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.

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

Cheesy Green Chili Keto Breakfast Casserole

Steve-Swartz-1392x928_edited I’ve been Missing in Action for the past two weeks. My brother-in-law passed away unexpectedly and cooking has been the last thing on my mind. Eating however, has continued thanks to the wonderful people of the community of San Clemente, California. The San Clemente Sunrise Rotary and the neighbors in their Flora Vista community have kept meals on our table round the clock the entire two weeks. I have never been more thankful or humbled. The generosity and outpouring of support has been beyond anything I could have imagined, and I am so very grateful.

Very grateful and now 6 pounds heavier, LOL! They’ve brought so much comfort food, and what is comfort food typically made up of? Carbs…a Keto dieter’s biggest FOE! So, it’s time for this girl, who LOVES to eat, to get back on track.

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Cheesy Green Chile Keto Breakfast Casserole

8 Large Eggs
6 oz Trader Joe’s (or any brand) Shredded Swiss & Gruyère
8 oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 – 4 oz Can Mild Diced Green Chiles (Ortega or any brand)
2 TBLS Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Freshly Ground Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350° F, and butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.

Using a whisk. combine 1/2 of your whipping cream with the flour in a large mixing bowl to make a thick paste, then whisk in the rest of your cream and your eggs and set aside.

Combine your cheeses and put about 1 Cup of it into the bottom of your buttered pan.

Evenly distribute the diced green chiles over the top of the cheese layer.

Give the egg mixture another quick whisk and pour over the top of the chile & cheese in the pan, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the eggs are set in the center. Mine took about 29 minutes.

Allow the casserole to set about 5 minutes after removing from the oven then cut into 12 pieces. Serve as is or top with salsa and/or sour cream and chopped green onion or chives if desired. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Nutritional Information (12 Servings)

142 Calories
12 g Fat
<1 g Carbohydrates
8.5 g Protein

Garlic Cauliflower Gnocchi

I’m all-in on my #KetoLifestyle, but there are certain things I enjoy, like bread and pasta, that I miss incredibly. I love zucchini, but I can’t accept zoodles as a legitimate replacement for pasta. Trader Joe’s makes a great cauliflower gnocchi, but it’s not Keto friendly, so I set out to adapt a regular gnocchi recipe to one that fits into my Keto lifestyle. It’s also a great recipe for anyone following a Gluten Free diet.

Garlic Cauliflower Gnocchi

Medium Head Cauliflower
1/2 Cup + 2 TBLS Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dried Basil
Olive Oil Spray

Combine the flour, salt, garlic powder and basil in a bowl and set aside.

Remove the stem from the cauliflower and cut it into florets. You want 5 cups of florets. Put the cauliflower florets in a food processor (I use my Vitamix) and pulse until it’s riced into crumbles.

SistemaLargeSteamer Using a microwave-safe steamer (I use the Sistema 6 Cup [Large] Microwave Steamer) cook the cauliflower 7+1/2 to 10 minutes on high – you want the cauliflower done but not soggy.

TIP: If you don’t have a microwave steamer: Place all of the cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a paper towel. Microwave for 5 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and spread it on a towel to cool. Once cauliflower is cool enough to work with, wrap in a towel and squeeze the water out.

Place the cauliflower back in the food processor (Vitamix). Blend until creamy.

Put the drained cauliflower into a large bowl (I used my stand mixer with the dough hook attachment) and add the dry ingredients. Mix together until your dough comes together. TIP: Do not add more flour – it’s OK that the dough is sticky at this point.

Transfer the dough to a floured bread board or counter top. To make the dough easier to work with, you’ll want to add an additional tablespoon or two (no more than that) of flour as you roll the dough. Shape it into a ball, then wrap it in a piece of waxed paper and refrigerate the dough for about 15 minutes. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and slice it into 4 equal sections.

Roll each section out until you have a rope about 1-inch thick. Slice the dough into 1/2″ squares with a sharp knife.

I do a two part cooking process. First I boil the gnocchi in rapidly boiling, salted water for 6 minutes. Next you have the choice of how (if at all) you want to brown up your gnocchi. I prefer to brown it to give the gnocchi a nice seal – you can decide on the degree of brownness you like.

To Sauté the gnocchi: Using olive oil cooking spray (for the least added calories and fat), generously spray a skillet and, working in batches, place a single layer of gnocchi in the pan and then give them a light coating of olive oil spray on the exposed side. Cook about 5 minutes per side if you like them crisp and deep brown. You can reduce the time for lighter brown, less crispy, more traditional gnocchi.

To Oven Roast the gnocchi: Line a cookie sheet with foil and lightly spray it with olive oil cooking spray. Place your boiled gnocchi down in rows, spray the tops with olive oil spray and lightly season with salt & pepper. In a preheated 425° F oven, bake for 12 minutes then turn the gnocchi over, return to the oven and continue cooking for an additional 10-12 minutes. This will give you a nice, crispy, medium brown gnocchi.

To Serve: I melt some butter in a skillet and add some freshly chopped basil and garlic to the butter and sauté for about 3 minutes over medium heat until the butter just starts to brown a bit. Drizzle the sauce over the piles of gnocchi and serve immediately. Alternatively, these hold up great in a spicy marinara sauce with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese too. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Nutrition Information per serving (Serves 4)

Calories 100
Net Carbs 6.75 grams
Fat 2.5 grams
Protein 5 grams

Air Fried Coconut Shrimp

You might be able to tell I’m obsessed with my air fryer. It’s so stinkin’ easy to use, clean up, and it’s great for healthy cooking! The best part of having the air fryer is that the possibilities with it are endless. All I’ve had to do so far is go to Google for recipe inspiration. Today’s ingredient: raw shrimp.

airfriedcoconutshrimp

Coconut Shrimp with Honey Lime Sauce

1/2 Cup Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1+1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Large Eggs (I use Eggland’s Best)
2/3 Cup Unsweetened Flaked Coconut
1/3 Cup Panko Crumbs
24 Medium Peeled, Deveined Raw Shrimp, Tail-on
Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1 Serrano Chile, thinly sliced
2 tsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro (Optional)

Stir together flour and pepper in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in a second shallow dish. Stir together coconut and Panko in a third shallow dish. Holding each shrimp by the tail, dredge shrimp in flour mixture, making sure not to coat tail; shake off excess. Dip in egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Dredge in coconut mixture, pressing to adhere. Coat shrimp well with cooking spray.

Place half of the shrimp in air fryer basket in a single layer, and cook at 400°F until golden, 6 to 8 minutes, turning shrimp over halfway through cooking. If you have larger shrimp it may take up to 10 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Repeat with remaining shrimp and salt.

While shrimp cook, whisk together honey, lime juice, and Serrano chile in small bowl. Sprinkle shrimp with cilantro, if desired. Serve with sauce. Note: If you are keeping to a Keto lifestyle, skip the honey based sauce and just squeeze a bit of lime juice on instead.

Serving size 6 shrimp. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Nutrition Information per serving (Shrimp only – no sauce): Calories 213 Fat 11 Carbs 9 Protein 14

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Cooking Frozen Chicken Breasts

airfriedchicken Sometimes, when you haven’t planned ahead, you get backed into a corner trying to make dinner with no thawed meat. If you have a bag of #FlashFrozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts in your freezer, you don’t have to #ThrowInTheTowel and call for a pizza. With your air fryer you can still salvage a quick and healthy dinner and look like you planned it all along.

Usually air frying thawed boneless chicken breasts at 375° F, takes about 13 minutes. When they are frozen I kick the temperature up and add 6 to 12 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the breasts.

4 breasts fit in my Dash 6 quart air fryer, so I place them into the basket, set my temperature to 400° F and set the timer for 18 minutes.

Open the fryer at about 8 minutes to turn the breasts over (for even browning) and continue cooking. Check each chicken breast at about 14 minutes, by slicing into the thickest part of the breast, in order to ensure that is well-done. Mine weren’t quite done at 14 minutes, so I added another 4 minutes and they came out perfectly browned, juicy and ready to decide what to do with them.

I can shred the breasts and turn them into #ChickenTacos, cut the breasts into strips to top a #ChickenSalad, cut them into chunks and toss with some Buffalo sauce to eat as a snack, leave the breasts whole to serve alongside some vegetables for a healthy, low carb dinner, or leave them whole and make a #ChickenSandwich on grilled sourdough or a hamburger bun. Once the chicken is cooked, you’re limited only by what other ingredients you have on hand. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Ham Wrapped Asparagus

asparaguswithhamaf2 Talking to friends, I have heard a lot of them losing hope as the months of their dieting, and slow movements on the scale, drag on. They’re getting bored with the foods they’re eating, or hate the foods that are promised to be the biggest help in losing weight, particularly eggs, on the #KetoDiet. As one who suffers occasional food boredom as well, I’ve been sharing some of my favorite #MakeAhead snacks and #GrabAndGo meals that make me less tempted to cheat.

Air Fryer Ham Wrapped Asparagus

8 Spears Fresh Asparagus, woody ends trimmed
4 Large Thin Slices Ham, sliced in half (I use Columbus Brand Apple wood Smoked Ham)
Olive Oil Spray
Freshly Ground Salt & Pepper

Lay asparagus spears in the basket of your air fryer and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Shake the spears in the basket to make sure the spears are coated.
Season with salt and pepper and shake again before closing the air fryer.
Cook spears for 3 minutes at 400° F, and remove from basket.
Wrap each spear of asparagus with 1/2 piece of ham.
Place back in basket, seam side down and lightly spray again with olive oil spray.
Cook another 5-7 minutes at 400° F, shaking once in the middle of the time, until ham is lightly browned.
Remove spears from basket and serve warm with grained mustard, if desired.

This is a great appetizer, light lunch, or even breakfast. I love to make some of these and put them into the refrigerator to pack for a midday snack at the office! #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Air Fried Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

buffalochickenmeatballs2 After my first Dash Air Fryer test with the avocado fries didn’t bomb, I moved on to the scary territory of chicken. Chicken can be hard to cook because you need to monitor the temperature very closely. It has to be cooked enough so you don’t get sick, but if you cook it too much it turns into a rubbery or dry mess. The out of sight, cook in a drawer without benefit of monitoring with a meat thermometer, method was a little bit daunting. It turns out I had no reason to fear.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1+1/2 Pounds Ground Chicken Thigh
1 Egg beaten
1 Green Onion chopped
1 Stalk Celery, finely chopped
2 +1/2 TBLS Almond Flour (not finely ground)
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper.
1 tsp Salt
1 – 1+1/2 Cups Buffalo Wing Sauce (I like Frank’s Red Hot)

Layout a sheet of waxed paper on your counter.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, minus the buffalo sauce. Mix well using your hands. Mixture will be sticky, I wear disposable gloves.

Roll mixture into about 2″ balls and layout on the wax paper until all of the meat is formed into balls.

Remove the air fryer basket and grease or spray it lightly with olive oil. Place a single layer of the meatballs into the basket, put it into the air fryer, set the temperature to 400° F and cook for 13 minutes. When cooking is complete check your meatballs to make sure they are evenly browned all the way around. If they aren’t, add another 2 minutes time and finish cooking the meatballs.

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When time is done, immediately remove the meatballs from the basket to a serving dish and drizzle with the sauce or put the meatballs into a bowl with a lid and toss the meatballs with the sauce to cover them completely in the sauce. Serve with low carb ranch dressing and carrot & celery sticks if desired. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Crustless BBQ Chicken Quiche

A hearty, meat-filled quiche can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you skip the meat, it’s a great main course on #MeatlessMonday or during #Lent, and is a perfect way to use up #Leftovers!

This week I made more chicken thighs than we could eat, so they became the star of this spicy main dish pie! I served it alongside a peppery arugula salad and a big glass of #WesterlyWines Côte Blonde Syrah.

Easy Crustless BBQ Chicken Quiche

5 Large Eggs
1/8 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Or any type you choose)
2 Cups Chopped Cooked Chicken Thighs
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Sliced Mushrooms (Any type)
1/2 – 6 oz Can Diced Green Peppers or Jalapeños (If desired)
2 Cups Fresh Greens (Any type I used Spinach)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 TBLS Low Carb BBQ Sauce (I use Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard)

Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9 x 9 square baking pan or Quiche/pie pan generously with olive oil. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese to the bottom of the pan and set aside.

In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, add 2 TBLS Olive Oil (I used garlic infused oil). Add onions, jalapeños, and mushrooms and sauteé until onions are translucent and begin to soften a bit. Add the spinach, another TBLS of olive oil, and cook another 30 seconds or so, just until the spinach begins to wilt. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add chopped chicken thighs to the pan. Stir in the BBQ sauce and cook about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and scatter across the cheese layer in the prepared pan. Top the chicken with the Spinach mixture, making sure to distribute evenly around the pan. Top with the remaining cheese.

In a medium bowl or large mixing cup, combine the eggs, milk, cream, salt & pepper. Whip thoroughly with a wire whisk.

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetable and cheese layers in the pan. Put pan into preheated oven and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until center is set. Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack. If eating immediately, slice into 8 wedges and serve warm.

Suggested toppings:

Guacamole
Sour Cream
Chives
Sliced Avocado

If meal prepping, slice into 8 sections and put into a large container in the refrigerator to eat during the week. To reheat: Microwave a single portion on high for 30 seconds, top and enjoy! #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Crustless Veggie Quiche

One of the easiest ways to meal prep for the week is to throw a Quiche or two together while you are prepping other meals. A quiche can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It can be dinner on #MeatlessMonday or during #Lent, and is a great way to clean out your #Leftovers and veggie drawer once a week!

This week I had some tasty ingredients that gave me a hearty, flavorful pie that fed me all week.

Easy Crustless Veggie Quiche

5 Large Eggs
1/8 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 Cup Whole Milk
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Or any type you choose)
2 Cups Chopped Frozen Broccoli
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms (Any type)
2 Cups Fresh Greens (Any type I used Spinach)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (If desired)

Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9 x 9 square baking pan or Quiche/pie pan generously with olive oil. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese to the bottom of the pan and set aside.

In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, add 2 TBLS Olive Oil (I used garlic infused oil). Add onions and mushrooms and sauteé until onions are translucent and begin to soften a bit. Add the spinach, another TBLS of olive oil, and cook another 30 seconds or so, just until the spinach begins to wilt. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add broccoli and another TBLS of oil to the pan. Cook about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and scatter across the cheese layer in the prepared pan. Top the broccoli with the Spinach mixture, making sure to distribute evenly around the pan. Top with the remaining cheese.

In a medium bowl or large mixing cup, combine the eggs, milk, cream, salt & pepper. Whip thoroughly with a wire whisk.

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetable and cheese layers in the pan. Top with red pepper flakes, if desired. Put pan into preheated oven and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until center is set. Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack.

If eating immediately, slice into 8 wedges and serve warm. Suggested toppings:

Guacamole
Sour Cream
Chives, Cilantro, or Parsley
Sliced Avocado

Buffalo Shrimp Lettuce Boats

I just ate my first true #CheatMeal since going Keto 4 months ago. 3 huge, luscious, cheesy, hand tossed pieces of pizza from my favorite neighborhood pizza place, #NorthwoodPizza. I loved all 3 of them but I couldn’t feel any worse about myself right now. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

I don’t feel bad about myself for eating the pizza. I wanted it so I ate it. I feel bad about myself because I’ve reprogrammed my body to not overeat carbs and now my body feels awful. I’m bloated, I have a stomach ache and my digestion is all out of whack. Tonight just proves Keto is working for me. It’s time to go right back to adapting my favorite cheats so they work FOR my body, not against it.

One of my very favorite meals is deep fried buffalo shrimp eaten alone or in tacos. My take on this recipe, from Delish, allows me to get my buffalo shrimp fix without destroying my diet goals or the improved way my body functions and feels.

Buffalo Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

1 TBLS Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 Cup Hot Sauce, I prefer Frank’s Red Hot
1 TBLS Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Pound Shrimp, peeled & deveined with tails removed
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Head Romaine, leaves separated
1/2 Small Red Onion, finely chopped
1 Rib Celery, finely chopped
1/2 Cup Blue Cheese, crumbled
1/2 Ripe Avocado Chopped (optional)
Ranch Dressing (optional)

Make buffalo sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When melted completely, add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add hot sauce and stir to combine. Turn heat to low while you cook the shrimp.
Make shrimp: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook, flipping halfway, until pink and opaque on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Turn off heat and add the buffalo sauce, tossing to coat.
Assemble wraps: Add a small scoop of shrimp to the center of a romaine leaf, then top with red onion, celery, avocado (if desired), and blue cheese. Drizzle with additional Hot Sauce and Ranch Dressing if desired.