Pesto Zucchini Noodles

I have been playing with a lot of zucchini and cauliflower lately.  I have seen the articles for years but I just wasn't buying it.  About a year ago I brought one the hand held noodle cutters and it was utter garbage.  I wasted a lot of the zucchini and the "noodles" just fell apart.  So I gave up on the idea.

The other day I made some cauliflower mashed "potato's"  with butter, garlic, salt and pepper and was completely not ready for how good they were. 

Which got me thinking about the zucchini noodles again.  So while I was out at the mall this weekend I stopped into Williams & Sonama and played with the 4 Blade Spiralizer and really liked it.  Then I did what any good shopper does... I scanned it with the Amazon App and got it for $10 cheaper with free next day shipping.  Thanks Williams & Sonama!

 This takes 7 minutes start to finish...

1 large zucchini squash
2 tablespoons Pesto (Costco)
1 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Lemon pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste

Run the squash through your noodle machine.  Sprinkle the noodles with fine sea salt and let them sit for 4 minutes.  Heat a pan with the oil over medium heat.  Pat the noodles dry and drop them in the pan.  Stir them around so they don't stick to the pan or burn  Cook for two minutes.  Stir in the pesto and salt and pepper to taste.  Plate and sprinkle with parmesan.

How to get back into ketosis quickly

It's not that hard to fall out of Ketosis...

If I consume more than about 20 grams of carbs I'm out for three to four days.  Food manufacturers are so sneaky these days.  Unless I prepare each and every meal it is pretty easy to eat my way out of ketosis in a single meal.

I understand that everyone's body acts on it's own timeline yours may be faster or slower than mine.

I feel like the key to success is that once I get into ketosis my cravings go away and I feel better.  Once I feel better I am more likely to get up and move my body.  Once I stop needlessly snacking and begin moving the weight comes off on it's own.

The problem is the few days it can take to get back into full blown ketosis can be painful.

So here are a few learnings (outside of the obvious) that I have found:

I drink clean water... lots and lots of water. 

I get the fat back into my body.  I like making and eating coconut bombs (lemon and chocolate are my favorites so far).

I eat my last meal by 6 PM then for breakfast I drink a product (link if your interested) that puts ketones into my bloodstream.  That drink puts me into ketosis in about half an hour.  That helps me eliminate the carb cravings and I don't feel hungry but the ketones give me a boost of energy. That is my "breakfast" which allows me to have another 4 to 6 hours of intermittent fasting until noon.  This is the real deal.  If my last meal for the night is eaten by 6 PM and I don't eat again until noon the following day my body moves into ketosis much faster because its like a 15 to 18 hour intermittent fast and my body gets through any leftover carbs quickly.

I stopped using table salt and replaced it with Himalayan sea salt (I bought it in a grinder at Costco).

I take a simple multivitamin that also has all the basic minerals (from Costco) once in the morning.

These are simple and easy ways to have a cheat day and still get back on the wagon quickly.



  

Chocolate Almond Coconut Oil Bombs

These aren't the chocolate candies your looking for...  Move along... Move along!

I am finding the keto lifestyle very rewarding and tasty.  Coconut Oil bombs have become a fascination as of late and these are the newest soldier in my war on weight.  I eat at least three a day. It's keeping my fat intake high and helping me to feel satisfied when I have a sweet tooth.

I enjoy them cold right out of the freezer and they are pretty easy to make.

Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup coconut oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons creamy
almond butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 packet Stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of kosher salt

Combine the coconut oil, almond butter, and butter in a bowl and microwave until liquefied (watch it closely).  Remove and stir in the remaining items.  Pour the liquid into your ice trays and place in the freezer.  I like to use ice cube trays for molds that I pick up at Target in the dollar bin.
The easiest way to fill the trays is to suck up the liquid with a flavor injector (minus the needle) and then shoot the liquid into the trays.  

Southwest Seasoning

When I owned and operated my own food truck the Southwest Seasoning was one of our secret ingredients.

We used it for many applications like on top of grilled red bell peppers, on french fries, mixed with black beans as well as adding it to Greek yogurt to make an amazing sauce. 

Now I use it on everything... like sliced avocado, grill chicken and I love to mix it into ranch dressing.  It's smokey with just the right amount a kick to keep you coming back for more. 

The best part... it is super easy to make with only four ingredients.

Take equal parts:
Kosher salt
Granulated garlic
Smoked paprika
Chipotle powder

I would love to hear what other people are using it for.

I have always hated Brussel Sprouts until now...

I grew up in the Midwest where most fresh vegetable where old and nasty (and cost an arm and a leg) by the time they reached the grocery store.  So my Mom bought frozen brussel sprouts.

Then to make matters worse she would boil them.  I remember biting through them and feeling the layers of heat inside your mouth. 
The first layer hot... then it grew warm and as you got into the middle you felt the icy center and the bitter taste of cabbage juice.  Oh I can taste it now...

Those were the nights that I would eat very slowly and hope that everyone would be excused before me so I could be the last person at the table.  By this time the old put your vegetables in your napkin trick wasn't working anymore.

It was time for something new.  I never was a great basketball player put I could sink a half frozen brussel sprout in the trashcan from at least 10 yards.

Then last week I discovered fresh brussel sprouts at none other than "Sprouts Farmers Market". 
I am a changed man!  I take it all back... these little guys can be awesome.

Here how I prepared them:
1 pound fresh brussel sprouts
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 a vanilla pod
lemon pepper to taste (I like the fresh cracked kind from Trader Joe's)
garlic sale to taste (I like the fresh cracked kind from Trader Joe's)  

Wash the brussel sprouts and cut each one of them in half.
Heat a fry pan just hot enough to liquefy the coconut oil.
Pour the oil out into a holding container and allow it to cool for a minute.
Scrape the contents of the vanilla pod into the liquid oil.
Heat the fry pan up to medium heat. 
Pour the brussel sprouts into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes stirring them as needed  to prevent burning.
Turn down the heat to low and pour the vanilla coconut oil over the top and stir.
Season to taste and server quickly.

Why I love the keto lifestyle

I am tried of being fat.  I hate that it hurts when I bend over to tie my shoe.  When I get on an airplane and the seat next to me is the very last one chosen.  The fact that the standard body towel doesn't fit me anymore is a major blow to my ego.  Because getting out of bed is hard on my body...

I have forty more years on this planet (hopefully) and I just can't bear thinking it will be this way the rest of my time here.

I have got to do something but...

All I do is crave carbs...  I feel hungry all the time.  I am tired all the time.
The thought of even going for a walk around the block is overwhelming.
The idea that I have 80 pounds to lose means that I have to create a deficit of 280,000 calories.
Where to begin... Everywhere I go all I see is chocolate, booze, bread, baked goods, pasta and sugar filled goodness.

My saving grace is that keto changed all of that:

When I'm in ketosis...  I can sit in anyone's office and stare at the bowl of chocolate candy and not need any will power.  I simply don't crave it.

I don't feel hungry throughout the day and with that my mood doesn't yo-yo all day long.

I haven't felt any depression since I joined the keto nation.

I can eat at any restaurant.  I have to read the menu and know what to look for but I'm the type of person that asks the server fifteen questions about the menu anyway... so its not anything new for me.

I don't feel tried.  But when I go to bed its lights out in five minutes.

Even if I never lose another pound... I simply feel better all the time.