Ketogenic Diet

Serves 4 / Prep time: 15 minutes/ Cook time: 10 minutes

Anyone who has eaten a grilled cheese sandwich or picked the crispy edges off of a lasagna knows how incredible these cheesy bits taste. That rich golden crisp cheese is what you end up with on your sautéed zucchini when you prepare this recipe. The trick is to let the ingredients sit in the skillet after you add the cheese so it has the chance to melt and lightly caramelize before stirring.

2 tablespoons butter
4 zucchini, cut into
¼-inch-thick rounds
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter.

2. Add the zucchini and sauté until tender and lightly browned,
about 5 minutes.

3. Spread the zucchini evenly in the skillet and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the vegetables.

4. Cook without stirring until the Parmesan cheese is melted and crispy where it touches the skillet, about 5 minutes.

5. Serve.

PAIR WELL WITH 

The crispy bits of cheese are perfect with the lightly caramelized vegetables and are an attractive pairing with most entrées. Paprika Chicken or Lamb Leg with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (page 97) would be delicious with this recipe.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 94; Fat: 8g; Protein: 4g; Carbs: 1g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 1g; Fat 76%/Protein 20%/Carbs 4%

Serves 4 / Prep time: 5 minutes / Cook time: 15 minutes

Mushrooms have an interesting, almost meaty texture, and they tend to soak up all the flavorings in a recipe. Mushrooms are very high in vitamin D, the only vegetable source of this nutrient, and are an excellent source of potassium and selenium. Mushrooms can help reduce your cravings for sweet foods and help prevent spikes
in blood sugar that can cause overeating.

2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound button mushrooms, halved
4 ounces Camembert cheese, diced
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter.

2. Sauté the garlic until translucent about 3 minutes.

3. Sauté the mushrooms until tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the cheese and sauté until melted, about 2 minutes.

5. Season with pepper and serve.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

A somewhat elegant dish like these cheesy mushrooms
deserves to be matched with a gorgeous culinary partner. Very good choices include the Nut-Stuffed Pork Chops (page 92) or Lamb Chops with Kalamata Tapenade.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 161; Fat: 13g; Protein: 9g; Carbs: 4g; Fiber: 1g;
Net Carbs: 3g; Fat 70%/Protein 21%/Carbs 9%

Serves 4 / Prep time: 15 minutes

The pesto recommended for this pretty side is the kale version found on page 131. Kale is touted as a super food for good reason, since this leafy green is very high in fiber, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Kale helps lower cholesterol and reduces your risk for several cancers as well as boosting the immune system and detoxing the body.

4 small zucchini, ends trimmed
¾ cup Herb Kale Pesto (page 133)
¼ cup grated or shredded
Parmesan cheese

1. Use a spiralizer or peeler to cut the zucchini into “noodles” and place them in a medium bowl.

2. Add the pesto and the Parmesan cheese and toss to coat.

3. Serve.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

This is a light side dish that is ready in an instant but packs a
great deal of flavor. Try a simply flavored entrée to complement the freshness of the zucchini noodles, such as Pan-Seared Halibut with Citrus Butter Sauce or Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Racks (page 96).

PER SERVING 

Calories: 93; Fat: 8g; Protein: 4g; Carbs: 2g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 2g; Fat 70%/Protein 15%/Carbs 8%

Serves 8 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 15 minutes

Celeriac has a parsley-like flavor and fresh scent under its gnarled skin. This root vegetable is a good source of phosphorus, potassium, fiber, iron, and vitamin C. It is also very low in calories, about 40 calories per cup.

8 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup shredded acorn squash
1 cup shredded raw celeriac
2 tablespoons grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
Sea salt

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy,
about 5 minutes.

2. While the bacon is cooking, in a large bowl, mix together the squash,
celeriac, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and thyme. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper, and set aside.

3. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon to the rosti mixture and stir to incorporate.

4. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the skillet and add
the butter.

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and transfer the rosti mixture to the skillet and spread it out evenly to form a large round patty about 1 inch thick.

6. Cook until the bottom of the rosti is golden brown and crisp, about
5 minutes.

7. Flip the rosti over and cook until the other side is crispy and the middle is cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

8. Remove the skillet from the heat and cut the rosti into 8 pieces.

9. Serve.

PAIRS WELL WITH 

Rosti is great with comfort food. Serve with Turkey Meatloaf
(page 88) or Lamb Leg with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (page 97).

PER SERVING 

Calories: 171; Fat: 15g; Protein: 5g; Carbs: 3g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 3g; Fat 81%/Protein 12%/Carbs 7%

Pumpkin Spice Fat Bombs

Creamy Banana Fat Bombs

Blueberry Fat Bombs

Spiced-Chocolate Fat Bombs

Chocolate-Coconut Treats

Almond Butter Fudge

Nutty Shortbread Cookies

Vanilla-Almond Ice Pops

Raspberry Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Mousse

Makes 16 fat bombs / Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling time

Pumpkin is a natural choice for desserts, especially those that also include warm spices reminiscent of holiday pumpkin pie. Like its vegetable counterpart, carrots, the bright orange flesh of pumpkin indicates it is a stellar source of beta-carotene. Pumpkin is also very high in vitamins A and C as well as potassium, making this pretty ingredient perfect for flushing toxins from your body and fighting cancer.

½ cup butter, at room temperature
½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
⅓ cup pure pumpkin purée
3 tablespoons chopped almonds
4 drops liquid stevia
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and cream cheese until
very smooth.

3. Add the pumpkin purée and whisk until blended.

4. Stir in the almonds, stevia, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

5. Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the pan. Use a spatula or the back of
a spoon to spread it evenly in the pan, then place it in the freezer for
about 1 hour.

6. Cut into 16 pieces and store the fat bombs in a tightly sealed container in the freezer until ready to serve.

PER SERVING (1 FAT BOMB) 

Calories: 87; Fat: 9g; Protein: 1g; Carbs: 1g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 1g; Fat 90%/Protein 5%/Carbs 5%

Makes 12 fat bombs / Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling time

Banana-flavored desserts are a strange combination of exotic and comforting, as well as undeniably delicious. Fat bombs fall into savory or sweet categories, with these being on the sweeter side, but you can reduce the amount of sweetener if you want a less dessert-like experience. A sprinkling of shredded toasted coconut would
top off these fat bombs beautifully.

1 & ¼ cups cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 tablespoon pure banana extract
6 drops liquid stevia

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, heavy cream, banana extract, and stevia until smooth and very thick, about 5 minutes.

3. Gently spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet in mounds, leaving some space between each mound, and place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.

4. Store the fat bombs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up
to 1 week.

A CLOSER LOOK 

Banana extract does have alcohol in it, but there is very little in each fat bomb, so they can be used on occasion for treats. You can use vanilla
extract or almond extract, as well.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 134; Fat: 12g; Protein: 3g; Carbs: 1g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 1g; Fat 88%/Protein 9%/Carbs 3%

Makes 12 fat bombs / Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 3 hours chilling time

The color of these fat bombs is a distinct blue, which you might find startling because very few foods are blue. Frozen unsweetened berries will work if fresh are not available or in season: Just thaw the frozen fruit first. If your area has wild blueberries, utilize these smaller berries because they have a significantly higher level of antioxidants than cultivated blueberries.

½ cup coconut oil, at room temperature
½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup blueberries, mashed with a fork
6 drops liquid stevia
Pinch ground nutmeg

1. Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut oil and cream cheese until
well blended.

3. Stir in the blueberries, stevia, and nutmeg until combined.

4. Divide the blueberry mixture into the muffin cups and place the tray in the freezer until set, about 3 hours.

5. Place the fat bombs in an airtight container and store in the freezer until you wish to eat them.

PER SERVING 

Calories: 115; Fat: 12g; Protein: 1g; Carbs: 1g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 1g; Fat 94%/Protein 3%/Carbs 3%

Makes 12 fat bombs / Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 15 minutes chilling time / Cook time: 4 minutes

Good-quality cocoa powder is an acceptable ingredient on the keto diet, which means you can still enjoy a chocolate dessert and snack when you need a fix. Dark chocolate such as cocoa is very high in manganese, magnesium, copper, iron, and fiber as well as antioxidants, which fight free radicals in the body. Dark chocolate has been found to help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and improve cognitive function.

¾ cup coconut oil
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup almond butter
⅛ teaspoon chili powder
3 drops liquid stevia

1. Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

2. Put a small saucepan over low heat and add the coconut oil, cocoa powder, almond butter, chili powder, and stevia.

3. Heat until the coconut oil is melted, then whisk to blend.

4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups and place the tin in the refrigerator until the bombs are firm, about 15 minutes.

5. Transfer the cups to an airtight container and store the fat bombs in the freezer until you want to serve them.

PER SERVING (1 FAT BOMB) 

Calories: 117; Fat: 12g; Protein: 2g; Carbs: 2g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 2g; Fat 92%/Protein 4%/Carbs 4%

Makes 16 treats / Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling time /
Cook time: 3 minutes

Chocolate and coconut is a flawless combination often found in candy bars and many desserts. If you want a more elegant presentation, omit the coconut in step 3 and roll the semihardened chocolate mixture into balls instead of spreading it in a pan. Then roll the balls in the shredded coconut and place the treats in the freezer to firm up completely.

⅓ cup coconut oil
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 drops liquid stevia
Pinch sea salt
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Line a 6-by-6-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together the coconut oil, cocoa,
stevia, and salt for about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the coconut and press the mixture into the baking dish.

4. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator until the mixture is hard, about 30 minutes.

5. Cut into 16 pieces and store the treats in an airtight container in a cool place.

PREP TIP 

For a more finished look, you can spoon the hot mixture into candy
molds instead of a baking dish. Pop the molds in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until firm and pop the treats out into a container.

PER SERVING (1 TREAT) 

Calories: 43; Fat: 5g; Protein: 1g; Carbs: 1g; Fiber: 0g;
Net Carbs: 1g; Fat 88%/Protein 6%/Carbs 6%