Ahi Tuna Poke
An Ahi Tuna Poke that will impress your guests.
I have been a big fan of all things sashimi, raw and well prepared, such as Ahi Tuna Poke. I have been to Hawaii a few times and just fell in love with the variations of this local island dish. Being somewhat of a sushi snob, I have mostly ignored all the Poke spots popping up all over the place on the east coast where I live.
Some of these places just don’t seem like you could trust the freshness of the ahi tuna poke they offer.
Then I stumbled into a brand new spot in Middletown CT called POKÉMOTO for lunch one day. It was bright and clean and everything looked super fresh so I gave it a go. The best part is that it was really easy to build an Ahi Tuna Poke bowl and keep it keto. I was blown away by the flavors and items you can add to your bowl from 4 different types of seaweed to caviar. Now I am on the lookout for Poke places where ever I go.
I recently found a really great version at an unlikely place – Bartaco in West Hartford. It was so good, I interrogated the waitress to gain some intel from the kitchen. Please enjoy this amazing version of Ahi Tuna Poke as soon as you can. Each serving is only 4 net carbs and may be addictive. You have been warned!
As long as your ingredients are super fresh you can hardly go wrong with anything you wish to add to your bowl. Get creative and have fun.
- ¾ lb. Sashimi-grade Ahi tuna- ¼ inch cubed
- ½ cup english cucumber - seeds removed, sliced thin
- 1 radish - sliced paper thin
- 1 green onion - sliced on the diagonal
- 1 tbsp. red onion - finely sliced
- 1 small ripe avocado - ¼ inch cubed
- 2 tbsp. sesame seeds - white or toasted
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger - finely sliced
- ½ tsp. fresh lemon grass - finely sliced
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. Tamarri or soy sauce.
- 1 tsp. Fish sauce
- ½ tsp. Honey
- 1 small clove fresh garlic - mashed
- ¼ tsp. fresh ginger - mashed
- 2 tsp. Sesame oil
- Fresh ground pepper to taste.
- In a small bowl whisk together the following ingredients: soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, mashed garlic & ginger.
- Whisk in sesame oil.
- Add pepper to taste.
- In a small pan, fry the ginger and lemon grass until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel.
- In a glass bowl combined the cucumber, radish, green onion, red onion. Mix.
- Add cubed, trimmed ahi tuna to the bowl.
- Add cubed avocado to the bowl.
- Add the sesame seeds.
- Gently mix in all the ingredients with the dressing.
- Sprinkle on crisp ginger and lemon grass.
- Serve pronto with chop sticks or a spoon.
Next Level Brussels Sprouts
These Next Level Brussels Sprouts are Amazing!
Been living Keto for over 5 years now and Brussels Sprouts have been a mainstay in my regular rotation of side dishes. I also often order Brussels Sprouts when I go out to eat to see how different chefs prepare this trending veg.
Most restaurants hit it out of the park with a crispy, caramelized texture due to the deep fryers they have access to.
This is not easy to pull off at home but I have been at it for a while and can say you are gonna love these Next Level Brussels Sprouts… and just in time to impress your Turkey Day dinner guests!
If you are still in the “Hate Brussels Spouts” camp I can understand why. My wife and I ate at a more “old school” seafood place recently, and trying to be keto, ordered the Brussels Sprouts. What came out was a bowl of pale-green, steamed, mushy Brussels Sprouts that were clearly, either targeting their older clientele, or on the menu just to attempt to be on-trend. If your only reference point is like this… I get it!
Trust me – Try this recipe and you just may be converted!
Best to use a larger pan to not crowd the Brussels Sprouts. I like a large ceramic one but a large sheet pan will work as well.
- 4 cups Brussels Sprouts
- 1/2 ounce thick cut smoked bacon (3 slices)
- 1 small red onion
- 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1 tsp. kosher flake salt
- 1 tsp. Fresh ground pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees - on convection if you have that option.
- In a large sheet pan or ceramic baking dish combine the following: Brussels Sprouts (stems trimmed then cut in half), Bacon (sliced into small strips), Red onion (quartered and separated), Toss and evenly coat with Extra Virgin olive oil.
- Add salt and pepper and toss again.
- Roast for 30 minutes - only stir Brussels Sprouts 1x at the 15 minute mark.
- In a small sauce pan on low heat, reduce balsamic vinegar by half - aprox. 7 minutes.
- Serve on a large plater toped with crumbled goat cheese and drizzled balsamic reduction.
- For best results only open oven once mid way to stir Brussels Sprouts for even browning and caramelization.
- Don't worry if some leaves are darker brown or even a little black - these are the crunchy ones and taste best!
- Use a good smoked bacon - It will crisp up, add a smoky flavor and make all the difference.
Wild Mushroom and Leek Ragout
This Wild Mushroom and Leek Ragout recipe is so simple and delicious you will wonder how you ever lived without it.
Recently, the family and I vacationed in Ogunquit Maine, one of our favorite beach destinations in the Northeast. It’s a thriving upscale summer town with a bustling downtown scene that sits less than 1/4 mile off the beach.
On our date night, we lucked out scoring the last 2 top at the bar at a great spot after our reservations were abruptly cancelled due to impending weather at an “all outdoor” tapas eatery across the street.
Fortunately, this was not an issue as there were great tapas sized app options on the bar menu, one of which was this Mushroom and Leek Ragout.
It was so good my wife and I had to know more.
Our friendly waiter gave us the scoop. As a result, I made my first attempt the very next night to rave reviews from the both the mushroom lovers and the skeptic – my youngest daughter, Brynn.
The smells from the kitchen of this mushroom and leek ragout will make your mouth water.
You can make this dish with several types of mushrooms but a variety of fresh exotics works best.
I used Cremini (Baby Bella), Shiitake, and Oyster mushrooms for my Mushroom and Leek Ragout dish but you can choose any mixture you prefer and the melted leeks will transform them into something truly amazing.
This dish works great as a side for steak but can be paired with anything. Enjoy!
- 1 pound mushrooms - various varieties.
- 1 cup of finely chopped leeks (about 1 leek)
- 4 tbsp butter - divided
- 1 tsp fresh thyme - chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp Parmesan Reggiano - shaved
- salt and pepper - fresh ground
- In a pan on low heat, slowly melt, finely chopped leeks with 2 tbsp butter and salt and pepper for about 15-20 minutes.
- Roast whole mushrooms on a sheet pan with 2 tbsp butter and salt and pepper in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Shake tray mid way to evenly coat mushrooms with butter.
- Let roasted mushrooms cool.
- Thinly slice cooled mushrooms.
- Add sliced mushrooms to the pan with the leeks, add fresh thyme, heavy cream, with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer on low heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
- Divide mushrooms into 4 small bowls and top with shaved Parmesan - serve hot.
The Magic of Compounding Butter
I have recently rediscovered the magic of compound butter, transforming the ordinary to another level.
Hopefully, if you have made the shift over to a keto lifestyle for some time, you have also elevated your butter options towards the european-style and artisanal varieties. I used to buy land-o-lakes because it was pretty much the brand I grew up on. Pre-keto, when butter was used sparingly, because it “made you fat”, which butter brand I used was not such a priority.
Today, I have no less than 4 different and amazing higher-end butter options in my fridge to choose from.
My go-to butter brand these days is Finlandia from Finland, a grass-fed, non-GMO, family farm brand which seems to be proliferating the market place these days as people are beginning to pay closer attention to the details of what they put into their bodies.
Another fav is a locally produced, small batch, cultured butter with sea salt from Arethusa Farm. “butter the way it used to taste” is their accurate tag line. You will pay a bit more but I will be so worth it and you can really taste the difference a better butter can make.
Now onto the magic….
Now that we are starting off with better butter…. on to the magic of compounding butter that will exponentially improve your next meal.
What makes a quality NY strip steak better? …. butter!
What makes a grilled swordfish steak better? …. you guessed it … butter!
If you are new to compound butter you will be glad to find out just how easy it is to make, how many endless creative combinations there are, and how this addition will elevate your keto-friendly cuisine. It’s best to have fresh herbs growing nearby so you can whip these up when needed. Here are a few simple recipes that I made recently to get you started that I’m sure you will love. Have fun mixing flavors combos that go well together. It’s hard to mess this up because butter… makes everything better!
- 4 tbsp. salted butter - European-style
- 1/8 tsp. curry powder
- 1/4 tsp. mustard powder
- 1.5 tsp. fresh minced chives
- 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- In a small bowl let the butter come to room temp.
- Add the curry and mustard and mix well with a small spatula.
- Add the fresh chives - mix well again
- Place compound butter on center of a square of plastic wrap.
- Roll compound butter in wrap to make a 4" x 1" log twisting the ends to seal.
- Place in the fridge for 10 minutes or more.
- Slice compound butter into 4 equal rounds and top your fish while still hot.
- Swordfish or any firm steak like fish with taste great with this compound butter. Also try it on grilled pork or chicken.
- 4 tbsp. salted butter - European-style
- 2 tsp. fresh minced chives
- 1/4 tsp. fresh minced thyme
- 1/4 tsp. fresh minced rosemary
- 1/4 tsp. fresh minced garlic
- 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- 1/8 tsp. fresh ground salt - try a smoked salt.
- In a small bowl let the butter come to room temp.
- Add the chives, thyme, rosemary and garlic and mix well with a small spatula.
- Add the pepper and the salt to taste and mix again.
- Place compound butter on center of a square of plastic wrap.
- Roll compound butter in wrap to make a 4" x 1" log twisting the ends to seal.
- Place in the fridge for 10 minutes or more.
- Slice compound butter into 4 equal rounds and top your steak while still hot.
Magic Mushrooms (Shrooms)
Kick up your shroom game with these Magic Mushrooms.
Mushrooms are one of those things you either love or hate. I am surprised at the amount of people I come across that claim, “I don’t do mushrooms!” Well, that’s too bad for you… more for the rest of us! Serve these as a side dish with a steak or enjoy them as an appetizer. One thing for sure is that you will wish you had made more of these shrooms as they will go quickly.
If you are not a fan… no worries we mushroom folks will not try to convert you.
I’ve always been amazed at how great the mushrooms are at a good steak house and finally decided to crack that code. Hope you enjoy these Magic Mushrooms as much as we do. My kids even eat them!
- 24 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms
- 2 tsp. Lemon zest
- 1 large sprig of Fresh Rosemary - chopped coarse
- 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 oz. Butter
- 1 tsp. each fresh ground salt and pepper
- Set 350 degree oven (convection roast)
- Trim / clean stem ends of mushrooms.
- Leave mushrooms whole - you can cut the really big ones in half.
- In a ceramic or similar roasting pan add mushrooms.
- Drizzle olive oil - toss mushrooms to coat, add butter.
- Add chopped rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper - toss again to coat.
- Place in oven for 30 minutes - shake pan midway to brown evenly.
- Serve hot.
Keto Creamed Spinach
A real-deal creamed spinach like at your favorite steak house.
Creamed Spinach is one of those dishes that used to trigger “can’t eat that!… gonna make me fat” kinda thoughts. Creamed Spinach is no longer on that side of the ledger and goes amazing with steak and magic shrooms to edge your keto macros in the right direction.
If you are not a fan of creamed spinach then you probably have not had a good one or had one made with frozen spinach. In a pinch, frozen can work but I’d hold out for fresh baby spinach which is so easy to find. If you can find the bunched baby spinach rather than the plastic boxed version, go for it. It is the closest to fresh picked without growing your own.
Many recipes call for flour to thicken the cream sauce. The same can be accomplished with a little cream cheese and the only difference is that you won’t need a nap after dinner.
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2.5 tbsp finely chopped onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp cream cheese
- 3/4 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Cook and drain the spinach: Bring a 4-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach in large handfuls until all the spinach is added, and cook for 15 seconds.
- Drain the pot of spinach in a colander in the sink and immediately run the spinach under cold water to halt the cooking. Shake as much of the water off the spinach as you can by shaking the colander.
- Using your hands or a wooden spoon, press the spinach against the sides of the colander, squeezing to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Set aside to drain further while making the cream sauce.
- Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, stir in the half-and-half and the cream cheese. Cook the mixture, stirring slowly and continuously, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes more.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese, nutmeg, mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Add the spinach and mix well.
- Keep warm over very low heat.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Chili Vinaigrette
This Roasted Acorn Squash with Chili Vinaigrette will be a treat you won’t soon forget.
Acorn Squash is one of those shopping items that I like to have on hand for when I have run out of ideas for an easy but substantial side dish. They last a while in kitchen before you have to get to them, so I usually have one around.
Now if I can just remember to get fresh cilantro and a jalepeno I’m in business!
My wife Lisa turned me on to this amazing Acorn Squash recipe from Gourmet a while ago – we have made a few tweaks and have been making this for years and it never gets old. This is lick-the-plate-good so be sure to sop up all that vinaigrette.
Acorn squash are a little higher in carbs than most of my “go-to” keto veggies so I tend to only make this about once a month and on a day when the rest of the meal or even my day was on the lower-carb side.
This is also a great simple recipe to impress guests at your next dinner party. If you are not a winter squash person, this one might convert you. Enjoy!
- 1 medium acorn squash
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove
- 3/4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot red chile or jalepeno, including seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450F.
- Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends.
- Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges. (8 slices)
- Toss squash with fresh ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl, then arrange, cut sides down, in a large shallow baking pan.
- Roast squash, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.
- While squash roasts, mince garlic and mash to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Transfer paste to a small bowl and whisk in lime juice, chile (to taste), cilantro, and remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil until combined.
- Transfer squash, browned sides up, to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.
Keto Zucchini Fritters
These Keto Zucchini Fritters are about as close as I’m ever gonna get to a low-carb version of one of my childhood favs – the potato latke. Sour cream with chives or creme fresh are still in but a little tzatziki can be a nice tweak to switch things up.
This is the perfect side dish in place of potatoes or if you are just cauliflower’d out.
These would also be a great base for a low-carb eggs Benedict on a lazy weekend morning. These Keto Zucchini Fritters are so good the kids will even like them. These will be especially good in summer with local farm fresh zucchinis but you can get good ones all year round.
- 2.5 cups zucchini, grated
- 1/3 cup almond flour or coconut flour or a mix of both
- 2 scallions, chopped fine
- 1/4 small onion, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1.5 tsp. Pepper, fresh ground
- 1 tsp. salt
- Grate the zucchini on a box grater - medium grate.
- Put the zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with the teaspoon of salt. Mix the zucchini gently to distribute the salt and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Squeeze the zucchini out with your hands and place into a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs and scallion to the zucchini and mix together.
- In a small bowl, add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir together.
- Add them to the zucchini and mix thoroughly.
- Heat oils in a medium to large pan over medium - high heat.
- Oil should completely cover the bottom surface of the pan.
- When the oil is hot, stir the zucchini mixture one more time and dip a ¼ cup measuring cup into the batter, level off. Dump the batter into the pan and gently push it into a flat pancake shape with the back of a metal spatula.
- Cook for four minutes adjusting the heat up or down as needed, then flip, cooking for another four minutes. Add more oil to the pan if needed to prevent sticking.
- Salt then drain the zucchini fritters on a paper towel before serving.
Keto Fried Eggplant
This Keto Fried Eggplant is my go-to for a substantial side that is almost a meal in and of itself.
What to do with an eggplant? I always come back to beginning, to the core of the issue. When I was a kid, my mother used to prepare fried eggplant and serve it the same way – simple with sauce. As you can see I’ve been on an eggplant kick as of late. Perfecting the perfect lower-carb fried eggplant side dish has been on my to do list for some time, and now, I think I’ve cracked it.
Be sure the rest of your meal is on the lighter side as you may find it hard to stick to one serving of these beauties. At 13 grams of net carbs per serving including the sauce – these are a keeper at my house. The kids even eat them!
- 1 large purple eggplant
- 1/4 cup of almond flour
- 1/4 cup hazelnut flour
- 1/4 cup Romano cheese - grated
- 5 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp half n half
- Fresh ground salt and pepper - to taste
- 1.25 cups jared tomato sauce - Rao's, etc
- Peel large eggplant.
- Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch round slices.
- Lightly salt both sides, lay on paper towel for 20 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Mix Romano cheese and flours on a small plate. Add salt and pepper.
- Heat large fry pan on medium high.
- Add avocado and coconut oils.
- Mix egg and half n half to make egg wash.
- Coat eggplant slices with egg wash then flour mixture. Shake off excess flour.
- In batches, fry eggplant slices in hot oil - about 4 minutes per side until golden.
- Place fried eggplant on a large plate with paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
- Salt eggplant to taste.
- Top with a tbsp of your favorite heated jarred tomato sauce.
- Don't go cheap on the jarred sauce. The better the sauce, the better this dish will taste. I prefer Rao's or Franks but there are many choices between $5 and $8 a jar that are worth every penny.
- Also be sure to check for carbs - not all jarred sauces are created equal.
- Bob's Red Mill makes some great hazelnut and almond flours.
Roasted Eggplant Caponata
A roasted eggplant caponata that is simple to make and always a crowd pleaser.
I always buy eggplant this time a year as there are so many varieties available especially at local farm stands and markets. Be sure to pick fresh ones that are heavy and solid to the tap. This roasted eggplant caponata recipe really delivers a great flavor that goes well as side dish or an app. You can serve it with cucumbers to keep it really low carb or you can splurge with some lower carb pita chips shown below.
- 1 large eggplant - 3/4 inch diced, skin on
- 1 cup red onion - halved then sliced thin
- 1/2 cup green olives - pitted, sliced in quarters length-wise
- 1 cup fresh fennel bulb - coarse diced
- 1/3 cup capers - rinsed
- 1 cup tomato sauce - good quality jared or substitute with 4 ripe tomatoes - chopped coarse
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped coarse
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1.5 tsp sugar
- Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste
- 1.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Toss eggplant in 4 tbsp of olive oil in a large bowl.
- Arrange eggplant single layer on a baking sheet and roast until browned, flipping halfway through, about 25 minutes. Let cool down.
- Cook fennel in bowling water for 4 minutes, drain and let cool - set aside.
- Heat remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over med-high heat.
- Add onion and cook till just golden about 5 min.
- Add the olives, capers, reserved fennel, tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently stir in the eggplant, being careful not break up the eggplant.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl or platter and cool.
- Garnish with parsley and serve cold or at room temperature.
- Can be made ahead a few days and gets better with age.
I often have trouble figuring out what to do with all the eggplants I buy. I mean how many eggplant parm-like dishes can one eat? This roasted eggplant caponata appetizer has become a welcome addition to the happy hours at my house and should at yours as well.
About Adam
Adam Levy
Canton, CT USA
Hello - I'm Adam, wellness enthusiast, tennis player, networker, father of two amazing daughters and food lover. I fill these pages with healthy low carb and keto-friendly recipes, food finds and rants on living lighter in a carb-filled world.
Love People. Cook them tasty food!
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Best Keto Flour / Baking Solutions
