Tag Archives: Keto

Review: March 2016 KetoKrate

April 6, 2016 Jessica Leave a comment

A detailed look into the March 2016 KetoKrate box. Get keto-approved snacks delivered to your door every month.

Bored of the same low carb staples? Tired of all the easy, but tempting snacks available in your local grocery stores? Being a busy student, it can be difficult for me to find the time and/or inspiration to cook after a busy day. That’s why I’m so excited about KetoKrate.

Last month, I was introduced to this snacking service by my lovely friend, Suzanne from KetoKarma. The idea of having keto-approved snacks delivered straight to my door was an attractive idea.

What is KetoKrate

KetoKrate is a snacking delivery service that ships 6-9 keto-friendly snacks to your door at the beginning of each month. All snacks are <5g of carbs per serving.

Their immediate mission is to bring you tasty low carb snacks to help you with your ketogenic/low-carb diet. Long term, they are trying to fight the war on sugar. By not purchasing sugar-laden products and choosing to support the companies featured in the KetoKrate, you’re giving them a change to grow and replace the junk on the supermarket shelves.

How it works

At the beginning of every month, a new box of keto-approved snacks will be shipped directly to your doorstep. If you’re feeling unsatisfied, you can unsubscribe at any time. Subscriptions are 34.95$/month and can be shipped anywhere in the United States.

In the March crate

Wild Friends Classic Creamy Almond Butter
Skout Black pepper BBQ Raw Pumpkin Seeds
KingMadeJerky Flank Steak Beef Jerky
Foods Alive Italian Zest flax crackers
ProTings Zesty Nacho Protein Chips
ProTings Tangy Southern BBQ Protein Chips
Nutilight Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread & Dark Chocolate

Wild Friends Classic Creamy Almond Butter – Retail $2.00

Almond butter is truly one of my favourite things so when I saw this in the March 2016 KetoKrate, I was super excited. Not only is this almond butter tasty, it is also super convenient! The single serving size makes it easy to pop in your bag and take anywhere. Top your fresh berries off with this stuff or even eat directly from package. Yum!

IMG_20160308_173428 — Wild Friends Almond Butter on my way to class

Something I should mention is that I found this almond butter a little on the salty side. The ingredients are roasted almonds and sea salt so that’s to be expected.

Skout Black pepper BBQ Raw Pumpkin Seeds – Retail $3.99

Absolutely love the BBQ seasoning on the pumpkin seeds. It is a welcome twist to the traditional pumpkin seed flavour. Pumpkin seeds are also great for your health! These seeds are packed with magnesium, iron and zinc — all minerals that are necessary for proper functioning of the body. Magnesium is especially important in contractions of muscles like the heart and zinc is one of the corner stones of the immune system. Moreover, pumpkin seeds are one of the best plant sources of omega-3s — something most of us are not getting enough of.

Prosciutto, cheddar omelette topped with organic broccoli sprouts and black pepper BBQ pumpkin seeds

Another thing to note is that all the ingredients used in this Skout product are organic. Whilst evaporated cane syrup is one of the ingredients in this product (something I’m not crazy about), it is only in moderation making these seeds an awesome, on-the-go snack or topping on a dish.

KingMadeJerky Flank steak beef Jerky – Retail $8.99

Before trying this jerky, I was a jerky newbie. I’d seen it all over Instagram but had never tried it. It was love at first smell.

Me on SnapChat enjoying the jerky publicly

The smokey flavour and soft texture of this beef jerky really is incredible. After trying this jerky, I thought I’d give a local brand a shot but it was tough and just… unchewable.

The one down fall of this product is that the marinade includes soy and brown sugar (in small quantities, but still!). Soy contains gluten so this product is not gluten-free and would complicate things for someone with celiac disease or gluten tolerances.

*Note: I have a gluten sensitivity and didn’t have any issues following the consumption of the whole bag… in one sitting (guilty!). Can’t help it guys, this is some really mouth-watering jerky.

Foods Alive Italian Zest flax crackers – Retail $7.49

Flax isn’t a big part of my diet so these crackers were a nice little change. They have a nice pizza-esque flavour to them so you can enjoy them on their own or paired with cream cheese & smoked salmon (see picture below). Definitely one of my favourite products in this month’s Keto Krate

Smoked salmon & cream cheese flax cracker bites

Flax seeds are a rich source of micronutrients, dietary fiber, vitamin B1 or thiamine and the essential fatty acid, omega-3. Since all the B vitamins are water-soluble, the body can’t store very much of it and thiamine deficiencies can occur rather quickly in a diet poor in B1s. Symptoms of the thiamine deficiency Beriberi are weakness, memory loss and unexplained weight loss.

Simple breakfast of smoked gouda, spinach and egg scramble, cherry tomatoes and flax crackers

Whilst we all know that omega-3s are important, the harsh reality is that most of us still don’t consume enough of them. Alpha-linolenic acid or omega-3 is primarily found in fatty fish such as salmon, albacore tuna, sardines and mackerel. Research conducted by the American Heart Association has shown that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce risk of heart arrhythmias, triglyceride levels, the growth of atherosclerotic plaque and lower blood pressure. Unfortunately, many fish are becoming affected by mercury poisoning due to pollution and mercury is extremely toxic. All the more reason to eat flax seeds!

Nutilight Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread & Dark Chocolate – Retail $8.49

So, as you can see from the near empty container, NutiLight and I have been getting to know each other pretty well. All for blogging purposes, of course!

While I do have a recipe for homemade “Nutella”, hazelnuts can run on the pricey side and it is slightly time-consuming. I love the texture of this stuff. It reminds me very much of Nutella (keep in mind though I haven’t had it in years). It is thick and has a strong hazelnut taste, the only thing that really gives it away is that it isn’t as sweet (good thing!) and it has a slight cooling effect due to the erythritol. Moreover, all the sweeteners used in the spread are 100% natural and the packing says that it’ll produce zero glycemic index.

As I’m sure you’ve heard, palm oil can be quite controversial due to the way in which it is procured. My conscious feels light knowing that the palm oil in this product is sustainable.

ProTings Zesty Nacho Protein Chips & Tangy Southern BBQ Protein Chips – Retail $2.00/each

The one thing I miss on this low carbohydrate diet is all things crunchy. Yes, there are recipes that are somewhat crunchy like the low-carb sour cream chive crackers or chicharrones, but nothing comes close to a crunchy chips. This is where ProTings come into play. These bad boys are made of pea protein and are CRUNCHY!!

In the KetoKrate, there were two different flavours: Zesty Nacho and Tangy Southern BBQ. I have a strong preference for the Tangy Southern BBQ, reminded me of the flavouring on Lay’s BBQ chips.

Verdict?

Overall, I’m sold on the KetoKrate concept. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of snacks found within the crate. I really liked the versatility of the products, they could be eaten on their own or as part of a larger, more substantial meal. Moreover, the convenience of receiving this assortment of snacks straight to your door is also a big positive. Most of our schedules are hectic these days so not having to go to the grocery store or do research and then order online is an awesome time-saver!

Want to order your own?

Visit http://www.ketokrate.com/ for more information!

Food, Recipes

Hatching Chicks Easter Breakfast (Gluten-free, Keto, Paleo)

March 27, 2016 Jessica Leave a comment

With Easter weekend upon us again (oh, how time flies!), I’m busy cooking up a whole bunch of Easter-themed recipes. Here’s a cute and quick recipe that is sure to please the small children in your life.

Hatching Chicks Breakfast

Ingredients

6 fresh chicken eggs, hard boiled
2-3Tbsp of homemade mayonnaise
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
12 pepper corns
1 Carrot

Cut open the egg in a zig-zag form about 1/3 from the top of the egg. Remove yolks and add to a bowl with the mayonnaise. Mix together yolks, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture and place top half of egg white on top. Place 2 pepper corns in the yolk mixture in the place of eyes. Chop the carrot into thin slices. Cut 2 slices of carrot into the shape of webbed feet (see image for a visual) and cut another slice into the shape of a beak. Repeat for all 6 eggs.

Tip

Begin cutting open the eggs when they are completely cool. It makes cutting them in a specific shape easier than when they are warm.

Food, Recipes

Bacon-wrapped, cream cheese stuffed chicken breasts (Gluten-free, Low Carb, Keto)

February 29, 2016 Jessica 1 Comment

Chicken is definitely one of my favourite meats because of its versatility. Roast it, fry it, BBQ it — you name it, you can do it with chicken. The only problem is that it is one of those proteins that can easily be dried out with improper cooking. However, if you fill it with cream cheese and some other goodies & wrap it in bacon, it is almost guaranteed to be delicious (regardless of your cooking proficiency).

This recipe is one of my family’s favourites! The chicken is so succulent and flavourful and then paired with bacon and cream cheese? Heaven!

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup Spinach leaves
1/2 cup Cream cheese
Salt & pepper, to taste
8 Chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
8 strips Bacon

Directions

In a food processor, add your spinach, cream cheese, garlic, salt & pepper. Blend till forms a paste. On each chicken thigh, place 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese-spinach mixture. Roll meat around mixture. Wrap one strip of bacon around each meat/mixture wrap. Be careful with this step to try and seal the mixture into the meat with the bacon. Repeat for remaining 8 chicken thighs. In a preheated oven at 350F, bake the chicken thighs on a baking pan. Broil chicken thighs to crisp up bacon for 5-10mins or until bacon looks cooked/crisp.

Bon appétit!

Blog

LCHF takes on the Omnivore World Tour 2015 @ SAT

August 24, 2015 jesspaigelchf Leave a comment

When I first started this blog a little over a year ago, the idea was to track and record what my family & I consumed on a regular basis. I don’t know when or how it happened but somehow, the JessPaigeLCHF blog became more than that. It became a gateway to a world that, over a year ago, I had no clue existed. Through my many social media forums, I’ve acquired friends all strewn over the planet we call home. Never would I ever have imagined I could be able to connect with so many brilliant people that would make me strive to better myself, increase my knowledge and spur new ideas.

Hence, when Emily Maguire from Low Carb Genesis reached out to me by e-mail on a sunny day in September of 2014, I never could have imagined I’d be meeting her in my hometown just a mere 11 months later. We corresponded daily and tried to set up Skype call after Skype call but with the time difference, it was difficult to coordinate. Luckily, when she decided to start her LCHF world tour, one of the many places that she decided to visit was Montreal!

From Scotland to Montreal

We decided on Mandy’s Salad Bar, a quaint little gourmet salad bar in the heart of Westmount, for our first meet up. It was so surreal! Chitchatting while in line awaiting our October Salads with bacon & egg, I quickly got to hear of all the incredible people she’d met along her LCHF world tour. We discussed our reasons for following a low-carbohydrate diet, how flawed the nutritional dogma is among other things. We ate Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups in the park (so addictive!) and just had an overall blast.

Omnivore World Tour 2015 & Periscope

The Omnivore World Tour, an international culinary festival in which approximately 2 dozen local and international chefs come to offer their best dishes, was on show in Montreal… How could two foodies not go? We decided to go on the Saturday and check out the scene.

The whole exhibit could be described in one word: delicious. Or.. maybe two: delicious & non-LCHF, haha. As Em and I went around tasting & periscope-ing (Is that a word?) our experiences, our taste buds were transported to heaven. Her and I both agree that our favourite experience was from Chef Marc Alexandre Mercier of Hotel Herman. It consisted of “brouillade d’oeuf, esturgeon fumé, caviar de mullet”. In English, that’s egg foam, smoked sturgeon and mullet caviar with some black Périgord truffle shavings on top all served in an egg shell.

While the dish was not the most visually appealing, you need to trust us when we tell you it was: out-of-this-world good (and bonus! Keto-friendly). Make sure to watch my Periscope videos (just search jesspaigelchf in the Periscope app) so see us at the event & what our reactions were.

Another dish that I got the pleasure of tasting was made by Chef Christophe Parasiuk from Restaurant Manitoba. His dish was composed of: “champignon homard, écrasé de pois verts et arroche, nori, salicorne et plantain maritime”. In English, that’s lobster mushrooms, crushed green peas, nori, samphire greens & maritime plantains. I particularly enjoyed the lobster mushrooms in this dish, so exquisite and, I’m pretty sure.. sautéed in butter.

We really wanted to taste the Lamb Barbacoa from William Cody & Gil MacNutt but they were completely out by the time we got through the line.. We still went home with our bellies full & massive smiles on our faces.

See all the foods we tasted on my Instagram or watch our reactions live on my Periscope account.

Food, Recipes

Crispy Pork Belly (Gluten-Free, Keto & Paleo)

May 16, 2015 jesspaigelchf 6 Comments

Ingredients

Pork Belly

2lbs Pork belly
1 cup salt*

*Do not worry about this large of a quantity. It comes off later as a 1 piece crust so you do not end up consuming this much salt.

Marinade

2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup Tamari or Coconut Aminos (Paleo option)
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/3 cup Olive oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

In the bottom of a roasting pan (with rack removed), mix all ingredients for the marinade together. Place pork belly in marinade with meaty section in contact with the marinade. Do not let the skin get wet (it should be outside the marinade). Refrigerate for a day or longer. Remove the pork belly from the marinade, pour the marinade into a container for reuse (just refrigerate) and fill the roasting pan with about 1in of water. Place rack over the water and put the pork belly on the rack. [Make sure the pork belly is level. If the surface of the skin is uneven, it will result in sections that are burnt and others that are undercooked.] Cover the pork belly with the salt. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove pork belly from the oven, the meat should be cooked by this point. Remove salt crust (it should come off as one layer). Preheat the oven to 465F and bake the pork belly for 25-30 minutes or until the skin begins to crisp up and bubble. If the skin is not completely bubbled by this point, broil for 1-2 minutes but watch closely.

Slice pork belly width-wise into thin strips and pan sear until golden brown on each side of the slice. (Side note: If you’re making the pork belly to be eaten later in the week, I like to stop at this step. I just leave the thinly sliced pieces in the fridge in a container and then when it comes time to eat, I just pan sear the pieces I plan on eating.)

Pork Belly - the final product — Pork Belly – the final product

N.B. I like to pair this with homemade basil & parmesan pesto or a soft camembert cheese. Nom nom!

Bon Appétit my Keto friends!

Cooking method inspired by: http://kirbiecravings.com/2014/08/crispy-golden-pork-belly.html

Food, Guest Posts

Spicy Salmon for One by Elviira Krebber (Low Carb, So Simple)

December 2, 2014 jesspaigelchf 1 Comment

Elviira is a Finnish, low-carb, gluten-free blogger, author and photographer. You may already know her from her blogs: Low-Carb, So Simple blog and www.alakarpisti.com. I was so glad when she agreed to share one of her delicious recipes with us! Check her out on her Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Blog.

Elviira Krebber from Low Carb, So Simple

Elviira’s bio:

Hi all! My name is Elviira. I’m a former music scientist and computational linguist but I changed my career completely after starting my Low-Carb, So Simple blog a few years ago. I’m now a professional food blogger, author and photographer. I have been self-studying nutrition and different diets basically from the age I started eating 🙂 I’ve had severe health problems but after finding the gluten-free low-carb way to eat, those problems have been just bad memories.

Cooking has been always my passion. On my journey from a strict raw vegan to a conscious omnivore, I have collected an extensive collection of hundreds of diet books and cookbooks, still relentlessly digging into new studies and old traditions. On my blog, I share simple and healthful recipes with mouthwatering photos, hoping to help other people heal themselves and live healthy lives, full of energy and happiness.

I feel myself lucky because I have been able to turn my passion into profession. Several thousands of people visit my blog daily, and the blog has currently over 140,000 Facebook followers.

As I’m a native Finn and currently reside in Finland, I also blog in Finnish on www.alakarpisti.com whenever I have time.

When Jess asked me to write a guest post, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I find her blog and Facebook pages very inspirational. Jess has got a great attitude and her friendliness is genuine and sincere. I wish her luck in her studies and business. I hope we can do more collaboration in the future!

Without further ado, I present to do you, Spicy Salmon for One by Elviira Krebber…

Spicy Salmon for One

This Jamaican-inspired dish combines spices and lime juice into piquant paste which crowns the super healthy salmon. This superb single-serving dish is quick to make and sure to please! Adjust the fieriness to your liking by increasing or reducing the amount of cayenne pepper.

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon organic paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried organic thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground organic cumin
1/4 teaspoon organic onion powder
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) organic cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) unrefined sea salt
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice from organic lime
7 oz = 200 g wild caught salmon fillet or medallion
1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Mix the spices and the salt with the lime juice in a small cup until the mixture forms a thick paste. Spread the paste over the salmon fillet.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil.
Place the salmon carefully on the skillet, the saucy side top.
Cook, covered, until just done and easily flaked with a fork. Don’t cook too long, otherwise the salmon will be dry.
Serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition information	Protein	Fat	Net carbs	Calories
In total:	37.6 g	41.0 g	2.0 g	527 kcal

Food, Recipes

Homemade low carb cranberry jam (with Paleo option)

November 2, 2014 jesspaigelchf 1 Comment

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year and one of my favorite berries is also in season during that time – cranberries!!

Here is a lovely seasonal jam option for all you keto and paleo lovers out there.

Ingredients:

300g cranberries, whole, fresh or frozen
1 cup of water
1 cup of sweetener (I use erythritol) (paleo option: 1/2 cup honey)
1Tbsp psyllium husk, ground

In the stove top, add the cranberries and water to a medium sized pot. When the cranberries soften, use a potato masher to crush the cranberries. Add the sweetener and mix. Add the psyllium husk and mix. Let simmer until thicker. Fill a 16oz mason jar.

Bon appétit my keto friends!

Serves 25-30. (1 Serving = 1Tbsp)

Nutritional information for 1 serving: 4 cals, 0g fat, 1.1g carbs with 0.6 fiber and 0.4g sugar. 0g protein. Net carbs: 0.5g

Food, Recipes

Low carb, Paleo, sugar-free Cranberry sauce

October 25, 2014 jesspaigelchf 2 Comments

If you’re like me, Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays (along with Christmas, of course). What’s not to love? A delicious turkey roasting in the oven with all the garnishes, spending quality time with my family, perfect autumn weather and let’s not forget all the pretty leaves changing colours. Unfortunately, many of the Thanksgiving traditional foods and desserts are loaded with processed sugars which, I guarantee, will knock you off track.

Here is a little somethin’, somethin’ I have been working on. Say goodbye to those sugar-filled, high glycemic index holiday treats and hellooooo to my sugar-free, low carb cranberry sauce! This cranberry sauce tastes like the sugar filled one except it won’t spike your blood sugar. Don’t let the holidays set you back. Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

Ingredients:

1 cup Cranberries, fresh & whole
1-2 Tbsp erythritol
Water

In a sauce pan, add the cranberries and keep it on low-medium heat. Add water (just enough to cover the cranberries). Mash the cranberries and add the erythritol. Constantly stir and let simmer till it thickens.

Enjoy and remember if you try my recipes, please post a picture either on my Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #jesspaigelchf.

Nutritional information for the whole batch: 44 cals, 0.12g fat, 11.59g total carbohydrates with 4.4g fiber & 3.84g sugar, 0.37g protein. Net carbs: 7.19g

Food, Recipes

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

October 5, 2014 jesspaigelchf Leave a comment

The leaves are turning gorgeous shades of orange, red and yellow and… the pumpkins are in season! I don’t know about all of you but fall is definitely my favorite season. What is there not to love? Cozy, sweater weather with delicious pumpkin treats and a hot mug of tea?

Ok, ok.. enough about why I love fall.

Here is the pumpkin cheesecake recipe you have been waiting for!

Ingredients:

2 cups of cream cheese
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (See how to make puree here)
1/2 cup erythritol, granulated
1 Tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, large
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice

In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, pumpkin puree, erythritol, vanilla and pumpkin spice. Mix each egg in one at a time. Pour batter into 4-6 small greased ramekins and bake for 35-45 minutes in a preheated oven at 350F.

Enjoy!

Food, Recipes

Pumpkin “Cheesecake” bars

September 21, 2014 jesspaigelchf 6 Comments

With autumn quickly approaching, it is time to be bombarded with pumpkin everything. This is the first of many pumpkin based recipes to come, so get ready!

Pumpkin 'Cheesecake' Square by Jesspaigelchf — Pumpkin ‘Cheesecake’ Square by Jesspaigelchf

Ingredients

Crust

2.5 cups of Almond flour
1-1.25 cups Erythritol (I use Swerve) (could also substitute for honey but measurements may vary)
1Tsp Baking powder
1 Egg, large
3/4 cup Pecans, chopped (optional)
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 cup of Ghee (dairy-free option) or butter
2Tsp Cinnamon, ground

Cheesecake layer

1 cup Almond Cream Cheese (Dairy-free option, I used this recipe) or Regular cream cheese
1/4 cup Erythritol
2 Tbsp Almond flour
2 Eggs, large
1Tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 Tsp Salt

Pumpkin Spice layer

2 cups homemade Pumpkin puree*
1/4 cup Erythritol
2 Eggs, large
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Nutmeg, ground (or to taste)
3 Tsp Cinnamon, ground (or to taste)
1 Tsp Cloves, ground (or to taste)
1 Tsp Ginger, ground (or to taste)
1 Tsp All spice, ground (or to taste)

In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, mix together all ingredients for the crust. It should have a crumbly texture. In a parchment paper lined 9in by 13in pan, pour half of the crust mixture. Press it down so it covers the bottom of the whole pan. Next, mix together all ingredients for the cheesecake layer using a hand mixer. Pour over crust layer. Mix together all ingredients for the pumpkin layer and pour over cheesecake layer (try not to mix the two). Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the pumpkin mixture. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes (times may vary depending on your oven). Once out of the oven, let cool for at least an hour. Serve cool and top with coconut whipped cream if you desire.

Remember that if you try one of my recipes, snap a picture and #jesspaigelchf @jesspaigelchf on Instagram for the chance to be featured!

Before baking - Pumpkin 'Cheesecake' Squares by Jesspaigelchf — Before baking – Pumpkin ‘Cheesecake’ Squares by Jesspaigelchf

jesspaigelchfpumpkin2 — Cooled Pumpkin ‘Cheesecake’ Squares by Jesspaigelchf

Bon appétit my friends!

Serves 30.

*How to make homemade pumpkin puree: Bake de-seeded slices of pumpkin for 35-60min (depending on size of your pumpkin) at 350F or until soft. Scoop out pumpkin flesh and blend.

Nutritional info (1 serving, without pecans): 173 cals, 16.3g fat, 3.2g carbs ( 0.7g fiber and 0.9g sugar), 4g protein –> Net Carbs per seving = 2.5g

What is KetoKrate

How it works

In the March crate

Verdict?

Want to order your own?

Hatching Chicks Breakfast

Ingredients

Directions

From Scotland to Montreal

Omnivore World Tour 2015 & Periscope

Ingredients

Pork Belly

Marinade

Directions

Spicy Salmon for One

Ingredients:

Directions:

Low carb made easy