Towards the end of last year, I knew I needed to make some adjustments to my diet. Really all of last year. I pretty much stayed at the same weight, THANK GOD but it wasn’t the healthiest number. Last year I was officially diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and it took most of last year to get an understanding of how things were working. I would lose a few pounds then I would put them right back on. I have read that KETO is one of the best diet options for those battling PCOS.
This year I have taken a different approach to my health and weight and that is to start with small changes, and move up to the bigger changes longterm! I have already started moving more and watching what I eat. The good thing is that my husband said he would make the necessary changes with me since he has some goals he wants to obtain. Which is great because its always good to have an accountability partner but no matter what he does this time, I have to keep going!
I was sent a copy of The Dirty Lazy Keto Cookbook, I must admit I am usually weird about following recipes out of a book! Why I don’t know…I usually look things up online and follow the recipe from there! But ever since I received The Dirty Lazy Keto Cookbook, I can’t stop looking at it and meal planning my next meal…which I guess is a good thing!
This book is filled with great recipes that are easy to make! I think usually I am discouraged with a bunch of directions and preparations but this book is different!
I’m going to share two KETO recipes and excerpts from the book with you…
BROC OBAMA CHEESE SOUP
When my weight starts to creep up, my initial reaction is to go shopping for vegetables. I know myself pretty well, and if I have healthy options in the fridge, I am more likely to make better eating choices. Even though I’ve kept off 140 pounds for over six years, my weight still fluctuates. I’m human! When you see me pushing a giant pillow of broccoli in my shopping cart, you will know that I’ve got some work to do and I’m probably getting back on track with Broc Obama Cheese Soup!
8 cups chicken broth
2 large heads broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream
1⁄4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
- In a medium pot over medium heat, add broth and bring to boil (about 5 minutes). Add broccoli and garlic. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until vegetables are fully softened, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and blend using hand immersion blender to desired consistency while still in pot. Leave some chunks of varying sizes for variety.
- Return pot to medium heat and add cream and cheese. Stir 3–5 minutes until fully blended. Add salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat, let cool 10 minutes and serve.
NET CARBS
8
SERVES 8
PER SERVING:
CALORIES 106
FAT 4G
PROTEIN 7G
SODIUM 1,035MG
FIBER 4G
CARBOHYDRATES 12G
SUGAR 4G
TIME
PREP TIME: 25 MIN
COOK TIME: 30 MIN
TIPS & OPTIONS
Cauliflower can be substituted for the broccoli.
Xanthan gum is an effective low-carb thickener for your soup. Add to soup sparingly, 1/2 teaspoon xanthan mixture at a time, until the desired consistency has been reached. In general, when using xanthan gum, less is more.
OPEN SESAME MEATBALLS
I’m always surprised by how much my kids love meatballs. My son, who basically hates all protein, pops these in his mouth like McDonald’s chicken nuggets. I’ve learned that appearances really do matter when it comes to serving meatballs. If the meatballs are uniform in size and shape, my family wolfs them down before I’ve even sat down to join them for dinner.
3 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
Meatballs
2 large eggs
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 medium green onions, trimmed, finely chopped
1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons peeled and grated ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
Lettuce Boats
8 leaves romaine lettuce, large enough to be “boats”
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
Sauce
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
1 packet zero net carb sweetener
2 tablespoons water
1⁄4 teaspoon sesame oil
1⁄8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- In a large bowl, mix 1 teaspoon oil with all remaining meatball ingredients.
- Form mixture into 2″-sized uniform meatballs.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil and fully cook meatballs on all sides (20–30 minutes total), turning fragile meatballs GENTLY using tongs.
- On large platter, arrange freshly washed and dried romaine lettuce boats along with decorative bell pepper and cucumber slices.
- In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients.
- Transfer meatballs to lettuce boats (approximately one per boat). Serve lettuce boats with the sauce on the side in four small dipping bowls.
NET CARBS
6
SERVES 4
PER SERVING:
CALORIES 299
FAT 16G
PROTEIN 28G
SODIUM 1,144MG
FIBER 4G
CARBOHYDRATES 10G
SUGAR 4G
TIME
PREP TIME: 10 MIN
COOK TIME: 20 MIN
TIPS & OPTIONS
Use an ice cream scoop or melon scoop to help make uniform-sized meatballs.
An alternate cooking method is to bake the meatballs. While I still flip them halfway through the baking process, I find they fall apart much less when compared to the skillet method.
If the meatballs start to really fall apart on you, don’t fret! Stir the whole mess with a spatula and serve as a crumble.
You can substitute any ground meat of your choice.
Excerpted from The DIRTY, LAZY KETO Cookbook by Stephanie Laska and William Laska. Copyright © 2020 by Stephanie Laska and William Laska. Photography by James Stefiuk. Used with the permission of the publisher, Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
What I love is that there are so many recipes to try that I won’t get bored! A big factor in staying on the right track is preparation! At least for me, if I am prepared I am less likely to go off track! I’m not full KETO but I am choosing to eat some of the meals due to them being low-carb meals, and if I can fully transition than I will!
