Today we’re talking new year, new you.

Well, technically new me.

Or at least a new way of eating.

Lately, I’ve been feeling so sluggish.  I’ve been sleeping in way longer than I normally do.  I haven’t worked out in who knows how long.  And the weight I’ve put on over the past couple of years has just made my life overall more difficult.

So, I’ve decided to go Keto.

What is Keto?

Keto is a diet that’s well-known for being a low carb, high fat diet.  Where the body produces ketones in the liver to be used as energy, as opposed to the glucose and insulin produced when consuming carbs.  Since glucose is the primary energy in most diets, fats are not needed and end up being stored.  By lowering the intake of carbohydrates, the body is induced into a state known as ketosis.  Ketosis is a natural process that the body initiates to help us survive when food intake is low. But we don’t starve ourselves of calories – only carbohydrates – allowing us to reach a metabolic state.

The benefits of a ketogenic diet are: weight loss, controlled blood sugar, increased mental focus (which may help me with another goal this year which involves time management!), it has also been used to treat and reverse neurological disorders such as epilepsy and Alzheimer’s symptoms, it increases energy & normalizes hunger, lowers cholesterol & blood pressure, prevents excess insulin release helping to fight type 2 diabetes, helps clear up acne (where was this during my year long Accutane process?!), and certain studies have even shown that the ketogenic diet “starves” cancer cells protecting us against cancer since cancer cells live off of high-sugar diets.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

I’m sure it is.  Except for right now  when my body is craving carbs.  And craving all the sweets.  And it should.  For the past few years, I’ve fueled my body with chocolate for breakfast.  Pasta for lunch. More chocolate for snack. Pizza for dinner.  Ice cream for dessert.

So, how am I solving this issue of never-ending hunger?  By providing my body with more fats.

Which totally hits the spot.

And then I start to wonder why I haven’t been making these things forever now?

These little bombs of fat.

Because they are soo good.  Like a chocolate covered cheesecake you get at the town fair.  Except healthier.  Wayyy healthier.  And raspberry.

Raspberry Cheesecake Fat Bombs

serves: 15 * calories: 111 * fat: 9.6g * protein: 2.2g * net carbs: 4.1g

• 8 oz. full fat cream cheese
• 1 c. frozen raspberries (I used a mixture of black & red raspberries)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. erythritol
• 1/2 c. almond flour
• 1/4 c. coconut flour
• 10-20 drops clear stevia (I use NuNaturals), divided
• dark chocolate*
• 2 tsp. coconut oil

In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, frozen raspberries, vanilla, erythritol, almond flour, coconut flour, and about 10 drops of stevia.  Process until smooth.

Using a spatula, scoop and smooth raspberry cheesecake mixture into molds (I chose these because it’s what I had on hand, but anything of relative size would work).  Freeze for about an hour.

Meanwhile, put your dark chocolate, coconut oil, and an optional 5-10 drops of liquid stevia into a microwave save bowl, and heat in 30 second increments until melted.  Remove cheesecake from molds, and dip into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.  Set on wax paper until chocolate has hardened.  Store in the refrigerator.

*I used 100% cacao, but anything with 90% and above is ideal. However, if you do use a lower percentage of cacao, you may not need additional sweetener.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank goodness for these, because I want to eat all the thing!

PS.  I finally got my camera back – having to use my phone for photos since September!