Low Carb Sausage, Mushroom and Chicken Casserole

[Belfrybat]

This has got to be about the best thing I've put in my mouth in a long time. Had trouble sticking to just one serving and kept going back and snitching some right out of the fridge. Not being one to ever follow a recipe as printed, I used 4 stalks of celery and a whole medium onion, and cut the cheddar cheese to 5 oz. since that's all I had.
Carbs: 8, fiber 3 for an ECC of 5 per serving (figuring 8 servings).

Low Carb Sausage, Mushroom and Chicken Casserole


Ingredients
3-4 cups diced cooked chicken
1 lb pork sausage (I used sage sausage and read where someone used Italian.)
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
1 tablespoon onions, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces frozen cauliflower, cooked well and drained
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
paprika (optional)


Directions
-Brown the sausage with the celery, onion and mushrooms.
-Stir the softened cream cheese into the sausage mixture until well
blended
-Coarsely chop the cooked cauliflower.
-Mix all ingredients and spread in a greased 9"x13" baking dish.
-If desired, dust the top with paprika.
-Bake, covered with foil, at 350º for about 30 minutes.
-Uncover and bake until hot and bubbly and top is lightly browned, -
about 10 to 15 minutes.
Serves 6 - 8

[Missy]

Sounds good !:D

[Anette]

Thanks for the recipe. I will try this one. sounds great. i exchanged the pork sausage with chicken sausage to drop the total fat and calories a bit. i can't wait to taste it. thanks again.

[Belfrybat]

Thanks for the recipe. I will try this one. sounds great. i exchanged the pork sausage with chicken sausage to drop the total fat and calories a bit. i can't wait to taste it. thanks again.

You are welcome -- it really is good. I use Neufchatel cheese which has 1/3 less fat than cream cheese and usually 2% cheddar. The sausage I use is made from wild hog so it is fairly low fat. Actually, when I fry some, it doesn't lose any fat, so it must be very lean. I haven't run up the nutritional data, but I don't think the casserole is all that fatty when you use lower fat ingredients.

The next time I make it I'm going to add sliced zucchini so it will truly be a meal in one (and the serving will be a bit larger).

[LisaS]

is the boar sausage highly spiced? Because I'll admit - this looks a little bland to me in terms of seasonings.

[Anette]

hmmm if i think it might be too bland, i just throw in some garlic and onion powder, maybe a little nutmeg which i like with cauliflower. i love garlic. i also have some german spice mixes that i get in germany when i visit and that adds flavor.

[Belfrybat]

is the boar sausage highly spiced? Because I'll admit - this looks a little bland to me in terms of seasonings.

I think the fact I put in a whole onion and extra celery must help with the seasoning, because it isn't bland to me. The sausage I use is medium as I don't like highly spiced foods. You could use hot sausage or use a spiced seasoning salt to add a bit more zest. And as Anette mentions, garlic would work. I might try some garlic next time -- I have tons of wild garlic and need to use it up as I just harvested this year's crop.

PS -- it isn't boar sausage. We trap and ship the boars to those Northerners who want what they think is the real game taste and keep the young tender succulent ones for ourselves. We ain't dumb! :D We also occasionally trap a sow with piglets. Wow! Those piglets are good eating. Dig a pit, line with rocks and a good fire. Add wet banana leaves, the whole piglet (dressed) cover with leaves and dirt. Leave for several hours and come back to the best meal you've ever had. I'm salivating just writing about it. :)

[KnotDreams]

Brigit-Carol,
I made this dish last night for my family (DH and 2 sons, age 23 & 25) and everyone LOVED it. Thanks so much for the recipe. I made it with pretty much according to the recipe, using 1/3 less fat cream cheese and regular pork sausage. No one thought it was bland, but we like spicy food at our house, so I may try the hot sausage next time.

Thanks again. This dish may become a household favorite.
Karen

[tapper47]

I'm not quite sure why you all are concerned with the fat in the casserole?

I would use full fat everything in it. Maybe even leave the cauliflower our of it.

Sounds delicious.

[KnotDreams]

Hi Tapper,

I typically buy the 1/3 less fat cream cheese just as a way to save some calories. The brand I use shows the same carb count as the full fat version, and when it's melted (as in this recipe), I don't taste a difference.

I wish that all that mattered in this WOE was the carb count, but at least for me, I am more successful if I keep my calorie count under 1800 per day.

As far as the recipe goes, use what you like.

Karen

[Ammy]

yeah, at this point I have to watch my calories as well...and because I'd splurge on the fat in the sausage, I'd have to watch my calories elsewhere...and using Neufchatel instead of full fat cream cheese does not affect the taste.

[artsdesireincanada]

We loved this casserole. Made it with Italian sausage. It is so filling too. re: 2% cheddar. Every time my hubby bought this and I ate it my BS spiked. Found they filled it with something to replace the fat, obviously a carb. So I just do 100% now, even in my coffee cream. I read in some nutrition mag that if they reduce fat in cream and milk they spray the milk through some sprayer that somehow changes the cholestrol in the milk in a harmful way. Probably thinking in terms of cholestrol peroxide...

[Belfrybat]

I'm not quite sure why you all are concerned with the fat in the casserole?

I would use full fat everything in it. Maybe even leave the cauliflower our of it.

Sounds delicious.

Because some of of us are in pre-maintenance but still need to lose or stabilize our weight. As carbs increase fat (ie calories) needs to decrease. My rule of thumb is to choose lower fat versions of dairy as long as the carbs are the same. Yes, you could leave out cauliflower, but why would you want to? You'd miss out on some good vitamins and minerals. The reason I chose Protein Power rather than Atkins is the fact PP encourages eating good wholesome veggies from the very beginning.

BTW, the last time I made the recipe, I added 3 cups of diced raw zucchini. It was still a bit crunchy so next time will add it to the caulflower to steam it. It was delicious, and so became a meal-in-one. The kind I like the best. :D Green beans would also work well.

[Lucille]

I was looking for a new recipe, I think I will make this one tomorrow, sounds wonderful, and i have lots of cauliflower. I dont like my food very spicy so bland is good...

[Ana Ideas]

Thanks for the recipe.. I’m sure my children will love that. :p

BTW, is there anyone in this forum have recipes of Italian foods? Can you share it with me?