Showing posts with label Keto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Keto. Show all posts
Well, today is Cinco de Mayo. It's not a day I really celebrate but it is a great excuse to enjoy some Tex Mex flavors! I am not saying that this dish is authentically Mexican. It is probably a far cry from it, but I can promise you that it is healthy and quite delicious with a beautiful mix of textures and flavors.
I adapted it from a recipe I found on Eatwell 101. It looked really delicious, and I had everything I needed in the house to make it. I did take the liberty to switching it out a bit and making it a much smaller size to serve only two people.
It is delicious and nutritiously low in fat and carbs. I left out the TBS of oil they called for as I did no think it was necessary and it wasn't. Packed with flavor you have tender and juicy pieces of chicken breast meat, sprinkled with some tasty fajita spices and sprinkled with plenty of fresh peppers and onions prior to baking.
They added the cheese at the very beginning. I chose to add it at the end so that it didn't get overcooked and dry. Instead, it came out deliciously ooey and gooey. Keto friendly and low-carb.
I did enjoy it with a soft flour tortilla and a dollop of sour cream, which I felt justified in doing as I had saved on calories and carbs everywhere else! This was really enjoyed! Quick, easy and deliciously healthy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE FAJITA CHICKEN BREAST CASSEROLE
It looks like a long list but most of what is needed are seasonings. Basically, you really only need chicken, some veggies and cheese aside from those!
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- 1/2 each red, green and yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp mind chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika (can use smoked if you wish)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated Tex Mex blend cheese
My chicken breasts were only between 3 and 4 ounces each. Each making one serving. Cutting them in half through the middle allows for them to cook quicker and also helps to prevent them from being overly tough.
You don't need to use all three colors of peppers; you can use only one or two. I used three because I wanted a nice variety of color in the dish
I used a white onion, but you could use red if you wanted to.
Make sure you use powders and not salts for the spices. You will be seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper also so if you use garlic salt per se, it will make the dish too salty and there would not be enough garlic flavor. No garlic powder? Just use minced fresh garlic, perhaps two cloves, peeled.
My Tex Mex blend of cheese was a blend of Cheddar, Jack and Queso Quesadilla. (Kraft) It was mild as I don't really enjoy things too spicy these days. If you want you can use a spicier blend. Its your choice!
HOW TO MAKE FAJITA CHICKEN BREAST CASSEROLE
I love quick and easy entrees like this. They make the perfect mid-week meal! If you have hearty eaters you could cook some rice for them to enjoy on the side. This Spanish Rice is very good.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 7 by 10-inch casserole dish.
Stir the cumin powder, chili powder, garlic powder and paprika together in a small bowl.
Slice your chicken breasts horizontally into two pieces, working down the length of them. Discard any sinew or fat. Season them all over with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle all but 1/2 tsp of the spice seasoning over the chicken breast, seasoning them on both sides. Place in a single layer in the baking dish.
Prepare your vegetables and scatter them evenly over top of the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture.
Roast in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken cooks through and the juices run clear. The internal temperature should read 165*F/74*C.
Remove from the oven and scatter the cheese evenly over top. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve hot.
This was really simple and really delicious. I loved the ease of preparation. The original recipe cut the peppers into strips. I preferred to cut them into coarse chunks. You could also add some chopped fresh tomatoes if you wanted to.
I enjoyed this with some warmed soft flour tortillas and some sour cream. You could also sprinkle some chopped fresh coriander/cilantro on top and some chopped spring onions if you wished to do so.
BEEF BARBACOA TACOS WITH SWEET PICKLED ONIONS- Something I came up with to use up leftover cooked roast beef. These are delicious to say the least! You can make the onions up the day before if you wish. They will keep for quite a while. If you don't have any leftover roast beef, you can use ground beef and just cook as per the recipe.
With today being Cinco de May you may be on the lookout for more Mexican style dishes. I cannot promise you that these are authentic, but I can promise you that they are delicious and have some Tex Mex flair!
GREEN CHILI CHICKEN ENCHILADAS - I make the filling with plenty of chopped cooked chicken, grated cheese, some spices and seasonings and green enchilada sauce. Wrapped up in wheat or corn tortillas, placed into a casserole dish, slathered with more sauce and cheese and baked. Delicious served hot with sour cream and a splash of green tabasco. You could also use pork instead of chicken if you wanted to. This is a small batch recipe that is very easily doubled to feed more. You can also use canned or rotisserie chicken if you wish.
Yield: Two servings
Fajita Chicken Breast Casserole
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
This delicious casserole is quickly put together and takes only half an hour to bake. It doesn't get much simpler than this. Lightly spiced chicken, chopped peppers and onions, cheese. Serve with some soft tortilla and sour cream if you wish.
Ingredients
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- 1/2 each red, green and yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp mind chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika (can use smoked if you wish)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated Tex Mex blend cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 7 by 10-inch casserole dish.
- Stir the cumin powder, chili powder, garlic powder and paprika together in a small bowl.
- Slice your chicken breasts horizontally into two pieces, working down the length of them. Discard any sinew or fat. Season them all over with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle all but 1/2 tsp of the spice seasoning over the chicken breast, seasoning them on both sides. Place in a single layer in the baking dish.
- Prepare your vegetables and scatter them evenly over top of the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining spice mixture.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken cooks through and the juices run clear. The internal temperature should read 165*F/74*C
- Remove from the oven and scatter the cheese evenly over top. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Serve hot.
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I have been eye balling several bacon wrapped cabbage wedges recipes for weeks now. I have been very keen to try this method of cooking cabbage. One. I adore cabbage. Two. Bacon.
Its just been really impossible to find a decent head of cabbage lately. Everything I had seen up to this date was really looking like it was on its last legs. Even the farm market cabbage, and I refuse to pay good money for rotten food.
I think because we live in a very rural small area we get the leavings from everywhere else. They send the good stuff to higher populated areas. Here we get the garbage. Seriously.
After living in the UK and having the beautiful vegetables, fruits, meats and cheese of all of Europe to choose from, this has been a real adjustment for me. I am sure it is much better in the city. At least I hope it is.
Anyways, I finally found what looked like a fairly decent cabbage and was able to purchase it so that I could finally try Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges. I was very keen not only to try it, but also to try it in the Air Fryer.
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
Cabbage and bacon have such a wonderful affinity for each other. The smokiness of the bacon really enhances the sweet earthy flavors of the cabbage. It really is lovely.
Add to that some seasoning and a bit of Parmesan cheese and you have a marriage made in heaven. This really is a fabulous side dish!
My bacon did get a tad crisp in the air fryer, but I am a lover of crisp bacon, so that was not really a problem for me!
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
Some of the exposed edges of the cabbage also got a bit crispy as well, so if you can get the bacon to almost completely wrap your cabbage so much the better.
The bacon I used was a home smoked bacon that I had bought at the local farm market and whilst it is suitable for frying up in a pan, I don't recommend it for this. I think regular thick sliced streaky bacon is your best bet!
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
This is also an ideal side dish, or even main for those who are following low carb or keto diets. I do try to watch my carbs, but I am not following a keto diet.
One thing about cooking this in the air fryer is that the fat from the bacon just melted and fell away into the drip pan, so it wasn't laying in grease when it was done.
This recipe was adapted for use in the Air Fryer from The Kitchen Magpie. I chose it above all of the others because it wasn't overwhelmingly spiced. I wanted to be able to taste both the bacon and the cabbage.
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BACON WRAPPED CABBAGE WEDGES
This is one of those recipes which uses relatively few ingredients. That's my kind of cooking!
- 1/4 small cabbage, trimmed and cut into two wedges
- 4 slices of thick cut streaky bacon
- 2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
See, I wasn't kidding when I said that it only used a few things!
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
Make sure when you are cutting and trimming the cabbage you leave a bit of the core there to keep the leaves together and prevent them from falling apart. I used a plain ordinary white cabbage. It worked very well.
I don't recommend using home smoked bacon. The flavor is a bit too strong. Although still good, I think it would have been a lot better with regular thick cut bacon, or even a maple flavored bacon.
You do want thick sliced bacon so that it doesn't burn in the air fryer. You want to stretch it a bit as you are wrapping it around the cabbage.
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
I chose to season this very simply as I wanted to be able to taste the cabbage and the bacon, but I have seen other recipes where they rub the cabbage with a mix of lemon and spices. Its up to you if you do that or not.
I can't really say for sure if it tastes better that way or not. It all depends on how much of a purist you are. I think when it comes to the flavors of cabbage and bacon, I am somewhat of a purist! For me with this combination, simple is best.
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
HOW TO MAKE BACON WRAPPED CABBAGE WEDGES (AIR FRYER)
The hardest part is wrapping the bacon around the cabbage! This is very simple to make.
Lay your bacon slices out in a single layer and sprinkle evenly with the parmesan cheese. Season your cabbage wedges all over with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Wrap two bacon slices around each cabbage wedge, securing them with toothpicks. Preheat your air fryer to 360*F/185*C.
Place the cabbage wedges, seam side down, into the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360*F/185*C for 15 minutes. Flip over and air fry at the same temperature for a further 10 minutes or until fork tender.
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
This was really, really good . . . the cabbage was crispy tender and there was a smokiness from the bacon. I would have preferred the more restrained smokiness from a commercial bacon however.
There was a bit of saltiness from the cheese and of course the bacon, but also sweet from the bacon as well. I loved the earthiness of the cabbage. Altogether this was quite delicious!
.JPG "Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges")
As you can see the cabbage was perfectly crispy tender. Yum, yum, yummy!! (well except for the burnt ends, lol)
If you are as big a fan of cabbage as I am, you might be interested in these other cabbage recipes!
CABBAGE MUSTARD AND CHEESE GRATIN FOR TWO - Blanched wedges of cabbage are slathered with a rich mustard bechamel sauce, scattered with buttered crumbs and then baked to perfection.
SMOTHERED CABBAGE WITH HAM - The perfect way to use up little bits of ham. Potatoes, cabbage, ham, all cooked together in a skillet. Buttery cabbage, tender potatoes, salty ham. What's not to love!
There are actually loads of cabbage recipes on here, it being one of my favorite vegetables. Just click here and you can access most of them.
Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges (air fryer)
Yield: 2
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min
If you love cabbage and you love bacon, this is a great recipe to use to indulge in both those loves. Smoky and crispy tender delicious. Low carb and keto as well. If you don't have an air fryer, see notes for how to cook it in a conventional oven.
Ingredients
- 1/4 small cabbage, trimmed and cut into two wedges
- 4 slices of thick cut streaky bacon
- 2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Lay your bacon slices out in a single layer and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese evenly.
- Season your cabbage wedges all over with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Wrap two bacon slices around each cabbage wedge, securing them with toothpicks.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360*F/185*C.
- Place the cabbage wedges, seam side down, into the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360*F/185*C for 15 minutes. Flip over and air fry at the same temperature for a further 10 minutes or until fork tender.
Notes
To cook in a conventional oven. Preheat your oven to 340*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Prepare cabbage, bacon and cheese as per the recipe, but place onto a baking sheet, leaving space between each. Bake in the preheated oven until the cabbage is soft and the bacon crisp, 35 to 40 minutes.
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This delicious Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad recipe is what summer eating is all about! Simple ingredients and fresh flavors, with minimal fuss!
Nobody wants to be spending all their time in the kitchen when they can be outside enjoying the warmer temperatures! Quick and easy recipes are the order of the day!
This recipe I am sharing with you today is one that I downsized from a recipe I found on the New York Times for a delicious Greek Chicken with Cucumber Feta Salad.
The original recipe served four people. There is only one of me and whilst I am keen to try new things, I don't want to be eating them four days in a row, although I can manage to enjoy it at least twice.
So I downsized it to feed only two people. I have also streamlined the instructions and made them a bit easier to understand. At least I think that I have!
This is built for two and deliciously keto, low carb and diabetic friendly as well!
.JPG "Greek Cucumber Salad")
What you have here is a delicious salad with very Mediterranean flavor and textures. Broken, bruised cucumbers, baby plum tomatoes, garlic, yogurt, feta cheese, salt and pepper.
I added a bit of red onion because I like the spark that it brings to the table, but you can leave it out by all means.
Something really wonderful happens to cucumbers when you bash them around a bit and bruise them. The exercise creates lots of rough edges which are perfect for soaking up all of that lovely yogurt dressing!
.JPG "Greek Chicken")
The chicken is likewise filled with flavor. Marinated for about 15 minutes in a garlicky yogurt and oregano marinade it becomes really tender.
I loved the garlic and herby flavor that the marinade gave to the chicken. It made the chicken really moist and juicy!
The chicken and the salad together were a brilliantly tasty combination!!
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GREEK CHICKEN & CUCUMBER SALAD
There is nothing spectacularly out of the ordinary here. Fresh an simple ingredients put together in an incredibly simple and delicious way!
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
- 1/2 cup (125g) Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- oil to grease the grill or grill pan
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
For the salad:
- 3/4 pound seedless cucumber (Japanese, mini seedless or Persian)
- 1/2 pound ripe baby plum tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (65g) Greek yogurt
- 2 ounces (60g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- thinly sliced red onions, optional
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
You can use either full fat or low fat yogurt here. Both work well. I used fresh fat garlic cloves for this. My chicken was free range free from antibiotics chicken. I trimmed it of all the fat that I could.
I used dry oregano, but you could use fresh oregano. Just double the amount and chop it.
I used Kalamata olives in brine. I had to pit them and then tear them in half. Confession here, I always like to suck on the pits while I am working. They have loads of flavor in them.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
I used block feta cheese in brine that I found at the store which was made here locally in Nova Scotia. It was lovely. The brand is Holmestead. It has a lovely flavor and texture.
I have not been paid or given free product to tell you that either. I speak the truth as I find it. I am enjoying discovering new things now that I am back in Canada and I like to share them with you when I do.
I used local hothouse English cucumbers, which are all that are available to me in my small town, and baby plum tomatoes.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
HOW TO MAKE GREEK CHICKEN & CUCUMBER SALAD
This was really very simple to make. Whisk together the ingredients for the chicken marinade and then marinate it while you are making the salad.
The most unusual part of making this was the bashing of the cucumber to bruise and crack it. I had never done this myself. I had seen Molly Yeh do it on one of her programs the other day however and I was keen to try it.
I didn't have baby cucumbers, but I used half an English cucumber and just gave it a good bashing with the flat side of my meat pounder.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
Then I ripped it apart with my hands into small chunks, which sounds a lot more aggressive than it really was. I didn't bash it very hard, just bruised it and it broke apart very easily.
Apparently this helps to create nice craggy edges to help soak up all that dressing. Who knew?
Now that I have tried it I will be doing it regularly. I loved the resultant rough looking bits of cucumber! Much more interesting than flat cubes!
The dressing is made by mashing grated garlic, yogurt, crumbled feta and some seasoning together with a fork. Easy peasy, and oh so delicious. Do remember that feta cheese and olives are both very salty ingredients so be careful when salting the dressing.
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
The marinated chicken is simply grilled until golden brown and down and then served along side of the salad. I grilled my chicken in my Cuisinart Griddler machine. I love the results it gives.
I had one of these in the UK which I used a lot and so it was one of the first things I purchased for myself back here in Canada. You can use either the ridged side of the plates, for grilling meats and panini, or the flat side for making pancakes, etc. It opens out flat for that purpose.
Its a really cool little machine. I have the waffle plates for it as well. Yummy!!
.JPG "Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad")
Altogether this made for a really delicious and simple meal. It was quite healthy as well I think. I very much enjoyed it.
If you are looking for more chicken to grill might I recommend the following:
MORROCAN SPICED GRILLED CHICKEN & COUSCOUS SALAD - I love Moroccan flavours . . . cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic . . . lemon . . . olive oil . . . so delicious. Both the chicken and the salad benefit from them in this delicious summery recipe.
GRILLED PEANUT CHICKEN - A delicious marinade which yields a really tasty bit of chicken. I like to make extra marinade to dip the finished chicken in when I am eating it. Its just so tasty!
EASY CHICKEN GYROS - Gyros are a Greek sandwich which consists of grilled meat (chicken, lamb, beef or pork) which has been marinated in a delicious marinade prior to grilling, sliced and layered onto a flat bread along with some salad and some creamy Tzatzki sauce. These are quick, easy and most delicious!
Greek Chicken & Cucumber Salad
Yield: 2
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This is simple to make, delicious and filled with flavor. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are marinated and then grilled to perfection and served along side a deliciously creamy and crunchy salad!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
- 1/2 cup (125g) Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- oil to grease the grill or grill pan
For the salad:
- 3/4 pound seedless cucumber (Japanese, mini seedless or Persian)
- 1/2 pound ripe baby plum tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (65g) Greek yogurt
- 2 ounces (60g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 clove garlic, peeled and grated
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- thinly sliced red onions, optional
Instructions
- Mix the garlic and yogurt for the chicken marinade together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, turning to coat it in the marinade. Cover and set aside while you begin the salad.
- Take the cucumber and bash it about a bit with the flat end of a meat pounder, until it is bruised and cracked. Tear it into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces and place into a colander along with the tomatoes. Add the salt and toss to combine. Leave to drain in the sink.
- Grease your grill or grill pan with a bit of oil. Heat to medium/high. Scrape off any excess marinade from the chicken and place into the grill/grill pan. Cook until it is well browned and releases easily from the pan on one side then flip and cook longer, until cooked through and the juices run clear. (5 to 7 minutes each side. If using a closed grill, 7 to 8 minutes altogether.)
- Leave to rest while you finish the salad.
- Measure the yogurt for the salad into a bowl. Add the garlic and feta cheese and mash well with a fork until you get a chunky paste. Shake the cucumbers to get rid of any excess moisture and add to the bowl along with the olives. Stir to combine and coat everything well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. (Remember feta cheese and olives are salty.)
- Serve the grilled chicken with the salad on the side.
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