Keto Freezer Meal Prepping!!

So I follow a low carb/Keto diet and have lost 35 pounds (still have about 50 to go).  I also love freezer meal prep, you know, prepping your meals up ahead of time to make dinner time a snap! I have compiled a list here of a few of my fave Keto freezer meal prep ideas. I hope this helps someone out!

First off, I stock my freezer with super low carb/healthy veggies (cauliflower rice, brussel sprouts, spinach, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers,etc). I freeze up bell peppers in halves and also in thin sliced rings. The box in this pic is of individual sausage patties (easy to take out just one or two and defrosted quickly).

So here’s the list of dinners I prepped for, with recipes included below.

1. BBQ Pulled Pork (slow cooker) serve with homemade keto coleslaw
2. Italian Meatballs (served with cheesy Italian spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash)
3. Fajita Chicken pieces (in one freezer bag with seasonings) and thin sliced onion and bell peppers (in another bag) Serve with lettuce, tomato, cheddar and sour cream as a fajita salad
4. Creamed Beef Tips (slow cooker) serve with Cauliflower Rice and Steamed Asparagus
5. Crispy BBQ Chicken Tenders
6. Beef Patties (to use for hamburgers or Hamburger steaks)
7. Chili (serve with crispy cheese bites)

 

BBQ Pulled Pork

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin (with some fat on it)

1/4c beef broth

1/4 c Sugar Free BBQ sauce (I love G Hughes Smokehouse Sugar Free BBQ sauce, find it at WalMart)

Tsp or two liquid smoke

Tsp or two onion powder and garlic powder

Place the meat into a gallon size freezer bag. In measure cup or bowl mix rest of ingredients together. Pour over meat and place in fridge or freezer.

Slow cook for 5-7 hours on low. Shred and serve with more sauce and coleslaw (or your choice Keto friendly side).

You can double or triple the amounts and make up several bags, if you like.

 

Keto Coleslaw

1 Bag Slaw Mix (I prefer the tri-color myself)

1/4c Mayo (I love Dukes!)

1/4c Apple Cider Vinegar

Tsp Stevia

Dash Salt and Pepper (to your liking)

In a measure cup add the vinegar, mayo, stevia, salt and pepper. Dump the slaw mix into a large bowl. Add the measure cup contents to the slaw, it’ll be a bit dry. Let sit for an hour or so. Add a bit more mayo if desired.

 

 

Italian Keto Meatballs

1lb ground beef

1lb ground Italian sausage

2 eggs

1/2c Parmesan cheese (the canned powdered kind)

Garlic powder and onion powder as desired.

Mix all ingredients together, use a small scooper to form small meatballs. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until hardened and place into freezer bag.

These can be baked and used to make spaghetti squash and meatballs marinara or just eaten as a snack.

This recipe can also be doubled or tripled and kept in the freezer.

 

Freezer Friendly Chicken Fajitas

1lb chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 package fajita season

Cilantro, finely chopped, few tablespoons, as you like to taste

Juice of 1 lime

Place into freezer bag and freeze or refrigerate until use. You may double or triple the batch and freeze multiple bags up.

Thaw out and saute in a little olive oil until cooked. Add onions and bell peppers if desired. Serve with low carb tortillas or in a Fajita Salad.

 

 

Creamed Beef Tips

 

1 1/2 pounds Beef stew meat

2Tbsp Butter (I love Kerry Gold)

2Tbsp worcestire sauce

Black pepper, as you like

1/4c beef broth

 

Add all to freezer bag. Freeze until ready to use. Place in slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred up and add 2 Tbsp Heavy whipping cream and another 1 Tbsp butter.

Serve over cauliflower rice. I serve with steamed asparagus. This is one of my faves!!

 

 

Crispy BBQ Chicken Tenders

1lb chicken tenderloin strips

1/2 bag BBQ flavor Pork Rinds

1 Tbsp Poultry Season

1/4c heavy whipping cream

2 eggs

Tbsp or two water

Cut chicken tenders into two pieces. In shallow dish add cream, eggs and water. Whisk together well.

Place pork rinds into gallon zip top bag. Crush until pretty fine. Add seasoning to bag.

Dredge chicken into cream mixture, then into the crumbs. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until hard, then place into freezer bag. You can double or triple this recipe and make more to keep on hand.

When ready to use, bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until cooked through.

I dip these in Siracha Ranch (ranch dressing mixed with Siracha sauce) or SF BBQ sauce.

 

 

Beef Patties

2lb ground beef

Form into 8 patties, freeze on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. When frozen solid place into freezer bag.

Use for burgers or for making hamburger steak

 

 

Hamburger Steak

4 patties beef

8oz sliced mushrooms, any type you like

1 small onion, sliced thin

2Tbsp  Worcestire sauce

2Tbsp Butter

2Tbsp Heavy Cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute beef patties, add remaining ingredients and cook until veggies are softened. I serve over cauliflower rice with a veggie side, like green beans.

 

 

 

Freezer Chili

1lb cooked crumbled/cooked ground beef

2-  16oz can crushed tomatoes

1 can dark red kidney beans (rinsed and drained well) then chopped coursely

Chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, to taste (or chili seasonings of your choice)

Add all to a freezer bag and keep in freezer until ready to use. Thaw and place in slow cooker, cook on low 4-6 hours.  Add a bit of water if needed, sometimes it gets a bit dry/thick.

Serve with sour cream, cheddar, or crispy cheese crackers.

 

 

Crispy Cheese Crackers

1 Pkg Ultra Thin Sargento Cheese, cut into 4 small squares

Place onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 300 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. They’ll look burnt. Let cool off, then transfer to a cooking rack. Let sit out for a few hours. Store in a paper bag in cool dry area.

I love these! I think they taste just like cheese-it crackers.

Well there you have it! Some of my fave Keto Freezer Meals!

I’d love to hear from you! Let me know what meals your family loves! Talk to me about Keto, or just Freezer Cooking in general!

Have a blessed rest of your week!

 

 

 

 

Mental Health Awareness- Taking Care of Yourself!

Now I know that May is officially Mental Health Awareness month- I just wanted to talk about it now! November and December can be hard for folks with depression and anxiety- heck it’s supposed to be the happiest time of year- right?  Well, it can also be the most depressing time of year for some.

Now when we start talking about mental health, we are talking about a wide range of things- from situational depression (you know- depression caused by a life changing event be it a happy change or a bad change) anxiety/stress, as well as bi-polar, schizophrenia and personality disorders. We all suffer from mental health issues at some point in our lives, some more than others, some less.

Now just to state, I am not a mental health professional, I am a school nurse with a clinical setting background. I have however come in contact with a lot of folks over the years with mental health issues. It is something I am passionate about- we as a nation need to stop sticking our heads in the sand when the phrase “mental health” is brought up. Mental health issues are a medical problem- let’s start treating it that way!

I hate hearing people who suffer from mental health issues say things like, “I hate to take a pill everyday, I just want to feel normal” or “people will think I’m crazy”. Folks- if your family member had a heart condition, would you berate them for taking heart medication? Well of coarse you wouldn’t! What about diabetes? You’d tell them “you don’t need that diabetes medication- it’s all in your head!”. No- because that’d be just plain silly! Well, so is telling a family member or friend that their anxiety/depression is all in their head, or that they just need to pray harder, or that they need to just “get over it” . I have heard from folks with depression and /or anxiety that they’ve been told all those things and much more. Makes me so sad for them- when you’re suffering from depression or anxiety hearing these things makes it so much worse.

Now there are non-medication therapy ideas that work for some people- like nature walks, meditation, talking to a therapist or friend, listening to relaxing music, or trying yoga or a new exercise. But for many taking a medication is what works the best, and there is not a thing wrong with that!

I am on a mission- let’s all decide that we will not stand for our friends and family to be bullied like that. If you hear someone say something negative, let them know that mental health is a medical diagnoses, that it’s treated with medication just like high blood pressure or diabetes is. Let’s spread the word and help each other out. If you have a friend or family member who suffers from mental health issues, let them know they’re not alone and you’re there for them.

Go to nami.org (this is the National Alliance for Mental Illness website) and take the pledge to be Stigma Free. #IAmStigmafree

Also- keep the national suicide prevention hotline in your phone- you never know when you may need to call, even for advice if you have a friend you feel may be suicidal. 1-800-273-8255.

I hope all have a blessed rest of the week and a weekend!! The weather has been lovely here- hopefully that continues! God Bless ya’ll!!