Tomato Feta Salad

 

So, my Keto restart was an epic failure. For some reason, it is a lot harder to start a healthy eating plan the week before you go on vacation. Why is it that I feel that I have free rein of all bad food on vacation? Obviously, my mind goes on vacation too!

This week is a new week, and I have started again. Why is it too that we always start on Mondays? Nevertheless, I’m trying to jump back onto the train. Greg is doing this with me, and we both have 10 pounds to lose. He doesn’t actually need to lose 10 pounds in my opinion, but it sure does help that he plans to help me get started.

Here is a terrific salad that I made long before Keto. I love it when something I already enjoy is also perfect on keto. This Tomato Feta Salad would be great at your Fourth of July cookouts. Not only is it delicious, its an excellent side dish to just about anything and it is best served at room temperature.

 

Tomato Feta Salad

Servings 4
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 10 oz. grape tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
  • 3 tbsp. fresh basil cut into ribbons
  • 2 tbsp. avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
  • pinch kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Place halved grape tomatoes on a platter or plate with sides.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the oil and vinegar and spoon over the tomatoes.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Sprinkle with feta cheese.
  • Top with basil and cover until time to serve. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Nutrition Information:
3g Net Carbs; 14 g Fat; 5g Protein; 155 Calories

Chicken Caprese Salad (Keto, Low-Carb, GF)

Chicken Caprese Salad

Breaking old habits is not an easy thing to do. Changing a lifetime of bad eating habits is undeniably one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.  As good as I have been on this diet there have been times, recently, that I could see myself slipping back into my old habits. Keto is rather easy for me when I’m doing it as I should. However, when I am sneaking bites of cheesecake or rolls here and there the struggle returns.

Sugar is toxic to me. I now say that sugar is the root of all evil. Sugar is the devil. Just a little bit and my body, or maybe it’s just my mind, wants more. I recently saw this online, and I’m seriously thinking of framing it for my kitchen. Perhaps I need it tattooed on my hand! “YOU WON’T ALWAYS BE MOTIVATED. YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO BE DISCIPLINED.”

The first few months of keto I was motivated. More motivated than I have ever been about food.  Right now I am trying to learn discipline. It is not an easy thing to do for a gal that has never had a great deal of it with food. Oh sure, I have been on diets all my life, but as soon as the motivation wore off, I was right back to old habits. This time will be different.

I am up 2 pounds with a total loss now of 23 pounds. I jumped back on the keto train this week, and my goal is to learn discipline. Am I alone in this battle or are there others that can relate to me?

Here is one of my all-time favorite recipes. Chicken Caprese Salad is a recipe that Savannah shared with me during her first year of college. She was living with a couple of friends at school, and she would spend Sunday afternoons doing meal prep for the week. She is still great at meal prep, which is something I would love to do.

This salad is bursting with freshness and is terrific with chicken. It can be made with steak as well, but please adjust the macros.

Chicken Caprese Salad
 
Author:
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • Dressing:
  • ¼ c. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. Swerve brown sugar replacement
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • Salad:
  • 12 oz. chicken tenders
  • 5 c. Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
  • 1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • ½ c. mini fresh mozzarella balls
  • ¼ c fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
  • Salt and black pepper, to season
Instructions
  1. Whisk vinegar, oil, Swerve, garlic, dried basil and salt together to combine. Place uncooked chicken in a shallow dish; pour a small amount of dressing over chicken and toss around to coat. Reserve unused dressing for later.
  2. Heat grill or a small amount of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through, set aside and allow to rest.
  3. Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella and chicken. Top with fresh basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing; season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve.
Notes
Nutritional Info:
Net Carbs: 6g.; Fat: 26 g.; Protein: 46 g; Calories: 452

 

Small Tomato (Cherry, Grape, etc.) Caprese Salad

Small Tomato Caprese Salad

 

One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh vegetables!  Especially homegrown tomatoes!   I picked up these delicious tomatoes recently at the store.  Of course, homegrown is always better but these were great in this caprese salad.  Caprese salads are simple to make but full of wonderful flavor.  This salad is best served right away.  I try to prepare only the amount that I think we will eat at one meal.

Small Tomato (Grape, Cherry, etc.) Caprese Salad
 
Author:
 
Ingredients
  • 2 lb. (4 to 5 cups) small tomatoes (cherry, grape, or slightly larger)
  • 8-oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • fresh basil leaves, to taste (about 15 to 20, depending on size)
  • Sea salt or kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Slice all of the tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Add cubed mozzarella, olive oil, and vinegar. Add basil, tearing larger leaves if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss.
  2. Serve immediately.