Eating for health: this week’s meal plan

I’m still doing well on my keto/low carb diet. I enjoy the food, I am eating lots of fresh, healthy vegetables along with protein foods such as meat, fish and cheese. Meals are easy! I  think I am achieving eating for health in my meal plans.

With the corona virus situation rapidly escalating, it makes sense to eat as healthily as possible to keep our immune systems strong.

Satisfying my snack attacks

However, what I miss are crispy, snacky things. If I want a snack I tend to eat nuts, yogurt or berries. I might have a piece of cheese. But what I really want is a cracker with my cheese!

I also like mushing up avocadoes and miss having a cracker to scoop it up with.

So this week I am going to make some of these keto crackers. They seem very straightforward, with only three ingredients. Hopefully, they will help to satisfy my snack attacks!

I also enjoy mixing my Greek yogurt with sunflower and pumpkin seeds. It adds a crunchy texture, so I will carry on munching on that with a few berries on top.

I also really enjoyed the broccoli and stilton soup I made last week, so I may make some more for lunches. A cup of that is also a good snack. 

Long term goals

I am a little concerned about the long term impact of eating a lot of fat and meat, although there are some convincing arguments that it can only make you healthier in the long run.

Once I hit my target weight, I might eat more fruit. However, I don’t intend to start eating cakes and biscuits, chocolate, bread or pasta. 

The benefits to my health feel very real and I have more energy and less aches and pains. I want to keep this up, so this is my eating for health meal plan.

Eating for health meal plan

Saturday

Chicken and avocado salad. Nothing complicated about this, just lots of salad leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, avocadoes, chopped herbs, a little grated carrot and some olives.

I will drizzle some garlic olive oil on the top and have some gently cooked chicken breast shredded on top. Mr S will have some potatoes with his.

Sunday

We have family over for lunch. I am keeping it simple – it’s hard to make anything complicated with a puppy under your feet!

I need something that will suit my keto regime as well as a vegetarian and a someone with coeliac disease. It also needs to be budget friendly.

I will make another big green salad, as I did on Saturday. This will be served with Jamies’ hit and run chicken tray bake, grilled halloumi cheese, crusty bread and humous.

My daughter will make a chocolate cake and I will get some mixed berries to serve with cream or ice cream.

Monday

Salmon with lemon cream sauce, spinach and broccoli. I make the lemon cream sauce with Lactofree cream, a good blast of lemon juice, salt and pepper and a little garlic powder.

Tuesday

Home made keto mozzarella sticks with spicy tomato sauce. I will make these in my air fryer. Mr S can have some pasta with his tomato sauce.  I will just have a big pile of steamed veggies, such as broccoli and green beans.

Wednesday

Cheese stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon. I think roasted peppers with garlic will go well with this. Mr S can have some air fried potatoes with his.

Thursday

Spaghetti Bolognese, without the spaghetti! I will have strips of courgettes with mine, cooked in a little butter and garlic.

I keep thinking I must get myself a spiraliser, but actually my potato peeler does a reasonable job with the courgettes. However, I have a birthday coming up so will put a spiraliser on the list!

Friday

I will do my usual trick at the end of the week and make enough Bolognese on Thursday to feed us on the Friday too. It’s great to have a no cooking day. Mr S can have his with a jacket potato and we will both eat up any salad or vegetables that need to be finished.

Eating for health and ketosis

I’m not convinced that I have remained in a state of ketosis the whole time I have been on my low carb regime. Sometimes I have been in a situation where I have been out and have eaten higher carb vegetables, for example.

I was also eating more berries than I realised was allowed! But I can usually tell when I am going into ketosis as I get an upset tummy for a day or so. As I am still losing weight steadily, if not dramatically, and feeling better generally, I am not that bothered about this.

Eating for health is really important whatever regime you go for. Lots of fruit and veg is key I think, along with eating less sugar and focusing on healthy fats like olive and coconut oil. You do eat a high fat diet on keto, though, but there is quite a bit of evidence suggesting this isn’t harmful to your health long term and is actually massively beneficial.

What are you eating this week?

As usual, I am linking up with Katy Kicker for her meal planning linky. For more of my frugal food ideas see here.