This Easy Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe is ready in about an hour using a pressure cooker. It is so delicious!
Carnitas Recipe Ingredients
To make carnitas I like using pork shoulder (in chunks), sliced onions, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, Mexican oregano, fresh orange juice and a touch of apple cider vinegar.
Mexican Oregano has a citrusy flavor, different from the Mediterranean oregano that we usually see in the markets.
Notice that I do not use any fat other than the one of the pork.
Instant Pot Carnitas Recipe
Place your pork chunks in the pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
Then add the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Cover and cook in high pressure for 30 minutes. Yes, 30 minutes!
After the 30 minutes, let it release the pressure naturally. It takes about 15 more minutes.
And the carnitas are ready!!!
For crispy carnitas, transfer to a small oven safe pan and broil for about 10 minutes (or more if you really like them crispy).
I like adding jalapeño slices, cilantro and chopped red onion when I broil them.
This Mexican Salsa Verde is an especially versatile recipe. You can use it in a multitude of dishes or as a snack with some vegetables or chips.
Salsa Verde Ingredients
The main ingredient of this Salsa Verde Recipe are tomatillos. Tomatillos are a staple of Mexican cuisine. They are often mistaken for green tomatoes. However, they are a nightshade fruit and it is covered in husks.
In addition to the tomatillos, you will need onion, garlic cloves, tomatillos, jalapeño or serrano chilies, cilantro and lime.
Tomatillo Salsa Verde Steps
Start by removing the outer layer of the onion and cutting it in quarters.
Then remove papery skin from garlic cloves. To do so, loosen and remove garlic cloves and then press firmly with the back of your knife. The papery skin will get loose and will be easy to remove.
Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice. You will need about a tablespoon, but you can add more depending on your taste.
Cut jalapeños (or serrano chilies) in half, lengthwise.
To prepare the tomatillos, first remove husks and rinse under warm water.
Once the tomatillos are clean, cut them in quarters.
Place all the vegetables in the oven and broil for about 10 minutes.
The vegetables will be ready when they are lightly blackened.
Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.
Adjust salt, pepper and lime to your taste.
Store in the refrigerator for about 5 days. It goes well with pork, but you can use it on salads, as a snack or with any of your favorite Mexican Dishes.
Remove husks from tomatillos. Rinse under water and chop in quarters.
Apply non-stick spray to a baking pan. Place tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeños in the baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil for about 10 minutes.
Once tomatillos are lightly blackened, remove from oven and place in a blender.
Add cilantro and lime juice and blend.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with chicken, pork, tortilla chips or any of your favorite Mexican dishes.
This Salsa Verde can be prepared with raw vegetables. Tomatillos can be eaten raw or cooked.
Check out my Creamy Mexican Salsa Verde. The addition of avocado makes this salsa creamy, perfect for dips or tacos. It is is also known as Guacamole Salsa.
This Mexican Avocado Salsa Verde is one of my favorite healthy comfort foods. This recipe is easy and it’s ready to enjoy in less than 15 minutes.
Ingredients
For this Mexican Avocado Salsa Verde, you will need onion, garlic cloves, tomatillos, jalapeño or serrano chilies, cilantro, avocado and lime.
Tomatillos are a staple of Mexican cuisine. They are a nightshade fruit and is covered in husks. However, they are often mistaken for green tomatoes. Tomatillos can be eaten raw or cooked and they are the base for Mexican Salsa Verde.
How to make Mexican Avocado Salsa Verde?
Start by removing the outer layer of the onion and cutting in quarters.
Then remove papery skin from garlic cloves. To do so, loosen and remove garlic cloves and then press firmly with the back of your knife. The papery skin will get loose and will be easy to remove.
Squeeze the juice of half a lime.
Cut jalapeños or serrano chilies in half (lengthwise).
To prepare the tomatillos, first remove husks and rinse under warm water.
Once tomatillos are clean, chop them in quarters.
Apply non-stick spray to a baking pan. Place tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeños in the baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil for about 10 minutes.
Once the tomatillos are lightly blackened you are ready to make this creamy salsa. Remove the broiled vegetables from the oven and place in a blender.
Add cilantro, avocado and lime juice. Blend until soft and creamy.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and more lime juice if needed.
Serve with veggies or tortilla chips for a snack. Or use with chicken, turkey, fish, pork or on any of your favorite Mexican dishes.
Remove husks from tomatillos. Rinse under water and chop in quarters.
Apply non-stick spray to a baking pan. Place tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeños in the baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and broil for about 10 minutes.
Once tomatillos are lightly blackened, remove from oven and place in a blender.
Add cilantro, avocado and lime juice. Blend until soft and creamy.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with chicken, pork, tortilla chips or any of your favorite Mexican dishes.
Easy Roasted Salmon Salad with Spicy Yogurt Dressing
Ele
I make this easy roasted salmon salad very often. It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and you end up with a beautiful nutritious meal with very little effort.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are very simple. I used kale for the base of the salad, but you can use any green leafy vegetable. I added bell peppers for texture and jalapeños for a little spice. The radishes add a slightly peppery taste as well as crispiness and the scallions a soft onion taste.
When making salads, I like adding nuts and dried fruits and avocado. In this case I used pistachios and dried cherries and 1/4 of a medium size Hass Avocado.
Spicy Yogurt Dressing
This roasted salmon salad goes very well with a creamy dressing. To make the dressing mix 1/4 of Greek Yogurt with Dijon Mustard, Sambal Oelek and liquid Stevia. I added about 1/4 tsp of liquid Stevia, but you can add more or less depending on your taste. The same applies to the Sambal Oelek. And that’s it, the dressing is ready!
Roasted Salmon
Salmon takes 15-20 minutes to cook in the oven. Just add salt and pepper to your filets and place in the oven at 425 F for 15 minutes. If you are using frozen salmon, let it bake 20-25min at 425F. After that time, you can broil for another 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook your salmon.
Roasted Salmon Salad Assembly
Assemble your salad while the salmon is in the oven.
Make a bed of kale in a salad bowl. Then chop and add all the other ingredients.
Once the salmon is ready, place the filet on top of the salad and add the spicy dressing.
Enjoy this Roasted Salmon Salad with spicy yogurt dressing for lunch or dinner any day of the week.
Roasted Salmon Kale Salad with Spicy Yogurt Dressing
Easy and ready in minutes vegetarian coconut based Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe with kale and high protein black bean noodles.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Steps
To make this Curried Butternut Squash Noodle Soup, start by heating a large soup pot over medium heat. Sauté your aromatic vegetables (onion, ginger and garlic chilies) and spices in a little olive or coconut oil. Add vegetable broth, salt, brown sugar substitute and cubed butternut squash. Taste and adjust.
Allow the butternut squash to simmer for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, cook noodles according to package directions and set aside.
The butternut squash is done when you can easily stick a fork in without much resistance.
Once it is cooked, add the coconut milk. Taste and adjust again. Finally, add chopped kale and cover for 1-2 minutes.
Serve toppings on the side and add to your taste. Toppings include sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro and/or culantro (Recao), Sambal Oelek (chili garlic paste) and lime wedges. The Sambal Oelek will add another layer of flavor and heat and the juice of lime wedges will add brightness to this rich and nutritious soup.
Curried Butternut Squash Noodle Soup
Coconut and vegetable broth based soup with butternut squash, kale and black bean noodles.
Sauté your aromatic vegetables (onion, ginger and garlic chilies) and spices in a little olive or coconut oil.
Add vegetable broth, salt, brown sugar substitute and cubed butternut squash. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes until butternut squash is fork tender.
In the meantime, cook noodles according to package directions and set aside.
Once butternut squash is cooked, add coconut milk. Taste and adjust.
Then add chopped kale and cover for 1-2 minutes.
Serve noodles first, cover the noodles with soup and top with sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro and or culantro. Add sambal oelek to taste for some additional heat and squeeze some lime juice.
I absolutely love this Low Carb Swedish Princess Cake Recipe. Prinsesstårta is a traditional Swedish layer cake covered with marzipan. It has a rounded smooth top. The top is sprinkled with powdered sugar and decorated with a pink marzipan rose.
The cake is called Prinsesstårta or Princess Cake because Scandinavian princesses in the early and mid 1900’s were said to have been especially fond of the cake.
Low Carb Vanilla Protein Cake for Prinsesstårta
The Prinsesstårta is made with sponge cake. This low carb Swedish Princess Cake recipe uses a vanilla protein cake with almond flour.
Preheat the oven to 350F (325F if using a convection oven). Line an 8″x3″ inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Measure and sift all dry ingredients (almond flour, protein powder, baking powder and salt) in a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter and whisk in the sweeteners. Mix until you obtain a creamy consistency. Then continue to mix while adding one egg at a time until all eggs are incorporated. Add the Greek yogurt and almond extract and continue to mix until you obtain a soft mixture without lumps. Slowly start adding the dry ingredients that you set aside earlier and continue to mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Pour the batter on the lined cake pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes Let it cool down. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until ready to use.
Pastry Cream Swedish Princess Cake Recipe
To make the pastry cream for this low carb Swedish Cake, mix egg yolks with sweetener, salt, protein and arrowroot powder in a bowl until well incorporated. Place the heavy whipping cream and orange peel in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer. Add spoonful of the warmed heavy cream into the egg yolk mix while whisking. Repeat until it is all mixed. Transfer the mix back to the sauce pan and continue to cook stirring continuously until it thickens and forms a custard. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool and set until ready to use.
Low Carb Whipped Cream
The Prinsesstårta has a layer of whipped cream forming a dome on top of the cake. Cream of tartar will help stabilize the whipped cream. Add all the ingredients in a cold clean bowl. Whisk to obtain stiff peaks. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Low Carb Marzipan Recipe for Swedish Princess Cake
In my opinion, this is the best part of this low carb Swedish Princess Cake Recipe. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it forms a ball. Remove from the food processor and with clean hands knead the marzipan until it develops a smooth, pliable texture.
Add green food coloring to the rest of the marzipan and knead until obtaining light green color. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Marzipan Rose
Set aside a tablespoon of marzipan, add pink food coloring and knead until obtaining desired color. Roll it into a ball and flatten it with your palms and then your fingers, making a nice delicate edge. Make about 5-6 petals. Take one petal and roll it between your fingers to create the center bud and add petals around the bud, overlapping at times. Once you have formed the rose, slice a bit off the base. Set aside 2 teaspoons of marzipan, add green food coloring and knead until obtaining dark green color. Roll it into 2 balls and flatten it with your palms and then your fingers shaping it into a basic leaf shape, then draw veins on the leaf using a toothpick or a butterknife.
Low Carb Princess Cake Assembly
Time to assemble the Swedish Princess Cake! Remove the cake from the freezer and create 2 or 3 layers.
Add raspberry jam to the first layer of cake. Place the second layer of cake and add pastry cream. Cover with the third layer of cake. If using 2 layers of cake, add raspberry jam, then pastry cream and cover with the second layer of cake. Then cover the cake with whipped cream, creating a dome on top of the cake. Place the marzipan between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll to create a circular shape, and until your Marzipan is approximately 0.5cm thick. Lift the marzipan up cover the cake. Use a side scraper or your hands and push the edge of the marzipan towards the cake to create a crease. Carefully cut along this creased mark and remove the surplus. Decorate with the 2 marzipan leaves and rose on top.
Low Carb Swedish Princess Cake (Prinsesstårta)
Ele
Healthier version of traditional Swedish layer cake covered by marzipan.
Preheat the oven to 350F (325F if using a convection oven). Line an 8"x3" inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Measure and sift all dry ingredients (almond flour, protein powder, baking powder and salt) in a bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter and whisk in the sweeteners. Mix until you obtain a creamy consistency.
Then continue to mix while adding one egg at a time until all eggs are incorporated.
Add the Greek yogurt and almond extract and continue to mix until you obtain a soft mixture without lumps.
Slowly start adding the dry ingredients that you set aside earlier and continue to mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour the batter on the lined cake pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes
Let it cool down. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until ready to use.
Whipped Cream
Add all the ingredients in a cold clean bowl. Whisk to obtain stiff peaks. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Pastry Cream
Mix egg yolks with sweetener, salt, protein and arrowroot powder in a bowl until well incorporated.
Place the heavy whipping cream and orange peel in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer.
Add spoonful of the warmed heavy cream into the egg yolk mix while whisking. Repeat until it is all mixed.
Transfer the mix back to the sauce pan and continue to cook stirring continuously until it thickens and forms a custard.
Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool and set until ready to use.
Marzipan
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it forms a ball.
Remove from the food processor and with clean hands knead the marzipan until it develops a smooth, pliable texture.
Set aside a tablespoon of marzipan, add pink food coloring and knead until obtaining desired color. Roll it into a ball and flatten it with your palms and then your fingers, making a nice delicate edge. Make about 5-6 petals. Take one petal and roll it between your fingers to create the center bud and add petals around the bud, overlapping at times. Once you have formed the rose, slice a bit off the base.
Set aside 2 teaspoons of marzipan, add green food coloring and knead until obtaining dark green color. Roll it into 2 balls and flatten it with your palms and then your fingers shaping it into a basic leaf shape, then draw veins on the leaf using a toothpick or a butterknife.
Add green food coloring to the rest of the marzipan and knead until obtaining light green color. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Assembly
Remove the cake from the freezer and create 3 layers.
Add raspberry jam to the first layer of cake. Place the second layer of cake and add pastry cream. Cover with the third layer of cake.
Cover the cake with whipped cream, creating a dome on top of the cake.
Place the marzipan between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll to create a circular shape, and until your Marzipan is approximately 0.5cm thick. Lift the marzipan up cover the cake. Use a side scraper or your hands and push the edge of the marzipan towards the cake to create a crease. Carefully cut along this creased mark and remove the surplus.
Decorate with the 2 marzipan leaves and rose on top.
Video
Notes
Adding 1 Tbsp of Psyllium Husk Powder will add fiber and give it a spongier texture.
If using a protein powder without flavor, add 1 Tsp of pure vanilla extract.
You can use real butter or other products lower in cholesterol or saturated fats. I have used Smart Balance with no changes in flavor or texture.
Egg substitutes such as Egg Beaters can be used instead of eggs (3Tbsp = 1 egg).
This recipe of High Protein Peanut Sauce Noodles is simple and a great alternative for meatless week-night dinners. Each serving has 37g of protein and the fact that it can be served hot, at room temperature or cold, makes this recipe ideal for meal prep.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are simple and most of them can be found in any market. To make the peanut sauce you will use peanut butter, liquid aminos or a low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar replacement (for lower carbs) and sambal oelek, which is a chili garlic paste. You can use siracha instead of the sambal oelek.
I used black bean and sesame noodles from Explore Cuisine. They have 23g of protein and 13g of dietary fiber per serving.
Steps
Start by preparing the peanut sauce. Combine the peanut butter, chili paste, liquid aminos, sesame oil, rice vinegar and brown sugar replacement. Set aside.
Cook the noodles following the instructions of the package.
In a large pan, sautée garlic, ginger, bell pepper, carrots and jalapeño. Then add the peanut sauce, noodles and broccoli.
Combine well, add lime juice and top with scallions and roasted peanuts.
You can serve this high protein peanut sauce noodles immediately or at a later time. They are good hot, at room temperature or cold.
High Protein Peanut Sauce Noodles Recipe
Low Carb High Protein Noodles in Asian Peanut Sauce
This is an easy and really good vegetable curry recipe with paneer. It is an excellent option for a weeknight light vegetarian dinner and meal prep for the week.
There is a great diversity of curries depending on regions, cultures and availability of herbs and spices.
Easy Vegetable Curry with Paneer Ingredients
For this vegetable curry, I used butternut squash, yellow squash, bell peppers, carrots and fresh baby spinach. Adding Paneer helps increase the amount of protein and adds richness to the texture and flavors of the curry.
Paneer is often described as Indian Cottage Cheese. However, its texture is not like the common American cottage cheese we see at the stores. It is a firm fresh cheese, more like “queso blanco” or other firm farmer-style cheeses. It is made from cow or buffalo milk.
For this curry I used a tomato and spices based sauce with some dry chilies for some heat. This is a mild curry. You can add more dry chilies, red pepper flakes, cayenne or kashmiri chili powder for a deeper red color, heat and flavor. I use this Garam Masala.
Steps
To make this easy vegetable and paneer curry, start by dicing the paneer in bite size cubes and seasoning with salt, half teaspoon of turmeric, Garam Masala curry powder and a little ghee (clarified butter) or oil. Cover and set aside for later.
In a large pan, sauté onions with garlic, ginger and dried chilies with ghee for a couple of minutes. Once onions are getting a little golden, add the rest of the spices and continue to sauté. Then add the drained fire roasted diced tomatoes, combine and cover for a couple of minutes. At this point, the mix of tomatoes, onions and spices may look dry.
Add the rest of the diced vegetables (butternut squash, carrots, yellow squash and peppers). Sauté the vegetables for a couple of minutes and cover, they will release some juices and will create the sauce. In the meantime, you can start working on the paneer.
In another smaller pan, sear the paneer at medium high heat. You want just to develop some flavor without over cooking it. Once they seared on both sides, you can add them to the pan with the mixed vegetables and spices.
Combine the paneer with the vegetables. Add the fresh baby spinach on top and cover in low heat to steam until it gets wilted, but still has a bright green color. The spinach will reduce in size and will release more liquid. This process takes 2-3 minutes.
Serve in a bowl and top with chopped cilantro. You can serve this curry with low carb naan or cauliflower rice.
Dice paneer in bite size pieces, add salt, ghee and a teaspoon of the Garam Masala. Mix, cover and set aside.
In a large pan, sauté onions, dried chilies, garlic and ginger with ghee.
Once the onions start getting golden, add the rest of the spices. Sauté for a few minutes and add the drained diced fire roasted tomatoes.
Cover and let the sauce cook for a few minutes while working on the paneer.
In another small pan, sear the paneer on both sides. They are ready when they develop an golden crust. Do not over cook.
Remove paneer from pan and set aside.
Add the diced vegetables to the tomato sauce. It will be dry, but the vegetables will release their juices. Combine well and cover to cook for 5minutes.
Once vegetables are cooked in the sauce, add seared paneer and combine well.
Add fresh baby spinach on top, cover and turn the heat to low. The steam will cook the spinach.
It is ready when the spinach is wilted, but remains with a bright green color.
This Keto Holiday Spiced Soft Cookies are inspired in the flavors of the traditional Brown Danish Cookies (Brunkager). Each cookie has 1g net carb and 2g protein.
Instructions
To make this Keto Holiday Spiced Soft Cookies, start by lining one large or 2 medium size cookie sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven at 350 °F.
In a large bowl, mix almond flour, protein blend and spices. Then, chop dried orange slices and slivered almonds.
In a small sauce pan, melt butter with Sugar Free maple syrup and brown sugar replacement. Set aside and add egg white to the almond flour mix. Combine well. It should look like sand with small clumps. Once the egg white is incorporated, add melted butter & sweeteners to the almond flour mix and combine well.
The dough will be sticky. Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes for it to be easier to manage.
With clean hands, start forming small balls (about 1.5 inch) and placing in lined cookie sheet.
Then place a piece of parchment paper on top and using a flat bottom small plate or coffee cup, press down to desired thickness. The thicker the cookie, the chewier it will be.
Bake for 8-12 minutes. They should just be starting to darken a little, look relatively dry but will still be soft to touch Cool on a cooling rack and store in a sealed container.
Enjoy this Low Carb Spiced Cookies with a glass of milk, an afternoon tea or a glass of Scotch. They are the perfect cookie to share with your friend during the holidays.
Keto Holiday Spiced Soft Cookies
Keto friendly soft cookie inspired by Danish (Brunkager) Brown Cookies
Line one large or 2 medium size cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven at 350 °F.
In a large bowl, mix almond flour, protein blend and spices.
Chop dried orange slices and slivered almonds.
In a small sauce pan, melt butter with sugar Free maple syrup and brown sugar replacement.
Add egg white to the almond flour mix. Combine well. It should look like sand with small clumps.
Add melted butter & sweeteners to the almond flour mix and combine well.
The dough will be sticky. Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes for it to be easier to manage.
With clean hands, start forming small balls (about 1.5 inch) and placing in lined cookie sheet.
Then place a piece of parchment paper on top and using a flat bottom small plate or coffee cup, press down to desired thickness. The thicker the cookie, the chewier it will be.
Bake for 8-12 minutes until it start getting darker.
Cool on a cooling rack and store in a sealed container.
This version of the popular Puerto Rican “Tembleque” Coconut Pudding is keto friendly and high in protein.
Ingredients
The classic Puerto Rican Tembleque is a work of art. It requires removing the flesh of the coconut and that thin but hard brown skin, shredding it and making your own coconut milk. The coconut milk is then cooked with cornstarch, sugar and spices until it thickens. And it becomes the perfect jiggly coconut dessert.
For my version, the Keto Coconut Pudding, I had to make some adjustments like using arrowroot and gelatin as thickening agents, using a sugar replacement like Lakanto Monkfruit Classic and adding protein powder.
The result may not me my grandmother’s Tembleque, but it is absolutely delicious. I hope you enjoy it.
Keto Coconut Pudding Steps
In a small sauce pan, combine the water cinnamon sticks and clove. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside and let it cool down. Place the unflavored gelatin in a small bowl with water (not more than a cup), stir and set aside to let it bloom. Then, combine the coconut milk, sugar replacement, shredded coconut, arrowroot and protein powder in a blender or sauce pan if using an immersion blender. Blend until smooth. Combine the coconut milk mix with the reserved cinnamon and clove tea. Set the stove to medium high heat and bring to a simmer while stirring. Do not boil, it may cause some sugar substitutes to crystalize.
Continue to stir and cook until it thickens. It will be ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Add coconut extract and gelatin and combine well. Once ready, remove from heat. Pour in individual cups and keep in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set. To serve, sprinkle with cinnamon and additional shredded coconut.
In a small sauce pan, combine the water cinnamon sticks and clove. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside and let it cool down.
Combine the coconut milk, sugar replacement, shredded coconut, arrowroot and protein powder in a blender or sauce pan if using an immersion blender.
Blend until smooth.
Combine the coconut milk mix with the reserved cinnamon and clove tea. Set the burner to medium high heat and bring to a simmer while stirring. Do not boil.
Continue to stir and cook until it thickens. It will be ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
Add coconut extract and gelatin and combine well.
Once ready, remove from heat.
Pour in individual cups and keep in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.
To serve, sprinkle with cinnamon and additional shredded coconut.
