by Leanne Vogel
If dairy is part of your keto diet, feel free to use an equal amount of shredded cheddar or Parmesan cheese in place of the nutritional yeast.
If you don’t want to make or buy cream cheese for this recipe, swap out the cream cheese for mayonnaise (here).
BAGELS:
2 tablespoons coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee
2 small white onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds (910 g) ground pork
2 large eggs
½ cup (120 ml) tomato sauce
½ cup (35 g) nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons paprika
1½ teaspoons finely ground sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
SANDWICH FILLINGS:
¾ cup (6 oz/205 g) chive and onion cream cheese (dairy-free or regular)
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
6 ounces (170 g) sliced deli ham, chicken, or turkey
1 cup (50 g) alfalfa sprouts
1. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes, or until fragrant.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Place the ground pork, eggs, tomato sauce, nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the onions are cooked, add them to the bowl and mix with your hands until fully incorporated.
4. Divide the meat mixture into 12 equal portions. Taking one portion at a time, roll it into a ball between your hands and press onto the lined baking sheet. Use your fingers to shape the meat mixture into a circle, keeping the thickness to about ½ inch (1.25 cm), then use your pointer finger to create a 1½-inch (4-cm) hole in the middle of the patty. Repeat with remaining meat mixture to make a total of 12 bagels, placing 6 bagels on each baking sheet.
5. Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pans for 30 minutes before assembling the sandwiches.
7. To assemble, spread 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese on one of the bagels. Layer on one-sixth of the cucumber slices, followed by 1 ounce (28 g) of deli meat, finishing with one-sixth of the sprouts. Top with a second bagel and repeat with remaining ingredients to make a total of 6 bagel sandwiches.
MAKE IT AT HOME
Replace store-bought chive and onion cream cheese with my homemade dairy-free version.
Chive & Onion Cream Cheese
Per bagel sandwich, made with coconut oil and homemade Chive & Onion Cream Cheese:
calories: 670 | calories from fat: 365 | total fat: 41 g | saturated fat: 14.7 g | cholesterol: 266 mg
sodium: 1134 mg | carbs: 14.7 g | dietary fiber: 3.7 g | net carbs: 11 g | sugars: 3 g | protein: 60.7 g
FAT:
55%
CARBS:
9%
PROTEIN:
36%
STORE IT: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The bagels can be frozen for up to 1 month.
THAW IT: Place the bagels in the fridge and allow to defrost completely before using.
make it COCONUT-FREE:
Use avocado oil or ghee.
make it DAIRY-FREE:
Do not use ghee. Use dairy-free cream cheese.
make it LOW-FODMAP:
Omit the sautéed onions and garlic.
make it NIGHTSHADE-FREE:
Replace the tomato sauce with your favorite creamy salad dressing or ¼ cup (55 g) mayonnaise. Omit the paprika.
BLT-STUFFED AVOCADOS
COCONUT-FREE • DAIRY-FREE • EGG-FREE • NUT-FREE
OPTIONS: AIP • NIGHTSHADE-FREE
SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes (not including time to cook bacon)
COOK TIME: —
This recipe is filled with all the favorites, but you can have fun with it and stuff the avocados with whatever you have kicking around. I add rotisserie chicken to my BLT mix to make it extra hearty. If you don’t have rotisserie chicken, any leftover cooked chicken will do the trick. You can use any salad dressing you like, creamy or vinaigrette style, store-bought or homemade. My favorite homemade dressings for this recipe are Herby Vinaigrette & Marinade (here), Lemon Turmeric Dressing & Marinade (here), and Ranch Dressing (here).
1 (1½-lb/680-g) rotisserie chicken
4 lettuce leaves, chopped
4 strips bacon (about 4 oz/112 g), cooked until crispy and crumbled
1 small tomato, diced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 medium Hass avocados, peeled and pitted (about 16 oz/455 g of flesh)
½ cup (120 ml) salad dressing of choice
1. Remove the chicken skin and meat from the bones, then chop or tear the meat and skin into bite-sized pieces. Put the pieces of chicken and skin in a medium-sized bowl. Add the lettuce, bacon, tomato, and pepper and toss to combine.
2. Cut the avocados in half horizontally, remove the pits, and place on a clean plate. Open them up like burger buns, leaving 8 exposed avocado halves ready to be filled.
3. Stuff the avocado halves with the filling mixture. Drizzle each stuffed avocado with 1 tablespoon of dressing and enjoy immediately.
STORE IT: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not stuff the avocados with the BLT filling mixture or drizzle with the dressing until ready to serve.
make it AIP:
Omit the tomato and black pepper.
make it NIGHTSHADE-FREE:
Omit the tomato.
Per serving, made with Herby Vinaigrette & Marinade:
calories: 675 | calories from fat: 394 | total fat: 44 g | saturated fat: 9.8 g | cholesterol: 155 mg
sodium: 1360 mg | carbs: 15.6 g | dietary fiber: 8.2 g | net carbs: 7.4 g | sugars: 1.3 g | protein: 54.2 g
FAT:
59%
CARBS:
9%
PROTEIN:
32%
BROCCOLI TABBOULEH WITH GREEK CHICKEN THIGHS
COCONUT-FREE • DAIRY-FREE • EGG-FREE • NUT-FREE
OPTIONS: AIP • NIGHTSHADE-FREE
SERVES 6
PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus 4 hours to marinate chicken
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
Chopping the broccoli in two batches ensures that the florets are broken down perfectly for this quick salad. Serve it with the Greek chicken or go without. Either way, you’ll love it!
If you have a batch of Herby Vinaigrette & Marinade (here) in the fridge, you can marinate the chicken in ½ cup (120 ml) of that instead.
GREEK CHICKEN THIGHS:
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2½ lbs/1.2 kg)
¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
TABBOULEH:
½ cup (120 ml) avocado oil
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
6 cups (425 g) broccoli florets
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
1. Place the chicken thighs, oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and oregano in a dish. Turn the thighs in the mixture to coat, then cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 4 hours or overnight.
2. When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Place the chicken on the lined baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear.
4. Meanwhile, make the tabbouleh: Place th
e oil, lemon juice, garlic, green onions, mint, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix until incorporated.
5. Place half of the broccoli florets in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the pieces are ⅛ inch (3 mm) in size. Transfer the pieces to the large mixing bowl and repeat with the remaining broccoli florets.
6. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley to the bowl with the other tabbouleh ingredients and toss until fully incorporated.
7. Serve the tabbouleh with the chicken thighs.
STORE IT: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The chicken can be frozen for up to 1 month.
REHEAT IT: Place a single serving of the chicken in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and microwave for 2 minutes, or place in a frying pan with a drop of oil, cover, and reheat over medium heat for 5 minutes. Serve with the cold tabbouleh.
THAW IT: Place the chicken in the fridge and allow to defrost completely, then follow the reheating instructions above.
make it AIP/NIGHTSHADE-FREE:
Replace the tomatoes with 1 large zucchini, diced.
Per serving:
calories: 779 | calories from fat: 592 | total fat: 65.8 g | saturated fat: 14.3 g | cholesterol: 196 mg
sodium: 300 mg | carbs: 11.2 g | dietary fiber: 4.1 g | net carbs: 7.1 g | sugars: 4.1 g | protein: 35.5 g
FAT:
76%
CARBS:
6%
PROTEIN:
18%
PAPRIKA CHICKEN SANDWICHES
DAIRY-FREE • NUT-FREE
OPTIONS: COCONUT-FREE • EGG-FREE • NIGHTSHADE-FREE
MAKES 4 sandwiches (1 per serving)
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
The concept here is pounded chicken thighs used as “bread” for sandwiches. If you don’t like the fillings, switch them up! You could also try swapping out the sauce for ¼ cup (60 ml) of Green Speckled Dressing (here) or Ranch Dressing (here).
BUNS:
2 pounds (910 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup (55 g) coconut oil, or ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil
SAUCE:
⅓ cup (70 g) mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
SANDWICH FILLINGS:
½ cup (35 g) fresh spinach
8 fresh basil leaves
4 ounces (115 g) salami, sliced
1. Place the chicken thighs on a sheet of parchment paper. (Note: If your package of chicken thighs did not give you 8 thighs, cut the largest thigh[s] in half until you have 8 pieces.) Using a meat mallet, pound the thighs until they’re ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook for another 10 minutes, or until both sides are golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Place the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
4. When the chicken is done, divide evenly among 4 plates, 2 pieces per plate.
5. To assemble, spread one-quarter of the sauce on one piece of chicken on each plate, then top each sauced chicken piece with one-quarter of the spinach, 2 basil leaves, and 1 ounce (28 g) of salami. Top with the second chicken piece to make sandwiches.
MAKE IT AT HOME
Replace store-bought mayonnaise with my homemade version.
Mayonnaise
STORE IT: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
PREP AHEAD: Prepare the chicken “buns” a couple of days ahead and put your sandwiches together when ready to enjoy.
make it COCONUT-FREE:
Use avocado oil.
make it EGG-FREE:
Use egg-free mayonnaise (see recipe on here).
make it NIGHTSHADE-FREE:
Omit the paprika.
Per sandwich, made with coconut oil and homemade mayonnaise:
calories: 870 | calories from fat: 649 | total fat: 72.1 g | saturated fat: 35.8 g | cholesterol: 243 mg
sodium: 1022 mg | carbs: 3 g | dietary fiber: 0.8 g | net carbs: 2.2 g | sugars: 1.1 g | protein: 52.3 g
FAT:
75%
CARBS:
1%
PROTEIN:
24%
7.
DINNER
CRISPY THIGHS & MASH / 198
NOODLES & GLAZED SALMON / 200
SCALLOPS & MOZZA BROCCOLI MASH / 202
BBQ BEEF & SLAW / 204
CREAM OF MUSHROOM–STUFFED CHICKEN / 206
CRISPY PORK WITH LEMON-THYME CAULI RICE / 208
ONE-POT PORKY KALE / 210
SALMON & KALE / 212
CREAMY SPINACH ZUCCHINI BOATS / 214
MY FAVORITE CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN / 216
CHICKEN LAKSA / 218
SUPER CHEESY SALMON ZOODLES / 220
EPIC CAULIFLOWER NACHO PLATE / 222
SHHH SLIDERS / 224
SHRIMP CURRY / 226
CABBAGE & SAUSAGE WITH BACON / 228
SECRET STUFFED PEPPERS / 230
SHRIMP FRY / 232
ROASTED BROCCOLI & MEAT SAUCE / 234
CHEESY MEATBALLS & NOODLES / 236
ZUCCHINI LASAGNA / 238
MEXICAN MEATZZA / 240
NOODLE BAKE / 242
BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED CHICKEN / 244
ONE-POT STUFFIN’ / 246
SOUTHERN PULLED PORK “SPAGHETTI” / 248
SWEET BEEF CURRY / 250
OPEN-FACED TACOS / 252
BREADED SHRIMP SALAD / 254
SHREDDED MOJO PORK WITH AVOCADO SALAD / 256
CRISPY THIGHS & MASH
EGG-FREE • NIGHTSHADE-FREE • NUT-FREE
OPTIONS: AIP • COCONUT-FREE • DAIRY-FREE
SERVES 6
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
I love making this dish whenever we’re in need of that stick-to-the-ribs feeling after a meal. Why the two different types of oil in this recipe? The chicken thighs will crisp up nicely because avocado oil has a higher smoke point than other oil choices. And the butternut mash will taste better if made with a butter-like oil, such as ghee or coconut oil—preferably butter-flavored coconut oil. If you can do butter, swap it in! If you have only one type of oil, use it and chow down.
This dish is awesome drizzled with Ranch Dressing (here).
CRISPY CHICKEN:
6 small or 3 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb/455 g)
¼ cup (60 ml) melted coconut oil or avocado oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
BUTTERNUT MASH:
1 medium butternut squash (about 1¼ lbs/570 g)
2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅓ cup (80 ml) milk (nondairy or regular)
1½ tablespoons chicken bone broth
1. Cook the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). If using large chicken thighs, cut them in half to make 6 pieces. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the oil over the thighs and dust them with the spices. Turn the thighs until they’re fully coated in the oil and spices. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Cut the chicken into ½-inch (1.25-cm) slices.
2. Meanwhile, make the mash: Peel and seed the squash, then cut the flesh into cubes. Measure 3 cups (455 g) of the cubes for the mash; store any remaining squash in the fridge for another use.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the squash, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the squash is lightly browned. Add the milk and broth, cover, and continue to cook for 15
minutes, or until the squash is soft enough to mash easily. When the squash is done, mash it with the back of a fork right there in the pan.
4. To serve, divide the mash among 6 dinner plates. Top each portion with an equal amount of the sliced chicken thighs and enjoy!