I’ve been eating a Keto lifestyle since May, give or take. I was a little off kilter when I was on vacation, but for the most part I have been following a low carb, high protein and high fat diet while keeping my net carbs under 40g. Which is pretty hard as a vegetarian/pescatarian and I have learned a lot over the last few months which is why I thought I would share my Keto friendly Trader Joe’s Haul on the blog this weekend.

Protein:

I eat fish maybe twice a month, it’s definitely not a daily occurrence for me which means I need to be a bit creative with my proteins. I eat a lot of tempeh, soy chorizo and grilling cheese which I don’t have listed as I get it at a different store. Occasionally I will make tacos or something with the beef-less crumbles to give it texture and added protein. When I do eat fish, I prefer to pick mine up at Trader Joe’s because they are wild caught. Yes, it’s frozen but it makes a world of difference in taste not being farm raised and since I eat so little of it frozen is actually best.

To help get my daily macro’s or goals I make myself a cheese plate every afternoon which includes gouda, nuts and olives. I love pistachios, pecans and this time I picked up these individual packed almonds!

Pantry:

Going through the pantry aisles is always the most eye opening for me. This is where I have to watch myself and read labels as I will go for something and be shocked how many carbs are in it! After months of picking things up, these are my favorites. Naturally I’m sure you’ve heard about the Everything Seasoning. GET IT! I tend to stock up! The olives are good for my daily cheese plates as well as an awesome source of good fats. Green Chiles and Chile Lime seasoning are always fun to add when I’m cooking with the chorizo and need a more Mexican flare for dinner. The EVOO is my bread and butter so to speak. I honestly use it for everything! This large $8 bottle even comes with a little spout for easy pouring!

Veggies:

Yes, I do eat a LOT more vegetables than this. Most of my veggies I pick up at Costco but the occasional item I will grab such as mushrooms or arugula. This Riced Cauliflower Stir Fry is AMAZING!!! I can’t praise it enough, I’ve even got my Mamaw hooked on it!

Honorable Mentions:

These items I already have at home, so they are not in my cart at the moment. Coconut Oil is a staple in my life but I tend to use it a bit more sparingly.  I load up on the Palak Paneer for quick meals when I’m too tired to cook. (It’s only 8 net carbs for the whole thing!) My favorite breakfast is 2 breakfast patties with cheese on top during the week and these have an extra kick than the morning star ones. I usually have to buy 3 of the chocolates when I buy them. (1 net carb per wedge) One for my work, one for home and one for my Mom!If you’re interested in the specific Keto plan that I’ve been on, check it out here. Hopefully this helps any Keto-Vegetarian newbie as I know I have learned a ton along the way. The best part is that I feel so much better when eating this lifestyle. I have more energy, I’m losing inches weekly, I am no longer allergic to dairy and so on. I could honestly do an entire post on how good this has been for me. To give you a little insight, I eat less than 40 net carbs a day. (Net Carb=Total Carb-Fiber)

Have a fantastic weekend y’all!