4 Carb Alternatives So Tasty You Won’t Miss the Starch

Two years ago, I completely cut wheat and sugar from my diet. Not long after, I limited my other weaknesses: rice, oatmeal, corn, and potatoes. To say I’ve gotten creative to manage the change is an understatement. I’ve turned my new “restriction” into an adventurous quest for tasty, satisfying low-carb alternatives.

The benefits of my personal switch have included a clearer mind, fewer cravings, better sleep, easier workout recovery, happier mood, and tons of energy. A low-carb diet possibly even assist weight loss and the management of diabetes, according to research reviewed by Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

And—as you may have noticed—I’m not the only one on the bandwagon. People everywhere are coming up with creative carb swap recipes for these benefits and more. If the weight loss (or any other) perks of a low-carb diet has piqued your interest, it’s time to try some alternatives. Here are a few recipes to help steer clear of the processed products.

Good Morning Egg Muffins

• 1 tbsp. refined coconut oil
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper
• 2 slices cooked organic bacon, crumbled (optional)
• ¼ cup shredded cheese (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and use coconut oil to grease twelve muffin tin cups. Whisk your eggs and add spinach, salt, and pepper. Pour approximately a quarter-cup of the egg mixture into each muffin cup, and bake twenty minutes or until the eggs are cooked through. Let cool for five minutes on a rack, and, if desired, top with a few pieces of crumbled bacon and/or cheese to finish. Your kids will love that they get to eat these tasty carb alternatives with their hands!

Easy Chicken and Cheese Bake

• 1 tbsp. refined coconut oil
• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 slices of mozzarella cheese
• 4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and use the coconut oil to grease an oven-safe pan. Place each chicken breast into the pan, and top with one slice of mozzarella cheese and one tablespoon of shredded Parmesan. Bake approximately 30 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pastry-less Bierocks

Bierocks are a German meat-filled yeast pastry, but the low-carb version is just as tasty.

• 1 tbsp. refined coconut oil
• ½ an onion, diced
• 3 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 lb. organic, grass-fed lean ground beef
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté the onion and cabbage in coconut oil. Once tender, set it aside. Cook the ground beef, crumbling it as it browns. Once the beef is cooked through, add your onion and cabbage into the beef and mix. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.

An Old Favorite

This one will no doubt be familiar, and your kids will love helping out with this carb-swap snack. Wash celery stalks, and cut them into three-inch sticks. Top with organic sunflower seed or almond butter, but skip the raisins. Dried fruit is loaded with carbohydrates in the form of concentrated sugars, so for a pure protein punch, stick with just the veggies and nut butter.

Looking For More Carb Swaps?

There are plenty of ways to avoid carbs without giving up all your favorite foods. These are some easy alternatives:

• Use lettuce leaves instead of bread or buns.
• Sub out zucchini noodles for the usual pasta.
• Try almond or coconut flour in lieu of all-purpose flour.

According to experts at the Mayo Clinic, a low-carb diet will limit your daily intake of carbohydrates to a level between 60 and 130 grams. Focus instead on healthy fats and proteins to fuel your energy needs. Whether you choose to reduce carbs or cut them completely, these carb swaps and recipes make for a great alternative to starchy snacks.

When you try one of these recipes, snap a photo and share it with us on Twitter!

Image source: Flickr | Wikimedia Commons

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