by Leanne Vogel
RICED CAULIFLOWER: Recipes like Chili Lime Chicken Bowls (here) and Cauliflower Patties (here) call for riced cauliflower. If you haven’t been introduced to riced cauliflower yet, consider this your introduction! Riced cauliflower is finely chopped raw cauliflower that can be used in place of white or brown rice. It may not sound like much, but riced cauliflower will become a staple in your keto diet. To make riced cauliflower, cut the base off a head of cauliflower and remove the florets. Then transfer the florets to a food processor or blender and pulse three or four times to break them up into small (¼-inch/6-mm) pieces. And there you have it, riced cauliflower! Or you can purchase already riced cauliflower in the frozen section of most grocery stores.
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
I’ve tried to make The Keto Diet Cookbook accessible to all sorts of people and their food preferences. Wherever possible, I provide various ingredient options so that you can make adjustments for your preferences.
That’s the reason I’ve included dairy in this book, even though I don’t consume it myself. Thanks go to my loving husband, Kevin, who chowed down on all the dairy-containing dishes featured here to ensure that you get what you need to succeed with your keto diet.
I’ve opted for two main sweeteners throughout the book: erythritol and stevia. If you respond better to a different type of sweetener, use that instead. If you respond better to a touch of overripe banana than to a sweetener, use it!
Each recipe is as holistic as I could make it, but as hard as I tried, I’m sure I didn’t think of everything and everyone. So I’m providing some general adjustments here for people who require them. The following substitution lists will help you navigate keto should you need to remove specific foods, such as dairy, coconut, or nuts, from your diet.
What makes these lists unique is that all the foods included are keto-friendly. Online lists include all foods rather than just keto foods, which can be confusing. I’ve taken out the guesswork to provide you with keto-friendly dos and don’ts.
Let’s get to it!
Dairy
MILK SUBSTITUTES
Instead of relying heavily on dairy milk, try making your own nut or seed milk with just about any nut or seed you have lying around. All you have to do is soak, strain, rinse, and blend.
Yield: 4 cups (950 ml)
Soak 1 cup (115 to 175 g) of raw nuts or seeds in water for 12 to 24 hours, then strain with a fine-mesh sieve and rinse. Place the nuts or seeds in a blender with 4 cups (950 ml) fresh water. Blend, strain the mixture through cheesecloth, and enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE
Cream cheese doesn’t have to be made with dairy to be delicious! Either make your own (see here for my recipe; for plain cream cheese, just omit the onion powder, garlic powder, and chives), or purchase soy-based (not my favorite), nut-based, or even pea-based cream cheese products at the supermarket. While some of the options are pretty tasty, they are a bit pricey.
SOUR CREAM SUBSTITUTE
This recipe is essential if you’re like me and refuse to spend $8 on a tiny tub of dairy-free sour cream. Also, the ingredients in the homemade version are far superior.
Yield: 1 cup (240 g)
Soak 1 cup (155 g) of raw cashews in water for 6 hours, then strain with a fine-mesh sieve and rinse. Place the cashews in a blender with ½ cup (120 ml) water, 1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice, ¼ cup (40 g) raw macadamia nuts, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ¾ teaspoon finely ground sea salt, and ½ teaspoon ground white pepper. Blend until creamy. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
PUDDING
This pudding is awesome when you’re craving a little sweetness but don’t have time for an epic recipe. Creamy and delicious, it’ll hit the spot every time!
Yield: 1 cup (280 g)
Place the flesh of 3 medium Hass avocados, 1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice OR ¼ cup (20 g) cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon finely ground sea salt, and 4 drops liquid stevia in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Best enjoyed immediately.
Coconut
The last time you ate something containing coconut—shredded coconut, coconut oil, or coconut butter—did you feel a slight tingling sensation in your mouth or throat? If so, what you experienced could very well be due to an allergy, but it also could be due to the way the coconut was processed, especially if your experience was with coconut oil. It turns out that the methods used to process many coconut oils can lead to the development of bacteria, which you might sense in your mouth as a tingly feeling.
You may have experienced this sensation and sworn off all coconut products because you assumed you had an allergy. In case bacteria is to blame, though, you should see if you experience the same reaction when you consume full-fat coconut milk from a freshly opened can. If that test goes okay, try Alpha Health DME Virgin Coconut Oil or Skinny Coconut Oil. (I know; I don’t like the “Skinny” name either, but it’s a fabulous product!) Using either of these products should eliminate any reaction that is the result of bacteria present in your coconut oil.
If you suspect you’re sensitive to coconut itself (rather than being affected by the presence of bacteria), it’s best to avoid it altogether and see how things go.
If it has become obvious that coconut itself is the culprit, what’s a keto seeker to do? I have some suggestions for coconut substitutions you can use in your favorite keto dishes.
LITE COCONUT MILK
COCONUT FLOUR
SHREDDED COCONUT
COCONUT CREAM OR FULL-FAT COCONUT MILK
COCONUT OIL
Nuts
Here are some of my tried-and-true suggestions for living without nuts:
• For fat bombs: Replace nut butters with sunflower seed butter or tahini.
• For recipes that include ground nuts: Use hulled hemp seeds.
• For breading meat and fish: Coat the meat or fish with crushed pork rinds.
• For snacking: Eat more nourishing veggies, fats, and meats. If you’re on the go, try sugar-free jerky or coconut flakes for a quick snack.
Eggs
If you’re sensitive to egg white, try these substitutions:
• For making mayonnaise: Use only egg yolks (3 yolks = 1 whole large egg).
• For baking and cooking: Make egg white scrambles for your loved ones and save the yolks for yourself! Egg yolks work fabulously in almost every dish that calls for whole eggs.
• For baking: Use flax eggs. For the equivalent of 1 large egg, combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (measure after grinding) with 3 tablespoons water. Stir well and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set. After 15 minutes, you’ll have a sticky egglike substitute.
• For baking or general cooking: Prepare a gelatin egg using the following instructions: Place ¼ cup (60 ml) of water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the entire surface of the water with 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin powder. Let it sit untouched for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the burner on low and whisk for 1 minute, or until the texture is smooth. Use gelatin eggs as you would eggs in cakes, cookies, brownies, and more.
If you’re sensitive to the whole egg, try these substitutions:
• For making mayonnaise: Use the egg-free mayo recipe on here.
• For baking: Use flax eggs as described above.
• For baking or general cooking: Prepare gelatin eggs as described above.
• For breading meat and fish: Dip the meat or fish in coconut milk to make the breading stick.
Foods that share a similar protein-to-fat ratio with eggs include smoked salmon, sardines, and crispy chicken skin. (Although you’re free to substitute with omega-3 rich foods like salmon and sardines, I had to mention chicken skin in here somewhere!)
Avocados
Although avocado is one of the richest, most sought-after foods for high-fat living, it’s not the end of the world if you can’t eat avocado.
Replace avocado oil with
• MCT oil or olive oil for uncooked recipes
• Beef tallow, coconut oil, or red palm oil for recipes that involve cooking
Replace avocados with
• Full-fat coconut milk or soaked raw cashews in desserts where the avocado is used to thicken or add smoothness to the recipe. This works great for brownies, puddings, cookies, mousse, and other sweet recipes that call for mashed avocado.
• Soaked raw cashews, mayonnaise, or pureed zucchini in savory recipes where the avocado is used as a base. This works great in salad dressings and sauces.
If you can’t do avocados, focus on consuming nutrient-rich greens throughout the day. My favorite way to do so is to chop up a bunch of greens (kale, mustard greens, chard, and the like) and sauté them in a health-promoting fat such as grass-fed tallow or coconut oil and some rich bone broth. Cook the greens for about a minute, then transfer them to an airtight container and chill them in the refrigerator overnight. The mixture will harden slightly, and you can add it to salads, eat it as a cold side dish, or reheat it. I love snacking on a bowl of chilled greens!
Pork Products
Other than good ol’ bacon, there’s not much you’ll miss out on by omitting pork from your keto diet. Here are some suggested replacements:
• Instead of bacon, try turkey bacon or salmon bacon. Or embrace chicken skin! Sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper and roast in a 375°F (190°C) oven until crispy, about 25 minutes.
• Instead of ground pork, use ground beef.
• Instead of shredded pork, use shredded chuck roast.
• Instead of lard, use beef tallow or coconut oil.
KITCHEN APPLIANCES AND TOOLS
One can go a little crazy stocking the kitchen with all the (unnecessary) things. While I’ll be the first to admit that there was a time when my food pantry served as storage for all of my kitchen appliances, I now see the value in having just a few good-quality tools and appliances as opposed to buying everything under the sun and rarely using it.
Sure, you can get the fancy things, or you can stock your kitchen with classics that’ll work for just about every recipe! Here are my top tools and the items I’ve used throughout the book.
BAKING PANS: While there are many sizes to choose from, the most common sizes are the 8-inch (20-cm) square baking pan and the 13 by 9-inch (33 by 23-cm) baking pan. The most versatile materials are glass and silicone. If you choose silicone, you won’t need to use as much parchment paper as you may need to use with glass or other materials.
BLENDER: I used a Breville Fresh & Furious and a Vitamix blender to make the recipes in this book. When I call for a high-powered blender, I’m referring to a blender like a Vitamix. When a recipe simply says “blender,” it truly means any blender you have access to.
FOOD PROCESSOR: A food processor is similar to a blender in function; you don’t need both appliances to prepare the recipes in this book. I call for either a blender or a food processor, but not both.
MEAT MALLET: An essential tool if you enjoy chicken thighs! I purchased my meat mallet from Amazon for $15 a couple of years ago and am impressed every time I use it. Though not required, it is super handy for recipes like the Paprika Chicken Sandwiches (here).
MUFFIN PAN: A 12-well silicone muffin pan will never steer you wrong. You can use it to make fat bombs, muffins, single-serve quiches, and so much more. I like using silicone more than other materials because it doesn’t require muffin liners, which cuts down on cost and waste.
PARCHMENT PAPER OR SILICONE BAKING MAT: If you want to purchase only one or the other, go for parchment paper, which is more versatile. I use the If You Care brand of unbleached parchment paper.
RIMMED BAKING SHEET: Similar to baking pans, there are many sizes of rimmed baking sheets to choose from, but the most common is an 18 by 13-inch (46 by 33-cm), which will fit most ovens comfortably.
SILICONE MOLD: You’ll be making a few fat bombs here and there, so getting a little silicone mold for them is never a bad thing. Now, if you opt for an 8-inch (20-cm) square silicone baking pan, you can kill two birds with one stone, using that baking pan whenever a silicone mold is called for. However, if you want a dedicated mold for fat bombs and other little treats, the most versatile option is a silicone mini muffin pan or silicone ice cube tray.
SAUCEPAN AND FRYING PAN: Medium to large is a safe bet. If they have lids, that’s a plus!
SPIRAL SLICER: Though not essential, I sure do love a good spiral slicer! If you don’t want yet another tool taking up space in your kitchen, a vegetable peeler will work, too; just continuously peel the vegetable until there is nothing left. Alternatively, many supermarkets sell vegetables that are already spiral sliced (although you will pay quite a bit more for the convenience).
4.
SAUCES
& SPREADS
QUICK ’N’ EASY BARBECUE SAUCE
THAI DRESSING
CHIVE & ONION CREAM CHEESE
RANCH DRESSING
HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING & MARINADE
GREEN SPECKLED DRESSING
BACON DRESSING
AVOCADO LIME DRESSING
LEMON TURMERIC DRESSING & MARINADE
BASIL VINAIGRETTE & MARINADE
POPPY SEED DRESSING
TERIYAKI SAUCE & MARINADE
CREAMY ITALIAN DRESSING
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
HERBY VINAIGRETTE & MARINADE
READY-IN-SECONDS HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
EGG-FREE MAYONNAISE
MAYONNAISE
QUICK ’N’ EASY BARBECUE SAUCE
DAIRY-FREE • EGG-FREE • NUT-FREE • VEGAN • VEGETARIAN
OPTION: COCONUT-FREE
MAKES 1¼ cups (300 g)
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: —
So many barbecue sauce recipes require you to cook down the ingredients and then cool the sauce before you can slather it on a burger. That’s a lot of work, so I do it this way instead.
⅓ cup (80 ml) balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup (80 ml) water
1 (6-oz/170-g) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Place all the ingredients in a 16-ounce (475-ml) or larger airtight container. Cover and shake until incorporated.
STORE IT: Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
THAW IT: Set in the fridge to thaw completely before using.
make it COCONUT-FREE:
Replace the coconut aminos with soy sauce, omit the salt, and add 1 tablespoon of confectioners’-style erythritol or 3 drops of liquid stevia.
USE IN THESE RECIPES
BBQ Beef & Slaw
Southern Pulled Pork “Spaghetti”
Per tablespoon:
calories: 11 | calories from fat: 1 | total fat: 0.1 g | saturated fat: 0 g | cholesterol: 0 mg
sodium: 66 mg | carbs: 2.1 g | dietary fiber: 0.4 g | net carbs: 1.7 g | sugars: 1.1 g | protein: 0.4 g
FAT:
8%
CARBS:
76%
PROTEIN:
16%
THAI DRESSING
DAIRY-FREE • EGG-FREE • VEGAN • VEGETARIAN
OPTIONS: NIGHTSHADE-FREE • NUT-FREE
MAKES 1 cup (240 ml)
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: —
My favorite way to use this dressing is to drizzle it on fresh vegetables, broccoli especially. There are multiple ways to personalize this recipe, too. If you love dairy, replace the coconut milk with heavy cream. If you don’t do toasted sesame oil or don’t want to buy a bottle just for this recipe, replace it with avocado oil or olive oil.
If you don’t have access to coconut aminos, you can replace it with an equal amount of so
y sauce, omit the salt from the recipe, and add your favorite sweetener—either 10 drops of liquid stevia or 2 teaspoons of confectioners’-style erythritol should do the trick!
¼ cup (70 g) smooth unsweetened almond butter
¼ cup (60 ml) full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
1. Place all the ingredients in a 12-ounce (350-ml) or larger airtight container. Cover and shake until incorporated.
2. When ready to serve, give the container a little shake and enjoy.
STORE IT: Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.