Keto Friendly Mexican Dishes

We went out for lunch today at a local Mexican restaurant and I decided to try something new off the menu.  Well, something new to me, anyway.  I often get fajitas and just don't eat the shells or the rice and beans that come with it.

Today I ordered the Chori Pollo off the lunch menu.  It was a huge grilled chicken breast, smothered in Chorizo and cheese sauce.  It was supposed to come with beans and rice but I asked if they could substitute a salad with a side of Pico De Gallo for the beans and rice. The only thing I will do different next time is also request guacamole with the salad.

  

OMG it was delicious!  and I have enough left for my evening meal tonight.  

While we are talking about Mexican Food, this seems like the perfect time to finally get around to sharing this recipe.   

Ed and our daughter Rachel put their heads together and came up with their own version of one of our favorite dishes at our local Mexican Restaurant.  We've been enjoying this dish for probably a year or better now, and we still haven't come up with a catchy name for it.  We just call it  4 Meat Mexican Dish.

4 Meat Mexican Dish

1 package of Chorizo (read the label to make sure you are buying the 0 to 1 carb version)
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pound shaved thin ribeyes
5 oz of real bacon bacon bits (or 1 pound of bacon)
½ cup of diced frozen onions
1 package of frozen peppers and onions (or you can use fresh)
¼ cup of Worcestershire Sauce
2 to 3 TBS of Ed’s Keto Taco Seasoning (see recipe below)
½ cup water

Toppings:
Shredded cheese of your choice
Gordo’s Cheese Sauce
Sour Cream
Guacamole

Cook the Chorizo with the ½ cup of diced onions.  Then set it on back burner on low, stirring occasionally while you cook the Chicken.

Cut the chicken into thin strips and then while cooking cut it smaller, into bite size pieces.  Add the Keto Taco Seasoning and water.  Let simmer until the chicken is well cooked.  Then add the frozen peppers and onions,  bacon bits and the cooked Chorizo to the Chicken and again, let simmer, stirring occasionally while you cook the Ribeyes.

Cut the shaved Ribeyes into bite sized pieces and cook it in the Worcestershire Sauce.  Once it’s cooked, add it to the other three meats.  Mix well.

To serve, top with Shredded Cheese and Melted Gordo’s Cheese (yes, we use both)
You may also top with sour cream and guacamole, if desired.

450 Calories
7 Carbs
32 Fat
35 Protein

The above nutritional information is for the dish itself.  You will have to add Carbs, Fat and Protein for whichever toppings you put on yours.

As many times as we've eaten this, I can not believe this is the only photo I have of it.  I took this one at work yesterday.  I had to dump it out of the dish to heat it up so my toppings are all on the bottom.  Oh well, I guess this way they not hiding what the meal looks like before you add your toppings.

Keto Taco Seasoning

2 Tbsp chili powder

4 Tsp onion powder

2 Tsp cumin

2 Tsp garlic powder

2 Tsp paprika (we use smoked)

2 Tsp dried oregano

1 Tsp pink salt

Mix all together and store in an empty spice container.

1 teaspoon = about 1 ½ Carbs

 

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

 I feel like this post should have been made around Christmas.  That song came to my mind, anyway, when I just typed the title up there.

Today, I thought I'd do a blog about just a few of my favorite Keto quick and easy - low carb "snack" type foods.  I mean, let's face it.  Dieting or not dieting, we all just want a snack sometimes.  For me, crunchy, salty things are always a win.

Believe it or not, first on my list, is pickles!  I can not believe I lived 55 years before discovering these pickles.  OMG, they are the best.  I hate to admit it, but I ate an entire jar in about a week.  Just plain, out of the jar.  These are not just your average pickle.  These babies are crisp and crunchy, like no other.  I don't know, maybe it's just me.  They are kept in the cooler at your local Wal-mart, with the Deli Meats - and they are to be stored in your refrigerator, even before you open them.  Always Kept Cold - I guess that's the secret to keeping them so crisp.  Seriously, if you like pickles, like me, then you have got to check them out!  You won't be sorry. (Just 5 calories per serving and less than 1 carb!)

Another recent discovery, is Chorizo Strips.  If you like bacon and you like sausage, these Chorizo Strips are the best of both worlds.  As if just being yummy isn't enough, they also have great macros.  2 strips is 1 carb, 12 fat and 9 Protein (3/73/24)   You do have to fry them, but you can always fry up the entire package and just reheat as you eat them.  However, I personally think they are best fresh.

Pepperoni is another quick, salty, crunchy food.  Crunchy, that is, if you bake it!  There are 2 ways to do this.  One takes a little more time and is more work to clean up after, but they really are to die for.  

You line a cookie sheet with either foil or parchment paper.  Then place a cooling rack on it.  Place the Pepperoni Slices in a single layer, on the cooling rack and bake at 400 until Crispy  - If you are baking the large round ones they bake about 15 to 20 minutes.  If you are doing the smaller rounds ones (size of a quarter) they bake about 5 to 7 minutes.  

The other way, is to line a plate with a paper towel and microwave on high for about 5 minutes.  Much quicker and easier, just not quite as crispy.

You don't have to get this particular brand - this just happens to be the one we bought last week. But I'm posting this one to show the nutrition information, mostly. Be sure to check to nutrition label before you buy,  because not all pepperoni is made the same way.  Some add sugar and fillers and that increases your carb count.  You can get 0 carb pepperoni!

Beef Jerky Sticks.   Again, not all Beef Jerky is made the same, so be sure to check the label before you buy.   We like these because you get the beef jerky and a cheese stick, for just 1 carb.  They are individually wrapped and no refrigeration required, so they are easy to pack for a quick and easy on the go snack.  

Cheese,  I have often said I live on cheese.  While that may not be entirely true, I do probably eat more than I should.  We either buy the block cheese and cut it up so it's ready to grab.  Or, we buy the Cheese Slices and cut them into 4 squares.  The Cheese slices are best if you are wanting to bake them to make a Cheese-it type snack.  

To make these, just line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Place cheese squares in a single layer (you get crispier "crackers" if you buy ultra thin slices),  Bake at 300 for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how burnt you like them.  The above photo was baked Pepper Jack Cheese slices.  But you can bake your favorite cheese slice, too.

Of course, you don't have to bake it.  Cheese slices are good unbaked, too.  Especially when paired with Summer Sausage - the next snack on my list.

Like pepperoni, not all summer sausage is made the same, so please do check the label,  We bought 2 rolls recently - one had 0 carbs, the other has 2 carbs per serving.  Both were made by the same Company (Johnsonville) - I guess they just used different recipes.  Just like the block cheese - we cut up the log and place it in an air-tight container so it's ready to grab as needed.  I sometimes will just have cheese and summer sausage and a couple pickle slices for my lunch when I'm not at work. 

Well, I accidently hit "publish" on this, although I really wasn't done with it.  Guess I am for now, though.  Perhaps later I'll do a part 2 of more quick and easy low carb Keto Snacks!

What I Eat in a Day

 

Ok, So I’ve been back on Keto for about a week now and I’m down 8.2 pounds.  Granted, it is mostly just water.  I know this because I gained about 5 pounds while we were on our road-trip the week before last,  We spent 2 days driving there,  2 days exploring the area (more driving) and 2 days driving back home.  I got very few steps in and I wasn't selecting the best options for my meals or for road snacks. I knew I would be up when we got home.  And I was.

I also know that it's mostly water because I have even been getting up in the night (a couple times, at least) to go to the bathroom.  This is very unusual for me.  I am pretty sure I've about eliminated all the retained water now.  

Anyway, below is my weight-loss chart since I've been back on track, complete with my macros for each day.   I even included my calorie intake for each day, even though on Keto they say you do not have to count calories.  I decided to track it and see if it does make a difference.   

The day I ate the most calories (2024) I lost 1.4 pounds the next morning.  The day I gained 1.2 pounds I had only eaten 1318 calories the day before.  But I ate more carbs (6%, not 5%)  So, was the gain because of the extra carbs, or did it take a day for the excess calories to catch up to me? 

I know the weight loss will slow down now, since I have eliminated all my retained water,  And I'm not quite half-way to my goal yet.  How long will it take me to drop the remaining pounds?  Time will tell.

I still need to get myself back on the exercise bike - so far I have ZERO miles for the year.  What am I waiting for?  I think warmer weather.  I admit, I would much rather be riding my roadbike, not the stationary bike.  But eventually, I will get myself back into that routine.

Anyway, as promised, I will include my "What I ate in a day" food logs for this week.    I decided to do several days, not just a day, so you can get a better feel for this way of eating.  

Again, if you do not have it, I highly recommend you download MyFitnessPal so you can log your food - before - you eat it, to make sure it fits your macros.  And again, if any of you do download it and need help setting it up, just send me a private message and I will help you set it up.   Also, feel free to add me as a friend (grandmadebby1)  I have my food diary set up for sharing.  I don't know if the recipes are shared on it, but if you ever see a food I've logged and you want the recipe, feel free to PM me for that, as well. 

As I said the other day,  I do often eat the same thing.  The Enchilada Meatballs for example.  His recipe makes 63 meatballs.  With just the two of us eating them, it takes several days to get through them.

Anyway, I hope this blog was helpful and not just boring information. 

  

  

My Weight-loss Chart

I have mentioned before how when I first seen myself in our vacation photos in June of 2018, that was when I decided to start a diet.  

I have no idea exactly how much weight I lost between June, 2018 and January 19, 2019 (When I started Keto) - I wrote down a start weight of 180 pounds but I don't know how accurate that is because I avoided the scales at first. So in about 9 months time I lost about 20 pounds by counting calories.  

When I started eating Keto on 1/19/2019 I weighed 159.4.  In Six months, I lost a little over 41 pounds..  I got down to a little over 118 pounds.  So I actually lost more in less time, following Keto.  

Even though everything you read says not to, I did weigh daily.

My weight did fluctuate on a daily basis.  I didn't write down the times I went up, I only charted my losses.  If I weighed  in at 149, I didn't write down a new weight until I went below the 149.   

Different foods effect us differently.  That's why I think weighing on a daily basis is a good thing.  You can see what foods are causing you to retain water.  (if you gain 2 pounds over night, it's water retention - it's not fat!  and those 2 pounds of water weight can fall off just as quickly as they added up)

Below is the weight I dropped, as I dropped it while following the Keto Diet.   I am listing it so you can see how the weight dropped off.  When there is a time span between the losses, you can bet I was up and down in between the two dates.  

Part of the time I was doing OMAD (One Meal A Day).  Part of the time I only ate 2MAD.   and part of the time I was eating 3 full meals a day.  But the fact remains - regardless, whether I was eating only 1 meal or 3, I never really felt hungry - or felt like I was being deprived.  

I think another reason I had success was because I had read that if you followed the Keto diet - and then cheated, you would get sick.  Well, I did not want to get sick! So for the longest time, I refused to cheat. I am sure that there were times that I did cheat, just not knowingly.  (eating out, etc)

We even went on a Bicycle Vacation (GIBT) where we were fed a Morning Meal and an Evening Meal by the organizers of this week long bicycle trip.  I had decided that if they did not have anything Keto Friendly for me to eat, I wouldn't eat!  I carried some Protein Shakes for 'emergencies' like that.  I actually got pretty lucky because there was only 1 meal (a breakfast) that there wasn't anything Keto friendly.  They had 2 breakfast casseroles and both had potatoes in them.  They also had fruit trays and probably a danish tray, along with cereals, etc.  The other cyclists had plenty of options for breakfast.  I had coffee.  Then later, drank a protein shake. Chances are, we probably also hit a convenience store on our route where I was able to grab more keto friendly foods to give me something to push those pedals with.  

It was some time after July 3rd, 2019 that I cheated for the first time.  and I did NOT get sick.  That was probably the saddest day of my Keto Life.   It was after I learned I could cheat and not get sick that my struggles began. 

I took a whole week off for vacation in January 2020 and I gained ten pounds that week.  To be quite honest, I have never fully recovered from that week.  That's when I started trying to just "Keep it Keto" but not log my foods or track my macros.  As I said, that way of eating Keto does work for some.  But for me, it does not.  

I have been struggling with my weight for a year now.  That's why I decided this January, to get back on board.  Logging my food and tracking it with MyFitnessPal really isn't that much trouble.  I already have most of our favorite recipes typed in.  All of my favorite foods are in my "frequently added" list.  It's just a matter of taking the time to log them - and double checking my macro's at the end of the day to make sure they are on target.  

I have had a request to post a "what I eat in a day" type blog.  So look for that in a future blog.  Let me warn you though, I can be pretty boring with my eating routine.  I do eat the same thing a lot.    Especially when the scale goes down. "Hey, that worked, let's try that again!"  

New Years Resolutions!

Happy New Year!  

How many of us have losing weight as one of our New Years Resolutions?   I am sure Ed and I are not the only ones that are planning to make some serious changes with our eating habits again. 

If you have been thinking that in 2021 you want to drop some weight and get healthy and are planning to start a serious diet (or better yet, just change your eating habits). Let me tell you, Keto will do the job! 

When we got home from Vacation in 2018, looking through our photos, I could not believe what I was seeing.  I did not recognize myself.  That's when I decided to start a "diet".  At first the pounds came off slowly, but in January 2019, I switched to eating Keto.  That's when the pounds started melting off.  

Once I reached my goal I got a little too comfortable in the Keto Life.  I stopped counting my macros and started just eating "Keto Friendly" foods.  While that way of eating works for some, it apparently does not work for me.  I have gained a few pounds back.  My 2021 goal is to get it back off and keep it off.    

Since I have mostly been eating Keto, but I have not been riding my bike.  I have to wonder if that's part of my weight problem, not just my more relaxed way of eating.  We shall soon find out, because in addition to eating right, I will also start pushing those miles again.

Anyway, if you are new to Keto, let me touch up on a few of the basics.  I believe it is more about what you are NOT eating, than what you are eating.  You can find the list of foods you need to avoid HERE and you can find the list of foods you can eat HERE.  

As I said above, it's not just about eating and not eating these foods, though.  It's also about eating these foods in the right proportions; your macros.  You want to be eating 5% Carbs, 20% Protein and 75% Fat.  

Yes, you read that right.  

Keto is a Low Carb/High Fat Diet.  You will be training your body to burn FAT for fuel, not sugar.  This means, after your body has burned all the fat you have eaten for the day, if it needs more fuel, it starts to burn your stored fat.  How cool is that?

On Keto, you do not have to count calories.  If you want to get the best results, you will count your macros, though.  Some people can drop the weight on Keto without counting macros, but that is what I've been doing lately and it is not working for me.    What works best for me is to log my food into MyFitnessPal and try to keep my macros as close, to 5% Carbs, 20% Protein and 75% Fat as I can.

Once you get into Ketosis (Fat Burning Mode) you will notice that you are not hungry all the time. So, if you can get yourself to stick with this way of eating for at least 3 days. It does get easier.

When you are able to skip a meal you can put IF (Intermittent Fasting) into play.  With IF, your body will have to dip into your stored fat for fuel.  That's when you should notice the pounds melting away.

But for starters, I would suggest eating 3 meals a day.  I think it would help to make this way of eating seem less like a diet. 

For breakfast you could eat either bacon & eggs or sausage & eggs.  Be sure to check the carb count in the sausage though, because not all sausage is created equal.  And yes, you may add cheese to your eggs, if desired.  Cook the bacon and/or sausage first then fry your eggs in their grease. You may have coffee with breakfast, if you like.  If you drink it black, it's carb free.  But if you like cream and sugar, for a few carbs, you may add a TBS of Heavy Whipping Cream and Stevia. Or better yet, just add a TBS of Butter.  Butter adds Fat but no carbs.

You definitely want some protein for lunch.  You could do a grilled chicken breast, pork steak, pork chop, ribeye, hamburger patty, there are so many options.  However, my go to for lunch is a couple of Johnsonville Better Cheddar Brats and a few slices of pepper jack cheese. 

For starters, I would make the evening meal simple, too.  It is a whole lot easier to count carbs when you aren't making dishes with multiple ingredients.   Instead, just pick a meat, pick a vegetable and add a fat. The fat could be as simple as melted butter on your broccoli.  Or a spoonful of guacamole on your chicken. 

The main thing is to end your day with your macros as close to 5/20/75 as you can.

Things to remember:.   

5% Carbs is a limit.   Try not to go over 5%.

20% Protein is a goal.   You want to get at least 20% protein.  If you are still hungry and you have reached your limit on Carbs and Fat, then you should eat more protein.  

75% Fat is also a limit.   You can go up to 75% but do not go over.  That said, if you can be satisfied eating less than 75%, even better.  The less fat you eat, the more stored fat you will burn.

While you do not have to count calories on Keto, obviously, the fewer you eat, the faster the weight will come off.

So here is an example of a day of eating simple Keto.

If you can eat low carb like this for just 3 days, I believe you will reach ketosis and find this way of eating is quite easy to stick with.  Especially when you see the numbers dropping on the scales.

One last thought. I do suggest you drink one bottle of Powerade Zero Sugar a day.  This will help keep your electrolytes up.  I personally like to add 2 TBS Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar to that bottle of Powerade Zero Sugar.

Keto For Life

A picture is worth 1000 words  

  and for me this one says it all!   

If you are new to Keto and want to learn how to follow this way of eating, check out my first blog posting Here.  It is a bit lengthy, but I tried to give a full intro into this way of eating.  

You can find a list of the foods you need to avoid Here.  

In fact, if you want to lose weight but don't want to commit to the full tracking and logging your foods, you can do what my daughter refers to as Cheato Keto.   She has been eating Keto Friendly foods only ~ just avoiding the foods on the above list and she's lost weight!  The Cheato Keto way of eating works for some.  In fact, this is how I first got started, myself.  However, I have found that I do better by tracking and logging my food.  I get too carried away when I am not tracking my carbs. 

My Keto Friendly Food list can be found here.

I have a How To Get Started blog complete with a weeks worth of "what I eat in a day"  menus posted here.

There is an eating out guide here.

I have recipes posted in many of the other blogs.  Including this blog full of "Superbowl" snack ideas - or party appetizers. 

I won't send you links to my full list of blogs (I believe this is my 26th entry) but if you are new to this way of eating I do encourage you to check out the archive to the right of this blog, and click on anything that grabs your attention.  (and no, I do not make any money by your clicking on my links.  I do this just simply to help promote this way of eating.  I believe that strongly in this way of life.)

And as always, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.  

I am by no means a "Keto Expert". I'm not a doctor or nutritionist. In fact I have been called out by the "Keto Police" because some of the things I eat may fit my macros but aren't true Keto. They say I'm either Dirty Keto or Lazy Keto. All I am saying, is this is how I've been eating for the past year and a half. I went from a tight size 12 down to size 2 & 4. (It varies depending on the make of the jeans) my scales topped 180 when I started weighing. I honestly don't know what my start weight was as I avoided the scales. But I was obese. By eating this way I've gotten as low as 118 and my goal is now to get to 115. This is what I do and this just works for me. Hopefully it will also work for you!

It's time to get back on track!

I know it has been a good while since I last posted a blog. So this evening, I thought maybe I should touch base. (well, that, plus my sister told me she missed my blogs! Thank you for that, Cindy!)

Yes, I am still alive and kicking … And still Keto. But, I have been doing the laid back version of Keto. (Ed's version) I have found out, though, that the laid back version of Keto does not work so well for me. I think maybe I just get a little TOO laid back.

I have noticed that my jeans are getting tight. At first, I thought maybe it was just that voice in my head that tells me I'm fat, but I stepped on the scales and seen that I am up by five pounds (again). So I took the ultimate challenge tonight; I tried on my old Parachute Pants from 1984. Well, I got them up and even got them zipped. But I wouldn't say I was wearing them.

This is me, actually wearing my parachute pants back in 1984!

And here I am, attempting to wear them this evening.  Please note, that I did just work three 12 hour shifts.  I came home and showered, but I didn't do anything with my hair and I am not wearing any make up!

They say 10 pounds is a jean size and I believe it. I think once I get these 5 pounds back off maybe they will “fit” again.  And the shirt, too - for that matter.

So yes, it is time to get serious again. I do NOT want to gain it ALL back. It is time to get back on track before it gets too far out of hand.

Weighing, measuring, tracking – it really isn't that complicated if you have the right tools. Which, I do. I use Myfitnesspal. And most of the foods we eat regularly have already been plugged in under “my foods”. I just need to use it.

So, stay tuned!  Let's see how long it takes me to get these 5 pounds back off!

Keto Mock Filet Mignon

Oh My!

We had some bacon we needed to use up, so we put our thinking caps on. 

Back in the day – we used to make a Mock Filet Mignon. (AKA Poor Boy Steak) So we found the recipe and tweaked it to make it Keto. 

We now have another quick and easy, what do we want in a hurry menu item!  

Keto Friendly Mock Filet Mignon

1 pound ground beef

2 eggs

2 Cups Ground Pork Rinds

1 pkg Onion Soup Mix

1 Tbs minced garlic

8 strips of Bacon

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp pink salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the paprika, salt, garlic powder and onion powder together in a small dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the first 5 (five) ingredients together and form 8 patties.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place the patties on the sheet. 

Wrap each patty with one strip of bacon and sprinkle on the top edge of the bacon with seasoning you set aside. 

Bake for half an hour. 

Nutritional Information:
Servings: 4 (2 patties each)
Calories:  651
Fat            41
Protein      49
Carbs         2

Serve with a vegetable of your choice, covered with a cheese sauce of your choice.

Ours would be this:  

Enjoy!

How To Get Started

The other day I had someone ask me about Keto Coffee. So out of curiosity, I googled it. Oh my goodness, that stuff is expensive! And guess what? It's not needed.

As I said in my very first post – you do not have to buy any special Keto Products to follow this way of eating. No pills, no powders, no mixes, no 30 day plans. And just because something says it's "Keto" doesn't mean it is.

And the thing is, if you do take those “Keto Products” to get you into Ketosis faster, your body is going to burn those fats before it starts to work on your stored fat. Seriously folks, you can do it without them and probably with quicker results.

Today I decided to show examples of just how easy this way of eating is.  All you have to do is not eat anything on the "do not eat list"  (I have that list posted Here.)

So today, I am posting an example of a diet you could follow for 7 days.  This menu is just to give you an idea of what to eat, to show you how easy it is.  Remember, the focus is not on calories, it's on the Fat, Protein and Carbs. Your daily total should be 75% fat, 20% Protein and 5% Carbs - or as close to it as you can get, of the total calories you eat in a day.   That said, if you can limit your total calories and keep your macros on target, you should see faster results.  

Download a Food Tracker to log your foods with before you eat them, to make sure they fit your macros.  I personally like Myfitnesspal and I just use the free version.  You do have to go in and change your goals to 5/75/20.  If you have trouble with that, send me a message and I will be glad to help.

Things to remember:

Fat is a limit. You don't have to reach your limit, but try not to go over 75%.

Carbs are also a limit.  Try not to go over 5%.

Protein is a Goal. You want to at least hit 20%.  However, if you are at 20% and are still hungry, eat more protein! You are supposed to eat until you are no longer hungry and once you get into Ketosis you will find you are not hungry all the time.

Also, if you mess up and eat something you shouldn't have, just get right back at it.  Don't use that mess-up as an excuse to eat anything and everything you want for the day since you already messed up.   If you spill a few drops of coffee when you are filling your coffee cup, you wouldn't dump the rest of the pot and have a bigger mess to clean up, right?  Your diet should be the same way.  

Also, try to drink 30 oz of Ketoraid every day.  Use a 30 oz tumbler and just sip on it all day until it is gone.   This should help you avoid the "keto flu".

Ketoraid :

Fill a 30 oz tumbler with water, add 2 TBS of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt, ¼ tsp of Lite Salt and 1 package of Crystal Light or the great value version.  This is what I use (the electrolyted version):

Okay - so now for the menus.  But remember, I personally often eat the same thing for breakfast every day for a month or better.  I do also often eat the same thing for lunch (my go to is the Johnsonville Better Cheddar Brats unless we have leftovers from the night before)  but in these menus I will try to make each different to show more variety.  

If I have previously posted the recipe in my blog, I have provided a link to the page it's on.  (Just scroll til you find it)  I figured I had shared each of the recipes that I used but there are a couple missing.  So I will post them at the end of this one.

Day One

Breakfast:

2 cups of Coffee 

both with 1 TBS Heavy Whipping Cream and Stevia 

2 Eggs

2 slices Bacon

Lunch:

2 Johnsonville Better Cheddar Brats

Dinner:

Ribeye Steak

Steamed Broccoli & Cauliflower with Gordo's Cheese Dip

Daily Totals:

Calories: 1355

Carbs -    14     (4%)

Fat -       107   (74%)

Protein -  72    (22%)

Day two

Breakfast:

1 1/2 cups of Coffee blended with 1 Cafe Caramel Protein Shake (Atkins)

3 Johnsonville Breakfast Sausage Links

Lunch:

1 Hamburger Patty with 1 slice Pepperjack Cheese

2 oz Summer Sausage, cut in thin slices

2 oz Pepperjack Cheese (block) cut in thin slices

Dinner:

Pork Steak

with Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce (4 TBS)

Steamed Broccoli Florets

with Gordo's Cheese Dip

Daily Totals:

Calories:  1350

Carbs -    15   (5%)

Fat -        96   (66%)

Protein -  98   (29%)

Day three

Breakfast:

2 cups of Coffee 

each with 1/2 TBS butter

2 Bob Evans Sausage Patties

Lunch:

6 Keto Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies (Recipe)

Dinner:

Keto Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast 

Steamed Broccoli with Gordo's Cheese Dip

Daily Totals:

Calories:  1116

Carbs -    15   (5%)

Fat -        77  (62%)

Protein -  92   (33%)

Day Four

Breakfast:

Black Coffee with Stevia only

Keto Sausage & Cheese Meatballs (Recipe)

Lunch: 

Keto Crepe with Strawberries & Sugar Free Whipped Topping (Recipe)

Dinner:

Keto BBQ Meatballs (Recipe)

Riced Cauliflower & Gordo's Cheese Dip

Daily Totals:

Calories:  1207

Carbs -     12   (4%)

Fat -        96   (73%)

Protein -  69   (23%)

Day Five

Breakfast:

Black Coffee 

Omelet made with:

       2 Eggs

       2 oz Ground Bob Evans Sausage, Cooked

       3 TBS Shredded Cheddar Cheese

       1 TBS Heavy Whipping Cream

Lunch:

Better Cheddar Brat Burger

Dinner:

Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole (Recipe)

Keto Zucchini Fries

Daily Totals:

Calories:  1227

Carbs -     15   (5%)

Fat -        99   (73%)

Protein -  68   (22%)

Day Six

Breakfast:

Coffee

2 oz Bob Evans Sausage

Lunch:

Tuna Salad (no bread)

     1 can of Tuna

     1 hard boiled Egg, diced

     2 tbs Hellman's Mayo

     1 Dill Pickle Spear, diced

Dinner:

Keto Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs (3) (Recipe)

small salad

      1 1/2 cups Shredded Lettuce

      2 TBS Shredded Cheddar Cheese

      1 TBS Real Bacon Bacon Bits

      2 TBS Fresh, Diced Tomatoes

      1 hard boiled Egg, diced

      Walden Farms Salad Dressing (0 carbs, 0 calories)

Daily Totals:

Calories:  1334

Carbs -      15   (4%)

Fat -         94   (64%)

Protein -  104   (32%)

And for the last day.  A day of  NO COOKING to show, just how simple this way of eating can be.

Day Seven

Breakfast:

Coffee with 1 Cafe Caramel Shake (Atkins)

3 Breakfast sausage links

(Previously cooked.  Just reheat 3 sausage links)

Lunch:

2 Johnsonville Better Cheddar Brats

   (either heated in microwave or reheated after they were cooked on the grill)

2 oz Pepperjack cheese, cut into thin slices

Dinner:

4 oz Tysons, Grilled & Ready to eat Frozen Chicken Strips

Ed's Keto Taco Seasoning

2 TBS Gordo's Cheese Dip

(Heat the frozen chicken in the microwave, then sprinkle with the Keto Taco Seasoning and top with the cheese dip.  Place back in Microwave til Cheese is melted.)

1 cup of cucumber slices with

2 TBS of Waldon Farms Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Daily Totals:

Calories:  1117

Carbs -      14   (5%)

Fat -         84   (67%)

Protein -   80   (28%)

Tyson actually has several different precooked chicken options.  There are also some other brands as well.  We have not tried them all.  And technically, a true Keto diet wouldn't allow them because they are processed foods.  But, as I said, I do lazy or dirty Keto.  They are nice to keep on hand for quick and easy lunch or evening meals.  You do have to watch them though because some have more carbs than others.

Right now my regular morning breakfast is the Atkins Caramel Shake in my morning coffee.  We pour the shake in my 30 oz tumbler and then fill it the rest of the way with coffee.  Be sure to read the label though.  Not all the shakes have only 3 carbs.  Make sure you grab the right one!  Anyway, my breakfast is the caramel coffee with 3 Johnsonville Breakfast Sausage Links.  

We cook up a full package of the Breakfast links at once and just reheat 3 each morning.  Quick and simple!   

Also, since the brats are so much better cooked on the grill than just microwaved.  We like to grill up a bunch at once and freeze them (2 per ziplock bag). Then put all the bags into 1 gallon freezer bag.  Perfect for quick and easy lunches.

In closing, I'll end with those 2 missing recipes.  

Ed's Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts

Marinade:

½ cup Olive Oil

¼ cup Lemon Juice

1 tsp Thyme

¼ tsp Garlic Powder

¼ tsp Pink Salt

¼ tsp Ground Pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts (or boneless thighs, if you prefer)

In a bowl, mix up the Marinade and set aside.

Cut the chicken breasts (or thighs) in half and place in a 1 gallon Zip-lock Freezer Bag.  Seal the bag without air and pound them with a meat tenderizer, using the smooth side, until they are about ½ inch thick. If you did not put a hole in the bag, you can marinade it in the same bag. Otherwise, place the chicken in a new bag and pour the marinade in. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Before you fire it up, pour a little Olive Oil onto a paper towel and rub it on the grill grates. Then, fire it up and let it reach about 400 degrees. Grill Chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until done.

Serving size: 1 breast

Calories: 370

Carbs: 1

Fat: 12

Protein: 61

Keto Zucchini Fries

2 Medium Zucchini

1 Egg

1/2 cup Almond Flour

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Pink Salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Pam (Olive Oil Spray)

Cut the zucchini in half, then cut into fries, about 1/2 inch thick.

In a shallow bowl, combine the almond flour, Parmesan cheese and seasonings.

In another bowl, beat the egg.

Dip the fries in the egg, then coat with the Almond flour mixture.

Place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Spray the coated fries with Pam.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes, or til as crispy as you like.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories:    109

Carbs:           6

Fat:              7

Protein:        7