My husband recently embarked on a Keto Diet which means I either have to make him something keto friendly or find keto friendly recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Keto friendly meals aren’t really that hard to come up with, basically you just have to limit or replace the carbs. So that means pastas are out unless you use edemame spaghetti or other flourless pasta substitutes. But any way one of our favorites turned out to be this Chicken & Asparagus dish that my husband can eat with a small salad and the rest of the family can eat with pasta or even rice.
My grandkids and even my husband were not big asparagus fans, but after tasting this Chicken & Asparagus dish they decided it was pretty good. One of the best things about this Chicken & Asparagus dish is that it’s super easy to make, it’s really just a stir fry and can be ready in about a half and hour!
Chicken & Asparagus – A Keto Friendly Dish!
2 Servings
Ingredients
4 Pieces Boneless/Skinless Chicken Thighs cut into chunks
7-8 Stalks Asparagus cut into thirds
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Minced Garlic
1 Tsp. Lemon Pepper
1 Tsp. Rosemary
1/2 Tsp. Thyme
1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp. Parsley
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
Directions
Combine dry seasonings in a small bowl (not the garlic)
Heat Olive Oil in a wok or deep frying pan
Saute Garlic until it starts to turn brown
Add chicken and seasoning mixture
Cook until chicken is done
Remove chicken from pan and set aside
Add asparagus to pan and cover with chicken stock
Cook until asparagus is tender
Return chicken to pan and toss with asparagus
Turn heat up and cook until liquid is mostly gone – keep stirring so it won’t burn
Gyros seem to be getting trendy, even the fast food chains are putting them on their menus. Makes sense I guess since Gyro (pronounced YEE-roh) can be considered fast food meaning you can grab a sandwich and eat it on the go. Gyro meat can be either beef, pork, chicken, lamb, or a combination of these meats. The meat is usually ground up and cooked on a vertical spit then thin slices are shaved off as needed to make plates or sandwiches. Having grown up in New York City gyros have always been a familiar food, I remember seeing the big hunks of meat rotating behind a window at the corner deli or diner. Anyway trendy or not we love Gyros, specially beef gyros!
We always grab a gyro or two when we’re in Greece and sometimes in NYC, I mean it’s not like we’re going to set up a huge vertical spit and roast meat for hours. That’s why the Instant Pot is a great addition to my kitchen! I can make Beef Gyros anytime I have a yen for them. The beef gyros made in my Instant Pot tastes pretty authentic and can be made in about half an hour! Doesn’t beat a trip to Athens or Santorini, but it hits the spot!
The Beef Gyros I make in the Instant Pot are tender, juicy, and tasty; in short perfect! We slather the pita with homemade Tzatziki, a creamy cucumber yogurt sauce, then fill it with meat and veggies, delicious!
Here’s the recipe for Instant Pot Beef Gyros and Tzatziki Sauce, hope you love it as much as we do!
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The Beef
Ingredients:
2 Lbs. Chuck roast sliced into thin strips about 1/4″ long – cut meat against the grain
1 Large White Onion thinly sliced
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Garlic Powder
1 Tbs. Oregano
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Beef Broth
Shredded Iceberg or Romaine Lettuce
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Purple Onion
Sliced Cucumbers
1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
Fresh Pita Bread or Naan
Directions:
Place all the ingredients except the Pita, Lettuce, and Tomato in the Instant Pot
Cover and make sure the valve is in the “Sealing” position
Turn pot on to Manual – high pressure
Set timer to 30 minutes
Once timer goes off allow the pot to sit for 15 minutes. Then switch the valve to “venting” and allow the pot to depressurize.
Remove cover and stir.
While you’re waiting for the meet to cook make your Tzatziki Sauce and prepare your veggies
Place shredded lettuce, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions on a dish and sprikle with Apple Cider Vinegar then set aside until ready to use
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients:
1 Cup Finely chopped cucumbers – remove seeds before chopping
1 Cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 Tbs Fresh Dill chopped
1 Tsp Garlic finely minced
1/4 Tsp Salt
Directions:
Take the cucumbers and squeeze out the liquid. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
Place cucumber in bowl and add in rest of the ingredients and mix very well.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Sandwich assembly:
Cover pita bread with a damp paper towel and warm in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds
Place one pita bread flat on a piece of aluminum foil
Spread bread with Tzatziki Sauce
Place a layer of shredded lettuce over sauce
Remove desired amount of meat from pot and drain liquid then place over lettuce
Add cucumber, onion, and tomato slices on top then add more tzatziki sauce if desired
Roll sandwich and foil, use the foil to hold the sandwich together. Peel off foil as you eat.
You can also make a plate or bowl instead of a sandwich. Any left over tzatziki can be used a dip, just place in a dish or bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Dip pita chips in the sauce for a great snack or appetizer!
Place all the ingredients except the Pita, Lettuce, and Tomato in the Instant Pot
Cover and make sure the valve is in the "Sealing" position
Turn pot on to Manual - high pressure Set timer to 30 minutes
Once timer goes off allow the pot to sit for 15 minutes. Then switch the valve to "venting" and allow the pot to depressurize.
Remove cover and stir.
While you're waiting for the meet to cook make your Tzatziki Sauce and prepare your veggies
Place shredded lettuce, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions on a dish and sprikle with Apple Cider Vinegar then set aside until ready to use
Tzatziki Sauce
Take the cucumbers and squeeze out the liquid. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
Place cucumber in bowl and add in rest of the ingredients and mix very well.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assembly
Cover pita bread with a damp paper towel and warm in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds
Place one pita bread flat on a piece of aluminum foil
Spread bread with Tzatziki Sauce
Place a layer of shredded lettuce over sauce
Remove desired amount of meat from pot and drain liquid then place over lettuce
Add cucumber, onion, and tomato slices on top then add more tzatziki sauce if desired
Roll sandwich and foil, use the foil to hold the sandwich together. Peel off foil as you eat.
I’ve recently jumped on to the Instant Pot bandwagon and my life has never been the same! Instant Pots are basically crockpots on steroids, at least that’s how I’d describe them. The can do just about everything a crockpot can do only they do it faster! Because Instant Pot uses pressure to cook food instead of constant slow heat like a crockpot meals can be made not only faster but better tasting because they get tender but don’t get mushy like veggies do when cooked in a crockpot. That’s why making this Instant Pot Shredded Beef is the perfect way to make fillings for tacos, chimichangas, burritos, and more.
Today I’m going to share with you my recipe for Instant Pot Shredded Beef Flautas. Actually it’s basic shredded beef with Mexican spices which I’m using to fill flour tortillas which I then deep fry. That’s what a Flauta is a rolled and fried four tortilla, some folks call them taquitos, but what ever you call them they’re yummy just the same.
You can use this Instant Pot Shredded Beef to fill just about anything you need to fill with shredded beef; like burritos, chimichangas, enchaladas, empanadas, and more.
I’ve always used skirt or flank steaks to make shredded beef, they turn out pretty tender making them pretty easy to shred. But once I started making this Instant Pot Shredded Beef the shredding is even easier, the meat literally just falls apart!
I’m sure you’ll love this recipe so make plenty. I usually freeze extras so that I can use them later for burritos, chimichangas or whatever. If you’re going to freeze it be sure you use freeze safe containers and label them. Because it’s shredded the beef will last in the freezer for about a month so be sure you use it soon!
The humble green olive, you gotta love them! Olives and eating them have been around for thousands of years. Evidence of its cultivation and consumption dates back almost 6000 years to the Levant area in countries such as Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Crete. Olive oil has been traded since pre-Christian times. And I believe olives have been cooked and eaten in some way or another since then. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made Spicy Blistered Green Olives in a fire pit back in the day!
In fact my husband who was born in the Middle East in what is today known as the West Bank has many childhood memories of eating freshly roasted olives prepared by his grandmother during the olive picking season. To hear his stories one is led to believe that his grandmother prepared it in the centuries old way of roasting them over an open fire in the yard, the same place she made her flat breads.
Actually today we still eat olives prepared the same way pretty much as they were prepared way back then because you really can’t eat the fruit picked straight from the tree. Yes, olives are fruit not veggies, but fresh from the tree they are basically inedible. They’re bitter and have an unappetizing texture. To make olives edible they must be brined, roasted, or cooked in some way. Most of us in the US know only the brined or pickled olives that we find in cans and jars in the supermarket, or floating in a martini, rarely do we find fresh olives that we must prepare at home.
We’ve also “discovered” or really “re-discovered” that olives are healthy for us. A fact which was known thousands of years ago. Olives are packed with nutrients that have many benefits. Olives are heart healthy and has been shown to prevent heart disease; studies have shown that green olives can prevent osteoporosis; olives contain large amounts of antioxidants which help prevent certain types of cancers; they can help reduce Arthritis inflammation and pain; and they are believed to be natural treatments for ulcers. The list actually goes on so I think it’s safe to say that including olives and olive oil in your diet has positive health benefits.
Having said all that I know that not everyone is overly found of olives and I doubt there’ll be a mad rush to buy barrels of brined olives. So here’s a recipe inspired by my husband’s stories about his grandma’s roasted olives that might help you like olives enough to include them in your diet. I call them Spicy Blistered Green Olives, but unlike the grandma I cook them on my stove and not outside in an open fire; although if you have a fire pit you might want to give it a go!
Spicy Blistered Green Olives are delicious! You can eat them hot or cold, they make awesome appetizers, and terrific snacks. I usually leave a bowl of Spicy Blistered Green Olives on the table and everyone who walks by can’t help but pop an olive or two in his mouth each time they walk by.
Aside from the fact that they’re simply yummy and have positive health benefits these Spicy Blistered Green Olives are super easy to make. They are a healthier alternative to chips, cookies, and other carbohydrate laden snacks out there. So here’s the recipe!
Last Christmas one of my daughters gifted me an Instant Pot Lux80. (There it is in the box.) I have to admit it looked intimidating; took me almost a month before I took it out of the box, and only after watching videos and reading lots of internet articles. Now what exactly is an Instant Pot you may ask. The best answer would be that it’s a crockpot on steroids. It can do just about everything a crockpot does but it does it faster. That’s why it takes only 35 minutes to make Instant Pot Beef Stew!
35 minutes to make tender falling apart beef stew! Yes I kid you not the actual cooking time for Instant Pot Beef Stew is 35 minutes! And yes the meat, you can use even the least expensive cuts, are literally falling apart! Ok, the actual time I spent making Instant Pot Beef Stew was closer to an hour, that included chopping, browning, AND cooking and venting. So really dinner was ready in about an hour. Sure beats cooking stew in your crockpot all day!
Can you tell yet what I first made in my handy dandy new gadget? Yup, you got it I made Instant Pot Beef Stew! And the best part is it doesn’t take a lot of planning.
When I made beef stew in my old crockpot I had to thaw out the beef the night before then get up early to chop veggies and brown the beef on the stove top. I had to do all that before I could toss it all in the crockpot and press cook. Now it wasn’t that big a deal, that is until I realized what my new Instant Pot could do! I didn’t have to thaw meat the night before, I could actually toss semi-frozen meat in the pot if I wanted to!
Did I mention that my Instant Pot Beef Stew turned out amazing? My family raved about it! In fact I had made a big pot – the model I have is 8 quarts – and we had the left overs for dinner the next day! So without further ado here’s my recipe! Hope you love it as much as we do!
This post contains affiliate links
Ingredients:
3 Lbs. Beef Cut into 1″ cubes – you can use any cut of beef you want, I usually use a chuck roast
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning
1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbs. Minced Garlic
1 Large Onion Cut in large pieces
2 Cups Baby Carrots
2 Cups Baby Potato Medley
2 Cups Celery Cut in large pieces
3 Cups Beef Broth
1 Cup Tomato Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 Cup Corn Starch
1/4 Cup water
Directions:
Prep ingredients – Cut all the meat & veggies to size
Separate Beef from the veggies as you will be using it first and you don’t want the veggies sitting in raw beef juices
Add olive oil to Instant Pot and set on Sauté
When pot is hot enough place cubed beef into pot
Brown all the sides of the beef
Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, worcestershire sauce, and mix well
Switch pot off and add veggies, beef broth, and tomato sauce
Stir well making sure to scrape off any meat or seasoning at the bottom of the pot
Set Instant Pot on Manual and adjust time to 35 minutes
Secure lid making sure the valve is on the sealing position
When pot beeps wait 10 minutes then set the valve to venting to release remaining pressure
Meanwhile dissolve cornstarch in water
When pressure has been completely released remove pot lid
Stir in cornstarch water to get desired thickness. If you want thicker sauce add more dissolved cornstarch slowly until you get the thickness you want.
Serve with steamed rice or some nice crusty bread to sop up all that meaty goodness!
Left overs can be stored in the fridge for a day or so, stew always tastes better the next day! Or for longer storage place stew in freezer safe containers, label with date, and freeze until needed. It will keep in the freezer for about 2-3 months. Reheat in the microwave or stove top.
Prep ingredients - Cut all the meat & veggies to size
Separate Beef from the veggies as you will be using it first and you don't want the veggies sitting in raw beef juices
Add olive oil to Instant Pot and set on Sauté
When pot is hot enough place cubed beef into pot
Brown all the sides of the beef
Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, worcestershire sauce, and mix well
Switch pot off and add veggies, beef broth, and tomato sauce
Stir well making sure to scrape off any meat or seasoning at the bottom of the pot
Set Instant Pot on Manual and adjust time to 35 minutes
Secure lid making sure the valve is on the sealing position
When pot beeps wait 10 minutes then set the valve to venting to release remaining pressure
Meanwhile dissolve cornstarch in water
When pressure has been completely released remove pot lid
Stir in cornstarch water to get desired thickness. If you want thicker sauce add more dissolved cornstarch slowly until you get the thickness you want.
Serve with steamed rice or some nice crusty bread to sop up all that meaty goodness!
My husband recently embarked on a Keto Diet which means I either have to make him something keto friendly or find keto friendly recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Keto friendly meals aren’t really that hard to come up with, basically you just have to limit or replace the carbs. So that means pastas are out unless you use edemame spaghetti or other flourless pasta substitutes. But any way one of our favorites turned out to be this Chicken & Asparagus dish that my husband can eat with a small salad and the rest of the family can eat with pasta or even rice.
I’ve always used skirt or flank steaks to make shredded beef, they turn out pretty tender making them pretty easy to shred. But once I started making this Instant Pot Shredded Beef the shredding is even easier, the meat literally just falls apart!
The humble green olive, you gotta love them! Olives and eating them have been around for thousands of years. Evidence of its cultivation and consumption dates back almost 6000 years to the Levant area in countries such as Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Crete. Olive oil has been traded since pre-Christian times. And I believe olives have been cooked and eaten in some way or another since then. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made Spicy Blistered Green Olives in a fire pit back in the day!
Prep ingredients – Cut all the meat & veggies to size
Brown all the sides of the beef
