Chef Phil's Keto Recipes

Although the fish is ugly, mean looking with bulging eyes and a protruding jaw studded with razor sharp teeth and carries an alternate name such as, "Patagonian toothfish," it ranks as one of my top 3 tastiest fish eats ever.  And I'm not the only one as the fish is coveted by many chefs around the world.  It has a mild, rich, and buttery flavor with high oil and fat content which keeps its meat moist during cooking.  This is the melt in your mouth type of stuff!  Basically, you need to try it if you haven’t or eat it again if you have.  Plus, it’s really hard to screw this one up!

Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1

Net Carbs: < 3g

Cooking method: Stove top or Grill

Ingredients:

1. 2Lbs Chilean Seabass
2. 1/2 Tsp Lawry’s Garlic Salt
3. 1/4 Tsp Lawry’s Season Salt 
4. 1/4 Tsp Paprika
5. 5 Garlic Cloves (minced)
6. 1 Bag of Spinach
7. 5 Scallions/Green Onions Stalk (sliced thinly)
8. Olive Oil
9. Seafood Soy Sauce (Optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat grill or cast iron for high heat.
2. In a small bowl, mix together Garlic Salt, Season Salt, and Sea Salt. Sprinkle seasonings onto the seabass.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with half the garlic. Remove from heat when butter has melted and transfer the contents to a bowl.
4. With the same saucepan, add the remaining garlic and spinach and cook until the spinach softens. Transfer to a serving dish when finished.
5. Lightly oil the grill grate/cast iron. Grill fish for 7 minutes, then turn and drizzle with butter/garlic.
6. Continue cooking for 5-8 minutes until fish reaches 145F.
7. Place Seabass on top of 1 cup of sautéed spinach and generously spread scallions on top.

 Enjoy!  👍

Who needs Taco Bell?  Actually, I was craving Taco Bell tonight so I decided that's what I'm going to have for dinner.  A cheesy stuffed beef burrito except it's Keto friendly and tastes even better!  Live Mas!

Servings: 4 

Serving Size: 1

Net Carbs: 7g

Cooking method: Stove top

Directions: 

Ingredients:

1. 1lb 80/20 Ground Beef
2. 2 Tbsp Lawry's Carne Asada Seasoning
3. Trader Joe's Pico de Gallo
4. Cheddar Cheese
5. 11/2 Onion (Chopped)
6. 1 Large Avocado (mashed)
7. OLE low carb tortillas

Directions:

1. Cook Ground Beef in a skillet or pan.
2. Mix in Seasoning.
3. Add Cheese to a Tortilla and microwave until cheese melts
4. Add Beef to the Cheesy Tortilla
5. Add Onions
6. Add Pico de Gallo
7. Add smashed avocados
8. Wrap it up.

Enjoy!  👍  

This is a great low carb dish for those on the Keto lifestyle and looking to mix things up. I was bored of eating my usual go to meals and I really wanted noodles. So, I took a few Trader Joe’s items and whipped up this tasty dish that really hit the SPOT while making me feel like I was on a Keto cheat day! Best of all, this is super simple and easy to make!

Servings: 4 

Serving Size: 1

Net Carbs:8g

Cooking method: Stove top

Directions:

Ingredients:

1. 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2. 5 Garlic Cloves (minced)
3. 12oz Frozen Zucchini Spirals
4. 16oz Frozen Trader Joe’s Argentinian Shrimp
5. ½ bottle of Trader Joe’s Alfredo Sauce
6. Crushed Red Pepper for toppings

Directions:

1. Oil and Saute the minced garlic.
2. Add Shrimp and stir until cooked.
3. Drain liquid and set aside shrimp.
4. Oil and cook the zoodles.
5. Add Alfredo Sauce and Shrimp.
6. Stir well and Serve.
7. Top with Red Peppers. 

For an extra bang, I’d add bacon bits to the dish!

Enjoy!  👍 

The photo speaks for itself.  This dish has a lot going on. I’d describe it as a bacon hamburger topped with a creamy cheesy guacamole with a kick. Or ground beef nachos without the chips. Or a loaded creamy/cheesy meatball. Whatever it is, this mouthwatering dish will surely surprise your guests during your summer cookouts!

You can serve it as an appetizer, part of a lunch, or dinner. If the latter, be sure to compliment it with some rice or potatoes to help offset all the fatty greasy meat with each bite. Broccoli or Cauliflower is a perfect complement for those that are on Keto. This dish makes a perfect high FAT low CARB meal for KETO. 

Servings: 4 

Serving Size: 1

Net Carbs:< 5g

Cooking method: Directions: Smoker or Oven

Ingredients:

1. Medium Avocado
2. Half a Cream Cheese stick
3. 1 Jalapeno
4. ½ lb 80/20 Ground Beef
5. 5-6 Slices of Bacon

Directions:

1. Carefully skin the avocado and cut it in half.
2. Carve out a bigger inner hole in avocado to stuff more cheese/jalapeno.
3. Chop jalapenos and mix with cream cheese.
4. Stuff the inner halves of the avocado with cream cheese.
5. Place ground beef on a board or flat surface and pat it down.
6. Place stuff avocados on the edge and roll it with the ground beef.
7. Cover any existing open spots with more ground beef.
8. Repeat step 5 but with bacon strips.
9. Smoke it (indirect) at 400F for 40 minutes.

Enjoy! 👍 

Often times referred to as meat candy or pork candy and it really is!  This meal is such a treat.  It does require some work but it's definitely a rewarding dish and will surely wow your guests.  

If you have a Costco nearby, you're in for a treat.  They sell 8-12 pounds of pork belly with the skin already removed for somewhere around $2.50 a pound.

Servings: >10

Net Carbs: Depends on serving

Cooking method: Smoker with Cherry wood

Meat prep (day before):

1. Rinse and pat dry the pork belly.
2. Cut into 1x1 or bigger cubes.  They will shrink when you're done smoking them.
3. Apply mustard which is great binding agent for the rubs.  The vinegar in the mustard should help with moisture in the meat.  Also, the mustard will burn off and be tasteless.
4. Apply rub to each side of the cubes.

Directions:

1. Get the temperatures to hold around 275F.
2. Place the FAT side of the cubes in the direction where the heat comes from.  For example, on a big green egg, fat side goes down since the heat comes from the bottom.  
3. Smoke for 2.50 hours.
4. Place the cubes in a tray and add 1/2 cup of monk fruit sweetener, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp of sesame oil and a stick of butter.
5. Alternate Option: 1 cup monk fruit sweetener and 1.5 stick of butter.
6. Cover tray with foil and place it back in the smoker for another 1.5 hours.
7. Take out cubes and transfer to another tray.  Apply your favorite BBQ (sugar-free) sauce to each side.
8. Back in smoker uncovered for another 10-15 minutes to caramelize.
9. Stick a probe in the cubes to ensure they go in and out like butter.
10. Let the cubes sit for approx. 10 minutes before indulging.

Non KETO recipe:

1. Replace step #4 and #5 with 1/2 cup of brown sugar, drizzle honey, and 1.5 sticks of butter.   Can also add a 1/4 cup apple juice.  Spread these ingredients around covering as many cubes as possible.
2. Replace step #7 with the BBQ sauce of your choice.

Enjoy! 👍

Brisket is either easy to cook or easy to wreck.  I normally smoke them with the whole packer which contains the point and the flat and is generally pretty big in size and weight.  There's a ton of meat and fat to tenderize and break down the connective tissues.  It generally takes twice as long to cook than other cuts.  Not only is the cook time really long but there's quite a bit of prep and post work involved.  However, the end results make it totally rewarding and it's something that will surely WOW anyone who gets to taste it.

See the simple instructions below.

Servings: N/A

Net Carbs: 0

Cooking method: Smoker with Apple wood

Meat prep (1 day before):

1. Slice out thick chunks of Fat that won't render.
2. Try to level out the packer so your thickness is similar from end to end.
3. My goal is to leave a half inch of fat on it.
4. Apply mustard and apply your favorite Rub.
5. For the Rub, I simply use Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder.
6. Back in the fridge overnight.
7. Allow the brisket to sit in room temp for 1 hour before placing it in the smoker.

Directions:

1. Get your smoker temperature to hold around 225-250F.
2. At this temperature, it'll take 1 to 1hr 15m per pound to get the final temperature to 203F.
3. Apply Apple Wood
4. Place Brisket in (Fat side towards the Heat)
5. Once the temp reaches 203, I take the Brisket out and wrap in Pink Butcher Paper.  
6. Place the wrapped Brisket in the cooler for at least 1 hour.  I've let it sit up to 5 hours and it was still excellent.
7. Slice against the grain and serve.

Enjoy! 👍 

This Keto friendly dish will leave you wanting more when you’re finished. There are relatively no carbs with langostino and mussels so the majority of the carbs are coming from the Spaghetti Squash. Your traditional Spaghetti sauce has been substituted with Diced and Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles which isn’t as saucy but equally as tasty! This is another super simple dish to make thanks in large part to our friend, Joe.

Servings: 6-8

Serving Size: 1

Net Carbs:< 9g

Cooking method: Directions: Stove top

Ingredients:

1. 1 Large Sized Spaghetti Squash

2. 1 Bag of Trader Joe’s Mussels

3. 1 Bag of Trader Joe’s Langostino

4. 2 Cans (8oz) of Trader Joe’s Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles

5. 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

6. 5 Garlic Cloves (minced)

7. Cilantro for toppings

Directions:

1. Steam or Pressure Cook the Spaghetti Squash until soft. 

2. For Pressure Cooking, Cut the Squash in half and elevate it up with a 1 cup of water.

3. Set it on HIGH for 8 minutes.

4. Oil and Saute the Garlic until they’re slightly brown.

5. Add Langostino.

6. Drain the juices.

7. Add Mussels.

8. Add Fire Roasted Tomatoes.

9. Stir well.

10. Serve with Cilantro and/or Hot Sauce.

 Enjoy! 👍  

These tortillas are a staple for my Keto program.  They can be used for many snacks or meals such as tacos, quesadillas, burritos, Pizza, tortilla chips and more!

Servings: Approx. 10 medium sized tortillas.

Net Carbs: Approx. 3g per tortilla.

Recipe:

1. 2 Cups Almond Flour Blanched
2. 6 Tbsp of Psyllium Husk Powder
3. 6 Cups egg whites
4. 1 Tsp Baking POWDER (not soda)
5. 1 Cup Boiling Hot Water
6. 2 Tsp Salt
7. Olive Oil or MCT Oil to fry

Directions:

1. Mix flour, psyllium husk powder, baking soda, and salt together.
2. Mix in egg whites.
3. Mix in hot water (slowly)
4. Make round balls and smash them into circular or whatever shapes you desire.
5. I use saran wrap underneath which makes the transfer into the pan/griddle much easier.
6. Oil and fry until brown on both sides.

The tortillas store for at least 5 days in the refrigerator.  You can also freeze them.  

Enjoy! 👍 

Pho is one of my favorite noodle soups to consume.  I love noodles in general but to combine it with thinly sliced high quality tender beef and a broth that's savory and full or flavor easily makes this one of the most enjoyable noodle soup dishes around!  The traditional way of making this dish requires at least 10 hours of boiling the broth to extract all the flavors from the beef bones.  I wouldn't even tackle such a dish knowing that but with a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot, it simplifies everything down to 1.5 hrs of cook time!

Servings: approximately 5-6 bowls 

Cooking method: Instant Pot 8QT

Cooking time: 90 minutes on high pressure.

Ingredients:

1. 2.5 lbs Beef Bones (knuckles, oxtail, or etc.)
2. 1 Ginger Root (skinned)
3. 1 Onion
4. 6 Star Anise
5. 1 Tbls Corriander Seed
6. 1 Cinnamon Stick
7. 1 Clumb Rock Sugar
8. 3 Tbls Salt
9. 9 Tbls Fish Sauce
10. 1 Pod Black Cardamon (can be skipped if you can't source it)
11. 6 Whole Cloves
12. 1 Tbls Fennel
13. 2-3 lbs of thinly sliced rib-eye beef.  Other cuts are acceptable too (brisket, sirloin, etc.)
14. Bean Sprouts (optional)
15. Lime (optional)
16. Mint and/or Basil Leaves (optional)
17. Sriracha/Hoisin Sauces (optional)
18. Pho (Rice) Noodles

Directions:

1. Boil the beef bones for 10-15 minutes to extract the impurities of the bones.  
2. Rinse the bones in water and place it in the pressure cooker.
3. Fill it with water to just under the max line.
4. Add in all remaining ingredients.
5. Set pressure cooker on high for 1.5 hours.
6. Turn off pressure cooker when done and allow pressure to release some on it's own.
7. While allow pressure to release on it's own, bring a pot of water to boil.
8. Dip noodles in for 1 minute max.
9. Place noodles in a bowl with thinly sliced beef.
10. Manually release remaining pressure slowly until it's safe to open.
11. Scoop brooth into bowl and top it with your preferred toppers.

Enjoy! 👍 

Thai food has always been popular but I feel like it has risen to another level over the past couple of years.  Especially with the added coverage with food documentaries, Michelin star awards, and etc.  Thailand remains as one of the top 10 tourist destinations worldwide and I'm lucky enough to visit the beautiful and humble country every 1-2 years.  Also, it helps to have some family there.  So, I’ve tasted quite a bit of delicious Thai food over the past 9 years.

That said, I’m excited to bring you my favorite Thai soup dish. Personally, in terms of soups or noodle soups, Creamy Tom Yum is at the top tied with Beef PHO.  What ranks as the best noodle soup changes depending on which day I’m asked. It’s really that TASTY!

Tom Yum is hot and sour soup.  What makes this dish special is it’s loaded with all kinds of fragrant spices, herbs, and fresh ingredients served with your choice of meat.  Think a rich chicken or pork broth with some curry and chili spice, tangy citrus, and sweet coconut milk all in one spoonful.  My mouth is watering as I’m writing this.  So, let’s get on with the recipe.

Servings:  6-8

Cooking method:  Instant Pot 8QT

Cooking time:  13-15 minutes total on high pressure.

Ingredients:

1. 2-3 lbs of Chicken Breast or Thighs (Cubed)
2. 4 Cups of Chicken Broth
3. 1 Cup Coconut Milk (Chakoh brand recommended)
4. 1 Large Onion (Quartered)
5. 2 Red Peppers (Sliced)
6. 1 Stalk of Lemon Grass (Smashed then cut into thirds)
7. 1 Inch Galangal (Sliced) If you can’t find this, swap for ginger.
8. 8 Lime Leaves (optional but not the same without it)
9. 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
10. 3.5 Tbsp Fish Sauce
11. 3 Tbsp of Thai Red Curry past (Maesri recommended)
12. 1.5 Tbsp Brown Sugar
13. 2 Limes (juiced)
14. Cilantro for a topper.
15. Noodles (optional)

Directions:

1. Set pressure cooker to Saute Mode and add oil and onions. Cook onions for about 2 minutes.
2. Add chicken until the sides are cooked (another 1-2 minutes).
3. Add in curry paste, galangal, lime leaves lemon grass, and stir well.
4. Add in chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar, and set the pressure cooker to high pressure for 8 minutes.
5. Release pressure.
6. Add red peppers and set on Saute mode for 4-6 minutes to slightly cook the peppers.
7. Add coconut milk and lime juice.
8. Stir well, and serve and top with cilantro,

Enjoy! 👍 

It's been a few years since the Poke craze but I feel like it's still pretty strong.  There are still a number of poke eateries all around So Cal so I decided to give it a shot.  I went with a simplified version with just poke, rice, and avocado and it was DELICIOUS and very easy to make.  You can easily add seaweed salad, cucumbers, and etc for an added pop!

Ahi Tuna:

Servings: 8

Cooking method: N/A

Ingredients:

1. 4 Lbs Fresh Tuna Steaks (Cubed)
2. 2 Cup Soy Suace
3. 2 Cup Chopped Green Onions
4. 4 Tbsp Sesame Oil
5. 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
6. 2 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients
2. Mix well
3. Refrigerate and allow tuna to marinate for a couple hours 

Sushi Rice:

Servings: 8

Cooking method: Rice Cooker

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cups Uncooked Sushi Rice (Glutinous White Rice)
2. 3 Cups Water
3. ½ Cup Rice Vinegar
4. ¼ Cup White Sugar
5. 3 TSP of Salt
6. 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Rinse the rice with water.
2. Add Rice and all ingredients above into a rice cooker.
3. Stir well and cook it.
4. Let it rest for 5 minutes after it’s done and stir. 

Enjoy! 👍 

Pot Roast is the ultimate comfort food that never really goes out of style. With an Instant Pot, this classic meal just got a lot easier to make! Here’s my simple go to recipe:

Servings: 8-10

Cooking method: Directions: Instant Pot 8QT

Ingredients:

1. 3 Lbs Chuck Roast (thawed)
2. 4 Cups Beef Stock low sodium
3. 1/4 Cup Fresh Ground Horseradish
4. 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
5. 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
6. 1 Teaspoon Season Salt
7. 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
8. 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
9. 1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
10. 5 Cloves Garlic Minced
11. 3 Lbs Potatoes
12. 3 Lbs Carrots
13. Cilantro for topping

Directions:

1. Place everything in the inner pot of pressure cooker.
2. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes.
3. Take roast out, shred, and back in the pot.
4. Top with Cilantro, Scallions, or Parsley and serve immediately.

Enjoy! 👍 

Who doesn't love Risotto?  Rice cooked in broth until it reaches a creamy consistency.  This amazingly tasty dish can be easily made with a pressure cooker and is a great alternative to plain white or brown rice (also unhealthier).  I mainly use risotto as a side to compliment my main course (Salmon or other kinds of meats).  Once in awhile, I'll have risotto as my main dish and that's typically loaded with seafood.  There are so many ways to make risotto but one of my favorites is a creamy mushroom risotto.

Here's the recipe:

Servings: 8-10

Cooking method: Directions: Instant Pot 8QT

Ingredients: 

1. 4 Cups Chicken Stock
2. 4 Cups Diced Mushrooms
3.  1/2 cup White Wine
4. 2 Cups Parmesan Cheese
5. 1.5 Cup Arbrorio Rice
6. 1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter
7. 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
8. 1 Onion (chopped)
9. 1 Sprig Rosemary
10. Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Saute mode the butter for a couple minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and stir until softened.
3. Add onions and rosemary sprig and stir for a few more minutes.
4. Add rice and stir for a couple minutes.
5. Pour wine and stir for a few minutes.
6. Pour in chicken stock for another minute.
7. Set knob to sealing and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
8. Release pressure, remove the Rosemary Sprig (or leave it).
9. Stir in Parmesan, Salt and Pepper.

Enjoy! 👍