I make tasty desserts without sugar... and flour... and gluten. What's left? Check out Healthy Indulgences Blog to find out! 
Scrumptious Sugar-Free Key Lime Pie
School’s out for the summer, and I’m back in the kitchen. So happy to have a break from coursework, and time to create another low carb recipe! Here in Florida, the summer heat has me craving cool, creamy desserts and icy treats to enjoy. Enter a healthy version of the official dessert of the state of Florida: Key Lime Pie!
This is not your momma’s key lime pie…
…or at least if my mother made key lime pie (she grew up in North Dakota), it wouldn’t be like this! There are no egg yolks or sweetened condensed milk to be found in this version. With all of the tart, sweet flavor and none of the sugar, this low carb key lime pie will remind you of the slices you’ve enjoyed in Florida seafood restaurants. The pie has a slightly different texture than the original, though, with its airy, almost mousse-like filling. I can promise you that you won’t miss the sweetened condensed milk after tasting this pie. Feel free to serve it liberally with whipped cream. We can indulge in that healthy saturated fat on a low carb eating plan!
I think you’ll really like this super easy crust. It’s worth making the pie just for the crust alone!
More…
Coconut Flour Brownies, revisited–Gluten-free and Delicious!
Coconut flour is so much fun to play with! It’s so much easier to measure out versus grinding up almonds each time I want to bake. Get some and I promise you’ll be hooked on the richness of this gluten-free, low carb “flour.”
Interjection to share some science nerdiness. Check out this study on LDL in heart attack patients. Who knew that lower LDL is associated with increased mortality? And more of the low LDL patients were diabetic. Curious, very curious…
Remember these brownies? They’re delicious when undercooked, but turn cakey and dry if you leave them in the oven a minute too long. I know how annoying it is to waste these expensive natural ingredients on recipes full of fail, so I am sorry if you have been caused grief by moisture-sucking overcooked brownies. This new and improved version of sugar-free low carb coconut flour brownies is MUCH less temperamental, and pretty much foolproof in terms of the baking time. Thanks to Buffy at Low Carb Friends for bringing this inspiring recipe to my attention! These brownies are not gooey or chewy, but fudgy and dense. They’re more milk chocolate than most chocolate treats I’ve made, which is refreshing. If you enjoy these brownies as much as my roommates do, you’ll want to stockpile coconut flour for many more batches!
A note about ingredients: Use the highest quality pastured butter you can find for optimal results. I bought a bunch of Kerrygold butter on sale, and have found that it lends such a pleasant buttery taste to everything I use it in. So worth the not-on-sale price! I’ll be using Kerrygold in the recipes you see here from now on. When baking with no sugar and no flour, it’s recommended to use the best of the ingredients we CAN work with! Also, for those of you who don’t use erythritol, I’m pretty sure these brownies would work with 1/4 cup raw honey and 3/4 teaspoon of stevia. This will add 68 grams net carbs to the recipe, making each brownie about 9.5 grams net carbs. Be aware that with the honey/stevia combo, they won’t be as sweet as traditional brownies.
Remember to keep your mitts off of these for a full night in the fridge. I don’t know why, but it seems that baked goods made with coconut flour take a full night to “settle” into their full decadent yumminess. Just make up a batch, toss ‘em in the freezer, and go to bed. Or watch SVU reruns on USA all night. Or read Good Calories, Bad Calories under the covers. Just do something to avoid cutting into this chocolately goodness until it achieves its full potential!
Then wake up and grab yourself a delicious and nutritious sugar-free low carb brownie. For breakfast. You know you want to!
Healthy Coconut Flour Brownies
Serves 12-16
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 sticks salted organic butter (3/4 cup), softened
OR 1 stick butter, 8 ounces sour cream (for more moist brownies)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup sifted Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour
3/4 cup erythritol or xylitol OR 1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon NuNaturals pure stevia extract (increase to 1 teaspoon if using honey)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup organic heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brush both sides of an 8″ by 8″ (or 11″ by 7″ for thinner brownies) pan with coconut oil, or spray with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray. Place a cut square of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.
Beat softened cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in butter, vanilla, and sweetener. Whisk together dry ingredients. Add eggs one at a time to cream cheese mixture, and beat until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and heavy cream. Fold in nuts. Pour chocolate mixture into prepared pan, and smooth top with a spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes for the wider pan, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top feels firm to the touch. When done, place pan on wire rack and cool completely. Cool pan of brownies overnight in the refrigerator. Slice into 12-16 squares, and serve. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or freeze cut brownies, individual wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil.
~4g net carbs per 1/12th of a recipe
Healthy Pink Pomegranate No-Bake Cheesecake
First off, take a look at this wonderful profile of Dr. Barry Groves, author of “Natural Health and Weight Loss” and his new release, “Trick and Treat: How Healthy Eating Is Making Us Ill.” Dr. Groves is an advocate of a natural high-fat, low carbohydrate diet for total health and weight management.
If you haven’t tried a No-Bake Cheesecake, now is the time. It’s the ideal dessert for a low carbohydrate diet high in nourishing fats. Each silky bite is so creamy, thick, and sweet, you can barely finish a slice of cake, even though it tastes so good that as you’re eating it, you’re sad because you’re getting closer and closer to it being gone! In addition to being a big finish to a meal, I can attest to the fact that this cake is the perfect treat to wake up to if you have a sweet tooth. A breakfast of sugar-free, gluten-free, low carb No-Bake cheesecake will keep you going through the morning, without leaving you feeling stuffed because it is so nutrient dense!
We all have heard of the health benefits of pomegranate seeds and juice, which are full of antioxidants and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. This delicious, seasonal fruit is relatively low in sugar, with 26g carbs in a whole pomegranate.
Preparation couldn’t be easier. You grind the nuts, bake the crust, and whip together the filling. This is another one of those desserts that will make everyone think you spent hours on it. The pomegranate arils are works of art in their own right. The little red jewels, full of tart, crimson juice, can simply be strewn about the base to make your cheesecake look fit for royalty.
The lovely blush hue of the cheesecake is not 100% derived from the pom juice. You know how I feel about a bit of artifical coloring to jazz up natural desserts. If you don’t like it, don’t use it!
Pink Pom No-Bake Cheesecake
Adapted from a recipe at AllRecipes.com
Ingredients:
Crust:
3 tablespoons organic butter (regular salted)
1 1/4 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup (heaped) pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup GF rolled oats (replace with more almonds if desired)
1 tsp raw honey (optional)
1/8 teaspoon good-tasting pure stevia extract
3 tablespoons powdered erythritol (optional, for a sweet crust)
Filling:
2-8 oz packages cream cheese or Neufchatel 1/3 less fat cheese
1 pomegranate, yielding 3 tablespoons fresh pomegranate juice
3/4 cup erythritol, powdered
1/8 teaspoon plus 1/16 teaspoon good-tasting pure stevia extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Red and blue food coloring (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
Glaze (optional):
2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon erythritol
pinch of xanthan gum
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Set cream cheese out on counter.
Grease a 9” pie dish, or line the bottom of a mini springform pan with a round of parchment paper, and grease the bottom and sides. Grind nuts and oats into a meal in food processor. Add the rest of the crust ingredients, and drizzle in butter. Pulse until a dough forms, then press into the bottom of a pie plate or mini springform pan. Bake crust for 5 minutes at 300 degrees, then turn up the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is browned around the edges. Let cool on countertop or freeze for 10 minutes to speed cooling process.
Press about 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds through a sieve to get 3 tablespoons of juice. Save the rest of the juice for glaze. Beat cream cheese for a minute until creamy, and add pomegranate juice, vanilla, stevia, and 1/4 cup erythritol, beating until smooth. Gradually add the rest of the erythritol, and beat for another couple of minutes. Add drops of blue food coloring (about 3) and red food coloring (about 10) until desired shade of pink is reached. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold heavy cream into cream cheese mixture, until most streaks are gone. Spread over crust with a spatula, and smooth the top. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight (ideal) and unmold from sides of the springform pan. Store covered in plastic wrap.
For glaze, combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until erythritol dissolves. Whisk in a tiny pinch of xanthan gum and keep stirring, off of the heat, until it thickens. This glaze does not keep, so prepare it immediately before serving. Let sauce cool and pour over individual slices of cake.
Lemon Variation: Use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in place of the pomegranate juice.
Vanilla Variation: Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and no fruit juice.
~69.5g net carbs for the whole cheesecake made with 1/2 of a pomegranate, oats in the crust (which add 11g net carbs), and no glaze
~4g net carbs for glaze
Other blog posts you might like:
How to Cut and De-Seed a Pomegranate @ Simply Recipes
Pomegranate Blackberry Dessert @ The Blog of Dr. Michael Eades
Healthy Pomegranate Cheesecake @ Associated Content
Ideas for eating pomegranates @ Gluten-Free Girl
Holiday Indulgences: Healthy Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake (a tribute to Paula Deen)
Pumpkin. Gooey. Butter. Cake.
If you’ve heard of Paula Deen, you know what this awe-inspiring seasonal dessert creation is. Or more importantly, how it tastes. When I made this for my family as a freshman in high school, a new holiday tradition was born. We couldn’t stop eating it, and somehow a day after Thanksgiving there was nary a crumb in the pan of leftovers.
I can’t promise you that this low carb, sugar-free, and gluten-free version of Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake will put you into a sugar coma like the original recipe, which includes a package of storebought cake mix and a whole pound of the white stuff. It is still, however, a stick-to-your-ribs ending to a Thanksgiving feast. I just took out all of the carby badness and left in all of the nourishing, natural fats and flavor. Just half of a piece of this rich cake is completely satisfying, likely because all of the sugar that gets your seratonin going and kicks up your appetite is blissfully gone. It’s nice to have only one stuffed Turkey at the Thanksgiving table, no?
Pumpkiny, sweet, and buttery. Just a bit gooey at room temperature. Not too spicy, with a hint of fragrant vanilla. Treat your tastebuds and your body right and make this superior alternative to pumpkin pie! Just don’t destroy its health benefits and serve it was a side of mashed potatoes, okay?
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!
Recipe Notes:
~Make these one full day before you want to serve them, so they have time to set up and reach maximum yumminess.
~I made a small version in an 8 by 4 loaf pan, due to limited resources (read: a college student budget). If you want to make a half recipe, go for it!
~Bake this cake on the middle rack in your oven.
~For best results, powder the erythritol (in a coffee grinder or blender) before adding it to the crust layer.
~Try to beat as little air as possible into the filling so it doesn’t crack on top.
~You can amp up the spices if you like, using your favorite blend from a pumpkin pie recipe.
~I didn’t use organic cream cheese due to said student budget, going against my self-imposed organic dairy rule. Go for it if you have the means to do so!
Relevant Links:
~All you ever wanted to know about erythritol (the nitty gritty scientific data, confirming that it is safe and natural)
~A research-based perspective on saturated fat (buy Taubes’ book!)
~The Soft Science of Dietary Fat (more than you ever wanted to know about fat and heart disease)
Healthy Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
Adapted from a recipe by Paula Deen
Serves eight
Ingredients:
Crust Layer:
1/4 cup of organic unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces of cream cheese, softened
2 cups almond flour
1 large organic egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup erythritol or 1/2 cup xylitol, powdered
1/4 teaspoon pure stevia extract (NuNaturals)
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Filling Layer:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted organic butter, melted
1-15 oz can of pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup erythritol or 1/2 cup xylitol
1/4 teaspoon good-tasting pure stevia extract (NuNaturals)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For crust, melt butter and soften cream cheese in microwave. Grind erythritol in coffee grinder and mix into batter. Mix together until smooth, then add vanilla, egg, and sea salt. Add stevia, baking powder, and almond flour. Scrape into an 8 by 8 metal pan and spread out over the bottom. Bake for 15 minutes and remove to cool.
Soften cream cheese and melt butter in microwave. Grind erythritol in coffee grinder or magic bullet. Beat cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth and without lumps. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter, and beat until incorporated. Next, add erythritol, stevia, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and mix just until smooth. Set pan down on counter top a couple times to get out air bubbles. Pour pumpkin mixture over crust and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until center jiggles a bit when you move the pan. It will set up and sink down upon cooling overnight in the refrigerator.
Serve topped with fresh whipped cream to max out the decadence factor. Let eyes roll back in head.
~4.5g net carbs per serving
The Taste of Summer, pt. 2– Sugar-Free Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
This time of year, I like to cool off with my treats. My new Cuisinart ice cream maker has been running constantly lately. To mix things up and take a break from the brain freeze, I decided to try something new. Cheesecake is the ultimate cool, creamy indulgence that’s naturally low in carbs. There are tons of variations and different recipes out there for this classic dessert. I’ve never made it, though. The idea of using a whole pound of cream cheese, a giant round pan, and a water bath was always intimidating. It just sounds hard, worrying about cracks in the top and achieving the right consistency and whatnot. Though I’ve never experienced intense cravings for this particular food, cheesecake seemed like the perfect excuse to use up a CostCo-sized tub of blueberries sitting in my fruit bin.
Blueberry cheesecake called my name! It’s rather simple to de-carb cheescake–you simply remove the sugar. Erythritol (see the bold term for info) works like a charm for “wet” applications like cheesecake, so you don’t have to worry about using any special ingredients to offset its menthol-like “cooling” effect. Stevia rounds out the sweetness of these incredibly creamy bars. This sour-cream based cheesecake recipe posted in its original form here is a real winner. Thanks to BawdyWench for her simple, delicious recipe!
Even if you’re not a “cheesecake person,” you should definitely give this recipe a try. It takes minutes to whip up, and doesn’t have that thick, gummy mouthfeel elicited by a ton of cream cheese. The blueberries burst in your mouth as you bite through the silky base and nontraditional but oh-so-delicious gluten-free shortbread crust (check oats for gf label!). Get your brain-boosting antioxidants in for the day with these fresh blueberries. Studies show that blueberry consumption positively affects your memory. These delicious summer fruits are naturally low in carbs, so eat up! The batch of cheesecake bars from yesterday is almost gone. Some serious nibbling has been happening. I don’t blame the cheesecake bandit–it was love at first bite with these babies!
Creamy Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Adapted from this recipe by BawdyWench
Makes eight servings
Ingredients:
Shortbread Crust:
3/4 cup finely ground almonds
2 tablespoons sifted oat flour (check for gluten-free certification if necessary)
1 tablespoon erythritol
1/8 teaspoon pure stevia extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling:
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup organic sour cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons erythritol
1/4 teaspoon pure stevia extract
8 ounces cream cheese (1 package), softened
1 tablespoon organic unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk together dry ingredients for crust. Mix in melted butter and press into the bottom of a foiled lined 8 by 5 loaf pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Let crust cool.
Turn oven down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Blend together eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and sweeteners. Beat cream cheese and melted butter together until smooth, then add to first ingredients and beat until just combined and smooth. Stir in half of the blueberries. Pour cheesecake batter into loaf pan and sprinkle the rest of the blueberries over the filling. Bake for 35 minutes using the water bath method (see this post). Remove from oven and let the cheesecake bars cool completely, still submerged within the water bath. Remove the loaf pan from the water bath and move it to the refrigerator when the bars have cooled to room temperature. Cover with a layer of paper towels and plastic wrap. Refrigerate for four hours or until firm. Don’t sneak a bite until they have set up properly and attained the perfect creamy consistency!
~6 grams net carbs per serving
Cuts like a hot knife through buttah!
The taste of summer– Creamsicle Cupcakes
First things first: I am still working on the perfect sugar-free gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe. I tested a fourth batch today, but it was a bit crumbly. The flavor is spot on, though. They’ve come a long way from the hockey pucks I was making when I first started this journey a year ago. Re-creating processed foods out of all natural ingredients takes some trial and error, but it is so worth it when you get it right. For me, anyway. Sticking to a whole foods plan can get monotonous if you don’t mix things up! Interestingly enough, I eat pretty much the same thing every day except when a specific craving hits me. I think we all have a routine that we stick to, food-wise. My biology professor said we do 99% of our actions without thinking. That other one percent of the time I spend in my kitchen, with a full sink of dirty dishes as evidence!
Do you remember creamsicles? They’re still around, and they even make ‘em sugar-free for us health-conscious folk. Unfortunately, the pre-packaged treats are laden with sugar alcohols (the scary kind with unpleasant side effects) and artificial sweeteners, so I stick to one mini creamsicle a couple times a week. They make up the only Splenda intake in my diet, so I think my brain is safe from whatever as yet unknown side effects the sucralose molecule is inflicting on us. We are all human guinea pigs with this stuff!
Back to creamsicles. The pairing of vanilla and orange is so fragrant and complementary, with the tang of the citrus balancing out the cloying sweetness that vanilla can impart. These moist, dense cupcakes showcase the full spectrum of the fruit’s bright flavor, containing one whole orange pureed in the batter. The health benefits of oranges are concentrated in the peel, which contain prebiotic oligosaccharides which promote intestinal health. With 13 grams effective carbs per orange, you can eat 1/2 at a time as a healthy snack. Furthermore, the flavonoids have been shown to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol. Psh, like you need more reasons to try these cupcakes.
Top the cream cheese frosting with fruit puree to imitate the old-fashioned ice cream bar, or just drop a dollop on top with some zest.
Healthy Creamsicle Cupcakes
adapted from this recipe by Martha Rose Shulman
Makes 20 cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond meal, ground fine
6 eggs
Sweetener, to taste
For ALL NATURAL sugar-free sweetening, use both of the following:
-1 cup erythritol or xylitol
-1/4 teaspoon pure stevia extract (I use NuNaturals)
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 medium thin-skinned organic oranges (yielding 1 1/4 cups fruit puree)
1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Preparation:
Wash oranges well and boil for 20 minutes in a microwave safe dish with a cover until fork tender. Wait until oranges are cooled, then slice them (but do NOT peel them) into sections and remove seeds. Puree in food processor until smooth. Measure out 1 and 1/4 cups of the puree and reserve the rest for a glaze to go with the cream cheese icing.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
Beat eggs and sugar substitute until batter is thick and golden. Beat in vanilla extract. Stir in fruit puree, almond meal, baking powder, and sea salt. Pour into buttered silicone muffin cups, paper tins (filled at least 3/4 way full), or a bundt pan and bake for 40 minutes or until slightly browned. Do NOT overbake. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Place in tupperware container with a lid when the cupcakes are lukewarm to the touch.
~2.5 grams net carbs per cupcake!
Orange Glaze
Ingredients:
reserved orange puree
lemon juice
sweeteners, to taste
-powdered erythritol
-stevia
Preparation:
Stir lemon juice into orange puree until soupy. Add sweeteners to taste. Spread or drizzle on top of cream cheese icing.
And now for the best part. I had to swat my friend’s finger out of the bowl numerous times (but I let her lick the spatula). 
Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes more than enough cream cheese for twelve cupcakes
Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
5 tablespoons organic unsalted butter
sweetener, to taste
For ALL NATURAL sugar-free sweetening, use both of the following:
-1 or 2 tablespoons powdered erythritol or xylitol
-stevia, to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation:
Bring butter to room temperature by leaving out on the counter for 20 minutes or nuking for 10 seconds. Beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract together until Smooth. Add sweeteners to taste. Spread on cooled cupcakes or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for later use. Just bring to room temperature and beat until creamy before use.
My batch made fresh this morning is mysteriously almost gone!
Healthy Ice Cream Bars, Take Two!
After much tweaking and experimentation, here’s a vanilla version of my Easy Ice Cream Bars. The texture isn’t as smooth as it is with the peanut butter, so you should let ‘em sit out for a moment before taking a bite. The yogurt brings a pleasant tang to the party.
Let’s take a moment to talk about the miraculous calorie-free naturally occurring sweetener: Erythritol! Erythritol is totally safe and has no aftertaste or unpleasant side effects like the other sugar alcohols. It has 70% of the sweetening power of sugar, with many of the properties that sugar imparts in baking (structure, mouthfeel, etc.) The one caveat: the “cooling” effect you can taste when erythritol re-crystallizes. It’s the weirdest sensation. You have to figure out a way to make the majority of erythritol present in the recipe stay dissolved so you can avoid that effect. I’m still tinkering around with it in recipes, but it’s slow-going because erythritol is precious stuff and I’m on a student budget. Z-sweet is the brand available locally. You pay a premium for buying it in stores, but it is worth the cost if you’re looking for a product not produced with genetically modified corn. I’ve been ordering 5 lb bags of erythritol online lately because I go through it so quickly. The best price I’ve found for it is at iherb.com, and online supplement retailer. No, erythritol is not something that cavemen would’ve consumed while foraging for food, but it does not wreak havoc on your body like sugar does. My justification for using it is that it was impossible to consume concentrated amounts of any form of sugar while living off the land, making erythritol the more “natural” way of eating than using, say, honey or maple syrup. We were not able to eat any refined sweeteners or copious amounts of fruit on a regular basis before the advent of agriculture, so it makes sense that our bodies are not designed to handle the 300+ carb per day diet that is standard now. Did you know that bears are the only animal in the wild showing signs of tooth decay?
The one I chomped into (shown on the left, obviously) is filled with a layer of mooshed up mascarpone brownie from a recipe I’m in the process of tweaking. Cookie dough would be pretty ridiculous in there, too. 
Easy Ice Cream Bars (Vanilla version)
Makes 6 small rounds
Ingredients:
Filling:
2 oz heavy cream, preferably organic
2 oz cream cheese
3 Tablespoons of ricotta cheese or strained greek-style yogurt
2 Tablespoons of erythritol (or 1.5 Tablespoons xylitol)
A pinch of pure stevia extract powder (NuNaturals brand preferred)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Coating:
1 Tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
2 squares Lindt extra dark 85% chocolate bar (or Ghirardelli 86% chocolate bar)
A pinch of pure stevia extract powder (NuNaturals brand preferred)
Chopped nuts (optional)
Peanut Butter Coating:
4 teaspoons creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons unrefined coconut oil or non-hydrogenated shortening
A pinch of pure stevia extract powder (NuNaturals preferred)
Preparation:
Beat heavy cream with a mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Do not over beat or it will get clumpy, and turn to butter! Set whipped cream aside. Measure out granular erythritol or xylitol and powder in a coffee grinder or blender. Beat cream cheese, yogurt, erythritol, sweetener, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and clump free. Test for sweetness. It should be a bit sweeter than you want the finished product. Using a spatula, fold cream cheese into the whipped cream until well combined. Shape ice cream rounds on a pan lined with parchment or waxed paper. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.
Melt coating ingredients in the microwave in 10 second intervals, until liquified. Stir until smooth and add sweetener, to taste. Remove rounds from freezer and dip into coatings, or top with a layer of mushed up brownie/cookie dough/etc before dipping. You may need to set the round on the paper and spoon the coating over bare spots. Sprinkle bars with nuts immediately after dipping in the coating, if desired. Chill for another few minutes until the coating hardens.
So stuffed from all of this experimenting in the kitchen! Goodness, healthy eating is so trying. I’ve gotta go dump these off on my friends asap. For some reason, I don’t think they’ll mind.
Rutabagas = Low Carb Mashed Potatoes, Waiting to Happen
Yes, when life gives you rutabagas, make guilt-free low-carb mashed potatoes! How does this magical transformation take place, you might ask? A little buttah and cream cheese can fix anything, y’all. This is a popular recipe with quite a few variations out there, but I like the richness that cream cheese imparts. Rutabaga is easier than cauliflower to work with, and the color and mouthfeel of it is more potato-ey. To address the obvious question: What do I have against potatoes? Their awfully high glycemic load, for one thing. Additionally, the phytonutrients found in cruciferous vegetables like the rutabaga have been shown to fight cancer. Besides, it’s a fun word to say when your roommate asks what you’re doing with that big waxy lump on the counter. Roo-tah-bag-ah!
Creamy Mashed Faux-tatoes
Makes 1 big serving or two small portions
1/4 of a rutabaga, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
boullion cube (I like Rapunzel organic– no scary MSG or modified cornstarch)
2 cups of water
1 roasted garlic clove or a dash of garlic powder
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 oz cream cheese
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Microwave rutabaga chunks, covered, with water and a boullion cube for 12 minutes on high. Test for doneness with a fork. Strain and squeeze out all the water you can with a dish towel (very important)!
Roast the garlic quick n’ dirty in the microwave by peeling off the skin, pricking the clove, and microwaving for 30-40 seconds, or until soft. Heat butter and cream cheese in microwave until butter is melted. Stir together. Add garlic and butter mixture to rutabaga and dump it all into a blender. Puree. This may require violent shaking if you are using a magic bullet like I have. Get the mixture as smooth as possible to eliminate all traces of rutabaga-ey orange chunkiness. Reheat for 30 seconds to keep it piping hot if you need to. It helps the blending process. Stir in parmesan cheese. Taste and add sea salt if necessary. Serve topped with more butter, chives, bacon bits… fortunately, potato toppers are usually low carb!
~6g net carbs
“If you’re afraid of butter, just use cream.”
-Julia Child