3 Unique Keto-Friendly Food Items You Can Make at Home

Keto diets might be a recent trend, but the benefits of such diets definitely make a strong case for committing to them. However, when you are on a keto diet, you cannot really indulge freely in desserts or sushi, which usually tend to be pretty high in carbs. But what if there was a way to enjoy your favorite desserts or popular Japanese delicacies without cheating on your diet?

You do not always have to say “no” to desserts or sushi if they fit into your healthy lifestyle. In fact, by swapping a few ingredients, you can cook or bake a number of keto-friendly sushi and desserts at home. Both baking and sushi-making require a lot of attention to detail and precise presentation techniques. You can learn those skills yourself or gift your partner baking and/or sushi-making classes if you want to make keto-friendly sushi and desserts at home.

Here are several healthier versions of sushi and popular desserts that you should try today.

1. Keto Sushi Without Rice

A majority of traditional sushi items are made with rice, contributing to their high-carb stats. However, you can enjoy some sushi recipes while on a keto diet by replacing regular rice with cream cheese filling or a cauliflower rice mixture. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

Nori sheets
Salmon or protein of your choice
Avocado
Vegetable sticks, such as celery, jicama, carrots, etc.
Full-fat cream cheese
Sesame seeds, soy sauce, and wasabi paste

Once you have gathered these ingredients, follow the steps mentioned below:

Make the Keto-Friendly Sushi Filling:

Mix the cream cheese in a small mixing bowl with a fork until the filling softens.
Add avocado to the cream cheese and mix well.
You can add other flavors, such as sesame seeds, smoked salmon, and wasabi paste.

Roll the Sushi:

Place a nori sheet across a bamboo mat.
Dip your finger in water and wet the 2cm (1 inch) edge of the nori sheet to make the sheet stick.
Spread the sushi filling all over the nori sheet.
Place the vegetable sticks in the middle of the sheet.
Roll the sushi tightly using the bamboo roller.

Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into small sushi rolls
Serve the sushi rolls with soy sauce, sesame seeds, and a small amount of wasabi paste.

You can keep these sushi rolls in the fridge for up to 3 days. While carrying these sushi rolls for lunch, make sure these are packed in an insulated container with a chiller block.

2. Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are great for occasional treats. Instead of munching on store-bought cookies that are often unhealthy, you can try making these straightforward, keto-friendly chocolate chip cookies at home. You will need the following ingredients for these healthier chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour (can be substituted with coconut flour)
2-4 tablespoons chocolate chips (sugar-free)
2 tablespoons powdered sweetener
¼ tablespoon salt
⅛ tablespoon baking soda
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk (of your choice)

Once you have gathered the ingredients, you need to follow these steps:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Stir dry ingredients well.
Add wet ingredients to create a dough.
Shape the dough into multiple cookies and place on a cookie tray
Bake on the center rack for 10-12 minutes.
Let the cookies cool off for at least 10 minutes before handling,

That’s how you make keto chocolate chip cookies.

3. Low-Carb Classic Cheesecake:

The massive amount of sugar and refined flour in cheesecake contributes to its high-carb profile. Quite naturally, it cannot be a part of your keto diet. However, you can bake a keto version of this delicious dessert without jeopardizing your healthy lifestyle. To make a healthier version of cheesecake, you need the following ingredients:

For the Cheesecake Crust:

Almond flour
Butter
Granulated Sugar substitute (erythritol, xylitol, or an erythritol blend)
Vanilla Extract

For the Filling:

Cream cheese (full-fat or low-fat both works)
Powdered sweetener
Eggs
Lemon juice
Vanilla Extract

Once you have the ingredients, you need to follow the steps mentioned below:

Make the Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix dry ingredients, ensuring the dough is slightly crumbly.
Press the dough into the bottom of a pan after lining its bottom with parchment paper.
Bake the crust for about 10 minutes.
Set the crust aside for it to cool off for a few minutes.

Make the Filling:

Beat cream cheese and powdered sweetener until fluffy.
Add eggs to it, one at a time.
Add lemon juice and vanilla extract.

Assemble and Bake:

Add the filling mixture into the pan over the crust.
Place the cheesecake in the oven for about 40-55 minutes to bake.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven for it to cool off.
Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

That’s all. Slice the cheesecake and indulge.

A Culinary Twist Towards Keto-Friendly Bliss

As you can see, the technique of making keto-friendly sushi and desserts remains the same as making their conventional counterparts. So, if you have a recipe for sushi or a dessert, just replace certain ingredients with their low-carb, healthier alternatives and enjoy those delicious food items at home.