Low Carb Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

Bulk Dark Chocolate 70-85%
Peanut Butter (unsweetened, I like using chunky peanut butter)
Sea Salt

You need a tart mold to shape the chocolate. 

Instructions:

1. Melt your dark chocolate in a pan.
2. Spoon a small amount of the chocolate to cover the bottom of the mold.
3. Place in freezer for 5-10 minutes until solidified.
4. Spoon about a teaspoon of chocolate into the center of the mold. Press down with your finger to flatten slightly.
5. Pour chocolate over the peanut butter to cover.
6. Sprinkle with sea salt.
7. Put in freezer for 5-10 minutes to harden. Keep refridgerated for storage.
8. Enjoy!

The darker the chocolate you use, the lower the sugar content. The molds I use make fairly large cups and should have about 6g of carbs per cup with 72% chocolate.

Grain Free Low Carb Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients:

1 large piece of fresh mozzarella chopped into sticks
4 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp finely shredded parmesan cheese
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 egg
1 cup canola oil (don't worry you won't use it all)

Makes about 12 mozzarella sticks.

Instructions:

1. Whisk the egg in a small bowl.
2. In another bowl, mix together the coconut flour, seasoning and parmesan cheese.
3. Dip the mozzarella stick into the egg.
4. Then coat it thoroughly in the flour/ cheese mixture.
5. FREEZE for at LEAST an hour. You cannot shorten this freezing process. I was impatient the first time I made these mozzarella sticks, but this recipe won't work without freezing them.
6. Pour the canola oil into a small pot and heat.
7. Dunk the sticks into the canola oil until lightly browned.
8. Enjoy!

The nutrition facts are slightly difficult to determine because you will be left with a fair amount of canola oil in your pot and probably some of the flour mixture. That being said the mozzarella itself should have about 0.5 carbs per stick and the coconut flour adds 1 net carb per stick. So each stick should have about 1.5 net carbs if you use all the flour mixture to coat your sticks. 

Ketogenic Brownies 5 NET Carbs

Ingredients:

1/4 cup agave

3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

2. Whisk the honey, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs until smooth. 

3. Mix in almond flour, cocoa, baking soda and optional salt. 

4. Pour into greased 8x8x2 inch pan. 

5. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. 

6. Cool and enjoy!

Makes about 16 brownies. This recipe is also Paleo :)

Nutrition Facts:

133 calories

7 g carbs

2 g fiber

5 NET carbs

3 g protein

12 g fat

4 g sugar

Sugar Free Hot Chocolate

1 cup almond milk unsweetened
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Scharffen Berger Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder)
3 packets of Stevia
A dash of salt

Makes 1 serving. Add all the ingredients in a pot and whisk while heating to mix cocoa in well.

Nutrition:

70 calories
5 g carbs
5 g fiber
ZERO net carbs
5 g fat
5 g protein

Chocolate Chia Powder Pudding

4 TBSP chia powder (I use Navitas Naturals)
3 TBSP unsweetened cacoa powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 packets of Stevia

Mix all the ingredients well and let stand for about 10 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.

Nutrition Facts (assuming recipe makes 3 servings):

60 calories
5 g carbs
5 g fiber
ZERO net carbs :) 
4 g fat
3 g protein

Chia powder is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids (check out this WebMD article), which are known to have a plethora of health benefits. Add more Stevia if you want a sweeter treat (the cocoa's strong taste is masks the slight bitter taste of Stevia). Enjoy!

Ketogenic, Almond Flour Pancakes!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour/ meal
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water, use sparkling water for fluffier pancakes
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Agave nectar

Preparation:

Mix ingredients together and cook as you would other pancakes. Use a nonstick pan with a little coconut oil.  Flip them when the underside starts to brown.

Yield: Six 4-inch pancakes

Nutrition Facts per Pancake:

Calories 133
Carbohydrates 5g
Fiber 2g
Fat 11g
Protein 6g

Only 3 NET carbs per pancake! I like to sweeten with maple syrup, but I'm just very careful about how much I use. A quarter teaspoon goes a surprisingly long way mixed with a little bit of butter!

Enjoy!

Low Carb Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp lemon oil (look for anything labeled lemon flavoring or lemon oil in the spices section)

7-8 packets of Stevia in the Raw

1/3 cup coconut oil

6 eggs

3/4 cup blueberries
 

Makes 10 muffins with only 3 net carbs each!

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. 

3. Mix wet ingredients.

4. Mix together slowly. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes. 

Stats per muffin:

142 calories
6g carbs
3g fiber
3 NET carbs
11g fat
5g protein

Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins 2.0 (Even Lower Carb and just as good)

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tsp lemon oil (look for anything labeled lemon flavoring or lemon oil in the spices section)

7-8 packets of Stevia in the Raw

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 tbsp poppy seeds

6 eggs
 

Makes 10 muffins with only 2 net carbs each!

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. 

3. Mix wet ingredients.

4. Mix together slowly. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes. 

Stats per muffin:

149 calories
5g carbs
3g fiber
2 NET carbs
12g fat
6g protein

Enjoy!

Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies (Paleo, Ketogenic)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened, smooth peanut butter
1 egg
6 packets Stevia
1 tsp Agave
1 tbsp coconut flour
1/2 tsp salt

Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Grease a pan and put walnut sized balls of the dough onto the pan. Use a fork to press down the top of the balls and create a cross hatched design.

Bake for 12 minutes and cool. Makes about 20 small cookies.

82 calories
3g carbs (2 NET carbs)
1g fiber
6g fat
4g protein
1g sugar

These cookies should be good for anyone on a ketogenic or paleo diet. Enjoy!

Cheddar and Almond Flour Crackers with a Zip (Ketogenic and Low Carb Friendly)

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
3 tbsp water

Directions:

Pre-heat the over to 350F. Mix together all ingredients, but the water. Then add the water slowly until you can form a ball of dough. Flatten the dough then roll out the dough with a rolling pin between two sheets of parchment paper on an 8 by 11 in pan. You have the right thickness when you have nearly covered the pan with dough. Use a knife to cut them into triangles so that when the chips are cooked you can separate them with minimal crumbling.

Bake for 15 minutes. Check quickly after 10 to ensure they aren't getting burned (corners shouldn't be too brown).

These are a great cracker substitute! I even eat these with cheese frequently (cheese on cheese, can life get any better?). They are also great with salsa or dips!

The best part is that the recipe yields a fair number of chips (should be good for 3-4 servings) so the net carbs per serving is very low. In the entire batch there are 12 net carbs or 3 net carbs per serving for four servings. And they are VERY filling! I eat a serving of these with cheese for a meal and I am STUFFED.

Enjoy!

Low carb snacks (many Paleo) that can be easily picked up at your local health food store or supermarket...

I am currently on a low carb diet (Ketogenic/ Modified Atkins Diet/ Low Glycemic/ Attempting to be Paleo sort of minus cheese too), but I always have a hankering for yummy snacks and not enough time to always prepare homemade snacks. Thankfully, there are more and more companies producing foods that are low in sugar and carbohydrates. I put together a few of my favorite easy, on-the-go low carb snacks.

Some supermarkets carry some of these snacks (Whole Foods, Fairway, etc), but if you don't see them at your local supermarket, google your area for health food shops. They may carry lesser known brands like some of these. If that fails, order on Amazon! I have ordered Flackers and Flax Snax on Amazon several times.

1. Flackers by Doctor in the Kitchen - You will never miss eating wheat-based crackers again. These are made from flax seeds, which are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. I could list all the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids, but that would probably require its own blog post. These would qualify for the Paleo diet too given they only contain flax seeds, apple cider vinegar, spices and vegetable protein. I have to admit these are my favorite of the new crop of flax crackers that has sprouted up at supermarkets around the country.

2. Macaroons by Emmy's Organics - I have a sweet tooth so the hardest part of going on a low carb diet was giving up all my sugary treats. These are so delicious that I will continue to eat them even if I give up the diet. Everyone loves them. The only thing I'm confused about is how they can be so good with only 1 net carb per macaroon (3 come in a packet). These are also Paleo, Gluten Free, and Vegan!

3. Pizza Flax Snax by Go Raw - These are quite tasty snacks. The plain Flax Snax by Go Raw only have 2 net carbs. I try to eat those more since I'm trying to stay below 20 net carbs per day. However, the pizza impressively do actually taste like pizza if you need a fix for your pizza craving! These are Paleo, Gluten Free, and Vegan!

4. Babybel - These classic cheese snacks are 0 carbs and easy to take with you where ever you go.

5. Almonds - Of course, almonds and many other types of nuts are great for anyone on a low carb diet. However, portion control is particularly important with nuts since they are generally sold in large containers. There are two net carbs in a quarter cup of almonds.

6. The Crisp Made Entirely of Cheese - I think this is self-explantory. Absolutely delicious!

7. Coconut Paleo Bread by Julian Bakery - Julian Bakery may be the holy grail of low carb food. I just discovered it recently and am so happy that I can incorporate bread into my life again! Check out their website to see where their products are sold (they have a locator) and if there are none near you, you can order online! The Paleo Bread is great especially because I do try to get most of my food from natural products (hard with a low carb diet!) and the only ingredients in this bread are coconut flour, egg whites, psyllium and water!

8. Raw Crackers by Brad's - Only get the crackers!! The chips are NOT low carb but come in the same packaging so be careful! These are Paleo, Gluten Free, and Vegan.

9. Siggi's - Yogurt in general has a much larger carb content than you would expect. Siggi's is great and has the lowest carb count I've seen on the market. It's great for breakfast with a touch of Stevia. 

How to Roast Brussel Sprouts

Making Iced Green Tea for Summer Picnics and Parties...

1. Boil water. Use 6-8 oz of water per tea bag. I have used Yogi Green Tea, Tazo Green Tea and Twinings Loose Leaf Jasmine Green Tea in the past.
2. Add the boiling and tea bags to a glass pitcher. Allow the water to cool slightly then refrigerate for a few hours. If you want to speed up the process, you can put the tea in the freezer for a few minutes, but be careful not to leave it in too long!
3. Add some ice (maybe a pinch of sugar too if you like your tea sweetened) and enjoy!

Cocoroons - Paleo Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened, desiccated coconut

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil

1 packet of Stevia (Or 2 TBSP maple syrup)

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200F.

2. Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined. 

3. Portion mixture into 12 cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

4. Place cookie sheet in warm oven. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off but leave the cookie sheet inside until it is completely cool, which takes several hours to overnight. This allows the cookies to dry out. Refrigerate. 

This is a great recipe for anyone following a Paleo, Modified Atkins or Ketogenic diet. There is only 1 net gram of carbs per cookie. 

I use Stevia normally and these definitely satisfy my sweet tooth when I'm having a craving! 

Making the Perfect Omelet - Quick, Easy Instructions for a French Style Omelet

Chop about a quarter of a red onion into long, thin slices for two omelets (halve if you only want to make one). Then chop two cloves of garlic (finely chopped).

Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until lightly browned. Remove them from the pan.

Crack two eggs and mix together. Add in half the onions and garlic, mix, and then return to the pan. You should see the edges begin to cook slightly. When you see it cooking slightly, its time to add the cheese.

 

Sprinkle cheese (I love goat cheese with this omelet!) along the center of the omelet. 

When you can see it cooking through the egg, use a rubber spatula to flip one side of the omelet over the cheese. If that side looks done, flip the other side over as well.

If its runny at all, you can leave it in the pan. But to remove, just slide it off, pushing with the rubber spatula if needed onto the plate.

  

All done. Enjoy your delicious breakfast!

Paleo Butternut Squash Soup

Making soup is surprisingly simple. When you make it yourself, you ensure that all the ingredients are healthy without tons of salt, sugar and ingredients that you can't pronounce. I normally make a large batch of soup so that I have it for a few meals for the rest of the week, which helps cut down on my cooking time. 

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cups chicken stock

Nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot, add the coconut oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the squash and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, or about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and pure. Return blended squash to pot. OR you can use a stick blender (here's mine) to mix the ingredients - it is much neater if you have a stick blender. Simmer until the soup reaches your desired thickness. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Paleo Spicy Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins are tasty, healthy treats to eat anytime you're getting hungry or having a craving. They have a pinch of cayenne for a tiny bit of spiciness.  I always keep muffins in the refrigerator so I have a great snack or an easy, take-it-to-go breakfast. These are really low in carbs and sugar. My recent health kick/dieting has involved watching carbs and sugar carefully (following some combination of Paleo/ Low Glycemic diets) so these are great for me!

There are only 180 calories with 8 net grams of carbs*, 5 grams of sugar, 5 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein and 130% of your vitamin A for the day. Just for comparisons sake, another healthy breakfast food, Fage 0% Yogurt Strawberry has 17 grams of carbohydrates and 16 grams of sugar, or 11 more grams of sugar than each of these muffins. See - a perfect breakfast!

Ingredients:

1. 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
2. 1 cup coconut flour
3. 1/2 cup coconut oil
4. 6 eggs
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
6. 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
7. 1 tsp nutmeg
8. 1/4 tsp cayenne
9. 1/4 tsp baking powder
10. 3 tbsp honey
11. 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Makes 12 muffins.

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
3. In another bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.
4. Add the wet ingredients slowly and mix well. The batter ends up having a fairly thick consistency, much thicker than regular muffin batters.
5. Line the muffin tins with paper liners.
6. Scoop the batter into the liners.
7. Bake for 20 minutes until the tops of the muffins are lightly brown and a fork comes out clean.
8. Let cool and enjoy :)

*Net carbs = Total carbohydrate - fiber content

Kale Chicken Caesar Salad

First, homemade caesar dressing tastes so much better than anything you can buy in a store and is not too hard to make. It also isn't as bad for you as people make out (the only "unhealthy" ingredient really is the parmesan).

Dressing Ingredients:

1. 2 garlic cloves peeled
2. 1/2 tsp salt
3. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4. 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5. 1 egg
6. 3-4 anchovies (mashed to a paste)
7. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8. 1/4 cup parmesan

Crouton Ingredients:

1. A few springs of fresh Rosemary
2. Garlic powder
3. Onion Powder
4. Sea Salt
5. Baguette

Other ingredients:

1. 1/2 head of kale
2. 1 Chicken breast
3. Olive oil for sautéing


Mash together the garlic and salt until nearly a paste. Similarly, mash the anchovies. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend.

Cut up a baguette into small pieces and place in a bowl. Take the leaves off a few springs of Rosemary and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt, onion powder and garlic powder and toss. Bake until lightly browned at 350 degrees and let cool.

Cut your chicken into strips and sauté in a cooking pan with touch of Olive oil until cooked through.

Prepare the kale (about half a head for a large dinner for two) by washing and ripping the greens off the stems. Chop the resulting kale.

Toss the dressing and the kale. Sprinkle with sea salt, grated parmesan and pepper.

Enjoy!

P.S. If you liked the placemats, they're only $9.95 for two at Williams-Sonoma.

Paleo Lemon Bars! Amazing Crust!

Ingredients for the crust:

1. 2 cups almond flour
2. 1/4 cup honey
3. 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
4. 2 eggs

Ingredients for the topping:

1. 6 eggs
2. 1 cup fresh lemon juice
3. 1/2 cup honey
4. 1/2 cup coconut oil
5.  Dash of salt




Directions for the crust:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together the honey, eggs and coconut oil. After whisking together, add the almond flour and mix.
3. Line a 10x10 pan with parchment paper and press ingredients down evenly.
4. Bake for 15 minutes until edges are lightly brown.
5. Set aside to cool.

Directions for topping:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together eggs, juice, honey and salt. Slowly stir in the coconut oil.
2. Whisk while on low to medium heat for about 4-6 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. It should have the consistency of pudding.
3. Let cool.
4. Once cool, pour over to top of the crust and put in freezer to set. Move to the refrigerator after it has set.

This recipe makes about 16 bars depending on how you cut them. 

Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Juice of 2 lemons

Zest of 2 lemons

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 tbsp poppy seeds

6 eggs

Makes 10 muffins.

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. 

3. Mix wet ingredients.

4. Mix together slowly. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes. 

I like my muffins bigger so I only fill 10 paper liners in a muffin pan. Add more honey if you like a sweeter muffin :)

I also just tried making these with Stevia and they turned out just as yummy! I used 8 packets of Stevia instead of the honey and they were great. The lemon wiped out the bitter taste that Stevia sometimes has and instead they just tasted sweet. But if you aren't into Stevia, you can stick with the honey.