Zesty queso chicken soup – keto

Why do I love soup so much? Not just because they are warm and delicious! Many of them are a dump and go recipe. I had a busy day at work so I threw this in the crockpot yesterday afternoon. Only thing that took a minute was to shred the chicken and dump it back in. Literally, took me a minute. Does it get any easier than that? No browning meat. No dirtying a bunch of dishes. Just a creamy soup with great flavor and a little kick. Well, the way I made it anyway. But I love the spicy stuff. This is a keto recipe but can easily be altered.

INGREDIENTS

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

14 ounces petite diced tomatoes not drained

2 10 oz cans of rotel

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups chicken broth

8 ounces cream cheese softened

Optional:

2 cups baby spinach

1 tbsp diced jalapeno

 

Optional toppings:

Avocado

Monterrey or Colby jack cheese

Jalapenos

Dash of hot sauce

 

Non keto add ons:

Black beans

Corn

Tortilla strips on top

Notes: The original recipe called for 28 oz of diced tomatoes and 1 cup salsa verde or green salsa. I opted for the combination of diced tomatoes and rotel above because that’s what I had on hand. I also added 2 cups of spinach because I need more greens. I’m allergic to avocado so that’s a no go for me but I did top it with a pinch of shredded Colby jack.

DIRECTIONS

Instapot:

Place chicken, taco seasoning, tomatoes with juices, salt, chicken broth, and green salsa in Instant Pot. Set to manual mode and cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. Allow pressure to release naturally (about 15 minutes), remove and shred the chicken. Set aside. Stir softened cream cheese into the soup in the pot and whisk until fully melted. Return chicken to the soup and serve with diced avocado and monterrey jack cheese.

Slow Cooker:

Place all ingredients except cream cheese in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or until the chicken is tender and shreds easily. Add cream cheese and stir until melted.

Zuppa Toscana Soup – low carb

Everyone knows about Olive Garden’s famous endless soup, salad and breadsticks. I for one, am a huge fan of their Zuppa Toscana soup. I’m not, however, a fan of the calories and carbs associated with the soup. Not to mention the basket of breadsticks I would want to consume if I was at OG. So I tried my hand at a keto friendly zuppa. And I have to tell you, I didn’t miss the potatoes at all. Cauliflower really is a low carb chameleon and I’m glad that I like it.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. mild Italian Sausage

4 slices thick-cut bacon (chopped)

32 oz beef bone broth (I couldn’t find beef bone so I used beef broth)

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 head fresh cauliflower, diced or one bag of frozen florets

½ cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups fresh spinach or kale (I used spinach)

salt and pepper, optional

crushed red pepper flakes, optional

shredded parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS

Brown your sausage and chopped up bacon together in a large soup pot. Once your meat is cooked, drain the grease and add beef broth, onions, garlic, and cauliflower. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. I used a potato masher to break up the chunks of the cauliflower at this point.

Once the cauliflower is softened, add in heavy cream and spinach. Cook for about 5 minutes, until spinach or kale is soft. Add salt, pepper and some crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Jalapeno popper chicken – keto

I’m always looking for ways to jazz up chicken breasts and this was the perfect recipe! Don’t be scared by the jalapenos. This isn’t a spicy dish. I would probably add another jalapeno for more kick next time I make it because I like the heat. If you need a quick dinner that’s easy to throw together, I highly recommend this creamy and delicious meal.

INGREDIENTS

4 slices bacon chopped

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (could do thighs also)

Salt, pepper and garlic powder

4 ounces cream cheese softened

3 to 4 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

1 heaping tbsp of minced garlic or 2 cloves, minced

2 small jalapeno peppers - de-seeded and minced

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large skillet over medium, cook the chopped bacon until crisp.

Cube your chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a dash of garlic powder. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and place in the bottom of a sprayed baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, whipping cream, and garlic. Spread over the chicken in the dish.

Sprinkle with the jalapeno and cheddar cheese, then sprinkle with the chopped bacon. Bake about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through.

 

One pot chicken thighs and creamed spinach dip - Keto

This recipe is OMG to die for. I made it last night and I can’t wait to warm up some leftovers again for dinner. The frying of the chicken is a little messy so I may try it in the air fryer next time but I love the crispiness of the chicken in the pan. The creamy spinach (aka spinach dip) is so delicious I could just eat that as a dip with crackers or tortilla chips. This is hands down one of my favorite recipes I’ve made this year. The picture doesn't do it justice at all. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons oil

Seasonings: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder

5-6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs

8 ounce package cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large handfuls of fresh spinach

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese

1 can mild Rotel

 

DIRECTIONS

Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder.  Add the chicken thighs to the skillet skin side down, and cover with a splatter guard, if desired.

When the chicken skin is crispy and releases from the pan (about 15 minutes), flip them to the other side. Let cook until an internal temperature thermometer reads 165F.  Remove from pan onto a plate and set aside.  Pour out any grease that is left in the pan.

In the same skillet add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and stir to combine. Add the spinach. Once this mixture is getting melty, add the can of rotel and parmesan/asiago cheese blend. Stir until creamy. 

Notes:

The original recipe called for 12 oz frozen chopped spinach, but I used fresh baby spinach. It also said 1 cup of parmesan, but I mixed it up with the asiago. If you’re not a chicken on the bone person use chicken breasts or tenderloin strips. You won’t have the crisp skin but it will still be a magical combination.

Stuffed Italian Sausage Bake

This recipe was insanely simple and delicious. I saw it on a low carb site and instantly wanted to try it. I am so glad I did. It was yummy Italian goodness. You could definitely serve this with a side of pasta or on a toasted roll for a sub sandwich too.

INGREDIENTS

1 pack of sweet Italian sausage links

5 string cheese

Marinara or crushed tomatoes (I used a large can of crushed tomatoes)

Mozzarella

Optional: spinach and one mini sweet bell pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray an 8 x10 pan with nonstick spray.

Use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a slit down the middle of the sausages. Do not cut all the way through and do not remove the casing. Lay a mozzarella stick inside each sausage and press it back into its shape.

Pour a small layer of marinara on the bottom of the pan. Put the sausages casing side down. Top with some baby spinach and diced sweet bell pepper, then the rest of the marinara sauce. I sprinkled with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, then a bit of mozzarella over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until the top layer of cheese is melted.

Note: You don’t have to do the spinach. I just thought it would be fun. Could probably throw some mushrooms, onions or other veggies in too if you wanted.

Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Lemon Zucchini Noodles

I was pretty on the fence when trying this recipe. I had never had zucchini noodles before. I know that probably sounds crazy, but I’ve always been a “give me all the pasta” kind of girl. But this recipe was better than I could’ve imagined! Easy to make and filled me up fast with barely any carbs. Can’t beat that!

Ingredient

1 - 1.5 lbs sirloin steak cut into small cubes

4 medium zucchini, spiraled (or a 24 oz bag of store-bought zucchini noodles)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons butter, divided

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup beef, chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, optional

Juice of 1/2 lemon (or ¼ cup)

Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon hot sauce (I used Sriracha)

Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon 

Instructions

In a ziploc baggie, combine the ingredients for the steak marinade (soy sauce, olive oil, hot sauce, pepper, and lemon juice) and add the steak bites. Mix well and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes minimum, while preparing the other ingredients. I let this marinade for an hour, flipping halfway through.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Drain steak bites from the marinade. Keep the remaining marinade for later.  Place the steak bites in the skillet in a single layer.  Do not overcrowd the skillet or meat will steam, so you may have to work in batches depending on the size of your skillet. Cook steak bites for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until steak bites are golden brown. Repeat with remaining steak bites if needed.

Once all the steak bites are golden brown, add 2 tablespoons butter and garlic to the skillet; cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring to coat the meat in the sauce. Remove the steak bites to a shallow plate and set aside, leaving the juice in the pan.

Add 1 tbsp butter, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, beef broth, and remaining marinade juices. Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.

If you spiral your own zucchini: add the noodles and toss for two to three minutes to cook it up. Stir in the fresh parsley and thyme, then allow the cooking juices to reduce for one minute if the zucchini noodles render too much water. If you use a steam and serve bag like I did, cook the zucchini as directed then drain. Add zucchini and coat in the sauce. Push the zucchini noodles on the side, add the steak bites back to the pan and reheat for another minute while mixing. Serve immediately your garlic butter steak bites and zucchini noodles. Enjoy!

Note: I didn’t have any parsley. And my thyme was the dried kind in a shaker, not fresh. I did add a couple extra shakes of red pepper flakes.

Low-Carb Cheeseburger Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 packet onion soup mix

1 bag shredded colby jack (or your cheese of choice)

1 tbsp. minced garlic

Topping:

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup heavy cream (I used half & half)

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Brown burger and drain excess fat. 

While you're waiting for the meat to brown mix together all topping ingredients. Stir well.

After meat is cooked, thoroughly mix in onion soup mix. Mix in ¾ bag of shredded cheese. Place in greased casserole dish

Cover top of casserole with topping mixture. Add remaining cheese evenly on top of mixture. Bake for 40 minutes. 

This casserole was amazing! I'm not sure how, but it tasted like tater tot casserole, minus the carbs. Super easy to make and hit the spot on a cold rainy night in Iowa.