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Let’s Salsa!

Posted on July 15, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Salsa!

Not just a favorite in Texas, but a STAPLE!

We eat salsa on everything! It adds an extra punch to eggs in the morning, salads at lunch, guacamole, and many other dishes throughout the day. The mason jar was running on empty, and my husband just didn’t know what to do! Tragedy, I tell you!

I whipped some up last night in no time. It literally takes about 15 minutes, 5 of which are active.

Everyone has their favorite way of making salsa. I have tried steaming the tomatoes and peppers, sautéing them, browning them, but by far, the easiest is boiling. I used to use a hot skillet and brown the tomatoes, peppers, and onion, but it would smoke up the house to the point that I would have to open all the doors and windows to air out. So boiling it is! This is my newest way, and I’m sticking to it!

I don’t have a specific amount of anything, but I can tell you what I did. It is a little different each time because the heat of peppers varies so greatly. Always start small and add in small increments.

These are your basics:

Cilantro (To your liking – about 1 cup)

Onion (I used a half of an onion)

Garlic (5-6 cloves)

Celtic Salt (1 TBSP)

Jalapeño or Serrano Peppers (I only used 3)

Tomatoes (10 for this batch)

Directions:

Wash your tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro well!

Place your tomatoes and peppers (I did wayyyy too many peppers!) in a pan and fill with water not quite covering the tomatoes and peppers.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer on medium heat. Simmer until the skins start to peel back on the tomatoes stirring frequently.

Remove the tomatoes with tongs and squeeze gently to release any water. Place in your blender.

Remove the peppers from the water and detach the stems.

I started with 3 peppers and it was plenty! These little things were HOT! I blended the tomatoes and peppers on high for a few seconds, then added the onion, garlic, and salt.

Add your cilantro last. I blended everything together for about 10 seconds on high, and ended up with a large mason jar and medium mason jar of salsa that was some of my best!

This is a great healthy sauce full of vitamins and antioxidants that will spice up your food, literally! It will keep in your fridge for about 2 weeks.

Posted in Appetizer, Dinner, Holiday Dish, Kids, Lunch, recipe, Sauces and Dressing, tips, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with Dip, Jalapeno, Mexican, salsa, sauce, Tomatoes

What’s in a Mason? Christmas Giving Continued…

Posted on December 10, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

We are still going along with the theme of Christmas gifting!

My mother always told me, “It is better to give than to receive,” and I truly believe that giving someone a gift from the heart is a tremendous blessing! It really is better to give!

My problem…What to give when you don’t give sugar or bake?

Since I was a small child, I baked with my mother, and then more recently on my own and with my own children. It is a Christmas tradition. I have given homemade cookies as gifts for as long as I can remember. This will be the first year that I do not hand out over 35 dozen iced sugar cookies for Christmas, and I am already hearing about it! I am known as the “Cookie Lady”, “the friend that gives us the green trees” and am often told, “My (fill in the blank) looks forward to your cookies all year long.” So, for those of you expecting cookies from me, I apologize in advance. I just felt it was hypocritical to deliver something that I know is harmful to your body. I am on track for a healthier gift this year.

Erin talked about things to give that are not necessarily edible. I want to talk about things that can be delivered in a mason jar. Why mason jars? First, they are practical, stay fresh, and reusable. Second, they can be dressed up with cute ribbons, bows, stickers, you name it – go for it on the creativity! That is, at least, half the fun. Lastly, the options are endless! We have posted many recipes that you can use in a mason jar that I will link you to below. Have fun trying out some new fun recipes that you can give to others to enjoy.

So go get your mason jars, and get ready to get creative!

I have loaded up on tomatoes, Serrano peppers, cilantro, garlic and onion for some red hot Texas salsa. This will be my main gift for teachers, helpers and neighborhood friends this year. You can find the salsa recipe here.

Another great one is the Refreshing Cukes!

They look gorgeous in a mason jar!

Another favorite is some Sugar Free Bar-B-Que Sauce! Yum!!!

Or how about a homemade salad dressing or Ranch Dip?

One of Erin’s family favorites is the Marinated Black Olives. They were amazing and gorgeous in a mason jar!

Of course you always have mixed nuts or some kind of nut medley. You can always season a roast your nuts as well. There are some fabulous recipes out there for roasted nuts.

You can also season up some cream cheese or pimento cheese and place it in the mason jar.

Last, but not least, is a touch of sweet! We can’t leave out the fat bombs!

These are so delicious, it is hard to just eat one. Best of all, you can tailor these to your needs based on what you or your friends like.

There really is no going wrong. Who ever receives your gift will certainly love it, and you will know it is healthy as well. Enjoy the holiday season filled with miracles, joy, love, and best of all, giving from the heart. Rejoice in this season of wonderment!

Posted in Dessert, Dip, Groceries, Holiday Dish, Kids, recipe, Snacks, special Occasion, tips tagged with Christmas, Gifts, Mason Jars, Olives, Sauces

What to Gift When Bread Pudding ISN’T an Option

Posted on December 8, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

What to give? What to give?

We all have those friends, family, and acquaintances that we would like to share some seasonal cheer with this time of year. The ideal gift is personal, thoughtful, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. (Bonus points for items purchased or produced in bulk!)

Image result for christmas goodie bags

That’s why homemade treats are the best! But, once you know how bad sugar and most store bought “goodies” are, it’s hard to give them to people you care about.

There are plenty of great recipes out there where you can swap out sugar for a natural sweetener. But, mass producing can be tricky and can also get pricey, especially if you are still experimenting with almond flour, coconut flour, and various sweeteners.

So what are other options besides gift cards?

Coffee or tea-Have a variety that you love? Share it! People don’t often branch out once they find their morning companion.

Image result for bag of coffee

Lotion or other self care item-Some people spend money on these items, other’s really don’t see the need, or don’t know which to try. There is something to be said about a nice shave butter/creme.

Candle or candles- I recently received a small soy candle as part of a hostess gift, it was purchased off Etsy and it was AMAZING. I know the moment I have people coming over I run around the house lighting candles. They just make a home more homey, and with 2 dogs and a cat, one can never be too careful.

Marie-Antoinette Candle Bust

Stationary, thank you cards, or desk note pad-it doesn’t have to be personalized and I can almost guarantee it will get used.

Small succulent or super easy house plant-think aloe vera or “mother-in-law’s tongue”

Image result for house plant small

If you do want to try your hand at food items, think about pickles, cheeses, olives, nuts, cured meats, salsa, or the like.

Remember wine and various alcoholic beverages can be keto-friendly too!

This year we are getting together with extended family on my fathers side. It’s been a few years since we have all seen each other; new cities, new babies, new jobs, chemo, life… Years ago we stopped doing traditional gifts and now just do a “White Elephant” it’s a good time! I’m sure our version is likely different than other’s-only 3 “hand changes” then the gift is essentially frozen and the person that drew #1 gets to pick at the end. Every year couples end up plotting their moves, the occasional bribe gets tossed out, and it gets oddly competitive. This year will be no different I am sure. However this year, the $25.00 gift must be at least partially consumable. I have gone around and around in my head about what to bring. Of course I have to purchase two gifts one for me and one for the hubs- he tends to let me do most of the leg work in these situations. But I would love some suggestions! Please, if you have any ideas for a group ranging in ages from 25 to late 60’s, I would love to hear them. We are an eclectic (but fun) group, and of course, I want to win the best gift (or 2) in the pile both given and received.

Why was this not our Christmas card?

Posted in Health, Holiday Dish, Shopping, special Occasion, tips, Uncategorized tagged with fun, gift, holday

Taco Thursday!

Posted on October 15, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

It really could be any day of the week, but one thing is for sure – it is the kids’ favorite dinner without a doubt.

Going back to what we seem to bring up over and over again…the dreaded packaged foods! How many of you use the little packet of taco seasoning you find on the grocery store shelves? You are not alone – I used to be one of them too. It is so easy to brown some ground meat, throw a packet in with a little water, simmer, and call it dinner!

Have you ever looked at the ingredients? You will find things like maltodextrin, potatoes starch, sugar, and yellow corn flour along with a lot of other things I can’t even try to pronounce.

What if I told you it could still be that easy, but so much better – and healthier without all the preservatives and seasonings that are who knows how old? Better? You bet!

I have blended a combination of spices that will wake up your senses and make the healthiest best tasting tacos ever!

First off, I buy jar and bulk spices just depending on where I am when I need them. If you find yourself somewhere with bulk spices (Central Market, Whole Foods, Sprouts all have them) – buy them! They are fresher, easier to measure and a much better buy – a bargain in fact! You can buy what you need, or buy a little extra. Label them (name and date) with a Sharpie and discard after a year and refresh. Fresh spices make all the difference in your recipes! They don’t necessarily go bad, but they do lose a lot of flavor over time.

For the spices, you will need:

12 TBSP Chili Powder (as fresh as you can find)

6 TBSP Onion Powder

2 TBSP Pink Himalayan Salt

8 tsp Paprika

8 tsp Garlic Powder

4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

6 tsp Ground Cumin

4 tsp Dried Oregano

Gather all your spices, mix well, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For the tacos:

We are a grass-fed beef family so I have the butcher package all of our ground meat in 3 pound portions for our family of 5. This gives us plenty for a couple of dinners and lunches. This is a meal that saves well so make extra!

Brown 3 lb ground meat over medium heat.

Add one chopped onion and 5-6 cloves of minced garlic:

Now, most people at this stage drain the fat, but we add our healthy fat – Kerrygold of course. You could add bacon grease as well. Grass-fed beef is super lean so you need to add a little grease.

Lastly, add in your seasoning to your liking. I used 6 TBSP of the seasoning mix above to the 3 pounds of meat and it was perfect for us!

Now, all you have to do is wash your lettuce and prepare your sides. My family likes guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and cheese. Queso and jalapeños are excellent as well!

And that’s dinner folks! You will have a lot of spices left over, so keep them in the fridge for an even easier dinner the next time!

And…to make it even better…this is how I pack it up for lunch boxes the next day!

Dinner (and lunch) in a flash!

Enjoy!

Posted in Uncategorized

A New Twist on the Breakfast Casserole

Posted on October 8, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Today is Grandparent’s Day at my children’s school, which means a rushed morning so we make sure to have a parking space. It is a day for a breakfast casserole to throw in the oven so I have time to get dressed myself!

I was preparing last night…I went to the fridge to get my ingredients, and of course the breakfast sausage that I had checked for before grocery shopping earlier in the day turned out to be expired! Now what to do? I definitely needed a meat to throw in with the eggs, and was DEFINITELY not going to the grocery store with three children at 5:00 PM. Soooo….we are improvising! We all love beef bar-b-que sausage which I had purchased to throw in some spaghetti sauce to serve over zucchini noodles, so what about that? It was fresh, ready to go, and how yummy in eggs!

I did change up the recipe a tad to account for the extra grease from the sausage so here you go:

Bar-B-Que Beef Sausage Breakfast Casserole

1 3/4 pound Beef Sausage

10 eggs

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 tsp ground mustartd

1 tsp salt

fresh ground pepper

Steps:

Cut and brown your sausage in a pan.

Spray your pyrex or ceramic baking dish with coconut oil or butter. I like this one from Trader Joes.

Add your sausage to your greased dish. It should line the bottom of the dish.

Sprinkle your grated cheese over your sausage. I did the grating the old fashioned way for this one. My kids love to serve themselves slices of this cheese while we have it out in the kitchen.

Whisk your eggs, cream, and spices together.

Once your ingredients are thoroughly mixed, pour this over your sausage and cheese.

Place saran over your unbaked casserole and let it set overnight. Bake this for 1 hour 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until it is set in the center. You don’t want any jiggling.

Happy Friday, Y’all!

Here is the outcome:

No complaints about breakfast this morning!

Topped with sour cream and homemade salsa:

Every bite was devoured!

Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Kids, recipe tagged with breakfast, brunch, Casserole, easy, eggs, kids, Quick, sausage

Back to School – Snack Time!

Posted on August 24, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

It is hard to believe that school has arrived once again!

I have one that started today and two that start in a couple of weeks. It is funny how that same old routine starts immediately. The one thing that stumps people the most in this rut of a routine is SNACK time! What do you serve for snacks when you don’t eat carbs? This one was tough at first, but it is much of the same foods that I pack in a low-carb lunchbox, so you can use this article as a means for both.

First off, toss the juice boxes – PLEASE! Those are loaded with sugar!

What about just water? If your child refuses plain water, try infusing it with fruit or cucumbers, or see if they like a sparkling water like La Croix. Mine think it is a treat! There are a ton of flavors from which to choose, so your family will never get bored.

Next, go through your pantry (or call us to do it) and toss the chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels, and goldfish – yep, I said it – even the goldfish. They are all carbs and carbs = sugar!

Your body doesn’t even know the difference between the two!

So, what do you feed the kiddos when you don’t have goldfish?

There are a ton of options, many of which we have posted before, but we will remind you!

This is the number one favorite in the Lutz household:

Veggies with Ranch Dip

Obviously, mine love the mini-peppers!

Other great dips to serve with vegetables are spinach dip, artichoke dip and pimento cheese. The later is a great lunch option as well!

Cheese crackers with salsa or guacamole is another favorite in our house.

Don’t forget about the yummy olives we posted last week too!

Sometimes if I want to dress things up a bit, I will do a nice cheese sampler tray. This is great for the little tastebuds too and fancy enough for company!

Another fun snack is the savory fat bombs. I was able to find some great snacks at Costco that were cheese and meat wrapped up together similar to a fat bomb. They are cute and would work great in a lunchbox as well.

A few other great options:

Cheese sticks or Baby Bells

Lunch meat (or the two together!) Choose your meat carefully. Stay away from the pre-sliced – get the quality meat (Such as Boar’s Head) in the deli and have it sliced thinly for wrapping. Watch for Nitrates and other additives.

Pickles

Refreshing Cukes

Celery and Queso

Whole milk yogurt (for the kids)

Jerky or beef sticks

A variety of nuts (w/out peanuts)

Stuffed mushrooms

Celery and nut butter

Deviled or Boiled Eggs

Sausage on a Stick

These are just a few of many options! Hopefully this will get you started in this back-to -school rush time! Don’t be afraid to try new things and push your kiddos to expand their palates a little. We hope everyone has a great beginning to the school year. Remember to be strong and eat right! You (and your children) need to eat healthy to be healthy! Happy Back-to-School week!

Feel free to drop us a note in the comments section if you have a question about lunch or snacks. Chances are, someone else is wondering the same thing! Also, feel free to share some of your favorites!

Posted in Appetizer, articles, Beverage, Dip, Health, Kids, Lunch, Sauces and Dressing, Snacks, tips, Vegetable tagged with Appetizers, Back to School, Carbs, Fat bombs, mushrooms, nuts, Snacks, water

The Easiest Way to Cook an Egg!

Posted on July 6, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

So many of us that follow the Ketogenic Lifestyle often eat eggs for breakfast. It is easy to quickly become tired of plain old scrambled eggs. We can mix them with chorizo, serve them with bacon or cheese, but underneath, they are still the same old scrambled eggs. Anytime you eat the same thing over and over again, it becomes tiresome. So what to do?

Mix it up with different cooking methods. This one is especially easy and fast with little mess, so it is a staple on busy weekday mornings. You can also gourmetify it with a little extra effort on the weekend.

Today, I am going to show a family favorite, and it only takes 7 minutes from start to finish with one dirty pan. By the way, the pan is extremely important unless you are only cooking for one, in which case, you can just use boiling water.

How to cook a poached egg:

Start with an egg poaching pan and great eggs from pasture raised and fed hens. I have two pans, one with 4 inserts and another with 6, just depending on how many want one or two eggs. You can buy the larger 6 egg poacher here where I purchased mine.

Today I used the four egg poacher. I purchased this one years ago from Williams Sonoma. Lift one cup out and pour about a 1/4 inch layer of water to cover the bottom of the pan to create the steam.

Spray each cup with coconut oil spray.

Place the lid on the pan, and turn your heat to high. It should start steaming with boiling water in no more than two minutes.

Once it is boiling, turn your heat down to Medium, and crack eggs one at a time, placing them in a cup insert.

Place your lid on, and set your timer for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes. Depending on how you like your yolk, you may need to adjust your time. This time gives us a nice somewhat runny center but firm white.

Once the eggs are set, and don’t jiggle if you nudge the pan a little from side to side, remove from heat and empty each egg onto your plates. Be sure to use a hot pad to protect your finger tips. I usually run a knife along the outside edge of the insert, but it is not always needed.

My husband likes his plain with salt, pepper and sometimes a little homemade salsa.

I love mine with a little hollandaise. Stay tuned this week for this awesome recipe!

Poached eggs are so versatile. Here are a few other ideas that I love to try when we have a bit more time:

Place in an avocado with or without bacon:

Get your greens too by serving over spinach or asparagus:

You can even eat them over a salad!

Enjoy your wonderful healthy eggs!

Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Kids, Lunch, Main Course, recipe, Salad, Sauces and Dressing, Side Dish, tips, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with asparagus, avocado, bacon, breakfast, brunch, eggs, Hollandaise, Poached, Salad, Spinach

A Snack to Crunch!

Posted on June 18, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

No, not that kind of crunch!

The type of crunch I am talking about is the loud tortilla chip kind of crunch! On Keto, I think it is safe to say, that one of the things we miss the most is that crunch of a chip or cracker. One of my summer-time favorites was corn chips and salsa. Needless to say, the corn is gone forever, but the salsa is here to stay. So what does one do for that crunch, scoop, or dip?

For a long time, I used a ton of celery, and still do for many things. It can scoop, it’s refreshing, full of fiber, and I can have it for all those wonderful Keto dips out there. It is not good for salsa though. Then I discovered the cheese crisps we posted a few weeks ago. Love those, especially for guacamole. The cheese is the perfect accompaniment with avocado.

But, what about the salsa? Well…zucchini was again on sale at Sprouts last week, so I bought a bunch to experiment. Over the weekend I tried three different recipes for zucchini crisps. I will share two of them with you, and you can choose which you prefer.

The first is a simple chip, and when I say simple, all you need is time and a few ingredients:

Crispy Chips

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini Squash

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

Pink Himalayan Salt

Mandoline

Parchment Paper

Jelly Roll Pans

Directions:

Wash and dry your zucchini. When I say wash, I mean wash with soap and water!

I used a Mandoline to slice my zucchini very thin. This also makes it a fast process. You want them very thin. Mine were probably less than 1/8 inch thick.

Now, I will tell you what I did, and also how you can do it differently.

The first thing I would change is to either slice my zucchini on the diagonal or lengthwise. The reason being, they shrink tremendously when they dehydrate so if the purpose is for dipping, these left very little surface area to do such.

Line your jellyroll pan with parchment paper. I used a slip mat, and it was a huge chore to clean, so go with parchment on these. Just pretend this slip mat is parchment paper.

Pour your coconut oil into a small pyrex or similar bowl. Just something shallow will do.

Dip each “chip” into the oil and place on your parchment. They can be close together. Variation: You can lay all your zucchini out and then brush them with the oil. You just have to flip them half way through baking.

Once you have dipped or placed all your zucchini on your parchment, sprinkle a very scant amount of salt on top. This was a huge mistake of mine. I used a normal amount of salt, but they shrank so much, they were literally coated in salt. A little goes a long way on these!

Place in a 200 degree oven for 2 hours. Yes, two hours. This will dehydrate and crisp them. I flipped my cookie sheet around about half way through so they cook evenly.

This is how much they will shrink, and why I recommend slicing the opposite direction for dipping chips:

Place on a paper towel to absorb the remaining oil. Once dry, seal them in a ziplock bag or they will get soggy.

Method 2:

Cheesy Chips

These were described as tasting just like a “Cheez It”. In other words, a great snack for the kids looking for that healthy crunch without any grain!!!

These are similar to above, except for the cheese. Follow the same directions until you finish with your oil.

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini Squash

2 Cups Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

Mini-Cuisinart

Mandoline

Parchment Paper

Directions:

Slice your zucchini as described above using a Mandoline.

Place the Parchment paper on your jelly roll pan (make sure it has sides.)

Grind your parmesan cheese in your Mini-Prep Cuisinart (unless you have already dirtied your big one.) The parmesan adheres to the squash much easier when it is a bit finer, but still melts well, unlike the super fine ground you buy off the shelf.

Pour your finely grated cheese into a bowl.

Take your squash one by one and dip into the oil first, and then into the cheese. Place each on a lined cookie sheet.

These will not need salt because your cheese is already salty. You can add pepper if you like for taste. You can always add extra cheese to the top if you have extra left over.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be a little darker than golden brown to ensure they are crisp. Serve immediately with your favorite dip or eat just as they are.

Store in a sealed container or Ziplock in the refrigerator.

Posted in Appetizer, Kids, recipe, Side Dish, Snacks, tips, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with appetizer, cheese, chips, Crackers, dips, kid friendly, parmesan, salsa, snack, vegetable, zucchini

Why More Fat is GOOD for Your Health!

Posted on April 24, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Please read this article that gives a synopsis about why our dietary guidelines are all wrong! Our bodies were meant to consume fat, and as a species, we have for 99.999999 percent of our existence on Earth. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that Ancel Keys came into the picture and changed everything about the US diet based on false science and a huge ego! We hope you find this educational and as interesting as we do!

http://www.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt/high-fat-diet-benefits.html?utm_source=Bulletproof&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Partner

Here are some good ways to begin your day with great fats to start you off with loads of ENERGY!!!!!

Drink your Bulletproof Coffee!

It is the best way to start your day!

Quality Coffee or Tea (Chai and English Breakfast are good) of Your Choice

Add in to your taste:

1 or 2 TBSP Grass-fed Butter

1 TBSP Coconut oil (or more – We use 2 to 3 TBSP)

Cinnamon/Nutmeg/Allspice

Stevia drops (So many flavors – I like Vanilla)

Heavy Whipping Cream

Turmeric

Unsweetened Cocoa

Use a milk-frother to mix it VERY well!

If you still see oil on the top, mix it some more!

There are so many options!

Play with it a little at a time and you will get it just the way you like it!

It will give you an immediate burst of energy to send you out the door.

eggs_and_bacon-630x310

For those in your family that don’t drink tea or coffee, (i.e. your children) this is a great breakfast. We do a lot of scrambled eggs (Pasture Raised), poached eggs, fried eggs, boiled eggs, and egg casseroles made with breakfast sausage and cream. You can even do crustless quiches, omelets, and frittatas. The kids love the sustained energy it gives them until lunch. You can also mix up your breakfast meats with bacon, sausage, chorizo, ham, Canadian bacon, etc. And don’t forget the cheese and homemade salsa for some extra zing!

Did you know eggs are one of the most ideal and perfect foods we have been given?

Along with whole milk, eggs contain the highest biological value (or gold standard) for protein. One egg has only 75 calories but 7 grams of high-quality protein, 5 grams of fat, and 1.6 grams of saturated fat, along with iron, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids.

The egg is a powerhouse of disease-fighting nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. And brain development and memory may be enhanced by the choline content of eggs.

Proven Health Benefits of Eggs:

They are loaded with nutrients, some of which are rare in the modern diet.

The health benefits of eggs have been confirmed in human studies.

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.

A whole egg contains all the nutrients required to turn a single cell into a baby chicken.

A single large boiled egg contains:

Vitamin A: 6% of the RDA.
Folate: 5% of the RDA.
Vitamin B5: 7% of the RDA.
Vitamin B12: 9% of the RDA.
Vitamin B2: 15% of the RDA.
Phosphorus: 9% of the RDA.
Selenium: 22% of the RDA.
Eggs also contain decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc.

Eat your eggs! The AHA revised their guidelines for eggs back in 2000, so eat up!

Posted in Breakfast, Kids, recipe, tips, Uncategorized tagged with bacon, breakfast, bulletproof, butter, coconut oil, coffee, eggs, energy, meat, nutrients, tea, vitamins

Sprouts; Your Source for Supplements!

Posted on April 22, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

I always make my Sprouts run on Wednesdays because it is double ad day, meaning you get all of last week’s sales, plus the sale prices on the items for the following week! It is usually a really great deal for produce. Not everyone wants to make the trek over to 1-10 and Callaghan or 281 and 1604, but this week is worth it! All supplements are 25% off, and if you spend more than $100 you get an additional 10% off. This also includes items like Jay Robb Whey Protein and Stevia products! It is worth the trip this week!

I got some great products on sale today and stocked up on:

Bulk Cashews (only in moderation folks)

Bulk Coconut

Grass Fed Whole Milk for the kids

Organic Celery

Cilantro and tomatoes to make another batch of salsa

Summer squash and zucchini (on sale – I always stock up)

All colors of bell peppers (on sale – stock up)

Green onion to use in a stuffing I make for the yellow squash (to be posted at a later date)

Coconut Butter

Brussel Sprouts (The ultimate cancer fighting food)

The Spaghetti sauce we like is also on sale

All Supplements are on sale – yes ALL!!!

Let’s talk about supplements for a minute… There are a few we recommend to anyone starting on a Ketogenic diet. The main reason, is because you are switching to REAL food and eliminating ALL processed foods and grains from which you obtain a large amount of sodium.

We always advise that you see your primary doctor to order base line blood tests to see where you might be deficient in certain nutrients. Shoot for optimal or ideal levels on your blood work- not average levels! (Unfortunately, our average population is not all that healthy.) We take more than we are showing you based on our own individual deficiencies. The following are needed by the vast majority of individuals.

When you go through Keto Adaption you lose a massive amount of toxins and water. It is very easy to get dehydrated because you are losing essential minerals as well. These supplements will help you immensely…

Celtic or Himalayan Salt – (The darker the better) think of all the boxed and processed foods you are no longer eating – they are filled with salt. When you give them up, you need to make sure you are supplying your body with quality sodium filled with trace minerals.

Potassium (99mg) – I take one in the morning and one in the evening. If you have cramping when starting Keto, you can up the dosage and then bring it back down to two a day. It maintains fluid balance in the body and relaxes muscles – also eat avocado, parsley, cabbage, celery, watercress, coconut, and cauliflower.

Magnesium Glycinate (800mg at night) – Magnesium helps hold potassium in the cells. It promotes healthy muscles, strengthens bones and teeth, heart muscle, nervous system, helps digestion and energy production. Magnesium is also great for constipation, sleep and keeping a regular heart rhythm. Good sources: Nuts

Vitamin D3 – Is actually a steroid hormone that activates more than 930 genes in human physiology mostly in the brain – powerfully anti-inflamitory and a great antioxidant. Everyone differs on dosage – see your doctor, but D has over 900 uses in the human body. Depends on sunlight, body weight and other factors

Statins inhibit vitamin D production
Low Vit D Contributes to: Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, Multiple Sclerosis
Weak bones and teeth, Illnesses

Other sources are fish, eggs, cheese, and oysters.

Vitamin C – This is great for your immune system and overall good health. I usually take 1000mg in the morning and 1000mg in the evening. When you limit your fruit intake, it is good to supplement with a quality Vitamin C. Make sure you are also eating your bright veggies like the yummy peppers I bought today, broccoli, cauliflower, lemons, and limes.

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