after working in finance (as an options trader) for more than ten years, I had to quit my job and go all in with cooking. We had this incredible YouTube channel, social media accounts, and blog that were growing, and I wanted to put all of my efforts into that. Dessi quit her job in 2018, and amazing things started happening. We had a number of viral videos (check my grocery store haul videos), built a new blog, and finally got motivated to write a keto cookbook after so many fans requested it.
It’s funny to think that all of this started because I got rejected from Food Network Star. I wanted to be on that show so badly because I knew I would win and get my own show. So, when they gave me the cold shoulder, I decided to start a YouTube channel, and I think things have turned out pretty well. We publish one or two cooking videos every weekend on the FlavCity YouTube channel, daily videos and posts on Instagram with nightly IG stories of what I’m making for dinner, and recipe videos on the FlavCity Facebook page. And don’t forget about our shiny new blog that is the home to every recipe and video ever made. It looks so good because Dessi has a computer science MS degree and can pretty much do anything. She’s amazing like that. As if that was not enough, you get the bonus of watching my dad come over most nights for dinner on the FlavCity IG stories. He pretty much has a cult following and is known for his no-nonsense reviews of my recipes.
Every recipe in this book has detailed macros and nutrition information which are a pain to calculate, so I hope you appreciate it! Almost every recipe has a video tutorial on YouTube, and, if you ever have a question, just shoot me an email or a DM on Instagram. I actually reply to almost all messages even though it makes my eyes burn from staring at the screen for so long. You guys are totally worth it! Enjoy these keto meal prep recipes, as I truly believe they are some of the best ones out there, and welcome to the FlavCity family! #KeepOnCooking
PS: Make sure to tag me on social media using #FLAVCITY when you make the recipes from this book. I love seeing your creations!
Quick Reference Icons:
| Meal Prep (indicates this recipe is suited for a meal prep) | |
| No Eggs (indicates recipes contains no eggs) | |
| No Dairy (indicates recipes contains no dairy) | |
| No Nuts (indicates recipes contains no nuts) | |
| paleo | Indicates recipe is Paleo diet compliant |
| Insight on a particular recipe from the authors | |
| Video Tutorial (indicates there’s a video tutorial on YouTube for this recipe) | |
| Comments by real FlavCity fans on Social Media and Blog |
Here are some rock-solid tips to help you meal prep for the week like a boss. I’m not talking about lame ideas like making a shopping list, so don’t stress out. These are actionable ideas that will help with your meal prep lifestyle.
Kitchen Tools to Help You Meal Prep like an Iron Chef
A chef is only as good as his tools, and these are my must-have tools to navigate the kitchen and rock your meal prep recipes like a boss. All of these kitchen tools can be found on www.flavcity.com/shop.
Large Cast-Iron Pan:
If it was good enough for grandma, it’s good enough for you. You can cook everything except for eggs in your cast-iron pan. Nothing distributes heat quite like it, and nothing sears meat the way cast iron does.
Large Non-Stick Pan:
Do you see where I am going? Bigger is better! You can always add fewer ingredients to a pan, but you can’t increase its surface area. You are going to need a non-stick pan to cook seafood, veggies, and anything you don’t feel like busting out your cast-iron pan for.
Cutting Boards:
You will need two cutting boards for all of that meal prep you are going to do—a wooden cutting board and a plastic one (for raw proteins). A large wooden board will handle everything except raw meat and protein which have bacteria that can breed in the wood and cause contamination. A large surface area will prevent you from chasing veggies on the floor—trust me, I’ve been there. A plastic cutting board should have rubber around the edges, so it does not slide around when being used to prep for recipes.
Eight-inch Chef’s Knife:
99 percent of the chopping you will do for meal prep can be done with a good chef’s knife. I have ones that cost fifteen dollars and ones that cost over two hundred dollars. You can choose either one and don’t need to bother buying any other knife besides a paring knife.
Microplane Zester:
Fans of the FlavCity YouTube channel do not call me “obsessed with zest,” or #ObZest, for no reason. I love how you can zest fresh lemon, orange, or lime over the top of any dish and totally transform the flavor and add a subtle pop of acid. The microplane is also my favorite way to grate Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese as it creates this snow shower that is so darn beautiful.
Lemon and Lime Juicer:
Once you have zested the citrus, you are likely going to squeeze some juice into something. Instead of using your hands and feeling the burn on that fresh paper cut, you can use a citrus juicer that can squeeze way more juice out than your hands can. Trust me.
Half-Sheet Tray:
People always ask me how my sheet trays stay so clean. It’s because I buy new ones as soon as the old ones get nasty. They are cheap, durable, and a meal prep essential for all of the veggies and chicken you will be cooking in the oven.
Splatter Guard:
Sometimes the cleanup process takes more time than the actual cooking! Make sure that never happens again by using a guard to cover the pan while you are cooking; it blocks the oil from going all over the place.
Probe Thermometer:
Never overcook another piece of chicken or meat by using a digital probe thermometer; this gadget stays inside the meat while it’s baking in the oven. It has an alarm that tells you when it has reached the desired cooking temperature.
What’s in Your Pantry?
Having a stocked pantry is the key to adding flavor and creating various types of meal prep recipes at a moment’s notice. When you have a fully loaded pantry, you can literally make any meal you want, and these items will last you a long time.
Make sure you have a variety of spices on hand. My favorites are smoked paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder, turmeric, and coriander. Try to buy spices from a spice shop or the bulk section of Whole Foods. The ones at the grocery store have been sitting on the shelves for gosh knows how long, and ground spices start to lose their flavor after three months.
Make
