My dear hubby and I were sitting at Panara Bread today enjoying the Chicken Cobb salad with Avocado, and I noticed he kept looking over at the sweets. He said to me, "That carrot cake over there sure looks good." I've been trying to convince him he needs to lay off the sugar and low carb with me, at least lower carb than what he has been. We're dealing with a new diagnosis of "mild cognitive impairment" recently and I'm trying to convince him a ketogenic diet is what he needs. His mother had Alzheimer's and though nothing showed up in his brain scan to show damage that would indicate Alzheimer's or a stroke, we're concerned enough to look for all the help we can with diet and supplements. I'm reading an excellent book right now by Bruce Fife, MD, called Stop Alzheimer's Now! I highly recommend it for anyone worried about dementia or neurodegenerative diseases of any kind!
So I told him I'd make him a carrot cake. I never tried one before but this turned out really yummy. And I also had a chance to try out my LC-Sweet Brown sugar substitute from LC Foods. I'm finding it an excellent substitute for brown sugar. This tasted like it was sweetened with sugar. It really went well with the Cheesecake Icecream I had made yesterday too! I'm sort of on a cream cheese roll. Still having to use a lot of it up, which I find an enjoyable problem!
CARROT CAKE WITH COCONUT RUM CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
4 egg whites
12 packets Truvia, or 1/2 cup equivalent
1/4 cup LC-Sweet Brown, (5 g carbs and 5 g fiber--carbs are all fiber, 18 cal.- per serving)
1/4 cup Swerve
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
3 tablespoons coconut oil -- melted, or softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
2 cups almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup carrots -- shredded
1/4 cup HOT water
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 8 x 8-inch pan.
In large bowl, add egg whites, Truvia, LC Sweet Brown, Swerve, Greek Yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla, and orange extract. With electric mixer beat until smooth and well blended.
Add almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Beat on low speed until well combined. Add carrots and hot water and continue mixing until well blended.
Pour into pan. Bake about 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost with Coconut Rum Cream Cheese Frosting (below)
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8 Servings/Per Serving: 246 Calories; 19g Fat (66.2% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber
5 g net carbs
COCONUT RUM CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
3 ounces philadelphia 1/3 less fat cream cheese -- softened (less than 1 g carb per serving and less calories than regular cream cheese)
3 tablespoons butter -- softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar substitute -- (whatever your favorite)
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons coconut milk -- or cream--just enough for consistency
In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar substitute, and rum extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add shredded coconut and coconut milk or cream, until it is a spreadable consistency, beating until smooth.
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8 Servings/Per Serving: 110 Calories; 10g Fat (75.2% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber
NOTES : 1 g net carbs
Carbs are from my powdered sugar substitute which is a combination of splenda and xylitol and mostly fiber. You can use powdered Swerve or erythritol if you prefer or another sweetener of your choice. Nutrition counts will vary.
