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Get a Little Sunshine

Posted on October 6, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

When I was diagnosed with cancer in September 2013 one of the very first things my oncologist tested me on was my level of vitamin D.

It was off the charts low. This really should have been no surprise with amount I was working in a cube everyday and making sure to fully coat myself in sunscreen when I (infrequently) played outdoors. I had wrecked havoc on my level of the oh-so-important sunshine Vitamin. I was given a prescription to bring my level up to optimum amounts.

This deficiency is incredibly common. Not just for cancer patients but for most people that spend most of their time in doors and likely too much time in front of a screen.

Vitamin D is incredibly important for basically every cell in our body especially that of our immune system.

Think about cold and flu season, typically during the short day cold weather months where most are covered and bundled if outside at all.

But so many of us are scared to be outdoors or without sunscreen due to the fear of skin cancer. The reality is the threat of skin cancer is very real and very dangerous. I have met several skin cancer patients in treatment rooms getting very significant doses of chemo.

I am not advocating tossing the sunscreen! But what I am advocating is that we give ourselves a little time without it. Enough to satisfy our bodies need for the sun.

Image result for vitamin D

Think about that warm comfortable feeling when the sun first hits your skin. This feeling doesn’t last that long maybe 10-20 minutes (for fair skinned.)The best way I can describe it is therapeutic. Turns out that’s because it is! I am talking about the time before you start to get pink or hot, and definitely well before you burn!

The amount of sun time a person needs varies from person to person, just as our skin tone itself. Pasty folks like me may need as little as 15 minutes to get their vitamin D fix for the day where as darker skinned person may need a couple hours. The Vitamin D Council goes into depth about the variables. This site even has a suggested amount of sun time needed based on your skin tone and location.

I think he’s on to something here.

As another survivor told me, “It’s hard for cancer to live in a body getting a bunch of Vitamin D.” She has recently celebrated her 5 year cancer free status and throughly enjoys her time gardening outside and taking daily walks.

Here are my suggestions:

Daily get outside and get a bit of sunshine-drink your coffee outside, watch part of your kids game or practice in the sun, roll down the windows, open the blinds
Get your Vitamin D level tested*
Consider taking a Vitamin D3 Supplement
When playing outside all day-WEAR sunscreen/cover up!

As with most of the tests taken at your doctors office-shoot for optimum not for normal. “Normal” doesn’t necessarily mean healthy it’s based on the average person’s numbers including cube dwellers.

Enter (and stay for 10+ hours) at your own risk.

Posted in articles, Cancer, Kids, Treatment tagged with cancer, health, supplement, treatment, vitamins

Southern Comfort Food – Keto Style!

Posted on October 1, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

I am trying to pretend that it is fall here in San Antonio! Sure doesn’t feel like it, but I heard a rumor that it might be coming soon :).

With fall approaching, we start to crave more comfort foods and home cooking. I’m not sure there is anything more comforting in cooler weather than some good ol’ southern cooking. The trick is trying to create southern comfort food lower on the carb scale.

While at Costco last week, I noticed that they had some huge, delicious, bone-in pork chops on sale. I bought them, put them in the fridge, and then began to wonder what on earth I was going to do with all these beauties.

Driving around, looking at all the fall wreathes on doors and pumpkins on stoops really made me want to try something southern good!

I searched, tweaked, and nailed it – gravy and all!

I just had to share so you can plan for this cooler weather we are rumored to have soon.

Best of all, I cooked this entire meal on my kids crazy sports day because it can all be prepared ahead!

Slow-Cooker Pork Chops with Herbed Gravy

3-4 pounds bone-in pork chops (6 chops)

1/2 cup butter

1 white onion

6-8 cloves garlic

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp ground mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup bacon drippings

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

Sauce:

1 1/2 cup cream

3 tsp xantham gum

1/2 – 3/4 cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions:

Lay out your pork chops and coat each side with salt, pepper, thyme and ground mustard. Be generous with your seasoning.

Chop onion and mince your garlic.

Saute your onion and garlic in the butter until softened.

Press softened veggies to the side and add your seasoned pork chops. Brown slightly on each side over medium heat. (2-3 minutes per side)

Pour everything from your pan into your crockpot. Then add chicken broth and bacon drippings.

Add your parsley and mushrooms last, cover, and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

When you are almost ready to serve, remove the pork chops and cover to keep warm while you make your gravy – YUM!

These were so tender, they fell off the bone!

For the gravy:

Turn your crockpot up to high. Add your cream and basil. Stir with a whisk. Very carefully, lightly sprinkle the xantham gum over the top while whisking quickly. This has to be added very carefully with a fine sprinkle or it will clump similarly to corn starch.

Continue to whisk and you will see it thicken – be patient, it will take about 5 minutes.

We served this wonderful mushroom herbed gravy over the pork chops which we placed on a bed of garlic cauliflower mashers with a side of okra. It was a huge hit with the entire family just in time for fall!

Enjoy – and Happy Fall, Y’all!!!

Posted in Dinner, Main Course, recipe, Restaurants, Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with cauliflower, comfort food, cream, dinner, fall, gravy, m mushrooms, Main Course, okra, Pork, pork chops, southern

My Diagnosis Story (Cliff’s Notes Version)

Posted on September 29, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

While it may not quite be October, it’s close.

October is for pumpkins, the leaves start to change, and it begins to cool off down here in south Texas. It’s also Breast Cancer awareness month.

Daughter’s Halloween Costume 2013

Today I thought I would begin start the pink month a little early and share the cliffs notes version of my my diagnosis story.

The reason I changed the way I eat (and even look at food) was because in September 2013 I was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. At the time, I was 31, mom to a 1 year old, and healthy (so I thought.) My numbers were always in the good to optimal range despite my lack of working out and watching what I ate. I didn’t really think too much about my health in general. I didn’t even have a general practitioner.

My daughter was about 18 months old when I visited my OB. We were trying to have #2, and for some reason or another, my plan wasn’t playing out like I wanted. After the normal inspection, she gave me the green light and told me it may just take longer this go round. Then I told her about the lump in my left breast. “Nothing” she told me, likely cystic and something a woman my age should not worry about.

That was that, and on my way I went.

A few months go by, and this lump, which my doctor brushed off as “no big deal” was now something I could feel as it pressed into my arm when I laid down.

I decided to go back. There was something inside that told me I needed to. The last thing I wanted to hear was that I was over reacting, but I really knew something had to be going on inside.

I went back and saw the nurse practitioner. She agreed that I was not crazy and actually pointed out a second lump. She said that likely they were nothing but that she would send me for imaging to be sure.

The following week I went into imaging. My no big deal ultrasound changed from a chat session into something else as the technician started getting quieter and quieter. I remember her leaving the room and scrambling to get my doctor on the phone to order a mammogram.

All the jokes about the mammograms are justified. That was an experience I will never forget. I’ll leave it at that.

I then waited to speak to the radiologist. She was in a darkened room with a wall of screens. Those screens were the images I had just taken and to her they were “Very Concerning.”

If there was ever an “I told you so,” moment I didn’t want to have it was now.

In the following weeks more imaging, biopsies, blood draws, and tests. None of the results came back the way we wanted at the time. It was definitely cancer, and it had spread. Significantly.

Not your typical cancer patient

The moral of the story and why I share it, is because, likely I would not be here had I not followed my gut. I am not the “typical cancer patient”, and I am frequently reminded of that in waiting and treatment rooms. But I knew something was wrong well before I was diagnosed. I had to be the squeaky wheel to get something I knew I needed.

When it comes to your health, YOU have to take care of it. Not only before and after your doctor’s appointment but also during. SPEAK UP, if you have questions, ask them if you are not satisfied, do something about it. Be that patient that errs on the side of annoying.

I have learned so much about healthcare, doctors, insurance, and time. While there are no blanket statements for any of these things, what I can say is that taking care of yourself is your responsibility and hopefully a priority. No one can do it better than you.

Posted in Cancer, Health, tips, Treatment tagged with cancer, health, treatment

What’s For Dinner?

Posted on September 24, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

It is hard to believe that we already have a month of school under our belts! Time certainly does fly! Not only do the months fly, but the hours in the day seem to get shorter and shorter as well. The best advice I can give you for dinners is to PLAN AHEAD!

You need to know your busy days – these are my leftover days!

Know the days that you will have an extra hour or two – these are my cooking days!

Lastly, know the days when you have a little extra time to throw something in the oven – these are the days when I usually use something pre-prepared. Yes! I said it! I DO use prepared foods every so often, as long as I know how they are prepared and what is in the package. Other prepared foods are foods that I have made and previously frozen. If I make a chili, stew, lasagna, etc., I always double the recipe and freeze one to pull out on a busy day. It doesn’t take much more effort, but it saves you loads of time in the future for a home cooked meal!

Planning ahead makes all the difference in the world. As long as I know what proteins, veggies, and other sides I have in the fridge, (and always have 3 or 4 days worth of all the above) – I know my family will survive, and even better, be full and satisfied.

For instance, I know that Wednesdays are my worst day. Not only am I in the car for 2 hours in the morning shuttling the kiddos to school, but I am also in the car for 2 hours in the afternoon getting three kids to four different activities. I couldn’t believe it when I timed it! I am actually in the car longer driving around the neighborhood getting kids to gymnastics, soccer, and more soccer than I am taking my children to another town for school. I wouldn’t give it up for the world, but it does take serious planning. Really, though, there is not another better day in the week to have a leftover day! It’s the midpoint of the week, and time to clean out from all that weekend cooking!

Tuesdays are my best day! It is our only day this sports season that we do not have a scheduled regular activity. This is my shopping day and big cooking day.

Mondays I am usually prepared from the weekend before when I hope to have time to prep some things for the week.

Thursdays are always busy so this is usually a pre-prepared day.

Fridays are more relaxed. We either eat out or I cook something easy.

Saturdays are usually cooking days as are Sundays, but this is a good left-over day to clean out the fridge for the week ahead. I generally spend a lot of time preparing for the week ahead on Sundays. This is when I bake for breakfasts, make Keto desserts, my sauces, and my seasonings. It always feels great to start the week prepared.

Here are a few really simple dinner ideas to throw together on those super tough week nights:

The kids favorite:

Taco night – We always have ground meat, and this is super easy with lettuce as your tortilla! We make a taco bar and the kids LOVE it!

This next is a prepared dish: Stuffed Pork Tender (Cream cheese and jalapeño) with a side of zucchini topped with parmesan and bacon brussels.

This one is super fast…Steamed broccolini with butter, alongside broiled salmon and stuffed mushrooms.

Beef pinwheels with a side of asparagus:

Top with queso and you get a thumbs up:

ABC burgers with a side of squash casserole:

Stuffed bell peppers with stuffed mushrooms! Apparently, I was in the mood to stuff!

Keto spaghetti with zucchini and grilled sausage:

Grilled skewers with a veggie…we did grilled asparagus.

I hope that this gives you some easy, quick dinner ideas for your family. These are some of our favorites along with a host of others! Happy cooking!

Posted in articles, Dinner, Groceries, Kids, Main Course, Side Dish, Sugar Substitute, tips tagged with dinner, dinner idea, Main Dish, Sides, tips

You are NOT a Garbage Disposal

Posted on September 22, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

I saw this image and literally almost spit out my BPC(Bullet Proof Coffee)!!

It’s fairly astounding that people out there believe that the inside of our bodies is the same as the that of a household drain!

The only thing that I can solidly (HA!) agree with on this post is to not pour your grease down the sink.

I have recently seen the SAWS Grease Monster Truck in my neighborhood lately, so remember, if you have to dispose of your grease, please do it the right way!

Image result for saws grease monster

Posted in articles, tips tagged with bacon, Bacon Grease, grease

Some Angel Cake for My Angel!

Posted on September 17, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Our little angel (youngest child and only girl – say some prayers) just celebrated her fifth birthday. She was counting down the months until her birthday…”I’m four and 8/12, I/m four and 11/12). You get the picture.

When her week finally rolled around, I asked her what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday. You may remember, I was quite the baker before my Keto days, so birthday time is always fun! In actuality, Keto baking is just as fun as regular baking once you get the hang of it. For birthdays, I let the children choose what ever they like for their one special day of the year. Keto or not! Low and behold, she said she wanted Angel Cake, which to the rest of us is Angel Food Cake. I was ecstatic! This is one recipe for dessert where Keto style tastes just like the real thing. In fact, my parents had no idea that it was sugar and grain free! That is the ultimate test in my opinion. It is also a great dessert for warm weather because it is quite refreshing. Even though it is September, in South Texas, it feels like July!

Save this cake for a day when you have time, because just like any other Angel Food Cake, the whipping of the egg whites is time consuming. This is not a difficult cake, but it is a little different from typical baking and patience is a must.

Keto Angel Cake

(Carolyn Style)

Ingredients:

Yes, this is correct! It is much different from traditional cake.

Start with 12 very cold egg whites or the equivalent of such (like I did) which is about 3 cups.

I Cup Jay Robb Protein Powder (Vanilla or Strawberry)

1 1/3 Cup Swerve Confectioners

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla (or lemon, strawberry or flavor of your choice)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift your Protein Powder and Swerve Confectioners together 2 times. Set aside.

3. In a large, very clean, cold bowl (Preferably a Kitchen Aid mixer bowl) whip your egg whites, cream of tarter and salt. Beat on medium-high to high speed until stiff. Once fairly stiff, add your lemon juice and flavoring. Continue mixing.

I didn’t time this, but it was at least 15 to 20 minutes of whipping. Just let it go. You should be able to turn the bowl over without the egg whites moving.

4. Remove the egg white mixture from the stand and slowly and carefully FOLD in your protein powder mixture. Gently fold until completely combined.

5. After all of your ingredients are mixed, pour into your angel food tube pan – DO NOT GREASE the pan!!! This is super important and you will see why! If you don’t have one, make sure you purchase one with a removable bottom. It should be a two piece pan. This was my grandmother’s pan, and all of the old ones are like this, but you have to look on the new ones.

6. Place in your oven and watch. I had to turn my heat down to 325 degrees because it was getting too brown. It needs to cook for a good 55 minutes so if it is getting too brown after 25 or 30 make sure you turn down your heat. I did another cake afterwards and turned the dial down to about 335 degrees after I placed it in the oven, and it was about right.

7. Now you will see the “why”. When the cake is super fluffy, high and browned, remove it from the oven, and immediately invert onto a bottle at room temperature. This will keep the cake from sinking.

8. This is why you don’t grease the cake!!!! Otherwise it would be on the counter. Let it cool completely like this.

9. After it is cooled, use a sharp knife to go around the edges, and then push the bottom out of the pan. Place on a cake stand, and it is ready to serve with whipping cream and berries.

I also made a prettier one that I iced with whipping cream and arranged berries on top. My kids like it this way frozen. You can do it either way.

You can see in the above picture; I removed the super brown top which basically popped right off.

This one above is actually frozen – berries and all!

That was one happy birthday girl and every bite devoured!

All the whipping in this recipe can be time consuming, but it is so rewarding! Don’t give up, and enjoy every bite!

Posted in Dessert, Groceries, Holiday Dish, Kids, recipe, special Occasion, Sugar Substitute, Uncategorized tagged with Birthday, Cake, dessert, Egg Whites, fruit, kids, Sugar Substitutes, sweet, treat, Whey Protein Powder, Whipping Cream

Week Night Dinner Tip-Think Frozen

Posted on September 15, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

School is officially in! I am working basically full time and at multiple doctor appointments during the week as well. I’m healthy, but doctors don’t place a whole bunch of stock in changing diet as a means to keep me cancer free. (I COULD GO ON FOR HOURS ON THIS!)

Getting dinner on the table is still important to us! I have very little time to get something on the table after finishing work, getting the kiddo from school, the hubs usually works out for an hour or so, mail, dogs, life…you all know!

Image result for no time food

So our meals are less than creative but still have to be Keto.

I am working on mixing it up, but for the most part, fall into a pattern. Veggie and protein with a cream sauce or butter.

I am a huge advocate for the organic frozen veggies at HEB and Costco, I buy them at almost every trip to the store. They are cost effective, stay fresh, and can be ready in minutes.

Image result for vegetable frozen HEB

Frozen veggies are typically flash frozen right off the plant and can often be just as good for you or even better than items found in the produce section. Top with KerryGold some pink salt, pepper and you are set!
Image result for kerrygold

So next time at the store, toss in a few bags of the frozen cauliflower, broccoli, and chopped spinach! It’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to get a veggie on the table, and keep your weeknight sanity!

Posted in Dinner, Groceries, Health, Kids, Lunch, Shopping, tips, Vegetable

Two Questions Answered…

Posted on September 10, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

When we meet with clients, we most often hear, “Where do I buy that?” and “What can I pack in the kids’ lunch boxes?”

These are both very good questions, and ones that we struggled with for quite some time. Like everyone, we get stuck in our ruts with our favorites, both grocery shopping and lunch planning.

I have posted before about Costco, but after the children started back at school, I decided to go on a little adventure at Trader Joe’s. They have some fantastic deals there and some fun and different items. This is my most recent haul from TJ’s:

From left to right:

Organic Broccoli Slaw (you can find the recipe on our blog – the dressing is Keto fabulous!), Tomatoes, Seaweed “crackers” (these are great for soft cheeses – just spread and wrap), Coconut Milk, Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce, Organic Heavy Whipping Cream, Mushrooms, Sliced Brussel Sprouts, Crunchy Salted Peanut Butter with Flax and Chia Seeds (for the kids), Artichoke Antipasto, Marinated Olives, Whole Milk Yogurt, REAL Stevia, Basil (their spices are a bargain), Whole Brussel Sprouts.

The whole reason I went to Trader Joe’s was to get our favorite snack though:

YUM!!!! The Rosemary are our favorite!!!

Other great finds at TJ’s are produce, meats, cheeses – lots of cheeses – we especially like the marinated fresh mozzarella, other nuts and seeds – love the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, other items I have yet to find! Please share your favorites with us!

All of my kids are back in school! It is a jolt after a long summer, but we all love to be back in a routine.

Here are our first day shots:

Carolyn is doing her first round of Kinder this year, and loving every minute! She just turned 5 years old.

Colton is on the left – he is our middle child (and loves to tell us about it). He just started third grade, and is 8 years old. Chaz is now in 5th grade (where does the time go?). He is 10 years old and our most Keto-adapted of the three.

I only share them so that you know, I am, where many of you are, in this adventure and blessing of parenthood. It is a challenge, but oh so rewarding! They have adapted very well to our Keto lifestyle, although I do not force it on them when they are not under our roof. Generally, as their mother, I can control most of what they eat, but it is important to us (my husband and I) that they do not feel singled out, denied or forbidden. We do not want to create that “forbidden fruit” syndrome where as soon as they are away from us they run to the nearest donut or candy shop. They know how they feel when they eat healthy, and the they know how they feel when they eat sugar, so we advise – not demand. Our hope is, that through our constant example, they will learn to make healthy eating decisions on their own. I have not heard one complaint about the lunch box yet!!!

I thought it would be helpful to share how we have been packing lunch over the past week since we started back to school.

Staples in the lunch box always include:

A Protein – Steak, Fajita Meat, Pepperoni, Salami, Nut Butter, Lettuce Tacos, etc.

Cheese – Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Baby Bels, Sliced Cheese, Cheese Cubes

Nuts – Mixed Nuts, Cashews, Almonds, Macadamias

A Drink – Milk, Water, Sparkling Water

Other Add-Ins: Olives, Whole Milk Yogurt, Chia Squeeze (a little high in sugar for everyday, but good fiber and a treat for the kiddos), Dark Chocolate (85% or higher), Berries.

Leftovers are great, and often their favorite.

I suggest a quality thermos and decent ice packs. I always warm the thermos for hot food items by filling the cavity with simmering water for about 5 minutes. Discard the water and fill with hot food. It will stay hot until lunch this way.

This is what lunch looked like for my children today:

The blue ice pack is on the bottom. The white foil is a cup of sliced salami, mixed nuts, water, leftover steak, and blackberries. There is some cheese in there too!

This is the Thermos I use above, and the two types of cheeses I packed. They will usually eat one for lunch and save the other for snack on the way home.

The last of the lunch boxes – this is the whole milk kefir on top (yes – it has added sugar, but is a treat filled with great healthy fat just for the KIDS), blackberries, and yummy hot leftover chicken curry in the thermos!

Each child is a little different, and we are always coming up with new things we like and they like. Stay connected, and we will try to send out our newest, greatest ideas. We would love to hear from you too! What low-sugar healthy foods do your kids love?

Posted in articles, Groceries, Health, Kids, Lunch, Sauces and Dressing, Snacks, tips, Uncategorized tagged with Almonds, Broccoli Slaw, kids, lunch, Lunch Box, School, shopping, Shopping List, Snacks, Trader Joe's

Swap the Salts

Posted on September 8, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Here is another SUPER simple and painless way to improve the health of your family.

Swap out that blue can of chemicals: either the salt, lite salt, or salt free can that has been gracing your dinner table. For one of these two:

Himalayan Salt

Containing all of the 84 elements found in your body, the benefits of natural Himalayan Crystal Salt include: Regulating the water content throughout your body. Promoting healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly your brain cells. Promoting blood sugar health and helping to reduce the signs of aging.

I buy the grinder from Costco for around $4.00.

The richer and more varied the colors in the salt the better!

Add this to everything! Top your eggs, finish your protein and veggies! EVERYTHING.

The also amazing but less easy to find is The Grey Celtic Salt:

Grey salt is a “moist” unrefined sea salt, usually found in the Brittany region of France’s Atlantic coast. Its natural light grey color comes from the minerals absorbed from the clay lining the saltponds. The salt is collected by hand using traditional Celtic methods and wooden tools.

Grey Celtic Salt

These two completely blow away the competition! They will not break the bank and once you switch you will notice the pure real, healthy, and difference of good quality Salt.

We are need salt!So make sure its a good one!

Posted in Health, Research, Shopping, Supplements, tips tagged with salt, table, tips

Miss Cereal? Try This…

Posted on September 3, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

The school year is off to a start, and Labor Day is here, which means the official end of summer. There are both cheers and boos, pros and cons.

One of the biggest cons is that, all to familiar, morning rush once again. The days of cereal boxes and skim milk are long gone for many of us. If you have heard us speak in a group, you are familiar with our “Trifecta of Sugar” lecture.

A typical morning breakfast cereal topped with fruit has the glucose from the cereal, lactose from the milk and fructose from your fruit. Bad, bad and more bad leading to a day of cravings and carb loading, no doubt. If you start your day with carbs and sugar, you will crave more carbs and sugar as you go through your day, leading to that downward spiral as the day moves on.

What else can you have for breakfast on those busy mornings when you don’t have time to scramble, fry or poach? Try faux “cereal”! We have tried it, the kids have tried it, and it is family approved. The best part – you can make it ahead and seal it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It is ready to go for a breakfast in a hurry! Top with some heavy cream, and you are set for half the day if you eat it along side your bulletproof coffee to tea.

It is super simple to make, and you can really make it your own just by adding your favorite low-carb ingredients. Try a little, and let us know what you think!

Faux Cereal

Your ingredients and portions can vary. Mix it to your liking.

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

2 Tbsp Kerrygold

1 Tbsp Swerve

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp Celtic salt

Directions:

Toast your coconut flakes, watching carefully so not to brown to deeply.

Chop all your nuts finely and lightly toast.

Melt the Kerrygold in a cast iron skillet.

Toss your nuts in the melted butter, and sauté until fragrant. Add your toasted coconut, Swerve and seasonings. Toss all your ingredients in the butter until everything is mixed and coated.