The Essential Keto Cookbook: 105 Ketogenic Diet Recipes For Weight Loss, Energy, and Rejuvenation (Including Keto Meal Plan and Food List)
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• Vegetable and Seed Oils. This includes Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil, and similar products. Your cooking oil also makes a huge difference to your weight loss. As Dr. Shanahan points out in her book, Deep Nutrition, the production of these oils produces trans-fats, which can block your enzymes for burning fat.
• Any food you have an intolerance to. Start paying more attention to your body. If you wake up one day and notice that you’re congested or that your joints are stiff, ask yourself what you ate. You’re likely sensitive to one of the foods you ate the day before.
Also, be careful with nuts. Many people have allergies or sensitivities to nuts. But more than that, nuts are easy to overeat. Again, a ketogenic diet is not magic, so eating 3,000 calories of nuts per day is going to make a difference.
Mistake #6: Ignoring Sleep, Exercise, and Stress
While eating a good diet is important for weight loss, it’s not all that matters.
Many weight-loss studies have stressed the importance of sleep (7+ hours), exercise, and destressing. It’s tough to get everything right all at once. Still, any small efforts you make in these areas will pay off in the end.
Mistake #7: Not Being Patient
It can take up to two or three weeks to become keto-adapted. So if you’re going to give the ketogenic diet a try, then actually give it a try and be patient.
It’s taken you a lifetime of eating poorly to get to where you’re at. You can’t expect to fix all that damage in just a few weeks.
Mistake #8: Not Eating Enough Fiber
Mainstream nutrition has gotten a lot of things wrong.
The importance of fiber is not one of them. The past few years of scientific research has shown just how important fiber is for your gut health.
In particular, soluble fiber and resistant starches from vegetables can improve your gut bacteria. Fermented foods like sauerkraut are also excellent in this regard.
And if you have trouble eating enough vegetables then take a good prebiotic like the CoBionic Foundation.
WHAT IF A KETOGENIC
DIET DOESN’T HELP ME
LOSE WEIGHT?
This is a fear that I hear all the time...
“What if I put in all this effort - give up all these foods - and it still doesn’t work?”
I completely understand this fear. I used to ask myself the same thing.
But this is also the reason why I don’t believe in “dieting.” Dieting is a short-term project where your only goal is to lose weight.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t try to lose weight. I think it’s often a worthwhile goal.
But if that’s your only goal, then you’ll be disappointed if you go even a few days without any results. And in the world of weight loss, you will definitely have times when you stall a little bit.
A more practical way of thinking is to focus on doing the right things, rather than just on the results. Make it your goal every day to feed your body foods that give it energy, vitamins, and minerals.
Appreciate every healthy food you eat, knowing that it will give you lasting health. In that way, you’ll naturally lose weight, keep it off, and gain better health as a result.
That’s why this cookbook isn’t just about replacing the carbs in your diet with other junk.
This is not just another low-carb cookbook.
Instead, this cookbook will help you focus on the principles behind the ketogenic diet. (And, of course, provide you with delicious ketogenic foods as well.)
I want you to lose weight. But I also want you to enjoy nutrient-dense and delicious foods that are low in toxins.
That way, there’s no downside to eating recipes from this cookbook. Even if you don’t lose weight immediately, you’re still feeding your body nourishing foods.
At this point you might be thinking, “yeah, but what do I do if I still don’t lose weight?”
I’ve helped thousands of people - through our website, books, programs and otherwise. So I won’t lie to you and say that it never happens. Sometimes, someone will have an abnormally hard time losing weight.
If you’re doing everything right but aren’t getting results, then something else is going on in your body that you are not aware of. That’s when I recommend you do some extensive testing with someone like Christopher Kelly from Nourish Balance Thrive.
It could be something as simple as having a gut pathogen. Or it could be something more complex like hypothyroidism or autoimmune disorders.
The point is this.
Diet is perhaps the most important part of losing weight. But it’s still only a part. If your body is using energy and resources on an underlying health condition, weight loss is much harder.
However, in 98% of cases, getting your diet and lifestyle in order is enough. So don’t jump to the conclusion that you have other issues.
WHAT CAN I EAT ON A
KETOGENIC DIET?
Eat plenty of fats, moderate amounts of protein, and very little carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate Intake:
For some people, staying under 100g per day of carbohydrates will be pretty low carb. But, for most people, that number needs to be under 50g. For people with insulin resistance, you might need to consume under 30g or 20g per day.
If you are a serious athlete, then your carbohydrate intake may need to be higher than even 100g per day.
Estimated nutritional information is provided for every recipe in this cookbook to help you plan your meals.
To make it easier for you to get an estimate as to how much you should be eating, try using our Keto Calculator here:
https://ketosummit.com/keto-calculator
Please note that this calculator is designed only as a guide to how much you should be eating.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT
ABOUT THIS
COOKBOOK?
This cookbook contains recipes that will help you get into nutritional ketosis.
But as I pointed out above, a variety of other factors will determine if you’re actually in ketosis. So, no matter what you eat, you might need to do some tweaking.
Nonetheless, these recipes (which are grain-free, soy-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, and free of seed oils) will help you reach ketosis while also providing your body with nutrient-dense meals to satisfy your hunger and heal your body.
Quick Note about Tamari Sauce, Ghee, Sesame Oil, and Keto Sweeteners:
These are 4 ingredients that people often ask about. This book doesn’t go into the science and ideas behind the keto diet, but you can read about why these ingredients are ok to use on a keto diet here (and if you’re not familiar with those ingredients, then those articles also explain what they are):
Tamari Sauce and Sesame Oil article -
https://ketosummit.com/keto-stir-fry-sauce
Ghee article -
https://ketosummit.com/is-ghee-keto
Stevia article -
https://ketosummit.com/stevia-keto
Erythritol article -
https://ketosummit.com/are-sugar-alcohols-keto
For Keto sweeteners, we suggest using natural ones like stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol.
If for any reason you’d prefer not to use these ingredients, you can:
use Coconut Aminos instead of Tamari Sauce
use Coconut Oil instead of Ghee
use Olive Oil instead of Sesame Oil
omit Stevia/Erythritol from the recipe.
FOUR TIPS FOR
MEAL PLANNING ON A
KETOGENIC DIET
If you're looking for detailed Keto Meal Plans, then check out https://mealplan.club/keto-meal-plans
There's also a 14-day Keto meal plan at the back of this book along with a batch cooking meal plan.
But I know everybody’s tastes and lifestyles are different, so if you want to do your own meal planning, then here are four tips to help make your life easier:
1. Keep it simple
It’s easy to fall off a diet if prepari
ng the meals gets too complicated. So, remember to keep it simple. I love cooking a large batch of meat in the slow cooker, such as the slow cooker chicken and bacon or the oxtail stew. Then, we eat it over the next few days - each time with some veggie side dishes.
Or, for more variation, we sauté the meat with whatever veggies we have on hand. Or, we throw it into some bone broth with some veggies and make a quick soup out of it.
2. Eat the same foods on multiple days
It’s easy to use up all your mental energy trying to figure out what to eat. Another way to keep it simple is to eat the same foods on multiple days. Breakfast is an easy meal to do this with. During the weekdays, choose an easy and nutritious breakfast recipe to make every day. The coconut ghee coffee or the breakfast green smoothie are both excellent options to start your day with.
3. Plan what you’ll eat if you get stuck at work or can’t eat at home
Many diets fail because you had one bad day at work, you went out to a restaurant with friends, or you went on vacation. At those times, all your great intentions vanish into thin air.
So try to plan ahead for those situations. Which local restaurant can you go to and order a steak and salad if you get home too late or you’re too tired to cook?
Or if you’re going out with friends, do you know exactly what you can order at the restaurant? That way, you don’t even have to look at the menu again and get tempted.
4. Carry some snacks round with you
I suggest snacks like nuts, coconut butter, cacao nibs, or 100% dark chocolate to keep with you. If you do get hungry, then you can eat some of your snack rather than be tempted by foods that will derail your ketogenic diet. Just note that nuts, coconut butter, cacao nibs, and dark chocolate all do contain small amounts of net carbohydrates, so try not to overeat them!
Breakfast
CHAPTER 1
Breakfast Green Smoothie
Bacon Lemon Thyme Muffins
Creamy Breakfast Porridge
Lemon Fried Avocados
Easy Seed and Nut Granola
Almond Butter Choco Shake
Egg and Ham Rolls
Kale and Chives Egg Muffins
Breakfast Turkey Wrap
Easy Bacon Cups
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BREAKFAST GREEN SMOOTHIE
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
Nutritional Data (estimates) - per serving:
Calories: 380 Fat: 30 g Net Carbohydrates: 5 g Protein: 12 g
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups (60 g) spinach (or other leafy greens)
• 1/3 cup (46 g) raw almonds
• 2 Brazil nuts
• 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk (unsweetened - from refrigerated cartons not cans)
• 1 scoop (20 g) greens powder (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon (10 g) psyllium seeds (or psyllium husks) or chia seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place the spinach, almonds, Brazil nuts, and coconut milk into the blender first.
2. Blend until pureed.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients (greens powder, psyllium seeds) and blend well.
Green smoothies can be a great source of soluble dietary fiber - it’ll help keep your gut bacteria functioning well. To boost up your fiber intake even more, add a scoop of CoBionic Foundation (prebiotic fiber)
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BACON LEMON THYME MUFFINS
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Nutritional Data (estimates) - per serving:
Calories: 300 Fat: 28 g Net Carbohydrates: 4 g Protein: 11 g
INGREDIENTS
• 3 cups (360 g) almond flour
• 1 cup (100 g) bacon bits
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) ghee (or coconut oil), melted
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 2 teaspoons (2 g) lemon thyme (or use another herb of your choice)
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) salt (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
2. Melt the ghee in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients except the bacon bits to the mixing bowl.
4. Mix everything together well.
5. Lastly, add in the bacon bits.
6. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan (to around 3/4 full).
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when you insert it into a muffin.
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CREAMY BREAKFAST PORRIDGE
Prep Time: 2 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 7 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Nutritional Data (estimates) - per serving:
Calories: 430 Fat: 40 g Net Carbohydrates: 6 g Protein: 8 g
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup (60 g) almonds, ground using a food processor or blender
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk
• Erythritol or stevia to taste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) cinnamon powder
• Dash of nutmeg
• Dash of cloves
• Dash of cardamom (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan on medium heat until it forms a liquid.
2. Add in the ground almonds and sweetener and stir to mix in.
3. Keep stirring for approximately 5 minutes (it’ll start to thicken a bit more).
4. Add in the spices (have a taste to check whether you want more sweetener or spices) and serve hot.
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LEMON FRIED AVOCADOS
Prep Time: 2 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 7 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Nutritional Data (estimates) - per serving:
Calories: 200 Fat: 20 g Net Carbohydrates: 2 g Protein: 2 g
INGREDIENTS
• 1 ripe avocado (not too soft), cut into slices
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) coconut oil
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
• Salt to taste (or lemon salt)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add coconut oil to a frying pan. Place the avocado slices into the oil gently.
2. Fry the avocado slices (turning gently) so that all sides are slightly browned.
3. Sprinkle the lemon juice and salt over the slices and serve warm.
Make sure to keep an eye on these as they burn quickly!
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EASY SEED & NUT GRANOLA
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
Nutritional Data (estimates) - per serving:
Calories: 400 Fat: 30 g Net Carbohydrates: 9 g Protein: 9 g
INGREDIENTS
• Small handful of nuts (10 almonds, 3 Brazil nuts, 5 cashews)
• 2 Tablespoons (17 g) pumpkin seeds
• 1 Tablespoon (12 g) cacao nibs
• 1 Tablespoon (5 g) coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened coconut or almond milk
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix together all the dry ingredients. If you’re making a large batch, then store leftovers in an airtight container. Serve with coconut or almond milk.
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ALMOND BUTTER CHOCO SHAKE
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
Nutritional Data (estimates) - per serving:
Calories: 190 Fat: 15 g Net Carbohydrates: 7 g Protein: 4 g
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk or almond milk
• 2 Tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened cacao powder (or 1 scoop CoBionic Indulgence for added collagen)
• 1 Tablespoon (16 g) almond butter
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (35 g) ice (optional)
• Erythritol or stevia to taste (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend well.
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EGG AND HAM ROLLS
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Data (estimates) - per serving:
Calories: 158 Fat: 12 g Net Carbohydrates: 1 g Protein: 12 g
INGREDIENTS
• 4 slices of ham
• 1 cucumber, sliced thin
• 4 eggs, whisked well
• 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) avocado oil, to cook with
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add 1 teaspoon of avocado oil to a frying pan on low to medium heat and spread it around with a paper towel.
2. Add 1/4 cup of whisked eggs to the pan and roll it around to spread it thin.
3. Place a lid on top of the frying pan and let it cook until the base of the egg wrap is cooked (approx. 2-3 minutes). Carefully place on a plate and let cool.
4. Repeat in batches with the rest of the egg mixture to make egg wraps.
5. Create rolls with the egg wraps, slices of ham, and cucumber slices.
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KALE AND CHIVES EGG MUFFINS
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes