Day 23: Ketogenic Diets (Cooking/Baking)
Scripture:
Exodus 23:25 Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you
Song: You are the Living Word
Happy Twenty Third Day of Thanks Everyone!
Today I give thanks for cooking and baking ketogenic diet foods. Who knew that a diet of mainly fats and proteins, would be such a lifesaver!
I love to cook and bake, when I have time to do it. For me, there is nothing like the nostalgia of smelling the aroma of cooked or baked food emanating from a kitchen. I don't know what it feels like to go to heaven but I'm sure the bliss is probably similar. Several years ago (at this time it's approximately 7 years ago), after my daughter was diagnosed with (catamenial) seizures, we searched for years for a doctor that would help me to administer the ketogenic diet, a form of dietary seizure treatment, to Delilah. There are several types of Ketogenic diets; however, my daughter does a Modified Atkins Diet that allows her a maximum of 15 grams of carbohydrates and a 2:1 ratio of proteins to fats.
I remember the first time I sat with Delilah’s nutritionist and heard her tell me that just about everything in my kitchen cabinets could no longer be utilized in her meals. Later, I gave everything away or threw it out. The nutritionist instructed me on how to read the content labels of food to determine net carbohydrates and gave me a list of resources and food brands that I could buy to start us on Lilah’s journey. Back then ketogenic diets weren’t as much of a fad. Thus, I couldn’t readily buy keto food like I can now. I had to cook and bake just about everything. The few items that I could buy were so expensive, it was much more convenient for me to just make the food from scratch.
Since I had to make and send Delilah out the house with all her meals and snacks for the day, I had to do a considerable amount of cooking and baking that consumed much of my entire weekends. I’m very adamant about Delilah not feeling left out of anything including celebrations so I have always cooked or baked keto versions of all Delilah’s favorite meals and desserts, if it was humanly possible. Each weekend, I started a routine of cooking several types of meats and several side dishes at one time so they could be mixed and matched for meals during Delilah’s school week. I baked breads and made desserts from every keto cookbook I could get my hands on. The time consumption on meal preparation and execution was quite significant. Luckily, I love to cook and bake because this regimen would be a nightmare for anyone who didn’t.
In a short period of time, with her new diet, I saw Delilah, who was initially almost two hundred and thirty (230) pounds due to severe hormonal imbalances, drop eighty pounds (80). She has been consistently 150 lb with a +/- fluctuation of 5 pounds for the past six years and doesn’t have the severe water weight gain that she previously had during her menses. Her multiple seizures which occurred every two hours throughout the course of a 36-hour period during every menstrual cycle drastically decreased to 1-2 seizures with each menstrual cycle. Saying that the diet has significantly changed our lives is an understatement. On this front, I’m sure it is clear why I am truly grateful for this diet.
The other reason I am so grateful for this diet is that it has allowed me to explore the art of cooking and baking in such an exact and unique way. Anyone who bakes anything keto knows that one has to measure things exactly to a tee or the meal or dessert is a disaster. There are certain types of sugars that you should not bake with if you don’t want a nasty after taste. (Never use stevia in your baked goods; it’s after taste is exaggerated to the millionth degree! Your dessert will taste disgusting.) I have used baking time as instructional for Lilah. She learns in her own way the concept of measuring something from a tiny ¼ teaspoon to a cup. We get to explore different types of food based on their nutritional value and carb count.
One of my absolute favorite websites from which to get deliciously amazing, new recipes is www.gnom-gnom.com. It has been my secret weapon throughout this keto journey with Delilah. I am so grateful for Paola van der Hulst because her exploring and experimenting with keto recipes on her personal healing journey from an autoimmune episode and sciatica has completely impacted Delilah’s healing journey and my life forever. This website has been a “hands-down” game changer for me and has really made the difference in why I have been able to maintain Delilah on her diet for so long without complaints. There is a diverse catalogue of foods and they all are actually delicious! If you don’t believe me, try making anything on the website and you’ll see what I mean. Paola not only has the recipes, but she has instructional videos and certain tips for everything to be perfect. Let me know what you think.
navigating the diet and maintaining my daughter’s health and wellness, and thus, her life.
Love ya,
Have a Great day of Thanks!
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