Category Archives: Food

Food, Recipes

Bacon Bombs (Gluten-free & Low-Carb)

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As you all know if you’ve been following me for a bit, Emily from Low Carb Genesis has been visiting from the UK! We’ve been having a blast exploring the city and all the awesome things it has to offer. We ended up at this cute little restaurant/café called Le Bon Vivant. Emily ordered the special “Bacon bombs”, which basically comprised different ground meats all wrapped in bacon and then BBQ sauce.

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They were absolutely delicious but it got me to thinking… How could I make these keto-friendly? As meaty as they were, they still contained bread crumbs and were coated in sugary BBQ sauce. I also couldn’t stop thinking about how yummy these would be with some cheese.. and that’s how this recipe kind of came about. These bacon bombs are a much healthier option, being both gluten-free and low-carb.

Ingredients:

  • 250g of Mozzarella cheese, cubed
  • 900g of ground meat (I used a mixture of pork and beef)
  • 1/4 cup of Parmesan, grated
  • 2 eggs, whole
  • Oregano, to taste
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 package of bacon

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the ground meats, the eggs and parmesan. Do not over mix or you’ll get tough burgers! Add in oregano, salt and pepper and mix a bit more. Make a little meat patty (approximately the size of your palm), place a cube of cheese in the middle and wrap the meat around the cheese. Make sure the ball is perfectly round and then wrap a strip of bacon around the ball.

Use a tooth pick or wooden skewer to keep the bacon around the meatball during cooking. Repeat for all remaining meat. Grill meat balls for about 15-20m (depending on size of balls) on the upper shelf so they do not get direct heat and burn.

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Make sure to cut one ball open to ensure that the meat has been properly cooked prior to consumption. Garnish with chopped fresh green onions if desired and serve with mustard or LCHF friendly BBQ sauce.

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Serves 8 (with the serving size being two balls each).

Bon appétit my Keto friends!

Food, Recipes

Faux-tato Salad (Gluten-free, Low Carb, Paleo)

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Ingredients:

  • 1 Cauliflower, steamed and soft
  • 2-3 Tbsp of dill, fresh
  • Olive oil
  • White vinegar
  • Half an onion, diced
  • Salt, to taste

Cut the cauliflower into florets and place into a large bowl. Chop the fresh dill. To the bowl containing the cauliflower, add the fresh dill and the onion. Season with olive oil and white vinegar and salt, to taste.

Bon appétit my Keto friends

Faux-tato Salad with Coddled Eggs and Hollandaise sauce
Faux-tato Salad with Coddled Eggs and Hollandaise sauce

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Food, Recipes

Crispy Pork Belly (Gluten-Free, Keto & Paleo)

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Pork Belly thinly sliced (before pan-sear)
Pork Belly thinly sliced (before pan-sear)

Ingredients

Pork Belly

  • 2lbs Pork belly
  • 1 cup salt*

*Do not worry about this large of a quantity. It comes off later as a 1 piece crust so you do not end up consuming this much salt.

Marinade

  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Tamari or Coconut Aminos (Paleo option)
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/3 cup Olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

In the bottom of a roasting pan (with rack removed), mix all ingredients for the marinade together. Place pork belly in marinade with meaty section in contact with the marinade. Do not let the skin get wet (it should be outside the marinade). Refrigerate for a day or longer. Remove the pork belly from the marinade, pour the marinade into a container for reuse (just refrigerate) and fill the roasting pan with about 1in of water. Place rack over the water and put the pork belly on the rack. [Make sure the pork belly is level. If the surface of the skin is uneven, it will result in sections that are burnt and others that are undercooked.] Cover the pork belly with the salt. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove pork belly from the oven, the meat should be cooked by this point. Remove salt crust (it should come off as one layer). Preheat the oven to 465F and bake the pork belly for 25-30 minutes or until the skin begins to crisp up and bubble. If the skin is not completely bubbled by this point, broil for 1-2 minutes but watch closely.

Slice pork belly width-wise into thin strips and pan sear until golden brown on each side of the slice. (Side note: If you’re making the pork belly to be eaten later in the week, I like to stop at this step. I just leave the thinly sliced pieces in the fridge in a container and then when it comes time to eat, I just pan sear the pieces I plan on eating.)

Pork Belly - the final product
Pork Belly – the final product

N.B. I like to pair this with homemade basil & parmesan pesto or a soft camembert cheese. Nom nom!

Bon Appétit my Keto friends!

Cooking method inspired by: http://kirbiecravings.com/2014/08/crispy-golden-pork-belly.html

Food, Recipes

Low Carb & Gluten-free Eggplant Lasagna

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This is by FAR my favorite recipe ever! Words cannot begin to describe how much I love this eggplant lasagna: cheesy, gooey, hearty and delicious. What is there not to like? to all you low-carbers, I STRONGLY suggest you try this one!!!

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Prep time:                                     Bake time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium sized Eggplant, sliced
  • 1 Onion, fried
  • Mushrooms
  • 1 Small can Tomato sauce, low carb
  • 1 container Cheese, cottage
  • 500g Cheese, Cheddar or Mozzarella, grated
  • Parmesan
  • Olive oil

Wash the eggplant and cut off the ends, slice it into thin, lasagna-thick noodles and steam for 5 minutes. Coat each Eggplant slice with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and bake until soft at 350F. While that cooks, chop the onion and the mushrooms and fry in a pan. Add a bit of the tomato sauce to the pan with the mushroom-onion mix, to give it slightly pastey consistency.

**You can layer anything into the lasagna, usually I put in minced meat and/or bacon.
Layering:
Coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of pizza sauce, then eggplant, cheddar, onion-mushroom-tomato sauce mixture, another layer of eggplant, repeat. On the top, cover with cheese and parmesan. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes at 400F and then put on broil without the foil for 5 more minutes.

Bon appétit my Keto friends!

Food, Guest Posts

Spicy Salmon for One by Elviira Krebber (Low Carb, So Simple)

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Elviira is a Finnish, low-carb, gluten-free blogger, author and photographer. You may already know her from her blogs: Low-Carb, So Simple blog and www.alakarpisti.com. I was so glad when she agreed to share one of her delicious recipes with us! Check her out on her Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Blog.

Elviira Krebber from Low Carb, So Simple
Elviira Krebber from Low Carb, So Simple

Elviira’s bio:

Hi all! My name is Elviira. I’m a former music scientist and computational linguist but I changed my career completely after starting my Low-Carb, So Simple blog a few years ago. I’m now a professional food blogger, author and photographer. I have been self-studying nutrition and different diets basically from the age I started eating 🙂 I’ve had severe health problems but after finding the gluten-free low-carb way to eat, those problems have been just bad memories.

Cooking has been always my passion. On my journey from a strict raw vegan to a conscious omnivore, I have collected an extensive collection of hundreds of diet books and cookbooks, still relentlessly digging into new studies and old traditions. On my blog, I share simple and healthful recipes with mouthwatering photos, hoping to help other people heal themselves and live healthy lives, full of energy and happiness.

I feel myself lucky because I have been able to turn my passion into profession. Several thousands of people visit my blog daily, and the blog has currently over 140,000 Facebook followers.

As I’m a native Finn and currently reside in Finland, I also blog in Finnish on www.alakarpisti.com whenever I have time.

When Jess asked me to write a guest post, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I find her blog and Facebook pages very inspirational. Jess has got a great attitude and her friendliness is genuine and sincere. I wish her luck in her studies and business. I hope we can do more collaboration in the future!

Without further ado, I present to do you, Spicy Salmon for One by Elviira Krebber…

Spicy Salmon for One
Spicy Salmon for One

Spicy Salmon for One

This Jamaican-inspired dish combines spices and lime juice into piquant paste which crowns the super healthy salmon. This superb single-serving dish is quick to make and sure to please! Adjust the fieriness to your liking by increasing or reducing the amount of cayenne pepper.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 teaspoon organic paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried organic thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground organic cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon organic onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) organic cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) unrefined sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice from organic lime
  • 7 oz = 200 g wild caught salmon fillet or medallion
  • 1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Mix the spices and the salt with the lime juice in a small cup until the mixture forms a thick paste. Spread the paste over the salmon fillet.
  2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil.
  3. Place the salmon carefully on the skillet, the saucy side top.
  4. Cook, covered, until just done and easily flaked with a fork. Don’t cook too long, otherwise the salmon will be dry.
  5. Serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition information Protein Fat Net carbs Calories
In total: 37.6 g 41.0 g 2.0 g 527 kcal
Food, Recipes

Homemade low carb cranberry jam (with Paleo option)

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Fall is one of my favorite times of the year and one of my favorite berries is also in season during that time – cranberries!!

Here is a lovely seasonal jam option for all you keto and paleo lovers out there.

Lemon Cheesecake with cranberry Jam

Ingredients:

  • 300g cranberries, whole, fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 cup of sweetener (I use erythritol) (paleo option: 1/2 cup honey)
  • 1Tbsp psyllium husk, ground

In the stove top, add the cranberries and water to a medium sized pot. When the cranberries soften, use a potato masher to crush the cranberries. Add the sweetener and mix. Add the psyllium husk and mix. Let simmer until thicker. Fill a 16oz mason jar.

Bon appétit my keto friends!

Serves 25-30. (1 Serving = 1Tbsp)

Nutritional information for 1 serving: 4 cals, 0g fat, 1.1g carbs with 0.6 fiber and 0.4g sugar. 0g protein. Net carbs: 0.5g

Food, Recipes

Low carb, Paleo, sugar-free Cranberry sauce

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If you’re like me, Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays (along with Christmas, of course). What’s not to love? A delicious turkey roasting in the oven with all the garnishes, spending quality time with my family, perfect autumn weather and let’s not forget all the pretty leaves changing colours. Unfortunately, many of the Thanksgiving traditional foods and desserts are loaded with processed sugars which, I guarantee, will knock you off track.

Here is a little somethin’, somethin’ I have been working on. Say goodbye to those sugar-filled, high glycemic index holiday treats and hellooooo to my sugar-free, low carb cranberry sauce! This cranberry sauce tastes like the sugar filled one except it won’t spike your blood sugar. Don’t let the holidays set you back. Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

JessPaige LCHF low carb Cranberry sauce
JessPaige LCHF low carb Cranberry sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Cranberries, fresh & whole
  • 1-2 Tbsp erythritol
  • Water

In a sauce pan, add the cranberries and keep it on low-medium heat. Add water (just enough to cover the cranberries). Mash the cranberries and add the erythritol. Constantly stir and let simmer till it thickens.

Enjoy and remember if you try my recipes, please post a picture either on my Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #jesspaigelchf.

Nutritional information for the whole batch: 44 cals, 0.12g fat, 11.59g total carbohydrates with 4.4g fiber & 3.84g sugar, 0.37g protein. Net carbs: 7.19g

Blog, Food

Food Shopping Tips & Ketogenic Diets

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"Do you find ketogenic foods are more expensive than regular ones?"

When people ask me this question, my answer is that in my experience, they are not more expensive. Why do you ask? Well prior to my low carb journey, I ate a variety of foods ranging from lean meats to processed food. All the foods I currently eat now, I ate prior to low carb (except I chose the lower fat options). Sure, processed food is cheaper than whole foods if you are only consuming dried pastas and pre-cooked meals but in my experience, if you look for deals, you can ALWAYS find them. Nowadays, my grocery bills are actually lower than they were before because I actually consume less food. Gone are the days of constant hunger pangs, night snacking and meals every few hours. If I have a bulletproof coffee in the morning, I will stay satiated till about 2-3pm without requiring any other food. My friends are always astonished that I’m not hungry but it’s true.

Another thing to keep in mind is that leaner cuts tend to be more expensive since most people look for “low fat”. Pork bones, shoulder, etc. all are cheaper than super lean cuts like beef tenderloin.

Ok, now on to the grocery tips… (Don’t forget to check the Notes section for this week’s grocery list!)

Tips for low carb grocery shopping:

1) Make a list.
It’s simple, fail to prepare or prepare to fail. If you go to the grocery store and just browse for what you need, you’re much more likely to buy something on impulse. The likelihood of that product being low carb is lower than if you have a list.

2) Eat before shopping or bring yourself a snack.
Are you trying to torture yourself by looking at all the delicious food options without having eaten? Seriously. You’re more likely to grab for something that isn’t ketosis friendly as all ready-made food tends to be loaded with refined sugars and starches. Pack yourself a quest bar or something portable at the beginning of the day.

3) Browse the flyers prior to your grocery excursion.
Flyers are a wonderful way to check out what is on sale/lower price. A lot of these products are considered lost leaders (they are so cheap the store actually makes little to no profit on them, they are there only to attract you to the store) — Take advantage of that!

4) Buy seasonally.
If you live in a northern country like I do, try to purchase things that are seasonal. The produce will be fresher, richer in nutrients, taste better, you’ll be supporting local businesses not to mention, it’ll be cheaper! It’s a win-win.

5) Buy in bulk.
You know those staples that you use on a regular basis? Well Costco just became your best friend. Eggs, cream cheese, almond flour, coconut oil, you name it. They have it. It’s significantly cheaper to purchase things that you will constantly be using from a warehouse club.

Food, Recipes

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

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The leaves are turning gorgeous shades of orange, red and yellow and… the pumpkins are in season! I don’t know about all of you but fall is definitely my favorite season. What is there not to love? Cozy, sweater weather with delicious pumpkin treats and a hot mug of tea?

Ok, ok.. enough about why I love fall.

Mini Pumpkin Keto Cheesecakes
Mini Pumpkin Keto Cheesecakes

Here is the pumpkin cheesecake recipe you have been waiting for!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (See how to make puree here)
  • 1/2 cup erythritol, granulated
  • 1 Tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, large
  • 1 Tbsp pumpkin spice

In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, pumpkin puree, erythritol, vanilla and pumpkin spice. Mix each egg in one at a time. Pour batter into 4-6 small greased ramekins and bake for 35-45 minutes in a preheated oven at 350F.

Enjoy!

Food, Recipes

Pumpkin “Cheesecake” bars

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With autumn quickly approaching, it is time to be bombarded with pumpkin everything. This is the first of many pumpkin based recipes to come, so get ready!

Pumpkin 'Cheesecake' Square by Jesspaigelchf
Pumpkin ‘Cheesecake’ Square by Jesspaigelchf

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2.5 cups of Almond flour
  • 1-1.25 cups Erythritol (I use Swerve) (could also substitute for honey but measurements may vary)
  • 1Tsp Baking powder
  • 1 Egg, large
  • 3/4 cup Pecans, chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 1 cup of Ghee (dairy-free option) or butter
  • 2Tsp Cinnamon, ground

Cheesecake layer

  • 1 cup Almond Cream Cheese (Dairy-free option, I used this recipe) or Regular cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup Erythritol
  • 2 Tbsp Almond flour
  • 2 Eggs, large
  • 1Tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt

Pumpkin Spice layer

  • 2 cups homemade Pumpkin puree*
  • 1/4 cup Erythritol
  • 2 Eggs, large
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp Nutmeg, ground (or to taste)
  • 3 Tsp Cinnamon, ground (or to taste)
  • 1 Tsp Cloves, ground (or to taste)
  • 1 Tsp Ginger, ground (or to taste)
  • 1 Tsp All spice, ground (or to taste)

In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, mix together all ingredients for the crust. It should have a crumbly texture. In a parchment paper lined 9in by 13in pan, pour half of the crust mixture. Press it down so it covers the bottom of the whole pan. Next, mix together all ingredients for the cheesecake layer using a hand mixer. Pour over crust layer. Mix together all ingredients for the pumpkin layer and pour over cheesecake layer (try not to mix the two). Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the pumpkin mixture. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes (times may vary depending on your oven). Once out of the oven, let cool for at least an hour. Serve cool and top with coconut whipped cream if you desire.

Remember that if you try one of my recipes, snap a picture and #jesspaigelchf @jesspaigelchf on Instagram for the chance to be featured!

Before baking - Pumpkin 'Cheesecake' Squares by Jesspaigelchf
Before baking – Pumpkin ‘Cheesecake’ Squares by Jesspaigelchf
jesspaigelchfpumpkin2
Cooled Pumpkin ‘Cheesecake’ Squares by Jesspaigelchf

Bon appétit my friends!

Serves 30.

*How to make homemade pumpkin puree: Bake de-seeded slices of pumpkin for 35-60min (depending on size of your pumpkin) at 350F or until soft. Scoop out pumpkin flesh and blend.

Nutritional info (1 serving, without pecans): 173 cals, 16.3g fat, 3.2g carbs ( 0.7g fiber and 0.9g sugar), 4g protein –> Net Carbs per seving = 2.5g