Ok, I posted the topic of prickly pear yesterday. It’s the fruit from the plant that also provides the keto-friendly vegetable called cactus leaf (or nopales).
Very low in carbs, like 150 g of veg gives 1 g net carbs and 3 g fibre.
Cactus Leaf (AKA Nopales) - another keto friendly veg
Fiorella
#3
@jfricke, I love the taste. It’s an al dente texture and tastes like a cross of zucchini and cucumber.
jfricke
(Guardian of the bacon)
#4
Do you just scrape off the needles. I had a friend slide down a mountain into a prickly pear plant butt first. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
Fiorella
#5
@jfricke, haha that plant has it’s physical defences indeed. From the point of view of the plant, I’m sure it didn’t appreciate his butt squashing it! I’d probably sting you too if your ass landed on me! Haha 
I recommend your wear heavy leather gloves, and use a very sharp knife to remove the needles. Be careful…it takes experience to get it done right.
The easier option is to get the nopales at the grocery store or fruit/vegetable stores. They sell them with all the needles removed.
miafrato
(Michael Iafrato )
#6
Does anyone know once you pick one if it regenerates a new leaf? I have some of these plants all around the ranch but don’t want to lose them.
Theresa
#7
What a cool idea! I had this years ago and remember enjoying it. I know they sell it at a store near me that has a good selection of Mexican goodies.
Jan
(Jan)
#9
I dint know if you need to worry about hurting these plants - when I lived in southern California they were considered weeds, very hard to get rid of. But very tasty!
chris_ontiveros
(Chris Ontiveros)
#10
This is a staple in Mexican cuisine, also a huge part of Mexican culture in general. It is fantastic cooked with ground chuck, in a chilli style.
Combine ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer beef and onion to a slow cooker. Stir in diced tomatoes, black beans, nopales, tomato paste, chili powder, chipotle pepper, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
rslaughter1960
(Renee Slaughter)
#11
Skip the beans, put the rest in the slow cooker. What about 4 hours? Serve it over cauli rice. Gotta try it.
SlowBurnMary
#13
Canned organic black soybeans are a good low option for replacing black beans - they taste pretty similar too!!! I buy Eden brand.
LCHF/keto doctors Mary Dan Eades and Michael Eades have a great recipe for black soybean bread too, in their classic book Protein Power.
Elizabeth_Santamaria
(Elizabeth Santamaria)
#15
My favorite is nopales and nopales cheese omelette with a topping of guacamole 
Sergio_Briseno
(Sergio Briseño)
#17
Hello, From Tijuana Mexico, We have them all over.
they grow like crazy all year round, we often buy them from poor families who cut them and take off the spikes, still We have 2 of them on out backyard and they grow large and fast, faster if you water them, you cut them on an Angle not completely but rather leave a small diagonal stump, and they will grow back just like a Hydra. 