Module 1: Starting strong — the keto kitchen & your first two weeks

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Welcome: an easy life creating something stunning

This course rests on one promise: you can eat beautifully, cook from scratch, and keep it easy.

Four principles run through every module. Learn them now and the rest follows.

1. Organic, always. Every ingredient in this course is listed as organic. Where we say "butter" we mean organic butter; where we say "lemon" we mean organic lemon (you will use the zest). Cooking from scratch means the ingredients are the dish, so they should be the best you can get.
2. Greens on every plate. Vegetables are not the garnish. They are the base we build everything on.
3. Gourmet technique, easy execution. Restaurant results come from a handful of simple techniques done well, not from complicated recipes.
4. Variety, never deprivation. If a way of eating feels like a punishment, you will leave it. Every module gives you more to look forward to, not less.

A note on scope. This is a cooking course. It teaches you to cook and enjoy low-carb food; it does not diagnose, treat or promise health outcomes. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or live with a health condition, talk with your own doctor before changing how you eat. Nothing here replaces that conversation.

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Part 1 — What is gourmet keto?

"Keto" in the kitchen simply means very low in carbohydrate, generous in good fats, moderate in protein. Most people cook this way aiming for roughly 20–30 g net carbs a day. (Net carbs = total carbohydrate minus fibre. Every recipe in this course lists net carbs per serving so you can keep your own count.)

But the version you will learn here is different from the "bacon-and-cheese-and-nothing-else" stereotype. Gourmet keto is:

• Delicious first. If it is not something you would happily serve to guests, we do not cook it.
• From scratch. You will make your own dressings, sauces, broths, breads and desserts. Homemade is cheaper, cleaner and far better than anything in a "keto" packet.
• Food-first. Real, whole, organic ingredients. No reliance on heavily processed "keto products".
• Vegetable-rich. Colour, crunch and fresh flavour on every plate.
• Built on technique. Brown butter, a proper sear, a silky emulsion, a perfectly-timed egg. Learn these once and you can improvise for life.

The mindset shift: stop asking "what can't I eat?" and start asking "what am I going to cook tonight?" The shopping list is longer than you expect.

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Part 2 — The organic keto pantry

A well-stocked pantry is what makes "easy" possible. Buy in stages; you do not need everything at once. Choose organic for all of it.

Fats & oils — your flavour foundation

Tip: buy olive oil in dark glass or tins, keep it away from the stove, and use it within a few months of opening.

Proteins

• Eggs (pasture-raised, organic) — the workhorse of the keto kitchen.
• Fish & seafood: salmon, mackerel, sardines, cod, prawns, mussels. Choose wild or organic-farmed where possible.
• Meat & poultry: chicken thighs (skin on), pork belly, lamb shoulder, beef chuck, minced meat, good sausages with no sugar or rusk filler.
• Dairy & alternatives: hard cheeses (Parmesan, aged Gouda, Cheddar), halloumi, feta, whole-milk Greek-style yoghurt.
• Plant proteins: tofu or tempeh (organic, non-GMO) if you want meat-free days.

Flours & baking

• Almond flour (blanched, finely ground) — soft, mild, classic for cakes and crumbs.
• Coconut flour — very absorbent; you use far less (about 1 part coconut to 4 parts almond as a rough guide, and extra egg or liquid).
• Ground flaxseed, psyllium husk, ground sunflower seed — structure and binding for breads.
• Baking powder (aluminium-free) and bicarbonate of soda.
• Unsweetened cocoa and cacao, vanilla (pods or pure extract).

Low-carb sweeteners

• Erythritol — bulky, sugar-like, cooling aftertaste in large amounts. The easiest one for baking.
• Monk fruit (pure or blended with erythritol) — intensely sweet, no cooling effect.
• Allulose — behaves like sugar when melted and browned; great for caramel and ice cream. Pricier.
• Stevia — use tiny amounts; can turn bitter.

Cooking tip: many people blend two (erythritol + monk fruit) for rounder sweetness. Powdered versions dissolve in cold cream and curds, granulated ones are best for baking. Taste as you go: you will learn your preferred sweetness level, which tends to go down over time.

Salt, spice & seasoning

• Salt: flaky sea salt for finishing, fine sea salt for cooking, plus a mineral-rich unrefined salt (grey sea salt, Himalayan) for your drink recipe (Recipe 1).
• Black pepper in a mill, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli flakes.
• Dried herbs: oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay. Fresh herbs are used in almost every recipe: parsley, dill, basil, mint, chives, coriander.
• Garlic, ginger, shallots, lemons — buy these fresh every week.

Acids — the secret to "restaurant" flavour

Acid is what makes rich food taste bright rather than heavy. Stock a few:

• Lemons and limes (organic, for zest and juice)
• Apple cider vinegar (raw, unfiltered)
• Red-wine and white-wine vinegar
• Sherry vinegar, balsamic (use sparingly: a teaspoon, not a glug, as it carries sugar)
• Dijon mustard (check: no added sugar)

Pantry extras for variety

Olives, capers, anchovies, tinned sardines, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, artichoke hearts, unsweetened coconut flakes, a mix of nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, pumpkin and sunflower seeds), bone broth or the makings of your own, tamari or coconut aminos.

Label reading, in one rule: if a sauce, stock cube or mayonnaise lists sugar, glucose, maltodextrin or "modified starch", put it back and make your own. Most of those "hidden carb" products are replaced by a recipe in this course.

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Part 3 — The first two weeks: energy, salt and keeping going

This is the section most keto guides skip, and it is the most important in Module 1. The first one to two weeks is when most people give up, not because the food is bad, but because they feel flat, tired, headachy or foggy, and nobody warned them.

What many people notice

When you move from a high-carb way of eating to a very low-carb one, your body changes how it handles fuel and water. In the first days it is common to notice:

• low energy or a "flat" feeling
• headaches or lightheadedness
• muscle cramps
• feeling irritable or foggy
• cravings

People often call this the "keto flu". It is usually short-lived, and the good news is that most of the practical fix is in your kitchen.

Why salt and fluids matter more now

When you eat fewer carbohydrates, your body tends to hold less water and releases more sodium (salt) and other minerals along with it. If you do not replace them, many people simply feel worse than they need to. So the first-two-weeks kitchen strategy is simple:

1. Salt your food properly. Do not under-season. On this way of eating, generously salted home cooking is a feature, not a flaw. Season soups, vegetables and eggs well and taste as you go.

2. Drink enough, and make part of it mineral-rich. Water, plus broth, plus the electrolyte drink in Recipe 1. A warm mug of salted bone broth mid-afternoon is a classic, and delicious.

3. Eat your minerals. Build the plate around foods rich in the three minerals people most often ask about:

• Potassium: avocado, spinach, Swiss chard, mushrooms, courgette, salmon, nuts, pumpkin seeds.
• Magnesium: almonds, pumpkin seeds, spinach, chard, dark chocolate (85%+), mackerel.
• Sodium: your salt, broth, olives, cheese, cured fish.

4. Eat enough. The most common beginner mistake is eating too little because "low-carb" feels restrictive. Eat full, satisfying meals with plenty of fat and vegetables. Hunger plus low energy is a recipe for quitting.

5. Go gently. Keep exercise light for the first week or so (walking, stretching) and sleep well. Your energy will come back, and the food you are about to learn to cook will be a pleasure in itself.

6. Plan your first-fortnight menu so you never have to think. See the two-week plan below.

Safety note. These are general food-and-kitchen habits, not medical advice. Salt and mineral needs differ for everyone. If you have high blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions, take diuretics or other medication, or are pregnant, check with your doctor before increasing salt or taking mineral drinks. If you feel truly unwell at any point, stop and seek medical advice rather than pushing through.

Your first-fortnight plan (simple, repeatable)

Each day, aim for:

• 1 big salad or cooked green dish on the lunch and dinner plates
• 2–3 mugs of broth or a glass of the Everyday Electrolyte Drink
• Eggs and a protein at breakfast
• An unhurried, satisfying dinner

Batch-cook the vinaigrette and a broth on Day 1; you will use both all week.

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Part 4 — Build every plate on greens

A beautiful keto plate is a pile of vegetables with protein and fat placed on it, not protein with a sad spoonful of salad.

The plate formula

1. Half the plate: non-starchy vegetables — leafy greens, courgette, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, cabbage, fennel, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes in moderation.
2. A palm-sized portion of protein — eggs, fish, meat, tofu, cheese.
3. A generous fat — butter on the vegetables, olive-oil dressing, avocado, a spoon of cream sauce.
4. A flavour finish — acid (lemon), herbs, crunch (toasted seeds), salt.

Your go-to low-carb vegetables

Variety tip: choose a "green of the week" and cook it three different ways (raw, roasted, sautéed). That is the anti-monotony trick in action.

The three-minute greens method

Almost any green becomes stunning with: hot fat + salt + garlic + acid + a crunchy finish. Recipe 3 shows you exactly how.

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Part 5 — Essential tools & techniques

Tools (you probably have most of these)

• A sharp 20 cm chef's knife and a big board. The single best upgrade.
• A heavy frying pan or cast-iron skillet (for searing) and a good non-stick pan (for eggs).
• A heavy-bottomed saucepan for sauces and broth.
• A large roasting tray for sheet-pan vegetables.
• A stick (immersion) blender — makes emulsified sauces and mayonnaise in seconds.
• A food processor or high-speed blender for cauliflower "rice", pesto and nut flours.
• A digital kitchen scale — essential for baking with almond and coconut flour, and for tracking carbs.
• A microplane/zester, a whisk, silicone spatula, a jar with a tight lid (for dressings).
• A spiraliser (optional but fun) for courgette noodles.

Five techniques that do most of the work

1. Searing: dry the protein, heat the pan until the fat shimmers, do not crowd, do not move it. Browning = flavour.
2. Roasting vegetables: high heat (200–220 °C / 400–425 °F), a generous slick of fat, space between pieces. They caramelise and become sweet without added sugar.
3. Emulsifying: whisking fat into acid (vinaigrette, mayonnaise, hollandaise) to make a silky, clinging sauce.
4. Brown butter: melt butter until it smells nutty and turns golden. Instant restaurant depth.
5. Seasoning in layers and finishing with acid: salt as you cook, then taste and brighten with lemon or vinegar at the end.

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Recipes for Module 1

Net carbs are approximate and depend on brands and ingredient size. All ingredients are organic.

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Recipe 1 — The Everyday Electrolyte Drink

A refreshing, lightly salty lemon-mint sip that makes your first two weeks feel easy.

Yield: 1 litre (4 glasses) · Active time: 5 min · Total time: 5 min (+ chilling) Net carbs: about 1.6 g per serving (Ketogeni estimate from food tables; it varies with brands and portions).

Ingredients

• 1 litre (4 cups) filtered water, still or sparkling
• 1/4–1/2 tsp (1.5–3 g) unrefined sea salt (start low; taste)
• Juice of 1 organic lemon (about 3 tbsp / 45 ml) plus 2 strips of zest
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) organic lime juice (optional)
• 4–6 fresh organic mint leaves
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a pinch of potassium-rich low-sodium salt blend (optional, see tip)
• 1 tsp erythritol or a few drops of monk fruit (optional)
• Ice and a cucumber slice to serve

Method

1. Squeeze the lemon (and lime) into a large jug.
2. Add the salt and the sweetener if using. Pour in a little warm water and stir until completely dissolved, then top up with the cold water.
3. Bruise the mint by clapping it between your palms and drop it in.
4. Taste. It should taste lightly salty and lemony, like a gentle spritz, never like seawater. Add water if too salty, a little more lemon if flat.
5. Chill for 30 minutes (or pour over ice straight away).

Chef's tips

• Start with 1/4 tsp salt per litre and adjust to taste.
• Warm version: mix salt and lemon into a mug of hot water with a slice of ginger for a soothing afternoon cup.
• Bone broth is the original keto electrolyte drink: heat it, salt to taste, add a squeeze of lemon.
• If you take medication or have a health condition affecting salt or potassium, check with your doctor first (see the safety note in Part 3).

Variations

• Cucumber-basil: muddle cucumber and basil with the salt first.
• Ginger-lime fizz: use sparkling water, grated ginger, lime.
• Berry blush: muddle 4 raspberries per glass.
• Iced herbal tea base: replace the water with cold organic peppermint or lemon-balm tea.

Make-ahead / storage

Keeps 3 days in a covered jug in the fridge. Add mint fresh each day.

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Recipe 2 — The Master Vinaigrette (and 5 Ways)

One jar, 2 minutes, and every salad, steamed green and grilled fish you make from now on tastes like a restaurant dish.

Yield: about 200 ml (8 servings of 2 tbsp) · Active time: 5 min · Total time: 5 min Net carbs: about 0.5 g per serving (Ketogeni estimate from food tables; it varies with brands and portions).

The ratio: 3 parts oil : 1 part acid, plus a binder and salt.

Ingredients

• 120 ml (1/2 cup) organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 40 ml (about 3 tbsp) organic lemon juice or red-wine / apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp organic Dijon mustard (sugar-free): the emulsifier
• 1 small organic garlic clove, grated, or 1 tbsp finely minced shallot
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp erythritol or a drop of monk fruit (optional, balances sharp acid)

Method

1. Combine acid first: add the lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, garlic or shallot, salt and pepper to a clean jam jar.
2. Rest 5 minutes so the salt softens the garlic and shallot.
3. Add the oil and screw the lid on tightly.
4. Shake hard for 20 seconds until thick and creamy.
5. Taste on a leaf, not off a spoon, and adjust: more salt, a splash more acid, or more oil.

Chef's tips

• Dress salads just before serving, and toss with your hands for even coating.
• Salt in the dressing, not on the salad: it distributes better.
• A spoonful of warm water loosens a dressing that is too thick.
• Use a mild oil (or half olive, half avocado) if extra-virgin tastes too grassy for you.

Variations (variety, one base)

1. Lemon-herb: add 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, chives and dill.
2. Creamy Caesar-style: add 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 chopped anchovy, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan.
3. Asian sesame: swap olive oil for 80 ml avocado oil + 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, use rice vinegar, add 1 tsp tamari and grated ginger.
4. Balsamic-shallot: use red-wine vinegar plus 1 tsp balsamic (about 0.7 g net carbs per tablespoon).
5. Green goddess: blend with 1/2 avocado, a handful of basil and parsley, and the juice of 1 lime.

Make-ahead / storage

Plain vinaigrette keeps 1 week in the fridge (olive oil may solidify; leave out 10 minutes and shake). Fresh herb versions keep 3 days; the creamy and avocado versions 2–3 days.

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Recipe 3 — Lemon-Garlic Greens with Toasted Seeds

Silky, bright, buttery greens ready in 8 minutes, the side dish that makes every plate look like a dinner party.

Yield: 2 generous servings · Active time: 8 min · Total time: 10 min Net carbs: about 7.6 g per serving (Ketogeni estimate from food tables; it varies with brands and portions).

Ingredients

• 300 g (about 10 oz) organic greens: spinach, chard, kale, cavolo nero, or tenderstem broccoli (or a mix)
• 2 tbsp (30 g) organic butter or ghee (or olive oil)
• 2 organic garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 1/2 organic lemon: zest of the whole, juice of half
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp (20 g) organic pumpkin or sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan or crumbled feta (optional)

Method

1. Prep the greens: wash well, trim tough stems, tear large leaves into bite-sized pieces, and pat or spin dry.
2. Toast the seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until they pop and smell nutty. Tip onto a plate.
3. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat until foaming.
4. Add garlic and chilli and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned (burnt garlic turns bitter).
5. Add the greens in handfuls, turning with tongs. Sturdy greens (kale, broccoli) take 4–5 minutes; spinach and chard just 1–2 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and add the lemon zest and juice.
7. Serve piled high, scattered with the toasted seeds and cheese, with an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Chef's tips

• Greens cook down to a third of their volume: always cook more than you think.
• Finish with lemon off the heat so it stays bright.
• Dry greens sear and glisten; wet greens steam and go grey.

Variations

• Brown-butter almond: let the butter go golden and add flaked almonds.
• Miso-sesame: swap butter for sesame oil, add 1 tsp white miso and sesame seeds.
• Creamy: add 3 tbsp double cream at the end for a quick creamed-spinach style.
• Roasted: toss broccoli or cavolo nero with olive oil and roast at 210 °C for 15–18 minutes.
• Mediterranean: add olives, capers and sun-dried tomato.

Make-ahead / storage

Best fresh. Leftovers keep 2 days; fold into omelettes, soup or a frittata.

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Recipe 4 — Perfect Eggs, Two Ways: Soft-Scrambled & Jammy

Two techniques every cook should own: silky, custardy scrambled eggs, and jammy 7-minute eggs with a gold, spoonable centre.

Yield: 2 servings · Active time: 10 min · Total time: 15 min Net carbs: about 2.1 g per serving (Ketogeni estimate from food tables; it varies with brands and portions).

A. Soft-scrambled eggs (restaurant-style)

Ingredients

• 4 organic pasture-raised eggs
• 1 tbsp (15 g) organic butter, plus 1 tsp cold butter to finish
• 1 tbsp crème fraîche or double cream
• Fine sea salt, white or black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• To serve: 2 big handfuls of organic baby spinach or rocket and 1/2 sliced avocado

Method

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and whisk until just combined, with no need to over-whip.
2. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over low heat. The pan should never sizzle.
3. Pour in the eggs and stir slowly and constantly with a silicone spatula, sweeping the bottom and sides.
4. Keep stirring for 3–4 minutes. When the eggs look just-set but still glossy and loose, take the pan off the heat: they keep cooking from residual heat.
5. Finish by stirring in the cold butter and crème fraîche to stop the cooking and make them creamy.
6. Plate on the greens with avocado, chives and flaky salt.

B. Jammy 7-minute eggs

Ingredients

• 4 organic pasture-raised eggs
• Ice and cold water
• Flaky sea salt, olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, optional dukkah or chilli flakes
• A big bowl of dressed greens (Master Vinaigrette, Recipe 2)

Method

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil.
2. Lower in the eggs straight from the fridge, using a spoon. Start a timer for 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice water.
4. At 7 minutes, transfer the eggs to the ice bath for 5 minutes.
5. Peel by cracking all over and rolling gently under your palm, peeling under a thin trickle of water.
6. Halve and serve on the dressed greens with salt, olive oil and lemon.

Chef's tips

• Low and slow is the secret to soft scrambled eggs; rushed heat makes them rubbery.
• Salt the eggs before cooking to give a more tender curd.
• For jammy eggs: 6 min = very runny, 7 min = jammy, 8 min = soft-set, 10 min = fully set.
• Older eggs peel more easily than very fresh ones.

Variations

• Smoked salmon & dill soft-scramble, served on cucumber ribbons.
• Herb & cheese: fold in Gruyère or goat cheese.
• Mushroom & thyme: top with garlic mushrooms sautéed in butter.
• Jammy egg salad: chop and mix with mayonnaise, mustard, chives and celery.
• Avocado-chilli jammy eggs: top with smashed avocado, lime and chilli flakes.

Make-ahead / storage

Soft-scrambled eggs are best eaten immediately. Jammy eggs keep, peeled, in the fridge in a covered container for 3 days; eat them cold on salads.

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Module 1 checklist

• [ ] Stocked the organic pantry (fats, proteins, flours, sweeteners, salt, acids)
• [ ] Made the Everyday Electrolyte Drink and a pot of broth
• [ ] Made a jar of Master Vinaigrette and used it on three plates
• [ ] Cooked greens three different ways
• [ ] Soft-scrambled and jammy eggs mastered
• [ ] Planned your first fortnight menu and eaten enough to feel satisfied

Coming in Module 2: the 20-minute dinner, from scratch, restaurant-quality, with greens on every plate.