Ya’ll!!!! I cannot even believe it has been so long since I’ve written a blog post. I’m sure it has been crazy where you are and I’m no different. I could begin to catch you up if I tried. My kids are growing and doing well this school year. I’ll be honest and say with a freshman, an 8th grader, 6th grader and a 4th grader…the fun never ends!!! Lmao! It’s like a big party 24/7. The kind of party that sometimes you think you just as well burn the house down after it’s over than to try to repair the damage but a party none the less. Think Sixteen Candles with the pizza on the record player, Long Duck Dong falling out of the tree and you get the picture. 😂😂
That exactly. Every day of my life with teenagers and preteens. I tell people it’s like a game of whack a mole. I get one calmed down and another one pops up. But you know what? I’m going to say it keeps me young and I would not have it any other way. When you have 4 kids in less than 5 years, challenges are to be expected. Heck, my mama had 4 in ten years and there were challenges a plenty!! 4 girls!! Can you imagine?!
Challenges for Bernie and Steven sure but man these girls are my best friends. So I’m hoping that one day my kids can get as much joy from their siblings relationships as I do from mine.
And it’s not always been an easy road. But it’s worth it. Which brings me to why you are likely here and not to here me go on and on about my sisters and my kids. Or maybe you’re here for both!! Also on my list of not always an easy road but worth it…keto. I fell off the wagon over the holidays. Yeah. I did. And that’s ok!! I actually jumped off screaming “weeee!!!” Lol! But the good thing is I realized how much better I feel when I eat mostly keto. My stomach troubles go away, less inflammation, less anxiety, just better in general. I ate keto for over a year so the blessing there is I know how worth it is to get back into it. So I’m getting back into it.
At the end of the day, it’s not about the numbers on the scale. What size jeans I wear. I mean those things are motivators, especially in the beginning. But doing this as a lifestyle, I’ve gained an appreciation for how it makes me feel. And that motivates me the most. Last year I learned I’m a better version of me when I go to Mass regularly and when I eat keto. But I’ve told y’all before I keep it simple. I do like trying recipes. And I might make the occasional fat head dough or make a nice low carb bread…but mostly I stick to my meat and low carb veggies. The first few days getting back into it are hard, but after that it’s all good mostly. Biggest piece of advice, stay hydrated and keep it simple!!! So in that same vein, I am sharing one of my favorite simple keto recipes. My favorite chicken salad. You can make a huge batch for the week and eat it by itself or over a bed of fresh spinach.
My younger two kids adore it and will eat it in a sandwich. I made a batch for my family’s big Christmas shindig and it went fast!! Granted it was served on bread but it’s so good with or without bread! Momou used to throw a huge buffet style shin dig every Christmas Eve. Almost everyone would come. My Momee and some of mama’s family would even come. Second cousins in town for Christmas would come. Her Christmas Eve buffets were legendary (at least in Bluetown 🤷🏻♀️) and chicken salad sandwiches cut into triangles always made an appearance. I loved them. So this year for our Christmas Eve, my sisters and mama and I kind of recreated that same buffet style situation. Meatballs, dips, and yes…chicken salad sandwiches.
Claire and JP showing off our smorgasbordThis exact chicken salad. But with bread. So this is a versatile recipe. I never knew Momou’s exact recipe but this tastes pretty close. And a little side note…if you are looking at keto meal prep for the week, make some egg salad, deviled eggs, ham and cheese roll ups…the list of simple lunches is endless! You can so do this. I can so do this!!
Any how…on with my favorite chicken salad recipe!!
Cajun Mama’s Favorite Simple chicken salad! (And it’s keto friendly!!)
Stuff you need~
Servings-a serving or two for my lunches and then enough for 2 sandwiches for the kids so double as needed
3 chicken breasts, boiled and deboned
Plenty of mayo *
White pepper
Himalayan pink salt
*check labels and use the lowest carb one….I.e. the least or no sugar. You can make your own…I don’t, but if you are so inclined then by all means. I am ketoish. Meaning I use regular mayo and that’s good enough for me
What to do with the stuff~
If you have a food processor, then I would definitely go this route! I have a Pampered Chef one that I use when I am not making a huge batch and it works perfectly! I’m a Pampered Chef consultant and I got one in my start up kit and it’s awesome! I love the consistency that running the chicken breasts through the processor gives my chicken salad….but feel free to just chop your chicken up. Do you!!
Now the mayo…listen everyone is different. Some like their chicken salad more moist and some like their chicken salad on the dry side. I know I add at least 1/2 cup to three chicken breasts. So start out with less and add more as needed. Remember that the mayo is a needed fat in this situation and much needed to keep you full!! You do not want a bunch of protein with no fat. Use the mayo made with olive oil if that helps you. Now sprinkle in white pepper. It’s an acquired taste and has grown on me over the years. Another wonderful chicken salad recipe I posted a few years ago from one of my most favorite restaurants in Shreveport Fairfield Grocery chicken salad, uses white pepper and I have incorporated it into different recipes since then. I suggest you try it if you have not before. Then sprinkle In Himalayan pink salt to taste and you are set! It will stay good in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days…but it never lasts that long in my house!!! I’ll add pictures when I make some after while. It’s so delicious!
Seems so serene…but we are a wild bunch
This is so us.A HUGE shout out to my ultra talented and precious friend, Natalie Parnell, and Soul Rebels Photography For these fantastic family photos. She manages to capture our family at its core….fun chaos while somehow showing the beauty in all the chaos. She is so talented and just a dear precious soul to work with. She manage to get some great shots in less than an hour. If she can do that for us…she can do it for your family! Check her out here!! Also look her up on Facebook! She truly is amazing.
Cheesy stuffed asparagus chicken~
I am assuming some people do not know how to butterfly the chicken breasts. I know I was reluctant to do it at first. If you know, then skip reading this. Do this with all of your chicken breasts.
Heat a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. I use an oven safe skillet so I can do it all in one pan, but you can always transfer to a casserole dish if you want. Preheat oven to 350. Brown the chicken in your melted butter/warmed olive oil over medium heat. You’d rather brown it over lower heat so the cheese does not melt too fast. Brown on both sides. Pop it in oven and continue cooking until chicken is done throughout and no longer pink. Spoon some of those juices over the chicken during the baking process if you want. Yes some of the cheese will melt out of the butterflied chicken. It’s ok. Now on the video I saw when I first discovered this dish, it did not. But I operate in the real world, not smoke and mirrors and I’m telling you some of the cheese will drip out. Life is messy and that is ok!! There is nothing wrong with you! It only matters if you let it!! I usually cook the rest of the asparagus in the bundle right alongside the chicken because I have some asparagus lovers in my house. You do as you wish!
In a large skillet, melt butter or ghee (this is a keto suggested clarified butter and can be found in many stores now. If not Amazon has it). If you are using onion add it now and sauté until tender, add garlic towards the end and just sauté until fragrant. It does not take long. Now, add your spiced chicken to the skillet. Stir around until done and the chicken has soaked up that butter. It will smell heavenly. Next add your heavy cream and tomato sauce and whisk it until combined. Cook over medium low heat until the tomato paste and cream are blended together and the cream is thickening up a bit. The longer you let this simmer on medium low heat (whisk it or stir it some!)the thicker it will get. No need to add a thickener I promise. 
Now you serve it over your cauliflower rice or along side your buttered steamed broccoli and you are ready!! Keto-licious my friends!! It really is such a nice change of pace from grilled chicken or steak. Let me know what you think! This is definitely one of my favorites. Thanks for reading along! Glad I’ve found so many keto loving Cajun mama peeps! Keep calm and keto on! Take it one day at a time. Remember keto is a choice, your choice, and it is a way of eating not a diet. You are only as deprived if you let yourself feel that way. It is not that you have to eat this way, you choose to eat this way! Just that shift in words can make all the difference!
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