I've been wanting to do a maple syrup recipe for quite a while now, and had one in my mind that I had tried before but it needed some tweaking. A reader asked me if there was a maple syrup anywhere out there that didn't have sucralose or malitol in it but sweetened with erythritol and stevia. I didn't know of any. And most of those low carb syrups out there are way too expensive for me to want to ever have syrup with my pancakes anyway, if I did find one. It gets pricey to eat this way sometimes! You either pay the price or go without and eat boring food.
A boring food eater I'm not. I like good taste. This syrup turned out very rich and full of flavor. It does not taste like a diet syrup. I thought it was too thin at first but when I compared it with syrups from the store, it is the same consistency. If you heat it, it will be thinner, if you serve it cooled, it is a bit thicker. If you want thicker than what it is I'm thinking (though I have not tried it yet) that you could do 1/4 cup butter instead of 2 tbsp. and 2 tbsp. arrowroot instead of 1. The arrowroot adds only a trace of carb per serving, as well as the blackstrap molasses in this recipe. The carb count is very low per serving. I didn't use xanthan gum because I don't really care for xanthan gum. It takes away the flavor and sweetness. This has all the flavor and sweetness. Then there's the pancake...
This pancake was the cakiest pancake I've ever made! I was not going by any recipe, just started adding this and that and wow! This is one thick fluffy pancake. I realized I forgot to add any oil to the recipe when it was all done but I don't think it needed it. Low carb flours tend to be so oily anyway. But if you think you want it, by all means add a tsp or so of oil. I'm trying to add more flax into my diet again. I know some people think flax is bad and some think it's a miracle food. I tend to go with what my body tells me.
Digressing just a bit here, coconut oil is the big healthy oil for the day. I gave it a good try. I really did. I ate lots of coconut oil trying to see how it would help me. It did not lower my blood sugar. It did not help me lose weight. It did not give me energy. I really gained nothing from using it except a few more pounds. I do still use it but in moderation. I cook with it, because I like to. One thing I've always noticed about flax is that I get an immediate sense of energy and well-being whenever I use flaxmeal and/or flax oil. I just do. If you don't and you think it's bad, that's ok. But I ALWAYS, when using it, feel wonderful and healthy. When I'm run down, I go back to my flax! I've had nothing but health benefits from it and that immediately and noticeably. I've seen wrong information posted on the oil being destroyed when baking with flaxseed, which according to the Flax Council of Canada, this is not true. Here is an informative article about that:
http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/english/pdf/stor.pdf and more information:
http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/english/index.jsp?p=sitemap
and many studies proving the health benefits:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed#1
So, if anyone tells you flax is toxic, bad, or dangerous, show them the studies. They may quote from some blog or media but they won't have sound scientific studies to back up what they say. If you like flax but were told it's bad, here is enough evidence to the contrary. Use it with confidence.
So I've begun kefir/flax oil smoothies again, and using flaxmeal in my baking again. It was flax oil and flaxseed that lifted me out of my chronic fatigue bed and my brain fog years ago, after reading about
Dr. Joanna Budwig's diet, and how she cured many of cancer and other debilitating diseases with it. Though I did not follow all of her diet I did incorporate the flax oil/cottage cheese or kefir into my diet as well as using flaxseed meal. It's what cleared the lumps from my cystic breasts. It's been nothing but good for me in so many ways. No other omega 3 oil has done the same or given me the same results, and coconut oil has not either. So to each his own! I believe we should all find what our bodies tell us works! If all kinds of information on the internet tells me something different than my body is telling me, I listen to my body.
Ok, so I got that out of my system! Ha! On to the recipes!
MAPLE SYRUP *Updated 6/22/2019
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup erythritol, or 1/2 cup Pyure + 1 Tbsp xylitol (or a similar sweetener equal to 1 cup sugar)
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (optional, but will thicken a bit more)
1/8 tsp salt
1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
2 cups water
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
In medium pot (one that has room for this to boil up high), add butter, sweeteners, arrowroot, and blackstrap molasses. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
VERY slowly add water, just a bit at a time and stir. This will boil up fast as you add the water so it's important to add it very slowly as you stir. When all the water is added boil stirring for about 30 seconds.
Remove from heat and add maple flavoring. Cool completely. Store in the frig. Stir before serving.
© Ginny's Low Carb Kitchen
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Per Serving: 31 Calories; 3g Fat (81.8% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber
If using xylitol: 35 Calories; 3g Fat (69.8% calories from fat); trace Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber
NOTES : 8 - 1/4 cup servings approximately
ONE BIG FLUFFY PANCAKE
1/4 cup flaxseed meal, golden -- (2 tbsp of seed ground in a coffee grinder)
1 tablespoons Biochem Whey Protein Isolate -- or whatever brand you have.
(edited from 2 tbsp. after making it again-11/23/13) (I now use Isopure whey protein Isolate which has zero carbs per serving - 6/22/2019)
1 teaspoon psyllium seed husk powder -- (freshly ground husk is best)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
2 tablespoon kefir -- (or yogurt or buttermilk or sour cream will do)
(I now use unsweetened almond milk, vanilla flavored 6/22/2019)
2 tbsp Pyure granulated sweetener (equal to 1/4 cup sugar)
(edited 6/22/2019)
In small bowl combine flaxseed meal, whey protein isolate, psyllium powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together well. Add egg, kefir, and sweetener. Whisk together until it is a smooth batter. If need add enough liquid to bring to consistency you prefer. The thicker the batter, the thicker the pancake. If you wish you can add a tsp. of oil. I made it exactly as written above and it was a very cake-like pancake.
Cook on a griddle on one side until bubbly and drying on the edges. Flip, cook other side until done.
Copyright:
"© Ginny's low carb kitchen"
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1 Serving: 276 Calories; 17g Fat (55.5% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 14g Dietary Fiber
NOTES : 1g net carb
which was an off-shoot of the 3 minute chocolate cake recipe going around at that time. I doubled this recipe and added some tweaks as you'll see. I intend to experiment more with it with both flours and sweeteners. It was sweet but it could be just a tad bit more sweet. 
Marinated Asparagus and Vegetable Salad. Salads make such a nice side dish, but I really do not like washing and cutting or eating lettuce all that much, unless it's topped with gobs of other good things and is only a small part of the salad. I like putting together a mix of my favorite veggies instead.
Brocolli, Pepper, and Peach Salad: Another salad full of goodness, easy to toss together and if you want to make your meal even easier throw in some leftover meat and make it a whole meal.
DJ Foodie's Creamed Brussel Sprouts: Wouldn't you just love to have him as your personal chef?
Ok, how about onion rings? Mellissa from "I Breathe I'm Hungry". "Crunchy and savory on the outside, and sweet and soft on the inside." 
Vegetable AuGratin Casserole: by Jennifer Eloff. I don't think anyone would go away hungry from this table.
Roasted Butternut and Cauliflower Squash, from Lisa of 24/7 Low Carb Diner. I can almost smell this.
Hungry for fried rice? Try this one from Karen, "Living Low Carb One Day at a Time." You know, there's just no reason to feel deprived of anything if you are low-carbing!
Linda Sue's Broccoli Mushroom Casserole. Linda has so many great ideas on her site!
Zucchini Lime Salad - refreshingly good
Smokey Cheese Cauli-mash Oh yes! Not just your ordinary faux-tatoes!
Mushroom Mozzarella Bake by Jennifer Eloff - mouth watering goodness.
Bacon Vinaigrette Marinated Asparagus (and a grill give away if you check it out today) by Karen from Living Low Carb One Day At A Time.
Miracle Cauli-Tabbouleh by DJ Foodie - Oh my yums!
Roasted Brussels Salad by Lisa from 24/7 Low-Carb Diner - that looks amazing even if you don't think you like Brussel Sprouts!
Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Casserole by Mellissa from "I Breathe I'm Hungry" - making my eyes pop out!
