I haven’t made these lovely little cookies in years, but I love the taste of cream cheese in my cookie. I found a recipe that I adapted to a low carb version and they came out delicious. You can use any sugar-free jam for the filling. I made some with apricot jam and some with raspberry. I also put pecans on some and sugar-reduced craisins on others. If you can think of something else you’d like to top them with, it will probably work.
When I made my batch, I used three different flour options — Bakesquick from DCC, coconut flour (1/4 equals 1/2 cup of other flour), and vanilla whey protein powder for 1/4 cup of it. It worked okay, but unless you like the slightly grainy texture of the coconut flour, I would stay away from it for this recipe. You can use almond flour or any other low carb flours to make this.
Cream Cheese Cookies
2 sticks of Butter, room temperature
8 ounces of Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 cup Sugar Substitute
2 Eggs Yolks
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 cups Low Carb Flour
Sugar-free jam – Any flavor
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter,and sweetener together until smooth. Scrape the bowl if the mixture builds up on the sides. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined.
If you are using a combination of low carb flour types, mix them in a bowl before adding to the creamed mixture. Add about 1/4 cup at a time until you’ve mixed it all in. The dough will be stiff.
Chill dough for at least two hours to firm up the butter and cream cheese.
Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Use a teaspoon of dough to roll into a ball about 1-inch in diameter. Place on baking sheet and flatten the top until about a 1/2-inch thick disc is formed. Make about a dozen on the cookie sheet, then go back and press a little well in the middle of each cookie for the filling. Put about 1/4 teaspoon of sugar-free jam in the well, or you can top them with a half pecan or two or three sugar-reduced craisins.
Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes until the bottoms turn slightly brown. Remove and let sit to cool for about 10 minutes to firm up.
Use a spatula to move them to a wire rack to continue to cool.
Looking for a different way to prepare turnips or even potatoes? How making them into a puffed cake that is a nicely controlled serving as well as a delicious alternative to mashed or boiled vegetables.
This recipe originally used mashed potatoes, and you can still go that route if you don’t mind the higher carb count. Or you can swap them out for turnips for something a little different. Fresh turnips have a slightly sweet taste, so they bring a touch of sweet to the dish that marries well with the onions. For my version of the recipe, I use a tablespoon of low carb flour to help absorb some of the moisture from the turnips. I also added bacon because everything goes better with bacon, right? Also, if you don’t care for turnips, but want to keep the calories low, this works with mashed cauliflower.
As you’re preparing your New Year’s Eve party, or any other gathering of friends, keep these in mind. You can make them as tasty bite-sized appetizers by putting them in mini-cupcake molds. A simple topping on each adds a nice decorative touch.
Bacon Turnip Cheese Puffs
1 cup Turnips, cooked and mashed (2 medium)
1 Egg, beaten (can use liquid eggs)
2 tablespoons Ricotta Cheese, whole milk
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (Grated)
2 tablespoons Onions, chopped
2 slices Thick-cut Bacon, cooked and broken into pieces
1/4 teaspoon Lawry Seasoned Salt or to taste
1 tablespoon Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoons Butter (for coating the muffin cups)
Cut turnips into 2 to 3-inch cubes and cook in boiling water until fork tender. Drain well and mash or put in the food processor to mash until smooth.
Cook bacon until done, then break into small pieces.
Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees (F.) Butter six 1/3 cup cupcake molds. I used silicone molds, but standard ones will work fine.
Put the turnips in a medium-sized bowl. In a small bowl, beat egg until mixed or use prepackaged mixed eggs. Add all the remaining ingredients and egg to the turnips and mix together until well-distributed and smooth.
Using a tablespoon, distribute the turnip mixture evenly to the muffin cups. It should come almost to the top of the cup.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the mixture pulls away from the side of the cup. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then gently remove the pan.
Top with a bit of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, a few slices of olives, a few chopped chives, or a tablespoon of salsa if you wish.
Makes six 1/2 cup servings.
Note: To make these as appetizers, use mini-cupcake pans or molds and put about one tablespoon in each cup. Makes 18 appetizer-sized puffs.
Here’s a yummy egg dish that works well for a family brunch or a special occasion, like Christmas morning or New Year’s mid-day. It works best if you have a cast iron or copper skillet that can go from the burner to the oven. Failing that, you can cook it in a deep skillet, then slide it into a casserole dish to go to the oven for the final step.
Double the recipe and bake it in a large pan once the vegetables are sauteed to make a large family-sized casserole that will easily feed 8 to 10 people. Simply add the vegetables to the baking pan (a rectangular cake pan works well for this), then beat the eggs and seasonings and add to the pan. Bake at 365 degrees for about 45 minutes and check to see if the eggs are set. Add the cheese on top and bake another 8 minutes to melt it.
Sausage, Turnip and Egg Frittata
6 large Eggs
1/2 pound (8 oz.) Pork Sausage
1 cup Turnips, cut in 1/2″ cubes
1/2 cup Kohlrabi, cut in 1/2″ cubes
3 Sweets-mini peppers, chopped
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
1 cup Cheddar Jack Cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon Italian or Mexican Seasoning
Salt & Pepper to preference
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.)
To easily cut the turnips and kohlrabi, peel the vegetables, then cook them in the microwave for about 2 minutes to soften. Run under cold water and let sit for about 5 minutes to cool down. Your knife will cut through them easily. This little pre-cook also ensures they will get tender when cooked in the skillet.
In a medium bowl, add the eggs and the seasonings of choice. Whisk to mix well so the whites are worked in. (You can also use a blender for this part to get a smooth mix.) Set aside.
In a deep stove-to-oven skillet, such as a cast iron or copper one, heat to medium and cook the sausage, crumbling it into small pieces as it cooks to a lightly browned stage. Set aside on a paper towel covered plate to drain. Add the onion and the peppers to the skillet and sauté until the onion is softened. Remove to the plate to wait. Add the turnips and kohlrabi to the skillet and continue to sauté until they start to brown a little. Add the sausage and vegetables back to the pan and pour the egg mixture into the pan.
Cook and stir with a spatula, lifting the eggs and the vegetables to cook them until the eggs are set. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and place in the oven for about 8 minutes to melt the cheese and lightly brown it.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Notes: If you don’t like turnips or kohlrabi, you can substitute in zucchini or crookneck squash for either of them. The squash doesn’t need to pre-cook in the microwave. Just chop, sauté, and add to the casserole dish. You can also use liquid eggs for the eggs saving the whisking time.
This is my take on a recipe for Thai-style broccoli and spaghetti squash. I like to make it a meaty main dish, so I added chicken and changed out a couple of ingredients to make it low carb. If you’d like to make it a vegetarian dish, then omit the chicken.
Thai Peanut Chicken and Broccoli Over Spaghetti Squash
1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 pounds
2 Chicken breasts, cut into cubes
For the Roasted Broccoli
1 small broccoli crown, broken into florets (2 cups)
1-2 tsp. sesame oil, can sub another vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste
For the Peanut Sauce
3 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar-free maple syrup
1 tbsp. lime juice
1-2 tbsp. water, as needed
1 tablespoon Thai Chili Sauce
Prepare the squash by cutting in half length-wise with a sharp kitchen knife. Scoop out the seeds, but don’t dig into the inner pulp. Oil the insides of the squash and place face down on a foil-covered baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool until you can handle them.
About mid-way through the roasting time for the squash, begin preparing the broccoli. Place broccoli, oil, and garlic into an oven-safe pan or baking dish and toss until broccoli is coated. Put in the oven with the squash and roast until it is fork tender but still crisp. This should be about 15 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil then add the chicken cubes. Cook until lightly browned, but not overdone, then remove to a plate to rest.
In the same skillet, add the ingredients for the peanut sauce and stir together with a wooden spoon. Add as much water as needed to keep it a smooth, pourable sauce. Do not cook at this point.
Using a fork, rake the insides of the squash to loosen the noodles. It will shred easily and yield about two cups of noodles.
When the broccoli comes out of the oven, add the chicken to the peanut sauce and warm over low heat. Stir in the broccoli with salt and pepper and coat the chicken and broccoli.
Serve over the spaghetti squash and garnish with chopped green onions and roasted peanuts. Makes four servings.
Beginning with this recipe, I am posting more nutrition information for those who need a little more detail. For those who just want the nitty-gritty net carb total, this dish is 8.9 net carbs per serving.
Just a little late for the Jewish holiday, I made a batch of low carb Rugalach cookies. These are simple to make, although a little time-consuming, and make a delightful cookie for the holidays. After my first batch, I plan to make a few minor changes to the next batch I make, but I wanted to get this recipe up before I do that. I cut down a little on the chocolate used, and this recipe reflects that.
Rugalach Cookies
FOR THE DOUGH:
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 cup low carb all-purpose flour *
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup raspberry jam, apricot jam or marmalade
3 tablespoons sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I prefer pecans, but you can use walnuts or almonds)
1/3 cup chopped cranberries
2 ounces sugar-free chocolate, finely chopped
FOR THE GLAZE:
2 tablespoons egg whites
1 teaspoon cold water
2 tablespoons sugar, preferably coarse sugar
* For this recipe, I used Dixie Carb Counters All Purpose Low Carb Flour rather than their biscuit mix. Tova Foods also has an All Purpose Low Carb Flour as does LC Foods. I have not tried this with Almond Flour, but I believe it would work fine since it is mixed with cream cheese. You will need to make sure the dough is chilled well or it will break easily.
Make the dough first. In a food processor, place the softened cream cheese pieces and the softened butter pieces. If you use unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse until the cream cheese and butter are blended together. Add the flour and pulse several times to mix it in. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed to get all the flour mixed in. Pulse until the dough forms large curds.
You can mix it with a hand mixer also, but don’t let the dough form into a ball on the blades.
Turn the dough out into a bowl and gather it into a large ball. Divide it in half, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic, then put into the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours.
Before you begin rolling the dough out, make the filling. Heat the jam over low heat or in the microwave until it liquefies. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar substitute and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside. Chop the cranberries in a small food processor. In a microwavable bowl, add 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the cranberries. Microwave for 40 seconds. Stir well.
Ready two baking sheets.
Pull one disc of dough from the refrigerator, place a sheet of parchment over the breadboard, and sprinkle low carb flour on it. Roll out the dough into a circle about eight or nine inches in diameter. If it is too firm to roll easily, let it sit for about 10 minutes. Spoon or brush about 1/2 of the melted jam in a thin layer over the dough and sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar over the top. Scatter 1/2 of the nuts, 1/2 of the cranberries, and 1/2 of the chopped chocolate over the jam. Cover the filling with a piece of waxed paper and gently press on it to push the filling into the dough. Remove the waxed paper, Slide the disk onto a baking pan and put the pan in the refrigerator to chill while you roll the second disc and repeat the steps.
Pull out the first pan when you put the second pan in, then cut the original dough into quarters, like you would a pizza. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter for this. Try to get it separated evenly. Now, cut each wedge into three triangular slices. Starting at the outside edge, roll the dough toward the middle to form a crescent cookie and tuck the end tip under the dough on the baking sheet, curving the cookie a little. Repeat with each triangular shape, cutting each of the quarter wedges into three triangles.
Pie cut for 12 slices.
Repeat with the second round of cookies. Put the shaped cookies in the refrigerator or other cold place on their baking sheets to firm up for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F.) Position the racks in the oven to divide it into thirds.
Before baking the cookies, mix the egg white and water together and brush over the tops of the cookies and sprinkle the granulated sugar substitute over each.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom racks and turning them from the front to the back of the oven about mid-way through the baking. Remove when they are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack until they are just warm or at room temperature.
Makes 24 cookies.
Nutrition information per cookie: Calories:102.2 Fat: 8.9 g Net Carbs: 1.0 g Protein: 3.3 g
