How to Eat Plant-Based Keto Zone & Pesto Zucchini Noodle Dinner
Keto Zone is a high fat, low-carbohydrate diet and lifestyle that uses ketones in the body instead of glucose for fuel and energy. There are many health, focus, and energy benefits to this. However, did you know that Keto Zone can be plant-based? If you’d like, you can make it 100% vegan, a looser vegetarian, or mostly plant-based with select animal products. Here’s how to eat plant-based Keto Zone, and one of our favorite recipes to get you started.
Plant-Powered Keto Zone Pesto Zucchini Noodle Dinner
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchinis
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced red bell peppers (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dry)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper ground
Pesto:
- Keto Zone Pesto (see recipe)
- Optional: fresh basil leaves
Instructions
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Prepare zucchini noodles: Slice off the ends of the zucchini. Using a food spiralizer to make the ‘noodles’ by twisting the entire zucchini through the device. If you don’t have a spiralizer, slice zucchini strips as thinly as possible. Then, cut down zucchini for shorter noodles.
- Prepare Keto Zone pesto (omit cheese).
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Next, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat until warm. Add tomatoes, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
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Add the zucchini noodles and pesto and mix gently. Stir and heat until noodles and pesto are warmed through, just 1-2 minutes. Serve either warm or cold.
Why Choose Plant-Based Keto Zone?
While not everyone wants to follow a plant-based plan, many people do for cost savings, environmental reasons, to make a strong push against high cholesterol, and more.
And what’s more, many non-vegan meat-eating Keto Zone eaters still eat many, many plant foods.
Either way, it’s worthwhile to find out which foods make great plant-based keto options, and how to get the protein and healthy fats you need from plans if you forego the animal products.
How to Eat Plant-Based Keto Zone
There’s great news. You can get into the Keto Zone with a healthy plant-based Keto Zone plan. And, you can do so while getting all the healthy fat and protein nutrients you need for overall health.
Here’s what to eat.
Start with Fats: Plant-Based Keto Zone Fats
Keto Zone starts with fats. Here are great healthy fat options:
- Extra-virgin olive oil and olives
- MCT oil or MCT oil powder
- Coconut meat and coconut oil
- Avocado and avocado oil
- Nuts and seeds (see list below)
Plant-Based Keto Zone Proteins
While proteins make up only a small percentage of Keto Zone calories (just 15-20%), they are still important. Proteins provide nutrients that support cell health and repair, metabolism, hormones, and more. Some great plant-based Keto Zone proteins include:
Nuts and Seeds
- Pecans
- Brazil nuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Walnuts
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds (make sure they’re ground)
- Hemp seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
Each 1/4 cup of hemp seeds gives you healthy fats and a protein boost!
Edamame and Tempeh
Natural edamame is a great source of protein (although it’s best to avoid an overload of processed soy-fortified foods). Choose edamame, organic tofu, and tempeh. You can eat them roasted, dry roasted, and in salads.
Each 1/2 cup of edamame can give you an 8.5-gram boost!
When choosing edamame and tempeh, make sure they contain no added flavors, seasoning, or grains that increase the carbs. Also, choose non-GMO and organic.
Avoid soybean-based processed foods as these often have sugars, carbs, MSG, and other ingredients added.
Vegan Protein Powders
It can be difficult to find a high-protein low-carb powder with good, wholesome ingredients. But look no further, as Dr. Colbert’s Protein Supremefood delivers all of this.
It is an organic-based, non-GMO, brown rice- and pea-based protein powder. It only has 1 gram of net carbs per serving and is fortified with health-promoting ginger and turmeric. What’s more, it delivers a whopping 15 grams of protein per serving!
Non-Vegan Options
Even while eating plant-based, many vegetarians will still include eggs, dairy, or other proteins as desired. If this is the case, local free-range eggs, plain Greek yogurt and cream, and hydrolyzed collagen powder are great protein sources.
Plant-Based Keto Dairy
Next, if you’re looking for plant-based keto-friendly milk and/or dairy substitute, there are now many to choose from. Try:
- Coconut milk or cream, cashew milk, or almond milk (with little or no preservatives and no sugars)
- Vegan butter with healthy oils like olive oil
- Cashew cream or low-carb vegan cheeses made with healthy oils
- Coconut or cashew yogurt (unsweetened)
Vegan Keto Carbs: Tons of Low-Carb Veggies
Lastly, try to overflow your diet with healthful leafy greens and low-carb vegetables when you’re in the Keto Zone, whether plant-based or not. You can include:
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Artichokes
- Baby bok choy
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Celery
- Collard Greens
- Cucumbers
- Edamame
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- Garlic and onions
- Herbs like basil, mint, oregano, parsley and more
- Leafy greens, spinach, and kale
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Radishes
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Zucchini
You can also add a small number of fruits like berries (~1/4 cup per day), and/or use Red and Green Supremefood for a Keto Zone fruit and vegetable boost!
Healthy Plant-Based Keto Drinks
And of course, there are many plant-based Keto Zone drinks that nourish your body. In addition to water throughout the day, add black tea, green tea, and coffee for great brain-health, metabolism, and whole-body health benefits.
Bottom Line
If you want to eat a plant-based Keto Zone diet, you can certainly do it! You can get in the Keto Zone, without any animal products or only a select few you want to include. The Keto Zone is a wonderful and highly effective healthy eating plan that works well either way! Join our Keto Zone Community!
