Low Carb Fries

Fries. Who doesn't love them?

It seems fries are one of the foods we are introduced to at an early age.

Golden, hot, crispy, salty...what's not to like?

Well, in adult world, the carbs of fries steer many away from them.

And, if you are on a keto/low carb diet, eating your burger w/o a bun,

(or as a lettuce wrap)

you may be missing this nostalgic, classic side.

Have no fear, this golden jicama fries recipe is here!

So, what is jicama?

A root vegetable, but more akin in color to an apple.

With the high fiber content,

it can integrate into a keto/low carb diet.

Where do you purchase jicama?

They have it already peeled and in fry form at my fav Trader Joe's!

Made these jicama fries twice already.

The first time:

1. Forgot to flip them over

2. Used the recipe suggested avocado oil

(which smells like butt)

3. Did not use turmeric

The second time:

1. Flipped over

2. Used oil

3. Still didn't use turmeric

On the second time, the fries were crispier (due to flipping properly)

and normal carb eaters also tried the fries,

and they loved them!

Definitely fills the potato-shaped hole eating real fries left...lol

Go buy yourself some sugar-free ketchup and get your fries on!

Difficulty Level: 2? A bit more involved than I'd like, but worth it generally

Yum Factor: 3.75-4 tweaking of the spices

A Tale of Two Chilis...

Happy (almost) Spring!

Though the stores are brimming with warmer weather apparel and the like,

not all parts of the country are ready for it.

The sun deceives us into thinking it is warmer that what it actually is...

Anyway, within the last month or so,

I made this keto chili recipe and a different keto chili recipe.

Why two?

I should pretend I was being clever and scouring Pinterest for the best recipes,

call it Chili Showdown or something.

It's because I hated the first recipe, like almost inedible status.

It tasted like Italian seasoning...and not much else.

E liked it, but wanted the diced tomatoes pureed...

If you make the first recipe and like it, let me know what you did!

The second recipe was better,

so much better that E devoured it ALL.

No leftovers, no survivors.

So, what's the difference?

The seasonings and the meat I chose to use.

Please go to a butcher and purchase ground sirloin or some other ground meat.

The grass fed ground beef at TJ's is healthy,

but lacks the flavor of the butcher meats.

First recipe: Yuck

Second recipe: Yum

Bacon Bourbon Meatballs (Keto)

It's almost grilling time!

Before I drive E crazy with how many kabobs I want to make,

here's some comfort food, keto style.

E finally has jumped on the keto train with me,

even though we agreed to start this together...in January.

Oh well, better late than never!

He is a particularly picky eater (doesn't like chocolate?)

but is ALWAYS down for bacon!

So thank goodness for these bacon bourbon meatballs!

They were quite tasty, but:

1. the sauce was too bourbon-y, even after letting it reduce

2. I slightly undercooked the meatballs...

pretty sure Gordon Ramsey would yell at me for this!

3. I used pre-cooked bacon from Trader Joe's

Would definitely make again!

With less bourbon, cooking meatballs longer, etc.

Oh, and if you make this without pre-cooked bacon, let me know!

At a loss for a side dish with the meatballs?

I wanted to do mashed cauliflower, but TJ's was out.

Think we went with asparagus.

Difficulty Level: 2

Yum Factor: 3.75-4

Keto Chicken Parm Pizza

Pizza. Who doesn't love it?

Well, if you are on many diets, you can't have it.

Sure, there are low carb tortillas you can use as crust...

Tried it, underwhelming.

And new cauliflower pizza crusts as well...

They may be lower in carb, but still too many to be keto.

So thank goodness for this keto chicken parm pizza recipe!

Easy, delish...what more can you ask for?

Totally forgot to add the salt & pepper to the "crust",

this and more Italian seasoning would make the pizza even better.

Also, the recipe possibly broiling the "crust" before adding toppings.

If you like a crispy crust on your normal pizza, DO THIS.

I did not, and E complained that he only like the edges...

because they became crispy from the 2nd broil.

Also, I added a few more spoonfuls of sauce than in the recipe,

it just looked too sparse!

Difficulty Level: 1.5

Yum Factor: 4.5

Keto Chocolate Pudding

Hi!

So Keto is going well, if you stick to it, it treats you well.

This meaning to avoiding dinner parties with friends,

where they make flan and you eat more of it than you should!

Surprisingly, I thought I'd lose the dessert/sweet tooth craving...

but no, it's still strong!

This keto chocolate pudding is deliciously deceptive.

It has 2 avocados in it!

(a healthy keto choice!)

E loathes avocaods, but he likes this pudding.

Eventually I told him what was in it...

So if you are into hiding healthiness in your family's meals,

make this!

The recipe calls for Swerve sweetener, which after one use,

I prefer over Stevia...best taste.

Almond extract was not used, because I was unknowingly out.

Also used a combination of 50% Hershey's Cocoa and 50% super fancy cocoa by Guittard...

which is absolute HEAVEN and I recommend it 1000000%!

The result?

Guilt-free goodness!

If your mom ever made the cook and serve Jello chocolate pudding for you,

this is very similar.

We ate it right after mixing it,

but I recommend letting it cool in the fridge first,

if you can wait that long!

Difficulty Level: 1 - get ripe avocados!

Yum Factor: 5 :)

Mircrowave Keto Cheesecake

Keto is going pretty well!

Pro: Keeps you feeling satisfied/full longer.

Con: The urge for dessert still strikes!

Pop on Pinterest, and there are many keto dessert recipes.

However, they are either full of ingredients I don't have,

or you have to refrigerate it overnight before enjoying.

And if you want dessert, you want it then, not later!

So I gave this mug keto cheesecake recipe a try.

And I suggest you don't try it.

It was too eggy, not at all like cheesecake.

And I like egg!

And the taste...yuck!

Difficulty Level:1

Yum Factor: -1

Low Carb Big Mac Bowl

Yum. All the yum!

So, haven't posted in months...

Well, when you go from having 4 jobs, to moving to a different part of the county,

life happens.

But here we are, in 2019...wishing I was in 2013.

Because I gained back all the weight I lost then. :(

But, hopefully keto to the rescue?

Just started it this week...anyone else out there ketotastic?

I'd love to hear all about it!

Whether you're on keto or not, this low carb Big Mac bowl is all the tasty!

Ingredients used that were different:

1 lb ground sirloin (from butcher)

Shredded cheddar

More (shredded) cabbage, mixed with red cabbage and carrots

Romaine lettuce

Trader Joe's sweet pickle relish

Sweet garlic dill pickle slices from Weber's Cider Mill Farm

A mixture of white vinegar & red wine vinegar

Wanted to use more cabbage/lettuce to be more full,

so this actually would last for 4 portions!

Also did not cook cabbage...pretty sure there are more nutrients in having in raw?

Besides a request to make more sauce and to have it mixed in,

this dish was a hit!

Would add sesame seeds next time!

Difficulty Level: 1.5? No more than that!

Yum Factor: 5!

Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

It may be pumpkin season...

but it is also spaghetti squash season!

😆😆😆😆😆

But, before we get to that,

I am shocked it has been over a month since posting!

🙀

Guess interviews, having 3 jobs,

and a possible move are all quite time consuming.

Back to the spaghetti squash!

Many recipes out there use it as a pasta substitute in many Italian-inspired dishes.

(even though this easy spaghetti squash & meatballs recipe is possibly my all-time fav)

So, imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon a spaghetti squash pad thai recipe!

🙌🙌🙌

And it is delicious!

Changes I made:

(mostly due to wanting to save $ and being lazy)

Frozen fully cooked shrimp instead of rotisserie chicken

Haphazard pad thai sauce instead of store bought sauce

Perhaps the pad thai sauce needs an explanation.

TJ's does not sell pad thai sauce, and usually I prefer to do all shopping in one stop,

if at all possible.

So I simply looked up the ingredients usually in a pad thai sauce, and went from there!

Will be making this spaghetti squash pad thai again and again!

Difficulty Level: low 2

Yum Factor: 5!

"Healthy" Orange Chicken

Wow, it's the last day of September!

Time flies when you have two part-time jobs, go on multiple interviews,

and trying desperately to do everything.

Anyways, back to the recipes!

Made this orange chicken this past week for dinner,

and I'd suggest you never make it.

The flavor profile of the sauce is way off...

Way too much orange juice to start with!

Plus, instead of being juicy,

the chicken was dry and tough.

If you make this and are patient enough to tweak it,

let me know how you made it better!

Difficulty Level: 1

Yum Factor: -5 bleck!

Molten Chocolate Mug Cake

I wish it were fall. So does E.

In fact, we've been wishing it for almost a week now!

That's what living in the mid-Atlantic will do to you when you are from the Midwest.

Anyway, I digress.

Imagine it's your day off. You are craving something sweet.

But have committed yourself to relaxing at home.

What's a girl to do?

Make this delicious molten chocolate mug cake of course!

I may be low-key obsessed with mug cakes,

but they usually do not turn out as imagined.

The recipe calls for whole milk...I used vanilla almond milk.

Or creamer.

Or a combination of both...can't remember!

This was as heavenly as it looks in the picture.

Worth making when that sweet tooth hits!

Difficulty Level: .5

Yum Factor: 4.5

Low Carb Shrimp Alfredo

Currently in a love affair with zucchini noodles or Zoodles.

So versatile, so low carb!

You do not miss pasta!

So upon trying this recipe, I thought, it's so up my alley!

So easy and with 1 tweak,

sound delicious!

Well, it was very meh.

Maybe because I don't regularly eat alfredo sauced meals?

I swapped the cherry tomato with sun-dried tomato,

and purchased everything at Trader Joe's.

Definitely not the best Zoodle dish out there.

Not ideal for lunches throughout the week...

Perhaps it's better fresh and eaten the same day?

Try it and tell me what you think!

Difficulty Level: 1 if that!

Yum Factor: 2.5?

Crustless Spinach (or whatever) Quiche

Breakfast. Most important meal of the day? Hmm.

Sometimes, the most challenging meal of the day,

especially if you are wanting to go low-carb.

There are only so many protein shakes one can drink!

Even though I love this breakfast taco recipe, one cannot consume that everyday,

though my favorite time to enjoy it is autumn.

Sometimes physically making breakfast everyday is too much,

it's the morning, who is awake?!

(weird morning people, that's who)

Ok, back to breakfast.

This crustless quiche is great!

Easy to make, easy to customize,

what's not to love?

I have made it twice already,

adding bell peppers and baby portobella mushrooms.

Also extra amounts of garlic.

Mmmmm.

To have more protein, I serve up some Maple Chicken Sausage

from Trader Joe's with the quiche.

Will most likely be making this for the foreseeable future...

Or until I become tired of it. :)

Difficulty Level: 1

Yum Factor: 4.25

Low Carb Shepherd's Pie

Wow.

I try new recipes almost weekly,

yet take almost a month to update..oops!

Well, this recipe is worth the wait.

I've made this Low Carb Shepherd's Pie three times already!

There is the recipe way of doing this, and an easier way.

The easier way it to hit up your local Trader Joe's and purchase:

mirepoix (avoid dicing veggies time)

frozen mashed cauliflower (avoid all of step 4 in recipe)

So good! And you don't miss the crust!

Heck, it's better with the mashed cauliflower than with potato!

I do use more than the recommended amount of tomato paste,

it just looks incomplete without it!

Yes, making it the recipe way is even better,

but who has time for all that?

If you have two other people helping you with step 4,

then go for it.

Otherwise, do the TJ's version and enjoy!

Difficulty Level: 1-3 depending on what you choose

Yum Factor: 4

Thai Chicken Zoodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I don't have anything fun to write about this.

Just make this recipe. It's delicious! It's quick!

And it doesn't matter if you don't have all the ingredients!

Substitutions used:

shredded carrot for spiralized

cilantro omitted (b/c E hates it)

green onion omitted (b/c I forgot)

soy sauce for tamarin sauce

bean sprouts omitted (couldn't find them!)

Also purchased the pre-made zucchini noodles at Trader Joe's.

This was great!

Bean sprouts would make it even better!

But, if I had to spiralize the carrots and zucchini,

I probably would never make this.

Difficulty Level: 1.5

Yum Factor: 4.5

Lemon Rosemary Turkey Meatballs

Kinda sick of cooking for myself,

while E usually picks up lunch at work.

Trying to be healthy, but it takes effort.

This recipe has many foods that are cancer-fighting, or good for hair and skin,

such as rosemary, lemon zest, olive oil, shallots, egg.

My meatballs didn't turn out as round,

they were quite wet...

Perhaps more panko is needed?

Paired the lemon rosemary meatballs with roasted Brussels sprouts,

another food good for you,

and garlic aioli,

probably not as good for you.

The meatballs stayed moist stored with the recipe's white wine sauce.

All in all, a little bit of effort, but well worth it.

Great spring dish!

Difficulty Level: 2?

Yum Factor: 4.75?

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Go low carb they say. Go Keto they say.

Perhaps it works...in a world without Easter candy, and Girl Scout cookies.

Tried this cauliflower mac and cheese recipe out of desperation,

was wanting to try something new,

nothing sounded good,

and I had most of the ingredients already.

Ran out of time to place the cauliflower back in the hot pot to brown it,

since I was in a hurry to prepare this for work.

Mac and cheese has to taste good always, right?

Not this one!

Didn't even finish the leftovers, that's how bleck it is.

If you try it, let me know how you like it!

Difficulty Level: 1.5

Yum Factor: 1...or maybe 0

Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage (& veggies)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Growing up, my mom annually made corned beef on this day,

though we are Polish. :)

I thought, man, this is delicious...why don't we have it more often?

Well, we didn't have a crock pot, so I am sure it took FOREVER

to cook that great beef.

Making this slow cooker corned beef and cabbage recipe made me feel adult.

Shout-out to the best butchers around, J W Truth!

If you are in the Baltimore/DC area, go and enjoy how magical it is.

Easy to put together recipe.

I omitted the pickling spices or whatever,

since the corned beef from the butcher already came with it basically.

Also used shredded cabbage, because it was there at Trader Joe's.

I used 2 different beers,

Guinness Extra Stout & Guinness Foreign Extra Stout.

The corned beef turned out SO juicy and tender!

Plus the potatoes were yummy,

and I don't even usually like potatoes!

Difficulty Level: 1

Yum Factor: 3.75-4 :)

Taco Cabbage Skillet

Tacos...yum.

and low-carb?

Double yum!

Yes, there are low carb tortillas out there,

I've even had some,

and they are good.

But, it is one less thing to buy.

Plus I really like the freshness of lettuce or cabbage...

is that just me?

This taco cabbage skillet is a quick, delicious meal

that does not make you miss the tortilla!

Will be making again!

Difficulty Level: 1

Yum Factor: 4

Crockpot Bacon Chili

I was on such a roll in January...then no post for a month!

Guess the busy-ness bug got me...wonder what I was busy with?

A list of dishes to review awaits!

First up, crockpot bacon chili. YAS.

Warning: if you are expecting to throw everything in the crockpot and walk away,

this isn't your recipe.

But, if you are willing to cook up some bacon and do some prep work,

it will pay off!

So much meat in this recipe, so much flavor.

I didn't know what "chili beans" were in the recipe,

used kidney, pinto, and great northern I think...

or cannellini. :)

Also omitted the serrano peppers and sugar.

And it was delicious!

 E loved it, the people I shared the chili with loved it,

and I loved it.

Will definitely make again!

Difficultly Level: 2

Yum Factor: 4+

Easy (Keto) Cashew Chicken

This cashew chicken recipe has been made twice before this post was made.

It's pretty easy, healthy, and tasty.

Totally forgot to add the green onion the second time!

Is it critical to the recipe?...nah.

We chopped the veggies and chicken pretty small,

as we intended to serve in lettuce cups,

a la P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

The recipe could be even better!

Add garlic powder?

Water chestnuts?

More soy sauce?

Let me know what you think!

This Cashew Chicken is worth making!

Difficulty Leve1: 1

Yum Factor: 3.5-4