Making Keto Ice Cream With A Meal Replacement Shake

Keto Chow Meal Replacement Shake as Keto Ice Cream

I eat ice cream almost daily while still following a low carb/keto food plan. Not just a lousy half a cup either. A whole pint! Two cups of bliss! Ice cream was always my downfall when following any diet. I can never resist it. Even though in recent years it is not as good as I remember previously. Too many chemicals have been added to it. Just read the label! What kind of concoction is it anyway? Yes, every now and then I am tempted by it and buy some. At first it tastes really good but soon it reminds why I don't eat it. Makes me feel pretty bad even though the taste seems to be okay. I am the type of person who can eat ice cream all year long. Even in the dead of winter with below zero temperatures I still want my ice cream. 

My Keto Chow Delivery!

The trouble with the low carb and keto ice creams sold in the store is first of all they are expensive. Next a serving is very small. Some are half a cup and some are even smaller. No way is that going to satisfy me! About 4 years ago, I discovered a keto replacement shake on a channel I followed on YouTube. It is called Keto Chow. A catchy name I know! When I saw people making it into ice cream I knew I had to try it. Well, try it I did and I have been addicted to it ever since. It is more than a protein shake though many people drink it as that. It can also be used to make main dishes, soups (especially their recipe for pumpkin sausage soup!), snacks, desserts, including cookies, fudge, pies, cakes, biscuits and many more. They have their recipes posted on their website so you can find whatever you need. 

Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker

I started out with a Cuisanart ice cream maker. The kind you have to freeze the container before you put the shake in it. I did not enjoy that one so much. I struggled with it for the sake of having ice cream. Then the Ninja Creami appeared on the scene. What a difference that made! Trouble was that it was a bit pricey for me. Then on Keto Chow's YouTube channel, Chris Bair, the founder of Keto Chow along with his wife Miriam, mentioned a website called Woot. He said they had the Ninja Creami for about $100. It is a site that sells used items that are reconditioned. I took a chance and paid a little over a hundred for it because I had to pay for shipping. It is a Very Heavy piece of equipment! 

Rabbit didn't even open his eyes when I ran the new Ninja Creami!

Once it was delivered, I had to get brave enough to use it. From many YouTube videos I was aware of how loud it is. Louder than a vacuum cleaner! I had a bunny living in my apartment and they do not appreciate loud noises. Finally one day I had to try it..............my bunny did not even open his eyes! After that he was used to the noise of the Ninja Creami and so was I. It turns my Keto Chow shakes into the best creamy ice cream you could want. I cannot remember what the first flavors I bought were but it was incredible. I have since, bought every flavor that is available. Not a bad one in the bunch. I am not crazy about the new vanilla cream or their Core products. Other than those, I buy different ones on a regular basis. It is worth every cent to me. 

Keto Chow Butterscotch in 1 Serving Packets

Keto Chow is available in large bags but I prefer the small packets of one serving. That way I have a larger variety. Keto chow does not add any fat into their product. You have to do that and if you don't add any fat you will not get the nutritional benefit from the vitamins and minerals. I add melted butter to mine with warm water in the blender. Then add the rest of the water at room temperature with the Keto Chow and anything else you may want to include. Keto Chow is formulated to provide a person with all the vitamins and minerals that they need from one meal. A third of the daily requirements based on them having three meals a day. I look forward to it every day! 

Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

  

Cool Cooking In Hot Weather

 

I am getting ready to cook some breakfast. Cooking in my kitchen does not make my apartment hot. I use a single induction burner (Duxtop) and no heat is around it at all when cooking. The pan gets hot and the food cooks but the area around it is not hot at all. Plus it heats up quickly and takes only a few minutes to cook my food. One of the things I really like about it is that I can use my cast iron skillets on it. The smaller sizes work best due to the size of the cooking area on the burner. I have three different sizes and one nonstick skillet that I use for eggs, as well as a stainless steel egg poacher.

Cooking Bacon in the NuWave

The NuWave convection oven (the one with the amber dome) is my oven and it doesn't heat up the kitchen much either. I can make anything that you make in a regular oven in that. I have used both of these for over 8 years now and have no issues to complain about. I did replace the heating element a couple of years ago (bought a used one on eBay). Other than that it has worked fine for me. They say it uses 75% less electric than a normal stove's oven would. The dome does get hot so when cooking with it I am careful not to touch it.

Instant Pot

Another cooking appliance I use quite often is the Instant Pot. I can cook so many things in that and it does not heat my kitchen up either. Instead of cooking a roast or ribs in a regular oven for a long time the Instant Pot can cook it in short amount of time. Plus meat usually comes out so tender. I also hard boil my eggs in it and make soups and stews. Foods that usually simmer for hours are done so much faster and are just as good. I have even made my own homemade yogurt in it. Using the saute option you can also brown your meats in it before closing it to pressure cook it. You can leave your food in it and just keep it warm till you want it. I have done that many times.

Hot Logic

Another item I use to heat food is the Hot Logic. I do not cook food in it though you can and I did when I first got it. I put leftovers in it a few hours before I want to eat them. They will heat up and stay warm until you want them. It does not give off any heat on the counter or anywhere near it. I use a Pyrex oven dish to heat the food in with a piece of aluminum foil over the top. It is a good way to keep a meal warm until you want to eat. Most of the time I cook more than I will eat at my meal so I put the leftovers in the Pyrex oven dish and store in the refrigerator. The next day I put the dish of leftovers in the Hot Logic and plug it in. That is all I have to do. Later in the day I have my hot meal ready to eat! 

Crock Pot/ Slow Cooker

I sometimes use the crock pot. It is a good appliance to use when you just want to put something in and forget about it. The area around it does not heat up. Nor does the counter it sits on. Mine is not a fancy one with all the bells and whistles. It gets the job done anyway. I missed the Hamilton Beach one I had a long time ago. So I got this one and am happy with it. It is another good option for a meal on a hot day when you do not want to heat up your house. 

In the end I use all these appliances at various times. Hot or cold weather. It doesn't really matter to me. They all use less electric than a conventional cooking range. They do not heat up the kitchen while you are in the process of preparing a meal. For me that is a big plus! When you are older and/or have health issues the heat can be a concern. Yet I still need to prepare my meals and I like to cook. Always have. There are many more electric appliances that I wish I could use but my kitchen as you can see is very small and has limited storage space. All my pans are stored in the oven of the stove since I do not use it for cooking. And I think these appliances do just about everything I need. No need to skip meals or eat sandwiches in the hot summer time! 

Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

Living Through A Heat Wave

It is hot. Hot here in upstate New York. Hot everywhere else too. Just getting through each day hoping the power does not go out. Wondering what I was thinking moving into a city apartment that is totally electric? I was thinking convenience, comfort and a easier life. That it has been. As long as we do not have a power outage. So I include it in my prayers and hope for the best. I have tried not to do a lot of cooking. The only food I am cooking is my morning breakfast of eggs. The rest of the day is foods I call cold foods. Keto Chow replacement meal shake that I make into ice cream with the Ninja Creami. Better than any other kind of ice cream! More flavors available too. I have that about midday. For supper I am on a chopped salad kick. I used to enjoy the chopped salads from Subway. Then they stopped making them so I stopped going there. Silly to buy a sub when I do not eat bread. Once I started making the chopped salad at home I liked them better than the ones from Subway anyway. 

My refrigerator is full of beverages. Water, cold coffee, LMNT electrolytes, Zevia soda, and ice tea. I am the type of person who forgets to drink if I do not have it ready and in my sight. So I keep an insulated cup of whatever I am drinking at the time nearby. In the morning I always start my day with a cup of hot coffee no matter how hot it is. For some reason I cannot drink the cold coffee until after I have had the hot one. It gets me going. I keep the water in quart canning jars in the refrigerator. Glass stores foods better and colder in the refrigerator. Plastic does not. The LMNT I mix with water and store two jars of it in the refrigerator. Drink it through out the day. Electrolytes are important when you are a senior citizen and especially in the hot weather. I buy cold coffee already made from the store. It is black and unsweetened. I like the bold flavor. I usually have that for my 2nd cup of the day and it saves me from using up the coffee pods. Especially now as they gotten to be quite expensive. I make ice tea and keep it in the refrigerator unsweetened, of course. Zevia creamy root beer is my treat after supper. Sugar free with Stevia and has no fake coloring added. I enjoy it after a busy day. 

This past spring I bought a pedestal fan. I love it! I use it more than the air conditioner even in these high temperatures. So I have two fans. One is smaller that I have had for awhile now. It is behind me fastened on the top of my bookcase. I also have a usb portable fan that fits into my purse or my walker basket that I can carry with me. If you cannot tolerate the heat you have to find what you can do to make it easier. When I moved from my house on my homestead in 2018, I knew summer was coming. The last two summers spent there were torture for me. It was just too hot. I could barely do my gardening. I was working on it in the early morning and stayed inside all day. It was hot inside the house also. At that time I did not know I had Lymphedema or had ever even heard of it. My feet would swell and I would soak them in cold water directly from the well. It helped but the water heated up from my feet in just minutes. My face and hands would be all red. No relief ever! I could not even take a cold shower since we did not have running water. Moving was my solution. 

I try to do all my chores early in the morning on these hot days. Yes, living in a studio apartment I still have chores to do. After they are done I try to stay quiet. Doing activities that does not involve much movement. Years of having pets taught me how they survive a hot spell. By not moving! Of course, they are usually sleeping and I have never been able to take a nap in the daytime. So I just do quiet activities on my computer, writing, reading, coloring in an adult coloring book, listening to music, working on my family tree or watching videos on my computer. You get the idea. 

The worst thing for me during this hot spell is having to go somewhere. Appointments. I have one tomorrow with my hair dresser. I walk to it and it is not too far. At least it gets me out of my apartment for awhile. I enjoy my appointments there because this salon is entertaining as well. The banter between the hair dressers and their customers is like a big party. Though I still have to go out during the hot part of the day and walk there and back. I have no doubt that I will do fine. It is just the idea of it and not looking forward to it as much as I usually do.  

I feel like getting through this hot weather is a test for me. To see if I can make it. I know I have to because there is no other choice. Even though I am complaining it is hot, I know it is much hotter in other locations. I always complain about it being hot. Not so much about the cold. I like it colder but not particularly freezing. At least if it is cold I can do things to warm up. Add more clothing or blankets. When it is hot there is not much I can do except to ditch all the clothes and I am not ready to do that yet! 

Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

Summertime Chopped Salads For the Win!

In the recent weeks I have changed the food plan I was following. As the weather gets warmer it affects my Lymphedema a lot. It is worse in hot weather. I do have an air conditioner but have been trying to cut down using it nonstop due to the electric bill. The electric company here in New York State, NYSEG, is one of the most expensive ones. So trying to keep that cost down as much as I can. Yes, I still eat keto or low carbs, whatever you want to call it. I call it kat's food plan. It is what I want to eat and feel good eating. Standing for long periods in the kitchen cooking or cleaning up is not something I can do easily. So I am trying to do "fast food" or my version of faster foods. 

My Chopped Salad

One of the foods I had eliminated trying to stay "ketovore" or meat based was giving up most vegetables. Specifically salads. I have no problem bypassing grains, starches or sugar. The vegetables was difficult. I never gave up seasonings and they are vegetables. So for a couple of months now, I have been having chopped salads. I am really enjoying them and looking forward to my meals now. I am not counting the carbs. And I am not going to. Having Lymphedema means I am not going to lose much weight. My doctor said that is the reason I can go to zero carbs and still not lose. So the best thing is to concentrate on managing the Lymphedema and eat food that I like. I am not a person who necessarily follows what a doctor or other medical person tells me. I have always had to figure out things for myself. 

Bacon, Fried Eggs & Chaffles

This is what I do now. I eat eggs for breakfast daily. Three eggs and bacon. If I am not having bacon I might have four eggs. Sometimes with sour cream for the added fat. Sometimes with guacamole. Sometimes midday I will have a keto protein shake. I use Keto Chow and freeze it so I can make it into ice cream with the Ninja Creami. Keto Chow is a meal replacement shake with one third of the vitamins and nutrients you need for one meal. Plus, it is delicious! So it is something I look forward to but not every day. My last meal of the day is the chopped salad. I have been making it with mini bell peppers, mini cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and a slice of red onion. Put a handful of shredded cheese and a couple of teaspoons of blue cheese crumbles in it. I use cold cuts for the meat. The ones I am using presently is hard salami and roasted turkey breast. Then top it off with a salad dressing. I use Chosen salad dressings. My favorites are the Caesar or ranch dressings.  

Keto Chow made into ice cream! 

I watched to see if eating this salad with vegetables would affect me in some way. It did not. When I eat a very high carb food or anything with sugar I know right away that I should not have eaten it. I will get horrible stomach pains that last about three days or so. It is never worth it to me to eat those foods. I used to buy chopped salads from Subway and I loved those. Then they stopped making them so I quit going there. Now I don't eat restaurant food at all. It is too expensive for a mundane meal. I would rather make it myself. I do not put any lettuce or greens in my salads because the quality of them bought in the grocery stores is very poor. If I was growing my own I would use it in my salad. I miss the greens I picked from my own garden and nothing else can compare. Even without any greens my chopped salads are so tasty! 

Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

Making Kitchen Chores Easier

 

Since I cook often I usually end up with dishes and pans to wash almost daily. For the longest time my sink and area for the dish drainer was very cramped. It is a small kitchen with a single sink and limited space for the drainer. I have always had the dish drainer on my right because I am right handed. It seemed to work good for me like that. When I moved here I bought the smallest dish drainer I could find. It worked okay. Except that I had to put a dish towel on the counter and put larger items such as pots and pans there. Last year I decided to update my kitchen and bought a larger dish drainer with a mat that sits under it for the water to drain into the sink. It was pricey but well worth it. 

Cutlery Baskets with Dish Drainer

The dish drainer came with a small cutlery basket. I added another one that is larger. I wish I had done that sooner. These items have made doing my dishes so much easier. No longer am I stressed out trying to pile everything in that tiny drainer. I also changed the sides where I put the dish drainer. It is now on my left and I have adapted to it. It is funny how simple changes can make such a difference in my daily life. Everything fits in the new dish drainer. Even the blender and the inner pot and lid of the Instant Pot. All in one place! 

Dish Cloth Drying Rack

To complete the dish washing chore is the dishcloth drying rack. I bought that when I moved here so it is not new. It has been a handy item to have and I cannot imagine not having it. I know these days it is rare for someone to wash their dishes by hand. I have been doing it for years though and is no big deal for me. I have had dishwashers in my past but at this time of my life I don't need one. Since I am only cooking for one, for myself, I don't really have that much to wash. I try to limit how many dishes, silverware or pans I use. 

Touch the lid and it opens!

At the same time that I bought the dish drainer I replaced the garbage can in my kitchen. The one I had was not really a garbage can but a tote with a lid. It was small and I had it sitting on a stool. I would get so mad at it because I would want to put something in it and had to use two hands to open it. I decided to replace it with a normal kitchen garbage can. It is the type with a lid that opens on its own if you touch it. Actually this thing opens on its own without me even touching it. I now keep a rock on it so it won't open. When I am working in the kitchen I keep the rock off it. If something has a problem I usually find a way around it. 

Sink Strainer & Plug

I try to wash dishes after every meal so that I can keep up with it. I hate to see my sink full of dirty dishes. Another thing I bought is a stainless steel sink plug and a strainer for the sink. That makes a big difference. If you are dreading the clean up after a meal you can wash what you use to prepare it as you go. That way when you are finished eating you can wash the small amount of dishes and silverware you used. I like to keep a dishpan of hot soapy water in the sink during the whole process. Immediately after eating I clear my table and wash the dishes. All done! Easy to do! 

Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

 

Technology Is Now A Way Of Life For Me

My Technology Hub

I have a love hate relationship with technology. Having always heard people talking against it, yet they are the very people who use it. They depend on some form of it in their own lives. It is everywhere you go and even if you say you don't want to use it how can you not? Whether you admit it or not, it does make our lives easier. As a person with limited mobility I could not do all the things I have to do without it. Without it I would have to own a car or pay for transportation to do routine errands. When you think about it, all the tasks we think of as old fashioned were once considered modern technology of the future. Now we are saying the same thing about newer technology. I know, I do it too! 

The Energy System

I can honestly say I have lived without any modern conveniences as you know, if you have followed my blog for any length of time. It was not easy for me as I started having problems with my knees. At that time I did not know I had Lymphedema. Just thought it was menopause. I would get so hot I would turn red and my feet would swell. The first year I moved into my apartment, I was so thankful for the modern technology of air conditioning and running water so I could shower. The technology that people are complaining about though is not those types of things. Yet living without modern conveniences on my homestead was not truly old fashioned. I had a solar and wind energy system to run the computers, lighting and refrigerator. I admit that was not what I pictured my life to be when moving there. I thought it was going to be a real "homestead". With a propane refrigerator and cooking range. 

Nine Remotes!

I cannot count the many types of technology I use in my small studio apartment. I have so many remote controls I can barely keep track of them. Actually it is 10! But none of those things are connected to the internet or my telephone. Except for the television which runs off the Amazon Fire Stick. It makes living alone here easier for me. More affordable also. There are many people who may not know how to use the internet to do things they need to do. Like banking, paying bills, purchasing groceries to be delivered, entertainment, shopping for the exact item they want and can't find locally, ordering take out food from local restaurants, listening to music and most important....socializing. Yes, it is all out there waiting for you to discover it. 

CD Player & Television

If you do not want to learn how to do these things you are not only behind the times but stuck when you need it. Such as the changes in the way various things become more dependent on technology. I saw it happen with music going from vinyl records to streaming. Television is all different now. I have been using a computer since 1994 and never looked back. It is my lifeline to the world! I have friends who I have met online only and yes, they are real friends. I have reconnected with many friends from school and talk to them almost daily. I love them all and feel my friendship with all of them is something I treasure. 

My Kindle Fire

You do not have to take part in all of the new modern technology if you choose not to. I don't. I am not one for telephones. My phone is used for talking and some texting. I am not going to write a bunch of text messages to anyone. Mainly the text part is for deliveries and appointments. Some people only have a telephone and that is their internet connection as well as their camera. I don't enjoy it so I don't use it. The computer is my safety spot. I don't participate in "zoom" calls or "live" conversations if I have to be on camera. I don't play any kind of games. I do enjoy using a Kindle Fire for reading books. I do not want to accumulate a lot of things in my apartment now. Including books. I just purchased a new Kindle Fire 10 because they are discontinuing support for my old one that I got in 2011. But I will still use it as well as the new one. I keep learning how to use various technologies to improve my life. Not to keep up with anyone. Just at my own pace. 

Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole