Ketosis for the Herbivore -- Five Plant-Based Foods to Bulk Up Your Keto Without Meat

I don’t have a monogamous devotion to the ketogentic diet. I’m more like a fair-weather friend, to be quite honest. My preferred way to eat and the diet and lifestyle I strive for the most would be a clean one--plant-centered (though not completely animal-free--and clearly I love my cheese), sustainable and additive-free. The idea that I have to limit and calculate my vegetables goes so against instinct that I just can’t get 100% on board. And fruit season is my FAVORITE. That being said, I do see the benefit of limiting carbs, especially when trying to lose weight, so even when I am not committed to living under 20 grams of carbs a day, I try to not go crazy on the quinoa and bananas on the regular.

It is definitely easier to follow the ketogenic diet when you are a meat-eater, as it allows you to hit fat and protein goals, doesn’t put a dent in your carbohydrate allotment, and allows for much variety. I don’t eschew (Pun? No?) meat altogether, and I don’t avoid it for ethical reasons -- though from other blog posts of mine I do hope I have communicated my feelings on commercial meat production versus humanely raised animals for food. I simply don’t eat a lot of it period because I just don’t care about it that much, and it also kind of grosses me out--too many bones and tendons and squishes and random hard pieces for my sensitive gag reflex.

So because of my love of carbs and my ongoing attempts to avoid sweeteners and prepackaged foods, I am not oft a keto follower. But as I mentioned, there are times when I feel I need to enter that world for a stint. I have recently gotten in the bad habit of relying on protein bars for sustenance and to calm my sweet tooth (specifically the Clif Builder Bars in mint), and I know it is not a good way to live--the carbs are high, the sweetener is artificial, and I need to squash that sweet tooth anyway.

Because I still don’t eat a lot of meat when I am following the ketogenic plan, I have been trying to figure out what to stock my cupboard with. I am huge on meal-prep, and I know I was successfully keto-ing a few month ago, so I have been reviewing my MyFitnessPal entries to remind myself of what my menu should look like as I watch my carbs, proteins and fats.

Because the keto diet idealizes high fat consumption and only moderate protein, it is not unrealistic to be successful approaching the eating plan from a vegetarian standpoint. Without further ado, here are five plant-based keto-friendly staples you can prep and stock in your kitchen today.

*** I realize that eggs are not technically plant-based, but they fall in line with my meat-free theme.

1. Avocado -- I tend to treat avocado as a super food, and try to eat a whole one every day. Especially when fat is the predominant macro goal (and avocado officially qualifies as a healthy fat), I see zero reason why one needs to limit avocado consumption to a quarter or half (am I out of line here??) so long as they account for the calories of a whole one. On a weekend morning when I have time to make a warm breakfast, my ideal meal would be runny fried eggs cooked in grass-fed butter, sauteed spinach with red pepper flakes, a pile of pungent sauerkraut or kimchi, and one whole avocado. Breakfast of champions. Once dietary fiber is taken into account, a medium-sized avocado only has about 4 net carbs.

2. Flax Seed -- an excellent source of omega 3s, lignans (a mighty source of antioxidants) and fiber, flax seeds have a pretty darn negligible carb count. AND they are a source of protein. Move over, chia seeds. According to healthline.com, you only need one tablespoon a day to reap the optimal health benefits. I like to eat my flax seeds in porridge (I love the evocations of that word) form -- I’ll eat it at the end of my breakfast to close things off with something dessert-like. I like to let mine sit for a bit after microwaving to form a more solid, gelatinous texture, with the rich, melted butter rolling around on the top and pockets of cinnamon bombs detonating on the tongue.***Recipe below

3. Eggs -- Eggs experience alternating praise and demonizing depending on the year, the diet trend, the scientist, the doctor, and the individual preparing to eat them.
The only time I look forward to eggs myself is when they are fried and runny, free flowing over sauteed spinach and kimchi. *See above
But if you do like eggs, the preparations are endless -- frittata, omelette, scrambled, hard boiled, quiche, deviled -- I could really go on and on but let me say this: A whole egg has roughly half a carb per, and if you find your protein is getting a little too high, you can even skip the egg white (groundbreaking, I know) and just eat the yolk to reap the benefits of the fat.

I came across a conversation the other day about the huge disparity in the nutritional profile of a commercial eggs versus an organic free-range egg. I say, do your best until you can afford the best, but eggs are an item that you can often find in an affordable price range while still minding a Certified Humane label. I have been pleased with the Vital Farms brand myself.

4. Nut Butter -- Peanut butter is heaven. The sad reality is that peanut butter in most eating philosophies is, for one reason or another, highly frowned upon. It is the carb count in comparison to other nut butters, the fact that peanuts are technically a legume, and the high dose of omega-6s that give peanut butter the red light in the keto diet. That being said, I say you gotta pick your battles, and if you can make it fit into your macros, there is always room for the occasional spoonful of peanut butter.

If you do decide to keep things clean in the nut butter department, however, you have quite a few options. Both sunflower butter and cashew butter have a decidedly peanut buttery taste, with cashew butter carrying a definite sweetness to it--but cashews are some of the highest-carb nuts you can eat, so it would be wise to save them for a special occasion. Almond butter is an excellent choice for fat and protein, and you can find it almost anywhere these days. It is a little more "burly" in that it is generally not ground quite as smooth. And it is not going to carry the sweetness you might be used to with other nut butters. But it is super healthy and it does the trick, flavor and texture-wise.
A few nut butters I have not even gotten around to trying yet are pecan, macadamia and hazelnut. They all sound amazing and I would think a little cocoa, stevia and vanilla added to hazelnut butter would bring it to Nutella territory, eh?
Lastly we have cookie butter.
Just kidding.
That was mean.

And finally we have

5. Coconut Oil Fat Bombs -- Fat bombs are a popular way to reach your fat goals on the ketogenic diet. Save for drinking olive oil from the bottle, some people struggle with getting enough fat in their diet, especially when they are trying to keep it healthy. (For example, my goal is 125 grams of fat per day -- that's a lot, especially when carbs, protein and calories need to be in check).

A fat bomb literally transforms a serving or two of your healthy fat of choice (usually coconut oil) into an easy-to-swallow (doh!) pop-in-your-mouth treat, either to round out your fat needs for the day or for a pick-me-up when you might be feeling the hunger. As they can be made either savory or sweet, they are also a great way to satiate a craving without kicking you out of ketosis.

So this has been truly just an introduction of the amazing plant-based options you have to explore while adhering to your keto guidelines. I will be back with a list of ANOTHER FIVE plant-based foods to bulk up your keto without meat!

*** I can’t find the exact recipe that turned me on to flax seed porridge, but the long and short of it is this: 3 tablespoons of flax seed, 1 tablespoon butter (grass-fed like Kerrigold, obvs.), ¼ cup almond milk (Unsweetened! You could do coconut milk or whatever your flavor is, just be mindful of the carb count), sweetener to taste (know what you are getting -- carbs can be pretty outrageous in this category, even for no-calorie sweeteners, and some can even kick you out of ketosis. Do some research and perhaps trial and error. I like the powdered stevia sold in the organic section at Fred Meyer), and lastly cinnamon. Stir all ingredients together, microwave for one to two minutes, let cool a bit and enjoy!