10 Vegan Keto Hacks You’ll Love!
Can you eat keto as a vegan? I believe you can. These vegan keto hacks will make your transition to a low-carb lifestyle an easy one.
I will admit that I am a big meat eater myself, in fact, I practice the carnivore diet often whenever I want to reset my diet or breakthrough a keto stall. But keto isn’t only for meat-eaters. There are several vegan keto hacks that will make your low-carb life easier while still remaining healthy and vegan.
Vegan Keto Diet
A vegan keto diet is a great option for those looking to lose some weight or simply be healthy. The basic principle behind this diet is to keep carbohydrates low, proteins high, and fats adequate. Let’s see what are the best vegan meals that fit into this type of menu.
Let me let you in on a secret. Vegans eat a lot of carbs. With every diet, there’s junk food and processed foods and things we really shouldn’t be eating and this is true with keto and veganism.
Vegans are supposed to eat more veggies than most but a lot end up eating pesto pasta and potatoes and ignoring veggies far too often.
10 Vegan Keto Hacks
Let’s look at some ways you can lower your carb count while still remaining a flag-bearing vegan.
Veggie-friendly keto snacks
1. Keto Pesto Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash is dreamy in its own right but when you add pesto, it truly becomes a spaghetti fit for a king. It’s easy enough to make and only requires a few ingredients: a spaghetti squash, vegan pesto (you can make your own but there’s no shame in buying at the store), salt and pepper to taste, and optional olive oil or Vegan Parmesan cheese if you want an extra layer of flavor. If you’ve been eating way too much pasta lately, this is one habit you’ll want to swap for its low-carb version.
2. Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles)
Sometimes the best vegan keto hacks are also some of the simplest like these zucchini noodles. If you have a spiralizer then you can definitely use that or a julienne peeler. If I’m being honest though, I usually just buy zoodles at Trader Joe’s because they’re pre-spiralized and are great in a pinch! Top with your favorite sauce – marinara, pesto, or even macadamia nut cheese sauce – and enjoy!
3. Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower rice is also a staple in the vegan keto lifestyle. It’s easy to make and only takes about 10 minutes to cook on the stovetop or 20 minutes in the oven if you prefer. This is another dish that’s super versatile and can be purchased already done in the frozen section of your favorite grocery store. Use it to make fried rice, keto Egg Roll in a Bowl, keto grits, or as your go-to side dish instead of potatoes and other starches.
4. Roasted Veggies
While keto is a low-carb diet, it doesn’t mean you should avoid all carbs altogether. Roasted veggies are great substitutes for pasta dishes or mashed potatoes! Roasted veggies are delicious and guilt-free as they pack a powerful vitamin and mineral punch as well as loads of fiber and flavor! Try sprinkling them with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano for an extra kick of flavor too!
5. Low Carb Smoothie Bowls
Smoothies can be quite healthy if you choose your ingredients carefully and keep the carb count low. A smoothie bowl is a great alternative to a typical smoothie as it contains fiber-rich foods like chia seeds, flaxseeds, spinach, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, etc… This can be a good way of getting those greens in if you’re struggling with veggie intake on keto or veganism. You can still add your favorite fruit toppings but I would keep it to berries, coconut flakes, nuts, and seeds. Use stevia and monk fruit if you want it to have a little sweetness that you may miss from adding high-sugar fruits such as bananas and pineapples.
6. Keto Vegan Ice Cream
Who says you have to give up ice cream when going low-carb? Not me that’s for sure! There are several brands of keto vegan-friendly ice cream that will satisfy your cravings without blowing your macros or net carb intake for the day! You can even add a little peanut butter or use the mint flavor to make yourself a low-carb vegan mint chocolate chip sandwich with a hot cup of coffee.
7. Keto Vegan “Milk” Shakes
Shakes are the way to go if you’re struggling with vegan breakfasts. Try making your own healthier version of the typical milkshake by using unsweetened almond milk (or any other nut milk), avocado (for creaminess), cacao powder (for flavor), vanilla extract, stevia, and ice cubes. This will give you the same feel as a dairy-loaded shake but it’s actually something that’s good for you!
8. Avocado Bacon Toast
Did I say bacon? Yes I did! Try this brand of delicious vegan bacon bits or make your own using coconut flakes mixed with liquid smoke, maple syrup, and black pepper and tossing in the oven.
Avocado toast is usually considered a breakfast food but I’ve been eating it at any point of the day because why not? It’s delicious, satisfying, and loaded with healthy fats to help keep your energy levels up.
If you’re looking for something quick but still tasty then this is definitely one of my go-to vegan keto hacks! These days there are many recipes for vegan keto bread and many tasty store-bought options to make the switch to a keto avocado toast easy and convenient.
9. Tofu Scramble
Tofu is a staple in most healthy vegan diets so why not use it for breakfast? It’s high in protein and complete amino acids which help regulate mental clarity, muscle growth, hormonal balance, cardiovascular health, stress management… Basically, everything you want from a nutritious start to your day!
Scramble up your tofu, add some veggies and spices and you’ll be craving this meal every day.
10. Keto BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
This vegan bbq sandwich is the perfect summertime treat for anyone who’s wanting that BBQ taste at the cookouts! Get your hands on some canned jackfruit in brine (not syrup) (or try this already roasted and BBQ-ready option) as it is an amazing way to get more fiber in your diet with minimal carbs. The whole family will love this vegan keto hack and you’ll feel great knowing it’s healthy too! (Try with these keto dairy-free burger buns)
See! There are lots of ways you can still eat healthy and vegan on a ketogenic diet!
Many people worry that they won’t get enough protein or nutrients like iron, Vitamin B12, Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA & EPA), calcium, etc when switching to a vegan keto lifestyle. I do recommend supplementing when doing a vegan low-carb diet, but I’m not singling you out.
I take and recommend supplements for all keto dieters because the fact is that a lot of us simply aren’t getting all our vitamins and nutrients from the food we eat daily. Things like Vitamin D3 and Magnesium are essential and difficult to get in our daily diet, vegan or not.
There are plenty of ways to make this diet work for you!
I hope this article will be useful to you guys. I just wanted to give everyone some ideas of what you can do if you’re trying out the vegan keto or low-carb, high-fat lifestyle.
