Lemon-Blueberry Muffins with Almond Flour

Food prep has been key to maintaining a low-sugar lifestyle for us.  This weekend, I prepped loaded burger bites and salads for lunches, and I made Western scrambled eggs and lemon-blueberry muffins for breakfasts.  These muffins are delicious and only 2.5 net carbs each!  

Quick & Easy Homemade Low Carb Chicken Nuggets

My family loves a good chicken nugget.  They happen to be one of the 7 things my picky 5 year old will actually eat, so I'm always looking for easy, quick, and healthy alternatives.  I've tried all kinds of low carb options such as almond flour and making my own breadcrumbs from low carb bread.  We stumbled across Porq Italian Herb Panko Crumbs at the store by accident and were intrigued.  Despite their name, they are not breadcrumbs at all - they're made from pork rinds!  We liked the fact that they have zero carbs per serving and are low in calories.  I was, however, hesitant that that they would have that weird pork rind aftertaste.  Even so, we decided to give them a try, and we are glad we did.  They have that lovely crispy panko consistency and great flavor.  You'd never know they were made with pork rinds.  Our chicken nuggets turned out delicious!  This is now my favorite way to make them.  Score!  These can be cooked in the air fryer if you'd prefer to use less oil.  375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Breakfast Casserole with Sausage, Egg, Cheese & Veggies

Merry Christmas!  Among many other festivities, we enjoyed a lovely brunch with my family on Christmas Day.  I made an amazing French toast casserole that we gobbled up before I could snap a picture (recipe here), and I also made this delicious breakfast casserole with sausage, egg, cheese, and veggies.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!   

Homemade Ranch Dressing

This Homemade Ranch Dressing is creamy, tangy, and delicious.  You probably already have all of the ingredients in your home, and it's so easy to make.  It not only tastes better and fresher than the store-bought stuff, it's a healthier alternative because it doesn't include seed oils, added sugar, and MSG.  Simply whisk together the ingredients and enjoy right away or later.  This dressing tastes better the next day after the ingredients have had a chance to mingle.  Store it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  

Baked Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese

 

You won't miss the "mac" in this delicious cauliflower mac and cheese!  I love this version because of the Greek yogurt.  It gives this a wonderfully creamy texture, not to mention the health benefits.  Between the cauliflower and Greek yogurt, this is an excellent source of vitamins A and B12, calcium, potassium, iodine, protein, fiber, and probiotics.  

Everything Bagel Bites with Almond Flour & Greek Yogurt

 

It took me an embarrassingly 45 minutes to remember my login information on blogger.  I blinked, and it's been 3 1/2 years since my last blog post.  Lots of life has happened between May 2021 and now.  My homeschooler has graduated high school and is about to get her Associates in Early Childhood Education this spring, and my son began kindergarten this year.  Through it all, my love of cooking hasn't faltered.  

My husband has recently joined me in my low carb, no processed foods eating habits, and it's been a lot of fun experimenting with and enjoying some pretty fabulous recipes together.  He recently stumbled across a recipe on Instagram, and we decided to give it a try this weekend.  This was my first time using almond flour.  While I wasn't a fan of the price, I am a fan of the nutritional information as well as the cooking results.  

These were not only simple and quick to whip up, but they were delicious!  Each bagel bite tastes like an everything bagel, has a lovely crunch on the outside, and is warm and crumbly on the inside.  The consistency isn't quite the same as a bagel - more like a crumbly cake.  Slather a smidgen of whipped cream cheese on top to take it to the next level.  

These can be stored in the refrigerator. 

Keto Cheddar & Broccoli Soup

We are officially through our home school year!  My, that went by quickly!  Now that it's summer break and I have a little extra time on my hands, I hope to post recipes more frequently than I have been.  

It's been four months since I started on the Keto diet.  I originally intended to use it as a tool to lose the extra weight that I put on over the winter months.  After losing the extra pounds, I decided that I'm actually going to stick with it.  It's hard to put into words exactly how, but I overall feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically while on this diet.  I feel like I have more clarity of mind, which is super important while home schooling... and working and adulting in general.  Don't get me wrong, though; I still have mom brain from time to time!  

This Keto Broccoli & Cheddar Soup came out fan-flippin'-tastic!  It's rich, creamy, and so delicious that it feels like I'm cheating on my diet while eating it!  This was my first time using xanthan gum as a thickening agent, and it worked like a charm!  

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Fat Bombs (Keto)

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to a little gem that gets me through those times when I'm craving something sweet and naughty.  Ever heard of a fat bomb?  I hadn't until I started my Keto diet journey.  They sound kind of gross, don't they?  Actually, fat bombs are so high in fat and low in protein that they help your body burn more fat for fuel and stay in ketosis.  And when I say "fat," I'm talking about healthy fats.  Here's the homeschooling mom coming out... we need these healthy fats to help our bodies absorb fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E, and K.  Thanks, Apologia science!  Anyway, back to the recipe.  These chocolate and peanut butter fat bombs are amazing!  1 gram of carbs never tasted so good!    

Notes:  The mixture will sweeten as it sets.  Carb count will vary depending on the size of your silicone molds.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  

Cheddar Cheese Taco Shells (Keto)

A few weeks ago, we had some wonderful teases of spring weather.  I was super excited to take my dog for a long walk and drink in the sun.  I got out some shorts and -- gasp!  Uncomfortably snug.  It was obvious that I packed on some winter bulk over the long, cold months while hibernating in my home.  I had been avoiding the scale... avoiding exercise... but not avoiding 1/2 price donuts.  Oh, glorious donuts, how I sought after thee.  *End sob story*

I decided to drastically cut carbs and sugar from my diet to kick-start some weight loss, and it's really been working quite well!  The first several days were very difficult, but now it's pretty much been smooth sailing!  I've been experimenting with all kinds of low-carb recipes, and I stumbled across this idea from Pinterest.  I honestly was debating on whether or not to post this because it's not technically a "recipe", but it's too good not to share!  It's also very easy.

Storage:  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.