How to organise a keto barbecue?
Adapting classic barbecue recipes to the requirements of the ketogenic diet is relatively easy, but requires strict adherence to the principles of the diet as well as reading product labels. You need to give up carbohydrate side dishes, such as potatoes, rice or pasta, and all the barbecue salads which include them. The keto diet also does not allow classic bread or toasts to be served with barbecue dishes. Sauces containing large amounts of carbohydrates as well as marinades with sugar, sweet syrups and honey are forbidden.
Instead, meat, fish and seafood, cheese, low-starch vegetables (e.g. peppers, zucchini, eggplant) and mushrooms are great for the keto barbecue. There are also many low-carbohydrate sauces that go well with barbecue dishes.
It is also important to pick the right beverages meeting the requirements of the ketogenic diet. For example, sugar-free lemonade can be served with barbecue dishes. Remember that most alcoholic beverages, such as beer (including non-alcoholic versions), cocktails and drinks, are also forbidden on the keto diet.
When planning the menu for a keto barbecue, you can use a practical table with a breakdown of products.
Dietitian’s tip: grilling releases significant amounts of pro-inflammatory compounds with adverse health effects, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs). To reduce their adverse effects on the body, always serve a generous dose of antioxidants with grilled dishes, such as salads of fresh vegetables, with good quality olive oil.
Keto kofta with feta cheese
Ingredients for 6 pieces:
- 500 g of ground beef (or lamb),
- 1 spring onion,
- 60 g of feta cheese,
- a handful of fresh coriander or mint,
- 3 cloves of garlic,
- spices: a teaspoon of ground paprika, a teaspoon of cumin, a teaspoon of ground coriander seeds, half a teaspoon of ground ginger, a teaspoon of pepper, a teaspoon of salt,
- lemon.
Ingredients for tzatziki sauce:
- 300 g of Greek yoghurt,
- a cucumber,
- a clove of garlic,
- a spoonful of lemon juice,
- 20 ml of olive oil,
- a pinch of salt.
Preparation:
- Chop the spring onion into small cubes. Crush garlic through a press. Chop the herbs finely.
- Mix the meat with spring onions, garlic, herbs and spices. Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Cut the feta cheese into oblong strips.
- Grease your hands with oil or olive oil. Divide the meat into 6 parts. Place feta cheese in the centre of each piece of meat (it should not stick out, it must be thoroughly covered with meat on all sides).
- Form oblong ‘sausages’ from the meat and stuff them on skewer sticks previously dipped in water.
- Grill for about 6 minutes on each side until evenly browned.
- Grate the cucumber, salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Squeeze off the juice and mix with yoghurt, pressed garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Season the sauce with salt.
- Serve the koftas drizzled with lemon juice and tzatziki sauce.
Macronutrients per serving:
- Energy: 365 kcal
- Protein: 20 g
- Fat: 28 g
- Total carbohydrates: 17 g
- Net carbohydrates: 7.6 g
Read also: Grilled Dishes for the Athlete: What to Grill Besides Meat
Grilled portobello with goat cheese filling
Ingredients for 3 servings:
- 3 large portobello mushrooms,
- 100 g of goat cheese in slices,
- 30 ml of unrefined rapeseed oil,
- a teaspoon of chili flakes,
- a handful of leaf parsley,
- 45 g of hazelnuts,
- a pinch of salt.
Preparation:
- Clean the mushrooms and cut off the stems so that the cap remains intact.
- Mix goat cheese with oil and chili.
- In a dry skillet, toast the nuts until browned.
- Chop the nuts very finely or grind to powder in a blender.
- Place the mushrooms on a medium hot grill with the gills facing outward. Sprinkle with salt and grill for about 2-3 minutes until the juices are released.
- Fill the mushrooms with cheese stuffing and sprinkle with nuts.
- Grill for about 5 minutes until heated through and until the stuffing is melted.
- Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Macronutrients per serving:
- Energy: 148 kcal
- Protein: 10 g
- Fat: 26 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Net carbohydrates: 4 g
Grilled asparagus in bacon
Ingredients for 2 servings:
- about 10 green asparagus (about 400 g – with woody ends),
- 100 g (10 thin slices) of bacon,
- coloured pepper,
- fresh thyme.
Preparation:
- Break off the woody ends from the asparagus.
- Sprinkle the bacon slices with thyme.
- Wrap each asparagus carefully with bacon, placing thyme on the inside.
- Grill the asparagus over medium heat until the bacon is browned.
- Sprinkle the grilled asparagus generously with freshly ground coloured pepper.
Macronutrients:
- Energy: 191 kcal
- Protein: 10 g
- Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.5 g
- Net carbohydrates: 1.5 g
Vegetarian keto skewers with halloumi
Ingredients for 4 large skewers:
- a package of halloumi cheese (about 225 g),
- medium zucchini,
- pepper,
- 8 mushrooms,
- a tablespoon of herbes de Provence,
- 20 ml of olive oil,
- 1 avocado,
- 2 handfuls of leaf parsley,
- 1 lime,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- half a teaspoon of salt.
Preparation:
- Cut halloumi into equal-sized cubes (about 12 pieces).
- Wash the zucchini and cut it lengthwise into thin strips, for example with a vegetable peeler. Sprinkle the strips with herbes de Provence.
- Cut the peppers into cubes. Clean the mushrooms, and if they are large, cut them into halves or quarters.
- Moisten the skewer sticks and successively stuff the following on them: peppers, halloumi, mushrooms, concertina-folded zucchini slice.
- Grill the skewers on both sides for about 5 minutes until the halloumi cheese is browned.
- Prepare sauce for the skewers: blend the avocado, lime juice and parsley with olive oil and garlic. Season with salt.
- Serve the skewers with green sauce.
Macronutrients per 1 skewer:
- Energy: 314 kcal
- Protein: 15 g
- Fat: 24 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Net carbohydrates: 6.5 g
Steak in keto mustard marinade
Ingredients for 2 servings:
- beef steak, such as flat rib or rib eye (about 450 g),
- 60 g of Dijon mustard (or any sugar-free mustard),
- a tablespoon of apple vinegar,
- 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil,
- 3 sprigs of rosemary,
- freshly ground black pepper,
- coarse salt,
- 1 spring onion.
Preparation:
- Mix mustard with apple vinegar and oil. Chop the spring onion finely and add to the marinade.
- Surround the steak with the marinade, add rosemary sprigs, cover with aluminum foil and put in the fridge for at least an hour (preferably several hours).
- 30 minutes before grilling, remove the steak from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
- Remove excess marinade from the meat. Grill the steak on a well-heated grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side (for a medium rare version).
- Remove the steak from the heat for 5 minutes, then slice. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and salt.
- Serve with plenty of fresh vegetables (such as Greek salad).
Macronutrients per serving:
- Energy: 511 kcal
- Protein: 50 g
- Fat: 29 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
- Net carbohydrates: 5 g