 September is National Chicken Month. Chicken is definitely one of my favorite protein sources, and I enjoy it prepared just about any way. Wings, breasts, drumsticks that are grilled, baked, or sautéed -- all are equally great, in my opinion. Here are five delicious chicken recipes that were published by a few of my favorite low-carb food bloggers over the summer. I can't wait to try them! Brown Butter Old Bay Chicken Wings from Carolyn at All Day I Dream About Food (less than 2 grams net carb per serving) Bacon-Wrapped Buffalo Chicken Bites from Kim at Low Carb Maven (less than 1 gram carb per serving) Chili Lime Cream Grilled Chicken from Stacey at Beauty and the Foodie (3 grams net carb per serving) Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken from Maya at Wholesome Yum (7 grams net carb per serving) Easy Chicken Fajita Stuffed Zucchini from Brenda at Sugar-Free Mom (7.4 grams net carb per serving) Video: Dr. Adrienne Scheck's Presentation from the 2016 Metabolic Therapeutics Conference in Tampa, Florida I was very fortunate to see Adrienne Scheck, PhD, speak at the first Metabolic Therapeutics Conference in Tampa last January. Dr. Scheck and her team at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, are conducting ground-breaking research on the ketogenic diet for brain cancer. Fantastic lecture from a world-class researcher. Recent Articles Written for Authority Nutrition
Here are the low-carb-friendly articles I wrote for Authority Nutrition within the past month: 15 Common Mistakes When Trying to Lose Weight 7 Side Effects of Too Much Apple Cider Vinegar Distilled Water – What Is It and Should You Drink It? 14 Foods to Avoid (or Limit) on a Low-Carb Diet 15 Remedies for Sore Throat The 7 Best Types of Protein Powder
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 August Is National Sandwich Month. Low-carb and sandwiches don't really go together, do they? Fortunately, I know a few very talented bloggers who create grain-free, low-carb recipes that taste amazing and look great to boot. Enjoy these five low-carb sandwich recipes -- including two for sandwich cookies -- that all sound absolutely scrumptious! Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwiches from Stacey at Beauty and the Foodie (3 grams net carb) Low Carb Cloud Bread Grilled Cheese from Brenda at Sugar-Free Mom (less than 2 grams net carb) Cauliflower Croque Monsieur from Carolyn at All Day I Dream About Food (less than 5 grams net carb) Paleo Lemon Cream Sandwich Cookies from Stacey at Beauty and the Foodie (2 grams net carb per cookie for low-carb version) Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies from Carolyn at All Day I Dream About Food (less than 5 grams per cookie) Video Presentation by Dr. David & Dr. Jen Unwin: Success for People with Diabetes in Primary Care and Beyond This is a great talk by UK physicians David and Jen Unwin about their experience using a low-carb approach with their diabetic patients. Lovely, caring dedicated doctors who are getting great results by encouraging sustainable lifestyle changes! Recent Articles Written for Authority Nutrition Here are the most recent low-carb-friendly articles I wrote for Authority Nutrition. The 21 Best Low-Carb Vegetables Can Apple Cider Vinegar in Your Diet Help You Lose Weight? 14 Easy Ways to Increase Your Protein Intake 15 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Carbohydrate Intake Carbonated (Sparkling) Water: Good or Bad? 10 “Low-Fat” Foods That Are Actually Bad For You 14 Fast Foods You Can Eat on a Low-Carb Diet Are Whole Eggs and Egg Yolks Bad For You, or Good? 8 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency Meat: Good or Bad?  June is National Fruit and Vegetables Month! Although most fruits are high in sugar and carbs, berries are an exception. I've chosen five mouthwatering low-carb recipes published within the past month featuring either berries or vegetables. Actually, you'll find both in the final recipe, Zucchini Blueberry Muffins. Enjoy!
Lemon Crepes with Whipped Raspberry Cream Cheese from Carolyn at All Day I Dream About Food (6.7 grams net carb per serving) Marinated Baby Artichokes Antipasto Salad from Melissa at I Breathe…I'm Hungry (5 grams net carb per serving) Poached Eggs and Roasted Vegetable Masala from Kim at Low Carb Maven (6 grams net carb per serving) Low-Carb No-Bake Strawberry Mousse Pie from Brenda at Sugar-Free Mom (3.5 grams net carb per serving) Zucchini Blueberry Muffins from Lisa at Low Carb Yum (4.3 grams net carb per serving) Articles Written for Authority Nutrition in May Here are my Authority Nutrition articles that were published last month. Yes, there are quite a few on coconut oil! Shirataki Noodles: The Zero-Calorie “Miracle” Noodles 8 Science-Based Health Benefits of Coconut Water 12 Things That Make You Gain Belly Fat 13 Studies on Coconut Oil and Its Health Effects 31 Clever Uses for Coconut Oil 7 “Toxins” in Food That Are Actually Concerning How to Eat Coconut Oil, and How Much Per Day? 12 Proven Health Benefits of Ashwagandha  May is National Egg Month! Eggs are definitely one of my favorite foods. They're so versatile, delicious, and nourishing. I love them in any form, and I think these five recipes sound absolutely outstanding! I hope you agree. Zucchini Fritter Eggs Benedict with Prosciutto & Tomato from Kim at Low Carb Maven (5 grams net carb per serving) Egg Stuffed Avocado from Martina at KetoDiet (less than 5 grams net carb per serving) Low Carb Italian Eggs in Purgatory from Stacey at Beauty and the Foodie (5 grams net carb per serving) Jalapeño Popper Quiche Cups from Lisa at 24-7 Diner (1 gram net carb apiece) Baked Eggs with Asparagus & Parmesan from Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen (less than 5 grams net carb per serving) Low Carb Vail Presentation by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee: Low Carb, Slow Carb and the Microbiome Here is a wonderful talk on the benefits of a low-carbohydrate, high-fiber diet on gut health and immunity by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, the UK-based physician featured in the BBC series "Doctor in the House." Articles Written for Authority Nutrition in April Here are my Authority Nutrition articles that were published in April. Most, but not all, discuss the benefits of including nutrient-dense low-carb foods in your diet. Enjoy! 29 Healthy Snacks That Can Help You Lose Weight 8 Weight Loss Tips to Ignore Completely Do “Diets” Really Just Make You Fatter? 7 High-Cholesterol Foods That Are Super Healthy Why Some Women Gain Weight Around Menopause How to Lose Weight Around Menopause (and Keep it Off) 11 Foods That Can Help You Look Younger The 16 Best Foods to Control Diabetes  Low Carb Tomato Recipes April is National Florida Tomato Month! Wherever you live, I hope you enjoy these 5 fantastic low-carb recipes featuring this amazing fruit that's loaded with vitamin C, lycopene, and great flavor. Bacon Spinach Tomato Ricotta Frittata from Stacey at Beauty and the Foodie (1 gram net carb) Easy Caprese Chicken from Carolyn at All Day I Dream About Food (less than 2 grams net carb per serving) Easy Keto Marinara from Melissa at I Breathe…I'm Hungry (3 grams net carb per half-cup serving) Low Carb Tex Mex Soup from Martina at KetoDiet (6.4 grams net carb per serving) Sun-Dried Tomato Garlic Dip from Kyndra at Peace, Love, and Low Carb (1.5 grams net carb per serving) Low Carb Vail Presentation by Dr. Michael Eades: Paleopathology and the Origins of the Paleo Diet Be sure to watch this video of the presentation Dr. Michael Eades gave at Low Carb Vail in February when you have a chance. I'm really looking forward to meeting him at the Low Carb San Diego event in July, where we''ll both be speaking. March Articles Written for Authority Nutrition Here are my latest Authority Nutrition articles for the month of March. Not all of them have a low carb focus, but I did my best to provide balanced, accurate information about nutrition and health. I hope you enjoy them! 9 Proven Ways to Fix The Hormones That Control Your Weight Anti-Inflammatory Diet 101 – Fight Inflammation Naturally 14 Simple Ways to Stick to a Healthy Diet Dukan Diet 101: What it is and How it Works The 10 Worst Foods to Eat in the Morning How Low-Carb and Ketogenic Diets Boost Brain Health 8 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Papaya  Low-Carb Peanut Butter Recipes March is National Peanut Month. While I like peanuts, I love peanut butter and am so happy that it fits nicely into my low-carb way of eating. Here are 5 fantastic sugar-free, grain-free peanut butter recipes from a few of my favorite low-carb culinary wizards. Each treat contains between 1.5-7 grams of digestible carbohydrate per serving. Enjoy! No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars from All Day I Dream About Food (less than 4 grams net carb apiece) Chocolate Peanut Butter Mini Cheesecakes from Beauty and the Foodie (less than 2 grams net carb per serving) 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Popsicles from Sugar-Free Mom (less than 4 grams net carb per serving) Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake from All Day I Dream About Food (7 grams net carb per serving) No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Low Carb Yum (6 grams net carb per serving) Blog Post Series on Low Carb vs. Keto from Amy Berger My friend and fellow low-carb nutritionist Amy Berger has written a great three-part series about the difference between being fat adapted vs. "in ketosis." Amy's posts are a little lengthy, but in my opinion no one does a better and more thorough job of explaining this than she does. February Articles Written for Authority Nutrition Lastly, here my latest Authority Nutrition articles on a variety of topics. None of these are about carbohydrate restriction per se, but you'll see that I made sure to feature low-carb foods wherever possible. How Eating More Slowly Can Help You Lose Weight How Cooking Affects the Nutrient Content of Foods 6 Foods That Cause Inflammation Inulin 101: A Prebiotic Fiber with Powerful Health Benefits 13 Most Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Can Eat 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Magnesium 6 Supplements That Fight Inflammation I'm very happy to announce that I am writing articles for the Authority Nutrition website. For a while, this will be the extent of my writing, given that I'm already very busy seeing clients and working on other projects.
Although I've already shared these articles on social media, I realize some of my readers aren't on Facebook and Twitter, so I intend to share them on my blog on a monthly basis. Also, not every article will be about low-carbohydrate diets, although my first one happens to be. I appreciate your support very much and hope you enjoy the articles. A Guide to Healthy Low Carb Eating with Diabetes Oxalate (Oxalic Acid): Good or Bad?  I am so excited to announce the publication of The KetoDiet Cookbook by my good friend Martina Slajerová. You may know Martina from her very popular KetoDiet website, where she blogs about low-carb, keto-, and other nutrition-related topics and shares creative, delicious recipes to support low-carb lifestyles. Martina is an extremely talented chef -- definitely one of the top culinary wizards in the low-carb community. Yes, I'm a huge fan of her work and always encourage my readers and clients to check out her website or purchase the KetoDiet App for her complete collection of recipes, calorie and macronutrient tracking, and help staying on plan. And I'm happy to say that the KetoDiet Cookbook is equally impressive. To start with, it's a beautiful book, well organized, and contains high-quality photos of most of the recipes. After a brief discussion of keto diets -- including macronutrient ratios, lists of foods to include vs. avoid, and some great advice for getting started -- Martina gets right to the heart of the matter: fantastic, easy-to-prepare recipes that present beautifully, taste delicious, and are healthy to boot. Although some of the 150 enticing recipes can be found on her website, she has created dozens more for this cookbook, including Chocolate and Orange Spiced Granola, Slow-Roast Pork Belly with Quick "Potato" Salad, and Turkey Leg with Tarragon. I'm really enjoying looking at the pictures and reading the descriptions, along with the tips sprinkled throughout the book. Each recipe contains nourishing ingredients that Martina masterfully combines to create luxurious, satisfying meals to help you achieve your weight, blood glucose management, and other health-related goals. She not only provides complete nutrition information (protein, carbs, fat, fiber, and calories per serving) but also the macronutrient ratio for each recipe. For instance, Danish Meatballs with Tomato Sauce contains 6% carbohydrate, 22% protein, and 72% fat as a percentage of calories. All of the recipes in The KetoDiet Cookbook are grain free and sugar free. In order to address food sensitivities and preferences, Martina provides dairy free and nut free options as well. As a companion to the book, she has created six meal plans and an allergy table that are available to download for free from the KetoDiet website. One of the best things about the recipes is that most are very family-friendly, even for members of your household who are not following a low carb or ketogenic diet. My own husband, who will freely admit to being a picky eater and preferring traditional comfort foods, chose Paleo Chicken Nuggets as the first recipe to try from the cookbook. I'm happy to say that he smiled after trying it and told me I could make it again anytime. Trust me, that's high food praise from him as far as food goes! I loved it as well, and I couldn't wait to share with everyone. Recipe: Paleo Chicken Nuggets  Number of Servings: 4
Ingredients: 1.5 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) almond milk or coconut milk 1 cup (100 grams) almond flour 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/3 cup (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese (or 1/3 cup additional almond flour) 2 Tablespoons (30 g) melted coconut oil or ghee Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius. Using a paper towel, dab any excess moisture from the chicken. Dice the chicken breasts into medium-sized pieces and season with half of the salt. Mix the egg with the almond milk and season with the rest of the salt. Pllace the chicken pieces into the egg mixture. Mix the spices, almond flour, and grated Parmesan cheese together. Pour mixture onto a large baking sheet. Lift up each piece of chicken, letting some of the egg mixture drip off, then transfer to the baking sheet containing the almond flour mixture. (Avoid letting any excess egg mixture dribble in or else it will clump up the dry ingredients). Cover all sides of the chicken pieces with the dry mixture. Do this in batches and do not overfill the baking sheet. Move the coated chicken nuggets to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with ghee, and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove the tray from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve with Spicy Chocolate BBQ Sauce (pictured), mayonnaise, ketchup, or Dijon mustard. Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories: 463 Total Carbohydrates: 6.3 grams Fiber: 2.8 grams Net Carbs: 3.5 grams Protein: 46 grams Fat: 28.3 grams Macronutrient Ratios: 3% carb, 41% protein, 56% fat I honestly have nothing but praise for this cookbook, from beginning to end. I highly recommend it for all low carb and keto enthusiasts who want to prepare delicious, simple, nourishing meals. The book is definitely well worth its cost, and I would encourage everyone who enjoys Martina's recipes, meal plans, and blog posts to purchase this book in support of all that she offers free of charge. Click here to purchase The KetoDiet Cookbook. (Just for the record, although I occasionally use affiliate links for Amazon products, I decided not to for this cookbook. My only interest in writing this review is making sure that people are aware of it and Martina's other work.)  Recently, I've been eating breakfast out more often than usual because I was out of town on vacation for a few weeks, and I've also started doing breakfast appointments with a few of my clients at home. I realize that most restaurants cater to the general population rather than people on low-carb diets, but generally speaking there are plenty of great breakfast options at most dining establishments. However, I'm concerned that diners are being led to believe that a breakfast very high in carbs and sugar is the healthiest way to go. It's not just restaurants who do this, of course. The photo above? That's an image I purchased from Shutterstock entitled "Healthy Breakfast." But people are most likely to encounter this message at their favorite eateries. You may have never eaten at the restaurants whose menus are listed below, but I'm sure you'll find similar offerings and descriptions at breakfast places in your own city.    "Lighter/Healthy/Smart" Breakfast: Where's the Protein? Let's look at the third one, "The Health Nut Breakfast" under "Lighter Side," in terms of macronutrient composition. I took a conservative estimate of the amount of oatmeal at one and a half cups, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, half a cup of low-fat milk, 2 Tablespoons raisins, a 3-ounce bran muffin and an 8-ounce (never-empty?!) glass of orange juice, then entered everything into the My Fitness Pal app. The grand total of carbohydrates for this meal is 129 grams, with 11 grams of fiber, for a net carb count of 118 grams, most of which are rapidly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. On the other hand, the protein content for this meal is only 15 grams, primarily from grains, which are considered an inferior source of protein compared to the type found in animals, including eggs, dairy, and meat. Compare this to a meal of three pancakes with a quarter cup of syrup, and you'll see that the amount of net carbohydrates and protein is very similar. In my opinion, advertising the three meals above as being the best choices on the menu for the health conscious is very misleading. If someone wants to have waffles at the Waffle House and eat them with the realization that their meal isn't all that nutritious, I have no problem with that. But I do take issue with restaurants advertising carb-heavy breakfasts with juice as "healthy," because it's the people who have made a conscious decision to eat well that end up ordering them. This often results in similar high-carb meals consumed at home as well, compounding the problem. I can't count the number of people with diabetes or weight issues who have looked at me suspiciously when I've told them that their breakfast of cereal, nonfat milk, banana, and juice is exactly what they should not be starting their day with and that they'd be much better off if eating bacon and eggs instead. Begin the Day with a High-Protein Meal There have been several recent studies demonstrating the benefits of a protein-based breakfast with low to moderate carbohydrates. In one study of overweight women, those who consumed 30-40 grams of animal protein (sausage and eggs) and less than 15 grams of carbohydrate at breakfast had better satiety, lower blood glucose and insulin levels, and lower calorie intake at lunch compared to women who ate more carbohydrates and less protein in the morning (1). Studies looking at overweight children and adolescents have had similar findings with respect to high-protein breakfasts (2-3). As I stated in a previous post, getting a minimum of 25 grams of protein at each of three meals is particularly important for preventing loss of muscle mass during weight loss (4) and aging (5-6). Truly Nourishing Breakfast Options I personally think breakfast is the easiest meal for remaining low carb when dining out. It's not hard to find delicious, satiating, blood-glucose-stabilizing breakfast options -- even at restaurants whose claim to fame is pancakes or waffles -- as long as you stay away from most of the ones classified as" healthy."  Waffle House, IHOP, Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel, and other restaurants: I had a delicious very-low-carb, high-protein breakfast at the Waffle House when we visited Florida last month: poached eggs, bacon, tomato slices, and coffee with half and half -- around 7 grams of net carb for the meal. My husband tweeted about it and even got a retweet by Waffle House. Best Bets: Eggs with bacon, sausage, ham, or cottage cheese, with tomato slices on the side; or an omelette with cheese, spinach, mushrooms, chiles, bell peppers, and/or other nonstarchy vegetables. Each option provides about 10 grams digestible carbs or less for the entire breakfast* *Caution: Be careful of the scrambled eggs and omelettes at IHOP if you're watching your carbs or staying gluten free, because pancake batter is added to make them fluffy. This information is printed on the menu. Other restaurants sometimes add batter to their eggs as well, so be sure to inquire about this before ordering. Some of them may allow you to order eggs freshly made without anything added, if you ask. If they're available, you can also order a side of avocado or berries, which would further increase your meal's nutritional value yet keep net carbs fairly low.  Fine-dining restaurants typically have fantastic breakfast options, including many entrees that can easily be modified for a low-carb lifestyle. This is a lovely smoked salmon plate I ordered at the Monte Carlo Hotel in Las Vegas: smoked Pacific salmon, herbed cream cheese, capers, sliced red onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The only change I had to make was asking for no bagel. Again, there were less than 10 grams of net carbohydrate in the entire meal, and in addition to being delicious it was extremely nutrient dense, with omega-3 fatty acids in the salmon and several types of phytonutrients in the vegetables.  Buffets are one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to dine out for breakfast because there's usually a great variety of healthy choices, and you can control the portion sizes of each item so that you end up with a delicious, high-quality breakfast uniquely tailored to your own tastes and appetite. At left is my well-balanced breakfast from a buffet aboard a recent progressive rock music cruise (no, not the Low Carb Cruise): smoked salmon, herring, eggs with cheese and herbs, pico de gallo, and cucumbers topped with whipped cream cheese. You could also create a more traditional breakfast plate with bacon, sausage, ham, cheese or cottage cheese in place of the fish, of course.
Breakfast: In Favor of Informed Choice Again, I understand that people aren't always interested in choosing the most nourishing breakfast. Trust me, I've dined with plenty of friends and family members who fall into that camp, at least occasionally. But I object to terms like "healthy" being used to describe meals that don't deliver in terms of satiety, nourishment, or blood glucose control, and their effects on customers who order them under the assumption they're making the "best" choice. References 1. Rains TM, et al. A randomized, controlled, crossover trial to assess the acute appetitive and metabolic effects of sausage and egg-based convenience breakfast meals in overweight premenopausal women. Nutr J. 2015;14:17 2. Bauer LB, et al. A pilot study examining the effects of consuming a high-protein vs. normal-protein breakfast on free-living glycemic control in overweight/obese "breakfast skipping" adolescents. Int J Obes.(Lond). 2015 Sep;39(9):1421-4 3. Baum JI, et al. Breakfasts higher in protein increase postprandial energy expenditure, increase fat oxidation, and reduce hunger in overweight children from 8 to 12 years of age. J Nutr. 2015 Oct;145(10):2229-35 4. Soenen S, et al. Normal protein intake is required for body weight loss and weight maintenance, and elevated protein intake for additional preservation of resting energy expenditure and fat free mass. J Nutr. 2013 May;143(5):591-6 5. Paddon-Jones D, et al. Protein and healthy aging. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Apr 29 [Epub ahead of print] 6. Arentson-Lantz E, et al. Protein: a nutrient in focus. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2015 Aug;40(8):755-61  A while back, a dietitian colleague of mine reluctantly agreed that carbohydrate restriction could improve blood glucose control and help people lose weight. Still, she wasn't a fan for several reasons, and her primary criticism was that most of our patients wouldn't be willing to stick with this way of eating long term. "What about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays? It would just be too hard being around your favorite foods all day and watching everyone else eat them while you just ate plain turkey and salad."
In all honesty, I know several people who are happy to eat meat and leafy greens all the time, including holidays. But the majority who follow a low-carb lifestyle enjoy the wide variety of foods and flexibility this way of eating offers. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without ______. Here's a dilemma I often hear from readers and clients around the holidays. You've been doing great and feel fairly confident about staying on track from November through December, but there's one dish that you absolutely have to have in order to make the holiday feel like a holiday. Whether it's your mom's apple pie, your cousin's "top-secret recipe" stuffing, or your sister's sweet potato casserole, the item is invariably high in carbs. It's best to decide ahead of time how to deal with the situation, and there are basically three options, all of which can work: 1. Eat a normal-sized portion and enjoy it without guilt 2. Eat a couple of bites and fill the rest of your plate with non-carby options 3. Forego it altogether and find a new favorite to love Celebrating with a Non-Low-Carb Family I realize it's tough when you have family members who show their love through cooking delicious carb-rich food for you. In order to avoid hurting anyone's feelings, if you've decided on option 2 or 3 above, I'd let the person cooking the item in question know well in advance that while you love them and appreciate the time and effort they put into making the dish, it's important that you stick with your way of eating all the time, including holidays. Hopefully they'll understand because they want what's best for you, but even if they don't, you should never feel obligated to eat something in order to please someone else. I didn't really have any issues with my family being offended about me not eating something they'd prepared, but I did get quite a bit of pushback when I decided I'd no longer be baking my gingerbread cookies for the holidays. I'm not one to pat myself on the back, but these cookies were pretty amazing, and I realize several of my friends and family members were disappointed when I stopped delivering them around the second week of December. The thought of making a low-carb version briefly occurred to me, but I didn't feel like experimenting with something people might not end up liking. A Low-Carb Version or The Real Thing? I'm staunchly low carb and -- aside from an occasional bite of my husband's dessert -- haven't eaten any off-plan foods since I started low-carbing in early 2011. I personally feel it's healthiest and easiest to remain low carb consistently, and I can truthfully say I never feel deprived. However, I understand that for some, being able to enjoy higher-carb food during the holidays makes it easier to stick to carbohydrate restriction long term. If you've decided to take a break from low-carbing, enjoy a small serving of your favorite dish(es) and then get right back on the low-carb wagon the next day! (Eating a large amount of carbs when you're not used to them can cause some very unpleasant symptoms, in addition to raising your blood glucose, insulin, and blood pressure). If you do want to maintain your way of eating throughout the holiday season, make sure you're prepared with plenty of delicious low-carb foods in order to avoid temptation. Low-Carb Menu Planning for the Holidays Turkey, goose, ham, and other meats are ideal and should form the foundation of your meal, along with greens or other very-low-carb vegetables. But it's the sides and desserts that tend to cause the most trouble! Here's a collection of low-carb versions of all your favorites created by several very talented low-carb culinary wizards I have the great privilege of knowing. There's also one from me, although I must admit to being one of the least creative low-carbers around! Mashed "Potatoes" aka Faux-tatoes Mashed potatoes contain about 17 grams of net carb per half cup serving but have little fiber or other nutritional benefits. Fortunately, there are several lower-carb vegetables that are ideal stand-ins for potatoes. "Better than Potatoes" Cheesy Cauliflower Puree from I Breathe…I'm Hungry (4 grams net carb per serving) Turnip Cauliflower Mash from Holistically Engineered (less than 7 grams net carb per serving) Amish Turnip Bake from 24/7 Low Carb Diner (less than 4 grams net carb per serving) Stuffing/Dressing The amount of carbs in stuffing varies widely because there are so many different ways of preparing it, but any with bread or corn are sure to be high. Check out the amazing low-carb options below, all with less than 5 grams net carb per serving. Keto Primal Thanksgiving Stuffing from KetoDiet Blog (less than 4 grams net carb per serving) Low Carb and Gluten Free Turkey Stuffing/Dressing from I Breathe…I'm Hungry (4 grams net carb per serving) Savory Herb Turkey Stuffing from Low Carb Luxury (4.5 grams net carb per serving) Green Beans With only 4 grams of net carb per cup, green beans are an excellent side, but Campbell's Green Bean Casserole has 17 grams net carb per serving. I like keeping the carbs down when it comes to vegetables with green beans prepared simply with salt and butter, or delicious alternatives like the ones below. Bacon and Onion Green Beans from Low Carb Layla (4.5 grams net carb per serving) Green Bean Casserole from Peace, Love and Low Carb (8 grams net carb per serving) Dottie's Green Bean Casserole from Linda's Low Carb Menus and Recipes (3-4 grams net carb per serving) Yams/Sweet Potatoes A half-cup serving of cooked yams or sweet potatoes contains 16 grams of net carbohydrate and is rich in phytonutrients. Depending on your personal carbohydrate goal, this could be worked into your holiday meal. However, realize that half a cup isn't very much, and this is for the plain cooked vegetable only. Candied yams have 42 grams of net carbohydrate. The easiest way to make yams or sweet potatoes without adding carbs is to top them with butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and optional sugar substitute of choice after boiling or baking. For fancier desserts made with sweet potatoes and/or healthy lower-carb substitute vegetables, check out these recipes: Candied "Yams" with Marshmallows from KetoDiet Blog (5 grams net carb per serving) Sweet Potato Casserole from Low Carb Luxury (6.5 grams net carb per serving) Maple Glazed Delicata Rings from 24/7 Diner (8 grams per serving based on 4 servings) Cranberries Fresh cranberries are actually pretty low in carbohydrates at around 4 grams of net carb per half cup. However, they're extremely bitter and require a lot of sweetening for most palates. A quarter-cup serving of canned cranberry sauce has 25 grams of net carb -- pretty high for a small portion. Here are a few sugar-free versions that can fit into just about everyone's carb budget. Cranberries from Linda's Low-Carb Menus and Recipes (5 grams net carb per serving, if using liquid sweetener) Jellied Cranberry Sauce from Low Carb Luxury (3.5 grams net carb per serving) Low Carb Orange Cranberry Sauce from Holistically Engineered (3.5 grams net carb per serving) Non-Alcoholic Beverages Easy low-carb holiday drinks include Pumpkin or Candy Cane tea with 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream or half and half, sweetened with sugar substitute of choice. For more creative ideas, see the links below. Raspberry Truffle Mochas from All Day I Dream About Food (4 grams net carb per serving) Healthy Nutella Hot Chocolate from Dessert with Benefits (1 gram net carb per serving) Cranberry Frozen Frappuccino from Your Lighter Side (2 grams net carb per serving) Eggnog and Cocktails Although hard alcohol doesn't contain any carbs, the sweet mixers that often accompany it definitely do. Holiday drinks can be particularly high in carbs; for example, traditional eggnog has 34 grams of carb in an 8-ounce serving. It's still possible to enjoy a festive and tasty low-carb drink, though! Low Carb Eggnog from Fluffy Chix Cook (2 grams net carb per seving) Pumpkin Pie Martini from All Day I Dream About Food (1.5 grams net carb per serving) Refreshing Daiquiri from KetoDiet Blog (less than 4 grams net carb per serving) Snacks With a carbohydrate-restricted lifestyle, snacking generally isn't necessary. But if you end up skipping meals because you're too busy and find yourself hungry mid-afternoon when everyone else is munching on chips or pretzels, it's good to have something on-plan available to dig into if needed. Rosemary Sea Salt Crackers from Holistically Engineered (3 grams net carb per serving) Low Carb Cinnamon Almonds from Low Carb Dietitian (3 grams net carb per serving) Kickin' Orange Marinated Olive Recipe from DJ Foodie (less than 1 gram net carb per serving) Holiday Pies and Desserts Traditional desserts are obviously high in carbs, but be careful with "sugar-free" and "no-sugar-added" pies and cakes as well. For instance, Marie Callender's No-Sugar-Added Apple Pie contains 46 grams net carb per slice. For a delicious low-carb alternative, consider making one of the following desserts instead. Crustless Low Carb Pumpkin Pie from Low Carb, So Simple (just over 4 grams net carb per serving based on 8 servings per pie) Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse from Sugar-Free Mom (less than 3 grams net carb per serving) Zucchini "Apple" Pie from KetoDiet Blog (6 grams net carb per serving) Low Carb Pecan Pie from Holistically Engineered (just over 5 grams net carb per serving) Mincemeat Tarts with Hard Sauce from All Day I Dream About Food (3 grams net carb per serving) Holiday Candies Fudge and truffles seem to be everywhere the entire month of December! Good thing those talented low-carb bloggers have created sugar-free versions that rival the standard offerings. Pecan Pie Truffles from All Day I Dream About Food (2.5 grams net carb per truffle) Sugar-Free Maple Nut Fudge from Maria Mind Body Health (less than 1 gram net carb apiece) Coconut Almond Mocha Fudge from Beauty and the Foodie (2 grams net carb for low carb version) Holiday Cookies The aroma of freshly baked cookies makes them nearly impossible to resist, and these low-carb treats are no exception. Walnut Cardomom Snowballs from All Day I Dream About Food (1.5 grams net carb per cookie) Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies from Low Carb Yum (just over 1 gram net carb per cookie) Low-Carb Classic Gingerbread Men from All Day I Dream About Food (2 grams net carb per cookie) That last one sounds especially intriguing, from my own perspective! Based on the reviews in the comments section, I'm definitely going to try making those gingerbread men this year. With a little luck, they'll turn out to be everyone's new healthy favorite. Bottom Line: Enjoy! Holiday eating should be pleasurable when following a low-carb lifestyle. Regardless of whether you choose to eat small amounts of traditional recipes, low-carb versions of the classics, or just stick to meat and vegetables, enjoy your celebrations! I wish you and your family safe, happy, and healthy holidays. |
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Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE Categories
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August 2016
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