A keto diet is very low in carbohydrate, usually consisting of 20-50g of carbs per day. Carbs can quickly add up so it’s important to plan your meals if you are aiming for 50g of carbs or less per day.
What can you eat?
Although it might sound tricky at first, there are plenty of healthy, tasty and satisfying foods you can have on a keto diet. As a general rule, aim for fresh and natural unprocessed foods. These include:
- Meat, including fatty cuts
- Fresh fish
- Full fat dairy, including butter, yoghurt, cheese and cream
- Nuts
- Eggs
- Oils
- A wide range of above ground vegetables
What foods are off limits?
To achieve ketosis, we usually need to reduce our daily carbohydrate intake to around 20-50g per day or less. To do this we need to avoid foods such as:
- Starchy foods, including bread, rice, oats, potatoes and other root vegetables.
- Sugary and processed foods, including cakes, crisps, biscuits and all sugary drinks.
What are some typical keto meals?
Keto is a very versatile way of eating, and you can enjoy a wide range of meals. Many people find that eating just twice a day suits them once they start a keto diet, but others find they still need three meals a day, so it is important to see what works for you. Example meals include:
- Fatty cuts of meat or fresh fish with buttery and creamy sauces
- Cheese and spinach omelette
- Berries and nuts with cream or crème fraiche
- Sliced cheese and cold meats
- Leafy salad with tomatoes, cheese, olives, avocado or olive oil
Here is a sample keto meal plan, totalling 47g of carbs across the day.
Breakfast: Low Carb Pancakes & Strawberry Chia Jam (v)
This delicious pancake is made with a coconut flour batter and served with sweet strawberry jam.
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Serves 1
Ingredients
2 Eggs
60g Cream Cheese
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 tsp Ground Flaxseed
30g Coconut Flour
2 tsp Stevia
50g Frozen Strawberries
½ tbsp Chia Seeds
¼ tsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tbsp Greek Yoghurt
Preparation Method
- Combine the eggs, baking powder, vanilla, flaxseed, coconut flour and 1 tsp stevia in a large bowl. You can use a hand-held whisk, electric whisk or blender. Leave batter to settle for a few minutes.
- Add the frozen berries to a saucepan and simmer over a low heat whilst cooking the pancakes, then add chia seeds, 1 tsp stevia and lemon juice. Alternatively heat the berries in the microwave.
- For the pancakes heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the batter to frying pan in small circles. Cook 2-3 pancakes at one time depending on the size of your frying pan.
- When one side is cooked, flip the pancakes and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes or until cooked through. Set pancakes aside on a warm plate whilst cooking the rest of the batter.
- Serve pancakes with Greek yoghurt and chia jam.
Nutritional Information per serving
Calories 785 kcal |Carbohydrates 16g|Total Fat 65g|Protein 30g
Lunch: Cauliflower Grilled Cheese & Onion Sandwich (v)
Tasty cauliflower patties make up this cheese and onion sandwich.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Serves 1
Ingredients
200g Cauliflower
1 Egg
30g Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 tsp Olive Oil
75g Cheddar Cheese
½ Medium Onion
Preparation Method
- Cut the cauliflower into florets and create cauli rice by finely grating or using a food processor.
- Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl and then grate the parmesan.
- In a large bowl combine the cauli rice with the egg and parmesan. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 even balls.
- Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. Place the balls in the pan, using a spatula to flatten them down. Cook until golden underneath, then flip and repeat on the other side.
- Grate the cheddar cheese and slice the onion.
- Top 2 of the patties with the cheddar, sliced onion and remaining patties. Cook on both sides, until the cheese has melted in the middle.
Nutritional Information per serving
Calories 639 kcal |Carbohydrates 15g|Total Fat 45g|Protein 43g
Dinner: Veggie Skewers with Herb Dip (v)
Mix it up by using different vegetables and proteins on your skewers. Try halloumi cheese, prawns or diced chicken for something different.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Serves 1
Ingredients
Wooden Skewers
1 Medium Yellow Pepper
50g Paneer Cheese
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Paprika
60g Cherry Tomatoes
2 tbsp Olive Oil
10g Fresh Coriander
10g Fresh Mint
10g Green Chilli
100g Greek Yoghurt
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Preparation Method
- Start by soaking the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. Prepare the ingredients by cutting the pepper into chunks and cubing the paneer.
- Meanwhile, start the skewers by mixing the paprika, ground coriander, cumin and olive oil together.
- Add the paneer, yellow pepper and cherry tomatoes to a bowl, then use your hands to coat them with the spice and oil mix.
- Preheat the grill and grease a baking tray with a little olive oil.
- Take the paneer and vegetables and thread them onto the wooden skewers.
- Place the skewers on the baking tray and cook under the grill for 10-12 minutes until the vegetables and paneer are starting to brown.
- To prepare the herb dip, first roughly chop the fresh coriander, mint and green chilli. Mix with the yoghurt and lemon juice to make a dip.
- Serve the veggie skewers with the herb dip and enjoy!
Nutritional values per serving
Calories 379 kcal|Carbohydrates 16g|Total Fat 23g|Protein 27g|
