If you have recently switched to a low carb diet, and want to find healthy recipes for weight loss, you are going to love this collection of quick and easy low carb recipes. Curated by a Nutritionist, these low carb recipes are made with tasty whoelfood ingredients that help support safe and healthy weight loss. Napkins ready? Let’s make eating low carb a delicious experience!
How To Eat Low Carb
There are so many reasons why people might choose to go low carb and use this eating style as an effective tool for weight loss. For a lot of my clients, a low carb diet is often prescribed to help manage blood sugar levels, or to clean up a poor diet and improve eating habits. Low carb diets are also commonly used to help make the shift to a more well-balanced diet and initiate safe and controlled weight loss.
Getting started eating low carb, it is relatively simple. You'll just need to become more conscious of your food choices, and begin reducing the amount of carbohydrates you consume each day. Knowing how to read nutrition labels and which foods are the most nutritious low carb food choices is the best way to start your low carb journey. This eating style isn't about restrictions, but rather replacing overly processed, high carb food choices with more healthy, low carb swaps that are rich sources of dietary fibre and lean protein.
Low Carb Food List Cheatsheet
Going low carb means choosing foods for their nutritional profile and focusing your diet on high fibre, low carb ingredients that are paired with a clean, lean protein source adn healthy fats. Here are some healthy, low carb foods to try if this is all brand new to you:
Vegetables (non-starchy): low in carbs, high in dietary fibre, and loaded with nutrients. Try food choices like spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, capsicums, asparagus, cucumber, mushrooms, and lettuces to build your plate.
Protein sources: choose lean and high-quality proteins and pair these with the veggies suggestions from above. A serving of lean protein is generally palm-sized for a handy reference. Try chicken breast, eggs, grass-fed beef and lamb, salmon, tuna, prawns, pork and vegan source such as tofu and tempeh.
Healthy fats: are great for energy and keeping you full. Try avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans), seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds), and nut butters (almond butter, peanut butter – without added sugar).
Dairy (if tolerated): opt for full-fat, unsweetened versions of the following dairy products, Greek yogurt (unsweetened), cottage cheese, cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, feta) and heavy cream.
Low Carb fruit: enjoy lower-sugar fruits such as berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries), lemons and limes, avocado (yes, it’s a fruit!),and coconut meat.
Low carb pantry staples: these are great for quick, easy meals: almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium husk (for baking), stevia or monk fruit (sugar substitutes), unsweetened almond and coconut milk, canned tuna or salmon
Snacks and quick bites: keep these convenient low-carb options on hand for easy snacking. Try hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks with half an apple or pear, veggie sticks with dips like guacamole or hummus, a handful of nuts and berries, pork rinds (if you like crunchy snacks).
As you can see, there are actually a lot of healthy, wholefoods that can be consumed on a low carb diet to maintain well-balanced nutrition while losing weight. Now let's to explore the low carb recipes you can enjoy to help you lose weight and eat healthier.
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10 Low Carb Recipes For Weight Loss
Ready to make 10+ healthy low carb recipes? Then you'll first want to bookmark this page or email it to yourself for handy reference. I've rounded up some of my favourite, Nutritionist-approved low carb recipes for those wanting to clean up their diet, and kickstart healthy weight loss staring with what's on your plate. These simple low carb meal ideas are quick and easy, and I bet will soon become some of your weight loss favourites.
Low Carb Breakfast Smoothie
Ingredients
Vanilla flavoured whey or vegan protein powder, low carb berries, steamed cauliflower, plant milk, vanilla extract, and chia seeds. To make, blend the ingredients in a high-powered blender or Ninja until combined and super smooth. If you prefer a thicker smoothie, add a handful of crushed ice and serve in a bowl with a few berries on top. Use this recipe for a healthy protein-based breakfast, lunch or dinner.
High-Fibre Berry Chia Pudding
Ingredients
Unsweetened almond milk, chia seeds, stevia, vanilla extract, mixed berries. Combine the milk, chia seeds, stevia, and vanilla in a jar. Stir well and refrigerate overnight to set. To serve, top with fresh mixed berries before serving. Makes a deliciously filling breakfast or lunch, or serve a halved portion as dessert. Here's a collection of my chia seed pudding recipes, click here.
Egg Muffins with Spinach & Turkey
Ingredients
Eggs with spinach, ground turkey, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk eggs with the seasonings, and then add the cooked ground turkey and spinach. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes. Enjoy 1-2 as a serving for a quick breakfast or as a high-protein snack in the afternoons.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
Broccoli, unsweetened almond milk, shredded cheddar cheese, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook broccoli, onion, and garlic until tender. Blend with almond milk until smooth. Stir in cheese and season to taste to serve. Makes a great, low carb lunch or dinner option.
Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry with Chicken
Ingredients
Cauliflower rice, chicken breast, coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, green onions, sesame oil. Cook chicken in sesame oil until browned. Add garlic, ginger, and cauliflower rice. Stir in coconut aminos and green onions, cooking until tender. This low carb recipe is easy to batch cook helping you quickly meal prep a few healthy meals for the week ahead. You might also like to try my Low Carb Cauliflower Rice & Sauteed Prawns recipe, click here.
Stuffed Capsicum Bowls
Ingredients
Red or yellow capsicums, ground turkey, cauliflower rice, diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, Italian seasoning. Stuff halved capsicums with a mixture of the cooked turkey, cauliflower rice, and seasonings. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25 minutes until the capsicum bowls are tender and filling piping hot. Add a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese to serve.
Spaghetti Squash with Pesto
Ingredients
Spaghetti squash, basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and cracked pepper. Roast the spaghetti squash. Blend basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and seasoning into a pesto. Toss with the cooked squash to season and serve.
Zucchini Noodles Lemon Garlic Prawns
Ingredients
Zucchini, prawns, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant, and then add the prawns, cook until they turn pink and opaque. Toss in the spiralised zucchini noodles, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with lemon juice before serving. This low carb pasta or noddle recipe is easily adapted to many high carb meals such as spaghetti, simply by swapping pasta noodles for the zucchini version. Here's a few more recipes to try, click here.
Almond Butter Protein Balls
Ingredients
Almond butter, vanilla flavoured whey or vegan protein powder, ground flaxseeds, unsweetened shredded coconut, stevia, vanilla extract. Mix all ingredients and roll into balls. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving as a guilt-free dessert. These are made even nicer by dipping into my famous Raw Chocolate Dipping Sauce, try it here.
Chocolate Avocado Dessert Pudding
Ingredients
Avocado, raw cacao powder, almond milk, stevia or maple syrup, vanilla extract. To make, blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Pour into small ramekins and then chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Nutritionist’s Tip:
Low-carb meals can help balance blood sugar levels, reduce cravings, and keep you full for longer when trying to lose weight. These low carb recipes are all super easy micro meal prep and make healthy meals for your weight loss journey that you can enjoy on repeat. You'll find more recipe ideas and support inside the Facebook Community, click here.
Emma Lisa, Nutritionist & Women's Practitioner
Emma Lisa is a Nutritionist & Women's Health Practitioner with over 14+ years experience in wholefood nutrition, meal planning and health coaching. She is a published cookbook author, passionate food recipe creator and lifestyle blogger, and an advocate for women's health and anti-diet culture. When she's not in clinic, Emma is mum to five kids, cooking in her test kitchen and a wellness digital creator. She lives in Sydney, Australia.
Healthy + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
HEALTH & NUTRITION PRACTITIONER
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