Carolyn Ketchum - Easy Keto Desserts

First Published in 2018 by Victory Belt Publishing Inc.

Copyright 2018 by Carolyn Ketchum

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-1-628602-92-0

The author is not a licensed practitioner, physician, or medical professional and offers no medical diagnoses, treatments, suggestions, or counseling. The information presented herein has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Full medical clearance from a licensed physician should be obtained before beginning or modifying any diet, exercise, or lifestyle program, and physicians should be informed of all nutritional changes.

The author/owner claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.

Front Cover Photography by Hayley Mason and Bill Staley

Cover Design by Justin-Aaron Velasco

Interior Design by Yordan Terziev and Boryana Yordanova

Printed in Canada

TC 0118

I just spent the past three months of my life writing a dessert cookbook. You know what that means? That means I ate a lot of desserts. And if this were any regular old dessert cookbook, it would probably also mean that I gained at least a few pounds. But I didnt. Not even an ounce. And that, my friend, is the magic of Easy Keto Desserts.

Admittedly, I didnt eat all of these desserts on my own. I shared with my family, and I gave much of it away to my friends and neighbors. I was a really popular gal for a while there, leaving cakes and cookies and tarts on doorsteps all over the neighborhood. But still, as a good recipe creator, I tasted and tested, and I tasted and tested again. There was no shortage of sweet keto treats passing these lips over the past few months. And I wouldnt have it any other way.

Chances are good, however, that you dont cook and bake for a living like I do. You dont have time to taste and test, and taste and test again. When you want something sweet, you want it yesterday. You have no need of complicated cakes and multistep desserts that require any number of obscure and hard-to-find ingredients. You prefer simple and straightforward, but you still want something that will wow your carb-loving friends. You want easy, but you dont want it to taste like it.

Thats where Easy Keto Desserts comes in. With this cookbook, I have taken all the guesswork out of making fabulous ketogenic desserts. This is my passion, people! I sincerely love nothing more than sharing delectable low-carb, high-fat dessert recipes and making the keto lifestyle that much more enjoyableand that much more accessible, too. Because when we know we can have a wee indulgence at the end of the day, one that doesnt wreak havoc on our hard work and progress, keto suddenly doesnt seem so hard after all.

Its long been my mission to prove to the world that the ketogenic diet need not be boring or restrictive. I am not really the sort of person to toot my own hornoh, who am I kidding? Toot toot!but I flatter myself that I have exceeded this goal. With Easy Keto Desserts, the evidence is in and the jury has reached a verdict. Keto is easy, delicious, and anything but boring.

Grab a fork, my friend, and dig in. Because you can have your keto cake and eat it, too. Just as long as you save me a bite.

I have a sweet tooth, and I am not afraid to use it. I firmly believe that being able to have a healthy dessert is part of what helps me stay the course on my ketogenic diet. And since my dessert recipes are among the most popular recipes on my website, All Day I Dream About Food, I know that many of you feel the same way.

Its been said many times that the keto diet is not about deprivation; you shouldnt always be hungry, and you shouldnt feel like you are consigned to eating bacon and eggs day in and day out. There could be worse fates, of course, but that kind of restriction gets tiresome pretty quickly. Many people find themselves struggling to stick with keto after a few months because they arent quite sure how to make it interesting. The ability to indulge a little here and there can make this way of eating a lot more fun and a lot more livable. For many of us, that can be the difference between using keto as a temporary quick fix or sticking with it as a long-term healthy lifestyle.

Some people choose to avoid sweets altogether, and that is their prerogative. We all find our own way here, and we have to choose our own paths. There is an overwhelming amount of advice out there, and it can be hard to make sense of it all. But the reality is that there is no single right way to do a ketogenic diet. No one can tell you exactly how to make it work for you. If being abstemious and giving up sweets entirely is your approach, I am all for it. But if you purchased this book, then chances are you want a little dessert, at least once in a while. Welcome to the club.

A ketogenic diet is a wonderful tool for conquering cravings and breaking old and ingrained habits. But that doesnt have to mean taking all the enjoyment out of eating. No matter which diet youre on, food should be fun, and eating should be pleasurable. Food is such a defining aspect of our society. Its more than just sustenance: its family, its community, and its celebration. And what is more celebratory than enjoying a luscious dessert that doesnt derail your healthy efforts?

But lets not go overboard. You may not like to hear it, but portion control is important, even when it comes to keto desserts. People are sometimes surprised to hear me, the Keto Baking Queen, advocate for moderation. But just think about it: while a single keto brownie might fit in perfectly with your macros, the whole pan of brownies will not. Its just simple math. And if you eat keto sweets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you are doing so to the exclusion of other healthy nutrients.

My personal approach is to keep dessert as dessert. That means eating a reasonable portion after dinner. Although I do eat some dessert almost every day, there are times when Ive filled myself up so much on steak and broccoli that I cant manage more than a few bites of dessertjust enough to make that sweet tooth sing!

If you find that you struggle with portion control, I recommend a few approaches. First, consider my small-batch recipes that make only two to four servings, so portion control is built right in. If you do choose to make a bigger recipe, rely on your freezer as a way to portion out the leftovers. And make a large dessert only when you have the opportunity to share it and give much of it away. Friends, neighbors, and coworkers are often appreciative of your efforts, and hey, maybe this will help them discover the keto diet, too!