Pizza with psyllium husk

Well yes, this is a truly low carb tasty pizza.  What I love about it is you can eat it and feel satisfied but not that crazy nasty full feeling you get from them other heavy high carb foods.  Some health coaches out there will tell me it's good to eat those grains and heavy carbs here and there, and I know I can, but the feeling I feel after eating so good, is not a feeling I like at all.  I would rather eat this way all of the time because there are alternatives, so why not!

If you saw my low carb buns, it is the same exact recipe, I just doubled it to make this gigantic pizza, but honestly I suggest either one of two things, separate the dough so you get two smaller pizzas, or really roll it out as thin as you can, it comes out so much better.  Also, we love our pizza thin and crisp, so we cook the dough extra long before the toppings go on.  It is really up to you, just take it out earlier if you don't or put it in extra time if you like it like we do.

Preheat the oven to 350 FIRST!

Boil enough water to give you 4 tablespoons.

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients, 3/4 cup (packed tight in a measuring cup) of finely ground almond flour, 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of himalayan salt, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (optional), 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds (optional) set aside.

In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (this helps it rise) lemon juice, or white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of melted refined coconut oil (not the extra virgin or you will have a heavy coconut taste), butter, lard, or ghee.  

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix all together.  Slowly pour in the boiling water and continue mixing.  The dough will expand and become really thick as it absorbs the water.  You will want to roll the dough out, if you don't have a rolling pin, just use a water bottle that's not plastic, we used our stainless steel bottle.  

Spread the dough on a parchment paper lined sheet pan, and pop in the over for 50 minutes. Again, if you want them more soft and doughy then check it at 40 minutes and see.  Take it out and put any toppings you want on it.  Pop it back in for a good 10 minutes or longer if you like the extra cheese cooked more.  Enjoy!!

Delicious low carb buns

I will stop saying how this bread and that bread i made is my favorite because I feel as though as soon as I make a new bread recipe, I love it more than the last.  This one is really delicious and the texture is great.  It does not fall apart, it toasts great, it's awesome cold too, it makes great sandwiches and tastes like whole wheat bread to me.  This same recipe I used to make a pizza a few weeks ago and it was yummy as well.

If you ever made low carb bread before, you notice that they fall apart quiet easily, the psyllium husk really helps bind the ingredients together.  It acts like gluten, like a glue.  You can make these any shape you want.  I made bagels, buns, and pizza so far.  They were all delicious, so here is the recipe!

In psyllium husk recipes, you always want to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, and then combine, also make sure you use that hot water to activate the psyllium husk and make it bulk up, this is what you want.  I also added caraway seeds to this which gives it the rye flavor we love, but you can either sub for your favorite seeds or just leave it plain.

Preheat the oven to 350 FIRST!

Boil enough water to give you 4 tablespoons.

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients, 3/4 cup (packed tight in a measuring cup) of finely ground almond flour, 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of himalayan salt, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (optional), 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds (optional) set aside.

In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (this helps it rise) lemon juice, or white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of melted refined coconut oil (not the extra virgin or you will have a heavy coconut taste), butter, lard, or ghee. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix all together.  Slowly pour in the boiling water and continue mixing.  The dough will expand and become really thick as it absorbs the water.  You will want to then separate the dough into 5, and form 5 balls with your hands.  You will notice how sticky the dough is.

Spread the balls on a parchment paper lined sheet pan, and pop in the over for 40 minutes.  I have cooked them longer to get them overdone and they were good too, but I like them a bit soft inside and a little crisp on the outside so the 40 minute mark in my oven is perfect for my taste.  Also I kept my buns in the fridge for 5 days and they are fine, you can also freeze them and pull them out as needed.  I have doubled the recipe so I can have them anytime I want some.  I will post the pizza recipe in a separate post but just so you know it is the same ingredients.  Enjoy this low carb delicious healthy bread!!!

Low carb, keto bread

One of my favorite foods in life is bread, and I know i'm not the only one.  I refuse to eat store bought bread because they are either full of unnecessary ingredients, or ones you just cannot even read to start with.  I love lettuce wraps and have tried many different low carb, grain free, gluten free, sprouted, you name it, but at the end of the day sometimes I just want a bread sandwich or a slice of toast with cream cheese, but not the unhealthy version, and I do not want it to taste like cardboard either.  Some might say well you can cheat once in a while, it won't hurt you.  I tell you, I just hate the feeling of an unhealthy meal, it takes away everything good i feel, it weighs me down, makes me tired, cranky and takes me a bit to recover from it all.  Not to mention the harm I just caused my body.

I would rather work in my kitchen for hours whipping up different concoctions until I get something that satisfies my palate and makes me feel AWESOME, healthy, energetic but satisfied.  I want to open up my fridge whenever i want a piece of this bread rather than wait once a month for an unhealthy piece that I will regret in every way.  The best part is sharing it all with you so that you know healthy does not have to be boring.  Giving you hope that you can have it all, health, the figure you want, and have fun doing it.

Below I have highlighted the ingredients, which are very few and they all do great things for your health AND it's darn delicious!!  Enjoy and thanks for being here!

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl combine 1 tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon of baking soda.  Add 3 eggs and whisk together until it froths a little bit.  Add 1 cup of tahini {note: you can use another nut butter if you like but I have not tried it} Add 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or MCT oil.  Stir it all until well combined.  In a well greased bread pan add the mixture and pat it down to smooth the surface.  I use butter or ghee to grease the pan.  I add some to my mixture for the flavor as well, but not required in the recipe.  Bake for 40 minutes, stick a toothpick to make sure it's done as I find ovens to be so different.  That is it!! Seven ingredients and you can actually read and understand them.  Below I will touch upon some of the great benefits of this recipe, hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Now this is a snapshot of what the ingredients look like so you have an idea.  On the right hand corner you see the grass fed ghee I use, this has been my preferred butter lately after finding out there are no milk solids in ghee, (it's clarified butter) and it's really delicious!  Excellent source of fat.

Psyllium husk is a plant mostly grown in India.  The seed of the husk has been used as medicine in India for a long time.  Psyllium meaning "fiber" is just that, an herb fantastic for those that need that extra fiber for their health.  It is excellent for lowering ldl cholesterol, blood pressure, and mostly known for helping constipation.  It absorbs the water in your gut and helps you release, and get this without all the flatulence.  It has been tested on humans for weight loss with success because it does curb your appetite, fills you up, and helps you release.  It is also fantastic for binding and thickening foods.  That is why it is excellent for making bread.  If you want to find it in the market, go to the vitamin section not the food section.

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds.  It is very versatile and is used in making sweet and savory dishes.  The amount of vitamins and minerals is tremendous as well!  Rich is phosphorus, magnesium, iron, lecithin, potassium, Vitamin E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B15, very rich source of calcium, it has 20% complete protein making one of the richest sources of protein than most nuts.  It helps promote healthy cell growth, prevents anemia, rich in methionine which aids in liver detox.  Helps maintain muscle and healthy skin.  Excellent source of fat!

MCT oil is a medium chain triglyceride extracted from coconut or palm kernel oil.  It is a form of saturated fatty acids that have numerous benefits ranging from improved cognitive function to better weight management.  Medium chain fats are digested easily and directly sent to the liver, where they have a thermogenic effect and the ability to positively alter your metabolism.  This is the reason it is claimed that MCTs are burned by the body for energy, or fuel, instead of being stored as fat.  They're supportive of the gut environment, especially since they have the ability to combat harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.  MCTs contain antioxidant properties, which is why coconut oil has far reaching inflammatory benefits that have led it to be used to treat dozens of health problems in folk medicine for centuries.  Coconut oil itself has about 63-65% mct, but pure MCT is a concentrated form.  

Don't you just love a healthy food that tastes delicious and does wonders for the body and mind in every single ingredient!! 

Homemade almond flour bread

I really can't believe it took me this long to bake this healthy yummy goodness called bread.  I searched grocery stores for so very long looking for the perfect bread. One that has ingredients I could actually understand, is healthy, and delicious.  I didn't think it existed.  I have tasted the breads friends made they called paleo, keto, low carb, no grain, etc... and every time they all tasted nothing like bread, and I am just being polite.  Sometimes it takes awhile to figure it out, but I love to research and experiment before I find what I am looking for that satisfies my palate and be able to share it with you.  So here it is, one of my favorite breads I have made so far, with only 7 ingredients.

First turn oven on to 375.  In a baking pan of 9 x 5 or 8 x 4 add 4 tablespoons of butter and melt in the oven, take out and set aside.  In your food processor add 1.25 of almond flour and .25 of coconut flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, a pinch of salt, the melted butter and the yolks of 6 eggs.  (make sure to keep the buttered pan aside to add the finished mixture to) The egg whites you will want to leave in a bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar and whip with a fork until you see the soft peaks forming, which is soft white bubbles that stretch into peaks on the top of the egg whites, this will give the finish product volume.  Once you are done whipping, add a quarter of a cup of the egg whites to the mixture in the food processor and turn on for like 10 seconds, then add the remainder of the egg whites and turn back on until a nice soft blend which takes about 40 seconds.  Add the mixture to the buttered pan and put in oven for 45 minutes.  Take out and let cool a bit before cutting.

Keep in mind you can leave out coconut flour if you want and do all almond flour.  I like the coconut flour because it makes it a little bit crisp on the outside.  The almond flour alone will make the bread a little bit moist, which is good too but i like the solid crispiness of the outside, and the softness inside, perfect combo for me.  This bread is delicious and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

I love the benefits of almonds, and coconut, with its high protein content and many other benefits, it makes for perfect recipes.  You should know this bread will survive fresh in your fridge for a week, you can freeze it ofcourse but it is the best right out of the oven.  You can put your own twist to it, just add cheese inside or on top at the end, add any veggies or proteins, or fruit.  You really can be so creative with this recipe.  I love it just like it is with a fried egg on top for breakfast or a veggie sandwich really is amazing.  The best is knowing you are eating super healthy but not sacrificing the taste.  ENJOY!!!

Salmon cakes topped with spicy shrimp scampi

This is one of those Saturday nights we talked about hitting the town for tapas and wine but I will be starting the party off at home tonight.  I decided to make one of our favorite and easy to make appetizers, salmon cakes and spicy shrimp scampi. I love this dish because you can make it with or without eggs, and I do use panko crumbs but I have made it with oats, which you can absolutely sub for the panko. Now if you do make it without eggs, it is tricky ofcourse because the binding part of it is compromised.  I have tried it with a healthy mayonnaise instead, or just eggs for those that do not want any breading, it is delicious but very fragile, so you have to be very gentle when flipping them over and serving them.  Honestly though, it works and it is yummy.  Lately I have discovered pork rinds for use in the place of breading and it is amazing how crisp it comes out and flavorful.

This recipe is for a dozen small cakes.  What you want to do first is turn the oven on to 400. In a plate add some panko crumbs. In a big bowl put some cooked salmon or I sometimes buy the cans of skinless boneless salmon for a quick meal.  Add one egg per can, dice up some onions, tomatoes, some garlic and cilantro, but make sure it is diced very small.  Add some salt, pepper, red chili flakes, a half of a teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of a half of a lime, two tablespoons of olive oil and combine it all.  Make balls the size of a lime and then squash like a pancake and put it in the panko, cover both sides and then put on an oiled sheet pan.  In the pictures you will get an idea.  Put these in the oven for 30 minutes and then flip and put in for another 30.

In a pan, add some olive oil, on medium heat, wait until it is hot and add the shrimp.  Cook on each side about 2 minutes until browned and add a tablespoon of sriracha or more if you want it spicier, a squeeze of a half of a lime, salt, pepper, and garlic.  This sauce is to pour over the cakes when done so do not let it dry out.  Shrimp cook so fast, you do not want to overcook it.

So easy, fun, even for a dinner party, your guests will love it! If you are not a seafood person, you can make these with chicken, or turkey.  Substitutions are sometimes possible and this is one of them.  I'll tell you as a sandwich this filling is awesome too.  I make my own almond bread and this is super yummy in between slices with cheese or without.

I always like to add at the end of my recipes the nutritional value of them.  As you can see I use lots of healthy fats.  Olive oil, and the natural fats from the wild salmon and shrimp are all amazing for you.  The garlic, veggies and baking aspect of the recipe are all the very best options! Until the next time my friends, have a safe and fun weekend from our home to yours!

Homemade Pina Colada

I was certainly frustrated when in search of a healthy pina colada recipe online recently and I could not get anything.  All I could find were blogs where people wanted exactly what I was looking for so I knew I had to come up with something myself.  The tricky part was getting it smooth, sweet, but still as healthy as possible.  The original mix you buy at the store is really creamy and delicious until you look at the ingredients, and you know you might as well eat a sundae, cake and cookies for dessert all at once! So we went shopping for healthy treats to experiment at home.

We got some organic coconut sugar for sweetness, organic unsweetened coconut flakes, creamy organic coconut milk, organic pineapple juice, and fresh pineapple.  We cut up and froze the pineapple chunks overnight. In a blender we squeezed a whole small 11 oz carton as shown in the picture, of the coconut milk.  We added a cup of pineapple juice, 3/4 of a cup of goslings black rum, a few sprinkles of the shredded coconut, 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar, and about a cup of frozen pineapple chunks.  You can taste and add as you go depending on your taste and blender.

Once I poured this in my glass, I drizzle a bit of rum on the top.  Well let me tell you, this was the best pina colada we have had yet without the guilt! You can have it without the liquor if you want just a nice smoothie!  Enjoy and happy summer!

Shrimp scampi over cabbage noodles

This scampi dish is so delicious, and filling you will want to have this often.  It's a super tasty comfort food with all of the benefits of health.  It has all the components of a perfect meal, plenty of fiber, good fats, protein, and complex carbs.  The recipe is below with the ingredients you need to make it highlighted.  A bonus to this recipe is the few minutes it takes to make it.

Take a large pan and add a teaspoon of grass fed butter on medium heat, let it heat up about a minute and add one pound of uncooked shrimp tossing it around for 5 minutes.  Add 6 large white button mushrooms, 8 smashed garlic cloves, and a cup of fresh cilantro, and another half of a teaspoon of grass fed butter.  Toss this for a couple of minutes so the mushrooms and garlic cook a bit with the shrimp juice, Add a squeeze of a half of a lime.  Take one vine ripe organic tomato, dice it up and toss into the mix at the end, not to cook it just to toss it in and take the whole mixture out of the pan into a plate.  Set aside.

In the same pan, add another half of a teaspoon of grass fed butter and warm up, add to it a half of an organic green cabbage sliced into thing slices like noodles.  Toss around for 3 minutes so it is not overly cooked unless you like mushy noodles.  I like Al Dente noodles.  Add the shrimp mixture to the noodles, sprinkle a quarter of a teaspoon of himalayan or sea salt, and sprinkle with a bit of parmesan cheese, or cheese of your choice, or no cheese at all.  Enjoy!!