All posts filed under: keto diet

Food: Dinner Tonight – Spaghetti Squash Loaded with Cheese

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Cheesy gooey comes to mind, while taking my early morning walk today and a taste of melted cheese. So guess what we are having for dinner tonight? And the best part is – I am not switching up anything. In fact, I am adding Italian sausage or the sweet-spicy chicken sausage 🙂 INGREDIENTS 2 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream 1/3 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought 1 teaspoon dried oregano 8 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dried 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese 1 cup shredded provolone cheese 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes kosher salt and pepper fresh oregano, for serving  {more}

Dinner Tonight: French Onion Soup With A Twist

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The weather turned or as everyone would say, has become ultra unpredictable – where one day it is in the high 80’s and the next, down to the low 50’s.  I would say, I guess this is Fall, but the weather in San Francisco is a toss-up every day of the year. Hardly sun, some sun, wind, and fog – I call it unpredictably consistent. So, I already announced while bolting out of the front door this morning, that we were having soup for dinner. At first I was planning chicken vegetable homemade soup, but now I am leaning towards this French shallot soup, with my twist – and yes a slice of bread included. INGREDIENTS 6 tablespoons salted butter 6 medium shallots, thinly sliced 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar.     {exclude for my recipe} 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour   {exclude for my recipe} 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc 2 quarts low sodium chicken or vegetable broth 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 bay leaves 1 pinch black pepper 6 slices french bread …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Coconut, Sweet Potato Soup

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Who says Keto diet is boring? All of the folks that I have introduced the option to over the past year. But that’s because they complicate the meal prep and then find it frustrating. Cooking is an art, and creating meal plans is a challenge that I welcome in my otherwise very hectic life. Believe it or not, cooking is therapeutic for me, and finding recipes such as this one to switch-up a bit to fit my dietary need is worth every effort once the soup hits the taste pallete. INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed  {Omit for Keto} 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water  {No water if you plan to omit a few ingredients for a Keto friendly meal}  3/4 cup red lentils  {you can keep if  you can stomach lentils} kosher salt 1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk 2 cups baby spinach 2 cups cooked basmati rice  {use shredded chicken instead} 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving fresh Naan, …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Personalized Pizza

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I have a weakness for pizza and could very well eat a personal size one a day – with a variety of toppings. My current favorite pizza places in San Francisco being here for a get-together traditional pizza experience, here for a quick bite to eat at the mall, and here, and here when we venture out of San Francisco and do not have the time to search for a local Yelp reviewed five-star restaurant. The trouble with Pizza is that since I have cut down or eliminated as much as possible, carbs from my diet, I try to minimize the consumption to once a month or twice and maybe three times, but only on a cold and rainy day. 🙂 So when I found this recipe here, I felt the need to  switch-it-up to fit all of my dietary restrictions and I am forcing the family to follow along. INGREDIENTS 1/2 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought {I switched to cauliflower ready-made dough} 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil  1 yellow onion, thinly sliced kosher salt and pepper 3 tablespoons crème fraîche …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Shrimp Cobb Salad

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San Francisco’s Indian summer temps are in full swing this week. Which mean, we can shift our meals to salads, rather than the hearty comfort food we crave during our cold summer months.  Last night, while ordering Chicken cobb salad at one of my favorite restaurants, I realized, I wanted the same thing for dinner tonight – except I aim to swap out the chicken for shrimp, with a few ingredients I am switching up not because of keto, but rather a seasonal thing. This recipe is fine the way it is: INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin Kosher salt 6 cups fresh greens, such as romaine 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 peach or nectarine, thinly sliced   {since peach is out of season, try adding tart green apples} 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled 1 avocado, sliced 6 strips crispy bacon, crumbled 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced JALAPEÑO CORN VINAIGRETTE 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil juice of 2 limes 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon honey  {omit not really necessary} 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 1 pinch kosher salt 1/2 cup fresh corn …

Food: A New Take on Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Whatever this year’s Indian summer is in San Francisco; it seems to last only from noon to four in the afternoon. The rest of the time its been crispy, windy and chilly outdoors and indoors to the point I was actually freezing last night, and needed to bundle up while reading, before turning in for the night. This very chilly morning, I decided it was time to craft soup for dinner  or adjust a few existing recipes to fit my dietary need. So on my hunt for soup recipes, I came across this perfect  one to kick-start the soup season. INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons butter 1 small sweet onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour  (omit for my Keto diet) 2 cups whole milk  (I will use 1 cup coconut milk instead and one can of pure coconut cream ) 2 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth 1 12 ounce pumpkin beer  (This is going to be my cheat, but you can remove it if you wish) 3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving 2 bay leaves 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Roasted Chicken and Burrata

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Here’s what’s happening this week – I have family in town. Which means, there is no deciding or organizing any meal at home. Everything is decided last minute and meals are consumed at any number of wonderful eateries around the city-San Francisco.  Except tonight – where I am left on my own and the meal I prepare will be a healthier variation to the mostly overly salty meals I’ve been having each night since last Thursday.   By the way, this is also the explanation for my lack of posts. I will be on track next week for sure. So, here’s what I’ll be switching up to take my dietary needs into consideration ORIGINAL INGREDIENTS – RECIPE 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (skin on or off, I prefer skin off)  – {sticking to chicken breast, not a fan of thighs} 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper kosher salt and pepper 1/4 cup all-purpose flour   {Not adding any flour} 4 …

Food: Dinner Tonight: Coconut Curry Noodles or Chicken

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I do love coconut curry or around this time of year, butternut squash curry I normally order from my favorite eatery in the city here, and here.  So, here’s whats happened. I assumed we were finally getting our warmer temperatures in the city, but it turns out, we’ve had nothing but cold windy days, overcast, and definitely the feel of Autumn in the air.  Which of course has me craving soups of sorts – and so this recipe for tonight’s dinner: INGREDIENTS 8 ounces rice noodles  {or I’ll add boiled chicken pieces instead of the rice noodles for my diet} 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 sweet onion, diced 2 zucchini, or summer squash, diced 2 ears sweet corn kernels, removed from the cob 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated 2-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste 1 14 ounce can full fat coconut milk 1 tablespoon fish sauce (soy sauce for vegan option)   {not a fan of fish sauce so that will be omitted} 2 teaspoons honey   {not necessary, but it’s all up to you} juice and zest from 1/2 a lime 1/4 cup fresh cilantro OR basil, roughly chopped (use you personal favorite) sliced …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chipotle, Lime Chicken and Fries

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The weather has finally turned for the better in the city – with warm days and SUNSHINE throughout the city and not just downtown. I love this time of the year, when the mornings are crispy cold-ish and the days although shorter are sunny and hot. The only challenge is while other parts of the world are turning to comfort food, or soups to wards off the colder temperatures, we in the city are aiming to cool down by eating all things summer. So I am naturally pretty conscious on how best to proceed with my weekly meal plan, and I think this one will do just fine to half-Keto for me and the original recipe for the family. INGREDIENTS 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped 1 tablespoon honey (cut out for hardcore Keto) 1 teaspoon cumin 2 limes 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated kosher salt and pepper 2 sweet potatoes, cut into matchsticks  (I can cut this portion out for Keto, but I may just cheat today)  2 avocados, lightly mashed 3 heads romaine lettuce …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Skillet Chicken and Peaches

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Growing up in a Mediterranean home meant, fresh seasonal fruits were used to create the most interesting of meals and the tastiest fruit salads to indulge. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found this recipe – which in addition to reminding me of my childhood – is going to be the most talked about dish in our household. In a good way, I can assure you.  Also, pretty Keto friendly if you leave out the rice pilaf I’d consider pairing up with this meal. INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons smoked paprika zest and juice of 1 lemon kosher salt and pepper 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 inch fresh ginger, grated 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth 2 peaches, sliced 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons toasted pistachios, chopped 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese {more}