Archive for recipe

Let’s Salsa!

a85563ad4817904a5e806f55e241dfb4

Salsa!

Not just a favorite in Texas, but a STAPLE!

We eat salsa on everything!  It adds an extra punch to eggs in the morning, salads at lunch, guacamole, and many other dishes throughout the day.  The mason jar was running on empty, and my husband just didn’t know what to do!  Tragedy, I tell you!

I whipped some up last night in no time.  It literally takes about 15 minutes, 5 of which are active.

Everyone has their favorite way of making salsa.  I have tried steaming the tomatoes and peppers, sautéing them, browning them, but by far, the easiest is boiling.  I used to use a hot skillet and brown the tomatoes, peppers, and onion, but it would smoke up the house to the point that I would have to open all the doors and windows to air out.  So boiling it is!  This is my newest way, and I’m sticking to it!

I don’t have a specific amount of anything, but I can tell you what I did.  It is a little different each time because the heat of peppers varies so greatly.  Always start small and add in small increments.

These are your basics:

Cilantro (To your liking – about 1 cup)

Onion (I used a half of an onion)

Garlic (5-6 cloves)

Celtic Salt (1 TBSP)

Jalapeño or Serrano Peppers (I only used 3)

Tomatoes (10 for this batch)

 

IMG_3231 IMG_3230

 

Directions:

Wash your tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro well!

Place your tomatoes and peppers (I did wayyyy too many peppers!) in a pan and fill with water not quite covering the tomatoes and peppers.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer on medium heat.  Simmer until the skins start to peel back on the tomatoes stirring frequently.

IMG_3232

IMG_3234

 

Remove the tomatoes with tongs and squeeze gently to release any water.  Place in your blender.

IMG_3235

IMG_3236

 

 

Remove the peppers from the water and detach the stems.

IMG_3233

I started with 3 peppers and it was plenty!  These little things were HOT!  I blended the tomatoes and peppers on high for a few seconds, then added the onion, garlic, and salt.

IMG_3237

Add your cilantro last.  I blended everything together for about 10 seconds on high, and ended up with a large mason jar and medium mason jar of salsa that was some of my best!

IMG_3238 (1)

 

This is a great healthy sauce full of vitamins and antioxidants that will spice up your food, literally!  It will keep in your fridge for about 2 weeks.

 

 

Beautiful Bells!

I had some grass-fed ground beef and bell peppers in my fridge that I needed to use.  I decided to combine the two for some fabulous stuffed bell peppers!  They turned out fabulous so I just had to share.  This was a great main course.  Save your carbs for this one because the veggies are a little higher in carbs than most of our recipes, but it is a super healthy way to combine your veggies and protein for a fairly easy meal.  I changed out the cheese in the picture for mozzarella and it was excellent.

Start with all your ingredients:

IMG_2749

6 Bell Peppers

1 1/2 lb Grass-Fed Ground Meat

1/2 Onion finely chopped

5 cloves of garlic minced

1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

16 oz can of Organic diced tomatoes

1 can of organic tomato paste

1/2 cup sweet peppers

1 small can of diced black olives

1/2 cup cauliflower rice (recipe on site – this is a great binder)

Colby Jack cheese or Mozzarella cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown your ground meat.  Add your onion, garlic, and chopped sweet peppers to soften.

IMG_2753

IMG_2754

There are a few ways to cut your peppers.  For more stuffing, you want to cut off the stemmed top and leave the rest of the pepper.  Cutting them in half also works for a smaller portion – you just don’t eat the stem.  This is what I do for my children because they just eat the meat and cheese out of the center anyway.  I did both of these with the green peppers.  You can also cut them in half lengthwise and use both halves.  This is what I did for the red peppers.

Make sure you wash well – remove the stem if you are not using both halves.  Remove the seeds and the membranes on the inside of the pepper.

In a large pot of simmering water, place your clean peppers and simmer for about 5 minutes until just barely softened.  This will take away a little of the bitterness.  Set aside.

IMG_2760

Back to the meat…add all your remaining ingredients except for the cheese.  Feel free to add spices and other ingredients to your liking or subtract those you don’t care for.IMG_2765 IMG_2755

Now scoop out your mixture and stuff inside your peppers.

IMG_2766

Top with cheese, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

IMG_2770

We served ours with stuffed mushrooms – I was obviously on a stuffing kick!

IMG_2780

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

The Golden Sauce

There is a golden sauce so delicious, it is worth the price of gold!

It was just yesterday that I mentioned the amazingly delectable Hollandaise Sauce as a favorite of mine on poached eggs.  The best part – it is easier than you can ever imagine!

One of the things we have to be mindful of while living in a state of nutritional ketosis is our intake of protein.  We all know that carbs will take us down, but did you know that protein can as well?

When there is a significant intake of protein, the body converts the protein into sugars during a process called Gluconeogenesis.  This is a metabolic process that makes glucose, a simple sugar, that provides the body with energy from non-carbohydrate sources when you are a carb burner.

This is why it is super important to make sure you are getting ample healthy fats when you are consuming meats and vegetables in order to stay a fat burning machine.  We don’t want those proteins turning into carbs in our body so make sure you have the fat to counteract the carbs and proteins.

And…this is why I love Hollandaise!  You can put it on your veggies, your meat, your eggs – pretty much anything your heart desires!  My favorites are eggs, spinach and asparagus.  It is wonderful tasting, and as long as you are using our favorite grass-fed butter, it is a great source of fat!  You can also ask for it at many restaurants that will gladly bring you a side of this delicious sauce.

 

Blender Hollandaise

IMG_2930

Place in your blender:

2 Egg Yolks

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

Salt and Cayenne to taste

IMG_2932

Turn your blender on low for 5 seconds.

Melt 1/2 cup butter (Kerrygold) in a pyrex glass measuring dish.

IMG_2931 IMG_2934

In a very low stream on the lowest speed, gently pour your butter into your egg yolk mixture.

IMG_2935

As soon as it is combined – you have hollandaise.

IMG_2937

I have never had it curdle, but if it does, add two egg yolks on high speed with whipping cream one TBSP at a time.

Enjoy!

IMG_2939

 

 

 

The Easiest Way to Cook an Egg!

So many of us that follow the Ketogenic Lifestyle often eat eggs for breakfast.  It is easy to quickly become tired of plain old scrambled eggs.  We can mix them with chorizo, serve them with bacon or cheese, but underneath, they are still the same old scrambled eggs.  Anytime you eat the same thing over and over again, it becomes tiresome.  So what to do?

Mix it up with different cooking methods.  This one is especially easy and fast with little mess, so it is a staple on busy weekday mornings.  You can also gourmetify it with a little extra effort on the weekend.

Today, I am going to show a family favorite, and it only takes 7 minutes from start to finish with one dirty pan.  By the way, the pan is extremely important unless you are only cooking for one, in which case, you can just use boiling water.

How to cook a poached egg:

Start with an egg poaching pan and great eggs from pasture raised and fed hens.  I have two pans, one with 4 inserts and another with 6, just depending on how many want one or two eggs.  You can buy the larger 6 egg poacher here where I purchased mine.

 

img16l

 

6-egg_poacher

 

Today I used the four egg poacher.  I purchased this one years ago from Williams Sonoma.  Lift one cup out and pour about a 1/4 inch layer of water to cover the bottom of the pan to create the steam.

 

IMG_3218

 

Spray each cup with coconut oil spray.

 

IMG_3219

 

Place the lid on the pan, and turn your heat to high.  It should start steaming with boiling water in no more than two minutes.

Once it is boiling, turn your heat down to Medium, and crack eggs one at a time, placing them in a cup insert.

 

IMG_3220

 

Place your lid on, and set your timer for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes.  Depending on how you like your yolk, you may need to adjust your time.  This time gives us a nice somewhat runny center but firm white.

 

IMG_3221

 

 

Once the eggs are set, and don’t jiggle if you nudge the pan a little from side to side, remove from heat and empty each egg onto your plates.  Be sure to use a hot pad to protect your finger tips.  I usually run a knife along the outside edge of the insert, but it is not always needed.

 

IMG_3222

 

My husband likes his plain with salt, pepper and sometimes a little homemade salsa.

 

IMG_3223 IMG_3224

 

 

I love mine with a little hollandaise.  Stay tuned this week for this awesome recipe!

 

hqdefault

 

 

Poached eggs are so versatile.  Here are a few other ideas that I love to try when we have a bit more time:

Place in an avocado with or without bacon:

 

avoegg IMG_2524

 

 

 

Get your greens too by serving over spinach or asparagus:

 

cauliflower-with-poached-egg-4 hollandaise1 eggs-sardou Asparagus with a Poached Egg and Hollandaise Sauce 1 500

 

You can even eat them over a salad!

 

 

4886

 

Enjoy your wonderful healthy eggs!

 

Happy Fourth of July!

images

Happy Fourth of July!!!  Wave that Red, White, and Blue!  Show off your stars and stripes!  Enjoy your day, and celebrate with friends and family!  We love our Independence Day in the Lutz and Stavros households!

We have been over several recipe ideas to keep your day healthy and low carb!  Here are a few ideas from the past and the ones we have posted the last few weeks to help you compile your menu into one concise spot…right here!  All of these recipes can be found on this webpage on our blog:

Main Courses:

Brisket (You can even pick up or buy a precooked one to bake to make it easy!)

Unknown-1

Ribs – Yum!!!

Unknown-2

With our sugar-free sauce…

IMG_2863

Bunless Burgers (We love our ABC burger – Avocado, Bacon, and Cheddar)

IMG_0785Bunless Hot Dogs or Sausage Links

images-3

Egg Salad

IMG_3086

 

Sides:

Refreshing Cukes

IMG_2796“Potato” Salad”

IMG_3047

Cheesy Tater Tots

IMG_0994Broccoli Slaw

IMG_2862

 

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

Appetizers and Snack Ideas:

Stuffed Mushrooms

stuffed-mushrooms

Cheese Crisps

IMG_0849

Zucchini Chips

IMG_2711

Guacamole

IMG_0858

Deviled Eggs:

IMG_3081

Dessert:

Stars and Stripes Cheesecake with Berries:

IMG_2970Or, if you are a chocolate person, our chocolate pudding.

IMG_2815

 

Drinks:

Refreshing Low-Carb Margarita on the Rocks

images-4

 

Enjoy a wonderful celebratory day filled with healthy food, healthy sun, friends and family.

God Bless America!

 

 

 

When Life Tosses you Eggs….

Well…this was not my intended post for today, but it worked out well!

We have all heard the term, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!”

My theme for today, is “When your eggs won’t peel, make egg salad!”

The intention of the post for today was yummy deviled eggs to finish off the menu for Independence Day!  However, I did not plan well enough ahead!

This was a good lesson!  Anytime you want pretty peeled eggs, plan ahead!  I did not know we were so low on eggs (because I always have several dozen.)  When you do boiled eggs, they are much easier to peel when they are not fresh.  You want to buy them 5 to 7 days ahead of when you need them.  I bought mine yesterday, boiled them, and tried to peel them.  This is what happened:

IMG_3074

Not so pretty!  So…we had a very fast change of plans.  Since we have dinner pretty much planned with Bar-B-Que (with sauce), “Potato” Salad, and Refreshing Cukes, I thought why not make egg salad for a Keto lunch!  It was simple, and we still got to use those delicious and nutritious eggs.

I did get a few of the eggs to turn out, so I will share how to do both just in case you plan ahead better than I, or if you have some eggs stored in your fridge that you want to use.

 

First, start by boiling your eggs.  I have a gas stove, and have had great success by placing my eggs in a large pot, covering with cold water with a tsp of salt, and bringing it to a rumbling boil.  Once it is at a full boil, turn your heat down to a simmer for 1 minute, cover, and turn the heat off completely for 10 to 12 minutes.  As soon as the timer goes off, dunk them in a cold water bath.  Let them cool, and then place in the refrigerator until you need them.

IMG_3062

 

You can peel your eggs now or later.  For deviled eggs you will want to slice your pretty eggs lengthwise, hull out the yolk and place on a flat surface.

IMG_3077I put the yolks in a bowl, and mash with mayo, dijon mustard, a little lemon juice, salt, pepper, and if you have them, some chopped Refreshing Cukes.  You can also add some fresh dill or dill pickle if you like savory.  If you like sweet, you can add a teeny tiny pinch of Stevia.  Mash it all together and stuff your eggs.  Refrigerate immediately.

IMG_3079 IMG_3081

If you get a bunch of eggs that look like they were in a massacre like mine did, just chop them up and no one will be the wiser.

IMG_3076

Add to a bowl with:

 

 

Egg Salad

12 eggs – boiled, peeled and chopped

1/2 lemon – squeezed

1/2 cup petite diced celery

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 cup diced “Refreshing Cukes”

2 tsp juice from above

Salt and pepper to taste

Stir everything together until combined and either put in the fridge for later or serve over lettuce.  It was quite a delicious mistake!

IMG_3083 IMG_3086We hope that everyone has a safe and delicious Fourth of July!

Remember those that sacrificed for the freedoms that we hold so precious today.  We are so fortunate to live in a place that allows us to speak and write what we believe and hold true to our hearts, even if not everyone agrees.

Remember on your holiday to plan ahead, drink plenty of water, take your supplements, and stay healthy!  Holidays and parties can be difficult, but with planning you can be strong and live Keto!  We know you can!

Have a wonderful long weekend, and enjoy those fireworks!!!

ColorfulFireworks

 

Fire Cracker Potato Salad

images

It’s real, and it’s Keto!  How can you have a July Fourth celebration without potato salad?  We have found a way, and it involves one of our favorite Keto veggies.

Have you guessed already?  It’s the one that makes rice, mashers, tater tots, and pizza crust.  The incredible, invincible, and transformative cauliflower!  The chameleon of all veggies!  I always have a head of cauliflower in the fridge because it can do just about anything for a meal!  I was wondering if I could slide this past my crew, and it worked like a charm.  You can pretty much use your favorite potato salad recipe by substituting cauliflower for your potatoes.  We prefer a creamy mustard type dressing with a little sweetness. I know some like mayo only, and others like a tart mustard, so take it where you like it.  So many options!

Cauliflower 009

I still had a few of the refreshing cukes in the fridge, so I thought I would give them a try for the touch of sweet.  Worked like a charm.  So if you are planning on making the cucumbers for your July Fourth celebration, save a few extra to throw into your “potatoes”.

IMG_2798

So here is the recipe along with a few variations for your upcoming weekend:

Keto Potato Salad

1 medium to large head of cauliflower

1 cup of diced celery

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/3 cup diced Refreshing Cukes + 5 Tbsp of the “Pickle Juice”

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup dijon mustard

1 tsp Himalayan salt

1 tsp black pepper

Dash of paprika

 

Other Options:

Vinegar for tartness

Boiled Egg (2-3)

Black Olives

Dill Pickles with pickle juice if you don’t have the Cukes, but like the pickle idea.

Lemon juice

Chives

 

Directions:

Chop your cauliflower into bite size pieces like you would eat your potatoes.

IMG_3029

Boil a large pot of water.  Once it comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer your cauliflower for about 5 to 6 minutes.  Carefully pierce with a fork to check for tenderness.  This is the hardest part…you want it soft enough to mimic the potatoes, but you don’t want it to get mushy once you start mixing your ingredients together.  Once you have it to the correct tenderness, strain in a large colander.  Let it drain and then return to the pot.  If you are worried about the tenderness, (the texture is super important for this recipe) boil them until they are perfect and then immediately submerge in an ice cold water bath to stop the cooking.  Then strain in the colander.

IMG_3032

Add your chopped celery, onion, and cucumber or pickles (along with any other solids you choose to add.)  Toss to combine.

IMG_3040

Now add your mayonnaise, mustard and spices, except for the paprika.

IMG_3041

 

Mix everything together.  You can taste at this point to see if it needs anything, but remember, the flavors will meld in the refrigerator a little more.

IMG_3042

Refrigerate for a few hours.  When you place it in a serving bowl, sprinkle with a little paprika for color and enjoy with your firecrackers!

IMG_3047

 

 

 

Stars, Stripes, and Cheesecake

flag_1280x1024

We are posting this one today so you have time to prepare this beauty for the holiday weekend. This is a luscious lemony dessert that you would never guess to be sugar free, and even better, you can make it patriotic as all get out. The entire dessert was devoured and family approved.  It also keeps well so you can make it ahead, and then dress it up the day of your event.

I am getting more accustomed and comfortable using Stevia in recipes, and so far so good. A little goes a long way, and it doesn’t seem to leave that sweet aftertaste like Swerve does with some people. Don’t get me wrong, I love Swerve, but Stevia is great too! I am definitely going to stick with the Trader Joe’s Pure Stevia. It is the real deal! If you are looking for it in the store, you can find it with the supplements.

This dessert is similar to the Key Lime Cheesecake I shared a few weeks ago. I changed up the crust a little to try to create a denser, less flakey crust for easier cutting into bars, and it seemed to serve easier with a spatula. I actually had better luck cutting into bars after it cooled, but before I chilled it in the refrigerator.  This is a great tip for the future, but if you plan to decorate it like I did on this one, it is best to cut after everyone admires your handiwork.

Patriotic Lemon Berry Cheesecake

This recipe will yield a 9×13 and an 8×8 cheesecake.  If you only want one, half the recipe.

Before you start, you will want to bring your cream cheese and eggs to room temperature (a few hours) and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Crust

1 1/2 cups Honeyville Almond Flour

1/2 cup Coconut Flour

2 Eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup butter (melted)

1 cup Swerve

1 tsp salt

Combine all your dry ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until you have a sand like mixture.

IMG_2890

IMG_2891

Add your eggs and butter.  Pulse until a ball of dough forms.

IMG_2893

Mix well and press into a 9 x 13 and an 8 x 8  pyrex.

IMG_2894

Bake at 325 for 12 minutes.

IMG_2898

Meanwhile prepare your mixer for the cheesecake.

Cheesecake Filling

4 – 8 oz packages of Cream Cheese

4 Eggs

3 Lemons zested and juiced

1 tsp Pure Stevia

Berries

IMG_2895

Place your very soft cream cheese in your mixer.

IMG_2896 IMG_2897

 

Turn your mixer onto medium to cream your cream cheese.  Add your eggs one at a time, and mix well in between each egg, scraping the sides as you go.

IMG_2899 IMG_2900

Zest and juice your lemons.

IMG_2916

IMG_2904 IMG_2903

 

IMG_2918

Add all the juice and zest to your cream cheese mixture.  Add your Stevia and mix well.

IMG_2905

Pour into your pyrex dishes.

IMG_2906

 

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes.

IMG_2912 IMG_2927

They actually looked the same, but the lighting was different.

Cool completely to room temperature.  Then place in the fridge to cool.

The next day or later in the day, whip up some whipped cream with heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and Swerve Confectioners.

“Ice” your cheesecake with the whipped cream.

I forgot to take a picture of the flag that I made on the 9×13 cake, but you can do an American flag with blueberries for the navy and do stripes with strawberry slices.

On the 8×8, I did a big star with blueberries and raspberries.  This is so fun to do with the kiddos!

IMG_2970

 

Let your friends and family ohh and ahh, but don’t tell them it’s sugar-free!  They will be amazed.  I love the way the lemon and fruit taste together for a special treat!

Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy!!!

 

The Finishing Touch

A great Bar-B-Que Brisket or Ribs is perfectly Keto, and one of our very favorite weekend or holiday treats.  The question becomes, how do you finish those beauties off?  That wonderful tangy sauce out of a bottle is gone for more reasons than one, but the main problem is all those added sugars in the bottle.  Oh, and don’t forget the hidden sugars.

images

I am putting it lightly when I say, my hubby is a sauce fanatic!  He concocts all types of sauces, and combines things I would never think of placing in the same bowl.  Some are good, and some not so much.

He left it to me to find a good recipe for a Bar-B-Que sauce though.  The best one, meaning lowest in carbs, out of a bottle, we could find was Stubbs Original with 5 Carbs and 4 grams of sugar.  The serving size is 2 Tbsp.  Let’s be honest – who just eats 2 tablespoons of Bar-B Que sauce?  Here are some of the ingredients:o-STUBBS-BBQ-facebook

Sugar, Molasses, Tapioca Dextrin, Brown Sugar, Corn Starch, and Corn Syrup!  And this was the best we could find!!!!  Let’s see…sugar, sugar, carb/sugar, sugar, carb/sugar, and oh, sugar!

There is a reason we always say to read labels, and we don’t just mean nutrition labels.  You HAVE to read those ingredients too.  It sends my blood sugar soaring just reading them!

So this is the REAL food ingredient list for my new Bar-B-Que sauce:

IMG_2834

3/4 cup White Vinegar

2 Cans (30 oz) of Organic Tomato Sauce

5 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

3 Tbsp Yellow Mustard

1 Tbsp Tabasco or other hot sauce (I used 2 Tbsp and it was SPICY so do to taste)

1 Tbsp Pink Himalayan salt

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke (The one pictured is made in the great state of TEXAS)

1/2 Large Lemon (4 tsp squeezed)

1/2 tsp Trader Joe’s Pure Stevia

Directions:

Combine your tomato sauce and vinegar.  Bring to a simmer.

IMG_2835

Add your Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and Liquid Smoke.  Combine.  Add all remaining ingredients except the yellow mustard.

IMG_2837

 

You need to temper your mustard like you would an egg.  Place your mustard in a heat safe bowl.  Add a few spoonfuls of your hot tomato mixture and stir well.

IMG_2841IMG_2847

Once mixed, add back to your sauce.

IMG_2854

Whisk until you have a smooth sauce.  Use immediately or store in a mason jar.  This will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

IMG_2863

IMG_2858

 

Enjoy with that yummy broccoli slaw!

 

Dress It Up!

We are thinking ahead to fireworks and celebration!  It is hard to believe that July 4th is right around the corner.  The other day I posted the “Refreshing Cukes” recipe which would be a great side dish for any Fourth of July celebration.  By the way, they just got better in the fridge for a few days!  The cucumbers were definitely a hit in our house!

Today, I have another side that is easy because all you need to do is prepare the dressing ahead, pour it in a mason jar, throw it in the ice chest, and you have a great nutritious side wherever your travels may take you!  Even better, you can use this tangy dressing as a dip or on any salad with what you have left over.

IMG_2823

Keto Broccoli Slaw Recipe

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Cup Mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s, but homemade is better)

3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Heaping Tbsp Dijon Mustarrd

1/8 tsp Trader Joe’s Pure Stevia

1 1/2 tsp Celery Seeds

1 tsp Himalayan Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

2 Bags of Trader Joe’s Organic Broccoli Slaw (I just use one at a time.)

Directions:

Start by combining your Olive Oil and Mayonnaise.  Then add your Apple Cider Vinegar and Mustard.

IMG_2824

Stir well.

IMG_2825

 

Add your Stevia: This is the best one I’ve found so far:

$_35

Then add the rest of your ingredients except for the slaw.

IMG_2826

Whisk well, and pour into a mason jar once it is completely combined.

IMG_2830

Now it is ready for packing or serving.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.  Also, shake well before each use to distribute the celery seeds.

When you are ready, empty the packet of broccoli slaw into a large bowl.  It will make more than you think, so pick a large enough bowl.  Pour about a half cup of dressing over your slaw and mix well.  You can always add more if you like.

IMG_2857

This is excellent served with Bar-B-Que, or served on its own.  Enjoy!IMG_2862

 

 

 

« Older Entries Recent Entries »