Holiday Treats Review

Posted in Ketogenic Diet by ten40s

I thought it might be helpful to do a “review post” of last year’s Christmas/New Year’s yummy treats and snacks. Just click on the caption to get to previous post.

Christmas Chocolates

Easy Skinny Chocolate: This was a Valentines post but you could easily do Christmas molds.

Candy Bars! We made some amazing Chocolate/Caramel Turtles this week. They were really easy. On a wax paper-lined cookie sheet, arrange each “turtle” with about 3 pecans then drizzle about 1 teaspoon of the caramel sauce and 1 teaspoon of the skinny chocolate. Put in the freezer for a few minutes to harden and you have deliciousness! If you have a lower ratio you could melt an unsweetened chocolate bar (and sweeten with stevia).

Kale Chips

My Favorite Crackers!

No matter the season…Pizza is always a great treat!

and Milkshakes!

No reason not to enjoy the treats of the season!

Still enjoying…..Keto Joy!

Another Milestone – Chocolate Covered!

Posted in Ketogenic Diet by ten40s

Although Autumn is still on the ketogenic diet, tonight (well actually, last night because I am writing this after midnight 😉 ) was the first meal in over 2 years that Autumn ate the same thing for dinner that we did – no weighing – no measuring.

I should have taken a picture before we ate – I thought for sure we would have leftovers, but it was too good for that.

Here is a picture from the recipe I used:

Shortly after we were done eating, I took her blood ketone level:

Down to 1.4…and so far, no seizures. See ketone post here.

Tonight, I purposely made a low carb dinner that I felt would be in her ratio range (with cream cheese, cheese, bacon, cauliflower and chicken!) because I really wanted to see if we could do it – without a seizure.

And, yes we could.

Wow, I still can’t get over how all this works. Will this really work…will it keep working?

Yes, to be honest, I am still nervously….optimistic.

Then for dessert, we turned a few of these…

Into these:

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries!

They are so easy to make. Click here for the recipe for “Skinny Chocolate” – It is basically a 1:.5 ratio of coconut oil, to cocoa and ground “powdered” truvia. Remember that if you are looking for a higher fat ratio -use the Ghirardelli. We think it tastes better as well. I always mix in a little dark chocolate for a deeper flavor, but that is optional.

It only takes a couple of minutes to mix up the ingredients, and then dip in the strawberries. NOTE: The best way to dip – actually the only way to we dip – is to make sure the berries have been in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 an hour or so, so that they are COLD. When they are cold and you dip them, the chocolate hardens right away. It is best to use a smaller container so that it is very full of the chocolate when you dip. Also, stir your mixture in between dipping.

You can also add “toppings” if you would like such as shredded coconut or nuts. Just make sure you do it RIGHT after you dip in the chocolate so the toppings “stick” before the chocolate gets hard:

Even if you are on a higher ratio – just cut the strawberries up in smaller pieces and dip – one strawberry can yield lots of bites!

Although Autumn enjoyed her allotted amount…I must say it was pretty easy for her mom to eat about a 1/2 dozen… 😉

Chocolate Covered

Keto Joy!

Cereal – A Family Favorite!

Posted in Ketogenic Diet, Recipes by ten40s

Everyone of Autumn’s brothers and sisters love cereal, and it’s also her dad’s favorite nighttime snack 😉 . Because most cereals are not all that nutritious, we try to limit cereal to once a week. Almost always the number one requested item for a birthday breakfast is Cinnamon Toast Crunch…not exactly a health food! 🙂

Autumn, however, can have have cereal on any day of the week – due to this yummy chocolate cereal from The Charlie Foundation/Keto Cook created by – once again, the infamous Dawn Martenz.

You will find the recipe for a 3:1 ratio here: http://ketocook.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/chocolate-breakfast-cereal-handout.jpg

You can raise the ratio by using cream instead of almond milk. We also use cream so that Autumn can add in some fruit. I have, at times, modified this recipe to make a “cinnamon toast crunch” cereal as well.

Here are the items we use in making it:

Mix ingredients as directed in recipe. We make a “10 times” batch so we have quite a bit of dough that we separate onto 3 parchment lined cookie sheets:

You need to be watchful of the taste testers:

Then place another piece of parchment paper over the dough and roll out thin :

It actually works better to roll it out on the table/counter than on the cookie sheet:

Then “score” each pan of dough into bite-size pieces:

After they are all done baking, we break the pieces up and measure all the cereal:

Then we divide that number by however number batches we made. Although we make a “10 times batch” we often divide by nine due to people taking “snitches” of the batter and losing a bit in making it. We then store each amount into its own separate plastic baggie:

We store all the bags in one container and keep it in the refrigerator….so we can just pop out a bag for breakfast…not just for birthdays…but any day!

Keto Joy!

Love those Mounds Bars!

Posted in Ketogenic Diet by ten40s

Growing up, I remember one of my mom’s favorite candy bars was a Mounds Bar, and thus it became one of mine, and thus some of my kids’ favorite…funny how that works. 🙂

There is just something about dark chocolate and coconut….yum. Well thankfully “Keto” Mounds Bars are really easy to make. There are not quite as soft and moist, but they are still yummy!

Ingredients needed: (Click “recipes” for exact measurements)

Remember you can use either stevia or truvia – whatever is your preference. The Ghiradelli chocolate has a higher fat ratio, so that may be helpful in some recipes – although this recipe is almost ALL FAT!

Put the coconut, coconut oil and vanilla in a food processor until well mixed/ground:

Then press into a small pan/container – the one shown is about a 6 x 4 :

Next, mix up the dark chocolate topping using cocoa, truvia/stevia, coconut oil and a pinch of salt:

And pour it on and over…

Cover and place in the fridge until they harden, then take them out, pile in a mound….

and…enjoy!

Mounds of Keto Joy! 😉

Got Cake? How about Chocolate Chiffon?!

Posted in Ketogenic Diet by ten40s

Clara does!

Autumn loves to get online and look for yummy recipes. One of her favorite sites to look at is: “What is Clara Eating Today?” She found Clara’s blog as she was browsing through Ketocook.com (The blog of Dawn Martenz, author of The Keto Cookbook).

She has tried several of Clara’s recipe and recently made the “Celebrating with Chocolate Chiffon Cake.” Who could resist trying a cake that looks this good!

So, off Autumn went to the kitchen:

I wish my photo had turned out better, but this is how ours turned out – and yes Autumn loved it!

She actually thought it tasted even better the next day, after it had sat in the fridge overnight. I have found that my kids generally find that stevia/truvia baked goods taste the best after they have been in the fridge overnite – they taste sweeter. Not sure why this is, but just something I thought I would pass along for others to consider.

Here is the link for the recipe: bloghttp://clarasmenu.com/2012/09/14/celebrating-with-chocolate-chiffon-cake/

We did not use the orange flavoring in the frosting, subbing instead with vanilla.

Again – you may need to change the ratios to bring it to where you need to be – add a little more oil or cream to get the fat content up.

One note: The recipe calls for 6-inch pans. I used 2 pyrex glass 5 1/2 inches round storage containers and they worked just great -as you can tell from the smile! 🙂

Keto Joy!

Whoa Samoa! Drink up Deliciousness!

Posted in Ketogenic Diet by ten40s

Oh My!

You know those amazingly delicious coconut, caramel, and chocolate Samoa Girl Scout cookies that you can only get once a year? Well now you can “drink” one any time you would like!

I have wanted to write this post for over a month but just have not had time. But my girls and I have had time to drink one of these probably at least 5 out of 7 days a week!

This is actually a “Trim Healthy Mama” recipe posted on a blog called Gwen’ s Nest – and it is soooooo good! I just “fattened” it up for Autumn and now we all enjoy it together!

I will post the basic recipe under the “Recipes” tab – but note – there are so many variations you can make with this. We have done Mint Chocolate Chip, Cherry Chocolate Chip, Strawberry, ” Snickers”- the flavors are really limitless – be creative!

A note on the unsweetened coconut: You could use it plain out of the bag, however I do toast and “sweeten” it to give it a really yummy flavor. I just make up a big batch at a time and then store it so I have it on hand when I make the shakes. This step only takes just a couple minutes.

First, I place a small amount of stevia in my hands – and again – you only need a small amount – stevia extract is powerfully sweet stuff – you can go from yum to yuck if you use too much! I then rub the coconut through my hands to kind of coat the coconut in “sweetness”. I then sprinkle a pinch of salt over the coconut and runs it though my hands again. (You will find the key to getting things the perfect sweetness when making keto dessert recipes – and any low-carb recipes as well- is a balance between a pinch of salt and a pinch of stevia):

I then place it in the oven around 250-300 degrees and “toast it” – checking it about every 10 minutes or so and turning it with a spoon. It really does not take too long. Once it is cool, I place it in a storage container so it’s on hand whenever I need it – which is often daily with these shakes!

Now, back to the shake:

Place cottage cheese ( If you don’t like cottage cheese – don’t worry – you don’t taste it!), cream, sweetener and caramel extract, and a pinch of salt the in blender – blend for just a bit:

If you have read my previous shake post on making shakes – you might remember that I said – it isn’t going to look like much — but just wait!:Take your frozen coconut milk ice cubes

(In a previous shake post, I mentioned making coconut milk ice cubes):

Smash them up:

and place them into blender:

Pour contents of blender into your favorite “shake glass” and top with toasted coconut, chocolate chips, and…..enjoy one every day!

Now, it’s time for Autumn and I to get started on a cookie recipe to go with this shake!

Whoa Samoa – Keto Joy-oa! 🙂

“Skinny Chocolate” – Super Easy, Super Fast, Super Yummy!

Posted in Ketogenic Diet by ten40s

This was our first treat listed on our Valentine’s page:

This recipe is adapted from “The Keto Cookbook” page 114. It is super fast and so easy to make!

Here are the ingredients you will use. Please note that I have pictured 2 different types of coconut oil and 2 different types of cocoa. If you, or your child, does not like any type of “coconut flavor” you can try the non-extra virgin coconut oils which typically do not have much flavor to them. I have Lou Ann’s pictured here, but there are other brands. You could also replace butter for the coconut oil. Also, different cocoas do taste different (I have Hershey’s and Ghirardelli pictured here), so if you don’t like the taste of one, just try another, just make sure you have the one you are using in the keto-calculator. There are almonds and pecans in this picture also – but those are optional, depending on your ratio. If you need a higher ratio, pecans are higher in fat than almonds, but either one is so scrumptious in the chocolate! You do not need the stevia drops – they are optional for different flavorings if you would like to do a variety of flavors in your chocolate.

(See “Recipe Tab” for exact measurements)

First, measure and melt your coconut oil:

Next, measure out cocoa, stevia/truvia, add a pinch of salt and melted oil (or butter) and stir:

If you are using nuts, measure, chunk/slightly crush and add into chocolate and stir:

If you are going to add flavorings, add them now. Autumn made Caramel and Chocolate Raspberry. You only need a few drops.

Now you are ready to make any “shape” of chocolate you like. The fastest way is to just line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper, pour out the chocolate mixture and pop it in the freezer – it will be done in about 2 minutes! You can also put them in mini-muffin cups or any type of candy mold.

No matter how you choose to make them, once finished just place them in the freezer and they will harden within minutes. Just pop them out of the molds or baking sheets and store in a plastic bag or airtight container.

If you prefer a more milk chocolate taste, or like chocolate and peanut butter cups, click this post we did here: “Chocolates”

Keto – Chocolate Joy! 😉

Raspberry Whip Cream Chocolate Chunk Pie – Oh My!

Posted in Ketogenic Diet by ten40s

This was the third treat we featured on our Valentine’s page:

This is simply delicious! Try this with a bubbly glass of Keto soda!

Autumn actually has several variations of this pie. We also make blueberry and chocolate. Because of this, I make about a half-dozen “pie crusts” at a time. To store them, simply put a piece of parchment paper between each one and wrap them all up, place in a baggie and store them in the fridge. When Autumn picks this for a treat, or breakfast :), I can whip it up in minutes. There are only 2 essential ingredients – butter and nuts – stevia can be added if you would like a bit of sweetener.

(See “Recipes” tab for exact measurements)

To Begin, spray a mini pie pan with oil. Measure out your nuts, “chop” them up and add butter and a very small pinch of stevia.

Press mixture into bottom of pan and place in 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes – BE CAREFUL – they will burn quickly, so keep an eye on them!

For the “pie filling,” you will need:

Measure correct cream amount and raspberries (fresh or frozen) and whip the cream:

Add a pinch of salt, a drop or two of raspberry flavoring (if desired) and a bit of sweetener:

Add Raspberries:

Pour into pie pan:

And serve it up!

If “Chocolate Chunks” are desired, you can make a batch of skinny chocolate ( it only takes about 2 minutes!) and break off a few pieces for the pie:

Sprinkle on top…. and Smile!!!

Keto Joy!