Introducing “Keto for Life” a ketogenic lifestyle and cookbook by yours truly. I know, right?!?! Full disclosure? I’m freaking out a little…
UPDATE: Keto for Life has officially released in the US and Canada! Order it online or buy it at your local Barnes and Noble, Costco, or Target – as well as other book stores! The results are in and people are loving Keto for Life!!! Check out the reviews on Amazon, and if you’ve got Keto for Life I’d love your feedback as well, so please take a minute to review it on Amazon if you can! Thank you!!!!
It’s strange to have worked so hard on a project, all with the goal of putting it out there for people to see and use – but then when the time comes to actually pull the trigger on it, I’m straight up terrified. Also excited, exhilarated, relieved that it’s done – but still mostly terrified.
Being the perfectionist I am, we could have tweaked things about this book for another month or more and I likely still wouldn’t feel ready. The team at Victory Belt has been incredibly patient with my first time author jitters, and I appreciate them and their hard work so much. Hopefully you will too once you’ve seen the results.
Even I haven’t actually seen the book yet – I won’t hold it in my hands for at least another two weeks by the time it’s printed and finally makes its way to my door here in Honduras! Hopefully once I do have an actual solid copy, this will all start to seem real and I won’t be so worried that it will be an epic failure. Or not. Ugh.
What if you hate it? Or maybe worse yet, what if you just don’t care? There are tons of keto books coming out right now – do we really need another one? These are the anxieties that have plagued me over the last few months. But now it’s happening – so we’ll all find out for sure one way or another…
THIS JUST IN: Apparently I’m horrible at hyping my book and making you want to buy it ha ha! I should probably delete that entire first part and write instead that the book is amazing and you’re going to love it and you should absolutely PREORDER NOW with flashing neon letters.
I’m not going to though – because what I just typed up there is real, and I know at least some of you will appreciate that.
But now that I’ve gotten all of that paranoid rambling out of my system, let’s talk about the many things that I love about this book and hope you will too!
Keto for Life briefly shares my story, explains why and how keto works (in language the average person without a PHD can understand,) and provides information and tips that are designed to help you lose weight and feel great on the keto diet.
In addition, Keto for Life aims to help you:
- Figure out how to make keto work for your unique body/metabolism, schedule, lifestyle, and budget.
- Become a better cook overall.
- Get your kids involved in the cooking process, ultimately teaching them important life skills while spending quality time together.
- Make keto easy when cooking for both yourself and non keto family members. Yes, even the picky ones!
- Learn to make easy and inexpensive fermented foods at home that will keep your gut bacteria thriving and your immune system in tip top shape.
- Navigate social events and entertain friends, all while staying within your macros.
- Get back into ketosis quickly and efficiently if you’ve gone off keto for a bit – whether it was planned or not.
But wait, there’s more! ?
While all of the above is helpful information, my ultimate goal in writing Keto for Life was to provide the keto community with delicious and approachable recipes that eliminate keto recipe fatigue and boredom with the same tired dishes featuring only bacon, ground meat, cheese, and/or cauliflower. Not that those ingredients aren’t in this book too – but you will find so much more than that!
The majority of recipes in Keto for Life aren’t hard to execute and don’t require weird, expensive ingredients (beyond the keto basics like almond flour, coconut flour, etc.), but they contain flavor profiles that are vibrant and interesting – giving you new family favorites that you’ll want to make over and over again.
All of the recipes in Keto for Life contain full color photographs and complete nutrition values to help you stay within your macros. In addition, many of them contain pro tips or extras to help you up your cooking game, or customize your keto meals to serve to your non keto family – without them staging a mutiny because you tried to take away their pasta or bread.
Finally, other than a handful of favorites like Cream Cheese Pancakes, Green Chicken Enchilada Cauliflower Casserole, and Cauliflower Faux-lafel, at least 95% of the recipes in Keto for Life are brand new and not recycled from the blog. I promise that if you decide to purchase Keto for Life, you will definitely be getting your money’s worth!
Here’s a sample of some of the recipes you’ll find inside Keto for Life – and I can say with confidence that these are some of my very best recipes yet…
Note: These are photos I took of the recipes, but not all of these were the specific photos chosen to represent the recipes in the final manuscript of the book. The publisher chose which photos to use and edited them for print.
There’s just small sample of the mouthwatering recipes you’ll find in Keto for Life. We’ve got you covered with entire chapters devoted to Breakfast, Fermented Foods, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Seafood, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Mains, Snacks, Cocktails, and of course Desserts! There is literally something for everyone in this book!
Of course I couldn’t leave you without meal plans, so the book also contains 4 weeks worth of practical and budget friendly meal plans using easy and delicious recipes from the book. The plans make use of all leftovers and require just a bit of prepping at the beginning of each week. I specifically designed these plans to not only help you lose weight with the right keto macros, but also to be as easy as possible so you aren’t spending hours in the kitchen preparing your daily meals.
Shopping lists are also included for each week of the plans.
Finally, there is a recipe index at the back of the book with page numbers and thumbnail photos for each recipe. And more importantly, even though the recipes themselves each have icons identifying common allergens, there is a special index in the back that allows you to see in one place all the recipes that are dairy free, nut free, egg free, vegetarian, etc. for when you’re doing your own meal planning.
So there it is – Keto for Life…
You can order the book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Indie Bound – or head to Costco, Target, or Barnes and Noble and you can get a look at it before you decide. You buy it or you don’t – either is ok with me, pinky promise. Just because it’s here, doesn’t in any way obligate you in my eyes – whether you’re a longtime fan or just starting out.
Of course if you do decide to buy Keto for Life, I really, really, REALLY hope that you’ll love it. And of course, let me know either way because your feedback makes me better at giving you what you want and need moving forward.
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual over here at IBIH and I’m back to work posting delicious keto recipes on a weekly basis – which feels great, and it’s right where I want to be.
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Thanks for the allergy summary tick lists, that is an awesome extra bonus!!
I am dairy free and was not going to buy the book until I could see more reviews, but that has confirmed I will as there are lots of dairy free options., and clearly listed.!! Thank you !!
Hi Mellissa,
In your cookbook, is the calories calculated based on per serving or total yield?
Thanks
Per serving!
Hi Melissa: I happened upon your book in Target a few weeks ago and haven’t put it down of you. I bought ingredients with the book for the Green Chicken Enchilada’s (going to have to double that one – my son ate almost all of it and I had no leftovers for lunches). Last night I made the muffins for week 2 meal plan. Wow!!! These are so tasty. I’m looking forward to making more of your recipes. Thank you! Lisa M.
Thanks so much Lisa, I’m thrilled that the entire family is enjoying the recipes – thanks for taking the time to let me know!
This news made me so happy! I love your site and it’s my go to for all keto recipes. Just place my order. Thank you!
Thanks Carie, hope you love it!
Hi Mellissa,
I have purchased your Keto for Life cookbook and just started cooking from Week #1 meal plan. My question concerns the net carb count on recipes using erythritol. I have read in many places that the alcohol sugars are to be subtracted from the total carb count. That does not appear to be the case in the nutritional information listed at the bottom of the pages. I am hoping to clarify because I track my macros using a carb counting app. Thanks.
P.S. I share your website and recipes often.
The erythritol carbs are not included in the net carb count, but I do supply them separately in the book for those who want to count them.
As someone who is dairy-free (with the exception of butter, which doesn’t seem to bother me too much), I’m super excited to see that you have a list of non-dairy options by recipe, and that you have a LOT of them available. So many kept recipes require cream cheese or other dairy products that make me really sick. Looking forward to trying this out!
I use Mellissa’s cookbook, Keto For Life, weekly. I have not cooked one thing I did not like. Tonight I cooked the cheesy beef stroganoff casserole. It was tasty! My husband even liked it. My next challenge is to try the smoothies. They look delicious! I just need to buy a few of the ingredients. Buy Keto For Life! You won’t be disappointed.
I purchased this cookbook a couple of weeks or so ago. I was so excited to finally get it in the mail. I have been consumed with it. Tonight I have decided to do the “IBIH Turbo Atkins Diet Soup – Low Carb & Paleo”. I will be making my shopping list soon so I can put it all together this weekend. I can’t wait to taste and see the results. My friend at church got me started on the Keto diet and has your book also. At her her mentor’s recommendation , I purchased it and I am so glad I did. I have made a few items and they have been wonderful. My favorite has to be the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. OH MY GOODNESS!!! What a dessert!
Thank you for all of your hard work and I look forward to the weeks, months and years to come cooking from this cook book!
Ok, this is the first time in my 39 years I have ever left a comment/review for ANYTHING online! This cookbook is amazing. We did the 4 week keto starter plan at the beginning and every recipe was awesome. Everyone at work was eating my food (boo to them as I have painstakingly measured it all for MYSELF;) and loved it. 4 friends/family have now ordered it. Is there a bulk discount?? It’s simply amazing and I love print versions so can’t wait for more!
Thanks so much Tiffany, I really appreciate it!!!
My favorite recipe is cheesy cauliflower mash!!
I really need an instapot !!
Hi
I did your eggfast and really enjoyed it. Is the eggfast in your book with the soup plan
Thank you
Neither plan is in the book, the book contains 4 weeks of new menu plans.
My boyfriend and I are on week two of the Keto menu in your book Keto for Life. We are both enjoying the recipes. Thank you for the menu plans. We have never tried the Keto lifestyle. I am glad I found your website when researching Keto. You really make it easy for newbies like us. Thank you.
I just finished reading up to the recipes. I am SO inspired!!! A quick thumb through the recipes and I can’t wait to try them all! I won’t give anything away, but I’d buy the book all over again just to have introduction & basics. You’ve done an amazing job!!
My cookbook arrived in the mail today! Oh my! I am almost drooling looking at it. If you have not purchased this cookbook yet you should. You will NOT be disappointed
There’s are so many great recipes in this book that I don’t know where to start!!! I’ve been following the menu plans on the blog and every recipe has been amazing! Now that I have the book, there’s just so many options :)
So this is pretty cool. Hubby and I started the keto diet several months ago but stopped for some reason… maybe because we got lazy…. lol I don’t know but your recipes were always a hit in our house. I cannot wait to check out your book and give this keto diet another whirl. Does your book include your weekly meal plans? Are the recipes in the book the same as the ones from your mealplans?
4 brand new meal plans and the recipes in the book are all new except for a couple of blog favorites – the recipes needed for the meal plans are all in the book as well so it will contain everything you need to get started up again! Hope you enjoy it!
I’m just finishing my first week on following your plan from Keto For Life!! I feel great, and I’ve gotta say – your recipes are deeeee-lish!! Overall, this is such a simple plan to follow, especially with your weekly shopping lists. Also, I love that you use mostly “real, simple, everyday” foods and spices, etc. It makes it all so much easier for those of us going keto for the first time.
Many other books (and believe me, I have them all, lol,) have huge servings in their recipes, but they don’t reuse that same food in the same week. The fact that you do lessens the amount of work as well as the cost for all the ingredients! It just makes so much sense for someone who is doing this alone and not making huge keto meals for a household of others.
So glad I found your website, and so glad I bought this book!!
Thank you so much Dana! That is exactly what I was going for in the plans – I know it’s a little repetitive for some but it really does make the prep and cooking easier so the process doesn’t take over your entire life or cost a fortune! I appreciate your feedback, thanks again!
I am sooooooo glad I found your site. I’m only 4 days into this new keto lifestyle and have made at least one of your recipes each day…except today I had leftovers :-)
I’m ordering your e-book because I need it NOW…don’t even want to wait for Amazon Prime 2-day shipping.
Your recipes and helpful advice make keto easy!
I love all your recipes and cannot wait to try all these new ones in the cookbook.