Six days a week, you’ll find Harlingen native Sophiah Rodriguez making delightful desserts at her bakery down by the border. “I love donuts, I love cupcakes, and I love frosting, so you’ll catch me sometimes in the corner of my kitchen with a little donut and a bag of frosting. Yes, that is my go-to there,” said Sophiah.
Brownies, cookies, and especially donuts are Sophiah’s specialty and these sweet treats have changed her life in a good way. “You see a change in your body, in your health, in your mental health and everything,” said Sophiah.
That’s because these amazing looking creations are all keto friendly. “Just because it’s considered healthy, it is not a bad thing,” said Sophiah.
Sophiah opened Keto Mini Donuts down in the Valley back in 2018 and with all the food options in the southern part of our state, Keto wasn’t really catching on then. “For us to be in this type of industry is not easy. You know what I mean? Because again, we’re near the border,” said Sophiah. “Everybody loves good food and everything like that, but we’re blessed to still have loyal supporters, new customers, curious customers, or just people who are just looking for something different. We’re here because of them. So regardless, we still feel blessed to still be here.”
Robin Zurovec is a long-time customer and she’s been thrilled having Keto Mini Donuts are her disposal. “It’s amazing. It’s something you would expect to see in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, something like that. But we have the gem down here,” said Robin.
“You’re trying to make a difference in someone. You’re trying to make a change by offering something that you hardly find in stores,” said Sophiah.
Sophiah started this business because she needed a change in life. “We tend to get a little excited when we eat and whatnot. So yes, I did. I get a little too excited. So, I decided to regain my life again.”
At 245 pounds, she wanted a change but there was one problem. “Me being a baker, I wanted a donut so bad, so I made it a mission to find that perfect low-carb, sugar-free donut that I can have,” said Sophiah. “And through trial and error, through so many bad recipes and whatnot, like flat donuts and whatnot, I finally found it and I got that crazy fix right there and then.”
Since she’s gone fully keto the progress has been impressive. “So, in total, I lost 60 pounds in the first three months of my journey,” said Sophiah. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t easy, but I mean, a lot of commitment. It’s a lot of mental discipline to reach your goal and stay committed.”
“Everybody thinks when you’re on keto, it’s a diet. For me, it’s a lifestyle. I’ve been doing it for over five years, and this place fills a void that it’s not there in the marketplace,” said Zurovec.
“It’s just a regular pastry made with different healthier options, but it just hits home. It’s perfect,” said Sophiah.
Time to test that theory! Sophiah has 12 different types of donuts on hand every day, so if you order a dozen, you get one of each. One that I was particularly excited to try is the Cortadillo. What is a Cortadillo? “I don’t really know. I just know that at the Mexican traditional bakeries, they have these little slices of cake with pink frosting and sprinkles, and as a kid, those are really, really good. So, we decided to make it into a donut form. And so far, I think we nailed it,” explained Sophiah.
“It’s amazing and everything tastes so good,” said Zurovec.
“They’re actually under one net gram, but we like to roll it over to one whole gram just to be easier to count carbs in case they’re counting,” said Sophiah.
Each one of Sophiah’s donuts is around 60 calories. “So, if you think about it, a dozen donuts are actually 12 grams of net carbs for the whole entire box,” said Sophiah. “Monk fruit’s the only type of sugar substitute we use in all our bakery. In all our pastries, that’s all we use.”
Her cupcakes are surprisingly amazing. I can’t believe that’s a keto. The brownies are even more decadent than the cupcakes! “I’m not a big fan of sugar anymore. I cut sugar out, so that it doesn’t faze me like it would before,” said Sophiah. “But no, I’d rather have this stuff.”
Dieting is tough but the sweet treats at Keto Mini Donuts are making it easier on folks looking to lose weight while still satisfying their sweet tooth. “Don’t give up, keep going. If something’s not working, don’t give up. Mind over matter,” said Sophiah. “You just have to be mentally strong, committed, self-disciplined. And if I can do it, anybody can do it. It just takes a little bit of work, a little bit of commitment, and you’re good.”