Tuesday, October 29, 2013

I made it through two nights of Halloween festivities without cheating on Keto! (and some recipes)

Let's be honest, the holidays are tough on any diet, and Halloween, especially for me, is tough because I love candy and all of the other carb-loaded fall inspired foods. (Pumpkin spice lattes, I miss you.) I tend to completely blow off my diet around this time of year and end up totally falling off the bandwagon by the time New Years hits. Guess what? NOT THIS YEAR. On Saturday,  I made it through a Halloween party where I didn't even contemplate cheating on my diet. By Sunday, I had actually lost another 3 lbs!  Here are a couple of recipes that helped me make it through the Halloween festivities I went to last weekend.  Happy Halloween, Ketophiles! :D

Spicy Low-Carb Trail Mix
2 c. unsalted peanuts
2 c. unsalted almonds
2 c. pepitas (or pumpkin seeds)
2 c. sunflower kernals
1 c. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. Chili powder
1 Tbsp. Cumin
2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt
2 Tbsp. Garlic powder
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Cayenne

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly toast all of the seeds and nuts, you can skip this step if you purchased the nuts pre-roasted. After the nuts are toasted, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix them together. Transfer mixture to a couple of baking sheets. Put them back in the oven and toast for an additional 5-10 minutes, just so the seasonings get baked on. Do not over bake! These will burn very easily. For the party, I served my trail mix out of a plastic jack-o-lantern bucket that I picked up at the dollar store. 

Nutritional Info:  25 servings, roughly 1/3 c. per serving
Calories: 291
Fat: 26 g
Net Carbs: 3
Protein: 7

Low-Carb Spiked Apple Cider
*Just a reminder* When you're on the ketogenic diet, your alcohol tolerance is DRAMATICALLY lowered. This stuff is strong, but it's hard to tell! My friends loved it, and would never have guessed that it was low-carb, it tasted so good!

1 64 Oz. bottle of  Healthy Balance Apple Juice
4 Cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. All Spice
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. Sugar free caramel syrup
2 c. warm water
3 c. Vodka 
Whipped cream, I used reddi-whip (it's surprisingly low-carb!)
ground cinnamon, for garnish

In a crock pot, add all ingredients up to the whole cloves. Simmer on the lowest setting for 2 hours. Strain apple cider mixture through a strainer lined with a coffee filter. Transfer apple cider to a pitcher or whatever serving container you plan on using. I used an air pot, which kept the apple cider warm all night. Add vanilla, caramel syrup, water, and vodka, mix well. Serve as a shot or in a low-ball glass with whipped cream and cinnamon. 

Nutritional Info: 28 servings, 4 oz. per serving (not including whipped cream garnish)
Calories: 65
Fat: 0
Net Carbs: 1
Protein: 0


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Keto for Keeps' first recipe! Double Meat Chili.

Hey Everyone!

Fall is in full swing and I couldn't be more excited!  This means hoodies, football, and of course delicious and hearty food! What's better than eating an awesome bowl of chili on a cold day? Pretty much nothing, unless you add a bunch of cheddar cheese and sour cream! It's Keto for Keeps' first recipe! Double meat chili, here we go....!


Double Meat Chili:

1 lb Ground Pork
1 lb 80/20 Ground Beef
1 can Hunts diced and seasoned for chili tomatoes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium bell peppers, diced
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 can black soy beans, rinsed
1/4 c. chile powder
2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. back pepper
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 qt. beef stock
water as needed
Garnishes: Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Green Onions

Directions:
 In a large pot, cook the ground pork, ground beef, and seasonings until browned. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until soft. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and black soy beans. Stir to combine. Add beef stock, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Adjust consistency with water, and season to your taste. Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese and green onions. 

Nutritional Info: *Makes 8 Servings*
342 calories
5 carbs 
22 g. fat
25 g. protein