Low-Carb Funnel Cakes

Prep Time: 5-10 Minutes

Cook Time: 5 Minutes

Servings: 2 5-6 inch Funnel Cakes

We recently took a trip to Disneyland for our first time ever! It was a great time had by all. I even packed all our lunches and snacks to avoid spending a fortune and to help me with my dietary needs. I didn't miss any of the amusement park food BUT I did see some funnel cake stands that made me daydream a bit and I've noticed it's been on my mind since.

This morning I got up and decided I'd create a low-carb version of a fair favorite, The Funnel Cake. I tried a few different combinations and once my older son (who is quite opinionated) said "Hey, this one is really good!" I knew I found out recipe. 

These funnel cakes are a bit softer than regular flour ones, but the taste is seriously good and really hit the spot for me.

**Please make sure to view my notes below for tips, warnings, and suggestions

Ingredients: 

• Coconut Oil for frying *See notes
• 1 tbsp almond flour
• 1/2 tbsp coconut flour
• 2 eggs *See notes
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tbsp Sweetener *See notes
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Powdered sweetener for topping *See notes
• Other topping suggestions:

• Fresh whipped cream
• Frozen strawberries, thawed
• Sugar free chocolate sauce

Instructions:

1. In a small frying/saucepan, add enough coconut oil to fill 1-2 inches deep and heat over a medium high heat (I find that heating at 7 then lowering to 6 right before frying worked best for me)
2. In a small bowl, combine all dry ingredients (besides the toppings)
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients (besides the toppings and oil)
4. Whisk in dry ingredients
5. Pour batter into a sandwich size ziplock bag (or piping bag) and cut a 1/8 inch corner off the bag
6. Test oil by dropping in a tiny drop of batter - If it immediately sizzles it's ready
7. Slowly drizzle 1/2 the batter into the frying oil starting in the center and making your way outward in a circular motion. DO THIS SLOWLY otherwise you'll end up with a fried pancake because the batter with blend together (Still tasty though)
8. Fry on each side for 30-90 seconds - or until each side is a golden brown color
9. Transfer funnel cake to paper towels to cool and repeat steps 7-9 with the second half of the batter
10. Dust with powdered sweetener and other toppings, serve, and enjoy!

Notes:

• Be careful, the oil gets VERY VERY VERY hot
• I used raw coconut oil and didn't notice much of a coconut taste. You can used refined coconut oil though to completely eliminate the chance of a coconut flavor
• I did not find that using the whole egg created an eggy taste, but if you're very sensitive to egg taste, replace 2 whole eggs with 4 egg whites instead
• I tried one batch with allulose and one with granular swerve, swerve was our favorite
• We used powdered swerve for the garnish, but you can grind any of your favorite sweeteners into a powder, just be careful if using xylitol - it's very dangerous for your little fur friends

These nutritional facts are based off of the original recipe with no additional ingredients, and the recipe providing 2 servings. I'm also assuming that each funnel cake absorbs 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil it is fried in. Please remember that all brands vary in nutritional facts. You should enter your own ingredients into your preferred nutrition app to get a more accurate information.

Low-Carb Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes Baking

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

For the "meat" layer:

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons coconut amino‘s (or your keto friendly "soy sauce" of choice)
• 2 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds soaked in 2 cups of boiling water for a few hours than drained
• 2 cups chopped white and/or 2 cups portabella mushrooms
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, ground mustard, and dried parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste (1/4-1/2 tsp)
• Pinch of cinnamon

For the veggie layer:

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons coconut amino‘s (or your keto friendly "soy sauce" of choice)
• 3 cups finely chopped kale
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1/4 tsp onion powder, garlic powder, and dried parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste (1/4-1/2 tsp)

For the caulimash layer:

• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 ounce cream cheese
• 2 packs frozen cauliflower rice (I used Costco's brand), thawed or heated
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• *Dusting of smoked paprika for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Have a round pie dish or 8x8 square dish ready

For the "meat" layer:

1. Saute onions and minced garlic in the olive oil until the onions start to caramelize
2. Add the mushrooms and sunflower seeds until mushrooms soften
3. Add the remaining "meat" layer ingredients and stir to combine
4. Pour the "meat" layer in your baking dish and pat down

For the veggie layer:

1. Saute the kale in olive oil until soft
2. Add the pepper and continue cooking until the pepper becomes soft
3. Stir in the remaining veggie layer ingredients
4. Pour the veggie mixture over the "meat" layer and pat down

For the caulimash layer:

1. Place cauliflower in food processor with the butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream
2. Blend, scrape down sides, and blend until the cauliflower becomes smooth and starts to resemble mashed potatoes 
3. Add the egg yolks, garlic powder, salt and pepper and blend until everything is creamy and well incorporated 
4. Pour the caulimash onto the veggie layer and dust with smoked paprika
5. Bake for 32 minutes and broil on high for the remaining 3 minutes
6. Serve and enjoy!

These nutritional facts are based off of the original recipe with no additional ingredients, and the recipe providing 6 servings. Please remember that all brands vary in nutritional facts. You should enter your own ingredients into your preferred nutrition app to get a more accurate information.

The Better Butter Cracker (Keto)

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time:  28-36 Minutes

Servings:  20 Servings (5 crackers)

These taste almost like a ritz cracker! If you plan on eating them with cheese and dip, there are no additions needed to this recipe. It's buttery, salty, and crispy on its own. If you want to spice it up, try adding rosemary and salt, onion and garlic, or even cinnamon and brown swerve if you want something sweet. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tbsp psyllium husks
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp salt + more for sprinkling
• 8 tbsp salted butter, melted
• 2 egg whites
• *Optional herbs and spices of choice

Instructions:

1. Place psyllium husks and nutritional yeast in coffee grinder and blend until powdered
2. Place all dry ingredients in mixing bowl and combine
3. Using hand mixer, beat in the melted butter then the egg whites
4. Divide dough into two 
5. On a silmat or parchment paper, roll out dough to 4mm thin
6. Score the dough in the shape you want using a pizza cutter
7. If desired, poke holes in each cracker and sprinkle with more salt
8. Bake for 14-18 minutes depending on your oven. 16 minutes is perfect for me
9. Cracker should become a golden color
10. Let cool and break apart
11. Enjoy with your favorite cheese or dip.

Notes:
Be sure to roll the dough thin. I HIGHLY recommend 4mm. If it's too thick, you will not get crispy crackers. 

Also be sure to only use the egg whites. The yolk will make your crackers soft.

I actually made 105, 1.5"x 1.5," 4mm thick crackers with this recipe. 

These nutritional facts are based off of the original recipe with no additional ingredients, 100 crackers, 5 crackers being a serving. Please remember that all brands vary in nutritional facts. You should enter your own ingredients into your preferred nutrition app to get a more accurate information.

Cookies n Cream (Keto)

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Servings: MAKES 90 pieces (so low in carbs, you can enjoy a handful without guilt!)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp powdered swerve
• 2 tbsp egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 batch of my sugar-free white chocolate (made fresh or melted down)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl
3. In a larger bowl, using a hand mixer, blend all wet ingredients (except the white chocolate) until well incorporated
4. Add dry ingredients and continue mixing
5. Separate dough into 8-10 small balls and flatten 1/6-1/8mm on parchment paper or silmat
6. Bake in oven for 10-14 minutes. You want the cookies to be as cooked as possible without burning
7. Let cool for a few hours. The cookies will harden over time. The cookies are best prepared the day before
8. Break into small crumbles
9. Sprinkle in chocolate molds
10. Pour white chocolate over the cookie crumbles
11. Let set in fridge or freezer until hard and enjoy!
12. Store in the fridge or freezer

Low-Carb White Chocolate

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Servings: MAKES 90 pieces (so low in carbs, you can enjoy a handful without guilt!)

After researching regular white chocolate recipes along with a few sugar free ones, I adapted them to my liking. This recipe makes a large batch of white chocolate which can be enjoyed by itself, used in other recipes (like white chocolate chip cookies), or **added onto to make things like cookies n cream (see my notes below).

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 ounces cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
• 1/4 cup powdered sweetener I used swerve
• 1/3 cup powdered heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sunflower lecithin
• One pinch of salt

Instructions

1. In a sauce pan or double boiler, heat coconut oil and cocoa butter over low heat
2. Add the sunflower lecithin once the cocoa butter starts to melt
3. Add powdered sweetener to fully melted mixture and mix until dissolved
4. Add vanilla extract and salt 
5. Add powdered cream, stir until combined
6. Transfer mixture to blender and blend for 15 to 30 seconds
7. Pour into molds and refrigerate or freeze until fully solid
8. Store in the refrigerator or the freezer and enjoy!

*Notes: 

If making other flavors, make white chocolate following the same instructions. If adding pieces of cookies or other additions, place in molds then pour the chocolate mixture over. If adding other flavors/extracts, mix in before pouring into molds. 

These nutritional facts are based off of the original white chocolate recipe with no additional ingredients, 90 pieces, 1 piece being a serving. Please remember that all brands vary in nutritional facts. You should enter your own ingredients into your preferred nutrition app to get a more accurate information.