Can we talk recipes?

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DJill68
DJill68 Posts: 63 Member
Some of these keto apps and programs have the strangest meal plan recipes. Tofu, tuna scrambled eggs (gross), smoked salmon (expensive)… my brain just went blank, but I’ve seen some recipes calling for things I’ve never heard of and things I will never waste my money on. Where do you find decent recipes with normal ingredients?

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  • KathySmiley1
    KathySmiley1 Posts: 3 Member
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    I bought "The Keto Diet" complete guide to a high-fat diet book by Leanne Vogel. It has 125 recipes and meal plans. I figure out what to make for the day or part of the week, make my shopping list and book it into MyFitnessPal before the day starts. That way I know what wiggle room I have to stay on my 70/15/15 macro. I've been doing Keto for just 8 weeks and have lost 15 lbs. I'm not a big person, so that's actually alot! Just 8 lbs to go to hit my goal! There is a really yummy recipe for "Oatmeal" (not) Grain Free Hemp Seed Porridge with 2.7 net carbs you can make and store in jars in your pantry for an easy breakfast or lunch. I swear, you eat a bowl of this stuff and you're seriously not hungry until dinner. Also Flaxseed Cinnamon Bun Muffins, which are delicious with only 2.3 net carbs, so you can even eat 2! I've tried the Cauliflower rice recipe, easy and fast with 3.5net carbs. It has infused oil recipes, dressings, main dishes, etc. She also does a good job explaining the different approaches to Keto with meal plans, if you need that structure. Oh, and recipes for "fat bombs" snacks and other ideas. Sometimes before I go to bed I'll pour some almond milk over Chia Seeds and mix in some cinnamon and let it soak overnight in the frig for Chia Pudding the next day. We kind of just stick to simple dinners of fish, chicken or pork that are fast and easy to fix for dinners. I like to make tacos in lettuce shells once a week, as my family loves tacos. I buy Rao's or Trader Joe's pasta sauces for cheesy turkey meatballs and zucchini noodles, a little pricey but so good and has just 5 net carbs per 1/2 cup. Get the book, you'll love it!
  • wsusan162
    wsusan162 Posts: 58 Member
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    Tasteaholics has 4 cookbooks called breakfast in five, lunch in 5, dinner in 5, and dessert in 5. All recipes are 5 ingredients and under 5 net carbs. Super easy fast recipes
  • KetoGammie
    KetoGammie Posts: 20 Member
    edited August 2023
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    So agree. Cucumber boats. Lettuce wraps. Both incredibly weird and difficult to eat and messy! I just take it super simple and eat foods that don’t really need recipes. Hamburgers. Grilled chicken. Maybe a simple chicken salad with Mayo, celery and onion plus basic spices. I try not to do substitute foods (ie: egg pancakes or cheese waffles, cauliflower rice or almond bread). Those all taste weird and I find them incredibly unsatisfying. I just circumvent them entirely.
  • MacLowCarbing
    MacLowCarbing Posts: 350 Member
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    I'm kind of a 'throw together' cook with whatever is in the kitchen. I also don't like to buy a bunch of obscure ingredients that I rarely use.

    Sometimes I'll throw some meat (sausage, kielbasa, liver, etc.) in my instant pot with some onions & brown them in bacon grease, then throw in some beef broth & cabbage and cook it for a few minutes. Just scoop & eat... I like to top the dish with some sour cream or butter, and everything bagel seasoning is da bomb.

    Tomorrow I'm making taco bowls-- ground beef browned with onions & taco seasoning, a little water & a scoop of tomato paste. Just throw some in a bowl with cheese, chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, roasted red peppers from a jar, lettuce shreds, sugar-free salsa, & sour cream. I like some chipotle pork rinds on the side, or crumbled on top, to replace the taco shell crunch.

    Another easy favorite is any kind of steak pan-fried with ghee or bacon grease & butter. Put shredded lettuce & some chopped cucumbers and a few cherry tomatoes on a plate and throw the steak right on top, pouring over the pan juices. The steak juices make a nice "dressing" and the veggies are a nice cool, crisp element.

    A final favorite around here is steamed broccoli topped with a bit of butter & sprinkle of parmesan, and chicken breast cut into strips and sauteed in a pan with lemon-pepper seasoning and a squirt of lemon juice.

    I am also hooked now on nut butter bread from a youtuber I saw, it's just 1 cup any sugar-free nut butter, 6 eggs, and 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder. Then you can add flavorings if you like (extracts, spices, some artificial sweetener if desired) and mix well to make a batter, pour it in a greased or lined loaf pan and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Let cool totally before slicing. It's great for toast, sandwiches, grilled cheese, etc.

  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,122 Member
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    DJill68 wrote: »
    Some of these keto apps and programs have the strangest meal plan recipes. Tofu, tuna scrambled eggs (gross), smoked salmon (expensive)… my brain just went blank, but I’ve seen some recipes calling for things I’ve never heard of and things I will never waste my money on. Where do you find decent recipes with normal ingredients?

    I have purchased various ingredients that many keto recipes call for, but yes, if one was to purchase everything that all the keto videos and sites call for it would be rather expensive. My personal suggestions are focus on meats (beef, pork, chicken, fish, and the like). Find recipes you like, and cut out the carb-heavy items either by removing them completely or replacing them with lower carb alternatives.

    What you may consider as a weird example is radishes as replacements for potatoes in potato salad. Once they are boiled for 15 or so minutes the peppery taste goes away and their texture is very similar to potatoes and they work well in my opinion as an alternative in potato salad. Also, quartering them and frying them up in butter with some salt and pepper to taste, then add parm cheese and some Italian seasoning and you have a really taste low carb side dish.

    One of my favorite meals is cobb salads as they are very easy to make keto.

    I have taken many recipes that I previously made and have modified them to make them keto. The recipe builder here means trying different options to cut carbs is easy to do. Does it always succeed? No. It does usually come up with something edible, and from the sort of failures I can modify it in different ways to make it better.
  • MacLowCarbing
    MacLowCarbing Posts: 350 Member
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    DJill68 wrote: »

    What you may consider as a weird example is radishes as replacements for potatoes in potato salad. Once they are boiled for 15 or so minutes the peppery taste goes away and their texture is very similar to potatoes and they work well in my opinion as an alternative in potato salad. Also, quartering them and frying them up in butter with some salt and pepper to taste, then add parm cheese and some Italian seasoning and you have a really taste low carb side dish.


    Gotta try that, thanks! In the late fall and in the early springs I plant radishes as a cover crop and I am overrun with them for a while, way more than we could possibly eat. A lot get composted b/c not a lot of people want radishes even if I offer to give them away lol. They're not the most popular veggie I guess. If I can make a low-carb version of potato salad with them, that would be awesome.
  • hazlema
    hazlema Posts: 12 Member
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    Going to try this tomorrow:
    Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms with Meat, Peppers, Onions, and Cheese

    Ingredients:
    4 large portabella mushrooms, stems removed
    500g (about 1 pound) of your preferred ground meat (beef, pork, turkey, etc.)
    1 medium onion, finely chopped
    1 bell pepper, diced (choose your favorite color or a mix)
    2 cloves of garlic, minced
    1 cup tomato sauce (homemade or store-bought)
    1 cup shredded cheese (like mozzarella or cheddar)
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Olive oil
    Optional herbs: basil, oregano, thyme

    Instructions:
    Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C).

    Prepare Mushrooms: Gently clean the portabella mushrooms with a damp cloth. Scoop out the gills with a spoon and set aside.

    Cook Meat Filling:

    Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
    Sauté onions and garlic until translucent.
    Add the ground meat, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned.
    Stir in the bell peppers and cook for another few minutes.
    Pour in the tomato sauce and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and optional herbs.
    Stuff Mushrooms: Spoon the meat mixture into each mushroom cap, packing it in well.

    Add Cheese: Sprinkle the stuffed mushrooms with shredded cheese.

    Bake: Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese is bubbly and golden.

    Serve: Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. They can be served as a main dish or a hearty appetizer.

    Estimated nutrition:
    Per Serving (Divided by 4):
    Calories: ~489 calories
    Fat: ~30g
    Protein: ~33g
    Carbohydrates: ~10g
    Fiber: ~1.25g
    Sodium: Variable