For co-author Stephanie Laska, MEd, “dirty keto” means anything goes. No foods are ‘off the table’ as long as you stay within your daily target amount of net carbs.”
Meanwhile, her definition of “lazy keto” means only tracking net carbs.
Still, The Dirty, Lazy, Keto No Time to Cook Cookbook: 100 Easy Recipes to Save Money & Time by Stephanie Laska, MEd, and William Laska (Adams Media, 2021) includes info on all macros, from calories to protein to sugar and more. What else can you expect from this paperback featuring 100 recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less? Read on to find out!
About the Authors
If you’ve been keto cooking for a while, you may have come across authors Stephanie and William Laska’s work. After all, this is the fifth book in their “The Dirty, Lazy Keto” series. Their inspiration was life experience; Stephanie lost 140 pounds with her version of keto, which allowed for “dirty” foods but strict adherence to net carb macros. She’s also kept it off and kept going, sharing her relaxed, can-do perspective on working her dirty, lazy keto lifestyle, especially in the kitchen.
What’s Inside
A large, hefty paperback, this cookbook feels functional and approachable. Its promise? Fast, easy keto recipes that are:
- ready in less than 30 minutes
- contain less than 10 net carbs per serving
- taste great
Of course there’s much more.
Along with an introduction to Stephanie and her way of thinking, there are sections that explain what dirty, lazy keto is, how it works, and what kinds of foods to eat and to avoid.
There are assurances that this is a book even for people who don’t consider themselves cooks and guidelines on how to set up and operate in your kitchen for fast cooking and what shortcuts you can take to further speed the process (think buying cooked chicken versus raw).
Then come the recipes. There are a whopping 100 of them, which are divided into chapters, as follows:
- Breakfast
- Soups and Salads
- Snacks
- Breads and Pizza
- Sides
- Main Dishes
- Drinks and Desserts
As promised, recipes are indeed extremely easy and fast to make. They’re also familiar. You’ll find keto recipes for the likes of turkey meatballs, quesadillas, onion rings, chop suey, lasagna, chocolate chip cookies, bacon-maple cupcakes, and pina coladas. Only they have cutesy names that hint at their speedy prep (think “Pace Yourself Pina Colada” and “Clock’s Tickin’ Vodka Chicken”). Alas, only about half of them have accompanying photos, so you’ll have to use your imagination to envision those that aren’t shown in photos.
Regardless, the recipes totally work and are totally delicious. In fact, those we tested we found good enough to make again, and that’s saying a lot.
Want a taste of what’s in store? Try these Recipes from The Dirty, Lazy, Keto No Time to Cook Cookbook now:
Thai Time Crunch Salad
Snappy Stuffed Salmon
Two-Step Satay with Peanut Sauce
What You’ll Learn
If you’re new to keto cooking or cooking in general, you’ll appreciate the up-front insight about how to get your kitchen ready. You’ll also find some permission to enjoy some of your “dirty” keto habits, if you have any (ahem, occasional diet soft drinks).
But most importantly, you’ll learn a lot of simple recipes for a variety of dishes, which is really helpful if you want variety on your keto diet.
What We Like
There’s an upbeat, cheerful attitude throughout the book. Also, there are a lot of recipes that require only a handful of ingredients plus lots of tips included with each recipe. Finally, the recipes really are quite easy, making it possible to hustle through meals made from scratch with solid results.
Room for Improvement
The photos are great. We just wish there was an image for every dish.
The Final Word
The Dirty, Lazy, Keto No Time to Cook Cookbook is a great addition to your recipe collection if you’re excited for keto renditions of familiar comfort foods or just fast recipes to bring variety to your keto lifestyle. It’s no-fuss cooking with reliable, tasty, and sometimes even fancy results.
Shop for The Dirty, Lazy Keto No Time to Cook Cookbook here.
