M F K :

Elizabeth MacDowell, N.C.

For Clayton, Kilo and Hubert.
Nutrition Disclaimer:

Affiliate Disclaimer:
 “
My Keto Story (in brief)
“Health is a relationship between you
and your body.” -Terri Guillemets
 Liz
…
 “
What is keto?
 Why Low Carb?

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
Why Not High Carb?
to use fat (rather than carbohydrate) as its
principal energy source.
How Many Carbs Should I Eat?

Ketogenic Diets: 20-50g per day

●
●
●
Carbohydrate Recommendations for General
Low Carb Diets

Exercise and Carbohydrates

 How Many Calories Should I Eat?

Carb Cycling Links:

 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.
 What To Eat in a Day:
Carb Counts

To recap...
●
●
●

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.
 “
So, how can I do keto as a vegan?
 How Vegan Keto Differs from
Vegetarian and Omni Keto

veg·an
ˈ/vēɡən/

noun
1. a person who does not eat or use animal products.
adjective
Carb Count
1. using or containing no animal products:
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.
 “
Do I need to take supplements?
 Let’s talk about 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.

Remember: Consult with a doctor about any

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

…
Omega-3s Electrolytes

You can get omega-3s without fish!

Magnesium Ketones
B12 Greens Powder
Multivitamin 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
 “
What can I eat on a vegan keto diet?
 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
di·et trips suddenly take more planning. Don’t fret, though -
/ˈdīət/ soon, you’ll know what foods are “on plan” and will be
able to speed through a shopping trip with ease.
noun
1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community This next section will go over the basic macronutrient
habitually eats. 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.
Fats Oils
In addition to consuming whole foods that are rich in
Dietary fat is really the foundation of a ketogenic diet.
good fats, you’ll want to be aware of the types of oils
Without consuming a large proportion of your calories
you are using in cooking. Less refined oils contain more
from fat, you simply won’t reach nutritional ketosis. The
of the original nutrition, and are less difficult for your
best way to get fat into your diet is by eating whole
body to process. With refined oils (like canola, corn and
foods, like avocados, coconuts, olives, nuts and seeds. In
“vegetable oil”), so much chemical processing has
these foods, the fat comes packaged with vitamins,
already gone into the product, that it is entirely devoid
minerals and other phytochemicals to help keep your
of any nutritional benefit.
body running smoothly.
Even worse, these oils are typically already rancid by the
These foods also contain fiber and protein, so you’ll be
time they hit store shelves, which can cause free radical
putting far more nutrition into your body by consuming
damage in your body and digestive discomfort.
them, than just oil. Foods like avocados, coconut and
olives can also be quite anti-inflammatory, aiding in the
If you’d like to read more about canola oil, and other
overall goals of the ketogenic diet.
industrial seed oils, the Weston A. Price Foundation has
a great article here.
What Types of Oil Are Best? How to Cook With Oils

To avoid oxidizing oils while cooking, stick with the

As we discussed before, certain types of oils are far
following guidelines:
healthier than others. Organic oils that are cold-pressed,
unrefined, and properly stored will retain the most
● Use coconut oil for high heat cooking
nutrients while containing the least anti-nutrients.
● Olive oil, avocado oil and many nut and seed oils
are great for lower heat cooking
Olive oil, coconut oil and sesame seed oil are all great
● Sesame seed oil is wonderfully flavorful, and can
additions to your pantry and won’t break the bank!
be used in lower-heat stir fries. If you’re cooking
Certain nut and seed oils (walnut, almond, macadamia,
the dish at high heat, try drizzling the oil on after
avocado seed) are also great for occasional cooking and
● Walnut oil, almond oil, macadamia oil, and
for finishing foods, but are considerably more expensive.
avocado seed oil are all super flavorful and great
on salads (they can be used for cooking, but the
Proper storage is key so that oils don’t go rancid/become
cost is quite prohibitive)
oxidized. Oxidation occurs with exposure to oxygen,
light, or heat, and consumption of rancid oil leads to
Go Deeper Into Oils
oxidative stress within the body, and inflammation.
Store oils in a cool, dark place and try to avoid large This is just the basics, but you can read more
temperature swings. about vegan fats and oils here!
Go Nuts (and Seeds) Net Carbs per 1 oz of Selected Nuts and Seeds:

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

● Flax Seeds: .5g
diet, odds are, you’re going to start eating a lot more
nuts and seeds. Keep in mind - these little guys are ● Hemp Seeds: 1g
designed by nature to grow into a whole plant or tree, so ● Pecans: 1.1g
there’s quite a bit of nutrition packed inside (again - ● Brazil Nuts: 1.3g
vitamins, minerals, other assorted phytochemicals). Nuts ● Macadamia Nuts: 1.5g
and seeds are high in good fats, and low in carbs, making ● Chia Seeds: 1.7g
them ideal for a ketogenic diet. ● Walnuts: 1.9g
● Coconut (dried): 2g
Notes About Nuts and Seeds
● Pumpkin Seeds: 2.2g
Nuts and seeds are some of my favorite snacks on a ● Hazelnuts: 2.3g
ketogenic or low carb diet. Not all nuts are created ● Sesame Seeds: 2.6g
equal, though. The following is a list of nuts and seeds ● Almonds: 2.9g
(plus, coconut and peanuts), and their relative net carb ● Sunflower Seeds: 3.7g
counts. ● Peanuts: 3.8g
● Pistachios: 5.8g
You’ll note that pistachios and cashews are much higher
in carbs. While one portion of cashews likely won’t knock ● Cashews: 8.5g
you out of ketosis, an entire bag probably will!
Source: USDA database
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
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
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
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!

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.
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).
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!
Protein in Nuts & Seeds Protein in Beans
Beans are a good source of protein for vegans, but
As you most likely already know, there is a solid amount they’re also quite high in carbohydrates. The table on
of protein in nuts and seeds. the next page is a good reference for comparing a few
Nut/Seed Calories per Protein per Net carbs different varieties of beans when planning your meals
oz/28g oz/28g per oz/28g out for the day/week.
Hemp Seeds 174 10g 1g
You’ll notice that the first three varieties are all
Pumpkin Seeds 158 9g 1.3g
soy-based. This is because soybeans have a far more
Almonds 163 6g 2.5g keto-friendly macronutrient profile than other types of
Sesame Seeds 165 5g 3.2g
beans, and are a good choice for those who are looking
for a protein-boost without the additional carbs of other
Sunflower Seeds 165 5g 4g
beans.
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.
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
search
 Type of Bean Calories per Protein per Net carbs
the internet to find impassioned arguments, both for ½ cup ½ cup per ½ cup
and against soy, but in the end I think eating soy comes
Tempeh 160 15g 2g
down to moderation, and quality.
Tofu (cubed) 88 10g 1g
Try to limit soy (and soy products) to 1-2 servings per Edamame 127 11g 6g
week, and opt for the least-processed options out there.
Black Beans 114 8g 12.5g
Keep in mind that fermentation can increase digestibility
and is generally preferred. Tempeh and tofu are both Great Northern 104 7g 12.5g
Beans
fermented soy products, and they both happen to be
low in carbs and high in protein. Adding to the list of Garbanzo Beans 134 7g 16.5g
things to look out for - prioritize purchasing organic soy Source: USDA database
products, when possible, and try to avoid eating an Most health experts in the paleo nutrition sphere tend
overabundance of textured soy protein/textured to avoid beans due to their gut irritating-qualities. I
vegetable protein. prefer a more modest approach. If you like beans, and
they don’t upset your stomach, then you might as well
If you’re avoiding soy all together, you can still stick with enjoy them!
a vegan ketogenic diet, though you will likely be eating
more carbohydrates that most ketoers. A soy-free vegan For those that do eat beans, it’s worth noting that
keto diet will likely rely heavily on protein powders and soaking and/or fermenting beans removes the
nuts for protein! gut-irritating compounds, as well as nutrient inhibitors.
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.
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
Carbohydrates (like C and the B family) are heat sensitive, and will
deteriorate during cooking.
No, really. Even though you’re embarking on a low carb
diet, that doesn’t mean you won’t be eating
Similarly, some nutrients are better absorbed when the
carbohydrates. In fact, as a vegan, you’ll likely be
food is cooked - greens have high concentrations of
consuming more carbohydrates than conventional
oxalates, which bind to nutrients, preventing their
meat-eating ketoers. It’s important to choose your
absorption into your body. Cooking greens can
carbohydrate choices carefully to obtain the greatest
neutralize these compounds, so you get more bang for
amount of nutrition, for the least amount of carbs.
your buck. Cooking greens with oil is one step further, as
fat-soluble vitamins like K will be far more readily
Vegetables, nuts and beans will likely be the source of
absorbed. If you’re getting a good mix of cooked and raw
most of the carbohydrates you eat on a low carb or
vegetables, you really shouldn’t have to worry - it’s just
ketogenic diet, but you can surely have a little fruit from
something to keep in mind!
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
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
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.
So, grab that coconut cream and almond butter!
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!
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].”
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 $.99, 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
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.
Kelp noodles - These noodles are made from seaweed, Cooking cauliflower rice will depend on the recipe you
so they naturally contain some vitamins and minerals, as use, but for the most part, sautee the “rice” in a pan
well as fiber. This also means that they’ve got a bit of an until it becomes slightly translucent and soft. Depending
oceany taste, and need to be well-rinsed. I like to use on how you season it, cauliflower rice can be great in a
these in dishes inspired by Thai, Chinese or Japanese stir-fry, veggie sushi or even on its own as a side dish.
flavors (in the broadest sense), because those seasoning
profiles often tend to work well with the seaweed. I had Miracle rice - The other common option for a rice
a hard time finding these in stores, and so I usually get substitute is shiritaki rice (or miracle rice). Like miracle
the online. 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
Rice Substitutes (2g per package).
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.
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!
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)
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!
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
* Not a judgement or fat shaming, but some real talk for those
using artificial sweeteners for weight loss
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
mention that a whole
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
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)
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.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/24/diet-
soda-dangers.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/10/new-
study-of-splenda-reveals-shocking-information-about-potential-har
mful-effects.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/12/03/sucr
alose-testimonials.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/26/cspi-
downgrades-splenda.aspx
 “
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
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
exercising or just living, and you aren’t replenishing Intermittent Fasting
them, you end up shedding the extra water as well.
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is a practice often adopted by
those in the paleo/ancestral health/keto spheres.
This means that at the beginning, you’re going to end up
Basically, this just means consciously choosing to eat in a
dropping weight more rapidly. For some people, this is
certain window, and then fasting for the remaining time
up to ten pounds in the first week, and for others it’s just
in the day. Many people claim while doing IF, that their
a couple of pounds. Either way, most people will have
appetite regulates, their moods stabilize and they feel
that little boost at the start. This can be especially
better overall. I like IF because I don’t like eating in the
motivating, as it’s often difficult to stick to a diet where
morning, but that’s just me!
the results aren’t immediately apparent.
A standard “template” for IF would be starting having
This also means that, as the water weight stops being a
your first meal at noon and your last meal at 8pm, then
factor, weight loss will not be totally linear. You’re going
fasting until noon the next day. Rinse and repeat. Fasting
to slowly start losing less and less, the closer you get to
lengths are at least 16 hours (as in this example), but can
your goal. This is pretty typical of diets, but can be a little
run the gamut from 16, up to 23 (seriously!).
discouraging after having lost a bunch of weight at the
beginning. Don’t give up! A slow decline in weight loss
If you’re interested in giving Intermittent Fasting a try, I
doesn’t necessarily mean that a ketogenic diet isn’t
would definitely recommend starting with an 8-hour
working anymore.
eating window (16 hour fasting window), and slowly
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.
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
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
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!
The Keto Flu How can you manage the keto flu?
If you’ve done any research on ketogenic and low carb
Most of the time, you can beat symptoms with rest,
diets, you’ve probably seen the term “keto flu.” The keto
drinking plenty of water and taking electrolytes (jump
flu refers to flu-like symptoms that occur when your
back to the supplements section for more information
body is switching from burning glucose (those glycogen
on electrolytes!).
stores) to ketones. Fortunately, not everyone will
experience the keto flu, also sometimes called “sugar
While not everyone will experience these symptoms,
withdrawal,” and for those that do, the symptoms can
you may want to start a ketogenic protocol on a
be easily managed.
weekend, or during a time when you’ll have some time
to rest, and be sure to keep a water bottle by your side.
Most people who experience the keto flu will have some
In fact, this is a time where you should probably consider
degree and combination of symptoms like:
drinking mineral water (minerals are basically
● Headaches
electrolytes).
● Nausea
● Body aches
● Fatigue Bathroom Issues
● Digestive discomfort Ketogenic and low carb diets affect people in different
ways, especially in the bathroom. For some people,
Often times, symptoms will last for anywhere between a ketosis seems to make digestive issues disappear
few days and a week. entirely, and suddenly bowel movements are normal and
regular, while others may be constipated and bloated.
 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!
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!
How Long Should I Stay on a Ketogenic Diet? could (though, you should probably talk to your doctor
about this one). I’m personally not in favor of staying on
Like many of the other questions, the answer to this
this protocol for longer than 6 months at a time without
depends on you as an individual. If you were prescribed
a break of at least a few days to sort of reset everything.
a ketogenic diet by a medical doctor to treat any
particular condition, you should obviously follow their
Mind you, I don’t mean a few days of eating cake and ice
advice. However, the rest of you who are on a ketogenic
cream, but more like a few days of integrating some
diet for weight loss, have fewer restrictions.
starches and fruit. Then, you can return to ketosis until
you’ve reached your goal.
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
How Do I Transition Off Of A Ketogenic Diet?
and calories and making sure to get enough sleep,
electrolytes and hydration), then maybe the ketogenic There are a few ways you can transition, and all involve
diet isn’t for you. At this point, you could try increasing eating more carbohydrate. If you still want to remain
your carbohydrate intake so that you’re no longer in relatively low-carb, you can try increasing the amount of
ketosis (but still on a relatively low carb diet), and see carbohydrates you eat every 2-3 days by about 10g, so
how you feel. you can see the amount of carbohydrates you need to
eat each day, while staying out of a ketogenic state.
If you’re feeling awesome and doing great on a
ketogenic diet, and you want to do it indefinitely, you
probably
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
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…
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.
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 – these 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.
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!
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.
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 milk, or bananas, or a few chips in
the first few weeks of a ketogenic diet, I’d say 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!
 “
Meal plans & recipes!
 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.
“Take care of your body. It’s the only
place you have to live.” ~Jim Rohn

The following plan is designed for about 1800 calories

per day, and contains less than 40 grams of net carbs per
day. There are substitutions, recipes, a shopping list and
general notes following the plan!

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!
 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks Nutrition

Day 1 Yogurt w/ Berries & Collard Veggie Low Carb Falafel ¼ cup almonds Calories: 1761
Seeds Wraps w/Tahini ¼ cup macadamias Carbs: 34g
Protein Shake

Day 2 Avocado Breakfast Low Carb Falafel “Fauxtato” Leek ¼ cup almonds Calories: 1668
Bowl or Avocado Soup ½ cup trail mix Carbs: 39g
Pudding Protein Shake

Day 3 Yogurt w/ Berries & Low Carb Falafel “Fauxtato” Leek ½ cup trail mix Calories: 1748
Seeds Soup Protein Shake Carbs: 38g

Day 4 Avocado Breakfast Collard Veggie Mediterranean ½ cup trail mix Calories: 1821
Bowl or Avocado Wraps w/Tahini Flatbreads Protein Shake Carbs: 22g
Pudding

Day 5 Avocado Breakfast Collard Veggie Zucchini Noodles ¼ cup macadamias Calories: 1738
Bowl or Avocado Wraps w/Tahini w/Tapenade ½ cup trail mix Carbs: 26g
Pudding Protein Shake

Day 6 Yogurt w/ Berries & Zucchini Noodles “Fauxtato” Leek ¼ cup macadamias Calories: 1743
Seeds w/Tapenade Soup Protein Shake Carbs: 34g
¼ cup sunflower seeds

Day 7 Avocado Breakfast Collard Veggie Mediterranean ¼ cup macadamias Calories: 1690
Bowl or Avocado Wraps w/Tahini Flatbreads ½ cup sunflower seeds Carbs: 22g
Pudding Protein Shake
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 there is a protein shake each day. I
tend to feel that protein shakes are pretty necessary on
a vegan ketogenic diet in order to get enough protein to
maintain your body’s typical functions (as per the World
Health Organization). While it’s true you can get protein
from fake meats and soy, I try to avoid relying too
heavily on these types of foods as they often contain a
lot of food additives.
While food additives aren’t necessarily bad, I like to err
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!
The type of protein powder factored into this plan is the
Vega Sport Performance. This is by far my favorite low
carb vegan protein powder!
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!
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!
Coconut Pecan “Trail Mix”
Yield: 4 cups
● 2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
● 2 cups raw chopped pecans
● 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
● 1 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread coconut and pecans out on a baking tray.
Bake for about 7-8 minutes, until the coconut is golden
brown around the edges.
While the mixture is still hot, sprinkle with cinnamon and
salt, and shake the tray bake and forth to distribute
the seasoning evenly.
Let cool and transfer to a sealed container.
Collard Wraps Avocado Breakfast Bowl
serves 1 serves 1

● 1 cup broccoli slaw mix ● 1 medium Hass avocado

● 1⁄4 cup tahini ● ½ cup cherry tomatoes
● 1-2 tbsp lemon juice ● salt & pepper to taste
● Garlic
● Pinch of salt Halve avocado, and remove the pit.
● a few collard leaves Slice cherry tomatoes over the avocado, season and
enjoy!
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!
Low Carb Falafel Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with
Serving size: 4 patties, makes 3 servings total parchment paper, or use a silicone baking mat.
In a high speed blender, dump all of your ingredients.
● 1 cup chickpeas (either cooked, or soaked
overnight in water) Blend for about 30 seconds, until everything is chopped
● 1 cup riced cauliflower up. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides if need
● 1/3 frozen cup peas and carrots (optional, but I be (carefully!).
like veggies)
● 1/4 cup tahini Blend another 15-30 seconds, until a dough forms, but
● 1/4 cup lemon juice there are still chunks of veggie remaining. Basically, you
● 1/4 cup diced red onion want to be able to form this into patties, and have them
● 1 tbsp dried parsley hold together.
● 2 tsp cumin
● 1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 diced cloves - I just Remove the blender container from the base, and scoop
didn't have any fresh!) the "dough" into 12 equal portions on the tray, about
● 1 tsp salt 1/2 inch thick.
● 1/4 tsp allspice
Bake for 25 minutes, and serve with tahini sauce.
Tahini sauce: use the same sauce, as found in the
Collards recipe. Make 1 batch of sauce per serving.
“Faux-tato” Leek Soup Peel, smash and dice up the cloves of garlic. Throw those
Yield: about 6 cups, makes 6 servings total bad boys in with the leek, and give it a good stir.

● 1 large leek Add the cauliflower, herbs and spices, coconut milk and
● 1 bag (or about 3 cups) of riced cauliflower stock to the pot. Stir to combine and cover. Cook for
● 2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock about a half hour, stirring occasionally.
● 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
● 1 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil) After about 30 minutes (so long as everything is fully
● 2 -3 cloves of garlic cooked, and fairly squishy), remove the bay leaf and
● 1/4 tsp cracked pepper process with an immersion blender until smooth. You
● 1 tsp herbs de Provence could also use a regular blender, but this will likely be
● 1 bay leaf super messy.

Prep the leek by slicing off the leafy part and the root, Serve and enjoy.
and quartering the stalk. Rinse off the leek (they're
usually really sandy) and slice.
Where’s The Salt?

Melt coconut oil in a heavy soup pot on medium heat. Salt isn’t listed as an ingredient because vegetable stock is
Toss in the sliced leek and cook for about 5 minutes, incredibly salty, and you might want to hold off on adding
salt until you’ve reached the dinner table!
until the leek has softened.
Flax Wraps the center, and smush it down with the spatula until it
serves 1 flattens into a tortilla.

● ½ cup flaxseeds After a minute or so (when the bottom is lightly golden

● ⅓ cup water, just off the boil
● Pinch of salt
● Spices and seasonings of choice
Grind flaxseeds in your blender/coffee grinder (you can
buy ground, but fresh will help prevent oxidation).
Add in salt and other spices (garlic powder for savory
recipes, maybe cinnamon for sweet).
and “set”), flip the tortilla and cook for another minute
or two on the opposite side.
If you want a super flat tortilla, after flipping, cook for
about 30 seconds and then move to a cutting board. Roll
the tortilla with a rolling pin to achieve the desired
thickness and return to the pan to cook for another
minute on each side!

Slowly stir in the near-boiling water until a dough forms.

Once it’s cool enough to handle, separate the dough into
equal portions, or leave for one HUGE wrap.

In a skillet on medium low heat, add just enough oil to

lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Place a dough ball in
Faux Feta Once tofu has simmered for 5 minutes, remove from
Makes 3 servings stove and drain thoroughly. Transfer the drained tofu
cubes to a sealable container that is large enough to
Adapted from The Uncheese Cookbook. Be sure to make
accommodate the tofu and brine.
this at least 48 hours ahead of time!

Pour the brine over the tofu cubes and chill for a few
● 1 block firm or extra firm tofu, cut into ½ inch
hours in the fridge, uncovered (to cool everything
cubes
down!).
● 1 ½ cups water
● ½ cup light miso Cover, and continue chilling for at least two days, but up
● 3 tbsp white wine vinegar to a week.
● 2 tsp salt
Drain well before adding to your meal!
Place tofu cubes in a saucepan, and cover with water.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

While tofu is simmering, combine 1 ½ cups water,

vinegar, salt and miso to make a brine.
Mediterranean Flatbreads
serves 1
● 1 batch of Flax Wraps
● ⅓ batch of Faux Feta
● 2-3 handfuls of raw baby spinach
● ¼ cup tapenade or pesto (your choice!)
Evenly distribute tapenade/pesto across wrap(s).
Crumble faux feta on the wrap(s).
Add spinach, fold and enjoy!
Notes:
If you are avoiding soy, you can omit the Faux Feta and
use any non-dairy cheese of choice. Keep in mind that
this will eliminate almost all of the protein in this meal,
and increase the carbohydrates.
Another nice substitute for tofu, which will retain some
of the protein and still be low carb, is hemp seeds.
Non-Dairy Cheeses
Non-dairy cheeses can add a really nice
flavor to so many dishes, but can be super
high in carbs! Be sure to check the label,
as some brands can have as many as 10g
of carbohydrates per serving.
Chocolate Avocado Pudding
serves 1
● 1 medium Hass avocado
● 1 tbsp cocoa powder
● Liquid stevia to taste
Halve avocado, and remove the pit.
In a bowl, mash together cocoa powder and avocado
until well combined. You could also do this in a food
processor, but that’s kind of overkill for just one!
Add in stevia, a few drops at a time, until the desired
level of sweetness is achieved. Be sure to mix thoroughly
and taste between adding drops because it’s really easy
to over-do this.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 8 servings
1 cup peanut butter
1 flax egg (1 tbsp of ground flax in about 3 tbsp water)
10-15 drops of liquid stevia
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie tray with parchment
paper, or a silicone baking mat.
Combine flaxseed, vanilla and water and let sit for about
5-10 minutes.
Stir liquid stevia and cup of peanut butter.
Form the dough into 8 little balls and flatten on the
cookie tray.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges start to
darken a little. Let cool and enjoy!
Shopping List: Nuts and Seeds:
- Unsweetened dried coconut
These quantities are based on the meal plan as written, if you - Raw pecan pieces
are making any substitutions, be sure to make a note of it - Macadamia nuts
before shopping! - Sunflower seeds
- Almonds
Vegetables and Fruits: - Hemp hearts
- Tub of spinach leaves, mixed greens and/or arugula - Flaxseeds
- 4 Avocados (Hass, not those monster ones!) - Tahini
- Collard leaves - Peanut butter
- Broccoli slaw
- Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries - whatever Refrigerated Items:
you’d like! - Extra firm tofu (1 block)
- 2 medium zucchini - 2 containers of coconut milk yogurt
- 1 Leek - White miso
- 2 bags of cauliflower rice (or equivalent) - Tapenade or pesto (or both!)
- Pint of cherry tomatoes
Pantry Staples:
From the Health Food Store: - Lemon juice
- Tub of protein powder - 1 container culinary coconut milk (optional)
- Liquid stevia (for avocado pudding & cookies) - White wine vinegar
- Can of chickpeas
- Cocoa powder
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!
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!
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.
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 pictures!
And thank you to Alton Brown, for teaching me to cook.
 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/healthygamergirl
Twitter: http: http://twitter.com/healthygamergrl
Low Carb Veggie Recipes: http://meatfreeketo.com
Health and Nutrition Blog: http://healthygamergirl.com
Email: liz@healthygamergirl.com
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
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.
Thank you!!!