New Facebook page

I recently started a new facebook page for my blog: https://www.facebook.com/ginnyslowcarbkitchen

I am still learning the settings, and have not done much with it, but am working on it. Unfortunately, I am not real tech savvy and am having trouble figuring out how to add the code on my blog permanently for people to see and get to it from here.  I have done websites, used html, etc. but blogger is tricky for me to figure out how to use.  I can't just add html code where I want, and don't know how to do this.  Anyone that can help, it would be appreciated!  I haven't had the time to search it out and read forums, or whatever to find out how.  I tried their help which was no help.  So hopefully will get this figure out soon.

Ham and Cheese English Muffin Sandwich

I tried Jennifer's english muffin today.  Boy was it good!  Yes, definitely a break through!  She is a genius when it comes to these things.

This tastes, feels, butters, and looks like an English muffin from the old days.  I may even try them on my husband.  He loves his English muffins every day... several times a day, for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Here is what they looked like before toasting, right out of the microwave:

Looks like an English muffin doesn't it?  :)  Yep, and I liked that it was soft the texture was great.  I am thinking they would make a great hamburger bun also, untoasted even.  Either way, I like them.  They toast so nice and are crispy, like real toast and butter like real English muffins.  Well, they are "real" English muffins, and better, in my book, than the store bought wheat kind any day.  Thanks Jen for another great one!!  I had to share my review of them.  Too good not to.

Made a really nice ham and provolone cheese sandwich today for my lunch...

I think they'd be great for mini pizzas.  I think that may have to be the next thing I use them for.  It's going to be my breakfast tomorrow morning with egg, bacon and cheese.

Recipe on Jennifer's blog: http://low-carb-news.blogspot.com/2012/01/english-muffin-really-gf.html

Browned Butter Squash

This is not a super low carb side dish, for those of us following Dr. Bernstein's 6-12-12, but it is a low carb, gluten free side dish.  It's wonderful for special occasions or a holiday dinner especially.

It especially went very well with our turkey meatloaf we had for supper tonight.

The browned butter, the seasonings, all just worked together very well for a wonderful taste sensation.



                   
Browned Butter Squash

1/4      cup  butter
3 1/2   cups  butternut squash -- diced
1 1/2   cups  zucchini squash -- diced
1/4      large  onion -- sliced thin
1         tablespoon  Brown Sugar Twin
1/2      teaspoon  sage
1/2      teaspoon  thyme
1/2      teaspoon  rosemary
1/2      teaspoon  salt
1/8      teaspoon  pepper

Have all of your ingredients nearby and ready to place in the pan.  Place butter in large non-stick saute pan.  Melt butter and continue to heat while swirling until butter just begins to turn brown.  It can burn very quickly so you need to watch it closely.

As soon as the butter is browned, dump in butternut squash, zucchini squash, and onion slices.  Stir together.  Sprinkle over all, Brown Sugar Twin, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Stir all together well, coating all with the butter in the pan.

Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.  Uncover and stir.  Cover and let cook about 5 minutes longer.  Check for tenderness, cover and cook a couple minutes longer. About every 2 minutes or so stir, until vegetables are the tenderness you prefer.  The time it takes will depend on how tender you like them.  It took me around 15 min. altogether.  When they are about done, uncover and let cook about 3 minutes on medium heat, to let them brown on the bottom.

check bottom to see if they are nicely browned and pour out into a serving bowl.

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5 Servings/Per Serving: 134 Calories; 9g Fat (58.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber;

Lemon Muffins with Lemon Frosting

I know I haven't posted for a while.  I've had some issues to deal with lately. I'm recovering from losing most of my recipes in a software crash.  That's right, my MasterCook software for some unknown reason got totally wiped out.  I shut down my computer one night and saw that I had forgotten to close my MasterCook so it was forced to close and my computer shut down.  I thought nothing of it.  But when I went to open it the next day I found everything in it had been wiped out.  No recipe books, nutrition info, or any other information that was in there was there.  It was an empty shell.  All was gone.  I had a bit of a meltdown you might say.  I couldn't bring myself to think about recipes for a week.  I had to unstress and get my perspective in order.  But recipes continued going through my head and I continued to cook none-the-less.

I finally got my new software installed and now I'm in the tedious process of trying to find any of the recipes I lost on my blog, on forums, wherever I may find them, to add once again to my new MasterCook.  It's especially frustrating since I'm in the process of writing my cookbook for volume 3 of Low Carbing Among Friends, and I could not continue until I got my recipes in there, with nutrition info.  That means adding again all the products and ingredients I use into the ingredient list which is also a tedious process.

However.  I did make some headway today, and I should move right along now with the newest recipes I've recently done.  I've done several things lately, like low carb gluten free "noodles", cannelloni, Mexican tortilla pie, all low carb and gluten free.  But those will be in Vol. 3 of the book.

Last night I made some lemon muffins that have been churning in my brain lately, and they came out pretty good.  This is a versatile recipe that can be used with variations.  You can use your imagination.  It also uses Jennifer Eloff's Splendid Gluten Free Bake Mix which is also in Volume 1 of Low Carbing Among Friends along with her wonderful recipes.

These rose so nice...

They were not flat like so often low carb muffins can be.  They have a wonderful lemony flavor.  I would have added poppy seeds if I had had them, but you can do that if you like.


    Lemon Muffins with Lemon Frosting

1 cup  Jennifer's Gluten Free Bake Mix
1 cup  flaxseed meal, golden (you can use brown if you like, I prefer the taste of     golden)
1 tablespoon  baking powder
12 packets  Truvia -- or 1/2 cup equivalent
1 teaspoon  lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon  salt
1 teaspoon  lemon extract
1/2 cup  Torani Vanilla flavored sugar free syrup
1/4 cup  coconut oil, melted
4 large  eggs, beaten
    Lemon Frosting
3 ounces  cream cheese -- softened
3 tablespoons  butter -- softened
1/3 cup  powdered sugar substitute
2 tablespoons  lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon  lemon extract

Muffins:  Preheat oven to 400 F.  Spray 12 muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together bake mix, flaxseed meal, baking powder, truvia, lemon peel, and salt.  Make a well in the middle of dry ingredients and add lemon extract, vanilla sugar free syrup, coconut oil, and eggs.  Mix together well.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from tins onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:  In a small bowl, add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar substitute, lemon juice, and lemon extract.  Beat with electric beater until smooth and creamy.  Frost each cooled muffin.

Variations:  Add poppy seeds for lemon poppy seed muffins.  Add dried cranberries for lemon cranberry muffins.  In place of lemon peel and lemon extract in muffins use orange peel and orange extract for orange muffins.  Use orange extract in frosting in place lemon extract and skip the lemon juice.

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12 servings/Per Serving: 207 Calories; 17g Fat (72.6% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber

My Eye Exam Surprise Today and Seco-De-Pollo

Wow!  I have not been to the eye doctor for an exam and especially a diabetic checkup since 2008.  I had no idea it had been that long.  I just kept putting it off and forgetting.  Today I finally got in there and had my eyes examined thinking they were probably going to be worse and I'd need a stronger prescription.  I'm nearsighted.  To my surprise, my eyes have improved!!!!  I'm less nearsighted than I was.

 I have no idea what to credit that to.  Lowcarbing?  Going wheatless?  I haven't done anything else different other than that.  Does this just happen sometimes?  I have no idea.  Supplements I'm taking maybe?  It would be nice if I could pin it down to something so I know what I'm doing right.  Maybe all of the above?  I don't know.  I'm just happy that my eyesight is improving.

I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2005 and have been low carbing the Dr. Bernstein way since then.  I went wheat free a year ago.  I'm taking Codliver oil, Vit. D, B-complex, inositol, benfotiamine, magnesium, and Insulow every day, plus my daily kefir.  I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.  Won't that be nice if my eyes continue to improve.  No signs of retinopathy, or any other problems.  My eyes look A-OK.  This in spite of the fact my A1C has creeped up each year.  After being initially diagnosed I brought it down to 5.7 by lowcarb and exercise.  Over the years it has creeped up to 5.9, which I'm not happy with, but the doctor thinks is wonderful and won't give me anything because she's afraid of me going too low.  *Sigh*

So it is a mystery to me that my eyesight has improved, and I don't know that I'll be able to understand what made it improve. I'm just thankful it has.  I wish I could tell everyone, "Do what I'm doing and your eyes will improve".  But I don't know what I'm doing that is making them improve.

So with that, I'd like to introduce a video that is not by me, but one that caught my eye and I tried it last night.  Only hers looks so easy.  Mainly because she has a sharp knife to cut her chicken with so she didn't wrestle with it like I did.  I really need to get some new kitchen knives!  On my wishlist.  It's called "seco-de-pollo".  I also can't rate it because I did not have all the seasonings and ingredients she used and used my own which did not come out so well.  Also, I like only chicken breast, and I don't care for the dark meat.  This uses legs and thigh meat.  So if you are a fan of the dark meat I think you'll like this recipe.  Hers looks so wonderful!  She puts it on rice.  You could put it over cauli-rice.



I intend to try this again using chicken breast and her seasonings, minus half the salt she uses.  So in spite of my Just-ok results last night, I am posting this because mine was not hers and hers looks wonderful and I think you'll like it.

Tabbouleh, Pesto, or Tabbouleh Pesto?

I wanted a pesto sauce, usually made with basil leaves.  You cannot get two cups of fresh basil anywhere I know of around here unless you grow your own, which I have tried and failed at.  I don't have a green thumb.  People tell me it's easy to grow.  They don't know me.

So then I was thinking of Tabbouleh, which is made from parsley, vegetables, mint and lemon juice usually and served with wheat bulgar.  I went back and forth in my mind until I finally concluded I wouldn't be happy unless I came up with a Tabbesto, or Pestabbouleh, or something like that.  I'm just not sure what to call it, but it was good.  That's what counts.

So call it what you like, but try it.  If you want it more "saucy" like a pesto you could run it in your food processor.  I just chopped the parsley with a knife roughly and added the rest. 

                      

                             Tabbouleh Pesto

2  cups  Italian parsley, chopped roughly

3/4 cup  parmesan cheese

3/4 cup  extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup  sunflower seeds, roasted and salted, chopped

1 tablespoon  minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients, stirring together well.  Store in fridge to use.

Description:

  "A cross between Tabbouleh and Pesto to use with zucchini pasta, or cauli-rice, or spaghetti squash for a great mid-eastern salad"

Yield:

  "2 cups"

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(4 servings)Per Serving: 492 Calories; 50g Fat (88.8% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber

                     
Mideastern Zucchini Pasta Salad

2  medium  zucchini, made into sphagetti "pasta" noodles with a spiral slicer, or if you don't have one sliced into noodles with a vegetable peeler
1  cup  Tabbouleh Pesto,  *see above
5  ounces  cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
4  green onions, chopped


1. Squeeze as much water as you can get out of the zucchini pasta by putting it in a cotton towel and twisting and sqeezing until you get as much out as you can.  Or you can salt it and let it sit in a strainer for a while until the water comes out.  I prefer the first way, since it is quicker and doesn't add salt.  Both ways gets about as much out.

2. Mix zucchini pasta together with Tabbouleh Pesto, tomatoes, and green onions.  Toss together well and serve.  Add some more parmesan or feta cheese if you desire.

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(4 servings) Per Serving: 271 Calories; 25g Fat (80.1% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 8mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Vegetable.

Serving Ideas : Try this with cauli-rice instead of zucchini pasta, or spaghetti squash

Cinnamon Cranberry Coconut Crunch Cereal

I don't eat cold cereal that often, but now and then I like it.  I actually like it more for a snack or a light supper than I do for breakfast.  I did not figure out all the nutrition information for this particular mix here, because I just threw it together without measuring.  The cereal flakes come from my "Easy Cracker/Cereal" mix.  I used 3 servings of that, which is 2 TBS each with a tsp of cinnamon and about 1/2 to 1 Tbsp of Vanilla Torani Sugar Free Syrup in place of water.  Watch it in the microwave because it can burn quickly.  Microwave it for 50 to 60 seconds or until done all the way through.  When it cools it should be crispy.  After it cools break it up into "flakes".

I used dried cranberries that I dried myself in my oven since you cannot find dried cranberries at the store here that are sugar-free.  You can find a good recipe for them here. They can be used in so many ways that it's nice to buy up cranberries when you can get them and stick in your freezer and dry some to keep on hand for muffins, breads, cookies, or cereal, etc.  Sad that you can only get cranberries once a year but when I can get them I get several bags to freeze.  It's really not hard to do your own.  You control what goes into it then.

I also used organic coconut chips, available in your local health food store most likely or online.  I never tried them before but they looked interesting and a good addition to this mix.  If you can't find them use unsweetened shredded coconut instead.

Last but not least I chopped some walnuts to complete the mix.  All very healthy ingredients, full of omega 3's, fiber, vitamins, and filling as well, unlike most dry cereals that you have to have about 3 bowl-fulls to feel like you had anything substantial!  This is one reason I never ate cold cereal for breakfast.  The cereal flakes have zero net carbs because they are high enough in fiber to cancel out the carbs.  You can use So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk in place of milk, and sprinkle a couple packets of Truvia over all.

Happy eating! :)

Apple Cider Corned Beef and Cabbage

We really loved this dish that we had for supper last night.  If you like corned beef and cabbage, this is such a delightful flavor combination.  I used apple cider vinegar and cloves in it.  It turned out to be all I expected it to be.  Some of us, (me included) consider this dish comfort food.  And the aroma that fills your house all day--you either love it or you hate it.  Ha!  I love it.

On a busy day this is quick and easy to put together in the morning.  When you come home it feels and smells like someone who loves you was cooking for you all day and all you have to do is eat it.

The next day you can use the leftovers for Reuben sandwiches on some low carb rye bread.  Add a smidgen of cocoa to that recipe and you have Pumpernickel.  Just put the cabbage and corned beef on your bread, top with a slice of Swiss or Provolone cheese and grill.


APPLE CIDER CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE                    
8 SERVINGS

1 medium  head of cabbage -- quartered
3 pounds  corned beef brisket
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup  apple cider vinegar -- (Bragg's organic is best)
2 tablespoons  Brown Sugar Twin
6 whole  cloves

Spray crock-pot with non-stick cooking spray.  Place the quartered cabbage in the bottom.  Place corned beef brisket on top of cabbage.

In a small bowl, mix together water, apple cider vinegar and Brown Sugar Twin.  Pour over the corned beef and cabbage.

Cut six slits into the corned beef and push a clove into each slit.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or high 4 to 6 hours.

When it's time to serve, remove the corned beef and slice onto a platter.  Scoop out cabbage onto platter, and drizzle juice over all.
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Per Serving: 379 Calories; 26g Fat (61.8% calories from fat); 27g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 6 net g carbs per serving

Cookies Galore!

Check out Carolyn Ketchum's low carb, gluten free, holiday cookie roundup! Wow!  Get ready to drool!  That is a lot of cookies!
http://www.alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2011/12/low-carb-gluten-free-holiday-cookie.html

Here are my two favorite cookie recipes:
Vanilla Creme Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate filling

And Mint Chocolate Chip:

I'm looking forward to 4 weeks of vacation from work now over the holidays.  Tomorrow will be my one last class to do.  It's always sad to say goodbye to some of the little ones at the end of a session, but always nice to look forward to a break also.  Some of them I will get to see again.  It's amazing how much they grow in 4 weeks at that age!

So I will be busy in the kitchen and have more time to bake I guess for the next few weeks.  Or will I?  Hmmm... somewhere in there my house needs some serious attention.

Gingerbread Men

This was an experiment today.  After spending my morning helping 3 and 2 yr. olds decorate paper gingerbread men, I decided to try my hand at making my own gingerbread men. I didn't make very much because I was not sure if they would turn out or not.  But to my delight they did!  So next time I will most likely double the recipe.  My pictures turned out pretty crummy for some reason, but the gingerbread men turned out tasting just like I wanted them to.  So I apologize for my poor quality pictures.  My lighting in here is so bad.  I'm going to have to find a way to compensate for that.

 My little guy in the picture is decorated with some chunks from Lindt 85% chocolate and food coloring with a toothpick for the mittens and boots.  I didn't have anything else on hand I could think of to use, and didn't have time to go to the store and see what I could come up with for a cuter idea, but this will do for now.  Maybe next time I'll find something more creative.  You will probably be more creative than me. 

 I have large gingerbread man cookie cutters so I was only able to make 5 out of this recipe and the left over dough I flattened into a circle.

They came out tasting crunchy and very gingerbready... I think I just made a new word.  I frosted them with a cinnamon frosting which was really good.  I spent my afternoon trying to put together a video of this to put up but after making a bazillion mistakes, I gave up.  Maybe eventually I'll get the video.  For some reason I could not get the sound and video to match and my frustration level is about had it.  So for now, here's the recipe:

GINGERBREAD MEN                      

18 packets  Truvia (or sweetener equal to 3/4 cup sugar)
1/4 cup  coconut oil -- melted, or butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon  blackstrap molasses
1 cup  almond flour, Honeyville
1/2 teaspoon  baking powder
1/2 teaspoon  cloves
1/2 teaspoon  ginger
1/4 teaspoon  nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon  cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon  baking soda
1/4 teaspoon  salt

Combine sweeteners, oil, molasses and egg in mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth and creamy.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon and form into a ball.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.

Spray a large piece of parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.  Place dough on parchment paper and spray a piece of plastic wrap to cover it.  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on top of the plastic wrap to about 1/4-inch thick.  Cut with gingerbread men cutters or other cookie cutters.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone pad.  Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes or until done.

Let cool and frost or decorate.  Nutrition info is for the entire recipe.  Carbs for each serving will depend on the size and how many you cut out.  Good with cinnamon frosting.

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Entire recipe: 1196 Calories; 115g Fat (81.5% calories from fat); 30g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber;

                   
CINNAMON FROSTING

3 ounces  cream cheese -- softened
3 tablespoons  unsalted butter -- softened
1/3 cup  "Powdered Sugar"**
1 teaspoon  cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1 tablespoon  heavy cream

Mix cream cheese and butter together in a small mixing bowl.  Add "powdered sugar", cinnamon, and vanilla.  Pulse with electric mixer and then beat until creamy.  Drizzle in enough cream to bring to a good spreading consistency.

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12 Servings: Per serving: 60 Calories; 6g Fat (80.1% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber;
**Powdered sugar substitute is made from mixing 1 cup Splenda and 1/2 cup xylitol in the blender on lowest speed at 10 second intervals, then scraping and shaking and blending again until it is the consistency of powdered sugar. Keep in a jar or ziploc bag and store ready to use in recipes.

Cauli-Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

Just making a quick post this morning.  This is what we had for breakfast.  It turned out to be a real keeper.  I love a good breakfast casserole on Sunday mornings, or for a brunch during the holidays or whenever.  It takes some time to put together.  I haven't tried doing it the night before, and I was out later last night having a wonderful visit with some good friends, so I wouldn't have had time.  You can try doing some of it the night before.  I had the breakfast sausage already made ahead.  So you can buy breakfast sausage, if you can find some that is gluten free... I can't find any pork sausage that is.  I've found ground turkey sausage--Jennie-O brand, that is certified gluten free.  But I make my own homemade pork sausage that I like a lot.

                 

Cauli-Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

1 pound  frozen cauliflower -- thawed and shredded in food processor
   salt and pepper -- to taste
1/4 cup  butter
1 pound  Ginny's breakfast sausage (below)
6 large  eggs -- beaten
1 1/2 cups  fiesta blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup  So DELICIOUS® unsweetened coconut milk
4 ounces  chopped green chiles -- 1 can
1 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon  dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon  pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).

Melt the butter and toss with the shredded cauliflower.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Press into the bottom of a 10-inch (25 cm) pie plate.  Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 F (175 C).

While the shredded cauliflower is baking, Stir the ground sausage meat in a large skillet over heat and cook until it's crumbly and evenly browned.  Drain any grease.

Beat eggs until frothy.  Combine cooked sausage with eggs, shredded cheese, milk,  green chiles, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Pour egg and sausage mixture into the prepared crust.

Bake until eggs are set, about 45 to 50 minutes.  

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8 servings: Per Serving: 327 Calories; 26g Fat (71.3% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber;

Ginny's Breakfast Sausage

1 pound  ground pork
1 1/2 teaspoons  fennel seed
1 teaspoon  onion powder
1/2 teaspoon  garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon  thyme
1/4 teaspoon  sage
1/4 teaspoon  crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon  pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until spices are well incorporated throughout the meat.

You can freeze this to use later, brown it for a casserole and add onions to it and/or minced garlic, or shape into patties for breakfast.

Variation:  Use the same seasonings in ground turkey to make turkey sausage.


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8 servings: Per Serving: 152 Calories; 12g Fat (72.5% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber;

Raspberry Delight

This recipe was from my friend, Karen D on the Bernstein forum.  And I'm glad to report that I have my taste buds back, so I am able to truly enjoy every wonderful, delightful bite of this.

  I am using my own variation.  This has been a very popular recipe on the forum. It's also been a hit at our house, and everywhere I've shared it.  I have brought it to Christmas gatherings, and potlucks.  Always gets high raves!  It's perfect for a holiday dish.  It's perfect for any time of the year actually.

I was in a hurry to cut into it, so it hasn't had a chance to chill as long as it should. It should be chilled for a few hours, or overnight is best.  But we cut into it after an hour.  It was a little softer, but yummy!  I actually made mine with kefir cheese today.  I have also made it with quark, which is easily made if you have a yogurt maker, by pouring buttermilk into your yogurt maker and plugging it in and letting it sit for 8 to 24 hours, and then draining the whey out until you have the consistency you want.  Each is similar, but has it's own unique flavor.  Both are great in many dessert recipes where you would use cream cheese, or for dips, spreads, dressings, etc.  Plus you are getting the probiotics which are so good for your digestive system as well as your immune system.

                   

                            RASPBERRY DELIGHT

                        Crust:
1 cup  almond meal
1/2 cup  flax meal, Golden -- (or half nut meal and half flaxmeal)
1/2 cup  Whey Protien, Vanilla, Body Fortress Super Advanced
1/4 cup  melted butter
4 packets  Truvia

                        Filling:
12 ounces  cream cheese
6 packets  Truvia -- (or sweetener to equal 1/4 cup sugar)
1/4 cup  Torani vanilla flavored SF syrup
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon  salt
1 cup  heavy cream
2 tablespoons  torani vanilla flavored SF syrup

                        Topping:
2 packages  sugar-free raspberry-flavored gelatin (small)
2 cups  boiling water
12 ounces  unsweetened frozen raspberries

Crust:  Preheat oven to 300 F.  Mix 9-inch springform pan.  Pat into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool.

Filling:  In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, Truvia, Torani Syrup, and vanilla, until smooth. Whip cream with 2 tbsp Torani Syrup.  Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream.  Spread over crust and refrigerate until topping is ready.

Topping: Dissolve Jello in boiling water; stir in raspberries.  Chill for about 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.  (I find that it thickens very quickly because the berries  are still frozen when I add them.)  Spread over filling, and refrigerate until set.  Chill several hours or overnight for best results.

Serve with whipped cream if desired (not included)
This is also excellent using my Spicy Cranberry Sauce as a topping for less carbs.
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16 servings (Per Serving): 256 Calories; 21g Fat (74.1% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 6 g net carbs per serving

Remembering Ben

This is not about food today, but about a special day in our lives... a day of remembering a son... a gift from God who we had for a short time in our lives.  Today is the anniversary of the day he left us and went to Heaven.  It's been 4 years, yet it seems like yesterday.  I lost my sister and my son within a year from each other.  A human life is never just gone.  They are there with you forever.  You can't ever remove them from your heart, or your memories and I know I will see them both again one day.  

How strange to see a life from the beginning to the end.  How strange to see the fruit of your womb gone before you.  How blessed we were to have known him and all the Lord did in our lives through his.  

1-13-83 a brand new soul was born into the world

Ben, Micah, Jesse, Josiah in the chair

Ben with attitude

Making music with good friends

(Psalm 73:26)  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Goodbye Ben.  See you soon! We love you and miss you!

Thanksgiving Recipes

It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is already upon us once again.  I thought we would not have a Thanksgiving meal this year, since my husband was scheduled for esophagus surgery the day before Thanksgiving, and my son and his new bride were not planning to be here this year with us.  It just seemed hardly worth the effort to make a Turkey with all the trimmings for the few of us left at home.  But things changed rapidly.  First my son, Jesse, let me know that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday and he expects a turkey and all the trimmings whether or not it's only us.  My husband's surgery got rescheduled, and I got a text from my daughter in law asking if it was too late to change plans and come for Thanksgiving.  Suddenly I have a house-full!  So thankfully, I have this week off work, and am making my plans.  I thought I'd share some of my own favorites for Thanksgiving, plus a few others of friend's blogs.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce
http://ginnyslowcarbkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/11/spiced-cranberry-sauce.html

And speaking of cranberry sauce, Carolyn's recipe for Chipotle Lime Cranberry sauce looks amazing too:

Stuffing! One must have stuffing on Thanksgiving, mustn't one?  Here is a good bread you can use for stuffing.  Use it in your favorite stuffing recipe.

http://ginnyslowcarbkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/11/almond-bread-for-stuffing-or-eating.html

I love my Pumpkin Cheesecake which is so rich and creamy:

http://ginnyslowcarbkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/11/pumpkin-cheese-cake-revisited.html

  Jennifer has several other suggestions on her blog listed today as well, with more links...
http://low-carb-news.blogspot.com/2011/11/happy-thanksgiving-say-it-with-pumpkin.html
Her list:

If you want a really fun post for many Thanksgiving ideas, visit Carolyn Ketchum's website.  See Lisa'sThanksgiving in One Bite!  See Red Kuri Squash at Judy's Carb Wars Blog.  See Maria Emmerich's Green Bean Bundles.  Kent Altena's Pumpkin Muffin-in-a-Minute.  Ginny Larsen's Two Minute Microwave Coffee Cake.  Peggy's Sausage Calabacita Casserole.

Thanks for the mention Jennifer!

Her Pumpkin Cheese Pie looks terrific!

Kent's video of Pecan Pie Cheesecake looks pretty wonderful too.  Take a look at these blogs.  They have so many great ideas!  I feel small in comparison!

Whatever foods make Thanksgiving day special to you, don't forget to give thanks!  I have so much to be thankful for!  I posted this on Facebook last year on Thanksgiving... Wouldn't it be great if we had only one day a year to grumble and complain and every other day of the year we gave thanks for all God's blessings?  I know I am very blessed.  I have little to complain about in comparison with all God has given me.

May you all have a terrific Thanksgiving!

Two Minute Microwave Coffee Cake

I got up yesterday morning, wanting something more than my usual cheese omelet.  I love my cheese omelet but needed a change.  Coffee cake sounded good.  I had made a pan of coffee cake the week before but that was gone and I didn't want to make a whole pan that takes an hour to wait for.  So I tried an idea from the minute muffin recipes, and did this 2 minute coffee cake.  It turned out really good.

This actually makes 2 nice servings. You can make it in what ever shaped container you have.  I used a cereal bowl and cut it in half. 

Very nice and moist inside, topped with a delicious cinnamon topping.  Not only is it very tasty and sweet, but it is has 6 g protein and 5 g of dietary fiber, and only 3 useable carbs per serving.  And almond flour and coconut flour are both so good for you!  So you don't have to feel guilty about having coffee cake for breakfast.  Just enjoy it!!  You're truly getting a healthy start for your day.


           

             TWO MINUTE MICROWAVE COFFEE CAKE

2 tablespoons  almond flour, Honeyville
1 tablespoon  coconut flour
5 packets  truvia or equal to 3 1/2 tbsp sweetener (edited, 6/18/2014)
1/2 teaspoon  vanilla
1/4 teaspoon  baking powder
1/8 teaspoon  salt
1 large  egg
1 tablespoon  coconut oil (or butter), melted
2 tablespoons  kefir (or buttermilk, or just water)
water, (just enough for consistency)
                        Topping
1 1/2 tablespoons  almond flour, Honeyville
2 packets  Truvia, equal to 1 1/2 tsp sugar (edited, 6/18/2014)
1 teaspoon  xylitol
1/2 teaspoon  cinnamon
1 tablespoon  butter (cold)

In a cereal bowl that is microwaveable, whisk together the first 5 ingredients.  Make a well in the center and add egg, melted coconut oil (or butter), kefir (or buttermilk or other liquid), and whisk together briskly until smooth.  It will be stiff.  Blend in enough water to make a cake batter consistency.

 Topping:  Blend almond flour, Truvia, xylitol, and cinnamon together in another small bowl.  Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until it is crumbly.  Spread on top of batter.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes approximately.  My microwave is 1000 watts and 2 minutes is perfect.  Test for doneness.  Cool a minute or two and serve.

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2 servings (Per Serving): 304 Calories; 29g Fat (81.7% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 3 net carbs per serving

If you want a whole collection of great recipes, all low-carb and gluten free, buy all 5 volumes here: http://amongfriends.us/GINNY.php

For some food for the soul check out Ginny's Place

Creme de Menthe Pie

Well, this pie was born out of a sleepless night.  I woke up at midnight one night dreaming about food. Sometimes my most creative recipes happen in the middle of the night. 2 recipes resulted from my sleepless tossing and turning.  This was one of them.  I guess sleepless nights aren't all bad.  I don't know what it is about stress that drives me to the kitchen, but it seems to have that affect on me, but not to eat.  I don't eat when I'm stressed.  I cook.  When I was grieving I cooked.  When I was stressed I cooked.  When I was bored I cooked.  I cook and pray at the same time.  Cooking seems to be my way to work through things.  I feed everyone else.

They say dreams are our mind's way of processing things and working through them. I don't know what my mind was working through that brought this about, but it made a few people happy anyway.  I brought it to church for our fellowship meal and asked everyone for their unbiased, honest opinion.  I got several different ones from "tart" to "very rich" to just "sweet enough".  Myself I thought it was great other than I think the crust needed a little more sweetener added. So my recipe below has a little more sweetener in the crust than how I made it.

   Creme de Menthe Pie

                        Crust
1 cup  almond flour, (I use Honeyville)
1 cup  flax meal, Golden
1/4 cup  cocoa powder
10 packets  truvia
1/4 cup  butter -- melted
                        Filling
12 ounces  cream cheese, softened (1 1/2 packages)
6 drops  green food coloring, (optional)
1/2 cup  creme de menthe DaVinci SF syrup
1/8 teaspoon  mint flavoring
1 cup  heavy cream
1 tablespoon  sugar-free vanilla pudding and pie filling
1 tablespoon  creme de menthe DaVinci SF syrup
                        Topping
2/3 cup  heavy cream
8 squares  Lindt 85% Cocoa Bar, chopped into small pieces
6 packets  Truvia

Crust:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in the bottom of a 10" pie plate and press into the bottom and up the sides.  Bake for 10 minutes and let cool.

Filling:  Beat together the cream cheese, food coloring, if you use it, SF syrup, and mint flavoring with an electric beater until smooth and creamy.  Whip the cup of heavy cream together with the SF vanilla pudding and pie filling mix, and the DaVincie SF syrup, until peaks form.  Fold into the cream cheese mixture until all is blended well.  Pour onto prepared crust.

Topping:  Bring heavy cream and Truvia just to a simmer, stirring constantly, and remove from heat.  Quickly stir in the chopped cocoa bar until smooth and creamy and spread on top of the pie.

Chill the pie overnight or several hours before serving.

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16 servings (Per Serving): 241 Calories; 26g Fat (84.5% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber
4 net g carbs

Mouth Watering Vanilla Cream Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Filling

Oh oh oh!  This is...what can I say... it sends endorphins to my brain.  This is something I know I won't make except on special occasions because it would just be too hard to not eat them all and get sick.  They are rich, creamy, the kind of thing that makes your eyes roll into the back of your head and you get a delightful shock that goes through your taste buds down to your tummy.  It is heavenly good.  Ok, ok... I know I am running on here, but oh my! I just don't know how to describe them!  I am so thankful for the taste buds God gave me and the delightful foods He gave us to enjoy, and this is one of those pleasures He gave that makes you just know Heaven has got to be wonderful.  I'm not exaggerating!

This is the way they hit my taste buds... I'm just sayin'.  I came home from work dead tired, after chasing a room full of 12 to 18 month olds around, and though they are really truly delightful and fun and cute, I know why God gives us children when we are young.  At 57, 4 hours of that is about all I can handle.  And those cute little kiddie songs go through my head in my sleep now.  But baking cookies really was the last thing on my mind when I got home.  Taking a good long nap was actually what I was longing for.  But I was looking through my recipes, none-the-less, (that is what I do in my spare time), and I got an idea and I'm glad I did.

So I made them, and was revived.  I think they sort of brought out the kid in me. :)

So here they are...


               Vanilla Cream and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

                        Cookies
1/2 cup  butter, softened
1/4 cup  Torani (or DaVinci) vanilla flavored SF syrup
12 packets  Truvia (or sweetener equal to 1/2 cup sugar in sweetening power)
1/4 cup  xylitol
1 large  egg
2 teaspoons  vanilla
1 1/2 cups  almond flour, (Honeyville is what I use)
2 tablespoons  coconut flour
1 teaspoon  baking powder
1/4 teaspoon  salt
                        Filling
1/3 cup  heavy cream
6 packets  Truvia
8 squares  Lindt 85% Cocoa Bar -- chopped into small pieces

Cookies:  In a medium mixing bowl add butter, vanilla sugar free syrup, Truvia, xylitol, egg, and vanilla.  Beat with electric mixer on low until creamed together.

Add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt and beat again until it is well blended.

Drop by 1 Tbs fulls on parchment lined cookie sheet and flatten with the back of a spoon sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes and cool on the pan.

Filling: Add heavy cream to a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add 6 packets of Truvia.  Bring just to a simmer, stirring.  Remove from heat and add the Lindt 85% Cocoa Bar and stir with a wire whisk until well blended and smooth.

Spread on a cookie and top with another cookie.
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11 sandwich cookies (Per Serving): 211 Calories; 23g Fat (77.6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 3 net g carbs per cookie

Wheat--Allergy, Intolerance, or Sensitivity?

I'm learning more about the differences between gluten intolerance, wheat allergy, Wheat or gluten sensitivity.  It all seems very confusing.  The more I read the more I seem to fit in the category of wheat allergy.  I found this site helpful.

"Even though it occurs as a reaction to protein in wheat, Celiac Disease is not specifically a wheat allergy. A wheat allergy — like most well-known allergies — is the response of white blood cells called basophils and mast cells to something called Immunoglobulin E (or IgE for short). In laymen terms, this is a traditional allergy where you develop antibodies to an allergen, in this case wheat. Believe it or not, you can have a wheat allergy and not have Celiac Disease (or gluten intolerance), and you can have Celiac Disease and not have a wheat allergy. They’re two completely different responses in your body.
In a vast majority of cases, gluten intolerance symptoms will be systemic and will be a result of consuming gluten over a period of time. But symptoms of wheat intolerance will instead manifest themselves more like you perceive a typical allergy: quickly and with single exposure. Being gluten intolerant can be frustrating as this autoimmune disease can be subtle and insidious."

 My #1 symptom is sinus inflammation, and it happens quite soon after exposure.  In fact, yesterday I had lunch with a friend at Subway.  I didn't eat there.  I ate my own gluten free sandwich made from coconut flour and gluten free meat.  As I sat there, very soon I noticed I was feeling the congestion begin.  I walked in there and if you've been in Subway you know what I mean... it just wreaked of the smell of freshly made bread. For some reason much stronger a smell than at any bakery or any other restaurant I've ever been to.  I know they make their rolls right there in their oven.  I couldn't believe just the smell of the bread was causing me to have a reaction when I didn't even eat any!  I mean, come on!!!

I also discovered I cannot handle the play dough where I work with preschool children.  I used to make the play dough and sure can't do that anymore, but I cannot even handle it without using gloves and then washing my hands after, because if I touch my face while handling it I get a reaction.  I don't have all the digestive issues that people with Celiac have, but have had problems with IBS.  I can't tell if that is improved with giving up wheat or not because at that same time I began taking L-glutamine and drinking kefir again.  I think what ever improvement I have had has been due to that.  Because when I stop doing that, it comes back, regardless of having no wheat.  It's so hard to know these things!

So does it matter if it's an allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance, or celiac?  I suppose it would help me to know, but no matter, I have to stay away from wheat.  What I don't understand is that I seem to be more hyper-sensitive to wheat after being off from it for a year than I ever was when I was actually eating it.  So very little gives me a very big reaction.

So I'm still learning about all of this and striving to find hidden wheat wherever it may show up and be careful.  Almost impossible to eat out.  Every time I do, no matter how careful I think I am, I get a reaction.  It sort of scares me in a way.  I don't know where this will go, or how bad it can be, or if it could develop into even stronger reactions.  In that sense I suppose it's important to know if it is truly an allergy or a sensitivity.

If you're out there also struggling with this do read the site above that I linked to.  It has a lot of helpful information!  I have just started reading and I know I need to read more.  If anyone has any other helpful information please let me know.

One advantage I have is that I have been low carbing for about 5 years already so going from that to taking away wheat was not so huge and overwhelming.  I already knew how to make breads and baked goods for myself with low carb non-wheat flours.

So that's where I'm at for now.  I hope you all have a happy wheat-free low-carbing journey!  I'm doing my best to make it that for myself and whoever else I can help along the way.  :)

Pumpkin Chili

I have so many chili recipes.  Each one has its own uniqueness.  Lately, being Fall, and having pumpkin on my mind a lot, as well as chili, I decided to try a pumpkin chili.  I never had pumpkin in chili before but as I was browsing the internet for recipes and reading reviews, I decided on a combination of several ideas for one.  I didn't know if I should lean more on the pumpkin type spices or the chili type spices.  But I ended up using a little of each and the result was great!  I asked my family on a scale of 1-5 what would they rate it.  My son said, "A million!"  My husband and my son both do not do low carb or gluten free.  So I consider their opinion pretty weighty when it comes to how a non-low carber will like something.

                      

                              Pumpkin Chili

2 lbs ground beef

4 oz mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup onion, diced

6 oz green chili peppers, diced

16 1/2 oz tomato juice (3 - 5.5 oz cans)

14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes, (1 can)

1 cup  canned pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons  pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon  cumin

2 tbs chili powder 

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp Splenda

Brown the beef, add mushrooms and onions and stir and fry until tender.  Add green chili peppers, tomatoes, tomato juice, pumpkin, spices, and Splenda.

Stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes.  

Makes 6 1/2 cups, Each serving is slightly more than 1 cup.

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6 servings (Per Serving): 459 Calories; 32g Fat (63.4% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber