Smoked Sockeye Salmon and Kale Salad

I have been sick this week and have not had much of an appetite.  Today was my first day back in the kitchen and this salad was just what the doctor ordered.  My energy had returned within an hour of eating this salad, which was the perfect dose of protein and healthy fats.

Smoked Sockeye Salmon and Kale Salad

Ingredients:
1 bundle fresh kale, torn into small pieces
1 avocado, pitted and cut into pieces
1 package Trader Joe's smoked sockeye salmon, cut into pieces
2 tbsp. olive oil
juice from 1 lime
lemon pepper
Asiago cheese, freshly grated

Directions:
Tear the kale into small pieces and place in a large bowl.  Toss the kale with the olive oil.  Slice the avocado, drizzling with lime juice and sprinkling with some pepper.  Tear the smoked salmon into small pieces and top with lemon pepper.  Arrange the avocado and salmon over the kale and grate Asiago cheese over the top.

Smoked Sockeye Salmon and Kale Salad

Keto Cauliflower Biscuits

I have tried making are recipe similar to these in the past based on my loaded faux-tatoes only to result in most of dinner stuck in the muffin tin. These, however, are amazing. I used Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray and parchment paper, measuring out each biscuit in my 1/3 baking cup. Unlike the egg cups that I have made for breakfast in the past, these are not too "eggy" and take on the texture of a real biscuit.  Loving that by being made with almond flour, they pack only 3 carbs each.  I could brag about these biscuits forever, but you'll have to try them for yourself.

Keto Cauliflower Biscuits:

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (riced in the food processor)
1/2 cup almond flour
2 eggs
5 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
2 tbsp. pickled jalapenos
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. onion powder
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the cauliflower into florets and put them in your food processor.  Pulse the food processor until the cauliflower begins to take on the texture of rice.

In a large skillet, sprayed with coconut oil spray, saute the garlic, bacon, jalapenos, and riced cauliflower. Allow the mixture to cook over medium heat until the cauliflower begins to soften.

Remove the mixture from the heat and place into a large mixing bowl.  Combine the cauliflower mixture with the eggs, almond flour, cheeses, salt, and pepper.

On a prepared baking sheet, covered in parchment paper and sprayed with coconut oil, scoop the cauliflower mixture out using a 1/3 baking cup.  You'll want to make sure the mixture is packed together and not separated in the cup.  You should be able to make 12 biscuits.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the biscuits turn golden brown.  Cool for a few minutes before enjoying!

Keto Cauliflower Biscuits

Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray is essential for Keto cooking.  I was thrilled to find it!

Smoked Trout and Artichoke Salad

I originally set out to create shrimp salad before I discovered that my shrimp had gone bad. Still, I was able to improvise by using the Trader Joe's Smoked Trout that I bought a few days ago.  The smoky flavor of the trout really compliments the artichokes and lemon pepper.  Also, for those of you who are not big fans of seafood, trout has such a mild flavor and by purchasing it smoked, it saves on the work of cooking it.

Smoked Trout and Artichoke Salad:

Ingredients:
1 package of smoked trout (found in the refrigerator at the store)
1 package frozen artichokes (steam in the microwave then drain)
2 tbsp. Miracle Whip
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 small onion, chopped finely
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. parsley

Directions:
Steam the frozen artichokes in the microwave and drain off the water.

In the meantime, combine the Miracle Whip with the lemon juice.

Add in the steamed artichokes, onion, and spices.  After flaking the trout into the bowl, combine all ingredients well.  Allow to chill for about 30 minutes before serving. 

We enjoyed this dish on its own, but it would also be awesome served with crackers or pita chips for those of you who are not following a Ketogenic diet.

Smoked Trout and Artichoke Salad

Sockeye Salmon and Roasted Cabbage

This dinner was so fabulous... and simple... that I have to share!

Lemon Pepper Sockeye Salmon:

Ingredients:
1 large piece of Alaskan Sockeye Salmon (We always cut a large piece in half, so it will serve 2)
McCormick Grill Mates- Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1 cedar plank

Directions:
About 2 hours prior to cooking, you'll need to soak your cedar plank in salted water.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Coat the sockeye salmon with lemon pepper seasoning.  Place on the cedar plank and bake on the top rack for about 20 minutes.

Lemon Pepper Sockeye Salmon and Roasted Cabbage

Roasted Cabbage:

Ingredients:
1 head of cabbage
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. wild mushroom infused Falk Salt (available at Central Market.  Regular sea salt would also work)
1 tbsp. rainbow peppercorns (Trader Joe's sells the peppercorns with a built-in-grinder for $1.99- a steal)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Starting at the stalk end of the cabbage, cut it into 1-inch wide pieces.  Arrange the 4 pieces on a baking sheet.  Brush each side of the cabbage slices with olive oil and sprinkle on the salt and peppercorns.

Bake for 20 minutes, flip the cabbage pieces, then bake for 20 more minutes, or until the edges begin to turn crispy and golden brown.

Roasted Cabbage with Garlic, Wild Mushroom Infused Salt, and Rainbow Peppercorns

Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad with Colby Jack

We have found that cooking a large batch of chicken before the work week begins is a great way to make packing healthy, Keto friendly lunches more quickly when we need them.  We've also found that cooking our chicken for less time at a higher temperature yields juicier chicken.  McCormick's  has an awesome line of seasonings for meat and we have not been disappointed with any of them.  For this recipe, we used the Molasses Bacon Spice Blend.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad with Colby Jack:

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
McCormick Grill Mates Molasses Bacon blend
1 bag of prepared lettuce (we used Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch)
4 pieces of bacon, cooked and drained
Ken's Steakhouse Ranch Dressing
Colby Jack Cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare the chicken breasts by sprinkling the Molasses Bacon blend on both sides of the chicken.  Place them in a greased shallow baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, prepare a bed of the Cruciferous blend.  Once the chicken is done, slice into pieces and load onto the salad, topping with crumbled bacon, Ken's Ranch, and Colby Jack.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

The Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch is fantastic with this recipe!