Unleash your Keto Zone sandwich creativity!

5 Tasty Keto Sandwich Options

1. Pickle Sandwiches

Pickles are delicious. And now, you can use them for bread! Simply take a large pickle and cut it in half or in fourths lengthwise. Use this long pickle for the bread of your new Keto Zone Hoagie! Fill it with delicious meats, cheese, avocados, vegetables, and more.

2. Portabella Bread for a Keto Sandwich

Portabella mushrooms are likely more useful and versatile than you think. They can be used for pizza crust, grilled veggies, and even sandwich bread!

Simply, choose the portobello mushroom caps that are the right size for your sandwiches, whether large ones or sliders. Next, clean the portobello mushroom caps by cutting off the step and scraping out the “gills” with a small spoon. You’ll be left with a shell perfect to use as bread. Lastly, dry-roast the portabellas and make them crispy. Follow these instructions:

1. Place cleaned and dry mushroom caps directly on a clean oven rack.
2. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until tender (they will steam and generate natural juices).
3. Remove the caps from the oven and immediately season with salt and pepper.

Use the cooled portabellas and build your favorite Keto Zone sandwich!

3. Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps have become a bit cliche, but they are still a great option for whatever sandwich your building whether a burger, a deli sandwich, or otherwise.

The key to a good lettuce wrap is using a large, strong leaf, like romaine. Make sure to wash it well, and dry completely. Then, fill it with your favorite keto sandwich fillings.

4. Nori Wraps

Nori wraps are simply dried seaweed. They are what’s used for sushi rolls, and can now be found in most grocery stores. You can use these paper-thin wraps to wrap meats, soft vegetables, smoked salmon, and more. Stuff them with avocados, turkey, and spouts for a delicious option!

What’s more, seaweed and nori are great for your health.

They contain natural iodine that supports thyroid health.

They also contain antioxidant vitamins, including vitamins A, C, and E. These antioxidants hep protect your body from free radical damage (1, 2).

Additionally, seaweed contains fiber, which supports digestive health (3).

As a caution, don’t overdo it with eating seaweed. It is possible to get too much iodine and heavy metals from the ocean, so just keep it in moderation and use a variety of keto sandwich options.

5. Homemade or Commercial Keto Breads, Tortillas, and Wraps

Of course, you could also bake your own keto bread, tortillas, or wraps. Or, if you’ve mastered keto waffles, they make fantastic keto sandwich bread!

To bake your own, try these:

Best Ever Keto Zone Waffles

Keto Zone Sandwich Bread

Keto Zone Tortillas

Keto Zone Cloud Bread

Or you can buy keto products. If buying, just beware of harmful ingredients found in commercial products (whether keto or not). Avoid:

1. Wheat or grain flours (whole grain and refined). These are high in carbs (much too high to stay in the Keto Zone) and are not tolerated well by many people.
2. Partially hydrogenated oils. These processed oils are associated with inflammation, many chronic diseases, and unhealthy cholesterol levels. What’s more, animal studies indicated that processed hydrogenated oils are detrimental to our healthy gut bacteria (4).
3. Soybean Oil. Soybean oil is another processed cheap, concentrated form of omega-6 fatty acids. They compete with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats to promote inflammation in the body. They are linked to metabolic health issues (5).
4. Preservatives. Homemade foods are generally made without harmful, chemical preservatives. Commercial foods, on the other hand, are often loaded with them. Avoid buying foods with Sodium Propionate (an antifungal drug that can also work as an antibiotic (6)) and Sodium Metabisulfite (has a long history of possibly causing breathing reactions and irritated tissues when handled (7)). Unfortunately, these preservatives are found within many “health” foods.

Bottom Line

You don’t have to go to a Labor Day picnic sandwich-less. You can make a delicious keto sandwich or wrap with fun ingredients, and stay in the Keto Zone!

For more Keto Zone tips and recipes, join our FREE Keto Zone 21-Day-Challenge today!

The post 5 Tasty Keto Sandwich Options for Labor Day appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

We’ve decided to stick with the basics for our 4th of July celebration – Introducing our classic Keto Zone Bacon Burgers! 

Enjoy the freedom of savoring our high-fat, low-carb version of our nation’s favorite cookout essential.

And if you’re wanting the full all-American burger experience, but are concerned about your carbohydrate count from the buns – we’ve got you covered!  There’s no need to wrap your burgers in lettuce anymore, you can make your own buns with our Keto Zone Cloud Bread.

Ingredients

• 8 bacon slices
• 1 ½ pounds of ground beef
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Wooden picks

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill to 350° to 400°
2. Place full pieces of bacon aside for each burger, and chop remaining bacon into bits.
3. In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, chopped bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, garlic/onion powder, salt, and ground pepper.
4. Shape mixture into 4-inch patties with hands.
5. Wrap bacon slices around each patty, then pin bacon in place with a wooden pick.
6. Brush olive oil over the patties, then stick them on the grill.
7. Grill each burger between 6-8 minutes on both sides or until center is no longer pink in the middle.
8. Serve with lettuce, onion, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, and our Keto Zone Homemade Mayonnaise.

Nutrition Facts

Yields: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 burger patty

Per Serving: 

Calories: 410 kcalories

Total Fat: 25 grams

Carbohydrates: 3 grams

Fiber: 0.5 grams

Net Carbs: 2.5 grams

Protein: 40 grams

The post Keto Zone Bacon Burgers appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

Salmon is one of the healthiest sources of Keto Zone protein. It is loaded with healthy omega-3 fats as well as a number of important vitamins and minerals.

Salmon ceviche means that the raw fish is marinated in a mixture of citrus juice and olive oil. Believe it or not, a quick 15-30 minute soak in the marinade can actually have a dramatic impact on the taste and texture!

The marinade also includes herbs and spices such as garlic, cilantro, and sea salt. When combine with the healthy monounsaturated fats of the olive oil and the vitamin C rich juice of lime, you get a nutrient dense powerhouse of ketogenic nutrition!

Ingredients

5 tablespoons organic lime juice, fresh squeezed
2 tablespoons organic olive oil
1 clove organic garlic, minced
6 ounces wild-caught salmon, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 organic avocado, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl.
2. Add in the cut salmon, avocado, salt, and cilantro.
3. Gently mix until well combined.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 4

Per Serving:

Calories: 190 calories

Fat: 15 g

Total Carbohydrates: 6 g

Fiber: 4 g

Net Carbs: 2 g

Protein: 9 g

Recipe adapted from mariamindbodyhealth.com

The post Keto Zone Avocado Salmon Ceviche appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

But, in order for this recipe to be both healthy and delicious, you need to use grass-fed beef.

Why?

Because cows are designed to eat grass.

When cows are fed soy or corn in feedlots it changes the fatty acid profile of the meat.

Grain-fed cows have more inflammatory omega-6 fats in their meat while grass-fed cows have more anti-inflammatory omega-3 fat like CLA.

What’s more, grain damages the digestive system of cows making them more susceptible to disease. This is one of the reasons why grain-fed cows are pumped full of antibiotics.

Grass-fed beef is loaded with way more vitamins and minerals than grain-fed beef.

In fact, grass-fed beef can have more than twice the amount of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and lutein as grain-fed beef. The beta-carotene content of grass-fed beef can be seen as a yellowish-orange hue in the fat. This is actually the same yellowish orange hue that beta-carotene gives to carrots. Grain-fed beef lacks beta-carotene so the fat appears as a stark white color.

Grass-fed beef is also loaded with protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus.

That’s why this braised short rib recipe should be made with grass-fed beef.

If you are going to fuel your body with fat on a ketogenic diet, you want to eat high quality fat that won’t lead to inflammation.

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb grass-fed beef short ribs
4 cup pasture-raised bone broth (chicken, beef, or turkey)
4 tbsp. grass-fed beef tallow or ghee
1 large organic yellow onion, diced
2 cups of organic collard greens, chopped
1 tbsp. organic apple cider vinegar
2 sprigs fresh organic thyme
2 sprigs fresh organic rosemary
Organic black pepper
Sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Season ribs generously with salt and pepper.
3. Melt tallow/ghee over high heat in a large Dutch oven.
4. Lightly brown ribs on all sides.
5. Remove the ribs and set aside.
6. Turn heat down to medium.
7. Add chopped collard greens and diced onion to the Dutch oven and cook until onion becomes translucent.
8. Pour 1 cup of broth in to the pot.
9. Allow broth to reach a simmer.
10. Add the remaining broth, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
11. Add the ribs back to the Dutch oven.
12. Add the thyme and rosemary sprigs to the liquid.
13. Cover Dutch oven with lid and place in oven
14. Cook for 2 hours.
15. Reduce heat to 325 F and cook for another 30 minutes.
16. Remove from oven and allow pan to sit covered on the stove to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

How did your short ribs turn out? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Keto Braised Beef Short Rib appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.

However, sometimes it can be difficult to convince others of the virtues of low-carb dieting.

One strategy is to make delicious and familiar dishes that will leave your friends and family feeling satisfied without the bloating, brain fog, and energy crash associated with carbohydrate-rich meals.

Let them experience the power of keto for themselves.

That is why I have developed this keto chicken wing recipe. It is perfect for game day, potlucks, family dinner, and special occasions. People will absolutely love this dish without even knowing that they might be getting in to the Keto Zone!

Ingredients

3 lbs pasture-raised chicken wings

Marinade:

• 3 cloves organic garlic
• 1 teaspoon organic turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon organic pepper
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• Juice of 1 organic lemon
• 3 tablespoons melted lard (substitute with tallow, ghee, or olive oil)
• ¼ cup chopped organic cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Blend all marinade ingredients together until well combined.
3. Using a paper towel, dry the chicken pieces thoroughly and then place in to a bowl to coat with marinade.
4. Place a rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and lay the chicken pieces in a single layer on the rack.
5. Place in the oven and roast for about an hour or until golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

How did your chicken wings turn out? Let us know in the comments below!

For more delicious keto recipes, products to support your weight loss journey, and information on how to most easily and effectively implement a ketogenic diet, visit www.KetoZone.com today!

The post Crispy Keto Chicken Wings appeared first on Keto Zone® | Dr. Don Colbert, MD.