Let's go Keto!

[letsgoketo]

Low Carb Porridge recipe

This is a nice breakfast food for weekends, and goes very well with coffee and bacon. It is a good substitute for oatmeal, if that's what you're used to. This isn't the lowest-carb of breakfasts, but you can adapt the use of sweeteners and fruit as you like. This thickens dramatically, so if you don't need two servings, use a smaller amount of each ingredient (or make sure you're really hungry, as it is filling).

Ingredients:

Flaxseed meal

Pumpkin seeds (pre-roasted and cleaned)

Shredded, unsweetened coconut

Unsweetened almond milk (unflavored or vanilla)

Heavy Cream

Butter, unsalted (we recommend Kerrygold or Plugra)

Cinnamon

Truvia or other sugar substitute

Toppings (see below)

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, add one tablespoon of butter

Turn that burner on to medium-low heat (4/10)

Let the butter melt, and then swivel the pan to evenly distribute the butter

Sprinkle cinnamon and Truvia over the bottom of the pan, lightly but evenly

Sprinkle ~1/4 cup pumpkin seeds evenly around the bottom of the pan (photo 1)

Let the pumpkin seeds heat for a few minutes

Add a light layer of shredded coconut, a light sprinkling of Truvia (as the coconut is unsweetened), let sit for a minute or two

Add a layer of flaxseed meal to the pan, a bit thicker than the coconut. After a minute, stir everything. (photo 2) I often add a bit more butter at this point.

After a minute or so, pour almond milk lightly around the inner edge of the pan - it will make a satisfying sizzling sound, and keep the dry ingredients around the edge from sticking (photo 3)

Stir and let cook for another two minutes. The ingredients should still be relatively dry. 

Add heavy cream and stir (photo 4)

If you'd like to add fruit, wash it now. If bitter (like the blackberries I used) sprinkle them with Truvia (photo 5) and add to mixture.

If you'd like to add liquid flavoring (I used sugar-free maple syrup), add a swirl to the porridge.

Stir and let cook for another few minutes. If it seems too thick, add almond milk. If it seems to thin, add cream. If you haven't made enough, add flaxseed meal and almond milk. Keep it thinner than you think you'd like, as it thickens quickly when served.

When the berries have begun to burst, and the porridge is bubbling lightly in the center, serve to individual bowls. This makes approximately 2 servings.

Enjoy, and please comment here that you liked it or reblog!

Toppings/Flavor ideas:

sugar-free maple syrup and blackberries (above)

banana (sugar-free liquid flavoring) and walnuts

raspberries and vanilla

sugar-free chocolate syrup and strawberries

hazlenut flavoring and a bit of sugar-free chocolate syrup ("nutella"-like)

coconut oil instead of butter, heavier use of shredded coconut, and sugar-free mango or pineapple liquid flavoring

mixed strawberries and blueberries

[letsgoketo]

Nice keto shopping list, thank you! Was it hard transitioning to keto? Without carbs, I simply cannot function. I feel tired, cranky, lethargic, and definitely don't want to work out. Any explanation/tips?

That’s exactly how I was at first. I’d recommend finding a friend who will do it with you - that always helps. You’re always welcome to talk to me too! Don’t worry, after the first few weeks, you’ll really start to turn around and feel much better. Don’t get too crazy about avoiding small treats like berries and fake sugar - let yourself use them to help transition over. Try making the scones I posted recently for breakfast, and look up some quick ‘mug cake’ recipes for at night. They’re the best things I’ve found for destroying sugar cravings. Definitely don’t let yourself feel hungry - and make sure you’re getting enough fat for energy (coconut oil in coffee is one of my go-tos, also cooking everything in bacon grease). I actually don’t work out at all, and I’ve still lost almost 30 pounds in just a few months… so don’t feel too guilty about not working out until you get more adjusted. :)

[letsgoketo]

My favorite Keto breakfast, courtesy of 'All Day I Dream About Food'

I make them on Sundays and eat a slice each morning during the week! Heat them for 30 seconds and put some of the cream-cheese icing. Delicious with coffee.

http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2011/08/cinnamon-roll-scones-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html

Cinnamon Roll Scones

Scones: 2 cups almond flour 2 tbsp granulated erythritol 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (butter may be substituted) 2 tbsp heavy cream 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 8 drops stevia extract

Filling/Topping: 2 tbsp granulated erythritol 1 tbsp Ideal Sweetener Brown* (optional) 2 tsp cinnamon

Icing: 1 oz cream cheese, softened 1 tbsp cream 1/2 tbsp butter, softened 1 tbsp powdered erythritol 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 6 drops stevia extract

For the scones, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 325F. Whisk together almond flour, erythritol, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add in egg, coconut oil, cream, vanilla extract and stevia extract until dough comes together.

In a small bowl, whisk together filling ingredients. Sprinkle half of filling into dough and mix in, but do not fully incorporate, so that it remains streaky.

Turn out dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet and shape by hand into a rough circle, 7 or 8 inches in diameter. Sprinkle with remaining topping (NOTE: I recommend doing half of this now, and half when its mid-way done cooking so the 'sugar' doesn't burn). Slice into 8 even wedges and separate carefully, then space evenly around the baking sheet (NOTE: I've had better results cutting the slices AFTER cooking instead). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until scones are firm and lightly browned. Keep an eye on the bottoms to make sure they don’t burn.

Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

For the icing, beat cream cheese, butter and cream together until smooth. Beat in powdered erythritol, vanilla and stevia extracts until combined. Pipe or spread over cooled scones.

* If you don’t have any brown-sugar style sweetener, just add another tablespoon of granulated erythritol.

Serves 8. Each scone has 7g of carbs and 3g of fiber, so total NET CARBS = 4g.

[nieyinniangs]

Hi friends. Here’s another super quick microwave recipe:

KETO BREAKFAST MUG MUFFIN

Ingredients:

1 tsp (5g) butter, melted (you can use olive oil or coconut oil)

5 tbsp (30g) almond meal/flour (you can replace with flax meal)

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

stevia (one sachet)

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Instructions:

Mix everything in your mug with a fork.

Microwave for about 1 to 1.5 minutes (the thinner your cup wall, the faster it will cook).

Run a knife around the edge and invert to slide out.

Serve with lotsa butter.

Serves one.

Macros: 291 calories, 5g net carbs (9g carbs total), 24g fat, 12g protein

Percentages: 76.1% fat, 16.9% protein, 7% net carbs

[whatevercami]

Oh.my.god.

Keto hot chocolate: 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 heavy whipping cream 2 tbsp dark cocoa powder Sugar free vanilla syrup or liquid stevia extract Dash of cayenne pepper

Put it all in a saucepan (is that what it’s called?). Don’t bring to a boil because that shit will spill over… first hand experience. Just heat on medium until its smooth and creamy and ugh…

Heaven in my mouth. This is perfect for shark week. 47 grams of fat. 4 net carbs. Practically a liquid fat bomb. :D

[letsgoketo]

Keto Grocery List

Some suggested items to buy before or shortly after you start doing Keto.

1) Sugar substitute like Truvia calorie-free sweetener. I highly recommend buying both a box of packets (for coffee) and a spoonable jar or two (for baking).

2) Almond flour and coconut flour. Also consider hazelnut flour.

3) Liquid sweetener for smoothies, etc. (Use only a few drops!)

4) Delicious, pure butter - not margarine!

5) Eggs

6) BACON. Also MORE BACON. Don't forget to save the grease when cooking!

7) Xanthan gum. You can buy it as a powder and use it to thicken sauces when cooking, or smoothies.

8) Meat, like sausage, steak, ground beef, chicken, seafood, deli ham.

9) Vegetables, like spinach, kale, peppers, onions, tomatoes (sparingly), eggplant, and mushrooms.

10) Lemon for fish, baked goods, etc.

11) Herbs. They don't add calories, just nutrition and flavor.

12) Coconut oil for bulletproof coffee and baking

13) Heavy cream also for bulletproof coffee and baking

14) Cinnamon improves the taste of sugar substitutes - recommended for bulletproof coffee and baking (Keto-friendly cinnamon scones are DELICIOUS.)

[jennynotketo]

NSV (non-scale-victory): none of my favourite jeans fit me anymore ;p … I’m having to throw out jeans that are *too BIG* for me :D I might keep one though, just for the obligatory before and after shot ;)

me (via jennynotketo)

[ketojenic]

Some keto-friendly dip ideas. Serve with fresh veggies, keto-friendly crackers, dehydrated veggie/meat chips, or pork rinds!

Bacon Double Cheeseburger Dip

Taco Dip

Hot Caprese Dip

Low-Carb Bean-Free Hummus

Pizza Dip

Brie & Spinach Dip

Spinach, Bacon, & Onion Dip

Baked Bleu Cheese Dip

Artichoke Dip

Tzatziki

[letstesselatemoonman]

eating little portions is second nature to me now. the idea of being tempted by carbohydrates is kind of laughable. i can be standing right in front of a huge plate of jaffa torte and just shrug it off in favor of the keto-friendly version. this diet is marvellous, i wish i could tell the entire...

[letsgoketo]

Keto easy snacks

Just a few ideas for quick snacks in between meals that I've found work for me these first few weeks.

Emerald cocoa roast almonds (also cinnamon, and sea salted flavors) - these things really taste like M&Ms! I recommend the 100 calorie packs so you keep your portions reasonable.

Sugar-free jello. Make a double batch and keep individual serving-sized cups of it in your fridge (especially good in the summer). Plop two or three berries in the bottom for a little indulgence.

Small portions of berries, such as: raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries (I recommend serving them in a specific very small cup each time, so you know you're not exceeding a recommended amount). Strawberries are a bit sweeter, so be careful with them.

Chopped salad (make a big batch including avocado, spinach, cucumber, tomato, onion and pepper, and liberally pour on keto-friendly dressing when ready to eat (I recommend Ken's full-fat Italian dressing!) Add a few dried cranberries if you're dying for a tiny bit of sweetness. Adding bits of bacon is a good idea too.

Leftovers. Sounds simple, but get in the habit of making double your normal amount for dinner so that you can have a keto-friendly meal ready to go when you get hungry mid-day. Having something already planned makes it far easier to resist temptation.

Fried egg. Provided you're somewhere with a kitchenette, make a quick hard fried egg (break an egg into simmering full-fat butter in a pan, add pepper and salt, fry to your desired consistency). Even better if you have some leftover bacon to pair with it!

Agua fresca - I get tired of having plain water all the time, so try adding a bit of lemon juice to your ice water. Cuts through some of the oily feeling in your mouth and gives you a more juice-like feeling. You can also include one or more of the following: lemon slices, lime slices, cucumber slices, rasperries, blueberries, blackberries, fresh herbs (basil, tarragon, lemongrass, etc).

Create your own keto dessert souffle. This is discouraged as a regular practice because you want to help your body to stop craving sweet foods, but consider making your own quick, one-cup keto-friendly desserts, especially at the start of your diet. Include things like egg, heavy cream, Truvia (or other acceptable sugar substitute), and coconut flour or almond flour, and bake in the microwave. Experiment and add a little flavoring with lemon juice, a few berries, mint flavoring, vanilla flavoring, cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut shavings, etc. Make sure to add a tiny bit of baking powder to help it puff up.

Keto smoothie - whip up a quick smoothie with whatever vegetables and berries you have handy, plus some Truvia (or other sugar substitute), ice, and a liquid (almond milk, coconut milk, heavy cream). I recommend including avocado and spinach.

Deli platter - roll up pieces of ham, turkey, etc from the deli (after checking their nutritional information). Have a dill pickle alongside, or a bit of tomato and avocado. If you enjoy cheese (unlike me!) have some of that too.

[letsgoketo]

My fiancee's kickass keto pizza. Full recipe soon. Toppings include parmesan and mozzerella cheese, pepperoni, ground buffalo meat, green pepper, onion, basil, and spinach. Sauce is just tomato paste and water to your desired consistency, plus garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, a little basil, salt and pepper.

[letsgoketo]

Simple Keto Tuna Salad:

3 cans tuna fish (drained)

1 dill pickle spear (diced)

1 slice of a medium sized onion (diced)

5 cherry tomatoes (diced)

alfalfa sprouts

mayonnaise (full-fat, low/no sugar)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Drain tuna fish and empty into a large bowl

Dice pickle spear, onion slice and cherry tomatoes; add all to bowl

Add alfalfa sprouts to your personal taste

Add mayonnaise to your desired consistency

Add a bit of pickle juice, if desired

Stir thoroughly, refrigerate for a bit, and serve.

Enjoy!