This long weekend can be made extra special with the right Memorial Day recipes. Good food, family, and friends are sure to get you excited for the upcoming summer, and getting outdoors to celebrate is what it’s all about.
Everyone wants to have a happy and healthy Memorial Day, but let’s be honest: it’s not the best day for dieting. That said, you can keep your keto lifestyle in check with keto-friendly barbecue and low-carb Memorial Day recipes that taste great and play to the crowd.
After all, who said you can’t stay keto and enjoy Memorial Day at the same time?
Here are a handful of recipes to help you keep things keto, Memorial Day-style!
5 Tasty Keto Memorial Day Recipes
1. Lemon Pepper Wings
Servings: 3-4 Prep time: 4 hours 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
3 lbs organic, grass-fed chicken wings (tips removed, separated)
1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp freshly ground black peppercorns
2 tbsp cold-pressed avocado oil
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp cilantro or parsley, roughly chopped
Directions for prep:
- Place the chicken wings, lemon juice, ground peppercorns, avocado oil, and salt in a large plastic storage bag.
- Seal the bag and use your hands to maneuver the marinade until it’s evenly distributed over every chicken wing.
- Place the bag in the refrigerator for four hours. If you’re available, flip the bag after two hours.
To Cook on Grill:
- Preheat grill and oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook wings over medium heat for about eight minutes. Flip and cook for an additional eight minutes or so. The wings are done when the juice coming from them is clear and the internal temperature is 165.
To Cook in Oven:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with foil. Put the marinated wings on the rack.
- Bake wings skin-side up for about 30 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165.
- Remove wings and let cool. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro (or parsley), if you like.
2. Buffalo Jalapeno Poppers
Servings: 20 poppers Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
10 jalapeño peppers
10 cocktail wieners (mini smoked sausages)
10 bacon slices, halved
1 cup finely grated Manchego cheese (or Monterey Jack)
1 cup whipped cream cheese
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp chili powder of choice (cayenne, ancho, chipotle, etc.)
Directions:
- Halve the jalapeños lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and membrane.
- Halve the cocktail wieners lengthwise.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the Manchego cheese, cream cheese, shallot, and chili powder. Fill each jalapeño half with the cheese mixture.
- Place a cocktail wiener on top of the cheese mixture. Wrap a half slice of bacon around each popper. Use a toothpick to hold the bacon in place, if necessary.
To cook in smoker:
Place the poppers in a smoker and set the temperature to 225 degrees F. Cook for two to three hours, until the bacon is browned.
To cook on grill:
Cook over medium heat until the bacon is brown and jalapeno pepper is tender. Keep the lid closed.
To cook in oven:
Arrange the poppers on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cook for 30 minutes or so, until bacon is brown.
3. Marinated Beef Kebabs
Servings: 4 big kebabs Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 8-15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp low-sodium beef broth
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp steak seasoning (Montreal steak spice, etc.)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
Black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1 large onion, sliced into 1 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
1-2 red peppers, sliced into 1 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
Directions:
- Cut beef into 1 1/2-inch-thick cubes.
- Slice vegetables into 1 1/2-inch pieces if using.
- In a large bowl, stir together olive oil, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, steak seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and pepper. Add bay leaves, and sliced onions and peppers, if using.
- Place meat in a container with an air-tight lid that will hold it all. Pour marinade over the meat and seal.
- Put container in the refrigerator for four to eight hours.
- Remove from the fridge when you’re ready to grill.
- Drain the meat from the marinade and prepare skewers while you preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Thread the meat, onions, and peppers on the skewers and bring to room temperature while grill heats.
- Grill the kebabs until desired level of doneness. Cook time will depend on meat thickness, your grill, and how you like your beef cooked. Rare is about eight to 10 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare, and 12 to 15 minutes for medium.
- Let rest for five minutes before serving.
4. Cauliflower Potato Salad
Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 tsp sweetener of your choice
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
3 green onions, diced
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp chives
Directions:
- Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the cauliflower and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Drain well and rinse under cold water, pat dry.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, sweetener, and mustard in a large bowl.
- Add in cauliflower and diced jalapeño and green onions.
- Mix well to coat cauliflower evenly.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to refrigerator for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chives before serving.
5. Low-Carb Strawberry Shortcake
Serves: 10 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
Ingredients for shortcakes:
2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup erythritol-based sweetener
1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted with strainer
1/3 cup unflavored whey protein powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
4 large organic, grass-fed eggs
1/3 cup extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for filling:
1 lb strawberries, sliced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp powdered sweetener
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions for shortcakes:
- Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
- Use parchment paper to line a large baking sheet.
- Pour almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, whey protein, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt into a large bowl. Mix well, ensuring all clumps are broken up.
- Add in eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla extract and stir well.
- Wet your hands and roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball. Repeat with remaining dough and place balls several inches apart on the lined baking sheet.
- With your palm, flatten the balls to about 1 1/2 inches thick. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are a golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Let cool.
Directions for filling:
- In a mixing bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sweetener, and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks.
- Slice each shortcake in half with a serrated knife and place bottom half on plate. Top with whipped cream and spread.
- Divide strawberries among shortcakes and serve.
Sources:
Nelson, S., “Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings,” Real Balanced, April 18, 2019; https://realbalanced.com/recipe/lemon-pepper-chicken-wings/, last accessed May 17, 2019.
“Atomic Buffalo Turd Jalapeno Poppers (aka – A.B.T.),” The Black Peppercorn; https://www.theblackpeppercorn.com/2012/03/atomic-buffalo-turd-jalapeno-poppers-aka-a-b-t/, last accessed May 17, 2019.
Denny, K., “LOW-CARB MARINATED BEEF KABOBS,” Kalyn’s Kitchen, July 26, 2017; https://kalynskitchen.com/marinated-beef-kabobs-and-grilled/, last accessed May 17, 2019.
“Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad,” Atkins, 2019; https://www.atkins.com/recipes/cauliflower-potato-salad/1749, last accessed May 17, 2019.
Ketchum, C., “Strawberry Shorcake,” Swerve, 2019; https://swervesweet.com/recipes/strawberry-shortcake/, last accessed May 17, 2019.
