Ketogenic diets have become widely popular as the new lose-weight-fast strategy. So, what does eating keto mean? Well, it means eating foods of high fats and low carbs. The benefits of this diet are endless from weight loss, mental clarity, increased energy, decreased cravings, improved overall health and more! We at GoWISE USA decided to put this to the test in our air fryers and try out 5 ketogenic recipes of our own.
Steak Nuggets with White Barbecue Sauce
Our first recipe we tested was Steak Nuggets with a white barbecue sauce. Steak is low carb and keto-friendly, making this an ideal keto recipe. Our breading consisted of parmesan cheese, pork panko and seasoned salt to achieve that breaded crunchiness. Freezing the nuggets once they are breaded is dire to ensure that the breading stays in place. We opted for an alternative barbecue sauce, but any dipping sauce will go great with these tasty treats!
Ingredients:
Steak Nuggets:
1 lb. steak, cut into chunks
2 eggs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup pork panko crumbs
1 tsp seasoned salt
White Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup mayo
¼ cup white vinegar
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
2 tsp horseradish sauce
½ tsp salt
½ tsp white or black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp paprika
Directions:
Combine parmesan cheese, pork panko and seasoned salt in a bowl. Beat 2 eggs into a separate bowl. Dip chunks of steak into egg, then breading. Repeat this step again and place onto a freezer safe plate. Freeze breaded steak nuggets for 30 minutes before frying, to ensure that the breading does not lift.
While you are waiting, whisk all of the barbecue sauce ingredients together in a bowl, until smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Working in batches if necessary, place steak nuggets on perforated parchment paper (optional) in air fryer basket. Air fry at 330°F for 10 minutes. Serve with white barbecue sauce and enjoy!
Spicy Cajun Jicama Fries
Everyone needs a healthy alternative recipe for French fries. We chose jicama because it already gives off that “crunchy” taste we all love when having French fries. It is great for improved digestion, weight loss and low in carbs. We recommend peeling the jicama with a larger kitchen knife in place of a vegetable peeler, as jicama has a rather thicker exterior. We boiled the jicama before air frying, to achieve extra crispiness while cooking. Once you are ready to air fry them, be sure to lay them in a single layer, so that they evenly cook. We went for a spicier seasoning for these fries, but any seasoning you desire will be fine! A big thank you to our friend, Wholesome Yum for creating this delicious recipe.
Ingredients:
1 jicama
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp white or black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 ¼ tsp dried oregano
1 ¼ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
Peel and slice jicama into thin fries. Boil a large pot of water on the stove. Add the jicama fries in and boil for 20 minutes, or until no longer crunchy. Remove the jicama and pat dry and place into a large bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, mix well.
Transfer the fries in a single layer, to both racks of the air fryer oven. Place both racks into the air fryer. Air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes. Move the bottom rack to the top and the top to the bottom. Air fry at 400°F for another 10 minutes.
Salmon Cakes
A salmon recipe is keto friendly, because it is carb free and rich in B vitamins and potassium. It is important to freeze the Salmon Cakes once they are formed, so that they are easier to work with. This will also help the cakes harden and stick together easily. Using tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour) and coconut infused items achieves that low carb status you are looking for. To make these even more low carb, replace the tapioca starch with coconut flour to lessen the carbs and increase the fiber intake.
Ingredients:
Salmon Cakes:
1 lb. atlantic salmon
¼ cup avocado, mashed
¼ cup cilantro, diced
1 ½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp sea salt
¼ cup + 4 tsp tapioca starch
2 organic, cage free eggs
½ cup organic coconut flakes
organic coconut oil, melted
For the Greens:
2 tsp organic coconut oil, melted
6 cups organic arugula & spinach mix
pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Remove the skin from the salmon, dice the flesh and add into a large bowl. Add in the avocado, cilantro, curry powder, sea salt and mix thoroughly. Stir in 4 tsp of the tapioca starch until mixed well.
Form the salmon into ¼ cup-sized patties and place them on a freezer-safe plate. Freeze patties for 20 minutes, so that they are easier to work with.
While the patties freeze, beat the eggs into a small bowl. Place the remaining ¼ cup of tapioca starch and the coconut flakes in separate bowls. Dip the patties into the tapioca starch, making sure it’s fully covered. Then, dip into the egg mixture, also making sure it’s fully covered. Press the top and sides of the patties into the coconut flakes. Repeat this step with remaining patties.
Place the patties, coconut flake-side up onto perforated parchment paper (optional) in the air fryer basket. Gently brush the tops of the patties with melted coconut oil (optional). Air fry at 380°F for 8-10 minutes.
While you wait for the cakes, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil up in a large pan on medium heat. Add in the arugula & spinach mix and a pinch of sea salt. Stir constantly until the greens begin to wilt. Divide the greens up, followed by the salmon cakes and enjoy!
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Next, we tried out an all-time favorite appetizer, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks. These are considered keto, because we used almond flour in place of refined white bread crumbs (or wheat flour). Dipping the cheese sticks twice in the egg and flour mixture is important to ensure that there is enough breading to fully cover the cheese stick. We highly recommend freezing the cheese sticks afterwards, or the breading could lift off. Pairing these with a low carb marinara sauce makes these the perfect keto appetizer!
Ingredients:
8 cheese sticks
1 large egg
¼ cup almond flour
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp italian seasoning
¼ tsp ground rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder
Directions:
Unwrap the cheese sticks and cut them in half. Place on a freezer safe plate and chill for 45 minutes.
While you wait, beat the eggs into a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, rosemary, garlic powder and mix well. Break apart any clumps until the mixture is smooth.
Roll the cheese sticks in the egg mixture and then the flour mixture, until fully covered. Roll once again in the egg and flour mixture. Repeat these steps with the remaining cheese sticks.
After they have chilled, place the breaded cheese sticks on perforated parchment paper (optional) in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 370°F for 7 minutes.
Garlic Butter Naan Bread
Even though this is a traditional Naan Bread, we substituted wheat flour for gluten-free flour to make this a low carb recipe, or keto! Any gluten-free flour will suffice, however we opted for coconut flour, because we believed the flavor would taste better. The ground psyllium husk powder is used to give the bread texture and hold its shape. We opted to use eggs in place of that, because this is more of a flat bread and did not need much shape, and quite honestly – psyllium husk was hard for us to find. We topped it with a garlic butter sauce to give it that extra flavor, but any toppings you desire will work!
Ingredients:
Bread:
1 cup coconut flour
2 tbsp ground psyllium husk powder
1 egg (we replaced husk powder with egg)
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2 cups boiling water
sea salt
Garlic Butter:
4 oz butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch of parsley
Directions:
Combine coconut flour, husk powder (or egg), onion powder, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add in coconut oil and boiling water and stir thoroughly.
Allow the dough to rise for five minutes. If it is too runny, add more psyllium husk powder. If it is too firm, add in boiling water.
Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces and form into balls. Flatten them with your hands directly on parchment paper or your kitchen counter.
Place in the air fryer basket on perforated parchment paper (optional) and spread coconut oil on the tops of each piece. Air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes.
While you wait for the bread, melt the butter and stir in the garlic and parsley. When the bread is done, brush the garlic butter mixture onto the top of each piece. Pour the rest of the garlic butter mixture in a bowl and use it to dip the pieces of bread in, if desired.
To conclude, we had fun switching it up and experimenting with these recipes and modifying them into keto AND air fryer friendly recipes. Any recipe can become keto friendly with the right substitutions and low carb ingredients! More importantly, any recipe can become air fryer friendly, too! We encourage you to try out a ketogenic diet for improved health, weight loss or even to just see what it’s all about.
A big thank you to the author's of the recipes we tested out. Check out the links below to take a look at the original recipes.
https://houseofnasheats.com/alabama-white-bbq-sauce/
https://www.wholesomeyum.com/keto-air-fryer-jicama-fries-recipe/
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/149221/cajun-spice-mix/
https://www.foodfaithfitness.com/low-carb-whole30-paleo-salmon-cakes/
https://www.thatslowcarb.com/low-carb-cheese-sticks-recipe/
https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/keto-naan-bread-with-melted-garlic-butter
