Best Grilled Eggplant Recipe for Keto Dieting

Get your grill ready because this is my all-time-favorite grilled vegetable recipe. Eggplant is infinitely better grilled, and this one comes with a simple yet addicting tahini dressing. The Mediterranean vibes will have you feeling like you're relaxing along the coast, and we are always up for that. These are best served fresh off the grill when they are still warm. A little hot sauce served with them is always a hit.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE EGGPLANT

1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. dried oregano 

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/4" rounds

1/4 c. crumbled feta

2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon

FOR THE TAHINI DRESSING

1/3 c. tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. water

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Make eggplant: Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine oil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Brush all over eggplants and season with salt and pepper. 

2. Grill eggplants until tender and slightly charred, about 3 minutes per side. 

3. Top grilled eggplants with feta and parsley, then squeeze lemon juice over. 

4. Make tahini dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, and garlic. Season with salt. If dressing is too thick, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

5. Serve eggplant warm with tahini dressing.

Source

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Best & Easy Homemade Veg Pizza Recipe With Yeast

Best & Easy Homemade Veg Pizza Recipe With Yeast: Pizza is a flatbread that is prepared with all-purpose flour and fermented with yeast. it is typically topped with mozzarella cheese, pizza tomato sauce, and other vegetarian pizza toppings. pizza can be consumed as a snack, but not limited to lunch and dinner too.

Traditionally it is an Italian cuisine recipe but very well popular all over the world. there are several variations and varieties of pizza recipes. however, this recipe is a simple veg pizza recipe with yeast and baked in an oven. the toppings can be changed as per the preference and even meat can be added for meat-eaters.

I have already shared the pizza recipe on tawa for all readers who do not have an oven at home. also, the pizza dough was prepared with baking soda and powder as compared to this recipe which I have prepared with yeast.  also, I have added mushroom in this recipe as compared to the previous one. mushroom haters can easily skip it if you do not wish too. also, slices of pineapple, basil leaves, and even broccoli and roasted garlic can also be added.

this recipe was long due from me as one of my readers had requested it long back. well, to be honest, this is my third attempt of veg pizza recipe with yeast as previously I was not satisfied with the result. I prefer to have thin crust pizza, and in my previous 2 attempts, I was not able to achieve it. hence I would say this is a tried and tested recipe and less likely to go wrong. also, the other most important take away from my previous attempt was to with cheese toppings. because I have topped my pizza with 5 different vegetables, I would recommend adding the cheese after vegetable topping. this would ensure the vegetables to be cooked properly. if you are topping with just 1-2 vegetables, cheese can be added well ahead in advance.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR PIZZA DOUGH:

• ½ cup of warm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 2 cups maida / plain flour / all-purpose flour
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• water as required, to knead

FOR TOPPINGS:

• 3 tbsp pizza sauce
• 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp onion, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup capsicum, roughly chopped
• 9 pickled jalapeños, based on the spice level
• ¼ cup black olives, chopped
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• ½ tsp oregano / Italian seasonings / mixed herbs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. firstly, in a large mixing bowl take warm water, sugar, and dry yeast and give a quick mix.
2. allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
3. now add maida, salt, and olive oil.
4. knead the dough adding water as required.
5. tuck the dough and form to a ball. place in a large mixing bowl.
6. cover rest and rise in a warm place for about 2 hours.
7. punch the dough with a fist to release down the air.

VEG PIZZA BAKING RECIPE:

1. place the dough on a dusted pizza plate or tray.
2. flatten the dough by stretching with both hands.
3. further, leaving a cm or more and create a dent.
4. then prick with the center of dough with the help of a fork.
5. furthermore, spread pizza sauce generously leaving the sides slightly.
6. also, top with topping of choice.
7. then spread grated cheese and sprinkle Italian seasonings.
8. further, bake at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 - 15 minutes.
9. finally, slice and serve pizza hot.

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10 Easy and Delicious Keto Breakfast Ideas

If you’re following a ketogenic diet, you know you have to start paying attention to your carb intake from the moment you wake up and cook up your usual groggy-eyed breakfast. The keto diet is essentially a lower-carb version of a low-carb diet. It doesn’t count calories but keeps a very watchful eye on the macros you consume every day. While the total amount varies from person to person, the ketogenic diet aims to limit total carbs to about 20 grams a day, while also eating a moderate amount of protein and lots of fats. The goal is getting into a state of ketosis, where your body burns fat rather than carbs for fuel

So what does this mean for breakfast? It’s helpful to start by knowing what you can and cannot eat on the keto diet. There’s a lot of standard breakfast fare that simply doesn’t fit the bill. For example, oats, cereal, and bread (with a couple exceptions! More on this below.) are off the table, as is yogurt, fruit, and starchy vegetables, of all which have too many carbs. But, rather than focusing on what you can’t eat, keep in mind that there of foods that really fit the bill for a tasty keto breakfast, including eggs, avocado, many kinds of meat and vegetables, and of course, keto bread.

Here are 10 great keto breakfast ideas to try right now.

1. 90-Second Keto Bread

Think of this quick keto-friendly bread like a mug cake version of a biscuit that happens to look a lot like an English muffin. Partner it with a couple slices of crispy bacon, an egg perhaps, and you’ve got a complete breakfast.

2. Breakfast Deviled Eggs

Does it feel like your egg routine is getting a little stale? Creamy deviled eggs topped with everything bagel spice is our favorite way to change things up.

3. Keto Loaf Bread

You might be following a keto diet, but that doesn’t mean avocado toast is out of reach. This low-carb bread is baked with almond flour instead of wheat flour, lots of eggs, and xanthan gum to help bind everything together and keep it moist and sliceable instead of crumbly.

4. Keto Pancakes

Pancakes probably seem out of the question on such a low-carbohydrate diet, but the wonderful news is that keto-friendly pancakes exist. The secret is a batter that’s mostly cream cheese and eggs, with just a little almond or coconut flour and baking powder to achieve a little lift with each cake. To keep them truly keto, enjoy them butter and berries in lieu of maple syrup.

5. Low-Carb Veggie-Packed Frittata

A frittata packed with all the low-carb vegetables in your crisper drawer is a seriously solid keto breakfast. Feel free to also add some meat to the situation, like cooked shredded chicken or pork, crumbled sausage, or bacon. Cheese is another nice addition, especially harder cheese like Parmesan and aged Cheddar, which tend to be lower in carbs but still deliver on flavor. You’ll want to pay particular attention to the vegetables you use. Stick to low-carb options like broccoli or greens and be strategic about the use of sweet vegetables like bell peppers.

6. Egg Wraps

While a classic breakfast burrito filled with eggs and meat won’t work for the diet, a wrap made from eggs and filled with meat most definitely is. These egg wrappers can be used to hold just about any fillings. Here they’re filled with ham and watercress, but combinations like turkey and spinach or prosciutto and arugula would be great too. As written, this recipe contains two tablespoons of flour, but for the keto diet, opt for low-carb flour alternatives like almond or coconut.

7. Bacon Gruyère Egg Bites

Have you tried the silky, custardy sous-vide egg and cheese bites from Starbucks yet? They’re sublime and incredibly keto-friendly. But these bites have a cult following, which means Starbucks tends to run out of them frequently. Plus, they can be a little costly. Well, now you can make them at home with a blender custard batter and a water bath for baking. These two details help to mimic that luxurious texture.

8. Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl

A burrito bowl built of cauliflower rice is a keto-friendly meal at any time of the day. Enjoy it for breakfast with any cooked chicken or steak you may have from dinner the night before or top it with a fried egg if you don’t have leftovers lying around. This recipe is a great place to start — just skip the black beans and corn to make it low-carb.

9. Low-Carb Veggie & Sausage Hash

Potatoes are common in most hashes, but they are in no way necessary for a delicious one. Load up a hash with sausage and low-carb veggies instead, like zucchini, cauliflower, radishes, or broccoli rabe. Then top it with a few eggs and dig in.

10. Classic Bacon + Eggs + Avocado

One of the most traditional breakfasts is, in fact, one of the most keto-friendly. It also happens to be incredibly versatile and hard to tire of. Cook up your eggs any way you like them — fried, poached, scrambled, soft-boiled — and enjoy them alongside some crispy bacon and sliced avocado.

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7 Delicious Keto Diet Foods That Accelerate Fat Loss

Losing weight can be a complicated process filled with questions. Will this food help me burn fat? Is that going to stall my progress?

Fortunately, most of your weight loss questions will be answered when you eat the right foods.

What exactly do I mean by the “right” foods? You may think they are the foods that make you burn a significant amount of belly fat. However, these foods don’t exist.

The only way to legitimately accelerate fat loss with food is to consume foods that help you maintain a calorie deficit without feeling fatigued, unhealthy, or hungry. A true “fat loss food” is a food (or beverage) that has one or more of the qualities that we will take a look at below.

What Is a “Fat Burning Food”?

Just by searching online for “fat-burning foods” or “foods for fat loss,” you will find dozens of articles with a variety of different comestibles, but rarely will the authors tell you the qualities that these foods have in common.

Fortunately, after I looked through dozens of articles and research studies to find answers, a pattern of characteristics began to emerge that clearly set “fat-burning” and “fat loss” foods apart from unhealthy foods:

• They are highly-satiating despite being lower in calories compared to other common foods.
• They increase your calorie-burning more than most calorie sources.
• They reduce calorie consumption by triggering satiety.
• They improve gut health (which is associated with fat loss).
• They increase energy levels without adding too many extra calories to your diet.
• They promote ketosis (which will help reduce hunger and decrease calorie consumption).

In general, if a food or beverage has one or more of these characteristics, it will probably be found on one of the dozens of “fat-burning foods” or “fat loss foods” lists. When your diet consists primarily of these foods, your chances of reaching your weight loss and health goals will increase significantly.

However, many of the most popular “fat loss foods” are not keto-friendly (i.e., they make it harder for you to enter/maintain ketosis). For those of you that want to stick to the keto diet and reap all of its benefits, I recommend adding some of these keto-approved foods for fat loss to your diet.

7 Best Foods for Fat Loss on the Keto Diet

Below, you can use the visual guide to see some of the best foods for fat loss on keto. Scroll down to see specific examples and links to recipes where you can incorporate more of each ingredient into your diet.

1. Nuts

Despite being high in fat, nuts are not as fattening as you would expect. Studies have shown that eating nuts can improve metabolic health and even promote weight loss.

This is primarily due to the fact that they contain plenty of fiber, which increases our feeling of fullness and reduces calorie consumption.

Although all nuts are low in net carbs, the amount varies quite a bit among the different types.

To help you figure out how you can fit them into your keto diet, here are the carb counts for 1 ounce (28 grams) of the most widely consumed nuts:

• Almonds: 6 grams total carbs (3 grams net carbs)
• Brazil nuts: 3 grams total carbs (1 gram net carbs)
• Cashews: 9 grams total carbs (8 grams net carbs)
• Macadamia nuts: 4 grams total carbs (2 grams net carbs)
• Pecans: 4 grams total carbs (1 gram net carbs)
• Pistachios: 8 grams total carbs (5 grams net carbs)
• Walnuts: 4 grams total carbs (2 grams net carbs)

Recommended Keto Recipes With Nuts:

• Roasted Mushroom and Walnut Cauliflower Grits
• No-Bake Coconut Cashew Bars
• Toffee Nut Cake Donuts

2. Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like kale, spinach, collard greens, and Swiss chard are chock-full of nutrients and iron. They also are packed with fiber, which will slow the digestion process and cause you to feel more satiated with fewer calories.

Need more keto-friendly veggie ideas? Check out our low-carb vegetable guide. Getting enough greens is crucial for your keto diet success.

Recommended Keto Recipes With Leafy Greens:

• Vegetarian Greek Collard Wraps
• Spinach, Herb & Feta Wrap
• Sausage and Kale Soup

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Low Carb Pizza Roll Ups

You won’t believe how easy these keto pizza roll-ups are to make. Whip up a batch and fulfill that salty snack craving. Plus they are full of nutrients your body needs. So not only are they incredibly tasty, but they are good for you too.

Want the recipe right now? Scroll on down to the bottom of the post.

I’m going to share some important nutrition information about these keto snacks first.

WHAT ARE KETO PIZZA ROLL UPS?

Salty snack cravings don’t have to mean cheating and going out of ketosis. When you really want to munch on pizza, indulge that craving with these keto pizza roll-ups.

They are so simple to make that you’ll be able to eat them up within minutes of getting that nagging craving.

These are incredible! It’s basically mozzarella cheese rolled up with pepperoni and marinara sauce inside.

Only 4 Ingredients

There are only 4 ingredients in these roll-ups. Here’s what you’ll need from the store, you probably already have these things on hand.

Mozzarella Cheese

Pepperoni Slices

Italian Seasoning

Keto Marinara Sauce

IS PEPPERONI KETO?

Good news! Pepperoni is low-carb. It fits perfectly in the keto diet. Here’s the nutritional breakdown of this yummy meat.

In one ounce of pepperoni, there are:

0 carbs – ZERO!

138 Calories

12.3 grams of fat

Pepperoni is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. In one ounce there is 52.4 mg of omega-3s. Omega 3s are essential for brain health, eye health, and they help fight depression and anxiety.

KETO PIZZA ROLL UPS – A KID-FRIENDLY KETO SNACK

Sometimes on the keto diet, I’ve noticed that I eat differently than my family. It’s pretty frustrating, cause I’ll start to crave what they are eating.

That’s why I created these. They are a kid-friendly low-carb snack that my kids actually want to eat with me.

In fact, they are so easy to make that my kids will often jump in and make themselves some at the same time.

KETO APPETIZER FOR PARTIES

Another struggle on the keto diet is finding things to serve as appetizers at parties. Lots of finger foods are high in carbs. Have you noticed that too? Other than sliced raw veggies, what else can you serve that won’t kick you out of ketosis?

That’s why I love these little roll-ups. They work perfectly at parties. Everyone will love them, so make a bunch!

CAN YOU USE PARMESAN CHEESE INSTEAD OF MOZZARELLA?

No, I would stick with mozzarella. I know lots of keto recipes call for parmesan cheese. But when you heat up parm, it becomes more like a crispy chip than something you can roll-up.

I will tell you that if you want something that resembles a thin and crispy pizza crust (and not a roll-up), then use parmesan cheese. It will feel like a crispy tortilla chip almost after it is done baking in the oven.

HOW TO MAKE KETO MARINARA SAUCE

The easiest option is to buy keto marinara sauce at the store. Look for “sugar-free” or “no sugar added” on the label.

You also want to read the ingredients list. If it doesn’t say some form of sugar (high-fructose corn syrup, syrup, or sugar), then it is keto-friendly. Just remember to measure how much you eat, because tomatoes naturally have carbs in them.

If you want to make your own, that’s super easy to do as well.  It’s basically tomato puree, red wine vinegar, keto sweetener of your choice, and a bunch of Italian seasonings (like garlic and oregano). If you make your own, you can control what is in it and how it tastes, so I always love making my own.

This Mom’s Menu has an easy homemade marinara sauce recipe or you can even use this Keto pizza sauce for dipping!

TRY THESE KETO RECIPES NEXT

I’m always creating keto recipes my family will eat with me. These are some of our favorites.

• Keto Pizza Casserole

• Keto Chicken Pizza Crust

KETO PIZZA ROLL-UPS RECIPE

Here’s the recipe with step-by-step pictures. Follow along and make your own.

Ingredients:

12 slices of mozzarella cheese

Pepperoni slices or you can use mini pepperoni as well

Italian seasoning

Keto Marina Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.

Now lay slices of cheese on the baking mat and place in the oven for 6 minutes or until cheese slices start to slightly brown around the edges.

Remove from the oven and allow the cheese to slightly cool. Allow the slices to cool and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and add pepperoni if you would like.

Roll and serve with your favorite dipping sauce! Enjoy!

Make sure you Pin this post to your recipe board so you can find it again later.

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Benefits of Ketogenic Diet Plan for Weight Loss

Keto is everywhere; it's the new buzzword, the new favorite among those looking to shed pounds, and the new hate victim of the food-pyramid-spouting-eat-your-whole grains mainstream medical industry. The keto diet, while it is not the magic cure-all for every single disease on the planet, does a pretty dang good job at being the potential causer of healing many horrible conditions. So let's cut through the science, separate fact from fiction, and look at the benefits of the keto diet.

Benefit #1: Weight Loss

Okay, so this one isn't so astounding, but it is one of the most common reasons people embark on the keto diet. So why is weight loss usually so easy on the ketogenic diet instead of other regular diets? For all of the following reasons:

•   The keto diet is composed of approximately 75% fat, 20 % protein, and 5% or fewer carbohydrates. The high-fat content and lack of sugar mean diminished cravings, lack of blood sugar swings and binges, and increased satiation. Increased satiation=eating less. Many people also have food sensitivities to grains, even gluten-free ones, so eliminating them may lead to an increased ability to absorb minerals like magnesium and potassium, which in turn means your body is more nourished and you have fewer cravings

•   Ketones. When your blood sugar is running low, your body turns to its glycogen stores for energy. Typically glycogen stores house about 2000 calories of "backup" energy for when you run out of glucose. Like the intelligent machine it is, your body depletes the glycogen stores and then turns to your own body fat for fuel.

IMPORTANT: The ketogenic diet is not a free-for-all eat however much cheese or super low-carb fat bomb treats you want to diet. If you are eating way more calories than you need, you will not lose weight. So focus on keeping your diet around fatty cuts of grass-fed meat, butter, eggs, avocados, lots of green veggies and cruciferous, and be modest with the keto desserts, dairy, and sweets.

Benefit #2: Brain Function

A poorly functioning brain, as you may have already experienced, leads to lessened work productivity, which in turn means an unhappy boss, lack of job satisfaction, sugar cravings for energy, and depression. It's a horrible domino effect. The original ketogenic diet was formulated by Dr. Russell Wilder in the early 20th century to treat epilepsy. The success rate was phenomenal and it is still used today to treat epilepsy and other brain disorders. Research also indicates that ketones are more efficient brain fuel than glucose. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102124/)

Benefit #3: Potential Cancer Benefits

One study showed implementing the ketogenic diet led to a dramatically increased survival time and slower tumor growth. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450454/)

Conclusion

If you're reading this article now, chances are you are in some sort of pain, whether physical and/or mental (being overweight, struggling with autoimmune disorders, thyroid disease, fatigue, brain fog) and want to change. Use this information, don't just skim through it and store it in the back of your brain and say "that's nice for some people", motivate yourself to change.

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