Author: riagoesketo

Hi I'm Ria! I'm passionate about healthy living and wellbeing as a result of living with epilepsy, eczema (TSW), asthma and PCOS! I was born in Brunei, raised in London, of Bengali-Indian origin, and my heart (or rather stomach and tastebuds) lie in India and Asia! I'm obsessed with yoga, intrigued and challenged by meditation, fascinated by photography, art, dance and movement. By profession I'm a Marketing & Communications professional with a special interest in International Development and Innovative Start-ups & SME's.

2 years on: The good, The bad, The ugly about my keto for epilepsy journey so far

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My last post was in August 2018 and it is now April 2019. It’s been approximately two years since I switched to a ketogenic lifestyle to manage epilepsy.

I refer back to my last post on 3 top tips: surviving keto life as an adult with epilepsy  as I write this – all those tips remain very true to survival. The gap between my last post and this one has only gotten longer because the truth is, it has gotten harder in many ways, and easier in some .

The lifestyle is STILL a rollercoaster and I’m constantly adapting

I have not mastered the art of staying in ketosis like many claim and it doesn’t come easily to me, mainly because of social and environmental factors like coping with work stress and travel. I find it difficult to constantly stay ‘on the ball’ and prepared EVEN though I enjoy cooking and mealprepping, and the reality is that the ball falls on occasion. But that is life.

The good

I’m still seizure free, however not without auras. This was because I threw myself out of ketosis on a number of occasions (due to workload, stress, travel and/or celebrations). The reason this is still ‘good’ is because of the self-awareness each aura brings. I feel like each time I recognise it better, am able to get to a safe space quicker, and in the last year feel better able to manage them.

Reviewing my intention and to be kind to myself. When I first started the ketogenic lifestyle two years ago, my intention was to get off medication. Whilst this still might be possible in the long-term, for someone my age, unless I intend on making that my sole purpose in life, might not be achievable in the short-term.

I had a follow-up with my neurologist a few months ago, and what was clear was that if I was to be kinder to myself and live a decent quality of life – work, have a life etc. I would need to continue medications and the diet is adjunct therapy to better manage my triggers – make sure I’m ‘able’ to get a decent level of sleep, manage my stress, work and so on.

The bad

The HARDEST part for me is #FOMO . As someone in their early (nearly mid) 30’s I constantly question whether it’s worth it, life’s too short, and I guess the last eight months I’ve been testing my limits (A LOT).

I’ve put myself in situations which two+ years ago would have guaranteed a seizure. Late nights, caffeine fuelled stressful periods, eating junk etc etc. The outcomes have not always been great, and although I haven’t had a seizure this is due to my medications. Examples of instances when I slipped out of ketosis and the consequences:

In November 2018 I slipped out of ketosis heavily, it was a stressful month of cramming for an exam with late nights in the library. I ate ‘healthy’ but non-keto, drank coffee, didn’t get enough sleep etc. A long story short, I had a migraine that lasted days, including the day of my exam. I had nausea and vomiting that was uncontrollable and had to be given injections to stop it.

In January 2019 I was on holiday in India where even though I’d mealprepped breakfast and snacks, I’d also carried MCT oil and electrolytes and so on. I was inevitably going to have to eat out for meals. Needless to say there was one day where I could NOT resists street food in Kolkata (it was paapri chaat and phuchka), and that night I had a migraine, vomiting AND diarrhoea.

As recently as last week in the run up to Easter festivities where there was a lot of chocolate going around the office, when I drank caffeine, and stress levels were running high, I crashed at the end of the week with an aura and had to work from home.

Every single time I threw myself out of ketosis it was with good reason and I don’t regret it one bit. Life is too short and building on my last point in 3 top tips and #FOMO – it’s always a judgement call and my 4th top tip would be to listen to that “inner self” and do what feels right for you at that moment within reason.

The ugly

Living in a non-keto world isn’t easy. I guess the ‘ugly’ sin that I’ve been committing is eating bad fats. Work has been crazy and I’ve been resorting to burgers without the buns (even from McDonalds) in pangs of hunger. And in no lifestyle can this be right.

In summary

Unless you like eating in and meal-prepping, it’s not an easy, affordable, quick AND sociable lifestyle . For anyone that says it is (in London), I’d like to meet you please because I’m struggling two years in.

It IS however lifesaving and as mentioned above, although I haven’t had a seizure, whenever I’ve slipped out of ketosis, the repercussions of it were like little warning signs to STAY IN KETOSIS! For that reason, I’m still trying.

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3 Top Tips: Surviving keto life as an adult with epilepsy

When I started this blog I thought I’d be able to update it regularly with posts about my ketogenic journey for epilepsy, recipes and resources. BOY WAS I WRONG!!! Blogging slipped down the priority list (but that’s ok because epilepsy management comes first).

This post is for adults with epilepsy embarking on the lifestyle with 3 top tips to bear in mind when embarking on this life changing journey & links to 3 recipes on my Instagram @riagoesketo @ananyariaroy.

The GOOD news is that the ketogenic lifestyle is still working for my overall wellbeing and still controlling my epilepsy – this month I’ll be one year seizure free!. It remains to be seen whether that’s the impact of the lifestyle or the medication.

The BAD news is that life has been a rollercoaster this last year and I’ve been terrible at blogging my ketogenic journey apart from microblogging on my Instagram accounts @riagoesketo (just keto for epilepsy posts) and @ananyariaroy (my personal account with a mix of posts including keto).

There honestly weren’t enough hours in a day to work (the load was the kind where you needed more than 24 hours in a day), eat, spend time with family, sleep, exercise, and I pretty much forgot about having much of a social life let along blogging.

My priority is staying seizure-free and keto is just one (major) part of a holistic lifestyle change. Stress and anxiety management is a constant battle and for me this last year post shoulder surgery along with numerous personal challenges on the relationship and work front has constantly pushed my stress limits – stress being my #1 trigger combined with #2 – lack of sleep. I’m pleased to report though that I’ve survived this last year unscathed although I’ve had a couple of auras and took my emergency pill on a few occasions. The lifestyle has taught me to be more aware of my body and I’m definitely more aware of my brain than EVER before! WIN!

So for those of you adults with epilepsy embarking on a new diet for your epilepsy, here are my 3 Top Tips:

  1. Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process:It can be tempting to feel like you need to research and understand everything straight away, get your macros perfect right off the bat, and so on. But take your time to absorb and learn about the lifestyle in your own time (do your READING, don’t just rely on YouTube).

    It is unlikely you’ll learn everything about the lifestyle let alone test the impact of the lifestyle on YOUR body in a month – give yourself time to learn, play and adapt – enjoy the process.

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    Keto Lemon & Mint FroYo
  2. Listen to your body and the different types of dietary therapies used to treat epilepsy:Although I’ve been on the keto lifestyle for nearly 1.5 years, I have by no means been consistently in ketosis. I do have ‘cheat days’ but this doesn’t mean I load up on sugar, I still opt for the healthier low GI options during cheat days (which also tend to be during my period.)

    I’m a strong believer in sustainability and balance and ‘finding what works for you’ at the end of the day and found that for me it was a combination of mostly ketogenic combined with low GI on certain days seems to work.

    View the Epilepsy Foundation website for more on Dietary Therapies.

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    Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie
  3. Don’t have #FOMO! It’s more than just what you put in your mouth 

    (I personally think the ketogenic lifestyle  works best in tandem with other lifestyle improvements. Factors that could improve outcomes might be e.g. sleep, time with family and friends, work-life-balance, exercise and so on.I strongly recommend taking the time out to assess your seizure triggers, find out what lifestyle factors could minimise them, review and prioritise what’s important, and if necessary, adapt your lifestyle as a whole.

    When prioritising it will probably mean something is sacrificed in the quest for better health, and for us millennials there is always a major #FOMO – but the end result will always be worth it – seizure freedom!

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    FAMILY TIME! Keto Shakshuka for Fathers Day Brunch 🙂

Bonus tip! (And one that I personally struggle with)

It goes without saying that you should be making dietary lifestyle changes for epilepsy under your neurologists supervision and ideally with a ketogenic dietitian, but the reality is that there are probably many who are doing it without either. (I personally had to wait 8 months for an appointment).

Although I am technically under a ketogenic dietitian, follow-up / communication has not been great – largely on my part as it is taxing and a lot of work to submit food diaries, monitor your blood, do routine blood/urine tests etc. A lot of the hard work falls on the patient which is paper based. For an epileptic that can add up to a lot of brainpower and physical energy in addition to daily life and I for one find it quite stressful and draining. Give me an app any day please. (Rant over!)

Nevertheless it IS an absolute necessity if your goal is to manage your epilepsy (or for any medical condition) – please do it under supervision of a health professional as there ARE side effects to the lifestyle.

P.S I write this blog a few days before a milestone “Holidate”! It’s the first holiday I’ve had in a LONG time and the first time in a long time that I’ve gone somewhere without family of some kind as well. I’m completely throwing myself out of my comfort zone. The last time I felt this out of my comfort zone was 9 years ago!  Getting my priorities straight and giving myself a break!

I hope to post more frequently and prioritise this blog every fortnight! GOALS!

 

 

Keto Protein Cloud Loaf

I love the cloud bread recipes floating around (excuse the pun), but I find them to be a bit frustrating and a bit hit-and-miss sometimes.

Also, my oven isn’t huge so making a few light pieces of cloud bread isn’t convenient or satisfying, and I can’t wait around to make them in batches as the whipped egg whites are too sensitive so they really need to go in the oven as soon as they’re prepared.

I personally find making a good old loaf of bread to be the simplest thing. This recipe was inspired by the cloud bread recipe and a chiffon cake recipe using whey protein.

I’ve replaced the cream cheese with Greek Yogurt (it’s cheaper and we buy it in bulk), and the texture works PERFECTLY as a bread (it works both savoury or sweet depending on your preference).

FAQ’s

Does the bread taste like cake?

I don’t think it’s cakey as it has no (nut) flour. It’s almost like a super light Keto version of a loaf of brioche.

It’s so good that in my books it beats almond bread, coconut bread, and flax bread. I’m a sucker for light and fluffy bread!

How do you eat it?

Like bread!

Slice, smother in butter/ghee/garlic olive oil, pan fry, (I’ll be honest, I haven’t tried toasting it because it’s quite light and I have a feeling it might get stuck in the toaster), use it in a sandwich, and so on.

(This morning I toasted a slice in ghee and made an open sandwich with creamy scrambled eggs – because I’m addicted to scrambled eggs at the moment – with a side of bacon and greens).

Keto Protein Loaf (6)

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 eggs separated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
  • 170g Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 50g Whey Protein Isolate (Unflavoured for savoury bread, *Vanilla flavoured for Sweet bread)
  • OPTION 1 Spicy Savoury Bread: Spices: 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt of choice, 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Dried Chilli Flakes (or other savoury spices of choice).
  • *OPTION 2 Sweet Bread: 2-3 tablespoons sweetener of choice if using unflavoured whey protein OR use a vanilla flavoured whey isolate protein powder.

METHOD

1. Preperation: Pre-heat the oven to 150C and grease a loaf tin.

2. Add the cream of tartar to the egg white and whisk until stiff peaks form.

3. To the egg yolks add the remaining ingredients (greek yogurt, whey protein, baking powder, salt and spices).

4. Mix the yolk mixture well.

5. Add the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture in parts:

  • Add 1/3 of the white and mix to loosen the batter.
  • Add 2/3 and FOLD very gently. You want it to be well combined but don’t want to lose any “fluffiness”.

6. Pour it into your greased loaf tin and bake at 150C for approximately 60minutes. (You may have to adjust the temperature and time depending on your oven.)

(NOTE: If you really want buns it might work but I haven’t tried!)

Macros

1 whole loaf (= approximately 10 servings):

  • Calories: 835.2 kcal
  • Protein: 85.6g
  • Net carbs: 17.6g
  • Fat: 45.6g

1 slice:

  • Calories: 83.5 kcal
  • Protein: 8.6g
  • Net carbs: 1.8g
  • Fat: 4.6g

 

 

Brain Butter (Low Carb | High Fat |Gluten Free )

Keto vs. Epilepsy vs. Life Update

It’s been a LONG LONG time since I’ve posted. Mainly because there’s been so much going on, and not much at the same time, such is the life of an epileptic! For the average Joe a small task doesn’t take alot of effort, but for an epileptic, doing normal things is exhausting. You brain literally feels like butter much of the time.

As I’m working on a number of small projects part-time, instead of focusing on one stable full-time job now, it can get stressful and mentally draining even though physically right now I’m only really in London as opposed to hopping between two continents as I was doing before.

Still, it’s a battle trying to merely get started, complete tasks, and stay functional.  I find I often spend as much (if not twice as much) time recovering (catching up on sleep, Netflix and chill, yoga and meditation, me time!) as I do just getting on with things and trying to lead a “normal life”.

However, these last few months I’ve had moments of gratitude repeatedly for my parents (without whom I wouldn’t be seizure free), my partner (who saved my life and for giving me space, time and love in his own way), my sister and her family (for just being around and especially for allowing me to vent, cry, be a cow), and for a handful of friends I know I can count on.

Amongst them, one recently came to London all the way from Mumbai last month, and she opened my eyes to a whole new world of Nichiren Buddhism I hadn’t explored. I’m thankful for the quality time we got to spend together and the exciting project we’ve dreamed up! I love that you and I recognise that we are “Dysfunctionally Functional” and accept it.

It was also my niece’s first birthday and my sister and her fambam came to visit for four days.

So here is my confession – last month – OCTOBER 2017, I SLIPPED UP BIGTIME on a few occasions:

  •  Whilst my friend was around there was one night where she had a dessert with flambéed alcohol on it, I took one bite and pretty much got drunk (who gets high on flambéed apple crumble?) We also went to Ping Pong (Chinese Dim Sum) two nights in a row. And I had dessert!!!
  • Whilst my sister was down as well I went to the pub with my her and my BIL and had a chip from her plate with my steak, ate some rice and Paratha with my curry, I also had cake, panna cottage and ‘payesh’ (rice pudding) on my niece’s birthday.

SO SUE ME, I decided to live a little for a few days 😂! No regrets. And it will happen again I’m sure.  I’m not going to beat myself up about it.

Here’s the upside though:

  • Whenever I do slip up, it reminds me that I just can’t stand sugar and carbs, it’s not for me. I can literally feel the sugar slap my brain around. It satisfies me temporarily for a few spoonfuls but in the back of my  mind I think “hmmmm how can I ketofy this at home 😂!” What I really enjoyed though was just being around my family and friends.
  • Unlike previous times during the summer for instance when I had a bad carb-up, practically went into a “food coma”, and also seemed to struggle getting back into the Keto way of eating, every single time I re-started keto after relapsing, THIS time I pretty much bounced straight back into ketosis after a few days, no major struggle or keto flu (although I did battle the real flu twice during this period). I didn’t fast intentionally although it may have happened that I unintentionally Intermittent Fasted a number of days sporadically.

Brain Butter?

Anyway enough of my rambling, as November is the month for #EpilepsyAwareness here is a lovely nut butter recipe especially for my fellow #brainwarriors on Keto – #BrainButter!

The reason it’s called Brain Butter is because it’s made from Walnuts, Pecans, and Fats (olive oil, ghee, coconut oil) which are good for the brain. I used all three, but feel free to use just one or two.

When I was making it I didn’t realise how symbolic it really was. 💜

Walnuts and pecans look like the brain. It’s poetic almost, the whole process of making a nut butter is almost like what it is to be an epileptic – you’re ok one minute and the next your brain feels all mushy and you’ve lost control like liquid nutbutter. BUT homemade BrainButter is of course healing with so many nourishing and restorative properties.

In addition to the countless  health benefits of walnuts, they’re also supposed to have numerous properties which make them good for the brain and there are studies that show they have anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects (albeit on rats).

This recipe also has cinnamon which is supposed to be good for the neurological system including memory – us epileptics suffer greatly on that front!

Other reasons why I LOVE this Brain Butter: 

  • Probably because of the high fat content in walnuts and pecans, it comes together ALOT quicker than almond butter and peanut butter. I think it took me less than 10 minutes to blend a batch of butter. So for tired epileptics, maximum fat for less effort, I think it’s a go-to nut butter!
  • 1 Tablespoon of this would  give you a significant amount (0.9g) of your heart healthy Omega 3’s.

Brain Butter Recipe!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup (approx. 100g) pecans
  • 1 cup (approx. 80g) walnuts
  • 2-3 Tbsp Fat of choice (I used 1 Tbsp Olive Oil / 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil /1 Tbsp Ghee)
  • 1-2 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Tsp Himalayan Salt

Note: The ghee makes it smell/taste like burnt caramel a little bit, I would only suggest using homemade ghee otherwise use one / a combination of the other two oils, as store-bought ghee might be overpowering.

METHOD

1. Toast your pecans and walnuts in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes to release the oils.

2. Set aside to cool slightly, allow the nuts to come down to room temperature before putting them in the food processor.

3. Place your nuts in a food processor and blend until you get a grainy consistency.

 

4. Then gradually add your oils in turn every 1-2 minutes. Keep the the processor churning, but check periodically, stir (and push down the sides and scrape the bottom of the processor) and of course taste as you go along if you must and adjust 😊!

 

5. This is what the finished Brain Butter should look like !

 

MACROS per serving

This recipe creates approximately 10 Tablespoons of Brain Butter.

1 serving = 1 Tbsp

  • 157.4 kcal
  • 2.1g protein
  • 1.1g net carbs
  • 16.4g fat

Update: How do you eat it?

Like any other nut butter!

  • By the spoonful 🙂
  • On your (ahem low carb / keto) bread / toast / bagel / waffle / bun  / pancake / donut / world!
  • On top of a keto granola.
  • In your smoothie.

 

 

 

 

Keto Mini Cinnamon Rolls & Chocolate Rolls (Gluten Free|Low Carb)

Keto & Epilepsy Update

I’ve been struggling to get my fats in again and I know my weight has changed since I started this way of eating, and I feel like I need to adjust my macros. But I’m not quite sure.

However I FINALLY GOT AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DIETITIAN ON THE NHS! Although the appointment is all the way in December, I’m over the moon and couldn’t be more excited because I thought it was never going to happen. I don’t think there are that many “ketogenic diet for adults with epilepsy” specialists around.

Anyway it has been over nine months since I found out about the the diet, and around six months of being on it. I can now say the following:

POSITIVES:

  • My seizures have reduced in severity. Since going keto I did have one grandmal however that was a day after changing my dose which was kind of expected.
  • Creative outlet: I enjoy cooking and experimenting with keto recipes, especially making more ‘mainstream’ food out of low-carb ingredients.
  • Be prepared: It’s hard out there and MOST foods have sugar and/or additives. So planning is crucial!
  • Learning: The Keto WOE isn’t the same for everyone. My dad is doing it for weightloss and his heart but he also doesn’t really care (yet) about inflammatory additives. Whereas I’m doing it for epilepsy and eczema and so additives are important to me.

NEGATIVES:

Please note that both of the negatives mentioned below are also side effects of Zonisamide (Zonegran), the anti-epileptic medication that I’m on. 

  • Weight loss. Chubby 16 year-old me on Epilim would have loved to be able to lose the weight so quickly, but 32 year-old me isn’t quite so sure about the drastic weight loss.
  • Fluctuating energy levels. There are moments where I have sufficient energy and moments where I’m exhausted. I can’t drink caffeine so rely on MCT oil for quick bursts of energy.

FatHead Pastry: The Keto Holy Grail!

My foodprep this Sunday was mini Keto pastries made with a slightly sweetened fathead pastry.

I made bitesized Mini Cinnamon Rolls (0.9g carbs) and Chocolate Rolls / Chocolate Danish Pastries (1.5g carbs) today!

KetoPastry-001

Whoever came up with the idea of the genius fathead dough. I. LOVE. YOU!!! Next time I visit my sister in Paris, I’m taking along a batch of these babies so I’m not tempted (again!)

Ingredients

FatHead Pastry:

  • 200g (1.5 cups) shredded mozzarella
  • 80g (0.75 cup) almond flour
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp Natvia
Cinnamon Filling:
  • 2 tbsp Natvia (or other low-carb sweetener of choice)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • Hot water
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 1 tbsp cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp greek yoghurt
  • 2 drops liquid stevia
  • Vanilla

Chocolate Filling:

  • Cocoa or Cacao powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Sugar-free maple syrup or sweetener of choice
  • Hot water

Chocolate Drizzle:

  • Dark Chocolate (I used 2 squares of Lindt 85% Chocolate)

Method

Fathead Pastry

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 Celsius/360 Fahrenheit.
  2. Measure out mozzarella and cream cheese, and melt in a non-stick pot over a low flame or in a microwave. It will take approximately 1.5 minutes. NOTE: Stir the mixture half way through!
  3. Crack and stir in the egg into the mixture well.
  4. Then measure and add the almond flour, baking powder, and sweetener of choice, and mix well into a smooth doughball.
  5. Divide the dough into two batches / balls.

Cinnamon Rolls

ketopastry-min

  1. Place one batch / ball on a parchment paper and place another parchment paper on top of it. Roll it out until it’s as thin as you can get it (but still workable) into a large rectangle.
  2. Prepare the Cinnamon Filling: boiled water, sweetener and cinnamon.
  3. Brush the Cinnamon Filling along the entire flat top of the pastry.
  4. Roll the pastry into a log along the length.
  5. With a sharp knife, cut the pastry into rolls (approximately 10-12 rolls).
  6. Place on a non-stick dish and bake at 180C for 20 minutes (check at 15 minutes).
  7. While the rolls are baking, mix the frosting: cream cheese, yogurt and sweetener,
  8. Once the rolls have baked, drizzle or spread over your WARM CINNAMON ROLLS AND EAT!!!

Chocolate Rolls / Chocolate Danish

ketopastry6-min

  1. Place the second batch / ball on a parchment paper and place another parchment paper on top of it. Roll it out until it’s as thin as you can get it (but still workable) into a large rectangle.
  2. Prepare the Chocolate Fillling: Boiled water, Cacao Powder, Cinnamon (optional), Sugar-Free Maple Syrup or other sweetener of choice.
  3. Pour the chocolate filling on top of the pastry and spread over evenly. NOTE: Don’t go too close to the edges.
  4. Roll the pastry into a log along the length.
  5. With a sharp knife, cut the pasty into rolls, or slightly longer pastries.
  6. Place on a non-stick dish and bake at 180C for 20 minutes (check at 15 minutes).
  7. Whilst the Chocolate Pastries are baking, melt your required amount of Dark Chocolate to drizzle on top!
  8. Once the pastries have baked, drizzle or spread over your WARM CHOCOLATE PASTRIES AND EAT!!!

ketopastry9-min

Let’s just say I think I’ll his my fat macros today :-)! These are BY FAR MY FAVOURITE FAT BOMBS!

Macros

Mini Cinnamon Roll:

  • 70 Kcal
  • 3.5g Protein
  • 1.9g Carbs
  • 1g Fiber
  • 0.9g Net Carbs
  • 5.8g Fat
  • Calcium: 84.4 mg

Mini Chocolate Roll:

  • 75.7 Kcal
  • 3.7g Protein
  • 2.4g Carbs
  • 0.9g Fiber
  • 1.5g Net Carbs
  • 6.1g Fat
  • Calcium: 77.9 mg

Keto Croutons (Gluten Free|Dairy Free|Low Carb)

This was one of those spur of the moment things that I’m so pleased with, it’s DEFINITELY going to become a permanent part of my staples in my Keto pantry.

The reason these babies came about was because I was craving a Caesar salad. But you can’t have a Caesar salad without croutons right!!!

As I learnt, Keto Croutons couldn’t be simpler to make. If making microwave Keto Flax Bread was the easiest recipe in the world, this is just one step up.

They take less than 10 minutes to prepare, are quite moreish (I finished 3 portions of the 4 I made in one day). It also makes for a satisfying Keto snack-on-the-run. I’ve actually been munching on them with cheese (like flax crackers I suppose). They’re THAT good and guilt-free, and SUPER CRUNCHY 🙂 !

ketocroutons (2)_1200-min

RECIPE

This recipe make approximately 4 servings.

Utensils & Ingredients

  • 1 Microwavable Dish (I used a glass dish that was approximately 5×5 inch)
  • Butter (or oil) to grease
  • 1 Medium Egg
  • 4 Tbsp Flax Meal (You could also probably make it from Almond Meal)
  • 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt of choice
  • OPTIONAL Spices / Seasonings of choice: E.g. Pepper, Chilli, Garlic, Onion, Cayenne, Paprika, Turmeric etc.

Method

  • Grease your dish with the butter or oil.
  • Crack and beat the egg in the dish.
  • Add the flax, baking powder, salt, and optional spices and seasonings of choice.
  • Stir the mixture well until everything is well incorporated.
  • Microwave for 2 minutes.

(Click here for step-by-step images of how to make microwave keto bread)

  • Remove the bread from the microwave and slice it into two slices, then cut into crouton sized cubes.

ketocroutons (6)_1200-min

  • Place the bread cubes on a plate and microwave in 1 minute bursts until hard. (Mine took 2 minutes in total).
  • Cool, sprinkle on your salad, or eat as it is with a dip or cheese!

Macros

Per serving:

  • 47.2 Kcal
  • 2.9 Protein
  • 2.7g Carbs
  • 2g Fiber
  • 0.7g Net Carbs
  • 2.9g Fat

ketocroutons (8)_1200-min

Is Carb-Cycling OK for an epileptic?

I shared on my Instagram yesterday that I had a non-Keto frozen green smoothie bowl. It was DELICIOUS and I have zero regrets about it just because it was so nutrient dense and what I needed at the time. I was craving fruits and decided to “listen to my body” and “carb-up” the healthy wholefood kind of way.

Eight days ago I had a seizure due to changing my Zonegran dose again (the medicine makes me so tired and we’re adjusting my dose to try to counter that). I’ve definitely still felt a bit off since – tired, exhausted and now spaced out following the seizure. BUT it was just that one seizure *I HOPE*!

So as my brain and mind sorted itself out and found its feet, I lost my appetite. And when I got it back a bit, all I craved was good hearty whole food. Hence this frozen pineapple, spinach, ginger, turmeric, almond milk smoothie bowl! NO FILTER, it’s that green!

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I KNOW it isn’t OK for an epileptic to carb-up on Keto

I’m aware that the tiniest bit of excess sugar/carbs for an epileptic could mean a seizure. Post seizure I did fast and I was in ketosis and I did stay keto for quite a few days.

But I’m a girl that always listens to her heart as well as her head (unfortunately or fortunately). I weighed it up and the usual “carb alternatives” just weren’t making me happy, and I just needed a simple green smoothie.

I think my body was probably crying out for nutrition which I think I need to work on improving because I feel so much better this morning. I think I should probably make more effort to have a Keto Green Smoothie a day. 

I’m yet to see a dietician (still waiting for my appointment), but perhaps the occasional healthy carb-cycle could work for me as long as I avoid white sugar and processed/junk food. *Watch this space!!!*

Since this Monday morning I’ve been back on the lifestyle again but I think I really need to review my options and discuss with a dietician. This link has some information on the types of ketogenic diets for epilepsy.

 

Death by Keto Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free|Low Carb)

I had a very shit end to last week. Anti-epileptic medication changes led to a seizure on Sunday. Epileptics know how the story goes, and now I’m just just waiting for my body (or brain) to adapt to the changes. (I might do a separate post on that later.)

Anyway, I fasted that day out of sheer exhaustion and because the medicine (Zonegran) causes me to lose my appetite. However, after a few days of resting up, I finally got my ass into gear again.

As a result I needed some major comfort food that was Keto friendly. THIS my friends is how I made damn sure that the rest of the week stayed AMAZING!

KETO CHOCOLATE CAKE!!! With EXTRA chocolate!

I’ve made a few keto chocolate cakes in the past, but I think this one hits the spot. Especially if you’ve been keto for a while and your sweet tooth isn’t what it used to be.

This is the most indulgent, because I’ve used almost twice the amount of dark chocolate of other similar recipes. Initially I set out to make a “flourless” cake, but I decided to add almond flour in the end, so although it isn’t exactly flourless. It’s still very much gluten-free.

Now, before I get the Keto police on me for this post – yes IF you eat the whole cake you’ll probably be thrown out of ketosis. BUT if you use good quality DARK chocolate (Over 75%), then a slice a day won’t hurt if you’re fat adapted and watching your macros.

And dark chocolate is high in potassium, something that a lot of us on this lifestyle struggle with! So why not treat yourself once in a while!

ketochoccake13_500

Ingredients

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature*
  • 300g dark chocolate (75% and above. I used 3x100g bars of 90% Lindt Dark Chocolate for convenience but recommend 100% cocoa to reduce sugar and carbs.)
  • 5 medium eggs (or 4 large): yolks separated from whites
  • 1/3 cup almond flour (or other flour of choice OR cocoa)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Sweetener: 3 tablespoons of a powdered sweetener of choice (I used Natvia which is a blend of Erythritol and Stevia)
  • Optional: 2-3 drops of Liquid sweetener for additional sweetness if required
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar-free vanilla extract or essence
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon coffee

    NOTES:
    *Apologies my weighing scale wasn’t behaving so I will update butter measurements in grams the next time I make this!

Method

  • Pre-heat & prep:
    – Pre-heat your oven to 175C and prepare your cake tin of choice (grease and sprinkle some cocoa powder, or line the tin with a grease-proof baking sheet. I used a round 9 inch tin).
    – Measure out 300g of DARK chocolate**
    ketochoccake_480 (2)
    – Measure out 10 tablespoons of butter
    ketochoccake_480 (1)
    – Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two bowls, ensuring the whites are in a large clean cold bowl for whipping.
    ketochoccake_480 (6)
  • Melt the chocolate & Butter until silky smooth:

    – Option 1: Double Boil the chopped up chocolate and butter on the stove. (Here’s a how-to melt chocolate using a double boiler).
    – Option 2: Melt the chopped up chocolate and butter in 30 second bursts in the microwave. Stirring the mixture in between until the chocolate has completely melted.
    Useful Tip: Make sure your utensils are completely dry when melting chocolate to prevent the chocolate from seizing up.
  • Beat the egg whites:
    ketochoccake_480 (7)
    In a cold clean bowl, beat the separated egg whites on a medium speed until they start to get foamy, then add the cream of tartar and increase the speed until they start to form stiff peaks.
  • Add sweetener:
    Add your sweetener of choice to taste and keep beating the egg whites until the stiff peaks are able to stand by themselves. They shouldn’t move even if the bowl is turned upside down.
  • Add egg yolks, 1/3 cup almond flour, vanilla essence and salt to chocolate:


    Once the chocolate has cooled down, whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate along with the salt. Mix in the almond flour (or other flour or additional cocoa well).
    Optional: Add 1/2 tsp espresso powder into the mixture.

  • Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate:
    ketochoccake_480 (11)
    – Whisk 1/4 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
    – Carefully fold the remaining 3/4 whipped egg whites into the chocolate with a spatula.
    Useful Tip: A silicone spatula is easiest for folding egg whites.
  • Taste and add more sweetener if required:
    I added additional stevia drops into mine.
  • Bake:

    ketochoccake_480 (12)
    Keto Chocolate Cake batter pre-baking

    Pour the batter into your prepared cake tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. It will only rise very slightly, and might form a thin crust.

  • EAT!
    ketochoccake_480 (14)
    This cake is great warm or cold but I it gets quite hard once it has been in the fridge. Personally, my favourite way to eat it is a slice straight out of the oven, or after ten seconds in the microwave with some berries and cream. 

Macros

(Based on Lindt 90% Dark Chocolate)

1 cake = 12 servings

1 serving:

  • Energy 280.3 kcal
  • Protein: 5.5g
  • Net Carbs: 6.3g**
  • Fat: 26.8g

**If you would like to reduce the carb count even further, you could:

  1. Reduce the amount of chocolate used to 200g, but I wouldn’t go lower than that as it would seriously compromise the chocolateyness and it taste too ‘eggy’.
  2. Use a chocolate with a lower carb count e.g. 100% cocoa (I recommend Montezuma’s Black 100% Cocoa which I used for these chocolate covered nuts),  and increasing the amount of sweetener used.

 

‘Cheese’ & Onion Bittergourd and Kale Crisps (Gluten-Free|Vegan|Low-Carb)

I love kale but bittergourd / bittermelon / bittersquash / Balsam-pear / Karela / Goya – call it what you will, my reaction to it would have been the same until very recently. EURGH!!! It’s just so erm, intensely bitter? HOW could anyone with normal tastebuds enjoy it?

This is a recipe to start initiating yourself into the world of bittergourd! It’s actually yummy and moreish.

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I don’t know how else to start this post but to say that until I started preparing bittergourd this way, it has been nearly (but not quite at) the top of my hate list of vegetables (or is it a fruit?) . Either way it’s something that until very recently my tastebuds detested.

Being Bengali this is shameful as it’s a staple vegetable in many dishes including my boyfriends beloved “Shukto” or Bengali style mixed vegetable. Bengali’s love exciting the tastebuds, and this mighty vegetable definitely does. I unfortunately cannot make a “Shukto” yet (but I shall soon!).

Amongst other nutritious elements, bittergourd is a high potassium vegetable, which is something that on the keto diet, I’ve been struggling with and have been searching for ways to incorporate it into my every day diet. If it wasn’t already obvious enough, I’m a bittergourd hater, but this simple recipe my friends, I simply cannot get enough of!

Although it’s commonly seen in Asian households, it’s highly underrated in the western world but it’s increasingly available in supermarkets (and readily available in the Asian / Indian markets). 

Bittergourd: Reasons why I can’t get enough of it now

  1. I’m older and wiser! I know that it’s good for me. Like kale, bittergourd is a nutritious powerhouse. 
  2. The green colour! And how it changes into a brighter green when you season raw bittergourd with salt. It’s magic :-).
  3. It looks weird and dangerous, like a massive green club.
  4. It can be delicious and moorish, when done right (like this recipe)!
  5. These crisps keep well for a few days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

I’m not listing any quantities for the dressing below because I believe it’s entirely up to your tastebuds and personal preferences as to how flavoursome you’d like your crisps to be! Quantities for the vegetables are also up to you, the 1-2 cups are just a guideline.

  • 1-2 cups sliced bittergourd: Washed, dried and sliced thin.
  • 1-2 cups Kale: Washed, dried and torn into larger than bite-sized pieces (they will shrink when baked).
  • Olive oil (or any other oil of choice). I personally like to use a garlic olive oil.
  • Nutritional Yeast (This is where the ‘cheese-ey’ flavour comes from. There isn’t any actual cheese in this recipe.)
  • Onion Powder.
  • Himalayan Salt / Sea Salt.
  • Cayenne Pepper.
  • Turmeric: Optional

Method

Bittergourd chips:

kaleandbittergourdfries (1)

  1. Heat the oil in a suitable pan. You will you need enough oil to fry the bittergourd until they’re crispy.
  2. Slice the bittergourd into thin round slices and wash thoroughly.
  3. Sprinkle salt onto the bittergourd and  massage into it well. Leave for 10 minutes.
  4. Shallow fry the bittergourd in the oil until they’re darker and crispy but watch closely to make sure they don’t burn. The seeds should be crispy. (You could also try baking them, but we haven’t attempted this before).
  5. Once fried, dress the bittergourd with nutritional yeast, onion powder, himalayan salt and cayenne pepper according to your macros and taste.Tip: The bittergourd crisps keeps well in the fridge for a few days so you can make a large batch of this and snack on it (if it lasts)! It’s good cold, room temperature, or can be reheated in the oven or dry-toasted in a pan on the stove top.

Kale chips:

kaleandbittergourdfries (2)

  1. Wash and dry the kale well.
  2. Pre-heat an oven to 150-160C (it depends on your oven but I find that a lower temperature works better).
  3. Massage the kale with olive oil, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt and cayenne pepper according to your macros and taste. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  4. Bake your kale chips in the oven for about 12-15 mins, and then give them a toss, then bake them again for another 10-12 mins (or until crispy but not burnt).

I don’t think kale crisps keep as well as bittergourd crisps, so eat the same day if possible.

Eat separately or mix BOTH the bittergourd and kale crisps up for the best of both worlds and enjoy getting your greens and nutrition in!

 

Keto on My Holiday: Preparing (& Failing) Lessons Learnt!

It’s been a while since I last posted. This is because I recently went on a family holiday to Brittany in France with my mum, dad, sister, baby niece, the dog, bro-in-law and his mum. It’s where my BIL is originally from and his mum spends half the year there, so we were fortunate enough to be able to rent one of the summer houses next door.

HolidaySilhouetteMnD

It was beyond amazing being able to wake up to view of the ocean, playing with my niece and watching her learn and grow before my very eyes. She developed so much in just a week. We also ate a lot of home cooked food including fresh fish and seafood which Plozevet is known for. My BIL even barbecued on the massive indoor fire!

I have to hand it to my sister, we were a hard bunch to feed considering my dad and I are Keto, mum doesn’t eat seafood, and sisters MIL doesn’t like garlic, onion and some spices. Nevertheless, we found a mutual love of simple food, and her MIL’s homemade Mayonnaise (where is the heart emoticon when you need it?!). My dad indulged in cheese and creams which were incomparable – the quality seems so much better there, or it might just be the holiday mood made everything taste better.

Preparing for travel

For the flight I bought some spiced seeds, and made some buffalo spiced nuts, zucchini pancake ham and cheese rolls, as well as keto bounty bars. They kept quite well in a cool bag and the bounty bars even lasted until we reached our destination!

I knew that we would have access to kitchens and for the holiday I prepped by making a loaf of keto bread, crackers, I knew we’d be having alot of cheese and didn’t want to miss out on the fun!

For breakfast I prepped some granola which I had with yogurt every morning. Alternatively we had eggs, Jamon and bread. I had this with a spiced chai (we took some garam masala spices with us which I used to make the chai), with almond milk.

Giving in to Keto for some quality family time

There were three meals during my week long trip where I ate carbs for the sake of quality family time:

  1. Day two for lunch when my sister had booked a meal at the local creperie which is always booked up – it’s that popular. This place has nostalgic memories for us as it’s where we went when they got married with the whole family and their close friends. It wouldn’t make sense to go to the creperie and not eat a crepe. I made the decision to get a buckwheat crepe which seemed like the healthier option. However I totally caved when my sister asked if I wanted to share their special profiteroles with ice-cream in the middle. I had a few bites :-/. Or half the dish.
  2. The day when we all went out as a family and I resorted to eating ice-cream, crepes and French pastries. I outdid myself in carbs that day.
  3. The last full day that we had my mum, sister and I did a crepe making class where we learnt about the history of crepes, social context, about the ingredients, utensils, and techniques, as well as practicing and making our own savoury and sweet crepes and galettes.

Why I don’t eat gluten (apart from Keto)

On that last day I ate nearly three crepes and that day I remembered WHY I don’t eat gluten anymore. Even before starting the keto diet I’d avoided gluten for a while. The reason being my upper lip swelled up, it was like a bee had stung it, or I’d just gotten botox! It was a harsh reminder indeed, and trust me, I will not be touching gluten again. Luckily the eating was done at the end of the class and I swelled up on the way home! BUT, I got  certificate for making crepes, and hope to make some beautiful keto crepes now.

Lessons Learnt

Before I left for holiday I thought I’d be able to stick to Keto during my trip: I would have access to a kitchen, I’d be with family, I knew what to expect in terms of food as I’ve been before. However, even in the most Keto friendly circumstances here are my tips:

  1. Keto is a LIFEstyle right? The key work being life. It needs to fit into your day and priorities in that moment when you’re making a decision as to what to eat. I chose having some family fun over keto and allergies/intolerances. (Partly because I knew I was in a safe environment so I could risk testing my limits! I didn’t have to go work the next day.)
  2. Prepare for success: I think my mentality that I was going to stick to Keto helped me to at least stay low-carb during the majority of my trip even though I was probably kicked out of ketosis on day two. I really liked the food that I’d prepped as well!
  3. Don’t mix fat and carbs: If you do eat carbs, try not to eat (too much) fat as well. Anyone that’s doing keto knows why so I won’t go into this. This was hard for me being in France because they put butter on everything!
  4. GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK! You’re on holiday after all! De-stressing is great for epilepsy and I’m sure being around loved ones does great things for stress levels.

I’ll put up recipes of food I prepared for travel in due course!