This is super easy and tasty to do, but since I get lots of questions on IG, I figured I’d add this as a quick recipe.
I use thick cheese slices (usually Tillamook or HEB Natural) so these make nice mini tacos. Provolone is the best, followed by muenster, followed by Monterrey Jack, in my opinion. Cheddar is ok, too, but gets toasty and hard fast–which makes it good for tostadas or “chips”!
Preheat your oven to 400°. Place parchment paper or a silicone mat on a cookie sheet then place your slices of cheese about 1.5 to 2 inches apart so they won’t make 1 giant “tortilla” –or DO, if that’s what you want LOL! I can make 6 “tortillas” or “shells” at a time with my large cookie sheet.
Bake for 5-6 minutes, keeping an eye on them, until nicely browned on the edges. I’ve let the timer ring for an additional minute and *BOOM* tostadas 😆 . So, with that being said: if you want tostadas or “chips,” bake for an additional 1-2 minutes for a total of 7-8 minutes.
Provolone shells
Let your slices sit for about a minute (to prevent them from becoming gooey if they’re scooped up too soon), then transfer onto a paper towel to drain them. Then fill (or top) and serve :).
It was so freaking awesome to have today off! I’ve only been at the new place for 16 days and I already had a day off 😀 .
I started my 3-day weekend by having coffee with Sally and her kiddos at Moonbeans. My kiddos were at their other parents’ for the weekend and Jorge was working late, so who better than to spend my Friday evening with? It’d been a while since I’d been to Moonbeans, but was pleasantly surprised that I could order an iced coffee with HWC and Torani sugar free vanilla! I don’t think I’d been there since before they remodeled.
Every time LOL
We chit-chatted, and caught up–I need to see this girl more often! I love hearing her stories and laughing when we get together <3.
The kiddos were becoming antsy, so we drove to Bill Shupp Park just a block away. They played around and Sally and I tried getting the perfect selfie, but we were losing daylight and the kiddos started photo-bombing us 😆 !
It got dark and we went home. Jorge called to ask if I wanted sushi and well…who am I to deny my husband some sushi?? I haven’t been 100% Keto (and you can totally tell by my complexion 🙁 ), but I keep telling myself, “Just this time and then that’s it! Back to Keto!”
But look at that! Ugh. Like, there isn’t even a way to possibly make Keto Sushi with Flamin’ Hots! (Or is there…?? I must look into this!)
After my carb-fest, I passed out on the sofa shortly after trying to watch “Riverdale”. I swear I was on Season 2, Episode 4 for WEEKS because I always fall asleep! This is a show the kids and I got into during Christmas vacation (or was it New Years?) and they’ve all gotten so much more ahead than me!
So Jorge left to work the next morning and I lazied around in bed till I was good and ready to make breakfast.
I FINALLY finished that episode of Riverdale…just to realize it was my last one! So disappointing!
So that brought an end to my lazying, unfortunately.
I started tidying up the kitchen (as much as I can; I need to really give that place an overhaul! We have so many random cups and storage containers 🙄 ) and I started watering and cleaning up my succulents.
Jorge got home from work and I made him lunch, only to get into it about money, 🙄 . Men, I swear. He left and I went about my day.
I went outside to check on my plants and realized my rescued cacti is on drugs…not sure exactly what is going on here LOL.
I filled up my pink Yeti with some Starbucks blonde roast, heavy whipping cream and Torani SF sweetener–this would serve as my “Lunch”. Then, Mom and I left to the cemetary to change out Gramma’s decorations from Valentine’s to Easter. As much as I love to decorate, I just feel…strange? Not even sure how to describe how I feel going to the cemetary. I mean I know I’m “visiting” Gramma’s body, but maybe it’s because I’m with Mom that I feel like I can’t totally just be with her and speak to her. I just miss her 🙁 .
I finished tidying up her space and we came home. I was supposed to go grocery shopping but I didn’t feel like it, so I started tidying up my closet. I love shopping (thrifting, mostly!) and my closet has just EXPLODED with clothing that I can’t put any clean clothes away sometimes, then my computer chair gets messy because that’s where I “store” them. So I got rid of a trash-bag full of clothes that I haven’t worn for over a year, and that bag will probably sit in my garage for a month before they make their way to Goodwill, heh.
I tried sticking to Keto all day, but I started festering anger in my chest about Jorge and my argument earlier (because that’s what I do) and decided to clean up the dining room table, but not before devouring the last 5 chocolates in 2 different chocolate hearts I “found”. Hey, I’m human, and that’s unfortunately how I cope: by devouring shit that’s bad for me and will make my face explode in acne.
Still, I was starting to feel hungry, so I browsed through the fridge. Hmm. Everything required cooking. I just so happened to find 1 Corona, and 1 Michelada picante mix so you know what happened after that:
No regrets. It was the best damn Michelada I’ve had in a long time! (I don’t think anything will beat the one we had at La Jaiba that one time, though!)
Anyway, I happily took my Michi with me to my desk and caught up on my blog posts. Now that only leaves about 5 more that I need to finish! FML.
Jorge started texting me around that time and never really apologized LOL, but we got to chatting about why he exploded. He was feeling run-down and underappreciated in all different ways–but I told him that’s still no reason for us to argue because I won’t hold back lol.
Made us some nice eggs and bacon. Was thrilled until my egg popped 😕 and Jorge rolled his eyes as I bitched about it 😆 . But it was still delish. Does anyone else use their bacon strips as “chips” to scoop your yolk with??
I used to have an obsession with scooping my yolk with Doritos 😆 , so this serves as a substitute.
Jorge and I caught up on a show, and then he had to go in to work. I used the time alone to go to HEB and finally do some shopping to get it over with. (I love to eat and cook but despise grocery shopping. And shelling out $200 almost every time isn’t thrilling either 😕 .) I got home and cleaned and instead of making a nice dinner, Mom treated us to Wingstop instead :D.
Robert M. came over to visit the hubs. They had a few beers outside on the porch and came in later on. We caught up on life and my new job and everything else.
We went to bed when Robert left. I didn’t know what to do the next morning: lazy around and read, go to World Market to use up my gift card, blog, or take a quick run in the morning.
I woke up today to the doorbell. My poor Alaethia had a terrible stomach ache so she stayed home. All the boys were off for President’s Day as well, so poor Emmos was officially the only one who went to school that day :(. Alaethia rested on the sofa and I made myself the best Keto Krepes, ever. I wish I had some sugar free syrup to add to them, but the last time I tried buying some, I realized it had tons of carbs still! But, I just added some Kerrygold Butter on top of these and I finished the whole thing!
Linda and I chatted a while and then I showered and Alaethia and I went to visit my peeps at the Chamber to turn in a box of supplies I still had and the Parks-n-Rec. key for the bathrooms. I got to see Rosie, Sarah (who said, “Quedate!!” Stay!! LOL), EZ, Blanca and Gerry, Beto, Anabel and the new girl they’re training to take over her place (she’d be taking Sandra’s old position). I went upstairs and saw Jorge and we chatted a while, Tom, Michelle, and I chatted with Luis, my old supervisor, for a while. I missed everyone else since it was already noon. As much as I miss my old workplace and my co-workers, upon seeing the piles of papers on my old boss’ desk, I’m kind of relieved that I don’t have to deal with that anymore 😆 . This is the “busy season” and I’m sure I’d need a Xanax or meditation by now if I were still there!!
Alaethia and I finished up at the Chamber and left for lunch. She was feeling better and the first thing she could think of eating was Taco Bell 🙄 . So I called Jorge up and we picked him up to eat lunch.
I tried getting the most Keto-friendly thing possible: a bowl. I didn’t know the bottom layer was rice, so I left it. And then it was time for Snapchat LOL.
We dropped the hubs off and then we headed to World Market, must to Alaethia’s chagrin. She wanted to be home, watching videos on YouTube 🙄 . We took our time looking around and Alaethia loved it. She especially loved the candy section 😆 . She picked some items for her and Emily and I got a mug rack, some coasters for our new nightstands, Martini glasses that were on clearance and super cheap, Torani syrup and another pump.
Jaylen had been dropped off while Mary went to pick Eenan up from school. Emmos got home and then I started chopping up my poor, overgrown bougainvillea. After almost 7 years and Jorge’s constant nagging about how ugly it is, I finally decided to start the process of chopping it down 🙁 . The poor thing has been through hell (when we moved in, it was already ugly and chopped up LOL), but the hail storm in 2012, the roofers smashing it later on and then it cracking down the middle didn’t help. Now grass has taken it over so Jaylen helped me chop it up. I swore I’d be extremely store but I was ok. I had several cuts from the thorns, but I was grateful for Jaylen, and later Eenan, for helping me drag the giant branches to the curb.
I made some Keto Zuppa Toscana for dinner and had enough for leftovers at work, woo!
And then I had some Carb Smart Ice Cream with Lilly’s Dark Chocolate Stevia Sweetened Chips (that’s a mouthful!) for dessert.
(I was sitting at my desk with all intentions of pounding out this blog post, but I get distracted and am–undoubtedly–posting this 2 weeks later 😐 .)
All-in-all, it was a great weekend. Now I’m refreshed for a great week!
Since last year, not much has changed, except that I’d started Keto-ing on April 30, 2017 and have lost some firmness (fat?) in my boobies, so they aren’t as full but still look perky and great without a bra.
(Before and after Keto pic)
I haven’t been working out at all, unfortunately, since about July 2017–sometime before we went on our vacation at the beach. But I’m sort of afraid of what will happen if I DO start working out again and being 100% Keto–will I TOTALLY lose my boobs or will they become flabby?? Has anyone had any experience with this? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!
I very happily cruised through summer wearing dresses with no straps, braless!
I have a whole collection now, and I want more LOL. This would have been IMPOSSIBLE pre-surgery and pre-weightloss. There would have been no support and no strapless bra could have held those knockers up!
Speaking of clothes: HOODIES. I love me some hoodies now, which I could never wear before without looking like a little round ball.
I’m still not wearing “normal” bras, and honestly, I haven’t even tried to get sized and look for some in a long time since I’m pretty comfortable with my Jockey Bralettes. But there are some blouses I can’t wear since they’re lower-cut and a bra is required and my current bras just don’t look all that flattering 😕 , so I need to find a comfy alternative.
In my sleep, I have subconsciously turned almost all the way over on my boobs (I used to be a stomach sleeper, pre-surgery) and woke up pretty sore. I do sleep on my sides a lot, though and end up crushing a boob 😕 .
In the last 3 months or so I started feeling little trickles of pain towards the end of the month, and then I realized it’s soreness before menstruation! I hadn’t felt that in a while and am really hoping that that’s the height of the pain I’ll feel. It used to be horrible before 😕 !
My scarring is TONS better, but they are still probably more visible than they should be due to the weird allergic reaction/rash scars I have and the scar I got from the draining with the scalpel that they had to do.
Wish I could find better comparison photos. But that pink-blouse photo (circa December 2015, 1.5 months before my surgery) haunted me, and even then, I still didn’t bother losing weight till 2017, which is the photo on the right.
So all-in-all, I can’t complain! I feel the most comfortable in my skin than I have in…well, ever, I think!!
I’ve considered getting a tummy tuck,–eventually, when I know I can stick to exercising and eating Keto (these holidays have KILLED me because I’ve got no chill) and knowing the weight will stay off. I’d gained 5 pounds of the 18 I’d lost on Keto since I started back in April, and now I’ve still got 3 of those 5 pounds to go and I can tell that it all goes to my lower belly and ARMS. BUT. The possibility of getting another allergic reaction scares the crap out of me, because the 2 surgeries I’ve had (Tubal Ligation and the Breast Reduction/Lift) have both caused me to have weird reactions that hinder my recovery. So, I’d have to be EXTREMELY sure of that decision, and I’ve have to go to a recommended surgeon.
But anyway, yes, this is still the best decision I could have ever made, complications and all!
