Five Day Low Carb Meal Planner

Five Day Low Carb Meal Plan

Helpful tips for cooking and meal preparation

Eating low-carb includes getting back to wholesome, real, unprocessed food. Some have even called it vintage eating. If you like to cook, you’ll find delicious meals below to make for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eating a low-carb diet means cutting down on the amount of carbohydrates (carbs) you eat to less than 130g a day. But low-carb eating shouldn’t be no-carb eating.

Not so sure about doing a lot of cooking? Here are some helpful tips to make it easier:

Make bigger lots: cook two servings and save the second for lunch the next day.
Freeze leftovers: Most of the recipes freeze well, too, so you can make up a casserole, divide it into smaller serving sizes and then freeze some to warm up later for a meal.
Repeat favorites: If you find a couple of meals that you love and you find easy, feel free to eat them as often as you like. You will get the same results.
Basic no-cook plates: Away from a kitchen or not wanting to cook for a meal? Sliced deli meats, cheese, and vegetables with dip make an easy lunch. Or boil up a dozen eggs and keep them ready in the fridge to grab for lunch or snacks. Cans of tuna, sardines, herring with raw veggies or a salad are other easy no-cook choices.

Eat: Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables growing above ground and natural fats (like butter).
Avoid: Sugar and starchy foods (like bread, pasta, rice, beans and potatoes).

This low-carb meal plan aims to help you maintain a healthy balance while reducing the amount of carbs you eat. Varying amounts of carbohydrate are shown each day to help you choose which works best for you .

When you avoid sugar and starches, your blood sugar tends to stabilize and the levels of the fat-storing hormone insulin drop. This helps increase fat burning and may make you feel more satiated, thereby naturally reducing food intake and promoting weight loss. Studies show that a low-carb diet can make it easier to lose weight and to control your blood sugar.

Here are five days, but there are lots more options below which are low carb!

Day One

Breakfast: Eggy Brekkie

Scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms with one piece of wholemeal toast.

2 x eggs, handful of mushrooms and 2 x tomatoes.

Lunch: Rustic Vegetable Soup

1 tbsp rapeseed oil, 1 large onion, chopped, 2 carrots, chopped, 2 celery sticks, chopped, 50g dried red lentils, 1½ l boiling vegetable bouillon, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 leek, finely sliced, 175g bite-sized cauliflower florets, 1 courgette, chopped, 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, ½ large Savoy cabbage, stalks removed and leaves chopped, 1 tbsp basil, chopped

Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid. Add the onion, carrots and celery and fry for 10 mins, stirring from time to time until they are starting to colour a little around the edges. Stir in the lentils and cook for 1 min more.
2. Pour in the hot bouillon, add the tomato purée and thyme and stir well. Add the leek, cauliflower, courgette, and garlic, bring to the boil, then cover and leave to simmer for 15 mins
Add the cabbage and basil and cook for 5 mins more until the veg is just tender. Season with pepper, ladle into bowls and serve. Will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. Freezes well. Thaw, then reheat in a pan until piping hot.

Dinner: Aubergine Melts + Tangy Cous Cous Salad

The Aubergine Melt:

3 tbsp olive oil, 2 aubergines, halved lengthways, 4 tomatoes, 1 x ball mozzarella, drained, handful basil leaves

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Drizzle the oil over the aubergine and bake in the oven for 25 mins until softened. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella, then arrange on top of the aubergine. Return to oven for another 5 mins or until the cheese has melted. Scatter over some basil leaves. Serve with couscous and green salad.

Tangy Couscous Salad

300g couscous or bulgur wheat, vegetable stock, 2 courgettes, 1 tbsp olive oil, 100g feta cheese , crumbled, 20g pack parsley , chopped, juice 1 lemon

Cook the couscous or bulgur wheat in vegetable stock according to pack instructions. Trim the ends off the courgettes, then cut into slices.
Heat a griddle pan or grill. Drizzle the courgette slices with oil, then season. Cook for 2 mins, then turn over and cook 1-2 mins more until softened and golden brown. Tip into a large bowl along with the cooked couscous or bulgur wheat, then mix through the remaining ingredients. Serve at room temperature.

Day Two:

Breakfast: Yoghurt-Filled Melon (Cantaloupe)

Slice a melon of your choice in half and fill with your choice of yogurt and top with berries and seeds (eg, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds). Scoop out some of the melon to have later in the week as a snack.

Lunch: Rustic Soup / Leftover Aubergine Melt with Salad

Dinner: Cashew Curry

1 small onion , chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
thumb-sized piece ginger , peeled and roughly chopped
3 green chillies , deseeded
small pack coriander , leaves picked and stalk roughly chopped
100g unsalted cashews
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 ½ tbsp garam masala
400g can chopped tomatoes
450ml chicken stock
3 large chicken breasts (about 475g), any visible fat removed, chopped into chunks
155g fat-free Greek yogurt

To serve - 165g boiled or steamed greens (choose from spinach, kale, runner beans, asparagus or broccoli)

1. Put the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and coriander stalks in a small food processor and blitz to a paste.

2. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cashews and toast for 1-2 mins until light golden. Set aside and return the pan to the heat. Add the oil and stir-fry the paste for 5 mins to soften. Add the garam masala and cook for a further 2 mins.

3. Add the tomatoes and stock to the pan. Mix well, then tip into a blender with the cashews and blitz until smooth. Return to the pan, season and bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer.

4. Cook for 30 mins until the sauce has thickened then add the chicken, cover with a lid and simmer for another 15 mins, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the yogurt and cream (if using), and stir well to make a creamy sauce.

5. Scatter with the coriander leaves and serve with the greens.

Day Three

Breakfast:Berry Banana Smoothie Bowl

½ cup fat free greek yogurt plain or vanilla, 1 cup frozen strawberries/berry mixture, 1/2 banana (frozen is best), ¾ cup milk

Optional Toppings - ¼ cup muesli with nuts, 1/2 banana, 1/4 cup mixed berries

Combine yogurt, frozen berries, banana and milk in a blender. Blend until smooth adding more milk as needed. Add preferred toppings.

Lunch: Cashew Curry with Vegetable crudites

Dinner: Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

(build your own bowls based on what you like)

The sauce: 1 x 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained (or roast your own red peppers), 1 clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, juice of one lemon, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup almonds

The Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl (you can add whatever ingredients you would like but here is a suggestion).

cooked quinoa
spinach, kale, or cucumber
feta cheese
kalamata olives
thinly sliced red onion
hummus
fresh basil or parsley
olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper

Pulse all the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth. The texture should be thick and textured.

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. When the quinoa is cooked, fill your bowl with the above ingredients and pour over the Red Pepper Sauce.

Day Four

Breakfast: Mackerel and Eggs with a Blueberry Smoothie

A can of mackerel and 2 x boiled eggs

Blueberry Smoothie

14 oz. canned, unsweetened coconut milk, 3 oz. frozen blueberries or fresh blueberries, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
Taste, and add more lemon juice if desired.
For a more filling smoothie, add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or any other healthful oil. You may also substitute the coconut milk for 1¼ cups Greek yogurt if you prefer a dairy-based smoothie. If so, add a little water for a more liquid consistency.

Lunch: Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Dinner: Easy Chili Salmon with Zucchini Noodles (4 servings) and Roasted vegetables

Easy Chili Salmon with Zucchini Noodles (4 servings)

1 lb Salmon Fillet cut into 1-inch cubes, 2 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil divided, 2 Cloves Garlic minced, 1 Tsp Chili Flakes or to taste, 1 Tbsp Fresh chopped parsley to garnish, 1 Lemon or Lime sliced, to garnish, Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste, 4 large courgette spiralized

In a mixing bowl add cubed salmon, garlic, chili, lime juice and zest, salt, and pepper. Mix well to coat.
Melt butter (or if using olive oil add 1 tbsp ) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in salmon bites and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Remove salmon from pan and divide into meal prep containers. In the same heated pan, add remaining butter or oil, garlic and stir in the zucchini noodles.
Cook and toss for 1-2 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to your taste. Add zucchini noodles next to the salmon bites into the meal prep containers
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lime or lemon slices. You can squeeze some lemons over your meal. Enjoy.

Roasted Vegetables

3 tbsp olive oil, 1 aubergine, cut into chunks, 2 mixed coloured peppers, such as orange and red, cut into chunks, 1 red onion, cut into wedges, 2 courgettes, cut into chunks, 4 garlic cloves, smashed, 3 sprigs of thyme, 200g cherry tomatoes, handful of basil leaves, zest of 1 lemon, 50g feta, crumbled

Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/gas 6. Mix the oil with the aubergine, peppers, red onion, courgette, garlic and thyme in a bowl with sea salt and black pepper. Tip into a large roasting tin then roast for 30 mins. Add the tomatoes to the pan and return to the oven for 10 mins.
Squeeze the garlic from their skins, remove the thyme then scatter over veg with the basil, lemon zest and crumbled feta.

Notes

For best zoodles use a spiralizer or use a vegetable peeler. Spiralize the courgette raw, before cooking - do not peel it.
Pat zoodles dry with paper towels after spiralizing them.
The zoodles only need a couple minutes to cook, longer than that and they can become too watery.
Don't overcrowd the zoodles! Cook them in batches if you have to, make sure there’s lots of room. You want as much surface area of the zoodles touching the pan as possible.

Day Five:

Breakfast: Herbed Scrambled Eggs (serves 2)

Fat of choice, 5 eggs, cracked and beaten in a bowl, 1 tsp. dried dill, 1/2 tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, Salt + pepper - optional: 1/4 {8oz} container of goat cheese, crumbled, Raw chopped walnuts, to taste {also optional!}

Crack your eggs into a bowl and beat well {you may want to add a small splash of water}.
Add your dill, basil, garlic powder and salt + pepper into the bowl and beat well again.
When your pan is hot, add in your eggs and start to scramble them.
When they’re almost all the way cooked to your liking, turn off the heat and add in the goat cheese and mix it all around.
Plate it up and add some raw chopped walnuts on top if you’d like.
Serve with your favourite breakfast meat / vegetables and enjoy!

Lunch: Rustic Vegetable Soup

Dinner: Curried Chicken Skewers With Raita

Serve alongside 1 cup of steamed vegetables.

For the chicken skewers

12 ounces (340g) chicken breast
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon avocado oil
16 cherry tomatoes
8 6–8 inch (15–20cm) wooden skewers, soaked
2 teaspoons avocado / coconut oil, for grill, if using

For the raita

3/4 cup (190g) plain 0% Greek yogurt
1 cup (133g) cucumber, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Slice the chicken breast into 8 long strips, then place in a medium bowl. Add the curry powder, lemon juice and avocado oil and toss to coat.

Thread each chicken strip onto a skewer, wrapping around each tomato as you impale two tomatoes per skewer. Place on a plate and cover until time to grill or broil.

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, mint, salt and pepper and stir to mix. Refrigerate until time to serve.

Prepare a grill to medium heat, or preheat the broiler. If using the grill, preheat, then brush the grate with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. If broiling, line a sheet pan with foil and place the skewers on it, you won’t need the 2 teaspoons of oil.

Grill or broil for 2–3 minutes per side, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Serve with raita for dipping.

Snacks:

Raspberry, almond & oat breakfast cookies

Grab a few of these energy-boosting cookies for a quick breakfast, or offer as snacks to bridge the hunger gap before dinner. Enjoy with yogurt and fruit

2 ripe bananas , mashed, 150g porridge oats, 2 tbsp ground almonds, 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon, 100g raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Mix the banana, oats, almonds, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a bowl to make a sticky dough. Gently stir through the raspberries, trying not to break them up. Scoop up tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls, then place on a baking tray and flatten with your hand.

2. Bake for 15 mins until the cookies feel firm around the edges and are golden brown. Leave to cool. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Tropical Bars

Wrap up these tropical breakfast bars and pack up for an on-the-go fruity breakfast that will help to fill you up. Make them with just five ingredients, plus oil from your store cupboard. A healthier alternative!

3 tbsp vegetable oil , plus extra for the tin, 2 large, very ripe bananas, 1 large egg , beaten, 70g light brown soft sugar, 250g nutty muesli, 100g tropical dried fruit mix

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil and line a 20cm deep square tin with baking parchment.
Mash the bananas in a bowl until smooth, then stir through the oil, egg and sugar. Fold through the muesli, most of the tropical mix and a pinch of salt. Spoon the mixture into the tin and sprinkle with the remaining tropical mix. Bake for 35-40 mins, leave to cool in the tin, then turn out on to a board and slice into 10 bars. Will keep in an airtight container for four days.

Spinach and Feta Baked Egg Muffins

for 2 servings

6 large eggs, ½ cup baby spinach(20 g), roughly chopped, ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese(40 g), ¼ cup diced tomato(50 g), ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
Spray a six-cup muffin tray with nonstick spray.
In a bowl, add the eggs, spinach, feta, tomato, salt, and pepper, and stir to distribute ingredients.
Distribute the mixture evenly between the muffins cups.
Bake until the eggs are set, about 15 minutes.
Enjoy!