Keto | Not Just Sunday Dinner

Sub Roll-Ups

sub-roll-ups

As I mentioned a few posts back, we are dieting once again at the Melton house. You have been with me throughout the years on the diet roller coaster that I seem to take on a lot. I am ready to make a change for life though. Something about being prescribed that first “old person” pill that kicks you into gear.

There are several health conditions in my family that you just don’t want. Heart problems seem to top the list. I can not deny that the mouthwatering recipes that I like are a contributing factor. I have dodged the bullet until recently. I had been kidding myself that maybe I would be the lucky one in the family but was recently prescribed a low dose cholesterol medication.

This week marks five weeks of better eating. Because I did not have the confidence in myself five weeks ago, I hesitated to mention it to you. This time it is are actually going very well. I say that with some surprise because I always seem to fail at dieting. I am not sure if it is this particular way of eating that is working so well, or if the timing is right and my mind is finally made up, or maybe a combination of everything.

I hope that you will join me on this ride to better health. My number one goal has always been to lose weight when starting a new diet. This time my goals are so much more. I want to live better. I want to stick around to see grandchildren some day. I wish that someday Greg and me will enjoy retirement and travel. I want to enjoy life as long as I possibly can.

Some low-carb meals are no-brainers. However, there are many recipes that I’m trying now with coconut flour, almond flour, whey protein, and so much more that are very different. It’s like learning to cook again. For now, I am trying recipes from cookbooks that I have purchased and recipes I find online. I really hope to be experimenting with my own recipes very soon. I have already come up with a fat bomb recipe that we really like. Fat bombs are subject for another day though and something that I have had to learn to embrace.

When I say that we are on a low-carb diet, what we are trying to learn is the keto diet. When I first read about it, I did not precisely understand what it was all about, and I am still very limited in my knowledge about it. We started off low-carb and are transitioning to keto. We are learning as we go so, please do not judge me if I say or do something that is not entirely keto. I am not a nutritionist so take anything you read on this blog about the keto diet at face value. Most keto recipes should work well for those of you doing a low-carb diet and those of you that eat paleo.

These simple sub roll-ups were so easy to make and such a hit. I found this idea on ourpaleolife.com and took these to sandwich night at church last Wednesday. Some of the teenagers that I teach were telling me how much they loved them and that I should bring them every week, sandwich night or not! Change up the ingredients and use what you like. Served with the vinegar and oil dip, it’s just like eating your favorite sub sandwich without all the carbs!

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Sub Roll-ups (Keto)

Your favorite sub sandwich without all of the carbs!

Course Keto, Main Course

Servings 4

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

4 thin slices deli ham
4 thin slices deli pepperoni
4 thin slices Genoa Salami
4 thin slices provolone
shredded lettuce
sliced black olives
roasted red peppers sliced
pickled banana peppers drained
onion thinly sliced
mayonnaise
1/4 to 1/2 c. Avocado Oil or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Italian Seasoning to taste

Instructions

Place the meats and cheese on a cutting board or other flat surface, overlapping slightly, and layering from largest to smallest.
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the stack, leaving space at the top of the largest piece to keep if from squishing out when you roll them up.
Add a small amount of shredded lettuce to the end with the smallest pieces.
Top with a small amount of desired toppings.
Starting at the small end (the end with the toppings), roll the stack, pushing in any fillings that find their way out.
Secure the roll with a toothpick.
To make dressing, mix the oil and vinegar together. Sprinkle with some Italian seasoning. Serve as a dipping sauce for the roll-ups.

Notes

Total Carbs = 1 g

Net Carbs = 0 g

Fiber = 1 g

Total Fat = 10 g

Protein = 10 g

Calories = 143

Glycemic Load = 0

Keto Taco Soup

I will be the first to admit that I am always the last to jump on any bandwagon. I usually err on the side of caution. Ask anyone that knows me well, I am skeptical about a lot of stuff! I don’t buy into infomercials, and before I believe anything on the world wide web I will verify, verify, verify!

Better late than never on this bandwagon though. It appears that Chipotle Rotel came out about a year ago. Who knew? This stuff is the bomb! I love the smoky taste of chipotle peppers anyway and adding them to Rotel was a brilliant idea. I say give the genius that came up with this idea a promotion!

I recently told you all about attempting a healthier lifestyle. More explanation on that will be posted next week after it appears in my newspaper article.

With the temperatures being in the low 90’s and Starbucks having pumpkin spice again, it totally has me in the mood for all things fall. That always means soup time for me!

I recently experimented a little with low carb taco soup. Using my cousin Nancy’s taco soup recipe loosely as a guide, I made this fabulous soup! Wes is free with his opinions, and he loved it. In fact, he said it was the best soup he’s ever had. That is like a “stop the presses” compliment from him! The chipotle Rotel shines in this soup. My family loved this soup so much that no one complained when we had leftovers!

If you are not worried about the carbs, you can always add a can of rinsed and drained black beans and even a can of drained hominy or corn.

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Keto Taco Soup

Course Soup

Servings 8

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

2 lb. ground chuck
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 (8-oz.) cream cheese
1 (32-oz.) container beef bone broth
2 (10-oz.) cans Chipotle Rotel
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
2 tbsp. dry Ranch dressing mix
1 tbsp. chili powder
salt, to taste

Instructions

Brown beef, during the last minute of cooking add the garlic and sauté.
Drain and pour beef mixture into a slow-cooker.
Add the cream, beef bone broth, Rotel, taco seasoning, Ranch seasoning, chili powder and salt.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Notes

10 servings

Net Carbs = 6 g

Fat = 38 g

Protein = 87 g

Calories = 735

Red Curry Chicken (Keto)

Greg first introduced the kids and me to Thai cuisine years ago. He had become a regular at a little Thai restaurant that he had found in Alpharetta, while there on business. We were all fans from the start. Thai food has terrific flavor, is always presented beautifully and can have a little spice.

Although this recipe is easy, Thai recipes are something that I have not often tried. However, since moving to the country, we have not found a restaurant nearby that we enjoy.

This recipe calls for chicken thighs. I use thighs and breasts to please the different preferences in our house. I usually cut the thighs in wide strips and cut the breast in large cubes. Serve on rice, or make it low-carb and serve on riced cauliflower.

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Red Curry Chicken

Course Main Course

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

2 tsp. avocado oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 (13 1/2-oz.) can full-fat coconut milk
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. red curry paste
1 1/2 tsp. Stevia or sugar
8 - 10 fresh basil leaves sliced, plus additional for garnish
Rice or riced cauliflower

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and bell peppers when hot and cook until peppers are soft and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same skillet over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, curry paste, and sweetener; stir well to combine and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to reduce.
Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. Once the sauce has reduced, add the cooked chicken, peppers and basil leaves. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the basil is soft.
Serve over rice or riced cauliflower. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

Low-Carb Crock-Pot Creamy French Onion Chicken

Low-Carb-Crock-Pot-Creamy-French-Onion-Chicken

It has been a great summer. We had our first garden in a few years. Fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant were great, and we still have okra coming in. I have made peach preserves, plum preserves, and green tomato pickles. We had enough rain to keep the grass from dying, and the ponds are looking great. However, I’ve had enough. I am over summer. I am over the hot weather. I am ready for sweaters and soup.

Maybe it was the first football game this past Friday night. I suppose that marks the unofficial beginning of fall for me. I have begun planning my trip to the mountains for apples, I am over the garden, and I am more than ready for the rattlesnakes to go back into hiding. Yes, we have seen three in the yard over the past couple of weeks!

With the changes that come with fall, Wes plans to move out in a few months. He has taken a job about an hour from the house and wants to be closer to work. Wes has lived with us throughout college and throughout most of grad school (he finishes in November). I will miss him but I know he needs to spread his wings and I’m excited to watch him grow. I have been trying to help him stock up on a few things that I know he will need, one being a crock-pot.

Here’s a fantastic recipe, that I found on recipesthatcrock.com, for Wesley to try in his new crock-pot. I had never thought to use French Onion Dip in recipes before, but I even added it to Beef Stroganoff after I made this. I served this over riced cauliflower, and we went wild over it. If you are not into cauliflower and do not care to eat low-carb, serve over rice.

Low-Carb Crock-Pot Creamy French Onion Chicken

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

3-lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning, to taste
1½ c. refrigerated French onion dip
2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, divided
6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
3 green onions, sliced, optional
Riced cauliflower (or rice if you are not concerned about carbs)

Instructions

Season chicken with steak seasoning and place in the crock-pot. Using an electric mixer, combine 8-ounces cream cheese and dip until mixed well (1 to 2 minutes). Slather cream cheese mixture over chicken. Cover crock-pot and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. When chicken is done, using two forks, shred the chicken. Turn the crock-pot off. Cube the remaining cream cheese, add to crock-pot and stir until melted. Serve over riced cauliflower and garnish with bacon and green onions.

Turkey Taco Soup

Just as animals in the wild want their babies to grow and leave the nest, we also have a desire for our children to leave the nest and become productive citizens. I can sense that my kids are approaching this point in their lives. My reaction to this reality is not as I had anticipated. I was extremely sad when both of my children graduated high school and started college. I remember the desperate feelings well because it wasn’t that long ago. This time, it doesn’t even compare. I feel the change. Maybe it’s because I have witnessed the changes in them. They have matured, and they are excited about what life will bring and what God has in store for them.

Wes will graduate from college soon. He’s already looking for a job and talking about the things that he’ll need to begin living on his own. A camouflaged recliner is high on his list. 😂 He’s reasonably proficient on the grill, so I know that he will not starve, even if all of his food is grilled. I can feel that he’s ready to move on.

Savannah is a sophomore in college. She lived in a dorm last year, but hated it, and decided to move home after her freshman spring semester. After seven months of living with us, Savannah has made the decision to move out again. Since moving back home, she has become quite an exquisite cook. She has never been fond of the dining hall food at school, so when she started commuting, she began packing a lunch. She finds recipes (mostly via Pinterest) and makes her shopping list. She then buys her groceries and cooks on the weekends, then she’s ready to go come Monday. Savannah will still need us for a while, but I think moving out will be good for her too.

Savannah recently prepared this turkey taco soup that I went nuts over. The ingredient list is fairly short, and it was very easy to pull together. It’s entirely different from any taco soup I’ve had in the past. The addition of cream cheese is an absolute genius! Topped with shredded cheese and a few jalapeños this is an excellent meal!

For now, I’m trying to remind myself daily to enjoy the little things. Hold them close while I still can. Enjoy being needed just a little bit longer. For now, I’m doing okay. Grief may hit me when I least expect it, but for now, I’m watching them in amazement, so very proud of the adults they have become and are becoming.

Turkey Taco Soup

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

1 lb. gound turkey
½ c. chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
8-oz. cream cheese
1 (10-oz.) cans Rotel with green chiles
1 (14.5-oz.) cans beef broth
½ c. heavy cream
2 tsp. salt

Instructions

Over medium-high heat brown turkey and onion, drain. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cumin and chili powder. Add cream cheese and still until melted. Stir in Rotel, broth, cream, and salt. Lower temperature to medium and cook until heated through.