Category: Copycat Recipes

Skinny Buffalo Chicken Burritos

I saw this video on #TikTok and got inspired to use the method but slim down the ingredients used to make it #KetoFriendly and not just low fat, like the original intended. Thanks, Nikita Fair for the inspiration!

  • 1 Pound Chicken Breast, cut into 4 equal pieces
  • 1/4 Cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
  • 1 Cup Cottage Cheese
  • 1 TBLS Ranch Seasoning (Homemade or Store Bought)
  • Paprika
  • Garlic Salt
  • Ground Pepper
  • 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Mission Carb Balance Flour Tortillas

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the garlic salt, pepper, and paprika and cook at 375°F in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove chicken, cover with foil and set aside while you prepare the sauce.

In mini (or full size) blender jar, combine cottage cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch seasoning and blend on medium-high until smooth.

Uncover chicken and chop into about 1/2” chunks. Combine with sauce and cheese. Divide chicken mixture equally onto the 4 tortillas. Fold the tortillas and place seam side down on a hot sauté pan. Brown burrito on both sides and wrap in foil to keep warm if not serving immediately. Can be stored in refrigerator or freezer and warmed back up.

Nutrition information: 541 Calories 27.5 g Fat 5.5 g Carbs 61.5 g Protein

Are you on Facebook? You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: food news, recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. If so, visit my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Advertisement

Sweet Noodle Kugel

NoodleKugel2

When my father-in-law found out I enjoyed cooking, one of the first things he gave me was his Mother’s Jewish Cookbook.  He then opened it to much used page that had a recipe for a traditional #SweetLokshenKugel.  I was behind the 8 ball for a couple of  reasons on this one: I am not Jewish, so many of the words used in the, 70 + year old cookbook were, quite literally, foreign to me and, without the benefit of a picture accompanying the recipe, I was clueless as to what the recipe was actually for.  Dad did clue me in that it was for a noodle kugel that his Mother used to make, but beyond that he was pretty much useless. 😉  Once I #googled some of the words for the kosher ingredients and, what turned out to to be brand names, I was able to modernize the recipe and create something that he loved and requested for many years.

Sweet Noodle Kugel

  • 16 oz Wide egg noodles
  • 1 Cup Sugar (I now substitute 1/2 Cup Truvia)
  • 1 Stick Butter, melted
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 Medium Granny Smith Apple, grated
  • 8 oz Golden Raisins
  • 1 – 20 oz Can Crushed Pineapple (mine came in heavy syrup)
  • 1-2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with butter and set aside.

Boil the noodles for 10 minutes.  Drain and put into a large mixing bowl or return to the pan you cooked them in.  Add the butter to the noodles and toss to combine.

Combine the Sugar (or Truvia), Egg, Grated Apple, Crushed Pineapple (undrained), Raisins, Vanilla, Ground Nutmeg and Cinnamon, stirring well.

Add the combined ingredients to the noodles and toss until well distributed throughout.

Pour the noodle mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, just until tips of the noodles on top begin to brown.  Cool and cut into 16 – 20 equal pieces.  Can be served warm or room temperature.

Nutrition Information (for 16 servings using Truvia)

  • 205  Calories
  • 6.5 g  Fat
  • 26.62 g  Carbohydrates
  • 4.75 g  Protein

If you’re interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to, like:  health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, gadget reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a community page on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Dairy-Free Dole Whip

Extra special thanks to the guys at Epicurious.com for sharing this tasty treat on this extra-hot Sunday!  #ThisGirlLovesToEat

DOLE-WHIP--29062017

Homemade “Dole Whip”

  • 4 Cups Frozen Pineapple Chunks
  • 1 Cup Canned, Unsweetened, Coconut Milk
  • 1 Frozen Banana
  • Pinch of Kosher Salt
  • 4 Fresh Pineapple Wedges (optional)
  1. Process frozen pineapple, coconut milk, banana, and salt in a food processor (I used my Vitamix) until very smooth.
  2. Divide among glasses or cups and garnish with pineapple wedges, if using.

Nutrition Information (Serves 4)

  • 220  Calories
  • 12 g  Fat
  • 27 g Carbohydrates
  • 2 g    Protein

Buttermilk Air Fried Chicken

plated2

Yesterday was #NationalFriedChickenDay so, because I adore southern fried chicken, I tried to make it #KetoFriendly without losing texture or taste.  #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Buttermilk Air Fried Chicken

  • 1 pkg (4 – 5 lbs) 5 Chicken Leg & Thigh Quarters (or your favorite cut)
  • 3 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper
  • 3 tsp Salt
  • 3 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Poultry Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Oregano
  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 4 Cups Buttermilk

Combine all of your spices in a bowl and stir until well mixed.

Place your chicken into a bowl large enough to hold your chicken pieces, with room for the liquid.  Wearing disposable gloves, rub each piece of chicken generously with the spice mixture.  Moving the pieces around in the bowl as you go, pour your buttermilk over and around the chicken.  Make sure you are moving the pieces around so the spices that come off the chicken mix into the buttermilk.  Once all pieces are covered, and remain submerged, in the buttermilk, cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 but preferably 6 hours or more.  Ideally, if you can, marinate it overnight or all day while you are at work.

When you are ready to fry your chicken stir together your dredging mixture with a fork in a shallow baking pan.  TIP: I like to put my dredge mixture together at least an hour ahead of frying, if I have the time, so that my spices have extra time for their flavors to absorb into the flours.

  • 2 Cups Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
  • 1 Cup Superfine Almond Flour
  • 1 TBLS Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Powder

When you’re ready to cook follow these steps for juicy fried chicken without the grease, extra fat and mess that you get when you fry in peanut or vegetable oil.

  1.  Lightly spray the basket of our air fryer with olive oil spray to keep your skin from sticking
  2. Take one piece of chicken out of the buttermilk marinade and hold it over the bowl until it stops dripping (you don’t want to drop a sopping wet quarter into the dredge mixture)
  3. Lay your chicken quarter in the pan of dredge mixture and spoon the mixture over the chicken.  Lift the chicken up by the drumstick end and lightly shake to release any extra mixture.  You want a thin coating so it crisps up perfectly and isn’t soggy between the coating and the chicken.
  4. Lay your chicken quarter in the basket of your air fryer skin side up.  Repeat with as many pieces of chicken as will fit in your basket but don’t crowd the pieces.  You want the air to flow around the pieces so they all cook evenly.  My quarters were large, so I cooked 3 at a time.
  5. Set your air fryer to 375° F and set your timer according to what pieces you are cooking (except where noted, all assume your chicken has bones/skin):  Leg Quarters 25 – 30 Minutes – Cook to 165° F to 180° F in the thickest part of the thigh.  Time will be solely based on the size/thickness of your pieces.  Cooking to a higher temp breaks down the fibers of the tougher thigh meat and gives you a more tender result.  Breasts: 22 to 25 Minutes – Cook to 165° F in the thickest part of the breast.  Boneless Chicken Tenders:  12-16 Minutes – Cook to 165° F in the thickest part.
  6. Using tongs, turn your chicken pieces over 15 minutes into cooking so that your chicken gets evenly browned.  Turn tenders over 1/2 way through your cooking time.
  7. When your chicken has reached the desired temperature, remove from the air fryer, set on a cooling rack (or your plate if your serving right away) and repeat the steps with your remaining chicken.

Nutrition Information & Comparison to Traditionally Fried Chicken (1 Leg/Thigh Quarter)

  • Air Fried:  290 Calories     Deep Fried: 1262 Calories (972 Less)
  • Air Fried:  5 g Fat     Deep Fried:  85 g Fat (80 g Less)
  • Air Fried:  7 g Carbs     Deep Fried: 56 g Carbs (49 g Less)
  • Air Fried:  23 g Protein     Deep Fried: 66 g Protein (43 g Less)

What you give up in apples to apples crispiness, you more than make up in the health benefits of converting this to a Keto Air Fried recipe!

Keto Breakfast Griddler

Now that I’ve gone to #2ADays with original recipes plus a little something extra, I thought the perfect way to start is with this breakfast to grab and go!

#ThisGirlLovesToEat

Thai Street Chicken

thaistreetchickenKeith Schroeder of Cooking Light Magazine wrote a book, and received a James Beard Foundation Focus on Health Book Award, Mad Delicious – The Science of Making Healthy Food Taste Amazing!, in 2014 that doesn’t just talk about the what and how of cooking great meals, but also the why.  This recipe is one that was featured in both his book and the magazine, and perfectly illustrates why guests at his table love every dish this Atlanta chef prepares!

If you replace the brown sugar with Sukrin Gold, this recipe can easily become a flavorful, Keto Friendly meal.

Thai Street Chicken

  • 1/2 Cup Cilantro Stems
  • 1/2 Cup Parsley Stems
  • 1 TBLS Brown Sugar
  • 2 tsp White Pepper
  • 2 TBLS Fish Sauce
  • 1 TBLS Oyster Sauce
  • 4 crushed garlic cloves (I use 4 tsp of jarred, crushed garlic)
  • 1 + 1/2 Pounds Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs (About 6)
  • Olive Oil Cooking SPray
  • 1 Cup Julienned Carrots
  • 2 Peeled/Scored/Sliced Cucumbers
  • 12 Sprigs Fresh Cilantro
  • 2 Limes Cut into Wedges

Put the parsley & cilantro stems into a gallon sized zip bag and, using a rolling pin or can of vegetables, bruise the stems by pushing down and rolling over the stems from outside the bag.  Add the brown sugar (or brown sugar alternative), the white pepper, the fish and oyster sauces, and the garlic and combine.  Add the chicken, zip the bag closed, and massage the marinade into the thighs.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the dipping sauce.

Thai Dipping Sauce

  • 6 TBLS White Vinegar
  • 6 TBLS Brown Sugar (or Brown Sugar Alternative)
  • 1/4 Cup Shaved Shallots
  • 4 TBLS Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 tsp Fish Sauce
  • 2 Minced Thai Bird Chiles
  • 1 Clove Garlic, Crushed (1 tsp jarred crushed garlic)
  • 1/2 tsp White Pepper

In small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the vinegar, sugar and shallots to a boil.  Simmer for another 10 minutes then remove from heat.  Puree with an immersion blender (or in a blender).

Cool and then stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, chiles, garlic and white pepper.

After 30 minutes, removed the marinated chicken from the zip bag and discard the remaining marinade.  Put the chicken thighs on metal skewers.  Make sure your chicken is long and flat, you don’t want cubes with this style chicken.

Heat an oven safe (if cooking in your oven) grill pan, sprayed with Olive Oil cooking spray, over medium-high heat (or in a 300° oven).

Place the skewers on the hot grill and cook for 15 minutes.  Flip the skewers over and cook another 15 minutes.  You should be able to easily pull off a cooked piece of the chicken when it’s done.  Remove the skewers from the heat, slide the chicken off of the skewers and place on one side of a platter to rest for 10 minutes.

On the other side of the patter, in rows, line up the carrots, cucumber, cilantro springs, and lime wedges.  Serve with the dipping sauce.

New Orleans Muffaletta Salad

muffaletta-salad.jpgI love anything New Orleans fare and the Muffaletta sandwich is no exception.  Unfortunately, when you are following a Keto lifestyle, Muffaletta sandwiches, on big French rolls, are out of the question.  Luckily, almost any sandwich can be made into a salad, and the Muffaletta is one of them that makes a great one.

It has a lot of ingredients, and involves a lot of chopping, but the end result is SO worth it!  #ThisGirlLovesToEat

New Orleans Muffaletta Salad

First, whisk together your dressing so it can chill while you are prepping the salad.  The dressing is a great one to have extra of for regular salads and even marinating chicken with, so I usually double or triple the recipe when I’m making this salad.  So I can store the extra for easy use later, I use an OXO Good Grips Salad Dressing Shaker:

  • 3 TBLS Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
  • 1 Clove Garlic, Crushed (I use 1 tsp jarred crushed garlic)
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Basil
  • Freshly Ground Salt & Pepper to taste

To create the salad, combine and toss the following in a large bowl:

  • 1 Bag Romaine Lettuce (9 oz Size)
  • 1 Stalk Celery, Chopped
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
  • 1/2 Medium Red Onion, Finely Chopped
  • 4 ounces sliced salami, chopped
  • 4 ounces sliced Sopressata, chopped
  • 4 ounces sliced Mortadella, chopped
  • 4 ounces sliced Provolone cheese, chopped
  • 1 (16-ounce) jar Giardiniera salad, drained and chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
  • 6-8 pepperoncini, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Once your salad is prepared, drizzle all of the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly.  Serve cold.

Nutrition Information (Serves 6 Main Course Servings):

  • Calories:  295 – Salad  158 – Dressing  (453)
  • Fat:  22.5 – Salad  18 – Dressing  (40.5)
  • Carbs:  5.5 – Salad  0 – Dressing  (5.5)
  • Protein:  17 – Salad  0 – Dressing  (17)

Skip the Take-Out Beef & Broccoli

Clean eating isn’t hard if you put a little thought into it.  I love Chinese take-out but hate all of the carb-heavy thickeners and calorie bomb, sugary sauces that are used in restaurant fare.  A few tweaks, and a little make-ahead prep, lets me put this weeknight staple on the table in under 15 minutes after work!  The substitutions I made are also #KetoFriendly, which is something this busy Keto girl definitely loves. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

BeefAndBroccoli

Keto Beef & Broccoli

  • 3 TBLS Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 2 TBLS Olive Oil (I used garlic infused)
  • 2 TBLS Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 2 TBLS Clam Juice
  • 1 TBLS Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Freshly Grated Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients EXCEPT the Xanthan gum and set aside.

  • 1 Pound Lean Beef Sirloin, Boneless Ribeye, Flat Iron, or Flank Steak, sliced very thinly across the grain
  • 2 Cups Broccoli Florets
  • 1 TLS Olive Oil
  • 2 Crushed Garlic Cloves (I use 2 tsp jarred crushed garlic)
  • 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 TBLS Sliced Green Onions  (Scallions)
  • 2 TBLS Sliced Almonds (if desired)
  • 1 TBLS Toasted Sesame Seeds (if desired)

Put the sliced beef and 1/3 of the marinade in a quart sized zip bag, seal and put in the refrigerator to marinate for 4-6 hours (while your’re at work all day) or overnight.

Do ahead tip:  Stir fry the broccoli until it’s just crisp-tender (3-4 minutes) in 1 – 2 TBLS olive oil over medium-high heat, then remove from pan to a large zip bag or covered bowl and put in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to assemble your dish, using a large skillet, (I use my 4.5 quart high sided Dutch oven) heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Discard the marinade and place the beef into your pan.  If you’ve sliced your beef nice and thin, it should take only 2-3 minutes per side to brown.  Remove the beef to the bowl with the broccoli and add the reserved 2/3 marinade, salt & pepper to the pan.  Cook for about 2 minutes then stir the Xanthan Gum into the sauce.  Cook another minute or two, or until the sauce has thickened to a desired consistency and add the meat & broccoli back to the pan to coat in the sauce and warm through.  Add the Green Onions in the last few seconds of cooking.

Serve over cooked cauliflower rice and top with sliced almonds & toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Nutrition Information (Serves 6)

  • 203 Calories
  • 14 g Fat
  • 1.3 g Carbs
  • 15.5 g Protein

Keto Sweet & Sour Chicken

Because many of the sauces are so full of sugar and corn starch and the dishes are so carb heavy, with rice or egg noodles as a bed for the featured protein, most traditional Chinese food is very unfriendly to those following a #KetoLifestyle.  This kid-pleasing dish is one of the few I’ve been able to adapt without ruining the spirit of the original.

1

Keto Sweet & Sour Chicken with Broccoli

  • Olive Oil Spray
  • 1 Pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
  • Juice and 1 + 1/2 tsp Grated Zest of 1 Medium Orange
  • 12 oz Small Broccoli Florets
  • 1 Orange or Red Bell Pepper cut into 1/2″ – 1″ chunks
  • 3 TBLS Rice Vinegar
  • 2 TBLS Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 1 TBLS Xanthan Gum
  • 2 TBLS Honey
  • 1 TBLS  Crushed Garlic
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 2 TBLS Sliced Almonds
  • 1 Green Onion, Chopped
  • White Sesame Seeds

Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, and Xanthan gum in a small bowl.  Stir in the salt and red pepper flakes and set aside.

Spray large skillet with Olive Oil Spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan.

Add juice from the orange and cook for 15-30 seconds, stirring up any browned bits fro the pan.  Add broccoli & bell pepper and cook about 4 minutes, or until they’re just crisp-tender.

Add the honey and garlic to vinegar mixture, then add to the pan and bring to a boil.  Cook about 1 minute, stirring continuously until the sauce begins to thicken.  Return chicken to the pan and continue cooking for another minute, stirring to make sure that all of the broccoli and chicken are well coated with the sauce.  Remove from heat and stir in slivered almonds, chopped green onion, & orange zest.

Serve over steamed or stir-fried cauliflower rice.  Top each serving with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and, if you like more spice, additional red pepper flakes.

Nutrition Information (6 Servings)

  • 163 Calories
  • 3 g  Fat
  • 7 g Carbohydrates
  • 19 g Protein

Nutrition Information (4 Servings)

  • 244 Calories
  • 5 g  Fat
  • 11 g Carbohydrates
  • 29 g Protein

#ThisGirlLovesToEat

Quick Zucchini Pickle Ribbons

zuccpickleribbonsBecause the photo of the recipe isn’t on the same page as this recipe from #EatingWell Magazine, you could blink and miss it.  I’d have been sorry if I did!

Not only was I able to adapt it to make it #KetoFriendly, but it’s quick and easy & makes a perfect compliment for the Keto sandwiches I’m now able to enjoy because of my latest discovery: #Sola, 3g carbs per slice, Sweet Oat Bread!  It’s not cheap, but I can get it on Amazon and get my grilled cheese sandwich fix again!

Quick Zucchini Pickle Ribbons

  • 2 Medium Zucchini
  • 8 Fresh Dill Sprigs
  • 3/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 3/4 Cup Water
  • 1 TBLS Erythritol (or other Sugar Substitute)
  • 2 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Crushed Garlic Clove
  • 1/4 tsp Crushed Dried Red Pepper
  1. Cut zucchini into long strips using a vegetable peeler, discarding the inner seeds. (You should have about 12 ounces of strips.) Place in a heatproof jar and add dill.
  2. Combine vinegar, water, sugar substitute, mustard seeds, garlic and crushed red pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour into the jar. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Drain and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information per 1/4 Cup Serving

8 calories; 0 g fat; 0 g fiber; 0 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 10 mcg folate; 0 mg cholesterol; 0 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 99 IU vitamin A; 7 mg vitamin C; 8 mg calcium; 0 mg iron; 40 mg sodium; 107 mg potassium  #ThisGirlLovesToEat