Almost August

Summer 2020 sure is a whole lot different than other summers.  I was looking for some pictures of summer vacations from the past and reminiscing.  When my kids were still kids and before their Dad died, we took them to Virginia.  We arrived in Williamsburg late in the afternoon and decided to buy tickets for the following day to get a head start on touring the Olde Village.  The next morning we woke up to pouring rain.  Change of plans, we toured the Carter Plantation instead.  No relation to my family.  It was interesting and very beautiful.  Virginia is a nice place to vacation but I prefer the Jersey Shore.  We had a few vacations there too.  Once in Avalon and a few times in Wildwood.  My most cherished memories though are the vacations in North Carolina on the Outer Banks.  From left to right, Avalon and three of my grandkids, Wildwood and my daughter and Granddaughter, and last OBX- Tracy, my daughter-in-law Donna

and me.

 

It's nice to go back and remember the good times we had as a family.  I guess we won't have very many from this summer, which makes me sad.  The only travelling I'll be doing is via books and TV.  It's just not the same as going there. But, I'm thankful that my family is safe and all are healthy and there's always next year.

More upsetting news

It's official, our PRS Pool will not be opened this summer.  I'm not really surprised.  The guidelines were pretty specific and would have been hard to enforce.  I'm disappointed as I'm sure many of you are as well.  Here's an alternative you might want to consider:

If you're laughing, you still have a sense of humor.  I was starting to think that it was okay to loosen up on staying home.  I was so ready to start living my life again until last night.  I watched the World News and saw the piece about the man who went to a BBQ.  He contracted the virus and the same day he was admitted to the hospital, he died.  There's only one sure way to not become another statistic, and that's to stay away from people.  So, as much as it hurts me, that's what I'm going to keep doing.  To repeat a quote, "I'd rather be 6 feet apart, than 6 feet under".  Keep yourself informed and do what you feel is right for you.  Better days are coming, I hope.

Dust off your grill

I'm back Folks, sorry for the long absence.  I had some unpleasant drama going on but life is too short for that nonsense.  Moving on and it feels good. 

The weather has been gorgeous here in the Garden State and my son and I were gifted the grill you see above.  It's a combo gas, charcoal and smoker grill.  We've been using it almost everyday.  Summer is perfect for being Keto.  All the fresh produce available and grilling is the perfect partnership.  We haven't used the smoker yet but there's a Brisket in the freezer along with a whole chicken that will be smoked before too long.  Like a lot of you, during the stay at home order, I gained back almost 10 pounds.....yikes!  But I'm happy to report that I got serious and managed to lose it again.....yeah!  So far in the past week we have had Salmon on the grill, London broil, Baby-back ribs, Smoked Sausage, Beef Kabobs and Fresh Tuna Steaks; all served with salad and grilled vegetables.  I'm also cooking with fresh herbs that I'm growing in my herb garden.  I'm more than happy to share the herbs if anyone wants some.  I have Parsley, Chives, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Tarragon, Rosemary and Mint. Desserts in the summer tend to be light.  I've shared some of those recipes in past blogs.  Cheesecake in a jar with strawberries is one that we like alot.  Sugar Free pudding made with almond milk and heavy cream is like mousse.  If you get a cool day and don't mind lighting the oven, Impossible Coconut Custard Pie is one of our favorites.

Impossible Coconut Custard Pie

4 Tbls. melted Butter

4 large eggs

2 Tbls. coconut oil

1/2 tsp. coconut extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 Tbls. All Purpose Flour (Not strict Keto I know)

2 Tbls. Coconut Flour

1 Cup Light Cream

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

1/3 Cup Water 

1/8 cup Jordan's Skinny Syrup (I used coconut flavor)

2 Tbls. Golden Monk Fruit sweetener

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

To sprinkle on top

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

ground cinnamon (just for color)

Preheat oven to 325º.  Spray a 9" pie pan with cooking spray.  Melt your butter and let it cool a little.  Crack your eggs right into a blender jar.  Add the cooled butter and turn on for just long enough to mix well.  Now just dump in all the rest of the ingredients.  Blend again until everything is smooth.  Pour into prepared pan.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  This is the important step... you have to bake your pie in a water bath.  Find a pan large enough to hold your pie pan and fill it with hot water up to about halfway up the sides of the pie pan.  Place carefully on the middle rack in your oven.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  I like to check on it at 45 minutes and add the 1/4 cup of coconut flakes now.  Bake for another few minutes until the coconut is brown and a knife inserted comes out clean.  Cool on a rack and then refrigerate for a few hours before you cut your pie.  Makes 8 small servings with 3 net carbs ea.  Or if you want a larger piece cut the pie into 6 servings with 4 net carbs ea.

Good Advice, Enjoy your day!

Time for white shoes and pants

This is the beach at Salvo, North Carolina also known as the Outer Banks.  It's my happy place.  Some of my happiest memories are the vacations I spent there.  I haven't been back for too long now.  I have great memories of vacations at the Jersey shore too, but OBX will always be my favorite beach place.  I also spent almost fifteen years living in Florida and the beach there was on the Gulf of Mexico.  So different from the Atlantic Ocean.  The water of the Gulf was always much warmer and the waves were really small.  You could actually swim out pretty far and never get knocked down.  The other thing I liked about Bradenton Beach,Florida; you could park on the side of the road and walk a short distance to the beach.  Have you ever been to Wildwood, NJ?  The beach there is another story, the walk is really far to the water.  One of the reasons my favorite is OBX, is you can drive on the beach with 4 wheel drive.

No long walk, carrying everything and then trudging back again at the end of the day.  At this stage of my life, I don't think I could handle a long walk in the sand on a hot day.  This year a trip to the beach is going to be different than any other year because of Covid-19.  In fact this summer is going to be different as well.  We just have to make the best of whatever comes our way and be thankful to be alive.  

Switching gears, I tried a new recipe last night that I'd like to share with my Keto buddies.  As I've said before, I will only share recipes that I've tried and rate as really good.  This one is no exception.  I hope you will try it.

Keto Lemon Mug Cake

1 Tbsp. Almond Flour

1 1/2 Tbsp. Coconut Flour

1 Tbsp. granulated sweetener, like Swerve

1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp. lemon zest

1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 large egg 

3 Tbsp. Milk (I used light cream)

Combine the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.  Grease a large mug (I used coconut oil).  Pour in the batter and microwave for at least 50 seconds.  I did a full minute and it was perfect.  Cool cake completely before adding frosting.  A simple frosting is, 2 or 3 Tbls. softened cream cheese, 1 Tbls. sweetener and a few drops of vanilla extract.  Mix together and add some cream to get the desired consistency.  I also topped with a few slices of fresh strawberries.  Just the cake has 6 grams of Carbs.  The frosting adds 2 grams and the strawberry adds 1 gram.  You could also top the cake with whipped cream and raspberries.  Let me know if you try it.

Made in the U.S.A

The other day on Facebook a friend of mine from High School was talking about only buying items made in the U.S.A.  I agree with her whole heartedly.  Especially now since I feel it's the only way to get our economy back on track.  By now everyone has seen the posts explaining how to know if something we buy at the grocery store is made in the U.S.A.   Look at the bar codes, right?  And, I do that most of the time (pat on back).  However, what about everything else we buy.  Clothing doesn't have bar codes.  I was doing laundry the same day I saw my friend's post.  Just for curiosity I started looking at labels as I pulled items from the dryer.  Of three large loads of clothing, not one item was made in the U.S.A.  NADA, ZERO, ZILCH!  Some was made in India, Taiwan, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand and mostly China.  Granted, I don't buy expensive clothing but I was still surprised that even my hanes underwear was from China.

I was really disappointed in myself, to realize everything I wear took jobs away from America.  So, what do I do now?  I was wondering if there's a list somewhere of manufacturers/distributors that only sell American made clothes.  I did find one list of 100 Companies and I'll share it with you, but I didn't recognize very many of them.  Here's the link to the list:  https://clark.com/shopping-retail/american-made-in-the-usa/  I don't know about you, but I am feeling totally overwhelmed by just how dependent we have become on foreign trade.  It's not that easy to stop buying things not made here.  I don't have the answers and all I can do is try my best.  

Dreaming of a happier time

Don't get too excited, this is an old picture.  Old memories of happier times is what helps me cope with reality.  Today is a hard day, I'm feeling very depressed and lethargic.  I haven't felt like posting anything on my blog.  I need  to get out of my house, I need to see my family, I need to just go browsing a department store, I need to go to the beach, I need to see my friends again and I need to stop worrying about the unknown. 

Yesterday I was almost rude to a complete stranger on Facebook.  I related an experience I had at Shop-Rite in Lacey last week.  I said that a security guard took my temperature before I was allowed to enter the store.  A woman replied that all I have to do is use Insta-cart and get my groceries delivered.  Really? It's that simple?  I don't think so, in this area the delivery slots are booked for the next 3 weeks.  I actually don't mind going shopping, it's the highlight of my week, LOL!  And, I don't mind having my temperature taken.  I don't see how that makes any difference, because you can be a carrier of the virus without any symptoms.  But, I will keep doing my part and keep praying that this ends soon.  

On a more positive note, people are stepping up and helping their neighbors.  My neighbor Rita likes to sew.  She called me and asked if my Son and I would like her to make us cloth masks to wear.  I thought that was really nice of her and I thanked her for the offer.  She did an amazing job and delivered them to our paper tube.  Thanks again Rita!

There have been a lot of catch phrases circulating, but the best one in my opinion was "better to be 6 feet apart rather than 6 feet under"!  I can't agree more.  Stay safe and healthy. 😍💘

Good Friday prayers

As a child, I was raised as a Christian.  I attended Sunday school at the Presbyterian church in the small town of Newtown, Pa.   When I got a little older, I joined the Methodist church.  I sang in the Choir and had many wonderful experiences being a member.  When I became an Adult, I drifted away from attending Church.  In times of trouble I always relied on my faith to see me through.  And there were many times in my life when I called on God for guidance and help.  Now is no different, I need my faith to get me through this troubling time.  I admit to not knowing very much about other religions and their beliefs.  I only know what I believe.  Today I will spend my time quietly reflecting on those beliefs and asking God to protect my family and friends.  Many years ago, on Good Friday everything stopped in the afternoon at the time of Jesus' death.  Businesses closed, People attended Church services and as children we were told to remain quiet in the house.  It was a day of mourning, a time of darkness for every Christian.  This afternoon I will pray for all the souls we have lost to this Virus Worldwide.  I'll also look forward to Sunday when the light returns and Jesus is Risen.  I have to believe that this Crisis will end and there will be light in the world again.

Easter Week 2020

I don't know about you, but I need some happiness in my life this week.  Today's blog is going to focus on the positive.  When I started this blog it was supposed to be about our Keto journey to better health.  Just about a month ago our world was turned upside down.  We're still here and we're still trying our best to stay Keto.  I will admit that it has gotten a lot harder though.  Once last week we ate mac n cheese for the first time in over a year.  I've also made cookies more than once, and I don't mean Keto cookies.  😲  But I'm not beating myself up over my slip ups.  I know when this crisis is over, I will get back on track.  As we approach Easter, Passover and Ramadan, I'm going to be thankful for everything that's good in my life.  Tonight I'll go outside and look up at the Super Moon 🌕 and thank God.  I know that tomorrow the sun 🌞will rise on another day.  My family is healthy, I have a roof over my head, food to eat and love in my heart.  These are the important things for me.  Some of my family and friends have not been as fortunate and have suffered more than I have.  I pray for them all and hope things get better for everyone. 

    

It's not business as usual

Take a good long look at the graph above.  I am so appalled when I hear of instances of my fellow human beings that just don't understand this graph.  Over and over again I'm hearing of gatherings of people for selfish reasons.  Do you not understand that it's not just about you?  It affects all of us.  I know it's hard to stay home and not be with the people you care about.  "Stay home" is for your safety and mine.  The President's guidelines say no groups larger then 10.  I say no groups period.  How do you know if just one person in your group is a carrier?  Are you really willing to take a chance on becoming infected?  Those of you that think it's OK to get together with friends are in the dark blue curve, the rest of us who are staying home are in the striped curve.  Maybe you think you won't be that one out of ten that infects someone else.  How do you know for sure?  Are you willing to jeopardize your family and friends just so you can get out of the house?  How are you going to feel if because you were lonely and decided to visit Grandma, and you unknowingly are a carrier of the virus and now Grandma gets sick and dies?  Think about that, let it sink in, was it worth the visit?  Maybe you think getting together outside and staying 6 feet apart is OK, what if that's not true.  There is so much we don't know about how this Virus is transmitted.  The rules keep changing everyday.  I'm not being a Nervous Nellie, I've seen first hand how people who were healthy and relatively young have been fine one day and then suddenly got sick and within a week to 10 days died.  They're dead, they're not coming back.  Please at least consider what I've said, we are in a war and the only way to win is to fight with the tools that we have.  Mitigation   if you don't know what that means, look it up.

How are you coping?

Today is our last day of mandatory quarantine.  Tomorrow we can finally venture outside and attempt to do some food shopping.  It's been an experience we somehow managed to get through.  We've been in lock down since March 10th.  We had no opportunity to stock up because we were told to stay home, not asked...told by the Health Dept.  I want to take this opportunity to thank a few people for their concern and offers to shop for us.  First, my son Tom who did his best to fill our list of needed things.  Second, my niece Bonnie who offered to send me anything I needed.  She lives in Florida but knowing her, she would have done it.  Two of my neighbors here in NJ said "let me know if you need anything", Barbara and Agnes.  My friend Tina who also offered, even though she would be putting herself at risk to help us.  My daughter and Son-in-law who live an hour away also offered.  There's one person I barely know who also offered, thanks Ellen.  Thanks to my brother, Bob, My friend, Rho and my niece, Sherry for checking on us.  If I've learned one thing it's who your friends truly are.  I know who those people are and I love them for caring about us.  I don't hold any grudges for the friends that didn't step up, I'm sure they are scared, as we all are.  For those that bullied us, I'm sure you were terrified we would somehow infect you.  We never had any symptoms and we were transparent about our situation.  Maybe that was a mistake but I still believe it was the right thing to do.  I can't forget to thank my Son, Don who kept me laughing just by being himself.  This would have been much harder if I had been alone.  💖💖

I pray this crisis will end and be just a bad memory.🙏  I pray my family remains safe and well.🙏  I pray our leaders put aside their politics and do the right thing. 🙏  We're all in this together and now is not the time for bickering.

Personally, my immediate wish is to find most of what I need at the grocery store☕🍅🍗🍞 (no emoji for toilet paper). 

The first time in my life

I haven't posted in a while because I have more pressing things going on in my life right now.  I never saw this crisis coming.  It all happened so fast, and I wasn't prepared.  Aside from just figuring out how to survive, I am also deeply saddened by the selfish actions of others.  I mostly live pay check to pay check and rarely have any extra money put aside.  I buy just what I need and don't stock up on anything.  What I find to be ironic is that now, I have received my Social Security; but there's no food to buy.  Because people are binge buying and hoarding.....crazy.  As the title above says, this is the first time in my life that money is useless.  

My son and I have been quarantined since 3/10 and we have another week to go before we can leave the house.  I'm praying that by then the grocery situation has improved.  I'm trying very hard to stay positive because things could be much worse.  We could both be sick because we were exposed to the virus.  People my son knows have died. 

I'm old enough to remember what the world was like just after the second World War.  Things were still being rationed and people had to make do with what they had.  But with the passing of time, everything got back to normal and the Country thrived.  So just be patient and do whatever it takes to get through this trying time and most of all be kind and considerate of others.  

Random thoughts, not Keto related

I've had a lot of time on my hands lately and my mind has been in overdrive.  Like everyone else, I've been listening to the Talking Heads on TV, maybe a little too much.  I've spent more time then usual on Facebook as well.  The news media has been scaring me and Facebook is all about making jokes about Covid 19.  So who do we believe?  Is this all just a hoax perpetrated by politics?  I've seen it said that this is another attempt to influence the 2020 election.  If that's true, how do you explain Italy and what they are going through?  Everyone  is saying don't panic, but how can we not when we see what is happening in Italy.  For me, this all became more personal when I found out my Son has been exposed to someone that tested positive for Covid-19.  It started when he told me he knew the Man in NJ who was the first death from the Virus.  Ok, that's very sad news but he wasn't with him lately.  Nothing to worry about.  Later that day, he was informed that one of the people where he works had been in contact with the deceased.  He was tested and the results were positive.  My son was told that even though he is not showing any signs of the virus, he should voluntarily quarantine in place for the safety of others.  He was also told to take his temperature periodically.  If his temperature went up to 100.4, he should call his primary care Doctor and be tested.  This also means I am quarantined because we live in the same house.  Both of us are in the group of being at a higher risk.  Me because of my age and Don because he has pre-existing lung issues with Asthma.  For now we are fine, but that balance between panic and calm has swung toward panic.  ⚖😷

I'd also like to say that my blog is a way for me to express myself.  I like getting my thoughts and feelings out of my head and down on paper.  It's sort of a form of therapy for me.  That being said, If I have offended you in any way with something I've posted here, just let me know.  I would rather be informed then have anyone assume something I said was directed at them.  Case in point, my blog about Lent.  The whole point of that blog was Satire not literal.  When I said I liked the idea of giving up people and giving up being nice, it was directed at people I have had to deal with in my life who are rude and hurtful.  I would never "give up" on my friends.  Friends should care about each other unconditionally even if they don't agree with each other all the time.  That doesn't mean there won't be conflict but true friendship should be able to weather those storms.  I've told you all before, comments are encouraged and I look forward to them good or bad.  So, let me have it!  Just try to be kind to each other. 😍

A hard truth to learn

I've talked about a lot of things so far when it comes to being successful on Keto.  Yesterday, while reading some posts on Facebook, I saw someone talking about being Diabetic and keeping their blood sugar levels down.  They went on to say that they needed something sweet to satisfy a craving.  They thought eating some fresh fruit was the answer.  Early on in my own journey to lower my A1C, I found out that most fruit should only be eaten in moderation.  In fact, you  should only use fruit as a garnish on something else.  What do I mean by that?  An example would be the dessert I made last night, "Cheesecake in a Jar".  The recipe called for 12 ounces of chopped strawberries.  I looked up the Carb count for 12 oz.(19 gms. of carbs) and thought it was entirely too high.  I cut the amount down to 6 oz. (9 gms. of carbs).  I could have substituted blackberries or raspberries both are good choices.  Blueberries are not a good substitute because they contain three times more carbs for the same amount.  

Please take the time to really study the chart above.  I know I was pretty naive when I began Keto.  I used to eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast.  Back then I was still working and took those packets of flavored oatmeal to work because it was easy to make from water in the break room and the microwave.  Little did I know that what I though was a healthy breakfast was a horrible choice.  One packet of Maple and brown sugar has 30 gms. of Carbs.

Even the regular kind in the round box has 23 gms. of Carbs.  So, you get the idea, you have to do your homework and be aware of what you think is healthy but actually it's not.  Did you know that milk has more carbs than heavy cream?  Regular full fat ranch salad dressing has less carbs than fat free.  One Tablespoon of regular has 1 carb.  The same amount of Fat Free has 4 carbs.  I can't stress to you enough that when you do your shopping, you have to read the labels.  It will take you longer to shop, but it will be worth it until you get used to the better choices.

  

I hope this has given you some good information that you didn't know before.  I am always happy to answer any questions.  Enjoy this beautiful weather. 😎🌞

Willpower, where did it go?

I read an article yesterday that claimed you can eat Carbs and still lose weight.  I thought that sounded pretty darn good.  The idea of the claim being, eat protein, vegetables and fat first before you eat any Carbs.  Supposedly your body is fooled into thinking you're only eating non carbs, so eating that cupcake  won't ruin your state of Ketosis.  I find that very hard to believe.   For me it would be getting permission to cheat.  Not only that, but I know for sure I'm a sugar addict.  Adding sugar back to my diet would be a disaster.  I'm not saying I never fall off the wagon, I do.  I'd love to hear from you if willpower is hard for you too.  Do you have any good tips on how to get over those "Won't power" urges.  When I start thinking about all the things I crave, I try to find an alternative.  Sometimes just waiting twenty minutes helps the urge pass.  Another thing I do is take the dog for a walk.  I've even emptied the dishwasher to take my mind off eating.  It's also a good idea to keep things in the house that won't sabotage you.  I buy cheeses, pepperoni, nuts, olives, dill pickles and sometimes protein bars.  I'm always looking for new products that are Carb friendly.

I try to not take myself too seriously.  Humor helps any stressful situation.  I do know one thing for sure, I can't buy something low in Carbs and stick to the serving size.  I bought a box of Sociables Crackers because the Carbs are 9gms. for 5 crackers.  That's almost half of my daily allowance of 20 carbs.  Did I stop at only 5, no.  So those won't be in my house anymore.

I hope you at least got a few smiles from my blog today.  We're in this together so let me know if you have any questions or comments.  I'd like to leave you with my thought for the week:

Some Things I find useful

The picture above is my favorite Air Fryer.  It's more like a mini convection oven.  It does so much more than just fry.  We use it to toast, broil, bake, roast and it even came with a rotisserie attachment.  I have 3 air fryers but this one is used the most.  Here's the smallest one that I have and it was my first one as well.                                                  

I still use the red one when I have something already cooking in the blue one.  Like maybe I'm broiling some steaks and need to fry up some veggies in the red one.

Another product that I use daily are the parchment paper liners.  I buy  them from Amazon for less than $6.00 for 100.  They are excellent for use in the air fryers and make clean up easier.          

As you can see, they're perforated to allow air to circulate around your food.  They are also available in a square shape, which would work better in my blue air fryer oven.

Another product I could not live without is my Keurig.  This is the one I have, and believe me, it gets a workout everyday.

I hope sharing some of the tools I use that make my life easier, gives you some useful information.  That's really the whole point of this blog.  I'm not selling anything or trying to get you to buy a product I use.  I am just sharing my experience.  I've said this before and I'll keep saying it, comments are very much appreciated.  There's a button at the bottom of each blog for that.  Thank you for visiting my blog. 👍💘

So proud of my Keto Diet Buddy

Yesterday was weigh in day for my son and I.  I am so proud of him.  He has lost 120 pounds.  Not only does he look a lot different, but more importantly his health has improved.  My weight has been going up and down lately.  I gain a few pounds and then lose them again.  I've lost 45 pounds in the same amount of time that Don lost 120.  I know he's a lot younger than I am and men lose weight easier than women.    

The scale we have is a talking scale.  It's a woman's voice and when you turn it on she says "Hellooooo"  in an uppity kind of voice.  Then she says "it's ready" and that's when you step on it.  Then she announces your weight.   I talk back to her and threaten her with bodily harm if she's not nice to me.  I have  actually screamed at her just like the picture above......"LIAR"!!!  I may be repeating myself but as I said before, we are not strict Keto.  We do however, try to keep our carb intake to around 20 to 30 carbs per day.  I've added a chart below that I think will illustrate just how high in carbs some foods are and should be avoided.  

 

I hope I've given you some food for thought (no pun intended).  When I first started on this journey, I realized why I have been obese most of my life.  The amount of carbs I was eating was so far off the charts it was scary.  The funny thing is, I don't feel deprived at all and I will stay Keto (or low carb if you prefer) for the rest of my life.  Do I cheat occasionally?  Yes, I indulge in high carb food when I'm with friends celebrating.  But, I get back on the wagon the next day and don't beat myself up because I'm human.  😍💖

Do emotions control the way you eat?

The picture of the fireplace is in the kitchen of the farm where I grew up way back in the early 50's.  I loved that farm and spent many happy times in that kitchen.  Recently I found out the farm had been sold again.  It stirred up so many emotions.  I had a fantasy that I'd win the lottery some day and buy the farm. 

Dreams are good, as long as you realize that's all they are.  Not unlike dreaming about being a size 10.  I know that's never going to happen.  But, when reality sets in I tend to get depressed and turn to comfort food to make me feel better.  There's a reason it's called comfort food.  While you're eating your grandma's 👵chicken and dumplings you feel connected to your past and a happier time. 

My grandma lived with us and she did most of the cooking.  My parents both worked outside the home.  Grandma was an excellent baker so there were always cakes or pies to eat.  If I had a bad day at school, I knew I could come home and find something to eat to make me feel better.  

After all these years I still turn to food when I'm upset or sad.  That's been happening a lot lately.  I think that's why I like writing about what I'm feeling.  It helps me to see more clearly and let it go.  I would love to know if anyone else has a suggestion how to avoid those comfort food blues. I welcome any and all comments, good or bad.  You don't have to agree with me, just share your feelings.  It might help you too.  💘

Do people still "give up" things for Lent?

I was thinking about that question this morning.  What would I give up for Lent?  The list in my head is overwhelming.  

Food items always come to mind like chocolate, alcohol, liver (never touch it anyway so that's an easy one), can I give up coffee (Oh Hell No), you get the idea. 🎂🍸🐄☕

Next on the list would be activities like jogging, roller skating, any form of exercise....all easy to give up.  I've heard some people give up sex (really not a problem so that's a possibility).🏃🏆

Then there's things, like TV or listening to music.  Can you give up People?  That would be a good one.  I have a friend who likes to say "I hate people" (good one Mary Ann), I could go with that one.  💻📺🎵

Anyway, that's what I was thinking about while having my first cup of coffee.  I'm sure you are impressed and if you're not .... Oh well I don't care.  Hmmm, maybe I'm on to something, I'll give up being nice.  Have a nice day and don't call me I'll call you.

Where does our food really come from

I read an article this morning on Facebook that scared the beejeesus out of me.  After thinking about what I read, I decided to do a little research.  I went to the Snopes website to see if what I read was factual.  The article stated that the Smithfield Co. was sold to a Chinese Co. and that their products would now be processed in China and shipped back here.  That's a rather brief overview of the article.  Snopes says that the company was indeed sold back in 2013 but here's the direct quote from Snopes:  "people engaged in that industry have told us that the notion of a Chinese-owned company raising hogs in the U.S., shipping them live all the way to China for slaughtering and processing, then exporting the meat back into the U.S. would be prohibitively cost-inefficient — especially since the slaughtering and processing infrastructures already exist in the U.S., and the Chinese domestic market for pork is far, far larger than the U.S. market for pork."  So, pork is being exported to China not imported here.  Don't get me wrong folks, I don't like buying food that is from China.  Their standards for processing are nowhere near ours.  What I am saying is, you have to be aware of misleading information.  Which brings me to a great subject, how to read a label and know what it means.  Everything sold in the super market has a bar-code.  And, every bar-code has a number.  The number actually tells you where the product came from.  Here's a list you might want to copy and keep handy when you shop.

Here's a link to a more detailed list

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_GS1_country_codes

You still have to be careful when reading labels because companies are getting clever with wording.  For example:  I was worried about buying treats for my dog, Coal.  I've read of some scary things happening to pets because their treats came from China.  I looked at the back of a bag and it said Distributed by Big Heart Pet Brands San Francisco, Ca.  Further down it said Produced in Topeka, Kansas.  OK that sounds safe, right?  The bar-code first 3 numbers are 750, which on the list is Brazil.  What?  So there was a phone number listed.  I called and asked the very nice lady that answered, how can this be?  Her answer blew me away.  Yes, the product was made in Kansas but some of  the ingredients came from South America.  

I guess the only way to be absolutely sure where our food comes from, is to grow it at home.  Maybe going off grid and homesteading isn't so far fetched after all.   Anyone want to move to a farm with me?  🐓🐑🐄

What can I snack on?

I'm a snacker and love most snacks heavy in Carbs.  So what can I do when that snack craving hits me hard?  Believe it or not, you can still have snacks that will help you avoid those potato chips.  Just look at the picture above, except for the grapes everything on that charcuterie board is low in Carbs.  Eliminate the grapes, they're high in carbs.  I have also found a cracker that, eaten in moderation isn't too bad.  But, don't make a habit of eating them.  Sociables made by Nabisco have 9 carbs for a serving of 5 crackers.  When I really want some crunch I eat peanuts.  A 1/4 cup serving is only 1 net carb, if you buy lightly salted cocktail peanuts.  Dry Roasted have 3 net carbs, still not too bad.  When I first started Keto, I bought Pork Rinds.  A 2oz. bag has zero carbs.  But, watch the calories, 308 for the 2 ozs.  

That takes care of salty and crunchy snacks, how about sweet?  If you shop at Aldi, you're in luck.  They carry a wide variety of snack bars like this one.

My favorite is the chocolate coconut but they also have many other varieties.  Have you ever bought Atkins snack bars?  These are a lot cheaper and just as good.  2 net carbs is awesome.  I talked about Fat Bombs in a previous blog.  I haven't made any lately but I did see a Pinterest recipe for a Lemon Cheesecake Fat bomb that looks yummy.  I'll let you know if it's good.  I'm still working on a recipe for cookies that are low Carb.  I haven't had any luck just yet but I'll keep trying.  If you've got one that you think is great, please let me know in the comments section below.  I would really like to see more comments or questions if you have them.  Happy Snacking 🙋💖
                                                                   

A phone call got me thinking

Yesterday a friend called me and had some questions about the Keto Diet.  When I started this blog my intent was to share my own personal experience this past year.  I didn't go into detail about what Keto was but instead just recommended that you look it up on the internet.  My friend wanted to know if I bought a book to get me started or was there a website I could suggest. 

I may have already mentioned that I first heard about Keto from my daughter Tracy and her husband Denis.  They had great success on the diet and shared a little bit of their knowledge with me.  It was actually my youngest son, Don that said to me he wanted to try it.  Because we live together it was just easier for us both to go Keto.  😦 Misery loves company 😦  I did find a great website that supplied me with all the information I was looking for.  You can do the same but be aware it's a lot of information and will require a block of time to read it all.
Here's a link to it:   https://www.dietdoctor.com/    

Another great source of information is on Facebook, there are any number of groups there for beginners.  The one I joined is:  Keto Recipes for Beginners.  You can ask questions there and the members are very good about helping new people.  It's also a great source of recipes and sharing products others have tried.  Just be forewarned, there are going to be people trying to sell you supplements and trying to get you to join another group that "you must join to be in Ketosis".  They sell all sorts of shakes and powders and oils that they claim you need.  NOT TRUE!!  So don't fall for it.  I have not taken any supplements or drinks or shakes and have been very successful staying in Ketosis. 

What is extremely necessary is reducing your carb intake as well as your calories.  When I started I learned that tracking these numbers is crucial to your success.  You'll hear it called tracking your Macros.  There are any number of ways to do this but the one I use is called Carbmanager.  It's an app I downloaded to my smart phone.  It's easy to use and when you first set it up, it will ask you a few questions.  Then it will tell you exactly what your Macros should be each day.  Next, you'll enter the foods you eat at each meal plus snacks.  You will always know how many carbs you are eating and how many you have left for the day.  

When I started, my daily allowance was 20 Carbs.  What I like about Carbmanager is, I can plan my whole day so I know if I have to adjust anything to keep my Macros on track.  As an example, today I know I'm making chicken soup for dinner.  It's homemade, so I can enter all the ingredients into my app under the recipe section.  Since it's dinner, I'm sure I will eat 2 servings (nice size bowl).  The carbs will be 11.  That means I have 9 left for the rest of the day.  I've already had two cups of coffee with cream, so that's 2 more carbs leaving only 7 for lunch.  A nice salad made with lettuce, tomato, cukes, onion, carrot, cheese, ham and blue cheese dressing comes to 5 carbs.  I have 2 carbs left for snacks.  No one is going to beat you up if you go over your Macros but at least you know where you should be.  It's really an eye opener when you start tracking daily and you think about what you used to eat.  I love girl scout cookies and my favorite is Samoas, just 2 cookies has 17 carbs and 142 calories.  I never ate just 2 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪.  As I said, "It's a real eye opener".  Sorry Girl Scouts of America, I can't buy your cookies anymore 😢😢  I will, however make a Keto version of cookies that I can still enjoy.  Nothing tastes better then being thin.  Think about that!

I don't eat breakfast, well almost never

This morning is really cold here in New Jersey.  At 7:00 AM it was 10º.  But the sun is shining so it's not all bad.  As usual I was sitting at my computer reading emails and then catching up on Face Book.  Twice, while scrolling, up pops these mouth watering pictures of pancakes.  That's all my brain needed to start a craving for something besides a cup of coffee.  I thought about cheating and running out to the kitchen to whip up a batch of pancakes.  I'm not talking about those Keto wannabes, I'm talking real made from scratch wheat flour pancakes.  The little Devil on my left shoulder was saying "Do it", while the little Angel on my right shoulder was saying "don't blow it"!  I stood up and started heading for the kitchen when I saw the 3 ring binder with all my Keto recipes.  I remembered that I had printed a recipe for "Chaffles" that I hadn't tried yet.  I quickly pulled out my waffle maker from the cabinet and plugged it in.  Then I assembled all the ingredients I needed.   I'm happy to say the end result was very satisfying and surprisingly delicious.  I don't have a picture to show you because I ate the whole thing.  But, here's a link to the Pinterest post where you can get the recipe.  https://www.buttertogetherkitchen.com/white-bread-keto-chaffle/

I entered the recipe in my carb manager app and with the added butter and SF Syrup I added, the carb count was only 5 for the entire recipe.

I will definitely make this again and might even try using the  "Chaffles" as sandwich bread or a hamburger bun.  The Devil is in the corner sulking and the Angel is smiling sweetly.  I'm happy and that's all that counts.  Have a great day and if your little Devil tries to lead you astray give him a swift kick in the pants. 👼

Being single on Valentines Day

I don't really think about being single.  I saw a coffee mug once that said "I'm a wife whose husband is in heaven".  At this stage of my life dating is not on my bucket list.  Oh, I did try it for a short time but it didn't float my boat.  In my circle of close friends the Widows out number the married ones.  It's just a fact of life the older you get, women seem to last longer.  I am so grateful that I have so many wonderful women in my life.  I'm also very fortunate to have my son sharing my home with me.  Tonight I'll make a nice dinner for us and as a treat for Valentine's Day we'll have dessert.  Nothing very fancy, just some chocolate mousse with raspberries on top.  

It's a very simple recipe that doesn't have a lot of carbs.  I bought a package of Sugar Free Instant chocolate pudding mix.  I replace the chilled milk with half Almond Milk and half heavy cream.  Spoon into some dessert dishes and top with a few fresh raspberries dusted with powdered swerve sweetener.  Chill for a few hours to set and enjoy.

Dinner will be one of our favorite go to's.  I buy a product called Old Neighborhood Shaved steak.  It's available at Stop n Shop and Shop Rite for about $5.00 per package.  It makes enough steak for 4 cheese steak "sandwiches".  The first thing I do is saute a yellow onion in a little olive oil until caramelized.  Then I push the fried onion aside and fry the steak breaking it up as it browns.  Then I add a few slices of American Cheese on top until it melts.  It gets served on Mission Carb Balance Flour Tortillas that I warm.  Sometimes I add saute'd mushrooms as well.  

What ever you are doing on Valentine's Day, add a little extra love for the people that are close to your heart.....life is too short for anything less.   💕💏💋😘