Low Carb Cream of Mushroom Soup

Am I crazy for thinking my kids will want to try this velvety cream of mushroom soup? Maybe, but I’m gonna try. Homemade cream of mushroom tastes so different than the canned stuff, plus my version is low carb which means no added flour or cornstartch.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound of white mushrooms

1 shallot-chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

2 tablespoons of grated ginger

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup of broth- I used beef broth- but use what you have or prefer

1/2 cup of heavy cream

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot, add shallots and sauté on medium heat for 2 minutes. Allow onions to get soft but not burn. Stir in garlic, and ginger.

2. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stir and continue to cook until juices evaporate

3. Add broth and reduce heat

4. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes

5. In batches, blend the soup until smooth using your blender or immersion blender

6. Transfer pureed mushrooms to pot and add heavy cream

7. Simmer for another 3 minutes on low heat.

8. Season with salt and pepper and herbs like thyme, or parsley.

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

With the cooler temperatures I find myself gravitating to spicy foods.  I decided to combine my two favorite things “spicy and cauliflower” to come with a vegetarian take on a favorite appetizer.   This is a low carb option and something I am sure you will be making over and over again.  Also, these baked buffalo bites would be delicious in a taco.

Here is what you will need.

Ingredients 

-1/ 2 cup Almond Flour - I use this brand.

-2 tablespoons Buffalo seasoning - I like it spicy. I used the one from primal kitchen  

-2 eggs

- 1 teaspoon salt 

1 head of cauliflower

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Clean and cut the cauliflower in bite size pieces

3. In a shallow bowl add almond flour, buffalo seasoning, salt, pepper THIS IS YOUR DRY Ingredients bowl.

4. In a separate bowl whisk the two eggs.

5. Add cauliflower to eggs, and coat all the cauliflower- you may want to do this in batches.

6. Immediately add to dry ingredients bowl

7. Arrange cauliflower in a single layer on baking sheet- roast in oven for 30 minutes

8. OPTIONAL- at the end I did turn on the broiler for 2 minutes to get them a little crispier- but totally up to you.

Keto Homemade Ranch Dressing

Homemade Ranch dressing is the best, and it’s easy to make.  I have to admit that I never liked ranch, so the thought of making it didn’t excite me.  Until I decided to make these Keto Blue Cheese Buffalo Turkey sliders. I knew that a simple ranch dressing was going to put these sliders over the top, and guess what? it did.    

I guarantee that once you start to make your own ranch dressing you won’t want to go back to that store bought stuff.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise 

• 1/4 teaspoon salt (you may want to add more)

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

• fresh chopped chives

Instructions

1. Add mayo and rest of the ingredients in a mason jar.

2. whisk the ingredients together until combined

3. Serve with your salad, or place in mason jar with lid and store in fridge for up to one week. 

Blue Cheese Buffalo Turkey Sliders

Ingredients

-1 pound ground turkey

-1 egg (beaten)

-1 green onion died

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 ounce of blue cheese crumbled

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup almond flower 

1 teaspoon mayo 

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon ghee or extra virgin olive oil for frying

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onions. Mix together.

2. Add the beaten egg, mayo, almond flower.  Mix with your hand until everything is combined.

3. Add the crumbled blue cheese and mix well.

4. Make 6 round balls and flatten, place on plate

5. Heat a large skillet on medium heat- add oil or ghee.

6. Let each patten cook 6 minutes on each side.  Make sure to check and see that the middle is cooked through

7. Remove and add on plate and add ranch, chopped chives and fresh dill.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Summer Strawberry Kale Salad

I realized from the start of the pandemic that nourishing my body & mind was really the only thing that was in my control.  I started to cut back on carbs, and sugar.  I said cut back, I didn’t say eliminate all together.  The results have been great.  I feel better in my body, I’m able to move easier, and when I slip into last season’s clothes I realize they are much looser.   This Canada Day will be a lot different, but we can still make food and design beautiful tablescapes that make our family and friends feel special.

I’m determined to continue to create good food that my family and I can enjoy around the table, here is my summer strawberry kale salad that will satisfy your body, mind, and your palate.

Ingredients

4 cups of chopped/cleaned kale

1 cup of fresh strawberries cleaned and cut

4 ounces feta cheese

1/4 of extra virgin olive oil

a squeeze of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of good Canadian maple syrup

2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Add chopped kale to large salad bowl, squeeze in lemon juice and start massaging the kale.  I do this to make the kale softer.   But totally up to you.  Add feta cheese and strawberries. 

In a separate container add olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper.  Whisk well, and then pour over the kale, feta cheese and strawberries.