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I have the privilege of reviewing Keto Comfort Foods by Maria Emmerich, a blogger I have followed for awhile. I knew I liked her recipes so when I was able to get a copy of new cookbook, I jumped at it. I was not disappointed. This is a great keto cookbook, for anyone who is trying to cut carbs in their diet.
The first section is on the ketogenic kitchen with some excellent explanation and charts on fats and proteins and some great info on sweeteners. It is a good start for anyone who is not real familiar with the keto diet. Plus all recipes are gluten free and grain free, although not dairy free.
The real showcase here is the 175 recipes covering all areas of food. The chapters include all the categories you would expect: breakfast,appetizers/snack, soups/salads/sides, main dishes:poultry, main dishes: fish and seafood, main dishes:pork, main dishes: beef and lamb, comfort food favorites for grown up kids, sweet endings, and basics. Some of the awesome recipes included are garlicky cheddar biscuits and gravy, a number of different pizza recipes, lots of great desserts and breakfast recipes.
I tried several of these recipes and was not disappointed. I made the glazed chocolate donuts with coconut flour. Granted it is not quite a Dunkin Donuts donut, but for low carb donuts it was really delicious. If you are not expecting the calorie, carb laden donut that melts in your mouth, but damages you in many ways, then this is a wonderful substitute. I would make these again. I also made the Mini Mocha Bundt Cakes although I did not make them mini cakes. I made 1 large bundt cake because of the kinds of pans I have. This particular recipe gives a choice of almond flour or coconut flour so I chose the coconut flour. This is a chocolate zucchini cake with some mocha in it, which is what I was looking for. Again this was a hit with the family and considered a “make again” recipe.
The main dish recipe I tried was Skillet Moussaka. I have permission to share this recipe with you so will do that below. This was one of the best moussaka’s I have ever had, in part because the eggplant gets peeled and the bitterness of the eggplant is not present. My whole family enjoyed this dish, even the eggplant haters in my house (and there are some.) I am sharing this in the recipe section below.
My take after trying several recipes? This is a great cookbook and one I am delighted to have in my kitchen. Everything I tried was delicious and fairly easy to make. She uses ingredients I keep around my house, because I have been eating gluten free and low-carb for awhile, so I have coconut flour and almond flour on hand. The pantry list solves that problem for anyone who is not used to cooking in a low-carb or keto fashion. Two thumbs up for this wonderful comfort food cookbook; a great addition to your kitchen.
To get your own copy through Amazon, this is my affiliate link.
- Eggplant Layer
- 1 small eggplant (12 oz)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Meat Layer
- 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed or minced
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
- 1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef or ground lamb
- 2 cups finely diced mushrooms
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- Cheese Sauce
- 1/4 cup ghee or unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup beef broth, homemade or bone broth
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- Fresh oregano leaves for garnish
- Melted ghee, avocado oil, or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 F
- 2. To prepare the eggplant layer, cut the stem off the eggplant and remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/8 inch thick planks. Season both sides of the slices with the salt and pepper. Place the eggplant on a greased rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove the eggplant from the oven, but leave the oven on if you are baking the moussaka right away.
- 3. Meanwhile, make the meat layer. Heat 1 t bsp of ghee in an 8 inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, lemon slices, oregano, and parsley. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft for about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef (or lamb) and mushrooms. Stir to crumble the meat. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick, then stir in the tomato sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- 4. Remove half of the meat mixture from the skillet and place of layer of eggplant slices over the remaining meat mixture in the skillet. Top the eggplant layer with the rest of the meat mixture, then add another layer of eggplant. Set the skillet aside.
- 5. Make the cheese sauce. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the 1/4 cup of ghee and the broth. When the ghee is melted, whisk in the egg yolks, feta cheese, and nutmeg, and stir just until combined. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the eggplant in the skillet.
- 6. Place the skillet in the oven and bake the moussaka for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with oregano leaves and a drizzle of melted ghee.
- 7. Store exras in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a baking dish in a preheated 350 F oven for up to 5 minutes or until warmed through.
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