Sloppy Joe Bowl

2 lbs ground beef, browned & drained
1 Diced green pepper (optional)
1 Diced onion (optional)
1 c Sugar-free ketchup or tomato sauce
3 T Yellow mustard
2 t Garlic powder
2 t Onion onion powder
2 t Chili powder
Sweetener to taste (I use Splenda)
Salt to taste

Top with:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Dill pickle spears, cut into chunks

Amounts above are approximate. I never use a recipe for sloppy joes, I just brown up the ground beef  (with onions and peppers if using) and add other ingredients to taste. Serve the sloppy joe in a bowl topped with cheese and a generous handful of pickle chunks.

Peanut Butter Tip

Mix no-sugar-added peanut butter with butter or coconut oil to up the fat content and cut the carbs. For example, if you would normally eat 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, put one tablespoon on a plate and mix in a tablespoon of butter.

Shrimp Ceviche

1 bag frozen cooked salad shrimp, thawed

3 medium roma tomatoes, diced

1 medium red onion, diced

1 large jalepeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced

1 firm avocado, cut into small chunks

1 small cucumber, seeded and diced

2 fresh limes or about ½ cup of lime juice

¼ cup low carb ketchup (or ¼ sugar-free tomato sauce plus a bit of sweetener to taste)

Cilantro, chopped (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and eat with a spoon.

Amounts are just suggestions. This recipe is very flexible so if you want more or less of anything, it will still come out great!  I’ve even seen recipes that don’t use tomatoes. Other vegetables could be added such as celery, green or red peppers, radishes, green onions, snap peas, etc.

Almond Flour Scones

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup Splenda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Use a spoon to drop batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  2-3 tbsp of batter per scone yields about 9 scones. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Easiest Low Carb Cocktail Sauce

3/4 c. sugar free tomato sauce
Splenda to taste (I used one drop of liquid sucralose)
Horseradish to taste

Couldn't be easier! :)

Pizza Sub Wrap

When I was a kid we used to have a pizza place nearby that served hot subs made with lunch meats, tomato paste and mozzarella cheese. I was a teenager before I realized that there was any other kind of "sub" sandwich. And since I've been grown, I've never found the pizza place kind of sub anywhere but my hometown. So I learned to make a version of it at home, using deli buns.

This version contains the same toppings but in a low carb tortilla. It's quite good. Although I keep hearing the "Hot Pockets" tagline as sung by Jim Gaffigan in my head whenever I make them.

For each wrap you will need:

1 low carb tortilla
1 T. tomato paste
1 slice bologna, cut in half
1 slice hard salami, cut in half
2 slices lunchmeat ham (I used Oscar Meyer Smoked Ham lunchmeat)
Small handful of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 square of foil big enough to wrap the sandwich for the oven

Spread tomato paste on tortilla. Lay out meat slices to mostly cover the tortilla. (You will use both halves of the bologna and salami on the sandwich.) Sprinkle the cheese over the meat, and fold the wrap in thirds. Wrap in foil. Bake at 450 for approximately 10 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes before eating, the center will be hot!

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos (or Taco Bowls)

1 pork shoulder roast
1 c. water
Adobo seasoning to taste (Goya brand)
low carb tortillas
Toppings of your choice

Put roast, water and seasoning in slow cooker, and cook all day on low.

Shred the meat with two forks. You can take it out of the slow cooker liquid if you want it more dry and roast-like, or mix in some of the liquid if you want it a bit soupy.

Serve hot pork on low carb tortillas and top with your favorite toppings. I used shredded colby-jack cheese, sour cream, fresh pico de gallo and shredded green cabbage.

I wound up taking off the tortilla and eating the pork and toppings with a fork, it was so good that way I probably won't bother with the tortilla next time.