The hardest part of changing your diet is getting started. That’s why we’ve done all the planning for you! Jumpstart your diet with a full week of keto recipes that includes a daily glass of low-carb wine.
You probably saw more than your fair share of fresh start fitness and nutrition content in January. However, we firmly believe that ANY time is a good time to make positive lifestyle changes. Sometimes that means incorporating mindfulness into your routine, going on a walk every day, or even revamping your nutrition with some simple keto recipes.
While everyone is different and has different nutritional needs, we’ve found that a low-carb, ketogenic lifestyle gives us the energy we need to accomplish our goals. So, whether you’re going full-throttle or just swapping out a few meals, here’s five days of keto recipes with a few low-carb wine pairings to top it all off 😉
What is the Keto Diet?
One of the core components of the ketogenic diet (or keto diet) is to minimize your carbohydrate intake. Normally, your body relies on glucose from carbs for energy. By keeping your carb intake extremely low, your body begins to use your stored fat for energy. When that happens, your body is in a metabolic state called “ketosis.” On top of burning fat, you’ll also notice decreased appetite and stable energy levels.
If you’re panicking at the thought of cutting out ALL carbs, don’t sweat it. A healthy ketogenic diet still includes somewhere between 15 to 30 grams of net carbs a day (Net carbohydrates are your total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols). If you’re a particularly active person, you could probably get away with a few additional carbs. However, if you’re fairly stationary or just have a harder time getting your body into ketosis, you’ll want to keep your carbs on the lower end.
The recipes we’ve put together below will put you at roughly 25 net carbs per day. We left a bit of wiggle room so you can still afford to have a delicious glass of low-carb wine with your dinner. Yes, you read that right! You can absolutely drink wine on the keto diet, so long as it’s low-carb and free of added sugars.
Some of these recipes are pulled from our archive of tried and true keto recipes, but others are favorites from our customers. No matter what though, they’re filling, will keep your carbs to a minimum and are absolutely delicious.
Mondays Are All About Simplicity
Mondays can be hectic. That’s why Mondays are all about keeping it simple. With these recipes, you can quickly whip them up and eat on-the-go or throw them together at the end of a long day.
Breakfast: A Surprisingly Creamy, No-Dairy Latte
It may sound crazy, but you’ll actually be adding eggs to this latte. Give it a try before you judge it too harshly! It’s surprisingly creamy and will give you a jolt of necessary protein and energy to get your day started.
Add two eggs, two tablespoons of coconut oil, a drop or two of vanilla extract, and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (or your spice of choice) to a blender. Add one and a half cups of hot coffee and immediately blend (that way the eggs don’t start to cook from the hot water). Pour, sip, and enjoy.
Lunch: Breadless Club Sandwich
This is a super simple lunch you can pack ahead of time or prep in just a few minutes. Plus, it’s got fresh, crisp vegetables to help you get some fiber and vitamins without adding a ton of net carbs.
Take two leaves of romaine and lay them side by side with the edges overlapping somewhat. Mash up half an avocado and smear it across the leaves and lay two slices of provolone cheese on top of that. If you have time, you can use bacon. If not, layer four slices of turkey over the provolone and cover it with half a tablespoon of mayo. Add sliced tomato and salt/pepper (if you want), carefully roll, cut in half, and dive in!
Dinner: Keto-Friendly Charcuterie
If you’ve been a SECCO Wine Club member for a while, you may already be familiar with this recipe. That’s because we’ve dedicated an entire blog to it! Click here for all the details, including a mouthwatering wine pairing.
Tuesday’s Deserve a Bit of Indulgence
You made it through Monday and your falling into the rhythm of the workweek. We’d say you deserve something a bit more indulgent today
Breakfast: Keto-Friendly Breakfast Burrito
This breakfast burrito is packed full of protein and doesn’t require any carb-heavy tortillas. Once you figure out the secret to these “tortillas,” you may never go back to the flour version again.
Using non-stick cooking spray, coat a medium skillet and heat it over medium-low heat. While your pan is heating up, whisk together two large eggs, two tablespoons of milk, and add your preferred amount of salt and pepper. Pour your egg mixture into the hot pan and cover with a lid. This is where the magic happens! Give it two to three minutes (or until it’s cooked through and set) then remove it from the pan and set it aside. Using the same pan, cook two strips of bacon.
Layer three slices of turkey into the center of your egg “tortilla,” and once the bacon is cooked add it as well. Top with two tablespoons of shredded cheese, one tablespoon of salsa, roll it up and dig in. Voila!
Lunch: Everything But the Kitchen Sink Chicken Salad
Since this recipe requires cooking raw chicken, this might be a good meal to prep ahead of time. However, if you have some cooked chicken lying around (or if you want to buy pre-cooked chicken–we won’t tell) this just takes a few minutes to throw together. It’s very versatile, so you can have it as a snack or make an entire meal out of it.
This recipe includes about 6 servings, so you can feed several people or portion it out to eat as needed. You can dip vegetables or even create lettuce wraps with this chicken salad, so go with your gut!
Fully cook two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can prepare them however you like, but make sure not to add any breading that may increase your net carbs. Shred your chicken in a large bowl and add the following ingredients…
- 1 cup of plain fat-free Greek yogurt.
- ¾ cup of shredded carrot
- ¾ cup of shredded celery
- ⅓ cup of chopped red onion
- ¼ cup of cream cheese
- Season to taste with garlic powder, salt, pepper, etc.
Dinner: Salmon with Avocado Salsa
This is another SECCO favorite, so click here for preparation details and a delicious wine pairing. Just imagine succulent salmon with zesty, creamy avocado salsa. Need we say more?
We’re Keeping Things Classic on Wednesday
Sometimes there’s just nothing better than a classic burger or a big bacon and egg breakfast. Luckily, those aren’t items you’ll have to sacrifice!
Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs
Honestly, what more can we say about this classic breakfast staple. If you’ve got a big day ahead of you, feel free to eat an extra egg. However, all that delicious bacon fat is sure to leave you feeling satiated.
Fry bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Once cooked, put it aside and use the same pan to fry (or scramble) your eggs. We recommend starting with two eggs but feel free to have another if needed. To give your breakfast a different flavor, consider cutting some cherry tomatoes in half and frying them as well. Throw everything on a plate, add salt and pepper to taste, and get your day started right with this hearty breakfast.
Lunch: Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are the perfect mixture of simple, fast, and nostalgic. No family gathering would be complete without them, and yet they’re shockingly simple to put together. This recipe makes three servings, so you can feed multiple people or wait to prep some of the hard-boiled eggs until the next day if needed.
Hardboil three eggs and after removing the shells cut them in half lengthwise. Put the yokes in a separate bowl and add one tablespoon of mayo, one tablespoon of plain fat-free Greek Yogurt, half a teaspoon of dijon mustard, half a teaspoon of white vinegar, and salt/pepper to taste. Combine all the ingredients, add the mixture into your egg whites, and feel free to garnish with green onion or paprika if you’d like.
Dinner: Low-Carb Burger Bites
Is there anything better than a juicy, savory burger? Yes, a low-carb version! We’ve taken all the best parts of a burger, put them on a stick, and completely ditched the bun. This recipe is popular with hungry stomachs of all ages and is sure to have you dreaming of summer barbeques. This recipe serves 7, so feel free to double-up if you’re feeding a crowd.
Before getting started, don’t forget to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven is heating up, mix together half a pound of ground beef, two tablespoons of bread crumbs, two tablespoons of chopped onion, one whole egg, and salt and pepper to taste. Form the mixture into meatballs (roughly two tablespoons of mixture for each), and place on a baking sheet. These will need roughly thirty minutes to bake.
You can multitask and cook 7 tater tots at the same time you’re cooking the burger bites, just check them to make sure they’re cooking evenly. While that’s all baking, take a skewer and add a pickle slice, a cherry tomato, a folded piece of lettuce, and a small piece of your cheese of choice. Once the burger bites and tots are cooked and cooled, add one of each to every skewer. Voila! An inventive, low-carb twist on the classic burger.
Let’s not forget the wine though. For this, we’d recommend one glass of ALIBEA, Toscano Rosso IGT. With less than 1 gram of carbs and 107 calories per glass, this wine will complement the burger bites without throwing off your net carbs.
Treat Yourself on Thursdays
The weekend is calling, but you’re not quite at the finish line. That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve something truly mouthwatering to tide you over.
Breakfast: Tuna Filled Avocado Boats
This is another deceptively simple breakfast that’s surprisingly rich. It’s packed full of protein and healthy fats to keep you energized so you can finish the week strong.
Cut your avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit. In a separate bowl, combine half a can of tuna (drain the water first), two tablespoons of mayo, half a celery stalk (chopped), one tablespoon of chopped red onions, and salt/pepper to taste. You can top with chives if you like, but give yourself permission to slowly savor each bite. Seriously, this is delicious!
Lunch: Leftovers!
Okay, maybe this doesn’t sound super glamorous, but some of the previous recipes will leave you with additional servings or ingredients. This is the perfect opportunity to use up those items so they don’t go to waste!
Did you really love that chicken salad mix and still have a few servings left? Maybe you prepped some extra hard-boiled eggs on Wednesday. Either way, don’t let anything go to waste.
Plus, dinner is going to require a bit more time, so you’ll appreciate not having to cook lunch AND dinner. Trust us…
Dinner: Red Wine Braised Brisket
Yes, you read that right. Not only are you going to eat a juicy, tender brisket, but you get to put red wine IN this dish. However, this recipe takes some careful planning (remember a second ago when we said you’d need that extra time?).
It can take a brisket three and a half hours to fully cook, so you may need to start this recipe while you’re digging into those leftovers. Luckily, once you get it prepped and in the oven, you get to sit back and relax. Click here for all the details on this heartwarming recipe AND our red wine recommendation.
TGIF!
The weekend is here and it’s time to celebrate. That’s why Friday has a mixture of simple recipes perfect for entertaining and more fun dishes that require creativity.
Breakfast: Breakfast Bake
You deserve something hearty and satisfying, and this breakfast bake definitely fits the bill. This recipe serves four, so you can save some for tomorrow or feed the family.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare an 8×8 baking dish by lightly coating it with non-stick spray (this will save you time later). Cook one pound of sausage over medium heat until it’s brown and cooked through. Drain off the excess fat and spread the sausage around the baking dish you prepared earlier.
Combine four egg whites, two whole eggs, a two-thirds cup of vegetable broth, a two-thirds cup of parmesan, a quarter cup of pesto, and a quarter cup of chopped red bell pepper. Gently pour this mixture over your sausage and bake until the eggs look fluffy and have risen up a bit (roughly thirty to forty minutes). That’s it! Once it’s finished cooking, separate the meal between four plates (or save some for later) and enjoy!
Lunch: Keto-Friendly Bacon Sushi
Yes, you read that right. These clever little bites have all the savoriness of bacon with the crisp, freshness of cucumbers and carrots. Yes, please! This recipe makes six servings, so feel free to double up or cut in half depending on how many you’re feeding.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking tray with a cooling rack. This will make cooking your bacon a LOT easier. Take three slices of bacon and cut them in half (this will give you six shorter slices). Lay these slices on your cooling rack/baking tray and cook until the slices are crispy but still flexible. Go ahead and pull out two ounces of cream cheese so it has enough time to soften.
While your bacon is cooking, thinly slice one cucumber, one medium carrot, and half an avocado. Once your bacon is cool enough to work with, spread an even layer of cream cheese on each bacon slice and divide the vegetables so there’s an even amount for each strip of bacon. Place the vegetables on one end, roll it all up, and garnish with sesame seeds if you like. Yum!
Dinner: Smoked Salmon and Avocado Platter
Okay, is there anything more luxurious than smoked salmon? What about smoked salmon and avocado? Oh yeah, this super simple recipe just requires throwing some phenomenal ingredients together so you can focus on spending time with friends and family. This recipe serves two, so if you’re entertaining you’ll definitely want to double (possibly triple) this recipe.
Thinly slice two avocados and arrange them on your platter. Add eight ounces of smoked salmon (we recommend store-bought to save time) and garnish with dill, lemon, black pepper, or other herbs of your choice. That’s it! Seriously, this is the easiest meal to put together and all it requires is a few items and a platter. Your non-keto friends and family may appreciate some crackers, but it’s also delicious simply with a fork.
To complement this recipe, we recommend our Tenuta di Ceppaiano. This white wine has delicate, fruity notes of litchi and goes perfectly with seafood. Pour, sip, enjoy.
Jumpstart Your Diet With These Delicious Keto Recipes
Honestly, being able to drink wine while maintaining a healthy lifestyle is pretty awesome. The trick is making sure your wine is low-carb and has no unnecessary additives or sugars. If you feel like this would make transitioning to a healthy lifestyle easier, take a look at our Top 5 Wines With the Lowest Carbs and consider subscribing to our Wine Club for monthly deliveries of your favorite bottles.
Don’t forget to follow us for all the latest updates. Plus, if you tag us in your SECCO Wine Club cooking adventures you might get featured on one of our stories!
Cheers!