Low Carb Christmas Dinner

While the holidays are often a good excuse to indulge either by over eating or over drinking, Christmas Dinner can be low carb and delicious at the same time. I have Atkinsing friends who indulge on Christmas Eve but head right back on Atkins and other low carb foods the day after. This gives low carb diners a full week before the next indulgence of Christmas Eve.

Appetizer Choices

Here are four low carb and elegant appetizers to start off your Christmas Dinner.

Steamed half lobster with drawn buttter or cold poached lobster with dill mayonnaise

Smoked Irish Salmon

Smoked Trout with Horseradish Sauce

Grilled Asparagus and Hollandaise

All of these yummy starters are easy to make and can fit a wide budget range. The lobster prep is easy enough, poach off two live lobsters in a large pot with a pinch of salt and bay leaves. When red, take the lobsters out of the pot, halve and remove the offal. Crack the claws before serving and place on a plate spread with rock salt. Garnish with a sliver of lemon, parsley and a small ramekin of drawn butter.

If you have too much going on the kitchen on Christmas Day, poach off the lobster, halve and refrigerate cold. Serve cold poached lobster with a fresh dill mayonnaise in place of the drawn butter.

For salmon, buy any good quality smoked side of salmon and place on a mirror, block of wood or favorite long platter. Serve with cold bold diced egg yolks and whites, capers and lemons. While the salmon is lovely on its own, if you must have it "atop" something, try toasting some small pita slices under the broiler and set out a basket of pita chips or other high protein bread toasts (cut into small triangles).

Smoked trout is delicious and economical but often hard to find. Serve cold from the fridge and plate with some parsley and a few cherry or grape tomatoes. Serve with a small ramekin of horseradish and mayonnaise seasoned according to taste.

Grilled asparagus is great either prepared under the broiler or prepared on the cook top in a griddle pan with a little bit of olive oil. Serve hot drizzled with hollandaise sauce.

Entrees

Roast Filet Mignon with Bearnaise

Roast Young Goose

Roast Long Island Duckling with lingonberries

Roast Cured Ham

The easiest part of a low carb Christmas Dinner is the main course as it is usually a protein item anyway. Be sure to prepare the entree without stuffings which is where the carbs lie and go easy on the sauces that accompany your main entree. With the Filet Mignon, opt for au jus or rich and creamy but low carb Bearnaise Sauce. With Raost Goose you can get away with pan drippings alone which are delicious as long as you don't overcook your goose. Strain the drippings through a sieve and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast Duckling is very special for any holiday. Forgo cherry and orange sauces and use lingonberries. Serving a small dollop on each plate will spare carbs and add a tangy side taste. For the Ham, forget the honey and pineapples and serve with a nice dijon mustard on the side. Delicious and low carb.

Sides

You can grill, bake or poach any just about any seasonal or green vegetable you like, so long as you don't add any high carb sauces. Use as much butter as you desire and prepare as you like. You can also use cream sauces for added texture. Don't serve potatoes or other other starches especially corn which is too starchy to be low carb, but do mash and cream and butter squashes for a creamy side dish. Here are a few examples below.

Mashed butter nut squash
Creamed spinach
Steamed green beans with butter sauce
Steamed peas with butter sauce
Mashed turnips and butter nut squash
Broccoli and Cauliflower in cheese or butter sauce
Juliennes or coin chips of zucchini and carrots in butter sauce
Chopped broccoli and cauliflower casserole with cheese
Steamed Broccoli with butter
Pearl Onions in cream sauce
Baked Acorn Squash with cinnamon and butter

As you can see the sky is the limit as long as you stay away from corn, potatoes, rice and any other starch. Go easy on the vegetable portions.

Desserts

New York Style Cheese Cake

Creamy cheese and salad plate

Homemade Eggnog Ice cream with Hot Brandy Sauce

If you cannot resist a bakery dessert don't fret. Have a slice of cheese cake but skip the fruit topping and don't eat the graham cracker crust. For a refreshing and classy dessert that looks and tastes great, place a cup full of baby greens on a chilled salad place with an assortment of room table cheese slices like brie, montrachet and chevre. You can serve with or without a hot dijon dressing or any low carb cream based dressing but to keep the palate clean and fully enjoy the cheeses serve the salad plain and crispy fresh. For a delicious and homemade treat and possibly a new holiday tradition try making homemade golden eggnog ice cream in your ice cream maker. Serve ice cold and pour over a few tablespoons of flame lit brandy.

May all have healthy, happy and delicious holidays.