SMOKEY BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP (Instant Pot)

I just recently was gifted by an anonymous gifter with an instant pot!  Someone just decided to bless me out of the goodness of their heart and I am indeed being blessed.  I threw this together quickly this morning to have for my lunch. It turned out so good that I had to write it down and share it with you all.  I know I haven't shared a recipe for a long while, but now and then I do pop in.  I have a few more ideas coming also, so stick around. I'm still here.  I just like to share when I can.  This is very rich and creamy and satisfying, especially now that it is getting colder and soup weather is upon us.  So I hope you try it and enjoy!

If you don't have an instant pot this can easily be made on the stove top in a pot.  Just cook it a little longer before adding the cheese and then add that at the end.

However you do it, it's a pretty easy and quick soup to throw together.

                 

                Smokey Broccoli Cheese Soup (Instant Pot)

Recipe By     :Ginny Larsen
Serving Size  : 4 
Categories    : Instant Pot                     stews and soups
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  12            ounces  frozen broccoli flowerets
  1         tablespoon  minced garlic
  8             ounces  Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese -- softened well - I did 30 sec. in microwave. (or use any full fat cream cheese)
  3               cups  Beef Bone Broth, Sam's Choice, organic
  1           teaspoon  onion powder
  1           teaspoon  salt
  1           teaspoon  Italian seasoning
  1           teaspoon  Paprika -- (smokey paprika if you have it)
  4             ounces  smoked cheddar, red apple cheese -- shredded.  If you do not have smoked cheddar, use shredded cheddar and add 1 tsp. of smoke flavoring.

Steam the broccoli for 7 minutes. Place in food processor and pulse until you have small pieces of broccoli.

Spray instant pot with non-stick spray and press the saute button.  Add garlic and cream cheese. With spatula, keep whisking until the cream cheese is melted and smooth.  Slowly add beef broth while whisking.

Add the broccoli flowerets, the onion powder, salt, Italian seasoning, and paprika.  Stir together.

Press cancel to turn off the saute, and place the cover on. Make sure it is set to seal not venting. Mine automatically does this. Press Pressure Cook or manual, and set the time to 8 minutes. When the time is up do a quick release.

Remove the cover, press saute and add the shredded smoked cheddar.  Bring to a boil again all the while stirring.  Press cancel on Instant Pot and serve your soup.

Sprinkle some bacon bits on top if you desire.

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Per Serving: 287 Calories; 19g Fat (57.2% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 50mg Cholesterol; 1545mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Serving Ideas : Makes about 4 or 4 1/2 servings

9g net carbs per serving with 4 servings

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

What can I say about this?  It was just so rich and wonderful and chocolate.  I would think of this as a special occasion treat - a very special special occasion treat. Be careful. It's easy to have treats like this throw off your whole diet.  Even if low carb, they should not be every day foods.  I made this today for our Father's day dinner for my husband.  You definitely need others to share this with, and they will be very thankful that you shared it with them.

                   


Chocolate Cream Pie

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 8   


4  ounces  unsweetened baking chocolate squares -- (1 box) chopped into small pieces.
1 1/2  cups  heavy whipping cream -- separated into half each
1/2 cup  Swerve confectioner's sweetener -- (Or equal amount of other confectioner's sweetener)
2  tablespoons  xylitol -- ground to powder in coffee grinder
1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
CRUST
1 cup  almond flour
1 cup  ground pecans
1/4  cup  Pyure Sweetener
1/4  cup  melted butter
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract

CRUST: Preheat oven to 325F. Grease 10-inch pie plate. In mixing bowl combine almond flour, ground pecans, Pyure sweetener, melted butter, and vanilla.

Mix together well with a fork.  Spread in bottom of pie plate and up the sides. Bake 10 minutes. Set on wire rack and let cool.

FILLING: In a microwave dish combine chocolate and 1/2 of the cream.  Cook on high in microwave 30 seconds at a time, for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after each 30 minutes, until smooth.  Cool to room temperature and stir in sweeteners and vanilla.

In another bowl beat the rest of the cream until peaks form. Beat in the chocolate mixture on hiigh speed 1/3 at a time.  Pour into crust.

Chill in refrigerator 6 to 8 hours.  Serve with whipped topping if desired.

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Per Serving: 412 Calories; 42g Fat (86.2% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 6g net carbs

KETO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I've made many different low carb/keto chocolate chip cookie versions over the years, and here is one more.  I really liked the way these turned out for flavor and texture.  They are slightly crunchy on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.  It depends on what you prefer in a chocolate chip cookie. Some like a hard crunch.  This is not that.  I tend to like my cookies softer.  It's what I grew up with as a kid. I have warm memories of helping my mom make her homemade cookies and loved the soft cookies that came out of the oven.  These will not flatten completely.  I used Pyure sweetener which is a combo of erythritol and stevia.  I think if you use all erythritol (double the amount) you would get a flatter cookie if that's what you want.  I like these just the way they came out.  So I thought I'd share.  There are so many good keto/low carb chocolate chip cookie recipes out there that it's hard to decide on what to try!  I just decided to open my very old Betty Crocker Cookbook and adapt the recipe from there.  I cut it in half, and adjusted the amounts a bit, and voila... turned out great.               

                          CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Recipe By     :Ginny Larsen
Serving Size  : 23   

1/2  cup  soft butter
1/2  cup  Pyure sweetener
1  teaspoon  blackstrap molasses
1  large  egg
1  teaspoon  vanilla
1 1/4  cups  almond flour
1  teaspoon  xanthan gum
1   scoop  whey protein isolate, Isopure, unflavored
1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
1/2  teaspoon  salt
127 grams  Lilly's dark chocolate premium baking chips, 55% cocao -- (half 9 oz. bag)

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In mixing bowl add butter, Pyure sweetener, and blackstrap molasses. Beat with electric mixture until smooth and well combined.

Add egg and vanilla and beat some more to incorporate.

Add almond flour and xanthan gum. Beat  together.

Add whey protein, baking soda, and baking chips.  With wooden spoon mix together until it forms a dough. 

With cookie scoop, scoop out 12 balls on first cookie sheet and 11 on another.  You should come out with 23 cookies altogether.

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.  Leave sitting on cookie sheet after removing from oven until completely cooled.  They will "finish" while they cool. 

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Per Serving: 87 Calories; 8g Fat (67.6% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 1g net carbs per cookie

Valentine's Day Chocolate Heart Cupcakes

                       


A little late for a Valentine's day posting but these are great to make any day.  Rich and chocolaty good.  Simple to make.  I used a silicone heart shaped muffin mold. I hope you and your special someone will try them and enjoy.

                   


                 Valentine's Day Chocolate Heart Cupcakes

Recipe By     :Ginny Larsen
Serving Size  : 6   

1/2  cup  Pyure sweetener -- or 1 cup equivalent to sugar
6  tablespoons  cocoa powder
3  tablespoons  almond flour - Honeyville
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1/2  teaspoon  salt
2  large  eggs
3  tablespoons  avocado oil
3  tablespoons  chocolate almond milk, unsweetened
                        Vanilla Cream Frosting
3  tablespoons  butter -- softened
2  ounces  philadelphia 1/3 less Fat Cream Cheese -- softened
1/4  cup  Pyure sweetener -- powdered (I do this in a coffee grinder) OR use 1/2 cup Swerve confectioner's.
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
   red food coloring -- (to make the shade of red or pink you prefer)
2 tablespoons  heavy cream -- (or just enough to get the right consistency)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 6 heart shaped muffin cups.  I used silicone.

In mixing bowl add sweetener, cocoa powder, almond flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix together to incorporated and smooth out any lumps.

Add eggs, avocado oil, and chocolate milk and mix with electric mixer until well incorporated.

Fill muffin cups evenly.  Bake 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool before turning out.

Frost with Vanilla Cream Frosting:
Mix together butter, cream cheese, sweetener, food coloring, and as you mix with electric mixer add just enough cream to make it a smooth creamy spreadable consistency.

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Per Serving (1 muffin): 213 Calories; 21g Fat (83.5% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber
NOTES : 2g net carbs per serving

EASY PEASY CHOCOLATES - SUGAR AND GLUTEN FREE

It's been a while since I posted here, but I'm still around.  Taking life leisurely these days - in some ways anyway.  Life always has new challenges in different time periods and stages.  But, hey, chocolate is right for all stages and ages!  Especially the senior years, I'd say - The time of life that is probably giving me the most changes and challenges both good and bad, that I've ever faced in life before.  Life is an adventure.  Chocolate is good to take along on any adventure I'd say. 

So Valentine's day is quickly approaching.  A little more than a month away.  Yes, we just got over Christmas and New Year and we're sick of food.  But can one really ever be sick of chocolate?  I've heard there are those people out there who do not like chocolate, but for me that is something that doesn't compute to my taste buds.  So here is the most simple chocolate recipe for those of you, like me, who never ever get enough of it. 

Here is what you will need. Just 4 simple ingredients: Butter, baker's chocolate, confectioner's sweetener, and vanilla, as well as a candy mold or some mold to put them in. If you don't have a candy mold you can use mini muffin tins, or whatever you have. My molds gave me 20 pieces of candy.

This is made in the microwave, so it's very simple.  In a small bowl you just add diced unsalted butter:

Then add the chopped chocolate:

Add the Swerve confectioner's sweetener or another brand of confectioner's sweetener to your liking. It must be one that goes well to sweeten chocolate likely erythritol based. 

You simply stir together and microwave 30 seconds at a time in increments until it is smooth and melted, and then add the vanilla and microwave another 15 seconds.  If it seems too thick it may need more butter.  I didn't measure how much butter I used the first time I threw it together and this time I just used 4 tablespoons. I think it was thinner and nicer consistency the first time so even though I have 4 tbsp. in the recipe because that's what I used, I think next time I would do 5.  You can use coconut oil if you prefer, but I like the flavor and the texture with butter.

                          Easy Peasy Chocolates

Recipe By     :Ginny Larsen
Serving Size  : 20   
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  4        tablespoons  butter -- diced
  2        ounces  unsweetened baking chocolate  -- cut into small pieces
  1/2     cup  confectioner's Swerve -- (Or other confectioner's sugar free sweetener)
  1        teaspoon  vanilla

In microwaveable bowl, add butter, chocolate, and confectioner's sweetener.  Microwave at 30 second increments at a time stirring in between until melted and smooth. 

Add vanilla, and microwave another 15 seconds, stir and pour into whatever mold you have. You can use a candy mold, or mini muffin cups, or whatever you have.  My mold made 20 pieces, but nutrition will vary according to what size mold you use and how many pieces you come up with.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Keep refrigerated. 

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Per Serving: 36 Calories; 4g Fat (88.0% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber;  24mg Sodium.