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Low-Carb Foods and Snacks to Munch On

Marian K
Low-carb foods and snacks are an essential part of the diet of any person suffering from diabetes. However, the good news is that the list of low-carbohydrate foods is long, and the options are many. We have a few such options here that you can incorporate in your diet.
Low-carbohydrate diets are usually followed with the purpose to control or reduce weight or to treat obesity. However, another equally important reason for some to follow this diet is as a part of certain treatment for some other medical conditions, usually diabetes or epilepsy.
There are low-carb vegetables, fruits and other varieties like sea foods, meat and dairy products that offer a wide range of foods for planning a low-carb diet schedule. Following is a list of some such food items for breakfast, lunch or in between meals, take a look.

Some Quick Low-carb Breakfast Options

  • 1/4 Cup berries with 1/3 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/2 Cup berries and sugar-free yogurt
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Cheese sticks
  • Sugar-free jello
  • Deviled eggs
  • Sausages
  • Nuts

Some Low-carb Snacks Recipes
One may feel that a low-carb diet limits their breakfast options. However, a little bit of creativity can open up whole new avenues.
Low-carb breakfast foods range from an exotic cream cheese spinach omelet to a mushroom herb omelet. Alternately, you could try a low-carb apple pancake or a low-carb breakfast burritos.
Another healthy snack is to pile cucumber slices with smoked salmon and cream cheese. You can microwave pepperoni slices until they turn crisp, and you have pepperoni chips as another item on your low-carb snacks list.

Vegetable Frittata
Ingredients
  • Frozen mixed vegetables (16 oz)
  • 2 tbsp. margarine
  • 1 ½ cups liquid egg substitute
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tbsp. Tabasco pepper sauce
  • Salt to taste
Preparation:
  • Heat the frying pan on medium flame. Add margarine and wait until it melts.
  • Now add mixed vegetables and cook for about 3 mins. You can select vegetables of your choice.
  • A commonly available mixture comprises broccoli, red pepper and corn.
  • Put tabasco sauce, salt, water and liquid egg substitute in a bowl and beat the mixture lightly.
  • Once the mixture attains consistency, pour it over vegetables in the pan. Cover the pan and cook for at least 15 mins. However keep monitoring the progress.
  • Servings: 4

Chocolate Shake
Ingredients
  • 1½ packet of natural sweetener
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
Preparation:
  • Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
  • You can serve it immediately or refrigerate for few hours and drink chilled.
  • Remember to stir the shake before serving.
  • As a variation you can add a peeled and cut banana or vanilla pudding.
  • If you like the flavor of cinnamon, you can add ½ tsp. cinnamon powder to the shake.
  • Servings: 1

Bacon and Egg Casserole
Ingredients
  • 12 hard-cooked and sliced eggs
  • 1 pound sliced bacon
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup process cheese sauce
  • 6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 6 tbsp. butter
  • Toasted English muffins [optional]
Preparation:
  • Begin by cooking bacon strips in the pan. Then spread cooked strips on paper towels to do away with extra grease.
  • Now to prepare sauce, heat a large pan and put butter in it. When butter melts, add all-purpose flour and stir until smooth.
  • Add milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Keep stirring the mixture until thickened and then remove from heat. Add process cheese sauce and sour cream and mix well.
  • Take a medium-size baking dish, grease it and form the first layer with some sauce. Top this layer with some sliced eggs and bacon. Repeat layers.
  • Cover and bake for around 25-30 mins at 350° F. Serve with English muffins.
  • Servings: 6-8

Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds medium-size mushrooms
  • 1 package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 6 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tbsp. chopped green onions
Preparation:
  • Chop the mushroom stems and cook them in butter over medium heat for 5-7 mins. Place them on paper towels to drain off excess butter.
  • In a bowl, mix blue cheese and cream cheese until the mixture attains a smooth consistency. Add chopped mushroom stems and green onions to the mixture.
  • Fill the stuffing in the mushrooms we have cooked. Arrange stuffed mushrooms on the broiling pan and cook until the tops turn golden brown.
  • Remove them from the pan and place on paper towels to get rid of extra grease. And your stuffed mushrooms are ready to serve.
  • Servings: 8

Tuna Lettuce Salad
Ingredients
  • 1 can tuna, drained
  • 3 cups lettuce,chopped
  • 2 tbsp. miracle whip
Preparation:
  • Put chopped lettuce in a salad bowl and add tuna.
  • Add miracle whip and mix all the ingredients properly.
  • Refrigerate it and your tuna lettuce salad is ready to serve.
  • Servings: 1-2
The food options given here will help you deal with the demands of your dietary changes. Now that you have a hang of what you should and should not eat, you are well equipped to come up with your own low-carb snacks. All you need to do is replace the foods you cannot eat with low-carb alternatives.