Keto Bread (Keto Stuffing and Keto French Toast)

 

A few months ago I set out to make an entire Thanksgiving meal that was keto friendly (Be sure to check back for that post). 

One of my favorite dishes to come out of that was this keto stuffing. It is delicious and you'd never know it wasn't "regular" stuffing. You only use half the loaf of bread you make which means you can make a delicious, keto friendly French toast with the other half! You can't lose!

I'm going to post 3 recipes in this post: the first is for the bread, the second will be for the stuffing, and the third will be for the French toast. Be sure to pin or save this recipe for your next holiday dinner! It's a keeper. :) 

FYI - I find the bread eaten on it's own does taste a little eggy BUT in the stuffing and as French toast it is not eggy at all. 

Keto Bread

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

5 Tbsp butter, melted

1 1/2 cup almond flour

3 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Line an 8 X 4 loaf pan with parchment paper. 

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Beat yolks, butter, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat in 1/3 of the egg whites. Dough will be lumpy and thick. Fold in remaining egg whites - do not overmix!

Spread into the prepared loaf pan. 

Bake at 375 for approximately 30 minutes. Toothpick inserted near center should come out clean. 

Let cool about 10 minutes and then remove to wire rack.

Let cool completely before slicing into 20 slices. If you look closely at the above photo you can see I marked off where to cut the slices to make them even. Not necessary but I find it makes cutting the bread easier. 

According to MyFitnessPal the nutritional counts per slice are: 98 calories, 8.5 fat, 1.9 carb, 0.9 fiber, and 3.7 protein. That means 1 net carb per slice. (Loaf should be cut into 20 slices.) 

Freezes well. 

Keto Stuffing

Ingredients

10 slices "Keto Bread Recipe" above

2 Tbsp parsley

1 Tbsp rosemary

1 Tbsp thyme

1/4 cup onion, diced

5 green onions, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 Tbsp garlic, minced

8 oz sausage, cooked and crumbled

1 cup broth

1 cup whipping cream

2 eggs

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 200. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

Cut the keto bread into cubes.

Place on cookie sheet and sprinkle with the parsley, rosemary, and thyme. 

 Bake at 200 for an hour. Give it a stir at the half way mark to ensure even cooking. Bread should be browned and toasty. 

Remove from oven and set aside. 

Turn heat in oven up to 350. 

In a large bowl place the onion, green onions, celery, garlic, and sausage. Stir in the toasted bread.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the broth, whipped cream, and eggs. 

Pour this over the bread mixture and stir very gently. (I use my hands)

Spread in a 10 inch oven safe dish sprayed with cooking spray. 

Bake at 350 for about an hour, stirring at the half way mark. 

Serve hot. 

According to MyFitnessPal the nutritional counts per serving are (recipe makes 9 servings): 200 calories, 18 fat, 2.8 carbs, 0.8 fiber, 4 protein. That's 2 net carbs per serving. 

Leftovers reheat well in the microwave. 

Keto French Toast

Ingredients

2 Tbsp whipping cream

1 egg

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp butter

3 slices "Keto Bread Recipe" above

For Serving

whipped cream

keto friendly syrup

dash cinnamon

Directions

In a small container whisk together the cream, egg, and cinnamon. 

Heat a non stick frying pan over medium heat and melt the butter in the pan. 

Gently dip a slice of bread into the egg mixture and flip to coat well. 

Place in the pan and repeat with remaining bread. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes then gently flip over and cook another minute or two. Toast should be golden brown. 

Serve hot with a little keto syrup, whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

So good and so filling!

According to MyFitnessPal the nutritional counts are (recipe makes 1 serving):

400 calories, 37 fat, 7 carbs, 3 fiber, 12 protein. That's 4 net carbs!

As I mentioned above - eating the bread on it's own I find it a little eggy tasting. But turn it into stuffing or French toast and it is just like "regular" bread. I'm going to be experimenting to see what else I can make with it! It's a pretty versatile recipe. :) 

Keto Fried Fish Batter with Easy Tartar Sauce

 

You might have come to this recipe because of the word "keto" in the title but I have to tell you, whether keto or not, this is one of the best fried fish recipes EVER. 

So crispy and flavorful!

The homemade tartar sauce goes very well with it too so I recommend spending the extra few minutes and whipping it up! 

I have found a lot of gluten free batters are soft and never really get that crispiness I am looking for. Not so with this one though! You get a crunch that makes the fish inside seem even more tender! I used basa fillets but you could substitute your favorite fish no problem. 

Whether you are following a keto/gluten free eating plan or are just looking for an amazing fish batter - give this one a try! I Promise you won't regret it. 

Keto Fried Fish Batter

Ingredients

Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayo

1 Tbsp lemon juice + zest of half a lemon

1 pickle, chopped fine

1 Tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried dill

salt & pepper

Fish 

1 Tbsp powdered parmesan

2/3 cup almond flour

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 eggs

1/3 cup sparkling water

6 - 8 pieces fish (boneless/skinless)

Oil for deep frying

Directions

Prepare tartar sauce - mix together the tartar sauce ingredients and chill until ready to use. Make up at least an hour ahead of time, up to a day ahead, so flavors have a chance to develop.

Prepare fish - Stir together the powdered parmesan, almond flour, garlic powder, parsley, baking powder, and cornstarch. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sparkling water. 

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just mixed. 

Pat the fish fillets dry.

Heat oil in a large pot to 350 degrees. 

Dip a piece of the fish into the batter, gently shake off any extra, and then carefully place in the heated oil. Cook 3 - 4 pieces at a time - do not crowd the pot or the oil temperature will drop too much. 

Cook about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and fish is cooked through.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the fish from the oil and set on paper towel to absorb any excess oil. 

Serve with homemade tartar sauce.

Look at all that crispiness!

You can easily double or triple the recipe if you are feeding more people!

FYI - leftovers can be stored in the fridge but are best eaten within a day. The crispiness disappears the longer it sits. Reheat in a 350 oven for best results. Of course, you can microwave leftovers, but they will be a bit soggier. 

Candy Apples

Candy apples are a Halloween staple. They are super inexpensive, fairly easy, and always look sooooo shiny and cool. 

I did black this year for Halloween as a Poison Apple - which would work well for a snow white theme as well. You can make your candy apples any color you like! Just add your favorite color food gel.

Boiling sugar can be a little terrifying so you want to take all the precautions when making these. Investing in a good candy thermometer will make your life a whole lot easier too! 

I got 12 smallish apples from one recipe with a little candy leftover. If your apples are larger I'd say you should get about 9. 

Tip - pour leftover candy onto a cookie tray lined with parchment paper sprayed with a little cooking spray. You can then break it up and eat it. I used my extra red candy as "broken bloody glass" to decorate some Halloween cupcakes. 

Candy Apples

Ingredients

12 small apples

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup clear corn syrup

1 cup water

1 tsp food coloring

Directions

Wash and thoroughly dry the apples. Push skewers or sticks carefully into each apple.

In a large pot: mix the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat to 300 degrees.

Have a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed with cooking spray ready for the apples to sit on. I sprinkled a few black sprinkles on top but this is extra and you don't have to do it if you don't want to.

Once sugar mixture reaches 300, remove from heat and stir in food coloring. 

Dip each apple into the candy and swirl to coat. Let the apple drip over the pot while gently shaking for about 30 seconds. Set apple on the prepared cookie tray. Repeat with remaining apples.

You need to work fairly quickly as the candy sets fast. 

Chill to set.

I used a coffin shaped box lined with parchment paper for serving at Halloween.

The sprinkles add a little crunch too the bottom of the apples. Again, not necessary just a fun addition. 

Depending on the type of food coloring you are using, you may need to add more than 1 tsp. The black gel I used 1 tsp and my apples were very black. I needed to add a bit more when I made the red ones. I think about 1 1/2 tsp of red gel. 

Candy apples only take about half an hour to whip up, you just need to be careful around the boiling sugar! FYI - the easiest way to eat them is to cut them into wedges. 

Keto Chicken Ramen

 

If you are doing low carb or keto then you know noodles tend to be off the menu. I found these great konjac noodles that work as a sub in most recipes that have zero net carbs.

Yes, the texture is a little weird...to me anyway.... they are far chewier than "normal" noodles. But in a ramen soup they work very well! I used the Angel hair version from NuPasta but there are many brands out there to try! My recipe makes 3 servings of ramen. The nutritional counts per serving are: 293 calories, 16 fat, 10.3 carbs, 4.3 fiber, and 29 protein. That's 7 net carbs for a hearty bowl of ramen noodles! Perfect for keto or low carb diets or if you just want to try something a little different!

Be sure to enter your ingredients into your own nutritional tracker if you need exact counts - they vary depending on size and brand. 

Keto Chicken Ramen

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

4 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

1 1/4 tsp olive oil

1 1/4 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp tomato paste

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sriracha

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp ginger, minced

1 Tbsp lime juice

Soup

1 cup baby bok choy

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 box Campbell's Pho broth (about 4 cups)

1 box Nupasta Angel Hair konjac noodles, rinsed and set in hot water

3soft boiled eggs, peeled

1 tsp sesame seeds

3/4 cup green onions, diced

1/2 - 1 tsp sriracha

1/2 package dried seaweed

Directions

Prepare chicken - mix all the chicken marinade ingredients together in a large Ziplock bag (or bowl). Shake the chicken in the bag to coat well. Marinade 2 hours up to overnight. 

After marinating for several hours, up to overnight, broil the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side to cook. (You can also grill if you prefer). Slice or chop the chicken after it is cooked.

Assemble the ramen - Stir fry the bok choy in the 1/2 tsp of sesame oil until just wilted. At the same time bring the Pho broth to a boil. Pour into serving bowls. 

Add in the cooked bok choy, broiled chicken, konjac noodles. Top with the boiled egg, green onions, sesame seeds, and seaweed. Season with extra sriracha, if desired.

Serve hot. 

Soy sauce is also a great addition for serving. If you can't get the Pho broth then chicken or pork broth will also work. 

I'm a newcomer when it comes to making ramen but I have to say... I'm a big fan! I can't wait to try different combinations of ingredients. 

Keto Beef Stew

 

Looks like a regular beef stew, doesn't it?

It tastes like a delicious, comforting, beef stew but it is keto friendly! How? Well, we left out the potatoes and put in a few turnips instead. You could also use daikon if you have it. We used a little xanthan gum as a thickener instead of flour as well so as well as being low carb it is also gluten free!

I love making stew when the cold weather sets in. It only takes about 15 minutes of prep and then it bubbles on the stove top for a couple of hours making your house smell amazing! 

Keto Beef Stew

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs beef, cut in small chunks

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp oil

4 1/2 cups beef broth

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp Worcestershire

1 bay leaf

1 lb turnip, cut in chunks

2 medium carrots, cut in chunks

1 onion, diced fairly large

1 celery stalk, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 Tbsp parsley, garnish

Directions

First step - chop all your veggies. 

In a large pot, cook the beef and salt in the oil until browned over medium heat. Remove the beef and set aside. 

Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of the beef broth. Add in the red wine vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire, and bay leaf. Stir well. Pour in the remaining beef broth. Place the beef back in the pot and let simmer on low heat for an hour. 

After an hour, add in all your vegetables. 

Remove 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and whisk in the xanthan gum. Stir this into the stew.

Continue to simmer for another hour or so - until nice and thick and veggies are tender.

Remove bay leaf and discard. 

Serve hot, sprinkled with a little parsley. 

The recipe, as written, makes 6 servings. According to MyFitnessPal the counts are: 341 calories, 20 fat, 9 carbs, 3 fiber, and 31 protein. So 6 net carbs per serving. 

This is one of those meals that no one will notice isn't "normal" stew. I promise. 

My mother insists on having barley in all her soups and stews so I just boiled her up a little bit in a separate pot and added it to hers when I served it and she was none the wiser. 

Big Batch Bacon and Kielbasa Mac And Cheese With Mediterranean Cabbage Salad

I am never making another macaroni and cheese recipe again. This is the one!

It has the most amazing flavor. You know how most mac & cheese is just "meh"... like, not terrible but not *jazz hands*. This is super *jazz hands* with a little *razzle dazzle* thrown in for good measure. 

It is a big batch - like it makes about 20+ cups of mac and cheese. I developed it for a meal program I was running. For a smaller, family sized amount I would maybe just make 1/4 of it. The size here is perfect for a potluck or if you want to make up some meals to share with extended family/friends. 

The Mediterranean Cabbage Salad is the perfect accompaniment. It is light and refreshing and helps add a few veggies to an otherwise carb-heavy meal! 

First up the salad:

Mediterranean Cabbage Salad with Garlic Vinaigrette 

Ingredients

4 cups cabbage, shredded (or thinly slices)

4 large tomatoes, sliced and seeded

2 English cucumbers, sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 tsp dried dill

1/2 red onion, sliced

garlic vinaigrette (I use Simply Natural Organic Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette)

Directions

Place all ingredients, except vinaigrette, in a large bowl.

Drizzle on a little of the vinaigrette and toss gently. 

Cover and chill until ready to serve. 

When ready to serve: serve with more vinaigrette and add as needed.

On to the main course!

Big Batch Bacon and Kielbasa Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

2 lbs macaroni, cooked

1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 pkgs kielbasa sausage

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

3/4 cup butter

2 onions, diced

3/4 cup flour

8 cups milk, warmed

1 16 oz brick aged cheddar

1 16 oz brick Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups parmesan, shredded (divided)

4 oz cream cheese

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

2 Tbsp fresh parsley

Directions

Before starting: boil your macaroni and set it aside and cook your bacon and set aside as well. 

Prepare the kielbasa sausage: place sliced sausage onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little BBQ sauce. Place under broiler until it starts to brown. Flip the pieces over and broil another 3 - 4 minutes - until browned. Set aside.

Prepare mac and cheese - In a LARGE pot (I use a canning pot), melt the butter and add in the onions. Let cook for a minute. Add in the flour and cook another minute, until thickened. 

Very gradually add in the milk, stirring in between additions until smooth. Cook about 5 minutes until thickened. Reduce the heat and add in all the cheeses (reserve 1 cup of Parmesan for sprinkling on top). Stir until melted.

Add in the spices and stir well.

Lastly, stir in the cooked sausage, bacon, and macaroni.

Let heat through and then serve. 

Don't forget to sprinkle generously with the reserved parmesan cheese.

Don't you want to just crawl right in there? 

Best mac and cheese EVER! 

I got 10 very large servings out of this (2 + cups of macaroni and 1+ cup of salad). If you were bringing this as a side dish to a potluck you would get 20 - 1 cup servings quite easily. 

You can half or quarter this recipe with no problem for smaller amounts. 

The macaroni is so flavorful. 4 cheeses and the smoky sausage and bacon make for the best macaroni EVER!