Breakfast | The Sweet Life Sugar Free, LLC

Archive for Breakfast

The Golden Sauce

Posted on July 7, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

There is a golden sauce so delicious, it is worth the price of gold!

It was just yesterday that I mentioned the amazingly delectable Hollandaise Sauce as a favorite of mine on poached eggs. The best part – it is easier than you can ever imagine!

One of the things we have to be mindful of while living in a state of nutritional ketosis is our intake of protein. We all know that carbs will take us down, but did you know that protein can as well?

When there is a significant intake of protein, the body converts the protein into sugars during a process called Gluconeogenesis. This is a metabolic process that makes glucose, a simple sugar, that provides the body with energy from non-carbohydrate sources when you are a carb burner.

This is why it is super important to make sure you are getting ample healthy fats when you are consuming meats and vegetables in order to stay a fat burning machine. We don’t want those proteins turning into carbs in our body so make sure you have the fat to counteract the carbs and proteins.

And…this is why I love Hollandaise! You can put it on your veggies, your meat, your eggs – pretty much anything your heart desires! My favorites are eggs, spinach and asparagus. It is wonderful tasting, and as long as you are using our favorite grass-fed butter, it is a great source of fat! You can also ask for it at many restaurants that will gladly bring you a side of this delicious sauce.

Blender Hollandaise

Place in your blender:

2 Egg Yolks

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

Salt and Cayenne to taste

Turn your blender on low for 5 seconds.

Melt 1/2 cup butter (Kerrygold) in a pyrex glass measuring dish.

In a very low stream on the lowest speed, gently pour your butter into your egg yolk mixture.

As soon as it is combined – you have hollandaise.

I have never had it curdle, but if it does, add two egg yolks on high speed with whipping cream one TBSP at a time.

Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Holiday Dish, Main Course, recipe, Sauces and Dressing, Side Dish, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with asparagus, brunch, butter, dinner, eggs, Gluconeogenesis, Hollandaise, Poached Eggs, sauce, Spinach, Tip, vegetables

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

Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner Quiche

Posted on May 29, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

What else can I make besides scrambled eggs and bacon? This is in the Top 10 list of questions we receive.

Eggs are great! We know that, but we also get tired of the same old thing every day!

A Quiche is a great way to dress up your eggs in a beautiful way that the whole family can enjoy for any meal of the day. It is filled with all the great nutrients that eggs provide, and anything else you wish to add to give it that special touch. It is also a method to hide vegetables if you have picky eaters! And…best of all, it cooks great without a crust. No need to add carbs to something so savory and wonderful already!

These are great with the end of school approaching because you can prepare it a day ahead, and it reheats quickly and perfectly. It is also delicious as a weekend dish straight out of the oven! Fresh quiche just melts in your mouth. Prepare to be creative and enjoy!

Crustless Broccoli Garlic Bacon Quiche

1 cup chopped onion

10 ounces chopped broccoli florets (approx. 3 cups)

5 cloves garlic

4 Tbsp butter

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups cream

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I didn’t have so I used a Colby/Monterrey Jack)

6 slices of cooked bacon

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

9 1/2 inch deep dish pie plate

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Gather your ingredients, and chop your onion, garlic, and broccoli. This is my favorite garlic chopper!

Sauté your onion and garlic in the butter. Then add your broccoli to soften slightly.

Spray your pie dish with coconut oil spray (you can find it here).

For a Quiche, you want to layer your ingredients. Start with your sautéed vegetables, and then top with bacon. This goes for any type of quiche – veggies on the bottom, then your meat, then cheese, then top with your egg mixture.

Sprinkle the cheese on top of the bacon.

Mix your eggs, cream, nutmeg, ground mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Pour over the cheese.

Place your quiche in your preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat after 15 minutes to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

It should look puffy and delicious when you remove from the oven:

As it cools, it will sink slightly. Allow to cool for 20 minutes or so if you want to enjoy it right away. If you are preparing ahead, allow to cool completely, cover with saran, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave for about 30 seconds a slice.

Be creative with your ingredients. My children have requested ham and cheese for the next one. You can do spinach and parmesan, vegetable, bacon and cheese, or any other combination you can imagine. Just remember to layer in the order above and cook accordingly! Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, recipe, Uncategorized, Vegetable tagged with bacon, breakfast, Broccoli, brunch, cheese, dinner, eggs, lunch, quiche, savory, vegetable

Something Besides Eggs for Breakfast!

Posted on May 22, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

Yep! You can eat something other than eggs for breakfast!

How about some buttermilk pancakes, for instance?

I know, how is it possible? Well, when you have three kids begging you for something other than eggs for the 21st day in a row, you get creative!

I searched last Saturday for a recipe to make everyone happy. I could not find any recipes that suited our family, so I whipped up something very special! Most of the Paleo or Keto pancake recipes are either flavored or only make a single serving in a skillet. I wasn’t about to make a recipe 5 times to feed all of us, and they wanted plain old pancakes like Mom used to make.

How did they turn out? Fabulous! The children told me that they actually liked them better than the ones I used to make, and I have to admit, they were pretty darned good.

With the long weekend coming up, I thought this an apropos time to hopefully make some other children (or adults) very happy on a relaxing weekend.

Your Ingredients:

We have added several of our staple ingredients to our Amazon store, so you can click on the item and have it delivered to your door if you don’t already have it in your pantry.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Yield: 16 (Very Filling) Pancakes

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

1/2 Cup Almond Flour

5 eggs

2/3 Cup Almond or Coconut Milk mixed with 3/4 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 Cup Swerve Granular

4 Tbsp Butter or Coconut Oil (Melted)

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

4 oz Cream Cheese (Softened)

Directions:

Preheat your griddle to 375 degrees.

1. Combine your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: flours, soda, salt and Swerve.

2. Add your eggs, one at a time, and mix together to form a thick batter:

3. Mix your Almond or Coconut Milk together with your Apple Cider Vinegar:

4. Pour this into your flour and egg mixture and mix.

5. Add your remaining ingredients, and mix well with a hand mixer.

6. I usually do not have to grease my griddle, but if you prefer to do so, you can use this.

7. I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup to spoon my batter evenly onto the griddle.

8. Just like regular pancakes, when they start to bubble, flip them over.

9. They should be a nice golden brown color when they are ready to eat!

10. I just ate mine with butter, and they were plenty sweet with the added Swerve. I will allow my children to eat a dab of honey, or pure maple syrup. A better alternative is an all-natural sugar free syrup that you can buy here.

11. Enjoy!

Just to give you an idea on portion, we each had three pancakes, and were stuffed! With the coconut flour and eggs, they are very filling! One batch fed 5 very hungry people!

Posted in Breakfast, Kids, recipe, Uncategorized tagged with almond flour, breakfast, coconut flour, kids, pancakes

Coffee on the Go-Starbucks

Posted on May 8, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

I am a serious coffee drinker! To me it’s a comfort food; the smell alone makes me happy. Growing up, my mother would brew her pot of coffee, and then proceed to fill her old giant Bill Miller mug with the whole pot, and drink it black. I could be exaggerating, but this is honestly how I remember my childhood mornings.

I brew my own a lot of the time, but I do drink my fair share of Starbucks too. There are two stores in my building at work!

My typical order is a Venti dark roast with heavy cream and three butters.

That’s right folks, Starbucks has Kerrygold hiding behind their counter. I know I am not the only one that orders this, but I do get funny looks on occasion.

Whatever! Half these people sound like they are speaking a foreign language when they are ordering. Plus, the amount of sugar in some of these drinks would make even Willy Wonka blush.

I copied the chart below from the official Starbucks website.

Starbucks Nutrition Link

This is for the 16oz Grande:

Chocolate Beverages

	Calories	Fat (g)	Carb. (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein	Sodium
Hot Chocolate	320	9	47	4	14	160
Peppermint Hot Chocolate	390	9	65	4	13	150
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate	390	9	66	4	13	300

So go get your Starbucks coffee (not hot chocolate) and your butter too, and DON’T be ashamed or blush:)! Enjoy every ounce!

Posted in Breakfast, tips

ABC’s Are Not Just for Children!

Posted on May 4, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

This is what we call an ABC Burger!

A=Avocado

B=Bacon

C=Cheddar Cheese

Put it all together, and what do you get…delicious, filling, and crowd pleasing!

No need for a bun.

Every Sunday, I make sheets of bacon to munch on during the week! This allows us to have bacon every morning, even in a pinch. I used to make it in the skillet every morning the old fashioned way, but this way allows me to make much more at a time, save all the bacon drippings, and have more time in the morning.

Cookie Sheet Bacon

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with sides (jelly roll pan) with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Lay your bacon out without the sides touching. I can usually get 10 to 12 pieces on a sheet.The cooking time really depends on how thick your bacon is, how you are going to use it, and how cooked you like it! If you are going to keep cooking it in another dish, I do it par-baked which just means I remove it before it is thoroughly cooked through.

I use pretty thick bacon and usually cook it about 20 minutes. For thinner bacon, start checking it at about 12 to 14 minutes.

This is about 20 minutes for thick bacon:

Remove your bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and crisp.

Do not discard your drippings. I almost always try to make a dish using the bacon drippings the day I make bacon such as the Bacon Brussels or Bacon Green Beans. If I am not cooking a dish, I save the drippings in a mason jar. (Yes, just like Grandma used to save hers!) Make sure you strain the bits out if you are using a jar – I use bits and all when preparing a dish the same night.

I reuse the tray over and over until I have enough bacon (and drippings) for my immediate and future bacon needs! Then, when you are finished, drain your drippings and toss the foil!

This evening, we made ABC Burgers AND Bacon Green Beans (post to come) with all of that delicious bacon.

It is super simple, and your family will love you.

ABC Burger

I used 2 lbs of grass-fed 80/20 ground beef, and hand mixed with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce (and any other herbs and spices you like in a normal burger).

Form the meat into patties the size you like. My husband grilled them out back as usual, but about 5 minutes before removing them, adds the bacon and tops with sliced cheddar cheese. After the cheese melts, remove them from the grill.

We place them on a bed of lettuce with mayo (you can use mustard too) and top with sliced avocado. You will realize you never need a bun again!

This is a super easy weeknight meal or a fun weekend meal!

Here is your tip for the week if you need it even easier…Order Up, in San Antonio, makes their own version of an ABC Burger made with grass-fed beef that is delicious! They serve theirs in a lettuce wrap, on request, and serve their delicious Chipotle Mayo on the side. It is fantastic, perfectly Keto, and we love the people there as well.Enjoy!

Posted in Breakfast, Dinner, Kids, Main Course, recipe, Uncategorized tagged with ABC, avocado, bacon, baking, burger, cheddar, cheese, cookie sheet, drippings, grass-fed, kids

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

Devilishly Delicious Donuts

Posted on April 19, 2015 by thesweetlifesugarfree

I get requests quite often from the kiddos to have something other than eggs for breakfast. Enter Coconut Crusted Chocolate Donuts! YUMMY!!!!

GRAIN FREE/SUGAR FREE

I decided to experiment with a Paleo recipe this morning that needed some substitutions so that it could be sugar free, and the result was an overwhelming winner from everyone in the family! Lots of smiles in our kitchen today! These are so good you could top with some homemade whipping cream (using Swerve Confectioner as your sweetener) for dessert!

Yield One Dozen

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.

1. Start with your ingredients:

DONUTS

1 1/2 cup Honeyville Almond Flour (Don’t even bother with a different brand…I’ve tried them all, and Honeyville is far superior with the best texture for baked items.) I get the big bag at Costco.

1/2 cup 100% Cocoa

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt

6 eggs separated

6 TBSP Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Swerve Granular (Available at Sprouts, Whole Foods or Amazon)

1/2 tsp Vanilla

GLAZE

1/2 cup Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 TBSP Swerve Confectioners (Available at Whole Foods or Amazon)

Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (I buy in bulk at Sprouts and keep in a sealed container.)

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and Swerve. Make sure it is mixed well without clumps.

3. In a separate bowl, combine egg YOLKS, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and slightly fluffy.

4. Add the above to your dry ingredients, and mix well until a thick batter is formed.

4. In a third bowl, with a hand mixer, beat your egg whites until nice and fluffy – not stiff.

5. Add your egg whites to your thick batter and mix until you have a nice creamy batter.

6. Spoon batter into a greased donut pan (use Coconut oil spray).

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.

8. While the donuts are cooling, mix all your glaze ingredients together. Once completely cool, dip each donut into the glaze. (This is my trick for a smooth surface anytime you are icing with a glaze. Dip – don’t spread.) Then top each donut with UNSWEETENED coconut. I did some with and some without the coconut. Both were devoured! My husband put his in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm it, and said it was fantastic.

9. As I mentioned above, you could heat these as a dessert and top with whipped cream sweetened with Swerve Confectioners and a splash of vanilla.

Enjoy!!!!

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, recipe tagged with breakfast, chocolate, coconut, dessert, donuts, kids, sweets