Tag: low carb

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

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Easy Antipasto Bites

Gatherings are easier with quick, #MakeAhead, appetizers. #AntipastoBites can be made the day before and kept, in a sealed container, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. The flavors are better when closer to room temperature, so, get them out 15-30 minutes before serving.

  • 1/2 c. Extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 Tablespoons, divided
  • 9 oz. Fresh cheese tortellini
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
  • 8 oz. Mozzarella balls (in deli case near specialty cheeses)
  • 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp. Red pepper flakes
  • 4 oz. Sliced salami (or Prosciutto, Pepperoni, Sopressata, etc.)
  • 1/4 lb. Roasted red peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 Bunch fresh basil
  • 14 oz. Artichoke hearts (drain & chop into bite-sized pieces)
  • 1/4 lb. Green olives (Can substitute black if you prefer)
  1. In a large pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon oil. Cook tortellini according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to large bowl.
  2. Season cooked tortellini with salt and pepper. Add balsamic vinegar and 2 TBLS olive oil and mix to combine. Set aside.
  3. Marinate mozzarella: In a small bowl, add mozzarella balls, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Mix to combine and set aside.
  4. Assemble skewers by layering one piece each mozzarella, salami, roasted red pepper, tortellini, basil, artichoke heart, and green olives.

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Keto Banana Mini Bundt Muffins

These muffins are great to keep in the refrigerator all week for #GrabAndGo breakfasts. They freeze well too.

Keto Banana Mini Bundt Muffins

  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 Cup Truvia (best for baked goods)
  • 1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar Substitute (Sukrin)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 3/4 Cup Ripe, Mashed Banana
  • 1 1/2 Cups Superfine Almond Flour
  • 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease mini Bundt pan with a swipe of butter or cooking spray
  3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
  5. Stir in banana.
  6. Sift dry ingredients into banana mixture.
  7. Mix until dry ingredients just incorporated.
  8. Spoon into pan.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

I like these with a little spread of #KetoFriendly cream cheese!

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

I Guess Adult Pickles Are a Thing

Leave millions of people in isolation, with time to fill, an internet full of ideas + the ability to get anything you need to bring weird ideas to life shipped to you, and what do you get?

Apparently a whole lot of drunk people eating pickles! I’ve seen whiskey pickles, tequila pickles, Old Bay and vodka pickles, beer and pickles, apple infused vodka pickles, and even candied pickle pops made with vodka & Kool-Aid. I’m not a trendy, #TikTok kind of girl, but I’m up for a challenge, the boys are coming over for Father’s Day & I can’t wait to give this a try so I can see their faces when they take their first bites.

Drunken Pickles

2 C Small Pickles or Gherkins

1 C Pickle Juice

1 C Good Bourbon – I like Makers Mark

5 Sprigs of Dill

A Few Dashes of Hot Sauce – I like Frank’s Red Hot

If You like a little more kick, add a few shakes Red Pepper Flakes

4” Cocktail Skewers

  1. In a medium bowl, combine pickles with pickle juice, whiskey, dill and hot sauce. Refrigerate for at least an hour. I plan to leave them overnight.
  2. Drain and skewer pickles. Serve.

Recipe courtesy of Lena Abraham, Senior Food Editor, Delish Magazine, June 30, 2017; Photo credit: Chelsea Lupkin

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

Pressure Cooker Bourbon Short Ribs

It’s time to ditch the #Covid15, so back to cooking at home instead of Doordashing dinners I go!

These short ribs pressure cook to a fork tender, falling off the bone, delicious finish in under an hour and are great with a simple salad and cauliflower mash. I used ground Chipotle, but you can use any pepper spice you prefer. I prefer it smokier with the bourbon.

Bourbon Short Ribs

  • 2 1/2 Pounds Bone-in Short Ribs (About 6)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Bourbon
  • 1 TBLS Paprika
  • 2 tsp Ground Cayenne, Adobo, or Chipotle (1 tsp if you want it milder)
  • 3 TBLS Granulated Sugar (you can use a sugar substitute if you’re strictly counting every carb)
  • 3 TBLS Balsamic Vinegar
  • 6 Cloves Garlic (Iused 1 TBLS jarred chopped garlic)
  • 3-4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 1 Can Beef Consommé
  • 1TBLS Cornstarch + 1 TBLS Cold Water mixed together

Cooking Directions:

  • Fill a large bowl or pot with cold water. Immerse the short ribs, and rinse the ribs in the cold water to wash off excess blood and bone dust.
  • Drain and pat dry the short ribs with paper towels. Generously sprinkle salt & pepper on all the ribs, on both sides.
  • Switch on the Instant Pot to the saute setting on high. When the instant pot is hot, pour in about 2 tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot, place about 3 – 4 short ribs in the instant pot to caramelize or to sear. It’s important not to overcrowd the bottom in order to get nice caramelization on your short ribs. Sear the short ribs on all sides, about 2 – 3 minutes per side. Place the caramelized short ribs on a plate.
  • Repeat with the rest of the short ribs.
  • Place the onion in the pot, and add the boubon. De-glaze the bottom of the instant pot to make sure that all of the caramelized bits on the bottom are mixed with the bourbon (de-glazing is an important step, so don’t skip it). Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, sugar, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and thyme.
  • Bring just to a boil, then turn off your instant pot.
  • Place the short ribs, fat side down, back in the instant pot.
  • Pour the consommé over the short ribs. Close the instant pot. Choose the manual pressure function and set it to high. Cook the short ribs for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 – 15 minute natural release.
  • Gently remove the short ribs on to bowl, and turn the saute function back on to thicken the liquid in the instant pot.
  • Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add it to the sauce in the instant pot. Mix it in and bring it to a simmer until the liquid has thickened. Taste and season the liquid with more salt, pepper, or balsamic vinegar, if needed. Turm the Instant Pot off and put the short ribs back into the instant pot to coat with the sauce.

Serve over your cauliflower mash (I grilled some summer squash) with the sauce. #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Chicken Bacon Ranch Meatballs

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Ground chicken breast is one of my favorite ways to build a base for a #Keto meal!  It’s so versatile, mixes so well with most of my favorite ingredients, and is so easy to meal prep for the week ahead, that it’s become my go-to for creating new #KetoRecipes. 

This recipe for #ChickenBaconRanchMeatballs is fun because you can eat them all alone or pop them on a skewer between a piece of lettuce and 1/2 a plum or cherry tomato and drizzle with some ranch dressing for a fun lunch, light dinner, or appetizer.  #ThisGirlLovesToEat

Chicken Bacon Ranch Meatballs

  • 2 Pounds Ground Chicken Breast
  • 4 Pieces Thick Cut Bacon
  • 3 Pieces Thick Cut Peppered Bacon
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 2 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach
  • 1 TBLS Olive Oil
  • 4 TBLS Ranch Dressing
  • 1/2 Cup Panko
  • Olive Oil Spray

 

Using your hands, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until well mixed.

Spray the basket in your air fryer lightly with olive oil spray, place a layer of meatballs, with space between for the air to flow around, set the temperature to 380° F, and set the timer for 8 minutes. Cook the meatballs, shaking them to turn them about halfway through so they brown evenly.

Quick, easy and oh so tasty!

 

Mushroom Soup 3 Ways

There’s nothing else like a hearty mushroom soup to make my tummy super happy. #ThisGirlLovesToEat. Thankfully, mushroom soup is easy to make, and can be #KetoFriendly, as these three recipes, adapted from #RecipeIdeas, prove!

Basic Mushroom Soup 

Ingredients 

8 ounces of mushroom
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tbsp of onion (chopped)
4 cups of milk
½ tsp of salt
2 cups of boiling water
¼ tsp of pepper
3 tbsp of flour

Instructions

Put the mushrooms in a saucepan. Pour in the bouillon and water. Add the onion. Boil this and let it simmer for half an hour. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Stir in the flour and add the milk. Cook and stir this simple mushroom soup recipe mix until the sauce gets thick. Pour this in the mushrooms. Sprinkle some salt and pepper.

Mushroom Soup with Sausages 

Ingredients 

16 ounces of sausages (cut thin)
4 TBSP of flour (reduced to make this #KetoFriendly)
4 tbsp of butter
10 ounces of cheddar cheese (grated)
1 clove garlic (minced)
4 green onions (sliced)
16 ounces of mushrooms (sliced)
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
1/8 tsp pf ground black pepper
½ tsp of parsley
1 cup of heavy cream
½ tsp of onion tops

Instructions 

Begin by cooking the sausages at medium heat. Set the sausages on a plate. Toss the mushrooms in the pot where the sausages were cooked. Keep stirring until the mushrooms become tender. Toss in the garlic and onions.

Sauté this for a minute. Transfer this mushroom soup recipe mix in a bowl. Put butter in the pot. Add the flour and stir until the concoction turns bubbly. Add the broth and keep stirring. Toss in the cheese and heavy cream.

Pour the mushrooms and sausages in the pot. Add some pepper. Heat it. Serve with the parsley and some onions.

Mushroom Soup with Tomato Paste 

Ingredients 

4 cups of water
2 cans of condensed beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 lb of mushrooms (fresh)
6 tbsp of butter
2 celery leaves
1 cup of onion (chopped)
4 sprigs celery
1 ½ cups of carrots (chopped)
2 cups of celery (chopped)
1/8 tsp of ground black pepper
4 tbsp of dry sherry
½ cup of sour cream

Instructions

Start this mushroom soup recipe by chopping the mushrooms and set them aside. Melt the butter (4 tbsp) in a saucepan. Throw in half the mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes. Place it in the cooker. Add the tomato paste, celery and broth.

Pour in the water and pepper. Add the celery and bay leaf. Cook for 4 hours. Take out the celery, bay leaf and parsley. Puree the mix in a blender.

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the other half of the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Put this on the soup. Add sherry on top. Serve with the sour cream.

Grilled Flank Steak with Lemon Herb Sauce

Pure Wow posted this yummy steak recipe that’s #KetoFriendly! #ThisGirlLovesToEat

STEAK

  • 1½ pounds flank steak

  • ⅓ cup olive oil

  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

  • ¼ cup malt vinegar

  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed

  • 2 teaspoons chile powder

  • 1 tablespoon dried herbs (such as tarragon, thyme or oregano, or a combination)

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

LEMON HERB SAUCE

  • ⅓ cup olive oil

  • 3 anchovies, smashed into a paste

  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced

  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

  • 2 lemons, zested and juiced

  • ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley

  • ½ cup chopped fresh basil

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prep Time: 1 hr 30 min |Cook Time: 30 min

1. PREPARE THE STEAK: Place the flank steak in a large plastic ziplock bag. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil with the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, garlic, chile powder and herbs to combine. Pour the mixture over the steak and seal the bag. Marinate, refrigerated, for up to 1 hour.

2. WHILE THE STEAK MARINATES, MAKE THE SAUCE: Whisk the oil with the anchovies, garlic, mustard, lemon zest and lemon juice to combine. Stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper.

  1. When the steak is finished marinating, remove it from the bag and brush off the excess marinade. Season with salt and pepper.

4. GRILL THE STEAK: Cook the steak on a hot grill (or grill pan) until it is well browned on the outside and reaches the desired doneness, about 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium rare.

  1. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 15 minutes. Slice the steak and serve immediately with the sauce.

Nutrition Information

Steak

311 calories

22g fat

4g carbs

24g protein

1g sugars

Lemon Herb Sauce

123 calories

12g fat

3g carbs

1g protein

1g sugars

Buttery Crackle Chicken Thighs

Today I found this great recipe for Buttery Crackle Chicken Thighs on #SweetCsDesigns.
Buttery Crackle Chicken Thighs are the most delicious, juicy, and super crunchy chicken thighs you’ll ever make!  #ThisGirlLovesToEat 

Buttery Crackle Chicken Thighs

  • 1.5 lbs chicken, medium-large bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
  • 2 tbsp butter, ghee/clarified
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  1. Lay chicken thighs out on a cutting board, and using sharp kitchen scissors, cut out bone from thigh.
  2. Remove bones (save them for chicken stock if you make your own!)
  3. Pound chicken flat and make sure they are very dry, pat with paper towel if needed.
  4. Generously salt and pepper meat side of chicken (don’t salt fat side, as it can easily burn).
  5. Heat a cast iron (or heavy) pan on high heat, so it is scorching hot (but not smoking).
  6. Reduce heat to medium-high.
  7. Add ghee/butter to pan, and let melt.
  8. Add chicken to pan, starting with the fat side down.
  9. Let fat crisp and chicken brown, about 7 minutes.
  10. Flip chicken and cook until 165 degrees internal temp – about 6 minutes.
  11. Let rest 2-5 minutes and pat off any excess butter softly with a paper towel.
  12. If desired, cut chicken into strips.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Amount Per Serving

Calories277 Fat7g Cholesterol95mg Sodium113mg Protein21g

What’s the White Stuff on Cooked Salmon?

The white stuff on salmon is called albumin. Albumin is a protein that exists in the fish in liquid form when it’s raw that coagulates and becomes semi-solid when you subject the salmon to heat when cooking. As the meat cooks, the coagulated albumin gets squeezed out and becomes a white coating.
The more aggressively you cook your salmon the more albumin will appear on its surface.

Think of what happens when you wring out a wet towel. The water inside the fibers of the cloth is pushed out as you squeeze the fibers closer together. The same principle applies to salmon. As salmon cooks, the flesh contracts, pushing out albumin to the fillet’s surface. The higher the heat, the more quickly the flesh contracts, and the more albumin becomes visible.

To have as little albumin as possible visible on your finished dish, follow these guidelines:

  • Cook your salmon at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time. It’s gentler on the fillet, resulting in a super-tender piece of fish with less nasty white stuff.
  • If you are searing salmon (and fish in general), always do so with the skin side down. The skin acts as a protective barrier between the fish and the hot metal pan. **TIP: Even if you plan on taking the skin off, cook your fish skin-side down for 90% of the way, turn off the heat, and then flip the fish so the skinless side cooks on the pan’s residual heat.
  • Don’t overcook your salmon. You want it medium to medium-rare in the center, still a bit translucent. Overcooking salmon is the easiest way to get albumin everywhere. **TIP: When you can push on the top of your salmon with a fork, and the the layers of flesh separate easily and seem moist, your fish is finished cooking.

Thanks to my friends at Epicurious for the cooking tips! #ThisGirlLovesToEat