Fabiola’s Fabulous Keto Friendly Lunch Salad

Eating Out, Reviews | January 13, 2016 | By

The perfect keto friendly lunch at Fabiola’s

Finding safe places for a Keto Friendly Lunch while out and about tends to be one of the bigger challenges I have found on my Keto journey. There really are only a handful of places that I tend to frequent as I know already what I plan on ordering before I decide where to go. This ensures I won’t be surprised by the lack of options and be tempted to stray from my program. If you are not from around here do your own local recon and create a safe-list of go-to lunch spots so when you are meeting friends for lunch or just out doing errands you can say – YES to… lets do lunch, and keep true to your lighter life. 

Even if it is only one item on the menu that you love, it adds another spot on your list so you don’t have to eat sashimi for lunch all the time to stay low-carb!

My latest addition to my list is from Fabiola’s Bistro in Avon CT, a small hole-in-the-wall, lunch-only spot that has really great creative, home-cooked, unique options. There are only a few items on the menu that would be considered or tweaked to be a Keto Friendly Lunch but as I mentioned you only need one truly great one that will keep me coming back and Fabiola’s has got me hooked.

Keto Friendly Lunch

Fabiola’s Bistro’s new outdoor patio area

The Park Street Caesar Salad sans croutons. By now you should know I am a fan of the Caesar but this one is off-beat and special. It has dripping buffalo chicken, avocado, a few tomatoes, asiago cheese, avocado and bacon – a keto trifecta of sorts.

Keto Friendly Lunch

 

Before my lighter days I would visit this spot when I craved something different for lunch and was fond of this unique take on a Caesar. Little did I know at the time it would become a regular Keto Friendly Lunch option that while keeping me 30lbs down be such a satisfying meal. Sometimes, I can even add a cup of soup if I hit the daily specials right.

The Park Street Caesar is named after the street, Jennifer the long-time manager of almost 2 decades, lived on as a kid. This fun trivia revealed to me at the Old Well Tavern one night after bumping into Jennifer. She greeted me with…. “Park Street Caesar – hold the croutons, right?”. Clearly, my lifestyle precedes me.

 

 

 

 

Best Low Carb Salad Dressings and the Perfect Avocado

Reviews, Salads, Small Plates | January 8, 2016 | By

Some of the best low carb salad dressings come from a bottle.

More often than not we make our own simple vinaigrette to go on our various salads but there are nights, when short on time, a decent bottled dressing does the trick. If you are looking for the best low carb salad dressings and the perfect avocado you do not have to go far. Most on the market are loaded with sugars and other questionable ingredients but then there are some really good ones if you know what to look for.

Newman’s Own offers several low carb, 2-3 grams per serving, options that are great in a pinch. They even have a low carb Caesar dressing but if I am going to make a Caesar Salad, I’m going to make it from scratch.

Best Low Carb Salad DressingsBest Low Carb Salad Dressings

Best Low Carb Salad Dressings Best Low Carb Salad Dressings

One of my favorite quick lunches I learned from my mother. Believe it or not between the Rice Krispies and Pop Tarts there are a few healthy food habits that your / my parents passed down, whether they knew it or not at the time.

Take a perfectly ripe avocado, remove the pit and fill the cavity with a good italian-ish dressing – dig in with a spoon getting some dressing with each bite. So simple and yet this is how I learned to eat an avocado. Who knew all these years later that avocado would play such an important role in my weight loss as it represents the perfect keto-friendly food. Thanks Mom! I still have not adopted her avocado-pit-on-the-window-sill-tree thing but hey, there’s still time!

Perfect Avocado

If somehow you are new to avocados, here is the secret to a perfect ripe one. When you get one home, if its it is still hard and green, leave it on the counter for a day or two until it darkens a bit and feels a little soft but still firm when pressed on. Then put it in the fridge which will slow down the ripening process keeping it perfect until you are ready to eat it. Another way is checking under the stem. This part of the avocado holds a sneak peak for what’s going on under the skin.

Best Low Carb Salad Dressings

Peel back the small stem or cap at the top of the avocado. If it comes away easily and you find light green / yellow underneath, you’ve got a good avocado that’s ripe and ready to eat.
 
Another great brand that has so many great low carb options, 0-3 grams per serving, is Annie’s. I try to stick with their organic variety as they have both organic and non-organic of most of their offerings.

Best Low Carb Salad Dressings Best Low Carb Salad Dressings

Best Low Carb Salad Dressings Best Low Carb Salad Dressings

Best Low Carb Salad DressingsBest Low Carb Salad Dressings

Another favorite low carb option, if you can find it, is from Cindy’s Kitchen. These are some of the cleanest bottled dressings on the market and will be found refrigerated among the veggie isles as they are the freshest on this list. Many of these have zero carbs so enjoy them often.

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You can’t go wrong with these easy week night shortcut dressings. Then again there is always the simplest solution – A really good EV olive oil and a squeeze of lemon on some arugula, salt and pepper, avocado, toasted pine nuts, shave some fresh fennel and parmesan and in minutes your perfect keto side salad is table ready.  

 

 

 

Salmon Hash and Eggs

Salmon Hash and Eggs

Breakfast | January 6, 2016 | By

Breakfast is clearly the most important part of our day here at our home. How you start your day can set the tone, your energy level and your attitude for the challenges of the day. This morning creation from my wife Lisa is one of those that I hope to be awake for whenever she is whipping up her now famous Salmon Hash and Eggs.

I usually try to scheme the night before by having some left over Salmon from dinner that I strategically place in front of the egg carton in the fridge in hopes she does the math come morning. I like all things hash and the silky mouth feel a pair of over easy eggs adds makes this experience decadent. Keeping keto, you have to forgo the traditional white potatoes found in most hash. But I promise, with this recipe, you won’t miss them.

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If you like things spicy you can always add some jalepenos to the mix. I also have been recently experimenting with some smoked salts which add a nice dimension. Have fun… It’s breakfast!

Salmon Hash and Eggs

Salmon Hash and Eggs
Serves 2
Quick and easy Salmon Hash and Eggs breakfast
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
742 calories
32 g
539 g
34 g
76 g
10 g
655 g
650 g
16 g
0 g
15 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
655g
Servings
2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 742
Calories from Fat 301
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 34g
52%
Saturated Fat 10g
51%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 539mg
180%
Sodium 650mg
27%
Total Carbohydrates 32g
11%
Dietary Fiber 8g
32%
Sugars 16g
Protein 76g
Vitamin A
184%
Vitamin C
253%
Calcium
18%
Iron
26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup sweet peppers - red, orange, yellow - diced
  2. 1/4 cup fennel - diced
  3. 1/2 cup portabella mushroom - diced
  4. 1/4 cup onion - chopped
  5. 1/4 cup sweet potato - small diced
  6. 1 tsp fresh thyme - diced
  7. 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
  8. 2 tsp butter
  9. salt and pepper to taste
  10. 3/4 cup cooked salmon
  11. 2 eggs - over easy or poached
  12. 1 tbsp green onions chopped for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a pan on med heat melt butter and add first 5 ingredients.
  2. Sautee until veggies are caramelized about 8 minutes.
  3. Add paprika and thyme, salt and pepper - mix well.
  4. Cook your eggs.
  5. While eggs are cooking, add the salmon to the hash and mix in until up to temperature.
  6. Serve hash with eggs on top right away.
  7. Top with green onions and salt and pepper to taste
Adapted from Lisa Levy
beta
calories
742
fat
34g
protein
76g
carbs
32g
more
Adapted from Lisa Levy
EverydayKetoGourmet http://www.everydayketogourmet.com/wp/

Lisa’s Amazing Egg Bowl

Breakfast | January 5, 2016 | By

So here we are starting the new year off eating right… right? My wife’s amazing egg bowl is just what we all need this time of year. I’m making sure I am back in ketosis as one too many holiday treats and splurges have me, and I imagine many of you, feeling a little more gravitational pull than we did before the holidays. This breakfast egg bowl recipe will become a new favorite as it has become mine and anyone else who has tried this perfect morning combination.

Lisa's Amazing Egg Bowl
Serves 1
An amazing breakfast egg bowl
Print
Prep Time
8 min
Cook Time
4 min
Total Time
12 min
Prep Time
8 min
Cook Time
4 min
Total Time
12 min
359 calories
9 g
399 g
25 g
26 g
8 g
288 g
711 g
4 g
0 g
15 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
288g
Servings
1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 359
Calories from Fat 217
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 25g
38%
Saturated Fat 8g
38%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 399mg
133%
Sodium 711mg
30%
Total Carbohydrates 9g
3%
Dietary Fiber 4g
16%
Sugars 4g
Protein 26g
Vitamin A
106%
Vitamin C
38%
Calcium
15%
Iron
20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 1.5 cups baby spinach
  2. 2 large eggs
  3. 3 tbsp cottage cheese
  4. 1/4 cup of ripe tomato - cubed
  5. 1/4 cup avocado - about 1/4 of an avocado - cubed
  6. 1/2 tsp butter
  7. 1/8 tsp seasoned salt - Borsari is our favorite.
  8. 2 strips of bacon - crisp (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl covered, microwave spinach for 30 seconds.
  2. Add butter to spinach and toss.
  3. Top with tomato and avocado.
  4. Season with Borsari or your favorite seasoned salt.
  5. Top with 2 eggs - fried or poached and add cottage cheese.
  6. Crumble bacon on top. (optional)
Notes
  1. The bacon is optional and without it the nutrition is only: Calories: 275, Fat: 18g, Protein: 20g, Carbs: 9g
  2. You can find Borsari at Big Y - we like the original black label version - Sea salt, garlic, basil, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg
Adapted from Lisa Levy
beta
calories
359
fat
25g
protein
26g
carbs
9g
more
Adapted from Lisa Levy
EverydayKetoGourmet http://www.everydayketogourmet.com/wp/