I'm about to go to the store to buy the ingredients for a low-carb chili. I use ground turkey of chicken instead of beef. Very filling, I like it with a bunch of steamed veggies. Here's the recipe:

1 lb ground turkey or chicken
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tbls chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (15 oz) light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 can canned diced chilies (little cans)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste

In large nonstick skillet cook beef and garlic over medium heat. If you're using ground turkey, make sure to break up the meat into small pieces really well - harder to do with turkey but it tastes better this way. Once browned, drain off any grease if any, and add chili powder and cumin; stir well.

Combine tomatoes, beans, onion, chilies, and tomato paste in slow cooker; stir in beef mixture. Cover and cook on high until the flavors combine, 4-5 hours.

Note: this is an excellent low-fat recipe that is easy to throw together. Some people will object to the beans as not being low-carb, but some low-carb diets (South Beach, Phase I) has okayed light red kidney beans. Use less of the diced chilies if you want to make it less spicy. Personally, I also add lots of red pepper flakes to this.

I can't remember where I got this recipe from, but whoever you are, thank you!

Elise, I am absolutely thrilled to see you are declaring January to be low(er) carb month.
As you know, I'm a fan of the lower carb way of cooking, (but not a low carb fanatic!) I'm doing something similar for January with my "Who Knew Low Carb Could Taste So Good" month at my blog. I look forward to linking to you throughout the month so people who are interested can find other low carb options on Simply Recipes. Thanks.

May I make the suggestion that to make that chili lower carb rather than using kidney beans use a can of black soy beans, which not only lower the carbs but add soy protein and other good things as well.

Oh...and while we're at it: Why not make this a low fat vegetarian dish by using vegetarian protein crumbles or fake ground beef (now readily available in the freezer aisle) and healthful azuki beans? Cuts out all the cholesterol - and who couldn't use that after all the holiday feasting?
It can be prepared just like any meat chili and my guys couldn't even tell the difference...

For low-carb vegetable ideas, there's a whole section (Low Carb Vegetable Recipes) on A Veggie Venture. Recipes also include nutrition analysis and Weight Watchers points!

It may sound odd, but if you like cabbage, try adding some shredded cabbage to your chili. It gives it a different taste and adds a lot of fiber.

I think this qualifies...
My boyfriend loves the top crusty layer of lasagna. If you love lasagna too much -this is for you! 1 piece is a satisfying meal and much healthier than the layered variety! Great way to reduce carbs painlessly.

1 Layer Crusty Lasagna:
Take a small square cake pan (fits three lasagna noodles) Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of very good spicy pasta sauce and drizzle with olive oil. Top with 3 slices of no-boil lasagna noodles, in a row. Top with a small amount of more sauce then continue like pizza, mushrooms, ground meat, or grilled veggies -only a small amount on each piece of pasta. Then sprinkle with some mozarella and parm. Bake according to box. It's really good and versatile!
3 servings.

Hi Elise,

The nice thing about this recipe is it is quite versatile (as you can see from the comments). I tried the black soybeans and wasn't really happy with them myself - I really wanted to like it too, what a great way to get your soy intake. I've never even heard of azuki beans but that sounds interesting!

I follow the South Beach plan rather than Atkins (I started on Atkins though); for Atkins this isn't low carb. For South Beachers, I think what tends to confuse people is the Phase I (most strict phase) list of foods to enjoy for South Beach has been modified. A tomato a day is fine in Phase I. If you say a 1/2 cup of the chili is a serving, then how much tomato is in that 1/2 cup? My guesstimate would be half a tomato (I may be completely off though). As far as the kidney beans go, that too is allowed with South Beach, but not Atkins.

Both diets work off the principle of restricting carb intake, but one reason South Beach is different from Atkins is that complex carbs (such as beans) are okay. Common side effects of Atkins (Phase I) is dizziness, nausea, headaches, bad breath, and faintness because of the drastic reduction of carb intake. I had all those side effects and wasn't a happy camper, which is why I switched to South Beach. South Beach followers don't usually have these side effects because their carb intake doesn't go as low as the Atkins diet does. I didn't have those side effects once I switched, and I went from a size 12 to a size 2.

Having said all that, there is a website I vaguely remember that would calculate the nutritional value of a recipe. You would plug in the ingredients and somehow it would spit back the calories, etc. If I can find it again, I'll try it out and report the results.

Thanks for doing this - I check your blog regularly but can only dream of making many of your dishes. We are a committed low-carb family for 3 years now. I can't wait to see what is coming up this month.

I don't have specific recipes handy, but here are some suggestions:

Broccoli Frittata ("crustless quiche" is a favorite in the low-carb community!)

Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms

Butter Chicken

Beef Bourguignon (just substitute soy flour and serve over mashed cauliflower or turnip in place of potato)