These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

 I feel like this post should have been made around Christmas.  That song came to my mind, anyway, when I just typed the title up there.

Today, I thought I'd do a blog about just a few of my favorite Keto quick and easy - low carb "snack" type foods.  I mean, let's face it.  Dieting or not dieting, we all just want a snack sometimes.  For me, crunchy, salty things are always a win.

Believe it or not, first on my list, is pickles!  I can not believe I lived 55 years before discovering these pickles.  OMG, they are the best.  I hate to admit it, but I ate an entire jar in about a week.  Just plain, out of the jar.  These are not just your average pickle.  These babies are crisp and crunchy, like no other.  I don't know, maybe it's just me.  They are kept in the cooler at your local Wal-mart, with the Deli Meats - and they are to be stored in your refrigerator, even before you open them.  Always Kept Cold - I guess that's the secret to keeping them so crisp.  Seriously, if you like pickles, like me, then you have got to check them out!  You won't be sorry. (Just 5 calories per serving and less than 1 carb!)

Another recent discovery, is Chorizo Strips.  If you like bacon and you like sausage, these Chorizo Strips are the best of both worlds.  As if just being yummy isn't enough, they also have great macros.  2 strips is 1 carb, 12 fat and 9 Protein (3/73/24)   You do have to fry them, but you can always fry up the entire package and just reheat as you eat them.  However, I personally think they are best fresh.

Pepperoni is another quick, salty, crunchy food.  Crunchy, that is, if you bake it!  There are 2 ways to do this.  One takes a little more time and is more work to clean up after, but they really are to die for.  

You line a cookie sheet with either foil or parchment paper.  Then place a cooling rack on it.  Place the Pepperoni Slices in a single layer, on the cooling rack and bake at 400 until Crispy  - If you are baking the large round ones they bake about 15 to 20 minutes.  If you are doing the smaller rounds ones (size of a quarter) they bake about 5 to 7 minutes.  

The other way, is to line a plate with a paper towel and microwave on high for about 5 minutes.  Much quicker and easier, just not quite as crispy.

You don't have to get this particular brand - this just happens to be the one we bought last week. But I'm posting this one to show the nutrition information, mostly. Be sure to check to nutrition label before you buy,  because not all pepperoni is made the same way.  Some add sugar and fillers and that increases your carb count.  You can get 0 carb pepperoni!

Beef Jerky Sticks.   Again, not all Beef Jerky is made the same, so be sure to check the label before you buy.   We like these because you get the beef jerky and a cheese stick, for just 1 carb.  They are individually wrapped and no refrigeration required, so they are easy to pack for a quick and easy on the go snack.  

Cheese,  I have often said I live on cheese.  While that may not be entirely true, I do probably eat more than I should.  We either buy the block cheese and cut it up so it's ready to grab.  Or, we buy the Cheese Slices and cut them into 4 squares.  The Cheese slices are best if you are wanting to bake them to make a Cheese-it type snack.  

To make these, just line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Place cheese squares in a single layer (you get crispier "crackers" if you buy ultra thin slices),  Bake at 300 for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how burnt you like them.  The above photo was baked Pepper Jack Cheese slices.  But you can bake your favorite cheese slice, too.

Of course, you don't have to bake it.  Cheese slices are good unbaked, too.  Especially when paired with Summer Sausage - the next snack on my list.

Like pepperoni, not all summer sausage is made the same, so please do check the label,  We bought 2 rolls recently - one had 0 carbs, the other has 2 carbs per serving.  Both were made by the same Company (Johnsonville) - I guess they just used different recipes.  Just like the block cheese - we cut up the log and place it in an air-tight container so it's ready to grab as needed.  I sometimes will just have cheese and summer sausage and a couple pickle slices for my lunch when I'm not at work. 

Well, I accidently hit "publish" on this, although I really wasn't done with it.  Guess I am for now, though.  Perhaps later I'll do a part 2 of more quick and easy low carb Keto Snacks!