Low-Carb, So Simple!

Carnivore Chicken and Blue Cheese “Salad” with Bacon

November 8, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

Last Sunday marked a rare moment on my blog: I didn’t publish a new post. The reason was that I was absolutely swamped with orders for my Ellin keittiö online store. The month had actually started out really lousily sales-wise, so I had turned on Google Ads again after a year of not using them. Then, a perfect storm hit. A Finnish influencer called “Carnivoreäiti” (Carnivore Mom) spontaneously promoted my seasonings on her social media channels, and I want to give a huge shout-out to her for that! At the exact same time, my Google Ads started working like gangbusters and brought numerous sales to my store.

Suddenly, everybody wanted my clean seasonings, especially my American Dip Mix, Sour Cream & Onion Dip Mix, Ranch Seasoning, and Taco Seasoning (you can find the recipes for most of those right here on my blog for your DIY pleasure). Hundreds and hundreds of orders kept pouring in, and I was rushing to mix more seasonings and pack those orders.

Now, if it had just been about packing the orders, that wouldn’t have been a problem. But I do everything from start to finish. I print the labels, cut them, and attach them to the pouches. I mix the seasonings in glass jars and divide them into the pouches. And that is not all: many of the ingredients, like onion powder and cumin, are lumpy, so I have to manually sift them before using them. Oh, and I also have to seal the pouches, plus print, cut, and attach the expiry date stickers. So, as you might expect, the whole process is incredibly time-consuming. I was working at a very fast pace every waking minute last weekend.

I am not complaining, though! I am more than willing to put in all that work to provide my customers with the highest quality products. It took me two full days to get everything done, but I did it, and everyone received their orders.

On top of all that, exactly one week ago on Sunday, I had my birthday, so that kept me busy, too. I didn’t really celebrate it, but I did make this chocolate mousse for my family. I also threw a giveaway on my Finnish social media channels that got hundreds and hundreds of replies, adding even more activity to my already packed schedule.

I am not going to apologize for not posting anything here on my blog last week. I have to prioritize the tasks where my effort actually pays off and is respected. This blog is a nice hobby, but thanks to this clown world and its insanely fabricated algorithms, the traffic just keeps going down and down. I earn mere pennies each month despite pouring 14 years of work into this blog, so I am certainly going to work on the things that bring me the income I deserve.

That said, I still wanted to post a recipe this week, even though I am once again super swamped with work and more orders are rolling in. This recipe is super quick, easy, and simple. You can whip it up any day of the week, or enjoy it as a straightforward meal on the weekend.
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Carnivore Sausage Casserole

October 25, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

Being a carnivore, I typically eat just one meal a day — sometimes two — and I am perfectly happy if that meal consists entirely of breakfast food. There is just something incredibly comforting about the classic trio of sausage, eggs, and cheese. But standing by the stove flipping individual omelets when I’m already busy packing orders for my online store? Not going to happen. I need food I can just throw in a baking dish and shove in the oven while I go do something else more important.

That’s exactly how this Carnivore Sausage Casserole was born. It takes all those savory, salty flavors and turns them into a hearty bake that works just as well for a frantic Tuesday dinner as it does for a weekend brunch. You only need five ingredients, and I bet you already have most of them in your fridge. There is no chopping, no complicated prep work, and zero hidden carbs.

The heavy cream keeps the dish rich and soft, while the Cheddar gets beautifully golden and bubbly on top. This is the kind of almost-zero-effort comfort food that makes you feel like you actually have your life together, even if you spent the entire day juggling a million different tasks. Grab your favorite baking dish, because this recipe is certainly going straight into your weekly rotation!
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Spooky Keto Chocolate Mousse

October 18, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

I had completely different plans for you this week here on my blog. I had a wild, highly experimental recipe idea lined up, but then I launched a very limited edition of my hand-made seasoning Advent calendar and as you can expect, things got completely hectic (once again!). So, I simply didn’t have the time to give my wild idea the testing it deserved.

I scrolled through my backup list and spotted a solid carnivore dinner recipe. It would have been a nice addition to the dinner rotation, but it wasn’t exactly thrilling. I’ll certainly post it some other time, and I promise to perfect that wild experiment for you soon, too.

But that left me needing a recipe for today. The thought process went something like this: How about a Keto Pumpkin Spice Mousse? No, too lame. I already have enough pumpkin spice on this blog to fill a barn — just look at my massive round-up of 32 pumpkin and pumpkin spice recipes. Okay, how about Keto Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Mousse? Better, but I still wasn’t satisfied.

Then, I remembered that I have a huge 1 kg bag of black cocoa powder sitting in my pantry. With Halloween right around the corner, inspiration finally struck. I ditched the pumpkin spice entirely and decided to create a spooky, gray mousse instead. Black cocoa powder gives such an impressive grayish-black color without any dubious food colorings.

It turned out perfect — both tastewise and lookswise. Black cocoa provides an eerie, spooky color in a completely natural way. If you want some real Halloween ick factor, pipe it into serving bowls with a round piping tip so it looks… well, gross. (Looking at the photos, I seriously wonder if those googly-eyed gray pumpkins were the culprits…)

If you want to impress or scare your guests this year, make this mousse, add some fun props, and wait for the reactions. It’s ready in an instant with zero chilling time required, so you can make it whenever you need a quick dessert.

And don’t worry, if you were actually looking forward to that pumpkin spice version, I haven’t forgotten you. As always, I’ve included plenty of variations at the end of the post!
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Carnivore Cheeseburger Soup

October 11, 2026 By elviira 2 Comments

Now that the weather has turned chilly, my Carnivore Cheeseburger Pie sounded like just the thing for a satisfying dinner. Then I looked at my schedule. I didn’t have time to heat the oven, let alone bake a pie. But I did have time to put its cheeseburger flavors into a soup pot and make a quick, hot dinner.

Ground beef and Cheddar were obvious choices for the soup, but I had to decide what would be the liquid base. Heavy cream would have made the soup richer, yet there was already dairy in the cheese. I wanted to avoid adding more.

Instead, I used bone broth as the base and egg yolks to thicken the soup and add richness. They also helped make it the nourishing meal I had in mind. It turned out so satisfying and tasty that salt was the only seasoning it needed. I was prepared to rummage through the spice cupboard, but one taste convinced me to leave it alone.

If your spice cupboard is feeling neglected, don’t worry. As usual, I’ve included my best ideas for seasonings and other variations at the end of the post.
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5-Ingredient Keto Chocolate Mousse Bites

October 4, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

Some desserts require a bowl and a spoon. Others let you walk into the kitchen, take a little square from the fridge, and get on with your day. Chocolate mousse has always belonged firmly in the spoon category — until now.

A few days ago, completely out of nowhere, I started wondering if I could make something with the airy softness of chocolate mousse, but sturdy enough to cut into little bites. I was immediately intrigued and wanted to try my idea. I imagined something between mousse and keto chocolate gummies, though I didn’t want the chewiness of a gummy. And despite the fluffiness, I wasn’t trying to make chocolate marshmallows, either. Apparently, I had a very specific dessert in mind for an idea that had arrived uninvited.

I’m happy to say everything worked like a charm. These 5-Ingredient Keto Chocolate Mousse Bites are fluffy yet sturdy: soft and moist when you bite into them, but firm enough to pick up without needing a spoon. They’re also incredibly delicious, which is helpful when you’ve spent time figuring out what, exactly, a mousse bite should be.

The recipe is simple, but there’s plenty of room to play with it. As always, I’ve included Tips for Variations at the end of the post, so you can try a few different takes on these easy keto treats.
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5-Ingredient Creamy Garam Masala Chicken

September 27, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

This week, I needed a dinner that could practically cook itself. I had just launched six organic seasonings in my Finnish Ellin keittiö clean keto and carnivore online store, and between getting everything ready, I had very little time left for this week’s blog recipe. Fortunately, a busy week is an excellent excuse to make creamy chicken.

I often make a simple creamy chicken dish for my son with curry powder. Since I had six new seasonings sitting in my kitchen, I thought I might as well put one to work. I chose garam masala because it’s less familiar to me than the others. All I had to do was swap it for the curry powder in my usual recipe — no complicated experiments required, thank goodness.

The result is this 5-Ingredient Creamy Garam Masala Chicken: tender chicken in a rich, warmly spiced sauce, made in one skillet. It’s quick enough for a week like mine, but good enough that nobody at the table needs to know how little effort it took.

And don’t worry if you can’t get my organic garam masala. Other brands are available around the world. Blends vary quite a bit, though — some are mild, while others bring enough heat to wake up the whole kitchen. Check the ingredients for anything you’d rather avoid, and adjust the amount to suit your taste. And choose a brand without added salt. It’s always better to salt the food to your taste.
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32 Best Keto Pumpkin and Pumpkin Spice Recipes — From Lattes to Pies

September 20, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

I have mentioned many times that pumpkin pie spice is my all-time favorite seasoning. At this point, I hardly need to repeat myself — the impressive number of pumpkin spice recipes on this blog provides more than enough evidence.

Pumpkin pie spice has found its way into my pancakes, waffles, cookies, cakes, pies, drinks, truffles, panna cotta, and even an egg soufflé omelet. If a food stays still long enough, I will apparently season it with Ceylon cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

My enthusiasm does not end with recipes, either. I developed my own homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, and I also sell my organic blend in my Finnish clean keto online store. I carefully mix and pack it myself, so pumpkin pie spice is not merely a favorite seasoning around here — it is practically a staff member.

During my keto years, I also used plenty of pumpkin. It adds moisture, color, gentle sweetness, and unmistakable fall character to everything from low-carb pumpkin pie to creamy pumpkin soup.

Now that I follow a carnivore diet, I no longer eat pumpkin myself. However, I still occasionally use seasonings, so my beloved pumpkin pie spice continues to make welcome appearances. After all, pumpkin pie spice contains no pumpkin — a wonderfully convenient detail for a pumpkin-free pumpkin spice fan.

I also love developing keto pumpkin recipes for others. Creating them lets me play with new flavor combinations, while my willing taste testers get to handle the eating part. Everyone wins.

Below, you’ll find 32 of my best keto pumpkin and pumpkin spice recipes, including ketovore treats, low-carb breakfasts, sugar-free desserts, warming drinks, pumpkin basics, and savory dishes. That should be enough pumpkin and pumpkin spice to keep even the most enthusiastic fall baker busy.
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Keto Pumpkin Spice Panna Cotta

September 13, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

Pumpkin pie spice is my absolute all-time favorite seasoning. Anyone who has browsed this blog for more than five minutes has probably noticed. I use it in all sorts of recipes, I have my own homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, and I even sell an organic version in my Finnish clean keto and carnivore store. I mix and pack every batch myself, so yes, I take my pumpkin pie spice duties very seriously.

With that amount of pumpkin pie spice in my life, posting more recipes for it is only sensible. I have plenty of ideas, and keeping them all to myself would be terribly selfish.

This time, I added my beloved spice blend to panna cotta. The result is a rich, smooth, gently spiced dessert that requires very little work and no pumpkin whatsoever. It is also suitable for ketovores and for those carnivores who occasionally include sweeteners and seasonings in their diet. It’s a lovely option when you want to finish your meal with something creamy and sweet while keeping carbs low.

And what better time for pumpkin spice than fall, my favorite season? Finland becomes wonderfully colorful as the leaves turn yellow, orange, and red. Even on the darkest, rainiest, cloudiest day, the bright yellow trees manage to make everything look almost sunny. Finnish autumn may arrive carrying an umbrella, but at least it dresses cheerfully.
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Carnivore Mac ‘n’ Cheese

September 6, 2026 By elviira 2 Comments

Mac ’n’ cheese has survived all sorts of substitutions over the years, so I think it can handle one more. This time, there is no macaroni, no veggies, or anything else from the plant kingdom. In this recipe, the job of the “mac” goes to pork rinds, and they take their new responsibility surprisingly well.

This recipe is the carnivore version of my famous Quick and Easy 5-Ingredient Cauli ’n’ Cheese, one of those old recipes that has remained popular for a good reason. That 12-year-old recipe of mine replaces macaroni with cauliflower and covers it with a rich Cheddar sauce. For this version, I sent the cauliflower on vacation and put the pork rinds to work.

Of course, dry pork rinds straight from the bag would be far too crunchy for the task. Soaking them in warm bone broth for a couple of minutes softens them slightly and gives them a tender, pleasantly chewy texture before they meet the cheese sauce. They don’t impersonate macaroni perfectly — which, in this case, is only a positive thing.

The sauce stays wonderfully simple as well as heavenly smooth and velvety: heavy cream, an egg, and plenty of shredded Cheddar. The pork rinds, broth, and cheese already contain salt, so there is usually no need to add any. Five ingredients go in, and a very rich, cheesy carnivore meal comes out. Not bad for a saucepan and a few minutes of stirring.

There is just one important rule: eat it right away. The pork rinds continue soaking up the sauce as the dish sits and will eventually become soggy. Fortunately, a bowl of hot pork rinds smothered in a scrumptious Cheddar sauce rarely has to wait long for volunteers.
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3-Ingredient Keto Taco and Cheddar Pulled Chicken Stew

August 30, 2026 By elviira Leave a Comment

Some dinners demand chopping, sautéing, layering, garnishing, and washing every pan you own. This isn’t one of them.

This recipe comes from my Finnish keto book, Koko perheen järkevä ruokavalio (A Sensible Diet for the Whole Family), where it goes by the name Kolmen ainesosan nyhtökana-tacopata. That translates roughly to “3-Ingredient Pulled Chicken Taco Stew” — although I added Cheddar to the English title because cheese deserves proper credit for its work.

The recipe really does need only three ingredients: chicken thighs, taco sauce, and Cheddar. Put the chicken and sauce in a saucepan, let them simmer until the chicken surrenders, then stir in the cheese. Congratulations: you have cooked dinner while doing almost nothing.

The result is tender, cheesy, pleasantly spicy, and wonderfully filling. Eat it straight from a bowl, pile it onto your favorite keto accompaniments, or stand by the stove sampling it repeatedly for “quality control.” I recommend a spoon for that last option.
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