Blog posts & News

What's better than a vanilla cupcake with cream and jam? Almond MYLK cupcakes with jam and almond MYLK cream! That's what better 😋

What is so special about this?
Imagine you can have one of the smoothest ,and super delicious cupcake( as my son said) in a keto friendly setting, that only requires basic baking know how.

 

Cupcake Ingredients (makes 12 standard sizes)

-220g unsalted butter (room temperature)
-¼ cup Naturally sweet Xylitol (½ cup if you like sweeter cupcakes)
-4 eggs (room temperature)
-⅔ cup sour cream
-2 tbsp Almond Mylk
-1 cup almond flour
-1/4 cup coconut flour
-1 tsp baking powder
-Pinch of salt
-(Optional,  but worth it!) Hawthorn Farm Strawberry jam (or any Hawthorn jam flavours).

Almond Mylk Frosting Ingredients

(You will need to Double (X2) the ingredients below if you want to frost like the pictures)

-250g unsalted butter (room temperature)
-50g cream cheese
-½ cup Naturally sweet Xylitol icing sugar
-⅓ cup Almond Mylk

Method

Cupcake

1. Preheat oven to 170°C
2. In a meddium/large bowl, cream butter and Xylitol with hand mixer on low speed.
3. Add the eggs, sour cream, Almond Mylk, and mix until well combined. Do not over beat as mixture can split.
4. Stir in the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt.
5. Using an ice cream scoop (to be even), scoop the batter evenly into your muffin tin with cupcake paper.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until wooden skewer/chopstick comes out clean.
Take out of oven and leave to cool.

(Optional)
7. Use a melon baller or small dessert spoon to scoop a hole out the top of the cupcake. Do not scoop to the bottom or jam will leak. Fill hole with Hawthorn Strawberry Jam.

Almond Mylk Frosting
(make once cupcakes are cooled)

1. Using a hand mixer. In a medium/large bowl mix the butter, Xylitol and cream cheese on low speed for 2 minute and then Increase to high speed for 1 more minute.
2. Add the Almond Mylk and mix for an additional minute on high speed.
3. Place in a piping bag, frost the cooled cupcakes how ever you choose and enjoy! You will!

What scale do you use to measure your goal weight?

Goal weight shouldn't determine by numbers but when you look in the mirror and feel, yes, I feel good, I look good, I am at my goal weight.

My goal weight used to be numbers- 50kgs (I am 167 cm tall). I felt I look the best at that weight. Now my goal weight is, the weight that make me feel good and look good, doesn't matter what the numbers is showing.

I always tell others, you can be at your goal weight but I bet you will eventually still want more. I think we have enough stress and things to worry in life, so why not just take this  measurement out 🚫. Instead, substitute in a scale of how happy we are right now. Non scale victory beat those numbers at all time!

Hi everyone! Today I want to share some of my own experience and reasons why I chosen Keto as a lifestyle.

I am very honored to be interviewed by one of our amazing supplier @jeeerks. Here is a bit of Keto Direct behind the scene-

JEEERKS wouldn’t be the success it is today without the help of some of our wonderful distributors. This week, we spoke to Vicky from Keto Direct, who sell the JEEERKS range, to find out more about them and the driving force behind their thriving small business.

Could you tell us a little bit about Keto Direct?

We started Keto Direct with the fundamental purpose of helping people follow the Keto lifestyle in a more affordable and convenient way. 

My partner, Peter and I both benefit from the Keto/LCHF lifestyle, as it has made a marked improvement on both our health and energy levels, and we wanted to others to experience the same.

What is Keto all about exactly?

There are quite a few interpretation of the Keto way of eating. Just talking about carbohydrates alone will require an entire afternoon and a big pot of tea!

For us, the Keto lifestyle basically means nourishing our body with good fats and whole foods our body needs, avoiding carbohydrates and sugars, as well as learning how to appreciate our body, so it performs to its' full potential.

What was the driving force behind establishing your business?

We believe in Keto because it benefits us in so many ways, particularly in terms of our health. We have seen so many positive results, which we want people to experience for themselves! 

We hope everyone can see the benefits from the Keto way of eating. It is not a quick fix, it is a lifestyle change in which you learn to enjoy and appreciate great, healthy food. Let's not live a medicated life dictated by poor food choices, instead, we should be striving to be the best version of ourselves through our diet.

What kind of products can people expect to find on your site?

You will find mostly practical Keto/ LCHF products, but also some interesting and trendy products. We aim to stock a more affordable range of goods that pique our customer's interest. We ensure our product's ingredients is nutritious in order for it to be suitable to the needs of our valued customers.

What were some of the highlights for Keto Direct in 2018 and what does 2019 hold for you?

We started Keto Direct at the end August, 2018, so I guess we are relatively young compared to some other online companies. However, our passion for Keto and ensuring customer satisfaction has led us to where we are today. We have attained a group of loyal customers in a short period of time, which is most humbling. In 2019, we aim to extend our product range and services, proving that when you shop at Keto Direct, we don't just see you as just a customer, but more as a part of our Keto family.

What do you love about jerky? Do you think the jerky market is expanding in Australia?

We love jerky because... I can't find a reason not to! Especially with delicious guilt free jerky like JEEERKS! We love how we can choose both soft or hard texture in a multitude of flavours, (Original Hard JEEERKS is my go to) which is a reflection on how thoughtful Pip is - she really pays attention to the finer details for her consumers.

From our perspective, the jerky market is definitely expanding in Australia as it is a great source of protein and can be used in many different ways. The Keto community has embraced jerkies and JEEERKS definitely ticks all the boxes.

Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for small business owners trying to get into the market or establish their brand? 

We believe everyone should have their own style if they want to start their business. You want people to remember you so you need to put the effort in! No matter what products you sell, you need to sell it to yourself first. "Would I buy this? Would I use this?" BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT. 

But, most importantly, have the best people surrounding you with guidance and as hard as it can be at times, constructive criticism.

Link:

https://instagram.com/ketodirect?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=jdjflz3u1j69

Facebook page: Keto Direct

https://www.facebook.com/pg/ketodirect

Do it because you want to-

Chilli Con Carne (Keto)

My meals

What exercises do I do? 

How I merged into Keto

Hi everyone! I will be sharing some of my tips and experiences about how I merged into a Keto lifestyle. Remember these are my own experience, if you do have any concern make sure you consult your health professionals before you begin!

Personally I benefit from Keto in so many different ways and passionate about spreading the word and methods in the hope it can help others!

I tried both diving right into Keto and slowly merging into Keto. I found merging in is much better because:
1. I was less likely to be hit by the Keto Flu
2. I didn't feel I had to make dramatic changes so quickly
3. I developed and fine tune my new eating habits at a smooth pace
4. Progress was more rewarding, steady, and consistent

How did I start?
- I gave away all non-Keto compliance food and stock up Keto friendly food in my pantry and fridge

It is important to do this as your first step because you want to make sure you eliminate all temptations and have easy access with all Keto products. This definitely gets you into a Keto lifestyle sooner!

- Produce meal plans. You begin a novice, so plan for what your going to eat, don't wait until you hungry and then figure it out. I changed and extended the menu as often as I could to keep it interesting!

We want to keep our Keto journey fun and interesting so we can stick to it and make it work! Believe me there are so much amazing Keto recipes, products and snacks available these day that you will love this way of eating!!!

-Set mini goals

I bought a piece of clothing I liked one size smaller and aim to fit into it! I found setting mini goals works better because it is more realistic and you feel more motivated about doing it. Remember it's not about the end result, it's the life you want to live.

- Allowed myself to enjoy a little treat on special occasions

Keto is a lifestyle so still celebrate when there is a special event! Just be mindful with treats! If you know you will be attending a party (it would be mostly carb loaded) eat lots of healthy fat ,veggies and protein before you go, prevent the likelihood of overeating on carbs. And, always remember, what sugar and carbs does to our body after you eat them! If I go to a birthday party I will have a few mouth full of cake, and that's all, I'm satisfied. It's not hard to say no when you see so much more benefits from avoiding the sugars!

- Have your partner to do Keto with you, (or at the very least understand why)

I think most of us always has that dilemma; when we are deciplined but our partner is just doing absolutely opposite. So if you can convince your partner to team you up the success rate will be much higher😉. If it's not their thing, make sure they understand and respect why you have chosen Keto/LCHF.

- I take measurements instead of weighing myself, also take selfie of your whole body

I used to rely on the scale a lot on my progress, it was obsessive and too stressful. About 6 months ago instead of weighing myself, I took measurement and selfie of my whole body to check my progress. I found this is much more accurate because my goal is to physically look better (and feel good of course), not just to impress the scale😉. When you take measurement make sure try to do it about the same time every month and postpone a few days if you had a big feast or event to be more accurate.

The last thing, GIVE YOURSELF TIME

It took time for us to gain the weight and get into a bad state of health.
So don't give up because you didn't see a change this week or the next. Your body will need time to heal and adjust so if you be consistent, your health will get better, you will feel better, you will look better and the weight loss is just, lets be honest, fantastic!

Briefly, my mother has a long list of health conditions, including diabetes/ Obesity, high blood pressure to name a few. Doctors have been warning me all my life I will inherit some of mum's health issues at some point in my life. I rarely felt healthy in most of my adulthood life. My immunity has always been very low as stated by countless medical and natural remedy practitioners. After having kids, I gained 22 kgs and my health went further downhill. I was having a cold on a weekly basic, easily get infections, vertigo, PCOS, insomnia  and most of all I just don't have energy to run the day without a big dose caffeine.