Recipes

December 22, 2017December 25, 2022

Keto Eggnog – for the holidays

This recipe is posted as a courtesy to those following a variety of low-carb and ketogenic diets (not necessarily Meal Plans designed by me). This recipe may or may not be appropriate for you.

What would the holidays be without eggnog? I’m not talking about the artificially yellow-coloured, carrageenan-thickened beverage from the supermarket, but real eggnog rich with egg yolks and heavy cream. That’s what I’m taking about!

Whether its for Christmas Eve, New Years, or Thanksgiving eggnog embodies the holidays.

According to Statistics Canada, during the 2014 holiday season, Canadians drank ~5.3 million litres of commercially made ‘eggnog’, but apparently a decade ago, it was closer to 8 million litres! Perhaps the mistaken belief that saturated fat is ‘bad’ for us has led to the decline, or maybe it is simply that the commercial-prepared substitute pales in comparison to real eggnog.

The National Dairy Code defines eggnog as;

“food made from milk and cream containing milk and cream which has been flavoured and sweetened. The food shall contain not less than 3.25 per cent milk fat and not less than 23 per cent total solids.”

Milk and cream?

Real eggnog is made from lots of egg yolks and cream – heavy cream and light cream. It is delicately flavoured with freshly grated nutmeg and some also add a hint of real vanilla extract (made from vanilla beans, soaked in vodka) and yes, it is often served liberally mixed with rum.

In days gone by, eggnog was made from raw egg yolks, but my recipe cooks the egg yolks over a double boiler then holds them at a high enough heat to make them safe. It is lightly sweetened and then blended with cream and spices and placed in a glass milk bottle, until well chilled. Yes, it is enjoyed with real rum (carb free).

Here is my recipe for eggnog – just in time for the holidays!

Keto Eggnog

6 egg yolks, large (from free range chickens, bright yellow yolks)
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
1/4 cup of Swerve® or Xyla® brand sweetener (erythritol)
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 litre coffee cream (10% BF) – also called “half and half”

In the top of a double boiler (not over hot water), whisk the egg yolks, heavy cream and erythritol sweetener to blend well.
Bring water in the bottom of the double boiler to a gentle boil and place the top part, with the eggs on top. From this point on, whisk constantly without stopping (otherwise you will have scrambled eggs).
Whisk vigorously and constantly until the mixture is thickened and keep whisking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture reads 140°F for 3 minutes or longer. This pasteurizes the eggs, so be sure to follow this step well. The mixture should be thick enough to completely coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the top part of the double boiler and keep whisking the mixture a little while longer, as it begins to cool down.
Add the freshly grated nutmeg (and splash of real vanilla, if using) and whisk another 2 minutes or so, as the mixture continues to cool.

6. When the mixture has reached room temperature, gently whisk in the coffee cream and place in a glass milk bottle or glass pitcher with a tight fitting cover, so the eggnog doesn’t absorb the smells of other foods in the fridge. Allow the eggnog to chill thoroughly before serving (with or without rum).

Enjoy!

Joy

Note (December 19, 2021): cream in different parts of the world is called by different names. This table should help.

Homemade Eggnog (photo added December 20, 2019)

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Reference

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/egg-nog-christmas-drink-alcohol-eggs-milk-fink-1.3871400

October 18, 2017December 25, 2022

Low Carb New York Style Chocolate Cheesecake

This recipe is posted as a courtesy to those following a variety of low-carb and ketogenic diets (not necessarily Meal Plans designed by me). This recipe may or may not be appropriate for you.

August 4 2019 update: a smaller version of this as a Marble New York Cheesecake is available here.

Some people think of Dietitians as the healthcare professional that is going to take all the fun out of life. We’re going to advise you to eat carrots, when everyone else is eating cheesecake. That is not how I practice. Even when I taught a higher carb style of eating, I always believed there were “everyday foods” and “sometimes foods” and never believed in forbidding any food (unless serious food allergies were involved). For me it’s always been about how much and how often we eat something.

If you’ve been following my blogs for a while, you know that I don’t believe in eating unlimited amounts of any type of foods or restricting any food groups. Yes, I recommend people eat carbs in vegetables, nuts and seeds, certain dairy and some fruit and legumes, if tolerated. I encourage eating a wide range of healthy fat, including that found in the protein sources, animal proteins, and plant-based fats such as olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil.

But what about sweets? Where do they fit in?

I do think there are times where celebrating a special occasion warrants making something special that contains carbs, fat and protein beyond what we usually eat. I am not the Grinch of holidays or celebrations!

I encourage people to plan for eating the treats by knowing the macronutrient content in it (amount of protein, fat and carbs in grams) and subtracting that from their Meal Plan ahead of time. This rarely necessitates people eating more than they usually do because the foods themselves, if well planned, can take the place of a meal. If it means that someone eats “Pumpkin Pie without the Pie” (crust-less low carb pumpkin custard) instead of supper, so be it! The net carbs from the pumpkin itself minus the fiber aren’t that high, and the eggs and cream inside the custard filling serve as the protein source for the meal, and the rest is fat. So? What’s wrong with that?

Tonight is one of those occasions that a special treat was warranted. One of my sons has been wanting New York style cheesecake since he began eating low carb high healthy fat with me, 7 months ago and today I baked him one! It is creamy and rich with all the mouth-feel one expects from New York Cheesecake from the cream cheese, egg and egg yolks. It has real Swiss dark chocolate and homemade vanilla extract, made from real vanilla beans soaked in Russian vodka. It has a little hint of sweet, because after all, it is for a special occasion! Should he choose to (or rather if he were even able to) he could eat the entire 8 1/2″ cheese cake and not exceed his daily carbs! I can assure you, he will try! And who could blame him?

Low Carb New York Style Cheesecake

Ingredients

Five 250 g (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cup monk fruit erythritol granulated sweetener
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp real vanilla
5 lg eggs, plus two egg yolks, room temperature
200 gm (3.5 oz.) 85% cocoa Swiss dark chocolate, melted in a double boiler

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 500 F.

Prepare an 8 1/2 or 9″ spring-form pan by lining with parchment paper and spraying well with an oil spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the flat paddle or by hand, beat the cream cheese until very well blended and add the eggs one at a time, continuing to blend. Add the egg yolks, then the salt, granulated erythritol, and real vanilla.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the melted, cooled chocolate.

Bake at 500°F for 12 minutes, then lower the heat to 200° F and make for another 45 minutes.

(UPDATE December 2020) I now bake it at 350°F for 55 minutes then turn off the oven and let it cool inside, so it doesn’t crack. I find the texture much better this way.)

Turn off the heat of the oven and open the door, but leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes until partially cooled.

Then move it to a draught-free location to completely cool.

Enjoy!

Based on 1/12 of the cheesecake, the macronutrient content is as follows;

Carbohydrates: 1 g
Protein: 17 g
Fat: 46 g

If you would like to read well-researched, credible ”Science Made Simple” articles on the use of a low carb or ketogenic diet for weight loss, as well as to significantly improve and even reverse the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol and other metabolic-related symptoms, please click here.

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October 2, 2017July 8, 2019

ACV Gingeraid Recipe with Variations – food as medicine

In both a recent A Dietitian’s Journey entry (Food as Medicine – dramatically lower blood sugar) and an academic article (Food as Medicine to Lower Blood Glucose – scientific support), I discussed the use of- and scientific basis for consuming beverages containing apple cider vinegar, ginger, turmeric root, and kombucha in lowering blood sugar levels. In this post, I provide the recipe for “ACV Gingeraid” along with the different variations mentioned in the above-mentioned articles.

These beverages are most effective in lowering blood glucose when drunk immediately after a meal containing carbohydrates and nightly, before bed.

NOTE: Given the possibility of these ordinary foods resulting in a dramatic drop in blood sugar, if you are taking any medication, especially for controlling high blood sugar, check with your doctor before adding any of these foods to your diet.

ACV Gingeraid – basic recipe

1 litre water, carbonated (or use Club Soda/Seltzer)

2 tsp apple cider vinegar, unpasteurized, unfiltered

1 tsp ginger root, washed, peeled, freshly grated

In a 1 litre of carbonated water (Club Soda/Seltzer), add 2 tsp of unpasteurized, unfiltered apple cider vinegar such as Braggs®. Allen’s® also makes one, but read the labels carefully, as their regular apple cider vinegar is pasteurized and hence does not contain the “mother”, or culture. Using a very fine grater, grate a 1″ x 1″ knob of washed and peeled ginger root and add it to the acidulated water. Cover tightly and chill if desired, before drinking or drink at room temperature.

Turmeric ACV Gingeraid

1 litre water, carbonated (or use Club Soda/Seltzer)

2 tsp apple cider vinegar, unpasteurized, unfiltered

1 tsp ginger root, washed, peeled, freshly grated

1/2 tsp turmeric root, peeled, freshly grated

1/8 tsp black pepper corns, freshly ground

In a 1 litre of carbonated water (Club Soda/Seltzer), add 2 tsp of unpasteurized, unfiltered apple cider vinegar such as Braggs® or Allen’s® unpasteurized. Using a very fine grater, grate a 1″ x 1″ knob of washed and peeled ginger root and add it to the acidulated water. Using a polyethylene kitchen glove or plastic sandwich bag on the hand holding the turmeric root, on the same grater, grate a 1/2″ by 1/2″ piece of turmeric root and add it to the Gingeraid. Add a few grindings of freshly ground black pepper (increases bioavailability of turmeric, due to it containing piperine). Cover tightly and chill if desired, before drinking or drink at room temperature.

Kombucha – ACV Gingeraid

1/2 litre water, carbonated (or use Club Soda/Seltzer)

1/2 liter Kombucha

2 tsp apple cider vinegar, unpasteurized, unfiltered

1 tsp ginger root, washed, peeled, freshly grated

In a 1 litre bottle suitable for carbonated drinks, add the carbonated water (Club Soda/Seltzer) and Kombucha (any flavour). Be sure to choose brands with as few carbohydrates as possible, or brew your own using a low sugar recipe.

To this mixture, add 2 tsp of unpasteurized, unfiltered apple cider vinegar such as Braggs® or Allen’s® unpasteurized.

Using a very fine grater, grate a 1″ x 1″ knob of washed and peeled ginger root and add it to the acidulated water.

Cover tightly and chill if desired, before drinking or drink at room temperature.

By changing the fruit that the second fermentation of Kombucha is made with, the flavour changes substantially. The fructose in the fruit is largely consumed by the acetic acid bacteria during the second fermentation.

Turmeric Kombucha – ACV Gingeraid

1/2 litre water, carbonated (or use Club Soda/Seltzer)

1/2 liter Kombucha

2 tsp apple cider vinegar, unpasteurized, unfiltered

1 tsp ginger root, washed, peeled, freshly grated

1/2 tsp turmeric root, peeled, freshly grated

1/8 tsp black pepper corns, freshly ground

To this mixture, add 2 tsp of unpasteurized, unfiltered apple cider vinegar such as Braggs® or Allen’s® unpasteurized.

Using a very fine grater, grate a 1″ x 1″ knob of washed and peeled ginger root and add it to the acidulated water. Using a polyethylene kitchen glove or plastic sandwich bag on the hand holding the turmeric root, on the same grater, grate a 1/2″ by 1/2″ piece of turmeric root and add it to the Gingeraid. Add a few grindings of freshly ground black pepper (for the piperine, see above)

Cover tightly and chill if desired, before drinking or drink at room temperature.

Enjoy!

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August 8, 2017December 15, 2021

Low Carb Beer Batter Fish

This recipe is posted as a courtesy to those following a variety of low-carb and ketogenic diets (not necessarily Meal Plans designed by me). This recipe may or may not be appropriate for you.

I have been asked so many times for this recipe, that I’ve decided to post it and while this isn’t everyday fare for me, one of my sons would eat it as often as I would make it. There is a local fish and chips place right on the Pacific Ocean and I’ve been told this easily rivals theirs.

Have a look:

The batter is light and crispy – like the best tempura batter.

In fact, when I make fish this way, I dip slices of zucchini in the leftover batter, and make a deep fried side to go with it. I mean, why not? Once you’re frying, might as well, right?

This is definitely not “everyday food” but “sometimes food”, but oh, is it good!

I fry in cold-expressed virgin coconut oil, as it has a high smoke point and unlike commercial refined seed oils like grapeseed, soybean, sunflower, safflower and corn oil, cold-expressed virgin coconut oil doesn’t produce Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs), which can cause oxidative damage to cells in the body.

I heat the coconut oil to between 160-170 °C or 320-340 °F, which is hot enough that a piece of batter dipped vegetable begins to puff and get golden quickly, but still allows some frying time for the internal parts to be fully cooked.

My favorite fish to fry this way is fresh Pacific Cod loins, but even defrosted Haddock Loins come out pretty good, if defrosted in the fridge until ~80% thawed, then pressed dry with a paper towel prior to dipping in batter, to get the excess water out.

Okay, enough background…here’s the recipe.

Low Carb Fish and Vegetable Beer Batter

11 Tbsp unflavoured Whey Protein Isolate powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt, ground
1 tsp guar gum (or xanthan gum)
3 eggs, large, free-range, beaten well
3 Tbsp low carb beer (such as Sleeman Clear 2.0) or sparkling water (Club Soda, Seltzer)

Cooking Instructions

Slice 6 cod or haddock loins in half and pat dry well with a paper towel.
Cut one or two firm slender zucchini into 1/8″ (1/3 cm) slices.
Heat the coconut oil in a heavy pot until between 320-340 °F. (160-170 °C). Make sure there it is deep enough that the thickest piece of battered fish can float.
Mix all the batter ingredients together in a wide, shallow bowl and whisk well for a minute or two, to make sure there are no lumps. (You can’t toughen the batter, as there is no gluten!) The batter should be a light creamy yellow.
When the coconut oil is hot enough, dip your zucchini (and/or other vegetables) and fry first on one side and then the other and set aside on a plate lined with several paper lunch bags, to absorb the excess fat. Don’t over cook. Be sure to whisk your batter back together for 20 seconds or so before dipping the fish to ensure the perfect consistency.
Dip your dried, cut fish loins in the batter and coat well on both sides, and fry in the coconut oil until the batter is golden brown on the first side. Flip each piece over gently and fry on the second side, until the fish is cooked in the middle and a golden and crisp.*Don’t overcrowd the pot, as it will cause the oil temperature to decrease to much, and your fish will be greasy. I fry two pieces at a time in a 10″ (25 cm) pot.
Transfer each piece to a plate lined with paper lunch bags, to absorb the excess oil.

Enjoy!

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