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.   💕💏💋😘

Sharing another recipe I loved

Good morning.  It's another dreary day with lots of clouds.  Wouldn't it be nice to take a trip to Italy, Tuscany to be exact?  I love to look at pictures like this one and dream of being there:

Table for two please!

Keep dreaming, I'm never going to Italy.  But, I can share with you a great recipe called Tuscan Butter Mushrooms.  It makes a fantastic side dish with a good steak or some fresh seafood.  I hope you try it, we loved it.

  
I would love to hear some comments, do you like my blog?  Do you have some questions about Keto or the recipes I post?  Is there something I can talk about that you want to know, just ask.  I would love to share with you my experience with Keto/low carb.💖

Would you like a few of my favorite dessert recipes?

I love dessert.  If I had a choice between dessert and a meal it would be hands down, dessert.  I have had success making some Keto dessert recipes and I've had some epic failures too.  I've very often been led astray by someones Pinterest post claiming "the best" brownies, cakes, cookies etc.  Don't fall for those false claims.  There are no substitutes for the real thing when it comes to certain desserts.  Not all is lost, as I said I've had some really good desserts.  Here are a few I make a lot:

Strawberry Cheesecake in a jar
   6 half pint canning jars
   12 oz. fresh strawberries sliced
   8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
   2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
   1/2 cup Swerve granular (or sweetener of your choice)
   1/2 cup Heavy Cream (Whipped)

Set aside 6 strawberry halves for garnish.  Chop remaining strawberries.  Beat together cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar substitute in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.  Fold in whipped cream and chopped strawberries.  Divide evenly between jars (about 1/2 cup each).  Top with strawberry halves.  If you don't have canning jars you can use any dessert dish.  I use ramekins that work great.  Cover each dish and chill for 2 hours.

My Carb Manager app calculates the carbs at 6 grams net per serving, Fat is 20 grams, and calories 222.

Impossible Coconut Custard Pie
   4 large eggs
   4 Tbsp. Melted Butter
   2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
   1/2 tsp. coconut extract
   1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
   1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
   3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
   2 Tbsp. coconut flour
   1 cup light cream
   1/2 cup heavy cream
   1/3 cup water
   1/8 cup Jordan's Skinny Syrup (any flavor)
   2 Tbsp. either Monk fruit or Swerve granular
   1/4 tsp. nutmeg
   To sprinkle on top - 1/4 cup coconut flakes and ground cinnamon (just a little for color)

Preheat oven to 325º.  Spray a 9 or 10 inch pie pan with butter flavored cooking spray.  Start with melted butter and eggs by adding to your blender and mix a little.  Don't make the butter too hot or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.  Now just add all the other ingredients and blend again until smooth.  Pour into prepared pie pan.  Sprinkle with remaining coconut and cinnamon.  Place pie pan in a larger baking dish and add hot water until about half way up the sides of the pie pan.  Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes.  The center should jiggle just slightly but a knife inserted into the center should come out clean.  Do not over bake, the top should be light golden brown.  Cool completely on a rack then cover and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours or over night.
Carb manager says 8 servings  1 serving has 3 net carbs.

   

It's a Chicken Soup day

It's a rainy dismal day here in the Pine lands of New Jersey.  I have what's left of a roasted chicken in my instant pot.  Later when I come home from my ladies club meeting, I will add to the broth some vegetables.  I don't add pasta or rice to my soups like I used to.  Now I usually add riced cauliflower instead.   Tonight dinner will be a nice hardy bowl of soup.  Sunday I attended a Super Bowl party and indulged in some carb overload, I'm trying to get back on track.

I don't deprive myself of foods that I love occasionally.  Back when I first started Keto, I was much stricter and I was constantly saying "I can't eat that".  I soon realized that a few slip ups here and there wasn't sabotaging me that much.  As long as it's only rarely and you get back on Keto the next day.  It may have slowed me down but I was happier having that piece of cake instead of sugar free gelatin.  My problem is, I like to cook and I like to eat.   

I think success on any diet is knowing how to balance what works for you.  I try to find alternative ways of cooking things I love that are lower in carbs then the original recipe.  One of the things I make is my spaghetti sauce.  Instead of pasta we like spaghetti squash with a meat sauce.  It satisfies my craving for spaghetti and is delicious.

I have to cut this short today or I'll be late for my meeting.  Take care and stay dry and I'll see you next time.  🥰

Tomorrow is ground Hog Day

I'm really hoping for an early spring.  I'm a summer person, a beach person and a pool person.  It's that time of year when people like me start thinking about getting into our bathing suits again, Ugh!  Memorial Day is four months away, if you start Keto now you could be happy in that swim suit. 🩱

In my last blog, I said I would talk about some of the products my son and I like to use.  As I said before, we are not strict Keto.  We do eat some carbs but try to find products that are not so bad.  I think one of the hardest things about giving up carbs is not having bread to make sandwiches.  Don and I like to use a low carb bread named Schmidt Old Tyme 647.   It's available in White, Wheat or Italian.  One slice has 6 net carbs.  I often have one slice to eat as an open faced sandwich.  I have also used it to make bread crumbs for stuffing at Thanksgiving.  We also use another product called Mission Carb Balance flour tortillas.  One has 4 Net Carbs.  We use these for wraps, burritos and I cut one in half and roll a hot dog in it.  We also like to use one for a steak sandwich with fried onions and cheese.  I've also cut one into triangles and air fried them to use as chips for dipping.  Another use is for a personnel pizza, just bake it before adding your toppings so it's crispy.  Both of these products are available at Walmart, Stop n Shop and Shop Rite.  The other picture is the Jordan's Skinny Syrup that I use in my coffee.  The other day I was in a store called Tuesday Morning and they had several bottles of assorted flavors for about half the price on Amazon.  I paid $3.99 each.  Amazon's price is $19.99 for 3.  That's all for today, I hope I've given you some useful information.  Look for the ground Hog tomorrow and think Spring!