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This week I had the pleasure of reviewing the Quick & Easy Ketogenic Cooking by Maria Emmerich. As you may know, Maria is the author of the well-known health & food blog, Keto Adapted and also runs a popular Facebook page. Today I'm sharing one of the many amazing recipes,Crab-Stuffed Avocado with Lime, from her brand new cookbook that has just been released!
I love stuffed avocados and - they are a convenient and nutrient-packed keto meal that takes no more than a few minutes to prepare. When I'm too busy too cook, I go for stuffed avocados. I never tried using crabmeat, so I couldn't wait to try Maria's recipe.
You can buy Quick & Easy Ketogenic Cooking by Maria Emmerich on Amazon.
What You'll Find in The Book
- Ketogenic principles - what it's like to be a fat burner and how to become keto-adapted.
- Over 170 delicious time-saving savoury and sweet keto recipes. Everything from breakfast meals, snacks, salads, main dishes, condiments, beverages and desserts accompanied by beautiful photography.
- Recipes are easy to follow and use common ingredients.
- Tips for quick and easy meal preparation and tips for picking keto meals in restaurants.
- Tips for kitchen and pantry essentials.
- Allergy-free options including nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free and vegetarian meals. All recipes are marked with allergy information.
- 6 ketogenic meal plans including 3 plans for weight loss using the intermittent fasting technique, and 3 plans for healing and weight maintenance.
What I Like About The Book
Just like me, Maria's follows a ketogenic & primal and paleo approach. This means that her recipes use real whole foods low in carbs. Many of the recipes also include allergy-free options for those who can't eat nuts, eggs, dairy, or are vegetarians.
You won't have to spend hours in the kitchen - all recipes are suitable for those with busy life styles! You'll find everything from 5-minute meals and desserts to slow cooker comfort foods and keto-friendly American classics. Apart from recipes, Maria included some really useful time-saving tips, as well as sample keto diet plans to take the guess work out of planning your diet. No matter how busy you are, you can follow a healthy keto diet!
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Who Is This Book For
Maria's book is a great resource for anyone following a healthy low-carb diet. Whether you want to shed a few pounds, maintain a healthy weight, lower your blood sugar, improve energy levels, or gain muscles, eating whole foods low in carbs will help you achieve your goals.
Many of the recipes are very low in carbs making Maria's book a great resource for those who follow the ketogenic diet for to manage a condition such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's or even cancer.
A note about carbs
Maria follows a more strict ketogenic diet than I do. As you may know, I count net carbs and follow Dr Volek's and Dr. Phinney's recommendations, while Maria follows Dr Westman's recommendations and counts total carbs, thus excluding certain foods high in fibre, such as chia seeds, flax, etc. There is no right or wrong way - ideal carbohydrate levels are simply different for individuals and you have to try what works best for you. Some do well on a very low-carb diet and counting total carbs, while others, including me, count net carbs that allows more fibre in your diet.
For a long time I've been eating about 30 grams of net carbs per day (up to 50 grams of total carbs) to maintain a healthy weight and manage my Hashimoto's condition. No matter what approach you choose to follow, this book in an invaluable resource for every low-carber.
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Over 170 Delicious Ketogenic Recipes
Maria's book is packed with over 170 quick & easy keto meals. Here is what caught my eye from the breakfast options: Cinnamon Roll Minute Muffins, Eggs in Purgatory or Dairy-Free Chocolate Shake. If you need a quick snack or are throwing a party, you can make some Italian Poppers, Cheese Puffs or grain-free Cheesy Fried Ravioli. There are loads of roll-ups and wraps, soups and salads for quick lunch options that you can even take to work. Apart from the Crab-Stuffed Avocado with Lime that I'm sharing today, there are even more recipes including fish and seafood, such as Arctic Char with Olive Salsa or Shrimp and Grits.
If you are a meat lover like me, there are several recipes with chicken, beef, lamb and pork, like Slow Cooker Chimichurri Chicken, Easy Corned Beef Hash, Ground Lamb Casserole (bonus video recipe on Maria's blog!) or Pigs in a Bacon Blanket. Even if you don't eat meat, there is a chapter devoted to vegetable sides and vegetarian keto meals, like Mushroom Ragu, Pizza Sticks or Zoodles Two Ways.
There is a chapter with all things sweet including Crispy Maple Bacon Fat Bombs, Frozen Orange Cream Bites, Key Lime Ice-Cream or Pizza Gelato (yes, that's a savoury dessert!) Finally, a bonus chapter includes smoked foods, like Smoked Brisket or Pan-Fried Smoked Cauliflower Steaks. These recipes look so good that I'm tempted to get a smoker so I can try them out! :-)
Disclaimer: I was given this book free of charge. I use Amazon Affiliate links but I'm not affiliated with the author of the book. The opinions expressed and photos in this post are my own.
Hands-on Overall
Nutritional values (per serving)
Net carbs3.6 grams
Protein18.8 grams
Fat39.4 grams
Calories456 kcal
Calories from carbs 3%, protein 17%, fat 80%
Total carbs10.8 gramsFiber7.2 gramsSugars1.3 gramsSaturated fat5.4 gramsSodium1,066 mg(46% RDA)Magnesium88 mg(22% RDA)Potassium781 mg(39% EMR)
Ingredients (makes 2 servings)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise, store-bought or homemade, p. 112 in the cookbook (55 g/ 1.9 oz)
- 3 tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice, divided
- 2 tbsp diced onion (20 g/ 0.7 oz)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- pinch of fresh ground pepper
- 1 can crabmeat (170 g/ 6 oz)
- 1 ripe Haas avocado, halved, pitted and peeled (200 g/ 7.1 oz)
- lime wedges, for serving
- Optional: Green Goddess Dressing, for drizzling (p. 117 in the cookbook)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, onions, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in the crabmeat. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
![Book Review: Quick & Easy Ketogenic Cooking by Maria Emmerich Keto Crab Stuffed Avocado](https://files.ketodietapp.com/Blog/files/2016/03/CrabStuffedAvocado1.jpg)
- Brush the avocado halves with the remaining 1 teaspoon of the lime juice to prevent discolouration.
![Book Review: Quick & Easy Ketogenic Cooking by Maria Emmerich Keto Crab Stuffed Avocado](https://files.ketodietapp.com/Blog/files/2016/03/CrabStuffedAvocado2.jpg)
- Place the avocado halves, cut side up, on plates. Mound the crab salad into each avocado half. Serve with lime wedges and drizzle with Green Goddess Dressing, if desired.
Recipe for the Green Goddess Dressing is on p. 117 in the cookbook. If you have any filling left, serve aside with the avocado halves.
![Book Review: Quick & Easy Ketogenic Cooking by Maria Emmerich Keto Crab Stuffed Avocado](https://files.ketodietapp.com/Blog/files/2016/03/CrabStuffedAvocado4.jpg)
Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving)
Net carbs | Protein | Fat | Calories |
Mayonnaise |
0.2 g | 0.3 g | 22.8 g | 204 kcal |
Lime juice, fresh |
0.5 g | 0 g | 0 g | 2 kcal |
Lime juice, fresh |
0.2 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
Onion, white, fresh |
0.8 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 4 kcal |
Coriander (cilantro), fresh |
0 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
Cumin, ground |
0.2 g | 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 2 kcal |
Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt |
0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
Pepper, black, spices |
0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
Crab meat, cooked |
0 g | 16.2 g | 1.7 g | 82 kcal |
Avocado, fresh |
1.8 g | 2 g | 14.7 g | 161 kcal |
Total per serving |
3.6 g | 18.8 g | 39.4 g | 456 kcal |
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