Keto Sugar Free Cranberry Sauce

Note: I am not affiliated at this time with any links. All links are simply to provide an example of the product I use/recommend.

Make your Thanksgiving more KETO with some delicious dirty keto cranberry sauce! This recipe is SUPER simple, uses 3 ingredients and takes about 20 minutes! I prefer using allulose because the ratio for white sugar is 1:1, which makes conversions simple! If you have a sugar alternative you prefer, check out this nifty conversion calculator!

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Allulose
• 1 cup of water
• 4 cups (12oz) of fresh cranberries

Directions:

1. Bring your 1 cup of water and 1 cup of allulose to a boil. While the water heats, rinse your cranberries and remove and funky ones.
2. When the water begins to boil and the water becomes clear as the sugar dissolves, add the cranberries.
3. Let the water come back up to a boil, then simmer for about 15-20 min, until your cranberries burst and depending on how “chunky” you want your sauce.
4. Turn off stove, let your cranberry sauce cool, and put into a container for storage.

Yield: About 16oz of cranberry sauce (32 servings).

	Net Carbs	Fat	Protein
1 serving (.5 oz. or 1 tablespoon)	1g	0g	0.1g

That’s it! Super simple!

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Review! – ChocXO KETO Dark Chocolate Snaps w/ Coconut, Almonds & Sea Salt

Note: I am not affiliated with any links. I make no money off of purchases. Just linking for clarity!

Today I am reviewing the ChocXO KETO Dark Chocolate Snaps w/ Coconut, Almonds & Sea Salt. I purchased mine at Costco, however they can be found in many other locations, such as Amazon, or direct from ChocXO.

Price: Direct from ChocXO – these are priced at $15.95 USD per 21 pieces which works out to $0.76 USD per piece. (Ranking based off of my local price of my fav thick sliced bacon – $5.99 per lb or $0.38 USD)

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

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Taste: The chocolate consistency is really good. The bars have a good snap, and unlike some others not made in the traditional way (read; with massive amounts of artificial chemicals and sweeteners). I actually find these snaps almost too sweet. I think they would be amazing for KETOR’s who are trying to break away from sugar. I do love that a serving size is two snaps (two of the individually wrapped pieces). I haven’t not wanted to sit down however and eat two snaps – 1/2 of one seems to satiate my need for sweet!

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Keto Friendly: Two (2) snaps = 3g net carbs | 15g of fat | 3g of protein. These are a fantastic choice! I appreciate the high amount of fat to help me feel full. In addition, the almonds provide a nice crunch and the salt in this flavor helps me to meet me salt macro. I also appreciate that these are not filled with sugar alcohols to help keep the net carbs low.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Artificial Crap: Ingredients are Organic dark chocolate (organic cocoa mass, organic cocoa butter, organic low-fat cocoa powder, organic cane sugar, organic vanilla extract), organic coconut, organic almonds, sea salt.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Overall: I really liked these. I will 100% keep these stocked. So far they have lasted me a really long time, especially since 1/2 of one snap is enough for me for a treat! The price is MUCH better when taking that into consideration!

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Pet Pumpkin Treats

This week, I’m sharing what I did with my extra pumpkin from carving this year. I roasted the seeds and with the pulp and flesh, I made treats for the doggos! Pumpkin is shown to help when your dog has diarrhea and constipation, plus most puppers I have encountered really love pumpkin!

Here is how I prep and keep the pumpkin ready to go for future use!

Step 1: Separate your pumpkin pulp and seeds.

Step 2: Using your blender, puree the pulp.

Step 3: Freeze your puree into small containers. I used candy molds and ice cube trays!

Step 4: After your puree is frozen, remove and place into air tight containers to prevent freezer burn and other smells and foods from permeating your doggo treats! I used the food saver to vacuum-seal the pumpkin into smaller portions so I could store a majority in the deep freezer.

Note: To remove my puree, I quickly ran the candy molds under hot water. For the ice cube tray, I placed in a small amount of warm water to help the puree slip out!

Kiddo Approved Keto Gummies

With Halloween fast approaching I wanted to make a healthy gummy that both mommy and kiddos could enjoy. What better than homemade sugar free gummies. My kids love all things gummy and this is one candy I do not mind them eating all Halloween night. We are actually going to make these on Halloween since […]

Kiddo Approved Keto Gummies

Review! – Country Archer Mini Beefsticks

Note: I am not affiliated with any links. I make no money off of purchases. Just linking for clarity!

Today I am reviewing the Country Archer Mini Beefsticks. I purchased mine at Costco, however they can be found in many other locations, such as Amazon.

Price: On average $0.92 USD per stick | $0.54 USD per oz – – – these are not the cheapest Keto snacks. However, for a meat product, the price is not bad. (Ranking based off of my local price of my fav thick sliced bacon – $5.99 per lb)

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

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Taste: I thought these tasted pretty good! They are not like beef jerky, more of a “slim jim” type of snack in the consistency, but I did enjoy them.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

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Keto Friendly: At 0 carbs |3.5g of fat | 5g of protein, these are a great choice. I wish they had a little more fat to help me meet that macro, but they still work well in my version of KETO.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Artificial Crap: Ingredients are Grass-Fed Beef, Water, Sea Salt, Encapsulated Lactic Acid, Cultured Celery Powder (Celery Powder, Sea Salt), Garlic Powder, Red Pepper, Black Pepper, Cherry Powder, Coriander, Onion Powder, White Pepper, Ground Nutmeg, Parsley, Colored Beef Collagen Casing (Paprika, Beta-Carotene).

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

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Overall: I really liked these. I will purchase again. I enjoy having these handy Beefsticks on hand when I need a quick snack that won’t ruin my macros!

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

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Are pumpkin seeds keto?

Pumpkin seeds are absolutely Keto, if they fit into your macros. Like with most things in life, if you eat a moderate amount of seeds, that can easily give you a good crunchy snack. 1oz, or 85 seeds still have 10 net carbs, so take that into consideration! When carving pumpkins, I save the innards and use for multiple purposes.

This year, I toasted the pumpkin seeds and pureed the pumpkin for a frozen treat for the doggo! (Spoiler: Next weeks post!)

	Carbs	Fiber	Net Carbs	Fat	Protein
Pumpkin Seeds (1 oz | 85 seeds)	15g	5g	10g	5g	5g

Step 1: Gather your pumpkin guts and separate into seeds vs goo. The goo you can then freeze, compost, or save for your doggos when they have an upset tummy!

Step 2: Rinse your seeds. Place on a tray, and let dry over night.

Step 3: Preheat over 400F. Place your seeds in a bowl; coat in a little oil and salt. You want the seeds all lightly coated. If in doubt, use less salt. This crazy chick has learned a little salt goes a LONG way. For about 2 cups of seeds, you will want about a tablespoon of salt and two tablespoons of olive oil.

Step 4: Spread seeds onto a baking sheet. When over reaches 400F, place your tray in the oven. Toast for about 10 minutes, flip your seeds and toast for another 10 minutes. Oven times may vary based on your over temperature and the moisture in the seeds. Seeds are done when they are a nice golden tint!

Solaris RV Renovation

This week has been crazy! No keto post this week because…..

I bought an RV!

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I bought an RV!

There was some water damage, so I tore out the carpet and flooring and removed the rotted wood.

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Removing all of the damage!

I redid the joists, insulation, and flooring.

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The “storage” that was under the couch is actually not to be accessed.

Stuff!

The board that was on here was very flimsy, so I cut 2x4s and made a frame, and then reinforced this area.

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Much more sturdy and still accessible!

Then I started to prime! It was pretty late at this point and moths stick really well to wet paint, so I called it a day. I also have tons of homework to do so a break was needed!

This week, I’m hoping to get the paint done and the floor in!

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Only a few injuries thus far! 😂

5 Tips for Starting a Keto Lifestyle

I often hear “Keto is so hard”, or, “I can’t give up carbs – no way”. Luckily, I’m here to tell you that I too, LOVE carbs, and am very lazy, so strive to make life as easy as possible! And, keto is NOT hard! (Owl photo credit goes to Photo by Kevin Mueller on Unsplash)

WHO’s got this? You do! I’m looking at YOU!

Here are the 5 steps I suggest to everyone who starts:

1. Download a carb tracking app. I recommend Carb Manager. I like it for several reasons, one being that it has a really easy interface (so very user friendly). I also like that is has a website as well as a really well done mobile app. You will want set up your profile and go into the settings and make sure you turn on the numbers for keto.
2. Start tracking what you eat on a normal day. and try to get closer and closer to your macro goals. For example, if you really want pizza, google “keto pizza”, (or click here for my amazing keto pizza recipe!) Make sure to weigh and accurately track what you are eating.
3. Buy a LARGE water bottle and track your water intake. You will want to make sure you are well hydrated. However, make sure you are getting at least a teaspoon of salt a day, preferably Pink Himalayan or sea salt. (Fun fact – a lot of table salts have sugar in them caking agent!) You need salt because if you drink too much water without salt, you won’t retain the water and it will simply dilute the electrolytes that you have in your system.
4. Be sure to take additional supplements of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Without these, and enough water, you may get the keto flu. I like using vitamins, Poweraide / Gatorade zero and supplement powders.
5. Intermittent fasting, or, IF, (autophagy) is something that many of those who do keto end up finding themselves doing. This is because as your body starts to burn fat reserves instead of the carbs, you will find that you are not hungry. Don’t force yourself into IF – you’re body will tell you when you are ready!

What Are Net Carbs?

Remember –

Wait – There is sugar in my table salt?

Table Salt –

Ingredients Salt, Calcium Silicate (an anticaking agent), dextrose, potassium iodide

Morton Table Salt

In 1924 Morton became the first company to produce iodized salt for the table in order to reduce the incidence of simple goiter. Dextrose is added to stabilize the iodide. Iodine is vital to the proper functioning of the thyroid gland and the prevention of goiter. Actually, the amount of dextrose in salt is so small that it is dietetically insignificant. Morton® Iodized Table Salt contains 0.04 percent dextrose or 40 milligrams per 100 grams of salt. Morton® Plain Table Salt contains neither iodine nor dextrose. All Morton Salt products containing potassium iodide are labeled as such.

Dextrose is the name of a simple sugar that is made from corn and is chemically identical to glucose, or blood sugar. Dextrose is often used in baking products as a sweetener, and can be commonly found in items such as processed foods and corn syrup.

So, it is up to the consumer, but I would prefer to not have trace amounts of corn sugar in my diet! Be sure to read your labels, and do your research!

Photo credit of featured image: Louis Mornaud on Unsplash

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

One of my favorite staples is spaghetti squash. With a cup of squash having 5.5g of net carbs and tons of toppings options, I highly recommend you give it a try!

Step 1. Cut vents into sides of spaghetti squash. Microwave for about 5 minutes. Use a tea towel to pull the spaghetti squash from the microwave, as it will be very warm. Preheat your oven to 425F.

Step 2. When cool, cut the spaghetti squash in half along the longer side of the gourd. Be careful with your knife as the rind of the spaghetti squash is tough. If not making any head way, microwave for a few more minutes.

Step 3. Using a spoon, remove the seeds from the inside of the spaghetti squash.

Step 4. Generously coat the inside of the spaghetti squash with oil. Doesn’t matter what kind. Palm oil is usually never good, but other then that, I’m not the boss of you.

Step 5. Place the spaghetti squash face down on a cookie sheet. Put cookie sheet in the oven that should be preheated by now to 425F. Add about a cup of water to the cookie sheet, otherwise I find the edges to over cook a little bit and dry out.

Step 6. Cook your spaghetti squash for about 30 minutes. To test if it is done, use a fork to gently flip the squash over. If you can easily stick your fork into the squash innards, then your done! Remove the squash from the oven, and using your fork, loosen the inside of the squash. The insides will look like spaghetti! You can now add whatever toppings you see fit to your “spaghetti”!

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