Herbed Pilaf (Keto Style)

Tasty. Simple. Nice “side”.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 TBSP minced red, green onion, or fresh shallot
• 1-3 garlic cloves (peeled and minced; i used one)
• 1 TBSP butter (or olive oil for vegan)
• 1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 2/3 cup hemp hearts
• 2 TBSP water, bone broth, or veggie broth
• 1 1/3 tsp fresh parsley chopped

METHOD:

1. Dice garlic cloves and red onion. Set aside.
2. Add butter to non-stick skillet over medium heat.
3. Saute onion 1-2 minutes in butter.
4. Add garlic and Italian seasoning. Saute 30 seconds longer. This should be really fragrant now! Yum Yum!
5. Add hemp seeds. Stir well to mix in the seasonings.
6. Add brother (or water). Continue to cook, while stirring, until the brother (or water) has evaporated and the hemp heart seeds are fluffing up/drying out. This takes about 7 minutes.
7. Add 3 teaspoons of parsley and transfer to serving bowl. Top with remaining parsley as a garnish.

TIPS:

• This works just great as is. There are things which can be done to modify its flavor to your personal preferences, or meal plan.
• Pairs lovely with fish, or any protein. Pairs nicely with many different veggie sides.
• May be a nice replacement for rice, for those not into cauliflower rice.

Serving Size: 1/3 cup each. Makes 2 servings.

SOURCE: I found this recipe on many pinterest and blogs; however, most people claim it was originally from the Atkins website. I did indeed find a version of it there which looks pretty similar. My personal twist is the water. I tested this recipe using water, instead of opening up and/or making broth for such a small quantity and it worked just fine with water instead of the more nutritious broth. The Atkins website also has a feature by which this recipe can easily be scaled to feed more people than 2 servings, as the version I found and made is only for 2 people. That seemed about right. It turned out about 3 to 3.5 servings with a protein and veggie side served along with this.

Breakfast Sausage Patties (Turkey)

This recipe, while super easy to make, and fabulous in its texture, is nothing special. It left me less than impressed. It may be worthy of tweaking, or I may find another recipe which is better. Nevertheless, recording I recently made it, how I made it, so I don’t duplicate efforts.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 TBSP Maple Syrup
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/4 tsp Real Salt
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Assemble all of the ingredients.
2. In a bowl, combine all of the spices and mix well.
3. Drain any blood from meat package, and combine meat with seasonings in the bowl.
4. Divide into 6 portions.
5. Cook on a griddle pan, a few minutes each side until the edges are done and no longer pink, then flipping and cooking the second side for the same time on the additional size.
6. Drain off blood and grease while cooking. A serving size is one patty.

TIPS:

• The fennel seeds, whole, in this recipe seemed a bit too sparse to taste throughout. If I made this recipe again, I would either increase the amount of fennel, or crush it or grind it, before adding to the recipe.
  • For my taste buds, the maple syrup was too sweet in this recipe and not needed. If I make this again, I’d leave it out.
  • The salt/pepper taste was too mild. This is what makes the sausage, sausage. If I made this recipe again, I would increase both.
  • This recipe could benefit from increasing the spices ratio to meat.
  • This recipe works well for “breakfast sandwiches” or for things like faux fried potatoes (cooked up with onions, green cactus, turnips and sausage; with or without kale or spinach tossed in)
  • While I did not attempt to freeze this recipe, it appears to be something which could easily freeze/thaw quite well without any issues.
  • It cooks up super nice! It is so easy. It holds together well.

Carrot Fries

This is a simple to make, tasty snack or nice side to a meal.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound organic carrots
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 2 TBSP Tapioca Flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Prep a baking sheet with either a silicone mat, or parchment paper liner. Set aside.
3. Wash carrots, scrubbing the exterior to remove any dirt or blemishes. Peeling is not necessary.
4. Cut into shoestring or matchstick sized pieces. Try to cut the pieces to approximately the same time so they finish cooking at similar times.
5. Coat cut carrot “fries” with all of the remaining ingredients. Mix well to ensure everything is coated well and well mixed in.
6. Spread the carrot fries on your prepared pan in a single layer without any overlap.
7. Bake until the fries are at the desired texture. Turn at about 1/2 way so both sides crisp up.

YIELD: 4 servings. According to the CM app, each1/4 lb serving has 120 calories and 11 net carbs.

NOTES:

• These amazingly do not taste like carrots!
• They are a great side dish of their own.
• They taste better than sweet potato fries.
• Baking time may vary on the size of your carrot slices, as well as oven differences. Watch closely.
• These are good on their own, or with any of your favorite dip or condiments.
• I served these along size a classic burger, and zucchini salad.

Granola Bars (Hemp Seeds)

Want a simple, yet satisfying snack or grab-and-go breakfast idea? Then here is the recipe for you.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup Hemp Seeds
• 1 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 2 TBSP Chia Seeds (if the texture of chia bothers you, consider grinding these in a coffee or spice grinder)
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
• 4 TBSP Coconut Oil (or butter)
• 1 Cup Sunflower Seed Butter (or other nut or seed butter)
• 1 Cup Walnuts (or any combination of nuts equaling one cup measurement)
• 8 Packs Sweetleaf Stevia
• 1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD:

1. In a bowl, mix together all ingredients. Blend together well.
2. Press mixture evenly into an 8×8 silicone pan or a lined with parchment paper pan.
3. Place in freezer.
4. Once frozen, take bars out of the freezer. Remove the granola block from the silicone pan. Cut in half, forming two portions. Continue cutting each portion in half to form 16 granola bars of equal size.

NOTES:

• You can eat these straight out of the freezer. They do not freeze “hard” so they are eatable. I wouldn’t even bother keeping them in the fridge. Simple package them into an air tight container and store them, well labeled, in the freezer.
• There is a LOT of flexibility in this recipe. Potential add ins can switch up the flavor (and the carb count). Try some different combinations. Some things to try: Pistachio nut-butter; macadamia nuts with cranraisins; walnuts with raisins; a stir in of chopped dark chocolate or coating the outside with melted chocolate along one edge.

“Caesar-Style” Salad Dressing (Vegan)

This vegan salad dressing is you ceasar-style but dairy-free and anchovy free.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 Cup Coconut Yogurt (or other non-dairy based yogurt)
• 1 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
• 1/2 clove of Garlic
• 1 tsp capers, minced
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• black pepper (I used 2 twists, fresh cracked)

METHOD:

1. Place all of the ingredients into a blender.
2. Whirl.
3. Taste. Add pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings, as needed.
4. Enjoy right away, or store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

NOTES:

This is good served over romaine lettuce. But it is also good as a salad dressing over any greens. Capers grow in a plant family which is closely related to cabbage and mustard. Capers give this vegan dish its saltiness, which is a substitute for anchovies which are traditionally used in the non-vegan version.

Tzaziki Sauce (Dairy Free)

This sauce can be made with dairy, by choosing dairy-based yogurt as the main ingredient, or dairy free using coconut-based or soy-based yogurt. Adjust the seasonings accordingly. Make in advance, to allow the flavors to blend best in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 Cup Yogurt (dairy free: coconut or soy based; or greek yogurt for dairy option)
• 1/2 Cup grated cucumber (peeled or unpeeled per personal preference)
• 1 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 clove pressed Garlic
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1 drop YLEO Peppermint
• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate at least a few hours, if not over night, before using to make shawarma, falafals, kebabs, or salads based on these flavors.

7-Spice Kebabs

This recipe has a Middle-Eastern taste to it. If you haven’t tried Middle-Eastern foods, it is a good recipe to try. The recipe is very versatile as this spice blend tastes great with a wide variety of protein choices including: lamb, beef, turkey, chicken, chickpea, etc. Try them all and see what your favorite combination is–as well the 7 spice blend in this recipe is nice as a seasoning on various vegetables, especially drizzled with olive oil and roasted. Optional: serve with rice (cauliflower) and tzatziki sauce, if desired.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb of protein (ground or minced meat, beans, etc)
• 1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup Red Onion, minced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp Real Salt or Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp Coriander Seed
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp All Spice
• 1/8 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp Ginger

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together all dried spices.
2. Chop and mince parsley, onion, and press garlic cloves.
3. Mix spice and herbs into protein source. Mix longer than you think you will need to do so to ensure the flavoring is equally distributed.
4. Portion the mixture into 1 ounce servings and shape, either as a meatball shape or more elongated per your personal preference.
5. To enjoy immediately: bake at 400 degrees until done. To enjoy later: freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer; then store in an air tight container in the freezer to have an easy Go-To meal or snack option available.

Savory Crackers

This recipe is a trial of turning various recipes I’ve viewed online into an allergen-friendly recipe based on the allergens I’m making meals and meal plans around based on the folks in my life who have various allergies and sensitivities.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup freshly GROUND sunflower seeds.
• 4 tsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp psyllium husk powder
• 1.5 tsp italian seasoning powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup boiling filtered water

METHOD:

1. Begin by measuring all of the dry ingredients into an appropriate sized bowl.
2. Mix together dry ingredients well.
3. Add boiling water.
4. Mix together well to incorporate all dry ingredients into water. Press together until it forms into a dough ball (it may be a bit sticky–that’s okay)
5. Allow “dough” to rest for a few minutes.
6. Place dough ball on baking tray between either two pieces of parchment paper or two silicone baking mats. Roll out thin. Now you can leave it whole and bake it that way (watch closely this is going to require longer baking by a few minutes), score it to break easily, or cut it into bite sized crackers. Any method works great depending on how you are going to use it later.
7. Bake until desired done in a 350 F degree toaster oven. Cooking time may vary on each batch.

NOTES:

• Add color: parsley flakes, mustard or turmeric powder, beet or spinach water (left over from cooking and draining a colored veg) or never mind the fact they look ugly–they taste fabulous! With the fresh nutritional yeast combined with the other herbs and spices this tastes like Italian Parmesan something–not quite the texture of breadsticks but not bad either.
• Watch the salt. It can taste too salty. So adjust to your likely and purpose. This is okay as is, but I would tweak the salt down (or leave it out all together) for some uses.
• Serving suggestions: with dip: Don’t pre-cut or score the dough prior to baking. Instead bread into dippers and serve on your snack boards with dip. as a chip: simply enjoy as you would chips or crackers on the side with favorite go-alongs or alone, as is. as a snack: spread with jam, preserves, butter, a compound butter, or top with dairy-free cheese or fish/salmon/sardine/ or plant-based “spreads” atop such as pesto or olive tapenade.

Cauliflower Snack

Take a raw, full head or packaged, organic or home-grown cauliflower, add a delicious home-made Dairy-Free cheese sauce and viola! You’ve got a great chip and dip substitute which is satisfying, healthy, allergen friendly when everyone else is enjoying other snacks which aren’t allergen friendly, or when you are in the mood for something crunchy! While this combo is my personal favorite, other great dippable combos include carrots, crackers, broccoli, green onions, radishes, cucumbers, celery, and anything you can think of as a dippable.

Taco Salad (Dairy-Free)

Dealing with dairy and nightshade allergies? Then, you likely think having a taco salad is out of the picture, right? Nope. Guess again. Here is a simple, per serving, recipe and method of preparing Taco Salad Dairy and Nightshade free.

INGREDIENTS:

• Romaine or other lettuce (approximately 4 cups per serving)
• Black Olives (6-8)
• Green Onions (1-2 chopped)
• Nopilitos (Cactus leaf cut into squares)
• Cumin
• Garlic
• Black Pepper
• Real or Sea Salt
• Dairy Free Cheese Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Fill a bowl with well washed greens. Use a combination of lettuce, romaine, or other greens, as desired.
• Cook up the protein source of choice (beef, turkey, beans, mushrooms, tofu, TVP, etc)
• Season protein choice with cumin, garlic, heavy black pepper and salt to taste. If you have been nightshade free for a while, having heavy pepper can mock hotter jalapeño style taco salads.
• Add the cactus and enough water to bind the spices to the protein source of choice. The cactus will thicken it to a taco-flavored”gravy” so to speak and is an excellent substitution for green bell peppers.
• Add flavored protein source, cactus, fresh cut green onion and black olives to prepared lettuce green bowl.
• Top with Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce.
• Enjoy.