Keto Shrimp and Grits Recipe

What I love about the Keto diet is that cheese isn’t taken from me! Yes! And I can have heavy cream? Yes to ketosis! Now, to the worst part of keto for me. No potatoes. They are my favorite starch! Dang it! Oh well, God made cauliflower. They’re not grits. Only grits are grits. But, it’s a great substitute for a great meal. And mashed cauliflower can be purchased in the frozen food section adding to the ease of preparation!

Don’t be alarmed by the amount of sodium. When following the keto diet, you may need to increase your sodium intake. ALWAYS consult with your doctor before being keto or any other diet to ensure that you don’t put your health at risk. All bodies are different.

My Cookies know I love huge, fresh shrimp! I decided to leave the tail on, but feel free to take it off if you’d like. Just make sure you devein them! I like to season every element of my dish. So, sprinkle a little Cajun spices on and toss.

Now, let’s discuss this sauce. It’s heavenly! And completely keto approved! There’s bacon, heavy cream, cheese, and wine! Yes, you can have dry white wine on keto. All of these flavors combine will make you second guess that you’re following a “diet”.

We have to doctor up our “grits” a little bit. I add kerrygold butter, cheese, and Herbes de Provence. A bit of cream cheese can be added too. Salt and pepper to taste and you’ll have a satisfying, low carb, keto friendly meal!

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Keto Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

Shrimp:

  • 1 lb large raw shrimp
  • 2 tsp Cajun seasoning

Sauce:

  • 4 strips bacon diced
  • 1 TBS kerrygold butter
  • 1 TBS minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 TBS lemon juice
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • Cajun seasoning to taste

“Grits”:

  • 1-2 12 oz package(s) frozen mashed cauliflower
  • 1 TBS kerrygold butter
  • 1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
  • 1 tsp Herbes de Provence seasoning
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnishing

Instructions

Shrimp:

  1. Season the shrimp and set aside
  2. Fry the bacon in a pan
  3. When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan leaving the drippings in the pan
  4. Add in the butter
  5. When the butter melts, sauté the garlic in it for 30 seconds
  6. Add the shrimp into the pan
  7. Cook for 2 mins per side or until the shrimp is done

Sauce:

  1. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock
  2. Add in the lemon juice
  3. Pour in the heavy whipping cream
  4. Add the Parmesan, onion powder, and Cajun seasoning to taste
  5. Allow the sauce to simmer on low for 5 minutes
  6. Sprinkle fresh parsley in and stir

“Grits”:

  1. Cooked the mashed cauliflower in the microwave according to package instructions
  2. Pour it into a bowl and combine it with the butter, cheese, and Herbes de Provence.
  3. Taste and adjust salt as needed
  4. Enjoy

Air Fryer Crispy Keto Chicken Wings

For my birthday, we visited one of my favorite restaurants. It’s a steakhouse, but their wings are incredible! They have the best flavor with nice, crispy skin! They don’t even taste fried in grease or baked. It’s weird. But, then it hit me. “I can get this same texture with an air fryer. I gotta some my Cookies!!” Which brings us here to this post. I’m going to teach you how to make the BEST and CRISPIEST chicken wings in an Air Fryer!

We need flats and drums! Rinse them well. Yes, I will ALWAYS rinse my bird. I don’t care what those folks say. My chicken is getting rinsed! Also, pat it dry well with paper towels. 

I keep the spices simple. Don’t want them overly salty. I used my favorite poultry seasoning. Thanks, Chef Paul! And I add a little extra onion and garlic powder. 

Put the Orange Box Down!

The key ingredient to achieving extra crispy wings is Baking Powder. Not the stuff in the orange box. That’s baking soda. We need POWDER. It’s all science. The baking powder does two things. It draws out the moisture in the skin making the skin crisp. Don’t worry. It only draws the liquid out of the skin, not the meat itself. Your wings won’t be dry at all! The baking powder also creates tiny air pockets on the skin. And what do air pockets do when you add pressure? It pops! And what pressure will we be adding? A bite! So, when you bite into these wings you’ll get that nice crispy crunch. Bomb right??

Another rule to crispy wings is space. The air needs to circulate around the wing to cook evenly and crisp the skin as much as possible. So, leave a little space between each wing. You may have to cook the wings in batches to insure even cooking.

Not all air fryers are created the same. But, hopefully, they all work well at getting the job done. My Cosori unit has a basket. So, instead of flipping over each wing in the middle of the cooking time, I can just shake the basket. But, if you have to flip then flip, baby!

Did I mention these guys are completely, Keto friendly? Yep! You can enjoy these babies and remain in Ketosis! A win is a win!!

Happy Cooking,
B. Coop

Air Fryer Crispy Keto Chicken Wings

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken wings
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 2 TBS poultry seasoning or seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 TBS baking powder not baking SODA. Put the orange box down!
  • Olive oil non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat air fryer to 400 F
  2. Rinse and pat the wings dry well
  3. Pour the olive oil over the chicken wings and toss to coat

  4. In a small powder, mix all spices and the baking powder together.
  5. Sprinkle it over the chicken evenly; toss to coat
  6. Spray the cooking rack or basket of the air fryer with cooking spray
  7. Place the wings into the air fryer in a single layer with a little space between each wing. (Be careful not to overcrowd them. May have to cook in batches.)
  8. Air fry the wings for 15-25 mins* stopping halfway through the cooking time to shake the wings around in the basket (or flip the wings over if your air fryer doesn’t have a basket.)

  9. Allow the wings to rest for 5 mins before serving
  10. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*Timing depends on your air fryer. Mine cooked in 15 minutes. Make sure the wings have an internal temp of 165 F and as crispy as you desire.

Keto Loaded Bell Pepper Nachos

Still on this Keto kick. I’m enjoying creating these keto recipes. The keto diet is actually pretty easy to keep up with. So many variations and substitutes that are as satisfying as the carbs we’re avoiding. Take these Loaded Keto Bell Pepper Nachos for example.

I use these cute little mini bell peppers. It only takes one slice of the knife and they’re the perfect “scooping” size. Feel free to use larger ones and just slice them smaller. 

The protein used in this recipe can be whatever you’d like. Turkey, steak, chicken, shrimp, or a vegan option. Same goes for the toppings. Add all of your favorites.

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Loaded Keto Bell Pepper Nachos
Serves 3
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Cook Time
15 min
Cook Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. Olive oil cooking spray
  2. 1 lb ground turkey
  3. 1 T taco seasoning
  4. 1/3 cup chicken broth
  5. 10 mini bell peppers (halved and seeded)
  6. 1/3 cup shredded Colby cheese
  7. 1/3 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
  8. toppings of your choice
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Spray a skillet with oil
  3. Add in the ground turkey and taco seasoning
  4. Brown the turkey
  5. Add in the chicken broth and allow mixture to simmer for 5-7 mins.
  6. Set aside
  7. Place the bell peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet or oven safe pan.
  8. Pour the meat on top
  9. Sprinkle on the cheese and bake for 10 mins or until cheese melts
  10. Serve with toppings of your choice.
  11. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/
 

Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe

I haven’t forgotten about my Cookies that are on the Keto diet! And these Keto friendly Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are perfect for your game day spread! Especially if you’re looking to cut back on the carbs. And they are a quick fix!

Ground chicken or turkey will work for these meatballs. I bought my chicken already ground. But, you can also use chicken breast and grind it up in the food processor. 

Because these are keto friendly, I used almond flour in lieu of regular flour. Pork rinds may also be used instead of the flour. Just make sure you grind them up well. 

The mixture will be softer than a regular meatball, so don’t be alarmed. Place them on parchment paper or on a baking rack to help keep their shape. 

These meatballs are a great, carb saving alternative to traditional Buffalo wings! Enjoy the flavor of your favorite game day snack all while staying in ketosis! 

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Serves 5
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb ground chicken
  2. 2 T grated onion
  3. 2 T grated celery
  4. 1 T chopped green onions
  5. 1 tsp garlic powder
  6. 1 tsp onion powder
  7. 1 T seasoning salt
  8. 2 oz cream cheese (softened)
  9. 1 beaten egg
  10. 1/3 cup almond flour or ground up pork rinds
  11. 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, add in the ground chicken, onion, celery, green onions, and spices.
  2. In a separate, small bowl, whisk the egg and cream cheese together
  3. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the chicken mix.
  4. Sprinkle in the flour (or ground pork rinds) and combine.
  5. Form the meatballs using 1 T of the meat mixture per meatballs.
  6. Place the meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
  7. Bake for 25 mins or until cooked through
  8. Add the meatballs and the buffalo sauce in a bowl and toss to coat.
  9. Serve with celery and blue cheese or ranch dressing
  10. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/
 

Steakhouse Style Creamed Spinach

For the past two date nights, we’ve dined in two different steakhouses. I’ve had the creamed spinach on both occasions and I’m pretty sure I could eat this stuff every single day! It’s so yummy! Spinach, cream cheese…you know what? I don’t even need to go any further. Let’s just hop in. Here’s the tutorial.

I used frozen spinach. Just thaw it and squeeze as much water from it as possible. Use good quality paper towels. We’re making creamed spinach. Not watery spinach. Squeeeeeeeeeze!

This recipe can also be made keto and low carb friendly. Just simply use heavy cream instead of the flour and half and half. The cream will thicken the sauce without the need for a roux. But, you could also use almond flour if you’d like to have a roux.

This is really the perfect side dish for any grilled meat or fish. If you like a little spice, add in some red pepper flakes. And don’t skip that nutmeg!

Happy Cooking,

B. Coop

Steakhouse Style Creamed Spinach
Serves 3
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 20 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
  2. 3 T butter
  3. 1/4 cup minced onion
  4. 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  5. 3 T flour
  6. 1 1/2 cup half and half
  7. 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  8. 2 tsp onion powder
  9. 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  10. 4 ounces cream cheese
  11. 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  12. 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  13. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Using paper towels, squeeze all excess water from spinach
  2. Melt butter in pan
  3. Add onions and saute for about 4 minutes
  4. Add garlic and saute for 30 secs
  5. Stir in flour for 1 min to cook out the flour taste
  6. Pour the half and half in.
  7. Add the Italian seasoning, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  8. Stir in the cream cheese until it dissolves.
  9. Add in the spinach and stir for 2-3 mins to heat it
  10. Stir in the cheeses until they're melted
  11. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  12. Enjoy!
Coop Can Cook https://coopcancook.com/