recipes

tuna melts!

How I love tuna melts! I’m not a huge user of “replacement” ingredients, like low-carb bread or low-carb icecream, but sometimes it’s so nice to have a meal that harkens to pre-keto times! The bread I keep in the freezer for times just like this is called “Carb Wise” by Slice of Life. It has super clean ingredients – like nothing unpronouncable, and has 3 net carbs per 2 slices. It’s available in Whole Foods, freezer section.

I’ll outline this as a serving for 1. Double or triple as need be.

Ingredients: 1 can of flaked tuna, 1 tblsp of maya (I use avo mayo), 1 tsp of dijon mustard, 1 large dill pickle, sliced and diced, dash of pickle juice, sliced cheese of your choice, salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: Toast 3 pieces of carb-wise bread. In a mixing bowl, mix drained tuna, mayo, mustard, pickles together and mix until well combined. Add a dash of pickle juice and salt and pepper to taste. Spread on the toast and place cheese on the top. I used left over raclette cheese, but honestly any will do. Place on a baking tray and put under the broil in your oven, around 4-6 inches away. check frequently and remove once all the cheese is melted. Add one last sprinkle of pepper and enjoy!

low-carb sushi

I recently picked up this recipe from @lowcarbstateofmind on Instagram. It’s super simple, and really tasty! I hadn’t had these flavour combinations in a long time!

Ingredients: 300 gram package of smoked salmon, cream cheese, ripe avocado, cucumber, soy sauce.

Directions: Slice the avocado and cucumber into thin slices. peal off sections of smoked salmon and lay them out length-wise (to allow greater rolling distance). Smear on a smudge of cream cheese and place a slice of avocado and cucumber on top. Roll it up and cut into small, bite-size “sushi” portions. Once it’s all rolled up, serve with soy sauce and enjoy!

Note: I’ve seen it with sesame seeds sprinkled on top. This would be great I’m sure, but I didn’t have any on hand.

Rich chocolate avocado pudding

This recipe is decadent! It’s so nice to enjoy a rich tasting dessert knowing it’s not going to send you out of ketosis or veer to far off track.

Ingredients: 3 med – large ripe avocados, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 3 – 6 tablespoons of coconut milk (I used 6, using more of the solid “cream” and just adding a bit of the water as needed for texture enhancement), 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 2 tsp coconut oil, 2 tablespoons of monkfruit sweetener.

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender of your choice – I used a vitamix, which created an insanely rich, pudding texture – and mix until smooth and creamy. Taste test and add sweetener or coconut water as needed. I’ve found if the avocados are too big, you still get that “avocado” flavour through the chocolate, which you don’t want obviously. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed.

Refridgerate for at least 30 minutes, then enjoy!

coconut wings and caesar

This recipe is a staple in our household. It’s a great mid-week meal as it’s quick and easy to prepare – around 10 minutes, and is ready to eat in under an hour.

Note: I usually sprinkle guess-tamations when making this dish. I’ll put in measurements to give round parameters, but feel free to adjust as you see fit. 🙂

Wings:

Ingredients: Large package of wings, approximately 30 (3 lbs?), 1 heaping tsp of baking powder, 1/4 cup of coconut flour, 1 tblsp of Montreal steak spice (or just salt and pepper), 1 tsp on Cayan powder.

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 and allow to get to temperature while you prepare the wings. Sprinkle the baking powder over the wings in a large mixing bowl. Stir and coat well. Sprinkle Montreal Steak Spice over wings, ensuring even coat. Next add in coconut flour and toss well, ensuring wings are well coated. Finally sprinkle cayan powder for an extra little bite!

Lay out on a baking tray – I like to put mine on cookie racks so the hot air can cook them all around evenly. Put in the oven when it’s at 375 and set the timer for an hour. My oven cooks a bit longer (it’s gas) so start checking for doneness after 45 minutes.

Take out once the skin is golden brown and crispy. If you have a meat thermometer, once temp is 170, or when the meat comes cleanly off the bone.

Once the wings are in the oven, move to the prep for the caesar salad.

Salad:

Ingredients: 1/2 cup of avocado mayo (or mayo of your choice), 1 tblsp of olive oil, 1 large garlic clove, tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of grated parm, 2 heads of romain lettuce.

Directions: Using a mixer/blender (I use a magic bullet) combine all the above ingredients except the lettuce, and mix well until whipped and creamy. Taste test and determine if any adjustments need to be made (Too parmy? Add a touch more oil and lemon juice. Too thick? Add a touch more oil). Note: it will increase in garlic strength in the fridge – hence why I recommend just 1 clove! Place in the fridge until ready to mix and serve.

After the dressing is made and in the fridge and while the wings cook, cut and wash the lettuce. I use a salad spinner and then leave it in the fridge to stay fresh.

Once the wings are ready, toss a couple of large spoons full of dressing with the lettuce and Bob’s your uncle! I also like to serve extra dressing as dipping sauce on the side. Adding large chunks of shaved parm is also a nice added touch, if you have it.

Enjoy!

Keto Prawn Tacos

Tacos are one of my favourite foods. When I first started keto, I grieved the loss of tacos, until I discovered this fantastic low-carb alternative. Now, they are rotated in every couple of weeks!

There are 4 parts to this recipe. The taco recipe is more in-depth, so please see the separate recipe below.

1. Prawns:

Ingredients: 1 bag of fresh or frozen de-veined and de-tailed prawns, 1/4 cup avocado oil, 2 tbls of lemon juice, 1 tsp of saracha, 1 tsp honey, 2 garlic cloves – minced

Directions: Pour all ingredients except the prawns into a box and mix well. Add the prawns, mix well so they are completely covered, cover and put in the fridge for an hour or so.

Once ready, simply pour the whole mixture into a hot pan, stirring frequently and flipping prawns. Once fully cooked, turn off heat and serve immediately.

2. Coleslaw:

Ingredients: 1 bag of organic coleslaw (mine from Whole Foods), 1 tblsp of avocado mayo, 1/2 – 1 tsp of saracha, juice from 1/2 lime (or a whole lime if there isn’t much juice)

Directions: Mix all the dressing ingredients together until no lumps exist. Toss in the coleslaw and mix until well-covered. Put in the fridge covered until ready to serve.

3. Green Sauce:

Ingredients: 1 whole avocado (soft), 1-2 tblsp of sour cream (depending on size of avocado), salt, juice from 1 lime

Directions: Scoop avocado, sour cream and lime juice into a blender – I use a magic bullet for this. Mix until smooth and “whipped” add in a pinch of salt and mix again. Refridgerate until ready. When ready to serve, scoop into a plastic baggie and cut a small whole in a corner. Squeeze/drizzle over top of tacos as finishing touch.

Cauli-Broc "mac" and cheese

Putting aside the dairy overload in this recipe, sometimes comfort food is what the doctor ordered! This mouth-watering low-carb version will definitely have you going back for more…

Ingredients: 1 head of broccoli, 1 head of cauliflower, avocado oil, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup cream, 2 tblsp cream cheese, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne powder, sprinkle of parmesan cheese

Directions: Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets. drizzle and toss in generous avocado oil and lay out evenly on a roasting tray. Roast for 20 minutes at 400.

While broc/cauli is baking pour the cream into a pot and heat on low-medium. Stir in the cheese, cream cheese, mustard and spices. Stir until well mixed and all the cheese is melted. Don’t allow to boil or it will burn. Turn down to low simmer. Taste and add more salt to your preference.

After 20 minutes is up, removed cauli/broc from oven and place in a deep roaster. Pour the liquid cheese mix over and mix well, covering all the veggies with liquid. Place in the oven at 350 for half an hour, or until a fork goes through the vegetables easily. Finally, take out and sprikle parm over the top and turn on the broiler. Broil for 5 minutes or until there is a golden crust on the top. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

bacon and apseragus soup w/cheese biscuit

Another winter night favourite! I came up with this soup with split pea soup in mind. The result was a delicious soup that stands up on its own, and the cheese biscuit is the perfect accompaniment.

 

Ingredience: 1 head of cauliflower, 1 bundle of asperagus, 1 whole onion, 1 carton of chicken stock (optional), 1/2 package of bacon (I use no sugar bacon from Whole Foods), salt, pepper

Directions: Trim the leaves off the Cauliflower and cut it into quarters. Place in a soup pot. Remove skin and cut the onion into quarters and place in the pot, clean and trim the asperagus and place whole bundle into the soup pot. Fill with liquid until the top of the cauliflower is covered. You may use the chicken stock, or simply use water. Put pot on high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to low-med and simmer for as long as it takes for all the veggies to be soft – around 30 minutes. Add a generous amount of salt – 1-2 tblsp

While the veggies are simmering, remove half the bacon from the package and fry on the stove top until crunchy. Set aside once cooked.

When soup stock is ready, remove the cooked vegetables and place in a blender- I use a vitamix. Fill it as much as you can and then pour liquid into the mixer. For a thicker consistency fill to about 3/4. Fill fully for a thinner consistency. Blend will until smooth. Add in the cooked bacon and mix well until bacon is in small pieces throughout. Now taste test. Add salt and pepper in small inciments to taste.

Roasted winter vegetable medley

The perfect side dish to any protein or main out of the oven. This colourful, flavourful medley looks great on the plate, tastes great, and is easy to include choices for non-keto family members.

Ingredients: 1 – 2 bundles of carrots, 1 head Cauliflower, 2 Zucchini, handful of baby potatoes (for non-ketoers) 2 tbls of avocado oil, salt, pepper, 1 tbls butter , garlic

Directions: I don’t bother pealing carrots. The skins have nutrients in them and when roasted, you don’t notice! Wash and cut carrots into large chunks. cut cauliflower into bite size florets. Mix together in avocado oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay evenly on a roasting tray and roast at 375 for 45 minutes or so.

While roasting the above, cut the zucchini into julienne slices. When you are 15 minutes away from serving, add butter to a saucepan and start sauteeing zucchini. add garlic for the last 30 seconds when zucchini is soft, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3-Ingredient peanut butter cookies

This is not my original recipe, but it’s one I make often! These quick, simple cookies are ready to eat 30 minutes after starting and make great snacks.

Ingredients: 1 cup of organic crunchy peanut butter, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of monkfruit sweetener, salt (optional)

Direction: Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball and has a “dough-like” texture. Roll into 12 balls, eyeballing their size near the end and making them as close to the same as possible. flatten with a fork and sprinkle with a pinch of salt if you wish. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove and let stand for at least 15 minutes or they will crumble.

Note: pictured you see 15 cookies. I found that making 12 improves the texture as they are softer.

keto-cheese biscuits

These easy-to-throw-together biscuits are perfect for any soup or stew during the long nights of winter. Really, you could use them for anything!

Ingredients: 2 cups almond flour, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 eggs, 4 tbls butter, 1 tbls baking powder, pinch salt, chives (optional)

Directions: Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Portion out 6 balls and shape on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Low-carb soft tacos

These tacos are honestly so good, and not as much work as they seem. They can be assembled and ready to cook in 15 minutes and make 8 tacos.

 

Ingredients: 3/4 + 1 tablespoon of finely ground almond flour, 4 tbls coconut flour, 1 tsp xanthum gum, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tempered egg, 2 – 4 tblsp lukewarm water, plastic wrap, rolling pin or taco press.

Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Make a hole in the mixture and add the egg. Whisk with a wooden spoon and start mixing with the dry ingredients. Add 2 tablespoons of water and continue to mix. Mix until a dough forms. Add touches of water until dough doesn’t crumble and feels moist, but not “wet”. Transfer the ball or dough into plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Place in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, or up to 4 days.

When ready to make tacos, separate dough into 8 balls by halfing the dough 3 times. You may now roll each ball between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper (easier!) before heating each side for about 30 seconds, or until browning, in a non-stick pan. You may also use a taco press if you prefer! Heat each taco and store wrapped in a a container (see picture) before serving to retain moisture. Enjoy!