Back with some vegan Keto snacks…
But you’re not all about Ketogenic diets Luce? You’re right I’m not, but I’m on a new little and very interesting journey with my hormones at the moment. So being diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) around 5 years ago, my GP advised me to go on the pill to regulate my hormones and so that’s what little uneducated Luce did. And yeah okay it worked. My periods (albeit fake ones) came back, my skin cleared up and my mood swings improved a little bit I suppose.
Fast forward 5 years, and I’ve read and learned a lot about the condition, hormone health and food. Being on the pill wasn’t treating my PCOS, it was simply masking it and I had had enough. So around 6 months ago I decided enough was enough, and that I wanted to come off of the contraceptive pill (dianette) and not only see what happened but to treat the symptoms myself.
It’s taken 6 months to get a nearly regular cycle which I’m over the moon with. MY OVARIES ARE OVULATING AND WORKING (I was convinced I was infertile as I never used to have periods pre-pill). I feel so much better in myself BUT WOW my acne is back with vengeance. I always struggled with my skin. Teenage years were not kind to me, and I have been through a course of roaccutane about 4 years ago which did help. My testosterone levels are high which is causing constant acne on mainly my jawline, chest and back. I feel like a teenager again, but I am in a much better headspace all these years on so although it is getting me down, I know there is so much more to me than bad skin.
Chatting to my hormone and PCOS guru Megan Hallett (@meganhallett on Instagram) who is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to all things hormonal, she explained exactly what was going on inside me and causing this acne. Long story short – kind of – Megan explained that consuming sugar increases your blood sugar levels which in turn increases the testosterone levels causing acne. I’ve started taking a couple of new supplements that have been recommended, and have been a bit more conscious with the amount of sugar I’m consuming. Which is bloody hard when your job is recipe development and making yummy bakes for clients! You’ll notice a lot more savoury grub across my Instagram feed at the moment, and I’m honestly enjoying making these dishes so much.
So its still pretty early days and I know I need to give it a good few months of supplement taking and tweaking my diet to notice a difference, but I’m feeling optimistic and hopefully will start to see a difference soon. What I have been STRUGGLING with though are sugar cravings. Having caught up again with Megan (sorry for forever hassling you!) she advised to make some Keto snacks so this is where these Cacao Peanut Fat Bites came into action.
They’re not sweet in the slightest. Actually a little bitter from the cacao powder, but they’re peanut buttery on the inside and coconut-ty on the outside, and have been my SAVIOUR for when I’ve been getting those sugar cravings. Which have been a lot! So these bites are ideal for other sufferers in my position, but also if you follow a vegan and ketogenic diet. Which after a lot of research is probably the hardest and least appealing approach to eating out there!
takes approx. 2 hours including freezing time
makes 15-20 bites
Ingredients
200g smooth peanut butter
70g cacao powder
200ml coconut oil
4 1/2 tablespoons of coconut flour
5 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
Method
- In a saucepan on a medium heat combine the peanut butter and coconut oil until melted.
- Pour into a bowl and add cacao powder and coconut flour. Mix thoroughly and place in the freezer until solid. This should take approximately 90 minutes.
- Take out of the freezer and leave at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting into bites and rolling in desiccated coconut. Store in fridge and consume within 10 days.
Enjoy! – share and tag your creations with me on Instagram @whatluceeats
