Keto Favorites!

Yeah, yeah. I’ve gone keto, too, along with so many others that you might know! For me, this has been a pretty big deal. I was addicted to carbs and sweets. I’m not talking here and there, I mean the “bread of some sort at every meal” and “ice cream or cookies every night after dinner” kind of addicted. It was getting a little out of control without me even realizing it.

I’ve pretty much always been able to eat somewhat freely and still stay in shape, that is, until I had 3 kids in 4 years. This last time after Taso, I began to realize that things were not going to be as easy to get back to pre-pregnancy weight as before. I actually hadn’t even had time to get there in between having Xander and getting pregnant with Taso. When it seemed like I was going to need to do more than just start working out, I knew my eating habits had to drastically change. My friends (and cousins-by-marriage) Andy and Ashley have been following the ketogenic lifestyle for just over a year now, and seeing them transform became my motivation.

They didn’t just look thinner each time I saw them, but they just looked BETTER! They were happy, had more energy and just couldn’t speak more highly of this lifestyle change that they had made. I decided that after the new year I would also start this journey and wow, has it made a difference!

Within the first few days of limiting my carb intake to 20g a day, and increasing the amount of healthy fats in my diet, I could tell a huge difference in mental clarity. I was living in a fog and didn’t even know it! My hunger subsided within the first two weeks, and I lost 10 pounds (mostly water weight and bloat).

Now, almost just over 3 months later, I am down 18 pounds and just absolutely feel better overall! My hunger has continued to decrease (only eat 2 meals a day with maybe one snack). Yes, I do workout, but usually only once, maybe twice if I’m lucky, per week! I have been able to build and tone muscle so quickly and seeing my own transformation is my new motivation!

Do I miss sugar and carbs? Yes. Have a found better alternatives? YES! It hasn’t even really occurred to me to “cheat” because I really don’t want to feel the way that I was feeling before! I am not a very creative cook and actually don’t enjoy cooking very much, but being keto sort of forces you to do it. Here are some of my favorite meals and snacks that I’ve found via Pinterest, Facebook and getting creative in the kitchen myself!

Keto Pancakes
I have always been the biggest fan of breakfast foods--especially sweet breakfast foods. I would eat pancakes for any meal of the day. Not the most ideal craving when living the keto life! BUT the good news is there is a way to eat those sweet breakfast foods while still sticking to the guidelines by just substituting a few ingredients and making your pancakes from scratch! (I know...who am I exactly? Pancakes from scratch?!)
I have found so many good options by just searching on Pinterest, but this is the best Keto Pancake Recipe that I’ve tried! You can find the original post/recipe here: Low Carb Spark

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup softened cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp natural sweetener (Swerve or Stevia)
• 1 tsp baking powder

As with most baking recipes, mix your dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet ingredients in another, then add the dry to the wet and combine. You can easily whisk by hand or use a handheld/standing electric mixer if you prefer. The absolute important thing is how you cook these...low & slow! Put the flame as low as possible and make sure you grease up your pan so that the batter lifts easily when you flip. The first pancake is usually the toughest, but as the pan warms up, the pancakes stay together better!
I like to really embrace the real pancake feel, so I added sugar-free syrup and 100% cacao chips on top of mine. The kids absolutely devour these too, so you know they’re the real deal!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding
I love tapioca pudding, so if you’re good with that texture, then this recipe is for you! This is my favorite afternoon snack to enjoy when I need a little pick me up! Besides chia seeds being a super food, even though they might be high in carbs, they are also high in fiber which balances out! (Subtract fiber from carbs and you get the net carbs). That being said, the carb count on this one can get a little on the higher side for keto with everything else added in for flavor, but it’s all about measuring and leaving out what you maybe don’t really need that day. Now that my body is fat-adapted (burning fat for fuel rather than sugar), I can be a little more liberal with my carb intake here and there without it making a difference. But here is this delicious, sweet little treat:
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Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp chocolate PB2
• 1 tbsp cacao powder
• 1 short squeeze of Chocolate flavored Stevia drops
• 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• ¾ cup almond milk
• Sprinkle of Lilys Dark Chocolate Chips (optional)

The easiest way I’ve found to make this is in a glass mason jar. I add all of the dry ingredients first, then the cream, milk and liquid stevia. Then I use a spoon to mix everything to get rid of any lumps and make sure that the chia seeds are all incorporated and not stuck to the bottom. I put the lid on the jar and shake it well to help the thickening process. Then, put in the refrigerator for a few hours. This will allow the mixture to continue to thicken to a more pudding-like consistency and the chia seeds to soften. It is seriously the perfect sweet snack to curb any cravings!

Skillet Cabbage Lasagna
Don’t let the cabbage part scare you off...you seriously cannot even taste it with the combination of delicious flavors in this filling dish! Todd found this one from a blog called That Low-Carb Life. It has given us some definite winners, but I could eat this one every week! And seriously, if I can make this, anyone can!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium head cabbage, cored and chopped
• 24 ounce jar Rao’s Marinara
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Ricotta Topping:

• 2 cups ricotta
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic powder for less garlic taste)
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

I always start with prepping anything that needs to be chopped. Mince the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the cabbage and leave on the cutting board. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef about halfway and break it up. Add in the minced onion and garlic and mix until the meat is cooked through. Next, add in the sauce and stir. Then, add in the cabbage, mix until fully incorporated and cover with a lid. The cabbage is what replaces the noodles so you want the texture to be that of cooked noodles. You’ll want to let this cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 15 minutes or until the cabbage is soft.
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While that cooks, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, parsley and garlic in a bowl. I prefer the minced garlic clove, but that gives you a very strong garlic flavor since it will not be cooked down. An alternative would be the garlic powder for a more subtle flavor. Next, add in the mozzarella cheese and mix until melted. Last step is to add the ricotta filling on top and spread out evenly! Then, ENJOY! This has quickly become one of my favorite dinners!

Deconstructed Burger
Ok it isn’t quite as fancy as it sounds, but it is also probably the easiest meal that I’ve put together in a long time! Having a burger without a bun might not sound very appealing to some, but if you add enough toppings, you will not be disappointed!
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Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Cheese
• Half of a medium avocado
• 2 pieces of bacon
• Mayo (made with avocado oil)
• Stone Ground Mustard

Ok, so all you do is form the ground beef into a burger patty, add some pink Himalayan salt to both sides and cook over medium heat! Estimate a few minutes per side depending on how rare you want it cooked! While the burger cooks, arrange your bacon (we always have some pre-cooked in the fridge) and half avocado (cut into slices) onto your plate. For the last few minutes that the burger is cooked, add your slice of cheese on top to allow it to melt. Then, add it to your plate, and spread the mayo and mustard onto the burger. That’s it! I just eat it with a knife and fork and add a bit of bacon and avocado for a perfect bite each time. This one is super-filling, easy and delicious!


I hope these recipes give you a little inspiration and maybe some motivation to cut out some of those carbs! Let me know some of your favorite low-carb/no carb recipes in the comments!

**Please talk to your medical professional before starting any diet!**