Mexican LCHF chilli Con Carne

I am always on the look out for recipes for my old favourite foods.  When I can't find one then I just try and make it up as I go.  It can be hit and miss sometimes but this was a definite hit.  Both kids gobbled it up so that has to be a win right!

This was very easy and you could probably do it in the slow cooker too if you were pushed for time.

Ingredients

1kg nice and fatty minced beef

2 med onions diced

3 cloves garlic

800gr of diced tomatoes (I used some I  bottled last year)

1-2 whole red chillies sliced

2tsp smoky paprika

1tsp chilli flakes

1 pc smoky chorizo sliced

Optional:1 tin mixed beans (omit if going for super low carb)

S&P to taste

Method

In a large saucepan saute onion and garlic in some coconut oil.  

Add beef a little at a time and break up and cook until nicely browned.

Add chilli, chilli flakes and paprika along with the sliced chorizo. 

Cook a little more then add tomatoes and let simmer for around an hour.

Adjust seasoning before serving and if you want beans then add those in after 30min of simmering.

I served ours with a really cheese cauliflower mash.  The kids are a bit 'meh' about cauliflower unless it is baked whole with a bucket of cheese.

This recipe found their weak spot though.

Ingredients

1 whole cauliflower broken into smaller florets

2 cloves garlic

S&P to taste

1/4c grated parmesan

1/2c grated cheddar

extra 1/2c mixed cheeses for top

Method

Steam cauliflower and once super soft drain well.

Place in food processor with garlic and cheeses. 

Blend until creamy then pour into an oven proof dish.

Top with more cheese and back until bubbling and golden.

I really hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

This is a large serve but I like to freeze portions for lazy nights.
Serve with sour cream and guacamole to finish it off perfectly.

Summer time LCHF ice-cream

It is that time of year and if you are like me and have a soft spot for ice-cream then these can fill the void.

I ADORE ice-cream

I would crawl over hot coals for the stuff and have been known to lie to my children about the existence of ice-cream in the freezer!

Sooooo, I have two recipes for you.

They are simple and don't use too many ingredients, which I really like.

I made the custard for this one in the bellini but it can be done stove top just as easy.  For the puritan banters this would be totally unacceptable but hey, you gotta live a little in summer. and. ice-cream!

Salted Caramel Ice-cream

Ingredients:

6 pitted fresh dates

400ml coconut cream

2 whole eggs

1tsp himalayan salt

1tsp vanilla essence

125ml pouring cream

1tbs yacon syrup

1tsp xantham gum powder

1tsp lucuma

Method:

Blend dates, vanilla, lucuma, xantham gum and eggs together.  

In a pan heat coconut cream to a simmer, stir in date mix and add yacon syrup (you can go without this or add a sweetener of your choice.  I use this as it is reasonably low in carbs and adds a nice flavour)

Bring to simmer and stir until mix starts to become thicker.  

Once it resembles a custard, add your salt and remove from heat and chill in fridge.

Once cool, whisk through the pouring cream and then place in sealed container in freezer.  

This is where you can use your ice-cream maker and follow usual method.

If you don't have an ice-cream maker then just remove every hour or so and give a whisk.  

You only need do this 2-3 times.

You will need to remove from freezer at least 30min before using, like most home made ice-cream it will go really hard.  Alternatively you can use ice-cream moulds that make it much easier to handle.

You can also eat it much sooner!

makes 15 serves.  2.3gr carbs per serve

My kids love this one, for me it is too much cream, however using cream makes it a great source of fat and really low carb

Traditional Vanilla Ice-cream

Incredients:

600ml pouring cream

2tbs vanilla essence

2 vanilla beans split and scraped (use it all)

pinch salt

1.5tbs great lakes gelatin

1/4c water

Method:

Dissolve the gelatin in the water and set aside.

In a saucepan heat cream with vanilla, beans and paste until you have a simmer.  let simmer for about 20 min until it has reduced and developed a really lovely vanilla flavour.

Remove beans and let cool slightly.

Whisk through gelatin, then transfer to a container and chill in fridge.

Once cool whisk again then follow same procedure as above for whisking/freezing or use your ice-cream maker or moulds.
makes 15serves, 1.1gr carb per serve

LCHF Fathead chicken and camembert Pie

There are some things you figure you will never eat again when you change to a LCHF way of eating.  

Pie was one of them for us!

That is until I decided to experiment a bit.  

I first tried doing some pizza type scrolls but they failed and fell into flat little parcel type things.  kids thought they were ok but I wasn't at all happy with how they turned out.  

The first time I tried making pies with the fathead dough I blind baked the dough thinking it would work better that way. 

They were ok but by the time the insides heated up the 'pastry' was overdone making it tough and chewy.

This time I hit the motherload and they turned out beautifully. 

You can do traditional microwave dough or no nuke dough to make these. 

I found some cute little single pie dishes at kmart, they are non stick but I figure it isn't something I would use often like a fry pan so won't matter too much. Alternatively you can make one large family size pie in a dish of your choice.

The dough turned out quite light, held together perfectly.  I made spare for lunches and they held their shape in the fridge for two days, without breaking up or getting soggy.

Ingredients:

1 portion of the fathead dough

500gr chicken thigh diced

1med onion

3 cloves garlic

1tbs chopped chives

3/4c cream

S&P

1/2 small wheel camembert (or brie)

Method:

Finely dice onion and garlic and fry in butter or coconut oil until golden.  Add chicken and fry until all cooked through.  Pour in cream and simmer gently until it starts to thicken.  Season with chives, S&P and any herbs you like really.   

Put aside in fridge to cool mixture.

Preheat oven to 200c

While mix is cooling make your dough and roll out between baking paper to 3/4cm thickness for pie base.  

Grease pie dish and line with 'pastry'.   When chicken mix is cold add to pie dish and top with slices of cheese.  Roll out more pastry to put on top.

Bake for approx 20min until really golden.

Let rest out of oven for a couple of minutes before serving.

Thank me later :)