"Special Foods" for keto/LCHF
veronicaadavis7
Posts: 26
So in pouring over recipes on the internet for days, I keep seeing almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, flaxseed and chia seeds and meals. How important are these things in your daily eating? I live in a very rural area, so if I want these things, the easiest and least expensive way for me to get them is to order online and wait for it.
I think I can do without the faux treats, so I haven't really committed to getting the flours (boy those are EX$PENSIVE!!!!), but I did go ahead and order a 16oz jar of unrefined Coconut oil to try out the Bullet-proof coffee and a recipe for dark chocolate bark that uses all Keto-friendly ingredients for my intense love of dark chocolate.
Should I invest in the flours and seed meals or is it something I can do without? I do love to bake, but I don't plan on incorporating any treats or "gray area" foods at least the first few weeks to make sure I get into ketosis and can stay there.
I think I can do without the faux treats, so I haven't really committed to getting the flours (boy those are EX$PENSIVE!!!!), but I did go ahead and order a 16oz jar of unrefined Coconut oil to try out the Bullet-proof coffee and a recipe for dark chocolate bark that uses all Keto-friendly ingredients for my intense love of dark chocolate.
Should I invest in the flours and seed meals or is it something I can do without? I do love to bake, but I don't plan on incorporating any treats or "gray area" foods at least the first few weeks to make sure I get into ketosis and can stay there.
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I don't think one needs to invest in flours and specialty foods to be successful on a LCHF diet. You have to make it work for you! I personally don't use almond flour or nut based baking flours because I'm allergic. Also, baked goods, even the stuff with low carb substitutions are not without carbs and can potentially cause stalls anyway.0
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That was my thinking as well, I know I have always done better when I eat very simply. A meat or other protein source, veggies and adequate fats and just avoid carbs, period. "Carb Creep" is an evil thing.0
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Keep it simple, and don't buy into the hype of recreating breads and pastas and cakes and muffins. Going keto doesn't have to be expensive or based on bizarre ingredients. If you target having meat, vegetable and maybe a sauce for dinner, then you will be very satisfied with your meal. Also, buy frozen vegetables (cheaper than fresh, as nutrition is locked in during freezing process), and fry those veg in butter.
Here are basic examples:
Breakfast:
eggs and bacon
,sausage and spinach stir fry
zucchini omelet
smoked salmon with scrambled eggs
Lunch:
boiled eggs with bacon spinach salad
Roll ups made with lettuce, luncheon meats with cheese slices
Tuna salad and cole slaw
Devilled eggs and tomato with cucumber salad
Dinner:
Steak fried in butter and vegetables fried in butter , with hollandaise sauce
Fish fillets with cole slaw and tartar sauce
Roasted Chicken thigh with skin on, cauliflower faux mashed potatoes and asparagus fried in butter
Grainy mustard crusted lamb chops, Swiss chard sautéed in olive oil, mint and basil pesto and slices of avocado
Pan fried pork chops, Brussels sprouts fried in butter, roasted cauliflower with melted Swiss cheese
You see? No coconut flour. No almond flour. No fancy gimmicks to buy. Just plain food. Take a look at what's on sale at the grocery store, and adjust your meals accordingly, or take advantage on what is on sale to throw in the freezer.
If I were you, I'd learn how to do the basic "just meat and veg" dinners first, get your cooking skills elevated, and then slowly incorporate some of the fancy recipes with expensive ingredients that you are not familiar with.0 -
I'm with the other posters, for me, making "fat bombs",etc. just is too much of a slippery slope for now, as getting away from anything sweet is the key for me and has stopped my constant eating and feeling hungry all the time (first time in years, or maybe ever). If anyone has any ideas on what to do with frozen cranberries, please let me know. I was making a very low-sugar whole berry sauce with them but that is definitely out. Thank You.0
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I do make fat bombs and I was a little worried at first that it would cause me to crave sweets. That has not happened. However, I am not worried about breads or bread like things. I am finding all sorts of different ways of doing things that are quite imaginative. Plus I am so early on with the way of eating that I don't want to something that jeopardizes what I am doing.0
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It's a personal preference. I was very strict my first 6 months or so. My last year though I've loosened up a bit. I recognize that this is a lifestyle for me, and sometimes, having those items make it more liveable. It's really what works for you.0
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I dont bake and even if I did i have major issues with portion control. I dont want a whole batch of muffins in my house-keto or not.
I do make the fat bombs but I get the ingredients from WalMart...they have an organic coconut oil at mine-14 oz,. Add a stick of butter, some peanut butter, some Hershey's Dark cocoa, and maybe some extract flavor, mix, portion and freeze. Easy peasey.
Most everything else is pretty simple-fat, protein, veggie with fat. Done.0 -
No special foods for me either. I've been eating this way for over a year now and in the beginning a I made a few of the low carb things but honestly, I don't think they're worth the effort. My carbs are a little higher than others but I'm still in ketosis more often than not.
I can't accept friend requests but my diary is open if you want to see what I eat -- it's all normal, everyday meat, dairy, veg and fruit.0 -
I don't do any of the baking either. I try to keep it simple with meats, veggies, coconut oil and WATER. We had bratwursts last night for supper. I took a raw cabbage leaf and put mustard on it and wrapped it around my bratwurst. It was SO GOOD, no bun needed anymore!
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At first you won't need them but after awhile they definitely add variety. You know what they say about variety...
Anyway, I use all those ingredients on a daily basis in smoothies and paleo pancakes, buns, etc.
One thing to remember, a bag of those seeds and flours can last a long time! So once you have them you're good for at least a couple months depending on how much you use them.
Hope this helps.0 -
Pork rinds are a tasty treat. Sounds gross - but I got bags of the hot n spicy version - love 'em! Decent fats, 0 carbs!0
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I add dry ranch seasoning to my pork rinds Yum just a little,,.. By the plain ones0
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Coconut oil is something that my household goes through a ton of. My partner picks up big tubs at Costco, but you can probably watch for sales online.
I do make Fat-Bombs, and they are helpful on days when I'm coming up short on my fat %. They don't have to be sweet...
My favorite bomb consists of
3/4c coconut oil,
3/4c peanut butter (I use O Organics from Safeway, only 3g net carb per serving and not super pricey),
~30 drops liquid Stevia,
4Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder,
1 stick butter.
You can drastically reduce or eliminate the Stevia, leave out the cocoa powder if you don't want the chocolate, and you'll have tasty peanut butter bombs! I like a spoonful of peanut butter as a snack, this would make it more helpful for increasing fat intake!
Out of the other specialty items, the only other one I would be a bit sad to go without is the almond flour. It's not necessary, but if I do make a keto-friendly pie (cheesecake!), it makes a great crust.
I've also found that since going on keto, I want my sweet things to be less-sweet. Amounts of sweetener that I used to put in things are now too overpowering for my tastes.0
