2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons dried minced onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14½-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
SUGGESTED TOPPINGS:
Sour cream
Sliced green onions or chopped white onions
Shredded cheddar cheese
1. Cook the ground beef, onions, and garlic in a stockpot over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a large spoon as it cooks, until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the fat, if necessary.
2. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop and the chili to thicken slightly.
3. Garnish with the chili topping(s) of your choice and serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Gumbo
yield: 8 servings
prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Gumbo is challenging to make keto because it requires a roux, which is traditionally made with wheat flour. I was up for the challenge and created this delicious gumbo with an easy-to-make gluten-free roux. The best part is that the roux doesn’t take an hour to prepare!
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and ground black pepper
8 ounces andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced into ½-inch rounds
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons finely ground blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon coconut flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium-sized green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 ribs celery, diced
6 cups vegetable broth
1 (14½-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Creole Seasoning (here)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 bay leaves
1½ cups sliced okra
2 recipes Basic Caulirice (here), for serving
Sliced green onions, for garnish
Hot sauce, for serving
1. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken and sausage until browned on both sides, then remove the meat, leaving the drippings in the pan. Use a fork to shred the chicken.
2. To make the roux, set the pot with the drippings over medium heat and add the butter, almond flour, and coconut flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns dark brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, onion, green pepper, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Add the shredded chicken and sausage to the pot along with the broth, tomatoes, Creole seasoning, parsley, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add the okra and cook until it is tender and the gumbo is thickened, about 30 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves.
5. To serve, spoon the gumbo into bowls alongside the caulirice. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve with hot sauce on the side. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes:
You can add shrimp or crab meat to the gumbo if you like.
Tuna Salad–Stuffed Peppers
yield: 6 servings
prep time: 20 minutes
Everyone needs a good recipe for tuna salad. It’s not fancy, but it’s delicious. It makes for the easiest lunches, too.
2 (6-ounce) cans or packages wild-caught tuna (packed in water), drained
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped onions
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dill relish
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 red or orange bell peppers, stemmed, cut in half crosswise, and seeded
Fresh dill, for garnish (optional)
1. Place the tuna in a medium-sized bowl and break it up with a fork.
2. To the bowl with the tuna, add the eggs, celery, onions, mayonnaise, relish, salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
3. Spoon the tuna salad into the bell pepper halves. Garnish with dill, if desired. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Classic Egg Salad
yield: 4 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
When I started keto, I remember thinking, oh my gosh, I can eat egg salad! I was excited because I’ve always loved egg salad. Of course, I used to eat it on slices of bread. Now I eat it on a bed of spinach or other greens, and it’s really satisfying. Sometimes I like a classic egg salad, the way a lot of Southerners prepare it, and sometimes I like an egg salad with a little kick (see the Buffalo variation below). Both versions are good.
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon dill relish
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt
Fresh spinach leaves, for serving (optional)
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients until well incorporated. Serve over spinach leaves, if desired. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Variation:
Buffalo Egg Salad. Stir 2 tablespoons of Buffalo Sauce (here) into the Classic Egg Salad. Serve with celery sticks.
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
yield: 6 to 8 servings
prep time: 20 minutes, plus 4 hours to chill
Broccoli salad is a classic that has shown up at potlucks for as long as I can remember. Mine is inspired by a broccoli salad recipe that I used to make for summer barbecues. It’s almost identical except that I’ve added cauliflower and replaced the conventional sugar with a keto sweetener. It’s just as delicious. Take it to your next get-together; no one will ever know it’s keto.
3 cups chopped broccoli florets
3 cups chopped cauliflower florets
½ cup finely diced red onions
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup roasted and salted shelled sunflower seeds
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup granular erythritol
1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1. Put the broccoli, cauliflower, onions, cheese, sunflower seeds, and bacon in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well incorporated.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, erythritol, and vinegar until well blended. Pour over the broccoli mixture. Toss until well combined.
3. Refrigerate the salad for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Creamy Coleslaw
yield: 4 servings
prep time: 5 minutes, plus 2 hours to chill
There’s not a whole lot to say about coleslaw, except that I could eat it every day! It’s the perfect side dish. It goes with so many things, and it’s a breeze to make when you buy a bag of prepped slaw mix. Coleslaw is popular in the South. The taste varies by region. Some coleslaw is sweet, and some is savory. Some is even made with a light vinegar-based dressing rather than the better-known mayonnaise-based version. I grew up enjoying creamy coleslaw with a sweet and tangy flavor; this recipe is very similar. Finely
shredded purple cabbage can be added for color.
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 drop liquid stevia
1 (10-ounce) bag angel hair coleslaw (finely shredded green cabbage)
1. In a medium-sized serving bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and stevia.
2. Add the shredded cabbage to the mayonnaise mixture. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
3. Serve garnished with freshly ground black pepper. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Southern Fauxtato Salad
yield: 6 to 8 servings
prep time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours to chill
cook time: 10 minutes
My mother-in-law makes my favorite potato salad that’s made with real potatoes. It’s delicious yet simple. This is my take on her salad, made with cauliflower. We don’t even miss the potatoes in this recipe!
2 (10-ounce) bags frozen cauliflower florets
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
¼ cup chopped onions
1 rib celery, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup dill relish
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 drop liquid stevia
Salt and ground black pepper
1. Cook the cauliflower according to the package directions. Drain the excess water and set aside to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, onions, celery, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and stevia. Stir in the cauliflower until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
BLT Wedge Salad
yield: 4 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
You can find a classic wedge salad on just about every restaurant menu in the South. But why not make it at home? It really doesn’t get any easier than this. If you’re a fan of restaurant wedge salads, you’ll love this version. And did I mention that it has cheddar cheese on it? Cheese makes everything better!
1 medium head iceberg lettuce
1 cup Ranch Dressing (here)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
8 grape tomatoes, halved
1. Cut the head of lettuce lengthwise into quarters, from core to top, so you have 4 wedges.
2. Place the wedges on a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle each wedge with one-quarter of the cheese, bacon, and tomatoes and serve.
Marinated Cucumber Salad
yield: 4 servings
prep time: 10 minutes, plus 2 hours to chill
Here’s another easy salad! Cucumber salad is a refreshing side dish, and it is good packed in lunches.
1 large English cucumber
Salt
½ red onion
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons granular erythritol
½ teaspoon dried ground oregano
Ground black pepper
1. Slice the cucumber crosswise into thin rounds. Place the cucumber slices in a colander over the sink. Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 10 minutes. This will cause the excess moisture to drain from the cucumbers.
2. Thinly slice the onion and place in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Use a paper towel to remove any remaining moisture from the cucumber slices, then add the cucumbers to the bowl with the onion slices. Add the vinegar, oil, erythritol, and oregano and gently stir with a spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Place the salad in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Easy Chicken Salad
yield: 4 servings
prep time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour to chill
Chicken salad is so versatile. It’s fancy enough to serve at parties yet simple enough for weekday lunches. You’ll like the ease of preparation with this one because it uses store-bought rotisserie chicken. I actually think rotisserie chicken makes a better-tasting chicken salad, so it’s a win-win.
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (see Note)
1 rib celery, finely chopped
¼ cup diced onions
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dill relish
Salt and ground black pepper
Lettuce leaves or baby spinach, for serving (optional)
1. Place the chicken, celery, onions, mayonnaise, and relish in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Serve on lettuce leaves or a bed of spinach. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes:
You can use your own cooked and shredded chicken breast and/or thigh meat instead of store-bought rotisserie chicken. However, your salad will not have as much flavor as salad made with rotisserie chicken.
Cornbread Salad
yield: 8 servings
prep time: 20 minutes (not including time to make cornbread), plus 2 hours to chill
I just had to develop a cornbread salad for this book. You may not have heard of it before, but Grandma Ida Mae made it for every holiday and family gathering. We loved it! In my research, I found many different versions of cornbread salad. I kept mine as close to hers as I could.
1 recipe Skillet Cornbread (here), cooled
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ cup diced green bell peppers
1 green onion, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup dill relish
½ cup dill pickle juice
⅛ teaspoon liquid stevia
Salt and ground black pepper
1. Crumble the cornbread into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Put the bacon, tomatoes, green peppers, and green onion in the bowl with the cornbread and gently stir with a spoon.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, relish, pickle juice, and stevia. Pour over the cornbread mixture and gently stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Place the salad in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
yield: 1 serving
prep time: 10 minutes
This is a great salad because it can easily be prepared for one person. And it’s really pretty. You know looks matter to some people! The dressing is savory with a hint of sweetness.
1 loosely packed cup baby spinach leaves
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped
2 slices bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
¼ cup raw pecan halves
6 fresh blackberries
DRESSING:
2 tablespoons hot bacon drippings
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon granular erythritol
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and ground black pepper
1. Place the spinach leaves in a salad bowl. Top with the egg, bacon, pecans, and blackberries.
2. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the bacon drippings, vinegar, olive oil, erythritol, and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
Chapter 4
Main Dishes
Open-Faced Sloppy Joes
Memphis-Style Ribs
Shrimp Creole
Chili Cheese Pot
Pie
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Crispy Chicken Wings
Cheeseburger “Mac” Helper
Creamy Broccoli and Ground Beef Casserole
Bacon Cheeseburger Mini Meatloaves
Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Southern Fish Fry
Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks
Reverse Sear Garlic Rosemary Rib-Eye Steaks
Cajun Sausage and Rice
Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken
Fried Chicken
Barbecue Pulled Pork Pizza
Salmon Patties
Pizza-Stuffed Peppers
Butter Roasted Turkey
Open-Faced Sloppy Joes
yield: 6 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes
I grew up eating sloppy Joes on hamburger buns. For many years I used canned sloppy Joe sauce to make them. Homemade sloppy Joes are so much better! This is another one of those meals that makes great leftovers. The flavor develops and is even better the next day. I like to serve the meat over roasted spaghetti squash, but it’s also great in a lettuce wrap.
Southern Keto Page 9
