Does it ever feel like the whole world has gone low-carb? From those oodles of “zoodles” to the lettuce-wrapped burgers at your local fast food joint, carbohydrates are definitely out and diets like keto and paleo are in. Want to bring the low-carb life to your kitchen? Check out our tasty substitutes for the carbs you crave.
Keto Bread in a Mug
This 90-second alternative is a great grain-free swap when you’re longing for bread.
Serves 2
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup blanched almond flour
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch sea salt
- Place butter in a microwave-safe mug. Microwave until melted, about 20-30 seconds. Swirl butter in the mug until the mug is fully coated.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the mug and whisk until smooth.
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds, or until set. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from mug and slice.
Per serving: Calories 184; Total Fat 17g; Carbs 4g; Protein 7g; Sodium 159mg; Sugar 1g
Silver Dollar Almond-Blueberry Pancakes
For many people, Sunday morning just isn’t complete without a hearty stack of pancakes. Satisfy your sweet tooth with these gluten-free, low-carb flapjacks topped with a dollop of almond butter.
Serves 4
- 2 cups almond flour
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Erythritol or stevia, to taste
- ½ cup small blueberries
- ¼ cup ghee
- Mix all the ingredients, except blueberries, in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in blueberries. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the ghee and swirl the pan to melt. Pour about 1/8 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Flip when the edges are set. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until the second side is golden. Repeat with the remaining batter, using the remaining ghee as needed.
Per serving: Calories 559; Total Fat 47g; Carbs 15g; Protein 19g; Sodium 94mg; Sugar 4g
Cauli-Rice Two Ways
Using cauliflower as a stand-in for rice is so 2019! Take it up a notch with these two variations of cauliflower rice to perk up any meal. Not only is cauliflower low-calorie and low-carb, it’s also bursting with immune-supporting vitamin C.
Greek Cauli-Rice
Serves 4
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1 head cauliflower, riced or store-bought cauliflower rice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup flat-leafed parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Toast the almonds in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the oil. Add the cauliflower rice, garlic, and salt, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally for 6-8 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden and tender.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the almonds, parsley, lemon juice, and pepper.
- Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve warm.
Per serving: Calories 193; Total Fat 15g; Carbs 11.6g; Protein 6.7g; Sodium 188mg; Sugar 3.5g
Cilantro Lime Rice
Serves 4
- 1 head cauliflower, riced or store-bought cauliflower rice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the cauliflower rice and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until tender.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Serve warm.
Per serving: Calories 68; Total Fat 4g; Carbs 7g; Protein 3g; Sodium 287mg; Sugar 3g
Guilt-Free Margherita Pizza
Ditch the delivery! Cauliflower, egg, and cheese combine to make a delicious crust that’s low-carb and keto-friendly. The best part? It’s ready in about the same amount of time as take out!
Serves 4
- 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup marinara sauce
- 1 small Roma tomato, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh basil, cut into ribbons
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and set aside.
- Pour ¼-inch of water into a large skillet and bring to a boil. Add cauliflower in an even layer and cook until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to a clean dish towel and squeeze out remaining water.
- Put the cauliflower into the bowl of a food processer and pulse until grated. Drain out any water and transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl.
- Add the egg, 1 cup mozzarella, and ¼ cup Parmesan to the bowl. Season with salt to taste. Stir to combine well.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet and pat into a ¼-inch thick circle. Bake until golden and dry, about 20 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and cool slightly.
- Top the crust with marinara, remaining cheese, tomato, and garlic. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Garnish with basil and serve warm.
Per serving: Calories 280; Total Fat 16g; Carbs 14g; Protein 24g; Sodium 632mg; Sugar 6g