Recipes

Sugar-free jerky

/ Anne Scott / Leave a comment

Jerky is a great low-carb snack / travel food. However, it’s almost impossible to find commercial jerky that doesn’t contain sugar. But – good news! You can make your own, and you don’t even need a dehydrator. I’ve made jerky many times in my oven, both for gifts and to take on trips, with great results.

This recipe gets saltiness from the soy/tamari, a touch of sweetness from the onion powder, and a complex, layered heat from the red pepper flakes and the freshly ground black pepper.  Continue reading →

Bobotie num num

/ Anne Scott / 2 Comments

With a few tweaks, this hearty South African classic of mildly spiced ground beef topped with a savoury custard becomes 100% low-carb.

Raisins or other dried fruit are traditional, but they trigger my sugar addiction, so I replaced them with chopped apple. I made this for a recent international potluck dinner with friends — I was proud to represent my South African heritage. Continue reading →

Sloppy Joes on Low-Carb Buns

/ Anne Scott / Leave a comment

Mmmm, Sloppy Joes! The warm richness of the tomato-y ground beef served over a pillowy hamburger bun — pure comfort food!

The standard Sloppy Joe recipe, however, contains a ton of sugar. For example, 3/4 of a cup of ketchup (i.e., tomato-flavored sugar), plus 3 teaspoons of brown sugar.

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Banana Spring Rolls

/ Anne Scott / 2 Comments

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Frankly, this could have been more beautifully garnished. I decided to make it on the spur of the moment, and didn’t have any mint tops. (In the words of my son, “It’s just not dessert without mint tops!”). It still tasted great, though!

This one is for reader Heather, who asked for more dessert recipes to satisfy her sweet tooth without veering into sugar-land.

It’s also for my son’s friend Tessa, who loooves banana spring rolls – I make them for her each time she visits. Bon appetit, Heather and Tessa!  Continue reading →

Paleo Tacos

/ Anne Scott / 2 Comments

There I was, skulking in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store, surreptitiously photographing packages of taco mix. At any moment, a store employee might tap me on the shoulder and ask me to leave.

My goal? To create taco-seasoned ground beef that had the deliciously gummy texture and slight sweetness  of the packaged taco mixes, but with no added sugars. To stay Paleo, which means avoiding grains, I planned to serve the spiced taco meat in lettuce leaves.  Continue reading →

Creamy Chocolate Pudding

/ Anne Scott / 2 Comments

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Only 2 ingredients, but a world of deliciousness! (Complete with festive tablecloth to wish you prosperity in the Year of the Rooster)

Dessert – a perennial problem on a sugar-free Paleo diet! Fruit is always an option, of course, but what if you’re craving chocolate?

This fast and easy pudding lets you pay homage to the goddess Theobroma* and still eat healthily.

My husband and I find the creamy chocolatey-ness very satisfying on its own, so I make this without any added sweeteners.

However, if you’re transitioning to sugar-free, you could add any of the following: Continue reading →

Paleo Pancakes

/ Anne Scott / 2 Comments

plated-2These fluffy pancakes contain no added sugars, but still taste delicious thanks to the natural sweetness of plantains or bananas. They’re a bit on the carby side, so we have them now and then as a treat.

The recipe’s based on Perfect Paleo Pancakes, with a few tweaks. You can have them for breakfast, or as a dessert. I prefer the latter, because protein-rich breakfasts work best for me.

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