bar-b-que | The Sweet Life Sugar Free, LLC

Tag Archive for bar-b-que

The Finishing Touch

Posted on June 27, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

A great Bar-B-Que Brisket or Ribs is perfectly Keto, and one of our very favorite weekend or holiday treats. The question becomes, how do you finish those beauties off? That wonderful tangy sauce out of a bottle is gone for more reasons than one, but the main problem is all those added sugars in the bottle. Oh, and don’t forget the hidden sugars.

I am putting it lightly when I say, my hubby is a sauce fanatic! He concocts all types of sauces, and combines things I would never think of placing in the same bowl. Some are good, and some not so much.

He left it to me to find a good recipe for a Bar-B-Que sauce though. The best one, meaning lowest in carbs, out of a bottle, we could find was Stubbs Original with 5 Carbs and 4 grams of sugar. The serving size is 2 Tbsp. Let’s be honest – who just eats 2 tablespoons of Bar-B Que sauce? Here are some of the ingredients:

Sugar, Molasses, Tapioca Dextrin, Brown Sugar, Corn Starch, and Corn Syrup! And this was the best we could find!!!! Let’s see…sugar, sugar, carb/sugar, sugar, carb/sugar, and oh, sugar!

There is a reason we always say to read labels, and we don’t just mean nutrition labels. You HAVE to read those ingredients too. It sends my blood sugar soaring just reading them!

So this is the REAL food ingredient list for my new Bar-B-Que sauce:

3/4 cup White Vinegar

2 Cans (30 oz) of Organic Tomato Sauce

5 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

3 Tbsp Yellow Mustard

1 Tbsp Tabasco or other hot sauce (I used 2 Tbsp and it was SPICY so do to taste)

1 Tbsp Pink Himalayan salt

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke (The one pictured is made in the great state of TEXAS)

1/2 Large Lemon (4 tsp squeezed)

1/2 tsp Trader Joe’s Pure Stevia

Directions:

Combine your tomato sauce and vinegar. Bring to a simmer.

Add your Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and Liquid Smoke. Combine. Add all remaining ingredients except the yellow mustard.

You need to temper your mustard like you would an egg. Place your mustard in a heat safe bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of your hot tomato mixture and stir well.

Once mixed, add back to your sauce.

Whisk until you have a smooth sauce. Use immediately or store in a mason jar. This will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

Enjoy with that yummy broccoli slaw!

Posted in Dinner, Groceries, Holiday Dish, Kids, Lunch, Main Course, recipe, Sauces and Dressing, Sugar, Uncategorized tagged with bar-b-que, Fourth of July, Holiday, sauce, Stevia, sugar, Tomato

Dress It Up!

Posted on June 26, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

We are thinking ahead to fireworks and celebration! It is hard to believe that July 4th is right around the corner. The other day I posted the “Refreshing Cukes” recipe which would be a great side dish for any Fourth of July celebration. By the way, they just got better in the fridge for a few days! The cucumbers were definitely a hit in our house!

Today, I have another side that is easy because all you need to do is prepare the dressing ahead, pour it in a mason jar, throw it in the ice chest, and you have a great nutritious side wherever your travels may take you! Even better, you can use this tangy dressing as a dip or on any salad with what you have left over.

Keto Broccoli Slaw Recipe

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Cup Mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s, but homemade is better)

3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Heaping Tbsp Dijon Mustarrd

1/8 tsp Trader Joe’s Pure Stevia

1 1/2 tsp Celery Seeds

1 tsp Himalayan Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

2 Bags of Trader Joe’s Organic Broccoli Slaw (I just use one at a time.)

Directions:

Start by combining your Olive Oil and Mayonnaise. Then add your Apple Cider Vinegar and Mustard.

Stir well.

Add your Stevia: This is the best one I’ve found so far:

Then add the rest of your ingredients except for the slaw.

Whisk well, and pour into a mason jar once it is completely combined.

Now it is ready for packing or serving. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Also, shake well before each use to distribute the celery seeds.

When you are ready, empty the packet of broccoli slaw into a large bowl. It will make more than you think, so pick a large enough bowl. Pour about a half cup of dressing over your slaw and mix well. You can always add more if you like.

This is excellent served with Bar-B-Que, or served on its own. Enjoy!

Posted in Dinner, Groceries, Holiday Dish, recipe, Salad, Side Dish, Snacks, Sugar Substitute, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with bar-b-que, Broccoli, Dip, Dressing, Holiday, July 4th, Salad, side dish, Slaw, Stevia, vegetable

Great Side Dish for a Bar-B-Que!

Posted on May 23, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

This is one of my favorite side dishes for a Bar-B-Que when you have gone Low-Carb! Perfect for the Memorial Day holiday and filled with many of our favorite ingredients!

We hope that everyone has a safe, fun weekend filled with laughter, and time spent with loved ones and friends! Special thanks to all who have served to protect our freedom this Memorial Day!

Bar-B-Que Broccoli Salad

8 Slices of Bacon Cooked and chopped

2 heads of Broccoli (chopped and lightly steamed-emphasis on lightly)

2 cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1/2 red onion finely chopped

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup xylitol

3 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1. Cook your bacon and lightly steam your broccoli. Cool.

2. Mix together your red wine vinegar, xylitol, black pepper, salt, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. This is your dressing!

3. Combine your broccoli, cheese, bacon, and onion, and combine together for your salad.

4. Slowly pour and mix your dressing with your salad, tossing to combine well. Start with half of your dressing, and add more to your desired taste. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

5. Enjoy!

Posted in recipe, Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with bacon, bar-b-que, Broccoli, cheese, Dressing, Low-Carb, Salad

My HEB Grocery Run on Monday

Posted on April 13, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Monday is usually my HEB run for standard groceries. I thought I would share what I bought for the next few days, and explain how I am going to use everything!

1. Apple Cider Vinegar – I ran out yesterday experimenting with my Keto Bar-B-Que sauce I hope to share soon. It is always in the pantry!

2. Coconut Oil Spray – I noticed today there are two different versions on the shelf. The new one I purchased today is for high-heat cooking which is mainly what it is used for, so I am going to give it a try!

3. Broccolini and Kerry Gold- This is one of our favorite veggies to have on the side! Pile on some of the Kerry Gold to make it even better!

4. Grass Fed Ground Meat – I plan to make cheese stuffed “Spaghetti” and Meatballs! Yum!

5. Heavy Whipping Cream – Always in the house for coffee, tea, eggs, sauces, and whipped cream mixed with Swerve! Double yum!

6. Organic tomato sauce – Also used up yesterday for my Bar-B-Que sauce. I keep it stocked in the pantry.

7. Coconut Milk – Used for a yummy curry Indian dish this week – make sure you buy the full fat! Another pantry staple!

8. Cauliflower – I am ricing the cauliflower to serve with my Indian Curry dish.

9. Spaghetti Sauce – I bet you can figure this one out…It’s for the meatballs! I couldn’t decide which one to use though..The one in the back is a new Vodka Cream sauce that was super low in sugar and carbs. I will have to report back on the consensus.

10. Romaine lettuce – A staple for the fridge. We love Blue Cheese and Caesar dressing topped with bacon, and salad pretty much goes with everything, right?

11. Pickles (Dill) – There are a few brands we like, but these are the kid’s favorite, and they don’t have the artificial yellow food coloring that so many others have that can contribute to hyperactivity in children.

12. Pasture-Raised Eggs – These are in the basket on every trip! We eat a lot of eggs!

13. La Croix – My sister-in-law introduced me to this flavor of sparkling water, and I’m hooked. Sometimes you just need a little zing to your water, and this fits the bill!

14. Zucchini – ON SALE at HEB right now! Run and get some! We use so much of this stuff because it is so versatile! I bought two full bags of this yummy and healthy squash. This will be used for the “Spaghetti”. I’m so excited to share it with you later this week!

As I use some of these ingredients I will post “after” pictures to show you the end result!

Happy Monday!!!

Posted in Groceries tagged with bar-b-que, cream, grass-fed, groceries, HEB, la croix, pantry, pasture raised, spaghetti, squash, staples