Hello and welcome to Keto Sister. If you are new to ketogenic nutrition and want to know what this is all about, I invite you to start with my Keto Basics series. It is written in plain English for those who don’t understand high brow scientific or nutrition lingo and just want a plain explanation of keto. It explains the what and why of nutritional ketosis, and also how to modify the diet for your personal needs.
Because lunch is my biggest meal of the day, I do have plenty of recipes for my favorite midday meals. Give them a try and let me know which is your favorite. Cheers.
L1. Lettuce-Wrapped Burger
6 oz ground beef, 80% lean/20% fat
2 romaine lettuce leaves
2 slices sandwich dill pickles
1 slice tomato or low carb ketchup (optional)
1 tablespoon homemade mayo
½ avocado
Salt + pepper to taste
Make two thin equal sized burger patties and fry 3 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Using the patties as “bread,” layer lettuce, tomato or ketchup (optional), pickles, avocado and mayo in between the patties. Serve.
L2. Broccoli Salad
2 pounds broccoli florets (2 heads)
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/2 ounces green onion, diced
1 cup homemade mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons low carb sweetener or a few drops of liquid stevia to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, sweetener and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and serve.
L3. “Crack Slaw”
2 lbs green cabbage
6 tablespoons butter
1 lb ground beef (fatty—do not buy lean beef!)
1 teaspoon each: salt, garlic powder, onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vinegar (I prefer unfiltered Apple Cider)
2 minced garlic cloves
3 diced scallions
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Shred the cabbage finely using a sharp knife or a food processor. Fry the cabbage in 3 tablespoons butter in a large frying or wok pan on medium-high heat and add ½ cup water to soften (don’t let it burn). Reduce heat to low-medium and cook covered for 10 minutes. Add spices and vinegar and stir. Cook 3 minutes more and then put the cabbage in a bowl. Melt the rest of the butter in the same frying pan. Add garlic, chili flakes and ginger and sauté for a few minutes. Add ground meat and brown until the meat is thoroughly cooked and most of the juices have evaporated. Lower the heat a little. Add scallions and cabbage to the meat. Stir until everything is hot. Add salt and pepper to taste, and top with the sesame oil before serving. Mix together the wasabi mayonnaise by starting with a small amount of wasabi and adding more until the flavor is just right. Serve the stir-fry warm with a dollop of wasabi mayonnaise on top.
L4. Garlic-Butter Chicken Wings
1 ½ lb chicken drumette
2-3 tablespoon fat (lard, bacon grease, coconut oil or ghee)
Salt + pepper to taste
6 tablespoons coconut aminos (a soy free version of soy sauce)
2 tablespoons equivalent sweetener (I used Swerve)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup chicken broth
Set the oven broiler on high. Toss the chicken wings in the oil, salt, and pepper (to taste). Place the chicken skin side down onto a foil lined baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes and then flip the wings and broil for another 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
With about 10-15 minutes left of cooking time, combine the remaining ingredients in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow to boil for 5-7 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Remove from heat. Once the wings have cooked place them in a large bowl and pour the sauce over the wings. Toss to coat. Serve with 1-2 cups cooked broccoli.
L5. Salmon Salad with Avocado
4 ounces salmon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 diced scallion
Pinch of garlic powder
Salt + pepper to taste
Juice from ¼ lemon
1 avocado, cut in half with seed removed
Mix all ingredients except avocado. Spoon salmon salad into each avocado half.
L6. Roast Beef Roll Ups
4 ounces deli slices of roast beef
2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise or ranch dressing
1/2 avocado cut into four slices
4 ounces cucumber cut into four julienne strips
Handful of baby spinach
Separate roast beef into four piles (I usually end up with 1 or 2 slices roast beef per ounce, depending upon which brand I use). Spread the top slice of roast beef stack with ½ tablespoon mayo or ranch dressing. Add ¼ of the baby spinach, one slice cucumber and one piece of avocado. Roll each slice or stack of slices into a roll up. Serve with black olives and pickles (optional).
L7. Chicken Salad Cups
4-6 ounces of cooked chicken
2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 diced scallion
Pinch of dill seasoning (optional)
Salt + pepper to taste
4 romaine lettuce leaves
Combine chicken, mayo, vinegar, diced scallion, dill, salt and pepper in a bowl. Place ¼ of chicken salad into each romaine lettuce leaf. Hold as a taco or roll each leaf before eating.
L8. Bonus Lunch: Baked Chicken Tenders
1 cup ground pork rinds
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
2 eggs
1 pound boneless chicken thighs cut in half
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine pork rinds and seasonings in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Line your food items up as follows: chicken pieces, then eggs, then pork rinds mixture, then baking sheet. Pick up a piece of chicken, dredge in eggs, then coat with pork rinds, then place on the baking sheet. Once all pieces of chicken are battered, place the tray in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with a big bowl of salad and top with homemade ranch dressing or garlic mayo.
In a future post, I will share my recipes for mayonnaise, garlic mayo, salad dressings and more. Thanks for reading!
