An Experiment With Pimento Cheese

I love pimento cheese. It's something that I've only recently discovered, but I've come to find that it has to be a good pimento cheese. Not that fake stuff that has weird orange food dye in it. It has to have real cheddar cheese in it.

One thing I love more than pimento cheese is a warm, gooey toasted pimento cheese sandwich. However, a problem I encounter on the keto diet is that I can't have the bread. So, I've found a way to improvise with the support of my fellow Instagramers.

Here's 1/4 cup of a good quality pimento cheese in a non-stick skillet. I cannot emphasize that it has to be a non-stick skillet and it has to be heated on low heat. Too high, too fast will result in burnt cheese which is gross.

TaDa!

The melted cheese will slide right out of the pan and a serving of pork skins are the perfect vessel for these. And the only carbs in this snack are the carbs in the cheese, which was 2 gms for 1/4 cup. This was actually pretty filling, so I ate it as a meal. I'm so glad I tried this!

Hope you guys enjoyed this one!

Review: Enlightened Mint Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Bar

I have found a semi-good-for-you ice cream that tastes good. These were given to me by a friend at work after she found out about my Keto diet. In doing my homework on the company, Enlightened (also on Facebook here), I was over the moon happy about these little treats. They're low in calories, they have fiber, they have protein, they're low in far, low in sugar, and they have calcium! Unfortunately, according to their store locator there isn't a store within 50 miles of my house that carries their products.

They come 4 to a box and all the details are on the front, which is nice. Unlike other companies who only show 'sugar free' or 'low in carbs' I still have to pull the box out of the freezer to read the nutritional label.

They're still pretty high in carbs, but the net carbs are only 11. I had a good day and didn't eat a lot of carbs, so I decided to treat myself to one of these today.

The bars themselves are a little smaller than a normal ice cream bar. The fudge swirls are pretty evenly dispersed throughout and the whole thing actually tastes good! It is very minty and leaves a nice minty after taste that's not unpleasant. It's actually kind of pretty for an ice cream bar, but does not look like what's on the box.

I really like these. According to Enlightened's website they're sold at Whole Foods and Publix, so I'm hoping that sometime before summer one of the stores around me will start carrying this brand because I really need to keep these in my life.

I have 2 other flavors that I'm going to review so check back soon so see them!

Review: Coconut King Coconut Chunks

I'm fortunate enough to work in a place where we get samples of new foods. When those samples are turned down they get offered to the employees. A lot of times I don't bother because they're very high in carbs. Occasionally I find one that's low in carbs or is good for me and I'll bring it home. This review if just for one of those items.

I got these frozen coconut chunks, supplied by the company Coconut King Unfortunately I cannot find where these are sold, if they are sold anywhere. The company's website doesn't even list their products and they aren't on social media. For this, I'm a little disappointed.

However, their frozen coconut chunks are awesome. The net carbs are 3 for 45 grams. I never ate 45 grams. I'd only eat a couple of pieces and the pieces are pretty large. If you like coconut, these are great little treats. Hopefully I can find them soon.

Overall I'd give these 7 out of 10 stars. I'd give them more, but since I got them as samples and I can't find them in stores, I don't know how expensive they're going to be. They'd be great in a keto smoothie and they're very versatile. 

Now I'm going to go finish off my bag!

Mental Health Update!

Hey y'all!

Greetings from snowy NC, well snowy and icy NC. Things got nasty here late yesterday afternoon and much like the rest of the Eastern seaboard, our entire state shutdown. This meme basically sums up North Carolina and snow:

Image found via Google Images

Moving on! I'm putting in an update on the mental health front since I saw my therapist on last Tuesday (the 10th). I told her about my start on the Ketogenic diet and she immediately knew what I was talking about, which made me happy. She asked how I was doing and I told her my depression has never been better, On a 1-10 scale, I'd rate myself a 7 (I'll go into detail more below on why it's not higher). My swings have been very moderate if not non-existent all together. In the morning I'm alert now, I'm more productive. By noon most of my work has been completed and I'm now asking for more responsibility where as previously I was struggling to get my daily tasks done by quitting time. YAY!! We're seeing results finally! I will no longer be a slave to my depression and no one should ever be a slave to their depression EVER! I feel like I owe Freeze so much gratitude and thanks for starting me on this path.Without him I wouldn't have even have known about this diet and what it could possibly do for me.

Image found via Google Images

I have my first rheumatologist appointment in April since starting the diet, so I'll be talking to my doc about the affects of Keto on my arthritis, My mom has Rheumatoid Arthritis and I was tested for RA factor when I was 22 a doctor found the RA factor in me too. So, while I'm not as advanced as my mom is, I still see a rheumatologist twice a year and it happens to be the same doctor she sees. He actually tried to get her to go gluten free last year to see if it would help her pain levels any. She didn't really stick with it, but so far I have seen a dramatic reduction in my pain. I've only had to take pain medication twice and that was when two major cold fronts came through. That brings down my mood level. Pain makes me grumpy and unhappy. Other than those few occasions, I could not be happier with my progress.

Oh and I'm down 8.5 lbs last time I checked, but that was 2 weeks ago. Yay progress!! 

Weekend Deals - 2/13

This weekend is Valentine's Day weekend, so a lot of people will be going out to eat rather than staying at home. Grocery companies are lowering their prices this weekend on expensive items in order to entice customers to come shop with them. Myself personally, I would rather prepare a meal at home than go out. I can control what's in what I cook. So here are your specials for Valentine's Day week:

Harris Teeter:
Ribeye Steaks: $7.99/lb - $9.49/lb (savings depend on which grade of beef you chose)
80% Lean Ground Beef $6.99/ 2 lbs
Split Chicken Breasts - BOGO
Chuck Roast - $3.99/lb
Lobster Tails - $5.99 ea (Save $4!!)
Tuna Steaks - $8.99/lb
HT Chunk Cheese - 3/$5 (save $2.76 on 3)
HT Sliced Cheese - 3/$5 (save $2.76 on 3)
HT Breakfast Links - 2/$5 (save $1.98 on 2)
HT Butter - 2/$5
HT Cream Cheese - 2/$3
HT 18ct Eggs - 2/$4 (save $1.58 on 2)
Oscar Mayer Bacon - BOGO
Laughing Cow Cheeses - $2.49 (save at least $1.50)

Food Lion:
Boneless Ribeye - $7.99/lb
Raw Jumbo Shrimp 16 oz (26-30ct) - $6.99 (save $4, this is a great price!)
Pork Tenderloin - $3.99/lb
Sirloin Tip Roast - $4.99/lb
Cubed Steak - $5.49/lb
Baby Back Ribs - $3.99/lb (save $1.00)
Sabra Hummus or Guacamole - 2/$5
Blue Diamon Almonds - $2.99
SteamFresh Veggies - 2/$3
Dole Fresh Express or Salad Blends - 2/$4 (read the back of these CAREFULLY as some of them back carbs that don't have any good fiber)

Lowe's Foods:
Boneless Chicken Breasts - BOGO
Boneless Ribeye Steak - $7.97/lb
Butterball Ground Turkey - $2.99
Tribe Hummus - BOGO
Bumble Bee Tuna - $.89/can

I'm kind of disappointed in Lowe's sales lately because honestly they suck and compared to Teeter and Food Lion, they are by far more expensive. If there's another store or even a zip code that you'd like me to post for, drop us a comment and we can make it happen!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I was sitting at work, wondering what to make for dinner. I knew I had taken chicken breasts out for dinner, so I started to google recipes for stuffed chicken breasts. I read a lot of different recipes and then my own recipe started to formulate in my mind. Little did I know how good this meal was going to turn out.

Since it's just me and Mister at home, I only made enough to feed the two of us.

Here's what you'll need for 2 servings:
2 chicken breasts
1 10oz package of frozen spinach
8oz Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
6 strips of bacon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Start by frying your bacon (or however you like to make it). You'll want it cooled off a little so it's easy to chop up into smaller pieces.

While your bacon is going butterfly your chicken breasts. You'll want to get these thin, like you're going to make a chicken Parmesan with them. I like to place them between two pieces of plastic wrap and then beat the snot out of them with a rolling pin. It's a great way to relieve some stress! Try not to beat them too thin though.

Pop your spinach into the microwave and get it heated up or make it the long way if you want to. I always have the steamables on hand, so I just use those as my go to when I need spinach. Make sure to strain your spinach really, really well. You don't want that extra water in your mix. Press it out with the back side of a spoon or cup.

Put your cream cheese and shredded cheese into a bowl. Add the spinach to it, the heat will slowly start to loosen up the cheesy and make it melty. When your bacon is done, let it drain and cool off. Give it a rough chop and then add it to your mix. It should now look something like this:

Now you're going split the mixture in two and spread the mixture over your chicken breasts. Gradually roll the chicken breast up so it looks like a pin wheel. You'll probably need toothpicks to hold the chicken together. I used 3 toothpicks for each chicken breast.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. This makes for easy clean up.

Your chicken breasts should look something like this:

Now pop them in the oven and then let them hang out for 25-30 minutes. When you take them out, cut into them and make sure they're not pink and cooked and the way through.

And that's the finished product! The finished product was so yummy. The outside of the chicken needed some seasoning, so next time I make these I'll do a coating on the outside. The inside mix was rich, gooey, and so good.

Here's a link to the stats on MyFitnessPal: Stuffed Chicken Breasts and here's an overview below.

Hope you enjoy this one!

Weekend Deals - 02/06

Hi guys! Here I am again with your weekend deals. I apologize for missing last weekend. I got caught up with work and Saturday was here before I knew it. Let's dive right in!

Harris Teeter:
Boneless Chuck Roast, Bottom Round - $3.99/lb (cheaper than Food Lion)
Cubed Steak or Lean Stew Meat - $3.99/lb
Boneless Chicken Breasts - BOGO
Whole Pork Tenderloins - BOGO
HT Grilling Sausages - $2.99
Hormel Bacon - BOGO
EZ Peel Shrimp - BOGO
Tilapia Filets - $5.99
Almond Breeze Milks: 2/$5 (look for coupons for further savings)
HT Shredded Cheeses - Buy 2/Get 3 Free
HT 32 Eggs - $3.67
Earth Balance Coconut Spread - BOGO; I have no idea what this is, but according to MFP it has no carbs per 2 TBSP. It might be worth checking out for 50% off.
HT Sour Cream 24 oz - 3/$7
Steamfresh Veggies - BOGO
Green Giant Frozen Veggies - 10/$10 (last I checked Walmart had these for $1.48, so on sale these are cheaper than Walmart. Stock up!!!)
Earth Balance Coconut Peanut Spread - BOGO (only 5 net carbs for 2 TBSPs, could be worth a try for 50% off!)


Lowes Foods:
80% Lean Ground Beef - $2.98/lb (This is Friday - Sunday only)
Daisy Sour Cream 16oz - 2/$4
Philadelphia Cream Cheese - 2/$3
Reddi Whip - 2/$5
Sargento String Cheese - $3.99
Steamfresh Veggies - 10/$10
Boneless Chicken Breasts - $1,98/lb
Sirloin Tip Roast - $5.49/lb
Boston Butt Pork Roast - $2.99/lb
Salmon Fillets - $7.48/lb

Food Lion:
Boneless Chuck Roast - $4.49/lb
Boneless Chicken Breasts - $1.99/lb
Pork Chops - $2.99/lb
NY Strip Steaks - $8.99/lb
93% Lean Ground Beef - $4.99/lb
Chicken Thighs - $1.99/lb
Jack Links Beef Jerky - $4.99

Looks like a trip to Teeter for us this weekend!

If there's anywhere that you'd like me to add, please let me know. :)

A New Take On Spaghetti

My fiancé decided to make spaghetti a few nights ago. I decided to try something new and instead of using spinach as my base, I just added a ton of mushrooms. I used that as the base of my spaghetti sauce instead of noodles.

What are some other veggies that you use as pasta?

A Valentine's Treat You Wish You Knew About Sooner

I loathe Valentine's day and this year is no exception to my anti-valentine's day stance. It may in fact, be amplified by the fact that I can't indulge in day after clearance chocolate. Oh well. I've done pretty good on my chocolate cravings thus far.

Luckily, while browsing the baking aisle, I found a delightful treat that has satisfied my sweet tooth!

Remember this treat from when you were a kid? J-E-L-L-O! Oh yea, check out the nutritional on the back and bask in glorious sweet-keto heaven.

10 calories per serving and 0 of everything else, but it still tastes good. Jell-o is so freaking easy to make and other than it chilling in the fridge, it takes next to no time to make. Follow the directions on the back!

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the packet of gelatin and stir! Keep stirring until everything is all dissolved and there are no floaties hanging out in the pot. Once everything is dissolved, mix in a cup of cold water. I like to transfer it into a big measuring cup that has a pour spout so I can measure it out.

I make 5 servings out of 1 packet. Less than 10 calories per cup. Add some lids and put them in the fridge to chill!

You can put them in the freezer if you want to chill them faster, but they will freeze.

Now my favorite part is adding a big spray of whipped cream. Make sure you find one that is made out of heavy whipping cream and sugar, not high fructose corn syrup. There are 20 calories per 2 TBSPs and only 1gm of carbs. If I've behaved for the day on my carbs, I'll add some extra.

Use any flavor that's the color red - you'll have a wide variety to chose from - and you'll have a perfect proportioned Valentine's Day dessert. I think this is one I can get sweet on.

Cauliflower Mash - I Think I Love You!

:(  - This is Nicole missing mashed potatoes.

Recently I've been seeing a trend on Instragram of people making cauliflower mash, so when Mister and I were at the grocery store tonight, I bought a head of cauliflower and decided to make it myself.

I had no timeline for when I was going to make this concoction, I just knew I wanted to make it. We were having ribs tonight for dinner, so I asked him how he felt about trying something new. He said he'd try it. Score!

So, this is a recipe that's all my own!

Get your stuff together:
1 head of cauliflower
2 TBSPs heavy whipping cream
2 TBSPs butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Wash off your cauliflower and cut it up into chunks.I have a nice steamer that came with my pots and pan set, so that's what I used to steam it.

Get it nice and soft. When you stab it with a fork, it will slide right off or will fall apart. Then it's done! You'll want to shake off any excess water and transfer it to a large bowl for mashing.

I added my butter and heavy whipping cream before I started mixing.

Using my immersion blender, I gradually worked the mixture until it became smooth. You can use beaters or a potato masher. I'm sure a fork would work just fine too, but I like really creamy potatoes.

Viola! Here's the finished product. Honestly, it has the same texture. The taste isn't that different. Here's the MyFitnessPal link to the recipe with all the stats: Mashed Cauliflower.

I think we have a winner!!!

Ketocktails - An Introduction

I'm no stranger to the bar scene, but not in the way you probably assume. I frequent a bar that boasts 69 taps and over 100 bottles of beer. I went there because I was a beer snob and if it's one thing I miss the most on this journey, it's the carby world of beer.

Since my journey into keto, I've given up beer with no remorse. It's been easier than it seems because I already knew the basics when it came to finding carb free cocktail options. So, in thinking about topics for entries I came up with the idea for a crash course into ketocktails, as I call them.

Here are your guidelines if you choose to accept this mission:

1. Fruit juices are a no-no. Why? They're loaded with carbs from added sugars and from the nautral sugars in fruit. Say you just want a basic vodka cranberry.
Here's the recipe for a standard vodka and cran:
1 part vodka - 1oz
2 park cranberry - 2 oz = 7g Carbs.
1 lime wedge

7g of Carbs is dinner. Put the fruity cocktail down. Now.

Taken from Oceanspray.com

Alternative to this sugary nightmare? Sub out the cranberry for club soda or seltzer. Keep the lime wedge for a little extra flavor.

2. Stay away from flavored liquors. Pinnacle whipped vodka has 7g of carbs per 1.5oz (roughly 1.5 shots). Yikes!! If you're ever curious at the carb count of flavored vodkas, which are very popular in mixed drinks, just take a minute to put the name of the liquor into MyFitnessPal and run a search on it. I have no alternative here. I'm not a fan of flavored liquors.

3. Avoid mixers at all costs. These mixers have a lot of sugars added to them. That's what makes your cocktail taste so great. Peachtree Schnapps has 6.6g, Triple Sec has 11g and Razzmataz has 11g of carbs per serving. Those add up fast! Just avoid these!!!

Image found via Google Images

4. Go diet. Do you have the option to use a diet mixer? Do it!! Diet coke, diet sprite, diet ginger ale. Cut out those unnecessary carbs and switch to diet. If you're taking shots and using a chaser or a Coke back, use something diet. 

5. Don't touch anything that has an umbrella in it. Frozen drinks are notorious for having an ungodly amount of calories and carbs in them. They may be tempting when you're hanging out in a beach side bar, but pick something else that doesn't come out of a margarita machine. 

Stick around and I'll share some of my favorite cocktail recipes.

Chocolate Raspberry Kiss Bulletproof Coffee

Bulletproof Coffee (BPC from here on out) is the fuel that ketoers run off of. The bad thing about BPC is that it can be very bland and boring. If you like black coffee, more power to you, but there are a lot of people who come into the ketogenic diet who can't drink black coffee or who don't like black coffee. I am one of those people.

This BPC recipe is one that I came up with on my own. I love The Fresh Market's seasonal Chocolate  Raspberry Kiss Coffee and I wanted to create a BPC recipe around it. My recipe is for a 24 oz. container of coffee. This is my breakfast in the morning and packs a walloping 439 calories per serving. I've added my recipe to MyFitnessPal so it's easy for you to find: Chocolate Raspberry Kiss BPC.

Here's what you'll need:
24 oz (3 cups) The Fresh Market Chocolate Raspberry Kiss Coffee
4 TBSPs Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp Natural, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 TBSP Butter
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 TBSP Torani Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup
1/2 TBSP Torani Sugar Free Raspberry Syrup

I like to prep my cup the night before, so I'll measure out the butter, coconut oil, SF sryups, cocoa powder, and cream into my travel mug. The morning of, I'll brew my coffee as normal and then pour part of it over my pre-prepped items. Using my frother I mix everything together and then gradually add more coffee until everything is all blended together.

Here are the stats for it:

This stuff is really, really good. If you like raspberries and chocolate you should definitely check this one out! Be sure to get your hands on a bag of this blend because it sells out fast!

Weekend Deals

I'm all about shopping around for a great deal. If you're new to frugal shopping for the keto diet, this is where I come in. I've decided to create a list of keto friendly items that are on sale for the ad week of whatever week we're in. Most people do their grocery shopping during the weekend, so I'll try to post these as soon as I can browse the major grocery store papers. Please note, all of these ads are for the North Carolina region and area. Freeze and I are working together to try and find a way to include all our viewers in these sales and deals.

Grocery store ads run from Wednesday to Tuesdays. This ad runs from 01/21/15 - 01/27/15.

Here's what I've come up with:

Harris Teeter:
All of the NY Strips on sale at various price points, starting at $6.79/lb and up based on grade of beef
80% Lean Ground Beef is $3.99/lb - this is a steal considering it's about $4.98 last time I checked Walmart. This is also cheaper than Lowe's Foods and Food Lion this week.
Boston Butts - $1.49/lb - great for pulled pork! (cheaper than Food Lion this week)
Eggland's Best Eggs 18ct - e-Vic Special for $2.77 (2/$7 without e-Vic membership), limit 2 per customer
EZ Peel Shrimp - $5.99/lb (Save $8.00 per lb!!! and cheaper than Food Lion's advertised price this week)
Hormel Black Label Bacon - BOGO

Lowe's Foods:
Perdue, Boneless Chicken Breasts: BOGO (Save up to $5.99 on 2lbs)
Boneless, Center-cut Pork chops: BOGO (Save up to $6.49 on 2lbs)
Baby Bella Mushrooms: BOGO (Save up to $3.69 on 2)
Almond Breeze Milk: 2/$6 (look for coupons for further savings, cheaper than Food Lion this week)
Kraft Shredded, Cubed, or Chunk Cheese: 2/$5 (compare prices to store brand, pick what's cheaper)
Reddi Whip: 2/$5 (great on sugar free Jello or straight out of the can - 2 TBSPs = 0 Carbs!)

Food Lion:
Country Style Pork Ribs: $2.49/lb
London Broil: $4.49/lb
Whole Chickens: $1.49/lb
Folgers Coffee: $2.99/ea (find coupons for further savings)
My Essentials Broths (32oz Cartons): 2/$3

These are the three major grocery stores that I've sourced from. If you have suggestions for others, please drop a comment and let me know! I'll be more than happy to add to the list.

Surviving Keto Flu

I've been out and severely under the weather. I've chalked it up to keto flu and it sucked. I'm going into my 3rd week on the ketogenic diet and mentally I'm at a 7 right now. In the morning, while enjoying my bulletproof coffee, I'm more like an 8. I'm alert and awake. I'm a little more energetic while my body processes those big fat calories. 

Around Wednesday night I started to feel really bad. Super lethargic, nauseous,  and I started to get a really bad headache at work. In talking with Freeze, he told me to not care about my calorie count if it meant keeping my blood sugar up. So, I've been ignoring those pesky calories and eating enough to keep my body going. I guess I crashed out on Wednesday during the day and I wasn't sure if I was coming down with the flu, having problems with the diet, or maybe I was just sick.

That night I had my fiance pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and I made a quick and easy chicken soup (recipe coming soon!) that was warm on my tummy and soothing. I went to bed feeling a little bit better,

Thursday wasn't any better. I got through the day just snacking. I drank part of my coffee before killing my Powerade all before 10am. I switched over to water before lunch, ate half of my left over soup and then the nausea started again. My fiance wanted to go to our favorite bar for dinner and I felt up for some company and was happy at the thought of my favorite buffalo wings for dinner. I decided to stick to just plain diet coke instead of drinking, keep it simple on my stomach. About half way through our time there I got so nausea that I thought I was going to be sick. I told him I felt as bad as I did and he got food to go, then we left for home.

We stopped by the grocery store on the way home and I picked up a jar of Better Than Bullion beef base and a ton of Powerade to help get my electrolytes back up. I drank a cup of the broth when I got home and that ease the stomach issues a bit. I went to bed still feeling like shit.

Friday I woke up and felt even worse. UGH!!!! I hate being sick. I packed my bullion and a big Powerade, made my normal coffee and went to work. About 2 hours into my day, I didn't finish my coffee, drank about 1/2 the Powerade and dranks a 16 oz. cup of broth, I still felt like crap. I asked my boss if I could leave early, came home and watched My Little Ponies and napped.

I browsed the internet for keto flu symptoms while I was home and thought that maybe that's what I had going on. I even consulted with Freeze and both of us were rather puzzled by my strange condition. So, mister wanted sushi and I know that they place we frequent had hibachi. Maybe a super protein meal is what I needed. We went and I ate until I thought I was going to fall out in the floor. I came home feeling perfectly normal. I was just hungry!! 

So - what I've learned - I really have to be careful and watch my potassium, magnesium, and sodium intake. I'm rather happy I survived keto flu in one piece!

Keto Buffalo Chicken Tenders

This is one of my favorite recipes even before I started the keto diet. I'm not a fan of breaded and fried buffalo chicken and I stumbled upon Skinny Taste Buffalo Chicken Strips and modified it to my own liking. This is my own recipe because I don't think the recipe Skinny Taste features makes enough seasoning to coat the chicken. Also, I add veggie oil to help the coating stick to the chicken.


Get yo shit!
2 TBSPs veggie oil - split in half
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 chicken breasts (obviously there are only 2 people in my house so we only make enough for 2 people).
1/2 Cup Texas Pete (you can use Franks or whatever, I grew up in Winston Salem, NC so Texas Pete is the only buffalo sauce in my opinion.)

Put 1 TBSP veggie oil in your frying pan. Put the other one in a big bowl along with the black pepper, garlic, paprika, and cayenne. Cut your chicken breasts into strips and add them into the bowl. Mix well, coating chicken well. You can let the coating sit if you want, it does't real matter and it all depends on how spicy to you like your chicken.

Heat your frying pan on medium/high heat. Add your chicken to the frying pan and let it cook through. In a separate bowl measure out your buffalo sauce. When chicken is finished cooking, add to buffalo sauce and toss well until all tenders are covered.

I like eating my tenders over a salad, my mister likes to eat them as a meal. To each their own! These so great with a nice blue cheese or ranch dipping sauce and most only have 1-2gms of garbs per 2 TBSPs.

Here's the breakdown for 1 whole chicken breast: 380 cal per serving - Total Fat 20.1g - 512.2mg of Potassium - 12.8 gm Carbs - 0.5g Fiber - Protein 48.2 g

I hope y'all like this one since it's such a fav of mine! Drop a comment if you do!!

Fish Taco Salad

Do you have people in your family that don't like fish? Some fish can have a really strong odor and taste and cod is one of those, but these fishes are delightful when cooked just the right way. Lucky for me, I found a man who shares my love for all things seafood, so when a good sale comes around we'll pounce on it. For the month of January The Fresh Market has cod for $6.99/lb on Saturdays. I'll get a couple of fillets and freeze them since cod holds up well in the freezer. The one thing you should remember about cod is to always thaw it under refrigeration.

Ok, so time for the recipe. Get everything together:
1/4 cup veggie oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (fake stuff has no carbs)
2 tbsp taco seasoning (may need more depending on taste)
1 1/2 lbs cod or other white fish

Mix the first 3 ingredients together in a shallow dish. Cut up the cod into large pieces and add it to your liquid mix. Go do something for an hour.

Come back and dump your mix into a non-stick skillet. Fry your fish until it's nice and flaky. Don't over cook it. Remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Prepare a bowl or plate with your favorite salad mix. A lot of people like to use a cabbage base with fish tacos and cabbage has 1.3gms of carbs per leaf, but 0.6gms of that is fiber, so enjoy if you want to! Add your fish to your salad base and top however you want, watching your carbs. I like lots of cheese and sour cream if we have it in the house.

Now if I can just find a carb free margarita recipe that actually tastes good. I will find one!

Introducing Nicole!

Hello keto readers!

My name is Nicole and I have joined Freeze on this amazing keto-filled journey. Freeze is actually the main reason I got into ketogenic diet. Freeze and I met waaaay back in elementary school. Yea, that’s right, I've known this guy since we were itty bitty grade school kids. We even had a tiny little grade school fling, but that was decades ago! Wow, I just made myself feel old. However long Freeze and I have been friends, he’s always helped me and I've been lucky to have someone answer my questions about this rather confusing and sometimes frustrating diet.

Moving right along! So, now that I’m on this epic path with one of my greatest friends and he’s asked me to be a part of RealSults. I thought I’d share a little bit about myself before I launch into posting recipes and such.

What lead me to choose keto? I read that keto was once used and is still used to treat Epilepsy. It can have a high success rate if done successfully. Now, I’m not epileptic, but I was diagnosed Bipolar when I was 14. Well, what does being bipolar have to do with the keto diet? Medications called Anticonvulsants, which are used as mood stabilizers in people with bipolar disorder, are also used in epilepsy patients to control seizures. Many people who have epilepsy are also diagnosed with bipolar. If you cure one with ketogenic diet, can you cure the other? While I am not epileptic, can I see a difference in removing carbohydrates from diet, replacing them with high fats and proteins? My theory is that yes, I will. It’s been said that Atkins can really fight depression and can help aid with fighting bipolar disorder. Is the “carb haze” really dragging us down as a society? I’m going to say yes.

I’m on Day 11 of my ketogenic journey. My part in this blog is going to include showing off tasty recipes, giving tips for what to do if you’re out and about and you need a keto solution, keto-cocktails, and each time you see me post I’ll give you an update on my mental health state on a 1-10 scale.

See you guys until my next post!

PS - I'm obsessed with  My Little Pony, so excuse my signature. :P