For years, I thought of healthy cooking as a chore, something I had to do, not something I wanted to do. Between work, family, and the endless pace of everyday life, cooking dinner felt like just another box to check. I’d scroll through recipes that looked beautiful but unrealistic, and I’d end up ordering takeout or throwing something together quickly. It was survival, not satisfaction.
Then I found The Balanced Plate: Healthy Recipes with Keto Alternatives by Chef Monika Jensen, and suddenly, everything about cooking felt different.
This wasn’t just another keto cookbook with restrictive rules and complicated ingredients. It was a breath of fresh air that made me want to be in the kitchen again, even on the busiest days.
When Healthy Meets Happy
What I love most about Monika Jensen’s approach in The Balanced Plate is her philosophy: healthy food should never feel like punishment. Her recipes are full of flavor, color, and texture, meals that look beautiful and taste even better.
Each dish feels achievable, even if you’re not a confident cook. There’s something about her tone that makes you relax. You start chopping vegetables or whisking a sauce, and you feel guided instead of pressured. It’s like cooking with a friend who’s been where you are and wants to help you fall back in love with food.
That’s what makes The Balanced Plate Keto Cookbook so powerful, it doesn’t just teach you how to eat better; it helps you want to.
Recipes That Fit Real Life
I started small. Monika’s Keto Eggs Benedict caught my eye one Saturday morning. I figured it might be too complicated for me, but the directions were clear, and the keto hollandaise sauce came together like magic. It was silky, rich, and satisfying without any guilt.
It’s now a staple in my weekend routine. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed the ritual of making breakfast, hearing the butter sizzle, smelling the lemon in the sauce, and sitting down with something I made with care.
Then came her Hearty Miso Soup a simple, comforting dish packed with tofu, mushrooms, green onions, and that deep umami flavor that makes you pause after the first spoonful. I started making it during the week, right before bedtime, as a way to slow down and unwind.
And that’s when I realized: The Balanced Plate had turned cooking from a task into a ritual. It gave me back my time in a way that felt nourishing instead of draining.
The Secret Ingredient: Mindfulness
There’s something deeply mindful about Monika Jensen’s style of cooking. It’s not about perfection, it’s about presence. You can feel that throughout her book.
She encourages readers to taste as they go, to notice the colors on their cutting board, to smell the herbs before adding them to a pan. It’s a small reminder that food is about the moment, not just the result.
In a world that’s constantly moving, cooking this way feels like reclaiming a piece of calm. Monika calls it “balanced cooking,” but it’s really balanced living.
The recipes themselves are beautifully varied, everything from light, low-carb lunches to heartier, comforting dinners. But what ties them all together is the sense of joy they bring back to the process.
More Than Just Keto
While the book focuses on keto-friendly recipes, it never feels limited. You can go full keto if that fits your goals or mix in traditional ingredients when you want to. It’s flexible, and that’s why it works.
The Balanced Plate Keto Cookbook doesn’t demand that you follow a strict diet, it shows you how to create meals that make you feel good inside and out. You’ll find low-carb alternatives, nutritional labels, and chef-level flavor combinations that don’t require hours in the kitchen.
That’s what makes Monika Jensen’s recipes so universal. Whether you’re new to keto, trying to eat cleaner, or just looking for meals that bring joy, there’s something for everyone here.
How The Balanced Plate Changed My Routine
Before this book, I dreaded cooking at the end of the day. Now, it’s how I decompress. I put on some music, pull out ingredients, and follow one of Monika’s recipes. It’s creative time, a moment to breathe and reset.
The more I cook this way, the better I feel. My energy is more stable, I sleep better, and I look forward to dinner again. It’s amazing how something as simple as changing your approach to food can shift your entire mindset.
Even my family has noticed the difference. Meals at our table feel calmer and more connected. We talk more. We laugh more. That’s the real gift of The Balanced Plate, it’s not just food that nourishes your body, but food that brings people together.
Why The Balanced Plate Cookbook Deserves a Spot in Every Kitchen
The magic of Monika Jensen’s cookbook is that it doesn’t overcomplicate what doesn’t need to be complicated. It strips away the noise and brings you back to what matters, good ingredients, mindful preparation, and meals that make you happy.
It’s a low-carb cookbook that feels approachable, inspiring, and beautiful all at once. You’ll learn new techniques, discover fresh ingredients, and most importantly, rediscover the joy of cooking again.
Discover the Joy of Healthy Cooking
If you’ve ever felt stuck in a cooking rut or tired of diets that feel like deprivation, The Balanced Plate: Healthy Recipes with Keto Alternatives is your sign to start fresh.
Let Chef Monika Jensen show you that eating well doesn’t mean giving up flavor, it means celebrating it. Every recipe is a reminder that health and happiness can share the same plate.
Find The Balanced Plate Keto Cookbook on Amazon, or explore more recipes and healthy living tips at chefmonikajensen.com.