All posts by RAverett

Book News, Desserts, Recipes

Happy Holidays 2023!

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Wow! Here we are at Christmas 2023! Where did the time go? For me, it seems like I was busy from the end of October all the way to now. While I did some cooking, not much of it was anything new to post on this page! Sorry for my absence in that regard.

I was working diligently on my new Low Carb Asian cookbook and working on getting the recipes right. I am still struggling with a low carb eggroll, but I have a couple of things yet to try to get it like the real deal. Hoping to get that out about mid-March.

As I mentioned previously, I have obtained a DASH mini-Bundt cake maker and it is really great to use. I made lovely Chocolate Kalua Cakes for my dinner group of friends and Chocolate Hazelnut cakes for the lunch group. None of these were low-carb, but of course, I have a low carb version. These are pretty much the same recipe, simply changing the alcohol or syrup used. You can get sugar-free coffee syrup, which is close to Kahlua and you can also get sugar-free hazelnut syrup. If you want the almond taste, then you can use sugar-free Amaretto. Guess what? You can also make it more festive by using sugar-free Peppermint for a Chocolate Peppermint cake!

You can bake these in mini-Bundt pans in the oven if you don’t have an electric mini-Bundt maker.

Chocolate Kahlua Mini-Bundt Cake

For the cake:
3/4 cup Sugar Substitute
1 cups low carb All-purpose Flour
1/2 cup Almond Flour or other low carb alternate
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Egg, room temperature
1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/4 plus 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup drip (or espresso) coffee
1/3 cup Kahlua or other coffee liqueur or syrup

For the glaze:
3/4 cup (160g) Confectioner’s Sugar Substitute
1 or 2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee syrup

INSTRUCTIONS
To make the cakes:
If you’re using mini-molds in an oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. If you’re using an electric cake maker, plug in to preheat.

Butter and flour your molds for the oven.

In a small bowl, add sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add egg, almond milk, vanilla, and oil and beat for about a minute.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ones in three batches. Beat on low speed so the flour doesn’t go flying. Mix each addition completely before adding the next.

Heat coffee until almost boiling. Mix with Kahlua and slowly add to batter while mixing.

For the electric Bundt baker, spray with cooking spray. Add enough batter to come just below the top of the electric cooker. Close the lid and cook about 4 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if the cake is done. The cook time may vary depending on the thickness of your batter.

When the cake is done, remove to a parchment or foil covered pan, let cool a few minutes, then invert to remove from the bottom plate. If it doesn’t come off easily, run a thin knife (or a plastic knife) between the plate and the cake to release it. Let cake cool complete before turning it over.

Repeat until you’ve used all the batter. It should make about five cakes.

For the oven:
Pour into molds to about 3/4ths of the capacity. Use a measuring cup to pour the batter. Put molds on a large baking sheet and bake about 25 minutes. Use a toothpick inserted in center to test doneness. It will come out clean when cake is done.

Cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. invert the pan to release the cakes. If they don’t come out easily, use a thin knife or a plastic knife to slide around the edges gently and around the center post. Tap the bottom after you invert it and try again. If the cake still does not release, let it cool another 15 minutes. If it still won’t release, slide the knife down the side and gently pry under the cake.

To make the glaze:
In a small bowl mix a confectioner’s sugar with 1 tablespoon or more of coffee liqueur. Less liquer or syrup will give a thicker glaze. Spoon glaze over the cooled cakes and let it drip down the sides.

For a Hazelnut or Peppermint Cake, replace the Kahlua with hazelnut or peppermint syrup or liqueur. (Omit the coffee for these cakes. The batter will be thicker and the cooking time may be a little shorter.)

Tips: Alternate flours you can use are almond flour, hazelnut flour (for the hazelnut one), coconut flour (use 1/2 the recipe amount and add an egg), Oat Flour (the low carb one) Carb Counters All Purpose Flour and Carbolose. If you use Carbquik, your cake may be more like a biscuit. It already has some oil and baking powder in it.

These recipes make five or six mini Bundt cakes. Nutrition information is based on five cakes and using sugar-free syrup. I used Ghirardelli’s Dark Cocoa Powder, DCC Carb Counters, and Blue Diamond Almond flour.

Nutrition Information Per Cake:
Calories 256 , Total Fat 17g , Cholesterol 77mg, Sodium 620 mg, Potassium 145mg, Carbohydrates 14 g, Fiber 9.4 g, Sugars 1.7 g, Protein 19 g, Net Carbs 4.6 g

If you use Kahlua, it adds 65 carbs for 1/4 cup, so roughly 11 carbs per cake. I usually eat half a Bundt cake for a serving.

Christmas Dessert

For my Christmas dessert this year, I am making a Cranberry Apple Crumble. It’s a wonderful combination and I’ve made it before. I will post the recipe next week, so maybe you can make it for New Year’s!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and to those who don’t, have a wonderful week! You can eat cake for any occasion!

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. Although they are a close calculation, your results may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.

Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Delightful Creamy Side Dish is a Winner!

1 Comment

I think turnips are making a comeback. More and more, I’m seeing them used on cooking shows and in new and exciting ways. I started using them several years ago as a potato substitute, then as an alternate to rice. They are best when used fresh, but they do keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. If they have greens attached, remove them before you store them. They tend to get a fibrous layer the longer they sit. Peel the turnips and cut this layer off if you encounter it.

Parsnips are also being used more often. They are a little higher in carbs than turnips, but with the turnips, they are still much lower than an equal amount of potatoes.

This dish is my own recipe, and it is absolutely delicious. I made a much larger version to take to a potluck dinner, but it sat too long in the crockpot and the cream separated. So, if you think about doing that, cook it right before you go and just keep it warm in the pot until served. It still tasted good, but not as pretty. The little bit of sugar in it sweetens the turnips and masks any bitterness.

The recipe makes about three servings. You can easily double it to make six. To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth or just use water. The broth adds a little more flavor, but isn’t required. For the low carb flour, you can use Carbquik, DCC All Purpose Flour, or possibly coconut flour. I haven’t tried it with coconut flour, but since it absorbs liquid, you would only need 1/2 tablespoon to make the paste. If it is too thick, add a little water.

Turnips and Parsnips with Bacon and Cream Sauce

Rene’s recipe

1 7″ Parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 medium Turnip, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup Green Onions
1/4 cup Bacon pieces (about 2 slices)
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoon Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
2 teaspoons Garlic and Herb Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste (optional)

Cook 2 slices of bacon and break into pieces or use precooked bacon.

Put the parsnips and turnips in a pan of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes until they are fork tender. Or put them in a microwaveable bowl and cook for two minutes on high.

In a medium-sized skillet, melt butter and stir in low carb flour to form a paste. Add heavy cream and chicken broth and stir until it begins to thicken.  Add seasonings and sugar substitute, then add in parsnips and turnips. Cook for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add bacon pieces and stir a few minutes until heated. Then add green onions and Parmesan cheese. Cook another minute or two to melt the cheese.

Serves 3.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories 234 , Total Fat 17g , Cholesterol 65mg, Sodium 776mg, Potassium 201mg, Carbohydrates 8.5g, Fiber 2.5g, Sugars 3.3g, Protein 13g, Net Carbs 6.0g

If you make this, please let me know how you liked it.

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. Although they are a close calculation, your results may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.

Desserts, Recipes

Satisfy Your Chocolate Craving With This Low-Carb Pie

Mile High Chocolate Pie image

I often use Cool Whip for a topper on desserts, so I’ve seen this recipe for this fudge brownie pie many times. I decided to try a low carb version of it. This pie is rich and sooo delicious! It tastes decadent. But it is a challenge for a low carb lifestyle.

First off, if you want to stay really low for dessert, you can’t eat even 1/10th of this pie without getting into the 15 net carb range. But 1/12th gets you close to the 10 net carb (11.9 NC) mark while using Cool Whip. If you make your own whipped cream, it lowers that carb expenditure down to 6.2 net carbs per slice. And the smaller piece is super rich and satisfying, so you have more pieces to enjoy.

My slightly revised recipe uses the sugar-free Instant Chocolate Pudding in the larger size that usually asks for 3 cups of milk, but you only use 2 cups. I also changed the bake time as my brownie came out a little too done. The recipe uses Cool Whip or heavy whipped cream, so note the changes for the whipped cream which are in italics.

Low Carb Mile High Fudge Brownie Pie

Based on the Cool Whip Mile High Fudge Brownie Pie recipe
Adapted by Rene Averett

For the Brownie
1 pkg (4 oz.) Baker’s unsweetened Chocolate
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 cup Sugar Substitute of choice
2 Eggs
1teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Low Carb Flour

For the Filling
1 large pkg Sugar-free Chocolate Instant Pudding
2 cups Half and Half Cream
1 tub (8 oz) Whipped Topping or
(Substitute for whipped topping)
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for about 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until the chocolate melts and combines with the butter. Add sugar substitute and stir. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until blended together. Stir in flour.

Spray a pie tin with baking spray and pour the chocolate mixture into it. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the batter evenly.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Use a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, the brownie is done. Cool completely. With a spoon, scoop out the brownie’s center, leaving a thin layer on the bottom and a 1/2″ thick rim around the edges. Put scooped out brownie aside and break into smaller pieces. Set 1/2 cup aside to use later. Do not snack on it. Okay, maybe one bite for quality control.

If you are making your whipped cream, make it now. Add the heavy cream to a chilled bowl and whip until frothy. Add sugar substitute and vanilla, then continue whipping until it is firm and peaks form when you lift the mixer beaters. Set aside for now.

Beat the pudding mix and half-and-half milk in a larger bowl with a mixer or a whisk for about two minutes. The pudding will begin to thicken. Stir in half the whipped topping or whipped cream and the reserved brownie pieces except for the 1/2 cup you set aside. Spoon the pudding mixture into the brownie crust. Top with the rest of the whipped topping or whipped cream. I put it around the edges rather than filling in the whole pie, which uses a little less of the whipped cream. Sprinkle the reserved brownie pieces over the top.

Refrigerate for at least two hours. If you refrigerate overnight or for several hours, it firms up more and is easier to lift from the pan.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition Information (Cool Whip) Calories 253 | Fat 20g | Cholesterol 90 mg | Sodium 279 mg | Potassium 133 mg | Carbohydrates 14 g | Fiber 2.1 g | Sugar 5.3 g | Net Carbs 11.9 g

Nutrition Information (Heavy Cream) Calories 282 | Fat 24g | Cholesterol 112 mg | Sodium 291 mg | Potassium 144 mg | Carbohydrates 8.8 g | Fiber 2.6 g | Sugar 1.6 g | Net Carbs 6.2 g

Book News, Desserts

Cool off with Keto Key Lime Cheesecake Pie

Keto Key Lime Cheesecake Pie

Hi, everyone…

How is summer going for you? Too hot?? July was the hot month here in Northern Nevada, but August has been a little cooler. Still, a nice cool dessert recipe is always refreshing. This is a recipe I adapted from Sola Bread for their Keylime Cheesecake Bars. I didn’t use their Keto Granola but substituted an almond flour sugar cookie bottom crust. It’s easy to make and goes well with the cheesecake pie.

I admit, I never seem to get much flavor from any fruit zest, but chefs swear it carries more flavor than the juice. So I put it in. Add a teaspoon more lime juice if you don’t want to use it.

In other news, I am working on a new Asian Cookbook with recipes from China, India, and Thailand. I have a couple of Korean and Japanese recipes in there, also. I plan to have this released by the end of November, but it takes time to make and photograph all the recipes in the book, so fingers crossed I hit that deadline.

Keto Key Lime Cheesecake Pie

Recipe adapted from Sola Bread recipe
by Rene Averett

Crust
1 cup Almond Flour
2 tablespoons granulated Sugar Substitute
2 Tablespoons melted butter

Filling
4 Tbsp Hot water
1 Tbsp gelatin (1 packet)
16 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz heavy cream
1/3 c sugar-free sweetener
3 Tbsp key lime juice
1 tsp lime zest

Garnish
Whipped topping
lime zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.) Spray an 8″ pie plate with baking spray.

In a bowl, mix almond flour with melted butter and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar substitute until it begins to pull together. Pour into pie pan and use fingers to press the crust into place on the bottom. Bake for about 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

Add gelatin and hot water to a bowl, stir once and let sit for five minutes. Stir until the gelatin dissolves. If any chunks remain, remove them.

Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and blend until smooth. Add gelatin, cream, sugar substitute (you may use liquid sweetener if you like), lime juice, and zest. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides as you go. Add one drop of blue and two drops of yellow food coloring to make a pale green mixture if you wish.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pie pan and use a spatula to smooth it around evenly. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours to allow it to set.

Cut into 8 slices and serve with whipped topping. Garnish with a little lime zest if you like.

Makes 8 servings.

nutrition information

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. They are a close calculation and may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.

Breakfast & Brunch, Pork, Recipes

Breakfast or Brunch Strata

 I love stratas. I made my first one when I was a teenager and still living in El Paso, Texas. They’re a delightful combination of bread, eggs, meat, veggies, and spices that are baked to make a casserole. They’re not just for breakfast. They can make a hearty dinner as well. Of course, the problem with a low carb or Keto lifestyle is the bread. But it’s not an issue anymore. Several companies are now making Keto bread. In Reno, I can buy Orowheat Keto and Sola Bread at my local Wal-Mart store. Recently, Safeway resumed selling Inked Timber Wolf and Winter White bread, so I am a happy camper.

Not all Keto breads are created equal. Timber Wolf and Winter White are the lowest carbs I’ve found that actually taste like full-flour bread. And they are 1 net carb a slice.  Naturally, I used this bread for my strata and it came out excellently. If you can’t find them locally, you can order online, but beware the expensive charges on Amazon. Go to the company’s website to see if you can order direct. Still not as low priced as buying them from the market, but much lower than the prices on Amazon and Wal-Mart pages.

Ham and Broccoli Strata

1/2 cup Broccoli florets, broken into small pieces
3 slices Keto bread (1 net carb per slice)
1 cup Pico de Gallo *
1/4 teaspoon Garlic, minced
8 slices deli Honey Ham, shredded or diced ham
1/4 cup Bacon pieces
1/2 cup shredded Pepperjack Cheese or your favorite cheese
4 Eggs
¼ cup heavy Whipping Cream
Salt and ground Black Pepper to taste

Alternative to Pico,  make your own: Put 1 medium tomato diced, 1/4 cup onion, diced, and 1 small green pepper (Jalapeno optional), cut into small pieces. Add 1/4 teaspoon dried Basil, 1/4 teaspoon Garlic, minced, and 1/4 teaspoon Oregano. Stir together and let sit for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square casserole dish.

Steam the broccoli over hot water or for about 1 minute in the microwave.

In a large bowl, add steamed broccoli, bread cubes, tomato or Pico, ham, and pepper jack cheese together and mix together.

Use a separate bowl to beat eggs, cream, salt, and pepper together. Pour the egg mixture into the broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and spread the filling evenly.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the eggs are set in the middle. Let rest about 5 minutes before cutting.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: If you don’t have a bread with 1 net carb per slice, add 0.5 carbs to each serving for each additional carb in the slice of bread. I used Inked Timber Wolfe bread, which is 1 net carb per slice. Other low carb or Keto breads may be 2 or even 3 carbs per slice, so adjust accordingly.

Note: Nutrition information is based on the ingredients I used in this recipe and my measurements. They are a close calculation and may be slightly higher or lower. Ingredient substitutions may affect the carb count. Different brands may have other carb counts.