Category Archives: Main courses

Veggie Thai Curry with Chicken Thighs

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Hello! Are you still here? I hope you have been well! It’s been a while, but life has been happening at a pace!

Veggie Chicken Thai Curry

Ingredients

  • 2 tblspn avocado oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 thumb-sized fresh ginger, match-sticked
  • 4 tblspn Thai curry paste (red or green is fine)
  • 4 tblspn fish sauce
  • 400ml can coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tblspn turmeric root and lemon grass paste (or sub ½ tsp turmeric with zest of ½ a lemon)
  • 2 chicken thighs, sliced (optional)
  • ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
  • ¼ Napa cabbage (or any type, bok choy too)
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced or 1 daikon radish to cut on carbs
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • ⅓ of a head of cauliflower flowerettes
  • 12 baby tomatoes
  • 2 small carrots, cut into medallions
  • ANY veggie alternatives you’d like to add
  • 2 diced chillies

To serve
1 lime, sliced into wedges and fresh cilantro

Drizzle of Chilli oil, sesame oil too!

Low carb noodles, I use Shiritake

Method

1. Add sliced onions to heated oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat and cook for 5 mins.

2. Add the garlic cloves and finely sliced fresh ginger. Cook for a few minutes and until your veggies are fragrant.

3. Add Thai curry paste, the smooth peanut butter and I added about 4 tblspns pad Thai sauce.

4. Add the can of coconut milk and an additional can of hot water, and fish sauce. Stir.

5. Add your prepped veg.

6. Bring to the boil then add your sliced chicken, tofu or whatever protein you choose.

7. Turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 35 mins or until the veggies and chicken is cooked through.

8. Lastly, top off with another touch of any of the Thai seasoning to give it extra zest!

9. Serve over low carb noodles. I toss a bit of sesame oil into mine.

Optional toppings: Thai basil, bean sprouts, squeeze of lime, fresh mint, crunchy onions

Watch out for Thai chili oil!

It’s been a long time since I posted. I had an extended trip to the southern hemisphere to be with my Mum towards the end of last year. She has since recovered remarkably well I’m thankful and happy to say and just celebrated her 92nd birthday. Happy Birthday, Mum! 💐🥳

Then, I had a “dream trip” with my son to Japan. My next post will be of Japan and photos of food and a few sights we saw. I was so sad to leave. It was an adventure of a lifetime and I would go back in a heartbeat. The people are so kind, helpful and friendly and it’s a beautiful country.

I hope you are doing very well, and are healthy and happy. It’s spring here … and I’m ready for it!


Spring apron! Thank you Alona, I love it. ❤️

Naked Spring Roll Pork Stir Fry

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I miss Spring Rolls. That wrapped crunchy goodness! Here’s a little recipe of what (probably) goes in them… and a little bit extra…without the roll.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 lb/500g ground pork
  • ½ a cabbage, green or red
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 6 radish
  • 4 green spring onions
  • 1 sprig of mint and a few sprigs of cilantro and parsley
  • ½ a lime
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp 5 Spice
  • 1 tblspn sweet Korean chilli flakes
  • 1 tblspn onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tblspn beef broth
  • 3 tblspn soy sauce
  • 2 tblspn toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tblspn keto honey
  • Sesame seeds for topping

Method

  1. In a large deep skillet or fry pan add the avocado oil and heat for frying the onions and garlic.
  2. Add your sliced onions and peeled chopped garlic. Cook onions for a few minutes until fragrant and just “almost” browning.
  3. Add ground pork (you could use ground beef or chicken if you prefer)
  4. Crumble well and cook until cooked through with onions, stirring.
  5. Toss in the sliced cabbage, bell peppers and grated carrots.
  6. ***It’s best to prep all your veggies before you start stir frying. This recipe comes together quickly!
  7. Stir until just cooked but still crunchy.
  8. Add the diced radish and green onions, stir.
  9. In a separate bowl mix together the spices, soy sauce, sesame oil and keto honey, stir well.
  10. Turn stove onto high. Pour sauce into the stir fry and toss gently.
  11. Turn off stove right away when all veggies are coated.
  12. Add fresh herbs and squeeze over lime juice.
  13. Serve immediately in a warm bowl sprinkled with sesame seeds on top or chopped peanuts.
  14. Options: serve with keto noodles, egg foo yung or top with a fried egg.

I hope you enjoy this too!

I made yummy breakfast brunch, keto tacos, roasted asparagus with camembert and goat cheese and toasted coconut lime keto cake, the frosting was cream cheese and lime zest. Also a keto cream cheese chocolate ganache topping.

Lastly, a few summer photos of spring. The roses enjoyed the early hot days and then cooler days for blooming. Happy Spring!

Red Chicken Curry in Coconut Cream

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Here is a recipe I made today. If it’s winter where you live, it’s warming and hearty.One more thing, please toast your spices and then blend them – if you can. It’s worth the small effort and your nose will thank you!Ingredients

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • 3 – 4 cardamom seeds
  • 4 tblspn oil or butter
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 – 2 shallots
  • 4 – 6 large chicken thighs
  • 1 tblspn garam masala
  • 1 – 3 tblspn curry (I like spicy!)
  • 2 tblspn turmeric
  • 1 tblspn chilli powder
  • 1 can coconut cream
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 – 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 fresh green chilli
  • 1 thumb ginger
  • 1-2 carrots or small yam
  • 2-3 zucchini
  • 3 red/yellow bell peppers
  • 2 tsp turmeric

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Cranberry Rum Orange Red Onion and Brie Galette

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This is wonderful as an appetiser to start a special meal or as a main dish served with green veggies or a salad. We had it as our Christmas eve dinner starter.

If you’re making this for a dinner party I suggest you make the pastry and filling a day ahead to assemble and bake on the day.

Cranberry Orange Red Onion and Brie Galette

Pastry Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 stick butter (4 oz or 120g)
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • 1 tblspn xantham gum
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Ingredients

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Keto Lamb Stew: the spring edition

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Hello! It’s been a while as life has been busy with getting vaccinated, more work and less time for cooking. Yesterday I made this ground lamb stew. We had some beautiful big radish and I subbed them as potatoes. I’m sure you know, but radish cook soft and just like potatoes, absorb the delicious flavours of a stew and are very satisfying.

To summarise: while browning the onion cut your veggies up, add the lamb, veggies and top with herbs, fresh or dried, add seasoning and simmer until tenderly cooked. Lets go!

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Easy Egg Foo Young

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Sometimes you have days when a quick lunch or dinner dish is all you feel up to, or it’s been a busy day and you’re not feeling like the usual longer meal prep. Our favourite dish to make on days like these is Egg Foo Young.

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Keto Chile Rellenos

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This was quite an adventure to make. My partner was kindly given some peppers at the community garden by a fellow gardener. My sister gave me a fab Mexican cookbook some time ago that I love and I watched a video of an amazing woman cooking chile rellenos on a wood stove in Mexico. Both inspired me. I hope you’re inspired too!

Recipe at the bottom!

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Tender Buttermilk Chicken Curry with Summer Veg

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We’ve had a cool start to summer, it’s been more of an extended spring. I’m not complaining as it meant I could make a late seasonal curry with some local farm chicken.

I tried slow roasting one of these chickens, but the good outdoor life made them strong, tough and healthy, just like chickens should be! Tasty but a tad chewy!

In South Africa we call these chickens “scratchy fowls” meaning they have had a free happy life, scratching in the fields for bugs. Nothing happier than the a vision of a happy scratching fowl roaming free!

So, as buttermilk tenderises chicken meat beautifully,

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Keto Empanadas

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Worth the time and these are delicious. I think a Keto version is such a win, as it’s meat wrapped in a cheese dough. I mean, how can that not be good?!

If you have leftover savoury ground beef these would be the perfect leftover plan. Also, I would suggest making the ground beef filling ahead and let it cool off completely as it’s easier to work with in the dough. Hot filling in a cheese dough is not fun to work with – I found that out as this was one of those spur of the moment “I need empanadas – after 3 years of none – in my life” now! Also let your dough chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes. It’s possible to make these in one go but you’ll see how hard it was to work with fresh warm dough and filling in my pics below.

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Dinner for Two

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LCHF Waldorf Salad

Chicken Breast Pesto Rollmops

Roasted Petit Peppers

Spiced Cauliflower Mash

This whole meal started with a Waldorf Salad yearning, which usually is inspired by the beautiful apples in the grocers this time of year. Also, my partner was not feeling the best. I only know how to cook, not how to heal, though in some ways food has amazing properties of healing I suppose. I also wanted to partly test drive this chicken idea as I’d like to make a version if it when our friend comes to dinner.

This is going to be more a summary of what I made and not exact measurements. I’m pretty sure that anyone who visits this blog is a way more accomplished cook than I’ll ever hope to be! Run with your own measurements, instincts and culinary acumen!

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