Low-Carb Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cream cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (not from package, firmly packed)
¾ cup super fine almond flour
½ tsp salt
 
Directions:
 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Microwave cream cheese for 35 seconds to soften.
In a pot, mix together the softened cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, almond flour, and salt.
Heat, just until the cheese starts to melt, stirring the mixture constantly until it forms into a dough.
Using food gloves, shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough on parchment paper.
Cover the dough with another sheet of parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into an 11 ½ inch diameter circle.
Slide the dough onto a pizza pan (or large sheet pan) using the bottom piece of parchment.
Remove the top piece of parchment paper.
Using a fork, poke holes in the dough.
Place the pan on the center rack of preheated oven.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Add a clean sheet of parchment to the top of the crust.
Fit a second pizza pan over the parchment.  Using oven mitts, hold both pans tightly and flip them.
Carefully slide the crust (on the parchment) onto the first pan. Remove the top parchment.
If the crust is not golden, bake for 5 more minutes.
Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Allow crust to cool for 10 minutes before topping.
 
With toppings, bake for 10 minutes until the cheese melts.
 
Adapted from https://simplysohealthy.com/the-best-low-carb-pizza-crust-recipe/
 
Serves 6 – 8
 
Topping ideas:
 
¼ cup of pizza sauce cooked a bit to thicken.
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella or sharp cheddar cheese
½ pound of cooked ground chicken, turkey, beef, pepperoni, or Italian sausage
½ cup sautéed sweet chopped onion
1 sautéed chopped green or red pepper
½ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup Romano cheese
sun-dried tomatoes

Mexican Zucchini Boats

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
4 medium zucchini
½ cup chopped Vidalia onion
1 small red pepper (chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 pound ground chicken
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8th tsp. black pepper
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
¾ cup of fresh cilantro (chopped)
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Rub the zucchini halves with oil.
Place them in a 9 X 13 inch metal pan and bake for 25 minutes.  Set aside.
Place the ground chicken in a pot and brown the meat, stirring often.
Remove the meat from the pot, and discard the extra liquid.
Add the remaining oil to the pot, along with the chopped onion, red pepper, and garlic.
Saute’, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent, and red pepper is soft.
Add the ground chicken back in, along with the tomato paste, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Stir until combined and remove from heat.
Spoon the ground chicken mixture into the zucchini boats.
Top with shredded cheddar.
Bake for 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle chopped cilantro on zucchini boats and serve.
 
Serves 4
 

ALMOND CRUSTED CHICKEN

Ingredients:
​
6 tbsp. melted butter
1 1/2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 cup of almond flour
1/2 cup of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp dried parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse and dry chicken pieces.
If using breasts, cut them into 3 long strips.  (They will cook better this way.)
Mix all of the dry ingredients.
Dip pieces in melted butter.
Then, dip chicken in almond flour mixture.
Place chicken pieces flat on a large pan lined with parchment paper or foil.
Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes.

Serves 4

 ​MEXICAN PIZZA
Ingredients:

1 low carb pizza crust (see blog recipe)
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 cup water
Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix (original)
1 tbsp. ghee
1 chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup black olives (sliced)
16 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese  (grated)

Directions:

Bake crusts according to directions on box. If using a wire rack, make sure it has tiny squares or the crusts will fall right through.

Carefully slide baked crusts onto a foil-lined large sheet pan or 2 smaller pans.  Set aside. 

Brown meat in non-stick pot.  Drain.
Stir in 1/2 cup of water.
Add taco seasoning packet.  Mix well.
Set aside.

Saute chopped onions and peppers in ghee. *
Set aside.

Grate the cheese.*

Spread most of  the cheese onto the crusts. Reserve 1 cup.
Add the ground meat mixture.
Top with peppers and onions.
Add the olives.
​Top with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese.

Broil in the oven for 3 minutes .

Let it set for 5 minutes.  Then, cut with a kitchen scissors into pizza slices.

It is easiest to eat with a fork and knife.

'Note 1:  Spicier option:  Add 7 dried red hot chile peppers while sauteing the onions and peppers. 
                                             Remove the red chili peppers before topping pizza.

**Note 2:  In recipes, we always grate the cheese ourselves. 
                  Packaged grated cheese has carbs added to keep it from clumping together.


Serves 4 - 6

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI BOATS

​Ingredients:

2 medium/large zuchinni
1 tsp. olive oil
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup Romano cheese
1 cup of marinara sauce (I use Rao)
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Arrange the halves into an 8 X 12 pan lined with parchment or foil
Rub the inside of each zucchini boat with olive oil.
Bake for 25 minutes.

Add the ground chicken to a non-stick pot and saute' until fully cooked. Drain excess liquid.
Stir in the salt, pepper, Romano cheese, and  tomato sauce.

Spoon mixture into the zucchini boats.
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Serves 3 - 4

Note:   Ground Italian sausage, beef, or turkey also work well with this recipe.

INSTANT POT BEEF STEW

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp. ghee
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 medium carrots sliced
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
2 to lbs. boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
1 cup of beef broth
2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup frozen peas
1 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. water
2 medium zucchini, cubed, plus extra salt to taste


Directions:

Melt ghee and butter in a large skillet.
Add onion and carrots to the pot and sauté until wilted and slightly browned.
Add in the salt, pepper, and beef chunks. Brown meat on all sides.
Transfer meat mixture to the Instant Pot.
Set to sauté’ function.
Add broth, garlic base, and Worcestershire sauce.
Stir, scraping the sides of brown bits.
Cancel sauté, cover, and press Pressure Cook for 25 minutes.
Heat the cubed zucchini in a covered pot on the stove on low heat. Do not add water.
Stir frequently to prevent burning.
Cook until medium soft. Add salt to taste.
When the Instant Pot is finished, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes.
Then, add the frozen peas.
Use the sauté function for 8 minutes.
Make a slurry of the cornstarch and water. Stir it briskly into the pot.
Serve over zucchini cubes.
​

Serves  4