Low Carb Taco Bake

This is my variation of a recipe found at Just a Pinch. It was a hit with my husband. And my cat, Marissa!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix crust:
4 oz cream cheese, softened (nuke it briefly)
3 eggs, added one at a time and beaten in until pretty smooth
1/3 c. heavy cream
1/2 t. low carb taco seasoning  - I used Linda's recipe at genaw.com. I doubt this can be tasted. Maybe add more?
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded (I used extra sharp here for more flavor)

Spray a 9 x 13" pan with nonstick spray. Spread above mixture into it and bake @ 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. Remove and let it sit for about 5 min before adding the topping below, which you will cook while this is baking. The crust will come out beautifully golden brown.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Topping:
1 lb. ground beef
2 medium zucchinis, diced
1 T. low carb taco seasoning or more to taste
1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1- 4 oz. can chopped green chilis
about 2 t. beef base or bouillon powder - it adds a depth of flavor my grass fed beef lacked

2 c. shredded cheddar (I used sharp here)

Brown the ground beef. Use some olive oil if it's very lean. Drain fat if necessary. Add zucchini, tomatoes, green chilis and seasonings. Stir and cook, tasting and adjusting seasonings as desired.

Spread meat mixture over slightly cooled crust. Cover with shredded cheddar. Return to the oven (now at 350 degrees) and bake for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. it will serve more neatly if you let it cool a bit so you can cut it into squares.

Top with the taco type toppings of your choice. This is pretty rich by itself, so it will benefit from some shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, etc. to lighten it up a bit. And maybe some salsa. This is one place where I think I would skip the sour cream.

Beef or Chicken Fajitas

INGREDIENTS:

1.5-2 lbs skirt steak or other beef or chicken easily cut into strips

1 medium onion, sliced, or 15 medium scallions (green onions) - same amount of carb!

2 large Bell peppers, sliced - two different colors is nice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lime juice (or reconstituted True Lime powder)

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 Tablespoons oil

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 5 servings

PREPARATION:

Combine soy sauce, lime juice, chili powder, and oil. If grilling, save a couple of Tablespoons aside to toss with the vegetables.

Slice the meat into about 1/2 inch slices. If using skirt steak, flank steak, or other meat with an obvious grain (lines through the meat), be sure to cut perpendicular to the grain, or you will be chewing a very long time. (Think about it - you want to create a lot of short fibers, not a few long ones.) 

If cooking in a skillet, marinate everything together in a bowl or plastic bag (a zip-type works well). If grilling, marinate the meat and veggies separately. Even a few minutes helps, up to 2 hours is great.

If grilling, remove from marinade and grill.

For cooking in a skillet (preferably regular, not nonstick), cook the meat first (it will probably take two batches, depending upon your pan). Add a little oil to the skillet and get it very hot (the oil will shimmer). If you don't get it hot enough (or crowd too much meat in), the meat will steam instead of browning. When the meat is browned, remove and add veggies. When they begin to soften, return meat to skillet to heat through.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, cilantro (if desired) and guacamole. If low-carb tortillas are available, that is a nice addition, but a fork works fine.

Serves 5

Nutritional Information: Meat and vegetables, with 1.5 pound skirt steak and green onions, make 5 servings, each with 4.5 grams of effective carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber (6.5 grams total carbohydrate), 28 grams of protein, and 307 calories per serving.

The marinade could add as much as 1 gram of carb (the whole recipe has 5 grams), but obviously most of it doesn't make it to the table.

From: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/beeffajitas.htm

Quick and Easy Mexican Beef and Pepper Skillet

Beef and Pepper Skillet Recipe

Adapted for low carb by Gay Griffin from Taste of Home

I love Mexican-inspired food. I also enjoy experimenting with recipes like this one and making them as healthy—and downright good!—for my family as possible. —Jenny Dubinsky, Inwood, West Virginia

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.YIELD:6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained

1 tablespoon chili powder – only if necessary

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 onion, chopped

1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced

1 medium green pepper, sliced

possibly some zucchini if desired 

3 t. sugar equivalent sweetener (to taste - I like it a little sweet)

xanthan gum if needed

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

(or LC cheese sauce to taste, stirred in and melted, or both!)

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain.

2. Add tomatoes, broth, chili powder if needed, salt and garlic powder; bring to a boil. Stir in peppers. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 8-10 minutes or until liquid is mostly gone. Thicken with a little xanthan gum (maybe a half teaspoon) if desired. Or stir in some low carb cheese sauce if you have some. 

3. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese. Let stand, covered, until cheese is melted.
Freeze option: Before adding cheese, cool beef mixture. Freeze beef mixture and cheese separately in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if necessary. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

© 2015 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC

from Taste of home