lchf – Page 5 – The Keto Guru

Keto Shrimp Carbonara

Last week I made chicken carbonara and said I wanted to try it with shrimp. And let me tell you, it’s THA BOMB! This will absolutely not disappoint. It takes less than 30 minutes to whip this all up. The nice thing about using shrimp is that you don’t have to cook it first. Just toss it in at the end and let simmer to finish. It’s out of this world delicious!

Ingredients:

1.5lbs jumbo shrimp (I think 2-2.5lbs would be better)
6tbs of bacon crumbles or 6 slices of bacon cut into small crumbles
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 cups of baby spinach
1/2 cup chicken broth
1tbs grass fed butter
2tsp minced garlic
Seasonings:
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt/pepper to taste
- Onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbs Basil

Instructions:

In your pan, put your butter, onion powder and minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.

After you saute for 30 seconds or so, put in your heavy cream and chicken broth. Once this starts to thicken, add your parmesan cheese, basil and Italian seasonings. Toss in your 6 tbs of crumbled bacon and 8 cups of spinach. Keep stirring, cooking on medium heat and let this continue to thicken for several minutes.

Once the spinach has reduced, layer in your raw shrimp. Don’t worry, it will cook no issue during the simmer. Let this simmer on medium-low for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. After about 10 minutes, or your shrimp is cooked (lightly pink), remove the heat and let sit for a few minutes to thicken. Plate and enjoy, and I mean enjoy!

Keto Creme Brulee

You absolutely will feel like you are dining in an elegant restaurant. This fancy dessert will knock your socks off. It takes minimal effort to make. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill so you can enjoy properly! You’re going to want to make this one. I knew the minute I saw this recipe, it was happening. Who doesn’t like custard? How about a fully Keto custard? Yeah, that’s correct, this recipe is 100% Keto.

Ingredients:

6 large egg yoks (discard the whites)
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
5 tbs Keto approved sweetener (I prefer this one I buy off Amazon –> https://amzn.to/33zSgNa ) or pick up at Costco
2 tsp vanilla extract

You will also need some 4 oz. ramekins or oven safe bowls. I picked up a set of 6 ramekins on Amazon that were on sale –>https://amzn.to/3npsIug

Instructions:

Start a pot of water on the stove top. You will need towards the end. Fill it about halfway.

In a sauce pan, start with your 2 cups of heavy cream and only 1 tbs of the sweetener. Bring this to a boil and immediately remove.

While your cream is coming to a boil, separate your 6 egg yolks and put into a bowl. Add your 4 other tbs of sweetener and vanilla and whisk until combined.

When your cream has come to a boil and you removed, take 1/2 cup of the cream and dump into your egg yolk mixture. Whisk it until combined then dump this mixture into your hot cream mix.

Place your ramekins into an oven safe pan deep enough to hold water. Fill each one of them evenly with the mixture. As I stated before, I used 4oz ramekins so this made 6. If you have larger, then you will make less. Continue until all are full. Keep them in the oven safe pan. Add 2 or 3 cups of water so it comes up the ramekin about 1/2″ to an inch. This apparently helps the custard cook evenly. Place into the oven at 325 for 30 to 35 minutes until the Brulee is set-up but still a tad jiggly. Let cool on the counter for about 15 minutes then place in the fridge to chill.

Now for the fun part. After they have chilled, sprinkle 1 tsp of Keto sweetener (powdered or granular) on top and hit it with a cooking torch. If you don’t have one, use your oven broiler but watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. Now enjoy!

Can you eat it warm? Sure, but I think it’s best cold. You be the judge, but whatever you do, go make this one! You probably have everything!!!

Keto Chicken Carbonara

We are talking real deal flavor here folks. This Italian night dish is worth all of the ingredients and work, not that it was too much work. It’s just about building layers of flavor into the dish so it all comes together in the end. And let me tell you, it came together great. Follow along and get ready to make a dish that anyone and everyone in your family will enjoy. Next week I will make the same, only changing from chicken to shrimp!

Ingredients:

2lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into small cubes
6 tbs of bacon crumbles or 6 slices of bacon cut into small crumbles
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 cups of baby spinach
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbs grass fed butter
2 tsp minced garlic
Seasoning (don’t slack on any of these, they all go together so well):
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt/pepper to taste
- Onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbs Basil

Instructions:

Start by prepping your chicken thighs. Weigh out about 2lbs of thighs and cut into small eating chunks. I made a bit bigger than the size of a quarter. In large cooking pan, cook your thighs in 1tbs of butter. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked then remove from the pan, leaving the juices.

In the same pan, throw in your onion powder and your 2 tsp of minced garlic and sauté for about 20-20 seconds. Whisk in your heavy cream and chicken broth. Keep stirring as it starts to thicken a bit.

Once this starts to thicken, add your parmesan cheese, basil and Italian seasonings. Toss in your 6 tbs of crumbled bacon and 4 cups of spinach. Keep stirring, cooking on medium heat and let this continue to thicken for several minutes. Finally add in your chicken and let simmer.

Let your carbonara simmer for about 5-7 minutes on medium low. Taste your sauce and ensure it doesn’t need any more salt or pepper. Remove from heat, let sit a minute or 2 then plate and enjoy. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Keto Air Fried Chicken Fritter

Tonight, we found something super simple and that packed a flavor punch. These Keto air fried chicken fritters really tasted so good and were very easy to make. I’m talking less than 15 minutes of prep and about the same to cook. If you’re looking for something tasty and something easy, this one right here is for you. You can also change the seasonings to your liking. With this recipe, it comes out on the Italian side. Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of boneless skinless breast (I assume thigh would work too)
2 eggs
1/3 cup of almond flour
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (use cheddar if you prefer)
Seasonings:
- 2 tbs parsley
- 2 tbs basil
- 2 tbs chives
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt/pepper to taste

Instructions:

You will need to cut up your chicken into finely chopped pieces. If you don’t, your fritter will have a hard time staying together. Make sure you are using 1.5lbs. I used my scale to weigh it out and it was about 3 breasts. Chop up into small pieces.

Now for the fun part. Take a large bowl, dump all of your ingredients in, including the seasoning. Mix this really well until you everything is mixed consistently.

Time to make your fritter. Grab about a baseball size amount in your hand. Patty it up into a nice fritter shape. This mixture should make 8 so do your best to size them up. You can use a large ice cream scoop too if that helps. I just used my hands. Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper (trust me, this will help). Place your fritters in the basket. Continue making patties until you use up all the mixture.

Place basket into air fryer and air fry for about 16 minutes at 400 degrees. You will need to flip at halfway. Tongs can be used, your fritter should hold together well enough. Flip them and let them get nice and brown on top. Remove from air fryer, plate and enjoy. Dip your fritter in ranch or Rao’s marinara, you won’t be dissapointed.

Keto Buffalo Chicken Strips

Nothing complex here. Just your typical Keto style air fried chicken strips. Only this time, we are using buffalo sauce instead of egg. And let me tell you, it has the perfect twang to it. It’s super low carb, super Keto friendly, and very easy to make.

Ingredients:

2 Large breast, cut into chicken strips (trust me, it’s cheaper to but breast and make your own tenders rather than buying tenders at the store)
1 bottle buffalo sauce of your choice
1 bag of your favorite pork rinds
4 tbs almond flour

Instructions:

Prepare your breading. Add your pork rinds to the blender and put in 4 tbs. of almond flour. Blend for 15-20 seconds. Pour into a batter friendly dish.

Pour your buffalo sauce into a large bowl. Take your pre-cut chicken tenders and dip into the buffalo sauce. Remove and add directly to the pork rind batter. Coat both sides real well. Place on air fryer rack. Continue this process until all of your tenders are coated.

Place into your pre-heated air fryer and cook for 12-14 minutes at 400 degrees. You may need to flip if you don’t have a racked air fryer. Remove when done and enjoy. It’s that simple, and that good!

Loaded Baked Cheesy Cauliflower

Want an award winning side dish? This right here will bring down the house. It’s packed with flavor and is perfectly fit for the Keto lifestyle. You won’t be disappointed. We seen many version flying around the internet and decided to give it a try. I can honestly say, hands down, this is probably one of the best side dishes we’ve made. Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 Large head cauliflower
1 Cup mayo
1 cup powdered parmesan
Bacon crumbles
Cheddar cheese
Pepper
Garlic powder
Paprika

Instructions:

Prep your cauliflower head. Remove the leaves and butt from the bottom. Don’t cut too deep, you need the head to stay in tact.

While you are prepping your cauliflower, start boiling a pot of water stove top. It needs to be deep enough to cover the entire head. Once the water is boiling, place the head in the water and boil for 6 minutes. Remove from the water and place on a baking sheet lined with foil. (It’s gonna be hot!!)

In a bowl, let’s prepare the topping. Add your 1 cup of mayo, 1 cup of parmesan, pepper and garlic powder, mix well until blended.

Now let’s smother the cauliflower with the topping. Coat the entire outside using the entire contents of the bowl. Put it on nice and thick. We used a rubber spatula and it spread very easily.

Once you are coated, top with bacon crumbles, add some paprika and pop her in the oven. You will bake for 15-16 minutes at 375 degrees.

At the end, pull it out and sprinkle a bit of cheddar on top if you desire. Pop back in a minute or 2 to melt. Once done, pull out and enjoy. It’s fantastic!

Keto King Ranch Casserole

Guys, if you love casseroles, then you will love this one. Plus, it’s super simple to make and jammed with flavor. You will not be disappointed, I promise. This dish is something we had all the time prior to living the Keto lifestyle and now we can enjoy it once again!

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breast, boneless/skinless
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbs grass fed butter
2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated natural cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 slices natural cheddar cheese slices
2 cans (4oz each) green chillis (optional but you should use)
1 can Rotel (homemade tomato sauce would be a better option)
8 homemade Keto tortillas. Here is the link to my previous post making them –>https://justaketoguru.com/2020/09/27/keto-tortillas-the-real-deal/
1/2 cup chopped white onion (optional)
Seasonings of choice (salt, pepper, mango habanero, cayenne)

Instructions:

Start with slow cooking your chicken. You can use any method you want but options should be either in the crock-pot or stove-top for a few hours to get your chicken shred tender. I suppose you could buy pre-shredded chicken but why when cooking your own is so simple.

We cooked ours stove-top in chicken broth and seasonings. Just cook to a boil then simmer until done. Let cool then shred. Start with caramelizing your onions in butter, then add your broth and chicken. Throw in a can of green chilies as well.

In the same pot you cooked your chicken (don’t drain the broth), add your shredded cheddar, green chillies, shredded mozzarella, sour cream, heavy cream and Rotel, seasonings of choice and mix well.

Get your casserole dish out and line the bottom with about 1/2 of your mixture.

After you have the 1st half of your mixture in, add 6 of the homemade keto tortillas. Dump the other half of your chicken mixture on top, put your slice cheese (in smaller squares) on top, add the last 2 tortillas (in cut pieces), and 1 can of green chillies. Sprinkle a little more mozzarella on top if desired (you should).

Cover in foil, bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil and put oven on broil for a few minutes to crisp and melt the cheese topping. Let cool a minute, serve and enjoy!

Keto Tortillas (the real deal)

Ok, some times cheese shell tortillas just don’t cut it. In my quest to find an easy, quick and tasty tortilla recipe I found this gem. Not my recipe but adding steps here to share. It’s extremely easy to make and the results were out of this word! These are rather small so adjust for whatever size you like. I would say these are about the size of street tacos.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
3 tbs coconut flour
2 tsp xanthan gum… I buy here on Amazon —> https://amzn.to/36bAce1
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 egg, beaten
3 tsp water

Instructions:

Break out the food processor. In the processor, put your almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. Pulse until they are all mixed. Should only be about 10-15 seconds.

Once your dry ingredients are mixed, pour the apple cider vinegar in with the processor running (ok, so I just took the lid off and dumped in, it works). Once it has evenly mixed, do the same thing with your beaten egg and then the water. Once the dough is in a ball, you are done.

Remove from the processor and place in some cling wrap. Roll into a ball and knead for a few minutes. Once you are done kneading, place into the fridge for about 10 minutes to set-up.

Remove from the fridge and divide into 8-9 1″ balls. Place each ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper and press with a bowl bottom, a rolling pin, or whatever you want to shape them. These are about street taco size so if you want bigger, then you need to make bigger balls. Ideally, you use a tortilla press, which I don’t have, so I used the bottom of a bowl.

When ready to cook, place your pan on the stove-top on medium-high. Throw the tortilla on and cook for only about 10 seconds on the first side and about 20 on the 2nd. Each persons cook time will be different, just watch them. They brown up quick. You can use a cast iron skillet, I was just worried they would stick but after making them, I think it would be fine.

That’s it. Enjoy. They are rather tasty and 100% Keto approved!!

Keto Guru Pig in a Blanket

Guys, you want a super easy, super tasty Keto meal? This was whipped up in less than 30 minutes. Not to mention, the possibilities are endless with these things. I kept it simple and went with a slice of Gouda cheese and Kielbasa sausage and it was phenomenal. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. Eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Ingredients:

3 cups low moisture mozzarella cheese
1 cup almond flour
8 slices of Gouda cheese (any slice cheese you want)
8 Kielbasa sausage links (get creative, add ham, bacon or any protein of choice)
Seasonings of choice (I used Flavor God ranch and cheese)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, add your mozzarella and seasonings and microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds. Remove and give it a good stir.

At this time, add in 1/2 a cup of the flour. It’s much easier to mix 1/2 at a time. After that’s mixed in, add your final 1/2 cup of flour. If you need to microwave again to make it easier to mix, do so. Just do it 20-30 seconds at a time.

Once you have the cheese and flour mixed, lay out a sheet of parchment paper and plop your dough down. Add a another sheet of parchment paper on top and get to rolling it out. It doesn’t have to be perfect but try to make a square. If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use your forearm. We are looking for it to be about 1/16″ thick.

Once you have it rolled out, cut the dough down the center then 8 equal parts, or as close as you can get. I use a pizza cutter.

Lay a piece of cheese on each one and 1 sausage link. Roll them as tight as you can. Leave the seam on the bottom. Place on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue until all 8 are made.

Set your oven to 375 and cook 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. At the end, I put them under the broiler for about 2 minutes to get some nice color. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. They will be hot, especially the sausage. Plate and enjoy!

Keto Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is real deal here. You cannot tell a difference between the Keto version and the non. In fact, I believe the Keto version is better. You decide for yourself, whip you up a batch and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

Cake Mix:

2 Cups Almond Flour
3/4 Cups of Keto sweetener of choice (we use Lakanto Classic in the 3 lb bag on Amazon —> https://amzn.to/35P958w)
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 unflavored Isopure whey protein powder; I order mine on Amazon here because I haven’t found in stores –>https://amzn.to/35NPANB
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (8 tbs)
1/2 cup water
1/4 coca powder (unsweetened)
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup water (needed a 2nd time)

Icing/Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup coca powder (unsweetened)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 and 1/2 cup powdered Keto sweetener; (we use this on Amazon —> https://amzn.to/3caTyB3)
1/4 tsp Xanthan gum (yes, you will need this) you can find here —>https://amzn.to/3628Yqn
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Cake Instructions:

Pre-heat your oven to 325 and grease a 10 x 15 sheet pan really good. In a bowl, add the almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, protein powder, baking powder and salt and whisk together and set to the side.

On your stove-top in a medium sized saucepan, combine the butter, water and coca powder. Heat on medium stirring these ingredients until melted. Bring them to a boil now then remove from the heat.

In your dry mix bowl, add the eggs, vanilla, HWC and 1/4 cup of water, and hot wet ingredients and mix until it’s all combined real well.

Spread this mixture evenly in your greased sheet pan. Bake 15-25 minutes until it passes the toothpick test. Once done, remove from oven and set aside.

While your cake is cooking, let’s make the frosting. In another saucepan, add butter, coca powder, cream and water. Bring these ingredients to a simmer, continuing to stir until it’s smooth. At this point, stir in the vanilla, add your powdered sweetener, 1/2 a cup at a time, whisking really good so it will dissolve the clumps. Finally, add in the Xanthan gum and whisk it in as well. Put your pecans in and stir them in.

Once your sheet cake has cooled, pour the icing/frosting over the cake and spread with a spatula. Make sure it’s nice and even over the entire surface of the cake.