My Go To Low Carb 30 Minute Meals For Busy Weeknights How To Make Any Meal Low Carb

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What can be better when preparing a weeknight meal than a quick and low carb dish? These 30 Minute Meals are clean-eating and free of refined ingredients. They are easy to make, and more than delicious!

I love meals that are flavorful and full of nutrition. And even better, I enjoy making tasty dinners that Dustin and the kids love. 
With our busy schedules – you know, 4 kids on the go – making a meal come together quickly in 30 minutes or less is a necessity on a busy night!
And, in my house, it’s all about eating clean and feeling good about what’s on the table. Because you are what you eat, right?
While complex, nutrient-rich carbs are still an important part of our daily calories, we all know how excess carbs can make you feel sluggish, a little moody and just kind of blah. Well, focusing on low carb meals is gonna make you feel better, and that’s why I decided to put this post together.
To show you just how easy peasy it is to feel great about what you are eating – at every meal.
I’ve put together a list of my fave low carb 30 minute meals that are yummy and super easy to prepare. I’ve included keto-friendly, gluten-free, vegetarian, and more. You’ll see chicken, beef, and fish. I’ve got your soon-to-be favorite lunches,  savory weeknight dinners, and quick meal prep.
In other words, everything you need to eat healthy in 30 minutes is right at your fingertips. Read on and see for yourself!

HEALTHY REPLACEMENTS TO MAKE A MEAL LOW CARBSometimes we feel like dinner can’t be delicious unless there are tons of carbs in it. Well, that’s just not true, and in fact, when you are eating low carb, the flavors are even better! You can switch out heavy, empty carbs (no thank you) for fresh, savory foods, spiced and oh-so-yummy:
Instead of a thick, doughy pizza crust, try a low carb Cauliflower PizzaReplace carb-loaded pasta noodles with Turkey Meatballs With Spaghetti Squash NoodlesInstead of a tortilla, wrap your taco in lettuce or spinach leavesSwitch high carb french fries for tasty Jicama FriesAnother good exchange for pasta is zucchini noodlesMake cauliflower rice instead of regular riceSkip the heavy pancakes and indulge in Butternut Squash WafflesInstead of cereal for breakfast have a smoothieHOW TO MAKE YOUR FRIDGE AND PANTRY LOW CARB Now that you’ve got the idea and are learning that making your meals low carb is easy peasy, it’s time to restock the fridge with healthier ingredients than what you may have in there! This is what I mean:
Get rid of sugary sodas and juices and make infused water your choiceDitch the processed meats and prepare sandwich meat by grilling chickenSwap flavored yogurts with plain Greek yogurtReplace refined sugars with pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, and raw honeyFull-fat dairy products can be replaced by plant-based productsGet rid of packaged snack bars and cookies and bake your ownSwap white flour for almond flourPlain Greek yogurt can replace mayonnaise and sour creamUse coconut or olive oil instead of margarineTry ground almonds for breading instead of breadcrumbs
LOW CARB FRUITS AND VEGGIESThe best thing to do when aiming for a low carb eating regimen is to have healthy food at your fingertips – food that will help you achieve your clean-eating goals. Eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables is known to reduce the risk of disease (like heart disease and certain cancers) and lower the chance of obesity. Even if you have the goal of wanting to lose just a few pounds, watching what type of carbs you consume is essential.
Keep these tasty fruits and veggies on hand all of the time:
WatermelonAvocadoStrawberriesCantaloupePeachesCucumbersCeleryIceberg lettuceSpinachBell peppersBroccoliCauliflower
HOW TO SAVE TIME WHEN COOKINGHaving a list of low carb 30 minute meals is a good start to getting a healthy meal on the table pronto. But there are other things you can do to save time when cooking. Things like shopping at the beginning of the week and using time-saving appliances like the instant pot. 
Meal prep is an awesome way to make sure that you are feeding the family right. Take a few hours one afternoon or after the kids are in bed and prep for the week ahead. Prepare breakfasts, lunches and dinners, including grab and go smoothies and full sit-down meals where you and the kids can catch up on the day’s events.
Double up on tasks. For example, when making a homemade sauce, double the recipe and freeze the second portion for another day. And think of creative ways to use leftovers. Baking a chicken on the weekend? Use the leftovers in a hearty soup, ready in no time.
The main thing is to keep it healthy, and that’s what my list of 32 low carb 30 minute meals will help you achieve. 
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KETO AND LOW CARB?Both the keto diet and a low carb eating regimen reduce your carbohydrate consumption considerably. Let’s define the two:
Low carb diet: A low carb diet encourages you to strictly limit your intake of juices, breads, and grains. Your carb intake is suggested to be around 50-150 grams per day. 
Vegetables, healthy fats, and protein are increased. This promotes weight loss because you are leaving out a lot of the high carb foods you would normally eat. Cereals, starchy veggies like potatoes, grains such as rice, and beverages that have high carb content, such as juice top the list.
You can lose weight on a low carb diet if that is your goal, and the diet is also thought to help control the blood sugar, which is good for diabetics. As well, a low carb diet is believed to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Pros – This type of diet can be maintained long term, and you will cut out a lot of unhealthy processed foods. 
Cons – If cutting out a lot of carbs, you may experience constipation and weakness, and it does limit your food choices, especially fruit.
Keto diet:  The keto diet is low in carbs also, but high in fat. 50 grams of carbs per day is the rule. Your primary source of food will be meats and seafood, full-fat dairy, eggs, and fats like butter and olive oil. The vegetables you eat should come from above the ground (for example, cabbage, avocado, broccoli). Berries can be eaten in moderation.
Nutritional ketosis is the goal, where your body produces ketones from fat in the liver. The body then uses fat for fuel rather than carbs. You can lose weight on this diet, but it is hard to maintain this eating regimen for some.
Pros – Insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels may be improved. Your appetite may lower, which dieters consider a bonus. 
Cons – Side effects may be the keto flu (foggy brain, headaches, moodiness, and fatigue) and constipation. Your fruit intake is drastically lowered. Some will find the food regimen hard to maintain. 
MY FAVE LOW CARB 30 MINUTE MEALS
LOW CARB 30 MINUTE CHICKEN RECIPESChicken is a versatile meal that is always a favorite. Choose any one of these when you are looking for a meal with a low carbohydrate count.
Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai (pictured)Healthy Chicken MeatballsHealthy Chicken ParmesanOne Pan Chicken BruschettaBaked Almond Chicken Strips25-Minute Chicken Cauliflower Fried RiceEasy Chicken Piccata
LOW CARB 30 MINUTE BEEF RECIPESLean beef is always a go-to in our house for low-carb meals.  
Homemade Chili (pictured)Flank Steak With Chimichurri SaucePan-roasted Steak15-Minute Go-To Healthy Beef and Broccoli
LOW CARB 30 MINUTE PORK RECIPESPork is a good alternative when you are looking to change up the menu. Pair it with fresh veggies and enjoy!
Instant Pot Pulled Pork 4 Ways (pictured)Best Pork ChopsGarlic Roasted Pork ChopsPork Chops With Carolina Spice Rub
LOW CARB 30 MINUTE FISH AND SEAFOOD RECIPESSeafood cooks quickly, making it an ideal low carb 30 minute meal choice. Try one of these dishes and have it come out just right!
15-Minute Healthy Shrimp Scampi (pictured)Salmon Fish SticksBaked Sea Bass and ZucchiniSpicy Shrimp Tacos30 Minute Halibut Piccata With AsparagusPan-seared ScallopsPan-roasted Salmon
LOW CARB 30 MINUTE VEGETARIAN RECIPESEating vegetables is a sure-fire way to lower your carb count. Whip up these quick and good-for-you recipes!
Healthy Spring Rolls (pictured)Easy Cream of Broccoli SoupPerfect Fluffy Omelet
LOW CARB 30 MINUTE SALAD RECIPESA salad is just so right, any time of day! Have one for lunch or dinner!
Healthy Broccoli Salad With Greek Yogurt Dressing (pictured)Steak Cobb Salad With Avocado Lime DressingLeftover Turkey Salad With Cranberry VinaigretteSpinach Salad With Warm Bacon DressingBeet and Goat Cheese SaladEasy Mason Jar SaladsThis post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
The post My Go-To Low Carb 30 Minute Meals For Busy Weeknights + How To Make Any Meal Low Carb! appeared first on A Sweet Pea Chef.


* This article was originally published here

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