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food troubles
leahk80
Posts: 114 Member
I'm new to the Keto way of eating and having trouble coming up with things to eat every meal. I don't/can't really cook, i'm trying but i'm very limited in what I can do. any ideas? I need breakfast, lunch/dinner(things i can take to work) and snacks. I've tried garlic parmesan chicken wings(burnt, lol) salmon burgers, cauliflower rice etc. Could anyone help? Thank you so much!
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Replies
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My wife does all the cooking but here is a typical day for me.
Breakfast: 2 eggs w/ heavy whipping cream, bacon, sausage, cheese and MCT oil in coffee.
Lunch: Some lettuce with cheese pumpkin seeds, cheery tomatoes diced avocados, sliced mushrooms and dressing. Maybe whatever leftover protein is available.
Dinner: A piece of protein and a veggie like cauliflower or asparagus.1 -
I'm happy to help with simple recipes, and cooking instruction, if you like.
Some easy things to start off with:- Eggs -eat them alone (hard boiled, scrambled, fried), in a salad, or make egg salad.
- Cobb salads -typically a bed of greens, with diced tomatoes, chicken, bacon, eggs, avocado, and cheese
- Steamed veggies with butter -put a cup of veggies in a microwave safe dish, and pour in about a half inch of water. Cover with a damp paper towel, and plastic wrap. Zap for 2-3 minutes
- Chicken thighs -line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease. Toss thawed chicken thighs in a little oil, and then sprinkle with seasonings (lemon pepper, Montreal Chicken, or just plain salt & pepper, etc...but if you don't usually cook, stick to the spice blends on the shelf until you are more comfortable). Preheat the oven to 400F and pop the thighs in for 30-40 minutes or until skin is crispy and the juices run clear. (You can also use a thermometer and its done when it hits 155F)
WHat kinds of foods did you like to eat before keto? Maybe we can help you make those things more keto friendly?
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teresamwhite wrote: »I'm happy to help with simple recipes, and cooking instruction, if you like.
Some easy things to start off with:- Eggs -eat them alone (hard boiled, scrambled, fried), in a salad, or make egg salad.
- Cobb salads -typically a bed of greens, with diced tomatoes, chicken, bacon, eggs, avocado, and cheese
- Steamed veggies with butter -put a cup of veggies in a microwave safe dish, and pour in about a half inch of water. Cover with a damp paper towel, and plastic wrap. Zap for 2-3 minutes
- Chicken thighs -line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease. Toss thawed chicken thighs in a little oil, and then sprinkle with seasonings (lemon pepper, Montreal Chicken, or just plain salt & pepper, etc...but if you don't usually cook, stick to the spice blends on the shelf until you are more comfortable). Preheat the oven to 400F and pop the thighs in for 30-40 minutes or until skin is crispy and the juices run clear. (You can also use a thermometer and its done when it hits 155F)
WHat kinds of foods did you like to eat before keto? Maybe we can help you make those things more keto friendly?
Hi! Thanks for the ideas! I ate mostly frozen pizzas, chicken tenders and fries and lots of wraps from Subway.0 -
My wife does all the cooking but here is a typical day for me.
Breakfast: 2 eggs w/ heavy whipping cream, bacon, sausage, cheese and MCT oil in coffee.
Lunch: Some lettuce with cheese pumpkin seeds, cheery tomatoes diced avocados, sliced mushrooms and dressing. Maybe whatever leftover protein is available.
Dinner: A piece of protein and a veggie like cauliflower or asparagus.
Nice! Thank you so much for responding
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I can work with that...!
There are a number of keto friendly pizza crusts out there...find one you like and keep several on hand. I typically use pesto instead of pizza sauce, then top it with whatever I have on hand; veggies, leftover meats, pepperoni, etc. Add enough cheese to cover everything up, and give it a sprinkle of oregano or Italian seasoning, and bake according to the directions on the box. (Mine is 400F for 15-18 minutes.)
Be careful, though, because some of those prepared keto crusts are 18-22 net carbs per serving, and a serving is 1/4 -1/3 of a pizza, not including the toppings.
Chicken tenders! Buy a package of chicken tenders (Or buy thighs, and cut into "nuggets"). For every pound of chicken prepare:
**1 bowl with 1 beaten egg, plus 2T mayo
**1 bowl with 1 cup of crushed pork rinds, 1tsp garlic powder, 1tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2tsp pepper, pinch cayenne, 1/2tsp dry mustard
Put the chicken into into the first bowl and swish it around until all the pieces are coated. Pick up the chicken one at a time and press/roll in the crumbs until coated. Places breaded chicken on the lined sheet tray until you are done breading all the pieces.
At this stage, you can pop them in the freezer until they are frozen solid and then you can bake them at 400F for 25-30 minutes later. OR you can bake them at this point at 400F for 10-15 minutes or until they read 155F on a thermometer. (Or fry 'em at 350 until gold and crispy and center is 155F)
Fries...zucchini fries! Cut zucchini into strips and bread them like the chicken above, and bake or fry until crispy and golden. Season with garlic salt. I have also seen people do this with broccoli stems, and cauliflower cores, but I haven't tried it. I think Green Giant makes a broccoli tot, and a cauliflower tot, too.)
Wraps...Take everything you love to put into a wrap, and tell the Subway sandwich artist to put it in a bowl and make a salad out of it!
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Teresamwhite: Thank you so much!!1
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I thought of a few other "no fuss, no muss" kind of things for you to try, too.
Sheet pan dinners are really simple and don't require a lot of prep work. Preheat the oven to 350F. I line a baking sheet with foil and grease it lightly. Season* a piece of meat; chicken thigh, chop, burger patty etc; and put it on the tray. Rinse your veggies, and chop them into 2-bite pieces. Toss them in a little oil, and season**, then spread them on half the tray. Push them together so they are all touching...the veggies are going to cook faster than the meat. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the meat is done***.
*Seasoning meat -salt and pepper is always a pretty safe choice. I recommend spice blends to my friends who hate cooking, because they are pretty easy to deal with, and are less expensive than investing in a spice cabinet they will never use. Some good ones to have on hand: Montreal Steak Seasoning, Montreal Chicken Seasoning, BBQ powder, Lemon Pepper, Asian Seasoning, Garlic Herb Seasoning...Of course, if you are sensitive to salt, you may need to find low-sodium versions of the spice blends.
**Seasoning Veggies -again salt and pepper, plus a fat of some sort, are a pretty good basic choice. I recommend keeping veggies pretty simple just like that, and maybe one additional flavor, like garlic, onion, or red pepper. You can also use any of the above spice blends for veggies, too.
***Until meat is done: invest in a kitchen thermometer -you can get them at the dollar store, but I recommend a digital one...my local Target has them for about $15. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat:- Ground meat of any kind -165F
- Whole muscle meats, like roast, steaks, and chops -145F is the minimum, but I wouldn't cook it higher than 155F, or it will get tough and dry.
- Chicken -165F (you can cook it to 155F, but let it rest, with foil tucked around it for at least 10 minutes, and it will rise in temp and finish cooking, without drying it out -especially chicken breast)
- Fish -145F
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teresamwhite wrote: »I thought of a few other "no fuss, no muss" kind of things for you to try, too.
Sheet pan dinners are really simple and don't require a lot of prep work. Preheat the oven to 350F. I line a baking sheet with foil and grease it lightly. Season* a piece of meat; chicken thigh, chop, burger patty etc; and put it on the tray. Rinse your veggies, and chop them into 2-bite pieces. Toss them in a little oil, and season**, then spread them on half the tray. Push them together so they are all touching...the veggies are going to cook faster than the meat. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the meat is done***.
*Seasoning meat -salt and pepper is always a pretty safe choice. I recommend spice blends to my friends who hate cooking, because they are pretty easy to deal with, and are less expensive than investing in a spice cabinet they will never use. Some good ones to have on hand: Montreal Steak Seasoning, Montreal Chicken Seasoning, BBQ powder, Lemon Pepper, Asian Seasoning, Garlic Herb Seasoning...Of course, if you are sensitive to salt, you may need to find low-sodium versions of the spice blends.
**Seasoning Veggies -again salt and pepper, plus a fat of some sort, are a pretty good basic choice. I recommend keeping veggies pretty simple just like that, and maybe one additional flavor, like garlic, onion, or red pepper. You can also use any of the above spice blends for veggies, too.
***Until meat is done: invest in a kitchen thermometer -you can get them at the dollar store, but I recommend a digital one...my local Target has them for about $15. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat:- Ground meat of any kind -165F
- Whole muscle meats, like roast, steaks, and chops -145F is the minimum, but I wouldn't cook it higher than 155F, or it will get tough and dry.
- Chicken -165F (you can cook it to 155F, but let it rest, with foil tucked around it for at least 10 minutes, and it will rise in temp and finish cooking, without drying it out -especially chicken breast)
- Fish -145F
I have also found that chicken is so much better when I take it of the grill at 155 and cover with foil for ten minutes. So much better!0 -
A couple of my favorites:
Breakfast: Turkey sausage patties with cheese melted on top
I take 2 Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage patties, wrapped in a paper towel, and microwave for 45 seconds. While that is heating up, I slice 2 half ounce slices off a block of cheddar cheese. (I measure with a food scale, although I'm sure you could buy it already sliced.) Place the cheese on top of the sausage patties. Cover with plastic microwave plate cover and microwave 10 to 15 seconds more until cheese is melted. This is 2 carbs and under 225 calories.
Lunch: Turkey, Bacon, & Avocado Lettuce Wrap
1 slice bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/4 of an avocado, sliced
2 oz slice of provolone cheese
2 slices deli turkey
1/2 TBLS mayonnaise
outside leaf (or two) of iceberg lettuce
1. Carefully remove the outside leaves of a head of iceberg lettuce. May need to use 2 or 3 leaves to ensure coverage.
2. Spread mayo on inside of lettuce
3. Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon
4. Next place the avocado & cheese slices
5. Top with the turkey slices
6. Wrap like a burrito
5 carbs, 223 calories
Snack: Deli meat wrapped around a Sargento cheese stick
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teresamwhite wrote: »I thought of a few other "no fuss, no muss" kind of things for you to try, too.
Sheet pan dinners are really simple and don't require a lot of prep work. Preheat the oven to 350F. I line a baking sheet with foil and grease it lightly. Season* a piece of meat; chicken thigh, chop, burger patty etc; and put it on the tray. Rinse your veggies, and chop them into 2-bite pieces. Toss them in a little oil, and season**, then spread them on half the tray. Push them together so they are all touching...the veggies are going to cook faster than the meat. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the meat is done***.
*Seasoning meat -salt and pepper is always a pretty safe choice. I recommend spice blends to my friends who hate cooking, because they are pretty easy to deal with, and are less expensive than investing in a spice cabinet they will never use. Some good ones to have on hand: Montreal Steak Seasoning, Montreal Chicken Seasoning, BBQ powder, Lemon Pepper, Asian Seasoning, Garlic Herb Seasoning...Of course, if you are sensitive to salt, you may need to find low-sodium versions of the spice blends.
**Seasoning Veggies -again salt and pepper, plus a fat of some sort, are a pretty good basic choice. I recommend keeping veggies pretty simple just like that, and maybe one additional flavor, like garlic, onion, or red pepper. You can also use any of the above spice blends for veggies, too.
***Until meat is done: invest in a kitchen thermometer -you can get them at the dollar store, but I recommend a digital one...my local Target has them for about $15. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat:- Ground meat of any kind -165F
- Whole muscle meats, like roast, steaks, and chops -145F is the minimum, but I wouldn't cook it higher than 155F, or it will get tough and dry.
- Chicken -165F (you can cook it to 155F, but let it rest, with foil tucked around it for at least 10 minutes, and it will rise in temp and finish cooking, without drying it out -especially chicken breast)
- Fish -145F
Awesome, thanks so much for this!!!0 -
ClaudiaDawn2 wrote: »A couple of my favorites:
Breakfast: Turkey sausage patties with cheese melted on top
I take 2 Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage patties, wrapped in a paper towel, and microwave for 45 seconds. While that is heating up, I slice 2 half ounce slices off a block of cheddar cheese. (I measure with a food scale, although I'm sure you could buy it already sliced.) Place the cheese on top of the sausage patties. Cover with plastic microwave plate cover and microwave 10 to 15 seconds more until cheese is melted. This is 2 carbs and under 225 calories.
Lunch: Turkey, Bacon, & Avocado Lettuce Wrap
1 slice bacon, cooked & crumbled
1/4 of an avocado, sliced
2 oz slice of provolone cheese
2 slices deli turkey
1/2 TBLS mayonnaise
outside leaf (or two) of iceberg lettuce
1. Carefully remove the outside leaves of a head of iceberg lettuce. May need to use 2 or 3 leaves to ensure coverage.
2. Spread mayo on inside of lettuce
3. Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon
4. Next place the avocado & cheese slices
5. Top with the turkey slices
6. Wrap like a burrito
5 carbs, 223 calories
Snack: Deli meat wrapped around a Sargento cheese stick
Thank you Claudia!0
This discussion has been closed.