Low Carb Nanaimo Squares

Every Christmas I make platters of home made treats for my friends and family, the local businesses we buy from and a few of our customers. It has become a tradition that they all look forward to. Nothing low carb about these treats but this year I have dabbled a bit with some of my recipes so that I can enjoy a few of my favourites and perhaps encourage others to cut down on their sugar.
Today I made 2 batches of Nanaimo Squares for my platters and then I made a low carb version just to see how they would turn out. I have to admit they they are bloody awesome!
My inspiration comes from my baking and cooking groups. I just love the people I interact with on these groups and I would be disappointed to lose touch with them. One of my favourite groups fell apart this week when the administrators who had been running the show since the second week of inception got blocked by the original creator when she decided to take back her group which had grow to well over 20,000 members thanks to the educated and dedicated admin team who had held the reins for the past year.  Nobody had seen or heard from the original creator since she had abandoned her group a year ago. I didn't even know she existed. I suppose she thought she would take over now that the hard work was done and maybe make a name for herself off the backs of other. I left the group. The brains were gone so I didn't see any point in sticking around.
Thankfully the great team of admins which I had grown to trust and admire have formed another group called Keto 2nd Breakfast - and all the other meals!! Come join this creative and supportive group, you won't regret it.
Today's Ketofied recipe is dedicated to these hard working individuals. Thanks to them I have learnt a safe and healthy way of following the Ketogenic way of life.

Low Carb Nanaimo Squares

Low Carb Nanaimo Squares
Recipe

Base

1/2 Cup Butter

1/4 Cup sweetener ( I used Truvia, the one in the little pot so I used 1/8 Cup since it is concentrated)

4 Tablespoons Cocoa powder

1 Egg

2 Cups Almond flour

1 Cup chopped walnuts

1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla

Melt the butter, sugar and cocoa together until smooth. Beat in the egg and add remaining ingredients until well combined. Remove from heat and cool slightly and press into bottom of 8x8 inch parchment lined pan.

Filling

2 Cups Swerve Confectioners sugar

1/4 Cup of soft butter

1/8 Cup Bird's custard powder

4-5 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Mix together the first 3 ingredients until butter is well distributed. Add heavy whipping cream, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a creamy consistency that can be spread, like a thick icing.

Spread evenly on top of the base in the 8x8 pan. Set aside for about 20 minutes

Topping

1 Tablespoon Butter

2 Lilly's milk chocolate bars

Break the chocolate into small pieces. Melt butter in a small sauce pan over a medium low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Return to heat if necessary until the chocolate is completely melted and a smooth consistency.

Pour the topping over the custard and spread evenly.

Cool in refrigerator until chocolate has almost hardened. 

Cut into 36 squares.

Each square has approximately 1.7 net carbs. I do not count sugar alcohols.

Enjoy!

© 2016-2017 Diane rolfe ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Veal Cubes in Gravy

Tonight's post is a quick recipe I made up on the fly. I have been busy with my Christmas baking, mostly high carb sugary stuff. I was trying to make room for another box of cookies and squares and found a package of veal cubes that had been in the freezer for quite some time. I don't like to waste food so I threw together a veal and vegetable dish with a lovely brown gravy. I severed it over cauli-rice with a side of salad.

Veal Cubes in Gravy

Veal Cubes in Gravy

Recipe

1 1/2 to 2 Pounds Cubed Veal

2 Tablespoon butter

1/2 an onion diced

1-2 carrots diced

2 stalks celery diced

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 Cups water

1 Tablespoon beef liquid Bovril

Melt the butter in a large, non stick frying pan. Add diced vegetables and sauté until softened. 

Add the cubed veal and continue cooking until browned on all sides. 

Stir in the 3 cups of water and the liquid Bovril.

Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until veal Cubes are tender. 

Whisk in 1/4 teaspoon Guar Gum to thicken sauce. 

Serves 4, approximately 3 net carbs. 

We served ours over a bed of cauliflower-rice to make sure we soaked up all of the delicious gravy. 

Enjoy! 

Low Carb Lemon Chicken Piccata

This one is for my sisters, lemon lovers every one of then!
The first time I ate Lemon Chicken Piccata was at my sister Pat's. Susan and Lynda were visiting her so I drove down for a couple of days to enjoy their crazy antics. I had fried up some chicken in my hotel room in the little kitchenette and Susan was guiding the rest of the gang through her Chicken Piccata recipe. We ate like piglets that night! After supper we played Mexican train, some kind of dominoes game. The sisters get a tad over excited when they play! It always involves a sombrero and one of them dancing while we all roar with laughter. Never a dull moment!
So in keeping with my Keto lifestyle I wanted to reproduce a low carb version of Susan's wonderful Lemon Chicken Picatta. This is what I came up with.

Low Carb Lemon Chicken Piccata

Low Carb Lemon Chicken Piccata
Recipe

Chicken

4x 5 ounce chicken breasts cut thin and pounded

1/3 Cup Psyllium husks

1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons Oat fibre (optional, zero net carbs)

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons water

4 Tablespoons Avocado oil (more if needed for frying)

Slice each breast in half to make thinner. Pond with a tenderizer to thin the pieces.

Mix the dry ingredients together in medium size bowl until well blended.

Beat the egg with the water in a small bowl.

Heat oil in large frying pan.

Dip each piece of chicken in the dry mixture, then in the egg mixture and back into the dry mixture. 

Fry in batches until golden brown on both sides. Place in a glass dish and keep warm in oven until all the chicken has been fried. I stand the pieces on their sides, leaning against the edge of the dish and each other so that the coating does not get soggy.

Once all of the chicken is cooked, drain off any excess oil from the pan being careful to leave the little bits to help flavour the sauce.

Sauce

1/2 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Cup chicken broth

1/2 Cup capers drained and rinsed

1/4 Cup butter

1/4 cup parsley for garnish

Add lemon juice, chicken broth and capers to the frying pan. Bring to a light boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the butter and whisk for 2 minutes until melted and well blended.

Plate the chicken with a ladle of sauce poured over and garnish with parsley.

If you have an extra lemon you can cut in slices and add to plates for decoration.

Makes 4 servings of approximately 3.5 carbs each.

Low Carb Chicken Marsala

I am very excited to be planning a trip to Las Vegas to run a half marathon with my running buddies Ruth and Manon. I have wanted to visit Vegas, but I am not a gambler. There is so much more to do than gamble in Vegas. We are planning on taking a helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon which I have not seen since I was 5. My father was stationed in Colorado with the Royal Canadian Airforce when I was young. I lived there for 5 years, returning to Canada in time to start grade 1. While we lived in Colorado our parents took us on several adventures during the summer vacation; The Grand Canyon being the most memorable for me. I am also excited about the half marathon as it will be my first half. Ruth assures me that it a good race for a first half since it is down hill so I can just lay down and roll if my legs give out. lol She is so funny!
Anyhow......that's not why we are here, is it?
Tonight I am making one of my long time favourite recipes which I have Ketofied. It is a Chicken Marsala but I bread the chicken. I had to modify the breading to make it more Keto friendly. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

Low carb Chicken Marsala

Low Carb Chicken Marsala

Recipe

Chicken

4x 5 ounce chicken breasts, flattened

1/4 Cup Psyllium husk powder

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon water

2 Tablespoon avocado oil, more if needed for frying.

Prepare the chicken, slicing into thin pieces and pounding with a meat tenderizer if necessary.

Mix together the dry ingredients and set aside.

Add water to egg and beat until well mixed.

Heat oil in frying pan. Dip each piece of chicken in Psyllium mixture, then in egg and back in Psyllium ensuring that it is well covered.

Fry a few pieces at a time in the pan, adding more oil if needed.

Set cooked chicken aside, keeping warm in oven.

Remove any excess oil from pan but try to leave the bits left from the breading in the pan.

Sauce

2 Tablespoons butter

8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 Cup Marsala wine

1 1/2 Cups beef broth (I mix 1 1/2 Tablespoons liquid beef Bovril with 1 1/2 cups of hot water)
Guar gum for thickening sauce 

Melt the butter in the same pan you used to fry the chicken.

Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender.

Add the wine and simmer for about 1 minute to burn off the alcohol.

Add the broth and simmer for about 15 minutes until reduced 

You can add a little guar gum to the sauce to thicken.

Remove chicken from oven, plate and top with the Sauce.

Serves 4 for approximately 4 net carbs per serving.

Low Carb Moussaka

I have been curious about a Greek dish called Moussaka ever since I saw the lovely Rosa post it on our mutual Facebook cooking group. Rosa makes the most delicious looking food and she is the sweetest person. She is always cooking for her adorable grandchildren and you can tell that everything is made with love. My boys laugh at me when I tell them that love is the secret ingredient to every good dish but it is true! I could taste the love my mother kneaded into her bread or rolled into her pastry. My mother was an awesome mother and grandmother, I sense that Rosa is a lot like this, I hope that I am also.
Moussaka is made with eggplant which is relatively high in carbs but it is also high in fibre so we can deduct the non digestible fibre content from the dish. The tomatoes also add a lot of carbs, so pick your can of tomatoes wisely; read the label and choose the lowest carb count you can find. I bought whole plum tomatoes in the can and chopped them up myself. Moussaka usually has wine in it but I replaced the wine with water and liquid chicken flavoured Bovril because I do not drink alcohol, it causes inflammation, and wine has added carbs which I do not need.

Low Carb Moussaka

Low Carb Moussaka

Recipe

Eggplant

3 pounds of eggplant, trimmed weight

2 Tablespoons Kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Trim eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch rounds. Lay on a sheet of parchment and salt both sides. Let sit for 30-45 minutes so the water seeps from the eggplant. Wipe away the moisture with a paper towel and brush with olive oil. Roast in oven on a parchment lined baking sheet, in a single layer for approximately 15-20 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and cool.

Meat Mixture

1 medium onion (200 grams) finely chopped.

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb or veal

1-28 ounce can plum tomatoes, diced

2 teaspoons liquid chicken Bovril

3/4 Cup hot water

1 Tablespoon oregano

1 Tablespoon basil

1 egg, beaten

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in large frying pan.

Add onions and minced garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add meat and cook until browned. Remove excess liquid from pan. Add the tomatoes, oregano and basil. Dissolve the liquid bovril into the hot water stirring until well mixed and add to the meat mixture. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until all excess liquid is gone. Pour off any excess liquid remaining. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley. Let cool and then stir in the beaten egg.

Béchamel

1/2 Cup butter
1-2 teaspoons Guar gum

1 1/2 Cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 Cups warm water

200 grams of old cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a medium size sauce pan melt the butter. Add the guar gum powder and cook for about 1 minute, Mix the cream with the water and then pour into the pan. Stirring constantly, bring to a small boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once it thickens, remove from heat and stir in cheese. Stir until melted and add nutmeg.

Additional ingredients

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Assembly

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 15x10 inch glass pyrex dish with cooking spray.

Line bottom of pan with half the roasted eggplant

Top with half on the meat mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layers, Eggplant, meat, Parmesan.

Pour Béchamel sauce over top, sprinkle with last 1/2 Cup of Parmesan and the 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.

Bake for 30-45 minutes. Broil under broiler for a few minutes to brown top if necessary. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

Makes 12 servings each with approximately 8.5 net carbs.

We served with a salad on the side.

This can be frozen.
Freeze in individual portion size and just thaw, reheat in microwave and enjoy!