Keto candy Thursday

A super-quick blog to address how I handled my (very) strong desire for Reese's PB Cups during Halloween. Specifically, I wanted the Reese's PB Bats, but I digress.

One fun thing about this whole keto WOE (way of eating - learning something new every day!) is that it allows for a lot of what you want to eat. It just takes a little bit of time to learn modifications and adjustments to recipes. 

Thus far, in no particular order, I've made the following foods in a way that complies with keto "rules". I use the term "rules" loosely. Hence the overuse of quotation marks.

- Pizza (Fathead pizza crust is on another level)
- Breakfast burritos
- Peanut butter cups
- Chocolate chip cookie dough
- Pancakes

The list goes on. Since I plan to keep blogging the recipes, though, I'll add more - as well as more blogs with recipes - to expand what I've been doing. 

This is what I made last week for my peanut butter cup cravings. And also, I made it again today. As in, just now. 

I am unable to make candy in a way that is neat. This is not problematic for me, however.

The recipe is simple. Here's what you'll need:
- 1 cup all-natural peanut butter (peanuts and salt should be the only ingredients)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- Sweetener of your choice to taste - I use about 2 T of a stevia/erythritol blend (optional)
- 1/2 cup of Lily's dark chocolate chips
- 1 T of coconut oil 

You can also sub in almond butter if you like. 

Line a mini-muffin tin with paper liners - or not. These will slide out fairly easily without. 

Melt the PB and  1/4 cup coconut oil over low heat in a saucepan, or in the microwave in a bowl. Stir together, and after removing from heat, add your sweetener.  Make sure everything is mixed well, and then fill mini-muffin tins about 3/4 full with the melted PB. 

Melt the chocolate chips and remaining 1 T of coconut oil in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring until smooth.  To get the drizzled, marble effect here*, just add a generous spoonful of the melted chocolate to each cup. 

*Note: I will make true PB cups - where the chocolate encases the PB - in another post. This is the fastest way to make them.

Stick in the freezer or the fridge until firm. Most of the chocolate sinks to the bottom, creating a lovely chocolate layer on the bottom, while the rest of the PB cup is swirled throughout with chocolate. 

Nutritional info (per each PB cup): 100 cal, 8.6 g fat, 2.8 carbs, 2.4 protein

About that bulletproof coffee life...

Keto, week 3. Plugging along, seeing results, happy with it for the most part except for one or two things.  (Those two things: 1) Parmesan cheese loses its appeal when it starts to harden and taste like woodchips, and 2) I'm spending a lot more time reading nutrition labels and finding non-keto ingredients everywhere. Guess that's not a bad thing?)

Keto grocery shopping, and more running music

I recently went through the painstaking process of cleaning my pantry and refrigerator.  For most, I don't think it's all that difficult of a concept, but I was raised in a household that believed you should always have enough food in the pantry to survive a zombie apocalypse, space and convenience be damned.  So, my natural train of thought after cleaning it out was, of course, to fill it right back up again. 

Running again....

This blog came into existence due to a love of music, and a love of running; I combined the two, talking shoes, courses, races, music, you name it. Sadly, there hasn't been a single thing on this blog about running in quite some time. That changes now. If you're not interested in running and music, or hearing about the wonders of the SI joint, or one of the neatest ways EVER to train for a half marathon, no need to follow after the jump ;)

I did Keto way before it became a "thing", but...

So, I've been hearing a lot about keto, ketosis, the keto diet...it all started back in the summer when Billy Football (intern for Pardon My Take, pretty much the best sports podcast out there - if you don't know who Big Cat and PFTCommenter are, we need to talk) got his bosses onto that keto lifestyle.  Drinking a gallon of water a day, cutting out carbs...these guys were roasting sausages in the office and peeing on keto test strips on the daily in order to lose weight. 

I didn't think much of it myself until a few friends got really serious about it, then decided to take a little keto journey of my own.

No, I won't back down

"I'll keep this world from dragging me down, and I'll stand my ground, and I won't back down..." - Tom Petty

Kinda crazy that the very blog that was named for my favorite Tom Petty song is one that I decided to start up again on the day of his death. Originally this blog was about running marathons, half-marathons, triathlons, and the music that inspired me while I did so. Then it morphed into cooking. Then, my Mom's health, and reflections on grief. 

I have no idea where this evolution goes next, but I know what songs I'll be listening to while I'm reworking the blog and writing this post. Not a bad metaphor for life, tbh. 

"Baby, there ain't no easy way out. Hey, I stand my ground. And I won't back down."

August 9, 2006: a tribute

This week drew to a close a long struggle that was fought for the last four months. On Wednesday morning, at 0545, the strongest man I have ever known died.  I was curled up in one of the most uncomfortable chairs ever - no lack of those in a hospital setting - when the nurse leaned over me and whispered my name over and over until I sat up, blinked, and looked at her.

"I'm so sorry," she said, tears in her eyes, "but as of ten minutes ago, your father's heart stopped beating. There's no blood pressure. He's gone."