This article provides simple and easy-to-follow recipes for three keto-friendly comfort foods: mac & cheese, pizza, and shepherd’s pie. The mac & cheese recipe uses cauliflower instead of pasta and is made with heavy cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and cream cheese. The keto-friendly pizza recipe requires almond flour, mozzarella cheese, and toppings such as pepperoni, black olives, and green bell pepper. The shepherd’s pie recipe replaces mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower and uses ground beef, vegetables, tomato paste, thyme, and shredded cheddar cheese for the filling. These recipes offer a delicious and healthy way to satisfy your cravings while maintaining your low-carb diet.
Keto-Friendly Comfort Foods: Mac & Cheese, Pizza, and More
Introduction
Keto-friendly comfort foods? That may seem like an oxymoron, but with a little bit of creativity and a lot of healthy ingredients, you can enjoy the same delicious dishes without the guilt or carbs. From mac & cheese to pizza and more, these recipes will certainly satisfy your cravings without compromising your diet.
Step-by-Step Guide: Keto-Friendly Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of cauliflower florets
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons of cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil.
- Add cauliflower florets and let it cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Drain the water and put the cauliflower back into the pot.
- Over low heat, add heavy cream and cream cheese.
- Stir until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir until melted.
- Remove from heat and serve hot.
Step-by-Step Guide: Keto-Friendly Pizza
Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups of almond flour
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons of cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 egg
For the toppings:
- 1/2 cup of low-carb pizza sauce
- 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup of sliced pepperoni
- 1/4 cup of sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup of sliced green bell pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine mozzarella cheese and cream cheese.
- Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Microwave in 30-second intervals until completely melted.
- In a separate bowl, mix almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Add the melted cheese mixture and egg to the dry mixture and mix well.
- Knead the dough until it is smooth and pliable.
- Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
- Remove the crust from the oven.
- Spread pizza sauce on top of the crust, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce.
- Add pepperoni, black olives, and green bell pepper.
- Bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve hot.
Step-by-Step Guide: Keto-Friendly Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:
For the filling:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup of diced onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of diced celery
- 1 cup of diced carrots
- 1/2 cup of beef broth
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the topping:
- 1 1/2 lbs of cauliflower florets
- 4 tablespoons of grass-fed butter
- 1/4 cup of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef and cook until it is browned.
- Add onions and garlic and cook until they are tender.
- Add celery and carrots and cook until they are slightly softened.
- Add beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set it aside.
- Steam cauliflower florets until they are tender.
- Drain the water and put the cauliflower into a large mixing bowl.
- Add butter, heavy cream, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Mash the cauliflower until it is smooth and creamy.
- In a baking dish, spread the beef mixture evenly over the bottom.
- Spread the mashed cauliflower on top of the beef mixture.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the cauliflower.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Serve hot.
Conclusion
Keto-friendly comfort foods don’t have to be a thing of the past. With these delicious and healthy recipes for mac & cheese, pizza, and shepherd’s pie, you can enjoy all your favorite comfort foods without breaking your diet. Try them out today and satisfy your cravings the healthy way!