Category Archives: Breads

Breads, Recipes

Peanutty Chocolate Chip Scones For Tea Time

Scones are a great breakfast or tea time treat.  The American scone has taken a few turns from the classic English scone and is made in a variety of ways with fruits, nuts and more like a biscuit at times.   I like experimenting with the various ways you can make these and still be low carb.  One of the flours available at health food stores and online is peanut flour.   Unlike some of the other nut flours, peanuts really retain the peanut taste when used in baking.  So it isn’t as versatile as almond flour for general baking, but it is terrific when you want the peanut taste, as in these scones that get a bit of a peanut butter flavor without any peanut butter in them.  For the sugar free chocolate chips, I used Sensato Mini-Chocolate Chips, but you could also use Hershey’s Sugar Free Chocolate Chips, which I usually find at Wal-Mart.

Peanutty Chocolate Chip Scones

1 cup Carbquick or Almond Flour
1 cup Peanut Flour
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 tablespoon softened Butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup Buttermilk or Heavy Cream
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup chopped Peanuts
1/2 cup sugar free Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 435 degrees (F.)

In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Add in peanuts and chocolate chips and mix into the dough. The dough should be stiff and a little sticky, but not wet. Use your clean hands to mix the dough if necessary.

Prepare a baking sheet by spray it with cooking spray. Turn the dough into the center of the pan and press and shape it into an 8 inch circle. If it tries to stick to your fingers, wet your hand. Score the dough into 8 pieces (scored into quarters, then each quarter scored in half) but don’t cut all the way through.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the scone loaf is golden brown. Let cool a few minutes, then slice on the scored lines. Serve warm with clotted cream or butter or with jelly or jam. Delicious afternoon tea break!

Makes 8 scones.

Nutrition Info: Per scone
Calories: 155  Fat: 8.9 g  Net Carbs: 4.5 g  Protein: 7.7 g

Breads, Recipes

Wheat Germ & Flax Bread Round

Steak sandwich using wheat germ and flax round for base.

A simple bread to make that is non-yeast and made with low carb flour options is this tasty flax bread.  I use CarbQuick for most of my baking, but you can also use Bob’s Red Mill or LC Foods baking mix or any of the flour options from LC Foods. Or you can avoid the flour substitute altogether and use a combination of almond flour, coconut flour or other nut flour with the flax meal. In fact, you can make it with just the flax meal for the flour options. It is much nuttier in flavor and flax is loaded with fiber, so it may affect your digestive system a bit.  Some people do not react well with flax, so you might want to ease into it sparingly if you haven’t tried it before.

Wheat Germ and Flax Bread Round

1 large Egg
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon Onions, dehydrated flakes
1/2 cup Carbquick
1/4 cup flax meal, ground
1 tablespoon Wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Coconut Oil

Preheat oven to 365 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet and three 3″ cake molds or rings. (You can use tuna cans with both ends cut out for rings.) If using rings, cut parchment paper to fit the baking sheet or use a silicone mold. Spray with baking spray. If using 3″ round cake molds, spray the molds with baking spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine flours, salt and baking powder. Add Coconut oil, onion flakes and egg and mix well to make sure all the flour is moistened. Add a little water if you need more moisture.

Spoon evenly into three molds or rings and smooth the tops with the back of a spoon dipped in water.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The bread should be lightly browned and firm. Let cool a few minutes before eating.

This roll can be completely cooled, sliced and used for sandwiches and it toasts well.

Nutrition Information for 1 roll:
Calories: 242.6 Fat: 21.4 g Net Carbs: 2.4 g Protein: 7.8 g

Posted on 9/26/2013

Breads, Desserts, Recipes

Apple Fritter Bites

2 Comments
apple-head-dolls
Apple head dolls from Google images.

Another of my challenges while using up fruits and vegetables left behind by my friends is doing something with the apples that are gradually wrinkling other than cutting them into faces and letting them wither into little old apple heads.  Did you ever make those when you were a kid?

Well, I had something a little more tasty in mind although strictly speaking, apples aren’t on the Atkins plan for phase I or phase II, but I believe they are ok for phase III and phase IV.  For me, with my very low carb burner, they are an “eat sparingly” item and I do love apples.   So I decided to peel these and chop them up with the thought of making apple compote in mind.  Mid-way through, I started thinking about apple fritters.  So, an apple fitter recipe came into being.  This isn’t your standard recipe because using low carb flours can be tricky.  In order to get something that would hold together while I was frying it and not absorb too much of the oil, I decided to partially bake the dough first, then cut it into squares and turn them into apple fritter bites that are then fried in a little oil.

These have all the flavors of apples and cinnamon without a doughy taste, but it does take a bit of will power to limit your serving to only two or three of the bites.

Apple Fritter Bites

A delicious treat with all the flavor of an apple fritter and very few of the carbs.

2″ Oil in a small pan
1 cup low carb flour (CarbQuick, LC Foods,  or Bob’s Red Mill) *
3 tablespoon Sugar Substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Clove
1/4 cup unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tablespoon Oil
1 1/2 cups Apples or Peaches or Pears – peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup Cinnamon Sugar – 1/4 cup sugar substitute with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

*  I haven’t tried Almond Flour in this, but it is more delicate and more likely to crumble.  I would mix it with 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/4 cup coconut flour and add another egg to get it to hold together better.  

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Spray small baking pan (about an 8×12) with baking spray.

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix the egg, almond milk, oil, vanilla and seasonings together in a smaller bowl. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the wet ingredients into it. Mix until the liquid is all mixed in, then add the apples and stir to distribute them through the batter.

Spread the batter onto the baking pan and distribute it evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes until the dough is mostly dried, but it isn’t browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Should you decide not to fry these, then bake them a little longer until they are lightly browned.

Cut the baked future fritters  into 24 pieces – 6 cuts across long side and 4  from the short side down, which are easier to cut if you don’t try to go the entire length with one cut.   Carefully remove each bite-sized piece with a narrow spatula, trying not to break them.

Heat the oil in a small pan or skillet until it is hot enough to cause a small piece of dough to sizzle. Turn the oil down to medium heat. Fry the bites about 3 or 4 at a time until they are golden brown. Use a spoon to pour the hot oil over the top or roll the bite over to brown the top. If it browns too quickly, turn the heat down. If it takes more than a couple of minutes, turn the heat up a little. Remove the cooked bites with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Cook the next batch and repeat until they are all done.

Sprinkle the tops of the bites with the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm.

Makes 12 servings (2 bites per serving)
Calories: 39.9 g Fat: 2.2 g Net Carbs: 2.4 g Protein: 2.1 g

 

Breads, Italian Inspired Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes, Vegetables & Salads

Easy Ways to Warm the Heart

From me to you with love, here’s a few recipes to warm your heart or that of your special someone. I’m going to start with a delicious and quick to fix dinner of Parmesan Chicken. This is so good that it should really make a hit with your honey bun or the whole family. Pair it up with the wonderful taste of roasted celery root or kohlrabi.

This is based on a recipe from a mayonnaise company and it takes only a little adjustment or two to make it low carb. One of those adjustments is to make your bread crumbs from a low carb bread. If you don’t have a bread made up, a quick way to do it is to make a cracker bread. You only need a little, so here’s how you can do it.


Quick Almond Flax Cracker Crumbs

2 tablespoons Almond Meal
1 tablespoon ground Flax Meal
pinch Salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon Water

Mix together almond flour and flax meal. Add salt, oil and water. Mix well. You want a spreadable paste. Spray a pie tin or cookie sheet with baking spray. Spread the dough over the pan to about 1/4 inch thickness and about 3″ x 3″ square. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Let it cool. Crumble the crackers to make crumbs. Makes about 1/4 cup of crumbs.

Batter is shaped into a square, then baked until brown around the edges.

 

Nutrition Info for whole recipe

Calories: 216.8 Fat: 21.6 g Net Carbs: 1.5 g Protein: 3.8 g

One tablespoon is about 0.4 g

 

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, fresh
4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breast halves or 4 large Chicken Thighs*
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Salt
4 teaspoons seasoned Low Carb Bread or Cracker Crumbs

Preheat oven to 425° (F)

Combine mayonnaise with cheese in a small bowl. Wash off chicken and dry with paper towels. Place in a baking pan and sprinkle with Italian seasonings and salt. Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over each piece of chicken, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake until chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 20 minutes to 25 minutes. The thighs may take a little longer to cook. Check at 20 minutes and cover the pan with foil if the tops are getting too brown and the chicken isn’t quite done.

Remove from oven and let the chicken rest a few minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 195 Fat: 14.2 Net Carbs: 0.7 g Protein: 15.7 g

* If you can’t find large thighs, plan for two thighs per serving.

Quick Roasted Celery Root

Honestly, I love the taste and texture of celery root, also called celeriac. It’s a strange-looking root, but the flavor is wonderful. With just a hint of celery flavor, it’s like adding celery salt to your vegetable. While it isn’t exactly a potato flavor, it comes closer to both the taste and texture of potato than anything else I’ve found, which makes it really satisfying with this type of meal.

1/2 Celery Root, cleaned, peeled and cut into large cubes
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

Preheat oven to 425 degrees(F).

Bring a medium-sized pot half-filled with water to a boil. Put the cleaned and cut up celery root in the boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes. Check that the pieces are fork tender. Drain and dry the cubes.

In a tin pan or cake pan, put the olive oil and seasonings and mix together with a spoon. Add the celery root cubes and make sure they are coated with oil and seasonings. You could also put the oil and seasonings in a plastic baggie, then add the celery root to the baggies and roll them around with your fingers to coat. Then pour the vegetable and oil into the pan and spread around.

Put in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn each piece over and cook for another 10 minutes. Pieces should be lightly browned on each side.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 93.3 Fat: 7.3 g Net Carbs: 6 g Protein: 1.2 g

Coming Soon…

Look for some fast and yummy chocolate candy recipes tomorrow. I have three of them lined up that are taste-tested in my house.

Posted on 2/11/2014

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Mah-velous LC Pumpkin Pancakes

When the cool of fall hits the air, it’s time for pumpkin pancakes at IHOP.  Sometimes I really miss those!  So I decided to do something about that desire for the wonderful taste of pumpkin, cinnamon, butter and maple syrup.  This recipe hits all the right buttons for me and I hope you find it as delicious as I do.  There are a few brands of sugar free pancake syrup available at various grocery stores and Wal-Mart, so look for one that is 0 carbs and 0 calories, like Mrs. Butterworth’s, Log Cabin and Smith’s brand.

Still can’t find one?  Use maple extract and mix about 1 teaspoon with 1/2 cup sugar substitute dissolved in 1/2 cup water and heated until just boiling.  Melt a tablespoon of butter into it and you have a wonderful quick maple syrup.

2/3 cup Carbquick
1/3 cup Almond flour
2 tablespoons Buttermilk
1 large Egg
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Whey Protein Powder (optional)
1/2 stick Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/3 cup Pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground Clove
1/4 cup Water

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then add the wet ingredients and hand mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix the ingredients. Add just enough water to make an easily spoon-able batter. Spray a large skillet or griddle with baking spray and heat to medium hot. A little water should skittle across the top when it is hot enough. Spoon about a 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake and smooth it out. If using a skillet, cover it with a lid and cook it for about 2 minutes. Turn the pancakes and cook another two minutes until done.

Spread with butter and serve with sugar free, low carb syrup.

Makes 8 pancakes. Each pancake is 114 calories, 2.1 g net carbs, and 3.6 g protein. Two pancakes make a normal serving.

Original POST BY RENE AVERETT AT 9/28/2012 11:13 PM