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

Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars

withberries A light lemony cheesecake dessert on a buttery shortbread-like crust with a sweet-tart lemon layer covered by creamy cheesecake layer. You can enjoy this guilt free because #ItsKeto!

Keto Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Preheat oven to 350° F and lightly butter a 13 x 9 Pyrex baking pan.

Using a pastry blender, forks, or your blender/Vitamix, combine the ingredients for your crust until coarse crumbs form. TIP: I like to use my Vitamix 750 Pro on the 2 setting, after pulsing to start, so that, instead of coarse crumbs, a light, fluffy dough forms.

1+1/2 Cups Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1/2 Cup Swerve Confectioners Sugar Substitute
3/4 Cup Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut into Cubes

Press the crumbs into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake until golden brown, 18-21 minutes. Don’t under cook the crust! Remove from the oven and set aside.

Prepare the lemon layer by combining, in your blender:

4 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Granulated Xylitol or Erithritol (Sugar Substitutes)
1+1/2 TBLS Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
2 TBLS Lemon Zest
1 Cup Lemon Juice

Pour lemon mixture onto the baked crust. Skim off any large bubbles from the surface of the lemon layer.

Prepare the cheesecake layer by combining, in your stand mixer or cleaned blender container:

2 – 8 oz Packages Cream Cheese
1 Cup Granulated Xylitol or Erithritol
2 Large Eggs

BEWARE: If you use Xylitol in this recipe, which I prefer because there’s no aftertaste or cool sensation, Xylitol IS NOT PET SAFE! So, no sharing with your furry babies.

When well combined, pour and spread over the lemon mixture. It’s ok if the lemon layer peeks through, the cheesecake layer rises to the top during baking. Bake until the filling is set about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool pan on a wire rack before putting into the refrigerator to chill. Cut into 24 Bars and top with a couple of fresh berries if desired. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Nutrition Information (24 Servings):

131 Calories (Savings of 125 Calories without real sugars & all purpose flour)
1 g Fat (Savings of 13 g Fat from traditional recipe)
4 g Carbs (Savings of 27 g Carbs from traditional recipe)
3 g Protein

New Orleans Muffaletta Salad

I 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)

Chicken Bacon Ranch Balls

Appetizers and small plates are the easiest way to stay on target when I’m trying to lose a few pounds or clean up my diet. These chicken, bacon, ranch meatballs are perfect with a small salad and a side of cauliflower mash for an easy weeknight dinner and a great way to snack without guilt at tailgate parties! Low carb, nut free, gluten free, grain free, and, best of all for me, #KetoFriendly!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Balls

1 Pound Ground Chicken
12 Slices Thick Cut Bacon
1/4 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 tsp Dried Dill
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Dried Parsley
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

Preheat oven to 425° F and line baking sheet with foil and baking rack. Lay bacon strips on baking rack in even layer. Bake bacon in oven until crispy, about 15-20 minutes depending on thickness of bacon. Crumble bacon into small pieces. (Dispose of foil from baking sheet or use second baking sheet.) Decrease oven heat to 375 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
To a large mixing bowl, add ground chicken, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, egg, and spices. Using hands, mix together until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into equal-sized balls, about 1 1/2 tbsp of mixture per ball, place on prepared baking sheet, and lightly press down to slightly flatten. Bake until golden brown and cooked throughout, 25-30 minutes.
Remove poppers from oven, allow to cool slightly, and serve with low carb ranch dressing drizzled on balls or on the side. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Nutrition Information – Serving 1 Ball (Makes 16 Balls)

116 Calories
9 g Fat
0 g Carbs
9 g Protein

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.

buffalochickenmeatballs

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

Italian Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach I love a big, juicy cheeseburger but they can get boring after a while. This recipe is one that will definitely take away the boredom and might even be one that I can whip out at a tailgate this football season to change it up a bit!

This can easily be #KetoFriendly by eliminating the ciabatta roll and eating with a knife & fork on top of the spinach. #ThisGirlLovesToEat but this girl loves her skinny jeans too!

Italian Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

10 ounces baby spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
Salt
1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausages (or a combination of both), casings removed
4 slices of provolone cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried-tomato pesto
4 round ciabatta rolls, split and toasted (If you’re Keto, skip the rolls)

In a large skillet, bring 1/4 inch of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute; drain and press out as much water as possible. Wipe out the skillet.

In the same skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and anchovy paste and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spinach, season with salt and stir just until coated, about 10 seconds.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Using slightly moistened hands, form the sausage meat into four 4-inch patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Brush the burgers with oil and grill over moderate heat until browned and crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the burgers. Top with the cheese and grill until the burgers are cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Spread the pesto on the rolls. Top with the burgers and spinach and serve.

These burgers would be great paired with a fruit forward zinfandel like a 2015 Sextant Zinfandel Holystone out of Paso Robles, CA or an Artezin 2016 Old Vine Family Farmed Sustainable Zinfandel out of Mendocino County, CA. #GirlsGoneWine

Italian Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

Italian-Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

I love a big, juicy cheeseburger but they can get boring after a while. This recipe is one that will definitely take away the boredom and might even be one that I can whip out at a tailgate this football season to change it up a bit!

Italian Sausage Burgers with Garlicky Spinach

10 ounces baby spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
Salt
1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausages (or a combination of both), casings removed
4 slices of provolone cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried-tomato pesto
4 round ciabatta rolls, split and toasted

In a large skillet, bring 1/4 inch of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 1 minute; drain and press out as much water as possible. Wipe out the skillet.

Eat All You Want & Don’t Gain! Really!

fruits Everyone who follows this blog regularly knows that #ThisGirlLovesToEat. Anything that lets me eat unregulated amounts of food that I like, except kale #IHateKale, without bursting out of my jeans is something that is going to catch my attention. Sounds unlikely? I know, I doubt it too, but I’m willing to be a guinea pig!

According to scientists, you can eat as much of these 14 foods and not gain any weight due to their high water and low-starch fiber content while containing very few calories.

These foods are not high in muscle building (and fat burning) protein, but they are filled with vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants.

Celery:

95% Water
Contains potassium, folate, fiber, and 30% of your daily requirement of vitamin K
Has about 6 calories per serving
Eat when fresh – celery loses most of it’s nutritional benefits after 5-7 days

Kale:

One of the few foods that contains an Omega 3 Fatty Acid
1 Cup has about 33 calories
High in vitamins and folate

Blueberries: three-blueberries

Champion in the Antioxidant world – has more than any other fruit
1 cup has about 85 calories
1 cup has 14% of the recommended daily requirement of fiber

Cucumbers:

96% Water
16 calories per serving
Seeds and skin contain most of the Fiber and Vitamin A (Beta-Carotene) which is good for your eyes

Tomatoes:

Contain lycopene, a carotenoid, which helps fight against chronic diseases
High in vitamins A, C, and B2, as well as folate, chromium, potassium, and fiber
1 medium-sized tomato has about 25 calories

Grapefruit:

High in fiber, which stabilizes blood sugar helps you feel fuller for longer
1/2 a grapefruit has about 50 calories
High in Vitamin C and folate
Grapefruit has been found to help in weight loss, lowering cholesterol, and improving digestion

Broccoli:

Contains an anticarcinogen known as sulforaphane
Most nutritious when eaten raw or steamed
Contains vitamins A, C, E, and K
1 serving contains 20% of your daily fiber requirement
1 serving has about 31 calories

Cantaloupe:

Contains beta carotene, a form of vitamin A that promotes healthy eyes
Contains potassium
Contains more than 100% of your daily recommended value of vitamins A and C
90% Water
1 serving has about 55 calories

Cauliflower:

Contains antioxidants and phytochemicals to help fight off chronic disease
An excellent source of folate, fiber, and vitamins C and K
Has about 25 calories per serving

Blackberries:

Blackberries can help your brain to stay alert
Rich in vitamin C as well as antioxidants known as bioflavonoids
Can aid with digestion
Tightens tissue, leading to younger-looking skin
1 serving has about 62 calories

Lettuce:

Whether Romaine, Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Romain, etc.: 96% Water
Folate, iron, and vitamins A and C
1 serving has 10 to 20 calories

Oranges:

High in Vitamin C which is crucial in collagen production: oranges help keep skin free of damage and looking good
Medium orange has about 80 calories
You need to eat the white stuff under an orange’s skin (pith) it contains a lot of fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels

Strawberries: strawberries-on-white-plate

Fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free (healthy for the heart)
More vitamin C in one serving of strawberries than there is in one orange
Tons of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant
A good source of potassium and fiber
1 Cup of strawberries has about 50 calories

Honeydew Melons:

Only slightly more calories per serving than cantaloupe (64)
Contains over half of the recommended daily value of vitamin C
Contains over half of the recommended daily value of copper, which is crucial for healthy skin

If you are interested in more scientific details, you can read the original article on INSIDER.

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

Napalm Spicy Chicken Wings

napalmwings

I usually spend half the day to treat my family to my decadent buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese on Super Bowl Sunday. This year we aren’t particularly interested in the game, so we won’t be having a crowd over and it’s far to much effort (and way too many high fat/high calorie leftovers) to make for just the two of us.

Don’t get me wrong. We’ll watch the game, but we don’t have a vested cheering interest in the game and Budweiser has opted for a political ad in place of the usual feel-good puppy and Clydesdale buddy commercial, so we won’t be glued to the TV just mindlessly eating for 5 straight hours (hopefully).

That doesn’t mean we won’t be eating something amazing though. 😉

I came across this recipe for chicken wings that claim to be beyond “inferno” hot in, of all places, the December 2015 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The funniest part of the recipe, as written, is that there is nothing in it to make them “Napalm Hot.” How hot you make them is based entirely on the heat level of the hot sauce you choose to add to the recipe, so the decision is entirely yours. In my case, to make them scorchingly hot, I will be searching for a sauce that is based on Ghost Peppers or Habañero Peppers. They will be far too hot for me to eat, but my husband will be more than happy to burn his face off eating them!

Napalm Spicy Chicken Wings

3 pounds chicken wings, patted dry with paper towels
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, plus more to fry
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2–3 tablespoons honey
¼ cup hot sauce
2 limes, zested and juiced, plus lime wedges for serving

DirectionsPlace the chicken wings in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Preheat an oven to 400˚F. Spread the chicken wings on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Place in the oven and roast until the chicken wings are firm but not fully cooked through, about 20 minutes.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in honey, hot sauce and lime zest, and let simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the lime juice and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a large pot, pour in enough of the vegetable oil to reach 5 inches up the sides. Place over high heat and heat the oil until it registers 375˚F on a deep-fry thermometer.

Working in small batches, fry the wings, turning occasionally, until they are crisp and golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the wings from the oil and drain on a paper towel–lined baking sheet. Put the wings in a large bowl and toss with the hot sauce butter. Transfer to a platter and serve hot with additional lime wedges.

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