Contemporary Russian meals consist of breakfast, dinner, midday snack “poldnik” and supper. See footnotes for articles about celebrations.For breakfast, of course in the morning, can be served hot cereals — porridge, egg dishes, sandwiches, pancakes with butter, sour cream, or jam. Coffee or tea are served strong and plenty.

For dinner, which is served at lunchtime, three courses are a must: soup as a first course, meat or fish with salads and rather large side dish (potatoes, pastas, porridges like buckwheat, etc.) for a main course. Dessert can be just a glass of tea, Russians pay less attention to desserts after dinner.

Midday snack “poldnik” can be anything these days, often just coffee and sandwich — but for children in day care or summer camps, a fruit compote is a classic part of poldnik. It can go with a cake, crackers, toasts with jam, or a piece of fruit.

Supper varies. Since the dinner is eaten mostly at work and breakfast is eaten on the go, supper is the only family meal, prepared at home and eaten in no hurry. It can be similar to dinner omitting the soup part and with more attention to dessert such as freshly steeped tea with home made “pirogi” - stuffed rolls, homemade fruit preserves, icecream, tarts, etc.

A bedtime snack can be yogurt or kefir.

The daily spices are not many in *traditional* Russian Cuisine because they were prohibitory expensive. Old Russian recipes called mostly for dill, black currant and tart cherry leaves (mostly for pickles,) parsley leaves and root, celery leaves and root.

Currently, the Russians cook many Middle Asian, Caucasian, Siberian, and Ukrainian dishes on daily basis. For instance: pilaf, borsch, pelmeni, etc., so spice sets in Russian kitchens include black pepper, cumin, oregano seeds, paprika, dry bay leaves, horseradish root, garlic, marjoram, etc.

Popular recipes call for some spices I failed finding in American and European groceries: adjika, khmeli-suneli, zira, barbaris.

Dishes cooked on daily basis include but are not limited to:

• Cabbage soup “Schi” (see footnotes)
• Fish soups “Ukhas”
• Many kinds of beef, lam, and pork cutlets
• Buckwheat, millet, rise, etc. porridges
• Geogian lam kebob “shashlyk”
• Lam or poultry pilaf
• Cabbage rolls
• Stuffed bell peppers
• Russian crepes “blini”
• Stuffed bread rolls of many kind “pirogi”
• Georgian lam soup “Kharcho”
• Ukrainian red beet soup “borsch”
• Siberian dumplings “pelmeni”

This is to name just a fraction of daily cooked dishes. Please don’t hesitate asking me further question. I can post recipes, too.

Recipes

Schi recipe

Russian Turnip Soup
Russian Onion Soup
Russian Nettle Soup
Russian Cheesecakes

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Fat Burning Index of this recipe is 3.1

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
1 8-oz. package frozen spinach
1/2 medium size onion diced
6 eggs
1/2 ts sea salt
1/4 c olive oil
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 pinch of nutmeg
2 ts chopped chives
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Saute the onions in olive oil
until translucent. Pour creams into the frying pan
bring to boil, then cool slightly and add in the
remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture into the pie
pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Nutrition (entire recipe)

Calories 2038
Protein (g)51
Fat (g) 196%
Carb (g)25
Fiber (g) 6.8
Calcium (mg) 983
Iron (mg) 5
Sodium (mg) 1027
Potassium (mg) 1436
Phosphorus (mg) 705
Vitamin C (mg)57
Vitamin B-1 Thiamin (mg) 0.33
Vitamin B-2 Riboflavin (mg) 2
Niacin, vitamin B-3 (mg) 1.4
Saturated Fats (g) 122.5
Monounsaturated Fats (g)56.6
Polyunsaturated Fats (g)7.421
Cholesterol (mg) 716.93

Fat Burning Index of this recipe is 2.57

Ingredients

3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons tarragon leaves
1 teaspoon salt
3 California avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Cayenne pepper to taste
Sour cream

Instrucitons

Combine cream, tarragon, and salt; heat until liquid
just begins to simmer. Puree avocado and lemon juice
until smooth. When cream is ready, whisk avocado
mixture into milk mixture. Stir in cayenne.
Serve with sour cream.

Nutrition (entire recipe)

Calories 3410
Pro (g)26
Fat (g) 356
Carb (g)58
Fiber (g) 0.12
Calcium (mg) 527
Iron (mg) 6
Sodium (mg)333
Potassium (mg) 3871
Phosphorus (mg) 666
Vitamin A (IU) 13766
Vitamin C (mg) 59
Vitamin B-1 Thiamin (mg) 0.73
Vitamin B-2 Riboflavin (mg) 1.42
Niacin, vitamin B-3 (mg)10
Saturated fat (g) 179
Monounsaturated fat (g) 135
Polyunsaturated fat (g) 20
Chol (mg)986

From Tanya Zilberter’s  recipe collection

4g. Net carbs in 1-cup serving

For liquid:

4 small beets, optionally with the weeds (or canned whole beets)
Water, enough to cover well (or the juices out of the can)
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar (optionally)

For solid part:

The boiled beets, julienned
1 medium cucumber, julienned
2 medium green onions, chopped
2 boiled eggs or egg whites, chopped
1/2 cup baby dill, chopped
1/2 cup flat parsley, chopped
4 Tbs. sour cream (optionally low- or no-fat)

Instruction:

Boil the beets until soft, drain; add water to have 4 cups, the rest of ingredients, cool. Serve with sour cream.

From eDiets‘  Atkins Nutritional Approach

This savory salad features a low-carb taco-seasoning mix that is easy to make and can be used in other Mexican recipes. It can be served as a main dish for four or as a side salad for eight.Ingredients

1 Tbsp. chili powder (no sugars or wheat products added)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ThickenThin — not starch
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup water
6 cups torn lettuce, such as iceberg and romaine
4 Tbsp. low-carb green taco sauce (such as LaVictoria)
1 (4-ounce) jicama, peeled and cut into thin strips (1 cup)
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp. sour cream
1/2 cup PageLink (Verdemole)– optional
Low-carb tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

Make the seasoning mix: In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, ThickenThin, onion powder and garlic powder. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes. Drain off fat, if any. Add the water and seasoning mix; Stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss lettuces with taco sauce. Divide among four large serving bowls, about 1 1/2 cups each. Top each with 1/4 cup jicama. In a medium bowl, toss the Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses together; divide and sprinkle over the jicama. Divide and spoon the beef mixture (about 1/2 cup per serving) over the cheese. Top each with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons Verdemole, if using (don’t forget to add in the extra carbs!).

Arrange eight tortilla chips around each bowl, if desired.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Bake/Cook time: 30 minutes

Makes four servings. Nutritional values per serving: 468 caloriea, 32g fat, 35g protein, 7g carbohydrate, 3g fiber and 4g net carbs.

This recipe comes from Atkins Diet

More low-carb recipes await you! Click here to complete a free diet profile and get started on your weight loss journey today!

From eDiets

If eating the same boring food is ruffling your feathers, why not give this healthy recipe a try? With spinach and ginger root, it is pure poultry in motion. Take the low carb La Torilla and have a perfect guilt-free smart carb meal!

Ingredients

4 oz. boneless chicken breast
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. ginger root
1 tsp. sesame oil
1-1/2 cups fresh spinach
1 whole-wheat (approximately 6-inch diameter) tortilla.

Directions

Rinse and cut chicken into bite-sized cubes. Mince garlic and ginger root; set aside. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet to medium high heat; add garlic and ginger and saute for about 1-2 minutes. Add chicken to pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes until cooked thoroughly. Rinse spinach; add to chicken and saute until just wilted (about 1 to 2 minutes). Warm tortilla according to package directions. Place chicken and spinach on one side of tortilla and roll. Serve.

Nutritional values per serving: 250 calories (60 from fat), 7g fat (1g sat.), 65mg cholesterol, 280mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 31g protein, 60-percent RDA of vitamin A and 25-percent RDA of vitamin C.

This recipe is:

• Low in Fat (approximately 30 percent or less calories from fat)
• Low in Sodium (approximately 800 milligrams or less of sodium)
• Low in Cholesterol (approximately 100 milligrams or less of cholesterol).
• With the low carb La Torilla it’s also low in “bad” carbohydrates!

From the Glycemic Impact Diet on eDiets.

Need a diet that’ll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? We offer 22 personalized plans including the red-hot, carb-smart Glycemic Impact Diet. CLICK HERE to fill out a free diet profile .

Toffee Butter Crunch

In this recipe, we used pourable Splenda instead of sugar and bitter chocolate (85% black chocolate) instead of semisweet one.
Ingredients

1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted
1 cup butter
1 cup pourable sweetener (Splenda)
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup bitter chocolate pieces

Directions

Line a 13×9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts in pan. Set pan aside.

Butter sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In saucepan melt butter. Add sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, till thermometer registers 290 degree F, soft-crack stage (about 15 minutes). Watch care-fully after 280 degree F to prevent scorching. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Pour candy into the prepared pan.

Let candy stand about 5 minutes or till firm; sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. When chocolate has softened, spread over candy. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts. Chill until firm. When candy is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan; break into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 1-1/2 pounds (48 servings).

From the BHG.com

Soy-marinated tofu is cooked until crisp and put over a bed of pea pods, scallions, and bell peppers for this dish. For best results, use extra-firm refrigerated tub-style tofu packed in water rather than shelf-stable silken tofu. This type of tofu keeps its shape, making it easy to slice.

Ingredients
1 12- to 16-ounce package light, reduced-fat, or regular extra-firm tub-style tofu (fresh bean curd), drained
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
2 cups fresh snow pea pods (8 ounces)
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
8 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon white or black sesame seed, toasted (optional)

Directions
1. Cut tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Pour 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce over tofu; turn slices to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Remove strings and tips from pea pods; cut in half. Set pea pods aside. In a shallow dish combine cornmeal and ground red pepper. Drain tofu, discarding marinade. Carefully dip tofu slices in cornmeal mixture; press gently to coat both sides. Set tofu slices aside.
3. Pour 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil into a large nonstick skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry sweet pepper strips for 2 minutes. Add pea pods and green onions; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes more or until crisp-tender.
4. Remove skillet from heat; stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce. Transfer vegetable mixture to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean.
5. In the same skillet heat the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the cooking oil over medium heat. Cook the coated tofu slices for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden brown, using a spatula to turn carefully. Serve tofu slices over vegetable mixture. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seed. Makes 4 servings.

Today let’s work our way through some popular fruits, and learn how to use them with Dana Carpender’s low-carb method. Get all of the fruit tips and recipes - click here

You’ll learn about:

Apples

Apricots

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Cherries

Cranberries

Grapefruit

Oranges

Raspberries

Strawberries

Recipes Calling for these fruits are included!

Get all of the fruit tips and recipes - click here

From Glycemic Impact Diet.

With fresh tomato, crunchy celery and chopped onion, this healthy recipe puts a fresh spin on tuna fish.

Ingredients

1 medium fresh tomato
1 large celery stalk
3 oz. tuna fish water-packed, low sodium
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. low-fat or nonfat mayonnaise

Directions

Rinse and cut the tomato in half; with a teaspoon scoop out pulp leaving about 1/4 thickness in shell. Rinse and chop celery. Drain and flake tuna. Combine celery with onions, mayonnaise and tuna and mix thoroughly. Evenly stuff tuna mixture into tomato halves. Enjoy!

Nutritional values per serving: 180 calories (50 from fat), 6g fat (1g sat.), 40mg cholesterol, 120mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 5g sugar, 22g protein, 10-percent RDA vitamin A and vitamin C.

This recipe is:
• Low in fat (approximately 30 percent or fewer calories from fat).
• Low in sodium (approximately 800mg or less).
• Low in cholesterol (approximately 100mg or less).

Need a diet that’ll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? We offer 23 personalized plans, including the red-hot carb-smart Glycemic Impact Diet. <-- Visit GIto fill out a free diet profile.