Joey Lombardi

If you’ve been living the low-carb lifestyle, you know the “Keto Tax” is real. Walk down any cereal aisle and you’ll find tiny 8oz bags of nut granola retailing for $11 or more. It’s expensive, the bags are half-air, and the clusters are often non-existent.

Tahirah and I decided to tackle this problem head-on in the kitchen. We’ve developed a Keto Nut Granola that isn’t just more cost-effective—it actually tastes better and has that giant, crunchy cluster texture we all crave!

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Check Out the Video!

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Why This Recipe Beats Store-Bought

• Budget Friendly: Make double the volume of a standard store-bought bag for a fraction of the price.
• Perfect Clusters: We use a combination of egg whites and whey protein to ensure your granola doesn’t just turn into a pile of loose nuts.
• Customizable Base: Don’t like pecans? Use walnuts. Want it sweeter? Adjust the allulose. This recipe is your canvas.

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The Recipe: Crunchy Keto Nut Granola

Ingredients

The Nut & Seed Base:

• 2 cups raw, unsalted almonds
• 1 cup raw, unsalted pecans
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 scoop (3 tbsp) unflavored whey protein
• 20g ground flax seed
• 2 tbsp collagen powder
• 2 tbsp cinnamon & 1 tbsp nutmeg
• 3 tbsp sweetener (Allulose/Monk Fruit blend)
• 1 egg white & 3/4 cup warm water

The Cluster Syrup:

• 1 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp brown sweetener (Golden Allulose or Brown Swerve)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon & 1 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

1. Prep the Nuts: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). In a food processor, pulse almonds (3 times), then add pecans and pulse (2 times). You want chunks, not flour!
2. Mix Dry: Add all remaining dry ingredients (seeds, coconut, powders, spices) and pulse twice more to incorporate.
3. The Binder: Move the mixture to a bowl. Mix in the egg white, then add the 3/4 cup warm water and stir well.
4. Make the Syrup: In a small saucepan, melt the butter/oil. Stir in the brown sweetener, vanilla, and spices until fully incorporated.
5. Combine: Pour the syrup over the nut mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.
6. Bake: Spread the mixture evenly across a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Bake for 30–35 minutes.
7. The Golden Rule: Once out of the oven, let the granola rest for 20–30 minutes. This is when the clusters harden and become crunchy. Do not break it apart early!

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Nutritional Breakdown (Macros)

Based on a generous 42g serving size (approximately a large bar or 1/3 cup):

Nutrient	Amount Per Serving
Calories	215 kcal
Total Fat	19.2g
Total Carbs	6.5g
Fiber	3.8g
Net Carbs	2.7g
Protein	7.8g

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Pro Tips for Success

Don’t Over-Process

The biggest mistake is over-pulsing the nuts. You want different sizes and textures to mimic traditional granola. If you go too far, you’ll end up with a (still delicious) crumble rather than chunky bars.

The Cool Down

The “crunch” actually happens during the cooling process. As the allulose and egg white mixture sets, it binds the nuts together. If you try to eat it hot, it will be soft!

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Have you tried making your own keto snacks? Let Tahirah and me know in the comments how your batches turned out!

I love recipes that feel almost too simple to be real — and this one definitely qualifies. In this video, I’m making 2-ingredient keto brownies using only eggs and sugar-free chocolate chips (plus a little flaky sea salt on top because… of course).

It’s low-carb, wildly easy, and honestly pretty fun to test on camera.

Full transparency: the final result was decent — not the best brownie I’ve ever had, but absolutely good enough to satisfy a chocolate craving when you want a keto-friendly treat. The tradeoff is that it’s a calorie bomb, so portioning matters.

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Watch the Video

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Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 (10 oz) bag sugar-free chocolate chips
• Optional: flaky sea salt, chopped nuts, or any keto-friendly topper you like

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Whisk (or hand mixer)
• Microwave-safe bowl (or double boiler) for melting chocolate
• 8×8 baking dish (or similar)
• Parchment paper (recommended)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Melt the chocolate chips gently: microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. (Go slow — sugar-free chips can seize if overheated.)
3. In a bowl, whisk 6 eggs until they’re fully combined and slightly frothy.
4. Temper the eggs (important): slowly drizzle a small amount of melted chocolate into the eggs while whisking continuously. Then keep adding chocolate in a steady stream while whisking so the eggs don’t scramble.
5. Pour the batter into a parchment-lined baking dish. Top with flaky sea salt and/or nuts if you want.
6. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
7. Let cool completely (or chill in the fridge) before slicing. The texture improves as it sets.

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What I Learned (So You Don’t Have To)

• Tempering matters. If you dump hot chocolate into eggs, you risk scrambled-egg brownies (and nobody wants that).
• Cooling is part of the recipe. These set up a lot more after resting/chilling.
• They’re rich. One small piece goes a long way.

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Macros & Calories (Estimated)

These estimates will vary depending on the brand of sugar-free chips you use. Most “sugar-free” chips rely on sugar alcohols, so net carbs can be low, but total carbs may look higher on the label.

Estimated Total (Whole Batch)

• Calories: ~1,450 (≈ 1,000 from chips + ≈ 450 from eggs)
• Protein: ~36g (from eggs, plus some from chips depending on brand)
• Fat: varies widely by chip brand (often high)
• Total Carbs: varies widely by chip brand
• Net Carbs: typically low if you subtract sugar alcohols (check your label)

Per Serving (If You Cut Into 9 Pieces)

• Calories: ~160 per piece
• Protein: ~4g per piece
• Fat/Carbs: depends on your chocolate chips

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Optional Variations

• Nut crunch: walnuts or pecans
• Salted chocolate: flaky sea salt + a tiny pinch of espresso powder (if you’re into that)
• Texture tweak: slightly underbake for softer center, then chill

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Final Thoughts

If you’re keto and want a fast chocolate fix with almost zero effort, this recipe is worth trying. Just keep expectations realistic: it’s not a classic bakery brownie — but it does scratch the itch, and it’s honestly hilarious how simple it is.

If you make it, drop a comment on the video and tell me what toppings you used — I’m definitely going to keep experimenting with this one.

I’ve been on a mission to make keto desserts that actually feel like real dessert — rich, creamy, satisfying — without turning into a science project.

In this video I made a keto-friendly cheesecake that came out shockingly good: great flavor, smooth texture, and zero cracks.
The only thing that didn’t cooperate? My “special” topper idea… which is why I’m only hinting at it here. 😅

If you’re looking for an easy keto cheesecake that fits into your macros and doesn’t require a dozen specialty ingredients, this one is a great starting point.

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Watch the Video

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Ingredients

Main Cheesecake

• 16 oz cream cheese (2 × 8 oz blocks), softened
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup allulose sweetener
• 3 large eggs
• 1.5 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons butter (I used 4 — totally worked)

Optional “Finishing Touch” (Hint Hint)

This is optional and not required for the cheesecake itself — but if you want to try a more “dessert-style” finish, you can experiment with something that adds a little extra richness on top.

• Optional: a small amount of sugar-free chocolate chips
• Optional: coconut oil

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Directions (Step-by-Step)

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. Soften your cream cheese (this matters). If it’s still cold, you’ll fight lumps the entire time.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine:
   cream cheese, sour cream, allulose, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter.
4. Mix until smooth. Don’t overmix to the point where you whip tons of air into it — that can increase the chance of cracks.
5. Pour the batter into your prepared pan (use a springform, cover the bottom with foil). Tap the pan gently to release air bubbles. Put the springboard pan into a larger tray and fill the tray with 1/2 inch of boiling water.
6. Bake until the edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle — usually 70-90 minutes, depending on pan size and oven behavior.
7. Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cheesecake cool slowly for about 30 minutes. This helps avoid cracking.
8. Cool fully, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
9. Optional: try a small “finishing touch” on top… but just know it may have a mind of its own. (Watch the video for the full experiment.)

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Macros + Calories (Estimated)

Important note: Macros will vary based on your specific brands (especially cream cheese, sour cream, allulose, and optional extras).
The estimates below assume the base recipe only (no optional topper) and 8 slices.

Estimated Totals (Whole Cheesecake)

• Calories: ~2,460
• Fat: ~224 g
• Protein: ~65 g
• Total Carbs: ~62 g
• Net Carbs (estimated): ~18–22 g (depends heavily on brand + sweetener labeling)

Estimated Per Slice (1/8)

• Calories: ~308
• Fat: ~28 g
• Protein: ~8 g
• Total Carbs: ~7.8 g
• Net Carbs (estimated): ~2.3–2.8 g

Why “net carbs” is a range: different brands have different carb counts, and allulose is often labeled as a carb even though it’s typically excluded from net carbs.
If you want, paste your exact product nutrition labels and I’ll calculate a more accurate macro table.

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What Worked (and What I’d Do Differently)

✅ What Worked

• Texture: creamy and rich — exactly what I want in a cheesecake
• No cracks: slow cooling + not overmixing made a huge difference
• Flavor: balanced sweetness and great vanilla notes

❌ What Didn’t Work (Yet)

• My “special” topper idea didn’t set the way I expected. It’s still tasty — but it needs a better method.
  (I’ll probably revisit this in a future video.)

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Tips for a Crack-Free Keto Cheesecake

• Use room-temp cream cheese (seriously, it’s everything).
• Don’t overmix and whip tons of air into the batter.
• Cool slowly: oven off, door cracked, then counter.
• Chill long enough: at least 4 hours, overnight is better.

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Try It and Tell Me How Yours Came Out

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it went — and especially if you have ideas for a better finishing touch on top.
Drop a comment on the video or here on the blog.

If you want more keto experiments: I’ve been doing a bunch of freestyle keto baking on-camera — cookies, brownies, breads, and more.
Subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss the next one.

I love a good “internet recipe,” but I really love taking a bunch of online ideas and turning them into something that fits my keto goals. In this video, I went full freestyle and made a batch of keto brownies using a blend of ingredients I’ve seen across a bunch of recipes—then added my own twists for texture and flavor.

No test run. No backup plan. Just a food processor, a bowl of melted sugar-free chocolate chips, and a very real curiosity about whether whey protein + cottage cheese could deliver that brownie vibe without flour.

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Watch the Video

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The Concept

I wanted a brownie that was:

• Keto-friendly (low net carbs)
• High-protein without being chalky
• Rich and chocolatey
• Interesting texture (not just one uniform cake block)

The big experiment was using whey protein as a key dry ingredient and cottage cheese for body and moisture—then folding in melted sugar-free chocolate chips to create a “ribbon” effect inside the brownie.

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Ingredients (My Freestyle Keto Brownie Formula)

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whey protein (unflavored or chocolate—your call)
• 2 tbsp cacao (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 2 tbsp allulose brown sweetener
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips (melted, then folded in gently)
• Optional topping: a handful of sugar-free chocolate chips
• Optional topping: flaky sea salt

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How I Made Them (Quick Steps)

1. Blend the base: Add eggs, whey protein, cacao, allulose, and cottage cheese to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Melt the chips: Melt 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips (microwave in short bursts, stirring between).
3. Fold for the “ribbon”: Pour the melted chocolate into the batter and fold gently—don’t fully mix. The goal is swirls and pockets.
4. Pan + top: Pour into your baking dish. Sprinkle extra chips and finish with flaky sea salt.
5. Bake: I cover bake time/temperature in the video since I adjusted on the fly. (Add your final bake specs here if you want.)

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Macros (Estimated)

Since brands vary a lot (especially whey, cottage cheese, and sugar-free chips), these are reasonable estimates based on typical nutrition labels.

Whole Batch (Estimated)

• Calories: ~1,050–1,250
• Protein: ~140–165g
• Fat: ~45–65g
• Total Carbs: ~25–45g
• Fiber: ~10–20g
• Net Carbs: ~12–28g

Per Serving (Estimated)

These depend on how you slice it:

• If you cut 8 brownies:
  ~130–155 calories | ~18–21g protein | ~2–5g net carbs
• If you cut 12 brownies:
  ~90–105 calories | ~12–14g protein | ~1–3g net carbs

Tip: If you want exact macros, plug your specific brands into a tracker (Cronometer is great) and divide by your final number of slices.

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What I Learned (Keto Baking Notes)

• Whey protein is powerful—but it can shift texture fast. Too much can go “firm” or “spongy” if you overbake.
• Cottage cheese is a cheat code for moisture and structure—especially when blended smooth.
• The ribbon fold matters: fully mixing the melted chips makes the whole thing more uniform. Folding keeps variety.
• Salt on top is non-negotiable for me now. It makes the chocolate pop and keeps it from tasting “protein-y.”

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How I’d Tweak It Next Time

• Try a small amount of baking powder for lift (optional)
• Experiment with a touch of butter or coconut oil for a richer “fudge” feel
• Add espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor
• Test chocolate whey vs. unflavored whey for taste balance

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If You Try This…

Let me know how yours turns out—especially your bake time and texture notes. Keto baking is half science, half chaos, and I’m here for it.

👍 If you enjoyed the experiment, consider subscribing for more keto-friendly recipes, tests, and “let’s see what happens” kitchen projects.