Eggs

How to Make Carbonara Sauce

July 21, 2022 by Leslie Helen Leave a Comment

This low-carb Carbonara sauce is a modern take on a loved classic. It is simple and quick to make – ready in under 30 minutes.

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How to make Carbonara low-carb?

low-carb carbonara with zoodles wrapped on a fork — Carbonara served with Zoodles

Traditional Carbonara sauce is low-carb, however, today many recipes call for cream (which can add up to 7 carbs to the recipe). Where the carbs really add up is what you pair with the Carbonara sauce. Typically, one would serve Carbonara sauce over a plate of linguini or spaghetti with toasted garlic bread on the side. An easy swap is using a low-carb pasta substitute like spiraled vegetables and using a low-carb bread for the garlic toast.

Low-carb pasta options:

Zoodles are spiraled zucchini (to learn more about spiraling vegetables, read my A Simple way to Spiral Vegetables post).
Konjac pasta
Pasta made from Hearts of Palm

Low-carb bread options:

I find eating this Carbonara sauce with Zoodles so filling that I skip the bread altogether. However, if you want to have garlic bread, here are some good options for low-carb bread.

Carbonaut brand of low-carb bread is my favourite
You can also make your own using this mix

What ingredients do you need for the Carbonara sauce?

For simplicity, I use bacon instead of guanciale (cured pork cheek), it’s a good readily available option that doesn’t compromise the taste of the sauce. I also use freshly grated Parmesan cheese if I can’t get my hands on Pecorino-Romano cheese.

This recipe uses 3 egg whites. I use fresh eggs and separate them. I refrigerate the whites and use them the next day to make an omelet. You can also buy a carton of egg whites if you prefer.

5-6 slices of bacon
3 egg yolks
1 egg
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Recommended Tools

Whisk
Deep pan, I use the Heritage Cast Iron Wok and a deep dish cast iron pan with a lid
Medium-sized bowl

Carbonara Sauce Cooking Instructions

Making the sauce

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, around 10-15 minutes.

While the bacon is cooking, whisk egg yolks and egg together in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Continue whisking until fully mixed.

When the bacon is ready, reduce heat to low. Add the egg and cheese mixture, the peas, and the pasta substitute. Add 1 tbsp of boiling water at a time until the sauce is at the consistency to your liking. (Note: if using spiraled vegetables, you will likely need less water as the moisture from the vegetables escape when heated.)
Add in the spinach and cover. After a minute, stir to incorporate the wilted spinach with the rest of the dish.

Serving the Carbonara Sauce

Divide into 4 portions, and top with fresh cracked pepper and more freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

low-carb carbonara with zoodles and grated cheese

Carbonara Sauce

Quick and easy low-carb carbonara.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Calories 317 kcal

Ingredients

5-6 slices bacon (about 1/3 of package)
3 eggs yolks
1 egg
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup peas
1-2 cups baby spinach
1 cup boiling water Tip: If serving with pasta, keep 1 cup of the pasta water, otherwise boiling water will do

Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, around 10-15 minutes.
While the bacon is cooking, whisk egg yolks and egg together in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Continue whisking until fully mixed.
When the bacon is ready, reduce heat to low. Add the egg and cheese mixture, the peas, and the pasta substitute. Add 1 tbsp of boiling water at a time until the sauce is at the consistency to your liking. (Note: if using spiraled vegetables, you will likely need less water as the moisture from the vegetables escape when heated.)
Add in the spinach and cover. After a minute, stir to incorporate the wilted spinach with the rest of the dish.
Divide into 4 portions, and top with fresh cracked pepper and more freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:

317 Cals; 3 Net Carbs; 21 Protein; 23 Fat

Nutritional information per serving if made without the peas and spinach:

301 Cals; 1 Net Carbs; 20 Protein; 23 Fat

In my personal opinion, eat the peas and the spinach. The benefits, far outway the 2 carb savings 🙂

Keyword Bacon, Carbonara, Low-Carb

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Make an Easter Braided Egg Bread using a Bread Machine

April 13, 2022 by Leslie Helen Leave a Comment

I grew up in Toronto’s Roncesvalles Village, also known as Little Poland. Down the main street, there were many Polish Bakeries, Delicatessens, and Restaurants. At Easter, my Polish Grandma, whom we lived with, would go to the local bakery and pick up some special Easter Egg Buns. You could buy egg bread all year round, however, at Easter, these were made special by adding a sweet glaze and sprinkles. We are all about keeping life simple and in this post, I will show you how easy it is to make egg bread using your bread machine.

egg bread with lemon glaze and sprinkles

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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What’s special about egg bread at Easter?

Many cultures have a version of egg bread as part of their Easter traditions. Eggs represent new life or rebirth so it is fitting that eggs are used in a holiday all about the resurrection of Jesus! Fun fact, during medieval times eggs, were forbidden during Lent (the 40 days leading up to Easter) and so receiving an egg on Easter was a real treat!

Why do I use a bread machine?

I love using a bread machine because it takes the guesswork out of creating the perfect loaf of bread. The machine I have has 14 functions. My favourite one is the dough function. The dough function will knead the dough, allow it to rest and rise, punch it, and does another rest and rise. It also adds the right amount of warmth to the dough to allow it to rise. It’s a perfect ball of dough every time.

What to look for in a bread machine?

My bread machine was an investment, but I’ve had it for almost 10 years! I have the Breadman bread machine. My advice on what to look for in a good bread machine is:

A collapsible kneading paddles. This is a must for me. Right before the bread starts to bake the paddle collapses flat against the bottom of the pan. This allows you to remove it with little damage to the loaf of bread.
A dough-only option. You could use a standup mixer, but you will still need to babysit the dough through the resting and rise period. I prefer to leave the hard work to the machine!
Multiple functions for different types of bread. The Breadman has 14 functions including French, gluten-free, low-carb, and even a jam!
Automatic “extra” dispenser perfect for adding fruit, seeds, or nuts to your bread.

How to make the Egg Bread?

Recommended Tools:

Egg Bread Dough Ingredients:

1/2 cup water, room temperature
1 large egg
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
1 tsp salt
2 cups organic all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp active dry or bread machine yeast
1 egg, whisked for egg wash

Lemon Glaze Ingredients:

3/4 cup Confectioners sugar
1/2 Lemon
1 tsp decorating sprinkles (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Making the Dough

Setup your bread machine according to the manual. I use the Breadman machine, so my setup involves attaching the collapsible kneading paddle to the bottom of the bread pan.
Add the water and 1 egg to a bowl and whisk until fully mixed and full of bubbles. Pour into the bread pan.
Measure the next 5 ingredients into the bread pan in the order listed.
If your bread machine has a collapsible kneading paddle, like mine, make sure it is in the upright position.
Turn on the bread machine and select the dough setting. The dough process on my machine takes 130 minutes.
When the dough is ready, remove the bread pan from the machine and dump the dough onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Remove the kneading paddle from the dough.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Braiding the Dough

Cut the dough into 3 equal parts. Stretch each section out as far as it naturally will go without breaking.
Lay the 3 long pieces of dough side-by-side about 1 inch apart. Pinch the ends together on one side. Slowly braid the dough.
Carefully braid the dough. When the braid is complete, carefully bring both ends together to form a ring, then pinch the ends together so the bread stays in the shape of the ring.
Cover, and let sit for 40 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
Beat 1 egg. Using a silicone pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the dough.
Place the dough on the middle rack in a 375F preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Lemon Glaze

Add confectioners sugar to a small bowl.
Stir in the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
Using a silicone basting brush, brush the glaze over the cooled eggs bread.
Top with some decorating sprinkles and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

This recipe yields a 1lb loaf. You can double the recipe to make 2 rings (it will still fit into the bread machine).
Instead of shaping the braid into a ring, pinch the ends and bake it straight. You can omit the lemon glaze. This makes great toasting or sandwich bread. I love making french toast using egg bread too.

Easter Egg Bread with a Sweet Lemon Glaze

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Resting Time 3 hrs

Total Time 3 hrs 40 mins