Keto Ramen!

So what do you do when you are at the end of the day, you have logged your foods, you’re still hungry, and you no longer have any carbs or calories (if you count them) to spare in your macros? You eat keto ramen! The sodium is also a great boost for the electrolytes so easily lost on this way of eating. Win win!

I was able to get the nutritional information for a single packet of Top Ramen seasoning from the company, and this sucker is a keto winner!

Per seasoning packet:

• calories: 18
• Fat: <1g
• sodium: 1280mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 1g
• Protein: <1g

Ingredients

• 1 packet of Top Ramen seasoning
• 1 package of Miracle Noodles

ALWAYS remember to rinse these noodles thoroughly. They initially have an order that is eliminated by rinsing. You can boil these noodles to death without overcooking them, so have at it! I usually boil about 8-10 minutes to try to soften up a bit more. Just add the seasoning packet with the desired amount of water in the pot with the noodles.

I like to add green onion and cilantro to mine, but put in whatever you like! Maybe a little white pepper?

Advertisement

Low Carb Company Chicken

Growing up, this was an absolute favorite dinner. The only keto tweak here was making seasoned breadcrumbs without carbs. In order to do that, all I needed was some Italian seasoning and crushed pork rinds (hate the smell, love the taste). So here goes…

• 2 cups crushed (or food processed) pork rinds
• 1.5 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 chicken breasts (if very thick, pound to 3/4 inch or less
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 lb mushrooms
• 4 slices muenster cheese
• 1/4 cup canned chicken broth
• 1 1/4 sticks salted butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat chicken dry. Place in bowl and pour eggs over. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.

On a plate, mix pork rinds and Italian seasoning. Drain chicken. Dredge in “breadcrumbs”.

Melt 8 Tbsp butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until just brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to glass baking dish.

Melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter in same skillet. Add mushrooms and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about five minutes. Spoon mushrooms over chicken. Top with cheese slices. Add broth to baking dish. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Serve hot.

Low Carb Egg Salad Wrap

I was pretty excited to find that it could get way easier making hard boiled eggs than what I was used to. I found this little guy and am going to be using it often to enjoy the protein packed delight of eggs. It was less than $20 and makes up to six eggs at a time (and includes a bonus egg poacher and omelet insert).

Mini Hard Boiled Egg Maker!!!

If you haven’t tried the Mission Carb Balance tortillas yet, then you’re missing out. They’re soft with no weird flavors or textures. I use them to make tuna salad as well as other wraps, chips, pizza, and other concoctions. Also, if I had bacon on hand, I would have used it! I think it would have added a great flavor to the already tasty wrap.

Ingredients

1 low carb tortilla

1 egg, hard boiled (or soft boiled)

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise

2 Tbsp shredded cheese of choice

1/4 avocado (optional)

1/4 tomato, sliced (optional)

desired amount of spinach (optional)

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

Method

If you do not have an egg cooker, boil your egg for 13 minutes and immediately plunge into an ice bath until cooled. Peel the egg, slice, and place into a bowl. Add the mayo, mustard, cheese, and seasonings. Mix.

On the tortilla, layer the spinach, tomato, avocado and then the egg salad mixture.

Enjoy!

Pepperoni Pinwheels

Making some fun apps for a kid-pleasing get-together. Nobody will ever know that they’re Keto.

Pepperoni Pinwheels

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• ¾ cup almond flour
• 2 tbs cream cheese, cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (optional)
• garlic powder
• sea salt
• Pepperoni–the amount will really depend on how much you like.
• 8-12 mozzarella cheese slices
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine almond flour, garlic powder, salt, xanthan gum, and cheeses and stir in a bowl. In the microwave, heat for about a minute and 30 seconds.
3. Stir the mixture and add egg until combined.
4. While still warm, cut the dough in half.
5. On a nonstick baking mat or Silpat, use wet fingers and hands to shape each half of the dough into rectangles (size can vary but the approximate size is 6×9 inches)
6. After forming the dough into rectangles, lay down a layer of cheese topped with a layer of pepperoni. How much you put of each depends on your own personal tastes.
7. Sprinkle parmesan over the tops.
8. Gently roll each rectangle into a “log”.
9. Put in the freezer to cool for 20 minutes.
10. Cut each log into 1/4-1/2 inch slices.
11. Lay the pinwheels on the non-stick baking mats or parchment, and bake until tops look golden. About 10-15 minutes.

Serve with ranch or marinara sauce. Makes about two dozen.

Chaffles and Sausage Gravy

Well, this was some seriously dirty keto. The sausage gravy has 2 net carbs per 1/4 cup, and I posted a photo below of the brand. I used the regular “Chaffle” recipe to create the base, and then I poached two eggs to smother with the gravy.

Chaffles, poached eggs, and sausage gravy!!!

Yummy gravy with 2 net carbs per 1/4 cup of gravy.

Mediterranean Cucumber Salad

It doesn’t get much easier or refreshing than this. I was able to throw this together in a matter of minutes, and my only problem was not making enough for leftovers. SO good! There are plenty of variations, and I after taking the picture, I remembered that I had some avocado to throw in. It was then the perfect dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 small cucumber or half of a large cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes from my garden)
• 1/2 cup Trader Joe’s Mediterranean Feta Cheese Crumbles (you can use plain if you’d prefer)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice (more if you’d like)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• sprinkle of black pepper
• 1/2 chopped avocado (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

Low Carb Keto Gyro Bread!

Amazing Gyro “bread” topped with Trader Joe’s tzatziki!

I absolutely LOVE gyros. This was such an amazing replica of the flavors that my hubby and I devoured it, and my son was asking me to make more the next day. The gyro meat and tzatziki came from Trader Joe’s, and they are the perfect match for the gyro craving.

Ingredients:

• 1 Package Trader Joe’s gyro meat
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup Trader Joe’s tzatziki sauce
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 1/4 cups almond flour
• 2 tbs cream cheese, cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp xanthan gum (optional)
• 1/2 tspgarlic powder

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine almond flour, garlic powder, salt, xanthan gum, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, and cream cheese and stir in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for about a minute and 30 seconds.  Stir the mixture. If it is too stringy, heat for another 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Stir egg into the mixture with a fork until combined. With wet hands, form into a large rectangle on a baking sheet with parchment or a baking mat. Spread with wet hands being sure not to create a dough that is too thin (if it is getting tears or holes, it is too thin).

Sprinkle the dough with a thin layer of mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, and onion. Cover the cheeses with the gyro meat. Press down to help the ingredients stick together well enough to make a single fold in order to make a “calzone” style creation. You could also do layers of ingredients on half of the dough and then just fold the remaining dough over the top.

Seal all edges with wet fingertips.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven when the crust reaches a golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for ten minutes.

Slice and top with tzatziki (do not do this if you plan to save some for leftovers). Top with the sauce right before eating or right after reheating as leftovers.

Makes 6-8 servings. A serving is about 2 slices that are about one inch wide.