Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

This is the third in a series of posts in which I will be reviewing my experience and insights after following a very low-carb lifestyle for more than a year.

Quick update: Since my previous post on the importance of preparation in setting yourself up for success on a ketogenic diet was published 2.5 weeks ago, I was surprised to discover that I have lost another pound. So, my total weight loss since May 25, 2019 is now 58 pounds.

Choose a Start Date

I was highly motivated to begin my new keto lifestyle, thanks to a medical scare that forced me to face the serious health risks of being both postmenopausal and obese, and of continuing to consume added sugar and highly processed foods. I understood the urgency of getting down to a healthy weight, and I was anxious to start lowering my risk for developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes or another serious illness as soon as possible. It was hard to resist the urge to just get started on keto as best I could, and figure things out as I went along.

At the same time, I knew how difficult it was going to be to overcome my food addictions, particularly to sugar and baked goods; cut out all grains, rice, and beans; and severely restrict my consumption of roasted carrots, parsnips, beets, white or sweet potatoes, and other root vegetables, which had been a staple of our weekly menus for years.

So, as impatient as I was to "get the show on the road," I understood the importance of preparing myself mentally, emotionally, and environmentally before committing myself fully to the radical changes that would be required—especially at the beginning, when my starch and sugar cravings would still be at their strongest.

Last but not least, I understood my need for a clear framework and road map to help me stay on track and make consistent progress toward any type of goal.

So, ultimately, I made the wise decision to choose a start date a few weeks out, so I could have the time to prepare myself properly and give myself the best chance of success.

When choosing the date for starting your own keto diet, I encourage you to consider your own fears and challenges, decide how best to prepare yourself to overcome them, and pick a start date that leaves you enough time to complete the preparations that will help set you up for success.

Decide Whom to Tell, and When

The ketogenic approach to eating is widely misunderstood, remains controversial, and tends to provoke strong responses, whether positive or negative, whenever the topic arises. I knew that switching to this radically different approach to eating was going to be hard enough without the added stress of dealing with unsolicited, well-meaning, but unwanted opinions, advice, or criticism about my decision to follow a ketogenic diet.

I chose to keep that decision private for as long as possible.When I started, no one except my husband (and my surgeon) would know. Once I became fat-adapted and overcame my cravings for high-carb foods, I would tell a handful of other people if, and when, they needed to know, e.g., telling my brother shortly before we flew across the country to stay with him for a week-long visit.

Down the road, when I was noticeably slimmer and people began to ask about how I achieved my weight loss, I would need to decide what, and how much, I wanted to share about my new approach to eating. But I would have at least a month or two to make that decision.

Unless you live alone, the other people who live with you—your spouse, partner, children, roommates, etc.—will likely be affected by your decision to radically limit your food choices and, obviously, will need to be told.  If you tend to be very social, you may prefer to tell your friends, family members, and co-workers up front about starting keto diet and ask them to cheer you on and help you through the rough patches. 

The important thing is to take a little time to think about and decide on a communication approach that will suit your individual needs and preferences.

Image by Dean Moriarty from Pixabay

Solicit Support From Family and Friends

To achieve my health and weight loss goals, I knew I would need help from my nearest and dearest. What I couldn't be sure of was how my family, friends, and colleagues would react to my decision to adopt a moderately strict ketogenic lifestyle, especially given how anti-keto I used to be before I became better educated about this way of eating.

Fortunately, when I gradually shared my news with more people, as situations arose when they would need to know, they were surprisingly supportive, especially after I explained the medical necessity for me to lose my excess weight safely but also expeditiously. Here's the approach that worked for me.

Think about the people whose support, or lack of it, could potentially bolster, or threaten, your commitment and progress the most, especially during the first few months, when you will be battling your cravings for sugar, baked goods, chips, candy, pizza, etc. before your taste buds adjust to enjoying and, perhaps, even preferring healthy, keto-friendly foods. In my case, my husband would be my entire support system (other than online groups) during most of that crucial initial transition period. But since we also would be spending vacation weeks with my brother and, later, my husband’s parents, as well as joining my sister and brother-in-law for dinner from time to time, and going out to lunch or dinner with friends, when the time came, I would also need to enlist their support—or, at least, understanding—about my dietary restrictions.

Think about what types of support you might want to request from each of the people in your inner circle, and be as specific as you can about the actions they could agree to that would help you the most. For example, if you have a friend with whom you go out often for brunch, and your favorite restaurant serves a brunch buffet featuring pancakes, waffles, French toast, bagels, and other tempting, off-limits foods you would find hard to resist, you might choose to ask whether they would be willing to change up your routine and meet for lunch instead, and suggest trying a different restaurant (one whose menu you’ve already vetted first so you know it includes a variety of keto-friendly options). If you need to tell someone that you’re following a ketogenic approach to eating and anticipate a negative response, you could try to explain up front that you have done extensive due diligence, educated yourself about the potential risks as well as benefits of this way of eating, and spoken with your doctor before choosing this path, and that it would mean a lot to you if they would accept your decision without challenge or criticism and, if they can, support your efforts to lose weight and improve your health.

Consider Ways to Get Your Needs Met and Their Impact On Other People

Deciding to adopt a keto approach to eating also means accepting responsibility for making sure you have access to the types of foods you need to keep your commitment to yourself. At the same time, to quote Oliver Wendell Holmes, “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." So, throughout this journey, I’ve tried to think about ways to minimize the impact of my limited food choices on other people who had no say in my decision.

As an example, six months after I started keto, by which time I had lost 50 pounds and my entire family knew about my ketogenic diet, my sister and brother-in-law invited us to their house for Christmas dinner. She asked me to help her understand my dietary restrictions so she could tailor the menu accordingly. After thanking her for her thoughtfulness, I asked what she would make if my diet weren’t a consideration. I was able to suggest fairly minor changes that would make most of those dishes keto-friendly, such as serving the salad dressing on the side, making a marinade for the pork that didn't contain any fruit juice, ketchup, barbecue sauce, sugar, honey, or molasses, and replacing one of the two high-carb side dishes with grilled, roasted, or sautéed asparagus or broccoli with butter and herbs. I told her I would bring my own keto-friendly salad dressing and dessert. When she expressed her reluctance to serve foods she knew I loved but would no longer eat, I explained that it was important to me that my decision to severely restrict my own food choices had the least possible impact on what everyone else was eating, and that it would give me pleasure to see my nearest and dearest savoring one of her decadent desserts while I enjoyed my keto-friendly sweet treat. The dinner was delicious, and a wonderful and festive time was had by all. A win-win!

Unless you live alone, minimizing the day-to-day impact of your dietary restrictions on the people you live under the same roof with can be significantly harder. Our household consists of just my husband and me, and when I was considering the keto diet as an option, I discussed the idea with him at length, and he said he would be willing to help me in any way he could in my efforts to get down to a healthy weight. I told him about the challenges and potential obstacles that concerned me the most, and we worked together to come up with solutions that would work for both of us.  For example, I worried that having baked goods, chips, and other addictive foods in the house would be an unnecessary temptation, and we agreed that he would try to keep and eat those foods mostly at his office or outside the house without me. We also designated the lowest drawer of our refrigerator and the cabinets above the fridge as food storage “for John’s eyes only,” and he agreed to consume those foods out of my sight for as long as necessary, until I could see them—and especially, watch someone else eating them—without craving them.

I’m blessed to have a very loving and supportive spouse, who was as invested in my success as I was. Many other people may have additional challenges, such as an unsupportive partner or having the primary responsibility for feeding the entire household, especially if it includes picky eaters, young children, or other people with different dietary restrictions. So, if you’re considering starting a ketogenic diet, it’s important to give some thought to what is and isn’t likely to be doable within the limitations of your individual situation, and to develop an actionable plan for how to get your own food needs met.

It’s worth explaining to your family members how important it is to you to lose weight, give up sugar, lower your risk for developing a serious disease, or whatever other goals you have for starting keto, and ask the rest of the family participate in brainstorming ideas with you on what they can, and are willing, to do to help you succeed, including agreeing to changes in how their own food needs have been met until now. You might be able to negotiate making meal preparation a shared responsibility, for example.

Be prepared for the possibility, or even the likelihood, that some or all of the other members of your household may be unwilling to inconvenience themselves or adapt to changes in the status quo to support your weight loss efforts. By the same token, they also might surprise you with willingness to help you achieve a goal that matters to you so much. your goals. Either way, accepting full responsibility for your own food choices will be the most important determinant of your long-term success.

Explore Online Keto and Low Carb Diet Support Communities

Since I had decided not to tell anyone about my lifestyle change who didn’t need to know, at least at the beginning, I checked out various keto support groups on Facebook. During the next few months, I joined eight or 10 of them, most for only a short time, and eventually winnowed those down to a handful that I still participate in roughly a year later, even after having met and surpassed both my original and "stretch" goals for losing weight. Searching for "keto group" on Facebook will return a dizzying number of choices. I recommend looking at the ones that have been around for a while and have successfully grown their membership, which is one indication that a lot of people have found the community to be valuable.

If you’re active on Facebook and are considering joining one of the many keto groups and communities, I suggest you start by thinking about which types of support would be most helpful to you. Are you most interested in:

• Learning more about this way of eating to help you decide whether to try it? 
• Asking for and offering encouragement and help and celebrating success milestones?
• Being with other people who are just starting out, or with a mix of newbies and people who have been following a ketogenic diet for a while? 
• Getting meal planning or recipe ideas? 

Being clear about what you hope to get by participating in one or more Facebook groups will make it easier to find ones that might meet your needs. Reading the rules or membership guidelines as well as the "About blurb for a group you’re considering can provide helpful insight into its culture as well as its focus. Plan to try out at least a few different groups, and don’t hesitate to leave any that turn out not to be a good fit for your needs.

Tip: Don’t assume that, just because a Facebook group is sponsored by a brand or other business, it will be less helpful and more self-serving than peer-run groups. When I began my keto journey 14 months ago, it really bothered me that the groups I found most helpful, informative, positive, engaging, and worthwhile were created or sponsored by companies and entrepreneurs whose primary business was to produce, sell, and/or promote keto-related products or services. My perspective has changed significantly since then. 

I am grateful that the people and brands behind many of my favorite keto-related cookbooks, websites, blogs, and products have chosen to invest financial and other resources to build, grow, and nurture a vibrant community of people sharing a common interest, create a continuous flow of new, informative, fun, and helpful content and activities, and provide knowledgeable, active, and helpful admins and moderators to vet posts, ensure compliance with the community guidelines, respond to questions and comments in a timely manner, and troubleshoot customer service issues. For example, Maya Krampf, the author of one of my go-to cookbooks, The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook: 100 Simple Low Carb Recipes, 10 Ingredients or Less, and whose Wholesome Yum website is chock-full of helpful information and reference resources, as well as great recipes and keto-friendly products she has developed (including her Besti line of sweeteners), sponsors two terrific and very active Facebook groups.

Cleaning Out the Refrigerator, Freezer, Pantry, and Other Food Stashes

I systematically went through our kitchen cabinets, shelves, refrigerator/freezer, and pantry, the huge chest freezer in our garage, and anywhere else where there might be a snack, pack of gum, cough drops, hard candies, a chocolate bar, crackers, dried fruit, etc., including the pockets of my coats and jackets, my handbags, my bedside chest of drawers, the bottom drawer of my desk, and even the glove compartments and center consoles of both our cars. Then, my husband and I decided what should be done with each of those items to make sure they would be out of both my sight and my reach before my keto start date.

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two by Margaret Schindel

Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

My First Year on The Keto Diet

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories

Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe

Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)

Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

My Personal Keto Testimonial

How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

Read More Reviews About Health and Wellness by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

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Refrigerator Onion Storage Keeper Reviewed

Onions in the refrigerator are not always welcome! 

We all know it is not necessary to refrigerate onions before they are cut, unless you wish to extend their shelf life.  However, once they are peeled, sliced or diced, they should be refrigerated. 

Whether refrigerated or not, the great temptation is to store them in a plastic bag due to their strong odor.  However, according to the National Onion Association, you should never store a whole onion in a plastic bag.  They actually recommend wrapping them in paper towels or newspaper and placing them in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life.  That allows for air ventilation.  

But wait!  Air ventilation for the onion is exactly what the rest of my food does not want.  Not only does the other food not like it, I'm not real keen on onion smell permeating my refrigerator, kitchen, or my pantry.  Therefore, it became necessary for me to seek out a different method for onion storage.   

I've tried keeping onions in a Tupperware containers, refrigerator sandwich bags when diced, Saran wrapped plates, tucked away in the refrigerator drawer, and even sitting next to an open box of baking soda.  I still smelled those onions!  Plus, I really hated that residual smell in my Tupperware, which I use for many other things.

I finally found a solution that works for me!

Refrigerator Onion Keeper

 Hutzler Onion Saver, YellowCheck PriceI will be the first to admit that I was really surprised when this inexpensive onion keeper actually worked.  Now before I go too far, the keeper itself always reeks of onion smell, even after being washed.  But, once it is closed, sweet nothing!  No more onion odor!!!  Made me want to buy 5 of them.  I have no idea what I would do with 5 onion keepers, but I was so pleased with the results, I somehow wanted to show my great appreciation to the little "onion".

I also love the looks of my onion keeper.  I know exactly where my onion is now.  It is no longer hiding in plain sight disguised as a Tupperware bowl. 

The Hutzler Onion Saver is dishwasher safe, but the inside still smells like onion after it is washed.  That is fine with me as long as it blocks the odor in my refrigerator, which it does!  I have washed it several times on the top rack of my dishwasher.  My onion keeper still seals properly and works perfectly.  You can safely store an onion, whole or cut, in the refrigerator for 7 - 10 days.  The Onion Saver has a circular grid in the bottom that keeps the onion elevated for better air circulation within the keeper.  Obviously, that is not as well ventilated as open air, or a paper towel, but it beats the odor!

 Hutzler Onion Saver, YellowCheck Price

  

I doubt seriously that the Hutzler Onion Saver will last for years, but sometimes we are pleasantly surprised.  Regardless, it cost less than a box of refrigerator sandwich bags and doesn't have to be thrown away after each use.

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The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

Pizza is the most popular food in the world, according to TasteAtlas. A 2019 online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of California Pizza Kitchen found that pizza was the #1 food Americans would choose if they could eat only one food for the rest of their lives.

Take-out pizzas from your local pizzeria and ready-to-bake frozen pizzas from the supermarket can be convenient and often tasty. Unfortunately, most are very high in calories, fat and carbs. Homemade keto pizza crusts based on variations of the popular "fathead dough" are a reasonable alternative to traditional pizzas crusts made with wheat flour for someone on a gluten-free or low carb diet. Making your own pizza with high-quality, fresh, wholesome ingredients also lets you control the nutrition of both the crust and the toppings. It can also be messy and, depending on the recipe, possibly time-consuming.

In this review, I’ll share a delicious, quick and easy low carb keto pizza recipe that you can get on the table in just 30 minutes from start to finish, using a frozen KBosh keto crust and your choice of low carb toppings. These gluten-free, keto-friendly frozen crusts are extremely low in calories as well as carbohydrates and come in several different flavors, both sweet and savory. They are also very thin, so they crisp up quickly and allow your favorite toppings to be the center of attention.

This quick and easy low carb keto pizza recipe is intended as a starting point that you can customize to your taste with your choices of KBosh keto crust flavors and yummy toppings.

This quick and easy low carb keto pizza recipe can be on the table in as little as 30 minutes!

Takeout Pizzas Are Loaded With Carbs and Calories

My husband and I are both pizza lovers and “foodies.” Until a few years ago, getting a large takeout pizza and a couple of big side salads was a frequent mid-week ritual for us. Our favorite was Bertucci’s Sporkie pizza, a wheat flour crust layered with sweet Italian sausage, ricotta, shredded mozzarella, grated Pecorino Romano and house-made tomato sauce, with extra toppings of roasted eggplant and caramelized onions. This scrumptious pie has a fabulous flavor and texture, but the nutritional profile is less than stellar. The large pies are cut into eight slices, and based on my calculation using Bertucci’s Main Menu Nutritional Information, our usual serving (1.5 slices) of a large Sporkie pizza with added roasted eggplant and caramelized onions weighs in at a whopping 840 calories, 13g of saturated fat, 60g of cholesterol, 1,815 mg of sodium, 76.5g of carbohydrates, 6g of fiber, 20 mg of sugar and 28.5g of protein!

After a serious health scare in 2019 gave me the motivation to lose nearly 60 pounds on a ketogenic weight loss diet, I decided to adopt a healthy, low carb lifestyle and find healthier, low carb alternatives to my favorite high-carb foods, and Sporkies became a thing of the past for us. I'm still hoping to perfect a delicious and easy keto pizza recipe with a crust that resembles the ones served at Bertucci's, so I can make a low carb version of our beloved Sporkie with roasted eggplant and caramelized onions. In the meantime, however, I have been experimenting with different, healthier, low carb pizza crust options.

Each KBosh Keto Crust has just 45 calories and less than 1 carbohydrate per serving!

Fathead Dough Keto Pizza Crusts vs. KBosh Keto Crusts

The most popular low carb and keto pizza recipes feature thin crusts made with some variation on "fathead dough," made with mozzarella cheese, butter or cream cheese, egg, coconut and/or almond flour and sometimes additional ingredients. Two good ones to try are the Keto Magic Mozzarella Dough recipe from All Day I Dream About Food and The Best Keto Pizza Recipe (Fathead Dough) from Wholesome Yum. Although I haven't yet found a recipe that produces a low carb pizza crust with the taste, texture and aroma of a traditional, wheat flour-based crust, these fathead dough variations offer a tasty and satisfying alternative for people who are watching their carbs.

KBosh Keto Crusts are made from many of the same ingredients as fathead dough, but they also contain low carb vegetables, such as cauliflower, zucchini, pumpkin, spinach or broccoli, depending on which flavor you choose. This gives them a somewhat different taste and texture than fathead dough type crusts and makes them lower in calories, fat and carbohydrates than regular fathead dough keto pizza crusts.

• Ready to Use. Keto pizza crusts made from fathead dough need to be made from scratch. KBosh Keto Crusts arrive frozen and don't need to be thawed. Just remove the package from the freezer, gently separate the two crusts and crisp them up in a nonstick frying pan for a few minutes before adding your toppings and baking.
• Lower in Net Carbs. Fathead dough based pizza crusts typically have 2–3.5 net carbs per serving. All KBosh keto pizza crust flavors have only 1 net carb per serving except the chocolate zucchini dessert pizza crust, which has 2 net carbs per serving.
• The Entire KBosh Keto Pizza Crust (3 Servings) Has Just 3 Net Carbs and 120 Calories! That's low enough to allow you to indulge in an entire pizza with low carb toppings, if you are so inclined.

KBosh keto pizza crusts are also gluten-free and much lower in calories and carbohydrates than other popular gluten-free pizza crusts, such as Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust (200 calories and 34g of carbohydrates per 1/2-crust serving) and CauliPower All About the Base cauliflower pizza crust (170 calories and 28g of carbs per 1/3-crust serving).

Note: I also plan to try a few keto pizza crust mixes and will share any that I can recommend in a future product review.

I made this delicious, quick and easy low carb pizza using a KBosh zucchini keto pizza crust topped with sauce, three kinds of cheese, asparagus and ham. Here it is fresh from the oven, ready to devour!

Customize Your Pizza Topping Choices to Suit Your Preferences and Nutritional Macros

Another great thing about making your own homemade pizzas is that you can easily tailor your choices of pizza crust and toppings to suit your mood, the contents of your fridge and pantry, your low carb or keto macros, and the rest of your day's meal plan. 

For example, I can lower the carbs and increase the protein by skipping the pizza sauce and topping my keto pizza crust with whole milk mozzarella, crumbled bacon or sausage, and maybe some fresh asparagus and mushrooms. On days when I can afford a few more carbs, I might add some low carb pizza sauce and fresh red bell pepper and swap out the bacon or sausage for diced or julienned deli ham.

Quick and Easy Low Carb Pizza Recipe With KBosh Keto Crust

Prep Time:

12-15 minutes

Cook Time:

12-15 minutes

Total Time:

24-30 minutes

Servings:

3 Servings

Ingredients

• Olive oil or avocado oil
  
• 1 frozen KBosh Keto Crust in your choice of flavor: Cauliflower, Zucchini, Mexi Zucchini, Italian Spinach, Broccoli, Kale or Pumpkin Zucchini
  
• Any combination of your favorite low carb pizza sauces and other cheese, meat and vegetable toppings, such as:

• Low carb pizza sauce with no added sugar, such as Rao's Homemade All Natural Pizza Sauce, Yo Mama's Classic Pizza Sauce, or Thrive Market Pizza Sauce
• Whole milk ricotta cheese
• Whole or part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded or whole
• Fresh or frozen, sliced or chopped, raw or cooked mushrooms, asparagus, bell peppers, red onions artichoke hearts or other low carb vegetables, roasted garlic gloves
• Sliced olives
• Anchovies
• Cooked and crumbled ground beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or bulk sausage
• Cooked and crumbled bacon
• Cooked low carb breakfast, Italian or other sausage links, cut into coins, half moons, chunks or 1/3" to 1/2" dice OR cooked, crumbled, bulk low carb sausage meat
• Thinly sliced deli ham, diced or julienned
• Fresh herbs, such as oregano, thyme, rosemary or basil leaves

• Freshly grated, aged Parmigiana Romano cheese, as a final topping (optional) and to patch any tears or cracks that may develop while manipulating the fragile crust before it is baked.

Tools, Supplies & Equipment Needed

• Pizza stone and stainless steel pizza baking pan (both optional but recommended) OR a dark nonstick baking sheet
• Nonstick skillet
• Gallon-size zippered freezer food storage bag
• 6-inch wide, sturdy, heat-resistant, slotted turner spatula, safe for use with nonstick cookware
• 12x16" flat sheet of unbleached nonstick baking parchment (optional but highly recommended)
• Scissors
• Protective oven mitts
• Wire cooling rack or heatproof trivet
• Pizza wheel or rocker-style pizza cutter (preferred)

Instructions

1. If using a pizza stone, place it on an oven rack in a cold oven. Preheat the oven to 425 °F.

Important tip: Never put a cold pizza stone into a hot oven! These stones are usually made of either ceramic or cordierite, materials that can withstand high heat but must be heated gradually to avoid thermal shock, which could cause them to crack.

All the ingredients for my KBosh keto crust low carb pizza (excluding the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and olive oil), prepped and ready to assemble.

2. Set out and prep your choice of toppings.

I forgot to take a photo when I was browning the KBosh pumpkin zucchini keto crust, but here is the KBosh zucchini keto crust I used for my three-cheese, fresh asparagus, ham low carb pizza.

3. Lightly oil the nonstick skillet with olive or avocado oil and preheat it for a minute or two over medium to medium-high heat. (Read why you should never preheat an empty nonstick pan.) While the pan is preheating, remove the KBosh keto crust package from the freezer. Cut open the plastic sleeve and carefully separate the two crusts. Slide the extra crust back into the plastic sleeve, seal it inside a large zippered freezer bag and return it to the freezer for storage.

Gently peel away the parchment from the remaining frozen crust and use the tip of the knife or spatula, if necessary, to carefully pry off the dessicant packet. Place the crust in the lightly oiled, preheated skillet and and pan-toast each side for 2–3 minutes, using the extra-wide, 6-inch slotted spatula to help you lift the edges to check the color and to turn over the crust after the first side is a rich medium brown. (Using an extra-wide turner to flip the fragile KBosh keto crust helps to lower the chances of causing tears or cracks.)

Tip: The KBosh crusts are very thin and somewhat fragile until they have been browned on both sides. To separate the frozen crusts, I slide the tip of a dinner knife or thin spatula between the parchment paper separators and slowly and carefully work my way around from the edges toward the center.If the crust develops any cracks or tears as you are separating the frozen crusts, prying off the dessicant packet or flipping the crust as you are browning it, see my quick and easy KBosh keto crust tear repair trick, below. Using freshly grated Parmigiano-Romano cheese and heat to "glue" the cracked or torn edges together works like a charm!

If using a round pizza baking pan, fold the parchment paper in half crosswise, then center the pan on the folded edge and trace around the rim, then trim off the excess, leaving a center gap for tab handles.

4. While the crust is browning, trim the sheet of unbleached baking parchment to fit your stainless steel pizza pan (if using) or fold the sheet of baking parchment in half lengthwise. Center the stainless steel pizza baking pan on the fold and trace around the edges to make a cutting template, leaving a 2-inch gap in the center to allow for tabs that will serve as handles. Trim the parchment along the guidelines as shown in the photo, then unfold the paper liner and center it on the stainless steel pizza pan.

Note: If you are using a dark nonstick baking sheet instead of the stainless steel pizza pan, I still recommend lining it with baking parchment to help absorb moisture from the crust and ensure that it doesn't stick to the baking sheet.

For a solid layer of ricotta over pizza sauce, place large, oval spoonfuls of ricotta in a flower pattern.

Then, with the back of the spoon. gently spread the cheese to fill in the gaps between the "petals."

5. When both sides of the KBosh keto crust have been cooked to the desired doneness, remove the pan from the heat and allow the crust to cool for a few minutes. Then, using the extra-wide slotted turner, gently transfer the cooled crust to the prepared stainless steel pizza pan or dark nonstick baking sheet, centering the crust on the parchment liner. Spread a thin layer of your pizza sauce, pesto or other sauce over the crust, leaving a generous margin of bare crust around the edges, especially if you plan to add a layer of ricotta cheese. You can add small dollops of ricotta evenly spaced on top of the sauce layer or, for a solid layer of ricotta over the sauce, use a larger spoon to scoop and place large, closely spaced mounds and then use gentle pressure to spread the soft cheese and fill in the gaps, as shown.

I topped the sauce and cheese on this KBosh pumpkin zucchini crust with red peppers and Portobello mushrooms, then sprinkled julienned ham across the top, distributing everything evenly.

6. Layer your remaining toppings in whichever order you prefer, taking care to distribute all the toppings evenly among all the slices.

I usually decide the layering order for each pizza based on the specific characteristics of the toppings I have chosen, including whether they are raw or cooked. For example, here is how I layered my toppings on the KBosh pumpkin-zucchini keto crust pizza I made last week while my husband and I were away on vacation. I started with a thin layer of pizza sauce, topped with a thicker layer of whole milk ricotta and then a layer of sliced whole milk mozzarella cheese. The vegetables came next. First, I built a low "retainining wall" from short pieces of fresh red bell pepper strips around the perimeter to help limit the spread of the melting ricotta and mozzarella layers in the hot oven. Then, I arranged fresh Portobello mushroom slices over the cheese in a symmetrical pattern (for even distribution) and tucked more red bell pepper pieces in between. Then I sprinkled julienned deli ham over the vegetables, added a dusting of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and a light drizzle of olive oil before placing my pan of "loaded" low carb keto pizza into the hot oven, atop the preheated pizza stone.

This low carb keto pizza with sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, red peppers, Portobello mushrooms, julienned ham, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and olive oil smelled amazing, hot from the oven!

7. Protect your hands with oven mitts, then open the oven and carefully place the stainless steel pie pan on the preheated pizza stone. Close the oven and bake the pie for 11–13 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and started to brown lightly. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a rack, then let it cool for a few minutes to let the crust and toppings set up a bit. Use the tabs you left on both sides of the parchment paper liner to transfer the pizza onto a cutting board. Use a pizza wheel or, preferably, a rocker-style pizza cutter (which won't drag the melted cheese around as you cut) to cut the pie into four or six slices. Serve each person 2–3 slices, along with a knife and fork if you make a "loaded" pizza with lots of toppings, like the ones in the photos. (The thin, flourless, gluten-free crust isn't sturdy enough to support that much weight if you pick up the slice with your fingers.)

Note: Each KBosh keto crust serves 3, according to the packaging, and 1/3 of a pie is a good serving size. However, since the calories and carbs are so low, my husband and I often cut the baked pie into four large slices and eat two large slices each.

Quick & Easy KBosh Keto Crust Tear Repair Trick

My Secret? Use Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese as a Strong, Tasty "Hot Glue" for Repairing Any Cracks or Tears!

The two frozen keto crusts usually are stuck together pretty firmly inside the plastic sleeve, despite the parchment paper separators. Being both very thin and frozen hard makes them fragile until they have been crisped up. They may crack (or an edge may break off) when you are trying to separate the frozen crusts or pry off the dessicant packet. Also, when you are pan-toasting a frozen KBosh keto crust, it will remain fragile until it has been properly browned on both sides and allowed to cool and crisp up, (which is why I highly recommend using a 6-inch-wide spatula/turner for lifting, flipping and transferring these crusts from the skillet to the parchment lined pan).

Fortunately, even if an edge breaks off completely, there's an effective, quick and easy fix.

See how one edge of this KBosh keto crust broke off completely? No worries! I started the repair by placing the pieces in the preheated, lightly oiled skillet, aligning the broken edges as closely as possible.

If a piece breaks off the outer edge while you are separating the two frozen crusts, lay both parts of the broken crust in the preheated, oiled skillet, taking care to align the broken edges. Then, sprinkle a generous line of freshly grated Parmigiano Romano along the entire length of the broken edges, as shown in the photos.

Sprinkle freshly grated, aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese over the entire break and heat (or continue to heat) the KBosh keto crust.

As the crust heats up, within 30–60 seconds, the grated cheese will melt and form a sturdy patch across the broken edges.

After 30-60 seconds, the cheese will melt.

If the crust tears or breaks when you are checking for doneness or turning the crust over to brown the other side, patch the crack or break the same way, keeping the crust in the pan until the cheese has melted fully.

This repair trick works so well that I sometimes sprinkle a light, even layer of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese across the top of my frozen KBosh keto pizza crust as soon as I add it to the nonstick skillet. This has several benefits. It adds flavor; it helps to reinforce the fragile crust as it is browning (I usually oil the skillet a bit more when I do this); and it helps prevent the pizza sauce from soaking into the crust. Just make sure you flip the crust when you transfer it to the parchment paper so the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese layer is facing up!

As you can see, when I flipped over the crust to brown the other side, the melted cheese formed a sturdy patch that made the torn area one solid piece again.

Important: Don't try to substitute shelf-stable parmesan cheese that contains cellulose (basically sawdust - ugh!) as an anti-caking agent. For this purpose, you WANT the grated cheese to stick together so it melts into a stronger, more solid patch over your tear or crack!

KBosh Keto Pizza Crusts: A Delicious Investment in Healthy Eating

Like most keto-friendly prepared foods with healthy, high-quality, nutritious ingredients, KBosh keto crusts aren't inexpensive. But for the price of a takeout pizza, I can have a delicious, hot, low carb pizza made with fresh, healthy ingredients on the table in just 30 minutes, without leaving the comfort of my home.

After a long day, it's well worth it to me to be able to serve my family a yummy, healthy, low carb, high protein dinner with lots of flavor and very little effort.

The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe by Margaret Schindel

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