Low Carb Breakfast Menu Ideas
Quick and Easy Breakfasts
Especially for people new to low carb eating, it can be challenging to figure out what to make for breakfast. Especially if you’re used to reaching for the cereal box, the loaf of bread, or the packet of oatmeal, it can come as a bit of a shock to realize that you have to come up with a totally different breakfast plan. But don’t worry, there is a variety of low carb breakfast foods.
Eggs
I know what you’re thinking – “how can I possibly cook something first thing in the morning?” Well, eggs don’t have to be just for lazy Sunday mornings. Here are some ways to make them quick and easy.
1. Make a vegetable frittata and then freeze or refrigerate servings to pull out and heat in the microwave. A frittata is sort of a cross between an omelet and a quiche, made on the stove and sometimes finished in the oven.
2. Of course, it’s even easier to simply scramble leftover veggies and cheese with eggs. You can make a big batch of this, and save the extra; zip-type plastic bags work well.
3. Omelets are great vehicles for leftovers.
4. A serving of regular scrambled or fried eggs is quick to make. I recently mastered flipping fried eggs just with the pan. It’s fun, and cuts down on the cleanup. Serve with low-sugar fruit, and a flax muffin, and you’ve got a complete breakfast.
5. Eggs Florentine is an easy recipe using frozen spinach.
Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Ricotta, Tofu
1. “Spoonable Dairy” can be combined with fruit such as frozen berries, and nuts or flax seed to make a quick breakfast.
2. Shakes: Any of the above can be used to make a shake with protein powder and fruit or flavorings. Or the shake can be made with just the protein powder and unsweetened soy milk, kefir, or water.
3. Use tofu as the central protein. A shake can be made from soft tofu, while the firmer types can be used in tofu scrambles and other dishes.
Low Carb Lunch Menu Ideas
Alternatives to Sandwiches
If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.
Salads
We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination. It’s basically any protein atop any combination of salad greens and vegetables.
Low carb “meal salad” tips:
# Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce. Now that bagged greens are in every grocery store, salad making has never been more convenient.
# If you are using bottled dressings, check the label for carbs.
Many “light” dressings have sugar added to make up for the loss of flavor when oil is reduced.
# Choose dressings with oils high in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil.
# It is very easy to make dressings yourself - it literally can take less than a minute. Whip up an oil-based one in the bottom of the bowl, put the salad on top, and toss. For a creamy dressing, just mix some of your favorite herbs and spices into some mayonnaise. Thin down with water or lemon juice.
Examples of Salads include:
* Greek salad (put extra protein on, such as hard boiled eggs, chicken, or seafood)
* Chicken (cooked without breading, of course) atop salad greens, chopped snow pea pods, chopped red pepper, and walnuts
* Low carb cole slaw with chicken, pecans, and bits of apple
* Tuna salad with greens, tomato and avocado
* Salmon on top of greens, blanched green beans, mushrooms, and sprouts
* Chicken with greens, cucumbers, pecans, and crumbled blue cheese
* Steak with greens, thinly sliced red onions, green pepper, and mushrooms
* Cobb salad
* You get the idea
Roll ups and Wraps
There are three basic kinds of low carb roll ups:
1. Lettuce: Roll “mushy” stuff, such as tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken salad up in a large lettuce leaf, along with anything else that sounds good (as long as you don’t overload it). (A similar alternative is to use the "protein salad" as a dip, and use celery, Bell pepper, cucumber, etc as dippers.)
2. Meat: Roll cheese and veggies up in a slice of roast beef, ham, etc.
3. Low Carb Tortillas: Roll whatever you want up in a low carb tortilla and make a “wrap”. My husband eats hot dogs this way. Example of a wrap
Soups
Soups are very versatile, and can provide a vehicle for leftover meats and vegetables. Most soup recipes can be low carb if you just take out the starch (noodles, rice, potatoes). There are a few low carb canned soups, but the vast majority are not – you have to read labels carefully. Make up a big pot of soup and freeze portions. Rainbow Soup
Leftovers
The easiest lunch of all – just make extra at dinner and have it for lunch the next day!
Low Carb Dinner Menu Ideas
Main Dishes Don't Have to Be Difficult
Making low carb dinners may seem challenging, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really not hard. You probably are already making a few main dish recipes that are almost “diet-ready”.
Start With What You Know
Main dishes that are “old standbys” and are naturally low carb or can easily adjusted are the best place to start. Think about your favorite meals. In particular:
* Look to your meals where the protein is fairly plainly cooked, such as grilled or pan-fried meats, broiled fish, etc. Include more vegetables instead of potatoes or rice, including substitutes such as “Cauli-Rice”. If the plate seems puny, add a green salad with an olive oil-based dressing, or a soup to help it seem more like a “meal”.
* Also, don’t be afraid of including more healthy fat than you are used to – it will help satisfy you until the next meal.
* Skillet meals consisting of meat and veggies are often naturally low carb, or you can just leave out a starchy or sugary ingredient or two.
* Make your favorite quiche without the crust
De-Carb Your Favorites
I firmly believe that to make low carb eating into a way of life (instead of a “diet”), it’s important to find low carb versions of a lot of your favorite meals.
Try a New Cuisine
Some cuisines are naturally less “carby” than others. Examples:
* Traditional Greek food is often less starchy and sugary than others.
* When people think “France” they usually think of bread, but traditional French food is only moderate in carbohydrates. In fact, recently the French have been decreasing their intake of fat and increasing their carbs, and getting fatter.
* Many Asian dishes become low carb if you leave out the rice or noodles.