Ham And Cheese: A Keto-Friendly Combination?

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that puts the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbs. With just a few adjustments, it is possible to adapt many favourite foods to fit this diet. For example, ham and cheese can be combined in a multitude of ways to create keto-friendly meals, including scones, casseroles, and even grilled sandwiches.

Keto Ham and Cheese Rolls

Keto is a high-fat, low-carb diet. These keto ham and cheese rolls are a great snack or meal and are versatile and easy to make.

Ingredients:

• Smoked deli ham
• Mozzarella cheese sticks
• Butter
• Eggs
• Coconut flour or almond flour
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Baking powder
• Cream cheese
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic
• Poppy seeds
• Green onions
• Oregano

Method:

Firstly, melt butter in a non-stick skillet. Wrap a slice of ham around a mozzarella cheese stick and fry in the butter until browned. You can also bake these in the oven if you prefer.

Alternatively, for a more bread-like roll, combine shredded cheese, diced ham, and eggs in a bowl. Form the mixture into round rolls on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and a slight crust has formed.

For a softer, wrap-style roll, bake the mixture on parchment paper and trim off any excess egg liquid.

You can also make a ham and cheese bake by combining ham, cauliflower, cheese, and cream in a casserole dish and baking in the oven.

To make pinwheel rolls, combine almond flour, mozzarella cheese, and cream cheese. Lay the dough on a baking sheet, layer with ham and cheese, and roll up. Slice into rolls and bake in the oven.

These rolls are versatile and can be adapted to your taste. Enjoy!

Keto Ham and Cheese Scones

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup diced ham

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and stir to combine.
• Stir in the egg, egg white, and whipping cream, and mix until the dough comes together. Add the ham and work it evenly throughout the dough.
• Gather the dough and turn it onto the prepared baking sheet. Pat it into a rough rectangle, about 9 by 6 inches or 10 by 8 inches.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 6 squares. Then cut each square diagonally into two triangles. Gently lift and separate the scones and distribute them around the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool.

Tips:

• These scones are great with soup or salad, for breakfast, or as a snack.
• Store the scones in a covered container at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the fridge for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for several months.
• If you don't like coconut flour, use 3/4 cup of almond flour instead. This will affect the carb count.
• Be sure to press any bits of ham that fall out of the dough into the tops of the scones after cutting.
• Take the time to pat the dough into an even rectangle so that each scone will be a similar thickness.

Keto Ham and Cheese Bites

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ham, chopped
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup coconut flour (or almond flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the ham and softened cream cheese until fully incorporated. Add the shredded cheese, coconut flour, and baking powder to the bowl and mix until a soft dough forms. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop the mixture onto a large, greased baking sheet, leaving a little space between each bite as they will expand during cooking. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until golden brown.

Storage:

These keto ham and cheese bites can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen on a baking sheet and then transferred to a freezer bag once solid. To reheat, microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

Variations:

Although this recipe calls for shredded cheddar cheese, you can use Swiss or another type of cheese. If you want to omit the ham, you can make classic cheddar jalapeño bites that are vegetarian. You can also experiment with different combinations, such as cheese and bell pepper or mushroom, Monterey Jack cheese and diced green chilis, or Swiss cheese and green onion.

Ham and Cheese Casserole

A delicious, hearty, and keto-friendly meal, this ham and cheese casserole is a great way to use up any leftover ham from your last family gathering. This recipe combines the comfort of a warm casserole with the satisfying crunch of a grilled sandwich, all while being low-carb and gluten-free.

Ingredients:

• Smoked deli ham (avoid honey or brown sugar-glazed hams)
• Swiss cheese (or cheese of your choice)
• Dill pickles
• Italian dressing
• Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: fresh or frozen cauliflower, spinach, onion, cream cheese, sour cream, Dijon mustard, parsley, pork panko/breadcrumbs

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x9" baking dish or line it with parchment paper.

Start by layering the ham, cheese, and dill pickles in the baking dish. Drizzle Italian dressing and sprinkle Italian seasoning over the layers for added flavor. Repeat the layering process until you've used up your ingredients, ending with a cheese layer on top.

Pop the casserole into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden.

If you want to spice things up, add some hot sauce or use spicy pickles and pepper jack cheese. You can also experiment with different types of meat and cheese to find your favorite combination.

This casserole is best served hot and makes a perfect lunch or weeknight meal. It's an excellent way to satisfy your sandwich cravings while sticking to your keto diet. Enjoy!

Grilled Ham and Cheese

Ingredients

• Almond flour
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Butter
• Coconut oil
• Eggs
• Coconut flour
• Cheddar cheese
• Muenster cheese

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Measure out your almond flour, salt, and baking powder into a small mixing bowl and combine.
• Measure out the butter and coconut oil and melt in the microwave. Add to the almond flour mixture.
• Mix the flour and butter mixture together. You should have something that resembles dough.
• Scramble two eggs and add to the dough mixture.
• Add the coconut flour and mix well. This will thicken the mixture.
• Measure your mixture out evenly between 8 slots in a cupcake tray. They should fill the tray by about 3/4 of an inch.
• Put the tray in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the cupcake tray.
• Cut each bun in half.
• Place your slices of deli meat in a hot pan. You just need to crisp them up, so it doesn't matter what shape they are.
• When the meat is crispy, remove it from the pan.
• Stack your cheese in the following order: muenster, cheddar, muenster, and cheddar. Cut this stack into quarters.
• Put the ham and cheese in between your low-carb buns.
• Start to heat butter in a pan on medium-high heat.
• When the butter starts to turn brown, turn the heat down to medium-low and add your sandwiches to the pan.
• If you have a weight, you can use it to press down on the sandwiches. Alternatively, place a plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy.
• Once you start to smell the bread burning, it's time to flip the sandwiches over.
• Let them cook for a few more minutes to allow the top to crisp.
• Remove from the pan and enjoy!

Tips

• These are best served hot and are perfect for an easy keto lunch.
• You can do 90% of the prep work beforehand and just fry the sandwiches up when you're ready to eat.
• This recipe yields 8 total miniature low-carb buns and 3 total mini grilled ham and cheese sandwiches.
• Per sandwich, these have: 235.25 Calories, 21.26g Fats, 1.85g Net Carbs, and 9.38g Protein.

Frequently asked questions