Tag: keto

Lemon Ricotta Scones

Keto Lemon Ricotta Scones

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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A Rich Lemony Desert or Breakfast Bar


Ingredients


Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, Swerve, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Add in the eggs, ricotta, and lemon extract and stir until the dough comes together.
  3. Divide the dough in half and pat into two circles, about 5 to 6 inches in diameter, on the prepared baking sheet. Cut each circle into 6 even wedges. Gently lift the wedges with a spatula and spread around the pan a few inches apart.
  4. Bake about 25 minutes, until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool.
  5. Whisk the powdered Swerve and lemon juice in a small bowl and drizzle over the cooled scones.


Recipe complements of Swervesweet.com

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What is Ketosis?

Very simply ketosis is where your body burns fat for fuel!!!

Ketosis is a metabolic state that is characterized by elevated blood ketone levels coupled with lower, stable blood sugar levels. When you restrict carbohydrate intake, insulin is low, the body’s main fuel source shifts from glucose to fat, which sends the body into “ketosis”.

Ketones are made in the liver through a process known as ketogenesis. When you restrict carbohydrates, blood glucose and insulin levels decrease, which allows fat stores to break down and provide energy. Our liver then makes ketones. Kind of like the runners high! The runners high is when all glucose is burned and your body has now started to burn ketones. Gives you that extra burst of energy known as the “Runners High”. If you’ve ever experienced this you will know how much of a burst of energy you get.

Nutritional ketosis can take anywhere from 3-10 days to get into ketosis, maintaining a very strict keto diet of less than 25grams of carbs per day. But if you go over that even once and do, let’s say 50-100 grams of carbs, it can kick you out of ketosis and you will then have to start all over again. So anyone relying on a keto diet has to maintain a strict 25 grams of carbs per day.

Our bodies can also utilize a Keto supplement that can put your body into ketosis in under an hour. Amazing that a supplement can do this, but it can be tested using either ketone pee strips or blood tests. One Keto supplement can put you into ketosis for up to 6-8 hours. Add in some intermittent fasting or a modified keto diet and you get the same basic results as a strict keto diet without having to count macros or worry about too many carbohydrates.

I take a keto supplement every day and do a modified keto diet (most days I maintain less than 50 grams of carbs a day) thus a KETO LIFESTYLE. I don’t have to punish myself in my head for cheating once in a while. If temptation is high – 95% of the time I will just have a bite of something and that will allow me to have a taste but not feel deprived.

I’m a firm believer, at this age, that I want a LIFESTYLE not a DIET. So I have added the supplement to my lifestyle and I love it. If I need an extra boost due to late hours or extra workout, I can always add a second supplement. It comes in caffeine and decaffeinated versions so I don’t have to worry about extra caffeine.

I can also say after doing this LIFESTYLE for over two years, my body tells me when I’ve had too many carbohydrates. I can feel the lethargy coming on and my stomach immediately gets that bloated feeling.

This past week I had a diverticulitis attack and have had to eat soft foods, most of which were not keto. I have fought the lethargy every day while trying to get my tummy better. I thought about just doing an extended fast, but you have to eat when you take these antibiotics so I had bland food – mashed potatoes, pasta and some rice. When you have to eat those kinds of foods – they are just that bland. It didn’t matter how much butter I added or even cheese – they are still bland. I’m so glad I can get back to eating my healthy way of life. I’ve been able to add eggs back in and now that 5 days have gone by, I can start adding meat and veggies again. I just have to watch the fiber content so I will start by adding fish in and then by the end of this week I should be able to eat my full keto diet again. Yeah.

If you are still trying to decide if Low Carb/Keto is a way of life for you – don’t hesitate to contact us. We love to help people to understand how it works and how you can feel BETTER as well.

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Keto Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Cauliflower

Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Cauliflower

  • Difficulty: Medium
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Tasty Chicken Enchiladas


Ingredients

  • 8 ounce Chicken Breast – cooked
  • 1-1/2 pounds Cauliflower, cut into florets (about 7 heaping cups of florets)
  • 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil (I use avocado oil)
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
  • 1 large Onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1 10 ounce can Natural Red Enchilada Sauce, gluten free if needed
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 Egg White
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 4 ounce can Diced Green Chiles
  • 1 cup Mexican Cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and rub an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with olive oil
  2. Cook the cauliflower til fork tender, about 10-15 minutes
  3. Drain the cauliflower and place onto a kitchen towel to cool for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
  4. While the cauliflower cooks, heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided pan on medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and taco seasoning and cook until lightly golden brown, stirring frequently or about 3-5 minutes.
  5. Add in the can of enchilada sauce and bring to a boil, boiling for 1 minute. Reduce the heat down to medium and simmer until the sauce is reduced and thick, about 7 minutes.
  6. Once the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, wrap it in the kitchen towel and wring out as much of the water as possible. Really put some muscle into this because you don’t want a soggy casserole! I like to do this twice, using 2 towels, to really get out the water.
  7. Place the cauliflower into a large food processor, along with the egg, egg white, salt and a generous pinch of pepper. Add in the enchilada sauce mixture and process until the mixture is smooth. Transfer into a large bowl.
  8. Shred the cooked chicken and add it to the bowl, along with the green chiles, stirring until well mixed.
  9. Transfer into the prepared pan and cover with tinfoil. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the tinfoil and cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until the casserole feels set and the sides are lightly browned. Sprinkle with cheese and cook an additional couple of minutes, until the cheese is melted.
  10. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
  11. Garnish with cilantro, tomatoes, avocado and sour cream.

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All Meat Veggie Chili

All Meat Veggie Chili

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: Easy
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A Super Easy and Fun Chili


Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil
  • 1-1/2 cups onion, deiced, about 1 large onion
  • 1/2 cup copped celery, about 1 stalk
  • 1-1/2 cups carrots, peeled and diced, about 4 medium carrots
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 4 cups zucchinis, diced, about 2-3 medium zucchinis (I also add butternut squash)
  • 1 15 ounce can tomato puree or tomato sauce
  • 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • If you have to have beans in your chili – then go ahead and add black beans and kidney beans (this will make it so that it doesn’t conform to keto)

Directions

  1. In your seasoned skillet or 5-6 quart large cast iron pot, brown beef and garlic. Cook over medium heat until beef is thoroughly cooked and browned. Drain off excess fat, set aside.
  2. Add oil, onions, celery, carrots, and seasonings (I use 2 tablespoons of tastefully simple Wahoo! Chili Seasoning instead of the separate spices) to the skillet and cook until translucent over medium high heat, about 5-7 minutes. Once onions are golden and veggies are midway cooked, add zucchini and cook for 2 minutes, making sure you stir everything well.
  3. Add cooked beef, tomato puree/sauce, and tomatoes into the pot and stir well. Bring everything to a boil, stirring frequently, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Check on the amazing mixture every so often and stir. Serve immediately.


This is a very thick chili recipe. Add up to 1 cup of additional liquid (tomato sauce or water) to thin out the sauce if you prefer.

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Minute French Toast

Low Carb Minute French Toast

Minute French Toast

  • Servings: 1
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A Super Simple Breakfast


Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp plus 1 heaping tsp almond flour
  • 2 tsp coconut flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon (add half to batter and use the other half on top)
  • 3 tbsp sugar free maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 egg

Directions

  1. Crack egg into coffee mug. Mix in all ingredients EXCEPT for the butter
  2. When the batter is smooth and completely mixed, then add your tablespoon of butter right into the center. No need to mix it in or melt it first
  3. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on your microwave strength. When it’s done it should still be soft and spongy.
  4. Carefully slice it in half and stick the two halves in the toaster (I pan fry mine since it holds together better that way)
  5. Top with more butter, cinnamon, sweetener or sugar free pancake syrup.

-Recipe Courtesy of Up Late Anyway

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8 Ways to Make Sure You Are Losing Fat on a Keto Lifestyle

Have you often wondered if you are losing fat on a keto diet? Here are 8 ways to make sure you are losing fat.

1. Don’t eat too many carbs. Low carb is considered under 50 grams per day. To reach a state of ketosis (metabolic state in which the body burns fat for fuel) your total calories from carbs should only be about 5% of your total caloric intake. You may have some difficulty doing this in the first week so you can gradually decrease over a weeks time to the under 50 grams. If you go cold turkey just expect to feel poorly for a couple of days – headaches, tummy upset, etc. This can be countered by increasing your electrolyte intake. (Lots of smart water or electrolyte water or electrolyte supplements, etc.)

2. You aren’t eating nutritious food. Get rid of processed food from your pantry. Everyone thinks their food budget will increase but it actually goes down because you don’t need as much healthy food to fill you up as you do with processed foods. This actually cut my grocery bill in half.

3. You may be consuming too many calories. It is critical to create a calorie deficit. This can be accomplished by cutting calories or moving more or both. Most people feel more satisfied after eating Keto meals and snacks due to the filling effects of fat and protein.

4. You may have an undiagnosed medical issue. Be sure to rule out any medical issues and find out if any meds you may be on could be causing problems.

5. You have unrealistic weight loss expectations. We all want fast results when we start any plan, but every bodies body is different. To help with this facet – not only weigh when you begin, but more importantly take your measurements. I had faster success losing inches than I did with weight. Also with a keto diet you will be maintaining the muscle or growing muscle so weight loss amounts can be deceptive.

6. You’re constantly snacking on high-calorie foods. We forget to listen to our stomachs and we’ve been so attuned to using food to alleviate stress or boredom that we don’t always pay attention to the fact we aren’t really hungry – we are eating out of habit. Take a minute before just automatically reaching for a snack and maybe see if you’re actually hungry or get up and go for a short walk. If you are hungry – maybe some options would be a small hand full of nuts or celery sticks or cherry tomatoes dipped in ranch dressing or a hard boiled egg.

7. You’re stressed and not getting enough sleep. Research shows that stress, especially chronic stress, and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss, Pub med article on Effects of Chronic Social Stress on Obesity. When your body is stressed it produces excess amounts of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol can encourage your body to store fat. And those who are stressed probably aren’t getting enough sleep, which has also been linked to weight gain.

8. You aren’t getting enough physical activity. Exercise lowers your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety and obesity. Don’t go run a 5k if you haven’t trained for it. Take your calendar and mark each day with 5 minutes more. So Day 1 you time it and move for 5 minutes – day 2 for 10 minutes – day 3 for 15 minutes, etc. At the end of 30 days you will be up to 50 minutes. Not too shabby for just 5 minutes additional each day.

If you have any questions about doing a keto lifestyle please don’t hesitate to ask and we can help. We will be getting recipes up here one day soon. We are working on the format now. Hang in there with us and learn to love a ketogenic lifestyle just like we do. Have an awesome day.

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