“This fennel and tomato gratin is a beautiful, creamy and totally indulgent side veg dish. You will love the unique flavours, so be sure to serve this alongside a simple protein, like grilled steak, chicken or fish to avoid competing flavours. The portion itself may seem small, but it rich and unctuous, so it goes a long way!” – Monya
“This massaged kale and creamy egg salad may seem a little simple and underwhelming as you read through it, but I promise you, the flavours and textures are amazing! The creamy egg mix was inspired by traditional ‘devilled eggs’ and I just love my addition of sweet tomatoes, garlic and parsley. I serve it over raw, massaged curly kale (when, if done right – is INCREDIBLE!). This salad is beautiful: we had it as a side dish at our braai (BBQ) recently, but you could equally enjoy it as a ‘take-to-work-desk-lunch’. Please try it! ” – Monya
“I love this little tray-bake of baby cinnamon puffs! Its a combo of my (sweetened) Fathead dough enhanced with cinnamon. Additionally, it is finished with a lovely creamy drizzle. These are especially delicious over Easter!” – Monya
“This sweet egg and hemp porridge was a slightly unusual experiment, but still one worth sharing. It may remind you a little of a curdled creme brulee, but with a tiny bit of crunch from the hemp. Give it a go!” – Monya
“This is a super-quick, super-easy meal for one. Flash-fried prawns are served in a creamy sauce bursting with the lovely flavour of Harissa paste (widely available at all supermarkets). Serve it over your choice of ‘base’ (like courgetti or your favourite low carb noodles) or simply enjoy as is. I had it over shirataki / konjac ‘fettucine’ (as pictured) and it was perfect! Since the choice of ‘base’ is your choice, the macros shown here indicate the creamy prawn sauce only.” – Monya
“Forget tinned tuna, the real thing is as amazing as salmon! This posh tuna salad is high in protein and packed with flavour. Salads are not only for the summer – the heat of the chilli kick in this salad will warm you up plenty!” – Monya
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I created homemade fish paste because South Africans received some troubling news a while ago. Two beloved products (Redro and Peck’s Anchovette) are being discontinued! The horror! Ex-pats could still source it at South African shops (or indeed smuggle a few tubs back after returning from holiday), but no more. So, I did the obvious thing: I created a version that could be made at home! I am so pleased with my homemade fish paste because I feel the flavour is authentic. For those that like the idea of having it with keto bread or crackers, I have several options on this site and in my books. Now that you have this easy recipe, it will bring back all the feels for many years to come.” – Monya
“This almond and coconut biscuit cake recipe started out as a trial for trying to make keto shortbread. I did not get it right and I assume this is simply because we do not have the same important components found in wheat flour and real sugar to give us those results. However, this recipe was still tasty and worth sharing even though I was troubled as to what to call it. It is not a cake (I used no raising agent and it is not ‘fluffy’), but it is also not a dense shortbread. I would describe it as a delicate biscuit/cookie-type consistency. Either way, this ‘experiment’ was still a tasty treat. Each slice can be served slightly warm with a little drizzle of cream! I hope you love it as much as Funnyman does!” – Monya
“A delicious and comforting tipple, my keto mulled wine recipe makes just enough for 4 people and it comes in surprisingly low in carbs. You can use any red wine, but I have showcased my favourite. I also love adding a little Madeira (in place of traditional red port). As we all know, mulled wine is best enjoyed warm. Enjoy!” – Monya
“Creamy and delicious, this easy chocolate ice cream uses real chocolate and it couldn’t be more simple! Find the best-quality dark chocolate you can get your hands on, but it must be 85% cocoa for best results (I love Lindt!). The macros are calculate on a 100g (3.5oz) serving, which is about two ice cream scoops. I reckon you will be able to get out about 8-10 such servings from this batch. The prep time shown below includes the chilling of the ice cream mixture (prior to churning), but the longer, the better. The mixture should be completely chilled before getting churned in an ice cream maker.” – Monya
“Just two ingredients! This is barely worthy of a blog post, but I wanted to share it anyway. I think it is a simple and tasty way to enjoy courgettes. Here, I fry slices of courgettes (cut approx. 1cm thick at an angle for more surface area) until caramelised. Then I serve it warm with a little feta crumbled over. If seasoned well, these caramelised courgettes are truly delicious and the full-fat feta adds a lovely creamy sharpness.” – Monya
“This artichoke and creamy burrata salad is a quick, easy and truly delicious salad using char-grilled artichokes. These can be found in the shelves in stores where all the chilled antipasti goodies are kept. They are smoky and lovely in a salad. This salad serves 4 as a side dish, but could easily be enjoyed by two people as a meat-free main meal. I especially love the simple garlic dressing, but be sure to use crushed garlic (done using a garlic press) for the best flavour and texture. The scattering of chopped parsley will balance it all out nicely. ” – Monya
“Monkfish is a meaty and very satisfying piece of fish. Here, I dust over a generous amount of seasoned curry powder and simply pop it in the oven while I crack on with a buttery spinach. The spinach is cooked with mustard seeds and a little turmeric. This is delicious and almost too easy!” – Monya
“This paprika steak salad with veg and feta is a great way to enjoy rib-eye steaks in a ‘lighter’ way. It is a delicious, filling and rather colourful warm salad that can be thrown together in 30 minutes! Do not skip the smoked paprika, its the most beautiful dominant flavour in this dish (and different to regular ground paprika, so please try and source it). It is available at all stores, but if you still struggle, you can get it online. The servings are very generous, so if you prefer, you could stretch this to 3-4 people instead as a lighter lunch. For me though, well, I could never share my steak. ” – Monya
“SIGH… I love my air-fryer. Not only because even Funnyman can use it, but its gives consistently fabulous results. We love chicken thighs, and after only 25 minutes later, we are left with crispy skin and succulent flesh: its LUSH! I don’t waste the fat and juices that run off, but instead tip it all into a quick, punchy sauce made using sun-dried tomatoes and a few other bits. This recipe is so lovely. Enjoy it with your favourite greens on the side (excluded in macros), but a cauliflower mash or cauli-rice would be equally delicious to mop up the lovely sauce.” – Monya