Ok, your first thought is probably: “How would you do the noodles for a keto friendly ramen?” Right??
Well, if you have never tried shirataki noodles, go do it!! These noodles are made from the root of the konjac plant. What’s special about the konjac plant? This plant offers very few digestible carbs which is what makes it great for the ketogenic diet or any low carb protocol. Konjac grows in Japan, China and Southeast Asia. The name “Shirataki” is actually Japanese for “white waterfall,” which is kind of what they look like with their translucent appearance.
You can find these noodles which are made up of about 97% water and 3% glucomannan fiber (from the konjac plant) in the form of fettucine noodles, spaghetti or angel hair as well as riced! I personally love them with a thai sauce, fettuccine cream sauce and of course in ramen! I don’t love them with marinara sauce….but maybe you will!
Aside from being low carb, glucomannan fiber offers some pretty great health benefits!
Probiotic foods get all the fame and glory when it comes to gut health. However, PREbiotic foods are necessary to essentially feed probiotics (this doesn’t get enough attention!). Prebiotics are non-digestible fiber compounds (a few other forms are garlic, jicama, artichokes)
Dr. Josh Axe explains prebiotics this way: that it “passes through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and remains undigested because the human body can’t fully break it down. But once prebiotics reach the colon, where they are fermented by the gut microflora, they create probiotics.”
Optimal intake of prebiotics offers benefits such as:
- Lower risk for cardiovascular disease
- Healthier cholesterol levels
- Better gut health
- Improved digestion
- Lower stress response
- Better hormonal balance
- Improved immune function
- Less risk for obesity and weight gain
- Lower inflammation and autoimmune reactions
Moving on from the noodles (I’m telling you, go try them!)…this ramen is super nutrient dense if you make it using bone broth especially! Bone broth has amazing health benefits. I make it frequently and use it in recipes. However, some people love to just drink it straight (which is awesome!). We do have bones available on our site for purchase. Whether or not you buy them from us, please do yourself a favor and make sure they are sourced from grass fed and finished cattle or pasture raised animals that have had no added hormones or antibiotics. You don’t want that stuff leaching into the broth as the bones cook. For bone broth they are cooked long and slow in order to really draw out all the good stuff like collagen and minerals. However, this also means any of the stuff you don’t want will come out as well.
You can make bone broth in a slow cooker or even an instant pot (hello! Game changer!!). We also offer these veggie and spice kits that are from organic ingredients that make the process that much easier!
You can clearly use regular beef stock for this, but I am personally always looking for opportunities to make my meals and snacks as healthy and nutrient dense as I can! This is why even the kind of salt you use is important (please do not use regular table salt as it is highly processed and stripped of the amazing minerals our bodies need).
I did not use soft boiled eggs in this recipe simply because I forgot (kicked myself for that). However, what a great addition for even more protein, and healthy fat plus essential nutrients like choline! We were done such a disservice when we were told to stay away from saturated fat and eggs in particular!! Head here to listen to my podcast (episode from March 12) where I talk about some of this (namely why cholesterol is NOT evil) Vibrant Life – Living a Holistic Lifestyle for Optimal Health.
Okay! On to the Keto Ramen recipe:
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb top sirloin steak (I used tenderloin because I had it on hand and it’s my favorite cut. It was delicious!), cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices
- Pink Himalayan or sea salt and black pepper
- 4 (8-ounce) packages spaghetti-style or angel hair shirataki noodles
- 5 cups beef broth (here is our bone broth recipe)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 5 Tbsp coconut aminos, divided (I avoid soy due to thyroid and hormone impact but if you prefer you can use soy sauce)
- 12 cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
- 4 green onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 4 soft-boiled eggs
DIRECTIONS
Season the steak well with salt and pepper and set aside and then cook according to how you like yours (obviously this will be different depending on what cut you choose. Have it cooked and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish).
Rinse the shirataki noodles by soaking them in water for about 10 minutes, then drain them in a colander.
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the beef broth and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Dry fry the noodles in the skillet for about 3-4 minutes, tossing them as they cook.
To the noodles, add the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and 4 tablespoons of the coconut aminos. Stir-fry for 5 minutes (the noodles should turn brown from the sauce). Add the noodles and sauce to the pot with the beef broth.
For the skillet, turn the stove to medium and add the mushrooms, the white parts of the green onions, and the last tablespoon of coconut aminos. Stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are soft.
Divide the noodle mixture among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with the steak, cut into ¼” slices, and the mushroom mixture. Pour the broth over each bowl, dividing it evenly among the bowls. Optional: finish each bowl with an egg, sesame seeds, and the green parts of the green onions.
Recent Comments