A Lifestyle Blog

Cucumber Lime Vodka Splash

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Refreshing. Bubbly. Tasty!

This bubbly cocktail is perfect for those days when you want a boozy drink and you’re craving something light and refreshing. Cucumber Lime Vodka Splash, made with only three ingredients, is a cocktail you (and your friends!) will love. Grab a glass, and let’s get started!

To make this cocktail a delightful one, you must start with its base: Smirnoff Cucumber Zero Sugar Infusions Cucumber & Lime Vodka. I discovered this flavored vodka when strolling the aisles of my neighborhood liquor store in search of something that was flavorful but less heavy in sugar than rum.

To make my Cucumber Lime Vodka Splash, following the simple steps in the recipe card below. I promise you’re going to appreciate this drink’s flavor profile so much you’ll want to share it with friends at your next get together. Cheers!

1 glass

Serves 10 oz.

Cucumber Lime Vodka Splash

10 minPrep Time

10 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Smirnoff Cucumber Zero Sugar Infusions Cucumber & Lime
  • Juice of a lime wedge
  • Ice cubes
  • 1/2 can Lime La Croix
  • Garnish with a cucumber slice and mint garnish

Instructions

  1. Add ice to glass.
  2. Add remaining ingredients.
  3. Stir gently.
  4. Garnish glass with cucumber and mint.
  5. Serve.

Notes

You can also swap another La Croix flavored water instead of the lime version.

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If you’ve read this far, you love cucumbers. Check out other flavorful recipes on the blog including Cucumber Mint Raspberry Detox Water or try your hand at making my Asian Cucumber Salad, the perfect sidekick to Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wraps.

cucumber lime vodka splash

6 Flavorful Salads with Dried Fruit

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I love a hearty salad, and I especially appreciate the salads from Panera Bread. But at $11 per salad, dining there can get costly! My go-to order at Panera is the Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken. So, in an effort to make it myself I decided to dehydrate apples and create a kind of copycat version. As a bonus, I’m including a round-up of heart-healthy salads created by several of my food blogging friends. Any of these scrumptious recipes can be made during the week to tote to work for lunch or to serve as a lighter dinner option. Enjoy!

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Made with mixed greens and tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is a combination of tangy and sweet flavors. My salad recipe is made with dried apples, freshly shredded rotisserie chicken (buy one at the store!), tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles, red onion slices, and almond slices. I also love adding dried cranberries or golden raisins when I want more fruit flavor.

Preparing this salad is as simple as coating a large salad bowl with your desired amount of homemade balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below), adding the salad ingredients, and using tongs to toss the salad mixture until evenly coated with dressing. I think you’re going to love it!

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

About 1 cup

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This tangy yet slightly sweet vinaigrette can be used as a dressing over almost any salad.

10 minPrep Time

10 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 2 T. Agave Nectar Light
  • 1 T. Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 1 finely diced garlic clove

Instructions

  1. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. (You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, add lid, and shake vigorously until well mixed.)
  3. Serve immediately.
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Nutrition

Calories

1863 cal

Fat

148 g

Carbs

82 g

Protein

85 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts

Yay! For Food’s salad is described as a sweet and savory vegan salad featuring the healthy whole grain: farro! Marie’s Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts recipe brings all the flavor and it’s nutritious. Farro, a grain that is nutty in flavor but a bit sweet, is high in fiber and a good source of protein and iron. Like rice, it is sold dried and prepared in water until it softens.

Recipe: YayForFood.com

Moroccan Couscous Salad

Contributing food blogger, Marlee from ijustmakesandwiches.com, says her Moroccan Couscous Salad is made with dried fruit such as apricots and raisins and tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. She suggests that this cold couscous salad be served with roasted chicken or salmon. The Mediterranean couscous adds texture to this highly flavorful salad!

Recipe: I Just Make Sandwiches

Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad

This recipe is a winner! It combines some of my favorite flavors including fresh fig. Rhian of hintohealthy.com made it using “crunchy apples, jammy dried figs, earthy walnuts and peppery rocket (arugula) coated in a garlicky pesto dressing!” Learn how to make this gluten-free, vegan Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad for your next brunch or lunch with friends.

Recipe: Rhian’s Recipes

Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries + Tahini Dressing

The best part of making a salad is that it versatile. This hearty kale salad made with tahini dressing gets its texture from the leafy bits of kale, pumpkin seeds, chunks of apples, and dried cranberries. All you have to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl and toss it with the dressing! Not a fan of tahini? You could serve Hint of Healthy’s Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries with a vinaigrette dressing as well.

Recipe: Hint of Healthy

Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

A perfect salad to make during the fall, Cooking Carnival’s Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad combines the rich flavors of chopped kale, onion, butternut squash, quinoa, pecans, cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette. I could see making this healthy salad as my entire dinner!

Recipe: Cooking Carnival

Love what you see here and want yet another salad option? If you’re on the hunt for a mostly fruit salad layered on a bed of fresh greens, you’ll adore my Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

I’m always eager to add another fresh salad to my line-up of weeknight stars, so be sure to add your recipe idea to the comments below!

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Weston, Missouri: Making the Most of a Weekend Visit

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Let me introduce you to one of my favorite towns — Weston, Missouri! This charming town, located northwest of Kansas City and only 20 minutes from Leavenworth, Kansas, has been voted The #1 Best Day Trip by Ingram’s Magazine 15 years running. I love Weston for its abundance of shops and attractions including a brewery, winery, and seasonal entertainment!

During a fall weekend, I spent as much time as I could in Weston soaking up sunny days strolling Main Street shopping unique boutiques. From home decor stores with shelves lined with candles and specialty food items to one of a kind shops stocked with artwork or antique cameras, Weston has it all!

The town was established in Northwest Missouri in 1837 and sits nearby Weston State Park, a must-stop for those who prefer to opt outside and enjoy tree covered trails for walking or biking, overnight camping areas or an off-leash dog park.
The shops are the main attraction in Weston’s historic district. People travel to the area to visit the locally-owned boutiques and artists’ spaces. It’s not uncommon to walk into a shop and find an artist at work on their craft. View the town’s store directory here.

Weston Brewery Company

On our last visit to Weston, we skipped the brewery because we were short on time and the annual Irish Fest was underway — the area was crawling with tourists! I wasn’t going to miss experiencing the brewery and restaurant this time around.

Although we didn’t reserve a tour, which is not necessary but recommended, we did convince a very nice employee to give us a short walk-thru tour of the O’Mally’s 1842 Pub. (Brewery tours are available at 1pm, 3pm & 5pm on Saturdays. Expect a one hour tour of the brewery, underground cellars, the secret 4th cellar, and tasting. Tickets are $5 for anyone over 14, and younger visitors are free.)

Established by German immigrants, Weston Brewing Company has been operating since 1842. The walls are covered in black and white photos of the past. It’s tough not to be in awe of the operation’s historical roots.
Can you see me? This is the hallway that leads into O’Mally’s 1842 Pub, an underground space where they host Celtic bands. You must experience it!

If you love visiting museum and enjoying a craft beer or cocktail, you’ll definitely appreciate visiting the underground pub. Just sitting there while gazing at the stone walls covered in historic memorabilia, I felt like I had transported by to 1842 when the brewery was established.

The cellar pub originally used to make lager beer and was built six stories underground. It was closed during Prohibition, and remains the second oldest brewery west of the Hudson River.

American Bowman Restaurant

After enjoying our refreshing craft beers, we headed back upstairs to the American Bowman Restaurant for a bite to eat for lunch. Although I was a bit disappointed to learn the restaurant was out of Hand Rolled Soft Pretzels (they must have been hoarding them for the Irish Fest the next day?), we thoroughly enjoyed the Sausage Sampler and Irish Eggrolls.

This is the restaurant menu, which looks like a newspaper, and includes a listing of upcoming events and the history of the building.

Tin Kitchen

Noted for some of the best ribs in the Kansas City areas, the Tin Kitchen stays busy from 11am-9pm serving authentic barbecue meats and yummy side dishes. We were able to snag a two-top table within 10 minutes of waiting at the hostess desk, which was surprising since it was in the middle of their Saturday lunch rush.

Expect a short wait if arriving to the Tin Kitchen for dinner on a busy weekend.

We dined on barbecue ribs (of course!) and opted for the homemade mac-n-cheese and baked beans for our mouth-watering side dishes. Their meat is slow-smoked for up to 16 hours over pecan-wood. When making the most of a weekend in Weston’s historic district, make sure to leave time for a stop at Tin Kitchen.

We loved the service at Tin Kitchen. The waitress had the kitchen split our lunch order without even having to ask her.

Pirtle Winery

Perhaps you’ve sipped wine in church before, but not like this! Established in 1978, the family-owned Pirtle Winery is inside a former Lutheran Evangelical Church that was built by German immigrants in 1867.

We enjoyed a wine flight in the tasting room, located on the top floor as you enter the outdoor stairs. I was impressed by the award-winning selection of wines. One of the white wines I sampled was poured from a can! (They sell wine by the bottle, but three of the varieties come in 4-packs at $24.95 each.)

I found the stained glass windows inside the Pirtle Winery’s tasting room to be beautiful!

I went outside my comfort zone and selected their famous Blueberry Mead as one of my flight selections. Noted to be “a blend of orange blossom honey and fresh blackberries,” I was impressed with how much I enjoyed its flavor. The selection has earned the family multiple gold medals, and came highly recommended from a local store owner. When in Weston, make sure to stop at the winery!

The Pirtle Winery has been family-owned and operated since 1978.

Shopping

The best reason to visit Weston, Missouri is for the town’s quaint shops. Main Street is lined with independently owned businesses ranging from an antique camera store (the man who works there is the sweetest and he is incredibly knowledgable!) to multiple home interior decorating boutiques. During out recent visit, I made sure to return to Buffalo Ranch Home Furnishings, a store stocked to the brim with holiday decor, home accents, candles, jewelry, and a bunch of other cool stuff you don’t need but totally want!

Shopping for gifts and collectibles is easy in Weston! Every store is anchored by a friendly shop employee and the shelves are lined with cute items from coffee mugs to aromatic soaps!
If you don’t find an open, free parking spot on Main Street, there are a couple lots available in the historic district or you can park on adjacent streets.

Holladay Distillery

Known for its rich history of producing bourbon, Holladay Distillery was established in 1856 by Ben Holladay who originally acquired the Pony Express. Today, it is operated by the McCormick Distilling Company (you’ve heard of the vodka, right?) and is the total experience for booze loving tourists.

The grounds at Holladay Distllery are expansive and stretch as far as your eye can see from the road. Look at that cute pup! Sasha enjoyed relaxing with us outdoors after our tasting room experience.

My only regret is that we didn’t think ahead to reserve our spots on the afternoon tour of the distillery, but that’s another great reason to return to Weston! The highly rated tour experience costs $10 for adults and allows you to “see, smell, taste, and touch real Missouri bourbon being made using the original recipe from 160 years ago.”

In the early 1800s, Ben Holladay purchased gallons of whiskey for 25 cents, and then sold a sample shot for the same price. Today, the distillery is well-known for its 25 cent shots in the tasting room. You can also enjoy the same experience in the “McCormick on Main” tasting room in town.

If you’re looking for a fun weekend of dining, drinking, and shopping in a town with friendly locals and small town charm, add Weston to your road trip itinerary. There is more than enough to do to fill weekend if you take advantage of all of the area’s entertainment options. If you need lodging, Weston has cute bed and breakfasts. We stayed at the spacious Hilton 2 Suites in Leavenworth where we enjoyed generous amenities and our dog was welcomed.

There is always something going on in Weston! View upcoming events. If you’re in the area, also make a point to visit the nearby town of Leavenworth, Kansas just over the bridge and across the state line. Love the historic aspect of a small town? Consider adding Abilene, Kansas, the boyhood home of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Thinking of visiting Weston, Missouri? Pin the image below to our Pinterest board!

Simple Ways to Reduce Your Use of Plastic

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I have a challenge for you. (It’s one I heard about on TV during a “60 Minutes” episode on climate change and pollution.) After you read this post, I want you to try to go as long as you can without touching anything plastic. How long do you think you could last?

Almost everything we use is made of some form of plastic. One day, I accepted the challenge. It was impossible not to touch my phone or my toothbrush within moments of waking up.

I’m concerned about the rate at which we are contributing to global warming and our overdependence on plastic, especially single-use plastic. While some usage of plastic materials is unavoidable, I believe we can do without an abundance of it. For example, “we are producing over 300 million tons of plastic every year, 50% of which is for single-use purposes – utilized for just a few moments, but on the planet for at least several hundred years,” reports Plastic™ Oceans. The plastic garbage that makes it into our oceans, lakes, ponds, and streams are killing wildlife from fish to birds. Much of this trash washes up on shore and pollutes beaches.

Source: Pexels

How can someone do their part to reduce their use of single-use plastic? Follow my lead! While I’m not perfect (our household has only begun the journey to a reduced-waste lifestyle), small changes are decreasing our dependence on plastic. Which one of these small actions could you take in your household starting today?

Source: Pixabay

STOP BUYING INDIVIDUAL BEVERAGES

The days of grabbing a water bottle on the way to leave the house are over for me. If I need a roadie drink, I fill up a reusable metal bottle for the trip. Aside from the fact I’m no longer spending a ton of money on bottled water in bulk at Sam’s, I’m consciously decided that I don’t need to buy single-sized sweetened beverages. Now, that is better for my health, too!

USE METAL OR BAMBOO STRAWS

Although not as common as a metal water bottle, metal straws (some are collapsable and made to fit in your pocket or purse!) and bamboo straws are the solution for not using plastic ones. Don’t worry about how you’re going to clean them either. Most straws of this kind come with their own cleaning brush. I stock both types of straws and typically prefer the metals ones. When dining in a restaurant, I don’t use the straw provided or decline it.

An example of a reusable straw that we keep on hand at home.

SWITCH TO BAR SOAP

I’ve switched to bar soap. It’s funny, I used to think bar soap was so archaic, so I dunno…grandma-ish. Today’s premium bar soaps are luxurious, made from all-natural ingredients, and lather up just as well as most bottled shower gels. If you really want to go for the gold, ditch your plastic shower loofah and opt instead for a wash cloth.

BRING CLOTH TOTE BAGS TO THE STORE

I’m not sure why my local grocer hasn’t switched to a anti-plastic bags rule yet, but they haven’t. I bring reusable, cloth bags to the store and ask that they use them instead when sacking my groceries in small, plastic bags. If I accidentally forget my cloth bags, I simply ask the store to use paper bags.

Durable cloth totes like these can be purchased at nearly any natural foods store or grocery store and can be laundered.

REUSE PLASTIC PRODUCE BAGS

I haven’t yet purchased cloth reusuable produce bags, so in the meantime I try to avoid using plastic produce bags for items such as avocados or citrus that I can hand-wash before eating. If I have to bring home any plastic bags, then I simply stash them in my cloth grocery bags so they make their journey back to the store.

PACK BAMBOO CUTLERY

Made from earth-friendly material, bamboo flatware is surprisingly durable and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. While it’s most likely not strong enough to cut a steak, it does the job for most foods. I pack a set, like this one from Knork, in my lunch bag daily.

USE A CLEANING CLOTH INSTEAD OF PAPER TOWELS

Easy to wash in the laundry, cleaning cloths can be used to wipe up spills or wash your dishes. I don’t use them to clean windows, but they are awesome for use in the kitchen. I’ve noticed that I’m buying far less paper towels now and eventually I will stop buying them at all and opt for micro-fiber cloths instead.

MORE IDEAS FOR REDUCING YOUR USE OF PLASTIC

  1. Instead of buying your milk or juice in a plastic jug, buy it in waxed cardboard instead. The packaging contains some plastic material, but it’s far less than the alternative.
  2. Buy ingredients in bulk.
  3. Store leftovers in glass containers.
  4. Avoid using restaurant take-out containers. Bring your own or request some items to be packaged in foil.
  5. Don’t buy frozen dinners. Cook for yourself. Grab a dinner recipe here.
  6. Buy bread in a paper sleeve or make it yourself.
  7. Don’t change out your garbage can’s trash liner after every use. Better yet, don’t use a bag at all.
  8. Use real silverware instead of plastic cutlery when hosting parties.
  9. Make your own salad dressings and store them in mason jars like this recipe, Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.
  10. Use biodegradable paper bags instead of plastic bags for disposing of pet waste.
  11. Make your own household cleaners. Consider this one that uses leftover orange peels. I reused a plastic spray bottle at the time, but I see value in using glass spray bottles now.

It’s on us to make a contribution to reduce our use of plastics since so much of the waste is ending up in our world’s oceans, rivers, and streams. To do more research into the environmental issue, I encourage you to visit this link by National Geographic.

Do you have ideas to share about how to reduce one’s dependence on plastic? Feel free to leave it in the comment section below to inspire others!

3 Ways to Stay Active After Work Even If You’re Feeling Lazy

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Do you ever find yourself wondering where the time went?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American works 44 hours per week, or 8.8 hours per day. If you’re like me, you spend most of that time staring at a computer while sitting at a desk.

After returning home from work, the last thing I want to do is to sit around some more. Yes, I’m tired. Yes, my brain is trying to tell me to binge watch another season of a Netflix flavor-of-the-month instead. But inactivity doesn’t improve my health, it only encourages self-isolation (I’m not nurturing friendships while watching TV!), and quite frankly my household begins to look the worse for wear. So, how do I stay active and make sure that I’m making the most of every minute of my life? I move! That’s right. I keep my body in motion.

Photo: Pexels

If your evenings after work just seem to vanish into thin air or perhaps every day is monotonous, make a conscious effort to m-o-v-e. If you’re chasing kids around the house, you’re already staying active and I commend you for being a rock star parent. This post is written for someone who doesn’t have to keep up with active kiddos or perhaps simply wants to change up their routine after work.

Disclaimer: Everyone needs to take a load off and relax, and by no means am I suggesting that you not answer your body’s call for rest. Sometimes you need to chillax. But on the other days…

1. GO OUTSIDE

Whether you use your time after work to walk the dog or maintain your landscaping, the health benefits of exposing yourself to the outdoors are vast. For example, spending as little as 15 minutes outdoors in the sun will increase your level of Vitamin D, a nutrient needed to maintain strong bones.

Besides, even a short walk has a de-stressing effect and can improve your concentration allowing you to think creatively. By letting your mind wander, you may just return home from your walk with a renewed sense of curiosity for life and that is a good thing!

Devoting time outdoors, whether I’m walking or tending garden,
helps me destress and resets my mood. I may purchase a cruiser bike!

2. PREPARE FOOD

On the evenings when I’m the most tired after work, the last thing I want to do is prepare a meal. But I know if I take a few minutes to read a recipe and set out the ingredients and supplies, I’m going to keep my brain active. I could easily sit down on the couch with a microwave meal and veg out in front of the TV, and yes, I’ve done that many times. But cooking for myself has taught me about the science of food, keeps my brain actively engaged, and ultimately I eat healthier, more flavorful meals.

caprese salad
One of the easiest salads to prepare, I often enjoy a Caprese Salad or antipasti platter on the nights that I don’t have the energy or the time to make dinner.

Cooking your own meals helps your brain (and your body!) stay healthy. Not only are you saving money because you’re not ordering takeout meals, but it gives you a feeling of accomplishment. Need a recipe? Try one of these healthy dinner recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less.

3. DO YOUR CHORES

Mowing the overgrown lawn, doing laundry or cleaning a room of your home are not necessarily fun activities, but completing these tasks are a necessity and they keep you burning calories and moving! Imagine how rewarding you’ll feel once you sit down for the day only to realize that your to-do list is accomplished! Tackling those not so fun chores once or twice a week after work will afford you more discretionary time to enjoy yourself.

Need inspiration? Check out this household cleaning checklist.

There ya have it – a solid kick in the pants to keep you motivated! What activities make you feel alive even after a long day at work? Tell me in the comments below!

Keto Dinner Recipes That You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

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After months of yo-yo eating (we eat what we want when we want only to regret it later and try to eat healthy), we’ve committed to living a Keto lifestyle. If you’re reading this post, you’re either already eating a low-carb diet or would like to make healthier eating decisions.

In my opinion, Keto* is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle. So, our household has decided to get back on the eat-healthier-bandwagon and adopt a new standard of better eating. I’m glad we did! Eating better just makes me feel better.

Like me, I’m sure you are strapped for time after getting home to prepare dinner. So, this post includes several dinner recipes that are low-carb and high on flavor that can be made in 30 minutes or less. Thanks to some wonderful fellow bloggers, I’ve created the ultimate line-up of dishes!

My version of Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wraps includes using soft ribeye steak cut into small chunks, then marinated in a soy sauce and canola oil marinade, and later cooked to perfection over medium heat. I prefer to cook my steak to medium rare or medium. Spooned over romaine or green leaf lettuce, the steak wraps are delicious when combined with shredded carrot, red cabbage, and optional yum yum sauce.

If you’re someone who loves chicken, you’ll love indulging in Low Carb Spark’s Chicken Marsala recipe! If you’d rather swap out the wine for a substitute ingredient, there are smart options provided as well. The pan-seared chicken is smothered in a rich marsala wine mushroom sauce to create a scrumptious, easy weeknight dinner. The best part of this dish is that it is decadent in taste but low in carbs!

Looking for a dinner entree with a kick of spicy heat? Consider preparing Whip & Wander’s Cuban Picadillo, an entree with flavors of Latin American cuisine. The dish is a combination of ground turkey meat, tomatoes, olives, green onions, spices, and plenty of chili peppers, and it goes great when served on a bed of low-carb cauliflower rice.

Sometimes I think I could eat salad for lunch and dinner daily. I love a hearty salad made with ingredients that bring a flavor punch! If you love an Asian salad, then you’ll appreciate Drive Me Hungry’s Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad made with healthy ingredients. Because Jamie doesn’t include fried wonton strips or rice noodles in her recipe, the salad is low-carb. Making it is as easy as assembling the fresh ingredients in a bowl and preparing a shaker dressing made with soy sauce to pour over the salad!

One of my go-to meals almost once a week is preparing a seafood dish because it’s incredibly healthy and can be made in less than 30 minutes. That why I love the idea of Savory Tooth’s Keto Salmon Patties made by creating a salmon mixture, forming it into patties, and then pan searing until they are crusty on the outside and tender on the inside. Julia also includes a dill-garlic dip to use for dipping (or smothering!) on the crispy salmon patties — the ultimate flavor bomb!

These Keto inspired recipes are just the line-up you need to create delicious low-carb recipes for the work week. As long as you have the ingredients on hand and prep your work station in advance, you will be able to get these meals on the table in 30 minutes or less!

Want a refreshing yet healthy drink to add to your meal? Try my Cucumber Mint Detox Water! Or perhaps you’re craving dessert after dinner? Give my Mixed Berry Popsicles with Coconut Water a try, a healthy alternative to ice cream.

I’d love to hear what you think of these recipes in the comment section below. Share your thoughts!

*Be sure to research the Keto diet and ask your doctor if it is right for you.