44 Finger Lickin’ Recipes for Vegans and Carnivores Alike
Welcome Stumblers and all newcomers! If you want to lose weight, gain muscle, increase energy levels, reduce stress or just generally look and feel healthier you've come to the right place.
Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter for tips, advice and special insider-only information.
Learn more about the Primal Lifestyle by visiting the Primal Blueprint 101 page. Thanks for visiting!
You’ll want to bookmark this one!
You frequent readers know Mark espouses a lifestyle that is both low-carb and omnivorous. I am a lapsed vegetarian who can’t seem to eat enough fat, while Aaron likes to fuel his long bike rides with sensible whole grains like brown rice. Our staff and families run the gamut from vegetarian to Paleo to, well, the haven’t-outgrown-the-college-diet-diet. And you readers have different diet favorites, from grass-fed beef fans like Crystal to natural soy partakers like Ben to vegans like Mike and Danielle. And there’s no reason we can’t all come together to do what we do best: eat some seriously good food!
These recipes are carb-smart, interesting, and completely suitable for everyone. Yes, that’s right – meals that are both low-carb and vegan-friendly! Meatasauruses, you can always add in the flesh of your choice. 
Some of these recipes do call for dairy, but we’ve done our best to provide vegan alternatives.
Unfortunately, Guinness Stout is neither low-carb nor vegan. I saw a billboard in Hollywood a few weeks back that said “Guinness: Only 125 Calories. Yeah, We Don’t Believe It Either.” It’s a cruel, cruel world, friends.
Entrees
Grilled Baby Eggplants with Homemade Korean BBQ Sauce
(Low-carb tip: leave out the agave nectar and substitute with – gasp! – 1 packet of Splenda.)
(Delicious! But skip the corn starch.)
(This looks quite healthy. I dare someone to make it and report back.)
(Really great on a hot afternoon!)
(Pretty much drooling as I type. Just use a healthier oil and forget the bed of rice.)
(Very satisfying.)
(Vegan tip: replace the dairy with equal amounts olive oil. Or, for an interesting twist, try walnut oil. We don’t recommend the mock soy dairy products. For the mayonnaise, Vegenaise is a yummy and carb-free alternative. Although I eat dairy, fish, and occasional meat, I still go for this over regular mayo. It’s really tasty!)
Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomato Sauce
(Great for those carb-craving days!)
(Oh, boy, this one needs some help. Vegans will want to use olive oil instead of butter, of course, and to keep it low-carb, use 2 packets of splenda instead of all the maple syrup. If you’re pretty disciplined about your carbs, however, a little natural sugar won’t kill ya!)
(Though it’s a salad, this is chewy and substantial enough to be an entree.)
(Note: smart grains are beans and quinoa. You can also grind up nuts in place of grains.)
(Tips: use home-made or organic tofu, and switch the high-carb rice to wild rice – which is actually a grass, not a grain!)
Salads
Winter Greens, Walnuts & Roasted Beets
(Vegans: leave out the goat cheese. Everyone: halve the beets.)
Artichoke and Grapefruit Salad
(Don’t ask. Just eat. Like, yesterday.)
(Everyone: we don’t need that sugar! This recipe is delicious enough without it.)
Grilled Romaine with Shallot-Balsamic Dressing
(Grilled as in BBQ grilled! You will literally be licking your plate.)
(Nothing bitter about antioxidants!)
Haricots Verts, Jicama, Pomegranate and Walnuts
(Is commentary necessary? It is not.)
(Sounds weird, tastes amazing. Leave out the sugar and use a healthier oil, like olive.)
Another Amazing Artichoke Salad
(Arties are great for filling the belly without carbing out.)
Soups
Northern Miniatures Flickr Photo (CC)
(Vegan tip: use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and of course, leave out the beef!)
(Best. thing. ever. And much lower in carbs than carrot soup.)
(Vegans: don’t top with cheese. Everyone: forget the bread!)
(Note: this soup is not really “magical” and we don’t recommend following the rest of the page’s advice. Unless you’re into intermittent fasting, of course!)
(Everyone: switch the soy milk to olive oil for some beneficial fat, extra substance, and reduced carbs.)
(Um, this is a squeaky-cleaner, so consider yourself duly warned!)
(Vegans: leave out the ham, obviously. Carnivores: make sure the ham is organic and free of sugars and nitrates.)
(Everyone: leave out the flour.)
(Do you dare?)
Sides
(Vegan tip: switch out the dairy with 1/3 cup of olive oil. Add in a dash of sage for a richer taste.)
(Everyone: switch the sweets to a packet of Splenda or nothing at all. Vegans: instead of butter, use walnut oil.)
(Both hearty and interesting!)
Glorified Greens with Red Peppers
(Easy, delicious, sweet!)
(Everyone: double up on the almonds, nix the ramen. Seriously, ramen? Eww!)
Garlic Broccoli with Ginger and Soy Sauce
(Tip for everyone: To avoid repeating this blogger’s initial soggy venture, buy fresh broccoli and halve the vinegar.)
Sesame-Glazed Snap Peas ‘n Pearl Onions
(Way better than the frozen peas with pearl onions.)
(Yes. Fries.)
Sauces and Dips
Sean Dreilinger Flickr Photo (CC)
Carmelized Onions and Apricots
(Low-carb and vegan tips: to avoid sugar and gelatin, use 1 mashed apricot instead of apricot jam; use olive oil instead of butter.)
Avocado Black Bean Tomato Salsa
(Eat this to your heart’s content.)
(No overnight soaking required.)
(Full of nutritious fat!)
(You can live on this stuff. Seriously.)
(Seriously addictive! Use olive oil or Smart Balance “butter” instead of margarine.)
Not-Exactly-Healthy Low-Carb and Vegan Treat
(You’ll have to find a sugar substitute, like Xylitol, to use. And non-vegans should use butter. So it’s not perfectly healthy…but you know you want it!)
What can you add to the list?
Tell us what low-carb and/or vegan-friendly recipes you love.
Further reading:
There Goes Mark, Spoutin’ Off on Veganism (Again)
M-Dawg’s Daily Salad (warning: not vegan!)
Sponsor note:
This post was brought to you by the Damage Control Master Formula, independently proven as the most comprehensive high-potency antioxidant multivitamin available anywhere. With the highest antioxidant per dollar value and a complete anti-aging, stress, and cognition profile, the Master Formula is truly the only multivitamin supplement you will ever need. Toss out the drawers full of dozens of different supplements with questionable potency and efficacy and experience the proven Damage Control difference!
Subscribe to Mark’s Daily Apple feeds
Posted By: Sara
(
What is with the Splenda? I thought it was bad news. I’ve started using Stevia powder in my coffee and iced tea. I try to avoid artificial sweeteners as much as I can and I try not to use too much Stevia either. I’m just really surprised to see Splenda on a health web site.
THANK YOU! AWESOME POST! *runs off to try all the new recipes*
Yeah, I figured you in particular might like that one!
Enjoy them all (the tempeh ones are reallllllly yummy). I have more if you want in the future, just let me know! 
Nancy,
You’re right, Splenda is not the most healthy, which is why I included the self-deprecating “gasp”.
You don’t even need to use splenda at all, but some people like a little bit of sweetness, and the point of the post was to be inclusive of many different health lifestyles. I promise not to make you eat Splenda 
Sir
Many many thanks yr taking the time to answer my question ref cals and intake
Sinc.
Simon (Fellows)
Tag! You’re It!
I’ve selected you to play tag and post 8 random things about you on your blog and then tag eight other people when you’re done. You can’t tag me back!
My pleasure Simon.
Awesome stuff! Thank you.
Here’s one for you;
Red curry tempeh.
So simple;
Crockpot, put in 3-5 cloves garlic, 1 onion, half a red pepper, half a green pepper, one handful of greenbeans, some chopped up cilantro, 1 can coconut milk, 1 teaspoon (or more) red curry paste. Simmmer for approx 6 hours. Last 30 minutes to an hour, toss in one block cubed tempeh, optional; at the very end toss in some cut
up okrah. enjoy
I have to admit some of these things look quite delicious, and this is coming from someone who loves the red meat.
I made the tempeh “chicken” salad tonight. It was a huge hit. Everyone liked it. Then I tossed the leftovers on my hubbies salad for lunch tomorrow. mmmm.
Tat,
I’m trying that this weekend!
Terry,
Tell me about it! Some of them are really incredible.
Danielle (MP),
Great to hear! That’s a good idea to put it on salad, too.
Sara,
Let me know how it comes out.
Have a great weekend.
T.
hi nice post, i enjoyed it
Over 1000 Atkins Low Carb Recipes! Buy them now!
Raw Hummus
This is a really fantastic hummus recipe, made with zuchinni instead of garbanzo beans.
Ingredients
2 zuchinni, chopped
1 cup raw tahini
½ cup fresh lime or lemon juice
? cup cold pressed olive oil
¼ cup chopped olives (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons celtic sea salt
½ tablespoon ground cumin
I always add 1 jalepeno pepper, seeds and all, plus either fresh dill or cilantro.
Preparation
In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and blend until thick and smooth.
Enjoy!
Helen
HUH?!?! “wild rice – which is actually a grass, not a grain!”
Aren’t all grains grasses?
Beside the point I am sure, but — huh?
If anyone’s looking for some grain free and sugar free desserts, there is a huge collection on http://www.elanaspantry.com. Most of her recipes use coconut flour and almond meal, and they all taste fantastic! Especially the brownies.