Super Snacks for the Superbowl: Easy Shrimp Cocktail

My daughter begs me to buy shrimp.

She LOVES it.

As much as shrimp tends to cost these days, she doesn't get it nearly as often as she would like- but every once in a while I buy some and her face lights up as she squeals "thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!"

Between the her love of shrimp and her love of rib eyes (few things bring her more happiness than a good steak), my kid has good taste.

Expensive taste, but good taste nonetheless.

Anyway, I've been racking my brain trying to come up with more low-carb Super Bowl snacks for this weekend and then it struck me- is there anything easier than shrimp cocktail?

Super easy.

It will make my daughter ridiculously happy.

I can make it low carb.

A Lifechanging Haircut

Earlier last year, just as the weather was starting to warm up, I decided to chop my hair off.

My halfway down my back hair.

All trimmed up! :-)

My driving me nuts, I'm-not-a-girly-girl-and-I'm-hopeless-at-styling-it hair.

It suddenly, and spontaneously, had to go.

It may (ok, most likely) have had to do with the instantaneous feeling of freedom I felt when I took my son to his first day of preschool.

When he turned 3 he became eligible for the early intervention preschool in our school district.

Suddenly I wasn't alone.

Suddenly I had six hours a week BY MYSELF.

Six hours to go grocery shopping.

Six hours to peruse stores.

Six hours to paint my nails and actually let them dry.

Six hours to donate to a blood drive.

Six hours to make doctor's appointments.

Six hours to get my hair cut.

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl: Pulled Pork and Slaw Snackers

Remember my insatiable craving for pulled pork and slaw the other day?

Once I figured out how to make ridiculously good low carb sauce for the pork I tackled the problem of how to eat it since bread was out and I didn't want to just eat it with a fork.

I so found the best solution in the world- when in doubt, stuff it in a jalapeño!

Absolute, football-friendly, deliciousness!

Everyone is going to like this, whether they're low-carb or not, and in my mind that's definitely the best kind of appetizer.  It's not a weird diet-y dish, it's just delicious.

Here's the beauty of this dish- if you're not watching your carbs it's still going to be delicious and it's going to be even easier to make.

Low Carb BBQ Sauce

I love thick, rich, sweet & spicy barbecue sauces.

Definitely a sauce and dressing kind of girl- while I slather on the condiments my husband just shakes his head and mumbles under his breath.

Sadly, low carb BBQ sauces never really pass muster.  They tend to be on the thin side and lacking the qualities that I love in BBQ sauce.

Sure, I've found some great alternatives- namely Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce.  As much as I love that sauce, it just doesn't cut it when I'm craving that thick and rich flavor of Kansas City-style BBQ sauce, you know?

Balsamic & Bacon Marinated Pork Chops

We already know I have a thing for balsamic- and I really have a thing for balsamic reductions.

Balsamic reductions are such an easy way to get a really nice, complex, sweet and savory flavor into dishes and they are ridiculously easy to make: heat, reduce, enjoy.  Sometimes I add a little black pepper to the balsamic before it reduces, just for that little extra depth.

I've been staring down an ever-growing collection of balsamics in my kitchen and the other day I decided to use some up on thick-cut pork chops for my husband.

Low Carb Chicken Chile Casserole

Well I'm officially back on the diet bandwagon and I've lost 5 pounds this week, and I think for now that's motivation enough for me to keep it up.

It's funny, isn't it?

How much better we feel when we don't load up on the foods we know our body doesn't need.

How much better we feel when our clothes fit the way they should.

Yet we still keep loading up on the things we know we shouldn't!

Most of the time I'm pretty good about what I eat but, inevitably, a small slip-up leads to a big long list of slip-ups, my jeans get a little tighter, and I know I have to get back on track.

This week was the beginning of "get back on track" week for me.

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl: Low Carb Chicken Nacho Bites

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Ok, seriously...this one's a huge winner and I actually did have it for dinner.

I've been sooooo slacking on posting lately as I've recovered from The Pneumonia That Just Won't Quit.

Ugh.  Inhaler, steroids, antibiotics...and this is three weeks after that hospital stay.

I'm just ready to not be sick.  I NEVER get sick, so I suppose I was due for a doozy.

Super Snacks for the Super Bowl: Taco Twists

I have a bit of a soft spot for appetizers.  Especially the kind that are easily snackable and full of flavor.  :-)

On New Years Eve this year I didn't have any big plans- just board games and snacking with family.  We decided to forgo dinner in favor of a smorgasbord of tasty treats.  Bite-size corndog muffins for my daughter, Pimento Pinwheels (made with my fantabulous pimento cheese!), and these super tasty Taco Twists.

Can I be honest?

I totally named these before I invented them.  The name popped into my head and I knew I had to do something with it!