Keto Diet (46)
This is possibly the best Jalapeño Popper that you will ever eat. Think Jalapeño Poppers on steroids. The cheese filling is a flavorful blend of equal parts of Gorgonzola Cheese (a pungently flavorful Italian Blue Cheese) and Neufchatel Cheese (Cream Cheese with lower milkfat). Each Armadillo Egg is wrapped in bacon. 'Nough said...
Baba Ganoush is a traditional Mid-Eastern made with Roasted Eggplant. This flavorful sauce can provide a a dip for Pita Bread, as a Marinara replacement, or as a topping for Roasted Chicken. This recipe calls for Tahini, a paste made from roasted Sesame Seeds.
A traditional Bechamel sauce is thickened with a roux, using butter and flour. This keto friendly sabayon utilizes egg yolk as the thickening agent, providing a smooth, silky texture that provides a tasty finish to your dish. This Bechamel Sabayon is easy to make, but requires your undivided attention. Boiling will curdle the egg and break the sauce. For best results, stir the mix constantly while cooking over medium-low heat. This will help ensure that all the ingredients melt together, without coming to a boil. To add the yolk, temper it first by adding it to a small bowl, then mixing with a few scoops of the sauce before integrating it back into the saute pan. This basic sauce can be modified in countless ways to finish your meal; Add 2 cups of shredded cheese; Add 1 finely chopped roasted pimento; Add shredded parmesan cheese for an alfredo sauce.
Barbacoa (Shredded Beef Roast) is the classic Sunday afternoon family dinner meal. However, roast beef is not always the easiest meal to make. An under-cooked roast won't shred properly, and an overcooked roast will be dry and tasteless. But fear not! With this simple recipe, a consistently perfect shredded Chuck Roast is easy to achieve. Marinade the roast, give it a nice sear, and add it to the Slow Cooker for about 8 hours. Shred the finished beef and add back into the flavorful au jus for the perfect Barbacoa, every time!
Commercially available lunch meat is full of preservatives. You can make tasty sliced roast beef lunch meat with none of the unhealthy additives. The perfect roast beef cold cut is obtained through a "low and slow" cook. Ensure that the meat is Pasteurized throughout the cooking process by cooking at 131° F.
Beef Jerky is surprisingly easy to make. You can make your spice mix with any variety of flavorings. It can be fun to experiment with different variations. You can marinade your meat with a spice rub or with a liquid marinade. For Keto-friendly Beef Jerky, do not add sugar.
Shawarma is a mid-eastern meat based dish that has become a favorite in our home. Shawarma is traditionally made from large cuts of marinated beef, chicken, or lamb. The meat is slow roasted on a vertical rotisserie and then the outer layers are shaved off and served as they finish cooking.
If you don't have a vertical spit handy, this recipe will allow you to prepare shawarma in your own home.
These Cheese Steak Stuffed Bell Peppers provide a low carb alternative to the Cheese Steak Sandwich.
The Flanken Rib cut is typically about 1/4 inch thick, cut as a cross-section of the ribs so that you end up with a cut of meat that is embedded with medallion-shaped bones. "Flanken Ribs" can be cut from two VERY different cuts: the Chuck primal - which the top of the ribs near the shoulder or the Plate primal (typically called Flanken Cut Short Ribs) - located closer to the underside of the chest, usually ribs 6, 7, and 8. Chuck Ribs will typically require a much shorter cook time than their Plate counterparts, so make sure that you are using Chuck Ribs, NOT Short Ribs for this recipe. In my experience, the Sous Vide preparation results ribs that are much juicier and far more flavorful.
Chimichurri is the quintessential Argentine Flavor. Chimichurri can be used as a marinade to flavor roasts and steaks before cooking and it can be used as a finishing sauce for meats at the dining table.
Chimichurri is the quintessential Argentine Flavor. Chimichurri can be used to flavor roasts and steaks before cooking or it can be used as a sauce for meats at the dining table. Red Chimichurri adds roasted pimento for a fuller, smokey flavor.
Chuck Roast is a less expensive cut of Beef that can be flavorful, but tough if not cooked properly. With this long slow preparation, the humble Chuck Roast can be elevated to compare with a much more expensive cut. If desired, use 3 or 4 lengths of Butcher's Twine to truss the roast. Although not necessary, this can provide a roast with a more uniform look and a better finished presentation.
The Ratatouille dish served at the end of the Pixar movie Ratatouille, is a Confit Byaldi that requires two different preparations:
1. Pipérade is a thin sauce, with Basque origins, traditionally made with onions and a "mildly-hot" red pepper called Espelette pepper. Since Espelette peppers may not be readily available, this Pipérade recipe uses even milder peppers, the Poblano and the Red Pimento.
2. The Pipérade is spread across the bottom of a casserole pan and then covered with thinly sliced vegetables and slow roasted for several hours.
Refrigerating the dish overnight will allow the flavors to mature. Reheat in the oven before serving.
Traditionally, this dish could be served hot as a side-dish with meat (like Rosemary Chicken), Basil Rice, or with a sliced baguette.
Store the leftovers in an airtight refrigerator dish. The leftovers only get better.
Creamy Avocado Salsa is great with Tortilla Chips, served over Grilled Chicken, over Poached Whitefish, or over Grilled Vegetables.
Crème Fraîche is a traditional creamy French sauce, made by mixing cultured Buttermilk and Heavy Cream and then incubating the culture to thicken the cream. Crème Fraîche can be a tasty addition to fresh fruit, a thickener for sauces, or even added as a creamy thickener for soups. Because of the high percentage of milk fat, Crème Fraîche can survive high heat, even boiling, without breaking down. This recipe can be easily scaled to produce a larger yield by maintaining a buttermilk/cream ratio of 1:8. Note: Buttermilk that does not have an active culture will fail to incubate properly. The Borden brand "Country Store Bulgarian Cultured Whole Buttermilk" seems to be available most places across the US.
This simple recipe provides a tangy yogurt that is great for tzatziki or to eat plain. You can use any fat content, from Skim to Whole Milk. I prefer a lower fat yogurt, with Skim Milk. This recipe yields about 4 Cups of Greek Yogurt.
You can save effort by preparing a few pounds of Ground Beef in a Slow Cooker. The meat can be refrigerated for about a week or frozen for up to 6 months. Store in a freezer grade zip-top bag or an air-tight refrigerator dish.
Gyro (pronounced /yee-ro/) is a traditional Mediterranean dish made with a Beef/Lamb mixture. Due to the high cost of lamb, pork can be used as a good substitute. The meat is traditionally put on a large vertical rotisserie and cooked over a flame. This recipe provides a simple process to re-create tasty Gyro meat without the expensive and time consuming equipment. For a Keto version of this recipe, just leave out the Pita Bread.
This is an easy Chicken recipe, designed for the Sous Vide. You can prepare beforehand and freeze uncooked in a vacuum-sealed bag up to 6 months. Just drop the bag in your Sous Vide pot and walk away. Your main course will be ready to eat a few hours later. For a Keto recipe, use an Italian dressing with a low carb count (less than 3 carbs per serving) and serve with a Keto approved vegetable medley.
This is an easy side dish to add some green to your meal. The Lime and Pecorino Cheese will kick your Brussels Sprouts to the next level.
The London Broil is not a cut of meat. Instead, it is a specific preparation for a roast. The London Broil is typically made with a lean cut, usually the Top Round, or sometimes the Bottom Round. However, these cuts can become tough if they are cooked improperly. The secret to the perfect London Broil is a good marinade, with a high acidic content, and then a quick broil under high heat. While the London Broil can be prepared using the Sous Vide, the ideal preparation utilizes the high heat of the broiler.
This is a great dip to eat with vegetables or with a pita. Similar to Baba Ghanoush, however, Mama Ghanoush replaces the Eggplant and Tahini with tomatoes and Grilled Zucchini for a fuller and more hearty dip.
This pasta-free dish is full of flavor without all the carbs or gluten of a traditional lasagna. This dish is somewhat similar to the Middle-Eastern dish Moussaka, but without the béchamel. While this dish has a fairly long time-to-table, the flavor is worth the effort.
Roasting the tomatoes brings out a sweetness and a maturity of flavor that will build on the flavor of any recipe that calls for tomatoes.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower is a non-traditional cauliflower use that makes a great appetizer or even a main dish.
You can use a variety of seasonings to flavor Roasted Cauliflower
Pimentos are Bell Peppers that are ripened to a Red color. Pimentos are sweeter than the unripened green bell peppers. Pimentos (especially when roasted) can be used as a base for sauces, flavoring for mashed potatoes, added to rice dishes, stews, or other applications.
Any pepper can be roasted using this same method. Roasting a pepper will mellow the heat (for hot peppers) and caramelize the sugar to sweeten the flavor. Roasting a pepper will also give a slightly "smokey" flavor.
This salsa is made from scratch. The fresh ingredients add a sweet spice and the oven roasted ingredients provide a smokey spice. The heat level of this recipe is non-existent, but this salsa can be "heated" with anything from Poblano peppers, for a very mild heat, to Ghost Chilis that will knock your socks off.
Tomatillos may look like green tomatoes, but they are more closely related to peppers than tomatoes. Tomatillos have a slightly sour but very smooth flavor, Oven roasting them will produce a smoky counterpoint to the sour. A tasty addition to sauces, soups, stews, and chilis.
Making the perfect hamburger is a balance between art and science. Adding Pico de Gallo to your ground beef adds a nice flavor that creates the perfect Southwestern Burger. For a Keto version of this recipe, simply replace the hamburger bun with a lettuce wrap.
Pico de Gallo (meaning "rooster beak" or "rooster's peck") is a common vegetable blend that is frequently added to Latino food. I have taken the original Pico de Gallo recipe, added chopped grilled beef, and named it "Pico de Toro" ("pico" also means "lip" or "edge"). This is not a traditional Latino recipe, but it is great with tortilla chips or even as a filling for tacos.
Whether it is spelled "quark", "quarg", or "kvarg", the German word for "curd" is a common soft cheese in Slavik, German, and other Northern European countries.
Quark is a creamy, soft cheese, with an extremely mild flavor. It can be made from any milk, from whole to skim, although a whole milk will provide a slightly larger yield. Quark works well as a rich and creamy butter replacement, as a base for cheesecake, or for a variety of other savory uses. This recipe uses the "Yogurt" setting on an "Instant Pot" to incubate the culture into Quark Cheese. The yield for this recipe (using 2% Milkfat) is about 4 ounces (1/4 Cup) of Quark.
Canned diced tomatoes usually contain preservatives that prevent the tomatoes from breaking down into a nice sauce. Canned whole tomatoes, on the other hand, will break down better when simmered and provide a smother, thicker sauce. The caramelized sugars from the roasted tomatoes make this roasted cauliflower side-dish pair perfectly with Pork or with Chicken. Just make sure that you reserve some of the flavorful tomato sauce to use as a finishing sauce for the accompanying meat. To make this meal Keto compatible, leave out the Brown Sugar and the Raisins.
Confit (pronounced /kon-'fi/) is an ancient food preservation method that involves cooking food at a low temperature, usually in oil or grease. Garlic Confit can be refrigerated for a few weeks and used as a spread on French Bread or as garlic seasoning. The oil carries a delicious roasted garlic/rosemary flavor and can be used as a replacement for any savory dish that calls for Olive Oil. WARNING: Due to the risk of botulism growth, the finished Confit should be stored in the refrigerator and should be kept no more than 3 weeks.
This salsa can be used as a dip with chips at the dining table, while watching the game, or as a sauce for tacos or enchiladas before cooking.
Shakshouka (sometimes called Saksouka) is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, Moroccan, and Egyptian cuisines. It is also a common breakfast and dinner food in Israel and often eaten with bread to soak up the sauces. The word "Shakshouka" comes from Arabic and means "to mix or shake"
Shakshouka (sometimes called Saksouka) is a staple of Tunisian, Libyan, Algerian, Moroccan, and Egyptian cuisines. It is also a common breakfast and dinner food in Israel and often eaten with bread to soak up the sauces. This recipe is specialized to make in a slow cooker.
This is an easy meal that uses fresh ingredients. Serve as a main dish, or as a side with grilled chicken.
This sauce originally comes from Spain with local versions found in nearly every Latin country. There are likely as many variations to Sofrito, as there are people who make it. The core ingredients are Onions, Greeen Bell Peppers, and Garlic. Sofrito can be prepared beforehand in large quantities, then refrigerated or frozen until needed.
Soutzoukakia (pronounced /soot-zoo-KA-key-ah/) are Greek meatballs, that are traditionally oven-baked in a tomato sauce. Soutzoukakia is similar to a Turkish dish called Kofte. This recipe is prepared on the stovetop and includes a loosely defined Arabic spice mix called Ras El Hanout. If you do not have this mix on hand, you can make your own mix. Serve with Tzatziki over a bed of basmati rice or with roasted potatoes. Poblano or jalapeno peppers will add heat to the dish. For a Keto version of this recipe, serve with a medley of Keto-friendly roasted vegetables.
Stuffed Mushrooms are a largely underrated and versatile meal. This recipe uses only ingredients that are included in Phase 3 of the Keystone Approach diet. Variations to this recipe could include non-Keystone foods, such as tomatoes and peppers.
This is an easy recipe with that is flavorful, healthy, and filling. Most of the ingredients can be prepared before-hand and refrigerated.
Nothing beats a good bowl of soup on a cold day, and the only proper way to eat a grilled cheese sandwich is by dipping it in a bowl of good Tomato Soup. Tomato is perhaps the most basic of soups, but this is the best Tomato Soup I have ever eaten. To make this recipe compatible with the Keto diet, use Chicken Stock instead of Mire Poix, and leave out the Bread Crumbs.
This traditional Japanese stock is used for Tonkotsu Ramen Noodles. The name comes from "Ton" meaning "Pork" and "Kotsu" meaning "Bone". Traditionally, this recipe has a long preparation time (12 - 20 hours), however, the maturity of the flavor is well worth it. Alternatively, you can use an Instant Pot and get the same results in only about 6 hours.
Tzatziki (pronounced /zat-ziki/) is a traditional Greek Yogurt Sauce. Cacik (pronounced /jah-'jik/) is the same sauce, but from Turkey. Tzatziki can be used with meat dishes or as a dip for Crudites.
Feta Cheese is a staple of Mediterranean food. Mixing Feta Cheese with Greek Yogurt results in a tangy, creamy texture for a flavorful dipping sauce, or a tasty topping to any Mediterranean dish. Use this dip as a healthy and fresh Mediterranean replacement for 7 Layer Nacho dip.
A Slow Cooker is useful is preparing meats and stews. Slow Cooker Chicken is a great preparation that can simplify and reduce the preparation time for any meal.
