low carb recipes

Thai Coconut Curry “Noodles”

Posted on by theserialbakist

This is my favorite recipe in a long time!! If you’re in the mood for Thai but don’t want to break the calorie bank, try this twist on the traditional Thai curry noodles. I used @PinchOfYum’s recipe for the sauce (with a few variations to reduce the sugar), and I swapped out the noodles for spaghetti squash. Depending on the serving size, this dish is only 300-400 calories per serving! These noodles last a while in the fridge as well, they hold their form well! #paleo #pescatarian #glutenfree #vegan

SPAGHETTI SQUASH:

Start by making the spaghetti squash. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash down the middle lengthwise. (Super helpful video on an easy way to cut your spaghetti squash here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOhJQ-Z0MzQ).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and bake the spaghetti squash (cut side down) in your oven for 45 minutes. Start making your sauce (below)!

Once out of the oven, let it cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Then using a fork, shred the squash all the way down to the skin. Set aside in a bowl.

THAI CURRY SAUCE:

For the sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 shallots
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 14-ounce can regular coconut milk (full fat for the best flavor)
  • ½ cup reduced sodium chicken or veggie broth
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon hot chili paste (sambal oelek)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce (omit for vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

For the veggies:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • half an onion, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup chopped asparagus
  • 1 cup chopped purple cabbage
  • sesame seeds or crushed peanuts for topping
  • limes for serving
  • a handful of fresh basil for serving

Sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and ginger; stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the curry paste; stir fry for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, sugar, chili paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes or so while you prep the rest of the ingredients – it should thicken slightly.

 

Vegetables and Assembly: In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onion, carrots, broccoli, and asparagus. Stir fry for about 5 minutes until the broccoli and asparagus are bright green. Add the spaghetti squash noodles and toss around in the pan with the vegetables. Add the sauce and toss together until just combined. Serve on top of the purple cabbage, topped with sesame seeds or crushed peanuts and a squeeze of lime or chopped basil leaves if you want. You can also serve with grilled shrimp like I did for this photo.

Serves 4-6 people.

 

As always, photo by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com

 

 

Zucchini and Heirloom Carrot ‘Noodles’ with Avocado Alfredo Pasta

Posted on by theserialbakist

This vegan zucchini and heirloom carrot “pasta” with creamy avocado alfredo sauce will fool you everytime!! Tastes just as good as your favorite pasta dish, without all the calories and carbs.

  • 2 large zucchini
  • 2 large heirloom carrots
  • 1 avocado
  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
  • juice of 1/4 lemon
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of cayenne

Spiralize the zucchini and carrots – Bed Bath and Beyond sells the vegetti spiralizer for $15. My favorite way to do this is to use my spiralizer Cuisinart attachment. Set ‘noodles’ aside.

In a food processor (or by hand if needed), mix the avocado, olive oil, lemon, salt and cayenne until smooth and creamy. Depending on the size of your avocado, you may need to add a tiny bit more oil, but don’t go over 2 tablespoons. Set aside.

Lightly spray a non-stick pan (non toxic is best if possible) with olive oil spray. As long as you have a good non-stick pan, only a little bit of spray is needed. If you don’t have an olive oil spray, use a teaspoon of olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the pan. Heat the oil to medium high, and add the zucchini and carrots in the pan. Stir the ‘noodles’ just until heated throughout, but not more than 5 minutes or so. You don’t want them to get too soft. Put into a bowl and add the avocado sauce and stir. Serve warm. I always serve mine with a side of my favorite veggie burger. You can also add tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, etc.

Serves two – enjoy!

Breakfast Burrito with Fried Eggs

Posted on by theserialbakist

Healthy spin on the classic fried egg breakfast burrito! This recipe is only 300 calories, 17.5 grams of protein and only 5 net carbs. Great way to start the day!

  • 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Sonoma low carb tortilla (I get these at Trader Joe’s – so good!)
  • 1/4 avocado
  • sriracha (optional)

Heat a pan to med/high. When hot, add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil – just enough to just coat the pan. Let the oil heat up until it’s popping, then crack the two eggs into the pan. Let them cook for about 3 minutes until brown, then carefully flip and cook for another minute or so until desired softness.

I warm up the tortilla for 30 seconds in the microwave to make it soft and easily foldable. Squeeze a little sriracha onto the tortilla, add the avocado and eggs and enjoy! Had this today for breakfast with a cup of my favorite black coffee – Shade Grown Ground Espresso Blend, also from Trader Joes!

PB&J Mini Muffins

Posted on by theserialbakist

These muffins are made with peanut/almond butter and fruit, so they taste like a bite-sized peanut butter and jelly sandwich 🙂 They are gluten free, paleo and refined sugar free too. Great for kids!!

RECIPE:

* 3/4 cup peanut or almond or peanut butter (I use creamy all natural unsalted Trader Joe’s almond butter)
* 1 cup of almond meal/flour – best if sifted first but will work great either way (Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour is awesome and less gritty than the regular almond flour)
* 3 eggs whisked
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/3 cup room temp coconut oil
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
* pinch of cinnamon
* 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce
* frozen strawberries or blueberries for the filling

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls and then combine.

I coat the mini muffin pan with a bit of coconut oil spray instead of using muffin papers. Pour mix into muffin tins and top with frozen fruit and a pinch more cinnamon. I slice the strawberries and stick them all the way through the muffin batter, so the fruit gets baked into the center.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (for muffins) or 20-30 minutes (for bread).

These are great with butter, jam or both! I keep in the fridge to help it stay fresher longer.

photo by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com/

Strawberry Cream Chocolates (just like See’s!)

Posted on by theserialbakist

These are completely homemade, refined sugar free, raw, vegan and paleo!

STRAWBERRY CREAM FILLING:

  • 2 tablespoons coconut butter (can be found in the peanut butter aisle at any health food store)
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey (the creamy spun kind)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil (room temperature, not liquid)
  • 3 soft pitted dates
  • 3 strawberries
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder (ground vanilla bean – also found at any health food store)

Blitz all ingredients in a food processor until the strawberries are completely broken down. You may need to scrape down the sides of your food processor to makes sure all ingredients are incorporated. Store in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes – the longer they are refrigerated, the easier to handle.

CHOCOLATE:

  • 1/2 cup vegan/refined sugar free chocolate cacao chips (the higher the percentage of cacao, the better)
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted, or in a stovetop double broiler. Once melted, add in the honey and stir until incorporated.

(If you are following a fully raw diet – you can also mix 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil with 2 tablespoons of cacao powder and 2 tablespoons of honey and stir)

Fill a candy/silicone mold with the chocolate mixture (only fill each HALFWAY).

Take the strawberry cream mixture out of the refrigerator, roll dime sized amounts into balls. Drop a ball into each half-filled mold. Continue filling each mold with chocolate until level with the top of the mold. Refrigerate for approx 2 hours or until solidified.

Drizzle with chocolate and refrigerate again until hardened – this step is optional.

Enjoy!

 

Hearty Vegan Winter Stew

Posted on by theserialbakist

Quick, easy, hearty and filling stew, very little prep and done in one hour! Dinner tonight??

The whole baby tomatoes and fingerling potatoes makes this stew hearty and delish!

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced – I used 2 purple heirloom carrots for this
  • 2 cups of fingerling potatoes, whole with ends cut off
  • 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
  • 1/2 cup baby heirloom or cherry tomatoes
  • 2 boxes (4 cups) of vegetable stock – I used 1 regular and 1 low sodium
  • 1 teaspoon salt – I always use pink Himalayan salt
  • 2 dashes of turmeric
  • 2 dashes of cayenne
  • 2 dashes of smoked paprika
  • 2 dashes dried parsley
  • 4 strips vegan bacon – I use Morningstar (optional)

Heat the olive oil on low to medium heat, add onion. Stir for 3-5 minutes until the onions become translucent and start to brown.

Add in the garlic. Stir for 1 minute, making sure not to let the garlic burn – first ever cooking lesson I learned from my dad!

Add in the parsnip, carrots, potatoes and squash. Stir for 5 minutes.

Add in tomatoes. Stir for 1 minute.

Add in the vegetable stock, and spices. Bring to a boil and stir. Lower to low/medium heat and let simmer (no cover) for 30 minutes. Occasionally stir.

After 30 minutes, test a potato and make sure they are soft. Lower heat to low and let sit for 10 more minutes.

I add veggie bacon to the top of this stew, but this step is optional – Morningstar bacon strips are my favorite by far! Spray a pan on high heat with a bit of coconut oil (Trader Joe’s makes a great coconut spray!), grill the bacon on high for 5 minutes on each side. Chop and add to the top of the stew.

Serve hot and enjoy!

**serves 4, lasts for up to one week in the fridge.

Zucchini Fries!!

Posted on by theserialbakist

Crunchy, healthy, easy, vegetabley snack!

RECIPE:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 4 large zucchini
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preheat oven to 425. Beat two eggs and minced garlic in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Quarter the zucchini into slices. Dunk the slices in the egg mixture (let excess drip off), then into the dry mixture. Cover each slice fully. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes (or until crunchy). Serve with a dipping sauce. I chose a side of homemade guacamole for these!

 

As always, photo by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com

Peanut butter caramel stuffed baked apples!

Posted on by theserialbakist

Start with 6-8 mini crabapples. Wash and slice the tops off. Scoop the inside of the apples and all the seeds out carefully, just enough for room for a good amount of peanut butter. Save the insides of the apples for the stuffing!! 🙂

Peanut butter caramel:

  • 1/2 cup peanut or almond butter (I prefer crunchy)
  • 1/4 cup of almond flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill blanched)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • Apple stuffing from above (no seeds)
  • walnuts for topping

Mix all ingredients and stuff each apple with a heaping spoonful. The peanut butter caramel should fill the apples just over the tops.

Place the apples on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Top each apple with a walnut and drizzle with honey!

These apples taste best when fresh!

 

Photo as always, by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com

Poached eggs

Posted on by theserialbakist

At a young age, my parents taught me a skill that every kid should know – how to master the poached egg. 🙂 Add white vingar to the water, boil and lay the egg into already boiling water with a big ladle. Swirl the water around the egg in a circular motion to create a round poach. Fairly simple with a big of practice. But if you don’t have time for all that, you can use the greatest egg-vention ever created – the Cuisinart Egg Central machine!! Under 10 minutes to the perfect poach, you can’t mess it up. Worth every one of the $40 it costs. https://www.cuisinart.com/products/specialty_appliances/cec-10.html

Place the eggs in the machine, and by the time your bread is toasted, your eggs are ready. Peel and eat atop your favorite cheese and greens! In this dish, I used Heidi Ho’s vegetable based chia cheeze, which was definitely the best part of this breakfast!!

 

Photo as always, by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com

Avocado cream pasta with roasted veggies

Posted on by theserialbakist

Gluten free avocado cream pasta with organic roasted veggies.

I started by making the roasted veggies, they are so easy! Chop your favorite veggies into cubes or strips. I used 6 heirloom carrots sliced, 1 carton of white mushrooms sliced, 4 small beets diced, 1 zucchini sliced, 1 red bell pepper sliced and 1 yellow bell pepper sliced. In a bowl, mix all the veggies (except the beets) with  2 tablespoons of olive oil + 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar + Himalayan pink salt + pepper. Add the beets in last so they don’t color the rest of your veggies. Pour them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

While those are roasting, I boiled the pasta. I used a brown rice pasta from Whole Foods, but any pasts will do. Boil in salted water until soft/aldente.

In a food processer, blitz 2 ripe avocados, garlic (I use a whole head of garlic because I’m crazy, but 4 or 5 cloves will do!), 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Once mixed into a creamy texture, add in 1/3 cup olive oil while mixing.

Drain the pasta and mix with the avocado sauce and sliced cherry or heirloom tomatoes. Serve with a side of roasted veggies! Enjoy!