Top 5 low-carb substitutes that are not tasteless but can be made into a delicious, healthy and satisfying meal. Low-carb eating doesn’t have to be bland and lacking in nutrients, in fact it’s a great way to add more plants into your dish.

Do you also like your pasta, mac & cheese, pizza, rice, toast, pancakes? Well, I also do. However, you and I know that eating too much of these can leave us feeling tired, and even more irritable. Carbs are not evil (I love them and probably can never leave it out of my daily diet), but just like anything that’s taken in excess, it can have some impact on our overall health.

So, to ease you of your carb woes, I’ve picked my top 5 low-carb substitutes that are not tasteless but are equally delicious (if not more), and satisfying as your last cheeseburger.

1. Cauliflower rice

Starting with the most notorious carb perhaps, which is rice. If you’re Asian like me, rice is such a staple in every meal. I grew up eating rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Heck, even for snacks! No wonder, I was overweight as a child (more on that in another blog post).

If you can’t live without rice, then simply swap it with cauliflower rice made by simply sautéing processed or grated cauliflower with onions, garlic, and some veggies like sweet peas, carrots. I also like to add spices like turmeric, and garlic powder. Check my cauliflower with tofu and prawn recipe here.

Cauliflower is a very versatile cruciferous vegetable that is packed with B-vitamins and is known to ease digestion, help with weight balance, and even help prevent cancer.

2. Sweet potato toast

Next to rice, toast is another staple while I was growing up as a kid. Even until now, my husband and little boy are huge toast eaters. The first time I heard of sweet potato toast, I literally raced an eyebrow and couldn’t imagine how it would taste like. But boy oh boy, since I tried it, I don’t miss my bread anymore!

Sweet potatoes are more nutrient dense than your regular white potatoes. They are high in fiber, and rich in calcium, iron among other minerals and vitamins. They do have higher glycemic index though so just like with any food, eat it in moderation.

How to make sweet potato toast: Slice one large golden sweet potato into about 1/4 inch thick and dab both sides with some olive oil. Bake at 400 deg for 20mins on a tray lined with foil or parchment, flipping halfway through. When storing, place a paper towel at the bottom of the food container and stack the potatoes vertically. This keeps it from getting soggy with the paper absorbing moisture.

3. Almond flour pancakes

Who doesn’t love pancakes? But it surely is not something you want to eat every single morning. Unless of course, if it’s as healthy as this gluten-free, keto-friendly, paleo almond flour pancakes. Swap your refined flour with 100% blanched almonds that’s been ground to flour texture.

Not only is it delicious, but it’s nutrient-dense with almonds being very high in fiber, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Almonds also bring skin health benefits with it being rich in healthy fatty acids. Check this link on how I make my almond flour pancakes in under 15 minutes.

4. Zucchini noodles

You probably have heard of ‘zoodles’ or zucchini noodles which is simply spiralized zucchini that looks like spaghetti. This has been another pleasant surprise for me and I thought it would taste bland or rubbery. On the contrary, the zoodles taste sweet and tender even if it’s not cooked.

Zucchinis have taken center-stage in the healthy culinary world. I for one use it a lot in my recipes like this zucchini cheese muffins or my zucchini banana bread.

Corguette which is another term for zucchini helps improve digestion, aids in weight loss, and even help improve your vision and reduce blood sugar levels.

How I serve my zoodles: Using a spiralizer, make spaghetti-like spirals of the zucchini. Otherwise, you can also use a vegetable peeler to make thin lasagna-like strips. I add it into my usual bolognese sauce for a classic pasta dish, or I just sauté it in a pan with some olive oil, minced garlic, sundried tomatoes, squeeze of lemon and cherry tomatoes. It’s easy, quick, but super flavourful. Click here for my TOP 10 LOW-CARB RECIPE BOOK for my sundried tomatoes zucchini noodles.

5. Lettuce wraps

And my final top pick would be lettuce wraps. This is such a versatile dish that you can pretty much fill the lettuce with anything– from minced meat, tofu, or even grilled chicken or fish.

Adding greens to your daily diet is always beneficial in improving digestion, and increasing your immunity as well. Make sure to pick the fresh ones, and preferably organic since most lettuce have high pesticide residue.

If buying non-organic, soak the lettuce in water for at least 5 minutes, then spin-dry using a salad spinner or tap with a kitchen towel prior using.

My favorite way to serve it is to cook chicken mince with some grated carrots, onions, and bean sprouts, and flavored with a little tamari or soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and coconut sugar. It’s a Vietnamese-inspired dish which can be a complete meal in itself with the lettuce wraps.

Download my TOP 10 LOW-CARB RECIPE E-BOOK featuring these low-carb substitutes! And say hello to the world of delicious low-carb eating.

If you do make any of these recipes, do tag me in Instagram @fitfoodiemommy and use hashtag #fitfoodiemommy.

Do you find this blog post helpful? If you do, leave a comment down below and let me know which of these 5 low-carb substitutes will you try out this week. And of course, let me know how it goes!

Eat healthy, eat happy always.

xx,

Tara