Cheese and Bacon Keto Crackers

I recently posted a recipe for making snack crackers from slices of cheese.  Since the original posting, I have experimented with various varieties of cheese and added herbs.  One of the best combos to come out of this has been Cheese and Bacon with (or without) a light sprinkling of herbs.   Gouda is an excellent cheese for this as it crisps well and is very low carb.

Ingredients:

• Gouda Cheese Slices 5
• Bacon 1 rasher
• Ground Black Pepper sprinkle
• Ground Basil sprinkle

Method:

Place a sheet of grease proof paper onto a baking sheet. Preheat an oven to 150 C/ 300 F. Cut each cheese slice into 4 pieces and arrange on the baking sheet with a clear gap between pieces. Sprinkle each piece with a pinch of the herbs.  In a frying pan or grill crisp the piece of bacon.  Allow bacon to cool slightly then crumble or finely dice.   Add a tiny portion of the bacon to each cheese piece.  Bake in oven for twenty minutes, then remove.  Allow to cool slightly then slide a spatula under each piece and flip it to a clean section of the baking paper. [If not satisfied with crispness] return to the oven for an additional ten minutes (or until crisping brown in the corners).  Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Padre

Whole Nut Macadamia Fat Bombs

Most of my previous Fat Bomb recipes used nut butter and chopped or blitzed nuts.  Wanting to get a wider variety, I experimented with using whole Macadamia nuts as a crunchy core to each bomb.  It uses 100% cocoa powder, and coconut oil, and is about as low carb as I have managed so far.

Ingredients:

• Macadamia Nuts 16 -21 shelled unsalted (depending on size of ice tray/candy mould)
• Stevia  1 – 2 rounded Tbs (to taste)
• 100% Cocoa Powder 1 rounded Tbs
• Coconut Oil 2 1/2 rounded Tbs

Method:

Warm the coconut oil to a liquid.  Add the cocoa, and sweetener and mix until all totally dissolved.  Using a small cube ice tray, place one nut in each space.  Spoon the cocoa mixture over each nut, and place the tray in a refrigerator. When set, remove the bombs from the tray and place in a bowl.  Store in the fridge until needed.

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Chocolate Cheese Cake: Keto Friendly

Here is another keto friendly cheesecake which is a little richer, and has some optional twists.  It is lovely without the “mocha” touch, but I kind of liked it with the coffee.

Ingredients:

• Butter 2 Tbs
• Ground Almonds 5 Tbs
• Cream Cheese 350 g
• Ricotta Cheese 150 g
• Eggs 3
• Stevia 5 rounded Tbs
• Cocoa Powder 2 rounded Tbs
• Instant Coffee Granules 2 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 C/ 400 F. Melt 2 tablespoon of butter and mix in the ground nuts to form a crumbly paste. Use a fork and line the bottom of a small oven dish with the mixture. In a bowl beat the egg thoroughly, and then cream in the sweetener, cream cheese, and ricotta.  When evenly mixed into a thick liquid stir in the coffee (is used), and cocoa, then pour it over the nut crust. Place uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 220 C for ten minutes so that the surface starts to caramelise but not burn.  Remove from oven, and allow to cool to room temperature, then chill.  Makes 8 medium pieces.

*pictured cake is a smaller one made using the same proportions.

Padre

 

Almond Butter and Kefir Smoothie

As we have been trying to keep keto and at the same time improve my wife’s gut flora, I have taken to making a coconut or almond based kefir along with smooth almond butter to make a breakfast drink.

Ingredients:

• Coconut or Almond Milk Kefir 350 ml
• Almond Butter 1 heaped Tbs
• Stevia 2 tsp
• Avocado 1/4
• Cinnamon heavy dash
• Coconut or Almond Milk (as needed)

Method:

Strain the kefir through a tea strainer and return any solids to the kefir pot. Place the liquid portion into blender cup. Add the nut butter, cinnamon, and the sweetener.  Remove the stone from the avocado and place 1/4 of the flesh into the mixer. Blitz until smooth. If under 400 ml top off with additional milk and blitz again.

Serve cold and do not allow to settle or separate before drinking.

Padre

Keto Friendly Cheesecake

I was looking to make a treat for my wife and just started with the standards her diet allows: nuts, cream, cheese, and eggs. The result – cheesecake.

Ingredients:

• Almond Flour (Ground Almonds) 3 rounded Tbs
• Butter 2 Tbs
• Full Fat Cream Cheese 180g
• Stevia 4 tsp
• Egg 1

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 C/ 400 F. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and mix in the ground nuts to form a crumbly paste. Use a fork and line the bottom of a small oven dish with the mixture. In a bowl beat the egg thoroughly, and then cream in the sweetener, cream cheese, and remaining butter.  When evenly mixed into a thick liquid pour it over the nut crust. Place uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 220 C for five to ten minutes so that the surface starts to caramelise but not burn.  Remove from oven, and allow to cool to room temperature, then chill.  Makes 4 small pieces.

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Keto Cheese “Crackers”

This recipe is based on a suggestion my wife found on a keto and cancer forum. It is very simple, but does take a little time. It uses individual cheese slices, to make a cracker-like snack that is low carb and very “cheesy.”

Ingredients:

• Mature Cheddar  2 to 3 slices (or similar cheese) [I wouldn’t recommend American or other “processed” cheese slices].

Method:

Place a sheet of grease proof paper onto a baking sheet. Preheat an oven to 150 C/ 300 F. Cut each cheese slice into 4 pieces and arrange on the baking sheet with a clear gap between pieces. Bake in oven for twenty minutes, then remove. Allow to cool slightly then slide a spatula under each piece and flip it to a clean section of the baking paper. Return to the oven for an additional ten minutes (or until crisping brown in the corners).  Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Padre

 

Prawn Garden Salad

The autumn is closing in, and summer will soon be a memory; so why not cling to those last moments with “sunshine food.”  We were not in the mood to make an extensive meal today, so something simple was on the cards.  Summer and simple = Salad.  This is a creamy version with a fair helping of mayo to bind it together.  This has the effect a little between the texture of coleslaw, and that of a typical leaf salad.  The mayonnaise also helps my wife keep her keto fats up as well.

Ingredients:

• Prawns (shrimp) 100 – 120 g cooked/peeled king sized
• Lettuce (iceberg) 3 cups shredded
• Red Bell Pepper 1/2
• Tomato 1/2
• Spring Onion 1 large
• Capers (optional) 1 tsp
• Mayonnaise 3 rounded Tbs

Method:

Dice the onion, tomato, and pepper and place in a large bowl. Spoon in the capers. Shred the lettuce and add to bowl. Drain any liquid from the prawns and add the prawns.  Spoon in the mayo and stir until entire salad is coated. That’s it. Quick, tasty, and ready to go.

Padre

 

Coconut Fat Bombs (Fat Bomb 7)

source: prajol.com

Cocoa and Coco seem to be natural companions.  As the fat bomb variations are fun to make, and provide useful keto snacks for my wife, I gave the combination a spin. It has has a bit of a Bounty/Mounds taste, and adds another flavour to the assortment.

Ingredients:

• Grated or Desiccated Coconut 2 well rounded Tbs
• Cocoa Powder (100%) 1 tsp rounded
• Almonds (optional) 10
• Nut Butter 1 heaped tsp
• Stevia 1 Tbs
• Coconut Oil 3 Tbs

Method:

Warm the coconut oil to a liquid. In a food processor blitz the sweetener, cocoa and almonds (if used) until well mixed. Add the coconut and nut butter and mix well. It can be made without the nut butter, but the texture seems to suffer a little. Pour in the coconut oil and mix again until even. Spoon the mixture into an ice tray and sprinkle the tops (which will become the bottoms when finished) with a small pinch of loose coconut.  Place the tray into the freezer for 10 minutes. When set, remove the bombs from the tray and place in a bowl.  Store in the fridge until needed.

Padre

 

Macadamia and Chocolate Fat Bomb (FB 5)

While doing reading on the topic of keto foods, Macadamia nuts were spoken well of.  So as I continue to come up with variations I tried Macadamia and 80% chocolate.  It worked really well, and I think it is one of the tastiest so far.

Ingredients:

• Macadamia Nuts 1/4 cup
• 80% 5 + Chocolate 2 squares
• Cocoa Powder (100%) 1 tsp rounded
• Nut Butter 1 heaped Tbs
• Stevia 2 tsp
• Coconut Oil 2 1/2 Tbs

Method:

Warm the coconut oil to a liquid. In a food processor blitz the nuts and chocolate to a coarse flour texture. Add the cocoa, sweetener, and nut butter and mix well.  Pour in the coconut oil and mix again until even. Spoon the mixture into an ice tray and place in freezer for 10 minutes. When set, remove the bombs from the tray and place in a bowl.  Store in the fridge until needed.

Padre

Nutty Fat Bomb (FB no.4)

I was continuing to try to mix it up when it came to treats, so as we were working to find some keto-friendly options this recipe emerged. It is a blend of nuts and nut butters,  and is rather quick to make.

Ingredients:

• Pistachios (shelled and unsalted) 2-3 Tbs
• Pine Nuts 1 Tbs
• Pecan Halves 10 – 12
• Nut Butter (your choice of type – I have used peanut and almond in past) 1 heaped Tbs (no added sugar)
• Stevia 1 scant Tbs
• Coconut Oil 3 Tbs

Method:

Place the pistachios, pecans, and pine nuts into a food processor and blitz to crumbly texture. Add the sweetener and nut butter and blitz again. If coconut oil is solid warm in microwave for a few seconds or place in a bowl over boiling water.  Once liquefied pour over the nut mixture and blitz till well mixed. Spoon the mixture into an ice tray, and place into freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes (do not over freeze). When set, remove the fat bomb cubes from the tray, and place in a bowl in the fridge until needed.

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