keto – Old Keto Chow

Can you still eat fried foods on keto?
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Can you still eat fried foods on keto?

Cooking Tips with Taffy, Keto Basics

Can you still eat fried foods on keto?

Fried foods are delicious and almost everyone loves them, but they have a reputation for being unhealthy. That reputation is based on the fear of fat and a history of fried foods being made as cheaply as possible in places like chain restaurants, street fairs, and carnivals. The great news from a keto perspective is that fat is our friend, so the only reason to fear fried foods is poor quality, overused oils, and cheap ingredients that are high in carbs and low in nutritional value.

Many cuisines contain fried foods that are wholesome, delicious, and a treasured part of the food culture, without negative associations or fear of fat. The simplest way to ensure the quality of the fried foods you eat is to fry your own. Frying at home means having complete control over the quality of the fried foods you consume and is well worth a little extra effort.

What is deep fat frying? Deep fat frying and pan frying are often discussed interchangeably but they are two different cooking techniques. Deep frying means to cook a food completely submerged in hot fat. When properly done, deep fat frying results in a crisp, crunchy exterior and a juicy, tender, flavorful interior. Pan frying or shallow frying refers to cooking a food in an inch or two of hot fat in a frypan. Pan frying works well for more delicate foods, like fish filets. Pan frying results in a lightly crisp product.

Deep frying takes a bit more finesse so here are some tips on becoming a fry master at home, so you can make delicious keto friendly fried goods to make any occasion special.

Equipment: If you fry often you may want to invest in a countertop deep fat fryer, but all you need to start frying is a deep, heavy pot such as a Dutch oven, a deep fry (or candy) thermometer, an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of meats, a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove cooked food and skim the oil, and a rack for draining and cooling fried foods.
Fat: Rendered animal fats like beef tallow, lard, goose fat, and duck fat work beautifully for frying. Refined coconut oil and avocado oil also work well. Mixing a more expensive fat like duck fat with a neutral fat like refined coconut oil can help stretch the more expensive fat. Choose fats and oils that are stable at high heat (a high smoke point) and have been naturally rendered or refined so they are free of solids that would burn while frying.
Three-pan breading system: Coating foods in three layers, starting with a dry layer, then an egg wash, then a thick coating. Traditionally, flour and breadcrumbs are used but Keto Chow Savory Chicken Soup can make a great layer, then seasoned egg wash, and then a coating of ground pork rinds, or coconut flour mixed with grated parmesan cheese works well for the crumb layer. Allowing the “breaded” food to dry on a rack in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes will help the coating adhere to the food and give the best results for frying.
Foods to fry: Chicken wings and skin-on chicken can be fried without any coating at all. Meats, seafood, cheeses, and vegetables can be coated in the three-pan process or in just a single layer of coating depending on the ingredients. Experiment to see what works best for you.

How to fry:

Dry foods thoroughly and shake off remove excess breading before frying. Water and food particles break down the oil and can cause hot grease to foam and spit.
Season the outside of foods after they are fried as salt and seasonings can break down cooking oil quickly.
Assemble all your equipment and the food you plan to fry. Heat the fat and bring it to temperature. Most foods are fried at 350℉ to 375℉. Frying at a low temperature can cause foods to become greasy and soggy. Frying at too high a temperature can cause the outside to burn before the inside is cooked through.
When the fat reaches the desired temperature, carefully lower the food into the hot oil with tongs, a slotted spoon, or a basket by bringing it to the surface and lowering it in gently. Don’t attempt to drop food into the oil from above which will cause the hot oil to splash.
Don’t overload the pan or fryer. Too much food in the oil at once will bring the temperature of the oil down. Keep an eye on the thermometer; if the temperature drops more than 25 degrees and stays low, you have added too much food to the fryer at once.
Use fresh fat for frying. Discard fat that is brown, has a strong smell, or has become viscous. It won’t fry properly and will destroy the quality of the food fried in it.

Follow these guidelines, experiment, and have fun and soon you’ll be frying delectable foods with ease.

A word about kitchen safety: There is no reason not to fry at home, but every home cook should have a first aid kit and a portable fire extinguisher appropriate for grease fires on hand in case of emergency. Regulating the temperature of hot fat, using stable fats, and following the recommended guidelines for frying are good ways to stay safe, but being prepared for the unexpected is part of being a smart cook. If you don’t have a fire extinguisher available, covering the pot of grease with a tight-fitting lid to cut off the oxygen to the fire is the next best choice. For small fires, baking soda poured directly on the flames can smother the fire. Never use water to put out a grease fire—it will only spread the fire. Don’t try to smother the fire with a towel or fabric as these can easily catch on fire and burn you too. When in doubt, get away from the fire and call for help from a safe place.

Keto-Friendly Fast Food: 9 Delicious Things You Can Eat
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Keto-Friendly Fast Food: 9 Delicious Things You Can Eat

Keto Basics

Keto-Friendly Fast Food: 9 Delicious Things You Can Eat

We love a good, homemade, completely-from-scratch meal as much as anyone…but let’s be honest. Sometimes that’s just not in the cards. With work, travel, and general modern life (hello, ever-growing work hours), sometimes a quick stop for takeout or fast food is all we can manage.

When a quick stop at a place like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or KFC is what you need, it might seem impossible to stay keto. Lucky for you, we’ve done the legwork in pulling together a list of 9 keto-friendly fast food options. Anytime you find yourself in a pinch, you can rest easy, knowing you’ve got some meal solutions even when you’re out and about.

McDonald’s—Eating at McDonald’s while doing keto may seem like two things that don’t go together at all, but there are some surprising keto-friendly options available at this chain. Consider one of their McMuffins (egg or sausage), and just toss the bun. Tada! You can even go with a Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, McDouble, or Grilled Chicken Sandwich and do the same thing: just say bye to the bun and devour the rest of it!
Wendy’s—You’ve got quite a few options at this fast food chain. To start with, a Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad or a Cobb Salad are both good choices. You can also go the “sandwich without the bun” route. The Double Stack, Baconator, or the Chicken BLT are pretty safe choices.
KFC—The traditional fried chicken at this chain is on the higher carb side and is not very keto-friendly. However, their “Kentucky Grilled” options are going to be your best friends to keep you in ketosis whenever this is your stop on a busy evening. You can also go with a Caesar Salad or a House Salad. (Without the croutons—you know the drill.)
Popeyes—Next time you stop by one of their locations, try their Blackened Chicken Tenders. They’re a great option for all our fellow keto-ers, as they don’t have high-carb breading. Instead, they just have some simple spices and seasonings, making it an easy choice. (Hallelujah!) Don’t forget that the Bacon Green Beans are another offering here that can keep you in ketosis.
Chick-Fil-A—You’ll be in a similar boat here as you are at KFC and Popeyes. The traditional chicken options available here use a batter that is on the higher carb side. We recommend their Grilled Chicken Salad and Grilled Chicken Nuggets to keep you in ketosis when Chick-Fil-A is on the menu!
Burger King—A Cheeseburger or a Whopper are some good options here. A Grilled Chicken Sandwich is also low-carb. Just remember: no bun, as always, and you’re golden!
In-N-Out—If you’re lucky to have one of these restaurants near you, just ask for any burger “protein style.” Your burger will come without a bun and will be wrapped in lettuce instead. This makes it a really easy, failsafe option if you’re lucky enough to have one near you!
Subway—Ah, the home of enormous, carby sandwiches. But fear not, you can take any sandwich that you love and turn it into a salad, and voila! A low-carb keto meal as easy as 1-2-3, even from a place that not many people would associate with keto options.
Taco Bell—easy options here, as you can build your own selection. (We love restaurants that make it easy.) Just order lettuce, beef, chicken, guacamole, and sour cream and then enjoy the keto goodness!

We hope these selections from some of the top fast food chains make it easier to stay in ketosis when you’re out and about and need a grab-and-go meal from the nearest restaurant. But what about if you’re at a restaurant that’s not on the list? Here are a few general hacks for when you’re eating out and need a bit of help staying keto.

Salads can be a generally safe option. (And leafy greens are always great to add to your diet, anyway, so win-win.) Watch out for surprisingly carby dressings, though!
Sandwiches and burgers can often be made keto friendly by just not eating the bread! (Easy enough, right?) As always, you’ll still want to pay attention to what other ingredients are in the sandwich that may contain sneaky carbs.
Along those lines, remember to stay on the lookout for hidden sugars and carbohydrates when you’re eating out! Sauces, condiments, nuts, and fruit can all have carbs that add up quickly. If you decide to utilize a tracking app like Cronometer, it can be helpful to enter the food ahead of time to get an idea of what your macros will end up looking like.

By Chris|2021-06-16T13:41:18-06:00June 17th, 2021|Categories: Keto Basics|Tags: keto, fast food, keto hacks|0 Comments

Ginger Peach Cheesecake
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Ginger Peach Cheesecake

Recipes, Keto Chow Recipes

Ginger Peach Cheesecake

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Ginger Peach Cheesecake

Ginger gives peach a sophisticated edge in this beautiful cheesecake. It looks and tastes elaborate but comes together easily; just plan to make it at least a day before you want to serve it because it needs to chill overnight. Baking the cheesecake in a water bath ensures it bakes evenly and helps keep the top from cracking.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 10

Chill Time8 5

Total Time9 45

Course: Desserts

Keyword: Chef Taffiny Elrod, Peaches & Cream

Keto Chow Flavor: Peaches & Cream

Recipe Creator: Chef Taffiny Elrod

Servings: slices

Calories: 283.4kcal

Author: Taffiny Elrod

Equipment

8-inch springform pan, parchment paper

Ingredients

CRUST

1 cup almond flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sweetener
1/4 cup unsalted buttter melted
1 egg white
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

FILLING:

1 pound (2 8-ounce packages) full fat cream cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup granulated erythritol
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 serving Peaches & Cream Keto Chow

TOPPING:

1 inch piece fresh ginger root
3 tbsp sugar-free peach or apricot jam

Instructions

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350℉ and wrap the outside of the springform pan, tightly in aluminum foil. If you want to be able to easily remove the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan as well, carefully line the bottom with parchment paper before making the crust.
Mix the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt, then stir in the sweetener.
Stir in the butter, egg white, and extracts. Mix until it holds together when pressed between your fingers.
Press the crust into the bottom of the pan as evenly as possible.
Bake until it is beginning to brown slightly and is firm to the touch–about 20 minutes.
Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
Lower the oven temperature to 325℉.
Place the cream cheese in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until the cream cheese is soft and has begun to increase in volume. The goal is to get the cream cheese as light and creamy as possible with no lumps.
Increase the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then mix in the erythritol.
Add the heavy cream and Keto Chow and mix just until they are fully incorporated. Don’t overmix at this stage.
Spread the filling over the prepared crust; make sure it is smooth and even.
Place the cheesecake in a shallow pan or baking dish with room to hold an inch of water.
Place the pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven, and carefully pour boiling water into the larger pan, until it reaches about 1 inch of the way up the springform pan.
Bake until the cheesecake is just starting to turn golden around the edges and set in the center–about 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and take the pan out of the water bath. Transfer to a rack and let the cheesecake cool completely.
To make the topping, grate the ginger root and squeeze the pulp to get one teaspoon of ginger juice. Warm the jam slightly and stir in the ginger juice.
Spread the ginger-peach mixture over the cheesecake, smoothing it out to the edges.
Cover the cheesecake and move to the refrigerator to chill overnight.
To serve, remove the springform from the base and transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. For best texture, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.
Store cheesecake tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you used parchment paper on the bottom, run a flexible metal spatula under the paper to loosen from the bottom when the cheesecake has been chilled, then peel the paper away from the crust.

Nutrition Facts

Ginger Peach Cheesecake

Serving Size

1 serving

Amount per Serving

Calories

283.4

% Daily Value*

Fat

26.1

Saturated Fat

12.9

Trans Fat

0.7

Polyunsaturated Fat

2.11

Monounsaturated Fat

8.7

Cholesterol

91.6

Sodium

258.4

Potassium

279.03

Carbohydrates

Fiber

2.2

Sugar

2.3

Sugar Alcohol

8.76

Net Carbs

4.37

Protein

8.2

Vitamin A

811.5

Vitamin C

10.08

Calcium

13.68

Iron

0.74

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Photos by Sarah DeYoung

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By Taffiny Elrod|2021-02-22T12:50:27-07:00February 9th, 2021|Categories: Recipes, Keto Chow Recipes|Tags: keto peach, keto cheesecake, ginger peach cheesecake, keto, Chef Taffy Elrod|4 Comments

Circle Keto Chow Flavor Labels
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Circle Keto Chow Flavor Labels

Uncategorized

Circle Keto Chow Flavor Labels

Miriam has been putting our Keto Chow into some storage containers – others likely work just fine, these are the ones that fit how tall inside our cupboards are (and they fit 1.5 bags of Keto Chow).

We wanted to create some new labels that not only include the new flavors, but also include the weight for serving size for each flavor if you like to measure out your Keto Chow instead of scoop (it’s more accurate).

Stick these new labels on any type of container you prefer to store your Keto Chow in. Shown are some gallon containers found here, and an entire Bulk Meal Bag fits inside.

Printing options include using full page sticker sheets and cut around circles; printing on paper and taping over them; or we designed them to be printed on these AVERY Round Labels. Bonus, these labels are water resistant too.

DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION

DOWNLOAD JPG VERSION

WARNING: Most printers adjust “to fit” page in your printer dialog/setup, but you will need to override that and make sure you are printing at 100% scale or the labels will not print correctly on the avery labels.

By Lori Allred|2021-01-25T16:34:40-07:00December 8th, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: keto, keto chow labels, avery labels, round labels|0 Comments

Is Keto Dairy Free?
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Is Keto Dairy Free?

Keto Basics

Is Keto Dairy Free?

This entry is part 3 of 9 in the series Keto Basics

Look at pictures of food on keto social media and no one could blame you for thinking that dairy is required when you’re eating this way. Bowls are filled with cheese covered in rivers of melted cheese, with cheese sprinkled on top for good measure. People put butter in their coffee, and keto dessert cookbooks would be pretty empty if you took out all the recipes calling for cream cheese and heavy cream. But what if you’re allergic or sensitive to dairy, or you just plain don’t like the stuff? Is it possible to do dairy-free keto?

What Makes Keto Ketogenic?

Can you do dairy-free keto Yes! Ketogenic diets have more to do with what you don’t eat than what you do eat. Diets are ketogenic not based on what they include, but rather, on what they exclude. Don’t eat sugar or starch. Beyond that, what you choose to consume is up to you. The single most important thing about keto is keeping your carb intake low. Period. There are no specific foods that you need to include to make your diet “more keto” or to make it work better.

Based again on those alluring food pics, it would be easy to think that you have to eat bacon, or ribeye steak, coconut oil, almond flour cookies, or cauliflower rice to belong to the keto club. But that’s not how it works. The beauty of keto is that it’s entirely customizable. Keep your carbs very low, and get your protein and fat from whichever foods you like. Dairy certainly fits in well, but it’s not required.

Keto Without Dairy

Since keto is defined more by what’s not in your diet than by what is, you can definitely do keto without dairy—and many people do. Dairy has two main roles on ketogenic diets: first, it’s delicious, and second, it’s a great source of fat. But there’s a world of other foods that fulfill both those criteria, depending on your personal taste preferences. Guacamole, anyone? If you’re an avocado fan, you’ll have no problem getting plenty of good fats in your keto diet. Coconut more your thing? Coconut milk, coconut oil, and coconut butter provide flavor along with a big dose of healthy fat. And of course, there’s lard, tallow, schmaltz, and other traditional animal fats.

Dairy is also a protein source—one that plays a big role in lacto- or lacto-ovo-vegetarian keto diets. Meat eaters don’t have to worry about getting enough protein on keto, but those who avoid animal products except eggs and dairy might need to be a bit more careful. Cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and whey protein shakes are all low-carb sources of protein. (Yes, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. These might not work if you need to stay ultra-strict keto for medical reasons, but everyone’s carb threshold differs. Some people can have more carbs than others and still stay in a ketogenic state.)

But what if dairy is off-limits? If you need to avoid dairy but you’re not a vegetarian, the rest of the protein world is still open to you: beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, seafood, venison, duck … there’s no shortage of protein options. If you choose to avoid these animal foods, however, getting adequate protein will be a bit tougher. If eggs are on your menu, eat them liberally. They’re phenomenal sources of protein, fat, and micronutrients.

If you’re a dairy-free vegetarian, then beyond eggs, you can use vegetarian protein sources, like pea, hemp, or rice proteins. (Always read labels and look at the carb counts. Most protein powders are low in carbs, but never assume.) If your diet can be slightly more liberal with regard to carbs, you may be able to incorporate tofu, lentils, and other lower-carb beans and pulses as protein sources. Not everyone needs to be in ketosis all the time to reap the benefits of lower-carb eating.

After all this talk about doing keto without dairy, it’s worth pointing out that some people with lactose intolerance do well-eating dairy foods that are very low in lactose, like butter, ghee, or long-aged cheeses, all of which are perfect for keto. The longer a dairy product has been aged or fermented, the more lactose the culturing bacteria consume, and the less remaining in the final product. So if you have lactose intolerance but love dairy, stick to dairy foods that are almost all fat (butter, ghee, heavy cream), and those that have been aged for a long period of time.

Does Dairy Affect Insulin?

Whether to include dairy in your diet is a personal decision. It may be true that, technically, milk is the only food specifically intended to help small mammals grow larger, and that this could potentially be a problem if you’re specifically looking to lose weight. It’s also true that dairy stimulates insulin and a similar hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)^1,2,³, but neither of these means that including dairy foods in a ketogenic or low-carb diet is harmful.

A small effect on these hormones in the context of a very low-carb diet is likely different from the effect that results when dairy is included in the diet of someone with chronically high blood sugar or insulin. It must be noted that most research connecting dairy consumption to chronic cardio-metabolic disease is epidemiological in nature (meaning it can’t establish cause-and-effect), and has been conducted in populations consuming mixed—i.e. high-carb—diets. Very little research has been done investigating dairy specifically in the context of ketogenic diets.

Some people notice that dairy foods (particularly cow dairy) cause or exacerbate acne. Research looking at the evidence for the acne-promoting effects of milk and other dairy products known to stimulate insulin concluded that “restriction of milk consumption or generation of less insulinotropic milk will have an enormous impact on the prevention of epidemic western diseases like obesity, diabetes mellitus, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and acne.”⁴

The key here is to limit the consumption of fluid milk and other dairy foods that stimulate insulin more than items that are very low in carbs, like butter and cream. The work of nutrition research pioneer Weston A. Price tells us that many populations whose diets included liberal amounts of dairy foods were healthy, robust, long-lived, and free of the chronic diseases that plague us now. So it’s not dairy, per se, that’s driving these modern illnesses. It’s more likely dairy in the context of a diet that already over-stimulates insulin.⁵ Including cheese, butter, ghee, cream, sour cream or cream cheese in a very low-carb diet is likely fine—the evidence being many thousands of people who are doing exactly this, and whose health has improved dramatically just by cutting carbs.

A 2019 review presented evidence that consuming full-fat and fermented dairy is not associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.⁶ Earlier research noted, “Data from RCTs [randomized controlled trials] suggest that dairy consumption has no impact on insulin resistance and glucose and insulin homeostasis in the short term, but may be beneficial in the long term.”⁷ (Emphasis added.) So if you’ve been including dairy regularly on your keto diet and you’re happy with your health, body size, and skin appearance, keep calm and dairy on.

Bottom Line

Do what works for you. Dairy can be a delicious and convenient part of ketogenic diets, but it’s not required. Your results won’t be compromised if you skip the butter and cheese and get your fat from meats and seafood, olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, and other sources. If you’re doing dairy-free keto and could use some recipe inspiration, the book Dairy-Free Keto Cooking can help breathe new life into your kitchen routine.

References:

Melnik BC, Schmitz G. Role of insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, hyperglycaemic food and milk consumption in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. Exp Dermatol. 2009;18(10):833-841. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0625.2009.00924.x.
Melnik BC, John SM, Schmitz G. Over-stimulation of insulin/IGF-1 signaling by western diet may promote diseases of civilization: lessons learnt from laron syndrome. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011;8:41. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-8-41
Clatici VG, Voicu C, Voaides C, Roseanu A, Icriverzi M, Jurcoane S. Diseases of Civilization – Cancer, Diabetes, Obesity and Acne – the Implication of Milk, IGF-1 and mTORC1. Maedica (Buchar). 2018;13(4):273-281. doi:10.26574/maedica.2018.13.4.273.
Melnik BC. Evidence for acne-promoting effects of milk and other insulinotropic dairy products. Nestle Nutr Workshop Ser Pediatr Program. 2011;67:131-145. doi:10.1159/000325580.
Cordain L, Eades MR, Eades MD. Hyperinsulinemic diseases of civilization: more than just Syndrome X. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2003;136(1):95-112. doi:10.1016/s1095-6433(03)00011-4.
Astrup A, Geiker NRW, Magkos F. Effects of Full-Fat and Fermented Dairy Products on Cardiometabolic Disease: Food Is More Than the Sum of Its Parts. Adv Nutr. 2019;10(5):924S-930S. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz069.
Drouin-Chartier JP, Côté JA, Labonté MÈ, et al. Comprehensive Review of the Impact of Dairy Foods and Dairy Fat on Cardiometabolic Risk. Adv Nutr. 2016;7(6):1041-1051. doi:10.3945/an.115.011619.

By Amy Berger|2020-09-01T09:35:40-06:00August 26th, 2020|Categories: Keto Basics|Tags: cheese, insulin, keto, keto basics, dairy, milk|0 Comments

New Video: What is “Keto”?
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New Video: What is “Keto”?

Ketogenic Diet

New Video: What is “Keto”?

This entry is part [part not set] of 2 in the series Keto Chow Information Videos

What is “Keto” or a Ketogenic Diet, how do you do it? Miriam and Chris from Keto Chow sit down to talk about how to do a well-formulated ketogenic diet and set yourself up for success.

We have several other videos you should check out:

Here are Chris’ suggestions for calculating your macros:

Carbs are an upper limit, meaning do not go higher than that. You want to be as far below them as possible, approaching zero if you can.

You want to hit your protein goal. If you go over it, that’s not a big deal. There’s a thing in your body that can turn protein into glucose but it’s DEMAND driven, not supply-driven, and so long as you’re keeping your carbohydrates low, your insulin will be low as well and too much protein isn’t something to be concerned about. Too little protein is a problem. A lot of people argue about this but Dr. Benjamin Bikman settled the debate back in 2018:

Fat is more variable. If your insulin is low then your body will be able to supply fat using your body’s reserves (yay!). If you are just starting keto then your insulin is likely high enough that the fat is locked away and you will not be able to access it readily. Here’s the rub: you’re not eating carbs so you don’t have glucose; but you also can’t access stored fat so unless there’s sufficient fat on your plate, your cells will not have any sources of energy and you’re going to get hungry. Probably REALLY hungry and think this keto thing is a pack of lies. The solution is to make sure you are getting sufficient fat until your body figures out what it’s doing and can pull from storage. Especially when you’re starting up the amount of fat you’re eating. Throw some extra butter on your steak, add some more heavy cream to your diet root beer, etc… After you’ve adjusted, then you can start running a caloric deficit but you’re probably not even going to need to deliberately do it since your body should clue-in and tell you “nah, I’m full – save that for later”

Finally: this cannot be emphasized enough: get salt. Like: a lot of salt. Not to be melodramatic but everything you’ve been told about limiting salt consumption is dead wrong and has no application to a ketogenic diet with low insulin levels. Salt your food. Salt your drinks. Eat some pickles. Drink some pickle juice. Make some chicken broth. Add more salt to your food. Failure to get enough salt will result in you feeling like crap and getting “Keto Flu” – I can speak from experience.

By Chris|2019-09-03T09:52:05-06:00September 3rd, 2019|Categories: Ketogenic Diet|Tags: keto, keto basics, ketogenic diet, macros, video, Keto Chow|0 Comments

Beverly’s Day 100 and Following
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Beverly’s Day 100 and Following

100 days of keto, 100 Days of Keto Chow

Beverly’s Day 100 and Following

This entry is part 16 of 16 in the series 100 Days of Keto Chow - Beverly's Experience

My anticipated weekend foods all changed that very first day of eating solid foods (but not like Chris who started with a keto cookie!). My first solid food item was a string cheese stick Friday afternoon at work. Friday evening, I had a grilled chicken breast with bacon and cheese. A few hours later, I noticed that my jaw was SORE and it took me a few seconds to realize why – it was from chewing for the first time in months! For lunch on Saturday, I had bacon and scrambled eggs; for dinner, I had a bunless bacon cheeseburger. My jaw was sore again this day. For lunch on Sunday, I had a chorizo and cheddar omelet. There was so much yumminess in one weekend but the omelet was utterly the best!

In total, I lost 16.2 pounds in these 100 days. For someone who has been obese her entire life before keto, this is absolutely nuts. Who would have ever imagined? Seriously, not me or anyone who has ever known me.

Many assume that I did this challenge in order to lose more weight. But that is not why I did it. I did get momentarily caught up in that thought along the way, but my reasons for doing this challenge did not primarily revolve around weight loss. So why did I do it? I had to review some notes I made for myself in the beginning.

to let Chris know he was not doing his project alone
to represent a product that has been the essential tool that changed my keto game forever
to support a company I trust and believe in
to accomplish the presented challenge
to see my own personal blood test results showing reactions to the different fat sources in a controlled setting
to dial my calories back in because I had gained a few pounds with lazy keto
to be a low carb rock in my diabetic husband’s world
to remain actively immersed in the keto lifestyle
to offer encouragement to others who might want to try something similar

This week, I am continuing with my choice as a preference of butter for my dietary fat. In a pinch on Sunday and without thinking, I quickly made up one batch of shakes with heavy cream the way I used to make them so I would have shakes available the next day. When I drank a shake Monday afternoon, I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. I had to think about what was different about this shake than the shakes I had drank the previous day. Heavy cream! With no other way to describe it, the “mouth feel” is better with butter for me. Butter is smooth and rich but without the extra filminess that I get from heavy cream. Before this experiment, my choice was heavy cream so it is surprising that I reacted this way. But it confirms for me that I do like butter the best! That evening, I mixed up six days’ worth of shakes made with butter to get me through the rest of the week. The latest blood test lab results arrived a couple of hours ago so I will be looking at those closely as well to decide scientifically if butter is an acceptable option.

Looking back at my first post, I am a little less than thrilled with the fact that I exposed my saggy elbows on Day 1 but – since I did – I have to do it again for Day 101. sigh I always wear a garment of some type that covers my elbows. On these days pictured, I removed my sweater for the camera. These elbows will never be seen in public again after this! :) However, I must say that I am not upset about having some loose skin. It is a symbol of what I have accomplished and shows me how far I have come. I think no one should avoid weight loss with the excuse that they are afraid they will have loose skin.

100 Days Keto Chow Challenge
L: 01-02-19 (weight 135.6) R: 04-12-19 (weight 119.4)

These graphs make me curious about how they fit in with the rest of my keto journey which began in May 2016. On keto since then, I have lost over 120 pounds. My highest weight was 261 (previous to when I started keto) so, in total, I have lost over 140 pounds. In a couple of weeks, I will write a post about my keto journey and will include a timeline that outlines what has worked for me along my way.

My current but changeable non-strict plan (read here: flexible) is to drink Keto Chow throughout the week (shakes each made usually with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter) while permitting keto snacks such as string cheese, boiled eggs, and pork rinds. I will enjoy a variety of keto meals on weekends as desired. Lazy keto is my absolute food dream come true. I hate tracking. I just need to be more careful about portion sizes now than I have had to be in the past. To be honest, keeping portions small has been incredibly difficult for me this week but I am hoping to find it to be easier soon after I have fed my cravings. If not, then I will need to take an honest look at the situation and make some tough decisions about my plan.

Next week, my incredible husband is taking me on vacation to a BEACH! It has been about 15-16 months since we last took an entire week off from our jobs so this is exciting. As ever, we are planning to take our Keto Chow supplies with us so we can make shakes for two meals each day. I do not want to focus on food or restaurants. My husband disagrees with me slightly as he is looking forward to lots of shrimp and fish! (yuck) While a bit of sunshine and warmth is quite welcome and anticipated, what I really want is a break from everyday life and some time alone with the great man I married. :)

By Beverly Jones|2019-04-17T15:02:41-06:00April 17th, 2019|Categories: 100 days of keto, 100 Days of Keto Chow|Tags: keto, weight, easy meals, 100 days, experience, Weight loss, Keto Chow, science, User Experiences|6 Comments

Beverly’s Week 14 (Week 8 of Science) Day 99 !!!
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Beverly’s Week 14 (Week 8 of Science) Day 99 !!!

100 Days of Keto Chow, 100 days of keto

Beverly’s Week 14 (Week 8 of Science) Day 99 !!!

This entry is part 15 of 16 in the series 100 Days of Keto Chow - Beverly's Experience

The final week is here!!! Today is Day 99! Tomorrow evening, I will be enjoying my first solid meal since January 1. Woo hoo! :) I will be making scrambled eggs and bacon. On Saturday, I plan to have chicken wings. On Sunday, I plan to have a cheese omelet. After this weekend – meat, meat, and more meat. Meat is what I want. I was surprised to hear Chris say in his Day 99 video that he is planning to eat only Keto Chow and meat. That is exactly what I am planning to do! I copied him for this 100 day challenge, but I promise you that I am not copying him now. I just want meat! Is there a meaning behind the fact that he and I are both craving meat? Hmm, I will let you decide that. I have an interest in the zero carb (carnivore) lifestyle so I am moving in that direction but beginning loosely by incorporating my own guidelines/allowances as I do with IF (Intermittent Fasting or Time Restricting Eating) by allowing heavy cream in my coffee and mugs of warm bouillon throughout the day.

Here is my last official batch of shakes made with butter as the fat source. I let them rest for a minute to release some warmth before adding the lids. In truth though, the water I used was barely warm.

These buttery shakes are delicious! I am a sweets fiend so I made (left to right) Cookies and Cream, Snickerdoodle, and Salted Caramel this time around. Although I said this is the last official batch of shakes made with butter, I do plan to continue using butter as my preferred fat source in my shakes unless there is a reason to stop based upon the blood lab test results.

Along with eating meat, I am also looking forward to returning to lazy keto. No more continuous tracking of consumption. No more daily morning weigh-ins. No more daily afternoon ketone tests. No more Friday morning trips to LabCorp. (The next set of results are due in this afternoon so those should be posted on Chris’ spreadsheet very soon.) And probably no more consuming the majority of calories between 4:00 and 8:00 pm. (still debating this as it helps to avoid snacks but my blood sugar gets a little too low in the afternoon). I will continue drinking Keto Chow shakes every day. I will continue attending yoga classes. I intend to continue prohibiting snacks but know I am weak in this area.

This weekend, I will be re-stocking our refrigerator and freezer because I essentially emptied both completely before this challenge began, much to my supportive husband’s dismay. Along with happy anticipation of having groceries in the house again, my fantastic husband is really looking forward to us eating out together again. We both completely enjoy across-the-table time with each other, and we both totally miss it. Although we have gone out a few times during this 100 days, it was certainly not as often as it was before. We can and will have regular date nights again!

This past Monday, I had a quick visit at my doctor’s office for a prescription follow-up. When the doctor entered the room, he said, “Have you lost more weight?” My response was that I didn’t think so, maybe a couple of pounds. The nurse piped up and said, “Yes, she’s lost 13 pounds since her last visit in December.” Well, cool! I was not thinking about the 100 day challenge and recent weight loss nor was I considering when I had last been in their office. They were exactly right though. I have lost 13 pounds since December! That number matches mine exactly.

Interestingly, my weight seems to have settled at 122 without any intent or effort. I first reached that weight on February 22 which was Day 52 of the challenge. Now 47 days later on Day 99, I still weigh 122. Based on this fact (nearly 7 weeks at the same weight), I might venture to say that 1200 calories is maintenance for me. Or perhaps this is a “stall” and I would lose even more if I continued this journey for longer. As I transition back to lazy keto and eating animal products again, I will see what happens.

AVERAGE DAILY KETONE LEVEL
First six weeks of challenge with heavy cream: 2.0
Week 1 of science with heavy cream: 2.53
Week 2 of science with heavy cream: 2.66
Week 1 of science with avocado oil: 2.5
Week 2 of science with avocado oil: 2.83
Week 1 of science with avocado oil & MCT oil: 3.23
Week 2 of science with avocado oil & MCT oil: 3.11
Week 1 of science with butter: 2.53
Week 2 of science with butter: 2.11

Next week, I will submit one more post with a few comparison photos and some final thoughts to wrap up my time visiting here on the Keto Chow blog. See you then!

By Beverly Jones|2019-04-17T07:53:22-06:00April 10th, 2019|Categories: 100 Days of Keto Chow, 100 days of keto|Tags: keto, weight, easy meals, 100 days, experience, Weight loss, Keto Chow, science, User Experiences|1 Comment

Beverly’s Week 13 (Week 7 of Science)
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Beverly’s Week 13 (Week 7 of Science)

100 Days of Keto Chow

Beverly’s Week 13 (Week 7 of Science)

This entry is part 14 of 16 in the series 100 Days of Keto Chow - Beverly's Experience

What a week it has been! The beginning of the “butter phase” began Thursday evening when I prepared enough shakes to get me through the weekend because my fantastic husband was taking me away for a couple of days. Because Chris had generously shared a new flavor with me, I had more variety than I was expecting to have available this week.

I made three shakes of each of the following flavors (pictured left to right): Chocolate, Creamy Tomato Basil, and Savory Chicken Soup. All the shakes turned out beautifully! I was SO looking forward to tasting each of them – I honestly was ready for the two oil phases to end.

Mixing my shakes with butter as the fat source was a breeze. It was no different than mixing shakes with heavy cream or with oil(s) for me because I already mixed all of my batches of shakes in a blender. For people who typically use a Blender Bottle for mixing, there may a bit of an adjustment phase with mixing if they decide to try butter.

My first shake on Friday was the new flavor! You can almost see how appealing it looks in the photos I took. I could not decide which picture to add, so I am adding both! I have to say it is very exciting to have another savory option on the menu. (I can’t wait to try the Spicy Taco flavor that is also being developed.) My second shake of the day was Chocolate, and I was swooning over it! Creamy deliciousness has been returned to me! Did I warm it up the way I thought I would need to do for a shake made with butter? No way! That Chocolate shake looked all the same as a made-with-heavy-cream shake to me so I went for it with my straw. Ah-maze-ing!

While I can’t find the original post now (I was going to give them credit), I know someone commented on the Facebook support group on Friday that mixing the Salted Caramel flavor shake with butter as the fat source was a good combination. Well, duh! Butter is a primary ingredient of caramel. I did not have any Salted Caramel in stock, so I quickly placed an order for Salted Caramel along with Snickerdoodle because – again, duh! – butter is a primary ingredient of Snickerdoodle cookies – and Cookies and Cream because – well, because it is my favorite flavor.

Chris has reported that his Chocolate shakes made with butter separate a bit after blending. For the record, this has not been my experience. This Chocolate shake (shown on the left, taken during my lunch break today) is from a batch I made Sunday evening – and today is Wednesday. Zero separation.

Last week after I had a mini-meltdown about the scales no longer moving with a downward trend, a new friend kindly brought my focus back to my original goals. Why did I even do the challenge? Was it to lose weight? No. I said that I did not have a goal weight and that I did not know if I would even lose any weight on this journey. When I unexpectedly started seeing real weight loss by Week 7, I got caught up in that. Can I weigh less than 130? Can I wear a smaller size of jeans? Can I get below 120?? Can I weigh less than a certain sister/friend? I think that a focus-shift like this is a natural thing to have happen to anyone, especially in our culture. This new online friend was so thoughtful and gentle in her approach to me, that I was receptive to it in a way that I might not have been with someone else. So I appreciate her.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention something else important that I experimented with on this butter phase – salted butter vs unsalted butter! After that first weekend of using salted butter with all three shake flavors, I decided to give unsalted butter a try with my sweet flavors. My vote for mixing with the sweet flavors is for unsalted butter but both are good! You might try out different options yourself. But definitely go with salted butter for the savory flavors!

In previous weeks, I pointed out that my ketone numbers went up when I was consuming MCT oil. Well, guess what? Those numbers came right back down when I stopped consuming MCT oil. Check this out:

AVERAGE DAILY KETONE LEVEL
First six weeks of challenge with heavy cream: 2.0
Week 1 of science with heavy cream: 2.53
Week 2 of science with heavy cream: 2.66
Week 1 of science with avocado oil: 2.5
Week 2 of science with avocado oil: 2.83
Week 1 of science with avocado oil & MCT oil: 3.23
Week 2 of science with avocado oil & MCT oil: 3.11
Week 1 of science with butter: 2.53
Week 2 of science with butter: ?

So my husband had given me a weekend away, and I rewarded him with… wait for it… crankiness. This is sadly true. I was mentally and emotionally out of my mind for several days (most of last week and over the weekend). While I am feeling better this week, I am still evaluating my feelings, behaviors, and the reasons (hoping I can think of some justification). One fact is that this journey has been challenging in ways I did not anticipate. The first time I took this “only Keto Chow” road, I did not have a scheduled end date – I was doing it indefinitely. So I never before had an “APRIL 12! APRIL 12! APRIL 12!” chant playing in my head like I do this time. I do not like the sound of that chant, so last time around was easier in that regard.

My sweet husband said to me excitedly last night, “One week plus one day!” Yay, he is so right! In a sense, it is hard to believe the time is nearly here. But it is. And it is exciting! I think the least I can do is let my husband choose the restaurant and/or the meal… that first weekend… and every day… for the rest of our lives. I just might owe him that!

By Beverly Jones|2019-04-08T16:50:29-06:00April 3rd, 2019|Categories: 100 Days of Keto Chow|Tags: weight, easy meals, 100 days, experience, Weight loss, Keto Chow, science, User Experiences, 100daysofketo, keto|4 Comments

Beverly’s Week 12 (Week 6 of Science)
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Beverly’s Week 12 (Week 6 of Science)

100 days of keto, 100 Days of Keto Chow

Beverly’s Week 12 (Week 6 of Science)

This entry is part 13 of 16 in the series 100 Days of Keto Chow - Beverly's Experience

Since I am currently eating my first meal of each day at 4:00 p.m., I am not calling my first meal “breakfast” and my second meal “lunch”. My fantastic husband and I ask each other things like, “which shake is that?” or “how many shakes do you have left?” to communicate which “meal” of the day we are eating or anticipating. I do refer to my last shake of the day as “dessert” though and probably always will. That last shake of the day is always warmed in a big mug, and I always look forward to it.

So… you can see… I have not lost any weight in over five weeks. In fact, I am up six pounds from my lowest weight. This morning, the scales said 124.8 (down 10.8 pounds since January 2). The first time I saw 124 was on February 17 (more than five weeks ago!). My lowest weight was 118.8 on March 18 (down 16.8 pounds since January 2). That was 9 days ago! This can be flat-out discouraging and is a perfect example of why I do not normally weigh myself every day. Those scale numbers can sometimes even affect my mood though I try to tell myself they do not matter.

But let’s look at this again. Literally as I am writing this post, I am looking at the chart above my words and am seeing (being reminded) that I essentially lost no weight the first five weeks of this journey – so this recent five weeks of essentially no weight loss is really the same as that. Right? Hmm, that gives me a slightly new outlook.

Since I eat exactly the same thing every single day, there is certainly no direct connection between my morning scale weight and my daily caloric intake or food choices. Times like these are when we dig in our heels and remind ourselves to KCKO (Keep Calm, Keto On). I wanted that weight loss trend of Weeks 6 to 8 to continue on at the same rate. I was excited by it! But that is not the reality of my journey. And I am overall still trending in the right direction so I should be encouraged by that reality and stay the course.

And I can now know/show that higher ketones for me do not equate to greater weight loss. I am maintaining/gaining weight yet my ketones are higher now (especially after adding MCT oil) than they have EVER been. Higher ketones do not mean faster weight loss. Good to know!

AVERAGE DAILY KETONE LEVEL
First six weeks of challenge with heavy cream: 2.0
Week 1 of science with heavy cream: 2.5
Week 2 of science with heavy cream: 2.7
Week 1 of science with avocado oil: 2.5
Week 2 of science with avocado oil: 2.8
Week 1 of science with avocado oil & MCT oil: 3.2
Week 2 of science with avocado oil & MCT oil: 3.1

The butter phase of this challenge is going to be so much easier now that Chris has discovered that butter will not separate after being emulsified into a shake made with warm water. With this information, I know I can pre-mix my shakes just like I have done all along. And since Chris is sending me a bag of the Creamy Tomato Basil soup, I am excitedly planning to incorporate that flavor into my rotation!

There are only 15 days remaining on this 100 day journey!! Can you believe it???
All I can say is this: I am ready to EAT MEAT!

p.s. If you are someone who likes charts or who is interested in the cholesterol results of the science phase, please visit Chris’ spreadsheet. (I am “Female 3”. The “100 Days of Keto Charts” tab is super interesting!)

By Beverly Jones|2019-03-27T15:42:35-06:00March 27th, 2019|Categories: 100 days of keto, 100 Days of Keto Chow|Tags: weight, easy meals, 100 days, experience, Weight loss, Keto Chow, science, User Experiences, keto|4 Comments

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