Alice is a French blogger that just moved to Québec 2 years ago. Her boyfriend’s friends were really into Paleo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which made Alice want to give it a go! Thus, Alice and her boyfriend decided to try out the paleo lifestyle together for two weeks only. Flash forward to present day, they still haven’t stopped and discovering new foods and recipes has been Alice’s passion ever since.
Alice from Gourmand et Paleo
I’m so excited for her to be sharing the two versions of her amazing recipe Crème aux oeufs! Both versions are paleo with the raspberry version being also low-carb and keto-approved. This recipe is very dear to Alice’s heart seeing as this is a modified version of her family’s traditional dessert. When she was younger, her beloved grandmother made a variant of this recipe on Sunday’s and her grandmother’s grandmother did the same before that! Luckily, Alice has utilized her incredible cookery skills to convert this once sugar-loaded recipe to something that is paleo and healthy! Wonderful work, Alice. Don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to trying this out for myself.
Make sure to check her out on her Instagram and blog!
Crème aux œufs, raspberry version
This is an excellent recipe to serve to your guests. It can be served directly from individual ramekins with various toppings (fruits, jams, chocolate…) or you can use this to make a flan tart!
Crème aux oeufs framboise
Ingredients
4 eggs
1/2L Coconut Milk
1 cup Fresh Raspberries (optional)
Beat the eggs well and slowly mix in the coconut milk. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
Pour the cream in a bowl, a mould or little ramekins. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) in a water-bath until the cream mixture becomes solidified (approximately 1h).
Let it cool and then invert it on a plate (optional step!)
Top the flan with some of the fresh raspberries. With the remaining strawberries, crush them & strain to make a coulis. Pour this on the flan.
Bon appétit!
Crème aux oeufs, version Crème caramel
Crème aux oeufs – crème caramel version
Ingredients
4 Eggs
1/2L Coconut milk
4 Tbsp Coconut sugar
1/4 cup Water
Beat the eggs well and slowly mix in the coconut milk. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
Prepare the caramel. For this, boil some water in a pot and add the sugar. Reduce the heat and let thicken while constantly mixing.
Coat a large bowl or individual ramekins with the caramel. Pour in the cream mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) in a water-bath until the cream mixture becomes solidified (approximately 1h).
Let it cool and then invert it on a plate (optional step!)
Bon appétit!
“Il y a deux ans je rejoignais mon copain au Québec. Fraîchement arrivée de France, je me suis très vite intégrée dans son groupe d’amis. Ils pratiquent tous le jiu-jitsu brésilien et aussi la paleo. Les voir manger, apprécier et ne pas se prendre la tête ni avec la nourriture ni la vie nous a donné envie d’essayer. Nous nous sommes embarqués à deux la-dedans. Pour deux semaines au départ. Finalement, on n’a jamais arrêté et découvrir des aliments et recettes est même devenu une passion.
Alice de Gourmand et Paleo
J’ai mangé de nombreuses façons différentes et j’ai testé beaucoup de choses : manger sainement (c’est à dire manger des « grains bons pour le coeur » et toutes ces affaires) avec beaucoup de glucides mais peu de gras, la chrono-nutrition, le régime dukan, etc… Les régimes ont toujours été un échec pour moi, je recherchais quelque chose de plus sain et plus simple. C’est exactement ce que j’ai trouvé avec la paleo.
Aujourd’hui je suis toujours en train d’ajuster la paléo afin de savoir ce qui me convient le mieux. Grâce à des whole 30, des défis sans sucres (en limitant aussi les fruits et amidons), et même une période AIP je sais comment mon corps fonctionne et j’ai appris à voir l’alimentation d’une autre façon. Je n’ai jamais été aussi bien dans ma peau !”
Voici une recette qui a une importance toute particulière pour Alice. En plus d’avoir toutes les caractéristiques d’une recette parfaite, c’est à dire avec peu d’ingrédients, très simple à réaliser, peu onéreuse et surtout délicieuse, cette crème est le dessert traditionnel (et donc aussi préféré) de sa famille. “Ma grand-mère qui nous la prépare pour les repas du dimanche la tient de sa propre grand-mère !”
Alice a simplement remplacé le lait de vache et le sucre blanc par du lait et du sucre de coco.
Cette recette se prête très bien si vous avez des invités. Vous pouvez servir les crèmes dans des ramequins individuels accompagnés de différents toppings (fruits, confitures, chocolat…). Vous pouvez aussi utiliser la crème pour faire une tarte au flan en déposant une parte brisée au fond d’un moule à tarte (et donc ne pas faire le caramel).
Crème aux oeufs, version framboise
Ingrédients
4 œufs
1/2 litre de lait de coco
1 tasse de framboises (optionnel)
Bien battre les quatre œufs et les mêler peu à peu au lait de coco. Passer à la fine passoire.
Verser la crème dans un bol, un moule ou des petits ramequins. Cuire au bain-marie dans un four à 350°F (180°C) jusqu’à ce que les crèmes soient prises (environ une heure).
Laisser la crème refroidir puis la renverser sur un plat (ou non!)
Disposer sur la crème des framboises. Écraser le reste et les passer au chinois pour obtenir un coulis. Le verser sur la crème.
Bon appétit!
Crème aux oeufs, version crème caramel
Crème aux oeufs, version crème caramel
Ingrédients
4 œufs
1/2 litre de lait de coco
4 cas de sucre de coco
1/4 tasse d’eau
Bien battre les quatre œufs et les mêler peu à peu au lait de coco. Passer à la fine passoire.
Préparer le caramel. Pour cela, faire bouillir dans une poêle l’eau et le sucre. Diminuer le feu et laisser épaissir tout en mélangeant.
Enduire de caramel un grand bol ou des petits ramequins. Verser ensuite la crème.
Cuire au bain-marie dans un four à 350°F (180°C) jusqu’à ce que les crèmes soient prises (environ une heure).
Laisser la crème refroidir puis la renverser sur un plat (ou non!)
A detailed look into the March 2016 KetoKrate box. Get keto-approved snacks delivered to your door every month.
Bored of the same low carb staples? Tired of all the easy, but tempting snacks available in your local grocery stores? Being a busy student, it can be difficult for me to find the time and/or inspiration to cook after a busy day. That’s why I’m so excited about KetoKrate.
Last month, I was introduced to this snacking service by my lovely friend, Suzanne from KetoKarma. The idea of having keto-approved snacks delivered straight to my door was an attractive idea.
What is KetoKrate
KetoKrate is a snacking delivery service that ships 6-9 keto-friendly snacks to your door at the beginning of each month. All snacks are <5g of carbs per serving.
Their immediate mission is to bring you tasty low carb snacks to help you with your ketogenic/low-carb diet. Long term, they are trying to fight the war on sugar. By not purchasing sugar-laden products and choosing to support the companies featured in the KetoKrate, you’re giving them a change to grow and replace the junk on the supermarket shelves.
How it works
At the beginning of every month, a new box of keto-approved snacks will be shipped directly to your doorstep. If you’re feeling unsatisfied, you can unsubscribe at any time. Subscriptions are 34.95$/month and can be shipped anywhere in the United States.
In the March crate
Wild Friends Classic Creamy Almond Butter
Skout Black pepper BBQ Raw Pumpkin Seeds
KingMadeJerky Flank Steak Beef Jerky
Foods Alive Italian Zest flax crackers
ProTings Zesty Nacho Protein Chips
ProTings Tangy Southern BBQ Protein Chips
Nutilight Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread & Dark Chocolate
Almond butter is truly one of my favourite things so when I saw this in the March 2016 KetoKrate, I was super excited. Not only is this almond butter tasty, it is also super convenient! The single serving size makes it easy to pop in your bag and take anywhere. Top your fresh berries off with this stuff or even eat directly from package. Yum!
Wild Friends Almond Butter on my way to class
Something I should mention is that I found this almond butter a little on the salty side. The ingredients are roasted almonds and sea salt so that’s to be expected.
Skout Black pepper BBQ Raw Pumpkin Seeds – Retail $3.99
Absolutely love the BBQ seasoning on the pumpkin seeds. It is a welcome twist to the traditional pumpkin seed flavour. Pumpkin seeds are also great for your health! These seeds are packed with magnesium, iron and zinc — all minerals that are necessary for proper functioning of the body. Magnesium is especially important in contractions of muscles like the heart and zinc is one of the corner stones of the immune system. Moreover, pumpkin seeds are one of the best plant sources of omega-3s — something most of us are not getting enough of.
Prosciutto, cheddar omelette topped with organic broccoli sprouts and black pepper BBQ pumpkin seeds
Another thing to note is that all the ingredients used in this Skout product are organic. Whilst evaporated cane syrup is one of the ingredients in this product (something I’m not crazy about), it is only in moderation making these seeds an awesome, on-the-go snack or topping on a dish.
Before trying this jerky, I was a jerky newbie. I’d seen it all over Instagram but had never tried it. It was love at first smell.
Me on SnapChat enjoying the jerky publicly
The smokey flavour and soft texture of this beef jerky really is incredible. After trying this jerky, I thought I’d give a local brand a shot but it was tough and just… unchewable.
The one down fall of this product is that the marinade includes soy and brown sugar (in small quantities, but still!). Soy contains gluten so this product is not gluten-free and would complicate things for someone with celiac disease or gluten tolerances.
*Note: I have a gluten sensitivity and didn’t have any issues following the consumption of the whole bag… in one sitting (guilty!). Can’t help it guys, this is some really mouth-watering jerky.
Foods Alive Italian Zest flax crackers – Retail $7.49
Flax isn’t a big part of my diet so these crackers were a nice little change. They have a nice pizza-esque flavour to them so you can enjoy them on their own or paired with cream cheese & smoked salmon (see picture below). Definitely one of my favourite products in this month’s Keto Krate
Smoked salmon & cream cheese flax cracker bites
Flax seeds are a rich source of micronutrients, dietary fiber, vitamin B1 or thiamine and the essential fatty acid, omega-3. Since all the B vitamins are water-soluble, the body can’t store very much of it and thiamine deficiencies can occur rather quickly in a diet poor in B1s. Symptoms of the thiamine deficiency Beriberi are weakness, memory loss and unexplained weight loss.
Simple breakfast of smoked gouda, spinach and egg scramble, cherry tomatoes and flax crackers
Whilst we all know that omega-3s are important, the harsh reality is that most of us still don’t consume enough of them. Alpha-linolenic acid or omega-3 is primarily found in fatty fish such as salmon, albacore tuna, sardines and mackerel. Research conducted by the American Heart Association has shown that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce risk of heart arrhythmias, triglyceride levels, the growth of atherosclerotic plaque and lower blood pressure. Unfortunately, many fish are becoming affected by mercury poisoning due to pollution and mercury is extremely toxic. All the more reason to eat flax seeds!
Nutilight Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread & Dark Chocolate – Retail $8.49
So, as you can see from the near empty container, NutiLight and I have been getting to know each other pretty well. All for blogging purposes, of course!
My (almost empty) jar of Nutilight
While I do have a recipe for homemade “Nutella”, hazelnuts can run on the pricey side and it is slightly time-consuming. I love the texture of this stuff. It reminds me very much of Nutella (keep in mind though I haven’t had it in years). It is thick and has a strong hazelnut taste, the only thing that really gives it away is that it isn’t as sweet (good thing!) and it has a slight cooling effect due to the erythritol. Moreover, all the sweeteners used in the spread are 100% natural and the packing says that it’ll produce zero glycemic index.
As I’m sure you’ve heard, palm oil can be quite controversial due to the way in which it is procured. My conscious feels light knowing that the palm oil in this product is sustainable.
ProTings Zesty Nacho Protein Chips & Tangy Southern BBQ Protein Chips – Retail $2.00/each
The one thing I miss on this low carbohydrate diet is all things crunchy. Yes, there are recipes that are somewhat crunchy like the low-carb sour cream chive crackers or chicharrones, but nothing comes close to a crunchy chips. This is where ProTings come into play. These bad boys are made of pea protein and are CRUNCHY!!
ProTings Zesty Nacho protein chips
In the KetoKrate, there were two different flavours: Zesty Nacho and Tangy Southern BBQ. I have a strong preference for the Tangy Southern BBQ, reminded me of the flavouring on Lay’s BBQ chips.
Verdict?
Overall, I’m sold on the KetoKrate concept. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of snacks found within the crate. I really liked the versatility of the products, they could be eaten on their own or as part of a larger, more substantial meal. Moreover, the convenience of receiving this assortment of snacks straight to your door is also a big positive. Most of our schedules are hectic these days so not having to go to the grocery store or do research and then order online is an awesome time-saver!
Want to order your own?
Visit http://www.ketokrate.com/ for more information!
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!
*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.
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!
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.
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**
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.
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!
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.
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:
Reduced risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease
Improvement in bipolar disorder and other forms of depression
Reduced frequency and size of colonic polyps
Protection against the effects of sun exposure
Improvement in moderate to severe acne with regular intake
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
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.
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.
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.
Ingredients
