Tag: keto-friendly recipes

Recipes and Cooking

Keto-Friendly Lasagna

Brandi C

Keto-Friendly LasagnaKeto-Friendly Lasagna

Well, well, well, look what this girl has done. She has gone and made a Keto-Friendly Lasagna. Yes, she has! AND it was good! I will say the one thing I will do differently is season it more with Italian seasoning and make my marinara sauce. Usually, I do that, but I did not this time.

Ingredients

2 jars sugar-free spaghetti sauce (you can make sure own)

2# ground beef

Seasoning

Italian seasoning

minced garlic

onion

parsley

chopped spinach

Ricotta

Mozzarella

Parmesan

Zucchini Noodles

3 zucchini sliced on a mandolin

Salt

Cheese Noodles

3 c. mozzarella

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

8 oz. cream cheese

4 eggs

Directions for Zucchini Noodles

Once they are sliced, lay them flat on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt. Doing this allows the water to be drained from the zucchini noodles. If you don’t do this, your lasagna will be too watery. Allow sitting while working on everything else.

Cheese Noodles

Add mozzarella, Italian seasoning, eggs, and cream cheese to the food processor. Mix. It is thick. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Glop your mixture and press it down. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let it cool. Peel the parchment paperback and then cut it into strips. I cut it in 1/2 long way first.

Sauce

Brown meat, minced garlic, onion, and seasoning. Drain if necessary. Once drained, add spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning, parsley, and chopped spinach. Taste to check to season.

Layers

Pat the excess water off of the zucchini. Place a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a greased 13×9 pan (I used that and an 8×8 pan). Then layer your cheese noodles. Next to the zucchini noodles. A layer of sauce, ricotta (or cottage), mozzarella, and parmesan. Repeat ending with cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes. Allow resting for about 10 minutes before cutting into it.

 

Recipes and Cooking

Keto-Friendly Broccoli and Kielbasa

Brandi C

Keto-Friendly Broccoli and KielbasaKeto-Friendly Broccoli and Kielbasa

Bart LOVED this Keto-Friendly Broccoli and Kielbasa.  I’m pretty proud of myself for this one!  Nutritional yeast is so packed with goodness.  You can’t see it when it cooks with something.  There isn’t a taste, but it could come off with a nutty flavor if you have a super-sensitive palate.  Though, that is stretching it.

People use it to make cashew cheese.  Let me tell you.  I have made cashew cheese, and it does NOT taste like cheese.  Maybe I’m doing it wrong.

Ingredients

2 packages kielbasa

1 onion

Minced garlic

Seasoning

Nutritional Yeast

Fresh mushrooms

Frozen broccoli florets

Bacon grease

Bacon

Directions

Fry bacon, reserving grease.  Once the bacon is done, remove and crumble.  In reserved grease, add chopped onion and garlic.  Saute.  Add chopped kielbasa with some seasoning.

Once that is heated, add some of the nutritional yeast (which has no flavor but tons of nutritional value), fresh mushrooms, crumbled bacon, and broccoli.  I did chop the broccoli a little smaller but not too small.

However, I did turn the heat on warm because I wanted my broccoli to have a bite.  Sadly, if you cook it too long, it can be too smushy cause that is gross.  This was good!

 

Recipes and Cooking

Keto-Friendly Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Brandi C

Keto-Friendly Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Keto-Friendly Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Okay, I love soup. I love it loaded with cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and all the ooey-gooey deliciousness that comes with the comfort of soup. Here is my version of a Keto-Friendly Broccoli and Cheese Soup.

Yet, there is Big Daddy.

He is determined to work on his health. I mean, not necessarily to lose weight, to eat better to see what could be causing his joints to hurt. So, I’m taking some family favorites and attempting to revamp some recipes.

Please bear in mind that I do not use measurements. I do a base, and I taste to see if it needs any more seasoning, cheese, thickening agent, etc. This dish is also low carb. Also, I did do this in the instant pot!

Ingredients

1 bag of frozen cut-up broccoli

1 bag of frozen broccoli florets

2 T. butter

1/2 large onion

Minced garlic

Seasoning

Chicken stock

Water

Cheddar (I think I used about 3 cups)

2 oz. cream cheese

4 heaping tablespoons of sour cream

1 c. heavy cream

8 slices of crispy bacon, chopped up

Directions

Get your bacon in the oven. Once done, chop it up! Be sure and save the bacon grease in a mason jar. You can always use a parmesan cheese lid to screw on it if you don’t have a mason jar lid.

Saute up the butter, garlic, and onion until the onion is translucent. Add the chopped-up broccoli and about 3 cups of water. I put it in the instant pot and set it to the “soup” mode. Once it was done, I did a quick release, took my potato masher, and mashed up the cooked broccoli. This helps thicken the soup.

Next Up

Once that was done, I added some chicken stock. I didn’t want it too soupy, so I eyeballed it. Then, I added the heavy cream, cream cheese, sour cream, and seasoning. I got that all mixed up and taste-tested it. Once I had an excellent seasoning/chicken broth/water ratio, I added in the cheddar cheese.

Lastly, I cut up the HUGE pieces of broccoli florets and threw them in the pot. I put the lid back on and set it on “manual” for about 3 minutes, but for the most part, the hot liquid cooked the broccoli. It would be wrong if it were undercooked or overcooked.

Last but not least, I added the bacon.

Verdict

This broth was spot on, and I was shocked at the ability of the mushed of the first bag of broccoli and the cream cheese to thicken it up so nicely. I could get naked and swim in that broth 🙂 That was too much, wasn’t it :/

 

 

Recipes and Cooking

Cabbage Steaks

Brandi C

Cabbage Steaks

Cabbage Steaks

1 head cabbage (peel off outer layer)

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp coconut oil

Seasoning

Directions

Cut cabbage (including core), starting at one end, into 1″ steaks.  Place on a cookie sheet.  Rub with the smashed garlic clove (or you can use minced).

Using a pastry brush, brush with oil and sprinkle with seasoning.  Flip steak with a spatula and do the same on the other side.

Roast at 400 for 30 minutes.  Flip and roast for another 30 minutes.

Healthy eating does not have to be painful, but it can smell horrible, LOL.  Cabbage stinks, no matter what, but eating well with an easy recipe matters.

This is not my cup of tea.  Frankly, I think cooked cabbage smells like butt.  Yet, Big Daddy loves it when I do this for him, so I do it often.  Also, I have found other cabbage (keto-friendly and low carb) that he enjoys.  I’m sure his co-workers are so excited when I make that for his lunches because it makes the office smell so inviting!  LOL.  At least I don’t have to smell it every day.  Cook it once.  Clean up the kitchen immediately.  Pack it in reusable lunch containers and send it on.

Cabbage Steaks are an easy, healthy dish, even if they don’t always have the most pleasant smell while cooking. The simplicity of the recipe makes it a quick go-to when you’re looking to eat something low carb and keto-friendly. While cabbage might not be my favorite vegetable to cook, it’s a hit with Big Daddy. I love that I can roast the cabbage with a bit of garlic and coconut oil, and he enjoys it every time. The crispy edges and tender interior of the cabbage steaks give a satisfying texture, and the seasoning adds great flavor without being overpowering. Although I might not be a fan of the aroma, it’s always worth it to see Big Daddy’s smile when he enjoys his meal. Plus, the leftovers are easy to pack for work and perfect for meal prepping!

Calories:  53