Fall is the perfect time of year for comfort food. As the weather gets cooler, most of us crave hearty meals that warm us up rather than the light salads and refreshing smoothies that are popular during the summer months.
The only problem with fall comfort food? Oftentimes it’s loaded with bread, pasta, and potatoes presenting a major dilemma for anyone trying to stick to a healthy diet plan. Fortunately, there are plenty of delicious, healthy alternatives to fall favorites that taste decadent without sacrificing nutritional value or derailing a diet. Indulge this fall with these easy ideas for low carb meals you’ll love:
Chili
Fall is football season and one of our favorite tailgating recipes is chili. Whether you make chili with ground beef or turkey, or keep it vegetarian with beans or squash, most chili recipes are high in protein and low in carbs. Chili also freezes well, so make an extra batch to have on hand for busy nights when you don’t have time to make dinner.
Soup
When it’s cool outside, nothing warms you up faster than a hot bowl of soup. To keep soup low carb but adequate in protein, avoid noodles and load up the broth with black beans, chickpeas, chicken, turkey or ground beef. Try making soups with seasonal flavors like pumpkin or butternut squash for a twist.
Lasagna
Traditional lasagna is one of the most comforting cold-weather meals out there, but unfortunately the pasta noodles make it high in refined carbohydrates. For a low carb lasagna that’s still packed with flavor, substitute eggplant, zucchini or portobello mushrooms for the noodles. You’ll still get the meaty, cheesy flavor you love and won’t even miss the pasta.
Breakfast for Dinner
Just because it’s dinnertime doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy breakfast food! Omelets, crustless quiches and frittatas are all made with eggs so they’re great sources of protein. Add nitrate-free bacon or sausage to your egg dishes for an extra boost of protein.
Stuffed Vegetables
Stuffed zucchini, mushrooms and peppers are all yummy low carb ways to get your protein and meet fiber and vegetable requirements. Stuff veggies with ground beef, turkey, chicken or sausage for a healthy low carb meal, and use chickpeas for a vegetarian option.
You don’t need refined carbs to make satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs dinners. Fantastic meals like the ones above will fill you up without weighing you down or ruining your diet plan. Get creative and have fun experimenting with different fall low carb comfort food recipes!
