If you’re trying to stick to a low carb diet, you know how hard it can be to give up sweets. Eventually, the cravings fade, but so does your will power. For me, anyway!
Smoothies seem to be my go-to treat because they’re so easy to whip up in the blender. And, boy, if you’re creative, you can make some pretty darn delicious treats without all of the guilt that’s usually attached to them.
Table of Contents
Iced Vanilla Caramel Chai
If you’re tired of coffee, but still love your afternoon pick-me-up, you will love the combination of a good spicy chai tea blended with heavy cream and almond milk.
Feel free to substitute the low carb sweetener of your choice, and soy or coconut milk in place of the almond milk to make it nut free. You really can’t mess this recipe up!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1-2 bags of vanilla caramel chai tea
- 1 tbsp zero carb vanilla protein powder (I use Isopure)
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened coconut milk)
- your favorite low carb sweetener to taste (optional)
- dash of cinnamon (optional)
- ice cubes
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Steep the tea bag (or two if you like it spicy) in a mug of hot water for at least 10 minutes. You can also make a pot of the tea with several tea bags for later use.
- Meanwhile, add all of your other ingredients into a quart sized mason jar or large protein shaker bottle and shake well.
- Top with ice, and then pour the tea over top.
- Enjoy! The only carbohydrates in this drink come from the heavy cream and almond milk, which I’m estimating to be a little more than 1 net carb per serving.
Easy Low Carb Keto Floats
Just because you can’t eat ice cream doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a soda float! Use any flavor of diet soda that you would like, and see the magic that happens when you pour it over heavy whipping cream.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 (12 ounce) can of any diet soda. Try root beer, orange and ginger ale!
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a large glass, pour a very cold diet soda over 1/4 cup whipping cream. The bubbles from the soda make the cream frothy and delicious! I place the can of soda in the freezer for about 10 minutes to get it extra cold. Just don’t forget about it unless you want an explosion in your freezer. 🙂
Low Carb Strawberry Cheesecake Shake
Cheesecake has always been my weakness, and this low carb strawberry cheesecake smoothie satisfies my urge to shove an entire pie in my face, but without all of the guilt and anguish.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 1/2 tbsp full fat cream cheese
- 2 tbsp plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut milk)
- 1 tbsp MCT oil (optional)
- 1/4 tsp stevia (or your favorite low carb sweetener)
- 4 or more ice cubes
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place all of the ingredients in a high powered blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. Start with just a few ice cubes, and add more if needed. Do a taste test to see if you prefer it with more sweetener (I prefer my drinks less sweet than most).
TIPS:
- Heavy whipping cream can also be used to replace some of the almond milk.
- If you’re on a ketogenic diet, the MCT oil will help with your fat intake for the day but doesn’t change the flavor or consistency of the drink.
Low Carb Frozen Strawberry Limeade
Strawberries and limes are a marriage made in heaven, especially when blended together into a sweet summer smoothie.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- the juice from one large lime
- 1/2 tsp or more of your favorite low carb sweetener
- 1/2 cup or more of cold water
- 1/2 cup ice
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place everything in a high powered blender starting with 1/2 a cup of water, and blend until smooth. Add more water as you go if needed.
TIPS:
- Frozen mixed berries can also be used in place of the strawberries.
- Try using lemon juice instead of lime juice if that’s what you have on hand— hello, strawberry lemonade!
- Although I haven’t tried it, I’m thinking the water could be replaced with vodka. Hmmmm. I’ll update this recipe with the variation once I’ve got it figured out.
- Feel free to add a tbsp of collagen to this recipe for added protein and other health benefits.
- Based on my quick calculations, I’m guessing this recipe has about 13 net carbs per serving. That’s higher than most of the drinks on this list, but worth every. single. one.
Low Carb Frozen Blackberry Shake
When blackberries are in season, I can’t help but stock up on them and throw them in shakes, smoothies and on top of plain greek yogurt. Fortunately, they’re available all year round frozen, so you can enjoy this smoothie no matter the season!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup frozen blackberries
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or coconut milk)
- 1 scoop zero carb vanilla protein powder (I use Isopure)
- your favorite low carb sweetener to taste
- 1 tbsp MCT oil (optional)
- 1/2 tsp sugar-free vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/2 cup or more of ice
INSTRUCTIONS:
Blend everything together in a high powered blender until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
TIP:
Frozen mixed berries can also be used in place of the frozen blackberries.
Low Carb Chocolate Almond Protein Shake Recipe
Drinking protein never tasted so good! I often enjoy this recipe as a breakfast replacement or mid-day snack with a light meal. Customize it however you would like!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use Isopure)
- 1 tbsp almond butter (or peanut butter if your diet allows)
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp MCT oil
- low carb sweetener to taste
- 6 or more ice cubes
INSTRUCTIONS:
Blend everything together in a high powdered blender until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
TIPS:
- Feel free to add a little cinnamon or vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Sometimes I add a tbsp or two of heavy whipping cream for extra richness.
Low Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
You really can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter, especially when you can drink it guilt free. This smoothie will make you feel like you’re in peanut butter heaven.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp unsweetened natural peanut butter
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 scoop or more of zero carb vanilla protein powder (I use Isopure)
- 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- your favorite low carb sweetener to taste
- 1 cup ice (start off with less and add more as desired)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Blend everything together in a high powder blender until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
TIPS:
- You can replace the peanut butter with almond butter.
- Feel free to use any flavor of protein powder that you would like (chocolate is good but use less cocoa powder).
- Try adding a dash of vanilla extract if you’re into that.
Rich & Creamy Keto Hot Chocolate
I’ve been on a chocolate kick lately, but have also been trying to eat low carb and stay away from as much sugar as possible. This means that I can’t dig into my daughter’s leftover Halloween candy anymore, but don’t worry, that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying chocolate!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any nut milk)
- 2 tbsp heaving whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- dash of cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- low carb sweetener to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a small pan, heat the almond milk and heavy whipping cream together until they start bubbling slightly.
- Meanwhile, place your other ingredients into a blender (or Nutribullet), and top with your hot milk mixture.
- Blend for about a minute or until it gets frothy.
- Pour into a mug and enjoy!
TIPS:
- Feel free to add a little MCT oil and/or butter to the mixture, especially if you’re drinking this as a meal replacement.
- Use coconut cream in place of the heavy whipping cream to make it dairy-free.
Easy Bulletproof Coffee Recipe (Plus a Smoothie Version)
Bulletproof coffee has become extremely popular as a breakfast replacement because it kills cravings, provides energy, and seems to help with mental clarity. It’s also extremely easy for on-the-go! Why not drink your breakfast on the car ride to work?
This drink is high in calories and fat, but low in essential nutrients, so I only drink it a few times a week. It’s an amazing meal replacement when you just don’t have time to make breakfast.
The combination of butter and oil in your coffee may sound strange, but the flavor and consistency is actually quite enjoyable.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee (a good quality)
- 1 tbsp MCT oil or Brain Octain Oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted grass-fed butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place all of the ingredients in a blender or Nutribullet and blend until frothy (about 30 seconds). I’ve tried stirring these ingredients together, and it’s just not the same. Trust me, use a blender. 🙂
TIPS:
- Start off slow with MCT oil— it’s powerful! It can cause stomach upset if you’re not used to it. I would start off with 1/2 tbsp or less if you are new to it.
- A few other ingredients you might also enjoy in this coffee are heavy whipping cream, vanilla, cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder and/or collagen.
- This coffee has about 230 calories without any of the additions, and is obviously high in fat, therefore, it is meant to be enjoyed along with a ketogenic diet. In fact, because of the high fat and calories, you can drink it as a meal replacement. I personally only drink it a few times a week because it is also low on essential nutrients.
Bulletproof Frozen Mocha
Tired of drinking your morning kick-starter hot? Try it in the form of a smoothie! I’m not going to lie, butter and ice are not a match made in heaven, but you can get a nice bulletproof frozen mocha as long as you melt the butter first.
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 frozen coffee cubes
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup cold coffee
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp unsalted melted butter
- 1 tbsp MCT oil
- low carb sweetener to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place all of the ingredients in a high powered blender, and blend until smooth. Add more coffee if needed (you can also add unsweetened almond milk or water to thin it out a bit if it’s too thick).
TIPS:
- Try adding a tbsp of your favorite protein powder to the mix.
- Start freezing your leftover coffee in ice cube trays! You can easily add them to smoothies without watering them down.
- Again, start off slow with MCT oil— it’s powerful! It can cause stomach upset if you’re not used to it. I would start off with 1/2 tbsp or less if you are new to it.
Source: listotic.com, amazon.com
