It takes discipline to commit to a healthy eating plan, especially one as strict as the keto diet. But if you’re new to this particular diet, rest assured that you won’t be stuck eating bland food. You can enjoy nutritious meals that are also delicious as long as you make keto-friendly breakfast recipes, like broccoli cheese muffins and spinach quiche.
The keto diet promotes weight loss, boosts your energy level and improves mental clarity. It also minimizes inflammation if you follow the macronutrient recommendations and stay in ketosis.
Additionally, going keto lowers your risk for developing metabolic syndrome, a group of factors that include:
- Abdominal obesity
- High triglycerides, blood pressure and blood sugar
- low HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or “good” cholesterol
Try keto recipes that are made with ingredients you like and are good for you, like leafy greens, so you can reap the benefits of the keto diet.
The three recipes below are from “The Everything Keto Diet Meal-Prep Cookbook” by Lindsay Boyers, a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant (CHNC). Boyers shared that learning simple and tasty recipes helps ensure that you strictly follow the keto diet and enjoy its benefits.
Eating keto-friendly foods that you enjoy also prevents you from reaching for fattening snacks that contain carbs. (Related: Curb your carb cravings with these healthy keto bread recipes.)
Baked eggs
Who doesn’t love eggs? Baked eggs are filling and easy to make.
Ingredients for 6 servings:
- 12 large eggs
- 1/4 cup of fresh chives, chopped
- 1/4 cup of green bell peppers, diced
- 1/4 cup of red bell peppers, diced
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- Coconut oil (for greasing)
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with coconut oil.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl, then add salt and pepper. Whisk the mixture until frothy. Add the rest of the ingredients then whisk until combined.
- Pour the egg mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the eggs are set.
- Remove the pan from oven and let the eggs cool.
- Cut the baked eggs into 6 equal-size squares. Store squares in an airtight container. Keep baked eggs in the fridge for about a week.
Broccoli cheese muffins
Make a batch of broccoli cheese muffins and freeze them so you always have access to a savory snack or a quick and healthy breakfast. These keto muffins are best enjoyed warm.
Ingredients for 6 servings:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups of almond flour
- 1 cup of broccoli florets, chopped
- 1 cup of unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons of ghee
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 6 wells of the muffin tin with cupcake liners or parchment paper.
- Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir.
- Use a spoon to scoop the mixture evenly into each lined well.
- Bake the mixture for 30 minutes. The muffins are done if a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool, then place them in an airtight container. Store the muffins at room temperature for at least a week.
Spinach quiche
For a tasty, cheesy breakfast, try this recipe for spinach quiche.
Ingredients for 6 servings:
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 (10-ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 2 1/2 cups of shredded Muenster cheese
- 1 tablespoon of avocado oil (set some aside for greasing)
- 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, then grease a 9-inch pie pan with the extra avocado oil. Set the pie pan aside.
- Heat a tablespoon of avocado oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, then cook for about five minutes or until the onions soften.
- Stir in the spinach and cook the onions and spinach until excess moisture evaporates or around five more minutes. Remove from heat.
- Combine the cheese, eggs and spices in a medium-sized bowl then whisk until frothy. Add the spinach mixture to the eggs and stir to combine.
- Pour the final mixture into the prepared pie plate. Bake the quiche until the eggs have set or around 30 minutes.
- Once done, remove the quiche from the oven. Let it cool for several minutes before cutting into six equal portions. Store the quiche in an airtight container. You can keep spinach quiche in your fridge for about a week.
Use nutritious ingredients like broccoli and spinach to make keto-friendly breakfasts that will brighten your mornings.
Sources include:
MindBodyGreen.com
EverydayHealth.com