We are all students at one point in our lives or another. From learning an instrument, understanding Ohm’s Law, deriving equations, or learning to flip pancakes, we all start at level one. In any skill or craft, it takes time to learn anything, and we should not be discouraged when we do not see progress on day one.

One of my favorite fictional characters, Neville Longbottom (J.K. Rowling), saw discouragement when casting the Patronus Charm. Though faced with failed attempts, he still tried. Afterward, Harry Potter encouraged him and the others, reminding them that even the greatest witches and wizards once stood where they are now—as students!

My apologies if I bring too many fictional characters into this post, for it is one of the things that gives me a boost of encouragement in anything that I do. Even when faced with repeated failure, embarrassment, or rejection, I tell myself to get up and try again. Then combining that with learning from those failures, it helps to sharpen my focus to do better the next time. Even if it takes me one step at a time, it allows me to get better each time. Then like in Pokemon, I progress to the next level, eventually.

As Tim Duncan would say, “Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better, and your better is your best”. Mastering a topic takes time, and the only person that we should compare ourselves to is who we were yesterday.

To everyone reading this, know that I’m rooting for you! Wishing you the very best as you work toward becoming the best version of yourself, in all that you do. 🙂

Credit goes to Leanne Vogel’s “The Keto Diet” 🙂

Thanks all for your patience! Goal of mine going into 2023 is to be more consistent with good habits that compound to a better version of myself. Loosely taken from “Atomic Habits” James Clear. 🙂

As life moves forward, at times I look at little things that cause anxiety or stress, but activities like cooking, cleaning, or playing the guitar, another interest of mine, let me prioritize my mental health and clear the mind. 🙂

May everyone have a great and safe holiday season!

Ingredients:

• Cake:
  • 1 cup – water
  • 1/4 cup – unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup – coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup – arrowroot starch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons – ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons – baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon – finely ground sea salt
  • 1 cup – coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup – granulated xylitol
  • 3/4 teaspoon – vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup -shredded carrots
• Frosting
  • 1 can (400 ml) – coconut cream
  • 3 tablespoons – monkfruit sweetener
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons – apply cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons – fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon – vanilla extract

Like the song title “Simple and Clean”, this one is a simplistic combination of ingredients: Sausage Links, asparagus, radishes, green onions, and seasoning (sea salt and garlic powder).

My apologies for not being so frequent with posts and all. With life being fast-paced, it is relatively easy to lose your sense of time. Life moves fast!

Through the pandemic and things happening throughout the world, my diet has still remained consistent and disciplined, mostly. Will admit, there have been a couple cheat days, but not many. 🙂

With life and world events happening outside of one’s control, it is easy to get frustrated, depressed, and impatient. However one thing learned, the hard way, is that we need to remain patient and positive.

Life is too short to get frustrated and angry in one’s life. Things can happen and negative emotions may come about, but just remember to let those negative emotions come and go.

Be the positive force of change that can make small good contributions to others and yourself everyday. Overtime, those small positive habits overtime will be monumental over the course of time! (Atomic Habits by James Clear)

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• Dairy Free Cheese
• 3 Eggs
• Onion
• 1/2 Spinach
• 2 Sliced Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Basil
• Black Pepper (to preference)
• Sea Salt (to preference)
• Keto Bread

Instructions

1. Melt coconut oil for ~30 seconds in microwave, if oil is hardened.
2. For sauce, mix melted coconut oil, 2 eggs, lemon juice, black pepper, sea salt together. Set aside for now.
3. Grill beef patty with black pepper and sea salt to preference with cheese, medium rare being best!
4. Use left over grease from patty to grill onion and spinach together.
5. Poach extra egg to preference
6. Assemble burger together to liking, with the mixed sauce being the last ingredient with basil before top keto bun.
7. Enjoy!

A different cooking technique, turned into one of my favorite meals I have ever made. Letting the salmon sear on the skin side till it turned golden brown, while also letting it sit there on the pan, made a big difference texture and taste-wise. Also added the salt towards the middle of the cooking period, allowed the moisture and flavor to still be present in the protein.

The lemon gave it a kick while also boosting the food experience through the different colors and food orientation. Ingredients being all keto friendly, except the paleo tortillas (still gluten free).

Ingredients

• Protein
  • Salmon w/ skin
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • Black pepper
  • Sea salt
  • Thyme
• Green Sides
  • Chopped
    • 1/4 purple cabbage head
    • Baby tomatoes
    • Kale
    • Baby carrots
    • Garlic Clover
    • Green Onion
  • Spinach
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Garlic powder

 

 

Need to do a better job at keeping the site updated with updates and all, but I will do better! … this is one that was created a while back with a mix of fresh cucumber, ground turkey cooked with chopped kale, seasoned with black pepper / sea salt / garlic powder, and topped with fresh kimchi. Stay safe friends and enjoy!

 

INGREDIENTS

SEASONING

• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg

CRUST

• 2 & 1/2 Cups Almond Flour or Almond Meal
• 4 Tablespoons Lakanto Classic Monkfruit Sweetener
• 5 Tablespoons Grass-Fed Butter
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Seasoning (above)

PIE FILLING

• 15 oz Canned Pure Pumpkin (Not Pumpkin Pie Filling)
• 3 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
• 2/3 Cup Lakanto Classic Monkfruit Sweetener
• 4 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2 & 1/2 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Seasoning (above)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

INSTRUCTIONS

SEASONING

1. In a Small Mixing Bowl combine the 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon, 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger, and 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg.

CRUST

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350*F.
2. In a Large Mixing Bowl combine the 2 & 1/2 Cups Almond Flour, 4 Tablespoons Lakanto Classic Monkfruit Sweetener, and 1 Teaspoon of the Pumpkin Pie Seasoning.
3. Melt 4 & 1/2 Tablespoons of Grass-fed Butter, and reserve the remaining 1/2 Tablespoon for greasing the pie plate. Add 1 Large Egg to the melted butter and whisk together. (Make sure that your butter is only just melted and not piping hot or else it will start to scramble your egg when you add it)
4. In a Food Processor (or mix by hand of you prefer) add the dry ingredients first, and then pour the egg and butter mixture on top. Pulse long enough to fully mix the crust together.
5. Grease a 9.5″ Pie Plate with 1/2 Tablespoon of the Grass-fed Butter to prevent the crust from sticking.
6. Spread the crust out evenly in the pan, making sure to build it up along the side walls of the pie plate to hold the pie properly.
7. Bake the crust in the oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until you feel that it is partially baked enough. You do NOT want to fully bake it in this step.
8. Set on counter to cool off a little bit while preparing the Pumpkin Pie filling.

PIE FILLING

1. In a Food Processor (or Large Mixing Bowl if mixing by hand) combine a 15oz can of Pure Pumpkin, 3 Large Eggs, 4 Tablespoons of Heavy Whipping Cream, 2/3 Cup Lakanto Classic Monkfruit Sweetener, 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, and 2 & 1/2 Teaspoons of the Pumpkin Pie Seasoning.
2. Pour the mixed Pie Filling into the Crust, and spread evenly with a spatula. Tap on the counter to release any air bubbles, and then bake in the oven at 350*F for about 45 minutes.
3. Remove when the center of the pie is no longer jiggly and place on the counter to cool off completely to room temperature.
4. After the pie has reached room temperature, place it in the refrigerator for at least a couple hours, or overnight if preferred. You will want the pie to cool off enough to fully set.

Link to reference and credit

 

 

• 

By using purple cabbage and Brussels Spouts, one can combine both ingredients together to make an ultra veggie feast. While also including bacon, mushrooms, purple onion, garlic, and your favorite seasoning (e.i. back pepper, sea salt, garlic powder / paprika)

Brussels Sprouts Bacon Meal Instructions

1. Dice ~8 to 9 Brussels Sprouts into small cube like pieces
2. Chop 3 to 4 mushrooms
3. At low heat, sear bacon till half cooked and include onion, garlic, and desired seasoning (black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder)
4. After ~2 minutes, include remainder of ingredients and cook until bacon is fully cooked to desire

Purple Cabbage Meal Instructions

1. Chop onions, garlic, and purple cabbage into thin pieces
2. Sear chopped sausages till cooked thoroughly with onions, garlic clove, and seasoning of choice (sea salt, black pepper, turmeric power, …)
3. Mix all ingredients together in pan for ~2 min.
4. Enjoy!