Low Carb (KETO) Cooking
Tips for Eating Low Carb
Many of my lunches and dinners are about 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of meat and about 1-2 large handfuls of vegetables (usually seasoned and fried in a pan with some butter). To further spruce up the meat/veggies I will often add some cheese on top. That's it.
Imagine how clean, quick, and simple that is. I wish I had known how to eat this way back when I was a bachelor. I would bet that this is exactly how humans were cooking for centuries before we started getting an overabundance of obesity, diabetes, and chronic inflammatory problems. It makes sense to me when I hear that "if it was not a 'food' 100 years ago, then it is not a food now."
Drink enough water
This is very important to help detoxify the body and to help burn fat among other things. A good general amount to drink is half of a person's body weight in ounces per day. So at 150 lbs then drink 75 ounces daily, 200 lbs drink 100 ounces per day, etc. I like to make water tastier by adding flavor to it. The main thing here is to avoid a lot of added sugar. I use mainly True Lime or True Lemon Naturally Flavored Drink Mix Packets which contain about 3g of carbs per packet. My taste buds only need 1 packet in my 54 ounce water bottle, where someone like my wife might use 3-4 packets in that amount of water.
Keto Flu
If you are trying to eat low carb and you get symptoms of the keto-flu such as headache and brain-fog, then most likely you need some electrolytes. I drink a cup of broth water when this happens and it works very well very quickly.
These highly inflammatory foods are the best ones to avoid:
Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, artificial trans fats (most margarines have these), vegetable and seed oils (as discussed above), all processed foods that contain added sugar or flour, excessive alcohol, processed meats, and refined carbohydrates which are found in candy, bread, pasta, pastries, some cereals, cookies, cakes, and sugary soft drinks..
(see the full article at https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-foods-that-cause-inflammation)
Low Carb and Low Inflammation Eating: A Few Tips and Tricks
Get rid of Wheat Flour and use mainly Almond Flour instead
Avoid all fruits except for berries, and eat berries sparingly
Avoid potatoes, instead substitute with vegetables such as cauliflower. A great staple food is cauliflower rice (2 cups of riced Cauliflower has only 4g net carbs and cauliflower is 10x more nutrient dense than a potato!)
1 Tbsp butter = 100 calories, 1 Tbsp coconut oil = 122 calories
1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream = 50 calories
I generally cook meals aiming for about 500 calories per meal if eating 3 meals per day, but If only eating 2 meals per day instead of 3, then I would aim for 600-900 calories per meal.
Snack as needed in between meals and aim for 100-200 calories total per snack. Sometimes when feeling hungry but having little to no time to eat, drinking water will help my body burn the fat I already have for energy.
Simple Low-Carb Recipes:
Super Clean Keto Meal Replacement Shake:
1 scoop of protein powder (I use nutricost) = 130 calories
2 to 3 Tablespoons of MCT oil (I use amazon brand) = 240 to 360 calories
1 squirt of sugar free syrup (not necessary but improves the flavor)
Breakfasts:
Bacon Egg Muffins (makes enough for 8 meals)
Makes 24 muffins and in 3 muffins there are: 501 calories and 2g net carbs
1) Preheat oven to 350. Cut 12 slices of bacon in half, then line each tray of a 12 tray muffin baking sheet with 2 half slices of bacon (so one slice total per tray) -- shape the bacon like a "+" in each tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes and go to step 2 while it is baking.
2) Mix in a large bowl: 12 large eggs, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 8 Tbsp melted butter, 2 cups cheddar cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt
optional: add vegetables such as 1 cup diced broccoli, 1/2 cup of chopped onion, 1-2 cups spinach, 1 diced bell pepper, etc
(tip: immersion blenders are great for mixing wet ingredients like this)
3) Add equal amounts of the egg mixture to each muffin tray, bake for 18 more minutes.
*when I make these egg muffins I use silicone trays because they are easy to clean and I slide them in and out of the oven with a greased pizza peel. I make 4x muffin trays at once that each hold 12 muffins per tray (so I double the above recipe). At 3 muffins per meal, that gives me 16 meals total. I keep 6 meals in the fridge and freeze the extras. I unthaw the extras in the fridge a day or 2 before I need them.
Almond Pancakes:
Makes about 21 pancakes total (I make these in a bulk batch and freeze in a gallon Zip-lock bag whatever may not get eaten within a week). Macros in 2 pancakes (each being 6 inches in diameter): 382 calories, 3g net carbs, 13g protein, 32g fat
1) For the batter, combine in a mixing bowl: 2 cup almond flour, 1/2 Tbsp baking soda, 3/4 cup of Lakanto artificial sugar (monk fruit with erythritol, or use a different 1:1 sugar substitute), and optionally 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add 3 Tbsp melted butter or oil, 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice, and lastly add 15 eggs. Mix it all together well and cook the batter into 6 inch diameter pancakes or regular sized waffles over medium heat. The pancakes should not need more than 4-5 minutes on each side before done and the waffles take about 5 minutes each.
2) These taste great served with Sugar Free Syrup. Optional: add a thin layer of cream cheese, almond butter, peanut butter, or whip cream +/- raspberries/blackberries.
Bulk Low Carb Pancakes:
Makes about 80 pancakes and 2-3 of them are a good sized meal
Dry Ingredients
12.5 Cups almond flour
3 Cups Lakanto golden (brown sugar substitute)
1 tsp concentrated stevia powder
3 Tbsp Baking soda
1 Tbsp Xanthan gum
(*Mix these by hand in a large stock pot before adding the wet blended ingredients below)
Wet Mixed Ingredients
36 eggs
7 Tbsp Lemon juice
3 Tbsp vanilla concentrate
+/- 2 Tbsp of any other liquid flavoring like caramel
(*Mix the above wet ingredients in a large mixer, then add to the large stock pot)
Wet Blended Ingredients
½ of a large tub of Cottage cheese (1.5 lbs)
2 cups Olive oil
2 cups coconut milk
(*Blend these 3 things until smooth, then add to the large stock pot)
Directions:
Mix the dry ingredients together first in a large 10-20 quart pot, then add the wet mixed ingredients and the wet blended ingredients on top and mix it all together with a hand-held electric mixer.
Spray a large electric griddle with cooking spray and heat it to just under 350 degrees
Make 8 pancakes at a time on the griddle with ¼ cup of batter each, cooking for 4+ minutes for each side of the pancake. Respray the griddle after each set of 8 pancakes is made.
Lunch/Dinner:
Tuna-cakes (like crab cakes but with tuna) with a side of fried and seasoned vegetables
Total in 2 tuna cakes: 529 calories, 2g net carbs, 32g protein, 45g fat
1)Mix together in a bowl: 1 can drained tuna with 1 large egg, 2 Tbsp oil or butter, 1 Tbsp of low carb mayo; optional to help it stick together - add 1 Tsp xanthan gum and/or 1 Tbsp almond or coconut flour.
2)Add spices/seasoning: 1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/2 Tbsp of both dill weed and parsley
3)Form into 2 patties, cook in well buttered frying pan on Medium for about 4-5 minutes per side. If making several of these tuna cakes a well oiled griddle works well.
Ground beef and Cauliflower "street" rice:
Makes 3 cups, 1 cup = 1 serving - to save time make extra for leftovers
Total in 1 cup: 603 calories, 5g net carbs, 48g protein, 43g fat
1) In a buttered/oiled pan, Fry 1 lb ground beef if using 1/2 cauliflower for 3 total cups. Fry 2 lbs ground beef if using 1 whole cauliflower for total of about 6 cups. Once cooked, combine with the cauliflower from step 2.
2) Rinse, chop into chunks, then blend 1/2 to 1 cauliflower until it appears like small rice. Or purchase frozen riced cauliflower and thaw it before use.
3) Butter 1-2 large cooking sheets and spread in the riced cauliflower, place in the oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes, mixing it after 15 minutes of baking; alternatively you can fry the riced cauliflower in a large buttered pan on the stovetop for about 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring every few minites or more. until golden brown for about 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
4) Once it is baked or fried, then put the cooked cauliflower in a large mixing bowl and combine and mix together with 2 eggs, seasoning (2 Tbsp of fajita seasoning works well), 2 tsp lime juice, 1 cup grated/shredded parmesan or cheddar cheese, 4 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, and the fully-cooked beef. Transfer the mixture back to the large frying pan or oven for 5-10 more minutes.
Fried Fish with a side of Fried and Seasoned Vegetables
Makes 2 meals. Macros in 1 meal (using green beans): 525 calories, 5g net carbs, 61g protein, 28g fat
1) Heat 1 large pan with a lid with 2 Tbsp of butter, on medium (setting 5/10); after a minute or 2 and once heated, add about 1lb (16 ounces) of desired fish, drizzle on about 2 Tbsp of lemon juice or squeeze about half of a lemon onto the fish, then sprinkle Lemon pepper or Clásico Seasoning on top. Let cook for about 8-10 minutes, to internal temperature of 145+. Sprinkle shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese on top if desired.
2) In a smaller pan with a lid, heat 1 Tbsp of butter on medium heat, once warm add 2 cups of fresh or thawed grean beans or other vegetable such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc. After a few minutes frying add if desired 2-3 diced green onions. Let the veggies fry until soft, stirring the pan every few minutes for a total of about 7-10 minutes, or until desired tenderness. For extra nutrients, consider adding up to 1-2 cups of dark leafy greens such as spinach near the end and cook that for up to a few minutes until it is shrunk down and tender. Season the veggies with salt/pepper, etc.
Cheesy Chicken Chili Skillet
Makes 2 servings total. Macros in 1 serving: 634 calories, 4g net carbs, 61g protein, 42g fat
1) Melt 1 Tbsp butter or ghee in a large pan on medium heat, once heated, add 1 lb chopped chicken breast and stir every minute or so. Continue by adding 1/2 cup of drained mild diced tomatoes (without added sugar) and green chiles, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, and 1/2 cup cheddar or Mexican cheese blend.
2) Cook for about 5-7 minutes total (ok to be extra sure by checking internal temperature of chicken which should be 165+). If desired, add fajita or other seasoning such as salt, pepper, onion powder, cumin, paprika, etc.
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Makes 4 slices total. Macros in 2 slices: 265 calories, 6g net carbs, 24g protein, 15g fat
1) Preheat the oven to 400. Spread 2 cups of cauliflower rice on a buttered baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, mixing the rice once after about 10 minutes. Let the cauliflower cool for a few minutes.
2) Combine the cauliflower in a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients: 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 medium sized eggs, 1/8th tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, optional: 1 Tsp xanthan gum. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to spread the cauliflower mixture on a non-stick sheet tray in a thin circle. The crust should be about 8-10 inches wide. Bake the crust for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. The edges should turn brown but not burn. The center should be cooked through.
3) Add thin layers of tomato sauce, then mozzarella cheese, then desired toppings such as pepperoni, olives, diced onions, etc, and then put it back into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Cut into 4 slices for serving.
Avocado Pesto Konjac Noodles
Makes 2 servings total. Macros in 1 serving: 541 calories, 9g net carbs, 25g protein, 44g fat
Avocado Noodles:
1) In a food processor or blender, mix well together: 1 whole (peeled and cored) Hass Avocado, 30 cashews, 2 Tbsp melted butter, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, and 3/4 tsp salt.
2) Shirataki noodles (aka Konjac noodles) are the BEST low carb substitute for pasta because they are basically 97% water and 3% fiber. The downside is they smell horrible until cooked correctly. For best results: bring 1 quart of water to a boil and while it is heating, rinse and strain the noodles in a colander a few times, then add the noodles to the boiling water for a few minutes. Repeat that process at least once more. Rinse and strain well one last time. Then, heat up a pan on medium heat, add the noodles, and fry them for a few minutes by themselves to let some water evaporate out.
3) Add a small amount of butter or oil to the pan with the noodles, stir, then add the avocado mixture to the noodles and fry that all together for a few minutes.
What About Vitamins/Supplements?
While eating low carb, due to consuming less fruits overall it could be recommended to take once a day with a meal: a multivitamin, 1,000-2,000 IU of Vitamin D (mainly in the winter months), +/- 500-1000mg vitamin C. Also, except for most vegetables, because foods higher in fiber such as fruits and grains also often contain many carbs, consider a daily fiber supplement such as Metamucil capsules to ensure regular bowel movements and prevent constipation.
Helpful seasonings to have on hand:
Lemon pepper or Clásico Seasoning for fish, Lawry's or other seasoning salt, steak seasoning, low carb barbecue seasoning, fajita seasoning, etc.
Fajita Seasoning Recipe: You can make extra to store it for quick future use. Makes about 2 cups: 1 tsp xanthan gum (if you have it), 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/4 cup chili powder, 1.5 Tbsp salt, 1.5 Tbsp paprika, 1.5 Tbsp Lakanto or other sugar substitute, 1 Tbsp onion powder, 1 Tbsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp cumin, 1/2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
Some Additional Ideas For Low Carb Meals and Snacks:
*note that most of these recipes can be found in the Carb Manager App (CM) or the Keto Recipes App (KR) -- another helpful app I've found is called Lazy Keto
Breakfast:
Eggs in bacon cups (KR), Broccoli & cheddar egg muffins (KR)
Breakfast Lasagne (CM)
Easy Keto Pancakes (CM), Easy pancakes (KR), Chocolate Breakfast Porridge (CM)
Egg and Avocado breakfast (CM), Eggs benedict (KR)
Nutty Breakfast bars (CM), 2-ingredient muffins (KR)
Lunch/Dinner:
Asian Beef With Lettuce Wraps (CM) and Chicken lettuce wraps (KR)
Bacon or other meat of choice with Cauliflower Rice
Beef and butternut squash chili (CM), Chicken Zoodle soup (KR)
Canned Salmon plate (CM), Tuna cakes (like crab cakes but with tuna instead) (CM)
Keto Barbecue beef brisket (CM), Keto Steak Fajita Skillet (CM)
Margherita pizza with almond flour crust (KR), Pepperoni pizza (KR), Mini skillet Margarita Pizza (CM)
Keto Alfredo Chicken bake (CM), Keto chicken and cauliflower cheese bake (CM)
Keto BLT wrap with mayo (CM), Egg mayo sandwich (KR)
Sauerkraut with green beans and bacon (CM), Southwest chicken avocado salad (CM)
Baked cauliflower, cheese, & onion croquettes (KR), Cheesy cauliflower rice casserole (KR)
Cheesy meatloaf (KR)
Bread and pasta substitutes:
*note that zucchini and Konjac noodles make for the best noodle substitutes
Keto quick bread (CM), 90 second keto bread with olive oil (KR)
Crispy Cauliflower Parmesan pizza crust (CM)
Almond flour dough (KR), Fluffy almond flour bread (KR)
Nuts & seeds crispbread (KR)
Healthy Snacks:
Avocado cucumber salad (CM)
Dip veggies into: Beets hummus (KR), cauliflower hummus (KR), Artichoke dip (KR), Bechamel cheese sauce (KR)
chicken jalapeno poppers (KR)
Mayo + mustard stuffed eggs (KR)
Hard boiled eggs (2 eggs have 155 calories, 1 gram net carbs, 13 grams protein)
Cottage cheese ( ¾ cup has 165 calories and 8 grams net carbs, 18 grams protein)
Nuts --- all are low in carbs
5 brazil nuts have 156 calories, 1 gram net carbs, 3 grams protein
23 cashews have about 160 calories, 9 grams net carbs, 5 grams protein
Champs brand makes Beef, Venison, Turkey sticks, etc --- any jerky without added sugar is good
Sweet treats:
Chocolate pudding (CM), Keto chocolate mug cake (CM)
keto chocolate chip mug cookie (CM) (I use Choc Zero brand sugar free chocolate chips)
Keto one-bowl mini fudgy brownies (CM)
cinnamon donut holes (KR), Almond flour maple cupcakes (KR)
Lemon strawberry cake (KR), mini strawberry shortcake cups (KR)
Cool Whip with Raspberries and blackberries (the 2 lowest carb fruits for Keto)
Rebel ice cream has about half the total calories and only up to 8 grams of net carbs in 1 whole pint (16 oz) versus other brands like Ben and Jerry's. Enlightened Keto ice cream is also low carb and low calorie overall.
Choc Zero brand and Lakanto brand syrups are both great for pancakes
Lakanto brand sugar substitute is a 1:1 sugar substitute, so it can be substituted into any recipe that calls for regular sugar. It costs about $20 for 3 lbs online
There are all kinds of packaged low carb snacks and treats, but there are 2 potential problems with them:
1) They are all highly processed, meaning they contain many chemical additives which are found in laboratories and so are unwise to put in our bodies - these chemicals can wreck our health by causing toxicity, inflammation, and damage. I do eat these types of snacks, but I also try to limit them to avoid being caused harm.
2) Some brands can be highly misleading in terms of how much carbohydrates are in them. They will often advertise as "only 1 gram of sugar" but what they mean is that there is only 1 gram of added sugar while they still may contain up to a total of 15+ net carbs in one serving. The main thing to be aware of is that it is the total net carbs that I need to know to make sure the snack will fit into my daily goal of 20-50 total net carbs.
Example of How to Calculate Net Carbs
Net carbs (in grams) = total carbohydrates (in grams) minus fiber (in grams) minus sugar alcohols (in grams).
For example: Quest® Peanut Butter Cups: 1 serving size = 2 of the cups, total calories per serving = 190 (I usually aim for about 200 calories in a snack), total carbohydrates = 13g, total fiber = 4g, and there are 8g of Erythritol (which is the most commonly used sugar alcohol)
So the Net carbs in 1 serving of Quest® Peanut Butter Cups = 13g-4g-8g=1g and since Quest appears to have honest advertising (unlike some other brands I have seen) they even listed on the front of the package that there is a total of 1g of net carbs per serving
So Do I Have To Eat This Way Forever?
Once a person's body is used to eating this way and they have met their goals for weight loss, reduced inflammation, improved overall body function, etc, then a person may want to transition to more of a cyclical low carb eating plan. Going completely back to the old way of eating with up to 70% of foods eaten as carbs could cause a person to gain back their weight and inflammation.
A cyclical approach might look like: 5 days of the week spent eating low carb foods (and running in ketosis), then 2 days may be spent eating a little bit higher overall carbs, allowing for more fresh fruits, potatoes, etc. On days eating higher carbs I recommend to still keep below 100g of net carbs in a day, and at the same time do not go too high in total daily calories consumed. This 5 days of eating lower carb and then 2 days eating higher carb cycle would be repeated weekly to maintain the great benefits of an overall low carb/keto lifestyle in the long run, and yet still be able to enjoy a bit more higher carbohydrate foods from time to time.
My Low Carb Eating Approach to having no doubts you are doing it correctly:
Use Carb Manager or a similar free keto app to track mainly 2 things:
Total daily calories and total daily net carbs consumed. If both of those things are tracked correctly, then the diet will inevitably be successful in terms of weight loss and overall improved body function.
We cannot lose weight if we take in more calorie energy than we use in a day
As a general guide to lose weight: For males total daily calories should be around 1500 to 1800 at most and for females around 1200-1500 at most. If not wanting to lose weight then as a male I would keep my calories at the higher end closer to 1800 calories.
To go all the way possible with running on fat for energy and get the full benefits of the ketogenic diet it is essential to keep total net carbs between 20 to 50 grams per day. But keep in mind, this strict level of low carbohydrate intake is not entirely necessary and a person can still benefit from eating keto based foods.
However, getting the body to run mainly on fat for energy (also known as the body being in ketosis) can lead to:
*weight loss of up to a pound a day
*clearer skin, easier focus, clearer memory/thoughts
*less inflammation and pain, and improved flexibility
*Little to no shakiness or hunger pangs when needing to eat
*There is even evidence that it can help stop seizures
Some may set an easier to reach goal of 100g-200g of net carbs per day mainly to avoid inflammation. As long as not consuming too many total daily calories, this approach seems reasonable.
Net carbs (in grams) = total carbohydrates (in grams or "g") minus fiber (g) minus sugar alcohols (g). See the end of this document for an example of how to calculate the net carbs in a Quest brand snack.
Use a good keto cookbook and/or Carb Manager or a similar free keto app (such as Keto Recipes - which has a picture of a pepper for the icon) to find meals and even create meal plans. All kinds of keto friendly recipes can be found, saved, and even customized to better suit my needs.
It is very important to spend some time looking up how much net carbs are in everything that is going to be eaten at meals and for snacks, that way we can avoid eating too many carbs without realizing it and stay within the goal of 20-50 total grams of net carbs per day.
For example: Fruits especially and even some vegetables like mushrooms are higher in net carbs than I would have guessed. Most fruits are too high in carbs to eat during a keto diet, but berries have the lowest net carbs of all the fruits, which makes them the best keto fruits.
After a few weeks of looking up everything that I was going to eat to avoid high amounts of carbs and keep my total daily calories under 1800, I eventually stopped needing to look up foods so often as much of that information I was able to recall, and so I was able to make keto-friendly meals from memory. Between 2-4 weeks into the diet change is when this all got much easier.
I started my keto diet change using a Ketone breath meter to make sure that my wife and I were getting into ketosis from the start. I paid 40$ for one online and although I hardly use it now, it was well worth the money. Within a few days of eating ketogenic foods we were blowing out ketones which reassured us that we were running mainly on fat for fuel and helped us know that we were doing the diet correctly.