Christmas. A time for good food, fine wine, board games, and cosy fires. And if you are committed to a fitness training programme or trying to follow a high-protein diet for weight loss and/or health, there is no reason to forgo your keto diet over the festive period.
Below you will find some wonderful recipes to replace some of the not so keto-friendly Christmas Day feast options, such as roast potatoes and flour-laden Christmas puddings.
Breakfast/Brunch
Vegan Keto Breakfast Pancakes
For those readers following a plant-based diet, we have amazing news – you can enjoy low-carb vegan pancakes. Made from nourishing ingredients such as chai seeds and nut butter (both of which are packed with protein) these beauties will provide a healthy start to your Christmas Day.
Vegan fry up
If you fancy a ‘full English’ then get everyone’s mouth watering with this colourful vegan fry up. Containing avocado, peppers, spinach, butterbeans, and mushrooms, this breakfast is guaranteed to set everyone up for the day and provide energy for a brisk Christmas walk.
Sides to compliment your nut roast
Tahini Roasted Cauliflower recipe
This is a stunning side to add to your table on Christmas Day. And cauliflower is such an underrated vegetable. As well as being a source of choline, an essential nutrient we need for mood, memory, and recall, it contains a plant compound called indole-3-carbinol (I3C) which acts as a plant oestrogen and may help balance hormones by regulating oestrogen levels.
Braised Red Cabbage
Nothing encompasses winter warmth more than hot, spiced red cabbage. This mulled red cabbage with clementine combines multiple mid-winter favourites. Red cabbage provides many nutrients and is high in folate and vitamin C.
Replacing the roasties with celeriac
Low-carb celeriac makes a fantastic alternative to roast potatoes. You can use celeriac just like a potato, for roasting, mashing, and baking. Best of all, 100g of celeriac is 7.2 net carbs which is about half that of potatoes.
Puddings
Low-carb yule log
Following a high-protein keto diet does not mean you have to forgo puddings. This festive, white low-carb yule log will bring smiles to everyone at the table on Christmas Day. Made with coconut flour and low-carb sweetener, it not only looks divine, the delicious contrast between the tangy cranberries and sweet cream perfectly finishes off the main meal.
Christmas pavlova – BBC Goodfood
Who could resist a pavlova topped with raspberries and grated dark chocolate? By shaping this pudding into a Christmas wreath, you can guarantee everyone will be able to make a little room in their tummies for a serving.
Wrapping up (excuse the pun)
With a little thought and know-how, a keto Christmas can be a delicious feast for the whole family. And you can go into the New Year feeling that as far as possible, you have kept to your high-protein, high-fat eating regime.
Merry Christmas.
