Simple and easy to follow face mask tutorial - using bias tape for ties

Simple and easy to follow face mask tutorial - using bias tape for ties

I've been making a lot of cloth, washable face masks for family and friends over the last month.  I've kind of perfected the assembly to be as efficient as possible, yet a quality final product.

But if you're like me, you've either run out of elastic or can't find any in the first place to make cloth face masks.  I was able to get a hold of some .25 inch wide bias tape, which makes for a quick and easy tie strap.  The results are comfortable and effective.

So here it is, a picture tutorial:

What you will need:

Sewing machine
Iron
Scissors
Ruler
Straight pins
Cotton Material (8" x 14")
0.25 inch wide Bias Tape (2 yards)
Thread

Step 1:  Cut your Material

Each face mask requires a 8" by 14" piece of cotton material:

Cut your bias tape into 36" lengths.  You can get four 36" pieces (enough for two masks) out of a 4 yard package of bias tape.  If you are making a lot of masks, you can shorten the length to about 29" and get 5 lengths out of each package.

Step 2:  Fold your material in half and sew along the 8" side

Fold you material in half doubling over the longer 14" side and such that the "right side" of the material is on the inside.

Sew the raw edges that meet along the 8" side together to create a "loop" of fabric.  Sew pretty close to the edge, about 0.25" seam (Line the edge of the material up with the edge of the pressure foot).

Step 3: Turn the fabric loop right-side-out and iron it flat

 Now you have a 7" x 8" rectangle with two layers, seam at the bottom:

Step 4:  Use your iron to create 3 pleats

Start at the bottom of your rectangle, about 1.5" up.  Make the pleat about 0.5 deep.  Hold in place with your hand (or you can pin there until you get the hang of it).

Use your iron the press the first pleat into the material.

Create your second pleat about a half inch above the first and again half an inch deep.

Hold in place with your hand (or you can pin there until you get the hang of it).  Use your iron to press the second pleat in place.

Create the third and final pleat, again half an inch above the second pleat and half an inch deep.

Hold in place with your hand (or you can pin there until you get the hang of it).  Use your iron to press the final pleat in place.

 Step 5:  Attach the bias tape along the edge

Line up the middle of the length of bias tape along the edge of the pleated edge of your mask.  Hold the bias tape open and flat so that the mask is overlapping with about the middle on the unfinished side of the bias tape.  Pin this in place.

Sew the mask material to the bias tape carefully to keep the material and tape overlapped.

Do this on both sides of the mask.  It will look like this at this point.

Front Side: 

Back Side: 

Step 6:  Trim any excess from along the material that will be tucked inside the bias tape (if you lined the material up at the exact middle and sewed it perfectly, you may not have to do any trimming)

All trimmed up:

Step 7:  Fold the bias tape over and sew to finish

Fold the bias tape over the raw edge of the mask (pin if you need to)

Sew carefully along the edge of the bias tape to neatly finish off the mask's edge.  Repeat with the other side.

Bam!  Finished product!

Eggs in Clouds... a lofty idea

Eggs in Clouds... a lofty idea

 

This is the most time intensive egg preparation technique on the planet.

 

I can't say that they tasted bad, but I certainly didn't find them worth the effort. 

 

They are neat to look at and the idea seems cool... but they didn't taste any better than any other way you can cook eggs.  And honestly, the texture of the "cloud" turned out a bit rubbery.  Maybe I over beat the egg whites or something, but I am not impressed enough with them to try a second time.

 

But if you are intrigued by these cute little egg clouds and want to try for yourself... here's one of many recipes:

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/eggs-in-clouds/



Homemade Beef Jerky

Homemade Beef Jerky

I started making my own venison jerky probably 10 years ago. It is a great way to use the meat that some people don't take full advantage of (aka the front shoulder of the scrawny South Carolina deer!). I bought my little, plastic, five-tier dehydrator from Amazon for less than $30 back in the day, and it still performs like a champ!

In addition to venison jerky, I’ve used my little dehydrator to make potpourri, dried fruit slices, and even once I attempted make salmon jerky (that was a mess *not recommended*).

However, this is the first I've used it to make beef jerky... which was comparatively very similar to deer jerky, yet a good deal easier.  The ease factor is due to being able to buy a pre-butchered London Broil and simply slicing it into a bunch of 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick strips  (opposed to  cutting strips of meat from the deer shoulder). I’m betting you could even ask the butcher at your store to slice it for you!  But it’s really not hard if you have a good, sharp knife – just take your time and don’t worry, each slice does not need to be perfect.

I put the meat into a gallon storage bag, where I then add my marinade.

Don’t go out and buy something off the shelf, make it yourself.  It’s easy and you can prepare it to your tastes without any carbs, just add seasonings.

A basic recipe is… 

½ soy sauce
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ Tbsp garlic powder
½ Tbsp black pepper
1 tsp cheyenne pepper

Mix up your marinade in a small bowl.  Then you can sample the flavor and make adjustments before you add it to the meat.  Also you can double or triple the proportions if you have a larger quantity of meat to cover.

 

I think the soy sauce provides enough salt without adding any extra.  If you want extra zing… you can always add hot sauce or creole seasoning.  I’ve even used pickled pepperoncini juice in my jerky marinade before.  It’s fun to experiment and see how it turns out!  Another addition I like is a few tablespoons of A-1 steak sauce.  Unfortunately, if you do this, you take your zero carb snack and add carbs.  But if you keep it to just a couple of tablespoons, it's really not too bad since you're spreading it out over the entire batch!

I let my jerky marinade in the refrigerator overnight.  I haven’t found it beneficial to wait any longer than 12 hours or so.  Then just put the strips in a single layer on the rack(s) of your dehydrator and plug in/turn on.  (If you don’t care to purchase a dehydrator to try this, you can use your oven on the lowest temperature setting.  You’ll lay the strips of meat directly on the wire racks and you may want to use a pan or foil on a rack below the meat to catch the drippings.  All in all, it makes a mess.  But if you’re willing to clean it up afterwards, go for it!)

It usually takes another 12 – 18 hours for the meat to dehydrate into jerky.  I’m sure it depends on how thick it’s cut and the specific dehydrator you have.  But it’s certainly not an instantaneous process!

Even though it takes some time overall, it’s not difficult to make your own homemade jerky.  And this is a super awesome snack for those of use needing to stay away from carbs!

 



Low(er) Carb Pad Thai

  

Low(er) Carb Pad Thai

 

 

If you spend time on Facebook or Pinterest you've likely seen the quick videos from Tasty outlining how to make various, scrumptious looking dishes.  I don't think they typically have anyone's health or diet in mind... but boy do they inspire!

 

Today I watched several of their video tutorials and I ended up combining two to make a low carb Pad Thai dish.  First I was inspired by their video on spaghetti squash three ways (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/554857616570185628/).  Then I saw their Pad Thai video (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/554857616570196990/),

 

Put the two together and you have a really fantastic lower carb noodle dish!

 

Just a word of caution before you get too far into this... If you prepare this to my exact specifications, you'll end up with a pot with the following nutritional profile:
-132 g Carbs
-34 g Fiber
-103 g Protein
-149 g Fat
- 2,200 Calories

You can split this into 4 large servings or 6 medium sized servings.  If you do 4 servings, that means you'll have a dish with 24 grams net carbs.  If you do 6 servings, you'll have 16 grams net carbs.  So while the carbs aren't super low, they are much better than if you use actual noodles.

With Spaghetti Squash:  24 g net carbs
With Spaghetti Pasta:     58 g net carbs
With Rice Noodles:         68 g net carbs

Ingredients:
- 1 med/large Spaghetti Squash
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 1 diced Chicken Breast
- 8 oz diced Firm Tofu
- 1/4 cup of diced Shallots
Sauce:
- 1/8 cup fish sauce
- 1/8 cup rice vinegar
- 1/8 cup soy sauce 
- 1/8 cup lime juice
- 1/8 cup sriracha sauce (increase or decrease according to the level of heat you like)
- 4 packet of splenda (or other sugar substitute you like)
- 1/4 cup of natural peanut butter

Directions:
Prepare your "noodles" by  puncturing your spaghetti squash several times with a knife (apparently if you don't it may explode as you heat it up!).  Microwave that baby for 4 - 6 minutes (depending on the size of your squash).  When it's done cooking, you'll have to let it cool a bit before you can handle it.  Once you can, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds (like you would a pumpkin),  and then use a fork to strip the noodles out.  Toss in 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of sesame oil, and then set your spaghetti squash noodles aside.

Next prepare your sauce by mixing up all the sauce ingredients above.

Pour 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil into your pot and scramble your eggs. When the eggs are finished cooking, set aside. Pour another 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil and 1 Tbsp olive oil into the pot and add your shallots, chicken, and tofu. Once chicken is fully cooked add your "noodles" and pour in your pad thai sauce, mix up well.  Then add your eggs back and stir in.

My husband and my 4 year old both really enjoyed this, as did I.  The spaghetti squash noodles were a bit crispy, but that was really the only difference I noticed from a regular noodle.  Other than the slight crunch, they took on the pad thai flavoring wonderfully!  Also, I added 1/4 cup of the sriracha sauce and while my little girl liked the dish, it was a bit too spicy for her.  Next time I will stick with 1 - 2 Tbsp of sriracha.

Egg Drop Soup Plus+++

 

 

Egg Drop Soup +

 

 

We finally got a taste of fall temperatures today in the Low Country.  It makes me ready for soup.  I love egg drop soup and miso soup, but I never attempted to make them myself before.  While this soup is technically neither, I think it will satisfy your craving for either. 

 

This is also the very first time I have ever made anything with tofu in it.  I don't have anything against it, but it's just not something I've experimented with before.  My 4 year old did not like it, but I really enjoyed it!  I will cut the tofu into smaller pieces next time, but otherwise, it was great!

 

As this is a soup, you're not going to get an exact recipe from me... more like guidelines.  You are free to play with the tastes as you like!

 

I started out with about 5 cups of chicken broth in a sauce pan on medium high.  You can make your broth from scratch, bouillon, or buy it straight up... whatever!  I added about 6 oz of diced, firm tofu right away to get it adsorbing the flavors.  I added 6 green onions stalks, chopped (save another 2 stalks to garnish later).  I sprinkled in garlic powder, anise seed, and black pepper (to taste - I like garlic so I do that up, anise I kept to a pinch).  Last I added a tablespoon of sesame oil and a tablespoon of rice vinegar.  I think both or either of these could be left out if you don't already have them in your pantry, but they add some depth to the soup if you do happen to have them.

 

Next comes the fun part... Bring your soup to a boil.  While heating up, beat three eggs in another bowl.  Once boiling add the egg to the soup pan slowly while stirring.  Once the egg is added and mixed in, reduce to a simmer.  This is when a sliced a couple of radishes super thin and added them.  Again, probably not necessary, but I like the color and I had them in the fridge!

 

You can pretty much serve this immediately!  Or you can set on low for an hour or so until you're ready to eat.

 

Have fun experimenting, as I did, with different elements.



Cabbage and Sausage

Even if you think you don't like cabbage, you may want to try this one!

My husband doesn't like cabbage (so he says), but he really enjoyed this meal.  Even my 4 year old ate it with a smile – and a bit of ketchup!

For 3 very large servings - or 4 less-gargantuan servings - I used 6 Oscar Meyers' Smokies smoked sausage dogs, half of a large head of cabbage, a half stick of butter, and a good glob of bacon grease! This all got sautéed in a large skillet on medium-high heat for around 20 minutes. I stirred it frequently, but put the lid on between stirrings. I also added salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

The Oscar Meyers’ Smokies are made of beef and pork and have no carbs.  We’ve never tried them before, but they turned out to be really good.  I will be buying them again.  Of course you can use whatever carb-free sausage you’d like!  The high heat and frequent stirring was important for “caramelizing” the cabbage, which I think adds to the flavor.

We both stayed full all evening after eating this - even after my husband made the statement, "This is good, but I'm going to need a snack later..."

I had a smaller, leftover portion for lunch the next day with a side salad.  Perfect!

What is a Ketogenic Diet?

The goal of a low carb, high fat diet (also known as ketogenic diet) is to lose wieght or improve health through switching the body's metabolism to burn fat instead of sugar or glucose.

When you consume carbohydrates your pancreas secretes insulin.  Insulin causes fat absorption into your muscle and fat cells for "storage" and also prevents fat from being released from those cells to be used as energy.  Eating fat and protein does NOT raise your insulin level like carbs do.  Therefore, if you want to burn fat you need to avoid releasing insulin into your body and you can do that by staying away from carbs.

So simple.

Obviously, there's a whole lot more science involved in the process than that, but that's the extremely boiled-down explanation!

If you're satisfied with that logic and are willing to take my word for it, great! (Disclaimer: I am only relating to you my own research and experience on this topic. What you choose to do with it, is up to you!)

But you'll likely want more information. I'm not going to completely re-write an in-depth, scientifically accurate explanation when there are actual experts out there who already have...

For the mildly more curious -
This fellow explains what a ketogenic diet is, why it works, gives pointers for implementing it, and even tells you what to expect. Click Here to read it. I found it very much in line with all the other research I've been doing on the subject.

And if you are still more curious yet, I'd recommend reading Gary Taubes' book "Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It."


While calorie counting and restriction is not necessary for following this diet plan, tracking the calories and nutrients that you consume is probably a good idea, especially at the beginning.  It will vary for each individual on the exact proportion of nutrients required for ketosis and optimized fat burning, but the general recommendations I’ve seen are:

Carbs:             5-10%
Protein:         20-25%
Fat:                 70-75%

If you track your calories and which nutrients they are coming from, along with your progress, then you can look back and determine what proportions worked best for you and make adjustments as needed.