Newbie_here

#1

So I’m just starting out on the Keto journey. I love meat so a diet that lets you eat as much as you want of it is definitely appealing.

I absolutely love quesadillas. Usually make them at least once a week. I sauté an onion and green pepper in butter. Then I cook the chicken breast in those juices. I’m a little paranoid guessing carb counts on food that’s not packaged with the nutritional values.

Would that work in the Keto diet? Are all tortillas strictly off limits or are there Keto friendly tortilla?

(Mike W.) #2

First off, welcome! Secondly a ketogenic diet is moderate protein, not as much as you want. If you eat too much protein your body will convert it to glucose which kind of defeats the point. There are some low-carb tortilla options, but if I were you I would just make the tortillas out of cheese!

(Diane) #3

Regular tortillas generally have quite a few carbs. If you google low carb tortilla recipes, lots of options will show up. Which recipe I choose to use depends on the application.

Some are great for an enchilada casserole (I made regular enchiladas, not breakfast ones): https://www.ketoconnect.net/keto-enchiladas/

These are pretty good as well (but definitely have more than 2 ingredients): https://www.ketoconnect.net/low-carb-tortillas/

I have occasionally used Mission Carb Balance Tortillas, which I can only reliably find at some Target stores- you can search on their website to see which stores have them in stock. I really disliked the whole wheat version of these (which are much easier to find at stores). If you want to try these, I’d look for these:

image
958DEEE3-BC5E-4FE7-BC4A-383221874D44.jpeg1242×1389 323 KB
image
B8A0F0D2-B998-4151-B701-AE390EA9CD6F.jpeg778×1692 243 KB

Another brand which I’ve seen good reviews for (but which I haven’t tried personally) is Mama Lupe’s. You can order these online (at Netrition.com, for example) or possibly find in stores in some parts of the country (USA):

image
60DE0C65-15F7-4431-B03B-078325C23EBD.jpeg1171×1947 206 KB
image
F8FB2C9B-5A47-4400-819A-ED387498784B.jpeg966×1243 162 KB

Good luck finding an option that works for you!

#4

Nice positivity; definitely recommend doing some research and watching some highly rated videos on YT so you can understand the science and build a new diet that works for you. Good luck!

#5

Consider switching to chicken thighs, they taste better and are higher in fat.

Don’t be paranoid about eating real food. Unprocessed foods are frequently not packaged with nutritional labels.

(karen) #6

Over in the “what did you keto today” (which is food and recipes) some one just suggested using coldcuts as “tortillas” (specifically, they used sliced roast chicken). It will hold together as a wrap and it’s super easy. Won’t exactly taste like an enchilada but with the right sauce and cheese you might still like it!

(LeeAnn Brooks) #7

So be careful with qasadillas. The onions and green peppers have higher carbs than leafy greens. That combined with the tortilla, even a low carb tortilla can add up.

When you do them, be sure to buy block cheese and shred yourself as pre-shredded cheese will typically contain corn starches to keep it from clumping. Thus adding even more carbs.

And if you use sour cream or guacamole, there are additional carbs. Though these items are perfectly okay Keto wise (at least if the guacamole is homemade) the incidental carbs they contain added to those of the veggies and tortilla can again add up.

This meal could quickly spiral out of carb limits.
Especially if you have more than one.

I don’t mean to scare you completely. If done carefully with moderation, you can certainly do it. But it’s one of those things that’s very easy to get wrong.

I second the suggestion to use chicken thigh instead of breast meat. This will up your fat content.

I would also try for zero carb meals the rest of the day when you have these just to make sure you don’t go over your daily count.

(Lonnie Hedley) #8

I believe it’s potato starch. :rofl:

(LeeAnn Brooks) #9

That’s what happens when you just get done reading a chapter on the evils of high fructose corn syrup.

#10

Thanks for all the helpful replies! I ended up using only half of a pepper and onion and eliminated the tortilla. Still delicious.

Next question. Buffalo wings? Yes or hard no? I always get the bone-in wings with ranch dipping sauce. Is this a meal I need to avoid all together or is it something I can go zero carb the rest of my day and be ok? I downloaded the carb manager app (its fantastic so far) but the restaurant is a local place so can’t find any nutritional values on their food

(LeeAnn Brooks) #11

Definately yes, but as with anything, watch the sauces.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #12

I’d smuggle my own dressing in if I were you.

#13

I normally get them to go so I should I’ll be able to pick a lower carb ranch

(LeeAnn Brooks) #14

Or try making your own.

(Diane) #15

You’ll want to watch out for breading on the wings at restaurants. Some have breading, some don’t.

#16

I only eat the traditional bone-in wings that have the skin but no breading. I’m a wings snob. Boneless wings aren’t wings, they’re chicken nuggets with buffalo sauce.

(Lonnie Hedley) #17

Can’t guarantee the bone-in wings still don’t have some sort of coating without asking or doing yourself. Sure it won’t be as thick as the coating on boneless, but lots of places add a coating to ensure crunch.

Unless they’re baked, then probably not breaded.

(karen) #18

I’ve become a complete fan of the little bottle of dressing in my purse! In addition to carbs in commercial restaurant dressings, almost all of them that aren’t full of sugar (as well as the ones that are full of sugar too) are made with hexane-and-heat-processed soybean oil. :nauseated_face:

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #19

I was going to suggest Buffalo wings! I grew up in Buffalo, but they weren’t a thing yet, way back then. But the unbreaded wings with the bone in—just the way God created them—are the best. What about a spicy blue cheese sauce/dressing to put on them? Just sayin’, lol! :bacon:

#20

I just bought some of those Mission tortillas yesterday after seeing your post, cut one up into wedges and fried in about 1/4 inch of coconut oil to make chips for guacamole. I wasn’t sure how the low carb formulation would affect the finished product but they were actually very good. I’m not thrilled about the ingredients, a lot of stuff I’d rather not put in my body on a very regular basis but I figure for the occasional tortilla treat they work pretty well!