Best Keto Waffles Ever!

I am not kidding either.  I love waffles, always have, so when I came across a recipe and then tweaked it to perfection, oh my goodness gracious!  I knew because of this recipe alone Keto was definitely sustainable for me.

Keto Waffles

1/4 c. melted butter

2 Tbs. softened cream cheese

4 eggs

1 packet stevia (optional)

1/4 c. coconut flour

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. frozen blueberries (optional)

Whipped cream (optional)

In a medium bowl mix butter and cream cheese together.  Add eggs, stevia and vanilla and mix.  Add coconut flour and combine well.  Let sit to thicken a few minutes.

Don't mind the stained waffle iron.  It works amazingly well.

Pour batter into a heated and prepared waffle iron and cook.  Makes four waffles.

With some Smuckers sugar free pancake syrup & butter

Approximately = 1g carbs, 13g fat, 5g protein per serving.  Makes 4 servings.

These taste amazing.  I like them made plain with a nice fried egg on top.  You could add some crumbled bacon to the batter for a nice savory option.  Berries are always nice if you are wanting something a little sweeter, either in the batter or just sliced on top.

Raspberry sauce or "syrup"

I like to heat up some raspberries and mash them with a little bit of water and add a packet of sweetener to make a kind of raspberry syrup too.  No matter how you enjoy your waffles, these are pretty fantastic.  If you love waffles I urge you to give them a try.

Keto "Crack" Pot Chicken

In no way did I make this recipe up.  I've seen it made by loads of people over the last little while I've been on Keto and finally decided to give it a try.  Holy cow! (Or chicken as the case may be) This is fantastic!  And with only 3 ingredients it couldn't get any easier or more affordable.

You simply take 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or 6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Then you pour a can of fire roasted salsa tomatoes over that.  You could use your favorite salsa too.  I happen to absolutely love the fire roasted salsa tomatoes they sell in the diced tomato section of the grocery store.

Lastly, add an 8 oz block of cream cheese on top.  Place the lid on and set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours.  When you come back just shred the chicken with a couple of forks and stir it all together.  One word.  Yum!  I see why it is call "Crack" Pot Chicken, you just want to keep eating it.

Approximately = 4g carbs, 10g fat, 21g protein per serving.  Makes 8 servings.

Quick Keto Bread Mix

I saw this made by Keto Connect on Youtube and I also found their website.  So you know I had to give it a try and to be honest, it isn't bad.  I do recommend, however, that you do not burn it in the toaster.

Quick Keto Bread Mix

2 cups almond flour

4 Tbs psyllium husk

6 Tbs flax seed meal

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Place ingredients into a quart jar.  Put a lid on and shake well to combine.  Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

To make bread place a tablespoon of melted butter into a microwave safe ramiken.  Add 1/4 cup bread mix and 1 egg, stir to combine.  Microwave on high 75 to 90 seconds until center springs at the touch.  Turn out onto a plate.

You can slice this in half to use to make a sandwich, butter it and eat like a roll, toast like an english muffin and top with butter and some sugar free jam or fruit spread, or toast and top with poached eggs.  The versatility of this is immeasurable. 

To make a sweeter version you can also add a packet of stevia/eryritol blend and some cinnamon to make a cinnamon bread.  Dried fruit or frozen berries are nice too.  Make it plain with sweetener and top with sliced strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream for strawberry shortcake.

If you make this recipe let me know how you end up using it.

Pizza Bake

I hadn't made this recipe since last spring, not quite sure why that was because it is DELICIOUS!  I made it last Sunday and it was fantastic!  Super simple and very satisfying.

Keto Combo Pizza Bake

1 lb. lean ground beef (or turkey)

1 lb. pork sausage

1 pkg. pepperoni slices

1 can Italian style diced tomatoes

1 can sliced olives

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp. dried basil

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

In a large pot over medium heat saute pepper and onion in olive oil until tender.  Add ground beef and pork sausage and cook through.  Add mushrooms, diced tomatoes, garlic and basil.  Continue cooking until mushrooms are done, then remove from heat.

Use a slotted spoon to evenly place meat mixture into a well oiled 9" X 13" pan.  Top with cheese, pepperoni slices and sliced olives.  Bake for 30 minutes at 400° or just until bubbly and cheese begins to brown slightly.  Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes, cut and serve.

You can add whatever you like to this recipe and leave out what you don't.  It is pretty versatile that way and it so good.  I like to bake a pan of broccoli florets tossed in olive oil, garlic and seasonings alongside for a quick and nutritious side dish.

Broccoli Cheddar Egg Cups

Another quick and easy recipe that uses only a handful of ingredients and is absolutely delicious!  That is one of the things I love about the Keto lifestyle.  It isn't difficult!

Broccoli Cheddar Egg Cups

8 eggs

1/4 cup cream

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup frozen chopped broccoli

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400°.  Lightly oil a 12 cup muffin tin.  In a medium size mixing bowl place eggs and cream, whisk well to combine and incorporate some air.  Stir in cheese, broccoli, salt and pepper.  Evenly distribute the mixture among the cups.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Makes 12 egg cups.

These are one of my favorites and come in at a whopping 1 carb each.  I like to have two of these and half of a small avocado as a meal.  So good and so good for you.  The nice thing about this recipe is you can change it up and make a ton of different egg cups.  I use the 8 eggs and 1/4 of cream as my base and then add some cooked sausage and swiss cheese.  

Sausage & Pepperjack Cheese Egg Cups

Or pepperjack cheese and some diced chilies.  Another good combo is to sauté up some sliced mushrooms, onions and peppers.  Endless and delicious possibilities and perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  They reheat well in the microwave too so they are perfect for meal prepping.

Get Healthy First

I really think we've had it backwards all along.  Most people think that if they lose weight they will suddenly be healthy.  The truth of the matter is that if you get healthy first then everything else will fall into place.  And it really is as simple as what you put in your mouth.

A lot of people do Keto for the rapid weight loss benefits it produces.  A ketogenic lifestyle is so much more than a weight loss diet.  It is fueling your body the correct way so it can function the way it is supposed to.  When our bodies function properly we are healthy.

For those who carry extra weight, following a ketogenic dietary plan will result in weight loss.  Your body begins to function in a way that allows it to burn fat.  All those fat stores are now being used for energy.  Your body stops storing fat and starts to use it up instead.  Thereby, you lose weight.

Our bodies are always seeking to run with efficiency.  When properly fueled they can do exactly that.  Organs do what they are designed to do, our immune system functions as it is meant to and we have energy and stamina to do the things we need and want to do.

Once you have followed the ketogenic lifestyle for a while your body will transform to the point that you feel better and look better.  You will get to a healthy weight and easily maintain it.  You will also likely notice you sleep better, think clearer, you can do more and you want to do more.  Health issues like high blood pressure or diabetes will in most cases resolve themselves. 

I notice a lot of the health issues that plagued my daily life have resolved themselves.  My clothes fit.  I do a lot more because I have so much more energy than I used to.  Stress levels are much more manageable, my mood is more consistent.  I have much fewer autoimmune issues.  Migraine headaches no longer dominate my life.  I feel like I used to 10 or 15 years ago.  Life got a whole lot better.  I am better.  Most importantly, I am healthy.

Cheese Ball Bites

Similar to the appetizer cheese ball I made at the holidays these are quick and easy to put together, use only a handful of ingredients and make an excellent snack. Plus, each one is only 1 carb each.

Cheese Ball Bites

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 cup grated cheese

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Everything But The Bagel Seasoning or finely chopped nuts

Allow cream cheese to sit out and soften to room temperature.  Add cheese, Worcestershire and garlic powder and mix until thoroughly combined.  Form into one inch balls and roll in bagel seasoning.  Place on a cookie sheet, chill in refrigerator until firm.  Makes 15 cheese bites.

I used my cookie scoop to measure out the mixture and it was perfect for making the right size bites.  I was planning to roll them in chopped nuts but saw on Mind Over Munch that they used the bagel seasoning for their cream cheese fat bombs and figured, hey!  That would be a great option for these too.