Category Archives: Food

Food, Recipes

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake (Low-Carb, Sugar-free & Gluten-free)

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This silky smooth cheesecake that is both tangy and sweet is a sure crowd pleaser. Don’t expect to have any leftovers for the next day if you’re serving this at a party. It will be devoured. Every. Last. Inch.

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Ingredients

Cheesecake

  • 908g  high-quality cream cheese (or 4 packages of cream cheese)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup Sweetener (I use Swerve)
  • 1/3 cup KZ Clean Eating Sugar-Free White Chocolate Vanilla, melted & at room temperature
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 Tsp vanilla

Crust

  • 1 1/2  cup almond flour
  • 5 Tbsp butter, unsalted & melted
  • 4 Tbsp sweetener

Topping

First cover the bottom of the springform pan with  2 layers of aluminum foil. Take a large roasting pan and fill it with hot water till about an inch and a half deep. Preheat your oven to 350F.

Mix all ingredients for the crust in a bowl. In a buttered spring form pan, press down the crust until it is packed down. Cook this for 10 minutes directly in a 350F preheated oven.

While the crust is cooling, in a large bowl, beat together all ingredients for the cheesecake except the eggs. Once the mixture is smooth, beat in one egg at a time until just mixed. Pour the batter for the cheesecake into the now cool crust and place springform onto the roasting rack of the water bath. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the cake sit in the turned off oven for 10 more minutes.

Let the cake cool completely and then top with toppings. I topped it with my sugar-free strawberry jam, then fresh strawberries and drizzled on the sugar-free white chocolate vanilla.

Serve cold & enjoy!

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Tip

  • To prevent cracks, do not overcook the cheesecake! Cook till outer rim of cheesecake is slightly puffy and firm while the middle still jiggles a little.
  • To further prevent cracking, allow the cake to cool gradually
  • The water bath technique allows for a better silky texture without the cracks
Food, Recipes

Strawberry Protein MilkShake (Gluten-free, Low-Carb, Sugar-free)

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A super quick and easy breakfast or post-workout snack idea. I swear it taste just like a strawberry milkshake.

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Ingredients

  • 1 scoop Vanilla whey protein (I use LeanFit Vanilla)
  • 2-3 Tbsp heavy cream (if possible without carrageenan)
  • 3Tbsp sugar-free Strawberry jam

Throw all the ingredients in the blender and blend. Pour and enjoy!

Tips

Prepare your strawberry jam in advance so you can throw this post-workout smoothie together in under 2 minutes.

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Food, Recipes

Hatching Chicks Easter Breakfast (Gluten-free, Keto, Paleo)

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With Easter weekend upon us again (oh, how time flies!), I’m busy cooking up a whole bunch of Easter-themed recipes. Here’s a cute and quick recipe that is sure to please the small children in your life.

Hatching Chicks Breakfast

Ingredients

  • 6 fresh chicken eggs, hard boiled
  • 2-3Tbsp of homemade mayonnaise
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 12 pepper corns
  • 1 Carrot

Cut open the egg in a zig-zag form about 1/3 from the top of the egg. Remove yolks and add to a bowl with the mayonnaise. Mix together yolks, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture and place top half of egg white on top. Place 2 pepper corns in the yolk mixture in the place of eyes. Chop the carrot into thin slices. Cut 2 slices of carrot into the shape of webbed feet (see image for a visual) and cut another slice into the shape of a beak. Repeat for all 6 eggs.

Tip

 Begin cutting open the eggs when they are completely cool. It makes cutting them in a specific shape easier than when they are warm.

Food, Recipes

Strawberry Jam (Gluten-free & Low-Carb)

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This fruity jam is a little more on the thin side but so, SO good! Top a cake with it, some pancakes in the morning for a fruity breakfast or even just on some whipped cream as a nice evening treat!

Ingredients

  • 1 package  of overly ripe strawberries, chopped*
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup sweetener, or to taste (I use Swerve sweetener)

*can be replaced with other berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries), if you prefer but water and sweetener quantities may vary

Place strawberries and water in a sauce pan and place on medium heat. When strawberries are soft, mash using a potato masher. Add the sweetener and mix. Turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer till it thickens

Tip

Make this with the strawberries that are starting to go mushy in your fridge and store in a mason jar.

Food, Recipes

Bacon-wrapped, cream cheese stuffed chicken breasts (Gluten-free, Low Carb, Keto)

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Chicken is definitely one of my favourite meats because of its versatility. Roast it, fry it, BBQ it — you name it, you can do it with chicken. The only problem is that it is one of those proteins that can easily be dried out with improper cooking. However, if you fill it with cream cheese and some other goodies & wrap it in bacon, it is almost guaranteed to be delicious (regardless of your cooking proficiency).

This recipe is one of my family’s favourites! The chicken is so succulent and flavourful and then paired with bacon and cream cheese? Heaven!

jesspaigelchf

Ingredients

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup Spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup Cream cheese
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 8 Chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
  • 8 strips Bacon

Directions

In a food processor, add your spinach, cream cheese, garlic, salt & pepper. Blend till forms a paste. On each chicken thigh, place 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese-spinach mixture. Roll meat around mixture. Wrap one strip of bacon around each meat/mixture wrap. Be careful with this step to try and seal the mixture into the meat with the bacon. Repeat for remaining 8 chicken thighs. In a preheated oven at 350F, bake the chicken thighs on a baking pan. Broil chicken thighs to crisp up bacon for 5-10mins or until bacon looks cooked/crisp.

Bon appétit!

Food, Recipes

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce & Spaghetti Squash (Gluten-free, Low-Carb, Keto)

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Leftovers are probably one of my favourite things. They’re already prepared, packed with seasoning and since you’ve made it, you know the nutritionals. This little dish is something I just threw together with the leftover half a spaghetti squash I had after making my Spaghetti Squash Lasagna a few days prior.

**All ingredients below are estimations as I did not measure anything when making this**

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Ingredients

  • Half a medium spaghetti squash (already baked & removed from skin)
  • 1/3 cup organic Heavy cream (I use Nutricor Organic 35% Whipping Cream)
  • 2-3 Tbsps Gorgonzola cheese
  • 1/4 Tsp Garlic powder
  • Pink salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh basil (garnish)

Directions

In a pan over low-medium heat, add the heavy cream, pepper, garlic powder and salt. When it starts to simmer (make sure not to burn it!), add the gorgonzola. Mix till incorporated and sauce has started to thicken. Add in your spaghetti squash and mix so that all the spaghetti squash noodles are coated. Serve with fresh basil and sprinkle more salt & pepper as needed.

Food, Recipes

Spicy Honey BBQ Bacon Halloumi Roulades (Gluten-free, Low Carb & Keto)

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Halloumi is a firm cheese that I recently discovered late last year. Since the discovery, I’ve been quite obsessed with it, often making fried or grilled halloumi with my eggs in the morning or ordering Halloumi frites from one of my favourite cafés.

This morning, when I discovered I’d still had halloumi and was preparing my usual, eggs + bacon + halloumi, I thought.. Why not bacon-wrapped halloumi? After all, bacon-wrapped anything is incredible and halloumi is delicious on its own.. Awesome + Awesome must equal double awesome. Right? Well… Success!

 Spicy Honey BBQ Bacon Halloumi Roulades

Serves 1.

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Stretch each strip of bacon and cut in half width wise. Sprinkle with FlavorGod Spicy Everything  & black pepper. Wrap each halloumi piece with half a strip of bacon and sprinkle with FlavorGod Honey BBQ. Repeat with remaining halloumi and bacon. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Sprinkle with fresh flat parsley to add some freshness.

Food, Guest Posts

Salmon with Basil Cream Sauce by Franziska Spritzler

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Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE is a registered dietitian and clinical diabetes educator with expertise in using carbohydrate-restricted dietary therapy for diabetes and obesity as well as other conditions. She began her blog The Low Carb Dietitian in the hopes of providing people with accurate & useful information so they could improve their overall health and well-being through good nutrition. I’m so glad that she decided to share a recipe from her new book The Low Carb Dietitian’s Guide to Health and Beauty. Make sure to check her out on her Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Blog for more information.

Fatty Fish: Benefits for Our Health and Our Looks

The positive effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosohexaenoic acid (DHA) on heart health, mood, and inflammation have received a lot of attention in the media and were the basis for the “Eat Fish Twice a Week” campaign that began back in 1989.

Sardines and herring have very high levels of these omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the lowest levels of mercury due to their small size. Larger fish accumulate considerably more mercury in their fat stores as a result of living longer and eating many fish over their lifetime. But what if you don’t like sardines and herring? These fish do have an undeniably strong taste. Fortunately, salmon is also an excellent source of omega 3 PUFAs (particularly wild Alaskan sockeye salmon) with low mercury content, and all seafood contains at least a small amount of DHA and EPA.

While it’s true that flaxseed and chia seeds are a good source of an omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), this is a short-chain fatty acid that doesn’t have the same properties as the long-chain fats EPA and DHA. Although the body can convert ALA to EPA and DHA, it’s a very inefficient process that declines with age. In order to get the many benefits of long-chain omega-3 fats, I recommend eating fatty fish several times a week.

More good news: Fatty fish is not only healthy for our brain, heart, and GI health but can actually help improve our appearance as well.

Potential health & beauty benefits:

  1. Reduced risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease
  2. Improvement in bipolar disorder and other forms of depression
  3. Reduced frequency and size of colonic polyps
  4. Protection against the effects of sun exposure
  5. Improvement in moderate to severe acne with regular intake
  6. May reduce inflammation and counteract signs of aging

Recommended amount to consume on a weekly basis: 12-16 oz (340-450 grams)

Recipe: Salmon with Basil Cream Sauce

Salmon in Basil Wine Sauce

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Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For salmon:

  • 4 salmon filets (6 oz each)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

 

For cream sauce:

  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • Sea salt and fresh ground Black Pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Preheat grill to high. Rinse salmon under cold water, drain, and blot dry. Brush salmon on both sides with olive oil. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Combine basil, wine and garlic in a blender and process until a smooth puree forms. Transfer to a small heavy saucepan. Stir in cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, taking care not to let cream boil over. Stir frequently for 10-15 minutes, until sauce is reduced by half. Add butter and lemon juice, continuing to stir.

Once the butter is incorporated into the cream mixture, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

Grill salmon until it just starts to fully flake. Remove from heat. Spoon sauce over salmon and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories: 550

Total Fat: 45 grams

Saturated Fat: 15 grams

Protein: 37 grams

Total Carbohydrates: 1 gram

Fiber: 0 grams

Net Carbohydrates: 1 gram

 

References:

  1. Breslow JL. N-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jn;83(6 Suppl):14772-1482S
  2. Grosso G et al. Role of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of depressive disorders: a comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Malaga G, ed. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(5)
  3. Hull, MA. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2011 Aug 25(4-5);547-54
  4. Pilkington SM, et al. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: photoprotective macronutrients. Exp Dermatol. 2011 Jul;20(7):537-43.
  5. Latreille J, et al. Association between dietary intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and severity of skin photoaging in a middle-aged Caucasian population. J Dermatol Sci. 2013 Dec;72(3):233-9
  6. Khavef G, et al. Effects of fish oil supplementation on inflammatory acne. Lipids Health Dis. 2012 Dec 3:11:165.
  7. Boelsma E, et al. Nutritional skin care: health effects of micronutrients and fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 May;73(5):853-64
Food, Recipes

Chicken Parmigiana (Gluten-free & Low-Carb)

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Chicken Parmigiana is an Italian classic that usually involved breading chicken breasts with bread crumbs, frying that up and then baking the whole dish with tomato sauce and cheese. As delectable as this dish sounds, it unfortunately, is not low-carb and gluten-free friendly.

Luckily, Emily and I were craving this last night and so I just took to the kitchen. The final product turned out absolutely delicious – not sure if that was because I hadn’t eaten all day or if it was amazing but regardless, here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 1 Tbsp Flavor God Garlic Lovers
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
  • 4 Chicken Thighs
  • 2Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Aluminium foil
  • 1/2 cup Tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

Method:

In a bowl, whisk the egg. In another bowl, mix together the Flavor God and Parmesan. For each chicken thigh, first coat in egg and then coat in Flavor God/Parmesan mixture. Place all chicken thighs on aluminium foil covered baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake the chicken in preheated oven at 350F for 35 minutes. In a 8×8 baking dish, place the chicken thighs and cover with the tomato sauce and then the cheese. Broil the cheese on the top rack of the oven for 5-7minutes or until golden brown.

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Serves 4.

Food, Recipes

Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free & Paleo)

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Starting your morning on the right foot can make all the difference in how you face the day ahead. Why not start that day with a protein-loaded, delicious and comforting dish of Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes. Waking up on a Sunday morning to the smell of maple syrup and hot cakes reminds me of childhood.. Here’s a healthier, adult-friendly alternative that won’t make you deviate from your diet.

Now, I know. Sweet potatoes? Low-carb? Before you freak out. There are only 2.9g of carbs per serving (2 pancakes) so yes, they are low-carb, gluten-free, paleo-friendly and of course, keto-friendly.

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Ingredients:

Method:

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. The batter should be thin like normal pancakes but with chunks of butter. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, put some coconut oil to cook and fry like normal pancakes. Top with some coconut butter and/or butter and this makes for the most, delicious breakfast or brunch.

Serves 2. (Serving size is 2 pancakes)