Bread for the Sandwich Lover

Do you ever get those cravings for sandwiches that are just so profound that all you end up doing is dreaming of sandwiches, and thinking of different ways you could eat that damn sandwich? Of course you do, we were all born and raised on sandwiches –packed lunches to picnics we were all stuffing the deliciously, fluffy slices of baked dough with countless ingredients; cheese and onion, ploughman’s, meat and salad – the list is endless. So when this carby creation is no longer permitted, in order for us all to drop a few pounds, and lead a healthier lifestyle – what do you eat?

Over the months that I have been following Ketosis I have tried all ways to find bread that is free from a multitude of ingredients that are deemed ‘unhealthy’ - gluten free; grain free; starch free; sugar free, wheat free –  and then realised this is free from everything that makes bread, which makes it impossible to find– so no bread for me – until today. Today I used my 25 year old noggin to create something so epic and heavenly I could almost hear the choir of angels and their ‘ahhhhh’s’ when I plated it up –stood back – and admired my masterful creation – a sandwich. 

Bread for the Sandwich Lover

This sandwich wasn’t just any old sandwich, it was a homemade; gluten free, starch free, sugar free, wheat free, grain free sandwich – yes it was free from everything that makes bread and yet I made bread - So how did I do it?

Firstly I will start by adding that this recipe is everything you need in a sandwich - and free from everything that we are led to believe is ‘unhealthy – it holds the contents of the ingredients securely, it doesn’t break apart when you pick it up to eat, it’s not dry in texture – it’s just utter perfection – and I am so proud and excited for coming up with the idea – although I’m sure it’s probably been done before - however, this is my recipe 
for it.

 

Coconut Sweet Egg Wraps, with Strawberries

I was home alone again today which meant there was no one to get under my feet, or hover around me while I was cooking – this makes it so much easier to come up with new, different ideas for meals, and it also makes cooking that extra bit more enjoyable. This morning I fancied something a little different from my usual pancakes, or eggs for breakfast - and I had a ton of Strawberries in the fridge which I’d bought in the week that were slowly expiring – that’s when I concocted this delicious coconut sweet egg wrap recipe. I was a bit nervous to eat the sweetened eggs, as it is essentially a sweet omelette but I was feeling adventurous today, and since I'm as useless as a chocolate teapot when it comes to making pancake crepes, I opted for the omelette wrap – and my experimenting didn't fail me. Since beginning my weight loss journey the one ingredient which I have fallen in love with is – coconut. Coconut oil, coconut cream, coconut flour – I love it all and I especially love adding it to my sweet desserts, or breakfasts – so that’s exactly what I did today. While this recipe was delicious, I will admit that the sweetened egg wraps weren't especially sweet – which meant that there was a slight eggy taste, but nothing overbearing - although I think next time I make the egg wraps, I will add some vanilla, or a touch more sweetener. These coconut egg wraps were completely paleo and low carb – even with the strawberries

Coconut Sweet Egg Wraps with Strawberries. 

Yield – 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp Desiccated Coconut
• 2 tbsp Coconut Cream
• 2 tbsp Almond Milk
• Himalayan Salt
• Low Carb Sweetener
• Coconut Oil

Instructions

• Beat eggs with the salt in a bowl and slowly whisk in the almond milk, low carb sweetener and desiccated coconut.
• In a non stick or cast iron pan melt some coconut oil on a low heat and then ladle in some of the egg mixture
• Whisk the egg mixture in the pan until the bottom is cooked and the top of the egg wrap no longer looks runny, flip and cook the other side of the egg wrap – cook the other egg wrap the same way.
• When the egg wraps are cooked place them on a wire rack to cool and then start loading them with strawberries and coconut cream – pull both sides of the egg wraps over the strawberries and coconut cream, garnish with more desiccated coconut and serve.
• If you wanted extra sweetness you can drizzle with maple syrup.

Enjoy!

 KetoStyle

Low Carb Coleslaw

Low Carb Coleslaw

Lately I have been craving coleslaw like a mad woman, but I can never find a healthy option - one that doesn't contain a bunch of unknown ingredients - so I had the notion of making coleslaw myself. At first I thought it would be tricky making my own low carb coleslaw - if at all possible for coleslaw to be low carb- and I thought it would involve a lot of different ingredients - and while some recipes I found did - the majority were basic - which you all know I love. After finding a few recipes on google, which I thought were relatively easy I tweaked them ever so slightly, and then simplified it by a lot. Basically this low carb coleslaw is idiot proof - even the biggest idiot in the world - me - could do it, and if your great at tossing things in a bowl and mixing, this recipe is for you. As this was my first time making low carb coleslaw I wanted to keep it as simple as possible, and so I opted to use a generic, store bought mayonnaise, but after googling a few mayonnaise recipes and realising how easy it actually is, I think I will make it all from scratch next time. I made this low carb coleslaw last weekend - it's now Saturday and it's still fine to eat - although it has turned the mayonnaise a lovely shade of purple - visually interesting for kids maybe? I'm not just saying this but the low carb coleslaw is actually the best I've tasted - I think simple wins the race here - it's very creamy and delicious - but like everything else in life - it can always be improved. So that's enough waffling - now for the low carb coleslaw recipe.

Yield - 7-8 Servings (50g serving)

Ingredients 

• 1 bag of Coleslaw Mix 
• 128g - Full Fat Mayonnaise 
• 20ml - Double Cream 
• 20ml - Apple Cider Vinegar (or vinegar of choice)
• Parsley 
• Mustard Seeds (or real mustard)
• Himalayan Salt.

Instructions 

• Toss the bag of coleslaw mix in a bowl and combine with all ingredients 

Can't get any easier than that can it? Like I said next time I make this I'm going to be experimenting with making my own mayonnaise - but keeping it simple, as always. 

KetoStyle  

Strawberries & Cream

When I was a kid - which wasn't too long ago - ahem - I used to love sitting down with a big bowl of Strawberries and Cream to watch Wimbledon on the tv - little did I know I would be calling it healthy a few years later, eating it for Breakfast, and reminiscing about how I used to enjoy it as a child. Ahh... those were the days. These days I don't enjoy the tennis and just eat it whilst catching up on grown up programs like - Nashville - which is what I watched while I devoured this bowl of, fruity deliciousness. It's pretty simple like everything else on my blog, and it probably doesn't warrant an actual blog post to explain how to make it since its pretty straight forward, but I like to think of my blog as a big recipe book - since I'll probably never have a real recipe book, at least my recipes are being shared some how. Strawberries and Cream can easily be enjoyed for breakfast, or as a dessert, or simply as a snack in the Summer - or any other season.
Anyhoo... here it is

Strawberries & Cream 

Ingredients 

• 100g - Strawberries 
• 60ml - Double Cream, or Extra Thick Double Cream - which is what I used
• Flaked Almonds 
• Low Carb Sweetener 

Instructions 

• Chop, or slice the Strawberries and place in a bowl 
• If you use Double cream whip the cream and low carb sweetener with a mixer, or - what I use - milk frother - it really does work. Don't whip extra thick double cream, it turns thin.
• Top the Strawberries with the Double cream and flaked almonds, a bit more sweetener if you'd like and then Enjoy. 

Simple you don't even have to whip the cream, you can just pour all over the Strawberries and enjoy it that way. 

Creamy Garlic, Courgette Zoodles

I have been looking forward to eating this since I planned it on Friday – it has everything I need to be satisfied on the last day of my fat fast – it’s; creamy, cheesy and delicious – and I could not wait to tuck in – and it literally took about 10 minutes to prepare and cook. I find these types of recipes to be quite useful for people with busy lives – and not so busy people alike – but my point is – if you want to eat healthy but feel like you don’t have time to prepare anything – then this is the recipe for you. Like my previous post on Courgette Zoodles – this Creamy Courgette Zoodle dish can be served; warm, or cold, or even re-heated – which is perfect for a lunch break at work – or even for the kids at school – just simply add in more veggies -- or even some form of meat. The best thing about these Courgette Zoodles is that -- like the Spaghetti, and Noodles -- you can twirl them around your fork too -- this is why people love them.

Courgette Zoodles, mimicking real Noodles. 

As most of you probably know by now -- I like my recipes quick and easy, and this concoction was perfect for some healthy comfort food. It has approximately 3g of Carbs and 26g of Fat with 312 calories. What more can you ask for?

Creamy Garlic, Courgette Zoodles. 

Yields – 1-2 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 Courgette (130g)
• 45g - Plain Cream Cheese ( you can add more if you want it creamier)
• 1 tbsp –Double Cream
• 20g – Parmesan
• 1 – Garlic Clove
• 1-2 tsp Basil.
• Pinch of Himalayan Salt 

Ingredients

• Prepare the Courgette Zoodles with either your spiralizer, or julienne peeler
• Place the Zoodles in a frying pan with a little bit of water and let them soften a little.
• Next add the garlic and basil and sauté until the Zoodles start to soften more - they still need a bit of crunch.
• Add the cream cheese, double cream, and some of the Parmesan, and combine with the Zoodles.
• When everything is hot – plate up – garnish with Parmesan -- add more basil and serve immediately 

And that's, that, a; simple, quick, and delicious recipe – which can be prepared and cooked in 10 minutes. Perfect. I actually loved this recipe so much that I think I'm going to experiment a little with it when my carb intake is higher, and make it more nutritiously stable, such as; adding in more veggies and protein – so watch this space folks. 

KetoStyle

Citrusy Courgette Zoodle Salad.

A few weeks ago -- when I climbed that monstrous mountain – Pen-Y-Fan – the weather in Wales was quite warm – or warm for Wales – and it felt like Summer wasn't too far away. Around that time I wasn't feeling like cooking much, and fancied something Summery – so I came up with this Citrusy Courgette Zoodle Salad. I'm always anxious when I come up with new recipes because I don’t want to be let down by my own cooking, so I wasn't expecting much from this Citrusy Courgette Zoodle Salad – but it was surprisingly delicious – and a definite keeper for my low carb meal plan. Before I get started Zoodles are what people in the low carb and Keto community use instead of spaghetti – again I wasn't expecting much from these when I first tried them, but they are very tasty when cooked – I wasn't a fan of them raw. There are two ways in which you can make Zoodles;

1. You can buy a gadget called a spiralizer – which I find to be quite expensive and I've heard of some people having trouble with them
2.  An easier, cheaper method is a julienne peeler – which is the method I use. 

Julienne Peeler

Either way both methods produce neat looking noodles – or Zoodles as their better known as. I'm not sure if this recipe has been done before – I haven’t really looked online for anything similar – but when I created this Citrusy Courgette Zoodle Salad I had the idea of pesto pasta in mind – which I love.

Melt in Your Mouth - Aubergine Parmigiana

One of the recipes that I am most proud of making throughout this fat fast was this delicious Aubergine Parmigiana – I have made this recipe a dozen times but it has never tasted as good, as it did last night – when I was starving. The recipe came out at 5g of Carbs which was perfect for my fat fast, and it was also the lowest carb that I have ever made it – it was also super low calorie coming out at a surprising – 274 Calories. I will say that I was so hungry that I couldn’t enjoy it to its fullest potential, but it was still melt in your mouth good.

Melt in your Mouth -- Aubergine Parmigiana

An Aubergine Parmigiana is an Italian vegetarian dish –also known as Aubergine Melanzane, or, Melanzane alla Parmigiana – and it’s basically shallow frying the aubergine in oil, or butter and then baking it with layered Parmesan and tomato sauce. As I was sticking to 1000 calories I skipped the shallow frying part and just went straight to baking it, but I would usually fry the Aubergine in butter – but be warned this vegetable sucks up oil like a thirsty camel – so be prepared to use A LOT of oil.

I first started making this at the start of my Keto journey and I have been obsessed with it ever since – literally I have it once, sometimes twice a week – I love it – however, it usually adds up to over 600 calories a serving – now you can see why I’m proud of this recipe. The Aubergine Parmigiana is relatively easy to prepare, but does require nearly an hour of cooking – so it’s best to start this an hour before your ready to eat.

Yield – 1 Serving

Ingredients

• 110g – Aubergine
• 65g – Passata
• 55g – Parmesan Reggiano
• 75g – Spinach
• 1 tsp – Basil
• 1 – Garlic Clove
• Himalayan Salt 

Instructions

• Slice the aubergine into thin slices – not too thin about 1cm thick
• Place the slices on a chopping board, or plate and cover with Himalayan Salt, and place another plate, or board on top – This will draw out any excess moisture and prevent the Aubergine from being bitter – Leave the Aubergine for about 20 minutes
• Wash all the Salt off the Aubergine and dry them with a lint free tea towel, or some kitchen paper.
• Place a few slices at the bottom of an ovenproof dish, with some Spinach and then cover with some Parmesan Reggiano – Continue this step until you have no ingredients left, but save some Parmesan for the top.
• Mix the Basil and Garlic with the Pasatta Sauce and pour over the top of the Aubergine – You can also make your own tomato sauce if you preferred – but I find there is nothing wrong with carton Pasatta if it’s purely tomatoes and no other nasty ingredients.
• Finish the dish with the rest of the Parmesan and cover with tin foil.
• Place in the oven for 45-60 minutes – at a temperature of 180°c – Check the dish every so often as the tomato sauce can dry up and burn – if this happens turn the oven down and increase the length of time for the Aubergine Parmigiana to cook. 

Serve with a small salad, or vegetables. 

KetoStyle

Day 3: Fat Fast

Since I have been carrying out this fat fast for the past three days I have come to learn quite a few things about myself. I’ve learned that 1000 calories a day is definitely not for me anymore , and that it is certainly not a healthy way of living – 1000 calories a day does not allow you that much food whilst eating mostly fat -- it’s also not a very healthy way to live long term – thankfully over the past year my thinking has changed dramatically and I’m all about feeding my body with all the nutrients it needs, rather than starving myself to lose weight – which is not why I was doing the fat fast in the first place. I’ve learned that if I do not eat a lot of food at regular intervals throughout the day, I turn into the devil woman – not pretty. Lastly, I have learned that carrying out stupid little fads like this fat fast is certainly not for me and I most definitely will not be doing such a thing ever again – it’s just not worth it in my opinion and experience. Am I glad that I did the fat fast? Yes – because I now know a lot more about myself than I did three days ago – had I not undergone the fat fast I would have proceeded to believe that weight loss was more important than feeding my body with the correct nutrients. Overall, I take my hat off to those people who are determined enough to carry out the fat fast for more than three days – it needs serious determination – which I no longer have when it comes to starving myself – because whether you want to believe it, or not – that’s exactly what a fat fast is. I can’t believe for one second that anyone who experiments with a fat fast can feel at all satisfied with the little food that they are supposed to eat – yes, I felt satisfied when I had my Breakfast and Dinner, but the hours in between those two meals were torture, and all I could think about was food – which isn’t healthy – and like I mentioned in a previous post – I would rather not eat all than separate every meal into 250 calories – that’s pretty impossible in my opinion and I’m pretty sure it would be mainly snacks, instead of real meals since I don’t eat meat – or land meat anyway.

Peanut Butter Fatbombs

These Peanut Butter Fatbombs are another recipe which I made on Thursday – along with my Keto ‘Bounty’ Chocolate – which was also quite fabulous. The Peanut Butter Fatbombs are as easy, as easy can get, as there are only three ingredients – yes you heard right – three ingredients.

Peanut Butter Fatbombs

Yield – 4 Fatbombs

Ingredients

• 30g Plain Cream Cheese
• 30g Natural Peanut Butter
• 30g Organic, or Grass-fed Butter

Instructions

• Store your ingredients at room temperature, or you can soften them in the microwave just before you make the Peanut Butter Fatbombs.
• Combine the Butter and Cream Cheese in a bowl, then add the Peanut Butter,and combine thoroughly. 

Ingredients

• Place the mixture into an ice cube tray, or sweet moulds and then freeze them. 

And there you have it – Peanut Butter Fatbombs – it’s as simple, as that.

xoxo

KetoStyle

Day 1: Fat Fast

Today was the very first day of attempting a fat fast and I must say it went better than I anticipated – although food was the only thing on my mind for the entire day, and I did feel very deprived -- which is how I guess you’re supposed to feel on a 1000 calories a day -- For those who are unfamiliar with a fat fast you can read my last post and the reasons behind this madness - here

What is a fat fast?
A fat fast is exactly that -- a fast with the main source of food being fat -- sounds disgusting right? It's really not that bad I promise.  Basically, a fat fast is 1000 calories a day for 3-5 days, while keeping your carbs and protein as low as possible.

Why do people do it? 
Some people do a fat fast because its a guaranteed way of losing weight if you have been stuck at a plateau for a month, or longer. Others -- like myself -- do it purely to get back into Ketosis quicker after a carb refeed. The fat fast isn't for everyone though and it is a pretty harsh way to go about losing a few pounds, but it does work -- although I have heard that people put it all back on when they start eating their normal diet again -- so I'm not entirely sure if it's worth it -- I guess I'll find out Monday.

So how did my first day on the fat fast really go?

Before I started my fat fast and to be sure I was ready to get back into Ketosis --and stay in it for the foreseeable future, I needed to make sure that all the food cravings were out of my system, so on Thursday I gave up the calorie counting for the day and ate whatever I felt like – and eat is exactly what I did. I scoffed near half a box of Guylian Beligian chocolates – which I’d received as a gift for Christmas – I had no regrets other than I ate them too quickly, and boy did I enjoy them – then to finish off my day I had Fish and Chips – which again I thoroughly enjoyed and had no regrets about eating – I had been dreaming about these fish and chips for months so it was like a party in my mouth when I finally got to eat them. 

Fish and Chips

The best looking food in the whole wide world -- that's what I think anyway -- man I wish I was eating that plate of starchy, high carb deliciousness again. 

Keto 'Bounty' Chocolate

I have been meaning to try this Keto Bounty Chocolate recipe for some time now, but I find every time I cook I have people hovering over me and watching my every move – which I hate – I prefer a quiet house with no interruptions so I can do my thing and get food creative – which is exactly what I had today, and so I made Keto Bounty Chocolate. Again – like all the recipes on this blog, there were few ingredients used and it was also really simple to make, and tasted really good -- although nothing like the real Bounty chocolate.  So, I got the original recipe from here and then adapted it a little to make it lower carb and fewer calories for you all – basically I halved the original recipe  and replaced the dark chocolate – which I didn't have – with cocoa powder. Simple! 

And here you have it - Keto 'Bounty' Chocolate. 

Keto 'Bounty' Chocolate 

 I do feel like this is more of a fudge than actual chocolate, because I had to use the cocoa powder rather than a bar of dark chocolate -- so maybe I will try it again someday with the dark chocolate and compare both attempts. I was happy with how this turned out -- although I do need to work on presentation and my photography skills (grimace) but a good effort I think. 

High Carb Day - Creamy Tomato & Basil Tagliatelle

For the last three days I have been indulging in some serious high carbs; rice, pasta, sweet potatoes, wholemeal bread – the works, and – for the most part – I've enjoyed it. However, before face-planting a plate of pasta I promised myself that I would eat ‘clean’ carbs throughout this process and that any junk food was a complete no go – this obviously was a complete fail on my part, as within a few hours of being out of Ketosis I scoffed nearly half a tin of biscuits – yes really – I quickly became quite disappointed in myself and felt such shame and regret at the prospect of the food crime that I had just committed. Thankfully I recognised all the feelings and thoughts of my eating disorder before it could fully take a hold of me, but it was awful having those feelings again after being quite secure in both myself and the progress I have made in the last year – it made me realise just how sad I was before I found the myfitnesspal app and the support and encouragement I had from the people I found on that site in order to proceed and continue to be successful with my weight loss – I owe a lot to those people.

However, the main reason for my high carb day(s) were for my muscles – the pain I was getting from working out every day was just unbearable and something had to give – fortunately the high carb day(s) has resolved this issue and it would seem - for now – the glycogen levels have been restored to my sorry muscles. I will be continuing my high carb day(s) until the end of tomorrow (Thursday) and then I will be getting myself back into Ketosis and eating strict Keto until the Summer – not before I finish this high carb day(s) in style by devouring some British Fish ‘n’ Chips – yes go hard, or go home right? I'm also hoping that this four day high carb day(s) will kick-start my weight loss again, as I have been quite unsuccessful with dropping the pounds and inches lately –fingers crossed.

Anyway, all that said and done let’s move on to the awesome pasta dish I made this evening – Creamy tomato and basil pasta – it was awesome – if I do say so myself.  I know this pasta isn't Keto but I thought I would post it anyway because I’m sure I’m not the only person in the world who cheat’s whilst on Keto and needs some decent meal ideas – I know I needed Google to remember what high carb looked like.

Carb Reload - Day Three

I have been doing a bit of research this week on muscle soreness after a workout, whilst doing Keto and I was shocked that I couldn't find anything on it. After the way I have been feeling for the last couple of months I was positive I would be able to find other people who were suffering with the same issue as me - severe muscle soreness which lasts for a week, sometimes more - obviously this prevents me from being consistent with my workouts, as the pain is just unbearable - to the point of wanting to cry - it's really not fun. Whilst researching my issue I came across something related to glycogen and continued to read that people who follow the keto lifestyle should refuel their glycogen levels every two weeks -  I tried a once a week high carb day for a month, which sucked because I was always in and out of ketosis. Anyway,  it got me thinking that maybe my muscles are lacking in glycogen which is the cause of my week long muscle soreness - it would explain a lot - I found the only problem with restoring the muscles glycogen levels is that it requires a high carb day, once, or twice a week and this would mean being continuously in and out of ketosis - which would kill me - obviously not literally but I'd end up wanting to die -  the only way to really restore the glycogen levels is by eating grains - which I have cut out. So why not stock up on plenty of fruits and vegetables I hear you ask? Well, apparently you would need a significant amount of both fruits and vegetables in order to consume enough glycogen for the muscles, where as eating complex carbs would be easier and quicker. After reading this I contemplated paleo - then realised it's pretty similar to keto -only stricter - so now I'm contemplating TKD ( Targeted Ketosis Diet) - this would actually be easier to follow and since I will be starting Insanity at the end of this month, I think introducing complex carbs back into my diet for the glycogen would be the intelligent thing to do since the workouts are insanely intense and I can't afford to miss days because of my muscles being weak, and not healing quick enough to continue with the program. I'm not sure how I am going to go about this as of yet but I think eating 50g more carbs before my workout should be enough to fuel the ole muscles through the workout and then hopefully by the end I would be back in ketosis - no side effects. I'm literally at my wits end with feeling so crappy and not being able to move properly for days - also not being able to workout sucks, so I am willing to try this method in the hope I benefit from it. I'm definitely not going to be throwing in the towel with Keto - my post workouts meals will be Keto/Low Carb, as I do enjoy eating foods in their natural, raw state and since eating keto I have become a lot more creative in the kitchen, also my cooking skills have improved - which is definitely a good thing - I love to cook and eating keto makes me cook and doesn't allow me to be lazy.

Cheesy Cauliflower & Onion Pie

Growing up I loved to eat –Cheese and Potato Pie and the more cheese the pie had the better. It's a wonderful comfort food for those; cold, rainy, winter nights where all you want to do is; cwtch up under a duvet, eat and watch TV. So what do you do when you want comfort food but all grains and starches are a no–no on your diet? Well, you improvise of course– and that’s exactly what I did today - and came up with this - Cheesy Cauliflower Pie -  and I must say I enjoyed every mouthful – I actually didn't want to finish it, it was just delicious, packed with flavour, and had lots of Extra Mature Cheese - which is the key ingredient here. 

Again this recipe is really simple to make - it is a bit time consuming faffing around with the cauliflower but I promise you it's worth it. 

Cheesy Cauliflower Pie

Looks delicious doesn't it? It is quite high carb if your on a super low carbohydrate diet, but you can always reduce the amount of Cauliflower you use. 

Yield - 1 Serving 

Ingredients 

• 360g - Cauliflower Florets
• 45g White Onion 
• Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese ( or any cheese of choice)
• 15g - Grassfed Butter
• 2-tbsp Almond Milk 
• 1 Garlic Clove 
• Parsley 
• Himalayan salt 
• Ground Pepper

Instructions 

• Boil the Cauliflower in a saucepan with the salt, when the cauliflower starts to boil add the chopped onion - do not stir otherwise you won't be able to fish out the onions. 
• When the Cauliflower and Onions have boiled, separate the Onions from the Cauliflower and drain. 
• Return the Cauliflower back to the heat and mash with a potato masher until the Cauliflower is fluffy and most of the water has gone.
• Add the butter and combine with the Cauliflower.
• Next add the garlic, pepper, parsley and more salt if you need it and then blend into a purée with the almond milk 
• Add back the onions and cheese to the Cauliflower, then place into an oven-proof dish and cook in the oven for 25 minutes on 200°c - if the top hasn't browned after this time then put under the grill for a few minutes. 

Serve Immediately and Enjoy.

Macro

Macro for Cheesy Cauliflower & Onion Pie

xoxo

KetoStyle

Ain't No Mountain High Enough....

Pen- y- Fan 

As I mentioned in my previous post I have been pretty much bedridden for the majority of this week, due to an overwhelming urge to climb the highest mountain in South Wales –Pen y-Fan Mountain –situated in the Brecon Beacons. For the last couple of years it would seem that hiking to the top of this mountain and having your photo taken next to a stone situated at the apex, is the ‘in’ thing to do at the moment – and I was probably one of few people I knew that had yet attempted it – until this Wednesday that was when I finally had someone to come along with me – my sister.

My sister, like most of South Wales and further – probably a slight exaggeration – had also climbed this mountain before me – actually it was her climbing it last year that made me want to see what all the fuss was about, so last Wednesday I got my chance and I was super excited about it. Before the big hike I kept getting asked by my dear sister which route I would like to take – ‘easy, or hard?’ she kept asking – as this was my first time – and definitely my last – I naturally said the hard route- why didn't she warn me how hard this route actually was.

 Come Wednesday morning I was all set; the weather was perfect,  I had my food pre-packed, my water, my camera, I had eaten some oats,  and I was raring to go – I could hardly contain my excitement to start this walk, like a little child on Christmas morning. When we first headed out and towards Brecon there were a few delays along the way and it was almost like we were not meant to climb Pen-y-Fan that day, but we persisted and finally made it to the start of the hike at 11.30am – a little later than we had originally planned but you can’t help road works.

There was a lot of mist when we first arrived, which prevented us from seeing the mountain we would be climbing – a good thing otherwise I probably would have got back in that car and demanded to be taken home. We weren’t even five minutes into the hike and I was struggling for breath, the lactic acid was building up quicker than an erupting volcano, and I was regretting my decision to ever climb the bloody mountain, but I continued upwards, every step getting harder to take.

<<<The photo is proof that I hadn't walked far to be that out of breath - as much as I hate to admit it - I guess I'm just that unfit. Pretty though - wouldn't you agree? 

Afternoon had come and gone and my heart rate monitor was signalling to me that I was pretty much dying, with a heart rate reading of nearly 200 – I was in absolute agony; my muscles were screaming at me, both my groins were in serious pain which made every step that bit more unbearable, I was boiling hot and we were still a long way off from reaching the summit – however, too far in to the hike to turn around.  I probably moaned the entire hike – actually scratch that – I did moan the entire hike, and stopped more times for a breather than I ever thought I would, but I was not letting this mountain beat me – especially as I was seeing people old enough to be my grandparents coming up and down this mountain – I was reaching the top and having my photo with that damn rock if it were the last thing I did – and it did feel like it would be the last thing I may do.

The Long Road Ahead 

Finally we made it to the top and all I felt was sheer elation – I’d done it, I’d climbed the highest point in Wales - before realising that we were close, but we hadn't made it just yet – that the summit was still 10-15 minutes away, and it was still all up hill. We rested for 5 and took a few photos of the surroundings, before tackling the final hill of the day.

Where I Had Just Walked From

Not Far Now

It was a breathtaking view from the top – I could hardly believe what I was seeing. There was a 360° view of beauty – I’d never seen anything quite like it. The best part of the hike – other than the views – nothing could beat that - was seeing the people we had passed along the way, and have them all say to me – ‘ so you did make it then’  - Yes I did!! – I felt like screaming.

After everything I have been through over the last couple of years; with my weight gain, health issues, and some other stuff I felt so proud to be standing on top of that mountain looking at how far I had come – physically, emotionally, and metaphorically - after pushing through all my pain and self-doubt – it was the best feeling in the world and probably one I won’t forget in a hurry – I still have the aches to remind me.

Corn Ddu

It took us 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to the summit – which I thought was pretty good considering how many times I had to stop along the way, and it took all of 50 minutes to get back down. Will I do it again? I’m still debating that;  my whole body feels like it’s been hit by a bus, the aches are excruciating but after looking over the photos that I snapped I think it was all worth it, and when I lose a bit more weight and get fitter, who knows, maybe I’ll find another mountain to climb! Hmm....

xoxo

KetoStyle

Indulgent Keto Chocolate Mousse

I just realised that I haven't posted anything on my blog in over a week and as I've been practically bedridden for the last couple of days – climbing a mountain is tough – I thought I would post the recipe for this incredible Chocolate Mousse. This was the second time that I had attempted the Chocolate Mousse –the first time was a good success but the Mousse turned out quite hard, after I refrigerated it and was quite heavy in texture–after my second attempt I realised it was because I hadn't whipped the cream enough –although it still tasted phenomenal. 

Before Keto I wasn't the type of woman who would crave sweets – it was mainly savoury foods such as; pasta, bread, pizza, chips – basically carbs and refined sugar which as we know, is all prohibited on Keto – I assume this is why I have a new found craving for chocolaty desserts and pancakes since I started this lifestyle. This decadent Keto Chocolate Mousse is a; delicious, rich and tasty treat for those sweet cravings we are all prone to, and it’s everything you can ask for in a dessert; chocolaty, smooth, and a pure fatbomb – which is perfect on a Keto diet. In this Keto Chocolate Mousse there is; no added sugar, no eggs, just dairy and cocoa powder, with a hint of coconut. The Chocolate Mousse can either be eaten as a dessert, or used as a frosting on; pancakes, or cakes, etc. – It’s delicious. 

Like every recipe on this blog there are few ingredients required and the instructions are also really simple to follow, which means you can whip this Chocolate Mousse up in no time when ever those sweet cravings strike. 

Keto Chocolate Mousse

So there it is - Keto Chocolate Mousse. I will warn you that for this small amount of Chocolate Mousse it is laden with calories, so if you count calories on Keto then eat this as a treat, or on workout days. Its definitely a rich treat and can be too sickly for some but definitely worth a try. If you are calorie concious then you can take out the small amount of coconut oil that I have added, as it is optional, and doesn't ruin the taste of the mousse. The Chocolate Mousse is very low carb with only 4g Carbs per serving and has a whopping 73g of Fat - told you it was a fatbomb. 

Yield - 1 Serving 

Instructions 

• 30g - Plain Cream Cheese 
• 30g Grass-fed Butter 
• 60ml - Double Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Cocoa Powder
• 10g Coconut Oil (Optional)
• 2 tsp - Low Carb Sweetener 
• Dessicated Coconut for Garnish (Optional)

Instructions 

• Mix the butter with a teaspoon of low carb sweetener until the butter is smooth and the sweetener has dissolved. ( it is best to use the butter at room temperature)
• Next mix the cream cheese and the cocoa powder until its a smooth mass, then combine with the butter 
• In a separate bowl, or mixer, whip the cream with another teaspoon of low carb sweetener ( I used an aerolatte until the cream was foamy) 
• Combine the whipped cream with the other mixture - At this point the mixture will start to turn into a frosting/ mousse texture) 
• Melt the coconut oil and combine with the other ingredients and mix well. 
• Spoon the mixture into a ramekin, or glass and refrigerate until you want to eat the Chocolate Mousse, or eat it as soon as you have made it. 

Macros

Macro for Keto Chocolate Mousse

xoxo

KetoStyle

Asparagus Gratin with Parmigiano Reggiano

Another quick recipe for you all... Asparagus Gratin with Parmesan. This is actually my first time making Asparagus Gratin, I found it somewhere on the internet a while ago and stored it in my memory until today. The Asparagus Gratin is similar to the Creamy Cauliflower Cheese I made last week - you will find that post here.  Like I said this recipe is simple, requires very few ingredients and takes about 20-25mins. Perfect.

You can serve the Gratin on its own, or with side dishes - I opted for; Colcannon Cauliflower Mash, with a single Quorn Fillet and sautéed Mushrooms and Leeks in Butter and Thyme - It was very enjoyable and full of flavour. For the Colcannon Cauliflower mash I added; Spring Onion, Parmesan, Butter, Chives, Salt and Pepper - I would usually add some Garlic too but I had run out. 

Asparagus Gratin, with  Parmigiano Reggiano 

Now I realise the Asparagus Gratin doesn't look particularly appealing in this photo but I will be attempting this again next week and hopefully the outcome will look more visually attractive - but don't let the photo put you off because I promise you this is a very tasty Asparagus Gratin. Just try it! 

Yield - 1 Serving 

Ingredients 

• 120g - Asparagus 
• 35g - Butter 
• 40ml - Double Cream 
• 20g - Parmesan Cheese 
• 1 tsp - Thyme
• Himalayan Salt 
• Fresh Ground Pepper

Instructions 

• Chop the Asparagus and place into an oven-proof dish, or tray (you can steam the Asparagus first, or just put it in the oven as it is)
• Next add the butter, double cream, salt, pepper, and lastly top with the Parmesan cheese.
• Cook for 25 minutes at 200°c or until the Asparagus is tender. 

Before you serve you could also add some Lemon juice for a little bit of extra zing, this is what I intended to do but simply forgot - I was just too excited to tuck in to my delicious dinner. 

xoxo

KetoStyle

Tropical Pancakes with a Twist.

 As some of you may already know, today is Shrove Tuesday, or in other words – Pancake Day.  Basically, Pancake Day is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. For anyone who wants to learn more about Shrove Tuesday, then you can read about it here. For anyone else who just came here for the recipe, continue reading...

Growing up I was never a big pancake eater, it just wasn't a ‘thing’ in our house, but every now and again I would envision a big plate of Pancakes stacked high, with lots of maple syrup and butter streaming from every angle – that’s when I wished that Pancakes were a ‘thing’ in my house. So last year I took it upon my young self to learn how to make these little round, pillows of deliciousness, and I have been experimenting and perfecting them ever since. Today however was no different and as it is Pancake Day, it was only appropriate to make Pancakes,  and so I did – Mango and Coconut Pancakes to be precise with a Lime Syrup drizzled all over them –I bet your salivating just picturing them aren't you? – I know I am, and I just ate 5 of these tropical gems for Breakfast.

I'm not just saying it because I made these pancakes but they are by far the best one’s I have ever made - and I've made some delicious pancakes over the last few months, but these one’s are something else, and the idea all started with a rotting Mango – OK, so it wasn't rotting but it was pretty much in the last days of its life - which makes it perfect for naturally sweetening pancakes.

The Best Creamy Cauliflower Cheese Ever Made.

I've been quite busy the last few days so I haven't had time to come online and post this recipe, but since it was the best Cauliflower Cheese that I have ever made, I felt I needed to dedicate a post especially to the pure deliciousness that I enjoyed a few days ago. This Cauliflower Cheese has it all; full fat, low carb, creamy, buttery and cheesy - what more can you ask for? How about the recipe? Be patient young grasshoppers. 

The only versions of Cauliflower Cheese I have ever tried is a crappy frozen version - which was low-fat (gasp) - I know. I went through that phase too where I thought fat was the devil and low-fat was the way to a healthier lifestyle - I will never make that mistake again. The second time I tried it, it was my own recipe and this was the outcome. 

Cauliflower Cheese, Straight from the Oven

Look at all that yummy fat, floating on top. Mmm... Isn't it just amazing that we can enjoy this meal and still lose weight, whilst still being healthy? Because even though it’s difficult to wrap your head around - this is healthy. This Cauliflower Cheese is actually healthier than any low-fat version you will eat. Why? Because everything I used in this recipe is completely full fat and natural. There are no added colours, preservatives, additives, starch, or ingredients that you can't pronounce. But I will make a post on the benefits of Ketosis later on this week.

Now back to the recipe...

 If you can boil water and throw things in to a pot - then you can make Cauliflower Cheese. I thought it would be one of those recipes that required a lot of ingredients and took a very long time to make, but it’s the complete opposite - it's easy and only takes 20 Minutes in the oven - mainly for the cheese to brown and everything to warm through.

Cauliflower Cheese before the Oven

Like most of my recipes, the Cauliflower Cheese is quite high calorie - 690 to be precise and packed with fat and protein -  but if like me you’re only concerned about keeping an eye on carbs, read on. 

It's not the best photo but do you even know how hard it is to take a photo of Cauliflower Cheese and then edit it? I'll tell you, it’s not easy! 

 

Creamy Cauliflower Cheese