Positive Thoughts + Friday Fall Fashion Vibes

November 20, 20202 Comments

Time to kick back – – it’s FRIDAYYYY !!!

️Feeling my usual positive self this gorgeous, chilly Fall morning after a walk around Federal Hill Park with my favorite fur babies and thought I’d share where my thoughts wandered this morning . . .

“The point is not to pay back kindness, but to pass it on” – Julia Alvarez

Treat others how you wish to be treated, always be kinder than you feel, and do not judge unless you’ve walked a mile in someone else’s shoes, taking everyone at face value & giving everyone an equal chance.

I don’t believe in ‘reputations,’ I believe in actions – – the unique efforts each individual places forth towards another being. No categorizations, no ‘guilty by association,’ just simply taking each person for who and what they are.

I’m exhausted of those living in glass houses and not cleaning their windows. If you are kind to me, I am kind to you. Appreciate each other for their abilities, differences, beauty & uniqueness.

Support & be happy for others enjoying their success. Life is an echo – what you send out, comes back; what you sow, you reap; what you see in others, exists in you. Lead by example. Be the YOU you’d want to know.

How do you pass on kindness to others? Tell me in the comments!

#thoughtsforbeginningyourweekend

Cheers, all!
xoxox
Brittany

I Did It All for the Cookies… NEW: Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

January 28, 2019January 28, 2019Leave a comment

Being on a diet, a NEW diet at that – it’s natural for your sweet tooth to perk up! Especiallyyyyy when you’re telling yourself something is off limits. You just want it EVEN MORE. Amiright?!

Well. Say goodbye to those nasty cravings, because I have a 100% Keto approved chocolate chip cookie recipe for you to try! That’s right folks – I said C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E C-H-I-P C-O-O-K-I-E-S !! You don’t have to deprive yourself on every diet! These cookies contain all the Keto necessities: coconut oil, butter, almond flour and . . . you guessed it . . . chocolate!!

For the purposes of the Keto diet, we’re choosing a 100% cacao baking chocolate bar, unsweetened. NOTE: By itself it’s extremely bitter, but mixed in with the other ingredients, it creates the perfect balance!

Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup coconut oil, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup golden monk fruit sweetener OR sticky sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
3 cups almond flour
3 oz. 100% cacao baking chocolate bar

Directions:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together coconut oil and butter.
Next, add eggs and vanilla extract
Add sticky sweetener of choice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt
Slowly, while mixing, add almond flour to cookie mix
In a separate bowl, microwave chocolate pieces until just barely soft. Use a utensil to separate chocolate pieces into smaller bits before transitioning to mix
Pour chocolate pieces into bowl of dough and mix until combined
Form dough into balls and place on cookie parchment paper
REMEMBER: Allow room in between cookies for cookies to spread during baking
Bake cookies for 18-20 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 191 Fat: 18g Carbohydrates: 11.5g (Net: 1.9g) Protein: 4.3g

cheery and charming_keto_chocolate chip cookies_2

Mamma Mia! NEW: Keto Italian Stuffed Meatball Recipe for the Books

January 23, 2019January 23, 2019Leave a comment

For some, odd, I can’t-explain-it reason, I was so intimidated by the idea of making meatballs. I know . . . call me weird. But, it felt like everyone had their own “special” or “secret” recipe, sometimes dating back generations of family. BUT – it turns out, most of those recipes don’t fall within Keto diet guidelines anyway!

While traditional meatballs are not keto, I’m here to help you with an awesome, SUPER easy, Italian Stuffed Keto Meatball alternative.

Typically, meatballs contain bread/crumbs as their main ingredient. This helps the balls maintain their shape. The presence of bread is a direct keto violation, but here’s a solution! (don’t be scared away by the number of ingredients – you just end up combining everything together! 🙂 )

Servings: 4

Split equally into 4 portions

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
2 tsp Garlic
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
3 tbsp Tomato Paste
3 tbsp Flaxseed Meal
2 Large Egg
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper Sprinkled for Seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F
Mix meat and all other ingredients together
Form into meatballs
Lay on a foil covered baking sheet
Bake for 20 minutes
Serve over spinach with sprinkled mozzarella cheese on top
Enjoy!

Nutrition
Calories 594
Fats (g) 44.8
Protein (g) 36.8
Net Carbs (g) 3.8

Seriously… HOW FLIPPING SIMPLE?! Great for lunches on the go, hearty dinners and for satisfying your favorite Italian food cravings! And these are delicious . . . I PROMISE you!

cheery-and-charming_keto_italian-stuffed-meatballs-recipe-3.jpg cheery and charming_keto_italian stuffed meatballs recipe 2

Give them a try and post your review/comments below 🙂

Talk soon!
xoxox
Brittany

What Did the Buffalo Say When His Son Left for College? . . . “Bison.” NEW Keto Recipe: Brown Butter Buffalo Bites

January 18, 2019Leave a comment

Okay, okay, okay, so there’s technically no “buffalo” in this recipe outside of the sauce (although there mayyyy be a recipe on that coming soon . . . 😉 ) BUT – in the meantime, who says you have to dine out to enjoy delicious cauli buffalo bites?! Now, you make them in 30 minutes – right from home!!

They’re the perfect 30-minute prep snack you can grab and go all week long, OR an awesome munchable addition to your Super Bowl spread in the coming weeks!

I’ve grown to LOVE what some call the “ghost” version of broccoli, see hilarious meme below. There’s so many ways to get creative using this low carb potato substitute – even in place of noodles/rice. There are only 2.9 grams of net carbs in an entire cup of this clean veggie, making it a clear winner on a Keto diet!

Keto Brown Butter Buffalo Bites

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower (approx. 3 cups of florets)
1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot
2 tbsp. Butter
2 garlic cloves OR the equivalent minced
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400F
Melt butter in a small skillet on medium heat
Bring to a simmer until browned. Meanwhile, cut your cauliflower into florets.
Pour florets into a large bowl
Add minced garlic to your melted butter and let simmer
Remove the butter and garlic mixture and pour it over the cauliflower
Add in the hot sauce and gently toss to coat thoroughly throughout
Move the florets to a sheet pan
Bake the cauliflower for 20 minutes
Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with remaining sauce.
Garnish with crispy bacon and serve with ranch or accompanying sauce of your choice for dunking
Enjoy!