DEHAY: Four High-Protein, Animal-Based Dinners

By Savanna DeHay

Intro

Weekly meals that are easy, animal-based, and delicious are a lifesaver for busy days and meal prep. Adding these meals into your weekly rotation will make life easier without breaking the bank. They’re so simple and customizable that even the pickiest eaters will enjoy it! Let’s roll up our sleeves and see what’s cookin’!

#1: Taco Bowls

Taco Bowls High-protein, customizable, and excellent as leftovers. As long as there’s ground beef and taco seasoning, your imagination can take care of the rest.

Serves 4

Base Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 4 tsp taco seasoning

Add-ons:

• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Cottage cheese
• Queso
• Salsa or pico de gallo
• Onion/green onion
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Shredded lettuce

Directions:

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat with your fat of choice (beef tallow, butter, avocado oil, etc.).
2. After the fat has warmed, crumble the ground beef into the pan. Let sit for a few minutes.
3. Stir in the taco seasoning. Stir occasionally until fully cooked. Optional: Add a splash of water for a sloppy Joe texture.
4. While the meat cooks, chop your toppings and set aside.
5. Divide the meat into four large bowls. Add toppings and enjoy!

#2: Chaffle Burgers

Finding suitable bun substitutes when avoiding gluten and grains can be tricky. These “chaffle” buns (cheese waffles) solve that problem. They’re cheesy, crispy, and make excellent burger buns. Savor a burger without the stomach ache!

Serves 1

Chaffle Ingredients:

• 42g (~ ½ cup) shredded cheese of choice
• 1 egg
• Optional: ¼ tsp garlic powder or everything but the bagel seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat a waffle maker to medium.
2. While it heats, mix together the shredded cheese and egg. Stir in seasonings if desired.
3. Pour the mixture onto the waffle maker, and spread so it makes two halves. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until mostly firm.
4. Assemble your burger with a patty and all your favorite fixings.

The bun is gluten free, keto, and carnivore friendly! It keeps for several days in the fridge and reheats.

#3: Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs

These highs are rich, tart, and a little spicy. They are both filling and indulgent, making a quick and easy dinner, or a decadent weekend treat.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ½ Tbs sesame oil
• 4 Tbs tamari or soy sauce
• 4 Tbs sugar-free ketchup
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Pat the chicken dry and chop into 1.5-2″ pieces. Place in a large bowl.
3. Toss the chicken with sesame oil until fully coated. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through. Optional: Broil for a few minutes for extra crispiness.
4. While the chicken bakes, stir together the tamari, ketchup, garlic, onion, and red pepper in a large bowl.
5. After the chicken is done, toss it with the sauce until fully coated. Return to the oven for 5 minutes to warm the glaze.
6. Serve hot — don’t forget to scoop up all that delicious sauce!

Serving Suggestions: Top with green onions or toasted sesame seeds. These pair beautifully with soft boiled eggs or over cauliflower rice. But honestly, they are fantastic on their own!

#4: Chicken Nuggets

Craving fast food chicken nuggets without, y’know, eating fast food chicken nuggets? This recipe delivers that signature chew and crunch without the nasty chemicals. The secret? Gelatin for the chew and celery salt for that authentic fast food flavor.

Makes about 36 nuggets

Ingredients:

For the inside:

• 2 lbs ground chicken
• 1 Tbs gelatin
• ⅓ cup broth
• 1 tsp salt

For the outside:

• 2 cups pork rind panko (alternatively, crush 112g pork rinds)
• 6 TBS grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine chicken, gelatin, broth, and salt. Puree until completely smooth. The mixture will be sticky.
3. In a large bowl, mix pork rind panko, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Using your hands or a medium cookie scoop, grab about 2 TBS of chicken mixture and roll in panko mixture to coat. Press onto the baking sheet and shape into nuggets.
4. Repeat until you have about 36 nuggets.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Optional: broil for a few minutes at the end for extra crispness.
6. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

These nuggets remind me of Wendy’s! Packed full of protein and zero carbs, they’re keto and carnivore-friendly. Even the pickiest of eaters will approve!

Conclusion

Life is so much easier with healthy go-to recipes. Next time you’re in a pinch, grab one of these to make in a jiffy. Easy, healthy, and picky-eater friendly. Bon appetite!

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Sources

• DeLeeuw, Vered. Keto Chicken Nuggets. Healthy Recipes Blogs, 19 June 2025, https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/chicken-nuggets/. Accessed 30 April 2026.
• Denny, Kalyn. Cottage Cheese Taco Bowl (Low-Carb). Kalyn’s Kitchen, 9 February 2026, https://kalynskitchen.com/cottage-cheese-taco-bowl-low-carb/#mv-creation-1254-jtr. Accessed 30 April 2026.
• Hines, Tyler. Keto-Friendly Wagyu Cheeseburger. Kansas City Cattle Company, 7 April 2020, https://kccattlecompany.com/blogs/wagyu-recipes/keto-friendly-wagyu-cheeseburger-by-keto-sheena. Accessed 30 April 2026.
• Heart & Soil, https://heartandsoil.co/blog/. Accessed 30 April 2026.
• Maehashi, Nagi. General Tso’s Chicken. Recipetineats, 19 October 2020, https://www.recipetineats.com/general-tsos-chicken/. Accessed 30 April 2026.