Because sometimes you just need something creamy and cheesy….
This can be made stove top or in a slow cooker. For stove top just keep everything at a very low simmer.
Ingredients:
2lb broccoli (I used frozen)
5 cloves garlic
4 cups veggie broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 brick (8oz) cream cheese
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 tsp thyme
2 cups pre-shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp xantham gum (optional):
Instructions:
Mix the broth, cream, cream cheese, butter, and seasoning in the slow cooker and set to high.
I used frozen broccoli, so to speed things up I roasted it before adding to the soup. I dumped a bag of frozen broccoli and the garlic on a sheet pan, sprayed with olive oil, and roasted at 400F for 18 minutes. If you use fresh you can skip this step, or you can just put frozen broccoli in the slow cooker and cook for longer.
Add the broccoli and garlic to the slow cooker. Cook about 45 minutes, until hot and melty throughout.
Add the cheese and cook about 15 minutes more, until cheese is melted.
(Optional) add the xantham gum to thicken everything up a bit
(Optional) use a stick blender to lightly puree the soup and give it a more uniform consistency. Don’t pulverize it though!
Makes 9, 1-cup servings:
Makes 9x 1 cup servings, 337 calories / 7 net carb (6 if you omit garlic) / 30 fat / 11 protein each.
I’ve just linked a way more updated and super fancy meal plan for you to use! I hope this one is much more user friendly.
It also has options for vegan, dairy free, egg free, soy free, nut free… Etc.
I’ve been working on it for a while and tried to error proof as much as possible, but you know how it is when you’re too close to things… So if you spot an error please let me know!
This flatbread looks super fancy, but really it’s a great weeknight dinner that’s ready in under 10 minutes if you meal prep the fathead bread part first.
It’s just a flatbread with Boursin garlic cheese spread, arugula, 2 fried eggs topped with melted muenster, and pickled onions. Pickled onions are also super easy to make for yourself, and last in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
Fathead Flatbread Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups pre-shredded, low-moisture mozzarella (trust me, you don’t want to use the authentic wet stuff here)
2 oz (4 tbsp) cream cheese
1.5 cups almond flour
2 tsp xantham gum (optional, but gives it that authentic chewy texture)
2 eggs
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Combine dry ingredients, then add the 2 eggs and combine further until you have an even paste.
Melt the mozzarella and cream cheese together – you can use the microwave or do it stove top. You want the mozzarella very melty, so usually I err on the side of over melted and then let it cool just until I can touch it without burning myself.
Knead together the almond flour and mozzarella mixtures. This takes a LOT of elbow grease and you have to work quickly because the mozzarella gets harder to work with as it cools. Your goal should be to eliminate almost all of the marbling appearance so you have a homogenous mixture, but don’t worry if you can’t get it 100%.
Roll out the dough to “pizza crust” thickness (a little under 1/4″, and a bit smaller than a large cookie sheet) between two sheets of parchment paper. Transfer the dough, still on a parchment paper, to a cookie sheet.
Bake until browned on top, about 15 minutes.
Allow to cool, and then slice into 8 squares.
You can store these in the fridge for a few days, but they also freeze incredibly well. Just broil on low to reheat.
Macros:
Makes 8 flatbreads. Each is 300 cal / 3 net carb (8 total) / 25 fat / 15 protein
Fun modifications:
You can replace 1 cup of the mozzarella for another cheese, maybe cheddar or asiago?
This dough makes a great pizza dough, just add toppings before cooking instead of after.
Another pre-keto household favorite was Alton Brown’s baked cheddar Mac and Cheese. That stuff is gold. So obviously I had to figure out how to ketofy it.
Ingredients:
3 pounds (about 12 cups) frozen cauliflower (or broccoli, or Brussels sprouts, or really any other low carb veggies)
4 tbsp butter
4 oz (8 tbsp) cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp mustard
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
16oz (1lb) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated vegetarian parmesan
Recipe:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Put frozen broccoli on a 9×13 casserole pan (or cookie sheet if you have a ceramic casserole pan like me) and spray with olive oil spray.
Bake for 17 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown.
Meanwhile, heat butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream over medium low heat until melted but not boiling.
Add in all the spices.
Add the cheese and stir with a whisk until melted and clumps disappear.
Lower the heat to 350F.
Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower in casserole pan. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling.
If you didn’t mistakenly grab shredded parm at the grocery store like me, you’ll end up with a lovely grated Parmesan crust if you broil for a second at the end!
This is a pretty easy recipe to tweak to fit your macros. I went with a “generous” ratio of cheese to veggies, but you can easily go up to 12 cups of veggies in this. Or, leave off the parmesan for less calories, or pile more on for a high protein boost.
These bagels are definitely “As Good As The Real Thing Certified”… In fact, when we went off keto for vacation a few months back we had some regular bagels and were super depressed that they weren’t nearly as flavorful as our fathead bagels, for 10000x the carbs.
I can’t take credit for this recipe, there’s a million versions of it floating around the internet and I think the original recipe actually appeared on Reddit. But, I can add in my little tips and tricks to make sure it comes out as good as promised.
Ingredients:
3 cups pre-shredded, low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella (trust me, you don’t want to use the authentic wet stuff here)
2 oz (4 tbsp) cream cheese
1.5 cups almond flour
2 tsp xantham gum (optional, but gives it that authentic chewy texture)
Pinch salt
2 eggs
Optional toppings: I like Trader Joe’s “everything but the bagel” seasoning, but you can use any traditional bagel flavoring
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Combine dry ingredients, then add the 2 eggs and combine further until you have an even paste.
Melt the mozzarella and cream cheese together – you can use the microwave or do it stove top. You want the mozzarella very melty, so usually I err on the side of over melted and then let it cool just until I can touch it without burning myself.
Knead together the almond flour and mozzarella mixtures. This takes a LOT of elbow grease and you have to work quickly because the mozzarella gets harder to work with as it cools. Your goal should be to eliminate almost all of the marbling appearance so you have a homogenous mixture, but don’t worry if you can’t get it 100%.
Divide the dough into 6, roll into logs and then pinch the ends to form a bagel shape. It’s worth mentioning at this moment that this dough also makes incredible pizza dough.
Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and press any toppings onto the top and bottom of the bagels.
Bake for 18 minutes, rotating front to back halfway through. If you have a convection oven, bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
You can store these in the fridge for a few days, but they also freeze incredibly well. I make a double or triple batch and freeze for easy dinners. Just microwave until soft enough to slice, and then broil on low to toast.
Macros:
Makes 6 bagels. With whole milk mozzarella, each bagel is 400 cal / 4.5 net carb (8 total) / 33 fat / 21 protein
Fun modifications:
You can replace 1 cup of the mozzarella for another cheese, maybe cheddar or asiago?
They don’t have to be bagel shaped, you can use this to make a delicious pizza or calzone crust, garlic knots, etc
I love to use these to make veggie sandwiches. The one pictured has melted Kerrygold garlic herb butter, sharp cheddar cheese, peppers, pickled onions, radish, tomato, cucumber, avocado, and sprouts
I’ve spent the weekend testing Christmas Cookies and can’t wait to share the best ones with you!
First up are these completely sweetener free and ultra easy “sugar” cookies! I kept adding things to these because I couldn’t believe the answer was so simple, but when I got back to basics magic happened. Obviously they aren’t exactly sweet, but they make up for that in buttery goodness and completely satisfy my crunch craving.
Ingredients:
2.5 cups hazelnut meal
You can also use almond meal
3/4 cup butter, softened
Vegan/DF: substitute unflavored coconut oil (I like Carrington Farms organic coconut cooking oil, unflavored)
2 eggs
Vegan: actually, the eggs are only here to cut down on crumbliness. You can leave them out entirely, or add 2tbsp psyllium husk
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
Optional, but gives it a chewier texture
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 -2 tsp flavoring of your choosing:
Vanilla Extract
Orange Extract or Orange Peel
Lemon Peel or Lemon Juice
Instant coffee
Bourbon
Powdered / Freeze Dried Raspberries
Recipe:
Make sure the butter is very soft, it may need a few seconds in the microwave. Its best if its not completely melted though. Beat together all ingredients. Wrap with wax paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour. Roll out on wax paper or parchment paper to desired cookie thickness. Cut out into fun shapes using cookie cutters and place on a parchment lined cookie tray. (Tip: Lift up using a spatula, these are extra fragile before cooking) Bake at 315-325F (depending on cookie size – I used 325 for 3″ cookies and 315 for 6″) for about 15 minutes. They are done when the edges are browned and the centers are firm to the touch. Allow to cool still on the cookie sheet.
The macros for this one are tough since cookie sizes vary but… Assuming you get 24 cookies, each would be: 123 Cal / 1 Net Carb (2 total) / 13 Fat / 2 Protein For the entire recipe: 3176 Cal / 22 Net Carbs (53 total) / 317 Fat / 53 Protein
This might be the single healthiest keto meal of all time. It tastes just as yummy as carb heavy oatmeal, but contains:
4.5g Omega 3s (415% DV)
14.5g Protein (17% of my personal needs)
9g Fiber (37% DV)
7.2mg Vitamin K (80% DV)
1.8mg Manganese (100% DV)
4.3mg iron (24% DV)
…all for only 4.5 net carbs!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp hazelnut meal
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup water
Instructions:
Combine all dry ingredients and water over low heat. Cook about 5 minutes, just as you would regular oatmeal. You can also cook it in the microwave for about 45 seconds, but watch carefully because it likes to boil over!
I portion these out ahead of time and bring them to work in a pyrex, which is perfect for the microwave method. Just remember that flax and hemp should be refrigerated after opening.
Topping ideas:
Pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
Cocoa powder
Vanilla or maple extract
Heavy whipping cream or coconut cream
Frozen raspberries (add them before cooking so they get juicy) and a spoon of nut butter
1 tbsp cocoa nibs and 1 tbsp peanut butter
Butter and cheese for grits style
Swap out the hazelnut meal for shredded coconut, or any other ground nut.
??? The possibilities are endless!
This recipe is highly flexible so feel free to substitute basically whatever you want in here (although hemp seeds are a major source of those nutritional benefits).
Macros: 360 cal | 4.5 net carb (10.5 total) | 30 fat | 14.5 protein
There needs to be some kind of ‘As Good As the Real Thing’ (AGATRT???) certification program. Because these keto pancakes would make the list. I’ve tried a lot of the low carb pancake variations out there, but none have the same fluffy texture as these do.
Keto Pancakes with Raspberry Compote and Whipped Cream
Pancake Ingredients:
4oz cream cheese
For dairy free: sub in pumpkin puree & add 1tbsp coconut flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Dash of salt
Pancake Instructions:
Dump everything in a blender and blend away. Cook over medium heat just like you would regular pancakes. Thats it!
Ingredients
Pancake Macros: These pancakes save well in the fridge, so make a bit batch for an easy breakfast or snack! Makes 2 big servings, or 4 snack sized servings. Macros for 2 servings: 470 cal / 9 net carbs (12 total) / 41 fat / 20 protein Macros for 4 servings: 235 cal / 4.5 net carbs (6 total) / 21 fat / 10 protein
But wait… there’s more! I know half the joy of pancakes is the toppings, but since sweeteners are ruled out for me, I had to get creative. This raspberry compote topping is super easy and delicious. You can, of course, always go with straight butter. Or, add a bit of sweetener free whipped cream.
Raspberry Compote Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
Splash water (roughly 1-2 tbsp)
Raspberry Compote Instructions:
Place frozen raspberries in a small saucepan and add a splash of water. Heat, covered, over medium-low heat until they are bubbling. Smash the raspberries with the back of your spoon, and return to the stove. Crack the lid and reduce heat to low until your pancakes are ready and sauce is slightly thickened.
Macros for 1/2 the compote:23 cal / 3 net carb / 0 fat / 0 protein
Pumpkin Spice Pancake Variation: Use the following ingredients instead:
3oz cream cheese
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1 tsp vanilla extract and/or maple extract
(Macros for 4 servings: 220 cal / 4.5 net carb / 18 fat / 10 protein) (Macros for 2 servings: 440 cal / 9 net carb / 37 fat / 20 protein)
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
A note on blenders: I’m totally not sponsored by Vitamix (oh, how I wish) but I did want to share our experience. We are coming up on one year of Vitamix ownership and could not be more impressed. It might be the single best home purchase we’ve ever made.
Before our Vitamix, we were going through a Ninja every 6 months, and before that a Bullet every 3-4 months. They just weren’t made well enough to withstand daily use chopping up ice for our protein shakes. They are made with plastic gears that just shred. Sure, they were warrantied, but we couldn’t live without a blender for the 3-6 weeks it took to get the warranty repairs. So even though the Ninja was cheaper, it wasn’t in the long run when we had to keep replacing them.
Little known fact: you can buy certified, warrantied, reconditioned Vitamix blenders for under $250 from their website. And around the holidays, they’re even more discounted. That’s how we ended up with our 780 last year! Here’s the link, just in case: https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/shop/certified-reconditioned-series
When I first made these muffins, my husband was literally swearing about their perfection as he ate them. Not gonna lie, some explicatives may have slipped out of my mouth too. The texture is authentic and the spice is delightful. These are a great ‘treat’ to pack for snacks at work, perhaps to accompany a cup of coffee?
Ingredients: For the muffins:
1 cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
5 tbsp melted butter
(Vegan/DF: canned coconut cream
2 eggs
(Vegan/DF: 2tbsp psyllium husk mixed with 4tbsp hot water)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
(you can sub in protein powder for extra protein)
2 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tbsp ground psyllium husk
(optional but reduces crumbliness)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin spice
Note: Its not a mistake, there are no sweeteners in this recipe! But if you’re looking for a sweeter treat, feel free to add a few drops stevia or pure monk fruit.
For the frosting:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
generous splash of vanilla
Vegan/DF: Whip 1 14oz can coconut cream (best if refrigerated overnight) with 2 tsp vanilla until it resembles whipped cream.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 12-muffin tin. Take out your cream cheese and butter (for the frosting) to soften.
Sift together dry ingredients in one bowl. In a separate bowl melt the butter, then stir in the pumpkin. Finally, add eggs and vanilla and stir. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Spoon into the muffin tins, and flatten tops since this batter does not rise. Bake for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together all ingredients with a hand mixer until frosting consistency.
Perfect inner texture.
You can store these in the fridge for a week, but I recommend keeping the frosting separate and topping just as you are ready to eat.
Macros (recipe makes 12 servings): Muffins: 185 cal | 3.5 net carb (8 total) | 16 fat | 6 protein Frosting: 135 cal | 1 carb | 14 fat | 1 protein per serving
I’m not sure whether these should be categorized as muffins, or brownies, or cupcakes, or crack… but whatever they are, they’re sure to satisfy any chocolate cravings!
Ingredients: For the muffins:
1 cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
2 tbsp melted butter
(Vegan/DF: canned coconut cream )
3 tbsp (39g) melted cocoa/cacao butter
(or more butter or any other oil, but cocoa butter adds a great white chocolate flavor)
2 eggs
(Vegan/DF: 2tbsp psyllium husk mixed with 4tbsp hot water)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups blanched almond flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp ground psyllium husk (for a cupcake texture)
Or 2 tbsp flax seed meal (for a fudgey texture)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Optional Ingredients:
1/2 cup (56g) pecans, chopped
24 chopped Guittard bittersweet baking wafers, or Lily’s chocolate chips
liquid stevia or pure monk fruit. I find these muffins have a lovely dark chocolate fudge flavor without any sweetener, but you are welcome to add to taste.
For the frosting:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
Splash heavy cream (about 2tbsp)
generous splash of vanilla
Vegan/DF: Whip 1 can coconut cream (best if refrigerated overnight) with 2 tsp vanilla until it resembles whipped cream.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 12-muffin tin. Take out your cream cheese and butter to soften.
Sift together dry ingredients. Melt the butters, and then stir in the pumpkin. Finally, add eggs and vanilla and stir. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Batter Will Be Thick
If desired, add chopped pecans and chocolate at this point. Or save the pecans to put on top, whatever you like.
Spoon into the muffin tins, and flatten tops since this batter does not rise. Bake for 25 minutes. (You can also make this in an 8×4 loaf pan by baking 50 minutes).
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together all ingredients with a hand mixer until frosting consistency.
Perfect Inner Texture
You can store these in the fridge for a week, but I recommend keeping the frosting separate and topping just as you are ready to eat.
Macros (recipe makes 12 servings, no pecans or sweeteners): Muffins, no chocolate chips: 179 cal | 2 net carb (6 total) | 15 fat | 6 protein Muffins, with bittersweet wafers: 194 cal | 3 net carb (7.3 total) | 16 fat | 6 protein Frosting: 135 cal | 1 carb | 14 fat | 1 protein per serving
Keto Vegetarian Girl 