Book Review: Sweet & Savory Fat Bombs

    

Like I said in the title of my review of this book on Amazon, Martina Slajerova has outdone herself! Her first book, The KetoDiet Cookbook (which I reviewed on the blog a while back) is a great addition to any low-carb kitchen, but with Sweet and Savory Fat Bombs, she’s knocked it out of the park. I’m not kidding, kids. This one’s a keeper!

(Before I go on, in the interest of full disclosure: I received a courtesy copy of this book. Take that for what you will.)

Whether you prefer sweet or salty, chocolatey or fruity, this book delivers. Even if you have a nut allergy or dairy sensitivity, there are plenty of delicious fat bombs here for you to enjoy. It goes way beyond the usual fat bomb recipes: peanut butter, chocolate, coconut. (Not that there’s anything wrong with those!) There’s orange creamsicle, dulce de leche, green tea & lemon, gingerbread, pistachio, strawberry basil. A huge variety of out-of-the-ordinary flavors and textures to keep you going back to this book again and again.

What I love most about this book is that, in addition to the standard kind of fat bombs, there are liquid versions (such as dark and white hot chocolates, and lots of fatty smoothies: key lime, almond bliss, raspberry vanilla) and even better, savory fat bombs. These are extremely creative, and I haven’t seen them anywhere else. Totally unique. These delicious morsels fit perfectly into high fat diets. Cheesy jalapeño fat bombs, stilton and chive, chorizo and avocado, even a Waldorf salad one that calls for blue cheese, cream cheese, green apple, and walnuts or pecans—hello! I dare you not to get hungry just looking at the pictures. As if that weren’t enough, don’t forget the frozen fat bombs—another unique treat. Mint chocolate chip, pumpkin pie, lemon cheesecake, dark chocolate cherry—if you’ve been missing ice cream on your low-carb diet, these are for you. (Assuming you’re not like me, and, on the rare occasion you want ice cream, you just eat ice cream. I understand there are people out there who absolutely will never compromise on their diet, whether by choice or because of severe allergies. It’s all good. As they say: you do you; I’ll do me.)

The recipes are very quick to prepare, with most requiring only about 5-20 minutes of “hands on” time. (The rest is for chilling or freezing the fat bombs while you go about your day TCB and all.) Easy peasy! All recipes include the breakdown for carbs, fat, protein, and fiber, so you can see which ones best fit into your diet.

There are some drawbacks, however. First, some of the ingredients can be a little pricey. Coconut butter and macadamia nuts aren’t cheap. Second, some of the ingredients are things you might not typically have on hand, like coconut butter, erythritol, liquid stevia, unsweetened coconut flakes, etc. So there are some recipes you might not be able to make at the drop of a hat, but if you plan ahead, you’ll have no problem finding everything you need. (Many of the recipes call for erythritol or stevia, so if you prefer not to use those, you’d have to find suitable alternatives.) On the other hand, if you like playing around with this kind of stuff in the kitchen, and you expect to experiment with a bunch of these recipes, then it would be a good idea to buy in bulk and stock up for a while so you do have things like that on hand.

A third drawback is that you’ll need to make some of the staple ingredients ahead of time, like some of the nut butters. Some of the recipes don’t call for plain ol’ almond, pecan, coconut, or cashew butter; they get doctored up with various flavorings (maple, pistachio, berry). The good news is, these are very fast and easy to make, so if you plan to try a few different recipes it would be worth it to whip up a couple batches and keep them in the fridge or freezer so they’re ready to go. Honestly, that’s true of a lot of good cooking, not just fat bombs: planning, and a well-stocked pantry and freezer. (More on this coming soon in a new series I’m starting called “Low Carb Cooking Class,” or as I like to think of it: LC³.)

Aaaaand, one last drawback, although it’s not really a drawback, depending on how you look at it. (And with me being honest about these drawbacks, hopefully you see that my opinion is not clouded by having received a free copy of the book.) Your fat bombs might be more aesthetically pleasing if you invest in some silicone molds or other candy making molds with neat shapes (like hearts, mini candy bar shapes, cake pops, or the typical shape for full-size or miniature peanut butter cups). These aren’t required; you can make most of these by rolling them in your hands or shaping them with two spoons. But let’s face it: we eat with our eyes first, and we’re more apt to enjoy something if it looks pretty, right? (Maybe not always, but most of the time.) So you don’t “have to” have special molds to make these, but it would really help. Some of them might not even set up right if you don’t make them into the shape that’s called for in the recipe. (The good news is, if you want to make your fat bombs into aesthetically pleasing shapes, these molds are inexpensive and are available at craft stores all over the U.S., such as Michael’s and A.C. Moore. [Bed Bath & Beyond probably has them, too.])

While these fat bombs might not be something you’d throw together on a whim, once you do have all the ingredients and equipment, you can make big batches of fat bombs and keep them in the fridge or freezer for when you need a sweet or savory treat, or need to grab something in a hurry. If you like experimenting in the kitchen, playing around with different flavors, and making out-of-the-ordinary things, be prepared to keep this book on the counter (and likely get it smudged with coconut oil, cocoa powder, or lemon juice…not that I’m speaking from experience or anything…).

Like any other cookbook intended for low-carb or ketogenic diets, the recipes in Sweet & Savory Fat Bombs would be a hit with just about anyone. You certainly don’t have to be on this type of diet to enjoy these delicious specimens. The savory ones would make perfect hors d’oeuvres for a party (especially if you want impress your guests…or land yourself a man or woman…hey, ain’t no shame in using food to lure a sweetie!), and the other recipes would be great pretty much anytime. The savory ones would also be stellar come tailgating season, or even for watching the big game in the comfort of your own home. The frozen ones would be excellent at children’s birthday parties, especially in summer. (Also totally suitable for grownup birthday parties!)

If you’re looking for something truly unique to add to your low-carb or ketogenic kitchen, this book’s a winner.

Disclaimer: Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP, is not a physician and Tuit Nutrition, LLC, is not a medical practice. The information contained on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition and is not to be used as a substitute for the care and guidance of a physician. Links in this post and all others may direct you to amazon.com, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through my affiliate links.