You might consider the ketogenic diet to lose weight or improve your health as we start a new year.
These supper ideas are perfect for trying out the ketogenic diet in a low-commitment fashion.
Before beginning a new diet, it’s wise to consult a medical practitioner. Check out our recommended recipe highlights for inspiration on some of the best ketogenic diets you can consider for a healthy start to 2023.
1. Keto Taco Shells
Spinach taco shells are a breeze to make and require only five ingredients. The Mexican food you love is now approved for good health.
Ingredients
- 4 oz Fresh Spinach Leaves (100 g)
- 4 cups Boiling Water
- 2 Eggs
- 4 tablespoons Almond Flour or oat flour
- ½ cup Grated Cheese
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder – optional
- ¼ teaspoon Salt – optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the fresh spinach leaves into a large mixing bowl.
- Cover the spinach leaves with 4 cups of boiling water. Cover. Set aside 2 minutes.
- In another bowl, add ice cubes, about 1 cup.
- Using tongs, remove the cooked spinach leaves from the mixing bowl and place them into the bowl filled with ice cubes. Stir the leaves into the ice cubes for a few seconds to cool down.
- Squeeze the spinach leaves with your hands to remove all the water. It will form a compact spinach ‘ball.’
- Pat dry the spinach between layers of absorbent paper to ensure that the cooked spinach is fully dry.
- Finely chop the cooked spinach on a chopping board.
- Place them into a large mixing bowl and combine with grated cheese, eggs, almond flour, garlic powder, and salt until it forms a sort of batter.
- Scoop out the batter onto a baking tray covered with parchment paper. I recommend spraying some olive oil on the parchment paper to prevent the shells from sticking to the paper!
2. Baked Chicken With Tarragon and Cream
The perfect accompaniments to this luscious chicken meal are roast potatoes with a crispy top and crusty toast. Alternately, serving advice for a ketogenic diet is included in the “Notes” section below.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, or 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
- In a medium frying pan, heat the butter over moderate heat.
- Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and add it to the pan. Cook the chicken until brown, about 5 minutes.
- Turn and cook until just done, 4 to 5 minutes longer.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and put it in a warm spot.
- Reduce the heat to moderately low.
- Stir in the onion and cook until starting to soften about 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir to combine. Increase the heat to moderate; whisk in the wine and the tarragon, and cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and any accumulated chicken juices. Serve the sauce over the chicken. Serve With Rice and a simple vegetable such as steamed asparagus or sautéed zucchini and carrots would round out the meal nicely.
3. Keto Fish and Chips
If you substitute an almond meal for breadcrumbs and avocado for potatoes, you can still have fish and chips for dinner while adhering to the ketogenic diet.
Ingredients
For chips:
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium zucchini
- salt and pepper to taste
For fish: - 3/4 lb cod (white fish)
- Oil for frying
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika powder
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, then set aside.
- Line some parchment paper on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 400°F. Make thin zucchini rods, brush them with oil, and spread them on the baking sheet. Add a pinch of salt and pepper on top. Bake for about 30 minutes or wait until the zucchini turns golden brown.
- While baking the zucchini, crack the egg in a bowl and beat thoroughly.
- On a separate plate, combine Parmesan cheese, almond flour, and spices to make the keto fish batter.
- Slice the fish into 1-inch by 1-inch pieces. Roll them on the flour mixture. Dip in the beaten egg and sprinkle more flour to cover the pieces completely.
- Place a deep saucepan on the heat at about 340-360°F. Heat the oil for a while, then fry the fish for three minutes on each side. Remove from the heat when it becomes golden brown, but ensure the fish is cooked.
- Transfer to a serving plate and serve with the baked zucchini fries and tartar sauce. You can also use any other keto-friendly sauce of your choice.
4. Lemon Haloumi With Fried Capers
Fry some halloumi and dress it up with capers and salad greens for a beautiful side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 1⁄2tablespoons olive oil
- 180g tsps halloumi cheese, sliced
- 2 small red birdseye chilies, thinly sliced
- 2teaspoons drained baby capers
- 1teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
- 2tablespoons lemon juice
- 80g mixed lettuce leaves
Directions
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Cook halloumi, in batches, for 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer the halloumi to a plate.
- Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add chili and capers. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until capers are heated through and the chili is golden. Add rind. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in juice. Bring to a simmer.
- Arrange halloumi and lettuce on a serving plate.
- Drizzle with a hot lemon mixture—season with pepper. Serve immediately.