Keeping a Keto Kitchen: Make the Journey Easier

Creating and maintaining a keto-friendly kitchen is essential for anyone committed to the ketogenic lifestyle. The ketogenic diet, known for its high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate approach, requires a well-thought-out kitchen setup to make meal preparation both convenient and enjoyable. Here’s how to stock your kitchen to ensure you stay on track with your keto goals.

Pantry Essentials

Your pantry should be stocked with an array of keto-friendly staples that provide the foundation for your meals:

• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, macadamia nuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds are excellent for snacking or adding crunch to salads and yogurt.
• Oils and Fats: Coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, and grass-fed butter or ghee are perfect for cooking and adding fat to meals.
• Flours: Almond flour and coconut flour are must-haves for keto baking.
• Sweeteners: Stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, and allulose can sweeten your dishes without adding carbs.
• Canned Goods: Canned fish (like tuna and salmon), meats, and some vegetables (watch for added sugars) are great for quick meals.
• Condiments: Mustard, mayonnaise (look for sugar-free), vinegar, and hot sauce can add flavor without the carbs.
• Spices and Herbs: Stock a variety of dried spices and herbs to add flavor to your dishes without adding carbs.
  

Refrigerator Staples

Fresh foods are a key part of the keto diet, and your refrigerator should reflect that:

• Dairy: Cheese, heavy cream, full-fat yogurt, and sour cream can be used in a variety of keto recipes.
• Proteins: Eggs, meats, and fatty fish are staples for creating filling, protein-rich meals.
• Vegetables: Leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and other low-carb options should fill your vegetable drawer.
• Berries: While most fruit is high in carbs, berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries can be enjoyed in moderation.

Freezer Must-Haves

A well-stocked freezer ensures you always have keto-friendly foods on hand:

• Meats and Seafood: Frozen beef, chicken, pork, and seafood can be thawed for meals throughout the week.
• Vegetables: Frozen spinach, cauliflower, and other low-carb veggies are convenient for quick dinners.
• Berries: Frozen berries are great for smoothies or as a cold treat.
• Prepped Meals: Freeze portions of cooked meals for days when you don’t feel like cooking.

Utensils and Cookware

Having the right tools can make preparing keto meals easier:

• Knives: A good chef’s knife and a paring knife are essential for prep work.
• Cutting Boards: Have separate boards for produce and raw meats to avoid cross-contamination.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurements are important, especially for tracking your macros.
• Mixing Bowls: Various sizes for mixing and prepping.
• Non-Stick Skillet and Pots: For cooking meats, eggs, and sautéing vegetables.
• Baking Sheets and Pans: For roasting meats and vegetables or baking keto bread.

Appliances

Certain appliances can make the keto lifestyle more manageable:

• Food Processor: Useful for making cauliflower rice, nut flours, and keto doughs.
• Blender: For smoothies and pureeing soups.
• Slow Cooker or Instant Pot: For easy, set-it-and-forget-it meals.
• Digital Scale: To help with portion control and macro tracking.
• Spiralizer: For creating vegetable noodles as pasta alternatives.

Miscellaneous

A few other items to consider:

• Food Storage Containers: For meal prep and keeping leftovers fresh.
• Parchment Paper and Aluminum Foil: For lining baking sheets for easy cleanup.
• Silicone Baking Mats: A reusable alternative to parchment paper.

Tips for Maintaining a Keto KitchenOrganization: 

• Keep your pantry and refrigerator organized so you can easily see all your keto-friendly foods.
• Meal Prep: Dedicate time each week to prepare meals to make sticking to your diet easier.
• Clean as You Go: A tidy kitchen is more inviting. Clean up spills and clutter to make cooking more pleasant.
• Labeling: Label leftovers with dates and contents to keep track of what’s fresh and what needs to be used up.

By equipping your kitchen with these keto essentials, you’ll be well on your way to whipping up delicious, low-carb meals that align with your dietary goals. Remember, the key to sustaining a healthy keto lifestyle is preparation. With a kitchen that supports your diet, you’ll find it much easier to stay on track and enjoy the benefits of your ketogenic journey.

My Favorite Keto Recipes So Far

 I was talking with my friend the other day and she told me that during the pandemic she gained a lot of weight.  She used to eat low carb or keto, but fell off that wagon evidently.  I also fell off that wagon numerous times, so I can definitely relate.

We discussed ways to get back on the wagon and decided that we would be each other's accountability partner.  Having someone to hold you accountable is really a great way to keep your commitment to yourself to lose weight and get healthy. 

One of the things we discussed is recipes.  She wants my keto bread recipe and my keto wrap recipe, so I will send those to her.  She will send me a few of her favorite ones, too.  I love when you exchange recipes because it helps to vary what you are eating week in and week out.

So, today I want to tell you about 3 of my favorite recipes.

Homemade Keto Bread

The first one is my Keto Bread recipe.  I make this in my bread machine (who remembers them?).  I was so glad I had not given mine to Goodwill way back when.

 The only thing I don't like about using it is the little crank in the bottom makes your bread loaf have a big hole in the center after baking.  I fixed this issue by letting the machine do everything up to baking. 

When it is time to bake, I remove the dough ball and put it into a regular 9x5 bread pan that I prepared earlier.  Then I bake it in the oven just like usual.  I really love this bread.  I can set it up to start first thing in the morning and have a fresh loaf of bread by lunchtime.  Yummy!

Recipe:

1. 1 cup warm water
2. 2 eggs at room temperature
3. 1/2 cup Oat Fiber
4. 2/3 cup Flaxseed Meal
5. 2/3 cup Almond Flour
6. 1 1/4 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
7. 1 teaspoon Salt
8. 4 tablespoons Erythritol
9. 1 teaspoon Honey
10. 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
11. 2 tablespoons Butter
12. 1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast

Layer in order into bread machine and turn it on.  When it shows that it is about to bake the bread, remove the dough to a pre-greased bread pan and let rise again for about 30 minutes.  Bake in oven at 375 degrees until brown on the outside and sounds hollow when tapped.

Slice with electric knife (this makes it so much easier) into about 10-12 slices.

This bread will keep in the refrigerator, since there is no preservative, but usually it is all gone pretty quickly.  About 120 calories per slice and only 3 net carbs.  Each slice will give your about 3 grams of protein which is great for your diet.  The protein will help you stay full longer.

Two Ingredient Tortilla or wrap

My next favorite recipe is the two Ingredient Tortilla from Low Carb Love.

Recipe:

1. 1 cup coconut flour
2. 4 tablespoons whole psyllium husks
3. 1/4 cup water

In a large mixing bowl, add psyllium husk into water and let sit for 2-3 minutes until it forms a gel-like consistency. Then add your coconut flour and knead until a dough forms.  Roll into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Place in the refrigerator to set for about 30 minutes.

Next, remove from refrigerator and wrapper, then cut the ball into 6-8 sections.  Place one section at a time in your tortilla press with the dough sandwiched between parchment paper to prevent sticking. You can also just roll them out using a rolling pin and I sometimes prefer this because I have more control over the thickness.  You want each one to be about 1/4 inch thick.

Spray your pan with oil and heat over a medium heat setting until the oil is hot. Cook each tortilla for 2-3 minutes until brown spots appear on both sides.

These are really not so much tortillas, but they serve the same purpose and taste really good.  Also, they keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week.  I make this and usually end up with about 12 street taco sized tortillas (this suits me better to have smaller tortillas).

Crispy and Crunchy Chaffle

This recipe is the chaffle recipe that I have discovered recently. 

It is basically from the Keto Twins original recipe but I do mine a bit different.  I love these because they turn out CRUNCHY which is what I love.  Some people prefer softer chaffles and there recipes for that.  As a matter of fact, I posted one here.

Recipe:

1. 2 Eggs at room temperature
2. 1/8 cup Almond Flour
3. 1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder
4. 2 tablespoons water
5. 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Here is how I make them but feel free to do it the way the Keto Twins do. I put the cheese on my Dash Waffle maker and let it start to melt.  While that happens, I put the eggs, almond flour, baking powder and water in a bowl and whisk it up until mixed well.  I pour this liquid over the Dash maker until it is covered (be careful because this makes more than just one). I then cover this with another layer of the cheese and close the lid. When the light goes out, I remove it to cool and make another.  This recipe usually makes me 4 chaffles(so I finally got a Dash Waffle maker that makes 4 at a time).  After they cool for a few minutes they are very, very crunchy in texture.  I find that helps my mouth to be satisfied and I can eat a sandwich using these and be extremely full.

Keto Flour for everything else

The last recipe today is the one for Keto flour that you can substitute into any recipe you have now that calls for flour. It is from Victoria's Keto Kitchen and she states that it is better to make this recipe by weight to be accurate, so you need a kitchen scale for this.  Here is a link to the one I use and it is very accurate.

Recipe:

1. 336 grams Almond Flour (approx. 3 cups)
2. 76 grams Oat Fiber (approx. 1 cup)
3. 50 grams Egg White Protein Powder (approx. 1/2 cup + 2 tbs.)
4. 18 grams Xanthan Gum 

Weigh all ingredients by grams for ultimate success.  Combine in a bowl and whisk until well mixed. Store in a large container in the refrigerator or in your pantry.  This mix can substitute 1:1 for flour in any recipe you have that calls for regular flour.

I hope that you try these out and let me know if you like them or not.  People on Keto usually complain about missing bread and bread products, so to insure success on your Keto journey, I wanted you to know about these recipes that I have tried myself and know that they turn out well and taste good.  Good luck on your Keto diet!

Disclaimer:

Just so you know, the Amazon links are for my affiliate links.  By using them, I will get a small amount of money from Amazon, but you will not pay anything extra.  Thank you for helping me make a little extra if you use my links.

Keto Tortillas and Keto Wraps

 My previous post was about a flop.  I watch Low Carb Love on YouTube and she had a segment about "these wonderful spinach wraps" and said she was eating them all the time now, since she made them the first time.

I like spinach and I like wraps, so I tried her recipe (which is billed as only 2 ingredients).  The entire recipe went into the trash.  There were no wraps, only a mess.  I was so upset, but I told you about it here.

So I have been putting off writing this blog because I decided I needed to try them again. I went to the store and got the 2 magic ingredients (well, one because I always have eggs--but the recipe uses 4 at a time!) 

I had also seen another video of hers where she makes Keto tortillas using only 2 ingredients.  I think I am seeing a new trend here, are you?  Anyway, I decided that since I was trying out wraps, I should also try out her tortillas.  I already had her 2 ingredients here (I have a keto friendly kitchen).

I got the wraps ingredients together and started to make them.  I cut up my spinach into small pieces before putting it into the blender.  I added the 4 eggs and used my gloved hand to break them up and mix them in the blender so it would process easier.

I used my iron skillet last time, so this time I tried it in my stainless steel skillet.  I did everything she said to do.  Nothing worked.  The first two were a big wad of mess and went into the trash.  I put on my thinking cap.  Surely there is a way for me to save the rest of this batch.  I decided to add 1/4 cup of almond flour to the blender and mix it all up.

I got out my trusty iron skillet and greased it and put in some of the liquid.  After about 5 minutes on medium heat, I tried to turn them (this is the part that always makes a mess) and lo and behold, it worked!!  I cooked the other side for about 3 minutes and put it on a plate to cool.  I quickly tried another, thinking this must be a fluke; but no, this one also turned out!  All in all, I got 3 wraps.  Not a very good return on my money, but at least I got something.  Now I'll have to see how they taste tomorrow.

Ecstatic from my success, I plunged into the tortillas with high hopes.  I followed her directions exactly, but when it came time to make a dough ball, there was no way.  It was too dry and flaky.  Now, I do know something about coconut flour--it sucks up the fluid in the recipe completely.  So, I added another 1/4 cup of water to my dough and this time it made a ball.  

After letting it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes, I cut and pressed them out and cooked them in my handy iron skillet.  They are lovely and very pliant.  I can't wait to try them tomorrow also.  I'll let you know next time how they tasted.

Anyway, I wanted to update you on my project to make spinach wraps and keto tortillas.  Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.  It seems that when you follow other people's recipes, you need to use your own judgement about whether to add or subtract ingredients to make it yours (or, as in my case, to get it to even turn out).

So, here are my two recipes:

Hers

2 Ingredient Spinach Wraps

• 2 cups of spinach
• 4 eggs ( or the equivalent in egg whites)
• I had to add 1/4 cup Almond Flour after the first batch flopped

• Directions:

• Put all ingredients in a blender and liquify (you want everything well blended)
• Spray your pan with oil and pour enough into the pan to make a thin crepe-like wrap.
• Cook 2-3 minutes on each side (I had to cook mine longer on each side) using medium heat.
• Once cooked, let cool before making a wrap.

150 calories each, 10 grams fat, 13 grams protein, Total Carbs. 2 grams-Net carbs. 1 gram

Mine

2 Ingredient Tortillas                                                    

                                                                                      

                                                       

• 1 cup of coconut flour
• 4 tbsp whole psyllium husks
• 1 1/4 cup water (I had to add an additional 1/4 cup of water)

Directions:

• Mix psyllium husk in bowl with water and let stand until it forms a gel-like consistency.
• Add coconut flour and knead until dough forms.
• Roll into ball, wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes to set.
• After 30 minutes, cut ball into 6 sections, using tortilla press and parchment paper, flatten them out to 1/4 inch thickness. (You can also use a rolling pin to make these)
• Spray pan and heat over medium heat.
• Cook tortilla for 2-3 minutes until brown spots occur on each side.

124 Calories 4 grams Fat, 4 grams Protein, Total Carbs 16 grams, Net carbs 4 grams  

                                                            mine

Let me know if you try these out.  I'd like to know how yours turn out and if you had to make adjustments also.