Keto Recipes For Beginners – In the quest for leading a healthy lifestyle via what we eat, a couple of dietary plans have been developed over the years to achieve this aim. One of the most popular diet plans making the rounds is the ketogenic diet.
The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet rich in fats. In essence, the ketogenic diet reduces the intake of carbohydrates and replaces it with fat. The drastic reduction in carb intake induces a metabolic state in your body, known as ‘Ketosis.’
Being in a state of ketosis enables your body to efficiently burn fat for energy generation while turning the fat into ketones in the liver, which in turn supplies energy for the body, most notably, the brain.
The ketogenic diet offers numerous health benefits as it shifts the focus of your body’s metabolism away from carbs towards fat while reducing blood sugar levels in the body. In this post, we have rounded up the best keto recipes for delicious beginners. These keto recipes are easy to make too!
Versions of the Ketogenic Diet
- Standard ketogenic diet: Low in carbs and high in fat, this type of ketogenic diet contains only 5% carbs with a moderate 20% protein content. 75% of the standard ketogenic diet is fat-based.
- Protein-rich ketogenic diet: This variant of the standard ketogenic diet comes packed with higher protein content. This diet has a minimum of 35% protein content.
- Cyclical ketogenic diet: The CKD stipulates a period for higher carb intake. For instance, for every five ketogenic day period, you may undergo a high-carb refeed for two days.
- Targeted ketogenic diet: The TKD plan simply permits you to feed on carbs during or around workouts.
However, the only types of keto diet backed up by scientific research are the standard ketogenic diet and the high-protein ketogenic diet.
This does not in any way underplay the effects of the cyclical keto diet and targeted keto diets as these are known to be advanced and popular among athletes or bodybuilders.
Benefits of Adopting a Ketogenic Diet Plan
The following are what you stand to gain from adopting a ketogenic diet plan. These benefits are also backed by research.
1. Weight Loss
Ketogenic diets can help you lose weight effectively. Amazingly, keto diets give you that feeling of being full, which enables you to lose weight without bothering so much about counting calories.
In a world where obesity has become one of our biggest health problems, prominent among the science-supported benefits offered by the ketogenic diet is its potential to burn up fat while preserving muscle mass.
2. Preventing and Fighting Diabetes
Excess fat happens to be one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes, and since the ketogenic diet plan is a fat-burner, it no doubt helps prevent and fight against cases of diabetes.
A research study discovered that insulin sensitivity can be increased to as high as 75% while being on a ketogenic diet.
Despite being a complex disease, the fact that ketogenic diets are low on carbs is an excellent step towards achieving optimum sugar levels in the body and reducing the risk of encountering complications.
As long as people with diabetes adhere to a ketogenic diet, the positive effects will be visible, especially in the long-term. These keto recipes for beginners are, therefore, useful for preventing and fighting diabetes.
3. Prevents and Fights Dangerous Health Conditions
In addition to preventing and fighting diabetes, the ketogenic diet can enhance risk factors concerning heart diseases, including blood sugar, HDL cholesterol levels, body fat, and blood pressure.
The ketogenic diet can also be used to slow down the growth of several types of tumors and cancers.
More so, symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease can be slowed down with the keto diet. The ketogenic diet has also been proven to fight the adverse effects of other conditions like Parkinson’s disease, acne, and epilepsy.
Foods To Avoid On A Ketogenic Diet
Since ketogenic diets aim to reduce carb intake drastically, it is therefore common sense that while being on the keto diet, any food rich in carbs should be avoided or limited.
Listed below are a few foods to avoid on a ketogenic diet:
- Fruits: All fruits should be avoided or limited, except for small portions of berries. E.g., strawberries.
- Unhealthy fats: Intake of processed foods like mayonnaise and vegetable oils should be avoided or limited.
- Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are very high in carbs and can throw you out of a state of ketosis. They should be avoided altogether.
- Sugary foods: Being on a ketogenic diet is saying a big ‘NO’ to ice cream cake, smoothies, fruit juice, soda, and every other processed food with added sugars.
- Grains: Including grains, foods based on wheat, cereal, pasta, and rice.
- Legumes: Including beans, peas, and lentils.
Foods You Can Eat On a Ketogenic Diet
Rich in fat coupled with moderate protein content and low carbs, these foods are ideal on a ketogenic diet.
- Nuts and seeds: flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc
- Avocados
- Omega-3 Whole eggs or pastured eggs
- Grass-fed butter and cream
- Unprocessed cheese: including goat, cheddar, mozzarella cream, or blue.
- Meat: Including steak, chicken, red meat, turkey, sausage, ham, and bacon.
- Fatty fish: Including mackerel, trout, tuna, and salmon
- Low-carb green vegetables: including peppers and onions.
Best Keto Recipes For Beginners That You Should Try!
Here is our top pick of 11 keto recipes for delicious beginners! These foods have been touted by many to be as nutritious as they are delicious.
Keto Diet Recipes For Breakfast
Looking for keto recipe ideas for breakfast? We’ve got you covered! These keto recipes for beginners are perfect for breakfast. Begin your day with a healthy keto meal!
Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Egg Muffins
This lovely recipe seamlessly blends the nutritious contents of broccoli, cheese, and ham and is a great way to start your day on a keto diet.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 9 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Carbs: 1 gram
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing broccoli, ham & cheese muffins here.
Keto Morning Hot Pockets
Easy to prepare and boast of quick cook time, these tasty hot pockets are simply a beautiful blend of almond, egg, cheese, bacon, and butter.
Yummy! Right?
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 25 grams
Fat: 38 grams
Carbs: 3 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing Keto Morning Hot Pockets Here
Cheesy Sausage Puffs
Low in carbs and quite easy and quick to make, the Cheesy Sausage Puffs are a perfect idea for a nutritious keto meal.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 4 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Carbs: 0.6 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Cheesy Sausage Puffs here.
Keto Breakfast Sandwich
Sandwiches are loved, and the Keto Breakfast Sandwich does not disappoint in this regard as it takes so good with its rich blend of avocado, cream cheese, and cheddar.
With its high-fat content, this keto meal will give you that filling satisfaction. Say goodbye to hunger pangs with the Keto Breakfast Sandwich.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 22 grams
Fat: 54 grams
Carbs: 4 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Keto Breakfast Sandwich Here.
Keto Diet Recipes For Lunch
To enjoy keto for lunch, you may have to prepare it at home before going out. This is because these recipes are not famous delicacies at go-to restaurants. Here are keto lunch ideas for you:
Keto Chicken Pot Pie
Suitable for lunch or dinner, the Keto Chicken Pot Pie is a slow cooker food and easy to prepare. It’s a nutritious addition to your keto diet. You’ll love it.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance;
Protein: 11.6 grams
Fat: 17 grams
Carbs: 3.3 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Keto Chicken Pot Pie Here
Loaded Cauliflower
If you are a lover of veggies, you’ll love this keto delicacy. With its low-carb content, the loaded cauliflower seamlessly combines with cheddar, butter, crème, cheese, and is indeed a comfort food that can be prepared in under 20 minutes.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 8 grams
Fat: 17 grams
Carbs: 3 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Loaded Cauliflower Here.
Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Bowl
This delicious cheesesteak is a whole meal that can be cooked in under 30 minutes. Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Bowl is perfect for a keto diet as it is healthy and low on carbs.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 27 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Carbs: 4 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Loaded Cauliflower here.
Keto Diet Recipes For Dinner
Make your choice of dinner from these dinner ideas.
Zucchini Pasta with Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Gluten-free and delicious at the same time, the Zucchini Pasta is a healthy and light option for dinner on a keto diet. It can also be packed as lunch to the office or for a kid going to school.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 27.4 grams
Fat: 14.5 grams
Carbs: 8.9 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Zucchini Pasta with Lemon Garlic Shrimp Here.
Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken
The creamy Tuscan garlic chicken blended with tomatoes (sun-dried) spinach and garlic sauce sounds yummy. Doesn’t it? Amazingly, Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken is a perfect dinner option and can serve between 4-6 people.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 122.2 grams
Fat: 43.8 grams
Carbs: 1.3 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken Here.
Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Best prepared with boneless chicken and a slow cooker, the Balsamic Chicken Thigh meal is tender, delicious, and a perfect keto dinner.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 18 grams
Fat: 20 grams
Carbs: 5.5 grams
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Balsamic Chicken thighs here.
Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken
This slow cooker keto recipe might take a little over 6 hours to get ready, but it is definitely worth the wait as it not only easy to prepare but also a delicious, tasty-looking keto dinner.
Here are the nutritional contents of this recipe at a glance:
Protein: 52 grams
Fat: 8 grams
Carbs: 1 gram
You can check through detailed recipe instructions for preparing the Crock-Pot Buffalo Chicken Here
Healthy Keto Snacks
It’s not an unusual experience to get hungry between meals while on a keto diet. Here are some healthy keto snacks you’ll love:
- Chocolate (90% dark)
- Cream and Strawberries
- Cheese
- Celery with guacamole and salsa
- 1 or 2 eggs (hard-boiled)
- Low-carb milkshake (a blend of nut butter, almond milk, and cocoa butter
- Nuts or seeds
- Fatty fish or meat
- Avocado
- Soft pretzels
- You can also have leftover meals in small portions.
Conclusion
The keto diet may offer slightly different experiences from person to person. However, it is still one of the best low-carb diets developed out there for leading a healthy lifestyle.
You can always give it a try. You’ll be glad you did.
