Atkins Meal Ideas

The Atkins Diet plan is rooted in the idea that reducing your intake of carbohydrates will cause your body to burn stored fat, leading to weight loss and an overall good health. The diet utilizes three phases, depending on your progression and needs. With each phase, you can incorporate new foods and ingredients, allowing a broader diet for those who follow the plan over the long term.

Asian Style Stir Fry

• Slice your favorite meat into thin strips, then your favorite vegetables from your Atkins phase-appropriate list. Phase 1 dieters might enjoy bok choy, mushrooms, celery, onion and snow peas. If you're in Phase 2, add sliced almonds and a little lime juice; in Phase 3, add carrots.

  Heat cold or expeller-pressed sesame oil in a wok or frying pan and add minced fresh ginger and garlic. Stir-fry the meat and veggies into this mixture. For well-cooked vegetables, add everything at once and stir-fry until the meat cooks through. If you prefer more lightly cooked veggies, which is recommended under the Atkins plan, cook the meat first until it is almost ready, then add the vegetables one at a time, from the slowest to the fastest cooking varieties. Phase 2 Atkins dieters can eat this stir fry with a small serving of brown rice. Consult your Atkins plan to find the appropriate number of net carbs for your stage in the diet and adjust your portion size accordingly. You can also add water chestnuts to this stir fry, but note that they will up your carb count quickly.

Crustless Pizza

• You don't have to give up the flavor of pizza just because you're reducing carbs, no matter what stage of the Atkins diet you're following. Instead of feeling deprived, make yourself a pizza-flavored steak or chicken breast. Use all fresh ingredients (except the olives) or check canned items to ensure there is no added sugar.

  Slice a chicken breast or steak in half horizontally, so you end up with two large, flat pieces of meat. Brush the meat with olive oil that has had basil and oregano steeped in it overnight, and then grill, pan-fry or bake it. During the last 10 minutes of baking or when you are frying or grilling the second side, add pureed tomatoes with Italian seasonings on top, and then sprinkle on a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Top with your favorite Atkins-approved pizza toppings, like olives, crumbled bacon, mushrooms and green peppers. In Phase 2, you can add extra mozzarella (up to 3 oz.), and in Phase 3 you can add a bit of whole-grain pasta on the side, or have a personal-sized Atkins Diet-approved pizza with a whole-grain crust.

Stuffed Pepper Salad

• Sometimes the presentation can make food feel more filling, and that's what you'll do with this veggie-heavy meal, appropriate for all stages of the Atkins Diet.

  Slice any color yellow bell pepper in half from stem to base, remove the stem and seeds and set the peppers aside. Chop jicama, cucumber, radishes and 1 oz. each of cheddar and Gouda cheese into tiny cubes, approximately 1/4 inch square. Add finely chopped cooked and cooled meat to this mix as well. Steak or shrimp work particularly well. In Phase 2, you can add sunflower seeds and lime juice to the mix. In Phase 3, add chickpeas and grapefruit.

  Toss the chopped mixture in 1 Tbsp each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, seasoned with salt, pepper and dill, if you like. Spoon the mixture into the bell pepper "shells" and eat it cold. This meal does tend to be high in vegetable carbs, so make sure you balance it with more protein-heavy meals throughout the day.