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Meat Free Keto:

How to thrive on a vegan ketogenic


or low carb diet

Elizabeth MacDowell, N.C.


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For Clayton, Kilo and Hubert.

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© 2019 Elizabeth MacDowell. All rights reserved. No
portion of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher, except as
permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions
contact:
liz@meatfreeketo.com

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Nutrition Disclaimer: This ebook is written and produced for
informational purposes only. Statements within this PDF have not
been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
This website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease. Content should not be considered a substitute for
professional medical expertise or treatment.

The reader assumes full responsibility for consulting a qualified


health professional regarding health conditions or concerns, and
before starting a new diet or health program. The writer(s) and
publisher(s) of this PDF are not responsible for adverse reactions,
effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes or
suggestions herein or procedures undertaken hereafter.

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My Keto Story
(in brief)
“Health is a relationship between you
and your body.” -Terri Guillemets

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As ketogenic diets have grown in popularity over the
years, there’s been an increasing amount of information
readily available. However, there still isn’t a lot of
information for vegan ketoers! When I started out on a
ketogenic diet in the summer of 2012 as a vegan, I
wasn’t really sure how it was going to pan out.

I don’t really even remember how I found out about


ketogenic diets, but I remember reading tons of keto
success stories. I figured that even if it wasn’t so great
for me, it had to be better than the high carb vegan diet
that was making me tired and pudgy. So, I went all in.

My first few weeks of meals definitely consisted of a lot


of spinach and miracle noodles with vegan cream cheese
and hot sauce. Snacks were basically just almonds and
coconut. Functional, yes, but things got really boring,
really quickly. Over the next few months, I started to
refine my food choices and expand my culinary horizon. I
incorporated more vegetables, and started steering
away from fake meats and cheese substitutes as the
basis of my meals. Baking slowly entered onto the scene,
and soon I was regularly making a delicious variety vegan
ketogenic meals without a second thought.
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It took a while to get there, though, and there were
definitely missteps along the way. Back in 2012, I started
MeatFreeKeto.com to keep track of the recipes I was
coming up with, and the different tips that I stumbled
upon. This ebook is a culmination of the last four years
of nutritional discovery.

In the first three months of eating a vegan keto diet, I


lost twenty pounds (with minimal exercise...which is
probably not something I should be bragging about, but
it’s still worth noting…), and have managed to keep that
weight off without much effort for the last four years.
Mind you, I wasn’t obese before, but I definitely had
some extra fat on my frame that wasn’t really doing
anything for me, other than slowing me down when I
went jogging.

Aside from the weight loss, I noticed a decrease in


depressive symptoms, an incredible reduction in
IBS...uh... “episodes,” and a reduction of symptoms I
didn’t even know I had. For instance, the joint pain I was
experiencing disappeared, and I didn’t even realize it
was there until I fell off the low carb wagon a few times
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and started seeing the connection.

Overall, a low carb lifestyle has really changed how I feel


for the better, and I hope that this guide can help you on
your weight loss and health journey as well!

Liz

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What is keto?

ke·to·gen·ic di·et
/ˌkēdəˈjenik ˈdīət/

noun: ketogenic diet; plural noun: ketogenic diets


1. a diet that tends to promote the metabolic
formation of ketone bodies by causing the body
to use fat (rather than carbohydrate) as its
principal energy source.

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Why Low Carb?
There are many reasons why people choose to stick to a
low carb diet. For some individuals with certain medical
conditions (like epilepsy and hormone imbalances), a
ketogenic diet may be therapeutically prescribed by a
doctor. Others may have had success on the Atkins diet
previously, and be looking to replicate those results, or
might just want to eliminate excess sugars from their
diets. Whatever the reason, welcome!

Why Not High Carb?


Have any of you ever tried a high carb vegan diet? I have,
several times, and with little success. In fact, I actually
managed to gain weight on a high carb, low fat diet.
Plus, I was cold, cranky, hungry and miserable the whole
time. A high carb diet just didn’t work for me. If you’re in
this camp, don’t feel bad! Despite what the “gurus” say,
it’s not your fault. There are plenty of reasons why a high
carb vegan diet doesn’t work for everyone, including
genetics and dysregulated hormones.
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I cover this topic in more depth in this blog post (there’s
a podcast episode in that link, too, for those that would
rather listen).

If a high carb diet does work for you, that’s totally


normal, too! Some people have definitely found success
on high carb diets (and created some compelling
YouTube channels to document this!). If you are one of
those people who can digest carbs really effectively, a
ketogenic diet might not work as well for you, but you
never know until you try!

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How Many Carbs Should I Eat?

This questions is more easily answered once you have a


goal established. If you’ve started eating a low carb diet
for weight loss, you may want to restrict carbohydrates a
little more carefully than you would if you’re just cutting
back on carbs to feel better in general. You may choose
to set a numeric goal, or be less structured. Either way is
fine, and can be incredibly beneficial!

In the next few sections, we’ll take a look at some daily


carbohydrate goals you can use as a starting point.

Ketogenic Diets: 20-50g per day

If you’re looking to get your body into ketosis, a fat


burning state, you’ll certainly want to restrict your
carbohydrates more stringently (at least at the start).
The standard amount that people try to eat is around
20g per day. This is considered low carb enough to really

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help burn fat at a rapid pace.

There are two schools of thought on how to get to the


20g total. Some low carbers prefer to take “net carbs”
into account, while others are more strict and just count
total carbohydrates.

“Net carbs” are the total grams of carbs in a food, once


fiber has been removed. The thinking is that since your
body doesn’t metabolize fiber in the same way that it
does other types of carbohydrates, that these carbs
should be subtracted from your total intake to get to the
number of grams of carbohydrates consumed that will
actually impact your blood glucose levels. Whether you
count net carbs or not is a personal choice, and may
change as you progress in a ketogenic way of eating.

For vegetarian and omnivorous ketoers, 20g of net carbs


per day is a far more achievable goal than it is for vegan
low carbers. Because so many plant foods come
packaged with carbohydrates in their natural state, if
you are consuming a mostly whole foods diet with few
processed foods, you may want to start with a higher
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goal. Otherwise, you’ll find your food options will
become quite limited!

While 20g of net carbohydrates per day is the accepted


“starting number” for ketogenic diets, many individuals
can maintain a state of ketosis while consuming up to
50g of net carbohydrates per day. Increasing the number
of carbohydrates up from 20g will have a few noticeable
differences:
● It may take you longer to achieve ketosis
● Weight loss may be slower
● Carbohydrate withdrawal symptoms may be
lessened

Consuming between 30-40g of net carbohydrates a day


should be sufficient for most people to enter ketosis,
and can be easily maintained on a vegan ketogenic diet.

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Carbohydrate Recommendations for General
Low Carb Diets

If your first aim isn’t weight loss, and you’re on a low


carb diet for the other health benefits, you can likely eat
more than 30-40g of carbohydrates per day and still see
good results. This holds especially true if you aren’t
overweight, and don’t have metabolic damage.

The general consensus here in the U.S. is that any diet


comprised of less than 150g per day of carbohydrates is
“low carb.” So, you can definitely eat more than 40g of
carbohydrates per day and still be eating a low carb diet.
Many individuals with autoimmune conditions notice
that their symptoms are lessened by eating a relatively
low carbohydrate diet, but experience the same benefits
eating 20g of net carbs per day, as they do eating 50 or
75, or even 100g.

If you don’t want/need to lose a lot of weight, but do


want to experience some benefits of a low carb diet,

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I definitely recommend starting out at around 75-100g of
carbohydrates per day. This will allow you to eat a good
amount of vegetables, and maybe even a little fruit.
Depending on how you feel eating that much, you could
then go and adjust your intake. Be sure to focus on
vegetables first, and limit starches, sugars and grains.
You get far more vitamins and minerals from 100g of
spinach than you do from 100g of potato!

Exercise and Carbohydrates

Many ketoers and low carbers find a lot of success with


low carb training, but not everyone is alike in this regard.
If you work out frequently, you may find that increasing
your carbohydrate intake is necessary. This is another
situation where there is no one right answer. You’ll have
to try experimenting with different carbohydrate
amounts before and after your workouts (depending on
what you prefer).

Some athletes find that consuming their carbs at night is


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more helpful. Others prefer to cycle their carbohydrates
throughout the week. Below are some links to more
information on both carb cycling, and training as a low
carb vegetarian athlete.

Carb Cycling Links:

http://dailyburn.com/life/health/carb-cycling-meal-plan/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wescott4.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/top-5-facts-you-shou
ld-know-about-carb-cycling-and-fat-loss.htm

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How Many Calories Should I Eat?

The topic of calories can be confusing. I’m going to start


off right away by noting that if you aren’t trying a low
carb or ketogenic diet to lose weight, I wouldn’t bother
counting calories at all, unless you suddenly experience
unwanted weight loss or gain. If you have no difficulties
with your metabolism, there is no need to restrict
yourself, or add another variable into figuring out how
best to eat for your body.

Conventional wisdom would lead us to believe that in


order to lose weight, you need to be in a huge caloric
deficit, and maintain that over a long period of time. If
you’ve ever dieted at 1600, 1200 or even 1000 calories
per day, you’ve experienced this type of diet. True, you
do lose weight at first, but in the end, it often comes
piling back on. Aside from that, you most likely spend
the duration of your diet tired, cranky and really hungry.
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This is not a sustainable way to reach a healthy weight.

I’m not at all a fan of this type of dieting. I think it


promotes an unhealthy relationship with one’s body and
with food, and often leaves people undernourished. It’s
also almost impossible to tell how many calories you
actually need to consume in a day without knowing your
exact lean mass and actual activity level. It’s really not
worth stressing over a number that probably isn’t even
accurate.

Instead, I think it’s healthier to focus on eating the right


types of foods, and let calories take a back seat. If this
method doesn’t seem to be working for you after a while
(give it at least a week), you could start cutting your daily
caloric intake by about 15-20%.

To accomplish this, spend at least 3-5 days tracking what


you eat in an app like MyFitnessPal. Just eat what you

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normally would, but actually log what you eat as you go.
Then, at the end of the 3-5 days, take an average of what
you have been eating (calorie-wise), and subtract
15-20%. That new number should be your goal.

If you wanted, you could also use the arbitrary numbers


that these fitness apps will assign, but definitely avoid
eating fewer than 1600-1800 calories per day. You want
to reach your ideal weight in a reasonable and healthy
manner, while also eating enough to actually meet your
nutritional needs.

How many calories do I burn in a day?

The total number of calories your body will burn in a day is


called your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

While no internet calculation will be totally accurate, you


can find out a rough estimation of this number here.

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Recapping What To Eat
in a Day: Carb Counts

The following are generally accepted daily net


carbohydrate ranges for ketogenic diets and general low
carb diets. Not everyone will be in ketosis at the higher
end of the range, but some people can get away with it!
Most vegan ketoers choose to go by “net carbs.”
● Ketogenic diets: 20-50g
● Good keto starting place: 35g
● General low carb diets: 50-150g

Net Effective Carbs

Net carbs refer to the number of carbohydrates something has,


without counting the fiber. So, if a food has 5g of carbs total
but 3g of fiber, the number of net carbs would be 2g.
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So, how can I do keto
as a vegan?

veg·an
ˈ/vēɡən/

noun
1. a person who does not eat or use animal products.
adjective
1. using or containing no animal products:

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How Vegan Keto Differs from
Vegetarian and Omni Keto

The differences between vegan ketogenic diets, and


those that include meat, fish, dairy and eggs are pretty
basic, and mostly self-explanatory. These differences
more or less amount to two things: carb counts and
protein sources.

Carb Count
A ketogenic diet is easier with animal protein. While that
may not be what you want to hear, it’s the truth.
Typically, omnivorous ketoers can keep their carb counts
much lower than either vegetarians or vegans because
animal protein is basically carb-free. Even vegetarian
ketoers have eggs and cheese on the menu, which can
bring both protein and fat to the table with minimal
carbs. Vegan ketoers do not have these options. 2
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All this basically means is that it’s a lot more difficult to
hit those macro targets without guzzling straight oil. As
plant-based sources of protein and fat typically come
packaged with carbohydrates, vegans will have a more
difficult time obtaining the necessary amounts of protein
and fat from whole food sources, without exceeding the
magical 20g of net carbohydrates.

One way to deal with this is to increase the amount of


net carbs you’re willing to eat daily. 30-40g of net carbs
is a far more manageable number for vegans to achieve,
consuming mostly whole foods. This may slow weight
loss slightly in some individuals, but most won’t really
notice a difference.

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Protein Sources

Omni keto diets heavily rely on meat, eggs and cheese


for protein (and fat!). While vegetarian keto diets
eliminate meat, they can still focus on eggs and cheese
for low carb protein sources. Obviously, vegan keto has a
different challenge, in that these options are simply not
available.

As mentioned previously, most plant-based sources of


protein also contain a lot of carbohydrates. “Rice and
beans” is not really an option on a ketogenic diet. While
nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables do all contain protein,
it’s often just not enough. In order to obtain adequate
levels of protein for the day without going wildly over
carbohydrate counts, oftentimes vegans will have to rely
on soy products, fake meats or protein powders.

We’ll take a look a vegan keto sources of protein in the


next chapter on supplements, and when we talk about
food a bit later.
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Do I need to take
supplements?

vi·ta·min
/ˈvīdəmən/

noun
1. any of a group of organic compounds that are
essential for normal growth and nutrition and
are required in small quantities in the diet
because they cannot be synthesized by the
body.

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Let’s talk about supplements...

If you’re vegan, you’re probably familiar with


supplementation. Despite rumors to the contrary, there
are some nutrients that simply cannot be obtained from
plants alone. Additionally, there are a few supplements
that ketoers can really benefit from. Most of these
supplements are actually beneficial on omni, vegetarian
and vegan keto diets, but B12 is definitely a
vegan-specific supplementation.

In the next few pages, we’ll take a look at a few


supplements you may want to consider, as well as some
that aren’t really necessary at all. For specific examples,
check out this blog post.

Remember: Consult with a doctor about any


medication or supplements you might currently be
taking to avoid negative interactions.

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Vitamin D

Do you get at least 30 minutes of sunlight every day? If


not, or if it’s winter where you are, you definitely aren’t
getting enough vitamin D. This keto supplement is
actually all purpose – vitamin D is incredibly important in
regulating mood, metabolism and in the production of
hormones. It’s pretty much impossible to get sufficient
amounts of vitamin D from food sources, so if you aren’t
being pelted by the sun’s rays…it’s time to supplement.

I love liquid drops because they’re a good deal (it’s


generally over a year’s supply), and are super easy to
take. They’re also a quality product made by a reputable
company, which is really important to look out for in a
supplement. You can also take vitamin D in gummy form
(sometimes it’s the only way I’ll take a vitamin, despite
the sugar).
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Probiotics

Probiotics are the good bacteria that populate your GI


tract. They’re important for weight control, autoimmune
health, blood sugar control and a whole host of other
functions. We don’t really even understand yet how
important our microbiomes are, but there is a growing
body of evidence to suggest that these little guys are
crucial to pretty much every system of our bodies. Eating
fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha,
kefir and yogurt can certainly help to boost good gut
bacteria, as can taking a probiotic supplement. Look for
one with not only a high count of organisms, but with as
many strains as possible! Diversity is key!

I like Go Love! packets because you don’t have to take


them daily, they don’t need to be refrigerated, and they
dissolve in water, or a smoothie.
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Omega-3s

Unless you’re eating cups of hemp hearts per week,


you’re probably not getting enough hemp oil. Hemp oil is
high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can promote brain
function and benefit blood sugar control, as well as
decrease inflammation and act as an antioxidant. Hemp
oil is a great solution if you can’t eat that many seeds.

Quality is definitely something you have to be aware of


here, and I like Manitoba Harvest and Nutiva because of
their quality and environmental responsibility. You can
also consume whole flax, chia and hemp seeds as well as
hemp oil to obtain omega-3s!

You can get omega-3s without fish!


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Electrolytes

The easiest cure to the keto flu? Electrolytes.


Electrolytes (basically, minerals and salts) can be
obtained in small doses from mineral/electrolyte water,
herbal teas and broths. You can also get a solid dose of
electrolytes from supplement powders. Electrolytes are
important to keep fluid and pressure in your cells
balanced, as well as regulating impulses sent between
cells. Muscle twitches, headaches and dizziness can all
be signs of an electrolyte imbalance. Keto folks often
find themselves low on electrolytes from all the water
we end up drinking, which can flush out the system
pretty effectively.

I like to add a scoop of Ultima powder to a bottle of


water to keep going throughout the day. It’s tasty, has
no artificial additives and is sugar free! Mineral salt is
also a great way to add electrolytes to food, or you can
drink a nice warm cup of veggie broth.
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Magnesium

Magnesium functions as a muscle relaxer, helps regulate


heart rhythm and has demonstrated some pretty great
overall heart protective qualities in lab studies.
Additionally, magnesium tends to draw water into the
bowel, which will help keep things moving along (pretty
important on keto), as well as aids in falling asleep.
Basically, whatever ails you on keto, magnesium can
help. While traditionally, recommendations were that
calcium and magnesium should be taken in a 2:1 ratio,
practitioners are now suggesting a more moderate 1:1
ratio.

For those just looking for a plain magnesium


supplement, I really like the liquid form. It’s super easy
to add to water before bed! I don’t take magnesium all
the time, but sometimes if I’m having trouble sleeping,
or noticing some random cramp in my lower GI tract, I’ll
reach for magnesium.
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Ketones

I have these on the list because every time I look up


#keto on Instagram, I’m bombarded with ads for
products guaranteeing super quick ketosis with the aid
of ketones! Raspberry ketones are the big contender
(seriously, you can find them at TJ Maxx now), but new
products are popping up daily. They’re often referred to
as “exogenous ketones,” as they’re made outside of the
body.

In a nutshell – you don’t need a ketone supplement. The


only thing they really do is slightly facilitate your body’s
natural processes. If you are a professional bodybuilder
who really wants that edge, you could give them a try,
but for the rest of us, it’s not really worth it.

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B12

While the form of vitamin B12 that is usable by humans


is only found in animal products, so many vegan foods
and products are fortified with B12, that you might be
completely set. While many people may try to suggest
that you can synthesize B12 from certain plant foods, the
bioavailability of these sources is unreliable at best.

However, if you aren’t eating many fortified foods (this is


where some label reading comes into play!), you may
want to supplement. Sublingual B12 has been shown to
be the most effective, and Garden of Life makes an
awesome spray!

B12 deficiencies are often difficult to detect because


they take so long to set in. Your liver can store up to 7
years worth of B12! So, you may not realize that the
brain fog and fatigue you’re experiencing many years
after going vegan, is actually a vitamin deficiency.
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Greens Powder

Sometimes you just don’t eat enough veggies. This can


be especially true on a vegan ketogenic diet, when
you’re trying to keep carbs low while eating a lot of fat. I
like to have a greens powder on hand for days where I
don’t really get much vegetable matter. Greens powders
are typically a blend of powdered vegetables,
mushrooms and some berries. Because of this, a serving
of greens powder can have between 2-4g of net carbs -
before any sweetener is added! I like to look for greens
powders that are sweetened with stevia to cut down on
extra carbs. For what you get nutritionally from a greens
powder, the 2-4g of net carbs is really worth it!

I really like Amazing Grass for a greens powder. It’s made


from quality ingredients, tastes delicious and each
serving only has 2g of net carbs!

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Multivitamin

I’m torn on the idea of a multi-vitamin. While it’s true


that it isn’t really feasible to obtain all of our nutrition
from the foods we eat with a modern diet, I’m not
totally sold on the efficacy of many multi-vitamins. There
are so many out there that are filled with fillers and
other dubious ingredients, and many don’t even contain
what is stated on the label.

I strongly recommend researching supplements before


you buy them, as it’s something that you’ll be consuming
every day! Labdoor.com is a great resource for checking
out vitamins and other supplements before you buy.

If you do decide that a multi is for you (I do actually take


one), there are some vegan-specific multivitamins out
there that contain many of the nutrients mentioned in
this chapter.

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Protein Powders
Sometimes you need to supplement in order to obtain
sufficient protein, without going way over carb limits.

There are many types of plant-based protein powders on


the market, and you should follow a few criteria in
picking one out:
● Choose a blend of proteins over just one type
● Be sure there is no added sugar
● Switch up your protein choice every few months

The following vegan protein powders are all great for


someone on a ketogenic diet.

● Vega Essentials
● Vega Sport
● Vega Clean Protein
● Sun Warrior
● Sun Warrior Classic Plus
● Garden of Life RAW
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What can I eat on a vegan
keto diet?

di·et
/ˈdīət/

noun
1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or
community habitually eats.

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What to Eat on Keto:
Macronutrients

Figuring out just what to eat is what trips up most vegan


ketoers. There are quite a few restrictions, so grocery
trips suddenly take more planning. Don’t fret, though -
soon, you’ll know what foods are “on plan” and will be
able to speed through a shopping trip with ease.

This next section will go over the basic macronutrient


groups, and discuss what the best options are for each
“type” of food. This doesn’t mean you can’t eat other
foods, it’s just a basic set of guidelines.

While some ketoers prefer to chart out their meals in


terms of macronutrient ratios, others take a more casual
approach and just focus on keeping carbs low. If you
prefer ratios, a good macronutrient calculator is here.
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Fats

Dietary fat is really the foundation of a ketogenic diet.


Without consuming a large proportion of your calories
from fat, you simply won’t reach nutritional ketosis. The
best way to get fat into your diet is by eating whole
foods, like avocados, coconuts, olives, nuts and seeds. In
these foods, the fat comes packaged with vitamins,
minerals and other phytochemicals to help keep your
body running smoothly.

These foods also contain fiber and protein, so you’ll be


putting far more nutrition into your body by consuming
them, than just oil. Foods like avocados, coconut and
olives can also be quite anti-inflammatory, aiding in the
overall goals of the ketogenic diet.

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Oils
In addition to consuming whole foods that are rich in
good fats, you’ll want to be aware of the types of oils
you are using in cooking. Less refined oils contain more
of the original nutrition, and are less difficult for your
body to process. With refined oils (like canola, corn and
“vegetable oil”), so much chemical processing has
already gone into the product, that it is entirely devoid
of any nutritional benefit.

Even worse, these oils are typically already rancid by the


time they hit store shelves, which can cause free radical
damage in your body and digestive discomfort.

If you’d like to read more about canola oil, and other


industrial seed oils, the Weston A. Price Foundation has
a great article here.

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What Types of Oil Are Best?

As we discussed before, certain types of oils are far


healthier than others. Organic oils that are cold-pressed,
unrefined, and properly stored will retain the most
nutrients while containing the least anti-nutrients.

Olive oil, coconut oil and sesame seed oil are all great
additions to your pantry and won’t break the bank!
Certain nut and seed oils (walnut, almond, macadamia,
avocado seed) are also great for occasional cooking and
for finishing foods, but are considerably more expensive.

Proper storage is key so that oils don’t go rancid/become


oxidized. Oxidation occurs with exposure to oxygen,
light, or heat, and consumption of rancid oil leads to
oxidative stress within the body, and inflammation.
Store oils in a cool, dark place and try to avoid large
temperature swings.
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How to Cook With Oils

To avoid oxidizing oils while cooking, stick with the


following guidelines:

● Use coconut oil for high heat cooking


● Olive oil, avocado oil and many nut and seed oils
are great for lower heat cooking
● Sesame seed oil is wonderfully flavorful, and can
be used in lower-heat stir fries. If you’re cooking
the dish at high heat, try drizzling the oil on after
● Walnut oil, almond oil, macadamia oil, and
avocado seed oil are all super flavorful and great
on salads (they can be used for cooking, but the
cost is quite prohibitive)

Go Deeper Into Oils

This is just the basics, but you can read more


about vegan fats and oils here!

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Go Nuts (and Seeds)

If you’re starting out on a low carb or ketogenic vegan


diet, odds are, you’re going to start eating a lot more
nuts and seeds. Keep in mind - these little guys are
designed by nature to grow into a whole plant or tree, so
there’s quite a bit of nutrition packed inside (again -
vitamins, minerals, other assorted phytochemicals). Nuts
and seeds are high in good fats, and low in carbs, making
them ideal for a ketogenic diet.

Notes About Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are some of my favorite snacks on a


ketogenic or low carb diet. Not all nuts are created
equal, though. The following is a list of nuts and seeds
(plus, coconut and peanuts), and their relative net carb
counts.

You’ll note that pistachios and cashews are much higher


in carbs. While one portion of cashews likely won’t knock
you out of ketosis, an entire bag probably will!

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Net Carbs per 1 oz of Selected Nuts and Seeds:

● Flax Seeds: .5g


● Hemp Seeds: 1g
● Pecans: 1.1g
● Brazil Nuts: 1.3g
● Macadamia Nuts: 1.5g
● Chia Seeds: 1.7g
● Walnuts: 1.9g
● Coconut (dried): 2g
● Pumpkin Seeds: 2.2g
● Hazelnuts: 2.3g
● Sesame Seeds: 2.6g
● Almonds: 2.9g
● Sunflower Seeds: 3.7g
● Peanuts: 3.8g
● Pistachios: 5.8g
● Cashews: 8.5g

Source: USDA database


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Portion control is key!

It’s incredibly easy to go overboard while eating nuts and


seeds. I’m sure I’m not alone in having eaten half a bag
of peanuts without even realizing it. Because nuts are so
calorically dense, it’s a good idea to portion out a serving
size into a separate container before going wild on the
whole bag.

Starting out with a set portion can also help you to eat
the nuts slower, as there is a finite amount in front of
you. This will help you realize when you are full sooner,
and keep you from eating more than you need to. Wins
all around!

Work for It

Another way to keep from overeating certain types of


nuts and seeds is to buy them still in the shell, and
actually open them yourself. This is easy for peanuts,
pistachios and sunflower seeds, though admittedly less
so for walnuts and almonds. Having to take the little bit
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of extra time to shell all of those nuts can help prevent a
binge, or at least slow you down enough to be more
aware of when you’re actually full. After all, it’s hard to
throw a handful of pistachios in your mouth if they’re all
still in the shell!

An additional benefit to purchasing nuts still in their


shells is that you’ll often get a lower price as there is less
processing involved!

Buying Raw Nuts and Seeds

One thing that can make nuts and seeds hyper palatable
is roasting and salting. Buying raw nuts that are unsalted
can help to prevent a binge, and is also healthier in the
long run.

Often, nuts are roasted with low-quality oils that have


already gone rancid (like those vegetable oils we talked
about earlier). Combine this with the high heat, and
suddenly the nuts have gone rancid as well. Once in the
body, rancid fats act as oxidizers (we’ve all heard the
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term “free radical”), and can damage cells, and create
inflammation. As part of the aim of a ketogenic diet is to
reduce inflammation, the net effect may not be as
pronounced when you’re in ketosis, but the damage is
still being done!

Purchasing raw nuts and seeds from a high quality


source can help to ensure you’re receiving the most
nutritional benefits, while not creating unnecessary
stress in your body.

Omega 6 vs. Omega 3

I won’t go into this in too much detail, but it’s important


to try and balance consumption of predominantly
pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, and
anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Inflammation can impact
all of your body’s systems, and cause discomfort as well
as exacerbate (or even cause) certain health conditions. I
go more in-depth about inflammation in this podcast
and blog post.
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One thing to be aware of is that nuts are pretty high in
omega-6 fatty acid content. Most western diets already
contain quite a large quantity of these pro-inflammatory
compounds, and not enough anti-inflammatory
omega-3s. Consuming hemp and flax seeds can help
bring a little more balance. So, just be aware of how
many nuts you consume on a daily basis, and try to
compensate with some hemp seeds from time to time.

There are plenty of supplements on the market for hemp


oil, flax oil and blended omega-3 fatty acids. While
they’re not totally necessary, they’re definitely worth
looking into!

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Protein
Every vegan and vegetarian has heard it a million times:
“but, where do you get your protein?” It’s been
well-established that all plant foods contain protein in
trace amounts, and some are actually quite good
sources. The difficulty with obtaining protein on a vegan
ketogenic diet really comes from the fact that so many
plant sources of protein also contain a hefty dose of
carbohydrates.

The recommended daily allowance for protein is .8g per


kilogram of body weight. Mind you, this is the the
minimum amount we should be consuming in order to
keep our bodies functioning. Athletes and those who are
more active, as well as those with autoimmune issues,
should consume quite a bit more protein to help repair
their bodies.

Additionally, plant-based proteins are simply not as well


digested as those from animal sources (unfortunately).
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So, more plant-based protein will need to be consumed
to achieve the same benefit as consuming animal
protein, with different proteins yielding different results.

If you really want to dial in the amount of protein you


should be eating every day, this article is really helpful.

So, where do low carb vegans get their protein?


While doing a ketogenic diet, you have a few choices for
protein that won’t put you over the edge for
carbohydrates. I’ll list them out here, and then discuss
them in greater depth:
● Beans and Soy, in all its forms
● Nuts and Seeds
● Protein Powders and Supplements

Where’s the Wheat?

Because wheat gluten is pretty inflammatory and can cause


issues for many people, I have not included it here, but if you
can tolerate seitan, this can be a great protein source!
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Protein in Nuts & Seeds

As you most likely already know, there is a solid amount


of protein in nuts and seeds.
Nut/Seed Calories per Protein per Net carbs
oz/28g oz/28g per oz/28g

Hemp Seeds 174 10g 1g

Pumpkin Seeds 158 9g 1.3g

Almonds 163 6g 2.5g

Sesame Seeds 165 5g 3.2g

Sunflower Seeds 165 5g 4g


Source: USDA database

A Quick Note

Yes, there is protein in almost every whole food we


eat, however, when trying to restrict carbohydrates,
it can be difficult to find protein-rich foods that are
keto-friendly as well.
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Protein in Beans
Beans are a good source of protein for vegans, but
they’re also quite high in carbohydrates. The table on
the next page is a good reference for comparing a few
different varieties of beans when planning your meals
out for the day/week.

You’ll notice that the first three varieties are all


soy-based. This is because soybeans have a far more
keto-friendly macronutrient profile than other types of
beans, and are a good choice for those who are looking
for a protein-boost without the additional carbs of other
beans.

Soy
It’s important to note that soy is one of those fairly
polarizing foods. There are plenty of studies saying that
soy causes certain types of cancer, and plenty saying
that eating soy can prevent those same types. You can
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the internet to find impassioned arguments, both for
and against soy, but in the end I think eating soy comes
down to moderation, and quality.

Try to limit soy (and soy products) to 1-2 servings per


week, and opt for the least-processed options out there.
Keep in mind that fermentation can increase digestibility
and is generally preferred. Tempeh is a fermented soy
product and a great choice.Both tempeh and tofu both
happen to be low in carbs and high in protein. Adding to
the list of things to look out for - prioritize purchasing
organic soy products, when possible, and try to avoid
eating an overabundance of textured soy
protein/textured vegetable protein.

If you’re avoiding soy all together, you can still stick with
a vegan ketogenic diet, though you will likely be eating
more carbohydrates that most ketoers. A soy-free vegan
keto diet will likely rely heavily on protein powders and
nuts for protein!
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Type of Bean Calories per Protein per Net carbs
½ cup ½ cup per ½ cup

Tempeh 160 15g 2g

Tofu (cubed) 88 10g 1g

Edamame 127 11g 6g

Black Beans 114 8g 12.5g

Great Northern 104 7g 12.5g


Beans

Garbanzo Beans 134 7g 16.5g


Source: USDA database
Most health experts in the paleo nutrition sphere tend
to avoid beans due to their gut irritating-qualities. I
prefer a more modest approach. If you like beans, and
they don’t upset your stomach, then you might as well
enjoy them!

For those that do eat beans, it’s worth noting that


soaking and/or fermenting beans removes the
gut-irritating compounds, as well as nutrient inhibitors.
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Meat Substitutes

I’ll be honest, from a health and nutrition standpoint,


meat substitutes aren’t the best. They’re typically highly
processed and difficult for your body to digest. They’re
also usually filled with food additives that can be
neurotoxic, or at the very least, disruptive to your body. I
don’t say this to be alarmist or to promote
chemophobia, but it’s certainly something worth noting
if you are looking to improve your diet.

If you are going to eat meat substitutes (and let’s face it -


there’s going to be a moment when you want to have a
burger at a cookout, or some “bacon” with your tofu
scramble), try to keep it to 1-2 servings per week. As
selection varies greatly from store to store, it’s best to
carefully read labels to determine which meatless
products best fit in with your macronutrient goals.

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Vegan Keto Protein Bars
So far, I’ve come across just two types of protein bar that
are suitable for a vegan ketogenic diet. Neither contain
artificial sweeteners, and they’re both gluten free. Win,
win!

● Julian Bakery Pegan Bars


● Raw Revolution Glo Bars

Protein bars certainly aren’t the most economical food


option, but they can certainly provide a quick snack in a
hurry. I like to keep a bar, and a small container of
nuts/seeds in my bag at all times - just in case!

Can I Eat Too Much Protein?

You may have heard of gluconeogenesis, where your body turns


protein into sugar and can kick you out of ketosis. Don’t fret,
though! It’s not actually that simple, as explained in this article

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Carbohydrates
No, really. Even though you’re embarking on a low carb
diet, that doesn’t mean you won’t be eating
carbohydrates. In fact, as a vegan, you’ll likely be
consuming more carbohydrates than conventional
meat-eating ketoers. It’s important to choose your
carbohydrate choices carefully to obtain the greatest
amount of nutrition, for the least amount of carbs.

Vegetables, nuts and beans will likely be the source of


most of the carbohydrates you eat on a low carb or
ketogenic diet, but you can surely have a little fruit from
time to time! The following lists provide net carb counts
for common fruits and vegetables you might want to
incorporate into your diet. In order to obtain a full
spectrum of nutrients, it’s important to vary things from
time to time - this means both in the actual types of
food, and preparation methods. For instance, if you only
ever eat cooked veggies, you may want to try and sneak
in some raw ones from time to time, as many vitamins
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(like C and the B family) are heat sensitive, and will
deteriorate during cooking.

Similarly, some nutrients are better absorbed when the


food is cooked - greens have high concentrations of
oxalates, which bind to nutrients, preventing their
absorption into your body. Cooking greens can
neutralize these compounds, so you get more bang for
your buck. Cooking greens with oil is one step further, as
fat-soluble vitamins like K will be far more readily
absorbed. If you’re getting a good mix of cooked and raw
vegetables, you really shouldn’t have to worry - it’s just
something to keep in mind!

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Net Carbs in Select Greens (per cup):
● Mustard greens: .2g
● Raw Spinach: .2g
● Bok Choi: .4g
● Endive: .4g
● Lettuce: .4g
● Broccoli florets: 1.6g
● Cauliflower: 1.8g
● Cucumber: 2g
● Green cabbage: 2.2g
● Summer Squash: 2.6g
● Red cabbage: 2.8g
● Button mushroom: 2.8g
● Zucchini: 3g
● Tomato: 4.8g
● Carrot slices: 8.6g

Source: USDA database


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Net Carbs in Select Fruits Berries (per 1/4 cup):
● Raspberries: 1.5g
● Strawberries: 1.8g
● Blackberries: 2.1g
● Watermelon: 2.6g
● Pineapple: 3.8g
● Blueberries: 4.1g
● Cherries: 4.2g

Source: USDA database

How do I best eat fruit on keto?

You might be thinking, what does that question even


mean? Basically, it means that if you’re going to eat fruit
on keto, you might want to eat it with some fat or
protein to slow digestion and help keep impact on blood
sugar as minimal as possible. Yes, you will still be
consuming the same amount of sugar, but it will be over
time, so your blood sugar and insulin levels won’t spike.
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Carb Substitutions
There are many meals where carbohydrates seem
completely necessary - pizza, pasta, literally anything
with rice, and wraps/tacos/tortillas. Starting a ketogenic
diet can be quite daunting when you think of all of these
convenient foods that are no longer on the menu.

Fortunately, there are substitutes for most starches out


there. We’ll take a look at the most common ones here.

Noodle Substitutes
Noodles are one of the most easily substituted foods on
a ketogenic or low carb diet. In fact, there are so many
delicious substitutes, that you may not find yourself
missing regular pasta at all!

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Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) - These low carb noodle
options have been trendy for a while now, and with
good reason! Zucchini noodles are easy to make, low in
carbs, packed with vitamins and minerals, and they cook
quickly. You can also eat them completely raw, if you’d
rather. You can make zucchini noodles with a spiralizer
(a kitchen gadget that makes spiral noodles out of
oblong veggies) or a mandolin (a kitchen slicer, which cut
both fry shapes and noodles). While zucchini is the
traditional veggie (squash, really) used here, I’ve seen
noodles made from summer squash, beets and carrots
as well!

Shiritaki Noodles - These little guys also go by the name


“miracle noodle.” They’re made from the starch of the
konjac root, a type of yam. Glucomannan (konjac starch)
is actually recommended to aid in weight loss and has
been shown to “beneficially affect total cholesterol, LDL
cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight FBG [fasting blood
glucose].”
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With all the benefits, there are a few drawbacks to
miracle noodles. For one, they can get kind of expensive.
Health food stores can sell them for as much as
$2.99/package. However, my local grocery store has
them for $1.69, so it’s possible to find a reasonable
source, and purchasing them online can be more cost
effective as well. In stores, you can usually find shiritaki
noodles in the section with tofu and other packaged
vegetarian/vegan products.

Another potential drawback is that miracle noodles have


kind of a funky texture, and need to be rinsed pretty
thoroughly to get rid of the slight oceany smell. Some
people are totally fine with the texture, while others
take a little convincing.

Spaghetti Squash - Like zucchini noodles, this method of


pasta substitution involves using squash in lieu of actual
noodles. When roasted, the stringy squash fibers act like
noodles and can have a pleasing bite. Spaghetti squash
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definitely has more carbs than zucchini, but is a great
option for fall and winter, when summer squashes aren’t
in season. To make noodles from spaghetti squash, halve
the squash, remove the seeds and roast at 350 for about
30-45 minutes (depending on the size of the squash),
remove from the oven, let cool, and scoop the insides
out. Use a fork to separate the squash strands into
noodles, and top with any sort of sauce, veggies, or
whatever you’d normally put on pasta!

Edamame/Bean Noodles - These types of noodles are


definitely a bit higher on the carb spectrum, but they’re
still worth mentioning! If you’re looking for a noodle that
doubles as a protein source, these are for you. The taste
is great, the texture is pretty close to real noodles, and
they work really well with many different styles of
cooking. I recommend the edamame noodles, as they’re
far lower in carbs than other varieties.

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Kelp noodles - These noodles are made from seaweed,
so they naturally contain some vitamins and minerals, as
well as fiber. This also means that they’ve got a bit of an
oceany taste, and need to be well-rinsed. I like to use
these in dishes inspired by Thai, Chinese or Japanese
flavors (in the broadest sense), because those seasoning
profiles often tend to work well with the seaweed. I had
a hard time finding these in stores, and so I usually get
them online.

Rice Substitutes
Cauliflower rice - There are a couple of options for rice
substitutes, but the most popular one by far is
cauliflower rice. Cauli-rice is easy to make, low in carbs,
and full of vitamins and minerals - it’s basically perfect.
Making cauliflower rice is literally as simple as pulsing
cauliflower stems and florets in your food processor until
it reaches a rice-like texture. Seriously - it’s so easy.

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Cooking cauliflower rice will depend on the recipe you
use, but for the most part, sautee the “rice” in a pan
until it becomes slightly translucent and soft. Depending
on how you season it, cauliflower rice can be great in a
stir-fry, veggie sushi or even on its own as a side dish.

Miracle rice - The other common option for a rice


substitute is shiritaki rice (or miracle rice). Like miracle
noodles, this product is made from konjac (a tuber)
starch, and has virtually zero carbs per package, with
only 10 calories total, and just 1g of net carbs per serving
(2g per package).

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Potato Substitutes
Mashed potatoes are definitely off the menu for most
low-carbers, but there’s a super easy solution:
cauliflower! Yup, this cruciferous vegetable is quite the
workhorse on a ketogenic diet. Parsnips and turnips can
be used as well, but cauliflower is definitely the crowd
favorite. You can make mashed cauliflower by steaming
florets and stalks until really tender, and then processing
in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
They don’t taste exactly the same, but with some garlic,
salt, pepper and olive oil, you won’t miss potatoes!

Keto Baked Goods

There will come a time where you just have to have a


cookie, or brownie, or biscuit - something reminiscent of
super high carb treats. Fortunately for you, there are
some low-carb baking options to help you out in this
department!
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Flours:
These flour replacements can all be used in different
ways, but most cannot be substituted 1:1 for wheat
flour. Experiment with different recipes to see what
works for you!

■ Coconut Flour
■ Coconut Manna (also known as coconut butter,
or creamed coconut)
■ Psyllium Husk – I’ve only recently started using
this in keto baking – it’s surprisingly useful!
■ Ground Flax Seed – to prevent rancidity, it’s best
to grind flaxseed yourself, though if you do buy
ground flaxseeds, store them in a tightly sealed
container in your freezer!
■ Nut and seed flours (literally grind up raw nuts
and seeds)

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Sugar Free Sweeteners
While I’m generally pretty moderate about things like
calorie counting, carb counting and tracking foods, there
are some subjects about which I have a strong opinion.
Artificial sweeteners is one such topic.

I’ve seen clients, family members and friends talk time


and time again about how they drink diet soda, or eat
artificially sweetened yogurt to get skinny.

For starters, that's ridiculous. They are not “making you


skinny.” I would know, because I used to have ridiculous
thoughts, too, drinking diet sodas and artificially
sweetened beverages to stave off hunger and provide
caffeine fixes. I mean, I drank a lot of diet soda, upwards
of six cans a day throughout my high school and college
years to “fuel” my studying and to keep hunger pangs at
bay. Foolishness!

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What do I mean by artificial sweeteners? Anything that
falls into the following categories (this is where
label-reading starts to come in handy!):

● aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)


● sucralose (Splenda, and all Splenda variants)
● acesulfame potassium (sometimes listed as
acesulfame K)
● sugar alcohols (maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol and
more, though there are exceptions)

Now, onto how artificial sweeteners are potentially


making you gain fat, and worse. A 2008 study on
aspartame produced some remarkably frightening
results suggesting that excessive consumption of the
food additive lead to neurodegeneration. A 2012 study
with rats demonstrated an increase in weight gain in rats
who consumed saccharin or aspartame in yogurt as

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compared to sucrose, a natural sugar, despite the fact
that total calories consumed were equal. Other studies
have confirmed that consuming artificial sweeteners
increases total caloric consumption, and leads to weight
gain and metabolic dysfunction, as well as making
connections between a slew of other health problems
from increased binge tendencies, increased depression
and cancer.

As for sucralose, which ad campaigns would have us


believe is basically sugar, because it’s “made from
sugar,” the results aren’t much better. Firstly, we’ll start
off by mentioning that sucralose is more structurally
similar to DDT (the pesticide that was so harmful, it was
banned by the EPA in 1972) than it is to sugar, and move
on to the fact that a study on Splenda showed that
ingesting the artificial sweetener led to a 50% reduction
in beneficial gut bacteria, increased the pH of the
intestines and augmented proteins in such a way that
could interfere with important medication. Not to
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range of side effects have been reported over the years
from dizziness to decreased fertility and miscarriage.

While there has been much debate in the medical


community and in mainstream media about the safety of
artificial sweeteners, eliminating them from your diet
just seems like a prudent move. Considering the fact that
consuming these additives has been shown numerous
times to increase caloric intake, as well as increase
weight gain even without increasing calories consumed,
why risk all of the other potential side effects? This is
especially important in individuals with a compromised
immune system or an imbalanced digestive system.

So, this brings me to stevia and erythritol. These are the


"best" of the sugar replacements. Stevia (not Truvia,
which is highly refined and thus contains carby "filler" to
bulk up the product), when either used in whole-leaf
form, or in its whole extract is relatively benign. Neither
have much impact on blood sugar or cause distressing
gastric
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side effects, though erythritol does tend to lead to a bit
of discomfort at higher intake levels. As for calories,
stevia is calorie-free, whereas erythritol only has about
6% of the calories of sugar.

In a nutshell, if you’re goal on a ketogenic diet is to lose


weight, you will do best to ditch artificial sweeteners.
Even if you don’t need/want to lose weight, artificial
sweeteners really don’t bring anything positive to the
table.

If you need to add some sweetness to a recipe or your


morning coffee, using stevia and erythritol are your best
bets.
■ Liquid stevia
■ Swerve (a granulated erythritol sweetener)
■ Lakanto (a granulated monkfruit & erythritol blend)

Of course, even these should be used in moderation!

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Sources:
Direct and Indirect Cellular Effects of Aspartame on the Brain.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008) 62, 451-462; P.
Humphries, E. Pretorius, and H. Naude

Saccharin and aspartame, compared with sucrose, induce greater


weight gain in adult Wistar rats, at similar total caloric intake levels.
Appetite. 2013 Jan;60(1):203-7. Feijó Fde M, Ballard CR, Foletto KC,
Batista BA, Neves AM, Ribeiro MF, Bertoluci MC.

“New analysis suggests ‘diet soda paradox’ – less sugar, more


weight”, June 14, 2005 • Volume: XXXVIII • Issue: 24

Appetite January 1, 2012, Volume 60, Pages 203-207

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18298259

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20886530

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892765/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2040783

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So, tell me about…
A Vegan Keto Q&A

“If you don’t take care of your body, where are


you going to live?” -Unknown

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Other Things You Should
Know

So, while we can talk about the basics of a ketogenic diet


from the standpoint of what to eat, and how much to
eat, there are some other important aspects of
ketogenic and low carb diets that you should know. Your
body is going to start going through some changes, and
it’s always nice to have a heads-up.

Newbie Losses

One thing that’s appealing about low carb diets is that


often, weight will drop off rapidly at the beginning. This
is because your body is utilizing the stored glycogen
(basically, the sugar stored in your muscle tissue). In
order to store this glycogen, your body needs to store
water as well. When you use up the glycogen stores, by
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exercising or just living, and you aren’t replenishing
them, you end up shedding the extra water as well.

This means that at the beginning, you’re going to end up


dropping weight more rapidly. For some people, this is
up to ten pounds in the first week, and for others it’s just
a couple of pounds. Either way, most people will have
that little boost at the start. This can be especially
motivating, as it’s often difficult to stick to a diet where
the results aren’t immediately apparent.

This also means that, as the water weight stops being a


factor, weight loss will not be totally linear. You’re going
to slowly start losing less and less, the closer you get to
your goal. This is pretty typical of diets, but can be a little
discouraging after having lost a bunch of weight at the
beginning. Don’t give up! A slow decline in weight loss
doesn’t necessarily mean that a ketogenic diet isn’t
working anymore.

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Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a practice often adopted by
those in the paleo/ancestral health/keto spheres.
Basically, this just means consciously choosing to eat in a
certain window, and then fasting for the remaining time
in the day. Many people claim while doing IF, that their
appetite regulates, their moods stabilize and they feel
better overall. I like IF because I don’t like eating in the
morning, but that’s just me!

A standard “template” for IF would be starting having


your first meal at noon and your last meal at 8pm, then
fasting until noon the next day. Rinse and repeat. Fasting
lengths are at least 16 hours (as in this example), but can
run the gamut from 16, up to 23 (seriously!).

If you’re interested in giving Intermittent Fasting a try, I


would definitely recommend starting with an 8-hour
eating window (16 hour fasting window), and slowly

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changing it up from there. Closely monitoring how you
feel throughout the day by keeping a food journal (more
info on that here), so you can see how IF impacts your
body and moods.

It’s important to understand that Intermittent Fasting is


in no way necessary on a ketogenic or low carb diet.
While IF can be beneficial to some individuals, it can be
detrimental to others. It comes down to personal choice,
and preference!

More About Intermittent Fasting

For a comprehensive overview of intermittent


fasting (with citations!), Mark’s Daily Apple has
a great article.

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Plateaus

You will likely plateau at some point. A plateau, for those


of you who haven’t come across that term before, is
when you stall out in your goal. For most people on a
ketogenic diet, this basically just means that weight loss
stops for a while. This can be for many reasons, but
here’s a quick list of some reasons why you might
plateau:
● You are eating too few calories
● You are eating too many calories
● Your protein percentage is too high
● Your fat percentage is too low
● You aren’t exercising enough
● You are exercising too much
● You are consuming too many artificial
sweeteners
● Your carbs are too high
● You aren’t drinking enough water

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See? Plenty of contradicting reasons! Most of the time,
you can break a plateau by switching up your routine. If
you’re getting two hours of cardio every day, maybe
start replacing a few of those days with weights and take
a day off. If you’re only eating 1600 calories per day, try
adding more in. If you’re getting 40% of your calories
from protein (which would be impressive on a vegan
ketogenic diet), try reducing this to 25%.

Stick with your new plan for at least a week. If you still
don’t see the results you’d like, move on to something
else. Once the plateau has been broken, you should
return to a more balanced way of eating.

You should also be sure that you’re drinking enough


water during this time. While this is anecdotal, many
people have reported a breakthrough after drinking
sufficient water!

Another way people have been known to break a weight


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loss plateau is with a night of eating a lot of carbs (this is
mentioned in the article on carb cycling). While it
doesn’t work for everyone, I’ve definitely noticed that it
helps kick my metabolism in gear from time to time! Of
course, this may not be the best strategy for you. As you
can see from that list, everyone’s body is different and
reacts in its own way. Figuring out what works best for
you is the key!

Keto Breath
Unfortunately, there is something called “keto breath.”
When your body starts burning ketones for fuel, there
are by-products which are released in your sweat and
breath. Some people sense this as more of a fruity smell,
while others just say their breath smells “bad” (scent is
subjective!).

This doesn’t happen to everyone, but is certainly


something to look out for!

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The Keto Flu
If you’ve done any research on ketogenic and low carb
diets, you’ve probably seen the term “keto flu.” The keto
flu refers to flu-like symptoms that occur when your
body is switching from burning glucose (those glycogen
stores) to ketones. Fortunately, not everyone will
experience the keto flu, also sometimes called “sugar
withdrawal,” and for those that do, the symptoms can
be easily managed.

Most people who experience the keto flu will have some
degree and combination of symptoms like:
● Headaches
● Nausea
● Body aches
● Fatigue
● Digestive discomfort

Often times, symptoms will last for anywhere between a


few days and a week.
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How can you manage the keto flu?

Most of the time, you can beat symptoms with rest,


drinking plenty of water and taking electrolytes (jump
back to the supplements section for more information
on electrolytes!).

While not everyone will experience these symptoms,


you may want to start a ketogenic protocol on a
weekend, or during a time when you’ll have some time
to rest, and be sure to keep a water bottle by your side.
In fact, this is a time where you should probably consider
drinking mineral water (minerals are basically
electrolytes).

Bathroom Issues
Ketogenic and low carb diets affect people in different
ways, especially in the bathroom. For some people,
ketosis seems to make digestive issues disappear
entirely, and suddenly bowel movements are normal and
regular, while others may be constipated and bloated. 85
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Constipation is normal at the beginning, and often
happens when the individual is not consuming enough
veggies, or is eating too much meat and cheese. Most
vegan ketoers do not experience this. If you do become
constipated, it’s important to hydrate properly (so, be
sure to drink when you’re thirsty). If the problem
persists for over a week, you may want to call a doctor.

Exercise
The amount of exercise you choose to do on a ketogenic
or low carb diet is up to you. You may not feel like you’re
in good enough shape to take on a full exercise program,
and that’s fine. If the most you feel comfortable doing is
walking for a bit, then walk.

The important thing to remember is to keep moving. No


matter what your diet plan is, if you sit at a desk for 8
hours a day, and then sit on the couch for the remainder,
you’re not going to be healthy. Be sure to take walking
and stretching breaks throughout the day when you can!
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Yoga and body-weight exercises are also a great way to
get started on a fitness routine. Find a beginner yoga
class near you, or check out the myriad videos on
YouTube!

Extra Water
You’re going to be thirsty on keto - ketosis eliminates a
lot of the stored water your body holds onto with
glycogen. So, you’ll be storing less water than you’re
used to.

Additionally, ketosis can actually contribute to kidney


stones over long periods of time, and drinking water can
help to prevent this.

Carry around a water bottle with you at all times (at


least a liter!), so you can drink as much as you’d like. Be
sure you’re getting enough electrolytes as well, so you
don’t become imbalanced!

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How Long Should I Stay on a Ketogenic Diet?
Like many of the other questions, the answer to this
depends on you as an individual. If you were prescribed
a ketogenic diet by a medical doctor to treat any
particular condition, you should obviously follow their
advice. However, the rest of you who are on a ketogenic
diet for weight loss, have fewer restrictions.

Basically, you can stay on a ketogenic diet for as long as


it works for you. If after a month, you’re exhausted all
the time, and not losing weight (despite limiting carbs
and calories and making sure to get enough sleep,
electrolytes and hydration), then maybe the ketogenic
diet isn’t for you. At this point, you could try increasing
your carbohydrate intake so that you’re no longer in
ketosis (but still on a relatively low carb diet), and see
how you feel.

If you’re feeling awesome and doing great on a


ketogenic diet, and you want to do it indefinitely, you
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could (though, you should probably talk to your doctor
about this one). I’m personally not in favor of staying on
this protocol for longer than 6 months at a time without
a break of at least a few days to sort of reset everything.

Mind you, I don’t mean a few days of eating cake and ice
cream, but more like a few days of integrating some
starches and fruit. Then, you can return to ketosis until
you’ve reached your goal.

How Do I Transition Off Of A Ketogenic Diet?

There are a few ways you can transition, and all involve
eating more carbohydrate. If you still want to remain
relatively low-carb, you can try increasing the amount of
carbohydrates you eat every 2-3 days by about 10g, so
you can see the amount of carbohydrates you need to
eat each day, while staying out of a ketogenic state.

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You can also just set a new target for yourself. So, if you
were eating 40g of net carbs a day to stay in ketosis, you
could just try increasing this to 100g by adding in a little
more fruit, and maybe some starch (like potatoes).

There really is no “right” way to transition from a


ketogenic diet. You just have to do what feels right! The
one things I would caution against is going back to
200-300g of carbs per day immediately!

How to Tell When You’re in Ketosis

Keto Sticks/Strips

I’m including keto sticks, and listing them first, because


they’re pretty widely known in the keto community. You
really can’t throw a rock without hitting a post about
them. The thing is, keto sticks work nicely to tell that
your body has been in a ketogenic state recently, they
just aren’t the best at letting you know whether or not
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you’re in a ketogenic state now. I’m not totally against
using them, just not as a regular means of identifying
your body’s current state. They’re certainly a good
starting point to try and see when you hit that keto
place.

Keto Meter

There are two varieties of these: blood & breath. Both


test your current state of ketosis, but are costly. The
advantage of breath over blood is no skin pricking, and
any diabetic will tell you that has its benefits. The breath
meter will also save you in the long run, if you plan on
using this daily for any duration of time. While the blood
meter is initially 1/5 the cost of breath, use requires
testing strips that are $35 for 10. Yikes.

Of course, if you don’t want to spring for a testing meter,


you can check your body’s symptoms…

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Your Pee & Poo

Yup. Get excited, you’re about to become very


acquainted with your bodily functions. These are both
separate indicators, but I thought I’d loop them, for fear
of too many gross heading tags. You’re welcome.

The first thing I always notice when my body transitions


over into ketosis is that my pee starts to smell/look
different. I know that sounds weird, but bear with me.
This is one of those things that is super subjective, but if
you pay any sort of attention to how things work down
there, you may note that your urine becomes a little
more viscous (almost a touch oily, for lack of a better
word).

In terms of #2, I noticed that everything ran a lot


smoother – there was a more regular schedule, and no
IBS symptoms. Awesome!! This might take a little longer
to notice than the above, but it’s still worth noting.
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Thirst

Keto is going to make you THIRSTY. So thirsty. Crazy


amounts of thirsty. This is a change I notice pretty
rapidly. I usually drink a fair amount of liquids, but when
in ketosis, that skyrockets up! Increased (drastically
increased) thirst is one of the first things I notice in
ketosis. As a response, I drink a lot more, but also try to
get in electrolytes – Vega makes packets are awesome if
you’re on the go, and pretty much any
electrolyte-enhancing tablet/powder/beverage will do
the trick.

Mouth-Feel

This is a weird one (I guess no weirder than any of the


above). My mouth always seems smoother, and I notice
less plaque buildup on my teeth. Not a huge deal, but
certainly a nice feature. Basically, there’s no fuzziness on
my teeth or in my mouth.
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Overall Feeling

Again, another subjective assessment, but in my


experience, you just feel different when in ketosis. I
always feel like I’m a little bit lighter, and burning
calories a little bit more efficiently. I’m not sure that
there’s really any other way to describe it. This tends to
be a general set of symptoms – I’m less hungry, my joints
feel looser and everything seems a bit brighter, for lack
of a better word. These general sensations, along with
the above symptoms usually indicate to me that I’m
solidly in fat-burning mode!

Of course, your body is different than mine, so your


symptoms might be a little different, but it’s definitely
worth sitting down and taking a few minutes to write
down the differences in how you feel, so that you at
least have a baseline!

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Can I Eat ___ On Keto?

In a word: yes. Yes, you can eat that on keto. How do I


know that, even though I have no idea what food you’re
talking about? Because you can eat anything on a
ketogenic diet, in the right quantity. Keto isn’t about
specific foods, it’s about macronutrients and keeping
your body burning fat for fuel. Even further, a low carb
or ketogenic way of eating is about making informed
food choices, based on what’s best for you at that
moment.

This concept is as simple or difficult as you want to make


it. You may decide that eating a small piece of the special
pie your grandma made at Thanksgiving is worth being
kicked out of ketosis for a day. You may also decide that
eating a slice of pie will lead you down the path of a
week long sugar bender, and that is might be best for
you to stick with the sugar-free dessert you brought.
Knowing what your body needs is a key part of keto.
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In terms of the day-to-day foods you may be
questioning, it comes down to a similar choice. When
determining whether or not you want to eat a specific
food, think about how many carbs are in that item as
compared to the approximate number of carbs you eat
in a day, and go from there. If you eat 20g of carbs in a
day, maybe a daily yogurt with 12g of carbs isn’t in the
cards for you. This will take some label-reading, but
knowing the nutritional content of foods is important,
and not just for keto or low carb diets.

To make things a little simpler, I’ll say this – you should


be stricter when you first start out on a low carb diet.
This is the crucial point where you’re (most likely) kicking
a sugar habit, and are working on becoming fat-adapted
(if you want to know more about fat adaptation, Mark
Sisson has an awesome explanation here, and a
follow-up Q & A here). If you’re questioning whether you
want to incorporate ice cream, or bananas, or a few
chips in the first few weeks of a ketogenic diet, I’d say
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that it’s better to avoid these higher carb foods for a
while. This gives you time to kick cravings, stop being
dependent on sugar and actually reach fat-adaptation.

It’s All About Personal Needs

One thing you may have noticed in this chapter is that


there really isn’t one answer to any question. Because
our bodies are all so different and react in different
ways, it’s impossible to determine why you’re stalling, or
whether IF will work for you, without doing a little bit of
digging.

After you’ve been eating low carb for a while, you’ll


begin to read your body’s signals, and be able to
determine what you need to do to keep everything
running smoothly!

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Vegan Keto Meal Plan
& Recipes!

“Take care of your body. It’s the only


place you have to live.” ~Jim Rohn

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One Week Vegan Keto
Meal Plan

The trickiest thing about starting a vegan keto diet, is figuring


out what to eat on a day to day basis. After a while, you’ll get
the feel for putting together your own meals, but it’s nice to
have help at the start.
The following plan is designed for about 1800 calories per
day, and contains less than 40 grams of net carbs per day. This
is a very basic introductory plan that will get you into ketosis
without the drastic (and often unnecessary) aggressive carb
dip.
This plan can be used as a template, and other meals can
certainly be substituted in. There are tons more vegan
ketogenic recipes at my blog, MeatFreeKeto.com!

Note: The plan is copied twice here in two different formats, so you
can print it in whichever way is most convenient for you!
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Notes on This Meal Plan

There are approximately 1700-1800 calories per day,


which is a good starting point for most people. If you
would like to reduce the plan’s calories, you can remove
one or both snacks that are listed (or the nuts/seeds that
appear in meals - seeds on a salad, for instance). To
increase the calories, you could add nuts, seeds,
avocado, olives or oil to any of the meals.

You’ll notice that you may need a protein shake each


day. The protein included in this plan does meet the
requirements set out by the World Health Organizaion.
You can make a simple shake (powder + water or
nondairy milk, as per the label instructions) of whatever
brand you prefer.

I try to avoid relying too heavily on fake meats as they


often contain a lot of food additives. Though food
additives aren’t necessarily bad, I like to err
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on the side of caution, and look for foods with the least
number of ingredients possible. They are much easier for
your body to digest!

If you are unsure about protein powders, there are some


recommendations earlier in this ebook, and in this blog
post.

Substitutions

There are a lot of nuts on this plan - if you have a nut


allergy, you can substitute out the servings of nuts for
seeds, coconut or avocado. If you’re sick of nuts, you can
substitute out a serving for a peanut butter cookie
(recipe in the following pages!).

You’ll also notice that there are two breakfast options


some days - feel free to mix them up throughout the
week. There are minor differences in macros, but it
shouldn’t impact your totals too much!
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Coconut Yogurt w/Berries & Nuts
Yield: 1 serving

● 1 cup coconut yogurt


● 6 tbsp. hemp hearts
● 1⁄4 cup raspberries
● Cinnamon and stevia to taste (optional)

This recipe is incredibly flexible, in that you can substitute


whatever nuts or seeds you want for the hemp hearts. I like
the hemp because it’s got a load of protein and some
omega-3s, which can be really helpful on a ketogenic diet.

Can I have coffee on keto?

In a word, yes. You just have to be sure to avoid


adding sugar, and sugar-laden creamers!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Yield: 1 smoothie

● 1/3 cup canned coconut milk


● 3 cups fresh spinach
● 1/2 avocado
● 2 tbsp peanut butter
● 1 tbsp cocoa powder
● 1 cup crushed ice
● Stevia (optional), to taste

Blend until this is a smoothie, adding water as necessary to


achieve the desired consistency.

Celery & PB
Yield: 1 serving

● 100g celery
● 2 tbsp peanut butter

This is pretty self-explanatory, but eat celery sticks with


peanut butter on top.
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Collard Wraps
Yield: 1 serving

● 1 cup broccoli slaw mix


● 1⁄4 cup tahini
● 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
● Garlic
● Pinch of salt
● a few collard leaves

Make a sauce out of the tahini, lemon, garlic and salt. Mix in
broccoli slaw (basically, the mix of matchstick sized pieces of
broccoli, cabbage and carrots you can get at the grocery
store), and scoop onto the leaves (about ¼ per leaf. Roll up
like a burrito, and enjoy!

You can either pour the sauce into the leaves before adding
the slaw, or use is to dip the collard wraps into.

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Avocado With Hemp Seeds & Tahini Sauce
Yield: 1 serving

● 1 medium Hass avocado


● 2 tbsp tahini
● 1 tbsp water
● ½ tsp garlic powder
● 1 tsp lemon juice
● 2 tbsp hemp seeds
● salt & pepper to taste

Halve avocado, and remove the pit.

Combine tahini, water, lemon juice and garlic to make a little


sauce, drizzle over avocado and top with hemp seeds!

Note: If you’re not sick of celery, you could also mash everything
together and use it as a dip for some celery sticks!

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Lemon Garlic Salad Dressing:
Yield: 1⁄2 cup (4 servings)

● 1⁄4 cup lemon juice


● 1⁄4 cup olive oil
● 1⁄4 tsp salt
● 1 tsp garlic powder, or two grated cloves
● 1⁄4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a container and shake until thoroughly


blended. Store in a sealed container in the fridge and shake
before use.

Spinach Salad
Yield: 1 serving
● 3 cups spinach, 3 cups arugula (so many greens!)
● 1⁄2 cup shredded red cabbage
● ½ cup white or baby bella mushrooms, sliced and
sauteed or roasted
● 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
● 2 tbsp lemon garlic dressing

Mix together. Eat.


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Easy Vegan Pesto
⠀ 2 cups basil leaves, washed
⠀ 1⁄4 cup hemp seeds
⠀ 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
⠀ 1 avocado
⠀ 1-2 cloves of garlic, or 1 tsp garlic powder
⠀ salt to taste (you may not need much if the seeds are
salty)

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend.

Zucchini “Pasta” With Pesto


Yield: 1 serving
● 1 medium zucchini
● 1⁄4 cup pesto
● 2 tbsp hemp seeds

Either use a mandolin on the julienne setting, or a veggie


peeler to make “noodles” out of the zucchini.

Top with tapenade or pesto and toss, then add on seeds.

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Tofu Taco “Rice” Stir Fry
Yield: 3 servings

● 1 package cauliflower rice (or 3 cups of homemade


cauliflower rice – put cauliflower in a food processor,
and pulse until little rice-sized pieces are left)
● 1 block extra firm tofu
● 2 tbsp taco seasoning
● 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
● lime & cilantro (optional, but tasty)
● 2 tbsp olive oil
● 3⁄4 cup guacamole

Drain and press tofu, then cut into cubes and sprinkle liberally
with taco seasoning, making sure to coat the tofu. Set aside
for at least 15 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a large pan (with a lid!) on medium heat, and
sauté the seasoned tofu until it starts to brown.

Add in cauliflower rice, mix thoroughly and cover. Continue


cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 more minutes,
until the “rice” has softened up.
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Stir in nutritional yeast, and finish with lime juice and
chopped cilantro (again, optional, but tasty). You can serve
this as is, or in little romaine lettuce “boats” that serve as taco
shells.

Top with 1⁄4 cup of guac per serving, and enjoy

Watch Out For Hidden Sugar

You might normally not think to look at the ingredients list


for a seasoning or spice packet, but now’s a good time to
start!

Many brands of seasoning contain a few grams of sugar, or a


starch such as maltodextrin to add a little bulk. While it
probably won’t make or break your diet, these carbs can sure
add up over time!
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Shopping List:
These quantities are based on the meal plan as written, if you
are making any substitutions, be sure to make a note of it
before shopping!
Produce:
- Tub of spinach leaves
- Tub of arugula
- Lemon juice (either in a bottle, or from lemons)
- 6 Avocados (Hass, not those monster ones!)
- Collard leaves
- Broccoli slaw
- Shredded red cabbage
- Celery
- Carrots or beets
- 4 medium zucchini
- 1 bag of cauliflower rice (or equivalent in raw
cauliflower - about 3 cups riced)
- 1 lime
- Cilantro
- Raspberries, strawberries or blueberries
- Basil (2 packed cups)
- Button mushrooms or portobello

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Nuts & Seeds:
- Hazelnuts or pecans
- Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- Sunflower seeds
- Almonds
- Tahini
- Hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts)
- Peanut butter

Pantry Items:
- Liquid stevia
- Olive oil or coconut oil
- Cinnamon
- Garlic powder (or fresh garlic)
- Taco seasoning
- 1 can of full-fat coconut milk
- Cocoa powder
- Nutritional yeast

Refrigerated Items:
- Extra firm tofu (1 block)
- 1 container (3 cups) of coconut milk yogurt
(unsweetened, I like the So Delicious brand)
- Guacamole 1
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If that shopping list seems overwhelming, don’t fret! All
of the items in the “nuts & seeds” and the “from the
health foods store,” plus many of the “pantry staples”
will be used for several weeks.

What isn’t included in that shopping list are things that


you most likely already have - salt, pepper, additional
seasonings and oil.

The expense with a ketogenic diet is definitely up front,


but as the weeks go on, your grocery bill will certainly
stabilize!

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Do I Need a Meal Plan?

You don’t have to follow a specific meal plan to follow a


ketogenic diet! If the idea of a meal plan makes your skin
crawl, don’t fret. You can always just focus on eating low
carb foods, and worry about the macros later (or not!).

You could also create your own meal plan with a


spreadsheet and a website like MyFitnessPal. MFP pulls
nutrition information from the USDA database, as well
as a user-generated database of specific brands and
products, so you can find pretty much anything.

While it takes quite a bit of time to make your own meal


plan, it can certainly be rewarding!

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In Closing

At this point, you are armed with all of the information


you need to succeed on a vegan ketogenic diet. Whether
your goal is to kick a sugar addiction, lose some weight
or feel better overall, you’re well on your way to
achieving it!

As you continue along this journey, you will find that


your needs may change, and you’ll want to refer back to
this book. You also may want to research ketogenic diets
even further, and get into the real science of this. This is
so much fun, and I highly recommend it.

I’m a big fan of Mark Sisson, who writes Mark’s Daily


Apple. His posts are always so well cited, and he is the
first one to update information when new research
emerges.

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Thank yous…

Thank you to all of the wonderful readers of my blog


who suggested I actually write an ebook! You guys are
truly my motivation for continuing to write posts and
create recipes. :)

A huge thank you to my husband as well, who has eaten


so many sub-par first rounds of a recipe, done countless
dishes, smiled when I drop things on the floor and read
and edited this book happily. I’m so lucky to have you in
my life!

Another thank you is deserved by Steve and Cierra for


their recipe testing, constant support and all the
adorable kitchen wares they’ve given me, which are
proudly featured in all my blog pictures!

And thank you to Alton Brown, for teaching me to cook.

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Where to Find Me
Feel free to reach out to me - I’m always up for chatting
about health and nutrition, sharing recipes and
answering questions!

Facebook: http://facebook.com/meatfreeketo
Instagram: http://instagram.com/meatfreeketo
Twitter: http://twitter.com/meatfreeketo
AllSocial: https://allsocial.com/meatfreeketo
Low Carb Veggie Recipes: http://meatfreeketo.com
General Nutrition Blog: http://healthygamergirl.com
Email: liz@meatfreeketo.com

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”


― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto 1
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Liz is a certified holistic Nutrition Consultant specializing
in whole food diets, food allergies/intolerances, special
diets, nutritional support for eating disorder recovery and
digestive health. She has a Bachelor’s from McGill
University, and a certificate in holistic nutrition from
Bauman College, as well as a certificate in Ayurveda from
the National Library of Ayurveda Medicine in India. She
has worked as a Healthy Eating Specialist and Marketing
Team Leader for Whole Foods Market, and now works
with people to improve their health, diets and quality of
life through holistic nutrition and an ancestral health
approach to life.

She lives in MA with her loving husband and cat.


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Thank you!!!

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