30 Mug Cakes - Gingerbread Muffin - #8

I found this recipe here and the only thing I changed was substituting xylitol for the Splenda.  It is a wonderful recipe.  I love the slightly spicy taste of the ginger - yum!

I topped mine off with a little glaze I made with powdered xylitol, water and vanilla.  Enjoy!

30 Mug Cakes - Pumpkin Walnut Muffin - #6

This recipe took a couple tries to get it right.  I am finding it hard to add wet ingredients,  like the pumpkin, without getting  a mushy muffin.  Here is my final recipe, that I thought tasted very good.

Pumpkin Walnut Muffin

5 Tbs. flaxseed meal
1 Tbs. sweetener
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of cloves
dash of nutmeg
2 Tbs. canned pumpkin
1 Tbs. butter, softened
1 egg
1 Tbs. walnut pieces

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into muffin cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  I like to sprinkle them with powdered sweetener when they are done.

30 Mug Cakes in 30 Days - Snickerdoodle - Day 5

Well, I think maybe I was a little too ambitious to think I could do 30 different recipes in 30 days.  For one thing, I have not been hungry enough to have mug cakes the last few days.  Since I eat to hunger, I only make mug cakes to fill in the gaps.  This week I have been eating my usual two meals and that's it.  Also, I didn't foresee that not all the recipes would work - lol.  It took two trys, on two days, to get the pumpkin muffin right.  So - I think I will just shoot for 30 mug cakes in as many days as it takes me.  How's that? :)

Today's mug cake reminds me of a snickerdoodle cookie.  It didn't turn out like I imagined it would, but it was still very good.  I was going for more of a struesel on top - but what I got was snickerdoodle.  Works for me.  We'll save struesel for another day.

Snickerdoodle Muffin

1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. sweetener (I use xylitol)
1 egg
1 Tbs. butter, softened

1 Tbs. sweetener mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix the flaxseed, baking powder and 1 Tbs. sweetener together, breaking up any clumps.  Add in egg and softened butter and stir until combined.  Fill muffins half-full and then sprinkle with cinnamon/sweetener mixture.  Top with remaining batter and then sprinkle with remaining mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

You can see in the picture that the topping comes out crispy and caramelized like a snickerdoodle.  Yum!

30 Mug Cakes in 30 Days - Chocolate Cheesecake - Day 4

Today's mug cake is not quite as convenient as the other recipes I have shared.  Because it is a cheesecake, it needs to be chilled before eating, so you will have to plan ahead.  However, it is so yummy that it is definitely worth the extra work and bit of patience.

I've adapted the recipe from this vlog to make it single serving.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyyb07Sbrj0&feature=share

It came out a little crumbly but still tastes wonderful.

Chocolate Cheesecake
1 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 Tbs. butter, softened
1 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 Tbs. sweetener (xylitol)
dash of vanilla
1 egg

Cream the butter and cream cheese together with a mixer.  Add in the cocoa powder, sweetener, vanilla and egg and beat until creamy.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Turn off the oven and leave in for another 30 minutes.  Refrigerate before eating.

Notes - I used the wisk on my blender to beat the mixture since it is such as small amount.

I topped the finished product with a bit of sugar-free caramel sauce by Smucker's and it was perfect with the chocolate.

30 Mug Cakes in 30 Days - Strawberry Chunk Muffin - Day 3

Well, today's attempt at a strawberry muffin was a huge fail.  I took my basic muffin recipe and added about 2 chopped up strawberries.  It came out looking very pretty, as you can see below, however, it was way too moist.  I ended up cooking it an additional 15 minutes and it was still a little mushy.  I ate it, but I certainly wouldn't share the recipe or make it again.  LOL.  I think I will try again and maybe mash up the strawberries into the batter.  The chunks were a little slimy and slimy is not appetizing. :)

Oh well, I guess a few failures are to be expected.  Tomorrow is a new day in mug cake land.

30 Mug Cakes in 30 Days - Chocolate Chip Muffin - Day 2

I've shared this one with the facebook group already, but it's a favorite of mine so I had to make it again!

Chocolate Chip Muffin

1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. sweetener (I use xylitol)
dash of vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp. butter, melted
2 Tbs. sugar-free chocolate chips (I use Hershey)

Mix the dry ingredients together until well combined.  Add egg and butter and blend well.  Fill muffin cups (2-3) and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Toothpick should come out clean when done.  I like to slice them and top with butter.  So yummy!

30 Mug Cakes in 30 Days - Spice Muffin - Day 1

I've given myself a challenge to come up with 30 different mug cakes in 30 days.  I have been in P3 for about 6 weeks now and I have been enjoying mug cakes a lot.  I eat them for breakfast, for a snack, and sometimes even for dinner.  They are quick and easy and taste like a cheat - yum.  All my recipes will be low-carb and use alternate flours.  I usually use flax meal because I like the very low carb count (like almost zero) but sometimes I use almond flour as well.  I bake all my mug cakes in the oven because I refuse to use a microwave.  If you want to microwave yours, you will have to try it out to see how long to bake.  I think most microwave recipes bake 1-2 minutes.  My only requirement for the challenge is that the recipe be low-carb, baked in a muffin cup or ramekin, and be single-serving size.  Tune in for more mug cake recipes - I hope I can do it! :)

Spice Muffin

1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tbs. powdered sweetener (I use xylitol)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
1 Tbs. butter, melted

Most instructions for mug cakes tell you to mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and then combine.  I like to use as few dishes as possible, so I just mix them all in.  I start with the dry ingredients and then add the wet at the end.  It seems to work for me.

Mix flaxseed meal, baking powder, sweetener, and spices in a small bowl.  I have a 2-cup glass measuring cup that I use to mix my mug cakes.  Use a fork to break up any lumps.  Add egg and melted butter and mix until well combined.  Fill 2-3 muffin liners and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.   A toothpick should come out clean when the muffin is done.  If you are using a ramekin or mug, be sure to butter it well so that your mug cake will come out.  I use silicone muffin cups and they slip out easily.

Glaze - Combine 1 Tbs. powdered sweetener and 1 tsp milk or water to make a thin glaze.  Drizzle over muffin top.

Low Carb Hot Chocolate

Mix together in mug:

1 Tbs. cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 Tbs. non-dairy creamer (sugar free is best)

1 Tbs. xylitol (or sweetener of choice)

Dash of salt

Dash of cinnamon

Boil together:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup water

1 Tbs. butter (optional)

Pour boiling mixture into mug and stir.   The cream and butter make it so rich and creamy. Enjoy!

Low Carb Chocolate Mug Cake - P3

I love eating mug cakes in P3.  They are so quick and easy and make a nice low carb treat.  This is the recipe I use most.  It is a combination of a couple different mug cake recipes I found on the internet.  Of course, I don't bake it in the microwave, which is the way most mug cake recipes are written.  I experimented with baking in the oven and have found a method that works for me.

Ok - maybe that looks like a lot of butter - and maybe it is. :)  I am not scared of butter - yum.

Low Carb Chocolate Mug Cake

1/4 cup flax meal
1 Tbs. cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. xylitol (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp. coconut oil

Mix all ingredients together and bake.  I use 2 muffin liners and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  It can also be baked in a mug in the microwave.

Here's what they looked like before baking...

And after they were done....

I love the muffin topped with butter and a little powdered xylitol.  You can eat half now and save the rest for another snack.  YUM!

Makes 1 serving
261 calories, 19.2g fat, 11.1g carbs, 8.8g fiber, 12.4g protein

"Thin Mint" Chocolate Made with Coconut Oil

Using coconut oil during P2 is a controversial subject.  Some allow it, some don't.  For me, it has been a part of my P2 protocol since my first round and I can't imagine attempting the protocol without it.  Coconut oil has many benefits and can add many options to an otherwise drab P2 round.  I use it for cooking as well as to make chocolate (or chocolate delight as many call it).  Below is a favorite recipe of mine for a treat during P2.  I eat some variation of this chocolate every single day of the VLCD and I believe it helps to keep me from cheating with other off-protocol treats.  You know how good the "Thin Mint" Girl Scout cookies taste when you store them in the freezer?  Well, this chocolate reminds me of that with the minty flavor and crunch.

"Thin Mint" Chocolate - Single Serving

1 Tbs. coconut oil
1 Tbs. sweetener (I prefer xylitol)
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
peppermint extract to taste
dash of salt
1/2 melba toast, crushed

Melt coconut oil and then mix in all other ingredients.  Divide between 2 silicone cupcake liners and place in the freezer until firm.  Enjoy!

If you substitute vanilla extract for the peppermint extract and leave out the melba toast, you have a generic chocolate which you can eat as is, or adjust to your liking.  While in it's liquid form, it tastes great drizzled over fresh strawberries!

Atkins Fat Fast on P2

Last round I read a lot about people doing and Atkins-style Fat Fast while on hcg P2.  I was curious about it so I gave it a try.  It worked really well for me, but I did it too close to the end of my round and was not able to maintain the loss during P3.  This time around I decided to do the Fat Fast half-way through my round so last Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday was when I did it.  I follow the Atkins guidelines and eat 5 "meals" of 200 calories each throughout the day.  For me, it consists of macadamia nuts (2 "meals), bacon (1 "meal"), and Chocolate Fat Fast Parfait (2 "meals").  It is an easy three days for me, not having to worry about cooking P2 meals, and the change from P2 foods is nice.

Results:  I lost 4 lbs. in 3 days on the Fat Fast and have continued to lose after I completed it.

I LOVE the fat fast! :)

I think I will continue to do one 3-day Fat Fast each round as long as they keep working.  They really help my Week 2 numbers, which can usually be a rough week for people.

I am on VLCD 13 today and I have lost 10.6 lbs.  Only 4.4 lbs. left to my goal for the round of 15 lbs. lost.

6 more injections!  8 more VLCD days!  And then P3!!!

If you want more information about the Fat Fast, just google "Atkins Fat Fast" and you will find a lot of information, recipes, etc.

-K

The Numbers on Loading

What can I say - I'm an accountant and I love to crunch the numbers.  So I was very anxious to compare my High-Fat loading this time with my High-Junk :) loading of last round.  And I was very surprised at the results.  I expected that with the High-Fat loading (no processed carbs or sugar) that I would gain less but would still have big losses the first week.  This would make my "net loss" (loss less load weight) for Week 1 much greater.  That wasn't really the case.

I am comparing Round 2 and Round 3 - because Round 1 was really off the charts and I don't think it's fair to compare it to anything.  No matter how I load, I don't think I'll ever have Week 1 losses like Round 1.

Round 2 - Ate lots of junk, sugar, carbs, etc. but tried to keep the fat high.  I loaded for 3 days and gained 6.8 lbs!!!  My total loss for Week 1 was 9.2 lbs. for a net loss of 2.4 lbs.

Round 3 - Ate "fat fast" type foods and made sure my fat percentage was around 70%.  I loaded for 2 days and gained 2.6 lbs.  My total loss for Week 1 was 5.2 lbs. for a net loss of 2.6 lbs.

As you can see, my net loss with the High-Fat load was higher - but only by .2 lb.  In my opinion, not enough difference to do it again.  I think I will continue to alternate between a regular load and a high-fat load each round to see how they do.  For me, the one advantage of the high-fat load was there was no detox at all during the first few days of P2.  No headaches - which was nice!  But there are disadvantages too - lots of planning and preparation for the high-fat foods.  No going out to restaurants or eating my favorite junk food that I miss.  My family has loved load weekends in the past because of all the eating out and junk so they didn't think much of the high-fat load. :)

So I will keep crunching the numbers each round and let you know what I find. I still have at least 5 more rounds to go so I'll have lots of data by the end of this. :)

-K

Chocolate Fat Fast Parfait

I've had a lot of questions about my fat fast parfait that I used during my high-fat loading.  I also eat it when I do an Atkins fat fast - just in much smaller amounts. :)

I created this recipe last year when I did my first fat fast, and it was based on this recipe.  I thought a chocolate layer would go nicely with the cream cheese so I created one using whipped coconut milk and cocoa.  My recipe is below.  I apologize for not having a picture - I will take one next time I make it.

Chocolate Fat Fast Parfait
8 servings of 200 calories each

Cream Cheese Layer:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 Tbs. vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup no calorie sweetener (I use Ideal and ZSweet)

Blend with a mixer until creamy.

Chocolate Layer:
1 can Coconut Milk (full fat)
2 Tbs. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup no calorie sweetener (I use Ideal and ZSweet)

The best way to use the coconut milk is to put it in the refrigerator a few days before you want to use it.  It should harden up and separate.  The top should be the white cream and the water should be left in the bottom.  Sometimes this works for me and sometimes it doesn't.  Whip the solid part of the coconut milk with a mixer until fluffy.  Discard the water.  Add in remaining ingredients and mix.

Now layer your parfait into dishes, alternating the cream cheese and chocolate layers.  If you are making Atkins fat fast size of 200 calories, they will be very small so something like a shot glass might be best.  You can also make it all in one rectangular container and divide it out into servings.  If you are making the parfait for high-fat loading, then I recommend adding a couple layers of crushed macadamia nuts because they taste yummy in it and the calories don't matter.

-K

Loading Days - Food Diary

Here are my food diaries from my 2 loading days.  Click on the picture to open it bigger so you can actually read it. :)

Results of High-Fat Loading

I barely survived my two days of super high-fat loading - ugh! :)  Loading is never fun so the high-fat wasn't really any different in that regard.  But the weight results were very different!  Here's how it went.....

Saturday I ate 6511 calories!  Of this, 69% were fat, 17% were carbs, and 14% were protein.  My percentages were off this day.  I know why - because I went out and ate 2 pieces of regular pizza and then had ice cream.  I woke up on Sunday to a 2.4 lb. gain.  Still, not bad compared to previous loading experiences.

Sunday I ate 5185 calories, which was 80% fat, 8% carbs, and 12% protein.  So I was much happier with these percentages, and I woke up today to only a .2 lb. gain!  Wow!

So for the weekend I ate almost 12,000 calories and only gained 2.6 lbs. loading.  I am thrilled!  Previous loads I gained anywhere from 6 to 8 lbs. over 2 days.

My starting weight today for Round 3 is 209.6.  I am very happy with that and with the small gain from loading.  I am excited to start VLCD and start losing again!

I am going to try to get screenshots of myfitnesspal and post them so that you can see exactly what I ate, the calories, etc. and over the next few days I will post the remaining recipes.  Most of the recipes for what I ate can be found in last week's post entitled "High-Fat Loading - Planning My Next Round".

-K

Edited to add:  Here is a link to the post I made of my food diary for the loading days.

Low Carb Cinnamon Rolls

I have been looking for something low-carb to replace my cravings for cinnamon rolls.  They are one of my very favorite things!  I decided to try to adapt a Bisquick recipe using Carbquik and it really turned out well.

Carbquik Cinnamon Rolls

4 cups Carbquik
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 Tbs. Z-Sweet

1 cup Ideal Brown
1/4 cup Ideal Confectionary
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 Tbs. melted butter
3/4 cup melted butter

Icing:
1 cup Ideal Confectionary
2 Tbs. Cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Plus a little water to get the right consistency

Combine Carbquik, buttermilk and Z-Sweet in a bowl using a fork.  Mix just until combined.

Combine Ideal Brown, Ideal Confectionary, cinnamon and nuts in another bowl.  Add 2 Tbs. melted butter and stir to moisten.  Set aside.

Use Carbquik to dust your working surface and your hands.

Turn dough out onto surface and roll to 1/2" thickness.  My dough was very crumbly - so I may need to add more liquid next time?

Pour melted butter over surface and then sprinkle with the nut mixture. My butter started running off the edges, so I think next time I will sprinkle the nuts first and then try pouring on the butter.  Maybe it will be less messy?

Roll the dough starting from the long end.  Slice into 1/2" slices and place in a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until just golden brown.

Icing:  Combine Ideal Confectionary, cream, vanilla and water.  Drizzle over the top of the rolls.

Makes:  18 rolls
230 calories each, 29 net carbs, 20 g. fat, 5 g. protein
They are a little high in carbs, but much lower than a regular cinnamon roll.  I am wondering if next time I should use cream instead of buttermilk?  Also, myfitnesspal does not show the sugar alcohol from the Ideal - but if I knew what that was I would deduct it from carbs as well.

** I just realized I didn't add the pecans to the ones I made :(

Note:  I made these using the sweetners that I had on hand.  You could use whatever you prefer - erythritol, xylitol, stevia, etc.  Since the original recipe used brown sugar, I thought the Ideal Brown would be best for the filling, but I'm sure a white sweetener would've been good too.

Let me know if you try them!

-K

My Last Day of P3 (for now)

I went to the store last night and bought everything I need to make my high-fat loading yummies.  Since I didn't have time to get everything made for today, I decided to wait until tomorrow to start loading.  I narrowed down my choices and will be making cheesecake, refrigerator fudge, 7-layer dip, guacamole, chocolate nutty delight, egg nog, buffalo chicken dip, and maybe fat fast parfait.  It still sounds like too much - doesn't it? :)

I entered a mock day in MyFitnessPal yesterday and came up with 10,000 calories!  Yikes! But it was 73% fat.  The part I had trouble with was getting my protein to be more than my carbs.  I think that is because I was trying to add in some "normal" food like pizza that I really miss.  So it's still a work in progress, but I am excited to give it a try!

I decided to go ahead and make the cinnamon rolls today and have them pre-loading instead of during loading because they were throwing my percentages off.  Here is a picture of the two I am getting ready to eat.

They are made with Carbquik and Erythritol and Xyltol.  I used a Bisquick recipe that I adapted and the dough was a little crumbly but the finished product tastes great.  I love cinnamon rolls and I usually have some for loading - so I think this is a great alternative.  I'll try to post the recipe I ended up with soon.  They are P3-friendly!!

I made the refrigerator fudge last night and it is not quite what I expected.  It tastes a lot like chocolate cheesecake so I'm not complaining - it's just different.  It does have a gritty taste because I used granular xylitol.  I really should have powdered it first - live and learn.  But it's still edible.  And high-fat.   :)

So sometime today I still need to make 7-layer dip, chocolate nutty delight, buffalo chicken dip, and cheesecake.  Busy busy.

-K

Lesson Learned

I always wondered why Dr. S said to continue hcg for 3 days past a period.  I still don't know the answer as to why - but I know I am going to follow his advice from now on!  I ended my last round about 2 days before TOM came to call and it really messed up my P3.  I gained about 4-5 lbs. right away and it never came off.  I have stabilized wonderfully, but it is above my LIW.  I am not going to worry about it, since I am stable, but I will do things differently if the situation comes up again.

Here is the passage from Pounds & Inches:
Similarly, the end of a course of HCG should never be made to coincide with menstruation. If things should happen to work out that way, it is better to give the last injection three days before the expected date of the menses so that a normal diet can he resumed at onset. Alternatively, at least three injections should be given after the period, followed by the usual three days of dieting.


It still amazes me how hcg can work.  It still amazes me how I can eat so much during P3 and still stay in a stable range.  It still amazes me that anyone could really research hcg and not think it is the amazing thing ever! :)

-K

High Fat Loading - Planning My Next Round

So I guess I've made my decision to start loading on Friday for my next "cycle".  That will put me in P3 for 2 weeks and I am ready to get back to P2.  This weekend I went through all my low-carb recipes and found the highest fat ones I could to use for loading.  My goal is at least 70% of calories from fat for those 2 days.  I entered all the recipes in My Fitness Pal so now I am ready to go.  I need to do some shopping for ingredients and I plan to make the cheesecake on Thursday so it is ready for Friday loading.

Here are some links to recipes I plan to use:

Goat Cheese Balls - These remind me of tiny cheese balls and they sound yummy!
Refrigerator Fudge - Made with cream cheese - yes, please!
Low Carb Turtle Cheesecake - Planning to freeze part of it for next time
Avocado Fries - I love anything avocado!
MsHCGGirl's Chocolate Nutty Delight - A variation of Chocolate Delight with peanut butter and almond butter in it - can't wait to try it!
Fat Fast Parfait - I add another layer made with chocolate in my version - will post it sometime.
My Buffalo Chicken Dip - I'll post this soon too - it is one of my favorite low-carb meals!
Nacho Chips - I'm going to try making these to eat with guacamole and maybe 7-layer dip.
Cinnamon Rolls - I am going to make these with Carbquik.  I was surprised they came out to 77% fat!  Yay!
My homemade Egg Nog - SO yummy and high in fat!

So, that is kind of a long list.  I don't know if I'll get to eating all of these things this weekend but I'm going to try.  I definitely need to start making some things ahead to be ready by Friday.

-K

My Carbquik Pins

Since my success with Carbquik, I have been searching out more recipes to try.  I created a board on Pinterest and will continue to add recipes as I find them.  Feel free to check out my pins and let me know how they turn out if you try anything.  Some are Bisquick recipes that I plan to sub Carbquik, and others are low carb recipes using Carbquik.

Carbquik Recipes on Pinterest

-K