Instant Pot Keto Chili

Instant Pot Keto Chili

by | Aug 21, 2017 | Ketogenic, Uncategorized

Come see how easy it is to make a KETO CHILI with the Instant Pot from one of my freezer meals! #thisishowweketo

With busy busy schedules, my mom and I took some time a few weekends ago to make some SUPER EASY freezer crock pot meals and they have been a LIFESAVER!  Toss in some protein, some veggies and some spices and VOILA.  SImple, affordable and delicious meals on the go that will only take you a few hours to make!

Here is the Keto/Paleo Chili that we made and are still swooning over!

KETO Chili 🌶
2lbs ground beef
1 diced red onion
3 diced carrots (optional)
3 chopped celery stalks
2 cans undrained diced tomatos
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Taco seasoning or chili seasoning to taste!!!

INSTRUCTIONS:
Label and date freezer bag FIRST.
Add all ingredients to freezer bag.
Once ready to prepare, place in fridge to thaw 24 hours ahead of time.
Once thawed, place in slow cooker on low for 6-8hrs.
If using an Instant Pot, use Chili setting and allow to start.
Top with cheese and sour cream and INHALE!

Grab your Instant Pot HERE —> http://amzn.to/2i96A9N

 

Savory, Fluffy Keto Waffles

Savory, Fluffy Keto Waffles

by | Aug 9, 2017 | Ketogenic, Uncategorized

*Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this post may contain affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you!) This allows me to do what I LOVE and support my cute little family and coffee habit.
xox, Rachael Dee

Keto waffles for dinner with a low carb blueberry glaze! OH MY SWOON!!!

The other night I was seriously craving a heaping plate of WAFFLES.  Im talking smothered and covered, oooooooey gooooooooey melt in your mouth waffles and I don’t know how I TOTALLY forgot about this recipe from way back in the day when I first started KETO!

PLUS waffle makers are SO CHEAP and they are so easy to make!  This recipe really gives you that fluffy, savory texture and is chock full of FIBER!  Most times I can only eat half of one because they are SO filling 🙂

With toppings we have tried a yummy handful of things that have given us the taste and texture we are craving! First and foremost is MELTED BUTTER EVERYWHERE.  Rember growing up where you thought you had to be scarce with your butter but REALLY wanted all those little squares to be filled! DREAM COME TRUE!  Now I love it when its smothered and covered with that beautiful butter glory!

There are a ton of great SF syrups that you can find and your local grocery store or Amazon and that is my hubbys favorite way to consume these waffles.  We have also melted peanut butter and grass fed butter together to make a delicious melt in your mouth syrup and that is my personal fave!  But this time around we went for that refreshing summer berry glaze and it turned out PERFECTLY!  Plus it was so easy and you can drizzle any remainin over your homemade Keto Icecream ;). #winning

These are also DELICIOUS cold out of the fridge and PERFECT for lunchbox snacks!

Have fun with this recipe and remember that almost ANYTHING can be made with KETO friendly ingredients!  Don’t think that its a restrictive and boring way to live but rather SIMPLE, SATISFYING and SUSTAINABLE!

Recipe.

(It made 5 big 7 inch waffles-size of my waffle maker. Adjust carb count accordingly)

I included some of my FAVORITE Amazon products linked below in the recipe if you are running low on some of your Keto basics!  I am always looking for the BEST pricing, so if you have any hidden gems, please let me know!! Plus, AMAZON PRIME. DUH.

Heres our fave waffle maker!

2 C Almond Flour (We like THIS that breaks down to $5.80 per pound)
8Tbl Flaxseed (I put flaxseed in EVERYTHING and THIS brand is fabulous)
2 Tbl Psyllium Husk (optional but aids in digestive health and regulation)
1 1/3 Cup Coconut Milk (Always use FULL FAT and from a can)
1 Tbl AND 1 Tsp both Vanilla Extract AND Baking Powder
8 Large Eggs
1 1/3 Tbs Ghee (or butter or coconut oil)
1Tbs Cinnamon
1/3 Cup Swerve (Or this Erithrytol is a favorite!)

Instructions.

-Plug in waffel iron and turn on to pre-heat.
-Place items in bowl and mix well with KitchenAid or hand mixer. Be sure to blend well.
-Spray iron with coconut oil spray (I find this is the ONLY way to truly get them to come off easily and without breaking and has the most mild taste. I get mine at Walmart.)
-Spoon or pour batter into pre-heated waffle maker and cook until done (varies by manufacture).
-Remove lush waffle and repeat until batter gone. Batter will thicken as it sits in bowl.
-When all waffles are made, Divide net carbs of 34 by number of waffles you end up with.
(I ended up with 6 waffles, so 5.6 net carbs each)
-Add carbs from your topping if you use them. Enjoy!!

Blueberry Glaze:
1 Cup frozen berries
3tbsp swerve
Bring to boil in saucepan over medium heat and let simmer for 5-10min till thick.

xox, Rachael Dee

Low carb, Keto burger buns!

Low carb, Keto burger buns!

by | Aug 3, 2017 | Ketogenic, Uncategorized

Are you a BIG FAN of Fathead Pizza?
yea… US TOOOOOOOO!

When we made this for the first time we were DESPERATELY craving some sort of bread texture to have with our burgers (a weekly dinner staple for our busy schedule) and my husband suggested we use the Fathead dough as a bun style bread.  I was curious at the idea

and thought WHAT THE HECK, we might as well try!

YOU.  GUYS.
LIFE. CHANGING.

This video makes me laugh so hard because I took one bite, looked at Justin and said GRAB THE PHONE!  THE KETO WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW THIS IS POSSIBLE!!!  And the video went VIRAL lol!  Within 24 hours there were over 25k views, which is WELL ABOVE my normal average ;). I just HAD to share the love with YOU!

I’m pretty sure Fathead dough happens a few times per week in our house in one form or another and the best thing about this recipe is that it is SO versatile!  We have made this dough into bagels, piggies in a blanket, crackers, bread and so much more!  It can EVEN be made into sweet keto cinnamon rolls… and I have a feeling this NEEDS to happen at some point this weekend when my mama Ask Nurse Cindy is here 🙂

We took basic recipe and divided it up into 4 separate sections, flattening them into a circular shape and baking as normal.  You could even make them smaller, in the size of a slider or into ovals, spread super thin and use like a flatbread for sandwiches.  have fun, get creative and make sure to comment below with your FAVORITE way to Fathead!  The original post and recipe can be found HERE!

RECIPE:
-1 3/4 cups pre shredded/grated cheese mozzarella is the best or Edam/mild cheese
-3/4 cups almond meal/flour
-2 tbsp cream cheese
-1 egg
-pinch salt to taste
-1/2 tsp dried rosemary/ garlic or other flavorings optional

INSTRUCTIONS:
-Preheat oven to 425.
-Mix almond flour and mozzarella together and add to a saucepan over medium.  Toss in cream cheese cubed and mix until melted.  You can also heat in a microwave for one minute, stir then again for 30 seconds.
-Remove from heat once melted.  Add egg and seasonings and mix thoroughly.  (Sometimes helpful to mix with hands to blend texture)
-Cut dough into 4 sections and spread out thinly onto PARCHMENT PAPER (it will stick and burn on anything else).  You can place dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to spread out into circles and create even texture.
-Make 2-3 fork holes in each circle to ensure even cooking.
-Bake for 12-15 minutes till golden brown.  You can flip half way through to get both sides crisp and cooked evenly.
-Once cooked allow to cool for 3-5min then slap your toppings on your burger and INHALE!  You will thank me later 🙂

Easy NO BAKE peanut butter cookies!

Easy NO BAKE peanut butter cookies!

by | Jul 31, 2017 | Ketogenic

Hey busy mama! I know that school is starting oh so soon and you might be looking for some simple treats to satisfy the kids hunger when they get home!

Meet the simple, easy NO BAKE peanut butter cookie that will have the whole family going WILD!  Similar to my famous 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies, but these are chilled and perfect on a hot summer day!

If you are you in need of a quick (and yes I mean QUICK) and easy Keto sweet treat and are pressed for time but need something fun and delicious to throw in your kids lunches then these no bake peanut butter cookies with only 4-5 ingredients are PERFECT!  Fun for the kids to help you create and easy enough for your hubby to make on his own!  Because lets all be honest, easy and simple are what EVERYONE needs right before school starts back up!!!
———–
1 cup nut butter
2tbsp pasture butter
3tbsp low carb sweetener
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1-2tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder (Optional)
———–

Melt both butters together on stovetop on medium (Or every 30 seconds in a microwave and mix till melted).
Slowly mix in sweetener and coconut flakes and stir till blended thoroughly.
Pour directly onto parchment paper or in cupcake/silicone molds and freeze for 15-30min till firm.
Store in fridge! Roughly 1.5 carbs each (dependent on nut butters used)!

You can get creative with this recipe and really have fun with the ingredients.  I love playing around with the flavors and textures and coming up with all sorts of fun creations with this simple recipe. 🙂
You can try almond butter, sunbutter or cashew butter instead of peanut!  Each one gives you such a delicious difference in taste!  You can also add in 1-2TBSP unsweetened coco powder for a chocolate rendition. Mmmmmm. Chocolate.  BETTER YET, take dark chocolate, melt it down and drizzle on top. OHHHH YUM!!! Try CRUNCHY peanut butter instead of creamy for a most delicious texture!!

Have fun with this recipe and know that KETO should be simple, satisfying and SUSTAINABLE for you to do with easy recipes like this!  Comment below with your FAVORITE combination and KETO HAPPY!

OH! And if we aren’t Facebook besties yet, make sure to pop over to RACHAEL DEE and join the conversation!

xox,

5 Easy Ways to start eating Ketogenic!

5 Easy Ways to start eating Ketogenic!

by | Jul 27, 2017 | Ketogenic, Uncategorized

Having you been overwhelmed by ALL the rules and differences in getting started eating KETO!? I understand and wanted to let you know that it DOES NOT have to be hard!  

I encourage all my newbies to take it easy in the beginning and focus on a few small goals their first month or two!  THEN when you feel like you have a handle on the whole LOWER YOUR CARB angle of KETO, you can start fine tuning your lifestyle.  But until then, here are my simple getting started ideas to keep you SANE and thriving!!

 

1-KISS-KEEP IT SIMPLE SILLY In the beginning DON’T overthink it! Reduce your overall carb intake and eat when you are hungry and EAT FAT FIRST! Fine tuning comes later!  Let your carbs come from PLANTS that are grown above ground and just pay attention to your overall carb count.  If you are going from 200 carbs per day down to 20-30, that will be PLENTY to focus on!  Make the best choices you can and don’t beat yourself up if it’s not PERFECT!

 

2-CUT THOSE CARBS Start out by restricting refined, processed carbs (pasta, bread, grains, most fruit) to 20-30 carbs PER DAY.Yes. Per day… I know that might be hard in the beginning but there are TONS of recipes all over the internet to help you curb those hunger and snack cravings.  You can check out Google search or Pinterest for thousands of ideas!  Make sure to have your carbs come from veggies grown above ground instead of processed “low carb” snacks that can actually hinder your goals and progress.  Treats you can purchase at the store are ok once and a while but focus on getting good, nutrient dense foods in you and EAT LOTS OF FAT if you feel hungry!!

 

3-FAT IS YOUR FRIEND Speaking of fat…Did someone say BACON!!? YES WE DID! Load up on ALL the good healthy fats like coconut oil, avocados, full fat dressing, olive oil and fatty cuts of meat and portioned amounts of nuts and seeds! You will feel full, satisfied and won’t eat as much!  If you are hungry or snacky, remember that you are probably NOT getting enough fat.  Don’t be afraid to use 1 TBSP of butter PER scrambled egg!  Fatty Coffee is a MUST have in our household and helps us stay satisfied all morning long!!  Another great way to make sure you are getting enough FAT in the beginning of this way of eating is making delicious FAT BOMBS!!! There are tons of recipes and variations out there but I love these Lemon Cream cheese bites that are simple and easy to whip up!

 

4-DRINK LOTS OF WATER… LOTS! Not only is water GOOD for all of our organ function and helps to flush out toxins, but it can easily aid in fat loss and losing weight faster! In ketosis, you’ve rid your muscles of glycogen which holds on to water. As your body burns through that stored glycogen and you don’t replace it because you aren’t eating carbs, your body’s water stores get depleted as well. So its important to drink up to avoid dehydration!  This is SO good to remember in the first week or two as your body is detoxing all that SUGAR and you feel those headaches pounding!  Equally as important is to make sure you are getting ENOUGH SALT!!!  Check out saltfix.com to learn about the WHY behind the need for salt, but if you are feeling sluggish, tired or can’t seem to shake the headache, place 1/8tsp of pink hymilaian sea salt in 1-2oz of warm water and CHUG!  Boullion cubes and chicken broth are also good to replenish your electrolytes as well!  You can check out my mom, Ask Nurse Cindys video on the importance of salt HERE!

 

5-DON’T OVERDO THE PROTEIN Excess protein on KETO creates an energy process called gluconeogenesis (GNG), where the body turns that protein into glucose. When the body turns to protein for fuel, it keeps your body from going into ketosis.  Moderate protein is different than different diets where protein is a free for all.  If you are using a tracker like My Fitness Pal or the AMAZING Maria Emmerich calculator HERE you can better calculate how much protein your body type needs. Again, in the beginning, don’t fret TOO MUCH about this!  If you feel like you are not losing weight or stuck at a stall, that’s when its important to pay attention to the AMOUNT of protein we actually need to consume!

 

I hope that this was helpful for you and that you feel empowered to take your life, emotions and energy to the next level!  Many people start to feel the BRAIN BOOST within the first week or two and start SOARING in the first and second month!

 

We also LOVE a supplement that are actual ketone bodies you can DRINK and get into KETOSIS within an hour!  I have found that many people just starting out are actually able to AVOID the dreaded “keto flu” symptoms and feel those bursts of energy immediately!  If you are interested in learning more and getting some EXOGENOUS KETONES in your hands as you start your journey, click the link below!  We use them daily and find the support it gives our body is FANTASTIC!

Have fun, keep it simple and KETO ON!

 

Make sure to stay connected at facebook.com/mrsrachaeldee for daily tips, tricks and lots of heartfelt inspiration to keep you and your heart focused on changing your life one bite at a time!
xox, Rachael Dee

Ready to learn about the benefits of Exogenous Ketones!?

LET'S GO!!!

THE Most Delicious KETO-LCHF Bagel!

THE Most Delicious KETO-LCHF Bagel!

by | Jul 25, 2017 | Ketogenic

This keto bagel truly changed the way we look at the way we do bread on a LCHF way of eating!  I am so serious that this is EASY, SIMPLE and delicious!  If you like the Fathead pizza recipe, this is an amazing rendition!  I altered the recipe a bit because I find the addition of salt and a bit more cream cheese is TOTALLY delicious and worth it!

Best part is you can get REALLY creative with your seasonings!  Craving a cinnamon “sugar” (SWERVE!) bagel!!? How about tossing a few blueberries in there!!?  Oh and we can’t forget PUMPKIN and ONION!  Can you tell I am done with summer and ready for FALL!!?

Have fun, get creative and stock up on these delicious yummy options that are only 5 carbs per large bagel!

xox, Rachael Dee

INGREDIENTS

* 1 1/2 cup Almond flour
* 1 tsp Pink Himalayan sea salt
* 1 TBSP Gluten-free baking powder
* 2 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
* 3 oz Cream cheese (cubed)
* 2 large Eggs (whipped together)
* Trader Joes “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning (for topping – optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay parchment paper on cookie sheet (Don NOT use foil or wax paper as it will stick!).
2. :Mix together the almond flour, sea salt and baking powder in separate bowl then set aside. (And yes, that is 1 full tablespoon.  For this type of keto/fathead style dough, it helps the bagels to RISE!  Trust me, its worth it!!!)
3. Combine the shredded mozzarella and cubed cream cheese in a saucepan on stove on medium setting. Stir together every 30-60 seconds till melted and mixed well. (You can also use a microwave: Heat for 1min, stir and heat for an additional 30sec till mixed)
4. Stir the almond flour mixture and eggs into the melted cheese mixture. (Don’t forget the eggs… been there done that and you will have a very FLAT bagel!!) This is the only part in my opinion that gets a little tricky.  I prefer to knead with my hands until a dough forms but the texture WILL be sticky.  Add a little butter to your hands and keep kneading till fully mixed.  It doesn’t have to look perfect and if you are used to regular bread texture, this WILL be different! That’s OK!!  If the dough becomes too hard before fully mixed or difficult to mix together (if it cools off too much it can become chunky), you can reheat it on low for a minute of so, or microwave for 20 seconds to soften it and finish mixing together.
5. Divide the dough into 6 parts or 12 for mini bagels. I place the dough in a ball and take the end of a spoon and dig out a hole in the center.  From your newly formed hole, pull and mold the dough into a circular shape (1/2-1inch hole is a good size) and then repeat with the remaining dough. If using seasoning, sprinkle the Everything But the Bagel all over the dough and gently press into the tops.
6. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until the bagels are firm and golden.