Lazy day keto suggestions?

(KM) #1

I occasionally feel tired and unmotivated in the evening. In the old days I might have made myself a big bowl of popcorn or some other simple carby food, maybe pancakes, or chips and a margarita. I don’t eat that way anymore, but there are still times when I walk into the kitchen in the evening and think screw this, I do not feel like pulling out a pan and making a greasy mess. Even if it’s quick, like bacon and eggs, I’m just not in the mood. Since I nibble nuts and cheese for lunch, I’m not that excited about making dinner of them as well.

It’s hard to explain, this is a combination of not wanting to cook and wanting a cuddle up movie night of comfort food. Edit: I’m talking about a sort of snacky meal in place of dinner, not in addition to it. Given the nuts and cheese at lunch, I’m usually a little low on protein by dinnertime.

Anyone have good suggestions for stuff to keep on hand or make in advance for these moments?

Edit: I did manage to make myself a pizza with a trader Joe’s cauliflower crust, Rao’s tomato sauce, loads of cheese and mushrooms. That was simple and didn’t involve frying anything. Not the best pizza I’ve ever had but it was pretty good. This is the sort of thing I’m looking for; I typically eat super clean food, organic, minimally processed, no chemicals, yada yada yada, I don’t want a store-bought frozen keto friendly Swanson dinner.

(Doug) #2

Meat from the refrigerator is what comes to mind. Slices, chunks, etc., either eaten cold or microwaved.

‘Making stuff in advance’ - this obviously opens up into a huge variety of things. If I’m going to do that, then I want to make big batches, like at least 4 or 5 meals worth, and it needs to be appealing day after day or at least before it goes bad; don’t want any waste, so maybe more of a tall order after all. I realize this probably isn’t helping at all. :smile:

‘No chemicals’ - so salami, pepperoni and the like are out? Ham, Canadian bacon/back bacon…? I’ve cooked chicken breasts, turkey, pork loins, beef roasts - then refrigerated thick slices or “planks” of them, just right to grab and eat or heat up on a little plate. Ribeyes or strip steaks - have them for supper one night, then have extras cooked and ready to go in the fridge; maybe microwave them with cheese on top to melt it during the next few days.

#3

I don’t snack in the evenings any more, but when I did, here’s a few things I’d satisfy myself with from time to time (excluding garbage keto snacks that I got myself into, as you say you eat super clean, and I do myself now these days):

  • Olives – so many varieties!
  • Prosciutto (and other cold cuts/fancy meats)
  • Cook up some meats earlier in the week and cut off some slices (or if lazy, Costco sell snack packs of turkey, etc)
  • Cheese (you eat cheese at lunch, but get something totally different to what you normally have, so many varieties; also Moon Cheese is just made from cheese and will give you a ‘crunch’)
  • Zero sugar jerky or biltong
  • Sardines or other tinned fish
  • Boiled eggs (to stop them being boring, I’d add some hot sauce or something)
  • Blackberries and strawberries (a low carb amount)

Something to help sooth the tiredness, but not necessarily give you that “snack” feeling would be a nice cup of bone broth.

#4

Finger food is great for watching movies. Boiled eggs (I boil a few ahead when I am in the kitchen anyway), pieces of cold meat or chicken etc., cheese, and yes, olives and nuts, some strawberries… just a little bit of each to munch on.

Sometimes, when I want something more like a real meal, I take a Mission low carb soft tortilla and put a line of shredded cheese down the middle, and any cut up leftover meat or even a hot dog or some other leftovers on top, place it open faced in the micro for one minute. When I take it out, I fold the sides over the top and hold in place for just a couple of seconds and it stays like that. Voila, a burrito. Pinch the ends together too - a hot pocket. Its very fast and super versatile.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #5

Keep hot dogs or ground beef already formed into patties (which can be put in the pan frozen or thawed in the microwave), roast a pork shoulder or other joint of meat (all you have to do is put it in the oven). Make stew at the weekend and freeze in individual portions. Do the same thing with salad greens, so you can have a salad with your meat. You could also pre-cook a pound or two of bacon and a large egg frittata, and then make meal-sized portions for during the week. You get the idea.

And I don’t believe there could possibly be such a thing as a “keto-friendly Swanson dinner,” just in the nature of things.

#6

Mood or not, I need proper food. But I need the least effort on carnivore. It’s just tossing something into a pan or the oven and pan. If it’s the oven, it may be enough for days though 30 eggs in a pot lasts for a while too… (Once I cooked 50 but I am not into boiled eggs that much… Never again :D)

You mentioned pancakes, well that is way more work but I love pancakes. Or used to. Pancakes are more like keto in my world, not carnivore :frowning: I love dessert ones too much :smiley:

It’s not the cooking, it’s the time vs hungry me. I learned my lesson a few times (sometimes I forget), I NEED ready to eat food in the freezer (if there isn’t some in the other part of the fridge but that disappears way too easily especially nowadays when meat slabs can be super tiny due to a price cap the government enforced). Multiple kinds if possible, I can be choosy.
Today we ate the fried fish from the freezer (not my big fav anyway but nice variety or emergency extra bite), I still have some fatty pork roast and lots of sausage there. If I could get satiated by some eggs or cheese, it would have been way easier but that’s not me. Sometimes I keep boiled eggs (pickled or not) in the fridge. Very rarely I keep my sponge cakes in the freezer but they disappear very quickly… That’s my bread. 100% eggs. But I have keto bread recipes too, I just rarely use them as it’s not carnivore and anyway, my sponge cakes are better… I am an egg fan but still couldn’t live on them, I need meat. And meat is SUPER easy. It was nice when I could put 3.5 kg of fatty pork into my mini oven pan (I mean, I have a mini oven, a pretty big one for a mini oven and I have an oven pan that is even way smaller), that lasted for quite a few days as I had my low-meat carnivore times back then.

But I like various processed meats, they help me out BUT they aren’t “proper” meat, feels not right to depend on them (despite I see zero problem with processed meat. the ingredients are fine), they are my fun extras, not my base food. That’s meat and eggs. BUT in emergency? They helps. Tinned fish may too. And cheese even though it doesn’t satiate me well…

I never understood eating while watching stuff (except in the deepest part of my peanut addiction) but if I wanted to snack on something nice and wouldn’t care about my fat intake (or I would make sure it’s needed), I would gladly snack on scratchings any time.
But raw vegs or sauerkraut comes to mind as well…

I don’t have carnivore snack food. I eat a substantial meat at mealtimes and that’s about it. My snack is mostly coffee but I should quit.

#7

Oh yes, that’s fine too. I can’t get such things here (or they cost a fortune) but they sound good for a snack.

#8

I can’t speak for biltong, but the good thing is, jerky is relatively simple to make. A few years back I purchased a simple dehydrator machine from Amazon (I’m assuming you could find something similar in Hungary, or nearby in EU) and it’s super easy to process your chosen meat into jerky. That way you get to try more exotic flavors, and can guarantee it’s got no sugar.

#9

I don’t have a noticeable need for jerky though a little here and there might be nice…?
You are right, I could do it. I have a dehydrator I don’t use (vegetarian low-carb with some interest in raw vegan cuisine - that’s why I have the machine - is so very different from the carnivore-ish woe I mostly do now :D).
Thanks, I will think about it :wink:

(KM) #10

Perhaps not, lol. But I’m sure there are companies out there delighted to make a KETO FRIENDLY, GLUTEN FREE !!! tv tray meal stuffed full of preservatives, maltodextrin, soybean oil and adulterated “low carb” wheat product (for twice the price of a regular frozen dinner).

(KM) #11

Yes, that’s definitely a big part of it. Especially when I’m alone, I tend to get involved in other things, and at some point later than I intended I’m suddenly hungry and waltz into the kitchen, only to realize I didn’t defrost anything and ate the last of the real food in the fridge yesterday. Not only will it take an extra hour to defrost meat properly, I’m already not in the mood to cook, I’m in the mood to eat and go sit down and watch a movie, NOW!!!

Tonight is going to be hot wings, which I did defrost ahead of time, yay!

Your post reminded me, I like sardines straight out of the can, so I actually do have a really good and clean protein with good fat, with no work at all. Thanks!

(KM) #12

I will eat those but I still try to read the labels. The bacon I’m eating for example is probably just salted pork belly, it’s uncured. - last night I broke down and defrosted a piece of corned beef (most definitely not “clean”) that I had in the freezer for hubs. Close to a pound, it should have lasted two meals. It didn’t. :grin:

#13

Canned fish works - sardines, or cod liver - don’t shudder, it tastes nothing like cod liver oil. It has a very delicate taste and texture, reminds me more of heavy cream if anything. I love that stuff. Also, canned tuna and a little Mayo makes a quick meal. Some people like kippered herring and there are all kinds of delicious, canned seafood treats. I always keep some of those in my rather barren pantry.

#14

Cod liver is AMAZING. But then I fried chicken liver in the plenty of leftover oil, it tasted so mild, what could possibly go wrong, I thought…? I was serious work to consume the result. (Maybe only I get such stupid ideas but I had to use it somehow and I rarely fry fish.)
But cod liver itself is one of my favorites. So tasty and tender! Too easy to eat :smiley: Good emergency food.

(KCKO, KCFO) #15

I eat things like tuna fish, sardines, unprocessed pepperoni slices,and smoked salmon when I don’t feel like cooking. I eat them with almond crackers or cloud bread. Some olives or pickles along with it is great for movie nights.

I also keep bone broth or a keto soup like cauliflower and leek, around for lazy nights. In addition, If I am not really hungry at all, I just fast.

(MC) #16

My easy go to snack = some heavy cream + dessicated coconut + cocoa. Keeps me off the chocolate too. Just mix in a cup or pot or dish and eat with a spoon. I really need to try a coffee version of that.

(Laurie) #17

I marinate some pork portions. Sometimes ribs, sometimes chops, or just pieces. Then I cook them, and wrap and freeze the portions. A nice snack to microwave later.

As you mentioned, keto pizza.

A beef or pork roast. A hot meal one day, then cold leftovers for snacks. Of course you can do the same with chicken.

Meatballs. You can buy them, or make your own and freeze. Microwave a few (with or without sauce) as a snack.

I do a lot of make-ahead meals and freeze (mostly ground beef with curry seasoning). I don’t use them for snacks, but I guess I could.

(Laurie) #18

Did anyone mention pork rinds? You can make a nice dip for them with yogurt, sour cream, and/or mayonnaise.

(Luke) #19

I buy a few ready made frozen keto meals. You have to make sure you only use them when you are really stuck.