Simple Keto Meal Prep Menu

Many of my nutrition clients come to me and ask for Keto meal plans and programs to align with their goals. At first, my temptation was to decline as the default in my head was when I heard “Keto”, I just heard “Atkins” and longterm “heart disease”. However, one thing I have learned in the field of nutrition is that the “It” diet is always evolving and as a nutrition & wellness lifestyle consultant it is my job to look beyond the trendy diet and search for good ‘food science’ that supports it.

Keto is the diet associated with the research derived from the study of Ketosis. Ketosis is a state in which our body no longer runs on glucose (carbohydrate) fuel for energy, but instead, in the absence of carbohydrates, the body will choose its next ideal fuel, fat. Once your body is in Ketosis your body becomes a “fat-burning” machine and this is where the weight-loss success stories flood in and why it is getting much attention at the moment. Now, being trained as a Raw Food Chef, and in the field of Holistic Nutrition, the traditional Keto diet that includes all the butter, bacon, pork rinds, beef jerky, and cheese you can eat clearly raises some red flags for potential long-term health implications. So, when a client would come to me with their current diet of pickles, cheese, and pepperoni sticks I knew that I needed to support my clients with their choice of short-term diet goals but with whole foods in order to support their long-term health and wellness.

Balance Keto, became an approach that I use with my clients where we are able to achieve the ideal macros (70% fat, 20-30% protein, 5-10% carbs) using whole-foods and eliminating processed or refined foods to do it. Additionally, lots of my clients are busy working parents and they still wanted the convenience of a quick and easy meal prep for the busy week ahead. This is one of my favorite weekend meal prep sessions because its quick and simple and I can interchange the dinners and lunches based on what I want. You will also see minimal ingredients and the same ingredients repeated in both of the main dishes to save money on your grocery bill.  If you are new to the idea of Keto or follow a low-carb diet then give some of this simple plan below a try.

• Breakfast Rocket Fuel Fat Burning Lattes
• Interchangeable Lunch & Dinner Bowls: 15-Minute Baked Salmon with Greek Lemon Zoodles and Kale Avocado Salad Bowls with Lemon Garlic Shrimp. You can change things up or if you don’t like seafood use baked a turkey or chicken breasts or beans in the kale bowls for a plant-based option.
• Morning & Afternoon Protein Snacks: Hard-boiled eggs and Tuna Salad.

1) Breakfast: A Rocket Fuel Latte

Rocket-Fuel Lattes are a great way to start your day. Brew your coffee or tea, add your fats, proteins, and superfoods to your blender, blend, and head out the door for your busy day ahead. It’s like swapping your breakfast smoothie with a latte that will support your energy level and turn up the fat-burning potential for the whole day. I have 5 Fat-Burning Rocket Fueled Latte Recipes for you to choose from.

2) 10-Min Baked Salmon & Greek Lemon Zoodles 

I get the pan of salmon in the oven while I use my spiralizer to make zucchini noodles. I toss the noodles in a bowl and divide them into meal prep containers while I wait for the salmon to be done. I cut the salmon into 5 equal portions, add them to the containers with 1/4 avocado and pop them in the fridge for the week ahead.

Ingredients:

• 1 full salmon fillet
• 3 tbsp avocado oil divided
• sprig of fresh dill
• 2 small lemons
• pinch salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large zucchini’s
• 1 tbsp greek seasoning
• 2 avocado’s

Instructions:

1. Place the Salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush salmon with 1 tbsp of avocado oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, cut a lemon in half (one half I squeeze the juice onto the salmon and the other half I slice thinly and spread the lemon slices across the salmon.
2. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, spiralize 2 large zucchini’s and toss in a bowl with the remaining oil, juice of the lemon, and greek seasoning and divide equally between 5 containers. Slice the avocado’s and evenly divide in each container. I like to rub the juiced lemon across the avocado’s so they don’t brown.
4. By now the salmon is ready, I divide it equally, put a lid on the containers and store for 3-5 days. 

3) Kale Avocado Salad Bowls with Lemon & Garlic Shrimp

In a pan on the stove, I toss quickly heat and cook the shrimps with lemon, butter, and garlic. I grab the same bowl I tossed the zoodles in, tear up my kale leaves and toss it with the lemon, avocado oil and sea salt. I assemble the bowls and add the fresh ingredients and pop them in sealed containers for the week ahead.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of cooked frozen shrimp
• 1 tbsp grass-fed butter, ghee or coconut oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 large heads of curly kale
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1 large avocado
• 2 tbsp of avocado oil
• 2 lemons
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tbsp greek seasoning

Instructions:

1. Heat butter in a medium pan and saute garlic until fragrant for about 1-2 minutes. Add shrimp, the juice of one lemon over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, massage Kale in a bowl with the remaining oil, lemon juice, and salt. Divide into bowls, top with cherry tomatoes and quartered avocado slices. Sprinkle greek seasoning on the avocado and add with a slotted spoon divide the shrimps to salad bowls evenly. Place a lid on and store in the fridge for 3-5 days.

4) Morning and Afternoon Protein Packed Snacks

Snack One: Yup, the humble and effective hard-boiled egg. Quick and easy!

Ingredients:

• 5 grass-fed, organic eggs

Instructions:

1. Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Cover with a lid and bring water to a boil over high heat; when the water has reached a boil, set the timer for the desired time. Boil for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat for perfect hard–boiled eggs.
2. Remove the pot from the stove, drain the water and fill the pot with cold water immediately.
3. Store the eggs in an air-tight container for 5 days for a quick protein snack.

Snack Two: 4-Ingredient Tuna Salad Snack Packs are highly effective at meeting your fat and protein needs in the day. By using avocado-based mayonnaise you get a healthy fat dose versus the traditional canola oil mayo. Click here for the full recipe. 

I am able to make 2 full meals and 2 protein snacks in under an hour, and the breakfast rocket fuel latte is quick and easy for my mornings. This is a very simple and effective meal plan to try some low-carb, high-fat recipes with whole-foods instead of highly processed food.  These Keto Burning recipes are designed to reduce cravings, help you hit your fat macros using whole foods, regulate hormones, and support your body to burn fat all day long! Cheers,

Jo