Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb

Good Health LifestylesRecipes

Bring a little creativity to the kitchen with these low-carb alternatives for your favorite foods

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
  1. 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.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients to the mug and whisk until smooth.
  3. 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
  1. Mix all the ingredients, except blueberries, in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in blueberries. Set aside.
  2. 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
  1. Toast the almonds in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the almonds, parsley, lemon juice, and pepper.
  4. 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
  1. 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.
  2. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. 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
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Add the egg, 1 cup mozzarella, and ¼ cup Parmesan to the bowl. Season with salt to taste. Stir to combine well.
  5. 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.
  6. Top the crust with marinara, remaining cheese, tomato, and garlic. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese has melted.
  7. Garnish with basil and serve warm.

Per serving: Calories 280; Total Fat 16g; Carbs 14g; Protein 24g; Sodium 632mg; Sugar 6g

 

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