Running with Keto

A Runner Fueled by Fat

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Instagram

Friends, if you haven’t already I update my Instagram almost daily with other keto-related content. Feel free to follow me there! 

@runningwithketo

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I’ve officially run out of coffee in my house but have a bit of matcha left. Unless I’m studying or meeting someone at a coffee shop, I will be cutting coffee for a bit. Matcha is much lighter and doesn’t give you terrible crashes after the caffeine wears off.

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BACON WRAPPED ROSEMARY SHRIMP

INGREDIENTS * 1oz cream cheese * 1/2 stick butter * 1 lb thinly sliced bacon (slices cut in half) * 1 lb large or jumbo shrimp (peel and devein) * handful of fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS 1. In a bowl melt cream cheese and butter. You can either do this in a saucepan or in a microwave.  2. Once melted, mix in rosemary.  3. Wrap each shrimp in a half slice of bacon and lay on a lined cookie sheet.  4. Brush marinade on shrimp. Alternatively you can dip the shrimp in the sauce. 5. Broil on high heat for 5-7 minutes or until bacon is nice and crispy. 

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If you’re like me, I love tortilla chips. In fact, there were times pre-keto where I would buy a party-sized bag and finish it within two days. Thankfully I’ve learned how to make tiny switches in my diet that allow me to still enjoy salty foods without all the added junk. A great way to make “keto” nachos is simply by substituting tortilla chips with pork rinds. Simply season and cook ground meat with taco seasoning and add your favorite Tex-Mex condiments. My go-to’s are always shredded Mexican cheese, tomatoes, onions and sour cream. 

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KETO GUMMY BEARS INGREDIENTS

* 2/3 cups of water * 3 7g-packets gelatin  * 1 9g-packet of sugar-free flavored gelatin (could also use sugar-free Jello) * 2 tsp stevia

DIRECTIONS 1. Turn on stove to low heat to heat water but do not let boil. 2. Once water is warm, slowly add the 3 packets of gelatin and mix until fully dissolved.  3. Slowly mix in the the flavored gelatin and continue to mix for another minute or two.  4. As soon as the gelatin is fully dissolved, remove from stove. 5. Use the dropper to fill in gummy bear molds (click link to see where I purchased mine). You may only need 1 1/2 molds. 6. Let cool for 30 mins- 1 hour. 7. Enjoy!!!

TIP: You may leave the gummy bears out as they will not melt at room temperature. However, they will only last around 2 days before they get moldy. I’m telling you this from experience! My recommendation would be to put them in the fridge and enjoy the candy cold.

Running with Keto

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My schedule makes it difficult to spend hours in the kitchen cooking foods that require a lot of time and/or ingredients. I’m always looking for ways to get the most I can out of the small amount of time I dedicate to cooking. These bell peppers have only 5 ingredients and the most challenging part is waiting 20 minutes for these babies to finish roasting. This is a great meal to prepare if you are feeding a lot of people. 

ROASTED STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

INGREDIENTS * 2-3 bell peppers * 1 lb ground beef * sliced parmesan cheese * 1 cup shredded cheese * meat seasoning of choice

DIRECTIONS 1. Cook ground beef with seasoning of choice. I usually use taco seasoning. 2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 3. Cut bell peppers in half and remove inside membranes. 4. Line each bell pepper with slices of parmesan cheese. 5. Stuff the bell peppers with cooked ground meat. 6. Top with shredded cheese.  7. Roast for 20 minutes. 8. Enjoy!!

Photo Credit: Roman Suarez

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After intense runs, I love making smoothies. You can make a smoothie with any protein powder, but I enjoy beefing them up especially if I want to start my day with a nice kick. 

POST-RUN SMOOTHIE

* Handful of frozen strawberries (they will act as ice) * 1-2 cups unsweetened coconut beverage. * 2 tbsp almond butter * 1 tbsp cocoa powder * 1 scoop Perfect Keto exogenous ketones * pinch of your favorite sweetener

All you need to do is blend for a few seconds and you are ready to go!

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Lettuce tacos are a quick and easy meal to prepare that there is really no recipe to follow. With Cinco de Mayo coming up, these would be a perfect Tex-Mex dish. There are low carb tortillas that can be used instead of lettuce, but if you are wanting to save money, the greens are probably your best bet. Season and cook the ground beef and top with your favorite tex-mex fixings! 

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ALMOND BUTTER FAT BOMBS

INGREDIENTS * 6 tbsp coconut butter * 6 tbsp butter * 2 tbsp sweetener * half bar of dark chocolate * 1/2 cup- 3/4 cup almond butter * 10-15 cupcake liners

DIRECTIONS 1. Microwave all butters and chocolate for 30 seconds. 2. Mix and and add sweetener.  3. Microwave for 30 seconds. 4. Pour mix into liners, just enough to cover the bottom.  (optional) You can either freeze to create an even almond butter filling, or if you are impatient like me, you can move on to the next step.  5. Add a tablespoon of almond butter to each liner.  6. Evenly distribute the rest of the mix into all of the trays so that the almond butter is completely covered.  7. Freeze until hardened and enjoy!! 

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You can never go wrong with a bowl of guacamole. All you need is 5 avocados, a small red onion, 2 roma tomatoes, salt and pepper! I promise, no one will ever turn you down. I try to eat avocados as much as I can. They are full of fat and nutrients which allow me to recharge at lunchtime or consume any calories I had a hard time consuming during the day.

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Breakfast is my absolute favorite meal. Growing up in a Mexican-American household, weekend breakfasts with my family were always so memorable. Even though this month I have focused on intermittent fasting and thus am not eating breakfast, I still think chorizo and eggs can still make a perfect dinner meal. 

CHORIZO AND EGGS

INGREDIENTS * 1/2 lb chorizo * 5 eggs * 1/4 cup half and half DIRECTIONS 1. At medium heat, cook the chorizo for a few minutes until it’s very close to being fully cooked.  2. Meanwhile whisk the eggs in a bowl and mix in the half and half.  3. Pour in the egg mixture and mix so that the chorizo is evenly distributed. 4. Wait until the edges are cooked to mix again. Periodically mix until the eggs are fully cooked.  5. Serve with cheese, avocado and sour cream if desired!

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ROASTED VEGGIES

INGREDIENTS * 1 red onion * 1 zucchini * 1 squash * 2 bell peppers (either red, green or one of each) * 1 cauliflower * You may also include broccoli in the mix but as I bloat heavily when consuming broccoli, I leave it out of my batch. 

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Cut each vegetable into large chunks and throw onto a baking tray.  3. Liberally drizzle avocado oil, salt, pepper and thyme.  4. Mix veggies so they are evenly covered with oil and spices. 5. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes. 

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Given I gave up coffee for Lent, I needed something else to wake up in the mornings before heading to school and dealing with 100 middle schoolers for 8 hours a day. The withdrawing process was horrible, but I managed to pull through with a little help from matcha. Matcha still has caffeine, but a lower amount than coffee. On top of that, you get a large amount of nutrients as you are basically consuming the entire tea leaf. I can’t say I will not drinking coffee after the Lenten season is over, but I highly recommend it for people who don’t like the taste of coffee or have not so pleasant side effects from it. 

Keto tip: I always throw in MCT oil and half and half into my matcha drinks. 

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KETO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

* 3/4 stick of butter * 1 egg * 1 1/2 cup almond flour * 1/4 cup sweetener * 1 tsp baking powder * 1 tbsp vanilla * handful of dark chocolate chips (make sure it’s free of sugar)

DIRECTIONS * Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. * Melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  * Mix the wet ingredients and fold in the dry ingredients and chocolate in any order.  * Scoop spoonfuls of the dough onto a greased or lined tray.  * Bake for 16 minutes. 

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Who doesn’t love fried mushrooms? What if I told you these were keto? You can make your own batter using almond flour, Cajun seasoning, and sea salt. Just make sure to dip the halved mushrooms in an egg mix before dipping them in the batter and frying them.

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Baked salmon is one of my go to meals when I am running low on free time. I always have salmon stocked in the freezer for these occasions. I don’t have a specific recipe but I always make sure to season it well with whatever is in my pantry, add a bit of butter and bake for a good 10-15 minutes.

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I’ve been living on pepperoni chips lately. They’re a simple super fatty snack you can make at home. I just place a bunch of them on a plate, sprinkle cheese over them, and stick them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. You can also put them in the oven for a few minutes but I’m an impatient person.