The key to perfecting keto-friendly meals is focusing on fat. The ketogenic diet is high-fat, moderate-protein and very low-carb. If you decide to give keto a go for health reasons or to shed unwanted body fat, you’ll learn how important it is to include healthy fats such as olive oil, grass-fed butter, nuts, seeds and avocado into every meal.
In addition to fat, yourketomeal prep will focus heavily on including healthy doses of protein from sources like grass-fed beef, cage-free and/or organic eggs, fish and some dairy products, as well as non-starchy vegetables like greens, zucchini, asparagus, cucumber, and broccoli.
To kickstart your ketogenic diet – and because the8fit app doesn’t support the ketogenic diet at this time – we created three easy keto recipes, one forbreakfast, one forlunchand one for dinner. Start your day with ourBroccoli and Feta Omelette, then prepGround Turkey with Pestofor lunch andSteak Salad with Avocadofor dinner.
Since fats comprise about 70-75% of the daily calorie intake on a keto diet, we’ll highlight the healthyfat factsof each of these keto-friendly meals. Enjoy!
Ketogenic diet recipes
Keto breakfast: Broccoli and feta omelet
Keto Broccoli and Feta Omelet
15 min400 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup chopped broccoli
- 2/3 ounces feta cheese
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
Method
- Wash the broccoli thoroughly. Cut the florets into very small pieces.
- Add oil to a skillet pan and heat to medium-high. Add the broccoli and toss to coat with oil. Cook, stirring every 2-3 minutes until the broccoli begins to soften and turn bright green.In the meantime, whisk eggs with feta in a small bowl. Add egg mixture to pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes at medium heat, flip the omelet and cook 2 minutes or until cooked through. Season as desired.
The keto diet often promotes drinking bulletproof coffee, a blend of coffee and fats like grass-fed butter andmedium chain triglycerides(MCTs) found in coconut oil. MCTs have potential health benefits including the improvement of gut health, weight management, energy and endurance. For some people, bulletproof coffee may help suppress hunger pangs but when it comes to consuming liquid calories, it’s easy to have too much of a good thing. Rather than slurping your calories down, get your MCTs through the coconut oil in this satisfying dish.
Keto lunch: Ground turkey with pesto
Keto Ground Turkey with Pesto
15 min500 kcal
Ingredients
- 4 ounces ground turkey
- ½ medium onion
- ½ zucchini
- 1 ½ Tbsp pesto
Method
- Wash zucchini and cut into thin, noodle-like strips and set aside. A mandoline or spiralizer works well for this., Peel and chop onion and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent (about one minute). Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon. Cook until cooked thoroughly.
- Stir in zucchini and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until softened.
- Serve topped with pesto and seasoned with herbs and spices as desired.
When choosing an oil, it’s important to takesmoke pointsand oil quality into account. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil literally starts to smoke, producing toxic fumes and harmful free radicals which may lead to inflammation and disease. Many store-bought oils are heat treated, then masked with deodorizers and bleach. Aim for unrefined, expeller or cold-pressed versions. When we create 8fit recipes, we take this into account by using olive oil for pan frying that requires medium heat or lower, then coconut oil and sesame oil for higher heats.
Keto dinner: Steak salad with avocado
Keto Steak Salad with Avocado
15 min500 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ ounce beef tenderloin
- ½ avocado
- 1/2 tomato
- 1/2 cup arugula
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- ½ tsp vinegar (optional)
Method
- Rub half of the oil and seasoning of your choice onto the beef. Heat a pan to medium and cook for 2-3 mins on each side or until done to your liking. Let the beef rest for a few minutes before slicing.
- In the meantime, wash and dry the arugula, wash and slice the tomato, and peel and slice avocado. Assemble on a plate.
- Drizzle remaining oil and vinegar on the salad and serve steak on top.
Moderate amounts of high-quality red meat are a good addition to a healthy, balanced diet. When beef is mass produced, the cattle are usually grain, corn and soy-fed, which is not a typical diet for cows. If possible, aim to buy organic, grass-fed beef because it usually contains less overall fats and more healthy fats such asomega-3s. Can’t get grass-fed beef? No worries! You’ll also be getting plenty of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from the avocado in this meal.
Always consult a doctor, nutritionist or dietician before beginning a ketogenic diet. At this time, the 8fit recipe book does not contain keto-friendly recipes, but we do have someclose-to-keto recipesand plenty of low-carb options to help you reduce your carbohydrate intake.
