greece_fully_keto

Beef & Pork Meatballs w/ Broccoli Rabe

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 03:20:41 GMT

Beef & Pork Meatballs w/ Broccoli Rabe

I love those meatballs and they are very easy to make, full of flavor. You can also make them larger and use them as patties for breakfast with eggs or burgers, or add them in tomato sauce and enjoy them with low carb pasta. Whichever way you choose, you would really enjoy them.

Ingredients:

½ lbs ground beef (I use TruBeef - use EATKETOHEAL25)
½ lbs ground pork
1 egg
1 bunch of broccoli rabe cooked cut up in small pieces
1 onion
1 red pepper cubed
2T olive oil
Garlic
½ cup shredded mozzarella & provolone mix
½ cup Pork King Good pork rinds crumbs (I use original flavor)
Black pepper
Organ meat seasoning by Eatpluck
Dry or fresh mint to taste

**** Do not use salt as they will come out too salty

How to:

1. Cut up the onion and red bell pepper in cubes and sauté with olive oil

2. Add the broccoli rabe cut up in small pieces (discard the stems if thick)

3. Add the garlic

4. Add a little water so everything can cook and once has softened, remove and let the aside to cool down completely.

5. Preheat the oven at 350F

6. In a large bowl, add the ground meats

7. Add the egg, pepper, seasoning and pork rind crumbs and mix very well

8. Squeeze the vegetables very well to remove any liquid and add in the mix, combine

9. Add the cheese and mix until everything is well combined

10. Use a cookie scoop and place in a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper

11. Bake at 350F until nicely browned

Enjoy!

Μπριαμ (Bream)

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 02:45:45 GMT

Μπριαμ (Bream)

This is a classic Greek summer dish. I have to say as a kid, this was my least favorite meal and I remember all the “faces” I was making when my mom would announce the menu of the day and this was it! But as an adult, it is one of my favorites. AND it always brings fond memories of my mom, cooking in our summer house in Greece.

It is served as a main dish with feta cheese and fresh bread or as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish or burger patties. It is also great mixed with pasta. Follow me on Instagram to see variations at www.instagram.com/greecefullyketo and/or www.instagram.com/eat_keto_heal

Ingredients:

I always make a very big pan so there are plenty of leftovers. You can adjust quantities to your liking. You can save in the fridge for a week but also freeze individual portions. Here I used:

4 tomatoes
6 zucchini
5 small Italian eggplants
5 green bell peppers
3 large onions
10 cloves of garlic
½ cup olive oil
1 jar Raos homemade marinara sauce
1 cup hot water
A bunch of parsley
Plenty of salt – I used @redmondsalt
Black pepper
Organ meat seasoning by @eatpluck
Feta cheese

How to:

1. Preheat the oven at 375F

2. Wash all vegetables very well and cut in larges pieces

3. Same goes for the onions and garlic

4. Add seasoning (salt, pepper, organ meat seasoning)

5. Cut the whole bunch of parsley and add on top

6. Use your hands to mix everything very well in the pan

7. Add the jar of tomato sauce and olive oil all over the vegetables

8. Add more seasoning (salt, pepper, organ meat seasoning)

9. Use your hands again and mix well

10. Bake for approximately 1.5hr to 2hrs until the vegetables are soft

11. Half way through the cooking time, pull out of the oven and mix them. If you see the sauce is almost gone, add 1 cup of hot water.

12. There are two ways to add the feta

a. Cut up the feta cheese is cubes and add 15 minutes before the dish is done. The cheese will be nicely melted/soften and it makes the dish even more delicious.

b. Add the cheese on each individual serving, in cubes or crumbled up on top. Both ways are delicious

Enjoy!!

Bone Marrow - Carnivore

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 05:15:34 GMT

Bone Marrow

Would you eat a bag of bones? Well you should and here is why.

Bone marrow has tremendous health benefits. It contains myeloid and lymphoid stem cells. The foundations for red and white blood cells, these cells build immunity and help provide oxygen to cells. Consuming it helps build a strong immune system. Bone marrow assists in blood clotting. It contains Collagen, the protein-rich substance which when subjected to heat, cooks down to gelatin. This can also help repair the body. Collagen deficiency can slow down wound healing, promote easy bruising and bleeding gums. Collagen in bone marrow can help the body rebuild itself.

Studies have shown that it can help fighting cancer as it contains conjugated linoleic acid which is known as a potent cancer inhibitor. Bone marrow contains less amount of polyunsaturated fat. It is a great source of omega-3 fatty acid which is essential for the proper functioning of the brain and it is also a good source of glycine. Glycine is an amino used to make and repair other proteins in the body.

If you need a quality bone marrow bones try @trubeeforganic certified organic and grass fed beef. Really impressed that it comes out in one piece!

How to:

This was simply done in the oven at 400F for approximately 30 to 40 minutes depending on your oven. I used @redmondrealsalt (use ATHINA and save), pepper, fresh sage and a drizzle of olive oil. Now all the goodness in the pan will be saved for cooking something else tomorrow.

Have you ever had bone marrow? If not, are you willing to try it?

Nona's Tuna Salad

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 06:37:44 GMT

Nona's Tuna Salad

One of my fond memories as a kid growing up in Greece was my Godmothers' Halloween parties. Everyone had to dress up, and I mean everyone! My Godmother (Nona means Godmother in Greek) was not a good cook, but she thought she was! BUT she would make this amazing tuna salad that I was always looking forward to have. I have ketofied her tuna salad but named it after her, in her honor and memory. The only difference with mine is the lack of potatoes, but if you are not following keto, you can certainly add them.

Ingredients:

8oz tuna in oil (I always use Wild Planet Foods, the one in a glass jar)

1/4 Fennel, sliced

1 small celery, diced

2T Primal Kitchen avocado mayo (Use ATHINA and save)

Capers

1 hard boiled egg (optional)

Lemon juice to taste

Redmond salt to taste (Use ATHINA and save)

How to:

- Drain the tuna and keep 1T of olive oil

- Pull the tuna apart and mix with the fennel and celery

- Add capers, the 1T of olive oil and lemon to taste

- Add mayo and mix very well

- Add sliced hard boiled egg and enjoy with pork rinds for a nice crunch without the carbs

Protein Rolls

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 06:13:57 GMT

Protein Rolls

This recipe is inspired by Maria Emmerich. It is her protein bread made in rolls. I've also made one modification as I like the consistency a little better. This bread is pure protein and makes it easy to make up your protein goals but it is tricky to make. It took me several attempts but I was determined. Humidity and elevation may affect it and also your oven. Below you'll see what works for me. Check out also Maria's original recipe on her blog because her cooking time is totally different than mine. You just need to experiment but don't get discouraged. Try it, but before you do, read the notes.

Ingredients:

This is half the recipe! I like to make them fresh

6 large egg whites

1/2 cup egg white protein (I use NOW)

1 tsp cream of tartar

A pinch of salt

2 tsp allulose (my addition, not in the original recipe)

How to:

- Preheat the oven at 320F

- Use a clean and completely dry bowl

- Add the egg white and the cream of tartar and pinch of salt and whip them to a very very thick and stiff merengue

- Fold in the egg white protein and the allulose and ensure it's incorporated very well

- Pour the mixture into a greased loaf pan or scoop it out on parchment paper and shape as rolls

- Bake for 15-20 minutes at 320F and for another 15-20 minutes at 220F. This works best for me so the bread doesn't burn and has a Wonder bread type consistency. Do NOT overbake!

Notes:

- As I mentioned earlier, this bread is very tricky. If you double the recipe, make sure you have a large loaf pan or split the mixture into two pans.

- You HAVE to beat the egg white very very well

- The allulose helps with the consistency but you don't have to use it. It's a very small amount and it doesn't make the bread sweet. Experiment with and without it

- Excellent for french toast which is why I put seasoning in half of them and left the rest as is. Looking forward to breakfast

- Maria likes to use Jay Robb's egg white protein. I prefer NOW or Judee's egg white protein as I find them less eggy. You can find all of those on Amazon.

- I've also made this bread/rolls using liquid egg whites. Works perfectly fine.

Egg in a Ham Nest

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 05:44:41 GMT

Egg in a Ham Nest

Super easy and super delicious. You can cook it and forget it. Grab and go for the week and breakfast or snack is served. You can use ramekins or better yet muffin tins. You can make 12 of those and either freeze them individually or put an air tight container in the fridge for a week.

Ingredients:

12 eggs

24 slices of ham

A small piece of cheese of choice

Seasoning of choice

Butter, tallow, duck fat to grease the tins

How to:

- Preheat the over at 350F

- Grease each muffin tin or ramekins

- Line each cavity with two slices of ham placed one the opposite direction of the other to create a nest

- Break an egg in each ham nest

- Add salt/pepper or any other seasoning you prefer

- Top each egg with a slice of cheese. I used half a slice of cheese on each egg folded in half

- Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese in nicely melted. Enjoy!

Notes:

- It makes for a quick breakfast or snack or even given to kids in their lunchbox.

- You can add diced tomatoes, peppers, onions and any other vegetable of choice

- See previous recipe for dairy free versions

- Adjust quantities to your liking

Ham & Cheese Crustless Quiche

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 17:44:53 GMT

Ham & Cheese Crustless Quiche

A great alternative to Quiche Lorraine without the carbs. Perfect meal with a side salad that the whole family will enjoy. And most importantly, super easy and fast. You don't have to spend a whole day in the kitchen!

Ingredients:

12 eggs

6T butter softened

1c cheddar cheese shredded

4oz Philadelphia cream cheese

8oz - 16oz Boar's Head cooked ham cut up

Salt & pepper

How to:

- Use some of the softened butter and butter up the pie dish

- Use 1/4c of the cheddar cheese and sprinkle the bottom

- Put the eggs, remaining butter, and cream cheese, a little bit of salt and pepper, in a blender and mix everything together

- Poor over the cheddar in the pie dish

- Add the cut up ham and softly mix with a spoon

- Sprinkle the remaining

- Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the top has a nice brown color (In my oven it takes 45 minutes)

Notes:

- Always shred your own cheese. Pre-packed shredded cheeses in the super market have carbohydrates, preservatives and often have sugars

- If you can, and won't blow your budget, go with organic eggs and butter. I prefer Vitalfarm eggs, and Kerrygold or Lewiscreamery butter

- You can use any other type of cold cuts but try to get uncured ones to avoid sugars

- If you add bacon, it's best if you cook it first and add cut up pieces. Also, do not add salt as the whole dish will end up being too salty

Country Rib Soup w/ Bone Broth

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 16 May 2021 05:45:18 GMT

Country Rib Soup w/ Bone Broth

Excellent source of protein with all the benefits of bone broth. You can choose any kind of meat or chicken for this soup. I used country ribs that had no visible fat and also added cauliflower rice, that should be omitted if following carnivore. This soup is also good if you have a pet. I have a mini dachshund and she loves bone broth and eggs. Pork is not the best protein for dogs but if eaten infrequently, it won't harm your pet. You can see below Zoe's bowl next to mine!

Ingredients:

2lbs country ribs with no visible fat

1 bag Bonafide Provisions chicken bone broth (you can use beef)

2 cups cauliflower rice

2 hard boiled eggs

Redmond salt

How to:

- Put the meat in a heavy pot, add salt and the bone broth and let it simmer for 4-5 hours until the meat falls apart.

- In the last hour, add the cauliflower rice

- Before serving add the eggs and enjoy

Notes:

1. I use Vincent's Market Meats, excellent quality and they ship nationwide. All meats are fresh. Use ATHINA10 even in subscription boxes.

2. Bonafide Provisions is my favorite brand of bone broth. Kettle & Fire is also excellent. Bonafide Provisions offer a discount on their site on your first order.

3. Redmond salt - Best salt with minerals I've tried. I love all their varieties. Check them out at https://shop.redmond.life?afmc=ATHINA You can use code ATHINA for 15% off your orders.

90 Second Cheese Crisps

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Fri, 07 May 2021 02:04:15 GMT

90 Second Cheese Crisps

Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the back of the most popular cheese crisps brands? Well, you should. They are full of additives, preservatives and even harmful sugars. I bet you didn't know. Here is a very easy way to create crispy cheese crisps in 90 seconds!

Ingredients:

- Cheese of choice, I used aged Manchego but Parmesan will work very well, and a microwave!

How to:

- Cut the cheese in small pieces, approximately the size of your nail

- Place them on a plate covered with parchment paper (make sure the plate can go in the microwave)

- Use seasoning of choice; i.e. oregano, rosemary, Italian blend or leave as is.

- Microwave for 90 seconds and enjoy!

Notes:

- Cheese will harden as it gets cold

- Make sure you cut the cheese in small pieces so it spreads as it melts into a thin crisp

Protein Lasagna

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 02:00:07 GMT

Protein Lasagna

Credit for this recipe goes to Maria Emmerich. Her protein lasagna is a staple in our house. I always make a big pan and freeze individual pieces. It freezes very well and you always have a protein based meal with a side salad. And.... it tastes so good. You can find the original recipe on Maria's blog at www.mariamindbodyhealth.com Below is my version. Read notes before you start.

Ingredients:

Serve 12 to 16 (depending on pan size)

1.5 lbs grass-fed ground beef

1lb calf liver

1lbs Italian sausage out of the casing

2T ghee

1 jar low sugar or sugar free if you find, marinara sauce. I use Rao's

16oz ricotta cheese full fat

2 eggs

1lb oven roasted turkey thinly sliced (you can use deli meat if you prefer)

16oz fresh mozzarella cheese sliced

1c shredded cheese

Fresh basil

How to:

- Preheat oven at 425F

- Cook liver in 1/2T ghee and set aside. Once cooled down, either thinly slice or ground in a blender.

- Add the rest of the ghee and sauté the beef and the pork sausage over medium heat until well browned.

- Add the liver on the meat and the tomato sauce. Cook until everything is well incorporated and you don't have a lot of juices in the pan.

- In a mixing bowl combine ricotta with eggs

- Get a large lasagna pan and spoon half of the meat sauce and arrange the thin slices of turkey breast

- Add half of the mozzarella slices

- Add a layer of fresh basil

- Repeat layers of meat sauce, remaining thinly sliced turkey and finish with mozzarella slices.

- Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top

- Cover with foil and ensure it is not touching the cheese. Bake for 25 minutes.

- Remove foil and bake for another 25 minutes.

- Let is rest for 15-20 minutes, use more basil for garnish and enjoy.

Notes:

1. If you don't like liver, discard the juices from the pan, so you don't really smell it in the dish. If you are ok with it,

2. You can use oven roasted chicken deli meat instead of turkey

3. You can skip the liver if that's not something you like

4. Do not add salt. Sausage meat especially is too salty

Dairy Free Latte - How do you take your coffee?

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 03:44:08 GMT

Dairy Free Latte

Coffee is very important to me and the very first sip can make or break my day. Born and raised in Greece I am used to strong coffee, so please adjust the strength to your liking. This is how I roll...

Ingredients:

5 pods @nespresso arpeggio

1/4c @nutpods dairy free nut milk, flavor of choice. I tend to use caramel, original or classic chocolate.

3 tsp allulose

2 scoops @furtherfood collagen peptides

Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

How to:

- As your espresso shots are getting ready, steam the nut milk

- Add the collagen, sweetener

- Use a frother to mix very well

- Dust w/ cocoa and enjoy.

Notes:

You can use any flavor of nutpods and you can also top your coffee with cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom. All the combinations are delicious. See "Products I love" tab for discount codes and save.

Because Snowy Nights Ask for Keto Hot Chocolate

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 03:33:37 GMT

Keto Hot Chocolate

This is a dairy free version. You can use half-half or a combination of water & heavy cream if you are ok with dairy.

Ingredients:

1c almond milk

2tsp unsweetened cocoa (I use @vivanaturals organic cocoa)

3tsp @gooddeesmix allulose

5 drops @oooflavors vanilla

A pinch of @redmondrealsalt (brings out the flavor)

How to:

- Boil the milk and use a small whisk to thoroughly mix the cocoa and sugar to incorporate. Before it reaches a boiling point, add your flavoring, salt, remove and serve.

- Top with a dollop of unsweetened coconut whipped cream to keep dairy free or unsweetened heavy cream if you are ok with dairy.

- Served with dusted cocoa. Combinations of flavors are endless.

Very clean version with less than 50 calories per cup (without the heavy cream.) Because calories do matter!

Rose Tea Latte

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 03:26:15 GMT

Rose Tea Latte

My new obsession and by far my greatest creation. I used rose buds from my friend’s @sanaz_lap garden straight from Iran. Even though I love a good cup of coffee in the morning, I appreciate a cup of tea in the afternoon and this is certainly a go to, especially in a cold winter snowy night. You can also serve it with ice for a refreshing drink in a hot day.

Here is what you need:

A cup of strong rose tea. I used black tea with rose buds. Let it steep for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, steam

1/2c @nutpods original (you can use almond milk to keep dairy free or use a combination of heavy cream and water)

1 scoop collagen peptides unflavored

3tsp allulose (I used @gooddeesmix) or sweetener of choice

1tsp rose water

1/8tsp beet powder for color

Once your tea is done, pour in your cup and add the rest for the most enjoyable and flavorful cup or Rose Tea Latte!

Tag me if you make it and let me know what you think! You can adjust quantities to your liking.

Rose Tea Latte was served with rose mini pancakes topped with our Strawberry Rose Sugar Free Jam. See post of Healthy Pancakes for the recipe and contact us to order the jam.

Keto Lava Cake

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 03:15:47 GMT

Keto Lava Cake

This recipe was inspired by @lori.monigold and when I saw it, I just had to make it. I made some minor modifications but for the most part it’s the same. Why mess w a good thing. This is what I used:

Ingredients:

2T @lewisroadusa salted butter

2T @nespresso decaf arpeggio hot (you can use regular coffee or hot water)

2T @gooddeesmix allulose

2T @vivanaturals unsweetened cocoa powder

2T @isopure Dutch chocolate protein powder

1/2tsp baking powder

1 @vitalfarm egg

5 drops tiramisu @oooflavors

1 small square of @thegoodchocolate (I used 1 square dark as I didn’t know how sweet the cake would be. It was perfect for my taste)

How to:

- Mix the all the ingredients except the egg.

- Add the egg and mix.

- Add the chocolate squares and push them down in the mix.

- Microwave for 1 minute

- Flip into a plate and enjoy!

Notes:

- The more chocolate squares you use the more decadent it will be.

- You can skip the flavoring or use any other flavor you like

- If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt as it brings out the flavor

- You can serve as is, top with whipped cream or keto ice cream

Cinnamon Roll Egg Loaf

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 03:07:42 GMT

Cinnamon Roll Egg Loaf

Super easy and delicious. It goes very well with powdered allulose and cinnamon, any sugar free syrup and also our sugar free jams.

Ingredients:

8 @vitalfarms eggs

8oz cream cheese

5T @lewisroadusa salted butter

2T allulose

2T cinnamon

15 drops @oooflavors cinnamon roll

5 drops @oooflavors maple syrup

How to:

- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature

- Mix in my @vitamix (any blender will do) until everything is incorporated

- Pour in a pound cake loaf pan

- Bake at 350F in a preheated oven for 35-55 minutes depends how you like it done. The more you bake it the more solid it will look.

Notes:

When cooled completely I remove from the loaf, slice it and leave in the fridge. I take slices out a few at a time and heat up in my cast iron w some more @lewisroadusa butter. Served with sugar free maple syrup, powdered low or zero carb sweetener and extra cinnamon.

Pre COVID I would actually prep all slices in the pan, store them in the fridge and would grab and go to work. I would then just heat up for 30secs in the microwave.

Pork Meatballs - Greek Version

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 02:30:34 GMT

Pork Meatballs - Greek Version
I love this dish because it is versatile. You can have meatballs just as is, with a salad, add them in low carb tomato sauce and with low carb pasta or simply roll them in a low carb wrap with cheese and pan fry. Any way you decide to make them, they will be delicious.

Ingredients:

1lb pork sweet sausage out of the shell

1 onion grated

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2c mascarpone

1c shredded cheese (optional as it will harden the meatballs)

1c @porkkinggood crumbs original

1 egg

1T dried peppermint or mint

1T water

How to:

- Mix everything together in a bowl until everything in incorporated. Leave in the fridge for an hour.

- Shape any way you like (I did some round and some like a sausage shape)

- Bake at 350F for 45 minutes (may be less depending on your oven)

Notes:

Do NOT add any salt, they usually come out on the salty side. Enjoy!

Healthy Pancakes (Also good for your doggy)

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 05:41:02 GMT

Healthy Pancakes (Good for you & your pet)
————————

These are keto and diabetic friendly pancakes which are also perfect for your dog. They can also be gluten free if you use gluten free baking powder. Clean ingredients the whole family can enjoy.

Ingredients:

3/4c almond milk

1 1/2c almond flour

2T coconut flour

2tsp baking powder

3 eggs

3T melted unsalted butter (if you use salted skip the pinch of salt)

2T allulose

Cinnamon to taste

Pinch of salt

How to:

• Mix in a blender the almond milk, butter and eggs

• Add the flours and baking powder, cinnamon

• Melt some butter in a nonstick pan and cook in medium-low heat. Enjoy!

Note: You can freeze the pancakes by using parchment paper in between. I ended up with 50 small bone pancakes and most of them found their way to the freezer! If you make regular size pancakes you will end up with 8.

Both Zoe (my mini Dachshund) and myself enjoyed them. You can also add fresh berries in the mix. We hope you will love them!

Keto Berry Pavlova

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 06:04:11 GMT

Keto Berry Pavlova

One of my favorite desserts that I just had to ketofy our family recipe. My mom would make it the shape of a wreath to make it even more festive during Christmas time. You can top it with any fruit, nuts, chocolate, or create your own combination.

Ingredients:

Pavlova:

6 egg whites

1.5 cups allulose

1 tsp distilled white vinegar or cream of tartar

1/2 tsp xantham gum (optional - see Notes)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

1.5 cups fresh or partially thawed berries and a handful of berries on the side

1/2 cup of allulose and 2T

5oz Fage plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp powdered @swervesweetie (optional)

————-

• Preheat oven at 250F

• Blend in medium high the egg white until soft peaks are formed

• Add 1.5 cups of sugar very slowly and ensure you mix enough so it dissolves

• Add the vinegar or cream of tartar

• Add the vanilla

• Put the merengue in a big bag, cut the tip and make big circles in a baking dish covered with parchment paper (I used 2 round pans to make circles as a guide but ensure you flip the paper so the markings don’t go on your dessert)

• Use a spoon to create a groove in the center

• Bake for 1hr and 10 minutes at 250F and then leave in the oven for another hour

• Put 1/2 cup of water in a sauce pan with 1/2 cup of sugar and add your berries. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let berries cool down inside the syrup. Once ready, drain and keep on the side

• Roll the handful of berries in sugar and leave aside

• Mix yogurt and cream until smooth (Pavlova is very sweet so you may want to skip the extra sugar)

• Bring the merengue out of the oven. It’s very sensitive so be careful removing the paper

• Fill each groove with cream, add berries, add sugared berries and enjoy!

Notes:

1. If you use cream of tartar you may not need to use xantham gum too. I like my Pavlova airy and I tend to skip it.

2. You can use any sugar free berry syrup to serve, I used some of the syrup from our Blueberry Lemon Keto Jam.

3. Please, please use Greek yogurt in the filling as it is thick. Any other type of yogurt will make the filling very watery, unless you strain it overnight. Too much moisture will make the Pavlova base to collapse.

Keto Kourabiedes (Greek Christmas Cookies)

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 05:43:24 GMT

Keto Kourabiedes - Greek Christmas Cookies

Growing up in Greece, I loved watching my mom cook, especially during the Holidays. Kourabiedes and Baklava were my absolute favorite things during Christmas and I had to ketofy them. I did take the easy way out and used a sugar cookie mix, but to be fair, it was only because I entered a Christmas bake of @KetoQueenKreations1 and of course I had to make something Greek! Happy Holidays everyone.

Ingredients:

1 bag @ketoqueenkreations1 sugar cookie mix

1 egg (I used @vitalfarms )

4T unsalted butter (I used @lewisroadusa )

4oz cream cheese (I used @lovemyphilly )

2T brandy (I used @remymartin - only the best for my cookies)

1c roasted almonds crushed in large pieces

Rose water

Confectioners @swervesweetie for dusting

How to:

- Whip the butter with the cream cheese until white and fluffy, add the egg, whip until it incorporates and then add the cookie mix

- Add the brandy and whip for a few seconds

- Add the toasted almonds and mix using your hands. The dough has a great soft consistency and it shapes very well

- Use your hands and shape the cookies and round or horseshoe shape **

- Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven

- Once out of the oven and still hot spray with rose water and let them cool completely

- Dust with confectioners @swervesweetie and enjoy!

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas to all ♥️

Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 05:35:25 GMT

Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake

This is a MUST make cake. It was created by Lori @killerketocook using our best seller, our Blueberry Lemon jam, and it is too good to eat! Our jams are keto (very clean), gluten free and diabetic friendly. They have collagen peptides and grass fed gelatin and what they do NOT have is preservatives.

Ingredients:

Cake-

1 package keto queen creations yellow cake mix

3/4C crook and marker blueberry lemonade beverage

4 large eggs separated

¼ C butter melted

10 drops @oooflavor vanilla cupcake flavor

5 drops @oooflavor blueberry flavor

Jam Filling:

@Greecefullyketo blueberry lemon jam

Frosting:

2 sticks butter (I used salted)

1.5 C powdered sweetener

1 C white chocolate chips melted and cooled

2-3 tbsp heavy whipping cream

8 drops vanilla cupcake extract

Lolli’s lemon drop cookie clusters crumbled

Lemon zest for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350* and grease two 6” round cake pans.

2. Add cake mix, butter, egg YOLKS, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Mix well and then mix in blueberry lemonade beverage. In separate bowl whip egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into to batter mixture 1/3 at a time. Press batter into 2 6’ pans and bake 30-35 minutes or until done. Let the cake cool completely and then poke holes around the cake ½ way deep for the jam.

3. Pour the jam onto the cake pressing into holes with a spoon, and refrigerate 1 hour. Slice cakes in half horizontally so that you will have 4 layers.

4. To make the frosting whip butter and sweetener until light and fluffy. Add in melted white chocolate and continue to whip a few minutes longer scraping down the sides as needed. Add heavy cream and whip 1-2 minutes more.

5. Layer: cake- frosting-jam, cake- frosting- jam until ending with a lightly frosted top layer of cake. Frost the entire outside of cake lightly as to still see the cake layers.

6. Crumble up the Lolli’s cookie clusters and place around the top perimeter of the cake. I filled the center of the well of clusters with more jam and sprinkled on some fresh lemon zest.

ENJOY!!!

Notes: Visit the Products I Love tab for discount codes in products used for this recipe.

Keto Tyropitakia (Greek Cheese Pies)

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 05:23:26 GMT

Keto Tyropitakia - Greek Cheese Pies

A cheese pie is a classic Greek dish not as popular in the U.S as spinach pies but even more delicious. The traditional way is with feta cheese but there are many variations depending on the region. I used a combination of cheeses; ricotta, Boursin and feta, resulting in deliciousness.

Ingredients:

1c ricotta

1 @boursincheese garlic and herbs

8oz feta (I used @dodoni_feta Greek feta)

1 egg

Dried parsley

Black pepper

1tsp @purefirefoods original fire tonic for a kick (optional)

7 @cutdacarb sheets (you may need more depending how much cheese mix you use)

Ghee or avocado oil for frying

How to:

- Crumble the feta and Boursin and mix all cheeses together in a bowl, add the egg, parsley and pepper and mix w a fork.

- Add fire tonic and mix

- Cut the @cutdacarb lengthwise into three

- Use a cookie scooper and put one scoop at the lower end of each of the @cutdacarb strips and fold into triangles.

- Pan fry or use an air frier

- Sprinkle w sesame seeds (optional) and enjoy!

Mississippi Post Roast

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 23:55:47 GMT

Mississippi Post Roast

This is by far the best pot roast I’ve ever had, and you HAVE to make it. It is keto with almost zero carbs and with enough kick to make it even more delicious. I don’t care much for leftovers but I’m dreaming about this every day. It is so easy to make, almost no prep time. This recipe calls for a slow cooker which I don’t have, but I have an oven which worked very well here. Read the notes before you start.

Ingredients:

Serves 10

3.5lbs – 4lbs chuck roast, I used prime chuck roast from @vincentsmeatmarket

2T Hidden Valley ranch dressing powder

1 packet McCormick Au Jus gravy

10 peperoncini, I used Golden Greek Whole by Mezzetta

¼ c juice from the pepperoncini

1 stick of butter (4oz)

How to:

- Preheat your oven at 275F

- Place the meat in a dutch oven

- Add everything else

- Cover and bake for 5 to 7 hours depending on your oven.

- Enjoy!

Notes:

1. Do not add any salt or pepper as it will be salty on each own and spicy enough. You can always add at the end if you feel it is not up to your liking

2. If you don’t find Au Jus gravy, you can use French dip seasoning instead

3. Depending how fatty your meat is, you can use ½ the butter BUT one thing I did, I used the whole stick and then the next day that it was cooled I scraped it and saved it in a jar. Best way to use on other dishes with all these flavors combined.

4. The meat should almost fall apart when ready, if it doesn’t leave it in the over a little longer.

5. Macros - 631kCalories, 54.3g protein, 1.7g total carbs, 43.6g fat

“Pasta” Bloom w/ Leftover Pork Belly – Dairy Free

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 23:52:18 GMT

“Pasta” Bloom w/ Leftover Pork Belly – Dairy Free

Let me explain first! “Bloom” has nothing to do with blooming and flowers. It’s a Greek thing! The general reference is for babies when they take a bath or put them in the sea to teach them how to swim (yeah when you are Greek you first learn how to float and swim and then how to walk) The word bloom is associated with water but in the kitchen any reference to “bloom” it implies that you put all the ingredients together to make a meal, kind of like a “one pot meal”. Now I don’t know if that’s an official term in the Greek culinary school but it’s certainly something my mom always said and we knew what was happening in the kitchen.

This recipe is one of my favorites that we always made at home in the summer time without protein or with shrimp, for a light meal with a glass of chilled Mosxofilero or Malagouzia (Amazing Greek wines kind of like Pinot Grigio).

Given I’m doing #cleanketo75 I used shirataki noodles and dairy free cheese. I also used pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs. And I didn’t have the wine to go with it

Instead of shrimp I used my last piece of my leftover pork belly. I trimmed all the fat so I can meet my protein goal and also make it lighter but it’s up to you to leave it on. I also added @purefirefood for an extra kick.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

1 pack of @welllean_ig fettuccini

8 grape tomatoes cut in half

2 cups baby spinach or kale

1 small onion

8-10 leaves fresh basil

1 tsp crushed garlic

2T olive oil

1T @purefirefood

1.5 cups beef bone broth

1oz pork rinds toasted

1oz dairy free cheese of choice

@redmondrealsalt, black pepper

Red pepper flakes to taste

Garlic bread:

1/2 of my keto bread rolls (Email me to order)

1/2 tsp @lewisroadusa unsalted butter

1/4 tsp crushed garlic

1T shredded dairy free cheese

How to:

1. Add olive oil, onion and garlic in a cast iron pot, cook for awhile to sweat the onion.

2. Add everything else, except for the pork rinds and shredded cheese, and cook until the broth is reduced down to almost nothing.

3. Serve and top with a mixture of pork rinds and shredded cheese

4. Garlic bread - butter the roll, add garlic, top w/ cheese and a few sprinkles of pepper flakes. Toast for 2 minutes

Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 01:08:41 GMT

Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice

Low carb friend "rice" using cauliflower that really tastes like the real deal. It is keto and diabetic friendly. I would recommend reading the notes prior to making it. It's one of my favorite dishes for leftovers.

Ingredients:

4 cups roasted chicken (skin removed)

1 small cauliflower

2 scallions

4-5 shiitake mushrooms

¼ c frozen peas

2 garlic gloves crushed

1 tsp of shredded or sliced ginger

1 egg

3T coconut aminos

2T sesame oil

1T ghee

Sesame seeds

How to:

- Prep your vegetables – slice the mushrooms and scallions and defrost the peas

- Cut up the cauliflower in small pieces and put in a blender to rice it. Put in a container, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 3-4 minutes depending on your microwave. You want to soften it but not fully cook it

- Use a clean towel or cheese cloth and put the cauliflower rice in, squeeze all the excess water

- Use a cast iron skillet or a wok, put the ghee and let it melt

- Pull apart the chicken and put in the ghee, toss around a couple of minutes

- Add cauliflower rice and the rest of the vegetables, add the coconut aminos and the sesame oil and let them cook for 10-15 minutes in low heat stirring often

- Add the garlic and ginger

- Taste and adjust accordingly

- Wisk the egg and add to the fried rice, keep stirring

- Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Notes:

1. You can adjust quantities for vegetables to your liking but try to keep the peas as low as possible due to the high carbs. If you decide to use shredded carrots, I would recommend reducing the amount of peas, unless your daily allowance covers it.

2. Be careful for carbs and calories on coconut aminos and sesame oil

3. You can replace chicken with shrimp, pork, beef or all of the above

4. If you add ham or bacon, add the aminos one tablespoon as a time to monitor the saltiness

5. Another source of hidden carbs is sesame seeds, especially black sesame seeds, so be mindful when you use them.

6. You may need to add a couple of tablespoons of water or broth to cook the vegetables, just monitor it and adjust accordingly

Roasted Tomatoes a la Greek

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 03:22:14 GMT

Roasted Tomatoes a la Greek

This is certainly a Greek summer dish but it often includes more vegetables, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, peppers and you can certainly add those. You can also make it in a deeper dish, especially if you add more vegetables. My mom used to call it "Tourlou" which means a little bit of everything. That recipe will follow. I made this with tomatoes only as I got a small basket from a farm at Skaneateles, upstate NY. Deliciousness!

Ingredients:

6-7 large tomatoes, enough to cover a single layer of a cookie sheet

2 large onions

4-5 teaspoons crushed garlic

Dried oregano

Redmond real salt

Fresh thyme (7-8 springs)

How to:

• Preheat oven at 375F

• Wash the tomatoes, dry them with a paper towel, cut up in thick slices and cover a cookie sheet in a single layer

• Peel and cut the onion into 4 to 6 wedges, pull layers apart and put over the tomatoes

• Add garlic over the tomatoes (can certainly adjust quantity to your liking)

• Add olive oil over the tomatoes. I didn’t really measure but I would say approx 1/4 cup.

• Add salt, oregano and thyme

• Bake at 375F for an hour, depending on your oven. I then increased to 400F for another half hour.

Notes:

1. You can use cherry or grape tomatoes instead. They have less juices than the large tomatoes so be careful on the time. They will cook much faster.

2. Add any herbs to your liking. Rosemary and sage work very well.

3. Stir carefully after the first half hour and maybe 15-20 after that.

4. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven

5. I like to roast my tomatoes well to the point they fall apart and all the flavors incorporate. You can certainly cook them less if you like more of a bite to them.

6. You can certainly eat them as is, over pasta, use as a base to any tomato dish, add on salads. Endless possibilities!

Sage Pork Chops w/ Mushrooms Sauce

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 02:40:43 GMT

Sage Pork Chops w/ Mushrooms Sauce

I used fresh sage leaves and @purefirefoods original fire tonic that added such an awesome kick. The dish came out amazing! I also made a side order of keto pasta by Gnomgnom . It is made with lupin flour. This meal is keto, with very low carbs and certainly a winner.

Ingredients:

3 pork chops bone-in approx. 8oz each 0.5” thick

4T @vitalfarms ghee

Salt/pepper

6-7 fresh sage leaves

1lbs baby Bella mushrooms sliced

1/4c heavy cream

1T @purefirefoods original fire tonic

How to:

• Put 3T ghee in a cast iron skillet

• Salt & pepper the pork chops and set aside

• Add sage leaves in ghee and fry them. Remove on paper towel before they fry completely.

• Add pork chops on ghee and cook 5 minutes on each side.

• Remove the pork chops and keep them warm

• Add 1T of ghee in the hot pan, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and stir.

• Cook for 5-10 minutes and slowly add the heavy cream. Stir and add the fire tonic. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add back the sage leaves, keep a couple for garnish.

• Add back the pork chops. Let them absorb some of the sauce and serve.

Side dish:

@gnomgnom.yum pasta - I put a couple of handfuls of pasta in hot water and microwaved for 4.5 minutes. Once done I drained and added 1 tsp of sage ghee I saved from the pork chops and grated Parmesan cheese. I garnished with fried sage leaves which by the way, are delicious!

Keto Lobster Rolls

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 23:21:29 GMT

Keto Lobster Rolls

This is a delicious dish with no guilt, and also very quick to make. The biggest part is to cook the lobster and do it right so it doesn't come out rubbery.

Ingredients:

1 lobster 1-1.5 lbs or 2 medium lobster tails

1T of salt

A large deep pot or a lobster steamer if you do the whole lobster

Lemon juice from one lemon

1 celery stock diced

1/4 fennel diced

2 - 3T @Sirkessington mayo

1T @purefirefoods original flavor tonic

Salt/pepper if needed

2 keto hot dog buns by @thesolacompany

2T melted butter

How to:

• Fill the pot with enough water to ensure it will cover the lobster. Add the salt and bring to a boil.

** If you are doing a whole lobster, once the water is ready, carefully remove the rubber band from the claws facing away from you and put the lobster in the hot water face down first. Be very careful when you remove the rubber bands. Now, you may choose to leave them on the claws but you may end up with a rubbery taste on the claw meat. Boil for 10 min if 1lb or 12 min if 1.25lbs or 14 min if 1.5lbs. Remove, put in cold water bath to stop the cooking and once cold enough to touch start taking out the meat. Twist the tail first and then work on the rest. Put the meat in a bowl.

** If you do lobster tails it makes the process much easier and less messy. Use shears or a sharp knife to cut the lobster tail along the middle. Use your thumps to pull apart the tail along the incision. The incision you made allows you to easily break apart the shell all the way along the middle. Keep the meat inside the shell for boiling and serving. Boil 1 min per ounce in medium heat. When ready, remove, let it drain and cut along the incision you made earlier to remove the meat. Now the rest is easy!

• Cut up the lobster meat, taste for salt and add if needed, add the celery, and fennel.

• In another bowl mix the mayo with the lemon and the fire tonic. Adjust to taste.

• Add the lobster mix in the mayo sauce and combine

• Toast the keto bread, brush it with the melted butter, stuff it with the lobster and enjoy!

Keto Mini Orange Chocolate Mousse w/ Bourbon

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 23:13:44 GMT

Keto Mini Orange Chocolate Mousse w/ Bourbon

This is a single serving mousse that will fill up a shot glass. You can adjust quantities as needed.

Ingredients:

1/4 c cold heavy cream

1T @swervesweetie confectioners sweetener

1-1.5 tsp @guittardchocolate unsweetened cocoa powder

5 drops @oooflavors orange

1/2 tsp @woodfordreserve bourbon

2 tsp @cocopolosuperfood milk chocolate chips, more for garnish.

How to:

• Use a hand mixer or a high power frother and start whipping the cream until it starts thickening

• Add sugar, mix

• Add unsweetened cocoa, mix

• Add the orange flavoring, the bourbon and chocolate chips and stir to combine.

• Put in a shot glass and leave in the fridge for an hour to set

• Garnish with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream, and @cocopolosuperfood Enjoy!

Notes:

-- Given this is such a small quantity I would recommend to add ingredients slowly so you can adjust to taste.

-- See Products I Love tab for discount codes

Keto Mini Mexican Chocolate Mousse w/ Rum

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 23:08:11 GMT

Keto Mini Mexican Chocolate Mousse w/ Rum

This is a single serving mousse that is enough for a shot glass. You can adjust quantities as needed.

Ingredients:

1/4 c cold heavy cream

1T @swervesweetie confectioners sweetener

1-1.5 tsp @guittardchocolate unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tsp @purefirefoods chocolate flavor tonic

1.5-2 tsps @bacardi white rum

How to:

• Use a hand mixer or a high power frother and start whipping the cream until it starts thickening

• Add sugar, mix

• Add unsweetened cocoa, mix

• Add the cinnamon, chocolate tonic and fold in with a spatula. Add rum and stir to incorporate.

• Put in the fridge for an hour to set

• Garnish with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Enjoy!

Note: Given this is such a small quantity I would recommend to add ingredients slowly so you can adjust to taste.

Keto Eggs En Cocotte

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 04:48:37 GMT

Eggs En Cocotte - Three Variations

This is a very easy recipe and you can adjust in so many ways. It is my favorite things to make in the weekends and enjoy with a nice cup of coffee. It is very keto, almost zero carbs, gluten free and certainly diabetic friendly. Here are a few variations and one of them is also dairy free.

This is a single serving recipe using a Le Creuset Mini Cocotte.

1st Variation - Eggs w/ Ham & Cheese

---------------

Grease the cocotte with butter or ghee, don't use too much. Cut one slice of ham and cover the bottom and sides. Crack two or three eggs, add salt/pepper, cover with two slices or mozzarella and bake at 325F for 20 to 30 minutes depending how you like your eggs. The longer you bake the more well done your eggs will be. You can also top the cheese with "everything but the bagel" seasoning, which is one of my favorites. Enjoy!

2nd Variation - Eggs w/ Bacon

---------------

Grease the cocotte with butter or ghee, don't use too much. Cut up cooked bacon is small pieces and cover the base. Crack two or three eggs, add seasoning of choice and bake at 325F for 20 or 30 minutes. One seasoning I tried on this one was steakhouse seasoning by DAKS spices. Enjoy!

Note: Be careful with the seasoning you use as it may come out too salty given the bacon.

3rd Variation - Eggs w/ Ham, Baby Kale & Cheese

---------------

Grease the cocotte with butter or ghee, don't use too much. Cover the base with ham, top with baby kale or baby spinach, cut up a couple of grape tomatoes, crack your eggs, add seasoning. Top with two slices of mozzarella and bake at 325F for 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

4th Variation - Dairy Free - Eggs w/ Ham & Dairy Free Cheese

---------------

Grease the cocotte with butter or ghee, don't use too much. Cover the bottom and sides with two slices of ham or prosciutto, crack your eggs, add seasoning and top with any seasoning of choice. Add dairy free cheese, I used mozzarella by Violife. It does not create a crust but it melts nicely and blends very well with the eggs. Bake at 325F for 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

5th Variation - Eggs w/ Feta & Bacon

---------------

Grease the cocotte with butter or ghee, don't use too much. Cover the bottom with cut up cooked bacon, crack your eggs, season and top with crumbled feta cheese. This will come out salty because of the bacon and feta. I did not use any salt. Bake at 325F for 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Keto Mini Faux-Tiramisu

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 03:29:41 GMT

Keto Mini Faux-Tiramisu (aka “Lori’s Dream Comes True”)

This is something very quick to do with leftover keto pound cake (or any other keto cake). The recipe is for one serving because I didn’t want to have leftovers but you can certainly adjust and make more servings than one.

It doesn’t have cream cheese, mascarpone or eggs. It is a quick fix!

Ingredients:

Base:

———

2 very thin slices of keto pound cake

3T water

1.5 tsp instant coffee (I used @nescafe_tasterschoice )

2T white rum (I used @Bacardi )

1 tsp confectioners @swervesweetie

Chocolate layer:

———————

3T dark sugar free chocolate I used @cocopolosuperfood )

1/2 tsp butter

Cream:

———

3T cold heavy cream

1.5 tsp @swervesweetie

3 drops tiramisu flavor @oooflavors

Unsweetened cocoa powder (I used @guittardchocolate )

How to:

- Start with the cream. Put the heavy cream, sweetener and tiramisu flavoring in a cup and use a frother to whip into whipped cream. Put in the fridge.

- Cut the edges of the pound cake so you have two rectangular pieces. Cut them in half. You will have 4 small cakes approx 2x2

- Mix the water, coffee, run and sweetener, stir until everything incorporates.

- Brush the cake and set aside

- Melt the chocolate w/ the butter

- Once the cakes fully absorb the coffee, top each cake with a tsp of chocolate, smooth it out and put in the fridge until it sets.

- Assemble; start with the first cake, top w heavy cream mixture and continue building your mini tower. I just added a dollop or whipped cream on the top, dust with cocoa powder and a fresh strawberry. Eat right away or put in the freezer until you enjoy it.

Tag me if you make it and let me k ow how you like it.

*** The name was @killerketocook special request and I just had to make her happy

Discount Codes:

See "Products I love" Tab for discount codes on OOOFlavors and COCOPOLO chocolate and many more.

Zucchini Pie w/ Feta & Bacon

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 21:40:23 GMT

Zucchini Pies w/ Feta & Bacon

Another recipe that the whole family will enjoy and it is low on carbohydrates, gluten free and diabetic friendly. But please read the note prior to start making it.

Ingredients:

----------------

(Makes 8 servings)

3 medium size zucchini

1 large onion

7oz shredded white cheddar

6oz feta cheese

1/4c heavy cream

6 eggs

1 c cut up cooked bacon

4Tbsp olive oil

3Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

3Tbsp Pork Panko

Pepper, dry parsley, pepper flakes (optional)

How to:

- Grate the zucchini and leave it for a few hours so all the water comes out.

- Dice the onion and cook in olive oil until translucent

- Squeeze the zucchini so any excess water is out (you may use a clean towel or cheese cloth if you like or just your hands) and add in the onion

- Let it cook for 15-20 minutes (see note below)

- Remove from the heat and add the cheddar and the heavy cream

- Rinse the feta so the excess salt comes out and crumble it with a fork. Add the the mix

- Add one egg at a time and stir quickly so the egg does cook

- Add bacon and incorporate everything together. Add parsley, pepper and pepper flakes. Mix again to combine.

- Transfer in a baking dish or a pie dish

- Mix the parmesan w the pork panko and cover the surface

- Bake at 350F for an hour or until you have a nice golden color crust.

Important note: Do not add any salt in the process. After you incorporate everything have a taste and then you can add a little. I didn’t have to use any. The feta and the bacon provided all the salt I needed.

Macros: Calories 387, Protein 18g, Net Carbs 5.4g, Fat 31.3g

Chicken Sausage w/ Peppers & Onions over Cauliflower Mash

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 21:06:18 GMT

Chicken Sausage w/ Peppers & Onions over Cauliflower Mash

A very easy and quick recipe putting food on the table in 45 minutes tops. Low in carbohydrates mostly from peppers and onions which is amazing to think that even vegetables have carbs, but it's the ugly truth :)

Ingredients:

———————

6 chicken sausage links (I used Chicken w/ Asiago & Garlic from @Costco)

1 medium green pepper

1 medium yellow pepper

1 medium orange pepper

1 medium red pepper

2 medium onions

1c bone broth (I used @Kettle&Fire)

4T ghee (I used @vitalfarm)

Salt/pepper to taste

Oregano

1 medium cauliflower head cut up in pieces

2T organic butter

Salt/pepper to taste

2T grated Parmesan cheese

@dakspices ranch seasoning

How to:

- Cut the sausage is slices and brown it in a pan with 2T ghee. Remove and keep warm.

- Cut up the peppers and onions in large pieces, put in the same pan you sued for the sausage so all the flavors incorporate. Add the remaining ghee and bone broth and let it simmer for 15-20 min until peppers soften.

- Add back the sausage, stir and put in a preheated oven at 350F until the vegetables are cooked through and take a nice color, (30-45 minutes depending on your oven).

Cauliflower mash - rinse the cauliflower and cut it up in small pieces in a plastic container. Cover w/ plastic wrap very tightly. Put in the microwave for 5-6 minutes.

- Remove and squeeze in a clean towel or cheese clothe to drain all the water out.

- Put in a food processor, add butter, Parmesan, seasoning and pulse and blend until you get a creamy consistency.

- Taste to see if more salt or seasoning is needed and adjust accordingly.

- Serve and top w/ chicken sausage w/ peppers and onions and enjoy!

Macros:

Chicken Sausage w/ Peppers & Onions:

Servings 5, Calories 386, Protein 18g, Net Carbs 7.5g, Fat 18.2g

Cauliflower Mash:

Servings 4, Calories 80, Protein 2.2, Net Carbs 2.4g, Fat 6.6g

Carbohydrates & Diabetes

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 19 Jul 2020 01:31:15 GMT

Carbohydrates & Diabetes
By Athina Koutsoumadi

According to WebMD, “carbohydrates (“carbs”) represent one of the three main classes of foods. Carbs are a source of energy; they are mainly sugars and starches that the body breaks down into glucose that the body uses to feed its cells.”

Processed carbohydrates can affect blood sugar levels, making insulin production unstable, causing rapid spikes and drops in blood sugar. Most bad carbs are loaded with “empty calories”. Empty calories have practically no nutritional value. Many argue that carbs are a source of energy, therefore good for your body, but the issue is that what isn’t used for immediate energy is stored as fat.

Now, let’s clarify something. I am not a doctor, or a nutritionist and I don’t pretend to be one. What I’m writing is based on my own understanding and interpretation of facts and you don’t have to agree. This article represents my own views and opinions based on my own experiences. So, let’s agree to disagree.

I often get the questions as to what constitutes carbohydrates, which foods are consider high in carbohydrates and what to avoid while on keto or if you are a diabetic. Even though my diabetes is very much under control, and I’m considered pre-diabetic, in my head I still consider myself diabetic. It is a self-preservation thing. Following a ketogenic lifestyle helped me be where I am today. Diabetes is a very complex disease that slowly kills you with no signs. Managing it can reduce your risk of developing other, more serious conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease, problems with your eyes, teeth, even avoid toe, foot or even leg amputations. Following a healthy lifestyle, make good and clean food choices, staying physically active can significantly improve your diabetes health.

Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily self-management - making healthy food choices, staying physically active, monitoring your blood sugar and taking medications as prescribed. It is also important to talk regularly with your diabetes care team to problem solve, reduce risks for complications and cope with lifestyle changes.

Successful self-management will help you feel better and can reduce your chance of developing complications including heart disease, dental disease, eye disorders, kidney disease, nerve damage and lower leg amputation.

A ketogenic diet minimizes or even eliminated carbs from your daily intake. I measure net carbs and my daily allowance is between 20 to 25 net carbs a day but I often do extended periods at a time with a maximum of 10 to 15 net carbs per day. Now, what is a net carb you say? Looking at a nutritional label, you see a few categories right below total carbohydrates, which include dietary fiber, sugar, sugar alcohol, added sugars. Dietary fibers and sugar alcohols are to be deducted from the total carbohydrates which is how you derive to the net carbohydrates. It is also important to read the ingredients to understand the source of the sugar alcohols.

One thing you need to realize is that carbs are everywhere. Even lettuce has carbs, yes lettuce! So I would recommend to use an app to record your daily intake. The benefit of the app is that it calculates the nutritional information for you so you don’t have to guess. I use Cronometer but there are many others out there so you have to play with a few to see what works best for you.

So, which foods are considered carbohydrates and are there healthy alternatives? I am not going to list everything that’s out there, but I will list the biggest players:

• Flours (i.e. white, wheat, semolina etc.)

• All types of breads including pretzels, bagels, popcorn

• Barley, couscous, millet, pasta (white or whole-wheat, all shapes and sizes), polenta,

quinoa (all colors), or rice (white, brown, and other colors and types)

• Bran cereal (twigs, buds, or flakes), shredded wheat (plain), or sugar-coated cereal

• Bulgur, kasha, tabbouleh (tabouli), or wild rice

• Beans (black, garbanzo, kidney, lima, navy, pinto, white),

lentils (any color), or peas (black-eyed and split), cooked or canned,

drained and rinsed

• Starchy vegetables (i.e. tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, chickpeas, corn, beets)

• All fruits except berries which can be used in moderation. Berries also have carbs, but certainly much less than bananas, grapes or mangos.

• Sugars (i.e. white, brown, agave, honey, coconut)

• Desserts, cakes, cookies, ice cream, milkshakes

• Milk (of any fat content)

Now, you can say, “well, aren’t vegetables good for you”? Well, in reality they are not, as starchy vegetable are high on carbs which means that if you have diabetes, your body will have a hard time breaking them down and given they have high glycemix index, your blood sugar will rise much faster having a potato than having lettuce.

If you follow a ketogenic lifestyle, or even if you don’t and want to just manage your diabetes, there are a few brands that I personally use and love. Look under “ Products I Love ” tab for a list and discount codes.

What worked for me was to significantly reduce carbs, sugars, and processed foods. Do I ever cheat? Of course I do, I’m human after all, but what matters is how quickly I bounce back. It’s all about self control and willingness to have a better life, a long life, a healthy life. So, how bad do you want it?

Pasta w/ Franks in Tomato Sauce

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 05:48:28 GMT

Pasta with Franks in Tomato Sauce

Growing up in Greece, my friend's Penny mom would always make this pasta sauce with franks (hot dogs). I was never a big fan of tomato sauce but let me tell you, I can still taste that dish. I had leftover pasta from Great Low Carb and Nathan's hot dogs. It was a matter of minutes to put this together and have an awesome meal, certainly keto and diabetic friendly. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

Yields 2 servings

1/2 bag Great Low Carb spaghetti

4 Nathan's skinless beef franks

1 T ghee (I use Vital Farms)

2 T Rao's homemade marinara sauce

Fresh parsley

Parmegianno Reggiano

How to:

- Cook the pasta following package instructions

- Put the ghee in a cast iron pan (or any non stick pan of choice)

- Cut up the hot dogs in small pieces and add them to the melted ghee

- Cook for a few minutes

- Add the marinara sauce and stir

- You can either mix with the pasta or serve it over the pasta, add cheese and parsley. Enjoy!

Macros: Calories 554, Protein 32g, Net Carbs 10.9g, Fat 42.7g

Lemon Drop Fat Bomb w/ Coconut & White Chocolate

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 05:15:40 GMT

Lemon Drop Fat Bomb w/ Coconut & White Chocolate

Fat bombs are very important in the ketogenic lifestyle. It's a delicious way to make up for your fat intake. No one really want to grab a stick of butter and nibble on it. This is a very quick and easy fat bomb, full of flavor that gives you a little over 12g of good fats.

Ingredients:

Yields 12 fat bombs

1/2 bag Lolli's cookie clusters lemon drop

3 lemon coconut Marigold fat bombs

1.5 teaspoon of grass-fed butter (I prefer Kerrygold)

1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut (I prefer Food For Life )

2/3 bag Choczero white chocolate chips

Pink sugar by Gooddees for garnish

How to:

- Microwave the 3 fat bombs for 1 minute until they melt fully

- In the same container, add the cookie clusters, butter, and coconut and mix very well

- Mixture will be crumbly as the oils from the fat bombs and the added butter will be melted.

- Use a cookie scoop to form uniform balls. You will need to squeeze them in your hands for them to hold their shape

- Line up a serving tray with parchment paper and place the balls. Put in the fridge for at least 2 hours

- Once the fat bombs lemon balls are set, melt the chocolate. You can place in a container and microwave in 30 second intervals.

- Cover each ball with chocolate, sprinkle pink sugar and place in the fridge overnight. Enjoy!

Macros: Calories 132, Protein 2.8g, Net Carbs 0.9g, Fat 12.3g

Notes:

1. You can use any garnish of choice.

2. Use code: Athina to save 10% on your order from Marigold bars

3. Use code: Athina10 to save 10% in any order from Lolli's cookie clusters

4. Use code: Athina15 to save 15% in any order from Gooddees

Bread Cheese, Sausage, Egg Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 05:51:28 GMT

Bread Cheese, Sausage & Egg Breakfast Sandwich

In all honesty, you don't really need bread for this open breakfast sandwich, but if you have a keto roll around, or any of my sesame bread rolls, it will add to the depth of the flavors.

Ingredients:

Makes 1 serving

2oz bread cheese cut in half (I use Carr Valley)

2 skinless sausages (I use Nathan's)

1 egg (I use Vital Farms)

1T ghee (I use Vital Farms)

Half of my sesame bread rolls

1tsp organic grass-fed butter

Pink Himalayan salt

Pepper

How to:

- In a cast iron pan (or any other non-stick pan) add the ghee and let it melt.

- Cut the sausages lengthwise and add to the pan

- Fry your egg on the other side of the pan as your sausages are cooking

- When the egg is almost done, add the bread cheese and let me slightly melt

- Toast the roll to your liking

- Once your bread is all nice and toasty, add butter and assemble your sandwich. I put the cheese on top of my toasted bread, added the sausage and rested the egg over them.

- Enjoy with a nice cup of coffee! Perfection...

Macros w/ Half of My Sesame Roll: Calories 640, Protein 26g, Net Carbs 4g, Fat 54.8g

Macros without Bread: Calories 580, Protein 24g, Net Carbs 2g, Fat 51.8g

Notes:

1. If you don't use bread, you can still assemble your "sandwich" the same way, stack it up and enjoy!

2. You can use any type of sausage you like. I went with Nathan's on this dish because it's mild and doesn't overpower the rest of the flavors.

3. Bread cheese is very flavorful and does have a "bite" to it, so don't overheat it.

Tuna Pasta w/ Lemon & Capers

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 05:19:36 GMT

Tuna Pasta w/ Lemon & Capers

This is certainly a must try! Light, summery, keto, diabetic friendly but most of all, delicious. Do not omit the lemon zest, it really brings out the flavors. I've initially seen this recipe at Food and Wine magazine and loved it. This is the ketofied version and have also customized it to the way I like it.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

1/2 bag of GreatLowCarb spaghetti

1 jar tuna in olive oil - approx 6oz (I love and always use WildPlanetFoods )

2T olive oil

2T capers

2T crushed garlic

Fresh parsley

Pink Himalayan Salt

1T lemon or lime juice

Lemon zest

2T cut up walnuts (optional)

Freshly grated parmegianno reggiano

How to:

- Cook the pasta following the instructions on the bag

- Keep 1/2c of the pasta water

- Drain and keep them warm

- Add the oil and garlic on the pot you used for the pasta, let it cook until the aroma of the garlic comes out

- Rinse the capers, drain and add in the oil

- Add the tuna, stir for a couple of minutes, add the lemon and the lemon zest

- Add the pasta, stir well to combine all flavors

- You can use as much of the pasta water as you like

- Sprinkle with parsley and walnuts, stir and serve with grated parmegiano reggiano

- You can add some more lemon zest and enjoy!

Macros: Calories 432, Protein 30g, Net carbs 12.6g, Fat 28.8g

Notes:

1. Walnuts add earthiness to the dish so I wouldn't skip but just as an FYI, net carbs without the walnuts would be 12.1g

2. You can use tuna in water but you would need to increase the olive oil to add flavor

3. Even though I love butter and ghee, this dish is much better with olive oil

Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream Cake

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sat, 27 Jun 2020 03:06:20 GMT

Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream Cake

This is another Keto, Sugar Free and Diabetic Friendly dessert for everyone to enjoy. It's quick, easy and absolutely delicious. No one will guess this is sugar free.

Ingredients

10 Servings

1 bag @lolliscookieclusters lemon drop flavor

2T cold butter

2 pints @killercreamery lemon poppy ice cream

2 - 4oz @greecefullyketo blueberry lemon jam (I used 3oz)

2c @magiccereal blueberry

2 slices of lime for garnish

How to

- Take 1 pint of ice cream out of the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes so it's almost fully melted

- In the meantime, open Lolli's clusters and use your hands to turn them into crumbles. Keep 1/2c for garnish.

- Cut the cold butter into the remaining cookie crumbs and mix with your hands enough to make it all come together into a "dough" looking consistency

- Use a silicone ice cream mold the size of a pound cake loaf and press the cookie clusters at the bottom of the pan

- Once the ice cream is melted, add the jam and combine to get a lilac color. The more jam you use, the darker the color.

- Pour in the mold, over the base and place in the freezer overnight. The ice cream will take longer to solidify due to the jam.

- The following morning, take out the cake from the freezer and add the blueberry cereal. Put it back for 30-45 minutes.

- Take out the 2nd pint of ice cream and let it become soft enough to handle it but not to melt completely.

- Pour the ice cream over the cereal. Smooth out the surface. Add the cookie crumbles for garnish.

- Put the ice cream cake back in the freezer for a few hours until it's solid.

- Add the lime wedges for garnish

- Serve with a teaspoon of the blueberry lemon jam.

Macros: Calories 252, Protein 6g, Net Carbs 3.2g, Fat 23.4g

Notes:

1. Use Athina10 for a discount on Lolli's cookie clusters

2. You can use any type of mold, just ensure the bottom separates so you can remove the cake

Benefits of Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Types I and III

Wed, 27 May 2020 22:06:53 GMT

Benefits of Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Types I and III

Article By: Byba Supplements

Skin is the body’s largest organ serving several important purposes. The two top layers of your skin produce elastin and collagen Types I and III as well as hyaluronic acid which helps the skin retain water, elasticity and firmness (Borumand & Sibilla, 2014; Li, Song, Zhang, & Zhang, 2017).

For the skin to keep its youthful appearance, the 2nd level of the skin (the dermis) must be preserved because it provides structural support to the skin (the epidermis). However, with the natural aging process, the structural integrity of the skin becomes weakened and dry causing it to become loose and wrinkle (Borumand & Sibilla, 2014; Li, Song, Zhang, & Zhang, 2017).

Adding to the aging process, there are also environmental and behavioral factors that continue to weaken the integrity of the skin such as sun exposure (photoaging), and a poor diet consisting of ingesting high levels of sugar, smoking, and stress. A combination of these factors coupled with the natural aging process causes changes in the quality of elastin and Types I and III collagen production resulting in visible signs of aging which is most notably seen on the face (Borumand & Sibilla, 2014; Li, Song, Zhang, & Zhang, 2017).

Routinely consuming hydrolyzed collagen Types I and III are essential for maintaining and restoring bone and joint health. Recent studies show that oral consumption of collagen Type I reduces pain in people who have developed conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA) (Catheline & Dar et al., 2017); and both Types I and III support the healing of knee and other joint injuries by supporting cartilage tissue, joint function and decreasing inflammation (Catheline & Dar et al., 2017; Li, Song, Zhang, & Zhang, 2017).

Ultimately, collagen peptides increase collagen in the skin improving overall strength and integrity, leading to fewer wrinkles and firmer skin as it helps to stimulate the production of new collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid from within the body promoting a more youthful appearance which plays a role in maintaining self-esteem and social relations. (Borumand & Sibilla, 2014). Collagen also increases bone and joint health which is essential for staying active , getting adequate sleep and rest , maintaining meaningful daily tasks, hobbies and leisure activities; and living and active well-rounded life which is essential in maintaining emotional, mental and physical health and wellness and life satisfaction (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014; Li, Song, Zhang, & Zhang, 2017; Mercola, 2019).

References

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2014). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (3rd ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy , 68, S1–S48. http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.682006

Borumand, M., & Sibilla, S. (2014). Daily consumption of the collagen supplement Pure Gold Collagen® reduces visible signs of aging. Clinical interventions in aging , 9 , 1747–1758. doi:10.2147/CIA.S65939. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4206255/

Dar Q-A, Schott EM, Catheline SE, Maynard RD, Liu Z, Kamal F, et al. (2017) Daily oral consumption of hydrolyzed Type I collagen is chondroprotective and anti-inflammatory in murine posttraumatic osteoarthritis. PLoS ONE , 12(4): e0174705. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174705 Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0174705

Mercola, J. (2019). Collagen benefits skin and joints, study confirms. Mercola Take Control of Your Health . Retrieved from https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/07/15/health-benefits-of-collagen.aspx

Song, H., Zhang, S., Zhang, L., & Li, B. (2017). Effect of Orally Administered Collagen Peptides from Bovine Bone on Skin Aging in Chronologically Aged Mice. Nutrients , 9 (11), 1209. doi:10.3390/nu9111209

Lemon Drop Bread Pudding

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Sun, 24 May 2020 02:05:40 GMT

Lemon Drop Bread Pudding

This is another great recipe that not only it's Keto but it's also gluten free and of course, sugar free and diabetic friendly. It's so delicious, that the whole family will enjoy it, even if they are not on Keto. Read the notes at the bottom of the page, before you start the recipe. Leave a comment below and let me know how you like it, or tag me on IG @ greecefullyketo Can't wait to hear what you think!

Ingredients:

Makes 6 Servings

8 slices of toast from @ JulianBakery

4 eggs

1/2 cup of heavy cream

1/2 cup of water

2 teaspoons sweetener of choice (I used @ highkeysnacks sweetener mix) - optional

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon lemon extract

10 blackberries

15 raspberries

1/2 bag of @ lolliscookieclusters lemon drop flavor

1/2 cup pecans

How to:

- Preheat oven at 350F

- Cut up the bread is small cubes and arrange them in a cast iron skillet or an oven proof pan of choice

- Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add heavy cream and water, cinnamon and sweetener. Ensure everything is incorporated

- Pour over the bread and let the egg mixture be almost fully absorbed by the bread

- Crumble lolli's clusters over the bread, add the pecans and the fruits

- Mix well and bake at 350F for about 20 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on your oven

- Serve warm. You can drizzle sugar free maple syrup, do a glaze or serve with keto/sugar free ice cream

Notes:

1. Use ATHINA10 for a 10% discount at www.lollisclusters.com

2. You can use any bread. In this case, Julian's bread has some sweetness to it and really compliments the dessert

3. Instead of 1/2c heavy cream and 1/2c water, you can use 1 cup of nut milk

4. Sweetener in the mix is optional. I tend to like this sweet but with only 2 tsp, it's not overpowering

5. Almonds will also go very well with this if you are not a fun of pecans

6. Macros - Calories 488, Protein 17.6g, Net Carbs 2.0g, Fat 43.9g, Alcohol 0.3g

7. Traces of alcohol are from the lemon extract

Keto Lemon Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze

greecefullyketo@gmail.com (Athina Koutsoumadi) — Thu, 14 May 2020 00:46:56 GMT

Keto Lemon Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze

This is a quick and easy case the whole family will love, even if they don't follow a ketogenic lifestyle. It is also gluten free and diabetic friendly. The lavender lemon glaze gives it a unique flavor that's refreshing.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 bag pancake mix byGooddeesmix

5 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream or nutmilk

2T unsalted butter orcoconut oil

1T vanilla extract

1/4 cup sweetener of choice

2T lemon zest.

For the glaze:

1T food grade lavender

1.5T lemon juice

½ cup nut milk

2 ½ cups confectioners’sweetener of choice

How to:

1. Followpackage instructions and mix all ingredients together, add sugar and lemon zest

2. Butterup very well a cake pan, any shape you like. If you pan does not have groves, you can line up w/ parchment paper soyou can remove the cake easier

3. Bakeat 350F in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes (baking time depends on your oven). Test the center of the cake w/ a toothpick. If it comes out clean, you are all done.

4. Removecake, let it cool for 10 minutes or so and then remove from the pan.

5. Whilethe cake is baking, you can prepare the glaze.

a. Ina saucepan, bring the milk into a boil

b. Dropthe lavender and let it sit for 10 minutes

c. Pourthe mixture through a fine mesh and discard the lavender

d. Letthe nut milk cool down completely

e. Wishtogether the powder sugar with the nut milk and add the lemon juice.

f. Pourover your cake it and let it set

g. Glazehas a light milky consistency and it’s fairly thin.

6. Decorateyour cake any way you like or leave as is. Either way, it will be delicious

Quick & Easy Feta Keto Biscuits w/ Dill

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 00:22:53 GMT

Quick & Easy Feta Keto Biscuits w/ Dill

These keto biscuits are amazing, you won’t be able to stop with only one.

You will need:

1 package of cracker/biscuit mix by @Gooddeesmix

2 eggs

¼ cup melted butter (but not hot)

4oz feta cheese

2 tablespoons fresh dill

How to:

- Pre-heat your oven at 350F
- Put melted butter and eggs in a bowl and whisk
- Add the full bag of the cracker mix
- Either crumble or cut up pieces of feta into the mix (I personally love pieces of it)
- Add dill
- Mix well and scoop out 1 to 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper
- Bake at 350F for 15-18 minute depending the oven
- Try to resist getting your hands in them. You need to let them cool down completely otherwise they will fall apart.

Notes:

1. You can choose any other type of cheese but go for the hard one. Shredded cheddar works out very well and Haloumi

2. You can replace dill with thyme or a combination of herbs

Easter Carrot Cake Baskets with Carrot Cheesecake Cream, topped with Mini Chocolate Eggs

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 19:48:25 GMT

Easter Carrot Cake Baskets with Carrot Cheesecake Cream, topped with Mini Chocolate Eggs

Great treat not just for Holidays. Needless to say you can use any kind of mold for the chocolate eggs to top the baskets, or just eat them as is. Hard to resist.

Carrot Cake Baskets

———————

1/2 bag of @lolliscookeclusters carrot cake flavor (https://lollisclusters.com use Athina10 for savings)

½ cup almond flour

1 tablespoon coconut flour

2 tablespoons cold butter cut up in small pieces

• Mix and put in a muffin tin pressing down and covering the sides

• Makes 6

• Bake at 350F for 5-8 minutes (cooking time may vary depending on your oven)

• Let cool completely

Carrot Cake Filling

———————

4oz mascarpone cheese

4oz heavy whipping cream

6tsp sweetener of choice (I used @highkeysnacks mix)

10 drops carrot cake flavor by @oooflavor

• Mix heavy cream to a thick whipping cream

• Mix mascarpone w/ sweetener and flavoring in a separate bowl

• Fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture

• Don’t over mix

• Fill the baskets

• Refrigerate for at least 30 min to set

Chocolate Eggs

——————

1 cup hazelnuts raw

6oz @cocopolosuperfoods milk sugar free chocolate chips (https://www.cocopolo.com use Athina15 for savings)

1 tablespoon coconut oil

• Roast the hazelnuts at 350F for 10 min and let dry completely

• You leave or remove the skin – personal preference I removed it. Once the hazelnuts are roasted, skin comes out very easily

• Melt chocolate w/ coconut oil in increments of 30 seconds in the microwave until smooth (it took me 45secs)

• Crush the hazelnuts in a high speed blender (I used my @nutribullet)

• Mix w/ melted chocolate and place in egg molds

• Freeze for 30 minutes

Notes:

1. You may use cream cheese instead of mascarpone

2. You may store any leftover carrot cake filling in the fridge. Adding chocolate chips and/or nuts, it makes for another great dessert

3. Don’t skip the part of roasting the hazelnuts, it really gives an amazing flavor

4. Work with the chocolate eggs to make them 3D quickly so they don’t melt in your hands. Simply put them together and use excess chocolate to seal

Ketofied Greek Fish Soup

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 05:27:47 GMT

Ketofied Greek Fish Soup (Ελληνικη Ψαροσουπα με Λιγους Υδατανθρακες)

This recipe is not gluten free given I’ve used @greatlowcarb orzo, it is however low carb which makes it ideal for people with Diabetes, as well as those who follow a ketogenic, paleo or low carb lifestyle. If you don’t follow any of the above, you may use 1 large potato instead of the celery root, and a bunch of celery leaves instead of parshley.

Ingredients:

1.5lb Monkfish fillet

2 small white onions

1 celery root

½ bunch of parshley

5-6 organic carrots

1/3 cup @greatlowcarb pasta rice aka orzo

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 lemons

Salt, pepper

Pepper flakes

Mayo or extra olive oil & lemon

How to:

- Wash and clean your vegetables and the fish

- Cut the carrots and the onion in half and the celery root in several pieces so it can cook easier and evenly

- Put your vegetables in a deep pot (I used @lecreuset number 24)

- Put the fish on top of the vegetables

- Add salt, pepper and pepper flakes to taste

- Add 3-4 cups of water until the fish is covered

- Let is simmer in medium heat. Check the vegetables with a fork to see if they are done.

- Once done, remove vegetables and the fish carefully so it doesn’t fall apart and keep it warm in a platter.

- Add the orzo and taste the soup if additional salt is needed

- Once the orzo is cooked, you may (matter of choice) add back the vegetables and the fish to the pot

- Add the olive oil and plenty of lemon

Notes:

1. This is one soup that you do not stir. You leave it as is until everything is cooked.

2. You can use any type of fish you like. I find monkfish ( Γατοψαρο ) to be flavorful but also a very meaty fish that doesn’t fall apart easily. It gives the soup a delicate flavor without being very fishy.

3. The tradition is to add a few cut up pieces of fish in the soup with very few vegetables and eat the rest of the fish with mayo or a mix of olive oil and lemon

4. I always like to add the olive oil at the end in soups and even other types of Greek dishes so it doesn’t lose its richness as it cooks. This way you can taste the goodness!

Keto Chicken w/ Low Carb Orzo in the Oven (Kotopoulo Giouvetsi)

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 23:31:37 GMT

Keto Chicken with Low Carb Orzo in the Oven (Κοτοπουλο Γιουβετσι Με Λιγους Υδατανθρακες)

This is another classic Greek dish and yes, another family recipe. It’s often made in clay pots in Greece, baked in large pizza ovens. It is even more delicious in the summer time given the tomatoes are fresh, ripe and full of flavor. Nothing better than that!

Ingredients:

Servings – 4

3 thighs & 5 drumsticks (see note #1)

1.5 Tbsp ghee or 2 Tbsp olive oil

1 can of Solo pomodoro mutti (100% organic Italian tomatoes from @Eataly in NYC)

2 garlic cloves crushed

1 package of @greatlowcarb pasta rice, aka orzo

1.5-2oz ricotta salata (see note #2)

Salt/pepper

Fresh thyme

How to:

- Use a pan that you can also put in the oven so you don’t have to use 2 things. Make it a one pan deal ��. Cast iron will work perfectly here. Warm up the pan and add the ghee or olive oil you are using. Crush the garlic and add in the oil so the aroma comes out as the oil heats up.

- Wash and dry out the chickie. Once the pan starts smoking, add the chicken, add salt and pepper and leave it alone for 6 minutes in medium heat. I know you might be tempted to flip it, just walk away, and don’t bother the bird.

- You can flip the chicken after 6 minutes, add salt and pepper on the other side and again leave it alone.

- Wash the top of the can of the tomatoes. That’s very important as you never know where is has been. Even if your house is spotless, there is always dust that lingers on surfaces.

- Pour the liquid in the pan with the chickie. Take the pomodori and cut it if small pieces, then add them to the pan. (see note #3)

- Add the fresh thyme, p our a cup of hot water in the pan, cover, and let the bird cook for 15 minutes.

- Remove the chicken from the pan and keep in a deep-dish plate, cover to keep it warm

- Preheat the oven at 350F

- Look at the liquid left in the pan. You should have approx. 3 cups of liquid, if not, add some hot water (it's important for the water to be hot so it won't stop the cooking process)

- Open the bag of low carb orzo, pour in the pan, stir so it’s barely covered with the liquid. Taste the sauce in case you need to add more salt and pepper.

- Put the pan in the oven for 10 minutes (see note #4) uncovered

- Take out and stir, add the bird on top of the orzo, add the cheese and put back in the oven. You can turn the oven off and let the food inside to warm up without cooking it. Enjoy!

Notes:

1. I get my meat, chicken, salmon etc from Butcher Box and for this recipe I used one package of drumsticks and one of thighs. Total weight 2.67lbs with the bones. You can use any parts of the chicken you like. This recipe is for approx. 2.0-2.5lbs of chicken bone-in.

2. Ricotta Salata is an amazing Italian cheese, made from the whey part of sheep milk, which is pressed, salted and aged for at least 90 days. It is milky white in color with firm texture and salty taste. The Greek equivalent is Manouromizithra ( Μανουρομυζηθρα ) and if you have access to that, use that instead. You can also use feta cheese, and either cut it in pieces or crumble it. I personally like pieces so I can taste it better as it softens in the dish.

3. If you can’t get your hands in a can of pomodori, you can use a can of crushed tomatoes. However, crushed tomatoes have more liquid, so be careful with the amount of water you will use. You don’t want to end up with a soup.

4. Cooking instructions on the bag of @greatlowcarb orzo is 8 minutes, however, in this case, the orzo is not submerged in water, therefore it will take a little longer to cook. In my oven it took 10 minutes to be al dente. Once I added the chicken and left it inside the over for another 10 minutes, with the oven off, it was the perfect consistency. I would say, open your oven in the first 8 minutes and see if it’s cooked or it needs longer. Do not cover, you will end up with a soup.

5. Macros per serving: Protein 64.4g, Net carbs 8.7g, Fat 27.2g. Those macros are based on 4 servings but they will be lower if smaller portions are consumed. It can easily be 6 servings.

6. This is not a gluten free recipe as @greatlowcarb pasta has gluten, but it is diabetic friendly as it is a low carb food.

7. If you make it, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it. I would love to hear from you.

Mom's Sfouggato

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 04:21:39 GMT

Mom's Sfouggato

Another Greek family dish, called Sfouggato, that I loved growing up. It is very easy and 100% Keto. This is one of the recipes that I didn't have to ketofy as in this one, there is nothing that needed to be eliminated! Even though the name may sound Italian, it is a Greek dish from the Greek Islands and there are several variations depending on the island. The one from Santorini has flour mixed in it, if you want the keto version, skip the flour. It doesn't really change the recipe, and you won't feel its absence!

This is a quick dish that tastes even better the next day. It's also good to eat it cold.

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

3 large zucchini

1 large white onion

Fresh parsley

1 c good quality olive oil

6 eggs

4oz feta cheese (cut up in pieces)

2 cups sharp cheeses (separate into 1.5 cup and ½ cup)

Salt and pepper

Butter for the pan

How to:

- Shred the zucchini, add salt and leave overnight in a strainer

- Dice the onion and put it with the olive oil in a pan to sauté.

- Add the zucchini, parsley and salt and pepper to taste

- Cook for 10-15 minutes

- Remove from the heat and add feta cheese and 1.5 c of sharp cheeses, mix well

- Add eggs and mix thoroughly and quickly so they don’t start cooking.

- Butter up a pan and pour in the mixture

- Top with the remaining ½ cup of sharp cheeses

- Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Cooking time depends on your oven.

- Serve with salad and enjoy!

Notes:

You can use parmesan, sharp cheddar, romano, asiago, fontina or if you have access to Greek cheeses, kasseri, graviera and kefalograviera work very well.

You may add ham, bacon and heavy cream if you want to make it "richer" but I can assure you that you will love it as is. Try it and let me know what you think in the comments. I would love to hear from you!

Macros for this recipe are as follows: Protein 12.2g, Net carbs 4.0g, Fat 33.0g

Dish is gluten free and diabetic friendly as it is very low in carbohydrates.

Keto Spinach "Rice" (Κετο Σπανακοριζο)

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 04:21:44 GMT

Keto Spanakorizo (Keto Spinach “Rice”)

A classic Greek dish that you can find in most, if not all, Greek restaurants in NY. A dish that I loved growing up and missed dearly while in Keto. But I made it my mission to ketofy Greek food, starting from my family recipes, and this is how Greecefully Keto was born!

Ingredients:

2 bunches of scallions

1 bunch of dill

1 large white onion

3-4 packages of baby spinach

1/2c good olive oil

Pink salt (or salt of choice) and pepper

2 packages of @welllean rice

Lemon

How to:

· Wash the scallions thoroughly as there is often soil residue inside the green part. Cut up both green and white parts in small pieces.

· Wash and cut up the dill

· Wash and dice the onion.

· Put all of the above with the oil in a pan and sauté.

· Add spinach one pack at the time. Spinach tends to become watery once it softens and also disappears! Pay attention to the water in the pan. You may need to add 1 cup of water until the spinach cools down.

· Open the “rice” packages and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Let it drain. Add in the spinach and let it cook with the food so it absorbs all the flavors

· Add salt and pepper to taste.

· Add fresh lemon to taste and enjoy.

Notes:

You can eat as is or serve with any protein you like. I personally love it as is, with extra lemon and feta cheese on the side.

It is also delicious if you sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

This recipe has very low carbs and it's diabetic friendly.

Keto Chili with "Rice"

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 03:40:33 GMT

Keto Chili with "Rice"
Gluten free, very low carb, Diabetic friendly

An unorthodox way to a keto chili!

Chili is certainly not something I grew up with in Greece but I started loving it when I first tried it in NYC. But... I don’t have the patience to make it, especially when I just get the craving in my head��... yup... this is where all starts, in my head ��

I used a turkey bolognese sauce from Trader Joe’s, added a can of low carb soy beans by @ edenfoods (1/2 c comes to 1 net carb) I added shredded cheddar and parmesan cheese and pepper flakes for the extra kick! I felt like MacGyver on this one but it came out really good!

Over a cup of “rice” by @welllean_ig (see link under Products I Love tab) and a cheese biscuit using @gooddeesmix

Perfection in a bowl! See next post for my cheese biscuits.

Keto Blueberry Orange Pancakes

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 03:26:55 GMT

Keto Blueberry Orange Pancakes
Gluten free, sugar free, and Diabetic friendly

I have been craving pancakes since New Year’s Day! Yup, that was the last time I made a stack. Today was the day, blame it on Daylight Savings or to just yummy cravings!

Now, as you may have noticed, I love @highkeysnacks I use their sweetener mix as is and when I bake and I’m obsessed with their hot cereal, especially their maple brown sugar. Today I tried their pancake mix and now I have one more obsession ��I did make some variations (shocker!) I used butter instead of coconut oil as I always find the coconut flavor is coming out more than I enjoy.

I loved the mix; sweet enough without being overpowering, fluffy and not grainy, great consistency that holds so when you flip the pancakes they don’t fall apart. And it is also a gluten free mix. The best mix I’ve tried so far. Give it a try, you won’t regret it!

See my version below!

Keto Blueberry Orange Pancakes

——————

2.5 T @kerrygoldusa salted (put in microwave for 30sec to melt)

4 T almond milk unsweetened (I use @califiafarms )

1 egg

1/2 c @highkeysnacks pancake mix

1/2 tsp orange extract (I used @nielsenmassey )

1/4 c fresh blueberries (mine were huge maybe so adjust to your liking or the size of the berries)

Sugar free maple syrup by @choczero

A handful of @fearlessketo maple glazed and banana walnuts (I’m down to less than a cup so I mixed in a glass container the leftovers from each bag; maple glazed and banana walnuts)

- Melt the butter, add the pancake mix, add the egg and everything else. (Hold the berries and walnuts for the end)

- Mix well with a whisk. I added a few of the berries inside and left the rest for garnish. You can do what your heart desires! Drizzle w sugar free syrup and enjoy!

- That mix yield 5 mini pancakes using my mini dash by @unprocessyourfood

Easy Keto Ice Cream - Cacao Mocha (Prymal) & Strawberry

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 03:37:28 GMT

Easy Keto Ice Cream -
Cacao Mocha (Prymal Creamer) & Strawberry

For those late night cravings you can always have this handy in your freezer. Very easy keto ice cream that you can make in any flavor. I saw this recipe last year from my friend Lilly and adjusted it to my taste and flavor. She also gave me the idea of strawberry powder, which I used here. I always buy dehydrated strawberries and raspberries to have handy for baking. By they way, it's very easy to make if you have a food dehydrator. But, being in a small NYC apartment, many gadget are luxury.... unless you store them in your bathtub! So, if you have store bought dehydrated strawberries, you can put them in a Nutribullet and turn them into powder!

I absolutely love chocolate ice cream which is my go to flavor. I always use organic cacao by Viva Naturals but today I decided to use my favorite creamer, Prymal (See "Products I Love" for a link to their website). Courtney's Cacao Mocha creamer is delicious and brings back childhood memories, holding a cup of cacao in steam milk in cold winter nights. Given my obsession with this flavor, I often make it into ice cream. It already has sweetener that does NOT spike insulin levels which means, you don't need to add sugar. BUT if you like your ice cream very sweet, I would say add a heaping teaspoon of confectioners sugar.

It is important to use confectioners sugar because the regular, crystallized version will not melt. And here is a quick trick, if you don't have confectioners sweetener, put some of the crystallized one in a Nutribullet and create your own!

Now, for the important part...

Ingredients:

2 10oz or 12oz mason jars

2 cups of very cold heavy whipping cream

6 scoops (Tbsp) of Prymal creamer - Mocha Cacao (*)

6 scoops (Tbsp) of Prymal creamer - Vanilla Bean

2-4 tsp Strawberry powder (start with 2 and adjust to taste)

Chocolate extract (optional - I use Sweetlifeflavor)

Additional sweetener to taste

How to:

Pour one cup of heavy cream in each jar
Add Prymal flavor in each of the jars
Add strawberry powder to the vanilla
Add chocolate extra (if you decide to use) on the mocha cacao jar
Add additional sweetener to taste
Close each jar tight and shake each jar vigorously for 5-6 minutes - Yes, shake. That might me the most time consuming part of the process. The more your shake, the more the heavy cream will start to thicken.
Put in the freezer overnight and enjoy with toppings on choice. You are welcome!

Notes:

You can use any flavor of choice. If you choose unsweetened cacao, start with two tablespoon and adjust to taste.
Using extracts, it enhances the flavor and it's optional. It won't affect the process but it may make you eat the whole jar!
A trick that Lilly taught me was a way to speed up the process. You can wet a couple of layers of paper towel and wrap each jar before you freeze. Use a rubber band to hold it together. Using a wet paper towel will freeze the jar faster and you will have your ice cream within 3 hours.
Another idea is to use frozen berries. Mix them with the heavy cream, add sweetener of choice (always confectioners sugar) and use a Nutribullet to blend. You can actually serve it almost immediately as the frozen berries will do the trick.

Let me know your thoughts if you make it.

Keto Carbonara Alfredo

Sat, 22 Feb 2020 23:24:52 GMT

Keto Carbonara Alfredo

By: Athina Koutsoumadi

This is a keto “pasta” carbonara with less than 2 net carbs for the whole dish. It is gluten free and certainly diabetic friendly.

Ingredients:

1 bag WellLean Fettuccine (see link in Products I Love tab)

3 slices cooked bacon

3 slices roasted turkey slices (*)

1/4c Quattro Fromaggio (*)

1 egg

1 tsp ghee

2 tbsp Bertolli Mushroom Alfredo sauce (2 net carbs per 1/4c)

Salt, pepper and pepper flakes (optional)

How to:

Take the fettuccine out of the package and rinse very well under cold water
Warm up the ghee and once it’s hot add the “pasta”
Cut up the bacon and turkey slices into small pieces and add to the “pasta”
Mix in the alfredo sauce and let cook for 5-7 minutes so everything incorporates
Add salt/pepper and pepper flakes to taste
Create a small well in the center and crack and egg. If you like, you can also break it and mix it in. Your call ��
Serve with shredded quattro fromaggio or parmesan cheese or any cheese of choice
Sprinkle with some more pepper flakes and enjoy!

(*) Trader Joe's brand - You may use the brand of your choice!

Keto Pantry Essentials

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 16:41:00 GMT

Keto Pantry Essentials

By Athina Koutsoumadi

I started learning about Keto in April 2018, where I think I might have purchased most books available in the market. As you will often hear me say, the Keto principles go against everything we know while growing up. It's a mind game between the things we know we shouldn't eat and those that we need to eat to sustain this lifestyle.

I did take the plunge in September 2018. There are so many products in the market that are keto (beware of the "Keto Friendly" which I'll share my thoughts on a different post) but some are basic, that you will use often and it's always good to have them in the house.

I have indicated in brackets the brands that I tend to buy. You do NOT have to use the brands I'm listing, it's a matter of taste after all.

Almond Flour
Apple Cider Vinegar
Avocado Oil
Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Beef Jerky
Bouillon or Bone Broth
Canned Salmon
Canned Tuna (oil or water)
Cheese Crisps
Chia Seeds
Coconut Aminos (replaces soy sauce)
Coconut Cream
Coconut Flour
Coconut Milk
Coconut Oil
Collagen Peptides (Furtherfood)
Crushed Pork Rinds

Dark Chocolate (85% cocoa and above)
Dry Spices
Flavor Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc)
Flaxseed (Whole or Ground)
Gelatin
Ghee
Grass Fed Butter (Kerrygold)
Heavy Whipping Cream
Hot Sauce
Low-Carb Salad Dressing
Mayonnaise
MCT Oil (Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil)
Monk Fruit Extract
Mustard (Dijon, Yellow)
Nut Butters
Nuts and Seeds
Olives & Olive Oil
Pickles
Pink Himalayan Salt
Psyllium Husk (Whole or Ground)
Sardines
Shiritaki Noodles (Welllean)
Sweeteners; Monk fruit, Allulose, Erythritol, Stevia (HighKeySnacks, Swerve, Lakanto)
Sugar Free Syrups (Choczero, Lakanto)
Sugar-Free Ketchup & BBQ Sauce (Alternasweets)
Tomato Paste (no sugar added)
Tomato Sauce (no sugar added)
Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
Unsweetened Cacao Powder (Viva Naturals)
Unsweetened Chocolate (Cocopolo, Choczero)
Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
Vinegar
Whey Isopure Protein Powder
Xanthan Gum

The Benefits of Bulletproof Coffee

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 16:36:36 GMT

The Benefits of Bulletproof Coffee

By Athina Koutsoumadi

If you are new to the Keto Lifestyle, you’ve heard of Bulletproof coffee (“BPC”), but what is that exactly and what does it do for your body.

Bulletproof coffee is used by people who follow a high fat, high protein and low carb diet. It is meant to improve your metabolism, speed up the fat burning process, help with weight loss, improve your memory and energy levels, stabilize or help regulate your gut health and also increase your mood and strength.

I can only speak from personal experience that every morning, after I have my Bulletproof coffee, I feel more energized and if I drink it before hitting the gym, I feel like I’m “flying” without a crashing effect after.

The combination of well-sourced coffee, caffeine and healthy fats constitute the infemous Bulletproof coffee. But, let’s break it down to define each of the ingredients:

Well-Sourced Coffee – it is organic coffee stripped out of any toxins. A lot of companies use organic toxin free coffee but depending on your budget, you can also use any type of brewed coffee. I personally lover very strong coffee (five shot of espresso) and I gravitate towards Vitacup espresso, vitamin infused coffee ( www.vitacup.com ) or Nespresso Arpeggio ( www.nespresso.com ). Pick your poison :)
Healthy fats – there are two types of fats included in the bulletproof coffee

MCT Oils – Medium-chain Triglyceride (MCT) helps to burn body fat ( www.bulletproof.com )
Ghee (I prefer 4th & Heart) or grass-fed butter (I prefer Kerrygold)

Cream or half and half, if that’s something you like in your coffee but it’s not required

It is generally recommended to consume bulletproof coffee in the morning, instead of breakfast. By doing so, you are replacing 1 or 3 meals with something that is very low in carbohydrates. I often use half the dosage of BPC prior to a streneous workout or a long run as I feel it gives me an extra boost of energy.

How to make BPC

Brew your coffee as you normally do, whether in a regular coffee maker, french press, chemex or K-cups and espresso pods.
Pour the coffee into a blender (You DO need to blend in order to break down the oils)
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of MCT oil. Start with the small dosage and work up to 2 tablespoons as it may impact your gut. MCT oil promotes gut health.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of ghee or grass fed butter
Blend on high for 30 seconds or until you see a froth forming

*** In my version, I brew my coffee and while that’s happening, I steam my cream, then add MCT and butter and use a frother to blend and break down the oils. I then pour the cream with the oils over my coffee and there you have it.

Using XCT Oil or Brain Octane Oil in your BPC
XCT Oil or Brain Octane Oil have powerful effects on your energy and cognitive function as they are both powerful brain boosting fats. Apart from using them in your BPC, you can use Brain Octane Oil on your food to raise fat burning, brain fueling molecules in your body, called Ketones.

Now you’ll ask, what’s the difference between the Brain Octane Oil, Coconut Oil or MCT. Let’s break it down.

MCT Oil – As mentioned above, MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides or Medium Chain Fatty Acids. They can often be derived from coconut oil or palm oil. They are colorless, odorless and stay liquid at room temperature (unlike pure coconut oil that hardens). Therefore, it is the perfect type of fat to add to food, smoothies, and coffee in this case for extra energy, with brain boosting benefits.

MCTs are absorbed quicker than other fatty acids and they easily converted into energy. Three out of the four strains of MCTs bypass your digestive tract and go straight to your liver where they are broken down into energy packed ketones, they are then “sent out” to the rest of your body via your bloodstream. This is the primary reason, the quick conversion into ketones, that people look for when they buy MCTs. The forth strain, goes into your stomach, breaks down into your small intestine, then absorbed into your blood and turns into energy.

Some of the benefits of MCTs are as follows:

Help balancing your gut flora and support immune health due to their antibacterial and antiviral properties
Easier to digest in comparison to other fats
Suppress appetite
Help improving insuline levels, especially when paired with a Ketogenic Diet

MCT Oil vs Coconut Oil

It is simply the difference in the strains of fatty acids in each oil. Coconut oil, contains only one of the strains in the MCTs therefore it is not as potent. It may be beneficial for the body and have other health benefits, but you may need to consume more than ten tablespoons of coconut oil (assuming you don’t get sick) to get the benefits of one tablespoon of MCTs. Coconut oil contains different strains of fats and not all of these strains are equally effective for energy and fat loss.

Brain Octane Oil & XCT Oil

Both of these oils are the purest, ultra distrilled form of MCTs.

Brain Octane provides the fastest rise in energy and focus. XCT is more affordable, equally good, but with a delayed rise in energy. You will still get the benefit but at a slower pace.

MCT, Brain Octane or XCT – Which one to pick?

There is no right or wrong answer. You will have to evaluate the cost/benefit effect and decide what works best for you, your body and your pocket.

Disclaimer: The article above is based on my own research and represents my own opinion on BPC. I am not a doctor or nutritionist and I am simply stating my views.

Keto Berries: A Keto Guide to Fruits and Berries

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 17:25:37 GMT

Keto Berries: A Keto Guide to Fruits and Berries

Article By Key Eats

Many fruits can be a problem on the ketgoenic diet due to high sugar and net carb content, but there are some exceptions.
The best fruits are avocados and most berries.
Avocados contain only 2 grams of net carbs while providing about 20g of healthy fats!
1 whole cup of raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries are all 7 grams of net carbs or less, though blueberries are suspect coming in at 13 grams of net carbs per 1 cup

Keto and Most Fruits

Many fruits contain high amounts of sugar. These sweet, high sugar fruits include bananas, grapes, cherries, watermelon, peaches, apples, and can cause you to fall out of ketosis.

The Best Fruit For Keto

Avocados on a ketogenic diet are ideal. They’re packed with a ton of beneficial nutrients, which is probably why they’ve rightly earned their ‘superfood’ badge.[ii]

Half an avocado contains approximately 112 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of fiber, which means that an avocado’s net carbs is only 1 gram for half of the fruit.

Berries For Keto

Berries are slightly higher in sugar than avocados, but they’re still relatively low carb compared to other fruits, which means you can still get your fruit fix when they’re consumed in moderation.

Berries also have a great nutritional profile, and they’re packed with beneficial minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Not only do they contain a lot of goodness, berries have been found to improve blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and protect against some diseases.

Here are the net carb counts for a 1-cup serving of your favorite berries:

Raspberries – 7 grams of net carbs
Blackberries – 6 grams of net carbs
Blueberries – 17 grams of net carbs
Strawberries – 8 grams of net carbs

[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23719144

[ii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23638933

[iii] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-reasons-to-eat-berries#section2

Here you can create the content that will be used within the module.

What's the deal with sugar, anyway?

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 17:20:43 GMT

What's the deal with sugar, anyway?

Article By Swerve Sweet

Here at Swerve, we’re all about enjoying the sweet things in life - especially dessert! But the truth is, too many sugary sweets can wreak havoc on your health. That's one of the main reasons Swerve exists - so you can say yes to dessert without the negative effects of too much sugar!

When considering swapping out sugar, our go to - you guessed it - is Swerve. It's a healthier alternative that’s just as sweet as sugar, natural, and an easy 1:1 swap. Why is swapping sugar so important? What happens when you eat too much sugar? Why is consuming too much of it bad for you? If you’ve ever asked these questions, then keep reading.

Below you’ll find the facts on sugar: how much we're eating, how much sugar we should be eating, and why it’s so important to avoid too much sugar.

Sugar Is Sneaking into Everything

Back in the olden days (around the early 1800s) we ate about 2 pounds of sugar per year. By the 1970s, Americans had increased their sugar consumption to 46 pounds (yes, you read that right) of sugar a year. That’s a massive increase! And today? The average American eats 66 pounds of sugar in a year (that’s about 20 teaspoons a day)! How did this happen? Well, sugar is obviously found in sweets like desserts, cakes, cookies, jams, and confections, but you can also find it hiding out in unexpected places: beverages (sodas are the leading source of added sugar), sauces, dressings, yogurts, and breads.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends no more than 10% of your daily calories come from sugar. On a 2,000 calorie diet, that comes out to about 50g (4 tablespoons of sugar) per day. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports a further reduction in sugar at 5% of total energy intake to be beneficial in terms of disease prevention and optimal nutrition. That comes out to a maximum of 25g per day, which is only 6 TEASPOONS. And we're eating about 20 teaspoons a day. Yikes!

What's the Big Deal?

You might be thinking, "So what's the big deal? Why do we need to be avoiding sugar? Just let me eat my pie in peace!"

We’re not at war with sugar, but science tells us that too much of it can be a big problem. Research has shown that sugar can be responsible for:

Obesity

Type 2 diabetes

Heart disease

Certain cancers

Tooth decay

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

What’s worse is that there’s an inverse relationship between sugar and nutrition - as the sugar content in a food product increases, nutrient density (vitamins, minerals, fiber) decreases. So, if a food contains a lot of added sugar, it probably doesn’t have much nutrition and, so, it’s probably not a very healthy food.

Finally, sugar intake affects blood glucose levels that can impact your energy, mood, and overall vitality on a day-to-day basis. Much more to come on this topic!

Live Your Life!

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not saying that you can NEVER have sugar again. We’re human, and it’s life! There will always be birthday cakes, wedding cakes, and (in our case) king cakes to be had. But it’s over-consumption of sugar that really starts to negatively impact your health. It sneaks into all kinds of foods, sometimes where we least expect it.

For all of the reasons stated above, it is SO important we avoid excess sugar in our diets! Minimizing intake of added sugars is one of the most effective things we can do to avoid chronic disease, maintain a healthy weight, ensure good nutrition, and feel great on a daily basis.

If all of this seems overwhelming, Swerve is here to help! One of the easiest ways to reduce your sugar consumption is to make the switch to Swerve. Because life is too short NOT to eat Strawberry Buttermilk Donuts .

Keto Not Working? 5 Mistakes That Ruin Weightloss

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 17:23:55 GMT

Keto Not Working? 5 Mistakes
That Ruin Weightloss

Article By Key Eats

The ketogenic diet can be a great way to lose weight – but its not full-proof. Some dieters might feel that keto’s not working for them, but often times their stagnant weight loss is a direct result of these common keto mistakes. If you’re doing keto and not losing weight, make sure you avoid the top 5 keto mistakes so that you can lose fat, fast.

1. Eating too many calories

Keto isn’t magic, so calories still count. But one of the amazing benefits of keto is that many people report feeling full and satisfied, which increases likelihood of long-term use and helps with portion control. Remember to only eat when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re full. But keep in mind – if you have a history of food abuse or are prone to binge eating, those satiety effects might not be strong enough. If you noticed you’ve been sticking to the diet and not losing weight, consider tracking your calories and/or macros to ensure you’re actually in a calorie deficit. If you’re close to your goal weight and have only a few pounds to lose, it’s important to not over indulge.

2. Not tracking your ketone levels

Keto is unique because unlike other diets where you’re only relying on lagging indicators, such as weight or inches lost, you can get instant feedback on how you’re doing in this very moment with keto. When you’re deeper in ketosis, you’re burning more fat for fuel. And if you got knocked out – you might have accidentally consumed hidden sugar or carbs.

Today there are 3 ways to measure how deep you are in ketosis, including:

Pee strips – difficult for the*ahem* ladies and one-time use.
Blood tests – much like glucose or insulin tests manufactures like Keto Mojo and Xceleration offer glucose testing strips for sale that will monitor the ketone levels in your blood. Keep in mind, you’ll want sanitary conditions to draw your blood, will have to carry the device to work and when traveling and will need lancets to poke yourself to retrieve a sample. Also, sometimes you won’t.
Keyto – our proprietary ketone breath analyzer. With the keyto you just blow in to the device whenever you want to check your ketosis level – it’s easy, simple, clean and saves you from one-time use products like pee or blood strips.

3. Consuming an excess of sugar alcohols, replacement foods and fake sugars

It can be tempting to fall in to the diet food trap. Low-carb chocolate, diet sodas or gummy replacements can be tempting, but we’ve found that they still have a negative impact on ketosis and your weight loss goals. In fact, in our unbiased studies some of these diet candies still reported a strong insulin response despite promising only 1-7 net carbs. While this is merely inconvenient for low carb dieters, this can have dire consequences for children or adults with diabetes. For best results, stay away from substitutes.

4. Too much protein / incorrect macros

Many people who follow a keto diet notice they have to pay particular attention to macros. Remember: more than 65% of your caloric intake should be coming from fat- this is different from Atkins or other low-carb diets that allow for up to 50% of calories coming from protein.

5. Drinking too much

Drinking too much is generally considered to be a bad thing for health. It can disrupt your sleep , encourages the accumulation of adipose (tummy) fat and slows down metabolism . Essentially everything you want to avoid with keto. But how much is too much? According to the NIH women should limit their alcohol intake to one drink per day. Men can have up to two drinks per day .

But what does “a drink” actually look like?
Alcoholic Beverage Fluid Ounces Alcohol Percentage
Beer                                 12 ounces         5%
Malt Liquor                  8-9 ounces           7-9%
Wine                                5 ounces               12%
Hard Alcohol / Spirits   1.5 . ounces          40-45%

But good news, fellow imbibers. If you’re more of a “if it fits my macros” keto dieter you may be relieved to learn that many hard alcohols like vodka, whisky and tequila have no carbs at all. That’s right – so you don’t have to say goodbye to you daily drink (or two or three).

greece_fully_keto

Beef & Pork Meatballs w/ Broccoli Rabe

Μπριαμ (Bream)

Bone Marrow - Carnivore

Nona's Tuna Salad

Protein Rolls

Egg in a Ham Nest

Ham & Cheese Crustless Quiche

Ham & Cheese Crustless Quiche A great alternative to Quiche Lorraine without the carbs. Perfect meal with a side salad that the whole family will enjoy. And most importantly, super easy and fast. You don't have to spend a whole day in the kitchen!

Country Rib Soup w/ Bone Broth

90 Second Cheese Crisps

90 Second Cheese Crisps Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the back of the most popular cheese crisps brands? Well, you should. They are full of additives, preservatives and even harmful sugars. I bet you didn't know. Here is a very easy way to create crispy cheese crisps in 90 seconds!

Protein Lasagna

Dairy Free Latte - How do you take your coffee?

Dairy Free Latte Coffee is very important to me and the very first sip can make or break my day. Born and raised in Greece I am used to strong coffee, so please adjust the strength to your liking. This is how I roll...

Because Snowy Nights Ask for Keto Hot Chocolate

Keto Hot Chocolate This is a dairy free version. You can use half-half or a combination of water & heavy cream if you are ok with dairy.

Rose Tea Latte

Keto Lava Cake

Keto Lava Cake This recipe was inspired by @lori.monigold and when I saw it, I just had to make it. I made some minor modifications but for the most part it’s the same. Why mess w a good thing. This is what I used:

Cinnamon Roll Egg Loaf

Cinnamon Roll Egg Loaf Super easy and delicious. It goes very well with powdered allulose and cinnamon, any sugar free syrup and also our sugar free jams.

Pork Meatballs - Greek Version

Healthy Pancakes (Also good for your doggy)

Healthy Pancakes (Good for you & your pet) ———————— These are keto and diabetic friendly pancakes which are also perfect for your dog. They can also be gluten free if you use gluten free baking powder. Clean ingredients the whole family can enjoy.

Keto Berry Pavlova

Keto Berry Pavlova One of my favorite desserts that I just had to ketofy our family recipe. My mom would make it the shape of a wreath to make it even more festive during Christmas time. You can top it with any fruit, nuts, chocolate, or create your own combination.

Keto Kourabiedes (Greek Christmas Cookies)

Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake

Keto Tyropitakia (Greek Cheese Pies)

Mississippi Post Roast

Mississippi Post Roast

“Pasta” Bloom w/ Leftover Pork Belly – Dairy Free

“Pasta” Bloom w/ Leftover Pork Belly – Dairy Free

Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice

Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice

Roasted Tomatoes a la Greek

Roasted Tomatoes a la Greek

Sage Pork Chops w/ Mushrooms Sauce

Sage Pork Chops w/ Mushrooms Sauce

Keto Lobster Rolls

Keto Lobster Rolls

Keto Mini Orange Chocolate Mousse w/ Bourbon

Keto Mini Orange Chocolate Mousse w/ Bourbon

Keto Mini Mexican Chocolate Mousse w/ Rum

Keto Mini Mexican Chocolate Mousse w/ Rum

Keto Eggs En Cocotte

Eggs En Cocotte - Three Variations

Keto Mini Faux-Tiramisu

Keto Mini Faux-Tiramisu (aka “Lori’s Dream Comes True”)

Zucchini Pie w/ Feta & Bacon

Zucchini Pies w/ Feta & Bacon

Chicken Sausage w/ Peppers & Onions over Cauliflower Mash

Chicken Sausage w/ Peppers & Onions over Cauliflower Mash

Carbohydrates & Diabetes

Carbohydrates & Diabetes By Athina Koutsoumadi

Pasta w/ Franks in Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Franks in Tomato Sauce

Lemon Drop Fat Bomb w/ Coconut & White Chocolate

Lemon Drop Fat Bomb w/ Coconut & White Chocolate

Bread Cheese, Sausage, Egg Open Face Breakfast Sandwich

Bread Cheese, Sausage & Egg Breakfast Sandwich

Tuna Pasta w/ Lemon & Capers

Tuna Pasta w/ Lemon & Capers

Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream Cake

Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream Cake

Benefits of Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Types I and III

Benefits of Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Types I and III

References

Lemon Drop Bread Pudding

Lemon Drop Bread Pudding

Keto Lemon Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze

Keto Lemon Cake with Lavender Lemon Glaze

Quick & Easy Feta Keto Biscuits w/ Dill

Quick & Easy Feta Keto Biscuits w/ Dill

Easter Carrot Cake Baskets with Carrot Cheesecake Cream, topped with Mini Chocolate Eggs

Easter Carrot Cake Baskets with Carrot Cheesecake Cream, topped with Mini Chocolate Eggs

Ketofied Greek Fish Soup

Ketofied Greek Fish Soup (Ελληνικη Ψαροσουπα με Λιγους Υδατανθρακες)

Keto Chicken w/ Low Carb Orzo in the Oven (Kotopoulo Giouvetsi)

Ham & Cheese Crustless Quiche

A great alternative to Quiche Lorraine without the carbs. Perfect meal with a side salad that the whole family will enjoy. And most importantly, super easy and fast. You don't have to spend a whole day in the kitchen!

90 Second Cheese Crisps

Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the back of the most popular cheese crisps brands? Well, you should. They are full of additives, preservatives and even harmful sugars. I bet you didn't know. Here is a very easy way to create crispy cheese crisps in 90 seconds!

Dairy Free Latte

Coffee is very important to me and the very first sip can make or break my day. Born and raised in Greece I am used to strong coffee, so please adjust the strength to your liking. This is how I roll...

Keto Hot Chocolate

This is a dairy free version. You can use half-half or a combination of water & heavy cream if you are ok with dairy.

Keto Lava Cake

This recipe was inspired by @lori.monigold and when I saw it, I just had to make it. I made some minor modifications but for the most part it’s the same. Why mess w a good thing. This is what I used:

Cinnamon Roll Egg Loaf

Super easy and delicious. It goes very well with powdered allulose and cinnamon, any sugar free syrup and also our sugar free jams.

Healthy Pancakes (Good for you & your pet)
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These are keto and diabetic friendly pancakes which are also perfect for your dog. They can also be gluten free if you use gluten free baking powder. Clean ingredients the whole family can enjoy.

Keto Berry Pavlova

One of my favorite desserts that I just had to ketofy our family recipe. My mom would make it the shape of a wreath to make it even more festive during Christmas time. You can top it with any fruit, nuts, chocolate, or create your own combination.

Carbohydrates & Diabetes
By Athina Koutsoumadi

Keto Chili with "Rice"
Gluten free, very low carb, Diabetic friendly

Keto Blueberry Orange Pancakes
Gluten free, sugar free, and Diabetic friendly

Easy Keto Ice Cream -
Cacao Mocha (Prymal Creamer) & Strawberry

Keto Not Working? 5 Mistakes
That Ruin Weightloss