CHICKEN PUTTANESCA - LOW CARB KETO FRIENDLY MEALS

Most often seen in its pasta form, puttanesca originated in Naples, Italy, and is said to be a sauce created by the ladies of pleasure. One story told is that the ladies would visit restaurants at the end of the night and they would ask for leftover ingredients. These ingredients would all go into one pot to create this salty, vibrant sauce. Today, the sauce is most often found made from tomatoes, black olives, capers, anchovies, onions, and garlic, and served commonly on pasta.

I, however, have been trying to stay low carb since starting Keto and decided to skip the pasta and use cauliflower rice instead. The results were fantastic and the saltiness of the sauce was perfect. Further, the chicken was tender and just fell off the bone.

If you are looking for a great, low carb meal this one is sure to be a hit!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 2-3 people

3LBS of Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks
Salt
2 TBSP of Olive OIl
3 Cloves of Garlic - thinly sliced
4 Anchovy Fillets in Oil
1/2 TSP of Red Chilli Pepper Flakes
2 TBSP of Concentrated Tomato Paste
1 Cup of Olives - crushed and pitted
3/4 CUP of Dry White Wine - and a little extra for drinking
2 TBSP of Capers - drained
2 Bay Leaves
Lemon Peel - 3 x 2” stripes

- Optional Bases -

Pasta
Cauliflower Rice - low carb option

DIRECTIONS:

Clean and pat dry your chicken before seasoning with salt.

In a large skillet, heat 2 TBSP of olive oil and sear the chicken, turning it occasionally until the fat and skin is a golden brown color. Once done, transfer chicken to a baking dish.

As you near the end of searing all your chicken, preheat the oven to 350.

Once done searing the chicken you will have a lot of delicious chicken bits stuck to the bottom of your skillet along with a pool of fat, remove fat from skillet, reduce heat to medium and add in your anchovies and garlic. Once the garlic is soft (about 2-3 minutes) add in your red chili flakes and tomato paste, and mix until well incorporated.

Next add in your olives, wine, bay leaves, capers, and lemon peel to the skillet. Using your wooden spoon or spatula, scrape the bottom of the pan so as to lift up all the good bits stuck to the bottom. Allow this sauce to simmer for 4-5 minutes or until most of the liquid from the wine evaporates.

Next, add 1 cup of water to the baking dish with all the seared chicken (they should be snuggled together) and add in the sauce from the skillet. Place entire baking dish in oven uncovered and allow to bake in the sauce for another 20-30 minutes

Once ready, remove from oven and serve either alone or with pasta or on a bed of cauliflower rice.

Enjoy!

NOTE: The chicken should be plenty salty from the capers and anchovies but if it is not you can always taste the sauce when it comes out of the oven and add extra salt as desired.

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SPICY SHRIMP WITH CREAMY CAULIFLOWER AND SPINACH RICE - KETO & LOW CARB FRIENDLY

Since being on the Keto diet I have been experimenting a lot with carb substitutes like cauliflower rice as a way of getting the texture of carbs without the calories, and one recipe I came across that made cauliflower rice sound so delicious was a creamed version of it. Of course, being in lockdown still, I didn’t have all the ingredients the original recipe required so I remixed it my way and topped it with some spicy shrimp for a little extra kick! Needless to say, it turned out fantastic and so far I have made it twice for my family - we just can’t get enough! The creamed cauliflower made for a perfect replacement for carbs without compromising on taste at all not to mention the entire meal takes only 10 minutes to whip up! If you are looking for a delicious, low carb meal for dinner tonight, you got to try this one!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 2-3 people

2 TBSP of Olive Oil
1 Pack of Frozen Riced Cauliflower (500grams)
1 TSP of Garlic Powder - Split into two portions
1 TBSP of Salted Butter
1 Packet of Shrimp - mine had about 20 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 TSP of Paprika
1/4 TSP of Chilli Flakes
Salt and Pepper
2 Handfuls of Fresh Spinach
3 TBSP of Light Cream Cheese

- Optional Toppings -

Chilli Flakes
Green Onions

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, heat up olive oil on medium/high heat. Once hot add in your cauliflower rice and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly, add salt and pepper to taste, and let cook for 4-5 minutes or until cauliflower becomes softer.

In the meantime, in another medium skillet add in butter and allow to heat up on medium/high heat. When butter is hot, drain any excess juices from shrimp before throwing them into the pan along with garlic powder, paprika, and hot chili flakes. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix spices and shrimp until the shrimp are well coated. Allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes.

Returning to the cauliflower skillet as you let the shrimp cook, add spinach and allow to wilt down by stirring it into the cauliflower rice. Once wilted, add in cream cheese and mix thoroughly.

By this time the shrimp should be ready. Plate creamed cauliflower rice adding shrimp on top and you are ready to serve!

Enjoy!

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TRADITIONAL ITALIAN HOMEMADE FOCACCIA (SO EASY)

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh bread?

Especially when it’s covered in all your favorite focaccia toppings?

My Achilles heel, sun dried tomato focaccia is one of those traditional Italian appetizers that I can never turn down. As soon as I spot it (usually across the room), you know I’m right there, having a slice - okay 2, maybe 3….

While in self-isolation I had time to perfect this amazing homemade focaccia dough recipe I learned while in Italy and I must say, it stands the test of time! The dough always turns out perfect - fluffy and doughy with a crisp bottom and golden crust. Oh, and did I mention it’s also a vegan focaccia!

I can’t wait for you to enjoy it too!

FOCACCIA BREAD INGREDIENTS:

Serving: 8-10 Servings

-Focaccia Dough-
1 3/4 Warm water
1 Package of Yeast
1 TBSP of Sugar
5 CUPS of All-Purpose Flour
1 TBSP of Kosher Salt
1 CUP of Olive Oil - Spilt in two halves

-Optional Focaccia Toppings-
Coarse Sea Salt
Cherry Tomatoes
Kalamata Olives
Basil
Capers
Rosemary
Garlic

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HERE ARE SOME OTHER BREAD RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE!

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FOCACCIA RECIPE DIRECTIONS:

The first thing you need to do is activate the yeast so you will need to combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it starts bubbling and becomes very aromatic.

When ready, in a mixer using the hook attachment, combine the flour, salt, half a cup of the olive oil, and the yeast mixture on the lowest speed. After it is well mixed, increase the speed to three (low/medium) until it becomes smooth.

Once smooth, remove the dough from the mixer and place on a floured surface. Kneed the dough by hand until the dough stops being sticky. If you need to sprinkle more flour to help it along, do so.

When ready, form a ball with the dough. Using the mixing bowl you used before, coat the sides of the bowl with some oil and place the dough once again inside. Coat the dough with a little bit of oil as well before covering it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm for about an hour until it doubled in size.

Take your cooking sheet or jelly roll pan (pan with lip) and cover with parchment paper (including the sides). Put a heavy coat of olive oil on the parchment paper before putting the dough on top. Focaccia is a heavily oiled bread so be generous with the olive oil.

Place the dough on the pan and stretch out with your fingers, flipping the dough over to allow the olive oil on the tray to coat both sides. Use your fingers to stretch the dough the full length of the pan and create finger holes so as to give it an uneven texture. Place the stretched dough in a warm place until it once again doubles in size (approximately one hour).

When dough is close to ready, preheat oven to 450.

If you want to add toppings to your focaccia you can do so at this point. If you want it plain you should still liberally sprinkle it with coarse sea salt.

When ready, bake until the top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving to your guest.

Buon Appetito!

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If you like this vegan focaccia dough recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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ASPARAGUS STIR FRY WITH A TOUCH OF CITRUS

My family and I were craving some Asian inspired cuisine the other evening while at the cottage and we decided to try our hand at making a couple of dishes including this asparagus stir fry. The addition of orange zest and juice gave it a slight citrus note which complimented the salty soy perfectly. The dish also paired with that night’s main, a Spicy Coconut Chicken Thighs unbelievable and they both complimented each dishes unique flavors. If you are looking for a fun vegetable dish to serve with your next Asian inspired meal, you got to try this one!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 4 people

1 TBSP of Vegetable Oil
2 Garlic Cloves - thinly sliced
1/2 TSP of Chilli Flakes (you can adjust this to your taste)
1 LBS of Asparagus - Chopped on the diagonal about 1/4” thick
Kosher Salt
1 TBSP of Soy Sauce
1 TBSP of Unsalted Butter
1 Orange - Zest about a TSP and juice for a TBSP of liquid
1 TSP of White Sesame Seeds toasted in a small skillet

- Optional Toppings -

Fresh Cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet add in vegetable oil and allow to heat up. Once hot, add in chili flakes and garlic stirring constantly until the garlic becomes golden.

When ready, add in Asparagus and sprinkle with salt as desired. Toss occasionally. You want the Asparagus to brown around the edges.

Next add in soy sauce, unsalted butter, and a TBSP of water and continue to toss constantly until asparagus is crispy and soft on the inside.

Remove from heat and add in orange zest and juice and toss once more.

Transfer asparagus to a serving plate, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Enjoy!

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SPICY COCONUT CHICKEN THIGHS

One of the first recipes we made up at the cottage this year was this delicious spicy coconut chicken thigh recipe! Everyone was craving something Asian and this chicken dish ended up being not just KETO but super easy to make! Further, the flavors of this dish were amazing, totally satisfying everyone’s cravings. I ended up serving the dish on a bed of riced cauliflower and alongside my Asparagus Stir Fry with A Touch Of Citrus dish, and the pairing got a thumbs up from everyone at the table so we will definitely be making this meal again. If you are looking for a SUPER easy recipe to try that will spice up your next meal, I highly recommend this one!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 4 people

1/3 CUP of Freshly Grated Ginger
3 Cloves of Garlic - Minced
3/4 CUP of Coconut Milk
1/4 CUP of Curry Paste - Hot Chili Paste can be used as a substitute
1/4 CUP of Fresh Lime Juice
2 TBSP of Brown Sugar or use a Keto Substitute Like Sukrin Gold Brown Sugar Alternative
1 3/4 TSP of Kosher Salt
2 TBSP of Vegetable Oil
2 LBS of Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs

-Optional Base and Toppings-

Riced Cauliflower
Cilantro - for Garnish
Green Onions - chopped finely for Garnish

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl add in the freshly grated ginger, garlic, coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil, and whisk until well incorporated. Add chicken in and make sure it is well coated in sauce.
Let marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes. If you are preparing the chicken ahead of time, store it in the fridge.

When ready to cook, remove chicken from marinade and drain excess drip back into the bowl. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and broil on high for 7-8 minutes before flipping the chicken and allowing it to broil on high for another 7-8 minutes on the other side or until it appears crispy.

Pour the excess marinade drippings you drained off the chicken into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce heat and allow it to similar on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until its thickens - about 2-3 minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from oven, add sauce on top and serve!

Enjoy!

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