When you first go low-carb, it may be hard to come up with foods to eat that you actually enjoy. But, you don't have to sacrifice flavor when you decide to try a lower carb diet. These low-carb options gives you a variety of meals from breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert! You'll want to try them all! To find the recipes, click on the green hyperlinks in each description.
Portobello Mushroom Pizzas
Skip the pizza crust for these Portobello mushroom pizzas. These little pizzas are so good and so guilt-free, you’ll want to eat them every day. The portobello mushrooms are filled with mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes and basil for that fresh-from-Italy feel. Thank you Life As A Strawberry for the recipe.
Fluffy Almond Flour Pancakes
Almond flour has far fewer carbs than normal flout, but won’t sacrifice any of the flavor you love in pancakes. For a healthier and sweeter pancake, you can add fruit slices on top. Make sure to make an extra batch of these fluffy pancakes to freeze for those busy mornings. Check out The Nourishing Home for the recipe.
Mac And Cheese Cauliflower
If you’re like us, mac n cheese is an all time favorite. But, we hate how weighed down we feel after a bowl of it. Well, try switching out macaroni noodles with cauliflower for a healthier version of the pasta! It still uses the cheese, breadcrumbs and seasonings you love, but with cauliflower as the noodles. Thank you Vegetarian Times for the recipe.
Skinny Spaghetti
There’s nothing better than hearing the words “skinny spaghetti.” This recipe is made with cabbage instead of spaghetti noodles. Don’t worry, the cabbage looses its flavor once steamed and is paired perfectly with a heaping layer of chili. We’re definitely going to have to try this recipe. Check out the Londoner for the recipe.
Cilantro-Lime Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
These turkey taco wraps replace carb-loaded taco shells with nutrient dense lettuce or spinach wraps. Filled with ground turkey, juicy tomatoes, all the best spices and fresh avocado, you’ll save your carbs without sacrificing flavor. Check out Mountain Mama Cooks for the recipe.
Roasted Vegetable And Goat Cheese Pizza With Cauliflower Crust
Cauliflower crust is a great substitute for carb-loaded pizza crust. Don’t feel intimidated by making your own crust though, it’s super simple and actually tastes good too! This recipe uses roasted vegetables and goat cheese to top the crust, but you could go with traditional marinara, mozzarella and turkey pepperoni too. Check out Domesticate Me for the recipe.
Roasted Turnips With Parmesan
The fried french fries you’ve come to know and love are loaded with carbs and fat that can easily be replaced. If you’ve never tried turnips, give these roasted turnips a try. Their natural sweetness make them a real treat and they’re super easy to make. Alongside your favorite burger, you’ll love these roasted turnips so much you won’t even miss your old french fries. Find the recipe here.
Zucchini Lasagna
This meaty lasagna recipe replaces lasagna noodles with zucchini noodles for a less carb-heavy meal. This lasagna is still filled with the meat and cheese you love so you won’t even miss those noodles. All you need is a few thin slices of zucchini to replace the noodles, so when they’re in season, give this recipe a try! Thank you The Turquoise Room for the recipe.
Japchae
Japchae is dried Korean sweet potato noodles and it’s a great substitute for pasta noodles. Packed with veggies, spinach and unique flavors, this recipe is full of nutrients and flavor and is definitely a must try. Check out Chow Hound for the recipe.
Mexican Black Bean Spaghetti
This Mexican spaghetti uses black bean noodles instead of wheat noodles. With 25 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per serving, you’ll love these black bean noodles! Topped with black beans, corn, cheese, avocado, jalapeños and tomatoes, you won’t miss the wheat noodles one bit. Find the recipe here.
Shrimp With Bok Choy, Sriracha And Shirataki Noodles
This recipe is packed full shrimp, veggies and the spice of the Sriracha. If you’ve never had Shirataki noodles, here’s your chance. These low carb, low calorie noodles are the epitome of guilt-free. This is a must try recipe! Check out Zag Left for the recipe.
Simply Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower is also a great substitute for rice! You can pair this with your favorite chicken recipe or use it in a stir fry. This cauliflower rice is good all on its own, but Nutrition Stripped offers a variety of seasonings and flavors to make different variations of the recipe. We want to try them all!
Spaghetti Squash With Marinara
Spaghetti squash is a great alternative to carb-heavy noodles. Believe us, it doesn’t taste any different! This recipe is topped with marinara sauce, but you could add mushrooms or peas for extra vegetables or chicken and shrimp for filling protein. The possibilities are endless here! Find the recipe here.
Stuffed Chicken With Sautéed Spinach
By swapping a side of sautéed spinach for mashed potatoes you’ll save almost 200 calories! The protein packed chicken AND spinach will leave you full and satisfied. Cutting out carbs does not have to mean you cut out flavor. Try this for yourself!
Baked Spinach Chips
Sure potato chips might be a salty snack you love, but they’re packed with unnecessary calories. Try baked spinach chips instead. You’ll get that crunch you crave without all the calories. Find the recipe for this snack alternative here.
Cucumber And Cheese Slices
It’s easy to grab a sleeve of crackers and slices of cheese and run out the door, but crackers pack on the salt and the carbs. Instead, use slices of cucumber for a less carb-heavy snack.
Apple Slices With Peanut Butter And Fruit
For a lower carb breakfast, try swapping out bread for apple slices! You’ll get the added crunch, protein from the peanut butter and Greek yogurt mixture and sweetness from the grapes. Mix together 2 ounces of Greek yogurt, 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Top apple slices with this peanut butter mixture and garnish with sliced grapes.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Skip the calorie dense cookies for this sweet and healthier alternative. Two chocolate covered strawberries are about 90 calories as opposed to 178 calories in two cookies. You could even try chocolate covered bananas or any other fruit.
Carrot Fettuccine
Another swap to your pasta noodles is sliced carrots. It only takes 10 minutes to make these carrot fettuccine noodles and like other alternatives, you can top with the sauces and toppings you love! Find the recipe here.
