Diet food has come to be synonymous with “tastes like cardboard.” So if you’re nervous about starting a keto meal plan because you think it will be bland or boring, then you’re going to like what we’re about to tell you. You don’t have to compromise on taste just because you’re eating healthy. In fact, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite flavor-packed recipes that just happen to also be our favorite keto meals. That’s right, you can loosen your grip on that bag of cookies and slowly walk away, because once you try these low-carb recipes, you may be fully converted to a life of low-carb living.
The Basics Of Keto Meals
The keto meal plan is designed to significantly reduce carbohydrate intake while increasing your healthy fat intake. The idea behind it is that when you take away your body’s easy energy source—carbs, you force it to find another form of fuel. What’s the next best fuel source? Fat. So keto meals are low carb and high fat in an effort to put your body into ketosis, or in other words, fat-burning mode. If you’re doing the 8-Day Jumpstart, the meal plan most closely resembles the keto diet, although there are a few differences. That’s why we provide specific 8-Day Jumpstart recipes that are tailored for the program.
If you choose to follow the keto diet plan post Jumpstart, you can convert most recipes to keto by replacing the carbs and increasing the fat content. We should note here that not all low-carb diet recipes are keto. You can read more about the difference between low carb and keto in our simple guide. For now, the important thing to know is that a keto diet has fewer carbs, less protein, and more healthy fats than a low-carb diet.
So to convert a recipe to keto, you’ll want to replace the carbs and up the fat content. For example, instead of using regular wheat flour, you would replace it with almond flour. Instead of whole grain rice, you could use cauliflower rice. You’ll also generally want to stay away from fruits, but you can sometimes substitute extracts and oils for flavor. You can also add in full-fat ingredients by subbing half-and-half or heavy cream for milk.
If you’re interested in learning more about getting started with a keto diet, we’ve rounded up some great advice for starting a keto diet here. Among other things, it stresses that carb-heavy, processed, and artificial foods are not approved. That includes the following:
- Foods with added sugar (including juice and sweetened yogurt)
- Honey
- Low fat/diet products
- Some condiments and sauces (Bbq sauce, ketchup, teriyaki sauce)
- Unhealthy fats (vegetable oils, mayonnaise)
- Alcohol
But even some whole or seemingly healthy foods aren’t on the keto-approved food list. These include:
- Grains and starches (rice, pasta, cereal, etc.)
- Fruit (there are some exceptions)
- Beans and legumes (peas, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc.)
- Root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes)
LEARN MORE: The Xyngular Guide To Weight Loss
Our Favorite Keto Recipes
And now it’s time for the good stuff. The moment you’ve been waiting for...may we present, the best low carb recipes...Our Favorite Keto Meals! We’ve rounded up the best beef recipes, best chicken recipes, best shrimp recipes, and more. We hope you enjoy these as much as we do, and be sure to check out the Xyngular blog for more keto-approved recipes.
Spaghetti Squash with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon:
Bacon makes everything better, and this recipe is no exception. This restaurant-quality dish is simple to prepare, and full of flavor.
Southwest Turkey Burgers:
Eating healthy doesn’t mean giving up burgers. We’ve subtracted the bun, but added in flavorful veggies and spices to give this a new spin.
Hot Chicken Wings:
These crispy hot wings are perfect for watching the big game, or a regular Tuesday night dinner. They’re oven-roasted instead of being fried, but we promise you won’t complain.
Shrimp Salad:
No boring salads are allowed on our watch. This tasty creation features shrimp, bacon, butter, lemon, and parmesan cheese. Need we say more?
Zucchini Noodles with Kale Pesto and Chicken Breast:
If pasta is your thing, you’ll love these zucchini noodles (aka zoodles). They’re a slightly crunchy, more flavorful noodle option, and they go perfectly in this chicken pesto dish.
6 Keto Desserts That’ll Make You Wish You Started Keto A Long Time Ago
Just because you’re trying to limit the amount of added sugar in your life, that doesn’t mean you have to cut out sweets and treats altogether. There are plenty of ways to satisfy your sweet tooth with keto-approved low-carb snacks that are also delicious. Here are some of our favorites:
No-Bake Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Chocolate Cookies: These chocolate no-bake cookies are reminiscent of the ones you loved as a kid. This healthy version has removed the grain and refined sugar but kept the flavor.
Cherry Lean Chocolate Cobbler Shake: If you want to drink your low-carb snacks, this sweet treat uses our Lean Chocolate protein shake, but takes it up a notch to create a tasty treat.
Chocolate Chip Cookies: This recipe uses some ingredients you probably don’t have on hand, but when you need a chocolate chip cookie, you NEEEEEED a chocolate chip cookie, so it might just be worth tracking them down.
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coconut Butter Keto Cups: After just ten minutes of hands-on time, and 20 minutes in the freezer, you can be enjoying these chocolate raspberry delights.
Healthy 1 Minute Low Carb Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake: You heard that right—this keto cake only takes a minute to cook in the microwave, and not much longer than that to throw together. You can have it as a low-carb snack, or a tasty treat after one of your favorite keto meals.
DISCOVER: Six Reasons You’re Struggling To Loss Weight
Empower Your Keto Recipes With A Keto Grocery List
The first rule of grocery shopping is to never go when you’re hungry. The second rule is to always go with a list and stick with it. Going to the grocery store with a list will help you from falling victim to cravings and impulse purchases. A grocery list is even more important when you’re on a keto eating plan. Remembering what foods are and aren’t keto-approved can be tough at first.
Meal planning beforehand with a keto grocery list will help you know what to buy. Sticking to that list will help keep you from wrecking your diet when you hear the siren call of the chips on aisle 15. We’ve put together a simple keto shopping list to help you successfully plan your grocery shopping trip. You may also want to check out our Ultimate Keto Grocery List that outlines a greater number of keto-approved whole foods.
Xyngular 8-Day Jumpstart: A Fresh Reset In Only 8 Days
If you’re thinking about going keto, the Xyngular 8-Day Jumpstart is a great way to dive in. While it’s a little more strict than a keto meal plan, it will help you get a feel for what it’s like to go keto and will give you a taste of the results you can get with Xyngular. The 8-Day Jumpstart helps you reset your body and get it prepped and ready to efficiently lose weight. In just eight days, you can lose up to 15 pounds and may continue losing weight even after the eight days are finished. The 8-Day Jumpstart products are each designed to work together to help you achieve healthy, quick weight loss in conjunction with a healthy eating plan, which is included with the Jumpstart.*
If you’d like to learn more or give the 8-Day Jumpstart a try, contact your Xyngular Distributor to find out more, or log in to your Xyngular account to order the 8-Day Jumpstart today!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
*Lose up to 15 pounds in 8 days. Lose an additional 1-2 pounds or more each week following the 8-day jump start. Results are not guaranteed and can vary.
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