Keto Bagels

Switching to keto was probably most difficult for me because I love to bake.  I make the majority of our food from scratch because it is something that I enjoy doing.  The hardest thing for my husband is that he loves chips and bagels.  I ran across a recipe for "fat head" bagels.  The first time I tried them they had good flavor but they didn't look or feel anything like a regular bagel, so it was my goal to fix that.

Keto Bagels

These bagels taste delicious toasted or not.  They also work great for breakfast sandwiches or for sopping up a runny yolk.

We make our own mozzarella, so I used fresh mozzarella in this recipe.  It is difficult to shred, so I cubed it.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the mozzarella and cream cheese together.  Heat in 30 second - 1 minute increments and stir to melt evenly.

I used my stand mixer the second time I made this recipe and it was so much easier.  Combine your dry ingredients in the stand mixer.  Then add your eggs and mix.

Mix together the melted cheese and the dry mixture.  You may have to stop the mixer a couple of times to wipe around the bowl and remove the cheese from the hook.  Keep mixing until all of the cheese is incorporated.

Make sure that every bit of cheese is mixed in or it will not cook correctly.  Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Form the dough into a log and cut the dough into 8 equal portions.

Roll the dough out into ropes and then bring the rope together to form the bagel shape.

Transfer each bagel to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Brush with egg yolk wash.

Add any toppings you would like.  We added a spicy Italian seasoning mix and sesame seeds.  Traders Joe's everything but the bagel mix would be great on these too.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes or until browned on the outside.  Allow the bagels to cool on the cookie sheet and then store in an airtight container.

Keto Bagels

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (about 13 ounces of fresh mozzarella)

2 ounces cream cheese

2 eggs

1 egg yolk, beaten (+ 1tsp water)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  To a large mixing bowl or stand mixer combine the almond flour, coconut flour, sea salt, and baking powder.  Add the eggs and mix well.  In a separate microwave safe bowl combine the mozzarella cheese and the cream cheese.  Microwave until melted and stir until combined.  Add the cheese mixture to the almond mixture and stir until completely combined.  Be sure that all of the cheese is mixed in.  Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.  This will help the dough firm and not be so sticky.  Roll the dough into a log and cut the log into 8 equal pieces (if you would like large bagels only make 6).  Roll each portion into a rope and attach the ends to make a bagel shape.  Transfer the bagels to the prepared baking pan.  Brush each bagel with the egg yolk and water mixture and top if desired.  Bake the bagels in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet and then transfer to an airtight container.

I can't be sure how long they will last because we eat them too fast.  If you aren't going to eat the entire batch within a couple of days I would suggest cutting them and freezing them.

Nutritional Information:

Calculated from sparkpeople.com

Calories: 275     Fat: 22.2g    Net Carbs: 3.9g.    Protein: 14.6g

Chocolate Hazelnut Keto Ice Cream + My take on the Keto Diet

My take on the Ketogenic Diet

Hello everyone!  I know every time I post I promise to post more often and never do.....  Well, I have decided to give the Keto diet a try.  In case you are not familiar with the keto diet, the idea is to eat very few net carbs a day (carbs - fiber) in order to put your body in ketosis.  When your body is ketosis it uses stored fat to burn energy rather than carbs.  To obtain ketosis your diet will consist of 70% fat, 25% protein, and %5 carbs.   There are many health benefits to a ketogenic diet but my reasons for giving it a try are to help lose weight, help with my anxiety (which has been worse than ever since the start of the new year), and clear my adult acne.  I am only 4 days in, so by no means an expert but I know a lot of of my friends are curious so I wanted to share what I've learned.  For a better description of the ketogenic diet visit this website.  One of the most important things I have learned is to stay hydrated and take extra magnesium.  You will lose electrolytes and need to replenish them.  This is my favorite way to get magnesium.  Listen to your body too.  It will tell you if you need to eat, drink, or have a couple of berries for a little natural sugar (but not too much!). 

The hardest thing I have found is that so many veggies are high on the glycemic index.  Here is a list of low glycemic vegetables.  Download a good keto app that will calculate out your macros for you (how much fat, protein and carbs you should be eating) and track what you eat.  Before you even start, stock up on quick keto foods (sugar free meats such as bacon or cold cuts, hard boiled eggs, nuts, cheeses) and make at least one fat bomb recipe (these are a God send when you are having a chocolate craving).  Also, if you are looking for a good sweetener, but don't like the bitter aftertaste that can come with stevia, monkfruit is a great option.  Here are some that I like: This one measures 1:1 as regular sugar.   This one is highly concentrated and travels easily.  And probably most importantly have a support system.  It can be a friend, a family member, a group on social media...someone to cheer you on.

Okay okay, without further ado; here is the ice cream recipe you are really here for.

Chocolate Hazelnut Keto Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Cashew Milk*
4 egg yolks (save the whites for a different recipe!)**
1/2 cup hazelnut butter***
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 scoop powdered stevia (I like this brand) 
1/4 - 1/3 munkfruit to taste -  or other 1:1 sugar substitute (I like this one) 
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:
Beat the egg yolks and mix with the cashew milk in a bowl.  Strain the cashew milk and egg mixture through a fine mesh strainer to get out any clumps of egg.  Transfer the mixture to a pan and add the rest of the ingredients except for the hazelnut butter.  Heat the mixture on high, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Add the hazelnut butter and stir until incorporated.  Transfer the mixture to an air tight container and refrigerate until cool.


Churn your ice cream mixture in an ice cream maker (according to the manufacturers instructions) until it reaches a scoopable consistency.  I use this one for small batches and one similar to this one for large batches or when I am making several batches in a row.  If you don't have an ice cream maker, here is an article to help you.

You can eat the ice cream straight from the ice cream maker, or freeze it so that it is firmer.

*You can use any type of milk you'd like.  This would work with cow's milk but as I am making a keto ice cream I didn't want the added sugar.  
**If you want to make this vegan you could probably blend some silken tofu though I have not tried it, if you do please let me know.
**if you can't have nuts or don't like hazelnut feel free to substitute any nut or seed butter.

Nutritional Breakdown 
This was configured using the TOTAL keto DIET app.  
Recipe is (4) 1/2 Cup Servings
Calories - 254   Fat - 22.75.  Protein - 7.5.  Net Carbs -   4.2 

 

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

Hello everyone, long time no blog.

I am constantly cooking but I never get time to blog.   I am going to attempt to write down more of my recipes and blog them to make them easier to share.  I think the biggest reason that I haven't blogged in a while (aside from not having time) is that I very rarely use a recipe.  I know that sounds weird, but I just don't like following recipes.  On the other hand, I have several friends that will not attempt to make something unless they have a recipe and unless they have every single ingredient listed.

I don't have time to be one of those bloggers that writes a novel for every recipe.  Truth be told, I never read those recipes.  I will try to post as many pictures as I can as I do enjoy seeing step by step pictures but I can only do what time allows.

Tomorrow we are hosting our cousin cookout.  I believe I have 30 cousins who I rarely see, so I wanted to make something special.

Cake:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups pureed strawberry*

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
6 - 10 whole strawberries, washed and dried
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Chocolate Frosting
Remaining chocolate from dipped strawberries
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Strawberry Filling
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons strawberry jam
1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two 8 inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.**

In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and salt and mix until incorporated.  Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure the first is fully incorporated before adding the next.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour and baking soda.  To the creamed butter, add 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Then stir in 1/3 of the strawberry puree.  Alternate between the flour mixture and the strawberry puree, ending with he strawberry.  Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 25 - 30 minutes.  Be sure not to overcook the cake as it will lose it's moisture.  Run a butterknife around the edges of the cake and turn out onto a cooling rack.  Remove the parchment paper immediately and allow to cool to room temperature.

Wash and dry the strawberries.  Microwave the chocolate and cream until just melted (about 1 minute) and stir until smooth and glossy.  Dip each strawberry and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Refrigerate until firm.  Reserve the remaining chocolate and allow to cool.

Combine the remaining chocolate mixture with the butter.  Add the rest of the ingredients and whip until smooth.  Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the chocolate frosting.  Pipe a rope of frosting around the edge of the bottom cake.

In a large bowl whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.  Stir in the jam and spoon onto the bottom layer of cake.  Top with chopped strawberries and place the top layer of cake on top.

Using a small amount of frosting, "crumb coat" the outside.  Move the cake to the refrigerator so that the frosting can firm up.

Frost the cake with an even layer, smoothing as you go.  Arrange the chocolate covered strawberries on the top and use the remaining frosting to pipe swirls around the edge of the cake.  Store in the refrigerator.

* I used about 3 cups of thawed frozen strawberries, blended.

** To cut a parchment circle, using a piece of parchment roughly the size of your pan, fold the parchment in half and then in half again. Next fold in half to make a triangle and fold one more.  Flip your pan over and place the tip of the triangle in the center of the pan.  Cut around the edge of the pan and unfold.

If you would like to make the cake a more appetizing color, add some red food coloring.

Also, it is easier to cut the cake if you leave it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Sushi

Spicy Shrimp Sushi Roll:

Ingredients:

2 c. Sushi Rice (Recipe to follow)

1 tbsp. Olive or Avocado Oil

1 tsp. Salt

¼ c. Sugar

½ English Cucumber

1 tsp. (or to taste) Sriracha sauce

¼ c. Mayonnaise

½ c. + 1 tbsp. Rice Vinegar

¼ lb. Shrimp

Cajun seasoning (or whatever you prefer)

Nori wraps

Sesame seeds

You will need:

Bamboo sushi mat

Wooden spoon

Plastic wrap

Bowl of water

Sharp Knife

Prepare sushi rice as follows:

1. Rinse the rice in a strainer or colander until the water runs clear.  Combine with water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes (mine never takes the full 20 minutes so keep an eye on it).  Rice should be tender and water should be absorbed.
2. After rice is cooked, combine the (½ c) rice vinegar, oil, sugar and salt.  Cook in the microwave for 45 seconds, or until sugar dissolves.  If the liquid is really hot, let it cool slightly.  Poor the liquid over the rice and stir. 
3. Line the counter top with plastic wrap.  Fan the rice out on the plastic wrap and allow to cool.

Prepare spicy sauce as follows:

1.  Mix 1 tbsp. rice vinegar with ¼ c. mayonnaise.  Add sriracha to taste.

Now put your sushi wraps together.

1. Bring a small pot of water to boil with about a tsp. of your seasoning.  Add shrimp and cook until pink.  (One of the websites I read suggested doing this to make sure your shrimp don’t taste too fishy.) Strain from water and let cook.  Cut shrimp in small pieces (I cut it in thirds) and add about half of your spicy sauce mixture.  Set aside.
2. Prepare your cucumber by cutting it into small matchstick pieces.  Set aside.
3. Line your bamboo mat with plastic wrap.  Place a nori sheet on the plastic wrap, rough side up.
4. Wet your wooden spoon.  Scoop up your sushi rice with the wet spoon and put down a thin layer of rice on your nori.  Your rice should only be one grain thick.  Use a wet spoon to smooth out.
5. Place a layer of plastic wrap over the rice and flip the sheet over so that the nori is on the top.  (You do not have to do this but I like the texture better in my mouth when the rice is on the outside.)
6. Start about an inch from the end of your sushi and add a single line of your shrimp mixture.  About an inch down from your shrimp add your cucumber in a line.
7. Now roll your sushi, tightening the roll with each turn. 
8. Sprinkle sesame seeds over your sushi log.
9. With a wet sharp knife, cut the sushi log into 1 inch or so pieces.  Once all of your rolls are finished place the extra spicy sauce in a sandwich bag and cut a very small hole in a corner.  Dribble the extra sauce over the sushi.
10. ENJOY!

The second type of sushi (vegan) was filled with avocado and cucumber and a little bit of sriracha.

If you wanted to make a California roll you would follow all of the steps above and instead of filling the roll with shrimp and cucumber you would fill it will cucumber, avocado, and imitation crab.

Zucchini Brownies

Are you wondering what to do with that bumper crop of zucchini?  I know there are a lot of uses for zucchini, and every year I am trying to find new ways to use it.  I ran across this recipe on Pinterest (I know I'm not the only one here with a pinterest problem, and I will see you at the Pinterest Anonymous meeting...) and I slightly modified it.  They are so delicious and healthy, and you won't even miss the flour, oil, sugar, and everything else that goes in to a traditional brownie.  I did make these with dark chocolate and they weren't as sweet as I like my brownies, next time I may try milk chocolate.

 

Ingredients:

Hazelnut Butter* - 1 cup

Grated Zucchini - 1 1/2 cups

Raw Honey** - 1/3 cup

Egg - 1

Vanilla - 1 tsp

Baking Soda - 1 tsp

Cinnamon - 1 tsp

Nutmeg (I like fresh ground!) - 1/2 tsp

Dark Baking Chocolate - 1 5.3oz bar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8X8 pan (I like to use coconut oil, but you can use whatever you like).

Melt your chocolate.  I melted mine in the microwave in 2, 30 second intervals.  I was given a bar of Green & Black's Organic (pictured below), Dark Baking Chocolate with 72% Cocoa, so that is what I used.

In a separate bowl from the chocolate, mix together the egg and the nut butter. *You can use whatever nut butter you prefer.  I had a container of hazelnut butter from the last time I went to Sauders, so that is what I used.  Next mix in all of the ingredients, except for the zucchini.  **We had a jar of Raw Pomegranate Honey,*** so I used that.  Once you have mixed the ingredients well, add the zucchini.  Spread in your greased pan and bake for 35 - 45 minutes.  Mine baked for 42 minutes.  You should be able to test the center with a tooth pick, and have it come out clean.

These brownies are amazing.  You would never guess that they have zucchini in them.  Stay tuned for more zucchini recipes!

***I use iHerb to order a lot of stuff that is hard to find in my area.  They have really good, quality ingredients at a good price.  I will look for my discount code and update this post so that you can get $5 off of your first order.  If I haven't changed this, feel free to contact me and I will find it for you, if you are interested.

This recipe was adapted from http://www.delightedmomma.com/search/label/recipes.

Ricotta

Do you buy your ricotta by the cottage cheese?  The stuff that has been sitting on the shelf for a couple of weeks already, and has a shelf life for a month or more longer?  Try this simple recipe.  It is only two ingredients, and it is so easy and delicious.  If you have never had fresh ricotta, you don't know what you are missing.  It has a creamy, delicate flavor, and is so cost effective to make.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 Gallon

Cider Vinegar - 1/4 Cup

Yup, seriously, that is it!

In a pan large enough to fit 1 gallon + some wiggle room, poor the gallon of milk.  Make sure that you are not using a copper pan.  The milk doesn't react well in copper.  Poor 1/4 cup of vinegar in the milk.  You can use any kind, but I prefer the delicate flavor of the cider vinegar.  Heat the milk to about 180 degrees, stirring until you see little white flecks (curd) forming.  Stop stirring at this point so that you don't break up the curds.  If you do not have a thermometer don't worry, you should heat the milk to just below the boiling point.  You will see the milk separate and all of the curd will float to the top.  Let it rest for 5 minutes or so and then with a slotted spoon, ladle in to a strainer, lined with cheese cloth.  If you do not have cheese cloth you can use a clean dish towel.  Let the ricotta drain in the cheese cloth until it is at the desired consistency.  Depending on what you are going to use the ricotta for will depend on how firm you want it to be.  If you are using your ricotta in a pasta dish, drain for 10 minutes or so.  If you would like it to be a little firmer, say for a cheesecake drain for 40 minutes or so.  Now pat yourself on the back, you just made ricotta!  Season as you wish.  Use within a week.

Chocolate Syrup

My kids will go through three gallons of milk in a week or less if you would let them drink chocolate milk all day.  Most chocolate syrups you will buy at the store contain a lot of ingredients that most people probably can't even pronounce.  I wanted to make a chocolate syrup that I didn't feel bad about my kids drinking.  I found a lot of recipes that the number one ingredient was sugar, or corn syrup.  I wanted to use a natural sweetener, so I thought I would try using honey and maple syrup.  The results were great, my kids love it, and it is only four ingredients.  It doesn't get much easier than that!

Ingredients:

Pure Maple Syrup - 1 Cup

Honey - 1/2 Cup

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 3/4 Cup

Water - 1 Cup 

Combine and whisk all ingredients in a saucepan.  Heat on high to a boil and boil for one minute.  Allow to cool and refrigerate.  Really, its that easy!  If you don't care if your sweetener is natural or not, you could certainly use regular old white sugar.  You could also use all maple syrup, all honey, or even all agave nectar.