5 Keto Meals The Whole Family Will Love

Weeknight meals can be insanely stressful. With sports games, band practice and homework all requiring your attention along with the expectation that dinner will be served promptly at 6 o’clock. This chaos is only exacerbated if you are trying to stick to the healthy keto diet to boost your energy and lose some weight and have to worry about making a separate meal for your kids or just surrendering and throwing keto out the window. Don’t despair! With these 5 easy recipes, you can make healthy keto meals that your whole family will absolutely love.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Strips

You kids will adore these easy parmesan chicken strips. Serve with a keto dipping sauce for added enjoyment and flavor.

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• 2/3 cup finely ground almonds
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Green onions, chopped
• Light spray of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat over to 400F.
2. Line baking tray with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
3. Mix cheese and ground almonds together. Place on a plate or flat dish.
4. Dip chicken strips into the egg and then roll in cheese mixture to coat well.
5. Arrange on a baking tray in a single layer.
6. Sprinkle with green onions.
7. Spray with a light coating of olive oil and bake for 15-18 minutes or until inside of the chicken is no longer pink.

Mexican Slow-Cooked Beef

The best meals are the ones you can make in the slow cooker. Start this in the morning or afternoon and you’ll have a delicious dinner with little effort.

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ lbs. pastured beef short ribs or beef shank
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chipotle powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup cilantro stems, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a small dish.
2. Add ribs or beef shank to the crock pot and sprinkle spice mixture over meat.
3. Add cilantro and garlic to crock pot and add water, making sure not to wash spices off meat.
4. Cook on low for 6 hours. Meat should be tender and falling apart. If it is not done, cook for another hour or as long as needed.
5. Strain off cooking liquid and place in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until liquid is reduced into a sauce form.
6. Return reduced liquid to the pot and then shred beef with forks. It should come apart easily.
7. Serve with any other keto sides such as spinach, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts.

Cheesy Stuffed Peppers

This unique meal is incredibly filling and can be served alone or with a keto-friendly side.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium peppers, washed and seeded
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 5 oz. diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce, divided
• 3 slices Colby Jack cheese, chopped
• 3 slices mozzarella cheese, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat over to 375F.
2. Cut off tops of peppers and hollow them out. Discard seeds. Chop tops into small pieces, making sure not to include the stem.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and saute garlic until fragrant.
4. Add in chopped peppers and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add ground beef and cook until brown.
6. Mix in onion powder, Italian season, sea salt, and diced tomatoes and cook five minutes to meld the flavors together.
7. Spoon beef mixture into the peppers and top each with 1 tbsp marinara sauce and cheeses. Save the cooking liquid.
8. Combine remaining marinara sauce and remaining liquid in an 11×7 glass baking dish.
9. Place stuffed peppers in the dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Garlic Basil Chicken with Tomato Sauce

You’ll feel like you’re eating at a fancy restaurant with this flavorful chicken in tomato basil sauce. Spoiler: It’s actually super easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 15 ounce can unsalted crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into strips
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp salted butter, divided
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make them thinner.
2. Pat dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter is melted.
4. Add chicken breasts to the pan and cook until brown and cooked through. About 4 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook garlic for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add tomato and cayenne and stir well.
6. Bring mixture to a simmer and stir in remaining butter. Add salt and pepper as desired and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken.
7. Reduce heat to low and stir in basil. Return chicken to the pan and turn to coat in sauce.
8. Serve over cauliflower rice, if desired.

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

If you and your family miss the taste of cheeseburgers, this dish is sure to satisfy your craving. But without the grease and guilt!

Ingredients:

Beef layer:

• 1 onion, quartered and sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ lb. ground beef
• ¼ cup cream cheese, full fat
• 3 slices bacon, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cheese sauce:

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 Tbsp mustard
• 2 gherkins pickles, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ⅓ cup shredded cheese for sprinkling

Instructions:

Beef Layer:

1. Fry bacon until cooked in a skillet over medium heat. Set aside.
2. Cook onion, garlic and beef in the same pan until beef is brown and cooked through.
3. Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Transfer to baking 9×13 dish and sprinkle bacon over beef layer.

Cheese sauce:

1. Preheat over to 350F.
2. Mix cheese, mustard, eggs, cream, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Pour over beef in baking dish.
3. Place pickles on top in an even layer and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and beginning to crisp.