The Soup Kitchen: Chicken Sage Soup

This is similar to a chicken noodle soup without the noodles. Great low carb recipe from the Eat Happy cookbook.

The ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil

1 onion chopped

3 stalks of celery chopped

2 carrots peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

12 sage leaves chopped

4-8 C chicken broth

Rotisserie chicken

The recipe:

Cook veggies in oil until softened then add to crockpot.

Add all other ingredients to crockpot and cook on Hi for 3 hours.

Notes:

I did not have any carrots so I replaced them with a can of green beans. I also added some cauliflower rice 1 hour from the end 

Cookbook Review: Eat Happy by Anna Vocino

 This cookbook is for gluten free, grain free, low carb recipes. The author, Anna Vocino, shares her story with being diagnosed with celiac disease and as a result giving up sugars and grains, among some other things. Her cookbook focuses on using whole foods. Her recipes only use natural sweetners when needed (see desserts section). 

She provides a pantry and fridge essentials list. 

On to the recipes...

Not all of the recipes contain photos. They do provide the yield, but no time to cook or nutrition info. 

You will find some recipes for making things from scratch like chicken broth, marinara, pesto, mayo and etc. 

The soup section was what I found most interesting and the steak. 

The Low Carb Kitchen: Drop Biscuits

This is a low carb biscuit that would be great for biscuits and gravy, topping for pot pie, or on their own. They are a bit crumbly. 

The ingredients:

1 1/2 C fine almond flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C sour cream

2 large eggs

2 TBSP melted butter not hot

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line baking sheet with parchment.

In medium bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix.

In a small bowl add the wet ingredients and whisk together.

Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine.

Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Drop batter by spoonful leaving 2 in between.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until tops are golden brown.

Cool. 

Store in fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months.

Notes:

I forgot to let the batter sit for 5 minutes on first half. 

You can make with 1 C cheddar, 1 tsp chives, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder to make like a red lobster biscuit.

Cookbook Review: Well Plated Cookbook by Erin Clarke

 Every year, I ask for a cookbook for Christmas. This year's cookbook was Well Plated by Erin Clarke. She has a well-known blog called Well Plated by Erin. She focuses on easy to find ingredients, healthy, and budget friendly. This cookbook is inspired by her Midwestern roots.

She shares a section called the fives. This includes 5 instant ways to be a better cook, 5 healthy swaps to make now, 5 ways to add more fruit and veggies to your diet, and 5 kitchen tools she can't live without (I agree to the parchment paper!)

She also includes a section on pantry staples. She includes tips and notes along with the recipes. 

This was not a strictly keto/ low carb cookbook but a healthy cookbook. That being said there are some things that I don't eat being low carb but there are some great low carb options like the taco stuffed mini peppers which are a great appetizer. The great things about cookbooks its that it gives you an idea and you can make adjustments if you don't have something or don't like an ingredient (baking is a different story). 

A lot of the recipes have tips on making ahead and storage. They all include the yield, time to make. However, they do not include the nutrition info. Each recipe has a photo (which I love).

Another unique thing about this cookbook is that she will give you multiple ways to make a dish like 3 ways to make a Kale Salad, 4 ways to use chicken, 4 things to do with chickpeas, etc.

She uses different methods of cooking from the instant pot to the slow cooker to sheet pans. 

One of my favorites was the Every-Night Roasted Vegetables with great ideas for roasting vegetables. I've already made the Parmesan and Herb Roasted Broccoli and it was very good. She does add a tip called next level on these that gives you a tip to level up the dish. She also gives suggestions for different veggies to roast, ways to use leftovers, etc. 

The Southern Kitchen: Faux Hasbrown Casserole

A twist on a classic southern dish, hashbrown casserole. I replaced potatoes with cauliflower rice to keep it low carb. I was surprised at how good this was. There was some crunch to the cauliflower and from the topping. It really smells and tastes like hashbrown casserole! I honestly think this tastes even better reheated.

The ingredients:

2 TBSP salted butter

1/4 C diced onion

1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 12oz bag frozen cauliflower rice

1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Topping:

3/4 C pork rind panko

1/4 C grated parmesan

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease baking dish.

In pan melt butter and add onion cooking until tender and translucent.

Reduce heat to low and add heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the cauliflower and cheese.

Transfer to a baking dish and bake 25 minutes until browned and bubbly at edges.

Make the topping by mixing together panko and parmesan.

Sprinkle over top evenly and bake for 5 minutes until lightly browned.

Recipe from Southern Keto cookbook.

Cookbook Review: Southern Keto by Natasha Newton

 It's been a while since I have done a cookbook review, but I have bought a few new and not well-known cookbooks all focusing on eating healthy or Keto. I was not sure if I would like them, so I decided to buy them used to save a bit just in case. Amazon has quite a few used options that make taking a risk a bit easier. My first one to review is Southern Keto by Natasha Newton. I was pleasantly surprised and can't wait to try the recipes. 

This review is just on content and appearance solely... food reviews to come. 

Coming from southern family roots, my grandparents came from Kentucky, I have always loved southern comfort food and have been very interested in trying to find healthier options to the food I love. 

What is really great about this cookbook is the stuff that was extra not just the recipes. 

The author shared her personal history and trials with food and how she found success with Keto. I felt such a comradery with her in some ways because I understood exactly where she came from. Even down to having the same roots because both of our families came from Kentucky. 

She also gives you tips on eating keto, grocery lists to go by, pantry staples, tools to use, eating out and on vacation, and ingredient swaps to use. 

This was her first cookbook, but she has two others that I fully intend on getting that are all about southern cooking on Keto. 

She covers everything from breakfast items to beverages and even gives ideas of what events you can use the recipes for. 

Each recipe has a photo to go along with it which I love. My favorite section was probably the sides section. Finding a recipe for hashbrown casserole using cauliflower rice instead of potatoes was very exciting for me and will probably be the first recipe I try. 

One thing, that I found exciting and affirming is that a lot of the swaps she uses are ones I have already started using myself.

Each recipe includes the yield, prep time, cook time, and the nutrition info including net carbs, calories, fat, protein, total carbs, and fiber making tracking macros easier.  Each recipe also notes if it contains any of the high allergens like nuts, eggs, or dairy. As well as notes if the recipe can be made in 30 minutes or less. There is a form in the back that lists all the info in one place. 

Stay tuned for some recipe reviews from this cookbook, especially the hashbrown casserole and the slow cooker bourbon chicken.

The Low Carb Kitchen: Oven Baked Shrimp Boil

A twist on a shrimp boil cooking in the oven and using low carb veggies instead of potatoes and corn. Also, a sheet pan meal. 

The ingredients:

1lb large shrimp

14oz. sliced smoked sausage

2 medium zucchini sliced

2 medium summer squash sliced

Diced radishes

2 TBSP cajun seasoning

2 TBSP olive oil

Salt and pepper

Butter optional

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook sliced sausage and set aside.

In a bowl, add all the ingredients and toss to coat.

Layer on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Notes:

I used frozen zucchini and summer squash. This would be better with fresh so the veggies stay a bit crisper.

This makes a crowded pan so you can spread over 2 pans or cut in half to have some crisper veggies.

I added butter at the end, but this is optional.