It can be confusing when starting out a keto diet. You’re gazing at your fridge wondering what you’re supposed to cook. The great thing about keto cooking is that you don’t need to find hard-to-find ingredients or spend hours in the kitchen. The five keto recipes below are designed for breakfast, luch, and dinner times when you’re exhausted and just want something that works.
If preparing meals from scratch is overwhelming at the moment, a keto meal plan delivery service can take some of that pressure off. Such services prepare meals with the correct macro ratios, portion them out and deliver them right to your door, allowing you to stay on track even on your busiest weeks. They are used by many people for the first month or two of keto, to find your favorite meals and get some inspiration. After a while, you’ll be able to determine whether you want to continue using the service or add a little home cooking.
Here are easy keto recipes which are just perfect if you’re just switching to the new diet.
1. Spinach and Cheddar Egg Scramble
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 cup of fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- ½ avocado, sliced, for serving
Instructions:
In a nonstick pan over medium heat, melt the butter. In a bowl, beat the eggs and pour into the pan. When the eggs start to set, add the spinach. Cook, stirring lightly, until the spinach is wilted and the eggs are just set, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the cheddar and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the sliced avocado on the side. This meal is approximately 4 net carbs and more than 20 grams of protein per serving.
2. Make-Ahead Bacon and Pepper Egg Muffins
Ingredients:
- 12 large eggs
- 4 strips of cooked and chopped bacon
- ½ cup of chopped red bell pepper
- ½ cup of shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
- Add salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and oil a 12-cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, add the bacon, bell pepper, cheese, salt, and pepper, and stir. Portion the mixture into the muffin cups, evenly. Bake until the centers are set and the knife slides easily through the mixture, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove muffins from tin after 5 minutes. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and microwave for a quick breakfast.
3. Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 grilled chicken breast, sliced into pieces
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
- 2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup of crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
Instructions:
Place romaine on a plate or large bowl. Arrange the chicken, eggs, bacon and blue cheese in rows. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil and vinegar, then pour over the salad just before eating it. If you are packing this for lunch, put the dressing in a separate container and add it just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp. This salad contains approximately 6 grams of net carbs, based on the specific amounts you eat.
4. Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Crunch
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of ground turkey
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons of tamari
- 1 butter lettuce head, leaves separated
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of crushed peanuts
Instructions:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add the tamari and cook for an additional minute. Fill the butter lettuce leaves with the turkey mixture, and sprinkle with scallions and crushed peanuts. Serve fresh, as lettuce is crisp. The entire process will take approximately 15 minutes.
5. Pan-Seared Salmon with Turmeric Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets
- 2 cups of riced cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric
- ½ lemon, juiced and sliced
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Instructions:
Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper. In a pan, sear the salmon skin-side down for 4 minutes over medium-high heat, then flip and cook until the skin flakes, 3-4 minutes. Take out salmon and set aside.
Add the remaining butter to the same pan and sauté the riced cauliflower, garlic and turmeric for 5 minutes till softened. Pour the lemon juice over the salmon, and serve on top of the cauliflower rice, sprinkled with lemon slices. This meal is prepared in about 25 minutes and is about 5 grams of net carbs per serving.
A Few Practical Notes
Track your carbs for the first 2-3 weeks, even if you plan to eyeball it later. Most people can eat 20g – 30g of net carbs per day, depending on their activity level and metabolism. Pay attention to labels, particularly on sauces and dressings, as companies may add sugar to compensate the fat reduction.
Make sure you have a few essentials in your pantry: good olive oil, butter, hard cheese, eggs, and a protein that can be prepared in a variety of ways. With these goods on a plate, you will be able to prepare a meal within 30 minutes, without having to make a special trip to the store.
It’s not necessary to change your entire diet at once when you begin the keto diet. Choose 2-3 recipes from this list, learn to make them, and expand from there.
