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

Air Fryer Mini Keto Pizza Crust / Flat Bread

Finally, I have settled on a recipe for dough that satisfies my need for pizza! That it’s fast & easy to assemble and I get to make it in my Dash Air Fryer is just a bonus! Even better, it tastes so good that it can be rolled out into a square, cut in half and used as a thin, savory sandwich bread.

hampestopizza — Ham & Pesto Mini Keto Pizza

Air Fried Mini Pizza Crust / Flat Bread

8 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 oz Cream Cheese
1 Large Egg at Room Temperature
2/3 Cup Finely Ground Almond Flour
1/3 Cup Coconut Flour
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano or Basil
1/4 tsp Onion Powder

Put egg, flours and spices into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Do not mix yet.

In a 4 cup microwave safe measuring cup, cook mozzarella cheese and cream cheese on high for one minute. Stir then cook in additional 30 second increments until all of the cheese is melted and it looks like cheese fondue.

Add to the egg and dry ingredients. Stir on low speed until combined and a ball forms.

Remove the dough from your bowl roll into a large ball and cut into 4 sections.

Roll 1 section into a ball and, on a piece of parchment paper that will fit in your Air Fryer, roll out the dough and flatten into either a circle or square.

For Mini Pizza Dough: Put your dough into the air fryer and cook at 350° for 5-7 minutes until the top is browned. Turn the dough over and remove the parchment paper from the unbrowned side of the dough. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes then remove, top with your desired toppings, return to the air fryer and cook until your cheese is melted and begins to brown. Don’t over sauce your pizza, this is a thin crust.

For Flat Bread: Put your dough into the air fryer and cook at 350° for 5-7 minutes until the top is browned. Turn the dough over and remove the parchment paper from the unbrowned side of the dough. Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes until browned, then remove. Slice in half and fill with your favorite sandwich ingredients. #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.

IMG_4545_edited

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

Crispy Keto Taco Shells

Tomorrow is #CincoDeMayo and, if you’re Keto like me, you can feel left out. This recipe for Keto taco shells changes that in a flash! Most people just make a taco shell from cheese, much like the #FatBomb cheese crisps I love, but Sugar Free Londoner made a shell that’s crispy and more like a hard shell, with 1.1 net grams of carbs per shell, that I’m pretty excited about. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Crispy Keto Taco Shells

2+1/4 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour (25 g)

2 tsp Ground Psyllium Husk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit.
Mix all ingredients in a food processor or with an electric mixer until they resemble small crumbs.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw circles of 6 inch / 15 cm diameter on the parchment. I traced around a small saucepan lid, but you can use any round object that size.
Scoop 1/4 cup of the taco shell mix onto each circle and spread out inside the circle.
Place a second parchment paper on top and press down the dough with your hands or use a rolling pin. Press down well – you want it nice and compacted
Remove the top parchment paper and bake in the oven for 7 minutes or until the edges of each taco have browned.
Remove from the oven and hang each taco shell over the side of a large saucepan until cooled. I like to use something a little bit wider than a pan edge, like a piece of sanded, clean 1/2″ dowling, so that there’s more room inside to stuff with fillings.

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving 1 Taco Shell (23 g)

Calories 103 Calories from Fat 57

Total Fat 6.3g Saturated Fat 4.1g

Total Carbohydrates 3.3g Dietary Fiber 2.2gSugars 1.1g

Protein 8g

Banana Muffin Tops

muffintops2 I’m in the maintenance phase of Keto, where I have more leeway with the number of carbs I’m eating, which makes me a lot happier. I’ve missed bread & pizza the most, but don’t want to completely erase my positive health gains by going back to high carbohydrate baked goods. That leaves me few choices because, frankly, I have been very unimpressed with #KetoApproved recipes for breads. It’s been really frustrating.

I’m stubborn though, so I keep trying. I am still working to modify my recipes to create #KetoFriendly baked goods that don’t taste like cardboard, have a too-dense, unenjoyable texture, and that I’d want to eat more than once. This one was a win!

Banana Muffin Tops

1 Cup Bob’s Red Mill Rolled Oats (they’re Gluten Free)
1/2 Cup Ground Flax Seed
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Liquid Stevia
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Medium Ripe Bananas (6″-7″), mashed
Chopped Macadamia Nuts, Walnuts, Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Chips, Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350° F and lightly spray a baking sheet or muffin top pan with cooking spray (TIP: Don’t use an Olive Oil based spray – it will change the flavor of your muffin tops).

Combine oats, flax seed, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, lightly beat the eggs, then mix in vanilla, stevia, milk, and mashed bananas. (TIP: If you are adding unsweetened coconut to your muffin tops, add it into the wet mixture) Leave mixer on low and slowly add dry ingredients until well combined. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

If you are using a muffin top pan: Divide the batter equally between 12 top-cups. Make sure you mound the batter – don’t smooth the batter flat. (TIP: If you are adding nuts or chocolate chips, etc., to your muffin tops, gently press those items on top of your mounded batter) Bake for 20 minutes and allow to sit in the pan to cool for 5 minutes before removing to cooling racks.

If you are using a cookie sheet: Divide the batter into 6 equal mounds per sheet remembering not to smooth the batter flat. Tops will spread a little bit, so space them out on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes and allow to sit on the pan to cool for 5 minutes before removing to cooling racks.

Store the muffin tops in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. These are great plain, but you can also spread peanut butter or cream cheese on them for an extra decadent treat. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Spicy Bacon Baby Potatoes

petitepotatoes Being Keto doesn’t mean you can’t have ANY carbs, in fact, depending on the stage you are at in your weight loss journey, you can actually enjoy a fair amount of carbs as part of your lifestyle maintenance.

At this point in my journey, I am enjoying 20 to 40 grams of carbs a couple of days a week, especially when I want a real sandwich, sweet potato, or something fun like this mini-potato recipe.

One trick I use to control my carb portions is to only prepare small amounts so I am not tempted to gorge myself on them and derail my health goals. This recipe is perfect for doing just that.

Nutrition Information for this entire recipe (2 servings)

Calories 290 (145 ea)
Fat 18.5 grams (9.25 g ea)
Carbohydrates 22 grams (11 g ea)
Protein 7 grams (3.5 g ea)

The potatoes are an excellent source of potassium (more than a banana) and vitamin C. Petites are also a good source of vitamin B6 and are fat, sodium and cholesterol free.

If you prefer these to be Vegetarian, omit the bacon. The Vegetarian nutrition information is: Calories 219 Fat 13.5 g Carbs 22 g Protein 3 g

Spicy Bacon Baby Potatoes

5 oz (About 1 Cup or 20) baby/petite potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
4 Slices Bacon, diced while raw (I use kitchen shears)
1 TBLS Olive Oil
1 tsp Chopped Garlic
1/2 tsp Dried Red Pepper Flakes (+/-)
Freshly Ground Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

In a skillet heat the oil and red pepper flakes for about 1 minute on medium heat. Add the bacon and the potatoes. Cover and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the potatoes and finish browning the bacon. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain. Add the garlic to the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for 3 – 4 more minutes.

When potatoes are fork tender (total of 7-8 minutes cooking time), remove them to a small serving bowl and add the bacon back in. Toss to distribute and add more red pepper flakes if desired. Serve warm. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Pizza Egg Cups

I love bacon, but this #KetoGirl needs to switch things up once and a while to avoid breakfast boredom. Enter pepperoni and breakfast is a whole new ballgame.

These are easy to prepare and a nice change from routine bacon and egg cups! I only make a few at a time because they are a stronger flavor that I don’t really want to eat for breakfast every day during the week. When I make these I change up breakfast with hard boiled eggs, berries and fat-free Greek yogurt, a 2 egg-veggie scramble, or breakfast pizzas.

Pepperoni Pizza Egg Cups

12 Slices Unsulphured Deli Pepperoni, cut in half (I buy a pound at a time from the butcher at Whole Foods)
2 Large Eggs
2 TBLS Milk or Heavy Cream
1 Slice Provolone Cheese, cut in quarters
1 TBLS Diced Green Onion
2 TBLS Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Line 4 cups in a 12 hole muffin tin with the pieces of pepperoni. Place the muffin tin in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and move the semi formed pepperoni cups to new holes. Sop up the grease from the holes they cooked in.

Place one 1/4 piece of the cheese within each pepperoni cup and the green onion between the 4 cups. Put the pan back into the oven for 3 minutes.

Lightly beat the eggs with the milk and divide them between the 4 cups. Sprinkle the top of each with the cheddar cheese. Bake for an additional 9 – 10 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked through, and then remove from the oven.

Immediately loosen and remove the egg cups from the pan. Serve immediately or store in a tightly covered container. Reheat in microwave for 30-45 seconds. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

cheeseburgercasserole

Your family will have no clue this is Keto! Throw a green salad alongside and it will be just like eating a bunless burger at a restaurant! I had barely put this on the plates before my family was scarfing it down and asking for seconds. Next time I will definitely need to double this recipe!

Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

1/2 pound thick cut bacon cut into 1/2″ chunks
1/2 small red onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic minced
1 pound 90/10 ground sirloin
2 dill pickles chopped
2 Roma tomatoes chopped
2 large eggs
2 TBLS tomato paste
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2+1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Cajun seasoning (if desired)
salt & pepper to taste
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

Cook the bacon and onions in a high sided dutch oven or over sized skillet. Drain, put into an 8 x 8 baking dish, and put into a pre-heated 350° F oven. Season the beef with the Cajun seasoning, and brown it with the garlic in the same pan used for the onion & bacon.

Combine the eggs, whipping cream and 1 Cup of the cheese and set aside.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the browned meat from the pan to get as much of the grease/liquid out as possible. Combine the meat with the tomato paste and then layer the meat mixture on on top of the bacon. Next add tomatoes and pickles to the top of the meat layer in the pan. Pour the egg mixture over the top of everything (Do NOT stir). Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 15 – 22 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and browned on top. Let the casserole set 5 – 10 minutes before cutting.

Mine served 6 very generous portions. Serve with Frank’s Red Hot sauce. You could also make it fancy and top with lettuce and some diced tomato & avocado. This recipe is definitely a keeper. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

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