For this week’s meal keto prep, I made some carnitas tacos made with carb balance wraps to make it low carb. The other dish was an amazing sweet & spicy beef with cabbage and broccoli.
The carnitas might take a long time, but the effort is relatively low. I would consider this an extremely easy recipe that should be added to anyone’s meal prep, keto or not. I added some peppers and onions, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and of course cheese and sour cream.
Now for the sweet & spicy beef, which I think is called Mongolian beef (I just don’t want to be wrong). This was an extension of my sweet chili wings from a few weeks ago ( https://youtu.be/0_4Qta-Woxk ). I really loved that sauce and wanted to implement it in my meal prep so I could play around with it a little. It uses brown sugar Swerve for the sweet, and chili garlic paste for the spicy.
I’ve started to realize that a big part of my meal preps is finding recipes that aren’t ‘out of their way’ keto. By that I mean they are already pretty close to low carb and healthy, they just need a few tweaks to be fully keto. All that needed to be changed for this week was the carb balance wraps replacing regular tortillas, and the Swerve replacing regular brown sugar.
As always, I make two servings of each because I don’t like eating the same thing 4 days in a row. However, I find eating the same thing 2 times in 4 days isn’t that bad at all. Most of the time, I find myself looking forward to the leftovers.
Also in this video are the egg cups I make almost every week ( https://youtu.be/TXJHtI3bsNE ) and my chocolate and cinnamon chia seed pudding ( https://youtu.be/JOo4wRwb-nw )*
*these videos were made in the early stages of this channel, and might need an upgrade
Carnitas Tacos with Carb Balance Wraps:
What I Used:
- Pork Shoulder (or pork butt, cut into 2inch chunks)
- Onion (sliced or cut in half)
- Lime (juiced, sliced into wheels, or cut in half)
- Garlic (5 cloves crushed)
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika
- Water (1cup)
- Pepper and onion (sliced)
- Carb Balance wraps
- Can of diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 4 cheese Mexican blend (or any preferred cheese)
- Sour cream (optional)
What I Did:
Since I used a pork shoulder, I first removed the skin and bone. Then cut the meat into 2-inch chunks.
Then sliced an onion and a lime and placed it into a Dutch oven pot, followed by the pork chunks. I seasoned everything with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. Then added a cup of water and mixed everything together.
Closed the lid and placed into an oven preheated at 300 for 3 hours. (I also placed the skin and the bone into the oven on a separate baking tray, using the skin and fat as a cover for the meat that was left on the bone)
Since this is meal prep, at some point I sauteed the sliced peppers and onions for the sweet and spicy beef in avocado oil and salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I used a little bit of the extra as a topping for the tacos.
After taking out the pork, using two forks, I shredded all the meat. Then placed it back into the oven at 450 for about 20 minutes. (The skin and bone stayed in the oven at 450 for 40 minutes)
It’s pretty much time to assemble the tacos, you can do whatever you like. During the week, I toasted a carb balance wrap, layered on the carnitas, peppers and onions, a little bit of diced tomatoes and green chilies (from a can), some shredded 4 cheese Mexican blend, and sour cream.
Meal prep tip – store the wraps separately so they don’t get soggy.
Sweet & Spicy Beef with Cabbage and Broccoli:
What I Used:
- Sirloin Steak Tips (cut into strips)
- Onion (sliced)
- Pepper (sliced)
- Portobello mushroom (sliced)
- Garlic (5 cloves minced)
- Ginger (1/2 inch grated)
- Water (2 cups + 1 cup)
- Brown sugar Swerve (1/2 cup)
- Soy Sauce (1/4cup)
- Rice vinegar (1/4 cup)
- Chili garlic paste (2tbsp)
- Cabbage (shredded)
- Broccoli (florets)
- Avocado oil
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder
What I Did:
Sweet & Spicy Sauce:
For the sweet and spicy sauce, I brought 2 cups of water to a simmer. Then added the ½ cup of brown sugar Swerve.
After about 15 minutes, or until the liquid reduces down, I added in a ¼ cup of soy sauce, ¼ cup of rice vinegar, the minced garlic and grated ginger, 2 tbsp of chili garlic paste, and a cup of water.
The sauce should be ready after about 20 minutes, or until the thick.
Sautéed Vegetables & Sirloin Steak Tips:
I started by prepping the vegetables. Slicing the onion, pepper, and mushrooms. Mincing the garlic cloves and grating the ginger.
Then prepared the sirloin steak tips by seasoning with salt pepper and garlic powder. Then cut into strips about an inch wide, cutting against the grain.
In a skillet on medium high heat, I sautéed the vegetables in avocado oil and seasoned with salt pepper and garlic powder. You can start the vegetables at the same time you start the sauce.
After the vegetables were done, about 20 minutes, I removed them and added in the steak strips to cook. Because there were a lot, it took a bit longer than the regular few minutes per side.
Roasted Cabbage and Broccoli:
On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, I added the shredded cabbage and broccoli florets (mine were frozen). Then topped with avocado oil, salt pepper and garlic powder.
Placed it into the oven to roast. For me, the carnitas were still cooking, first at 300, then at 450 while these were in there. Usually, I’d cook these at 375 for 25-30 minutes.
Meal Prep:
When the steak and sautéed vegetables were done, I combined half of it in with the sauce.
In the meal prep containers, I first put in the cabbage and broccoli. Then the Sweet & Spicy Beef on top.
