5 Delicious Keto Meals to Try tonight

You may have heard of the popular ketogenic diet. This diet not only affects weight loss but also alters metabolism. It is interesting to know that this diet has been used to treat epilepsy for many years, but with the advancement of medical science, nowadays drugs have been replaced to treat this disease. However, keto meals are still used today to control epilepsy in people who have a healthy body but are resistant to treatment.

The ketogenic diet reduces carbohydrate intake to a very small amount (about 5%) and greatly increases fat intake (about 75%), along with moderate protein intake in meals (about 20%).

In the ketogenic food pyramid, fats are transferred from the top to the bottom of the food pyramid, while carbohydrates are transported from the bottom to the top. Using this diet, you can eat some fruits, high-fat meats, eggs, cream, butter, oil, and you don’t need to skip meals. However, by changing the type of food you eat, you alter your metabolism.

An effective keto diet can:

• Promote healthy weight loss
• Diminish blood pressure
• Boost energy levels
• Support heart health
• Enhance cognitive functions
• Reduce risk of certain cancers

Ketogenic diets come in several varieties, including:

• Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This diet has a low carbohydrate content, moderate protein content, and a high fat content. 75% of the diet is fat, 20% is protein, and 5% is carbohydrates.
• Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): Diet included periods of high carbohydrate intake, for example eating ketogenic carbohydrates for five days in two days.
• Ketogenic Targeted Diet (TKD): This diet enables you to add carbohydrates to your workouts.
• High-protein ketogenic diet: The ketogenic diet is a standard diet with more protein. A typical ratio is 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.

Note: There have been no studies on diets other than standard diets and high protein ketogenic diets.

Keto Meals: What should we Eat?

When you follow a ketogenic diet, you can eat fat-rich foods without consuming many carbohydrates. Some ketogenic diets also contain protein. Good news! There is no problem with consuming different kinds of meat, such as red meat, turkey, steak, chicken, sausage, hamburger, etc. The diet allows you to eat fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. A ketogenic diet includes butter and cream, preferably made from natural milk, eggs, and unprocessed cheeses, such as mozzarella and cheddar. Eat avocados and low-carb vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, onions, and green vegetables, as well as a variety of nuts. Use healthy fats like virgin olive oil, high-fat coconut oil, and avocado oil, and flavour your food with a variety of spices instead of unhealthy oils.

Given the above, people who are vegetarians can not easily use this diet, as fruits and many vegetables are not included in it, and most of the food volume people on this diet eat are dairy products and meat. 

Starting a Keto diet

The only reason the ketogenic diet is popular is that it simply works! It’s a lifestyle that requires a bit of an introduction to get used to, but once you get into it, you’ll be in it for a long time.

Lose those extra kilos, get a slimmer waist, have an overall healthy look, or simply ditch the dreaded carbs. Whatever your nutritional goals, your keto meals plan should be tailored to them.

Keto Meal Ideas You can Cook at Home

Contact a registered dietitian to learn more about your diet and help you develop a nutrition plan whenever you want to try keto. Here are five keto-friendly favourites you can prepare in advance to avoid eating bacon and fat bombs every day.

1. Coconut Curry Chicken

If you are a fan of exotic spicy foods like Indian cuisine, it’s impossible not to enjoy a bowl of this healthy food filled with flavour in any season, especially cold weather. It is very easy to make at home. With a bit of spice and many coconut curry flavours, chicken coconut curry is rich and warm.

Coconut chicken curry comes in a variety of flavours. There are different curries from all over the world. The Aussie version may look funky, but it’s delicious. Make sure to choose full-cream coconut milk for the best sauce.

• Coconut curry chicken and vegetables: This curry has some red pepper in it, but feel free to increase the veggies! You can add some carrot sticks and spinach.
• Coconut curry chicken thighs: Chicken thighs will work great instead of breast meat (use boneless skinless and adjust for cooking time)

2. Meatballs served with Zucchini noodles and Parmesan cheese

Zucchini spaghetti is simply pasta made with zucchini noodles instead of wheat pasta. All the flavours of wheat pasta are here, but zucchini spaghetti has fewer carbs.

In Italy, zucchini noodles are called “Zoodles.” Italian Meatballs with zoodles are made of meatballs stuffed with soft cheese, cooked in a simple marinara sauce, and served over zucchini noodles.

Zoodles are a healthier alternative to pasta and great for getting more vegetables in your diet! Make zoodles quickly by boiling them for only a few minutes. All it takes to cook zoodles is a bit of time in a hot skillet. Do not add salt because the salt can draw moisture from the zucchini, making the zucchini very moist.

Zoodles can be used to make almost any pasta dish low in carbs. Pasta comes in a variety of forms, but spaghetti and meatballs are some of the most classic. With this spiralised zucchini spaghetti with meatballs, you get a healthier, lower carb version.

3. Salmon burgers with Avocado Garlic sauce

Living in a country famous for its Tasmanian salmon? Then you know, with fresh dill, chopped shallots, and lemon juice, this salmon burger is absolutely delicious. It’s quick and easy to prepare, and it provides a convenient source of high-quality protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Love Salmon For Many Reasons:

• The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are in the form of DHA and EPA, which our bodies can easily absorb and thrive on. Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids with up to 2 grams of omega 3 in 100 g fish.
• Brains are known to be rich in DHA, the most important fat. Both mood and cognition are improved by this fat. Studies have shown that increased intake of certain nutrients reduces the risk of depression and cognitive decline as we age.
• EPA is known to increase joint health and reduce inflammation in the body, preventing pain associated with inflammation.
• The consumption of Omega-3 fats improves cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides.

How about the Avocado Garlic Sauce?!

Lemon and dill always come to mind when I think about making salmon or any other fish. As well as avocado and garlic, this sauce also contains lemon juice and dill! This versatile sauce can also be used as a vegetable dip, in salads, or as a substitute for mayonnaise in chicken salads.

4. Keto Sushi Rolls

Fish are rich in vitamins and minerals and are low in carbs, which makes them a great addition to a low-carb or keto diet. Seaweed is currently being studied as a treatment for diabetics, as certain chemicals in it are believed to reduce blood sugar levels.

Essentially, sushi is rice that has been seasoned with vinegar, sugar, and salt, along with several other additives. You can’t eat traditional sushi rolls because they contain rice unless you’re a fan of sashimi. In place of rice, we can use cauliflower rice for keto sushi rolls.

Making homemade sushi without rice is very simple. You only need five ingredients, and it takes about fifteen minutes from start to finish!

The actual process of making keto sushi rolls is quick and easy. Chop all your fish and vegetables into uniform pieces ahead of time. Roll out the seaweed leaves, wet the edges with some water, put the fillings inside and roll! That’s it. The water on the rim will help seal the cylinder and keep it closed.

Flavour variations

The beauty of cauliflower rice sushi is how you can customise it with your favourite sushi rolls! 

• Philadelphia roll-Replace the mayonnaise with cream cheese and add salmon and cucumber. 
• Cucumber roll-Double the mayonnaise and cucumber. 
• Spicy tuna roll– Sushi grade tuna, cucumber, and sriracha mixed into keto mayonnaise. 
• California roll– Skip the imitation crab (which isn’t keto friendly) and use real crab mixed with keto mayonnaise. 
• Shrimp roll-Broiled or boiled shrimp (tails removed), cucumber, and keto mayo. 

5. Roast Chicken, Cream sauce and sauteed Broccoli

Creamy chicken, garlic, and cheese make for a delicious blend of flavours, and with the addition of broccoli and spinach, you’ll have a complete, nutrient-packed meal that will satiate you for hours.

The sauce is incredibly creamy and delicious; it coats the chicken pieces and broccoli well. Butter, garlic, cream, parmesan cheese, spices and a touch of heat from chilli powder, the sauce is perfect. All you need is a bowl of chicken to make it a complete meal full of protein and vegetables.

Why broccoli out of all vegetables? Since broccoli is a low-carb, high-fibre vegetable, it is very suitable for a keto-friendly diet as well as being packed with nutrients. You can definitely use spinach, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, and mushrooms. There are a lot of nutritious greens and vegetables out there!

It is very easy to customise to your taste. Add red peppers, asparagus, sliced ​​carrots, diced bacon, or your favourite vegetables to make this dish your own. Protein can also be switched to shredded chicken thighs, steak or shrimp; The possibilities are endless! Pair this cream cheese chicken with zucchini or cauliflower noodles for a low-carb keto dinner.