Tortilla Kebabs in the Oven

 

I have a couple of different accounts on Instagram for different things. @joandsue for the blog, @keto_jowolf2 for keto and weight loss related things, @jo_vanderwolf for writing and personal posts, and @thenextadventure123 for travel and couple related things. (Would love it if you follow BTW)

Anyway...

Sonora Tortillas (#CanadianMade) (Website link HERE) contacted my keto account and asked if I'd like to try their zero net tortillas and their protein tortillas. Obviously I said yes (I'm always up to try new keto related products and the fact they are made in Canada is an extra bonus!)

I have been seeing delicious looking tortilla kebabs going viral on Tik Tok and Pinterest and decided I would make my own keto friendly version of them.  FYI, this post is not sponsored by Sonora but they did send me free product to experiment with. All opinions mentioned here are my own. 

Tortilla Kebabs in the Oven

Ingredients

1 pack zero net tortillas (Link HERE for Sonora Brand) 

1 lb lean ground beef (or your favorite ground protein)

1/4 cup onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried cilantro

salt & pepper

Sauce

1 cup of your favorite sauce 

(From BBQ to curry to sweet chili, anything you would baste on a regular kebab would work)

(I used a keto Mango Curry Sauce but you can use any sauce you like)

1 bottle hot sauce, for garnish

(I used True Value toasted chili and garlic sauce)

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. 

In a bowl, combine ground meat, onion, garlic, spices. 

Trim the edges of the tortillas so the tortillas are square and not round. Divide the ground beef into 5 pieces and then press them to cover 5 of the 6 tortillas right to the edges. Meat will be spread VERY thin. 

Stack the tortillas on top of one another with the empty tortilla on top. Press down slightly to make sure they are firmly stuck together. Cut the tortillas into 4 even strips. (Yes, I realize the photo below only show 3 cuts. I took the photo before I was finished cutting.)

Turn the strips on their side so the cut side is facing up.

Place skewers al the way through the stack at even intervals - I got 4 kebabs. 

NOTE - photo shows 5 kebabs because the first time I made this I only had short skewers so had to peel off a section from each kebab to make a 5th so they would fit on the skewers. IF you have longer skewers, you will get 4 large kebabs)

Place on prepared cookie sheet and cook at 350 for 2 minutes on each side, rotating with tongs. Meat will cook quickly! After 8 minutes, brush with your favorite sauce, making sure you coat all sides. Place back in oven for about 4 - 5 minutes to ensure crispy edges on the tortillas and that meat is cooked through. 

You can serve as is OR drizzle with a little toasted chili and garlic sauce (or hot sauce, or your favorite sauce), and sprinkle with a little cilantro (or parsley). 

To keep things keto friendly I served it with a green salad but this would also be delicious with fries or nacho chips or rice. 

There are so many ways to change this up:

BBQ sauce to baste it served with a little garlic aioli.

Taco seasoned kebabs with enchilada sauce to baste it and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Teriyaki sauce to baste it and serve with some sweet chili sauce.

Greek spiced kebabs drizzled with tzatziki.

I highly recommend the Sonora Net Zero Tortillas if you are following a low carb or keto eating plan. With 13 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, and only 70 calories per tortilla, they are hearty, healthy, and filling way to make these yummy kebabs. You can, of course, use whichever tortillas you like!

These are super fun and surprisingly easy to make . You can use any ground protein you like, any seasonings you prefer, and any sauce you want. You can grill them, air fry them, or cook them in the oven.  

I had one kebab leftover and reheated it the next day - it was still good but definitely softens up a bit when stored in the fridge overnight. These are best eaten the day they are made. 

Cucumber Prawn Bites

 

I didn't end up taking very many photos of this recipe because it was one of those "What do I have in the fridge" recipes. I needed an easy, quick appetizer for a small dinner party but didn't want to go shopping. I had prawns in the freezer and cucumbers and cream cheese in the fridge and ended up creating a pretty darned tasty snack. 

Sometimes those last minute, throw together recipes end up being the best! This only takes about 15 - 20 minutes to make and can sit in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Cucumber Prawn Bites

Ingredients

1 English Cucumber, sliced into rounds

30 small or medium prawns, cooked 

Cream Cheese Layer

4 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp soy sauce (link)

pinch black pepper (link)

Gochujang Mayo

2 Tbsp gochujang paste (link)

1 Tbsp rice vinegar (link)

1 Tbsp honey (or maple syrup or sugar)

1 tsp soy sauce (link)

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp garlic powder (link)

1/4 to 1/2 cup of mayo

Optional

sesame seeds

green onions, finely diced

Directions

Slice cucumbers and place on paper towel to dry some of the moisture.

Do the same with the prawns.

Prepare the cream cheese layer by beating together the cream cheese, soy sauce, and pepper. 

Prepare the gochujang mayo by whisking together gochujang paste, rice vinegar, sweetener, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, and mayo. Start with 1/4 cup of mayo and add a little at a time until your desired thickness is reached. 

Place cucumber slices on serving tray. Top with 1 - 2 tsps of the cream cheese. Press a prawn on top. Drizzle with 1 - 2 tsp of the gochujang mayo.  

Garnish with sesame seeds or green onions (or both). 

These can be served immediately or chilled, covered, in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Recipe, as written, will make about 30 bites. It depends on how thick you cut the cucumber, etc... but it does make quite a few. I love that these are keto/low carb friendly as well. 

I ate the leftovers the next day and they were still good. I wouldn't keep them much longer than a day though - the cucumber starts to get a little slimy. 

I didn't have green onions but when I make them again I will be sure to pick some up. I think the green on top would make them look even prettier/tastier. 

FYI - the gochujang is fairly spicy so if you don't like too much spice maybe try one tablespoon at first and go from there. 

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Healthy Lifestyle Tools and Gift Ideas

 

I am making this post to share some of my favorite "Healthy Lifestyle" foods and tools. 

You can click on the accompanying link with each photo and it will take you to Amazon if you are interested in purchasing them (or just getting more information on the item). 

As part of the Amazon Affiliate Program, we receive a small commission if you make any purchases via our links. (Thank you for your support)

Above is one of my favorite protein bars EVER. Love Good Protein Bars are also keto friendly if you are counting carbs! Link HERE 

For tracking weight loss, this digital scale is affordable and reliable. 

Link HERE - RunStar Scale

Whether you are just starting out or have been going for a while, tracking your progress can be helpful. I really like the features in this planner. 

Link HERE - Food Journal

I have followed a keto diet for the past 6 years (on and off) and really feel like it works for me. If you have been thinking about giving it a try, this book has a lot of useful information for beginners. 

Link HERE - Keto Book

If you are looking for something less strict and more varied, this cookbook has some great healthy eating recipes and tips. 

Link HERE - Cookbook

A good kitchen scale is always helpful in the kitchen - more so if you are tracking macros and need to be precise. 

Link HERE - Kitchen Scale

Meal prepping is a great way to help yourself stay on track. These containers work well for salads, granola and yogurt, cereal, or overnight oats. 

Link HERE - 4 Pack containers

I really like this piece of equipment for beginners, elderly, or if you have some mobility issues. It doesn't take up much space and is not too expensive. 

Link HERE - Pedal exerciser

A stepper is a great, affordable piece of exercise equipment that works for all levels of fitness. 

Link HERE - Stepper

I started with a protein bar so I'm going to end with a protein drink. Fairlife Chocolate Protein is my ABSOLUTE favorite. I find most protein powders or drinks taste like chemicals BUT this one simply tastes like chocolate milk. It is a bit pricey but if you don't like protein drinks then it is worth it (at least for me). PLUS - it is keto friendly. 

Link HERE - Fairlife Protein

Keto Garlic Gnocchi

 

I have been following keto off and on for over 5 years now. I find one of the things I end up missing the most is pasta and pasta adjacent foods. Gnocchi is one of those foods. 

Original gnocchi is pretty distinctive in texture and taste and is hard to replicate while keeping keto friendly. I would say this version is very tasty and very similar looking but still isn't as "chewy" as the original. That being said - I really enjoyed it. 

You get to have a fairly large serving and the macros are reasonable. As per Myfitnesspal - one serving (recipe, as written makes 4) is: 217 calories, 10.5 carbs, 4 fiber, 17.4 protein, for a total of 6.5 net carbs. 

It is far more fragile than original gnocchi so takes a bit of time to make BUT, in my opinion, it is worth the effort to get to eat something that fills a craving I am having. 

Keto Gnocchi

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup ricotta

2/3 cup grated parmesan

1 tsp minced, fresh garlic

4 Tbsp coconut flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

Directions

Whisk eggs for about 1 minute. Whisk in ricotta, parmesan, and garlic until well combined. Whisk in coconut flour. 

Sprinkle xanthan gum over surface and let sit for a few seconds. Whisk in well. 

Cover and place in freezer for 15 minutes OR in fridge for an hour OR in fridge overnight. 

Pat into ball and divide into 8 pieces. 

Working with one piece at a time - oil hands and roll or press into a log about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1 inch pieces. 

Press each piece firmly between your fingers so it is not crumbly. Then press lightly with a fork.

Repeat with all 8 pieces of the dough. You should have approx 60 - 65 pieces. 

Freeze dough for approx 20 minutes. You want the pieces to be firm but not completely frozen. 

Heat butter (or oil) in a pan and fry gnocchi until golden brown. I did about 1 - 2 minutes on 2 sides. (So about 4 minutes total). Watch closely as it will burn quickly. Do NOT crowd the pan. 

Serve hot with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan and dried parsley. 

You can also serve in a keto friendly sauce (such as Raos). 

A serving is approx 15 - 16 gnocchi. 

Of course, you can use your favorite sauce with this recipe. You can also fry up onion and garlic and add the gnocchi to it. (Just watch how much as onion will up the carbs quite a bit)

In the photos, after I fried the gnocchi in butter, I added 1/4 cup of Raos, 1 Tbsp parmesan, and 1 serving of the gnocchi and it was 316 calories, 14 carbs, 21 fat, 20 protein, and 5 fiber. 

Net carbs: 9. 

Once you make the gnocchi it can be frozen up to 3 months. When you go to cook it thaw it but make sure it is still very cold and firm. Recipe, as written, makes 4 servings. 

I ate one serving as a complete meal. If I were going to use it as a side with a steak or chicken breast and greens, I would probably only need half a serving. It is filling. I'm thinking I'd like to try it with gravy instead of pasta sauce - I think it would be like a hashbrown/roasted potato. 

Also - you can leave out the minced garlic. I add it because I find the coconut flour is a strong flavor and the garlic helps to drown it out a bit. 

#keto #glutenfree #lowcarb #vegetarian

Keto Fathead Lasagna

 

We have a few recipes for healthier lasagna recipes on the blog. You can find them by searching "lasagna" in the little search box at the top left of the screen. This particular recipe is keto friendly, gluten free, and very VERY filling. Fathead dough mimics regular lasagna noodles so you get the taste AND texture of lasagna. Fathead dough is a popular keto friendly substitute for quite a few other doughs. Again, search "fathead" in the search box at the top of the page for more ideas on how to use it.

According to MyFitnessPal, this lasagna is: 518 calories, 40 fat, 8 carbs, 0.5 fiber, 35 protein, so 7.5 net carbs per serving. Recipe, as written, makes 8 servings. 

NOTE - you can make this in a 9 X 13 pan or in 8 individual 4 x 5 containers. 

Keto Fathead Lasagna

Ingredients

"Noodles"

 8 oz cream cheese, room temp

2 cups mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan, shredded

salt & pepper

3 eggs, beaten

Meat Layer

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 lb ground beef

salt & pepper

3/4 cup low/no sugar tomato sauce (I use Raos)

Cheese Layer

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

Topping

1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan, shredded

parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. 

Prepare noodles - Place cream cheese, mozza and parmesan, salt & pepper in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well in between, until melted and mixed well. Add in beaten eggs and beat until well incorporated. Batter will be lumpy. 

Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and spread evenly. 

Bake at 350 until firm and lightly browned on top, about 15 - 20 minutes. 

Let cool before cutting into pieces. 

If using a 9 X 13 - cut into 3 equal pieces. If using the 8 individual containers, cut into 24 pieces. 

While "noodles" are cooking, prepare the meat sauce.

Heat oil in a pan, add in onion and garlic until softened. Add in tomato paste, beef, and salt & pepper. Cook until beef is browned. *If there is a lot of grease, drain it off.

Add in the tomato sauce and stir well. Remove from heat.

Assemble lasagna:

Layer 1: 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of ricotta, 1/3 of meat sauce, 1/2 of mozza

Layer 2: 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the meat sauce, 1/2 of the mozza

Layer 3: last of the noodles, last of the ricotta, last of the meat sauce, and then the toppings of mozza, parmesan, and parsley. 

Cook at 250 until bubbly and cheese on top is melted, about 30 or so minutes. Time differs depending on if you use one pan or individual pans. You just want it to be bubbly and melty. 

Serve hot.

I make this in individual pans because it makes it easier to share with family and easier to freeze. If you make it in a 9 x 13, cut into 8 pieces. Of course, you can cut it into however many pieces you want, but the nutritional info is for 8 servings. I usually serve it with cucumbers or salad or tomato slices for a delicious keto friendly/low carb dinner. The serving sizes may seem smallish but with how rich it is... they are just the right size, IMO. 

Keto Almond Biscotti

 

If you are looking for keto, diabetic friendly, gluten free cookie with a little crunch then you have come to the right place. These Keto Almond Biscotti are super tasty and will definitely satisfy a cookie craving. 

The nutritional counts on these are: 110 calories, 10 fat, 3 carbs, 2 fiber, 3 protein. That’s 1 net carb per cookie! 

(Recipe makes 32 cookies)

I made these fairly small, about finger size, but you can make them a little longer if you prefer, just watch your bake time. I enjoy these with my coffee or tea in the afternoon for a little 1 net carb snack. 

They are easy to switch up if you want to swap out the nuts and cranberries for sugar free chocolate chips or maybe even pumpkin seeds. That will change the nutritional counts a little but they will still be low carb/keto friendly. 

Keto Almond Biscotti

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups almond flour

1 tsp baking soda

Pinch salt

1/2 cup almonds (or pecans), finely chopped

2 Tbsp dried cranberries, chopped

 1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

1/2 cup keto honey or pancake syrup

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside. 

Combine the almond flour, baking soda, salt, almonds, cranberries, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, keto honey (or syrup), butter, and almond extract. 

Stir together and form into 2 logs about 1 inch wide and 8 inches long on top of the parchment paper.

Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. 

Using a serrated knife, cut the logs into slices approximately 1/2 inch wide. Place cut side up on the cookie sheet. 

Return to oven, reduce heat to 250, and bake 15 more minutes. 

Gently flip the cookies over and bake another 10 or so minutes, until they are golden brown. 

If you like your biscotti super crunchy then leave them in longer. 

These cookies are a little more crumbly than regular biscotti so can be frustrating to cut. If you find you are having trouble just cut them a little thicker. 

These keep very well covered, at room temp, for several days or they can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

The nutritional counts are going to change a little depending on what brands you use so, as always, if you are strictly tracking macros you will want to enter the recipe into your own counter.