Low Carb Chocolate Mousse Cake

This cake has always been my signature cake. I started making it about 27 years ago when I found it in some magazine.The original was called Chocolate Oblivion but this publication was not posted by the original author. I was baking this cake before my children were born and the oldest is nearly 26. I wrote about it in one of my previous posts and have finally found the time to ketofy it to share with you in time for Christmas. I have left the number of portions at 24, as in the original recipe because it is a very rich cake and a small piece is plenty. It is overwhelming if you try to eat a big chunk. Even ketofied, this recipe comes to about 5.5 net carbs per serving so it is definitely something to keep for a special occasion. The Cake part turned out very well and can be used separately without this decadent frosting. It has a net carb count of about 2.5 carbs. Any low carb icing will make this cake a wonderful treat.

Low Carb Chocolate Mousse Cake

Low Carb Chocolate Mousse Cake
Recipe

Cake

1 Cup Almond Flour

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

1/2 Cup Oat Fibre 500

1 Scoop (30 grams) Whey Isolate Powder

2 Cups Sweetener (I used Truvia so I only used 1 Cup)

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 Cup cocoa powder

2 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

1 cup hot water

6 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 Cup avocado oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Line two nine inch round cake pans with parchment and spray well with cooking spray.

Dissolve the coffee in the hot water and set aside to cool.

Combine the first 9 ingredients (dry ingredients) in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add the cooled coffee, eggs, sour cream, oil  and vanilla.

Mix until well blended and divide evenly between the 2 prepared cake pans.

Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes, testing to make sure an inserted knife comes out clean.

Remove cakes when done and let rest for 10 minutes in pan. 

Run a knife around the edge of each to ensure sides are not sticking and remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

Whipped cream centre

3/4 Cup Heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sweetener (I used Truvia so I only used 2 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla together until stiff.

Place one of the cooled cakes face down on a plate so that flat side is up. Spread with the whipped cream mixture and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Top with other cake, rounded side up and return to refrigerator while you prepare the Mousse.

Chocolate Mousse

6 ounces unsweetened bakers chocolate

6 Tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons sweetener (I used Truvia so I only used 3 Tablespoons)

3 large eggs separated

9 Tablespoons sweetener separated (half of that if you use Truvia)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 Cup Heavy whipping cream

pinch salt

Chop the chocolate and welt with 6 tablespoons of butter and the first 6 tablespoons of sweetener(3 if using Truvia). Set aside to cool.

Separate the eggs and beat 6 tablespoons of sweetener into the yolks until well blended.

Beat the vanilla and the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sweetener and continue beating until stiff.

Fold egg whites into chocolate/ egg yolk  mixture.

Beat 2/3 Cup whipping cream until stiff and fold into the mousse also.

Refrigerate the mousse for about 20 minutes to firm up.

Remove cake and mousse from refrigerator. Give the mousse a little stir to soften.

Decorate tops and sides of cake with mousse.

Optional drizzle

Melt 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate with 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of sweetener.

Drizzle the melted chocolate over top and around edge of cake so it drizzles down sides.

The net carb count for 1/24th of the cake is approximately 5.5 net carbs. I do not count sugar alcohols .

This cake is the best low carb chocolate cake I have ever eaten!

Enjoy!

© 2016-2017 DianE rolfe ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Low Carb Brutti ma Buoni

Here is another little gem of a recipe inspired by one of my favourite bakers on Bakes and Cooks, Franca Genio. She makes the most awesome cheese cakes, in every flavour imaginable. Apparently she makes awesome cookies too!
I doubled her original recipe and ketofied it. Here is the link to the original recipe. Brutti ma Buoni.
It was an easy adjustment, and they are quite addictive, so fortunately they are very low in calories as well as carbs.

Low Carb Brutti ma Buoni

Low Carb Brutti ma Buoni
Recipe

1 1/2 Cups liquid egg whites (or 12 egg whites)

2 Cups Hazelnuts, roasted

2 Cups Almonds, roasted

1 1/2 Cups sweetener (I used 1/2 cup Truvia)

2 Tablespoons Cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons Oat Fibre 500

1/8 teaspoon of Glucomannan

2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

Put the egg whites in your stand mixer bowl and allow to warm to room temperature.

Roast the Hazelnuts in a frying pan on medium high. Make sure to keep them moving so they don't burn. Roast until the skins start to fall off. You can wrap them in a cloth and rub to get more skin off if desired.

Roast the almonds in the same manner, until skins start to crack. The almonds won't lose their skins as much but that's fine.

Coarsely chop the nuts, combine and set aside.

Combine the cocoa powder, oat fibre and glucomannan in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 F on convection setting.

Spray two cookie sheets generously with cooking spray. You can use parchment paper to make the clean up easier but that will also have to be sprayed.

Beat the egg whites until they are light and foamy. Add the cocoa mixture, the sweetener and the vanilla to the eggs and continue beating until soft peaks form.

Fold in the nuts carefully.

Using a soup spoon, spoon the mixture onto the greased cookie sheets, about 1-1.5 inches apart.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are dry and firm to touch.

Remove to wire rack and cool completely.

I made 60 cookies with a net carb count of 0.75 per cookie after subtracting fibre and sugar alcohols.

They are best when cooled completely.

Enjoy!

Low Carb Biscotti

With Christmas right around the corner one of my favourite baking groups, Bakes and Cooks, is full of awesome ideas and recipes. I have to find a way to ketofy most of the recipes posted since I am one of a small number of members who eat low carb or grain free. One of our most talented members is Mangia Bedda, a cooking instructor, caterer and food blogger. A few weeks ago she posted her Classic Almond Biscotti recipe. It looked delicious! I started playing around with a combination of flour substitutes to ketofy this lovely treat. I finally found a combination that I feel closely resembles the flour version of this recipe.
I hope you enjoy my Low carb/grain free/ketofied version of Almond Biscotti. It is easily changed into a variety of flavours by simply exchanging the almonds for other nuts and eliminating the almond extract. Cocoa can also be added for a chocolate variety. Use your imagination and the possibilities are endless.

Low carb Biscotti

Low Carb Almond Biscotti
Recipe

5 1/2 Cups Almond Flour

1/2 Cup Whey Isolate Powder

1/4 Cup Oat Fibre (Not oat flour or oat bran)

1 Cup to 1 1/2 Cups sweetener depending on desired sweetness (I used 1/2 Cup Truvia, it is concentrated.

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon glucomannan (you can substitute Xantham or guar gum)

1 Cup roughly chopped almonds

7 large eggs

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F on convection setting and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine all dry ingredients including nuts and set aside.

In a stand mixer beat the eggs and the extracts. slowly add the dry ingredient until the dough comes together. It will be a little sticky.

Divide dough into two equal portions and put one on each lined sheet. form them into rectangles of approximately 4 inches wide and 1 inch high.

Bake the two sheets for 20-30 minutes or until top is golden brown and firm to touch.

Remove the sheets from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, reduce the oven temperature to 300 F.

Place the logs on a cutting board and carefully slice into 1/2 inch slices using a knife with a serrated edge. 

Place a wire rack on each of the cookie sheets and place the slices on the wire rack. Return to oven and bake another 20-30 minutes until sides are golden.

I made 30 large slices with a net carb count of 2.2 net carbs. I do not count sugar alcohols. The carb count will vary depending on what you add to the dough.

Enjoy!

Low Carb Coconut Macaroons

My mother-in-law is diabetic but that has never stopped her from eating dessert! She will tell me not to put too much sugar in the whipping cream or pies I make for my sugar eating family and then she will take a piece of each pie! Little does she know, I now use Truvia sweetener in most of my desserts. I made a beautiful Hazelnut Torte last weekend with no flour and no sugar in it and there was nothing left but crumbs, well, until someone licked the cake plate as a joke!
Truvia is an Erythritol/Stevia mix. There is also one called Truvia Blend that comes in a bag but DO NOT BUY THAT ONE, it is half real sugar. Read the label! So far the Truvia without the sugar only comes in a small 270 gram pot but Truvia is concentrated and only needs 1/2 to 1/3 the quantity of real sugar. For this recipe I recommend using 1/3 cup Truvia or 2/3 Cup of your preferred sweetener since we are using unsweetened coconut.
My mother-in-law has a soft spot for macaroon but they are quite expensive to buy and the sugar in them is not good for her. She asked me if I could make them for her so I started experimenting. The final result is the recipe you find below. These cookies are almost ZERO net carbs (less than1 net carbs per cookie). YES, you read me right but do not go wild because calories still count (35 calories per cookie) and the sugar alcohols and fibre will send you running to the loo if you over do it.
Enjoy!

Low Carb Coconut Macaroons
Low carb Coconut Macaroons
Recipe

1 bag (200 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons Oat Fibre (not oat flour) 1 tablespoon of coconut flour can be used instead.

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 Cup Truvia Sweetener (or equivalent to 2/3 Cup sugar of your favourite sweetener)

1/3 Cup liquid egg whites

1 large whole egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to convection setting 325 degrees F.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine all of the dry ingredients and mix well.

Add the wet ingredients and stir until well combined.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and squeeze in your hand to form a tight ball. Slightly flatten the ball while making sure the cookie holds together and place on parchment lined sheet. I made 24 cookies.

Bake for 18 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.

Remove from oven and continue cooling on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then move to wire rack to continue cooling.

The fibre and sugar alcohol content is almost equivalent to the carb content is this cookie recipe so they have a net carb count of less than 1 net carbs per cookie.

Enjoy!

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!

Lemon Bundt Cake

It is a rainy day on the farm. The men are taking the opportunity to make repairs and wash some of the machinery while I get to play in my kitchen. Sounds fair to me!
Today I wanted to try and come up with a decent lemon dessert. My favourite flavour in the entire world is lemon. Lemon beats chocolate every day of the week for me. My sisters are lemon lovers also so I am sure this dessert will be made in all their homes. As I am writing this, my cake is still in the oven so lets hope it doesn't flop or I will have to bake again tomorrow and go without dessert tonight. I really like the texture of the almond, coconut flour/whey isolate mix. I find it resembles a regular cake texture.
I have changed this recipe as I was not 100% happy with the flavour. It is delicious now!

Lemon Bundt Cake

Lemon Bundt Cake

Recipe

2 Cups Almond flour
1/2 Cups Coconut flour

2/3 Cup Whey Isolate powder (I use the unflavoured)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Combine the above ingredients and set aside. 

1 Cup Sour cream or Greek yogurt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 Cups Truvia (In the pot, not the bag)

1/3 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 large eggs, room temperature eggs give a better rise

1 teaspoon vanila

In a stand mixer beat the softened butter with the Truvia until smooth. Add the lemon juice and mix until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, with the vanilla and continue to blend until well incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixture and fold the sour cream into the batch. 

Pour into well greased bundt cake pan and bake for 60-65 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove to wire rack. Leave cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then turn out carefully after loosening sides. 

Glaze

In a small sauce pan add 1/4 cup Truvia  with 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Place on stove medium low heat and heat, stirring constantly, until the Truvia has dissolved completely.

Place a sheet of parchment paper under the wire rack to catch the run off of the glaze.
While cake is still a little warm, Pole holes in the top and sides of the cake with a skewer or tooth pick. 

Pour the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides. 

Leave cake on cooling rack until completely cooled and then move to a serving platter.

Serves 20, approximately 3 net carbs per slice.
© 2016-2017 DIANE ROLFE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Low Carb Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

One of my son Patrick's favourite cakes is a coffee cake with a cinnamon swirl centre. It is a beautiful bundt style cake with a delicious little cinnamon swirl throughout. It is a wonderful cake to bake and enjoy with friends over tea or coffee. I have realized that I can bake just about any kind of cake I want to with the mixture of Almond flour, Coconut flour and Whey Isolate powder that I have used in some of my other cakes so I have given the coffee cake a try. I am quite pleased with the way this one has turned out. Give it a try and you can thank me later by liking my Facebook page.
https://m.facebook.com/ketofiedkitchen/

Low Carb Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Low Carb Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
Recipe

Cake Batter

2 Cups Almond flour
1/2 Cups Coconut flour

2/3 Cup (60 grams) Whey Protein Isolate Powder

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon cardamon

1 block (250 grams or 8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3/4 Cup butter, melted

2 Cups sweetener (I use erythritol/stevia)

10 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix together the Almond flour, Coconut flour, whey powder, baking powder, salt and cardamon and set aside.

In a stand mixer beat the softened cream cheese with the sweetener until creamy.

Melt the butter and let cool. Once cooled enough, add to creamed mixture along with the 10 eggs and the vanilla beating until well blended.

Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Filling

1/2 cup cottage cheese

3/4 cup sweetener

2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a medium bowl beat the cottage cheese, sweetener and cinnamon until the cottage cheese bits are very small.

In a well greased bundt pan add half of the cake batter. Add the filling and then the other half of the batter. Smooth the top with your spatula.

Bake in 350 oven for 65 minutes or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Do not undercooked or it will fall. When the top starts to look like it is getting a little too dark is usually when it is ready.

Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, loosen sides and then turn on to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Once cake has cooled completely you can sprinkle with a little confectioner's type sweetener if desired. This is optional and really only for decorative purposes specially when you are like me and turn the cake out too soon and have to do a patch up job. Lol

Serves 20, each piece has approximately 4 net carbs. I do not count sugar alcohols.
Enjoy!

© 2016-2017 DIANE ROLFE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Low Carb Korma

That's Korma with an O not Karma with an A sisters!

Well, thank you Nicola!

Last night one of the members of a Keto Facebook group asked if anyone had a good low carb version of Korma. I had no idea what it was but I love a challenge, so I looked it up. Turns out this tasty little gem of a chicken curry is already pretty Keto friendly. I looked up a few recipes and tweaked them to my liking. The one I followed closest was from www.dairygoodness.ca/recipes/chicken-korma I used tomato sauce instead of paste and only half an onion (100 grams) in order to cut back on the carbs a little. I also did not have any fresh coriander for the garnish so you'll have to forgive me for the bland picture but I assure you, the dish was anything but bland! I added fenugreek seed to the spices because I didn't have leaves.
Eh! So I improvised a little, it turned out delicious! I think I will add a little more heat next time, maybe some cumin.

Low Carb Korma

Low Carb Korma 
Recipe

635 grams of raw chicken breast meat cut into large cubes 

2 Tablespoons butter

100 grams diced onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1/2 teaspoon Chili powder

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seed

2 Tablespoons ground almonds

2 Tablespoons Tomato sauce

1 Cup Greek style yogurt

Fresh Coriander and Fenugreek leaves for garnish (Optional)

Melt the butter in a deep non stick pan. I used my wok.

Sauté the onions in the butter on medium heat until they soften. 

Add the garlic, ginger, child powder, turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander and fenugreek seed. 

Cook for a few minutes until the aroma rises from the pan.

Stir in the ground almonds and the tomato sauce.

Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides and juices run clear. 

Toss frequently so it does not stick.

Stir in the yogurt and cover. Heat through thoroughly.

Makes 6 servings of approximately 7 carbs each.

I served it with a side of caulk-rice.

Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

The fall is a busy season when you live on a farm. It's a race against time and weather to get the harvest in and every feed mill, ethanol plant, whisky plant and port is jam packed with trucks trying to deliver the harvest. You can sit for hours waiting your turn to dump. Everyone is anxious, frustrated and exhausted, my husband among them.
I wanted to make something warm and satisfying for supper tonight. I knew André would appreciate it. He had taken chicken breasts out, which we usually grill on the BBQ but I knew he wouldn't want to cook so I decided to make a creamy chicken alfredo. He devoured it! The other 2 portions went in his lunch box for his morning snack and his lunch. I made a little stir fry of onions, red peppers and celery as a side dish sautéd in butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Recipe

4 Chicken breasts (no skin or bones)

Salt and pepper to taste

6 Tablespoons butter

1 Cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic

1 1/2 Cups shredded Parmesan cheese.

Cut the chicken breasts into large cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and add the chicken. Cook chicken until browned on all sides and juices run clear. Remove from pan and set aside.

Melt the other 4 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and add cream. Simmer for 4-5 minutes but don't let it boil.

Meanwhile, crush garlic and mince. 

Add fresh garlic and Parmesan to cream and stir on medium heat until all of the cheese is melted.

Add the chicken back to the pan and heat through.

Serve over spaghetti squash, cauli-rice or Shirataki noodles. 

Makes 4 servings approximately 1.5 carbs per serving without noodles or cauli-rice.

Low Carb Carrot Cake

My sister-in-law Jaqueline makes an awesome carrot cake. Best carrot cake in the world according to my boys and my friend Karen Anne. Come to think of it, everyone who has ever had a piece, raves about it! I miss that cake.
Most carrot cakes have carrots and pineapple, neither of which are terribly keto friendly, never mind low carb. The coconut and walnuts are fine but they have carbs too! So I had to put on my thinking cap and make some compromises for this cake. Since my friend Karen Anne is coming for supper tomorrow night, I decided to make her my guinea pig; she's a real foodie so I am sure she won't mind.
My favourite pastry chef, Allison Sklar http://savourysweetsbakery.com/ shared a few tips and tricks with me about replacing cream cheese icing with a combination of heavy whipping cream and mascarpone cheese. It has a lighter taste and is absolutely decadent and delicious! That's an all around win in my books. For my vegetarian friends, Allison also has a food blog full of wonderful vegetarian recipes. You can follow her at: http://baconveggie.blogspot.ca/?m=0
So without further ado, here is my version of a Low Carb Carrot Cake.

Low Carb Carrot Cake

Low Carb Carrot Cake
Recipe

1 1/2 Cups Coconut flour

2/3 cup (60 grams) whey isolate powder

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1cup flaked coconut, unsweetened

3/4 cup butter softened

1 1/2 Cups sweetener (I use a stevia-erythritol)

10 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 Cups (200 grams) shredded carrots

1 Cup ricotta cheese

1/2 Cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare two 9" cake pans. (I line the bottom of each with parchment paper and spray liberally or grease with butter.)

Combine the first 5 ingredients and set aside.

With an electric mixer beat the butter and sweetener until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, carrots and ricotta cheese and continue to mix until well blended.

Add the dry ingredients and the walnuts, if using, making sure to mix until there are no lumps.

Divide batter equally between the two cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool in pans for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto cooling rack and cool completely before icing.

Mascarpone Icing

1 Cup heavy whipping cream

1 Cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons sweetener

In a metal bowl with electric beaters, beat the cream until it starts to thicken. Add the remaider of the ingredients and whip until thick.

Place one layer of the carrot cake top down (flat side up) on a serving plate. Spread about 1/3 of the icing and then top with second layer, flat side down. Spread the remainder of the cream on top and sides of cake.

This should serve 20. 

Each slice is approximately 5 net carbs.
Note: next time I will add a little cinnamon and I will try this with sour cream in place of the ricotta. It is very good as is, but I feel like the sour cream may give it a little extra moisture. I will post my results when I have a chance to bake this again. 
© 2016-2017 DIANE ROLFE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Cauli Fried "Rice"

One of my favourite vegetables is cauliflower. It can be expensive however so we would only eat it when in season.  Since starting this way of eating, however, I have been known to pay a ridiculous price for a lovely head of cauliflower.  This vegetable is so versatile that it can be made into faux pizza crust, faux mashed potatoes and, my personal favourite, faux fried rice. The first time I made this, Andre asked me if I was sure this wasn't rice? Would I be eating it if it were? No!
Just like fried rice, you can use whatever you have in your refrigerator to dice up, sauté and add to the rice. The important thing is to use cold cauliflower that has already been processed into fine rice like pieces, real butter and a good soya sauce. I do not add oyster sauce to my cauli fried rice like I would to real fried rice because it has sugar, nor do I use peas but it is delicious just the same.

Cauli Fried "Rice"

Cauli Fried "Rice"
Recipe

1 Head Cauliflower, pulsed

1/4 Cup onion, minced

1/4 medium red pepper, chopped

3-4 celery stalks, chopped 

2-3 green onions, cut into rings

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons soya sauce

Start by washing and cutting the cauliflower into small pieces. Working in small batches pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles fine grains of rice. Set aside.

Mince and/or chop all of the vegetables into small pieces. 

Melt the butter in a large wok. Add the vegetables (except the cauliflower and also reserve a few green onion rings for garnish) to the melted butter and sauté until fragrant and beginning to soften. 

Add the cauliflower and continue to sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Add the soya sauce and toss until well covered. 

Serve warm with a few rings of green onions for garnish.  

I will sometimes scramble an egg and add to the "rice" like I would for fried rice. 

This makes approximately 8 one cup servings, for approximately 3 net carbs each. 

Creamy Chicken Florentine

I have so many recipes that some I cannot remember where they came from. I know this one came from one of my cooking groups several years ago but I cannot remember the woman's name who shared it and she had gotten in from another friend. In any case, I have modified it like I do most recipes I collect.We have been enjoying this one for quite some time and it is perfect for the low carb, Keto way of life.
I hope you enjoy it and add your own twist. Today I added red pepper but sometimes I add mushrooms and french shallots. Today I served it over some caulirice with roasted garlic and broccoli.

Creamy Chicken Florentine

Creamy Chicken Florentine
Recipe

6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6 ounces each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

300 gram package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2-3 large garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (35%)

2/3 cup freshly grated or flaked Parmesan cheese

1/2 Cup Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts. 

Heat oil in large skillet and brown the breasts on each side. 

Transfer to a 9x13 glass dish.

In same skillet sauté the garlic with vegetable (spinach plus any other vegetable you decide to add) for 2-3 minutes.

Whisk together the heavy cream and Dijon mustard in another bowl until well blended. Pour over the vegetables and add 1/3 cup of the cheese. Stir for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour sauce over the chicken in the glass dish.

Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken cut open.

Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes longer until top becomes gold.

Serves 6. Each serving has approximately 3.5 net carbs with the red peppers.

ENJOY!

Coconut Flour Chocolate Zucchini Bread

It is no secret that I love to bake. I am definitely my mother's daughter in that sense. My mother was the most amazing cook but she was an even better baker! I will never forget the baptism of my first son Michael. We had decided to get the main meal catered but my mother insisted the she and I would bake all of the desserts. One of my neighbours, an Austrian fellow named Karl, was a fabulous baker. Like my friend Miguel, Karl also used his hands to scoop out the flour and sugar. No measuring for him; but pure perfection when done. Karl made a fabulous Black Forest cake so we asked him to bring that. My mother and I baked pies, made a trifle, butter tarts, a beautiful fruit tart, a dessert table fit for royalty. One of the guests was a renown neurosurgeon from Sherbrooke Quebec. He and his wife were so impressed with the baked goods that they asked my mother who had catered the desserts? My mother was very proud to tell them that she, I and the neighbour had made everything ourselves. She was thrilled that someone as prominent as a neurosurgeon and his wife would give her such a rave review. It was definitely one of those shining moments in life.

You can understand now, how I felt when I discovered that all of these carbs were causing my inflammation and that I could no longer eat sugar. I was devastated that my baking days were over. Sure I could still bake for others but I was determined to find ways to bake without the carbs.
One of my acquaintances, Pina, from the Bakes and Cooks Facebook group, posted a coconut flour banana bread a few months ago. I had a counter full of zucchini so I altered the lovely Pina's recipe and turned it in to this delicious loaf you see here. Thank you Pina, you are a pearl.

Coconut Flour Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Coconut Flour Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Recipe

3/4 Cup Coconut Flour

1/3 Cup Whey isolate powder (Optional)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup Cocoa powder

Blend the above ingredients

2 1/2 to 3 Cups Shredded zucchini

6 tablespoons butter, softened

5 large eggs

1/2 Cup sour cream (do not use if omitting the Whey isolate powder)

3/4 Cup sweetener of choice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Blend all ingredients until smooth and add dry mixture. 

Blend again and pour into greased loaf pan. I always fit a piece of parchment cut to size on the bottom of all my baking pans. This prevents sticking.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Knife should come out clean when inserted in centre.

Approximately 3.5 net carbs for 1/10 of the loaf with the optional whey and sour cream. 

Note: The whey isolate powder gives the bread a more flour like consistency and the sour cream is added for extra fat and liquid to support the added dry ingredient. I have made it both ways and it turns out well either way.

© 2016-2017 Diane Rolfe  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Ketofied Cheese Cake

Tomorrow we will be celebrating our neighbour's 71st birthday. His birthday is on Monday but Saturday is a better night for us all.
When you live on a farm, your neighbours are like family. Help is only a whistle or a phone call away. We don't ring a door bell when we go visiting, we knock, open the door and holler "Yoo hoo! Anybody home?" It isn't considered rude or intrusive, it is part of our every day life. If nobody answers, the next stop is the barn. Anyhow, our neighbour Gilles is a neighbour like this. Ever since I moved here, it had been my job to bake his birthday cake. He has a standing order for my famous chocolate mousse cake. I have developed a Ketofied version of this cake but Gilles wants the real deal so Gilles will get the real deal. I now have to bring two cakes on his birthday because his wife and her cousin, who lives with them, are also on the low carb, sugar free way of life. Today I will share my Ketofied Cheese Cake recipe with you and keep the Ketofied Chocolate Mousse Cake for another day. There is only so much dessert a Keto queen can Eat! The original recipe came from my dear friend Donna many years ago. I have modified it for my Keto needs.

Ketofied Cheese Cake
Ketofied Cheese Cake
Recipe

Crust

1 Cup Almond flour

1/4 cup sweetener

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

1/8 cup butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease the inside of a 9-10 inch spring form pan. Remove the sides. Blend together the above ingredients until moist but crumbly. Spread about half of the mixture onto the bottom of the pan, cover with parchment and roll with rolling pin until a thin layer covers the entire bottom of the pan. Remove the parchment paper and bake for 4-6 minutes until it begins to brown. Watch closely so it doesn't burn. Remove from oven and let cool.

Spread the other half of the mixture onto the walls of the pan in a thin player. Reassemble the pan.

Filling

5 Packages (250 grams or 8 ounces each) full fat cream cheese softened

1 3/4 Cups sweetener

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 eggs

2 additional egg yolks

1/4 Cup full fat sour cream.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Fill, until half full, a roasting pan, or other pan with high sides, with warm water and place on the middle rack of the oven. You will be placing the cake pan directly into the bath so leave enough room for water level to rise. This will help to ensure that the cake does not crack.

In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese, sweetener and zest together until smooth. Add the vanilla and the eggs and yolks, one at a time, scraping sides to make sure no lumps remain. Add the sour cream and beat until smooth.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Cover seam of pan, where the bottom fits into the sides, with tin foil to ensure the water from the water bath does not seep in.

Place cake in the water bath and bake in 500 oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 250 and bake for another hour.

Once cake is firm to the touch, turn off oven, leave cake in oven and leave the door slightly ajar. Once the oven has cooled down you can remove the cake to the counter to finish cooling.

 1/16 of the cake has approximately 4.5 net carbs without the optional glaze and garnish.

Glaze and Garnish (optional)

100 grams  crushed ripe strawberries. (about 3 berries)

1/2 cup hot water

1 tablespoon sweetener (or to taste)

1 envelope Knox gelatine powder (7 grams per pouch)

3 large whole berries for garnish

Mix the crushed berries, hot water and the Knox gelatine until smooth. Leave to cool for a few minutes. It will begin to thicken slightly. Pour mixture over top of cake, letting it drizzle over the sides slightly. Top with the three berries as desire.

Glaze adds about 1 carb per slice.

I hope you enjoy this decadent dessert as much as we do! 

Hugs

Diane

© 2016-2017 Diane rolfe ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spicy Thai Shrimp

I always keep a bag of raw shrimp in the freezer for emergency back up. Some days I get caught up in my paper work or I stay to chat with my friend Ruth a little longer than anticipated after our morning run, forgetting to take something out of the freezer for supper when I get home. Shrimp can be defrosted in minutes by simply running it under cold water. Sometimes I just defrost and sauté in garlic and butter and serve with a salad on the side. Delicious!
Yesterday I went for my morning run with Ruth and then we chatted over coffee. After she left I knew I had a couple of desserts to prepare for this weekend and I had paper work to catch up on also. Since my kitchen is my happy place I started in the kitchen with the cakes. I tucked my second cake into the oven and suddenly realized it was nearly noon and my billing had not been done yet. I rushed to my office to get my billing done for my real job and then my husband stopped at the house at about 1:30, between deliveries, for a late lunch and all of the leftovers vanished! Ugh, I had been counting on that for supper.
I was already exhausted from standing on my feet all morning so I went to the freezer and got out the bag of raw shrimp. Supper was delicious! Ketofied from Shrimp in Thai Coconut Sauce

Spicy Thai Shrimp

Spicy Thai Shrimp

Recipe

Shrimp

2 pounds raw shrimp peeled and deveined

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 

4 cloves fresh garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Toss cleaned and prepared shrimp with olive oil and toss with the garlic, salt and red pepper flakes.

Vegetables

200 grams of sliced sweet peppers (I used half red, half yellow)

125 grams of onions sliced in slivers

1 tablespoon olive oil.

In a deep wok, sauté the vegetables in the olive oil until soft. 

Remove the vegetables from the pan to a large bowl using a slotted spoon and sauté the shrimp in the same pan until they turn pink and start to curl. Add Shrimp to the bowl of vegetables.

Coconut milk sauce

1 can coconut milk 

6 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons peanut butter (preferably low sugar)

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 Tablespoon erythritol

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a wok and bring to a small boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes until reduced.

Add the vegetables and shrimp to the sauce and cook for another few minutes until heated through.

Serve over cauliflower rice and garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro and a some green onion.

Serves 6-8. Approximately 6 net carbs per 1/8 th of recipe without the cauliflower.

Meat Balls

My sister Susan is a wonderful cook. When we were younger I looked up to her so much, still do. She was my idol. She was an awesome cook, the fancy Martha Stewart type cook. When she gives me a recipe, I know it will be great!
One year I was writing a recipe book for my children and one of my God daughters. My sisters, sister-in-law and friends all contributed recipes. One of the recipes Susan gave me was for Gourmet Pork Sliders or Burgers. I have never used the recipe as intended, but instead, we have enjoyed the recipe as meat balls. I had to make a minor modification to ketofy it but they are just as awesome!
Just a little story about my sister Susan before I give you this wonderful recipe. I want you to understand why I hold her so dear to my heart. Susan is a wonderful sister and has always included me, made me feel appreciated and loved. My parents wanted to send me to Private School but I was having none of it! Susan offered to change schools and go with me, even though it was her graduating year. Left all of her friends behind! She wrote my valedictorian speech for me in high school, typed all of my papers in university and was always there for me when I needed her. One day, soon after she had started working and making money she came home from downtown with shopping bags. She pulled a cute little green zip up hoodie out of her bags and showed it off to me. It was so adorable that I blurted out "you should have bought me one too!" To my surprise and enormous glee she quickly whipped a second hoodie out of her bags and handed it to me. One of the best moments of my teenage years! In that moment I felt beautiful and loved. I will never forget what a wonder sister she has been.
Okay, enough about that, wipe away your tears! Time to cook!

Meat Balls
Meat balls
Recipe

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 Cup finely chopped onion

1 clove minced garlic 

1 1/2 pounds ground meat (1/2 pound each of veal/pork/beef is the tastiest blend)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons soya sauce

1 Tablespoon of oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Psyllium husks if needed to hold meatballs together 

1/2 teaspoon or more of guar gum to thicken gravy. 

Sauté the onions and minced garlic in the olive oil until soft. Remove from heat and cool.

Mix the Meats, with the remainder of the ingredients, adding the cooled onion and garlic mixture. You can add a tablespoon or so of psyllium husks to meat mixture to dry the mixture out, if too sticky. You just want the mixture to stick together well. Mix until well blended. 

Use a small scoop to scoop out a small ball of meat and then roll the balls in your hand to make them nice and round.

Fry meatballs in batches in a large nonstick frying pan. Once all of the meat balls are cooked remove from pan and make a gravy with the remnants in the pan.

Gravy

 Do not clean the frying pan, You want to leave all the fat and bits in the pan to add flavour to the gravy.

Add about 2 Cups of water to the frying pan.

Bring to a small boil and scrape the pan drippings and meat pieces off the bottom with a wooden spoon. 

Once all the pieces are scraped loose you can add about 1-1 /2 Tablespoons of Beef liquid Bovril to the liquid.

Add the guar gum to the gravy while whisking a little at a time until you get the thickness desired. Add more if needed.  Continue cooking and wishing until the gravy begins to thicken.

Add meat balls back to sauce, heat and serve over caulirice or noodles.
Makes approximately 6 portions, about 3 net carbs per portion (caulirice or zoodles extra)