Some of you might be homemakers while others might be working full-time. Whatever the case, fixing a Keto lunch is very easy. When I went on the diet I used to carry to work a small salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions sprinkled with lime juice, salt, and pepper.
But, the onion started smelling by the end of the day, and when I read about it, I learned that onions and tomatoes were not allowed. Hence, I stuck to cucumbers, radish, and broccoli mostly. For somebody who had been brought up on paranthas and puris, a raw salad was a lost deal anyway.
Before you start adapting to the diet completely, do weigh yourself so that you can keep a record of how much weight you are actually losing.
For lunch, I have discovered three wonderful ingredients that make for delightful meals, they are broccoli, cheese, and mushrooms. Broccoli, I confess, has become the most versatile ingredient in my diet. Just blanch a handful and keep it ready in the fridge, in a sealed container.
For those of you who are new to this veggie, broccoli is now easily available in the market. When you are out buying it, always look for the dark green type and ensure that the florets are firm and hard. Bring it home, cut it into any size, and put a pan of water with half a teaspoon of salt to boil. Once the water is ready drop the florets and in precisely 7 minutes take them out, now cool them off under the tap.
I have eaten broccoli as a side dish with chicken, fish, and all kinds of meats. Some days I drop them in a mug of chicken broth, add a dollop of butter and add a teaspoon of my favourite pickle to it. The dish I guarantee will get elevated to a whole new level.
You can also add mayonnaise and chopped boiled eggs to broccoli and carry it to work like a cold salad. Since, we are on veggies please note as a thumb rule do not eat any vegetables that grows under the ground, as their carbohydrate content is very high. Eat all greens and like I mentioned earlier avoid peas.
Mushrooms can also be made in many ways. You can have them the traditional way as a mushroom curry, mushroom masala or simply tossed in butter and garlic.
Every time I share a not-to-eat rule, please understand that I totally understand the dilemma that you as an Indian woman might face in the kitchen, I went through the same. It is not easy for mommies, and working women, to cook separate meals for themselves.
If you are making matar paneer, don’t eat the peas and if you cooked capsicum and potatoes today, just pick out the capsicum. In other words, look for a solution and be flexible. Eat your normal food, but avoid the rice, roti / bread and potatoes. The important thing to remember is to stay within your macros.
Keto in no way is supposed to complicate your life.
For the first month, I ate loads of mushrooms in the office. Then I couldn’t look at them any more. In the second month, I switched to paneer or cottage cheese. Some days I fried small cubes of it and sprinkled it with chaat masala. Other days I ate it raw like a salad.
Nowadays, I have discovered a really chic way of eating it. I slit a large piece of paneer in the centre, but not all the way. Then I spread some mint chutney inside it and sprinkle the outside with dry masala, we normally use in Indian cooking. Let it rest for half an hour or so, now sauté it on a hot pan till it turns golden from all sides.
It tastes wonderful both hot and cold, and you can also add your favourite veggies to it. I normally add capsicum in long slices to it. When I have the time, I stuff paneer/cottage cheese inside capsicums and make a small batch of them. You can do the same and next time you are hungry take out a portion, and micro them for 10 minutes. They will taste incredible, you will not feel deprived.
On some days, I also carry two seekh kebabs sautéed on a pan with ghee for lunch. I eat them with mint chutney and the energy rush gets me going till the evening. You can go for any local variety and choose between mutton or chicken.
Also sharing a picture of my breakfast today with you – hard-boiled eggs with homemade sugarless mayonnaise, mint chutney and fried slices of bacon. Next time, when you pack your tiffin for the office, just remember to put all protein and fat-rich food items in it. Drink lots of water.
And every time you crave a bar of chocolate or a sip of cola, remind yourself that like a butterfly, the metamorphosis has already started.