Recipes

Quest Cereal

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This keto-friendly breakfast magic repurposes a begrudging life staple nowadays: the Quest Bar – and takes it to the ‘I’m not just chewing on a bar for breakfast’ level.

Recipe courtesy of a Nerd Down Under.

gluten-free, vegetarian, keto


Quest Cereal

1 Quest bar of your choice
1 cup milk of your choice

Nuke your bar for 15 – 20 seconds or until soft. Tear into tiny pieces with your fingers or cut – whatever floats your boat.

Bake at 350 for 5 minutes or until starting to brown at the edges.

Serve with milk.

Serves 1

Sesame Brussels (keto)

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This is a delicious little side dish to serve with pretty much everything – you could turn it into a stir-fry by adding some chicken or beef cubes (or some ground meat), it would go well alongside a burger patty, fish would be good – as would steak. This goes with everything.

gluten-free, vegetarian, paleo, keto, Whole30


Sesame Brussels

2 c. shredded brussels sprouts
2 Tbsp. unsalted grass fed butter
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (Red Boat is W30 compliant)
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos (also W30 compliant)
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch salt
Black pepper

In your largest skillet, heat the butter and sesame oil over medium-high. Add the garlic and fry until browned.

Add the brussels sprouts, fish sauce & coconut aminos and stir to combine.

Add the sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper to taste and keep stir-frying until the brussels are wilted and turning brown in spots.

Serves 2

Nutrition: 273.5 calories, 7.58 grams net carbs, 4.5 grams protein, 24 grams fat

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf (keto)

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This side dish is decadent and delicious. It makes a fantastic accompaniment to a lighter protein like a nice piece of fish or some simple baked chicken.

gluten-free, vegetarian, paleo (watch your oils), keto, Whole30 (watch your oils)


Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

1 head cauliflower
4 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp. unsalted grass fed butter
2 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used olive oil)
1 shallot
4 cloves garlic
16 ounces bone broth (I used chicken)
1/2 cup almonds
Salt & pepper
Hand full parsley (optional)

Chop the almonds and dry toast in your biggest pan over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside.

While the almonds are toasting, chop the garlic and shallot.

Add 4 Tbsp. of the butter + the fat to the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and melt. Add the shallot & garlic when melted and cook until translucent.

While the aromatics are working, rice your cauliflower.

Add the cauliflower to the pan when done, along with 2 big pinches salt and some pepper. Add the bone broth and stir. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed.

To serve, finish with the rest of the butter, the almonds and a hand full of chopped parsley if desired.

Serves 6

Nutrition: 259.33 calories, 7.11 grams net carbs, 4.60 grams protein, 21.46 grams fat

Japanese Sesame Greens

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This quick and easy side dish makes a great light dinner with a little protein. Inspired by a recipe made on one of my favorite YouTube channels: Texan In Tokyo (RIP).

gluten-free, paleo, whole30, keto, vegetarian, vegan


Japanese Sesame Greens

1 bunch bok choy (about 1 cup chopped)
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 drops stevia

In a medium pan, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and cook, stirring frequently, until softened.

Meanwhile, bash the sesame all to hell in a mortar & pestle until it resembles sand.

When the sesame is done, add the coconut aminos & stevia and stir to combine. Let cook a minute or so. Add the bashed sesame seeds, stir to combine, and pull off the heat.

Serves 1 as a side dish

Nutritional Breakout: 430 calories, 7 grams net carbs, 8 grams protein, 40 grams fat

Keto Holiday Leftovers Hash

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One of my favorite things about a nice big holiday meal is the leftovers. I love taking little bits of this and that and creating either a buffet plate, a hugely messy sandwich, or a one-skillet meal from what’s there.

This year, since we’ve been experimenting with keto – I thought I’d whip up a low carb version of one of my very favorite dishes — hash. Seriously, I could eat hash every day (and have – that was my #1 bachelorette food).

gluten-free, paleo, keto


Keto Holiday Leftovers Hash

Leftover holiday meat (I used 2 ounces turkey in mine, and 3 ounces turkey in my DH’s)
1 cup steamed cauliflower bits (make these about half-inch size)
1/2 cup leftover broiled green beans
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 – 2 slices leftover bacon per person
1 – 2 eggs per person
2 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used bacon drippings)
Palm full chopped fresh rosemary + sage
Salt & pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes

First, get your cauliflower going. You want to crumble about half a head cauliflower into roughly half-inch sized pieces. These are going to serve as your “potatoes” so you want a little heft to them (but not so much it’s like chawing down on a hunk of naked cauliflower).

Place in a pot, put an inch or so water in, turn the burner to high, and add a few liberal pinches salt. Boil, covered, 5 – 8 minutes or until soft. Drain.

Heat the fat of choice in your largest pan. Add the cauliflower. Chop the green beans roughly and add. Hit with a big pinch salt and a few grinds pepper.

While the veggies are cooking, start your eggs in a small pan on low heat. Add the butter, wait until it melts, then gently cook your eggs until your desired yolks have been met (I like over medium). Remove to a plate when done (save the butter!).

When the eggs are done, add your meat (turkey) to the pan and sautee until warmed and maybe even crispy.

Mince the herbs and add to the veggie skillet. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Add half the veggies + your portion of meat + your eggs to a bowl and top with red pepper flakes. Repeat for the other bowl.

Serves 2

Massaged Kale & Pomegranate Salad

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This recipe is also a crowd favorite and made quite the hit at my last potluck. Vegetarian, vegan, paleo – it’s endlessly friendly (unless there is a nut allergy) and would taste great with some pecorino cheese for the lactose tolerant.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo


Massaged Kale & Pomegranate Salad

10 ounce bag washed and cut kale
1/2 red onion, diced (about 1/2 a cup)
5 ounces pomegranate arils
3/4 cup pecans, crushed
1 apple, julienned
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 glugs avocado or olive oil
1 tsp. maple syrup
Big pinch Kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Whisk the dressing ingredients (everything from the mustard down) in a small bowl. Add all the other ingredients to a large bowl. Combine, taking the time to massage the dressing into the kale and other salad ingredients so every leaf is coated.

Serves a bunch 

Keto Peanut Butter Smoothie

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This low-carb smoothie is delicious — not too sweet, it has my greens, and is nice and thick. Just want I want for breakfast!

gluten-free, paleo, keto


Keto Peanut Butter Smoothie

1 haas avocado
2 cups cashew or almond milk (be sure to buy the unsweetened original kind!)
2 Tbsp. MCT oil
1 scoop collagen (I use a grass-fed beef collagen powder)
4 Tbsp. sun butter or peanut butter (I use Skippy Natural because that’s what I could find with the lowest amount of sugar/net carbs at my store)
1 Tbsp. cacao powder (check your label for sugar content)
8 drops stevia (I used vanilla flavored)
2 c. baby spinach
1 inch ginger, peeled
2 Tbsp. chia seeds

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.

Serves 2

Per serving: 562 calories, 9.9 grams net carbs, 16.2 grams protein, 47.3 grams fat

Sun Butter Fat Bombs

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Pretty much all I want in a dessert is a spoon full of peanut butter. Or almond butter. Or Sun Butter.

This fat bomb is a great way to get a nice little fat boost while not having to deal with the chocolate that always seems to get in the way of what I really want.

Note: Like my other fat bomb recipe, I slused small square silicone ice cube trays to portion. Each portion is 2 squares.

Keto, Paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan


Sun Butter Fat Bombs

1/4 cup melted cacao butter (you can use coconut butter, coconut oil or coconut manna, but will need to keep the Bombs in the freezer)

1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (or other nut butter – sugar-free is best; cashew butter may be too carb-heavy)

4 drops vanilla stevia (optional)

Sprinkle Himalayan pink salt

In a large measuring cup, melt the fat. Whisk in the butter until completely smooth. Add the stevia and stir.

Pour into the molds – you should have 11 or 12.

Freeze to solidify and then either keep in the freezer, or if you used cacao butter – you can also keep in the fridge.

Makes 5 – 12 servings depending on how much you want per serving

Keto Pecan Stuffing

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I was so excited about this recipe when I saw it on Pinterest. 

This is pretty much everything I want in stuffing – with none of the cloyingly dry grossness that is the bread. 

Keto FTW!

Gluten-free, paleo, Keto, Whole30


Keto Pecan Stuffing
Based on Low Carb Pecan Stuffing by Simply So Healthy

4 ribs celery
1/2 a white onion
8 – 10 ounces pecans
Fresh sage
Fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. fat of choice (I used bacon fat)
1 Tbsp. unsalted grass-fed butter
Himalayan salt & black pepper

Thinly slice the celery and dice the onion. Add to a large pan with the Tablespoon fat over medium heat. Sautée until the veggies are softened.
While the veggies work, mince the herbs (you’ll want 3 – 4 Tbsp. in total).

When the veggies are softened, add the herbs, pecans and butter. Sautée until the pecans are starting to burn. Hit with salt & pepper to taste.

Want to take this stuffing from delicious to ;)&(@,!?)’ delicious? Add the drippings from a turkey and cook an additional 3 – 5 minutes. This dish is great without, but with …. holy shit, this is good.

Serves 4 or so as part of a big holiday spread. 

Simple Fat Bombs

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This has become our go-to recipe for a quick little fatty snack. These babies come straight out of the freezer, are only a couple bites each, and provide a nice burst of satiation.

I use silicone ice molds to make these – the 15-cube size available on Amazon here. 

Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto, vegetarian, vegan


Simple Fat Bombs

Based on the Fat Bomb Bark from a Healthful Pursuit newsletter

1 Tbsp. Coconut oil
2 Tbsp. Coconut butter (the original recipe listed nut butter as an alternative) 
1 scoop collagen
1 Tbsp. Cacao powder
2 drops vanilla stevia
A pinch of salt

Microwave the oil and butter for :30 or until liquid. Stir in the collagen, cacao and stevia. Pour into molds and freeze.

Sets up in about 5 minutes.

Serves 2