Daily Archives: May 17, 2014

Desserts, Recipes

Celebrate St. Pat’s with Slim Irish Cream Cheesecake

What better way to toast the luck of the Irish than with an Irish Cream cheesecake? This is a rich, creamy cheesecake made with real cream cheese and sugar alcohol or liquid sucralose. I suggest a combination of the two if you don’t want to use all sugar alcohol, although it works with all liquid. If you use Splenda, it does add about 30 net carbs to the total recipe. I am using my homemade Irish Cream recipe, but commerically made Irish cream is only about 5 net carbs per 1 ounce, versus .5 net carbs in the homemade, so about one net carb more per slice.

This is a small cheesecake, ideal for those who don’t want any leftovers, or just a few servings. Here’s a little tip: let the cheesecake come to room temperature when serving if you’ve had it in the ‘fridge. This will bring out the flavor more and allow the chocolate at the bottom to soften to make it easier to cut and serve.

Slim Irish Cream Cheesecake

6 oz. Cream Cheese
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Sour Cream
2/3 cup Sugar Substitute
OR 28 drops liquid Sucralose
1 oz. *Irish Cream Liqueur
6 tablespoons Hershey’s Sugar Free Chocolate Chips
Vanilla whey protein powder (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and sugar substitute together. Add eggs and mix in. Then add Irish cream, sour cream and vanilla protein powder (if using) and mix until smooth.

Spray a small casserole bowl or small cheesecake pan with butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on the bottom of the pan, then carefully pour the batter over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the cheesecake is set. Let cool, then slce and drizzle a teaspoon of O’Kelly’s Slim Irish Cream over the top and add a spoonful of whipped cream. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: I’ve calculated the values using regular Irish cream. If you use the slim Irish Cream, the calories will be a about the same, but the net carbs will be almost 1 less. However, if you are diabetic, you will want to use the sugar free O’Kelly’s Irish Cream recipe to make your own.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings: Calories 368 Fat 29.4 g Net Carbs: 6.15 g Protein: 9 g
6 servings: Calories 245.4 Fat 19.6 g Net Carbs: 4.1 g Protein: 6 g

Posted on  3/15/2013

Beef, Main Dish, Pork, Recipes

Celebrate Spring With Pasta & Sausage


While some of you may still be waiting for Spring to arrive or be preparing for Autumn, in my neck of the woods, it is definitely Spring. I admit to waiting for a freeze to come along soon since that is the weather at the foot of the Sierras. But spring vegetables have definitely arrived at the supermarket and among them is on sale and tender stalks of asparagus. This is one of my very favorite vegetables so I try to catch it every time it’s on sale.

Chorizo Pasta with Spring Vegetables

This pasta dish uses asparagus and Swiss chard along with sweet peppers and spicy chorizo sausage, the Basque type, to make a celebration of the season. If you don’t like chorizo, you can substitute in another firm sausage.

As you can clearly see in the photo, I used rotini pasta when I made this before it came out that Dreamfield pasta isn’t lower in carbs.  When I make this again using one of the vegetable options for pasta or making my own low carb pasta, then I will post a new photo on this page.

2 tsps Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
1/3 cup Sweet peppers, cut into strips
1 cup Swiss Chard, chopped
1 cup Asparagus, cut into pieces
2 links Chorizo, (Basque style)
1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon, Chicken broth
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 cups thinly sliced or shredded Zucchini or Spaghetti Squash
1/4 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
1 teaspoon thickener or Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Olive Oil or other oil

Cook the thin strips of zuchinni in boiling water until al dente, just about 5 minutes.  Drain.  If you’re using spaghetti squash, either cut it half and bake in face down on foil covered pan in a 400 degree (F) oven for about 30 minutes or put it face down on a microwavable plate and put it in the microwave for 5 to 8 minutes until the spaghetti strands are soft and separate easily.  Discard seeds and separate strands into a bowl.

While pasta is cooking, peel the casing from the sausage. Slice into 1/4 to 1/3 inch pieces.

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Add garlic ginger paste and onions and sweat the onions. Add the peppers, asparagus and Swiss Chard along with a little water and continue to stir cook until the chard starts to wilt. Add the chorizo and 1/2 cup of water. Mix bouillon with another 1/2 cup of water and add to the skillet. Stir well and cook for a few minutes.

Mix thickener with enough water to make a paste and add to the skillet, stirring it in. Add the cream and seasoning salt. Stir it well, then add the drained squash and cook a few more minutes until sauce is thickened and to make sure everything is hot.

Serves 2 large portions or 4 half-sized portions (pictured).

With zucchini
Nutrition Info for 1/2 sized portion – double for full portion.
Calories: 212 Fat: 17.9 g Net Carbs: 7.0 g Protein: 9.5 g

With spaghetti squash
Nutrition Info for 1/2 sized portion – double for full portion.
Calories: 218.4 Fat: 18.1 g Net Carbs: 8.6 g Protein: 9.5 g

Posted on  3/27/2013