

---

🍞 Bread Machine Instructions

I load this bread into my bread machine basically the same way I make my other breads.

Step 1 — Wet Ingredients

Add to the bread-machine pan:

Warm water → maple syrup → beaten eggs → butter

Step 2 — Dry Ingredients

Add:

Oat fiber → flax meal → vital wheat gluten → xanthan gum → salt

Step 3 — Yeast

Make a small indentation in the top of the dry ingredients and add the active dry yeast.

Try to keep the yeast from directly touching the salt when you first load the machine.

Step 4 — Seeds

Add the sunflower/pumpkin seed mixture and hemp hearts at your machine's add-in signal, or toward the latter part of the kneading cycle.

Now you have two choices!

---

OPTION 1: 🍞 Let the Bread Machine Bake It

If you want the bread machine to do everything, select the Basic/White Bread cycle.

If your machine lets you choose a crust setting, I'd use light crust. This high-protein bread can brown and dry more quickly than traditional white bread.

Take a peek during kneading.

During the first several minutes, check the dough.

You're looking for a soft, slightly tacky dough ball.

This dough contains a lot of vital wheat gluten plus flax and oat fiber, so don't expect it to behave exactly like regular white-bread dough.

Once you're happy with the dough, close the lid and let the bread machine handle the rest:

Kneading → Rising → Baking

When it's finished, remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.

---

OPTION 2: 🥖 Bread Machine Dough Cycle + Oven

This is the method I used and is a great option if you want more control over the shape and baking.

Select the Dough cycle on your bread machine and let it mix, knead and complete the first rise.

When the dough cycle is finished:

1. Remove the dough from the bread machine.

2. Gently shape it into a loaf. You don't need to heavily knead it again.

3. Place it into a greased loaf pan.

4. Cover loosely and let it rise for approximately 30–45 minutes, or until noticeably puffy.

5. Don't worry if it doesn't double in size like traditional white bread.

6. Bake at 350°F for approximately 25–35 minutes.

7. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil.

8. Remove it from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.

Air-Fryer Oven Option

I used my air-fryer oven and baked mine at:

340°F for approximately 25 minutes

Every air-fryer oven is a little different, so I'd start watching it toward the end rather than relying only on the clock.

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🔪 About the Slices

We use a meat slicer for our homemade bread.

That gave me 12 thin, even slices from this loaf.

That's important when looking at the macros below. If you're slicing your loaf by hand and making thicker slices, you may get fewer slices, which means the nutrition per slice will be higher.

The thin slices also work really well for this particular bread because...

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🔥 This Bread Is Better Toasted!

This is probably my biggest tip for this recipe.

Toast it!

This isn't a light, fluffy grocery-store white bread. It's a hearty bread made with vital wheat gluten, flax, oat fiber, hemp hearts and seeds.

I found that I liked the texture much better toasted.

And don't be afraid of the double toast! 😂

Depending on your toaster, one cycle may really just warm it. A second round can give it that crispier exterior that makes a big difference with this bread.

Because we're slicing ours thin with the meat slicer, those thin slices toast especially nicely.

I think it would be great for:

• Buttered toast

• Cream cheese toast

• Egg sandwiches

• Open-faced sandwiches

• Avocado toast

• Tuna or chicken salad

• Grilled cheese

• Breakfast toast

You can also freeze the individual slices and pull out just what you need.

---

📊 Approximate Nutrition

My loaf made 12 thin slices using a meat slicer.

Whole Loaf

Nutrition	Approximate
Calories	~1,740
Protein	~185 g
Total Carbohydrates	~83 g
Fiber	~50 g
Net Carbohydrates	~33 g
Fat	~93 g

Per Thin Slice — 12 Slices

Nutrition	Approximate
Calories	~145
Protein	~15.4 g
Total Carbohydrates	~6.9 g
Fiber	~4.2 g
Net Carbohydrates	~2.8 g
Fat	~7.8 g

⭐ The easy numbers:

About 145 calories • 15g protein • 3g net carbs per thin slice

Remember, your macros will change depending on the brands you use and how thickly you slice your loaf.

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🌻 A Little Note From My Kitchen

I'm not claiming I've discovered the world's perfect low-carb bread. 😂 I'm experimenting.

I wanted something that would let me enjoy a piece of bread while also giving me a significant amount of protein.

And I'm learning that sometimes a recipe doesn't have to perfectly imitate the original to earn a place in my kitchen.

This isn't my soft, fluffy sandwich bread. This is my protein toast.

Once I started thinking of it that way—and toasted it really well—I liked it much more.

I also like that I can use just a teaspoon of real maple syrup rather than adding a larger amount of artificial sweetener. It's one teaspoon spread throughout an entire loaf, and that's a trade-off I'm comfortable with.

And, of course, I'm already thinking about the next experiment.

Could this dough become sandwich thins? Hamburger buns? Hot-dog buns? Thin bagel-style rounds?

Probably.

And if I try it and it works, I'll share that experiment too. ❤️

Nutrition information is an estimate only. Exact values will vary depending on the specific brands of vital wheat gluten, flax meal, oat fiber, seeds, hemp hearts and other ingredients used, as well as the number and thickness of slices.

Let’s Connect

Have an idea?
Share it in the comments — I’d love to hear what’s working for you during your different phases 💛

Till we meet again

love and find joy in your day 

Louise

 

Hi Guys

I am at it again. Doing the portion eating and meal prepping. Times are tough, life is busy, and groceries are high. Here is a version of a cajun boil in a skillet. It hit all the notes of a good tasty boil. Spice it how you like it, mine was spicy.

🦐🍗 Cajun Boil Rice Skillet

A hearty, one-pan meal inspired by a traditional Cajun seafood boil.

Yield: Approximately 8 one-cup servings

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Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 smoked sausage links, sliced (I used turkey sausage)
• 1 cup cooked shrimp, cut into bite-size pieces
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• Garlic, minced (to your preference)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ can corn, drained
• ½ can diced potatoes, drained
• 1 bag (8.8 oz.) 90-second cilantro rice or 1½ cups cooked rice
• Cajun seasoning, to taste
• (Optional) 1 teaspoon paprika for a little extra color and depth

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Directions

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the diced chicken. Season lightly with Cajun seasoning and cook until almost done.
3. Add the sliced sausage and cook until lightly browned.
4. Stir in the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook 5–7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5. Season generously with Cajun seasoning (and paprika if using). Stir well.
6. Add the corn and diced potatoes. Cook another 3–5 minutes.
7. Stir in the cooked rice until everything is evenly combined and heated through.
8. Fold in the cooked shrimp during the last 2–3 minutes of cooking, just until warmed through.
9. Taste and adjust the Cajun seasoning before serving.

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Optional Toppings

• 🌶️ Your favorite hot sauce
• 🍋 A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 🥣 A dollop of sour cream to mellow the Cajun heat

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Louise's Notes

• Makes approximately 8 one-cup servings.
• Great for meal prep and freezes well.
• Turkey, chicken, pork, or andouille sausage all work well.
• Rotisserie chicken can be substituted for the chicken thighs.
• Use leftover homemade rice or your favorite microwave rice.
• Serve with homemade bread, cornbread, or a simple green salad.

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💡 Meal Prep Tip

Package into 8 individual containers. When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or water before microwaving to keep the rice moist. Finish with a squeeze of lemon or your favorite hot sauce for fresh flavor.

I prepped it. Thinking I am going to do some salmon cakes for the extra protein to finish off the meal, or a nice cold bean salad to tag along.

This would also be great hold back on the chicken and then make those chicken legs as the protein to go along with it. Or gosh, even more, what about a runny egg on top. 

Closing

This isn’t about turning food into rules or numbers all the time. It’s about learning how to meet yourself — and your family — where you are.

Familiar foods don’t have to disappear. Sometimes they just need a little reworking.

Thank you so much for being here and taking the time to read. If you’d like, feel free to leave a comment and share what swaps or changes you’ve been making in your own kitchen. I always love hearing from you.

Most of all, I hope you find a little joy and peace in your day.

Much Love 

Louise

“Give us this day our daily bread.”
— Matthew 6:11