I’ve working on the idea of freeze drying different “salad topper” options to get that crunchy texture without being high calorie/high carb. Here are some thoughts…

Freeze dried:

1) Blueberries

2) Strawberries

3) Sweet Peppers

4) Red onions – start with a slightly larger slice so when it’s done, it won’t be an “onion straw”…

(We have a Harvest Right freeze drier which I’ll be using for all sorts of Low Carb / Keto craziness!!).

Here’s a salad with Spring Mix, Portabellas, Red onion, Green onion, some Pepper and a Greek yogurt based Ranch (only 13 calories per 2 T – GAME CHANGER!!). Very filling.

Amish Salad

Going to a pot luck and want to stay Keto?? Here’s a great idea!

Recipe:

2 stalks of Broccoli Flower Canopies cut into florets
1/2 head of Cauliflower cut small (as shown)
3/4 C Mayo
3/4 C Sour Cream
1/4 C Truvia (a bit more maybe? – or equal
Low Carb / Keto Sweetener of your choice)
1/2 t Kosher Salt
8 oz Bacon – Cooked, chopped… BTW – anything worth adding 4 slices of bacon – is worth 5 slices!!
1 C Shredded Cheddar

Mix well – let come together overnight. Creamy, DELISH!! This goes great with BBQ!!

Get your Taco Bell crave on – for 2 bucks!!

I ordered 2 salad sides, 2 meat sides (beef), 1 cheese side, 1 Guacamole side and then I changed my mind and asked for a Sour Cream side at the end (she didn’t charge me for that).

For a drink I ordered a water (since I’ve been struggling to get enough water lately).

I put several packets of Mild sauce on there – pretty darned good!!

Total? $2.08

This is just how it worked out for me. I’m sharing this example so you can see what is possible – even when eating out. Fast food or otherwise.  

Keto wisely my friends!!

I am always doing some kind of Low Carb / Keto recipe research or adaptation. I have a bunch of “go to” dressings and sauces I have used for years. All VLC (Very Low Carb) – of course. However, I have never gotten around to doing a Caesar Dressing. My wife loves the stuff – good, bad or ugly. She just loves it. How could I have been such an oaf to pass up making her favorite thing. How could I have missed this?

I ran across a Caesar Recipe on FaceBook that looked interesting. Some kind of “shake up” in a pint jar routine. Fair enough. Time to right some past wrongs.

I did it. It went OK. She loved it. It was very yellow – and had A LOT OF BANG to it. Very powerful. She was soooooo happy. I was not happy – I gave it a 5 out of 10. Maaaaaybe not – maybe a 3.

Have you ever gotten to some point in a recipe and you realize you’ve been hacked by some dude in Islamabad, Pakistan typing stuff on the internet and he’s never cooked so much as a bean?

Well – I got to that place on this one. All of the ingredients they showed would not fit in the jar – as illustrated. It was not possible. Further, my past experience making and creating dressings and sauces told me someone can’t tell the difference between a “big T” and a “little t” in English  cooking vernacular. This spice profile was waaaaaaay off.

I realized I would have to make my own. I wanted a creamy, slightly sweet, gentle Caesar that would be so enticing – so inviting, it would always leave you wanting more. Here’s where I went…

I trimmed a little here – added some Sour Cream, cut the MONSTROUS SPICE profile down to something that wouldn’t burn your eyes, added a Low Carb sweetener and PLENTY OF PARMESAN.

If someone tells you there is too much Parmesan in here – UNFRIEND THEM IMMEDIATELY. No one needs that kind of negativity in their life!!

Tom’s Caesar Dressing

1/2 C Mayo
1/2 C Parmesan (grated, bottled)
1/2 C Olive Oil
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 t Pepper (medium grind preferred)
1/2 t Salt (Kosher)
2 t Garlic (minced)
2 t Mustard (I have used both yellow and ground dark)
2 T Lemon
4 drops QuickSweet (or 2-2 1/2 t Truvia – or 4 t Stevia.  Relax – use what you like)

Mix all well – I put it in a quart jar. It didn’t fill it up. Let it steep a day (or not). When I made the Caesar I chopped the Romaine quick, tossed it well in some of this dressing – maybe 3-4 T per serving.

When I had plated it I added a few more shakes of black pepper and more shaved Parmesan. Voila’ – plated with LOVE!!

I think I NAILED IT. I don’t even like Caesar. This is my favorite Caesar and maybe one of my favorite dressings – EVER!!

P.S. Some sliced, grilled Chicken on this wouldn’t hurt a THING. Enjoy!!

Tom’s Ranch Dressing

Here was a lunch – WOWSERS!!

A bed of Baby Spinach with homemade Low Carb Ranch, Blue Cheese crumbles, some sliced Radishes and Bacon. Who doesn’t like bacon – right?? All this with a side of warm, thinly sliced Low Carb Bread smothered in butter and a dusting of dill. Oh my.

Tom’s Ranch Dressing

1 C Mayo
1/2 C Sour Cream
1/2 oz. Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup
1 oz. Apple Cider Vinegar
2 oz. Heavy Cream (or unsweetened Almond Milk)
1 t Dill
1/2 t Thyme
1/2 t Onion
1/2 t Garlic Powder
1 t Parsley
3 drops liquid sucralose

Mix well – let steep one day…

Be sure to check out our post for The Best Low Carb Bread – EVER…

If you enjoy this recipe – share it with others. 

Thanks – Tom