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Friday, September 30, 2011

Yet Another Microwave Bread Variation



Using coconut flour, because of how it absorbs liquid, I can use a lot less of the amount for making this bread, so now I've got another variation I, so far, like best of all.  I guess, actually, this is a whole different recipe, so I could post it as a separate one, but there are so many variations of 1 and 2 minute breads on low carb sites, and I have not checked all of them out, so if there is another one like this, sorry... I don't have time to check the entire low carb community to see if there is or not. So if you have already done this or seen it, I'm really not trying to take credit for someone else's recipe!  I just play around and see what I come up with sometimes.  This is my new favorite, and it's a lot less calories, more close to a regular wheat slice of bread, and very low carb, only 2 effective grams of carbs per slice.

I like the flavor better than almond or flax.  I also like the texture better.  It's lighter in the stomach, and doesn't leave me with a heavy stomach like almond flour sometimes does.  It seems much easier on my digestive system. I was actually having trouble gaining weight with all the almond bread.  Regardless of others' experiences with that, I only know mine... I gain weight with too much almond flour.  So I've cut back on the bread and desserts, even though they were low carb.  But making this variation, I am cutting calories quite a bit.  Yes, I do have to watch calories as well as carbs.  If you don't, be very thankful!  Unfortunately, if I eat lots of good low carb food with lots of calories I gain weight or I don't lose any.  We all have our unique set of problems to tackle.

So here is my latest favorite. Just thought I'd share it with you.

                   
* Exported from MasterCook *

                          Coconut 2 Minute Bread

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 2  
Categories    : Bread

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1         tablespoon  coconut flour
  2         tablespoons  parmesan cheese
  1/4      teaspoon  baking powder
  1/8      teaspoon  xanthan gum -- (optional, but improves texture)
  1/4      teaspoon  splenda
              couple dashes of salt
  1         teaspoon  extra virgin olive oil
  1         large  egg
  2         tablespoons  kefir -- (or other liquid)

Mix all dry ingredients first, getting out all the lumps.  Make a well in the middle and add the liquid ingredients.  Stir the liquid ingredients in the middle and then gradually stir in the dry until all is mixed well and smooth.

In a square or round container, such as a cereal bowl, or a plastic entree dish, pour half of the batter and rap hard on counter a couple times to get out bubbles.

Microwave on high for about 60 to 65 seconds, depending on your watts.

Plop out onto a paper towel and do the same with the second half of the batter.

You can use this to make a sandwich, or you can toast it.  Use just like bread.

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Per Serving (2 servings per recipe): 99 Calories; 7g Fat (63.5% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber



Saturday, September 17, 2011

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie, LC, GF


In my opinion, there is no taste sensation that beats peanut butter and chocolate together.  So taking my favorite flavor combination and making it into a pie turned out to be all the delight my taste buds wanted.  I had some chocolate cookie crumbs (low carb and gluten free of course) in my freezer that I wanted to use, and this was the perfect way to use them.  But if you don't have anything chocolate that you can make into cookie crumbs you can certainly do this with any nut crust you want to use as well.  The chocolate crust really made this wonderful though!
Here is the recipe I used for the crust:

                   
* Exported from MasterCook *


                         Chocolate Cookie Crumbs

Originally a brownie recipe by Jennifer Eloff with variations
Serving Size  : 12  
Categories    : Dessert

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2           large  eggs
  3/4        cup  splenda -- (18 g. carbs, if you use liquid sucrolose you save the carbs)
  6            packets  Truvia (or erythritol)
  1/2         cup  coconut oil -- (or butter, melted)
  2/3         cup  almond flour, Honeyville
  1/2         cup  cocoa
  2            tablespoons  coconut flour

Mix all ingredients together well.  pour into a microwave proof container, sprayed with non-stick spray and microwave for about 5 minutes.  Check it to see if it is hard.  Let it cool completely. Less time will be softer, more like brownies, more time dryer and harder for crumbs.

Plop out of your pan and crumble into your food processor and process into crumbs.  Store in your freezer until you are ready to use it.

Yield:
  "2 cups"
                                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving: 139 Calories; 14g Fat (77.9% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 15mg Sodium.

NOTES : Nutrition info is according to 12 servings for a pie crust.

This is a bit high in carbs as a dessert altogether, but a good treat if you can tolerate more carbs, and especially if you have a lunch of protein, and little or no other carbs, which I can easily do with an almond bread sandwich.  I can stay within Dr. Bernstein's 12 g. per meal that way.  But today I simply had a piece for lunch all by itself.  It was all I needed!  I will work on lowering the carb count, however, using different sweeteners in the crust in place of Splenda.



                   
* Exported from MasterCook *

                   Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, LC, GF

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 12
Categories    : Dessert

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        Cookie Crumb Crust
  2          cups  chocolate cookie Crumbs -- *see above recipe
  2          tablespoons  coconut oil
  1/4       cup  water
  3          packets  truvia

                        Peanut Butter Cream Filling
  1            cup  heavy cream
  4            packets  Truvia
  8            ounces  fat free cream cheese -- (doesn't have to be fat free, this is what I had--same carbs, lower calorie)
  1/3         cup  unsweetened peanut butter
  2            teaspoons  vanilla
  4            packets  Truvia

                        Chocolate Topping
  2            ounces  unsweetened chocolate
  2            tablespoons  coconut oil
  12          packets  Truvia
  2            tablespoons  heavy cream
  2            tablespoons  warm water

For the Crust: mix the crumbs together with the melted oil, water, and truvia and press into a 10" pie plate.  Bake in 350 degree F. preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Cool completely and Chill

For Filling: Whip the cream with the 4 packets of Truvia until it is stiff. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and Truvia until creamy and smooth. (more Truvia if you want it sweeter.  Taste and add to your taste.  Everyone's different)

Fold in the whipped cream until it is well mixed in.

Pour out into your chilled crust and spread evenly.

For Topping:  Powder your Truvia in a coffee grinder or bullet blender.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt your chocolate over low heat, along with the coconut oil, stirring until melted.  Be careful not to burn.  If you don't know how to do this over low heat, better to use a double boiler.  (This goes faster if you chop up the chocolate first).

When melted, remove from heat and add your sweetener.  Gradually whisk in the cream.  It will get thick and look awful and you'll be sure it's not going to turn out right but don't worry.

Gradually drizzle in water and whisk until it is the consistency of a glaze.  It should be smooth and shiney and pourable.  But not too loose so that it is runny.

Pour over your filling and spread evenly.  Chill pie for several hours or overnight for best results.

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Per Serving: 347 Calories; 33g Fat (82.2% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Doughnut Muffins, LC, GF


Oh my! It is cool outside, and the fresh air is coming in the house, and the wonderful good fragrance of freshly made doughnuts is drifting through the house and out our window to anyone passing by.  How wonderful it is to be able to bake again without having to use air conditioning to cool off the house!  We actually had a frost advisory last night.  It does put one in a baking mood.  I am more energetic once again, and enjoying this cool weather! That's what I like about MN.  If you hate the weather, it will change.  Lots of variety!



These muffins are so wonderful, and so full of healthy ingredients for you instead of nutrition-less, sugar-filled doughnuts from your bakery, that lack anything in them that your body can use for good.  They are low carb, gluten free, and high fiber.  The original recipe for these came from Laura Dolson on about.com.  I have made my own variations that worked better for me. I used a higher temperature for baking, and some other changes.  So this is my variation.  I also used less nutmeg than she did, and less oil, and less liquid in the entire recipe.  I loved the results!  This is my very favorite muffin.  You can use doughnut pans if you have any, to get the doughnut shape along with the doughnut flavor.  They do taste like cake doughnuts.  You'll be surprised!


;


                   
* Exported from MasterCook *

                          Donut Muffins, LC, GF

Recipe By     :Ginny
Serving Size  : 12  
Categories    : Bread
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1         cup  flax meal, Golden
  1         cup  almond flour, Honeyville
  1         tablespoon  baking powder
  1/4      teaspoon  salt
  1/2      teaspoon  nutmeg
  1         teaspoon  cinnamon
  12       packets  truvia -- (or 1/2 cup equivilant)
  1/2      cup  Torani vanilla flavored SF syrup
  1/4      cup  coconut oil -- melted, or butter
  4         large  eggs -- beaten

Mix all dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl until well incorporated and all lumps are out.

Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients, and add the syrup, coconut oil, and beaten eggs.

Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the liquid until all is well incorporated.  Mixture will seem too liquid, but you need to let it sit for about 3 minutes or until muffin batter consistency.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full.  Bake in preheated 400 degree F. oven for 20 minutes.  Turn out on wire rack and cool completely.  Top with your favorite low carb frosting, glaze, or powdered sweetener.

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Per Serving: 169 Calories; 14g Fat (74.2% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber



Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Diabetic Cookery: Recipes and Menus



What a find! Had to share it!  A friend on another forum pointed me to these links of online recipe books from 1917.  It has things like thickening sauces with egg yolks instead of flour.  It comes from back in the day before the ADA told people with problems metabolizing sugar and carbs, to eat more sugar and carbs I guess. 

Here is the pdf format: http://ia600301.us.archive.org/1/items/diabeticcookeryr00oppeiala/diabeticcookeryr00oppeiala.pdf

I intend to spend some time in it, as soon as I get over some of my digestion issues that is!!  I've been frustrated lately with not being able to eat much because whatever I eat feels like it sits in my stomach like a rock.  I am dealing with nausea, stomach pain, no appetite, and not having much fun, and not doing much cooking, so sorry I just have not been posting many recipes because of it.  After going through a horribly hot summer, we are finally having some beautiful sunny days with low dew points and 70's.  It's been as low as 40 at night actually!  We're enjoying having our windows open again.  So now that it's cool enough to feel like cooking and baking again, my stomach is just not up to it.

I suspect I have an ulcer and am treating it with oil of oregano, aloe vera juice, kefir, and L-Glutamine which I've discovered is excellent for healing the mucosal lining in the stomach.  I am feeling better, somewhat already, but the hardest part of it all is giving up my morning coffee.  *Sigh*  In fact I haven't yet.  I had one small cup compared to the 3 large mugs I usually have every morning.  I guess I have to give it up for a while and get my stomach back.  Today it was peppermint tea to bring to work with me and chamomile tea at night.  I'm hoping to have some good recipes coming once again soon.  I'm also back to work for the school year.  Busy time for me!  But one has to eat, busy or not, right?  Oh yes.  Must have lots of good low carb, gluten free things on hand, quick and easy to prepare.


Sunday, September 4, 2011

Frying Pan Pizza

Need a quick pizza and don't want to heat the oven?  This one worked for me. It is low carb and gluten free.  I just sort of had a thought in my mind, wondered if it would work, and whipped it up to see.  It worked.  I don't know if I needed to add the baking powder.  You can try with or without it and see what happens.  I think next time I may try without it.  It is a soft crust, you'll need to eat it with a fork.  I guess you could pick it up in your hands but it won't be stiff in your hands like a crisp crust.  While the "norms" (non-diabetic, wheat tolerant folk) ate their regular pizza I whipped this up quickly for myself.  If you can make an omelet, you can make this.


                   
* Exported from MasterCook *

                             Frying Pan Pizza

Recipe By     : Ginny Larsen
Serving Size  : 1     Preparation Time :Approximately 5 minutes
Categories    :  Main dish

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2        large  eggs
  2        tablespoons  almond flour, Honeyville
  2        tablespoons  parmesan cheese
            sprinkle  onion powder
            sprinkle  salt
            sprinkle  italian seasoning
 1/4      teaspoon  baking powder -- (I think you could do without it)
                        Toppings
  2        tablespoons  pizza sauce
  1/2     cup  shredded mozzarella cheese
  7        Pepperoni Slices, *Armour

With a wire whisk, beat the eggs together with the flour, parmesan cheese, seasonings, and baking powder.

Preheat a non-stick medium skillet for omelets, on medium heat, pour batter into the pan and cover.  Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until it is ready to flip.

Carefully flip over to the other side, remove from heat and quickly spread on your toppings.  (It's a good idea to have them all ready right next to your pan so you can do this quickly.)

Put back on heat and cover for about 2 minutes.  Check to see if bottom is lightly browned and the top is melted and gently slide onto your plate.

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Per Serving: 520 Calories; 40g Fat (67.5% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber;

Serving Ideas : You can do this with any choice of toppings you like.  Nutrition info will vary.