Pancakes for Dinner and it's Low Carb High Fat! Score!

Tonight was pancakes and sausage night for the family. Before doing low carb high fat, that was a carb-laden affair for me, too. But now, thanks to @NewHopeMills Low Carb Pancake and Waffle Mix, I don't have to feel left out. Their mix makes a delicious, fluffy pancake for only 4.4 net carbs per serving. And it has 20g of protein per serving, so it helps me hit my LCHF macros for the day while allowing me to enjoy my family's "breakfast for supper" tradition. And, I really like the fact that it doesn't contain any sugar alcohols!

Paired with a little bit of @MapleGroveFarms sugar free maple flavor syrup and a generous dollop of real butter, this really hit the spot. The pictures speak for themselves - looks like a pancake and tastes like a pancake. I added a bit of Tahitian Vanilla and a pinch of brown sugar/stevia blend to the mix to give it my personal touch. You could flavor it with anything you like ... cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon flavoring, or add some sugar free chocolate chips.

It's great to have products available that help you live the LCHF lifestyle without sacrificing favorite foods or family traditions. The maple syrup added less than a carb (1/4 cup has 1 carb, and I used only a little).

My theory is ... if you want something you love, make it low carb. Thank goodness for companies like @NewHopeMills and @MapleGroveFarms who make that so easy and delicious!

Lazy low carbing doesn't work and my recipe for easy almond cocoa chia seed pudding for breakfast or a LCHF snack

I've been in a bit of a LCHF slump lately. Since I found out my husband had cancer right after Christmas until now, I've been a lazy low carber and gained back about 20 lbs. of the 100 lbs. I had lost since Oct. 2016. So, time to get with it, quit being lazy and get diligent. I'm logging again in MyFitnessPal, prepping on Sundays, and sticking to my 20 net carbs per day that I know to be successful.

One thing I've learned ... anyone who says "Oh, a little of this won't matter" is full of crap. It does matter. You have to be diligent to stay in ketosis and if you're not in ketosis you're not losing. "A little of this and a little of that" = NO KETOSIS.

So, today I prep. Tomorrow I lose ... that's how it works. I love the LCHF way of eating and I'm not going to let stress, laziness, the path of least resistance or anything else come between me and my goal. I'm worth it, my health matters and I already know I can do it ... so let's get with it!

Here are the ingredients for almond cocoa chia seed pudding.

And by the way, my husband's cancer is gone since he had surgery in January and his prognosis is good and he doesn't have to take chemo!

I'm going to share recipes I've been working on today to get me through the week successfully. I have found that preparation is the key to my success.

(Recipe adapted from Eating Bird Food)

ALMOND COCOA CHIA SEED PUDDING
6 tbsp. chia seeds
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp liquid stevia

6 tbsp chia seeds

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or mason jar, stir (or shake) and put in the frig to set up overnight or for at least 2 hours. After it sits for about 30 minutes, go back and stir again to get rid of clumps.

This is a quick and easy breakfast or snack with only about 2 net carbs per serving and the recipe makes about two servings, although I make it stretch further than that by eating smaller servings.

I used a whisk to mix it all up.

Low Carb Seed and Nut Rosemary Garlic Crackers ... a great LCHF crunchy treat

I was craving a cracker, and my theory on low carb high fat living is ... if you want something bad enough, find a way to make it low carb. So, here is my project for a crispy cracker to use with some ham salad I'm making tomorrow.

The finished product. Crispy low carb crackers.

Place dough between two layers of parchment to flatten out.

First, gather up your ingredients and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix 1 cup blanched almond flower with 2 cups of shredded cheese of choice. I used sharp cheddar and 2 oz. of cream cheese. Put in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for one minute. Stir it all together and let it sit. Then, add one beaten egg and seasonings of choice (once it's cooled a little to prevent the egg from cooking). I used Badia Complete, Rosemary, Garlic and Sea Salt blend and a little Himalayan pink salt. Mix it into a ball and place between two pieces of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

I also mixed in a seed trilogy mix with chia, hemp and flax, along with about a quarter cup of roasted sunflower seeds and a touch of Bob's Red Mill hulled hemp hearts.

Place the dough between two layers of parchment and spread thin using your hands or a rolling pin. Cut into squares using a pizza cutter or knife. I baked at 450 for about 6 minutes on one side, then used the parchment to help flip it over and baked another 6 minutes on the other side. Crispy and flavorful, perfect for dipping with low carb ham salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, you name it. Or, just a good snack by themselves.
I missed crackers :) Now I don't have to. This recipe made about 10 servings of 10 small crackers. So good! Only about 3 net carbs per 10 crackers.

Just after baking. I had to taste test that bottom left corner.

Collard green wraps with lunchmeat ... the perfect way to make your wrap low carb and get your greens in!

I am so excited about these collard green wraps ... they are fantastic. I bought a fresh bunch of collards and blanched them, then used just one leaf as a wrap for sandwich fixings. SO GOOD. Finished product was delicious. I used some rotisserie chicken lunchmeat, two sliced Vlasic no sugar added sweet gherkins, a little mayo and mustard, and two baby portabella mushrooms, sliced. Wrapped it like a burrito and cut in half. All together, about 6 net carbs. It would have only been 4 if I had opted for deli or yellow mustard instead of the sweet and spicy honey, which had 2 carbs by itself.

To blanch your collard green leaves, just put each leaf in a pot of simmering water, take it out after about 15 seconds, then put in an ice water bath and dry off. You're done.

The finished product. I love the consistency of the collard green leaves. Holds together great!

Low Carb Beef Tips with Mushroom Gravy hit the spot and still only 6 net carbs!

I was craving a creamy beef tips with mushroom gravy recently, so I made it low carb high fat and it was delicious. I used sirloin tip steak, which I marinated overnight in soy sauce and seasonings. I cut it into small pieces and fried in olive oil, removed from pan, sauteed a little onion, minced garlic and a box of baby portobella mushrooms. Removed all that from the pan, used the drippings and mixed with a cup of beef broth and a quarter cup of heavy whipping cream and a little xanthan gum for thickening. Stirred 'til slightly thickened, then added everything back in the pan, covered and cooked for about another 15 minutes until it was tender and delicious. Served over a small helping of Hanover mashed cauliflower. Total 6 net carbs for the meal.

The finished product, served over Hanover mashed cauliflower.

These mushrooms made it so good.

The ingredients.

Sizzling beef tips.

I used xanthan gum for thickening. Zero carbs!