Thursday, November 30, 2023

Keto Chicken Pot Pie (or Turkey Pot Pie)

Keto Chicken Pot Pie

This classic recipe is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken or turkey, something we often have on hand around the holidays. This low carb version has all the flavor of a traditional pot pie: the vegetables and chicken or turkey in a creamy gravy and topped with a flaky crust. Leftovers just don’t get any better than this!

Keto Chicken Pot Pie (or Turkey Pot Pie)
Makes 6-8 servings

Filling:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups leftover cooked chicken or turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
½ cup onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost)
½ cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Crust:
½ cup coconut flour
½ cup almond flour (or pecan flour for lower oxalate)
1/3 cup flaxseed meal
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2-3 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 inch pie pan.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. When butter has melted, add onions and carrots to the skillet. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown at the edges. Stir in garlic and dried thyme. Cook one minute, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in vinegar, scraping up any brown bits. When vinegar has almost completely evaporated, stir in the chicken broth.

4. Turn the heat to medium high. Simmer broth, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, about 10 minutes. The broth is thick enough when you can draw a line on the bottom of the pan with a spoon and the line does not immediately fill in. While the filling simmers, prepare the crust. 

5. Once the broth has thickened slightly, add the heavy cream, cooked chicken or turkey and peas. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low. Simmer until mixture is thick and gravy-like in consistency. Taste before adding additional salt and pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if necessary.

6. To make the crust, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, ground flaxseed meal, xanthan gum, and salt.

7. Using a fork, stir in the melted butter, coating all the mixture until it resembles crumbs. Add the beaten egg. Start with two eggs, only adding a third egg if needed.

8. Gather mixture into a ball and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Top with a second piece of plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin, roll into a disk to cover the top of the pie, about 1/4 inch thick.

9. To assemble, pour the filling into the prepared pie pan. Gently place dough over the filling and crimp the edges. Cut a hole in the center to allow steam to escape. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust has browned.

Keto Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie

Nutritional Information per serving (1/8th of recipe): 294 calories, 10 g carbohydrate (6 g dietary fiber, 2.6 g sugars), 23 g total fat (11 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 123 mg cholesterol, 282 mg sodium, 30.7 mg calcium, 160 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 2 mg Vit C, 525 IU Vit A, 16.8 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 4 grams

Photos and recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2023
All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission.

Friday, November 24, 2023

Keto Eggnog Cake

Keto Eggnog Cake

This festive cake is perfect for the holiday season! It super easy to make because it starts with a keto yellow cake mix, so all the measuring of dry ingredients has been done for you. You can use any brand of keto yellow cake mix, but I highly recommend King Arthur’s Keto Yellow Cake Mix, which is my favorite and I used in this recipe. The result is moist and flavorful, with the distinctive flavors of eggnog and nutmeg. Before baking, make a batch of your favorite low carb eggnog or use my recipe (click here for my eggnog recipe). It’s the real deal!

Keto Eggnog Cake
Makes 12 servings

Cake Ingredients:
1 box Keto Yellow Cake Mix (King Arthur’s or your favorite brand)
Avocado oil or melted butter (use amount according to package directions)
Large eggs (use amount according to package directions)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Low carb Eggnog (see separate recipe here), substituted for the amount of liquid according to package directions

Eggnog Glaze:
½ cup zero carb powdered sweetener (I used LaKanto Powdered Monkfruit Sweetener)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of nutmeg
3-4 tablespoons low carb eggnog

1. Preheat oven to recommended temperature on cake mix package. Grease a 12-cup non-stick Bundt pan. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix with the required amount of oil, eggs and nutmeg. Omit water or liquid called for on the package, and substitute the same amount of low carb eggnog in its place.  Mix and bake according to package instructions. When done, turn cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

3. To make the eggnog glaze, whisk together the zero carb powdered sweetener, vanilla, a pinch of nutmeg and 3 tablespoons of low carb eggnog in a mixing bowl until smooth and no lumps remain. Add additional eggnog, if needed, to achieve the desired consistency. If the glaze is too thin, just add a bit more powdered sweetener. 

4. Before serving, drizzle the eggnog glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Keto Eggnog Cake (sliced)

Nutritional Information per serving (based on using King Arthur’s Keto Cake Mix): 153 calories, 10.5 g carbohydrates (8 g dietary fiber, 1.4 g sugars, 1.1 g sugar alcohols), 13 g total fat (3.1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 90 mg cholesterol, 216 mg sodium, 62.6 mg calcium, 105 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 49 IU Vit A, 4.1 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 2.5 grams

Photos and recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2023
All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission. 


Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Keto Crispy Cheese Egg In a Nest


Keto Crispy Cheese Egg in a Nest

Cheese is a familiar addition to a traditional Egg in a Nest, but what about super crispy, crunchy cheese? This method of cooking allows the cheese in the pan to sizzle and crisp up, adding an unforgettable texture and flavor to this favorite breakfast food. For best results, use a nonstick skillet. You can use any aged cheese. My favorite is sharp cheddar.

Keto Crispy Cheese Egg In a Nest
Makes 1 serving

1 slice of low carb bread, with a hole cut out of the center
1 large egg
1½ ounces cheddar, shredded
Salt and pepper

Step by step Process

1. Preheat a nonstick skillet to medium to medium-high. Sprinkle a bit more than 1/3 of the shredded cheese onto the preheated skillet.

2. When it starts to sizzle, place a piece of low carb bread on top.

3. Crack an egg into the hole and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle more cheese on top of the bread and egg, reserving some for serving. Cover the skillet to allow the cheese over the top to melt a bit.

Flip when cheese is crispy

5. Once the cheese on the bottom is golden brown and crispy, flip and continue cooking until the cheese on the flip side is crispy and the egg is done to your liking. To serve, sprinkle reserved cheese over the top to melt. Enjoy!

Crispy Cheese Egg in a Nest (cooked)

Nutritional Information (may vary, depending on the low carb bread used): 349 Calories, 1.4 g carbohydrate (1 g dietary fiber, 1.2 g sugars), 27.3 g total fat (11.6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 310 mg cholesterol, 448 mg sodium, 345.6 mg calcium, 129 mg potassium, 2 mg iron, 318 IU Vit A, 24.8 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 0.4 grams

Photos and recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2023
All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission. 

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Keto Tater Tots


You won’t believe these “tater tots” are potato-free! Their taste and texture is spot on! Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Dip them in sugar free ketchup and relive a taste from your childhood. There are a lot of faux-tato tot recipes out there, and I’ve made quite a few, but this recipe is my favorite, by far. So simple and requiring only a few ingredients, plus some spices you already have in your cabinet. Make dinner fun tonight!!

Keto Tater Tots
Makes 2 servings

6 ounces frozen riced cauliflower (about 2 cups)
½ cup whole milk cottage cheese (4%)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika (I used sweet paprika, but smoked paprika would be good too)
2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup pork rind panko

1. Cook riced cauliflower in a skillet over medium heat until thawed and beginning to be tender. Remove to a plate, covered with a paper towel, and allow the excess liquid to wick away.

2. Meanwhile, blitz the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and 2 tablespoons pork rind panko. Stir to combine.

3. Add the cooled cauliflower and stir to combine. Form mixture into tots, roll them in the remaining 1/3 cup pork rind panko that has been spread in a layer on a plate and place them on a baking sheet that has been greased well. Spray the top of each tot with cooking spray or brush lightly with avocado oil.

4. Bake in a 450°F oven for about 20 minutes (in a convection oven or air fryer, cook at 425°F), turning each tot over halfway through cooking. Continue baking until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow the tots to cool on the baking pan for a few minutes to firm up a bit. Serve with sugar-free ketchup, if desired. Enjoy! 

5. Storage: These are best served immediately, but leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and reheated on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until heated through and the pork rind panko coating crisps up.


Nutritional Information per serving (½ recipe): 121 calories, 6.8 g carbohydrates (2.1 g dietary fiber, 3.6 g sugars), 5 g total fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 675 mg sodium, 60.9 mg calcium, 6 mg potassium, 65 IU Vit A, 42 mg Vit C, 13.6 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 4.7 grams

Photos and recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2023
All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the authors permission.