Category Archives: Egg Free

Keto Vanilla Wafers (Vegan & Paleo Option)

This keto vanilla wafers recipe uses 5 ingredients (not counting salt) and tastes so much like the original with only 1 gram of carbs per cookie. You can easily adapt it to make it paleo or vegan!

keto vanilla wafers stacked in front of a glass of milk

Do you love Vanilla Wafers, or ‘Nilla Wafers? They may seem like plain, boring cookies, but I loved them. There was something so addicting about those light and crispy cookies, and they weren’t too sweet so you could eat a whole bunch in one sitting. Well, today, I’m bring you homemade vanilla wafers in low carb, keto form and they taste just like the original!

Keto Vanilla Wafers Recipe

While these may seem like simple keto cookies (only 5 ingredients!), I actually had to test them out several times because I really wanted to get the texture just right: light, flaky, and crispy, while being soft in the center.

Making these keto vanilla wafers without eggs was key to making them get to that perfect texture that’s soft and crispy at the same time. Eggs are great for creating moist and chewy cookies, but that’s not what you are going for in these homemade vanilla wafers! You want them a bit more sturdy, especially if you’ll be using them in another recipe like banana pudding, as a cake crust, or even just enjoying them dunked in almond milk or coffee like me.

keto and paleo vanilla wafers fresh out of the oven
homemade vanilla wafers dunked in milk

Easy Substitutions to Make These Into Vegan or Paleo Vanilla Wafers

These simple keto cookies can easily be adjusted to make them vegan or paleo-friendly with simple adjustments and substitutions. I know not everyone needs or wants to be low carb, and would rather not purchase extra ingredients like Swerve (my favorite 0 carb sweetener), so here’s how you can make these keto vanilla wafers paleo and/or vegan!

For paleo vanilla wafers: All you have to do is replace the sweetener with coconut sugar, which most people have in their pantry if they regularly cook and eat paleo. That’s it! The rest of the ingredients will stay the same. Keep in mind that replacing Swerve with coconut sugar may result in darker cookies, because coconut sugar imparts a deep, amber color in baked goods.

For vegan vanilla wafers: Replace the sweetener with coconut sugar like for paleo vanilla wafers, AND replace the ghee with the same amount of coconut oil. Ghee gives these homemade vanilla wafers that rich and buttery flavor that’s present in the original version of these cookies, but using coconut oil will still yield delicious results!

Things to Note About This Keto Vanilla Wafers Recipe

  • Make sure to use blanched almond flour, NOT almond meal. Almond meal will yield crumbly cookies that won’t hold together well.
  • These easy and simple keto cookies won’t spread much during baking. Make sure to flatten them lightly before putting them in the oven. I used the bottom of a bowl to do this.
  • If you decide to make them paleo or vegan and use coconut sugar instead of Swerve, keep in mind that the cookies will turn out darker than you see in the photos. It won’t affect the flavor though!
  • The baking time will be affect the texture of your homemade vanilla wafers. I found that 25 minutes was great if you want to enjoy the cookies alone. If you are making them to add to a dessert recipe that adds moisture to the cookies, bake them for full 30 minutes so they crisp up further.
  • You can store them in an airtight container. Keep in mind that they’ll soften a bit after a day of storage, but will still be delicious!

I honestly couldn’t stop eating these once I made them and they really do taste so much like the original. I hope you enjoy this keto vanilla wafers recipe, and make sure to leave a review below if you end up making them!

keto vanilla wafers

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Keto Vanilla Wafers (Vegan & Paleo Option)

This keto vanilla wafers recipe uses 5 ingredients (not counting salt) and tastes so much like the original with only 1 gram of carbs per cookie. You can easily adapt it to make it paleo or vegan!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword easy keto cookies, easy keto dessert, easy vanilla wafers recipes, homemade vanilla wafers, paleo vanilla wafers, simple keto cookies
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 86kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine almond flour, Swerve (or coconut sugar), baking powder and sea salt, and mix together.
  • Add ghee and vanilla extract and mix until a dough forms.
  • Scoop 1 tablespoon at a time and drop them on the prepared baking sheet, and flatten lightly with the bottom of a bowl. These cookies won't spread much.
  • Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. If you are using them in another dessert recipe, bake for 30 minutes so they crisp up.
  • Cool for at least 30 minutes before enjoying or transferring to a cooling rack. The cookies will be too soft to handle at first, but will harden as they cool.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie – makes 24 | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 2.9% | Iron: 2.1%
What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.

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Paleo & Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream (Only 4 Ingredients!)

This paleo and vegan pistachio ice cream recipe is eggless but ultra thick and creamy, and so easy to make! Both churn and no-churn methods are included.

paleo and vegan pistachio ice cream in a bowl

Ever since I came back from Italy, I’ve been dreaming of pistachio ice cream. I tried it for the first time in gelato form while I was there, and it instantly became my new favorite flavor. I loved that the taste of pistachios was subtle but detectable, and the ice cream itself wasn’t too sweet.

I was determined to create a homemade pistachio ice cream without dairy or eggs once I got back home, and I finally succeeded in creating a recipe that’s pretty darn close to the version I had there!

Paleo & Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream Recipe

This is one of those recipes that proves that an eggless ice cream can be amazingly thick and creamy. It’s dairy free because it’s made with coconut milk, but I honestly couldn’t taste the coconut at all. The flavor of the pistachios with almond extract seems to be what shines through the most.

paleo vegan pistachio ice cream recipe in pan getting scooped
thick and creamy pistachio eggless ice cream

How to Make Pistachio Ice Cream

This paleo and vegan pistachio ice cream is so easy, that even kids can do it! Because this is an eggless ice cream, you don’t need to heat up the mixture before freezing. There are only 4 ingredients that you add to the blender:

  • Pistachios
  • Coconut milk
  • Maple syrup
  • Almond extract

Once everything is blended together, all your need to do is pour it into an ice cream maker so the mixture can churn and firm up! It really doesn’t get any easier than that, and even without the eggs, this pistachio ice cream recipe will turn out so thick and creamy. It really does taste like the gelatos I had in Italy, both in flavor and texture!

Lastly – this is totally optional, but I like to chop up pistachios and sprinkle it over the ice cream before serving. It adds a delicious crunch, and I highly recommend you try it.

Homemade pistachio ice cream sprinkled with chopped pistachios

Don’t Have an Ice Cream Maker?

That’s okay! I’m happy to share how to make pistachio ice cream without one. I do highly recommend investing in an ice cream maker because the difference in texture you’ll get between churn vs no-churn ice cream is pretty big, in my opinion. I have this inexpensive one and it works so well. However, you can still make this homemade pistachio ice cream if you don’t own one yet:

  • Once you blend up the ingredients, pour in a loaf pan in an even layer and freeze.
  • Optional (takes more work): If you want your pistachio ice cream extra creamy, mix it every 30 minutes with a metal spoon for the first 2 hours.
  • Once frozen and ready to eat, you’ll need to thaw the ice cream on the counter for about 15 minutes before scooping. No-churn ice cream is usually harder and icier than churned versions!

Let me know how it works for you! You’ll still get the amazing flavors of this paleo and vegan pistachio ice cream, but it just won’t be creamy as the texture you may used to in store-bought ice creams.

Overhead shot of pistachio ice cream recipe
pistachio ice cream served in a bowl

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Paleo & Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream (Only 4 Ingredients!)

This paleo and vegan pistachio ice cream recipe is eggless but ultra thick and creamy, and so easy to make! You can really taste the pistachio flavor shine through, and both churn and no-churn methods are included.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword coconut milk ice cream, eggless ice cream, homemade ice cream, no churn ice cream, pistachio dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Churning & Freezing Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 334kcal

Ingredients

Equipment

Instructions

  • Combine 1 cup coconut milk and pistachios in a high powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and blend together.
  • Taste and add more maple syrup if you want it sweeter. It'll taste less sweet once frozen.
  • Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn following the manufacturer's directions. The mixture should firm up and turn into a ball after about 20-30 minutes. (See NOTES if you don't have an ice cream maker.)
  • Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours.
  • Serve in a bowl or cone (these are gluten free), sprinkled with chopped pistachios.

Notes

Don’t have an ice cream maker?
  • Once you blend up the ingredients, place in a loaf pan in an even layer and freeze.
  • Optional (takes more work): If you want your pistachio ice cream extra creamy, mix it every 30 minutes with a metal spoon for the first 2 hours.
  • Once frozen and ready to eat, you’ll need to thaw the ice cream on the counter for about 15 minutes before scooping. No-churn ice cream is usually harder and icier than churned versions!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (makes 6) | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1.3% | Vitamin C: 4.4% | Calcium: 3.2% | Iron: 12.5%
What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.

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Paleo Chicken Yakitori aka Japanese Chicken Skewers (Whole30, Keto, AIP Option)

This healthy and low carb version of paleo chicken yakitori is super flavorful, while being easy to make. It’s the perfect Whole30 and keto summer grilling recipe!

paleo chicken yakitori recipe prepared on the grill and served with sauce

We’ve been nonstop grilling these days and I’ve been loving it. Our meals have been quick, easy and flavorful for this reason and my husband and I are not complaining one bit. My recent creation is this paleo chicken yakitori, and I made it after recently going through photos of my trip to Japan last year. Not only did we have the most amazing sushi and raw fish, we had the yummiest and the most addicting grilled meats.

Paleo Chicken Yakitori Recipe

Traditionally, a Japanese chicken yakitori recipe uses sugar to give that sweet and smoky taste to the sauce. However, in this low carb and low sugar version, I use medjool dates and coconut aminos to create that natural sweetness without giving you that sugar hangover.

Not only is this paleo chicken yakitori recipe much healthier, you actually can’t notice much of the a difference from the traditional version! Of course, if you are not doing the Whole30 challenge, you can substitute medjool dates with honey and it’ll still be healthier than the traditional version.

Japanese chicken yakitori sauce getting brushed on chicken
paleo chicken yakitori - one of my favorite Whole30 chicken recipes!

What is Japanese Chicken Yakitori?

Yakitori is Japanese chicken skewers that’s seasoned with salt and/or sauce. When a sauce is used, it’s usually a flavor combination of salty and sweet, which makes it super addicting and delicious (like my version here!). It’s a popular street food in Japan, and typically enjoyed with an alcoholic beverage like sake or beer.

When I was in Japan with my parents, we ended up at a yakitori shop late at night where there were many young and old patrons enjoying these Japanese chicken skewers while continuously ordering drinks with friends. It was such a fun and lively atmosphere!

Japanese chicken skewers close up

Tips for Making This Paleo Chicken Yakitori

These Japanese chicken skewers are easy and fun to make! It also cooks quickly so you’ll have it on the table in no time, perfect for weekday grilling. To make these extra delicious and flavorful, I do suggest the following.

  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts. They are juicier and more flavorful, and it’ll ensure that the meat doesn’t dry out.
  • Cut the chicken into squares that are flat. This way, you only have to grill 2 sides of the chicken (and not 4) for it to fully cook through quickly.
  • Do not leave out tapioca starch for the sauce. This helps the yakitori sauce thicken. You can also substitute with arrowroot starch if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Don’t forget to season the grill with oil! Nothing ruins thin cut meats quicker on the grill than when they stick to the grill and fall apart.
  • This Japanese chicken yakitori can easily be made AIP compliant with simple omissions and substitutions. This won’t change the flavor too much so I hope you try it out if you are on the autoimmune protocol!
paleo chicken yakitori dipped in sauce

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Paleo Chicken Yakitori aka Japanese Chicken Skewers (Whole30, Keto, AIP Option)

This healthy and low carb version of paleo chicken yakitori is super flavorful, while being easy to make. It's the perfect Whole30 and keto summer grilling recipe!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword aip grilling, asian chicken recipes, chicken skewers, grill chicken recipes, keto grill recipes, low carb grilling, whole30 chicken recipes, whole30 grilling
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 220kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into flat 1-2 inch squares
  • 1 bunch green onions cut into 1 inch pieces
  • Salt and pepper to taste, omit pepper for AIP
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish, omit for AIP

Yakitori Sauce

  • 1/2 cup coconut aminos
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar use apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar for AIP
  • 1 pitted medjool date sub with 1-2 tbsp of honey if not Whole30
  • 1 tbsp tapioca starch
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger
  • 1 garlic clove

Equipment

Instructions

  • If using bamboo skewers, soak them for 20 minutes.
  • Place all ingredients for the yakitori sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour into a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat. Let the mixture come to a boil for about 3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
  • Separate 1/2 cup of the sauce for basting the chicken, and set aside the rest for serving.
  • Thread the chicken pieces and green onions on the skewers, alternating them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Generously grease the grill so the chicken won't stick, then heat the grill over medium high heat.
  • Add the skewers on the grill, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the skewers and repeat.
  • Brush the top layer of skewers with the prepared yakitori sauce, then cover and cook for 2 more minutes. Flip the chicken, and repeat by putting on another layer of the sauce on the other side and cooking for 2 more minutes.
  • Serve immediately, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and with extra yakitori sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving – makes 6 | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 588mg | Potassium: 409mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1.5% | Vitamin C: 1.1% | Calcium: 1.9% | Iron: 7.2%
What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.

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