Enjoy your keto taco night with the “crunch”
Do you love taco night? I do! Now and then, my family and I get a deep craving for tacos! However, usually, when I make tacos, they are on my higher carb days! Fortunately, with this recipe, you can enjoy these nights even when you have to keep your net carbs under 50 grams. The best way that I found to do this is with a casserole! When I make this keto taco casserole, I like to incorporate that “crunch” sensation with flax chips. You will find that by incorporating flaxseeds chips, you don’t feel the need for those crunchy tortillas! You can find my recipe for flaxseed chips here.
Making taco casserole with superfoods
Overall, when I was planning for ingredients for this casserole, I chose to incorporate as many superfoods as possible. You may ask, ” what is a superfood exactly.” According to the Miriam-Webster dictionary, a superfood is a food (such as salmon, broccoli, or blueberries) that is rich in compounds (such as antioxidants, fiber, or fatty acids) considered beneficial to a person’s health.
I am going to discuss some of the benefits of the superfoods found in this dish. Overall, I feel like a keto diet should be more than just low carbs; it needs to be a sharp focus on the right quality ingredients. I have had people tell me in the past that they ate salami or sausage only for dinner and felt like by doing that, they are staying keto compliant. Overall, yes, salami and sausage are barely any carbs, but they don’t count as “keto” because they are heavily processed.
For you to experience anti-inflammatory benefits and get the real “keto” benefits, you need to eat foods of high caliber. Just because it is zero net carbs does not mean it is healthy! For healing, you need to focus on wholesome superfoods in your diet. Please go to my Keto Pantry post and learn! Some of the superfoods that incorporated in this dish include avocados, flaxseed, and black olives.
Avocados
First, I am going to discuss avocados, which are one of the healthiest foods that you can eat! The best part about them is that you don’t have to purchase them organic. They are an excellent source of healthy monounsaturated fat- a type your body can quickly burn for energy-and vitamins and antioxidants. (2)
Also, avocados are very filling and help to encourage weight loss! They are also very rich in cancer-fighting carotenoids! This anti-cancer part can be found in the dark green portion of the flesh (3). Overall, I usually try to eat about one avocado per day. I have found that they are very filling, and also serve to help with any sugar cravings. Avocado made the perfect compliment with this recipe. You don’t have to incorporate avocado, but I did, and also included it in the total carb count.
Flaxseeds
If you have already read about how to make flaxseed chips, you will realize how beneficial flax is for your body. Flaxseed is the most abundant known source of plant lignans, which can protect against Type 2 diabetes, help maintain bone density, and block the effects of estrogen associated with certain cancers.(1)
Flaxseed also has shown to help feed beneficial bacteria in the gut! Past studies have investigated the breakdown of dietary fiber in the gut, noting it produces changes in the digestive system, ultimately reducing the production of fat tissue and improving your immune function(4) My favorite way to eat flax is in the form of a cracker. You would love it, and it would help to satisfy your “crunchy” cravings. Please see my recipe on this! If you don’t have time to make them, then you can purchase them here.
Black olives
Lastly, I am going to discuss black olives. In general, olives as a whole are superfoods. Olives contain high quantities of several different antioxidants, including one, oleuropein, which is found only in olives. They also are perfect for heart protection and have anti-cancer compounds, which make them useful for cancer prevention(5). In this recipe, I sprinkled olives as a topping, which enhanced the flavor. I always purchase my olives as organic because they sprayed heavily with pesticides.
Some recipe tidbits
This keto taco casserole can be enjoyed with other toppings besides the ones that I included in my recipe. Just note that the toppings that I used were included in my total carb and calorie count. Also, if you have some friends or family who are not precisely “keto” fans, you can serve this with tortillas or rice. For the cauliflower rice, I bought it frozen to save time, but feel free to make your own. Enjoy this recipe!
Keto Taco Casserole
Enjoy your taco night while living in your keto world!
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp onion
- 1 tsp chipotle seasoning (Optional for extra spice)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 24 ounces cauliflower rice (Either make your own or purchase frozen at store.)
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 6 ounces cheddar cheese
- 13 ounces flaxseeds
- 1 small onion
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup black olives
- 1/4 cup jalapeno peppers
- 1 large avocado
- 1/2 cup lettuce
-
First, gather all of your ingredients. Have flax chips already made or purchased. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. This picture was from my flaxseed chip recipe after they were made.
-
Cook the 2 lbs of ground beef with the mushrooms and onion. Add all of the spices including the salt. You want to sautee for about 20-30 minutes, or until the ground beef is cooked through thoroughly. In the meantime, also take your 24 oz of cauliflower rice and cook that in a pan into it is unfrozen.
-
After the meat is and cauliflower rice is done, it is time to go ahead and layer it into the pan. First, you want to layer the cauliflower rice in the pan, and then place the beef mixture on top of it.
-
Lastly, go ahead and break the flax crackers up and proceed to layer them on top of the mixture. Then place the cheese on top of this and you are ready to place in the oven! Bake for at least 15-20 minutes.
-
After it is done baking, let it cool for about 5 minutes. Then proceed to layer the sour cream on top with toppings. The ones I chose were, cilantro, black olives, avocado, and lettuce. You can choose any that you like, just make sure they are keto-friendly.
-
Serve and enjoy!
Join me on your journey to health and wellness!
In conclusion, I sincerely hope you can find health and wellness! I hope that this Keto taco casserole recipe inspires you, and it makes you realize that it is possible to enjoy great food on the keto diet. In my blog, my main emphasis is not just on keto, but an improvement all-around in your lifestyle. If you would like to read more about what is included on a keto diet, please visit my Keto Pantry post.
If you are not sure where to start this path to wellness, visit my Start Here page and learn the steps you can take towards this journey. I understand that choosing to change your lifestyle can be somewhat challenging; I have also been there in the dredges. Always remember that it takes at least three weeks to make a change! Stay persistent in your efforts and visualize the end goal. You got this!
Namaste!
[toggle title = “References”]
“Easily Add Flaxseed to Your Daily Routine.” Mercola.com, articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/02/18/flaxseed-health-benefits.aspx 1,4 .
MERCOLA, DR JOSEPH. FAT FOR FUEL: a Revolutionary Diet to Combat Cancer, Boost Brain Power, and Increase Your … Energy. HAY House UK LTD, 20182,3,4,5 .
[/toggle]
Leave a Reply