Today is Monday, the first day of a keto (ketogenic) diet (also spelled keto with a k). After the low-carb breakfast, here is a tasty and filling keto lunch recipe based on ricotta and more. The week continues with meals suitable for this type of eating plan. The actual duration of the diet is 3 weeks and, if followed strictly, you can lose roughly 22 lb (about 10 kg) without feeling hungry, because it is low in carbohydrates but rich in protein and fats. It’s a reverse approach compared to other diets, but it works very well. Once you start, do not cheat, otherwise ketosis ends — in simple terms this means your body is burning fat.
For a simple and quick keto snack I always recommend 20–30 g of nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts) — about 3/4–1 oz.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 1
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 429.94 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 9.43 (g) of which sugars 7.33 (g)
- Proteins 17.19 (g)
- Fat 37.29 (g) of which saturated 15.12 (g)of which unsaturated 10.47 (g)
- Fibers 1.35 (g)
- Sodium 255.26 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 262 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 1 serving
One-dish lunch with 512 calories / 10 g carbohydrates / 10 g protein / 40 g fat
- 5.3 oz (about 5/8 cup) sheep ricotta
- 1 tbsp (about 0.5 oz) extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 tbsp (about 1 1/2 tsp, ~0.2 oz) pumpkin seeds
- 2 cups lettuce
- 3/4 tbsp (about 2 1/4 tsp, ~0.4 oz) pesto (fava pesto: 1 heaping teaspoon, or basil pesto)
Tools
For those who prefer to make fava or basil pesto at home, a mini chopper is useful. I always use my fantastic Moulinex, it lasts for years and still looks like new.
Preparation of the one-dish meal for the diet
Note: if you prefer to make homemade fava pesto it’s very easy and quick. In that case I suggest preparing more than the 12 g you need here — you can store it in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze it for much longer. But if your family tastes this delicious pesto, I doubt there will be any left 🙂 The homemade recipe I use: I used fava beans picked at my family’s organic farm, shelled and frozen — they are precious and useful, especially because you can chop them while still frozen and get an incredible pesto (100 g fava + 50 g Parmesan + 50 g oil). Of course, instead of homemade fava pesto you can use a ready-made one; when I can’t make it myself I buy this one, or you can use basil pesto.
I also make ricotta at home; if you’d like to try the recipe it’s here.
Wash well 2 cups of lettuce, then let it drain or pass it through a salad spinner
then tear it and transfer it to a plate. Arrange 5.3 oz (about 5/8 cup) of ricotta next to your salad. Flavor with 1 heaping teaspoon of fava pesto + 5 g pumpkin seeds (about 1/2 tbsp — you can toast them briefly in a pan with a drizzle of oil if you prefer, but they’re also good raw). Finally, dress everything with 1 tbsp of olive oil.Your one-dish lunch for Monday is ready. Super easy and quick.
Perfect after this keto breakfast. Very tasty and truly satisfying.
Enjoy your meal!
For a snack you can enjoy 30 g of nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts) — about 1 oz — or you can prepare keto pancakes.
Regarding Monday’s keto dinner, here is the recipe.
Disclaimer
The purpose of this article is purely informational and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice from your nutritionist: the use of these indications is therefore the responsibility of the reader.
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