Salted Lime Sweet Potato Chips

sweetpotatochips I’m a savory snack girl, but don’t want to completely derail my hard earned Keto gains by cheating with a bag of store bought potato chips. What’s a snacker to do? This snacker chooses to spend her carbs on a healthier version of sweet potato chips, without the store bought preservatives and additives. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Salted Lime Sweet Potato Chips

4 Medium Sweet Potatoes (or yams)
1 TBLS Corn Starch
Olive Oil Spray
4 Limes
Freshly Ground Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 425° and place oven safe cooling racks on 2 baking sheets.
Wash sweet potatoes and thinly slice with a very sharp kitchen knife or mandolin.
Place sweet potato slices in a bowl and cover them with warm water and corn starch. Soak for 15-20 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the water and dry very well with a paper towel.
Lay a single layer of potatoes on each rack and spray each side of the potato slice with olive oil spray.
If you have a small spray bottle, fill it with your lime juice & spritz top side lightly with the lime juice. If you don’t have a spray bottle, drizzle the lime juice lightly over your potatoes.
Lightly salt the tops then bake for 15 – 25 minutes (depending on thickness of slices), flipping the potato slices half way through the baking process. Check the potato chips frequently, it may take less time if your chips are sliced extra thin, to make sure that they don’t burn! Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information (Serving Size 1 oz):

24 Calories
0 g Fat
4 g Carbs
<1 g Protein

Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs

One way to meal prep for the week is to do kebabs in the air fryer. Not only is it fast, but it’s a perfect way to measure out exactly what you’re eating. Today I made chicken kebabs and put them together with 3 different sides for 3 different healthy meals this week. These can easily be laid atop a bed of fresh spinach topped with olive oil and salt & pepper, beside a green salad, or on a mound of cauliflower mash. Except for needing to remove and heat the kebabs separately with the salad, it’s a quick & easy minute in the microwave for a hearty weekday lunch or dinner. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs

1 – 12 oz Chicken Breast, Trimmed (I used chicken breast fillets)
1 Medium Zucchini, Cut into 1/2″ Slices
18 Plum or Cherry Tomatoes
6 Bamboo Skewers or metal skewers supplied with rack
3 TBLS Low Carb BBQ Sauce

Cut the skewers (if using bamboo skewers & necessary) with a pair of kitchen shears, down to just short of the length of your Air Fryer Tray. Soak the skewers in water for 10-15 minutes.

Cut your chicken into about 1″ Chunks and toss in 3 TBLS low carb BBQ sauce.

Thread each skewer with 3 slices Zucchini (About 1 oz), 3 plum or cherry tomatoes, 2 oz chicken breast cut into 4 chunks. Start and end with a piece of zucchini for stability and alternate pieces of chicken and cherry tomato with a piece of zucchini in the middle.

If you have a rack for your air fryer (for holding skewers), place as many skewers as will fit without crowding (mine holds 3). Cook for 9-10 minutes at 350° F then remove cooked skewers and finish cooking the rest. Brush with more BBQ if desired.

Nutrition Information (Serving Size 2 Skewers)

166 Calories
1.2 g Fat
10 g Carbs
28 g Protein

Low Carb Spinach Wraps

spinachwraps Since going Keto, I’ve missed sandwiches and wraps, so I’m always on the lookout for a low carb replacement. Today I tripped across a simple recipe I could adapt for spinach based wraps that I can use for lunches or even burritos! #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Quick & Easy Spinach Wraps

1/2 – of a 16 oz bag of Frozen Spinach (defrosted)
3 Large Eggs
1/2 tsp Psyllium Husk Powder
1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/8 tsp Freshly Ground Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Defrost spinach, then squeeze out all of the water.
Put the spinach and all other ingredients in your blender or Vitamix.
Process for 1-2 Minutes, gradually increasing your speed, until all ingredients are combined and very smooth.
Add in 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese. Blend another 15-30 Seconds.
Lightly spray a small skillet with the olive oil spray (I used a 6 1/3″ Le Crueset Skillet) and put on stove with flame set to medium-high heat.
After about 30 seconds, lower heat to medium and pour about 1/2 of the batter in the middle of the pan.
Using a spatula spread the batter out to make a tortilla shape – the mix will be thick but not unspreadable, just keep spreading until you have created an even, thin disc.
Cook for 2-3 minutes, you should see bubbles popping like when cooking a pancake, or until the edges start to shrink away; check if cooked by lifting the edge: if it lifts easily, you can now flip your tortilla over and cook the other side for about another minute.
Remove from pan, cool on a wire rack, and fill with your favorite sandwich or wrap fillings.

Cool completely and make sure wraps are dry before storing in a sealed container, between pieces of parchment or waxed paper, in the refrigerator. Can be frozen in zip bags as well.

Nutrition Information per wrap (makes 3 large wraps):

168 Calories
6 g Fat
3 g Carbs
9 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.

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

zuccpickleribbons Because 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

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.
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

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 Frying Time Chart

The instruction guides that come with most appliances are brief and don’t give the precise times to cook the wide variety foods that people prepare. I found a pretty handy time guide that covers most everyday cooking situations when I’m using my Dash Air Fryer.

Air-Fryer-Cooking-Chart

When all else fails I head to Google and use the search term: Air frying time for… whatever food I’m trying to cook. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

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

Air Fried Skinny Bloomin’ Onion

outbackonion While there aren’t many of them left around near me, the worst part of going to Outback Restaurant was having to pass up their Blooming Onion because of the 155 whopping grams of fat and 123 grams of Carbs from the corn starch and flour they have in them from the deep frying. Thankfully there is a work around now that there’s the Dash air fryer, using this slimmed down recipe, that results in a total of 8 grams of fat and 10 grams of carbs per serving! That makes this a treat I can add to my #KetoLifestyle on occasion, which makes me very happy!

Air Fried Skinny Bloomin’ Onion

1 Large Sweet Onion (I use a Vidalia) about 1 Pound
6 ounces Beer or Seltzer
1+1/2 Cup Flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour Mix)
1 Egg
2 tsps Salt
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 TBLS Paprika
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Olive Oil Spray

Peel and cut your onion: 1. Cut off 1/2 inch from the pointy stem end of the onion, then peel. 2. Place the onion cut-side down. Starting 1/2 inch from the root, make a downward cut all the way through to the board. 3. Repeat to make four evenly spaced cuts around the onion. 4. Continue slicing between each section until you have 16 evenly spaced cuts. 5. Turn the onion over and use your fingers to gently separate the outer pieces.

In one bowl mix the beer, 1/2 cup of the flour, and the egg. In a second bowl mix the remaining flour and the seasonings.

Dip the onion in the beer batter first and be sure to get in between all of the petals, next dip the onion in the flour and spice mixture making sure that there is coverage in between every petal. I wear rubber gloves and use a separate hand for wet and dry.

Spray the entire onion with Olive Oil Cooking Spray and Air fry for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown and done in all of the crevices.

While the onion is cooking prepare the sauce. Combine:

2 TBLS Mayonnaise
2 TBLS Sour Cream
1+1/2 tsp Ketchup (I use sugar free ketchup)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 TBLS Drained Horseradish
1/4 tsp Paprika
Pinch Cayenne Pepper
Freshly Ground Salt & Pepper to taste

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the onion piping hot with the sauce. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Changing over to a Keto focused diet has meant embracing some foods that I wasn’t a fan of out of necessity, like cauliflower. But, not having been a prior fan of anything cauliflower related, it’s been a journey making cauliflower my friend.

To be completely honest, without mass quantities of Frank’s Red Hot, Butter, Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning, Pesto Sauce, Cheese Sauce or any version of Queso, and plain old Salt & Pepper, I would likely still be struggling with it…

I’ve had buffalo cauliflower at restaurants but never been able to replicate it at home using my oven. It has either come out overcooked or soggy. Major fail! Now that I have jumped on the #Airfryer bandwagon, I have finally managed to create a recipe at home that I’d actually serve people I like. 😉

Air Fried Buffalo Caulifower Bites

Medium Head Cauliflower OR 1 Bag Fresh Cauliflower Florets
2 tsp Dried Cilantro
2 TBLS (or more to taste) Frank’s Red Hot or other Hot Sauce
2 TBLS Butter, melted

Either cut the head of cauliflower into florets or empty your bag into a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle the cilantro over the cauliflower and stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it’s evenly distributed.

Mix the Franks (or other hot sauce) and butter until well combined and pour over the cauliflower. Toss to coat the cauliflower.

Spray or brush the basket of your air fryer with olive oil.

Pour the cauliflower into the basket and close the drawer of the air fryer. Set to 400° F and set the timer to cook for 18-20 minutes, depending on how much cauliflower you have. Shake your basket every 4 minutes. If, at the end of your cooking time your cauliflower isn’t as browned as you want it (I like mine to be browned at the edges), add some more time in increments of 2 minutes.

Serve with low carb ranch dressing and carrot & celery sticks if desired. #ThisGirlLovesToEat