Cauliflower "Rice" & native red oil stew

Have been craving for native rice so i decided to get it going with my ever faithful Cauliflower. The meal was so filling and tasty that it took so much willpower not to go for a 3rd helping...yep...I  went back twice for more...hopefully you guys would do better than me.

Cauliflower & native red oil stew

Ingredients

200g Goat Meat ( Diced)
2 tbsp Dry Ground Crayfish
30g Fresh Cayenne Pepper (Shombo)
Adobo Spice
4 tbsp Red Oil
2 tbsp Veg Oil
Salt
100g Cauliflower (Grated)
Slice of onion

Directions

• Wash your meat and cook with salt, Adobo spice and little water
• Blend your pepper and onion together 
• Add your red oil to a sauce pan and cook on low heat for just 2mins
• Add the blended pepper to the red oil and fry for 5mins
• Add your crayfish and cooked meat to the pepper and fry for another 5mins
•  In another sauce pan, add Vegetable Oil and heat for like 30sec before pouring your Cauliflower with a small sprinkle of salt.
• Stir fry till Cauliflower is crisp on the outside but moist inside.
• Serve with your pepper stew

Now we should note that Cayenne Pepper packs quite a punch when it comes to carbohydrate and sugar so should be eaten with caution. It also has quite a bit of healthy fat which is good news for those of us on this ketogenic lifestyle.

According to Wikipedia, a 100g of Cayenne pepper contains total fat of 17g, carbohydrate  57g, sugar 10g and protein 12g. For those on "Strict" low carb lifestyle which means less than 20g of carb daily, this meal should not be an every day stuff, once a week should do.

Enjoy!

TGIF Dinner Chicken Nkwobi

Thank God it's Friday, yaaay! Our meal today is simply divine. The slight bitterness of the Utazi leaf makes this meal exceptional. Without much ado, I present to you guys, my special keto adapted Chicken Nkwobi, without potash and "Maggi".

Chicken Nkwobi

Ingredients

100g Chicken Gizzard (Diced)
100g Chicken Thigh (Diced)
2 tbsp Dry Crayfish
2 tbsp ground dry pepper
5 leaves of Utazi. (Washed & Sliced)
3tbsp of Red Oil
1 tbsp Adobo by Goya


Directions

• Wash the Chicken thigh and gizzards
• Place in the pot and sprinkle Adobo, salt and pepper and massage into the meat.
• Cook on medium heat till stock almost dries out but do not allow it to burn.
• Add your red palm oil and crayfish and simmer for about 5mins
• Sprinkle the sliced Utazi leaves and stir spoon
• Allow to cook for just 2mins and your meal is ready.

Quick, easy and very tasty!

Note that Utazi leaf is bitter so do not add  much or else your food will be too bitter. I'ld love to hear from you. Holla at kaichu.oo@gmail.com. Have a splendid weekend!

Get energized on Bulletproof Coffee or Tea

Bulletproof Coffee is a very tasty coffee made popular by Dave Asprey. A lot people on ketogenic diet drink it as a form of meal replacement in the morning. It can keep you full and very alert for a long time.
To make 1 cup of Bulletproof Coffee, you need

• 1 tbsp Butter (Preferably grass fed)
• 1 tbsp Coconut oil ( Cold pressed)
• 1 cup of Coffee or Tea
• Mix all in a blender and whip till frothy.

Now for those of us in countries with frequent power cuts, one may just decide not bother with making the Bulletproof Tea or Coffee, not to worry there is always a way around these things *winks.

I made this in the morning with nothing more than a clean empty plastic bottle!! Just mix everything together and pour into the plastic bottle. Give a few shakes and voila! Your yummy, filling bulletproof coffee or tea is ready ( I do green tea).

Now keep in mind that one should not over do drinking this stuff. It isn't wise to replace a nutritious meal filled with something low in essential vitamins like Bulletproof Coffee or Tea.

Hope I've been of help to someone out there. Have a very lovely week.

Sunday Lunch Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

So i decided to make my own special Cauliflower fried rice with a hint of Coconut. This one meal that got me wanting more and i could not just wait to share the recipe with you all.
It is as tasty fried rice but much more healthier. It's also very quick to make.

CAULIFLOWER "FRIED RICE"

Serving: 2

Ingredients

                                                                                           FAT         CARB         PROTEIN
1 Cup Cauliflower (washed & shredded)                              .                 5g                     .
1 Small Green Pepper (diced)                                              .                3g                     .
1 Fresh Baby carrot (diced)                                                                  3.5g                  .
1/2 Cup Chicken Breast (diced)                                          6.48g          .                   24.82g
2 tbsp Coconut Oil                                                              28g              .                      .
Adobo All purpose                                                                .                 .                      .
1 Hot Yellow Pepper                                                            .                1.8g                  .
Pinch of salt                                                                          .                 .                       .

Total                                                                                  34.48g        13.3g           24.82g

     
 Directions

• Put your Chicken breast into a saute pan or wok and sprinkle some salt and adobo spice on top.
• Allow it to marinate for like 5mins before adding 1 tsbp of Coconut oil to it.
• Cook on low heat for 5 mins.
• While the meat is cooking, pour your shredded Cauliflower into a paper towel or towel and absorb any excess water.
• Add Cauliflower to chicken, allow to cook till cauliflower is a little crisp on the outside but moist inside then add 1 tbsp Coconut oil, diced carrot, hot yellow pepper and green pepper.
• Saute for 3mins sprinkle more Adobo and salt and your meal is ready.

 Hope you Enjoy it, I know i did.

Bon appetit!!

9 Ways to Fight Carbohydrate Cravings on a Keto Lifestyle

Carb addiction is real, people! It can be a very tough experience for a lot of people because the urges can be pretty powerful. Once addicted,carbs locks you in a vicious cycle of highs and low until your health deteriorates ( Diabetes, Obesity etc).

These are 9 tips that i have been using to beat carb cravings and i believe they can also help you get started on your new ketogenic lifestyle. Enjoy!

1.  Eat Frequently Going too long between meals especially on this lifestyle can lead to a drop in your sugar level,which leads to hunger and cravings. In other words, keep eating so that you don't go into starvation mode and demand a sugar hit.
2. Make a plan It's important you plan out your meals  and snacks daily. This would make you less likely to succumb to carb temptation
3. Choose Whole foods over Processed foods A lot of processed foods contain hidden sugars and grains so when you unknowingly consume them you trigger your craving. Be on the look out  if you must buy processed food and always read labels to avoid those sneaky carbs.
4. Drink Lots of Fluids Sometimes hunger and cravings may be confused with thirst. Be sure to drink up to 3 liters of water daily. Half liters can come from decaffeinated coffee and tea, herbal tea, Soda water etc.
5. Load Up on Fat When you reduce the amount of carb in your diet body fat provides energy instead. Eating food high in fat can provide immediate relief from cravings. I've sometimes drank a tablespoon of Coconut when i'm very hungry and it works almost instantly. Do not be afraid of fat, embrace it.
6. Avoid Caffeine Caffeine spikes sugar levels and can cause sugar cravings. If you are a coffee lover and you have noticed yourself struggling with craving, eliminate or reduce caffeine in your diet. 
7. Stay Away from temptations If you see yourself craving sugar constantly or cheating too often on your diet, simply try to stay away from situation that expose you to such temptation. Stop bringing sugary foods into house, carry your home-made lunch to the office, have some boiled eggs in your bag as a back up all the time, etc
8. Avoid Emotional Eating Sometimes cravings a driven by emotional triggers like stress, anger, anxiety, shame, depression etc. Learn to identify these triggers. Some may be as a result of an underlying issues that must be resolved by a professional.
9. Distract yourself Boredom can be masked as craving or hunger. The truth is that craving lasts for just 20mins. So when craving strikes take a walk, phone a friend, walk your dog, dance with your kids or read a book. 

Do you have more tip on how you fight off cravings? Please do share on the comment box. Have a lovely Sunday.

The Miracle of Coconut Oil in Weight loss

The key to successful weight loss is to make sure we stabilize our sugar level. Extreme highs an lows in sugar level leads to craving which leads us to often go to the wrong food aisle during grocery shopping. The best way to to maintain a steady blood sugar for a long period and in-between meal is by eating healthy and filling fats. Read ( Healthy Fats we need) .

Coconut Oil is a tropical oil that is made from dried nut of the Coconut palm tree. It contains a healthy type of saturated oil which our body quickly burns for energy. It is different from most other fat because it is almost entirely made up of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids (MCT). Studies have shown that MCT can help in the process of excess calorie burning, thus weight loss(1) (2). Apart from Palm Kernel Oil no other oil has beneficial properties like Coconut oil.

 Coconut Oil in Weight Loss

Abdominal fat, also called visceral fat or belly fat, is the fat that tends to lodge around our organs and cause inflammation, diabetes and heart disease .Any reduction in abdominal fat is likely to have very positive effects on our metabolic health, longevity and drastically reduce our risk of chronic disease.
In 2009, a study was conducted on women with abdominal obesity and the effects of coconut oil supplementation. Forty women, from age 20 to 40 years who had a waist circumference greater than 34.6 inches, received a daily dietary supplement of either 30 ml of coconut oil or 30 ml of soybean oil. The study lasted 12 weeks. Upon completion of the 12 weeks only the coconut oil group had a reduction in waist circumference.
The coconut oil group experienced no changes in cholesterol levels, but the soybean oil group experienced a decrease in HDL levels and an increase in both LDL levels and LDL:HDL ratios. The scientists concluded that coconut oil does not cause high cholesterol and triglycerides. This study demonstrated that the women taking coconut oil had a reduction in abdominal obesity while taking coconut oil.(3) Coconut Oil combined with proven weight loss strategies like reduction in carbs works well.

Unsaturated Oils block protein digestion in our stomachs making us malnourished even while eating healthy food. Hormonal changes caused by these unsaturated fat can also damage the thyroid making it sluggish and a sluggish thyroid is sluggish means weight gain. Coconut oil being a saturated oil does not have negative effect on the thyroid function. This makes it a good news for those suffering from low thyroid function, since Coconut oil are known to promote increase in metabolism thereby preventing weight gain.

Best Way to use Coconut Oil for Weight Loss

Taking Coconut oil at least 20mins before eating reduces appetite significantly and helps one to be sated with small portions of food. Anything that reduces our appetite makes us eat lesser calories and Coconut oil has proven to be very good in that.In one study of 6 healthy men, eating a high amount of MCTs caused them to automatically eat 256 fewer calories per day (4).
Other ways of maximizing our Coconut oil is to add it to Coffee, herbal and Green teas and then proceed to whip them in your blender. An addition of butter to the mix creates the world famous Bulletproof Coffee. Which is also very delicious and extremely filling.

So people, what are you waiting for add Coconut oil to your lifestyle and do away with those  jiggly tummies.

See you all soon.

Ketogenic diet and Type 2 Diabetes

On ketogenic diet, our body converts fat instead of sugar into energy. The way this lifestyle changes the way our body store and utilize energy, making it a great help in easing diabetes symptoms.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 Diabetes formerly known as "Sugar diabetes" is extremely common. It is a chronic disease in which people have problem regulating their blood sugar. Diabetics have high blood sugar because their bodies

• do not produce enough insulin
• are not responsive to insulin
• combination of both.

Insulin and Low Carb High Fat Diet

Insulin is a storage hormone secreted by the Pancreas, responsible for the moving of nutrients out of our blood stream to their respective tissues. It helps to regulate our blood sugar level.
When we eat carbs, our body has to produce insulin to keep up with the high level of glucose in our body. This sometimes leads to insulin resistance and subsequently Type 2 diabetes.

However, when we adopt a ketogenic lifestyle, we reduce our intake of carbs, less insulin is needed to be secreted into our bloodstream and our blood sugar is well regulated. This means for individuals with Type 2 diabetes it is the most suitable lifestyle.

Types of Sugar

Sugar can be found in 3 forms

• Natural - Found in fruit, Honey, Vegetables, Milk based products
• Added - Found in processed foods and drinks like Biscuits, Cereals, Sweetened drinks etc
• Products of the digestion of complex carbs - These are starchy foods and can be broken into

1. Grains - such as Rice, Corn, Wheat, Oats, Barley, Rye, Millet etc. This means tha processed foods like pasta, spaghetti, noodles, cookies are all starchy foods
2. Starchy Vegetables - such as Potatoes, Sweet potatoes, Yams, Cassava, Onions, Carrots, Cocoyam etc
3. Dried Beans - such as Brown beans, Black-eye beans, Red beans, Lentils etc.

Sugar is a form of carb that quickly affects blood sugar level. All carbohydrate raises blood glucose level and sugar has a very quick effect, therefore too much sugar in your daily meal more so, in a keto lifestyle is a big NO.
The more sugar in the diet, the higher your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Ketogenic lifestyle encourages people to reduce their starch and sugars and replace them with foods higher in healthy fat and proteins. This leads to weight loss which improve all the major risk factors for diseases including blood sugar, insulin levels, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL pattern and blood pressure etc.