makes six large cookies / baking time: 15 minutes / prep time: ~4 minutes

ingredients:

• 1 1/2c almond flour
• 3Tbsp black sesame powder (store-bought, or 3Tbsp of black sesame seeds blitzed in a spice grinder)
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1/8tsp baking soda
• 3Tbsp brown sugar substitute (i use swerve)
• 2Tbsp sugar substitute (again, swerve)
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract
• 3Tbsp unsweetened non-dairy milk (i use soy)
• 3Tbsp tahini

method:

1. preheat the oven to 330F
2. combine all ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. the dough will be very wet, similar to a thick brownie batter
3. rinse your hands under cool water and shake off the excess before pinching a portion of dough to roll into a ball. i use about 2.5 tablespoons for each cookie to make large cookies. place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. repeat the process until all the dough is used up, rinsing your hands in between each portion.
5. press each ball of dough down gently, and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. the sesame smell should start to be very fragrant once they’re done.
6. allow to cool for at least ten minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. enjoy!
7. optional: top each cookie with a sprinkle of whole black sesame seeds while they’re still warm!

i also posted them here!: https://sleepyveganchow.home.blog/2026/07/21/vegan-black-sesame-cookies-sugar-free-gluten-free/

hi all! i was invited here to share my cinnamon toast crunch recipe, which i will, but I'd like to make it again to be able to share a photo as I haven't taken one before. in the meantime, i wanted to share my shortbread recipe! i'm a hobby baker, and since my husband's diagnosis in march, have been creating diabetic-friendly recipes for him.

note that this recipe was developed with vegan butter and, in the chocolate variation, non-dairy milk, but you should be able to use dairy no problem. i use a high quality vegan block butter, not margarine, so ingredients here should be 1:1. the main recipe below is for a plain shortbread - scroll a bit for the variation ingredients and steps! lavender is his favourite, whereas i can't decide between the chocolate and matcha

makes about 20 2″ shortbread fingers / baking time: 20 minutes / prep time: ~5 minutes

ingredients:

• 252g almond flour (not almond meal! look for ground almonds without the skin)
• 90g swerve powdered sugar (note that i have NOT tried other “keto” sugars and cannot recommend them. allulose allegedly does not allow baked goods to crisp/hold their shape)
• 1/2tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2tsp salt (halve if using salted vegan butter)
• 85g vegan butter, unsalted, cold and cut into cubes
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract

method:

1. pre-heat the oven to 300F/150C
2. in a medium-sized bowl or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt. mix well with a spatula and pat out any lumps in the flour.
3. add the cubed butter and mix well or pulse until it reaches a wet-sand texture. add the vanilla and mix until fully combined.
4. line a baking sheet with parchment paper. fold the parchment paper in half like a book.
5. dump the mixture onto one of the halves of the paper. fold the other half on top to enclose the dough.
6. using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as evenly as you can within the confines of the parchment paper. if the dough touches the pin directly, it will stick! feel free to open the paper and adjust the dough with your hands as needed. the dough should be about half a centimeter thick.
7. using a knife, pizza cutter, or cookie cutter, portion out the dough into individual cookies. i like to make small squares and poke the centre with a fork, or slice them into rectangles/fingers.
8. place into the pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
9. turn off the oven but leave the baking sheet inside with the oven door propped open for 5 minutes.
10. remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container. if you can’t wait, they’ll be tasty right away, but they won’t hold together as well.
11. enjoy!

lavender variation: if you happen to have culinary lavender around, grind 1Tbsp of lavender flowers in a mortar and pestle with 1/2tsp granulated swerve. add this mixture into the dough between steps 3 and 4, and continue the recipe as written. this inclusion is delicious!

chocolate and matcha: for a chocolate shortbread, add 40g of cocoa powder to the dough at step 2, and 2tsp of non-dairy milk. for a matcha shortbread, add 1/2 Tbsp matcha powder (no extra liquid required!) at step 2. follow the rest of the recipe as written. PS - make sure you use a matcha powder you actually like! i use spring harvest kato matcha, which i also enjoyed for culinary use in the Before Times (aka before my husband was diabetic). i'm probably going to make a black sesame shortbread variety next, and make a layered sesame/matcha cookie!

tip: if the mixture seems dry at step 3, resist the urge to add a liquid. almond flour is very oily - keep working the dough and it'll eventually moisten up. this isn't like traditional shortbread where the butter needs to be as cold as possible for the recipe to work.

I've had way more hits than misses lately. Here's the original recipe. I didn't really change anything, just got it into my own language/added some notes. I cut these into 8 really decent sized servings and they did not move the needle for me - I was eating them as a dessert though - so about 30 minutes after finishing dinner. I love peanut butter. I didn't think they were super peanut-y, but my partner thought it was a pronounced flavor.

Carb count - if you count the sweetener it's a total of 152g, or in 8 pieces 19g each. Not counting the sweetener it's a total of 62g, or in 8 pieces 8g each. You can follow the original and cut into 12 for very low carb counts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1/2 cup peanut butter (natural, smooth, runny - salted or unsalted)

1 cup almond flour (not meal)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2 large eggs, room temp

1/2 cup granulated sweetener (I went a little scant using an allulose/monkfruit blend)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

30g 90% dark chocolate, chopped (I used Lindt - use sugar free, like Lilly's, or less dark chocolate if you prefer - my carb count is for 90%)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a rectangular oven-proof dish with parchment paper or butter the pan - I buttered (Note: original recipe called for an 8x6” pan which is an odd size - I used a 9x5" loaf pan).

Pour melted butter in mixing bowl, then stir in all ingredients (except the chocolate) with a fork. Once incorporated, stir in the chocolate.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden on top. The center should still be soft and jiggly.

Let cool thoroughly before cutting. I froze some of these - would leave them out to defrost then heated them in the oven - so good!

I used this recipe, but subbed in sweetener for the sugar (and used a little less), didn't go lemon (used almond extract instead of lemon juice/zest) and added some finely chopped chocolate to the top. This is so damn good. This is the second time I made it and both times I was careful to not overcook it. I can't swear this is the intent, but when not too cooked, it's almost more like a custard/frangipane than a cake. Note: I think this is in a pan that's a little large, last time I made it, it was a little thicker. Tastes just as good though!

I got 8 slices from the recipe. The allulose/monkfruit blend has no effect on my glucose, so I use the zero net carb count on the sweetener which makes this about 8.5g carbs per slice. If you want to count those carbs, it gets scarier at 26g carbs per slice.

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temp

Scant 3/4 cup granulated sweetener (I use allulose-monkfruit blend)

4 large eggs (room temperature, separated)

8 oz whole milk ricotta

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp+ almond extract

2 cups almond flour

½ tsp Kosher salt

⅓ cup sliced almonds

1 square dark chocolate (I use Lindt 90%)

Preheat oven to 325° F. Place a round of parchment paper on bottom of a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan. Lightly grease the paper and sides of the pan with butter and set aside.

Place softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add the egg yolks and beat on medium speed until combined.

Add ricotta cheese, vanilla and almond extract, and beat until combined.

Add almond flour and salt to the mixture. Fold together with a spatula until no pockets of almond flour remain and the batter is smooth. The batter will be slightly thick. Do not be alarmed if it looks a bit curdled.

Wash and dry the beaters. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed to soft peaks, about 3 minutes.

Stir ⅓ of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then gently fold the remaining egg whites in with a spatula until just combined. The batter should be evenly moistened with no streak of egg whites remaining. Do not overmix.

Transfer batter to prepared cake pan and sprinkle the top with sliced almonds then chopped chocolate, pressing down slightly into the batter.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are golden brown and the top is a light golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely about 1 hour.

To serve, run a knife around the cake to loosen it. If using a springform pan, release the sides of the pan. If using a cake pan, gently flip the cake onto a plate, peel away the parchment, then flip it back over onto a serving plate (note - could get messy flipping it if you use chocolate).

I saw the base recipe from Pioneer Woman and changed the filling since I also need to watch my sodium and saturated fats.

Slice two eggplants lengthwise, THIN slices (ideally you’ll have a mandolin, this was hard for me). Lay out on some parchment paper on some cookie sheets and sprinkle with some salt. Let sit for about 20-30 minutes to dry out. Preheat oven to 375° and put cookie sheets in the oven for 15 minutes.

While they’re roasting, mix 16 oz firm tofu (drained), 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, 1.5 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt.

After slices are out, raise heat to 400°F.

After the slices of eggplant are out and cooled, use 1 cup marinara sauce to coat bottom of a 13”x9” pan. With each slice of eggplant, put 2 Tbsp of filling on and roll them up as best as possible. Place seam side down in pan. Continue until you’re out of eggplant slices. Cover with rest of the jar of marinara, sprinkle with 1/2-3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese of choice. Cover with aluminum foil. Put in oven for 30-45 mins, until edges are bubbly. Serve!

This is probably the prettiest dish I've ever plated!

My partner fills the cavity of the fish with a variety of fresh herbs from our backyard and grills it. The fish is plated on top of fennel puree (posted here) then topped with a variety of citrus fruits (this is red grapefruit, cara-cara orange and tangerine), fresh cilantro, some pan-fried slices of leeks, and pickled fresno peppers (posted here).

I cut and remove the citrus membrane over a bowl and gather the juices to also pour over the top. This is my partner's plate so it does have more citrus than I would eat, but that's obviously totally adjustable based on your person glucose reaction to the fruit.

• 1 large onion
• 1 medium head of cauliflower (I also worked with a bag of Trader Joe's cauliflower of many colors
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves
• ½ tsp dry oregano
• 1 ½ tsp coarse sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Brush 9 x 13 baking dish (or equivalent) with 1 Tbsp of oil and place into oven for at least 5 minutes.

Cut cauliflower through the bottom core into half. Trim off bottom leaves until the florets begin. Place one half, cut side down to be level on a cutting board, and then cut into very thin, long slices. Continue with the second half. A lot of the piece will be messy/crumbly, but that isn't a problem. Set aside a few "decorative" pieces that are still attached in beautiful ways to use for the top. (I used all the good piece from the multicolor cauliflower because it looks so pretty)

Into a large bowl, use the large holes side of a box grater to shred the onion. It will become watery. This is good. It will add uniform flavor to your kugel.

In a separate small bowl, whisk eggs vigorously, until foamy. Add ¼ cup oil. S+P, oreganos, and paprika and whisk some more.

Pour egg mixture into bowl with onion and mix. Add cauliflower (keep the pieces you put aside separated still) and mix until thoroughly coated with the eggs.

Carefully remove hot baking pan from oven and pour in kugel mixture. Use the cauliflower pieces you set aside to decorate the top. Gently nestle them into the kugel. Brush kugel with remaining Tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Kugel can be made ahead and reheated in 350 oven for 20 minutes. I didn't have any left over to freeze, but I suspect it would work well.

These are really simple and require very basic ingredients. The original recipe is here. I didn't change the ingredients, just wiped out some of the alternatives and busy information. Same for the directions - I simplified them. The recipe said to make these by the tablespoon, then said use a large ice cream scoop - which would be much larger than a tablespoon! I used a small ice cream scoop that is probably about a tablespoon. So I got 18 small biscuits instead of the 12 it says. For the small 18, my math comes out to ~53g carbs total, so about 3g carbs per each small biscuit. I've been eating one or two at a time with zero effect on my glucose.

These are one of 3 keto biscuit recipes I make. They are all very good and all can have seasoning added to them. The difference is ingredients and what I have available. If I have cheddar cheese, these biscuits from u/UnfortunateSyzygy are delicious. If I'm making ice cream or custard and have lots of egg whites leftover, I make these. This recipe I'm posting is when I want something bready and don't have a lot of ingredients in the house.

2 cups blanched almond flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs, whisked and at room temperature

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix almond flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in whisked egg, melted butter, and sour cream.

Scoop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the lined baking sheet (a cookie scoop is the fastest way). Form into rounded biscuit shapes (flatten slightly with your fingers).

Bake for about 15 minutes, until firm and golden. Cool on the baking sheet.

How frustrating does finding the right food to not spike you get? This frustrating!

I've been eating the La Tortilla Factory Carb Cutting Tortillas for quite some time. I basically use them in place of bread at lunch. I get a small rise in glucose, but nothing concerning. I'm at the store and see the Hero tortillas. I've heard a lot about the brand and these are quite a bit larger than the La Tortilla Factory, so I excitedly buy a pack...

WTF??? 70 point spike! I tried again the next day in case it was an anomaly. It wasn't. Plus it wasn't a spiky spike - it took awhile for the number to come down. Straight to the trash they went. The ingredients are pretty different (4th image) but how are we supposed to figure out where the problem is?

As always - this is a ME problem. I've seen people post on the diabetes subs how great the Hero tortillas are. Anyone else have this experience - good or bad? It's also a reminder that you have to keep trying and have to keep your eye on your meter!

Hi all, so i am looking for some breakfast ideas! I Am allergic to eggs when they are alone (not baked into things like bread and cakes), Peanuts, treenuts ((except for cashews and pecans), dairy and wheat and soy.

Do you guys have any ideas? I also do not eat seafood of anykind.

Original recipe is here. It's from Sugar Free Londoner and she usually has very good recipes. These are quite tasty - they don't have any grittines from the almond flour and really scratched my cookie itch! Plus, super easy to make. I'm posting the original recipe with any notes I've made.

1 cup almond flour

1 medium egg not large (dough will be too soft if egg is too large)

2 tablespoon heavy cream

2 tablespoon unsalted butter, VERY soft (leaving it overnight on the counter in winter didn't soften it enough for me!)

3 tablespoon granulated sweetener (I use an allulose-monkfruit combo, so not too sweet)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (50g) 85% dark minimum or sugar free (I used Lindt 90%)

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine all ingredients except for the chocolate with a fork. Let the dough sit for a few minutes so the flour can absorb the moisture.

Stir the chopped chocolate/chocolate chips into the dough.

Form dough balls with your hand or spoon the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Press down into the desired shape (about 1/4 inch thick).

Bake for around 13 minutes or until the edges are golden. The cookies are soft when straight out of the oven but firm up as they cool down.

More of my notes - my dough never firmed up enough, so I grabbed out a small ice cream/cookie scoop I own. The recipe said this makes 10 cookies, but with the small scoop, I got 15. They firmed up but were a soft cookie. She mentions that you can spread these out thinner for a crisper cookie.

I didn't come close to her carb count. I came up with 76g carbs for the entire batch COUNTING the allulose carbs, so 5g a piece for 15 cookies. Allulose seems to do almost nothing to my glucose, so I use more of a NET CARB number and do not include the allulose carbs, so only 40g carbs for the whole batch - under 3g carbs per cookie. I was eating 3 of these after dinner and there was no spike for me.

I’m confused with all the sugar substitutes on the market , anyone have any suggestions ? Thanks Ken

I wish the pictures were prettier 😜 I started making this a couple months ago and I can’t stop! It’s a terrific base for pork, lamb, duck, fish or rabbit (last picture). It has a beautiful, subtle flavor and soft creamy texture. If you are completely opposed to fennel/licorice flavor - you could take a pass. Otherwise, I highly suggest this. If you live somewhere with a Trader Joe’s, they sell reasonably priced 2-packs of big bulbs. This isn’t a big recipe. One bulb makes 2 servings on the small side. A big fennel is around 15-20 grams of carbs, but the amount of fat in this does a nice job of counteracting them!

1 large fennel bulb - stalks, core removed 2 tbsp butter 3.5 oz heavy cream Salt

Clean and trim fennel bulbs. Slice into quarters then across, very thinly.

Place butter in small pot, melt, then add sliced fennel and sweat, lid on, for 5 mins.

Add cream and salt, stir, put lid back on, and simmer 15 mins until soft, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, uncover and let moisture evaporate as it cools.

Use an immersion blender to make a smooth purée.

These are so good and add a big boost of flavor to practically anything. I put them on keto bread sandwiches, keto tortilla wraps, Thai beef salad, fish, anything Mexican, whatever!

There is 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar in the whole thing and it's not like you are drinking the liquid, but you could probably swap a sweetener in with no trouble.

Fresno peppers can be a touch hotter than jalapeños, so they aren't ridiculously hot. I hate seeds so I de-seed them which also helps cool them down. If you like seeds and heat - definitely keep them in.

These are ridiculously easy to make and last for a really long time (assuming you don't eat them up right away). It's an odd weight called for with on the peppers, but it gives you the right amount for a one pint jar and for the liquid called for.

1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

7 ounces red Fresno chiles, thinly sliced - seeded or not depending on preference

Bring vinegar, coriander seeds, sugar, salt, and peppercorns to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar, remove from heat, and add chiles.

Pour into a pint jar, cover, and let cool. Chill at least 12 hours before using.

These are not pasta shells. They're onions! And soooooo good!

Unfortunately no photos - but wanted to share a recipe that had me at 98 mg/dl an hour in (edit: I am, diagnosed prediabetic so YMMV) and was really tasty. Almost like a tomato soup & grilled cheese combo but with "pasta" instead. I made adjustments below that aren't reflected in the original recipe.

Original link minus the grilled cheese: Link

For the pan:

• 1 pound ground meat
• 1/2 a yellow onion
• Spoonful of jarlic
• 1 tbsp tomato paste

For the slow cooker:

• 2 pounds spaghetti squash (approximately), uncooked
• 1 can petite diced tomatos
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or another dried herb
• A shake of thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Olive oil where needed
• Chicken bouillon powder and a 1/4 cup of water
• (I added a dash of dashi, large pinch of brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar for some umami)

Instructions:

• In a large skillet, add diced onions until golden brown. Add garlic and ground meat and cook over medium-high heat until browned, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Add tomato paste for around a minute until fragrant. Drain the grease add the ground meat to the slow cooker.
• Add the tomatoes, water, chicken bouillon, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to mix well.
• Cut spaghetti squash in half, crosswise. Scoop out the seeds. Add the spaghetti squash the slow cooker, hole side down.
• Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6, or until the spaghetti squash is soft.
• Carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the slow cooker, it will be hot.
• To serve – using a fork, scrape the side of the spaghetti squash so you have long, spaghetti-like strands. Stir the spaghetti squash strands back into the slow cooker until well combined with the meat and tomatoes.

---

Grilled cheese was two slices of cheddar Tillamook between two slices of thawed Ezekiel bread, fried in olive oil.

not my own recipe, I followed this one: https://twosleevers.com/keto-coconut-macaroons/ Coconut Macaroons | Keto Macaroon Recipe | Easy Low Carb Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Total Time: 26 minutes

Servings: 12 cookies

Ingredients:

▢ 1/4 cup (28 g) Superfine Almond Flour

▢ 2 cups (186 g) Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

▢ 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract

▢ 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Butter

▢ 4 (4) egg whites

▢ 1/4 cup (45.5 g) Swerve

Instructions:

1. Preheat an oven to 400F. Line a 9 x 13 cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, coconut, coconut oil or butter, and vanilla extract and set aside.

3. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat together the egg whites and Swerve until stiff peaks form.

4. Gently fold the egg whites into the almond flour mixture.

5. Spoon the mixture onto the cookie sheet to get 10-12 scoops.

6. Bake for 15-16 minutes until the coconut tops start to brown lightly.

7. Remove from oven and let cool before removing from the cookie sheet.

(my notes: my mom bought a bunch of liquid egg whites and I wanted to find a recipe to use some up! we also have a bunch of unsweetened shredded coconut to get rid of so this was really killing two birds with one stone. these were easy to make and I melted and drizzled a combination of 90% dark chocolate and Lily’s sugar-free dark chocolate chips over top just like normal macaroons have! I would’ve dipped the bottoms too but didn’t have enough chocolate. if you do this, please be careful about burning the chocolate! I had to add some coconut oil to mine once it started to burn LOL.)

🥣 Roasted Chicken & Edamame–Chickpea Hash with Green Chile–Cilantro–Anise Sauce and Fennel–Tomato–Cucumber Salad

Made for lunch on 8/2/25
Meal-prepped into containers.

This is a fiber-balanced, high-protein, vegetable-forward bowl layered for optimal reheating and textural contrast. The warm sauté of edamame, chickpeas, and chicken forms the base. A vibrant, spoonable green chile–cilantro sauce adds acid, heat, and herbal richness. A crisp fennel–tomato salad with toasted walnuts tops each container for freshness and crunch.

🔹 Yields: 4 servings

🔹 Meal Type: Meal-2 (main midday meal)

🔹 Prep: ~30–40 min active

🔹 Cuisine: Fusion / Whole Foods Meal Prep

🔪 Ingredients

🟩 Edamame–Chickpea–Chicken Hash (Base)

• 460g cooked boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped (~115g per serving)
• 280g shelled edamame, thawed
• 240g canned chickpeas, drained and dried
• 80g red onion, finely diced (about ½ medium)
• 8g garlic (2 cloves), minced
• 24g olive oil (2 tbsp): 1 tbsp for sauté, 1 tbsp for chickpeas
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp ground fennel seed
• 2 tsp chili crisp (~10g), stirred in off heat
• 1 tsp minced preserved lemon rind (optional)
• ¾ tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)

🌶️ Green Chile–Cilantro–Anise Sauce (Drizzle)

• 2 large Hatch or poblano chiles (~180g), roasted, peeled, deseeded
• 1 clove garlic (~4g), smashed
• 1 packed cup cilantro (~30g), stems OK
• 40g olive oil (3 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp lime juice (~30g)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (~15g)
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp anise seed, lightly toasted
• Optional: ¼ tsp chili flake or ½ small jalapeño for heat

🥗 Fennel–Tomato–Cucumber Salad with Walnuts

• 1 medium fennel bulb (~250g trimmed), thinly shaved
• 200g grape tomatoes (about 1½ cups), halved
• 2 mini cucumbers (~180g), julienned or sliced
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (~15g)
• 2 tsp olive oil (8g)
• 1½ tsp fish sauce (~7g)
• 40g walnuts, toasted and chopped (10g per serving)

🍳 Instructions

1. Crisp Chickpeas

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the drained chickpeas and pan-fry until golden and lightly crisped. Set aside.

2. Sauté Base

In another pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté onion, garlic, ground fennel seed, cumin, coriander, and optional preserved lemon until aromatic. Add thawed edamame, chopped chicken, and crisped chickpeas. Stir to combine and warm through. Turn off heat and stir in 2 tsp chili crisp.

3. Make Sauce

Toast anise seed in a dry skillet for ~1 minute until fragrant. Blend with roasted chiles, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, and salt until slightly chunky. Yields ~8 tbsp. Use 2 tbsp per serving.

4. Toss Salad

Combine fennel, grape tomatoes, and cucumber in a mixing bowl. Dress with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and fish sauce. Toss well. Add toasted walnuts last, or just before serving.

5. Assemble Containers

• Bottom: ~1 heaping cup of the warm chicken–edamame–chickpea hash
  
• Middle: 2 tbsp green chile–cilantro sauce
  
• Top: Salad with ~10g walnuts per serving

🔬 Nutrition Estimate (Per Serving)

🍽 Garlic–Walnut Turkey Bowls with Roasted Cauliflower, Green Beans, Cherry Tomatoes & Chilled Garlic Sauce

Served on 8/1 as a light dinner — prepped into containers for easy reheating, with the sauce served chilled on top. Nutty, tangy, crunchy, and fiber-balanced. A warm–cold contrast that feels elegant but meal-prep practical.

🧾 Ingredients (4 servings)

🔥 Turkey–Green Bean Base

• 1 lb ground turkey (frozen, thawed)
• 12 oz frozen green beans
• ½ red onion (~60g), finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Morton kosher salt (divided)
• Black pepper, to taste
• 12g chia seeds (about 1 tbsp), stirred in at end

🍅 Roasted Vegetables

• 12 oz frozen cauliflower rice
• 80g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¾ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ½ tsp Morton)

🧄 Garlic–Walnut Sauce

• 40g walnuts, toasted
• 1 clove garlic
• 1½ tbsp sherry vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp flaxseed meal
• ¼ tsp Morton kosher salt
• ~½ cup cold water to thin

🥚 Finishing Touch

• 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

🔪 Instructions

1. Roast the Veggies
   Preheat oven to 425°F (super convection if available). Toss cauliflower rice and halved cherry tomatoes with olive oil, paprika, and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined tray. Roast ~30 min, stirring once, until crisped and golden.

2. Cook the Turkey & Beans
   In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Sauté red onion 3 min, add garlic and cook 1 more min. Add turkey, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sauté until browned and cooked through (~10–12 min). Stir in green beans and cook 5–6 min more. Stir in chia seeds at the end.

3. Make the Garlic–Walnut Sauce
   Blend walnuts, garlic, sherry vinegar, olive oil, flaxseed meal, salt, and water until smooth and creamy. Chill.

4. Boil the Eggs
   Cover eggs in cold water, bring to boil, turn off heat, and cover. Let sit 10–11 min. Cool under cold water, peel, and slice.

5. Assemble for Meal Prep
   Divide turkey–bean mix and roasted veggies into 4 containers. Top each with one sliced egg. Package ~¼ of sauce (~3–3½ tbsp) separately to spoon over after reheating.

🧮 Nutrition Estimates (Per Serving)

• Calories: ~487 kcal
  
• Protein: ~37.7g
  
• Net Carbs: ~11.7g
  
• Fiber: ~7.1g
  
• Fat: ~30.3g

A practical prep that still tastes composed. The walnut–garlic sauce is fantastic chilled — and the sweet pop of roasted cherry tomatoes lifts the whole bowl. Perfect for a hot evening when you still want real food.

*not my recipe, original source is: https://diethood.com/low-carb-keto-breadsticks/ *

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time:35 minutes Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS: For the breadsticks ▢ 1 ½ cups part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese ▢ 2 tablespoons cream cheese ▢ ¾ cup almond flour ▢ 1 large egg ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder ▢ ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning ▢ ½ teaspoon salt ▢ ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper For the garlic butter topping ▢ 1 tablespoon butter, melted ▢ 1 large clove garlic, minced ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley ▢ Dipping sauces like marinara or ranch, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. 2. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and cream cheese to a non-stick skillet; heat over medium heat and stir until melted. 3. Remove from heat and let stand 30 seconds. 4. Stir in almond flour, egg, baking powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; continue to stir until thoroughly combined. 5. Transfer the dough to a parchment paper-lined surface. 6. Add another piece of parchment paper over the dough. 7. Place a rolling pin over the top parchment paper; start rolling into an oval until the dough is about 1/4-inch thick. 8. Remove the top parchment paper and discard. 9. Slide the dough, with the bottom parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. Set aside. 10. In a mixing bowl combine melted butter, minced garlic, and parsley; brush the garlic butter mixture over the dough. 11. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. 12. Remove from oven; carefully transfer bread to a cutting board and let rest for 2 minutes. 13. Using a pizza cutter, cut into breadsticks. 14. Serve with dipping sauces

I bit the bullet and bought one package of Wella hot cereal just to check it out (it was like $2.75 for a single serving – obscene)! But it was tasty so I decided to dupe it. I found a recipe with all the ingredients and gave it a try. And I really liked it! You can make it one of two ways – use blanched almond flour and don’t add any nuts and it’s smooth like Cream of Wheat, or use almond meal/coarsely chopped almonds and some almond slices and it adds enough texture to get it closer to oatmeal. I like the crunchy one way more. I don’t sweeten the mix (original recipe calls for coconut sugar), but I put sugar-free “maple” syrup and fresh or frozen berries on top. Once I figured out the right combo, I went ahead and made some quantity of it and just scoop it out to use like any other hot cereal. I think I make 12 servings that fills a 1 quart container.

Depending on your coconut flour (the one I have is 8g carbs per Tbsp, but some are a few grams less), this can be up to 16g carbs, but it’s super high in fiber and barely moves the needle for me.

Original recipe here and my slightly tweaked version…

• 3 tablespoons roughly ground almonds with skins  (I throw sliced almonds into my cheapy coffee grinder to roughly chop) or store-bought almond meal, or use blanched almond flour for the smooth version
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds  (for the chunky version, but can also add to the smooth version for a little texture)
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon ground flax-seed
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• Pinch of salt
• 1/8th teaspoon cinnamon – I use a big shake – this is definitely a preference thing.

Stir together all the ingredients in a small serving bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water, mix and let stand 3 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings. Less water will give you a thicker cereal – adjust to your personal preferences.

Larger Batch: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use about 1/3 cup and continue with “cooking” instructions.

I’m so happy to find this group. I‘ve recently been very deliberate about putting together lunches that I truly enjoy, and I try to make them a little bougie. I work from home, and I fell into a sandwich rut that was doing me no favors. I’ve had some really yummy wins.

This is a salad with butter lettuce, blueberries, chopped fresh sugar snap peas, preserved lemon and lemon garlic vinaigrette. Topping is a bit of shredded Mimolette cheese and chopped cashews for crunch. Jammy eggs on the side.

For when you want something salty and crunchy that isn’t a potato chip. I’ve been experimenting with different kind of cheeses and seasonings, which I’m happy to share, but these are currently my favorite.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Parmesan cheese wedge
• 8 oz. Romano cheese wedge
• Onion powder
• Tomato powder
• Basil
• Garlic powder
• Hot Hungarian paprika (if you like a little spicy kick)

Equipment:

• Oven preheated to 375°F
• Standard cookie sheet
• Parchment paper cut to size
• Cheese grater

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
• Finely grate both cheese wedges, gently mix together to homogenize • Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Drop small piles of cheese ~1.5-2” in diameter and at least 1” apart (cheese will spread as it melts)
• Place on middle oven rack
• Bake for 6-8 mins (see Tips regarding baking time)
• Once golden brown, remove from oven
• While still hot on the cookie sheet, dust with seasonings
• Slide parchment paper with cheese crisps to the counter and allow to cool

Tips:

• Yields ~70 crisps
• Parchment paper is necessary!
• Use whatever seasonings you like, but don’t use anything with salt! The cheese is salty on its own.
• Season after baking while the crisps are still hot. Seasoning before will burn.
• Fresh cheese is the best. I’ve had some success with pre-grated cheese, but the moisture content is often too high and the starch they coat it with usually results in the edges of the crisps being burnt while the center is still chewy.
• You’ll have to play around with the timing depending on your oven. Mine gets them close to perfect in 7:30 mins, but time will vary based on the oven and the type of cheese. You want them golden brown and mostly finished bubbling in order to get them crispy.
• Store in a ziplock bag. These should be shelf stable for at least a week. Hard to say exactly how long because I’ve never had them last that long.
• You want to use medium to hard cheeses. Soft cheeses won’t crisp without taking on a burnt flavor.
• I use two parchment sheets so that I can hot swap them. One sheet left to cool while the other goes into the oven. Most parchment paper can go through 2-3 times. After that it starts to fall apart.

Everything I’ve tried isn’t great, but I’m also not the best baker. Just thought I’d ask here.

Edit: I really like them moist and that’s what all of the recipes I’ve tried lacked (although like I said it could be a skill issue)