photos by Joan Allison | recipes from delish.com
Christmas feasts are typically carb fests. From the breads to the five kinds of potatoes to the desserts, here comes diabetes. Some staffers at Focus magazine headquarters are cutting carbs with keto diets. But will keto kut it for Kristmas? We recently tried out these keto recipes from delish.com, and gave our true thoughts about the tastes and experiences making the dishes. Some of our keto afficionados here pointed out a few keto-unfriendly items like carrots, so choose your own ingredients if you’re super-strict. And if you have a favorite Keto Kristmas dish of your own, share it on our Facebook page!
CRUDITE TURKEY
For the turkey:
1 Head butterhead lettuce 1 16-Oz. Bag baby carrots 1 Green bell pepper, bottom removed and the rest cut into slices
1 Red bell pepper, cut into slices
1 Yellow bell pepper, cut into slices, plus one triangle for beak
1 cucumber, cut into rounds 1 Olive, sliced
For the dip:
8 Oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 C. Sour cream
1/2 C. Parsley leaves
1/2 C. Dill
2 Tbsp. Chives
1 Tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
1 Tsp. Garlic powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Onto a large plate, place a layer of butterhead lettuce. Next, add a layer of baby carrots on the top half of the plate. Layer bell peppers just below carrots in a half circle pattern. Below the peppers, create a large circle of overlapping cucumbers. Place a green bell pepper bottom in the center of the cucumbers, topped with a piece of yellow pepper for the nose and two olive slices for eyes.
Dip: In a small food processor, combine cream cheese, sour cream, parsley, dill, chives, lemon juice and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth.
VERDICT: KID-FRIENDLY FUN!
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CHEESE BALL BITES
8 Slices bacon
1 1/2 Oz. (8-Oz.) Block cream cheese, softened 1 C. Shredded cheddar
1 Tsp. Garlic powder
1 Tsp. Paprika
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 C. Freshly chopped chives
1/3 C. Finely chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then finely chop. In a large bowl, stir together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Use a cookie scoop to form mixture into 18 small balls and transfer to a parchment–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
In a shallow bowl, stir together bacon, chives, and pecans. Roll balls in bacon-chive-pecan mixture and let come to room temperature 15 minutes before serving. (If not serving right away, loosely cover with plastic wrap and return to fridge.)
VERDICT: ‘JUST OKAY’. Most agreed: the bacon was the best part. They needed more cheddar, less cream cheese.
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CAULIFLOWER STUFFING
4 Tbsp. Butter
1 Onion, chopped
2 Large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 Celery stalks, chopped or thinly sliced
1 Small head cauliflower, chopped
1 C. (8-Oz.) Package baby bella mushrooms, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 C. Freshly chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. Freshly chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp. Freshly chopped sage (or 1 tsp. Ground sage) 1/2 C. Low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add cauliflower and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.
Add parsley, rosemary, and sage and stir until combined. Pour over broth and cook until totally tender and liquid is absorbed, 10 minutes.
VERDICT: EDITOR’S FAVORITE. It won’t replace the stuffing at my house, but very savory and tasty!
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PUMPKIN PIE
For the crust:
1 1/2 C. Almond flour
3 Tbsp. Coconut flour 1/4 Tsp. Baking powder 1/4 Tsp. Kosher salt
4 Tbsp. Melted butter 1 Large egg, beaten
For the filling:
1 (15-Oz.) Can pumpkin puree
1 C. Heavy cream
1/2 C. Packed keto-friendly brown sugar, such as Swerve 3 Large eggs, beaten
1 Tsp. Ground cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Ground ginger 1/4 Tsp. Ground nutmeg 1/4 Tsp. Ground cloves 1/4 Tsp. Kosher salt
1 Tsp. Pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter and egg and stir until a dough forms. Press dough evenly into a 9” pie plate, then use a fork to poke holes all over crust. Bake until lightly golden, 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, cream, brown sugar, eggs, spices, and vanilla until smooth. Pour pumpkin mixture into par-baked crust. Bake until filling is slightly jiggly in the middle and crust is golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Turn off oven and prop door open. Let pie cool in oven for 1 hour, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
VERDICT: YUM! The cook thought the crust was ‘gross’, but we all liked the filling and the whipped topping.
