Today’s blog post is a little different from most that I have written in the past. While I am mainly a food blogger, I thought it important to take some time to discuss the skincare products I have been using of late. What we put on our skin is often overlooked; however, what you slather on your skin is just as important as what you feed your body. Skin is the largest organ of the body and that organ absorbs what we put on it. For this reason, earlier this year, I decided to purge my expensive, mainstream skincare products and opt for something made with real ingredients – the primally pure skincare products.
The Primally Pure Skincare line is made with toxin-free products that could you even eat if you wanted to because they’re made with all real food.
Almond & Vanilla body butter
The Vanilla & Almond body butter smells out-of-this-world amazing!! I wish there were some kind of smell application I could embed here for you all so you can get a whiff. It is just the right amount of sweet without being too overpowering. It slathers on smoothly and really moisturizes it. Absolutely love that this product is made of tallow from 100% grass-fed cows along with coconut oil, shea butter and mango butter. Grass-fed tallow is rich in conjugated linoleic acid as well as palmitoleic acid that have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, respectively. Moreover, coconut oil contains copious amounts of medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs), which are metabolized differently than longer chain fatty acids. MCTs travel directly to the liver once absorbed by the digestive tract and are turned into ketones. These ketones can have therapeutic effects on neurological disorders such as Epilepsy and also promote the state of ketosis (what we are ultimately trying to achieve by following a low-carbohydrate diet).
Peppermint & Orange Crush lip balms
I have tried both the peppermint flavour as well as the creamsicle flavour. Between the two, my favourite is definitely the peppermint. Over the course of the last few months, these all-natural lip balms have kept my normally dry, chapped lips supple and nourished. They apply smoothly without leaving any kind of a sticky or grimy residue.
Flower Bath Salt
My first impression of the flower bath salt was that is smelled absolutely fantastic. It has such a nice, floral smell that isn’t too overpowering. The salts gave my bath a nice pink tinge but most importantly, it made my skin feel incredibly, smooth. This is due to the organic essential oils used in the product.
The organic, flower petals also add a really nice touch that enhances to the relaxing effect (at least for me. I’m a sucker for flowers). Just don’t forget to rinse your bathtub after because the flowers tend to stick to the walls if you don’t.
While I’m a big fan of creating treats from scratch for my family and I, sometimes time doesn’t permit it. Life as a full-time student with 2 part-time jobs as well as numerous hobbies leaves me strapped for time quite often than not.
Wandering down grocery aisles, you’ll find little to no real sugar-free, keto approved candies. Most commercially sold “sugar-free” candies are laden with maltitol, a sugar alcohol that many (myself included) cannot tolerate without having digestive issues. Furthermore, maltitol can cause insulin spikes for some people, which is counter-productive as that is what we were trying to avoid in the first place.
Of the sugar-free candies, there are four flavours sweetened with stevia extract and sorbitol (Peppermint, Wintergreen, Raspberry and Spearmint) and 4 flavours sweetened with Splenda (Cranberry, Cherry, Tutti-Fruits and Menthol-Eucalyptus). Personally, I try to stay away from Splenda as there are not enough longitudinal studies on the effects of Splenda on the body. That being said, I have no issue with sorbitol or stevia and I really enjoyed those sugar-free treats.
My favourite of all the candy flavours was the Citrus Punch. They have a really nice flavour and I also enjoyed that they were individually wrapped.
Mints
A foul-smelling breath is one of my biggest pet-peeves. While chewing gum is a good way to freshen up stale breath, I’ve never liked the image it gave off. I didn’t want to be that person that was constantly chewing away. These sugar-free mints are a great alternative to chewing gum. They leave a lasting refreshing mouthfeel and come in a variety of flavours. The small size of the mint package is also super convenient and allows you to bring these mints virtually anywhere. One drawback though is that they are sweetened with Splenda.
In addition to freshening your breath, peppermint oil has been demonstrated to have muscle relaxant properties, which could aid in digestion. Peppermint is also known for its other beneficial properties such as relieving intestinal gas, indigestion and its antimicrobial properties.
For more information on MontBec’s many sugar-free products, visit their website or Facebook page.
Disclosure: While I did receive samples for this post, all opinions are my own.
These tasty tuna cakes are so flavourful. The celery gives them a nice little crunch.
Tuna cakes with spicy Mayo
Ingredients
6 cans of 170g tuna, drained well
1 1/2 cup mayo (preferably homemade)
1 egg, large
1 cup almond flour
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
6Tbsp Sriracha
2 Tbsp Basil or Dill
Salt & pepper, to taste
Coconut oil to fry patties in
Dipping sauce
Mayo & sriracha combined
Combine all ingredients (except the coconut oil). Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Form patties using your hands. In a skillet, add the coconut oil and fry patties.
As always, if you try one of my recipes, I’d love to hear what you think about it/see your recreations. Use the hashtag #jesspaigelchf so I can see 🙂
Tip
Patties are quite fragile so wait until one side is crisp before turning.
Refrigerating the mixture makes it easier to form the patties with your hands.
Alice is a French blogger that just moved to Québec 2 years ago. Her boyfriend’s friends were really into Paleo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which made Alice want to give it a go! Thus, Alice and her boyfriend decided to try out the paleo lifestyle together for two weeks only. Flash forward to present day, they still haven’t stopped and discovering new foods and recipes has been Alice’s passion ever since.
Alice from Gourmand et Paleo
I’m so excited for her to be sharing the two versions of her amazing recipe Crème aux oeufs! Both versions are paleo with the raspberry version being also low-carb and keto-approved. This recipe is very dear to Alice’s heart seeing as this is a modified version of her family’s traditional dessert. When she was younger, her beloved grandmother made a variant of this recipe on Sunday’s and her grandmother’s grandmother did the same before that! Luckily, Alice has utilized her incredible cookery skills to convert this once sugar-loaded recipe to something that is paleo and healthy! Wonderful work, Alice. Don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to trying this out for myself.
Make sure to check her out on her Instagram and blog!
Crème aux œufs, raspberry version
This is an excellent recipe to serve to your guests. It can be served directly from individual ramekins with various toppings (fruits, jams, chocolate…) or you can use this to make a flan tart!
Crème aux oeufs framboise
Ingredients
4 eggs
1/2L Coconut Milk
1 cup Fresh Raspberries (optional)
Beat the eggs well and slowly mix in the coconut milk. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
Pour the cream in a bowl, a mould or little ramekins. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) in a water-bath until the cream mixture becomes solidified (approximately 1h).
Let it cool and then invert it on a plate (optional step!)
Top the flan with some of the fresh raspberries. With the remaining strawberries, crush them & strain to make a coulis. Pour this on the flan.
Bon appétit!
Crème aux oeufs, version Crème caramel
Crème aux oeufs – crème caramel version
Ingredients
4 Eggs
1/2L Coconut milk
4 Tbsp Coconut sugar
1/4 cup Water
Beat the eggs well and slowly mix in the coconut milk. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
Prepare the caramel. For this, boil some water in a pot and add the sugar. Reduce the heat and let thicken while constantly mixing.
Coat a large bowl or individual ramekins with the caramel. Pour in the cream mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) in a water-bath until the cream mixture becomes solidified (approximately 1h).
Let it cool and then invert it on a plate (optional step!)
Bon appétit!
“Il y a deux ans je rejoignais mon copain au Québec. Fraîchement arrivée de France, je me suis très vite intégrée dans son groupe d’amis. Ils pratiquent tous le jiu-jitsu brésilien et aussi la paleo. Les voir manger, apprécier et ne pas se prendre la tête ni avec la nourriture ni la vie nous a donné envie d’essayer. Nous nous sommes embarqués à deux la-dedans. Pour deux semaines au départ. Finalement, on n’a jamais arrêté et découvrir des aliments et recettes est même devenu une passion.
Alice de Gourmand et Paleo
J’ai mangé de nombreuses façons différentes et j’ai testé beaucoup de choses : manger sainement (c’est à dire manger des « grains bons pour le coeur » et toutes ces affaires) avec beaucoup de glucides mais peu de gras, la chrono-nutrition, le régime dukan, etc… Les régimes ont toujours été un échec pour moi, je recherchais quelque chose de plus sain et plus simple. C’est exactement ce que j’ai trouvé avec la paleo.
Aujourd’hui je suis toujours en train d’ajuster la paléo afin de savoir ce qui me convient le mieux. Grâce à des whole 30, des défis sans sucres (en limitant aussi les fruits et amidons), et même une période AIP je sais comment mon corps fonctionne et j’ai appris à voir l’alimentation d’une autre façon. Je n’ai jamais été aussi bien dans ma peau !”
Voici une recette qui a une importance toute particulière pour Alice. En plus d’avoir toutes les caractéristiques d’une recette parfaite, c’est à dire avec peu d’ingrédients, très simple à réaliser, peu onéreuse et surtout délicieuse, cette crème est le dessert traditionnel (et donc aussi préféré) de sa famille. “Ma grand-mère qui nous la prépare pour les repas du dimanche la tient de sa propre grand-mère !”
Alice a simplement remplacé le lait de vache et le sucre blanc par du lait et du sucre de coco.
Cette recette se prête très bien si vous avez des invités. Vous pouvez servir les crèmes dans des ramequins individuels accompagnés de différents toppings (fruits, confitures, chocolat…). Vous pouvez aussi utiliser la crème pour faire une tarte au flan en déposant une parte brisée au fond d’un moule à tarte (et donc ne pas faire le caramel).
Crème aux oeufs, version framboise
Ingrédients
4 œufs
1/2 litre de lait de coco
1 tasse de framboises (optionnel)
Bien battre les quatre œufs et les mêler peu à peu au lait de coco. Passer à la fine passoire.
Verser la crème dans un bol, un moule ou des petits ramequins. Cuire au bain-marie dans un four à 350°F (180°C) jusqu’à ce que les crèmes soient prises (environ une heure).
Laisser la crème refroidir puis la renverser sur un plat (ou non!)
Disposer sur la crème des framboises. Écraser le reste et les passer au chinois pour obtenir un coulis. Le verser sur la crème.
Bon appétit!
Crème aux oeufs, version crème caramel
Crème aux oeufs, version crème caramel
Ingrédients
4 œufs
1/2 litre de lait de coco
4 cas de sucre de coco
1/4 tasse d’eau
Bien battre les quatre œufs et les mêler peu à peu au lait de coco. Passer à la fine passoire.
Préparer le caramel. Pour cela, faire bouillir dans une poêle l’eau et le sucre. Diminuer le feu et laisser épaissir tout en mélangeant.
Enduire de caramel un grand bol ou des petits ramequins. Verser ensuite la crème.
Cuire au bain-marie dans un four à 350°F (180°C) jusqu’à ce que les crèmes soient prises (environ une heure).
Laisser la crème refroidir puis la renverser sur un plat (ou non!)
A detailed look into the March 2016 KetoKrate box. Get keto-approved snacks delivered to your door every month.
Bored of the same low carb staples? Tired of all the easy, but tempting snacks available in your local grocery stores? Being a busy student, it can be difficult for me to find the time and/or inspiration to cook after a busy day. That’s why I’m so excited about KetoKrate.
Last month, I was introduced to this snacking service by my lovely friend, Suzanne from KetoKarma. The idea of having keto-approved snacks delivered straight to my door was an attractive idea.
What is KetoKrate
KetoKrate is a snacking delivery service that ships 6-9 keto-friendly snacks to your door at the beginning of each month. All snacks are <5g of carbs per serving.
Their immediate mission is to bring you tasty low carb snacks to help you with your ketogenic/low-carb diet. Long term, they are trying to fight the war on sugar. By not purchasing sugar-laden products and choosing to support the companies featured in the KetoKrate, you’re giving them a change to grow and replace the junk on the supermarket shelves.
How it works
At the beginning of every month, a new box of keto-approved snacks will be shipped directly to your doorstep. If you’re feeling unsatisfied, you can unsubscribe at any time. Subscriptions are 34.95$/month and can be shipped anywhere in the United States.
In the March crate
Wild Friends Classic Creamy Almond Butter
Skout Black pepper BBQ Raw Pumpkin Seeds
KingMadeJerky Flank Steak Beef Jerky
Foods Alive Italian Zest flax crackers
ProTings Zesty Nacho Protein Chips
ProTings Tangy Southern BBQ Protein Chips
Nutilight Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread & Dark Chocolate
Almond butter is truly one of my favourite things so when I saw this in the March 2016 KetoKrate, I was super excited. Not only is this almond butter tasty, it is also super convenient! The single serving size makes it easy to pop in your bag and take anywhere. Top your fresh berries off with this stuff or even eat directly from package. Yum!
Wild Friends Almond Butter on my way to class
Something I should mention is that I found this almond butter a little on the salty side. The ingredients are roasted almonds and sea salt so that’s to be expected.
Skout Black pepper BBQ Raw Pumpkin Seeds – Retail $3.99
Absolutely love the BBQ seasoning on the pumpkin seeds. It is a welcome twist to the traditional pumpkin seed flavour. Pumpkin seeds are also great for your health! These seeds are packed with magnesium, iron and zinc — all minerals that are necessary for proper functioning of the body. Magnesium is especially important in contractions of muscles like the heart and zinc is one of the corner stones of the immune system. Moreover, pumpkin seeds are one of the best plant sources of omega-3s — something most of us are not getting enough of.
Prosciutto, cheddar omelette topped with organic broccoli sprouts and black pepper BBQ pumpkin seeds
Another thing to note is that all the ingredients used in this Skout product are organic. Whilst evaporated cane syrup is one of the ingredients in this product (something I’m not crazy about), it is only in moderation making these seeds an awesome, on-the-go snack or topping on a dish.
Before trying this jerky, I was a jerky newbie. I’d seen it all over Instagram but had never tried it. It was love at first smell.
Me on SnapChat enjoying the jerky publicly
The smokey flavour and soft texture of this beef jerky really is incredible. After trying this jerky, I thought I’d give a local brand a shot but it was tough and just… unchewable.
The one down fall of this product is that the marinade includes soy and brown sugar (in small quantities, but still!). Soy contains gluten so this product is not gluten-free and would complicate things for someone with celiac disease or gluten tolerances.
*Note: I have a gluten sensitivity and didn’t have any issues following the consumption of the whole bag… in one sitting (guilty!). Can’t help it guys, this is some really mouth-watering jerky.
Foods Alive Italian Zest flax crackers – Retail $7.49
Flax isn’t a big part of my diet so these crackers were a nice little change. They have a nice pizza-esque flavour to them so you can enjoy them on their own or paired with cream cheese & smoked salmon (see picture below). Definitely one of my favourite products in this month’s Keto Krate
Smoked salmon & cream cheese flax cracker bites
Flax seeds are a rich source of micronutrients, dietary fiber, vitamin B1 or thiamine and the essential fatty acid, omega-3. Since all the B vitamins are water-soluble, the body can’t store very much of it and thiamine deficiencies can occur rather quickly in a diet poor in B1s. Symptoms of the thiamine deficiency Beriberi are weakness, memory loss and unexplained weight loss.
Simple breakfast of smoked gouda, spinach and egg scramble, cherry tomatoes and flax crackers
Whilst we all know that omega-3s are important, the harsh reality is that most of us still don’t consume enough of them. Alpha-linolenic acid or omega-3 is primarily found in fatty fish such as salmon, albacore tuna, sardines and mackerel. Research conducted by the American Heart Association has shown that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce risk of heart arrhythmias, triglyceride levels, the growth of atherosclerotic plaque and lower blood pressure. Unfortunately, many fish are becoming affected by mercury poisoning due to pollution and mercury is extremely toxic. All the more reason to eat flax seeds!
Nutilight Sugar-Free Hazelnut Spread & Dark Chocolate – Retail $8.49
So, as you can see from the near empty container, NutiLight and I have been getting to know each other pretty well. All for blogging purposes, of course!
My (almost empty) jar of Nutilight
While I do have a recipe for homemade “Nutella”, hazelnuts can run on the pricey side and it is slightly time-consuming. I love the texture of this stuff. It reminds me very much of Nutella (keep in mind though I haven’t had it in years). It is thick and has a strong hazelnut taste, the only thing that really gives it away is that it isn’t as sweet (good thing!) and it has a slight cooling effect due to the erythritol. Moreover, all the sweeteners used in the spread are 100% natural and the packing says that it’ll produce zero glycemic index.
As I’m sure you’ve heard, palm oil can be quite controversial due to the way in which it is procured. My conscious feels light knowing that the palm oil in this product is sustainable.
ProTings Zesty Nacho Protein Chips & Tangy Southern BBQ Protein Chips – Retail $2.00/each
The one thing I miss on this low carbohydrate diet is all things crunchy. Yes, there are recipes that are somewhat crunchy like the low-carb sour cream chive crackers or chicharrones, but nothing comes close to a crunchy chips. This is where ProTings come into play. These bad boys are made of pea protein and are CRUNCHY!!
ProTings Zesty Nacho protein chips
In the KetoKrate, there were two different flavours: Zesty Nacho and Tangy Southern BBQ. I have a strong preference for the Tangy Southern BBQ, reminded me of the flavouring on Lay’s BBQ chips.
Verdict?
Overall, I’m sold on the KetoKrate concept. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of snacks found within the crate. I really liked the versatility of the products, they could be eaten on their own or as part of a larger, more substantial meal. Moreover, the convenience of receiving this assortment of snacks straight to your door is also a big positive. Most of our schedules are hectic these days so not having to go to the grocery store or do research and then order online is an awesome time-saver!
Want to order your own?
Visit http://www.ketokrate.com/ for more information!
This is an easy, peasy meal that can be put together in under 30 minutes — great for meal prep, breakfast, lunch or even a quick supper. It’s also a great way to finish of any leftover veggies or meats that you have in the fridge
Ingredients
1/2cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup White mushrooms, chopped
1 small Onion, diced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup Broccoli*
12 Eggs, scrambled
3-4 tbsp Cream (without carrageenan, if possible)
2-3 strips of Bacon, chopped
Salt & pepper, to taste
*feel free to add whatever veggies you have around
In a large skillet or baking pan, cook up the chopped bacon. Remove the bacon from the skillet and add all the veggies. Toss till cooked and soft. Remove from heat and let cool. While veggies cool off, whisk eggs with cream and salt & pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture on top and with a fork, move the veggies around so the egg get in between the cracks. Sprinkle the chopped bacon and grated cheese on top and bake in preheated oven at 350F for 30 minutes.
Tip
Make this in a large skillet that is oven safe so you don’t have to wash too many dishes
This silky smooth cheesecake that is both tangy and sweet is a sure crowd pleaser. Don’t expect to have any leftovers for the next day if you’re serving this at a party. It will be devoured. Every. Last. Inch.
Ingredients
Cheesecake
908g high-quality cream cheese (or 4 packages of cream cheese)
Sugar-free KZ Clean Eating White Chocolate Vanilla drizzle
Fresh Raspberries
First cover the bottom of the springform pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil. Take a large roasting pan and fill it with hot water till about an inch and a half deep. Preheat your oven to 350F.
Mix all ingredients for the crust in a bowl. In a buttered spring form pan, press down the crust until it is packed down. Cook this for 10 minutes directly in a 350F preheated oven.
While the crust is cooling, in a large bowl, beat together all ingredients for the cheesecake except the eggs. Once the mixture is smooth, beat in one egg at a time until just mixed. Pour the batter for the cheesecake into the now cool crust and place springform onto the roasting rack of the water bath. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the cake sit in the turned off oven for 10 more minutes.
Let the cake cool completely and then top with toppings. I topped it with my sugar-free strawberry jam, then fresh strawberries and drizzled on the sugar-free white chocolate vanilla.
Serve cold & enjoy!
Tip
To prevent cracks, do not overcook the cheesecake! Cook till outer rim of cheesecake is slightly puffy and firm while the middle still jiggles a little.
To further prevent cracking, allow the cake to cool gradually
The water bath technique allows for a better silky texture without the cracks
With Easter weekend upon us again (oh, how time flies!), I’m busy cooking up a whole bunch of Easter-themed recipes. Here’s a cute and quick recipe that is sure to please the small children in your life.
Hatching Chicks Breakfast
Ingredients
6 fresh chicken eggs, hard boiled
2-3Tbsp of homemade mayonnaise
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
12 pepper corns
1 Carrot
Cut open the egg in a zig-zag form about 1/3 from the top of the egg. Remove yolks and add to a bowl with the mayonnaise. Mix together yolks, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stuff egg whites with yolk mixture and place top half of egg white on top. Place 2 pepper corns in the yolk mixture in the place of eyes. Chop the carrot into thin slices. Cut 2 slices of carrot into the shape of webbed feet (see image for a visual) and cut another slice into the shape of a beak. Repeat for all 6 eggs.
Tip
Begin cutting open the eggs when they are completely cool. It makes cutting them in a specific shape easier than when they are warm.
