Cinco de Mayo Menu, and More
Baja-style carnitas take the spotlight for this week's Keto-in-Place meal plan. Plus, how to make a low-carb margarita for Cinco de Mayo:
- Sunday Breakfast: MAKE Keto-Friendly Frittata Template (Serves 8)
- Sunday Lunch: PREP DIY Breakfast Sausage & Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Sunday Dinner: MAKE Teriyaki Chicken & Kabocha (Serves 8)
- Monday Breakfast: Keto-Friendly Frittata
- Monday Lunch: MAKE Outer Aisle Mini Pizzas (Yields 6)
- Monday Dinner: Teriyaki Chicken & Kabocha
- Tuesday Breakfast: MAKE Breakfast Sausage & Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Tuesday Lunch: MAKE Outer Aisle Mini Pizzas (Serves XX)
- Tuesday Dinner: MAKE Carnitas for Cinco de Mayo (Serves XX)
- Wednesday Breakfast: Breakfast Sausage & Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Wednesday Lunch: MAKE Stuffed Celery, Two Ways
- Wednesday Dinner: Carnitas
- Thursday Breakfast: MAKE Malk & Matcha Latte (Serves 2)
- Thursday Lunch: MAKE Arugula Salad (Serves 4)
- Thursday Dinner: MAKE No Bun Swiss & Avo Burgers (Serves 4)
- Friday Breakfast: Malk & Matcha Latte
- Friday Lunch: Arugula Salad
- Friday Dinner: No Bun Swiss & Avo Burgers
Keto-in-Place Recipes
Keto-Friendly Frittata Template
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter or ghee
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 dozen eggs
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2-4 Tbsp fresh herbs, minced (parsley, dill, cilantro, thyme…)
- Optional: 1-2 cups pre-cooked low-carb veggies, chopped (kale, spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, tomato…)
- Optional: 1-2 cups minced breakfast meat, such as ham, cooked bacon, sausage
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt butter in large, oven-proof skillet.
- Crack eggs into a large bowl and scramble with a whisk or fork.
- Stir in cheese, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Add herbs (reserve ½ tsp for garnish) and optional veggies & meat, if using.
- Pour into hot skillet and reduce heat.
- Let cook on low for about 10 minutes, until the bottom starts to set.
- Remove skillet from the stove and place in oven.
- Bake about 15 minutes, or until the top of the frittata is set.
- Slice and serve hot, or allow to cool to room temperature.
DIY Breakfast Sausage
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground pork, pasture-raised
- 2 tsp breakfast blend seasoning, such as Primal Palate brand (pink salt, garlic, onion, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, sage)
Directions:
- Brown the meat in a skillet over medium heat, loosening chunks with a fork.
- When cooked through, add seasoning and mix until evenly coated.
- Remove from heat. Store sausage in glass containers in the fridge and use as a ready-made protein source throughout the week.
Hard-Boiled Eggs Meal Prep
Ingredients:
- 1 dozen large eggs
- Water
Directions:
- Fill a large saucepan about halfway with filtered water and bring to a boil.
- Use a slotted spoon to set one egg at a time into the water.
- Adjust heat to maintain a soft boil.
- Set timer for 10 minutes.
- Fill a bowl with cold water and set aside.
- Begin removing eggs one by one after 10-12 minutes of boiling
- Place in cold water to stop cooking.
- Remove shells and slice in half to serve with salt & pepper, or store whole in the fridge.
Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Kabocha Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 1 whole kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), peeled and cut into cubes, or 1 bag frozen; or sub butternut squash, fresh or frozen
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil or ghee, divided
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Homemade teriyaki sauce, below, or sub keto-friendly bottled sauce, such as Primal Kitchen
Directions:
- Make teriyaki sauce in advance.
- Pre-heat grill.
- Brush chicken with 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce, then season with sea salt & black pepper.
- Heat remaining Tbsp oil in medium saucepan or skillet.
- Add kabocha cubes and toss to coat evenly with oil.
- Add 2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce and sauté until soft.
- Grill chicken about 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- Slice chicken and drizzle with teriyaki sauce before serving with kabocha.
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Yields 18 Tbsp
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup tamari-style soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp dry sherry, sake, white wine, or lemon juice
- 1 tsp brown sugar or 1 Tbsp brown sugar alternative, 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice, or 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
- ½ cup dashi broth or chicken stock
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp ginger root, peeled and minced
- 2 Tbsp scallion, minced (white and green parts)
- ½ Tbsp arrowroot dissolved in 1 Tbsp water (or omit, for a thinner sauce)
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir gently until the mixture begins to thicken, 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside for chicken dish, or refrigerate.
Outer Aisle Mini Pizzas Yields 6
Ingredients:
- 1 package Outer Aisle brand cauliflower sandwich thins
- 6 Tbsp sugar-free marinara, such as Rao’s or homemade
- ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- Optional: fresh basil leaves, chopped, or pesto
- Optional: ham, salami, bacon, sausage, cooked ground beef
Directions:
- Pre-cook sandwich thins according to package directions.
- Remove from heat, leaving oven on, and spread 1 Tbsp sauce on each crust.
- Spread 2 Tbsp mozzarella and 2 Tbsp parmesan per crust.
- Top with basil leaves or drizzle with pesto, if using.
- Return to oven for 3-5 minutes, until cheese has melted.
- Let cool for a couple of minutes and enjoy!
- Log optional toppings separately in your Senza journal.
Baja-Style Carnitas for Cinco de Mayo Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp lard or bacon grease, divided
- 1 pork shoulder, 3+ lbs, cut into 2” pieces
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 4 cups stock or water
- ½ small orange
- Optional toppings: Sliced radish, minced cilantro, guacamole, Raw Salsa Verde, sour cream, cotija cheese
Directions:
- Melt 2 Tbsp lard in Dutch oven or Instant Pot, and brown the meat.
- Add sea salt and water to almost cover the meat.
- Simmer for 90 minutes, or cook on high pressure 45 minutes and release manually.
- Add the orange and simmer for another hour or 15 minutes on high pressure and release manually. Remove when the meat can be pulled apart easily with a fork.
- To serve, heat a heavy bottomed skillet on high and add remaining 1 Tbsp lard.
- Add meat to crisp.
- Serve on lettuce leaves or low-carb tortillas with your choice of toppings.
- Log toppings separately in your Senza journal.
Classic Margaritas, Keto Style (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- Lime wedges
- Coarse salt in a wide, shallow bowl or plate (to rim glasses)
- 6 fl oz high-quality tequila
- 2 fl oz orange-flavored sparkling water or ½ tsp orange flavoring and 2 fl oz filtered water
- 4 Tbsp lime juice, fresh-squeezed
Directions:
- Coat the top of each glass with juice from 1 wedge of lime.
- Dip each glass in bowl of salt to coat the rim.
- Add ice cubes to each glass.
- Combine tequila, orange flavoring, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Pour into glasses. Salud!
Stuffed Celery, Two Ways (Serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 2 large stalks celery
- 2 Tbsp cream cheese
- 2 Tbsp almond butter
Directions:
- Cut celery into sticks, about 4” long
- Spread cream cheese on half of sticks and almond butter on the other half.
- Enjoy the quickest lunch ever!
Malk & Matcha Latte (Serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups Malk brand almond milk, or similar
- 2 tsp matcha (green tea powder)
- 2 drops liquid stevia or ½ tsp powdered sugar alternative
Directions:
- Pour ¾ cup almond milk in 2 mugs and heat in microwave 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tsp matcha to each mug and sweetener, if using.
- Blend with a milk frother.
Arugula Salad (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 1 bag baby arugula, washed and dried
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 oz feta, crumbled
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- Sea salt & black pepper
Directions:
- Place arugula, tomatoes, and feta in salad bowl.
- Blend olive oil and vinegar in a small mason jar.
- Add sea salt & black pepper to taste.
- Toss vinaigrette with arugula mix and serve.
No Bun Swiss & Avo Burgers Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef, shaped into 4 patties
- 4 slices cheese
- 4 slices tomato
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 head Boston lettuce or iceberg
Optional Toppings*:
- Dill pickles (free of sugar and artificial coloring)
- Mustard – yellow, spicy brown, or Dijon
- Avocado-oil mayo such as Primal Kitchen, Chosen Foods or homemade
- Keto-friendly ketchup, such as AlternaSweets brand
Directions:
- Prepare lettuce leaves, toppings, & condiments.
- Pre-heat grill or heat stovetop skillet over medium heat.
- Cook patties 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook 3-4 minutes more to desired doneness. Place a slice of cheese on top of each patty.
- Remove from grill/stove and place patties inside lettuce leaves, .
- Serve in lettuce cups with sliced avocado and add optional toppings.
- Alternate serving suggestion: Instead of lettuce wraps, make a batch of oopsie rolls (aka cloud bread) or try a homemade recipe for grain-free buns.
* Log these items separately in your Senza journal.
Keto-in-Place Shopping List
Meat & Seafood
- Ground pork – 2 lbs
- Boneless chicken thighs – 2 lbs
- Pork shoulder – 3+ lbs
- Ground beef – 1 lb
- Optional: Ham, bacon, or other meat for frittata filling and pizza toppings
Dairy and Eggs
- Eggs – 2 dozen
- Cheese for frittata, 1 cup shredded
- Mozzarella cheese – ¾ cup shredded
- Parmesan cheese – ¾ cup shredded
- Sliced cheese, for burgers
- Butter – 1 stick
- Cream cheese – 8 oz
- Almond milk (refrigerated, such as Malk brand)
- Feta – 4 oz
- Optional: Sour cream and/or Mexican blend shredded cheese for carnitas
Produce
- Shallot – 1
- Garlic – 1 clove
- Ginger root – 2” piece
- Scallions – 1 bunch
- Fresh herbs of choice – few sprigs
- Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) – 1 whole or 1 bag frozen
- Orange – 1 whole
- Lemon – 1 whole
- Limes – 2 whole (for margaritas & carnitas tacos)
- Celery – 1 bunch
- Cauliflower Sandwich Thins, Outer Aisle brand or similar
- Baby arugula – 1 bag
- Boston lettuce or iceberg, 1 head, for lettuce-wrap burgers
- Cherry tomatoes, ½ pint
- Beefsteak tomato, for burgers
- Optional: Extra low-carb veggies for frittata filling
- Optional: Basil leaves or pesto for mini pizzas
- Optional: Cilantro for carnitas
- Optional: Avocados for carnitas and burger toppings
Pantry
- Cooking oil (ghee, lard, avocado oil)
- Olive oil, for salad dressing
- Vinegar of choice, for salad dressing
- Tamari soy sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
- Dry sherry, sake, white wine, or lemon juice – 1 Tbsp
- Brown sugar alternative, coconut aminos, or ½ orange
- Dashi or chicken stock – ½ cup
- Marinara (sugar-free), such as Rao’s brand or homemade – ¾ cup
- Tequila (for margaritas)
- Orange-flavored sparkling water or orange extract (for margaritas)
- Almond butter, unsweetened – 4 oz
- Matcha powder
- Optional: Liquid stevia or powdered sugar alternative, to sweeten matcha latte
Spices
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Breakfast Blend seasoning
- Optional: Arrowroot (to thicken teriyaki)
Find more recipes in the Keto-in-Place meal plan series.