How to Go Keto While Still Enjoying Your Favourite Foods

Blog post by Lindsay Mustard, Holistic Nutritionist

So you’ve decided to go keto - amazing! Not only is keto one of the trendiest diets, but it is also one of the healthiest diets for individuals depending on their lifestyle, activity level and health goals. In this blog post, we’re going to help make living the keto lifestyle a little, actually more like a lot more, enjoyable! We’ll be helping you go keto and more importantly, stay keto without giving up your favourite foods! But before we jump into the good stuff, let’s quickly recap what the keto diet is and why it is beneficial. 

What Is The Keto Diet? 

If you were to give our bodies an option of using carbohydrates or fat as fuel, we would choose carbohydrates, or glucose more specifically, every single time. Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred fuel source as they can readily convert them into sugars and transport them through our bloodstream to the organs that need them the most. The only problem is, we usually don’t use our carbohydrate reserves that are stored in our liver and muscles before we head back for that extra serving of nachos, popcorn, ice cream or cookies. So we end up storing this excess fuel as fat to use later, which sadly, that time usually never comes because we are too busy carb-loading with yet another meal. Ketosis, on the other hand, is the process in which your body uses fats as its primary fuel source. Our bodies breakdown fatty acids into ketones in our liver and utilize this energy as its primary fuel source. This process allows us to burn our body fat reserves, while still maintaining our energy levels, focus and even improved levels of mental clarity. The typical ketogenic dieter consumes 70-80% of their daily calories from fat, roughly 20-30% from protein and less than 5% from carbohydrates. Their average net carb intake (total carbohydrates less fibre) usually clocks in around 25-50 grams per day. As drastically low as this carbohydrate intake sounds, rest assured that they are eating more than just lettuce and celery sticks, they’re eating everything from keto brownies to zucchini fries, to keto ice cream sundaes and even keto pizza. They are hardly deprived of all things delicious. Give us a few minutes and we’ll share the secrets to making the most of your keto diet! 

The Ultimate Keto Food Swap List: 

Sugar & Sweeteners: 

  • Stevia, erythritol, monk fruit sweetener, xylitol and yacon syrup 

Flours: 

  • Almond flour, coconut flour, ground nuts/seeds, ground flaxseed (flax meal)

Pasta:

  • Nu Pasta, Kelp Noodles, Vegetable Noodles (zucchini, carrot, fennel), steamed spinach 

Rice: 

  • Cauliflower rice, butternut squash rice, broccoli rice, carrot rice 

Potatoes:

  • Cauliflower, winter squash, turnips, radishes 

Bread/Wraps/Buns: 

  • Bread: Keto Thin Bread, UnBun Bread, Dimpflmeier Bread, lettuce

  • Wraps: Egg white wraps, UnBun wraps 

  • Buns: Avocado buns, lettuce buns 

High Sugar Fruits: 

  • Berries, avocado, tomatoes, coconut 

Chips/Fries: 

  • Air-fryer vegetable chips, pork rinds, jicama fries, turnip fries, zucchini fries 

Candy: 

  • Smart Sweets, Keto Candy, fresh berries 

Chocolate: 

  • Zazubean Buff Dark chocolate, raw cacao powder 

This list is going to be your go-to sheet when it comes to ensuring that you have the Keto-approved staples in your house to turn to when the cravings strike! Next up, we’ll go through some Keto alternatives to your favourite meals to get your mouth watering and your brain churning with all the recipes you can make when you’re eating keto! 

The Ultimate Keto Meal Cheatsheet: 

Breakfast: 

Vegan 

  • Keto Coconut Flour Pancakes with almond butter and shredded coconut

  • Keto Waffles topped with coconut cream, berries and cinnamon

  • Keto Oatmeal topped with monk fruit sweetener, berries and coconut butter

  • Keto Double Chocolate Smoothie with raw cacao, coconut butter and avocado

  • Coconut Yogurt Parfait topped with berries, nuts/seeds and keto-friendly syrup

  • Keto Breakfast Cookies & Vegan Protein Shake 

  • Keto Peanut Butter and Jelly Toast made with low carb bread, topped with peanut butter and frozen raspberries (thawed) 

  • Low Carb Avocado Toast topped with Everything Bagel Seasoning

  • Keto Protein Frappuino 

  • Vegan Muesli Cereal with Coconut Yogurt

  • Keto Zucchini Fritters served with cashew cheese and sauteed spinach 

Vegetarian 

  • Breakfast Sandwich served on an avocado bun topped with egg, tomato and sauteed onions 

  • Poached eggs with sauteed spinach, onions and a side of avocado

  • Scrambled eggs with sauteed vegetables, avocado and cheese

  • Keto Cauliflower Herb Pancakes with Poached Eggs 

Lunch/Dinner: 

Vegan 

  • Baked tofu, keto crackers, guacamole and a handful of nuts 

  • Baked Tempeh with coleslaw and steamed vegetables 

  • Avocado, tomato, arugula and hemp heart salad 

  • Tomato and Tofu Spaghetti Squash with low-carb toast and coconut oil

  • Keto Asian Ginger Slaw with Marinated Sweet and Sour Tempeh

  • Broccoli Fried Rice with Tofu and Almonds 

  • Spicy Thai Curry Cauliflower Soup with Baked Tofu Wedges 

  • Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with sauteed peppers, onion and avocado

  • Pesto Zucchini Noodle Pasta with Tempeh Meatballs 

Snacks/Desserts: 

  • Keto-friendly smoothies: Green smoothies, Cookies and Cream, Peanut Butter & Jelly 

  • Bulletproof Coffee 

  • Vegan Keto Cheesecake with fresh berries and coconut cream

  • Keto brownies made with butter, almond flour, stevia, flax eggs and raw cacao

  • Avocado pudding made with coconut cream, raw cacao, avocados and stevia

  • Celery and nut butter of choice 

  • Keto crackers and guacamole or keto-friendly vegan cheese dip

  • Zazubean Buff 

  • Keto-friendly snack or protein bar 

At first, going keto can seem impossible. You’re desperately craving carbs and your friend looks like they are eating the best chocolate chip cookie of their life right in front of you while your willpower is slowing being depleted with every bite. Breathe. The beginning is always the hardest part when it comes to, well, anything! The trick to staying keto and loving every second of it lies in the planning of your meals and snacks. Once you’ve got the rhythm down and have discovered your favourites, you’ll naturally

start to crave them as your body falls in love with how it feels in ketosis. Start by taking out a piece of paper and writing down your favourite or go-to meals, see what keto-friendly alternatives you have on hand, research what you need and the recipes you’re planning to make and then hop to it! Soon everyone will be asking you for one of your Vegan Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies when they realize they don’t have the energy crash like they usually do with the other carb-loaded ones ;)

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Keto Ferrero Rocher Bites

Ingredients:

¾ cup hazelnuts, ground 

3 tbsp melted ghee or coconut oil 

2 tbsp powdered erythritol 

½ Zazubean Sassy Bar, chopped 

½ tbsp baking cacao powder 

½ tsp vanilla extract 

1 chopped hazelnuts & a few whole hazelnuts

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate. 

2. Add the ground hazelnuts, ghee or coconut oil, powdered erythritol, baking cacao powder & vanilla extract into a food processor and blend on high for 30-45 seconds. Add the melted chocolate and blend for another 15 seconds. 

3. Transfer the mixture to a small container lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. 

4. After the mixture has cooled down, take it out of the freezer and start to form small balls with your hands. 

5. Add a whole hazelnut into the middle of the ball and roll it in chopped hazelnuts afterwards. 

6. Transfer the bites to an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to a week.

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