Best keto recipes for non-keto folks
August 10, 2021 3:44 PM Subscribe
I’m staying with my folks several days every week currently and need your best keto recipes that will be appealing/unnoticeable as such to cook and share while I’m here.
Traveling to my parents’ every week for the foreseeable future-my father is terminally ill and my sister and I are alternating time in the house to assist. I eat well here-too well, and am rapidly adding on to the pandemic weight gain which I’d like to rein in a bit. I lose weight quickly when I switch to keto for a bit (no desire to eat continuously this way-it goes against all my fresh fruit and good bread desires and joy). My mom will go on endlessly if I disclose a diet-so would love your recs about dishes you love but can serve to non-keto folks and everyone is happy. Assume good cooking skills and equipment and not very picky eaters. Thank you!
Traveling to my parents’ every week for the foreseeable future-my father is terminally ill and my sister and I are alternating time in the house to assist. I eat well here-too well, and am rapidly adding on to the pandemic weight gain which I’d like to rein in a bit. I lose weight quickly when I switch to keto for a bit (no desire to eat continuously this way-it goes against all my fresh fruit and good bread desires and joy). My mom will go on endlessly if I disclose a diet-so would love your recs about dishes you love but can serve to non-keto folks and everyone is happy. Assume good cooking skills and equipment and not very picky eaters. Thank you!
Three ideas!
1) Crustless quiche: I use a modified version of the Daisy recipe. I mix 2.5 cups shredded cheese (I do swiss and cheddar, but it's flexible), a cup of sour cream, and 4 eggs (the recipe says 3, but I like the extra protein etc.). Mix it all together and add any extras that you want for flavoring. I like two combos: (a) black olives, smoked turkey slices cut up in bits, and artichokes (squeeze the extra moisture out of them before using!), and (b) broccoli and ham. Anything really would work, though if you add veg make sure to cook them first and squeeze moisture out a bit to avoid problems.
2) Beef stew: Beef chuck, carrots in chunks, cut turnips, and chopped onions in crockpot on low for 10-12 hours. I use a mix of red wine, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce as the base (I think I use a 4:2:1 ratio). I add in a variety of spices, especially a lot of rosemary, thyme, onion powder, oregano, bay leaves, etc. You can parboil the veg before starting out as it sometimes can be a bit hard at the end otherwise.
3) Chicken stew: Chicken thighs, carrots in chunks, and maybe cut turnips or onions in crockpot on high for 5-6 hours. I often use white wine as the base and add a lot of parsley.
Basically, I think stews are some of the easiest things to make low carb in a not super visible way, because all you're really missing out are potatoes and maybe some flour at the end to thicken (I sometimes reduce the sauce at the end and stir in butter, both to thicken, but not necessary).
posted by ClaireBear at 4:13 PM on August 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
1) Crustless quiche: I use a modified version of the Daisy recipe. I mix 2.5 cups shredded cheese (I do swiss and cheddar, but it's flexible), a cup of sour cream, and 4 eggs (the recipe says 3, but I like the extra protein etc.). Mix it all together and add any extras that you want for flavoring. I like two combos: (a) black olives, smoked turkey slices cut up in bits, and artichokes (squeeze the extra moisture out of them before using!), and (b) broccoli and ham. Anything really would work, though if you add veg make sure to cook them first and squeeze moisture out a bit to avoid problems.
2) Beef stew: Beef chuck, carrots in chunks, cut turnips, and chopped onions in crockpot on low for 10-12 hours. I use a mix of red wine, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce as the base (I think I use a 4:2:1 ratio). I add in a variety of spices, especially a lot of rosemary, thyme, onion powder, oregano, bay leaves, etc. You can parboil the veg before starting out as it sometimes can be a bit hard at the end otherwise.
3) Chicken stew: Chicken thighs, carrots in chunks, and maybe cut turnips or onions in crockpot on high for 5-6 hours. I often use white wine as the base and add a lot of parsley.
Basically, I think stews are some of the easiest things to make low carb in a not super visible way, because all you're really missing out are potatoes and maybe some flour at the end to thicken (I sometimes reduce the sauce at the end and stir in butter, both to thicken, but not necessary).
posted by ClaireBear at 4:13 PM on August 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
What about variations on salad with protein? Something like tuna or chicken salad with tomatoes and lettuce, or Chef's salad (cut up deli smoked turkey, bacon, blue cheese, hard boiled eggs over greens)?
posted by Lycaste at 4:18 PM on August 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by Lycaste at 4:18 PM on August 10, 2021 [4 favorites]
meatballs with grated zucchini instead of bread crumbs.
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:19 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:19 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Cauliflower cheese, fish or seafood and salad, BBQ/grilled meat
posted by The otter lady at 4:19 PM on August 10, 2021
posted by The otter lady at 4:19 PM on August 10, 2021
The other thing is that low-carb tortillas are widely available now. (Mission makes them, there are some generic knock-offs of Mission as well, and then there is a brand that I think is called La Banditera?! Check the carb count on the back as all those brands make high carb versions as well - just subtract the fiber from the total carbs, and if you're left with 4-6 carbs per tortilla, they're the low-carb version.) They taste basically identical to high-carb tortillas, so you could either serve them to your whole family, or simply serve everyone else high-carb tortillas and do the low-carb ones yourself.
Then, most taco fillings are naturally keto:
- You could do the ground beef classic (don't use the prepackaged taco spice mixes in the packets, as they are carby with cornstarch - use the taco seasoning in the spice aisle). Cut up tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, guac, etc.
- I also like slow cooked beef or chicken, shredded, with fried bell peppers and sour cream.
- You could also try some summary flavors, like fried white fish, chopped raw cabbage, and some kind of tangy dressing (I bet if you google it, you'd come up with some recipes for dressing, or there are different low-carb dressings in the salad dressing aisle).
posted by ClaireBear at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Then, most taco fillings are naturally keto:
- You could do the ground beef classic (don't use the prepackaged taco spice mixes in the packets, as they are carby with cornstarch - use the taco seasoning in the spice aisle). Cut up tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, guac, etc.
- I also like slow cooked beef or chicken, shredded, with fried bell peppers and sour cream.
- You could also try some summary flavors, like fried white fish, chopped raw cabbage, and some kind of tangy dressing (I bet if you google it, you'd come up with some recipes for dressing, or there are different low-carb dressings in the salad dressing aisle).
posted by ClaireBear at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Charcuterie and cheese plate with pecans and almonds and olives.
posted by Sublimity at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Sublimity at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
This Smoked Salmon & Ricotta Pastry Roll-Up is delicious, and I don't care about keto or gluten.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:21 PM on August 10, 2021
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:21 PM on August 10, 2021
Thought of a few more favs. :-)
I also agree with the salad suggestion above. I have made amazing keto salads over the past two summers. I use some combo of hard boiled eggs, chopped lunchmeat, smoked salmon, chopped sliced cheese, a variety of lettuce (I like to mix spring mix and arugula), avocado, berries, sunflower seeds, and various low-carb dressings and/or oil and vinegar. Obviously I try to choose ingredients that I think go better together from among the above (maybe (a) hard boiled eggs, ham, swiss, cheddar, butter lettuce, and blue cheese dressing, or (b) turkey, arugula mix, cut strawberries and blackberries, sunflower seeds, blue cheese dressing (I like blue cheese!), or (c) smoked salmon, avocado, arugula mix, balsamic vinegar).
I do Caprese salad with chopped tomatoes (need to be flavorful!), sliced mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves, drizzled with balsamic. In season with high quality ingredients, this can be sensational (and even when it's mediocre, it's still very tasty).
I also agree with barbequing meat if you have a grill, and then adding some sort of low-carb veg (a side salad, broccoli or cauliflower (maybe with cheese on top), zucchini, etc.). You could also do skewers with meat, onions, zucchini, and bell peppers on the grill. If you don't have access to a grill, just pan-frying chicken or some other meat and then adding low-carb veg is great too.
posted by ClaireBear at 4:31 PM on August 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
I also agree with the salad suggestion above. I have made amazing keto salads over the past two summers. I use some combo of hard boiled eggs, chopped lunchmeat, smoked salmon, chopped sliced cheese, a variety of lettuce (I like to mix spring mix and arugula), avocado, berries, sunflower seeds, and various low-carb dressings and/or oil and vinegar. Obviously I try to choose ingredients that I think go better together from among the above (maybe (a) hard boiled eggs, ham, swiss, cheddar, butter lettuce, and blue cheese dressing, or (b) turkey, arugula mix, cut strawberries and blackberries, sunflower seeds, blue cheese dressing (I like blue cheese!), or (c) smoked salmon, avocado, arugula mix, balsamic vinegar).
I do Caprese salad with chopped tomatoes (need to be flavorful!), sliced mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves, drizzled with balsamic. In season with high quality ingredients, this can be sensational (and even when it's mediocre, it's still very tasty).
I also agree with barbequing meat if you have a grill, and then adding some sort of low-carb veg (a side salad, broccoli or cauliflower (maybe with cheese on top), zucchini, etc.). You could also do skewers with meat, onions, zucchini, and bell peppers on the grill. If you don't have access to a grill, just pan-frying chicken or some other meat and then adding low-carb veg is great too.
posted by ClaireBear at 4:31 PM on August 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
If you have big gorgeous tomatoes at some point, hollow them out with a grapefruit spoon, salt the insides and set them upside down for a bit. Keep the yummy juices and insides and seeds to make sauces or add to stews or mix into cooking liquid for grains. Meanwhile, make tuna or chicken salad to stuff them with. That can be done Mediterranean style with tasty olive oil, capers, lemon, and fresh herbs, or more what I think of as California style with almonds or other nuts, high falutin fancy Mayo, maybe some berries or dried fruit (aren’t strawberries fairly keto friendly?), some celery for more crunch and fiber, or deli traditional with pickles, celery, mayo, a little mustard, etc. You can also do like, shrimp salad with those tiny cooked shrimp with a garlic aioli dressing, very fancy. Then, address your tomatoes again, try to tip out and pat dry the extra liquid the salt has brought out of them, and thoroughly stuff them. Serve on a bed of greens or alongside some other fresh veggies and nice cheese (easy to have crackers alongside for folks who want them). Eat with a fork and knife. This is a pretty retro thing to do and feels a bit silly but is a primo way to enjoy a good summer tomato and tuna or chicken salad without bread that doesn’t feel like anything is missing.
In general, I think being celebratory about your proteins will help you out here. Like, if there are big nice prawns at the store, is your mom going to get suspicious if you get psyched about roasting them with chili and lime and eat a pile of them while other folks in the family have a side of rice or tortillas with them? Or, if you swap in another lower carb veg for a starchy side, it can be something that’s fresh and in season, or special in some way, so it makes sense to want to eat it vs potatoes or rice. Like a quick cucumber salad with the best summer cukes, or maybe pickles from a local small company, or an interesting variety of broccoli (purple sprouting broccoli is fun!) roasted and sprinkled with zaatar.
posted by Mizu at 5:08 PM on August 10, 2021 [7 favorites]
In general, I think being celebratory about your proteins will help you out here. Like, if there are big nice prawns at the store, is your mom going to get suspicious if you get psyched about roasting them with chili and lime and eat a pile of them while other folks in the family have a side of rice or tortillas with them? Or, if you swap in another lower carb veg for a starchy side, it can be something that’s fresh and in season, or special in some way, so it makes sense to want to eat it vs potatoes or rice. Like a quick cucumber salad with the best summer cukes, or maybe pickles from a local small company, or an interesting variety of broccoli (purple sprouting broccoli is fun!) roasted and sprinkled with zaatar.
posted by Mizu at 5:08 PM on August 10, 2021 [7 favorites]
Broccoli-cheese soup
Bratwurst, sauerkraut or slaw, roasted veg (sometimes I do a sheet pan mixed - brussels, cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms, and then a little sweet potato/potato, which I mostly skip)
Lettuce wraps
I really like low-carb casseroles because you'll cover multiple meals and generally you're not missing the starchy filler - I find it easy to handwave off as wanting more vegetables.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:36 PM on August 10, 2021
Bratwurst, sauerkraut or slaw, roasted veg (sometimes I do a sheet pan mixed - brussels, cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms, and then a little sweet potato/potato, which I mostly skip)
Lettuce wraps
I really like low-carb casseroles because you'll cover multiple meals and generally you're not missing the starchy filler - I find it easy to handwave off as wanting more vegetables.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:36 PM on August 10, 2021
I'm no keto expert, but my partner did keto for a while, and an easy meal was basically a serving of meat with a serving of a green vegetable or salad. I don't know if this would be too tempting for you, but if you really want to go incognito, you could have a few rolls and not eat any yourself (unless that would call attention to itself?).
posted by bluedaisy at 5:39 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by bluedaisy at 5:39 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
A lot of this seems... identifiable as being "special diet" meals. Just make normal meals and leave out the carbs.
Steak and broccoli. (Boiled potatoes optional)
Beef bourginon. (Bread optional.) People make a huge deal about this but it's easy, just laborious.
Nigella Lemon Garlic Chicken with a salad.
Chicken and chorizo stew (I replace the chickpeas with diced sauteed chicken.)
posted by DarlingBri at 6:21 PM on August 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Steak and broccoli. (Boiled potatoes optional)
Beef bourginon. (Bread optional.) People make a huge deal about this but it's easy, just laborious.
Nigella Lemon Garlic Chicken with a salad.
Chicken and chorizo stew (I replace the chickpeas with diced sauteed chicken.)
posted by DarlingBri at 6:21 PM on August 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Jalapeno poppers-- cut jalapenos in half and take out the seeds and core. Stuff with a teaspoon of cream cheese. Wrap in a strip of bacon (not the thick cut.) Bake on a cookie sheet at 400F until bacon is cooked, about 15-20ish minutes.
posted by blnkfrnk at 6:33 PM on August 10, 2021
posted by blnkfrnk at 6:33 PM on August 10, 2021
Sautéed greens and protein is a quick/easy and delicious category to riff on:
- Broccolini and sausage with sliced garlic and a little cracked red pepper
- Baby bok choy, shallots, trumpet mushrooms, sausage
- Kale with onions and a little curry powder, scrambled eggs with cream cheese and chives
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 11:09 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
- Broccolini and sausage with sliced garlic and a little cracked red pepper
- Baby bok choy, shallots, trumpet mushrooms, sausage
- Kale with onions and a little curry powder, scrambled eggs with cream cheese and chives
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 11:09 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
I think soups in general are a good way to go under the radar, whether they're broth soups or cream-of-low-carb-things soups.
Omelets are also good, especially for quick meals.
If you're not tempted by having carbs on the table and if there's no worry that your mom will notice you're not eating them, you might put out some non-keto side dishes for the others.
posted by trig at 11:22 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Omelets are also good, especially for quick meals.
If you're not tempted by having carbs on the table and if there's no worry that your mom will notice you're not eating them, you might put out some non-keto side dishes for the others.
posted by trig at 11:22 PM on August 10, 2021 [1 favorite]
Stuffed peppers, meatloaf, meat & veggies on the grill.
posted by TurkishGolds at 6:22 AM on August 11, 2021
posted by TurkishGolds at 6:22 AM on August 11, 2021
Nthing big salads with a protein. I’m usually eating Keto-ish and that’s my main food. Also, bacon and eggs. Or just old school meat and two veg (you could make this every single night and I doubt it would raise an eyebrow.) Beef stew. Chicken soup. Omelets. Even cheesecake made with Lakanta or whatever sweetener you like. Berries with cream. There is so much naturally Keto stuff in the ‘typical’ American diet.
posted by asimplemouse at 7:29 AM on August 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by asimplemouse at 7:29 AM on August 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
When cooking for my parents, I typically focus on a great protein and vegetable. It's grilling season, so lately that's meant a nicely marinated chunk of chicken or salmon with whatever veggies are coming out of the garden. I also grill potatoes or make a pot of rice for them that I simply don't touch.
Or tacos. Tacos are easy, with infinite variations. I just put mine on a bed of lettuce instead of tortillas.
posted by writermcwriterson at 7:50 AM on August 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Or tacos. Tacos are easy, with infinite variations. I just put mine on a bed of lettuce instead of tortillas.
posted by writermcwriterson at 7:50 AM on August 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
I love making this Mapo Tofu recipe (Chinese Cooking Demystified), and was surprised when it slotted perfectly into my wife's desired keto ratios. Not exactly off the shelf ingredients, but easy enough if you google a local Asian market. You can sub in black bean sauce for the fermented black soybeans, cooking sherry for xioaxing wine, and sambal for the chili bean paste if you're not picky about how traditional the flavor is - just be careful to taste as you go, it can get spicy if you're working with unfamiliar ingredients.
Serving over rice would undermine the ketosis, but substituting riced cauliflower should minimize the carb intake.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 8:10 AM on August 11, 2021
Serving over rice would undermine the ketosis, but substituting riced cauliflower should minimize the carb intake.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 8:10 AM on August 11, 2021
Check out the recipes in the Keto Reset and Wholesome Yum cookbooks. This week I made a crockpot Thai beef with kimchi and red cabbage out of the Keto Reset book and it was both easy and scrumptious
posted by Sheydem-tants at 3:27 PM on August 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Sheydem-tants at 3:27 PM on August 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by mezzanayne at 4:13 PM on August 10, 2021 [3 favorites]