Category Archives: Desserts

Desserts, Recipes

Cranberry Chocolate Bourbon Balls

Just in time to spice up your New Year’s party, here’s a low carb version of the ever-popular bourbon (or rum) ball that is easy to make and tastes very good. It uses almond flour and a little coconut flour to create a soft cookie dough to replace the vanilla wafers in the original recipe. Use the microwave for a quick cook that leaves the dough soft and easy to roll. Make them a few days ahead of time so they can really absorb the alochol flavor. I’ve used Sugar-free Mocha Syrup in place of Light Corn Syrup in the recipe, but you can use the corn syrup if you prefer. It is slightly higher in carbs, but it is only 0.8 additional carbs per bourbon ball.

Cranberry Chocolate Bourbon Balls

1/2 cup Almond Flour
1 tablespoon Coconut Flour
1/2 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts
1/2 cup Confectioners’ Sugar Substitute
2 teaspoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup Bourbon
1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar-free Mocha Syrup or Light Corn Syrup
1 teaspoon Butter
1/4 cup chopped Cranberries(optional)

In a medium bowl, mix flours, pecans, confectioners’ sugar substitute and cocoa powder together until well blended. Add butter and 2 tablespoons water and mix together well. Stir in the chopped cranberries. Microwave for 30 seconds on high to slightly cook. Let cool for a few minutes.

In a cup, add bourbon and s-f mocha syrup and add to the flour mixture, mixing in well. Roll into 1″ balls and place on a wax paper or parchment covered pan. The dough will probably be sticky, so wet your hands to keep the dough from sticking to them. If it starts sticking, wash hands again and rewet them.

Makes about 18 balls. Let dry for an hour or so, then roll in confectioners’ sugar substitute or in granulated sugar substitute. Let dry until they are no longer sticky, then put in a covered container and put in the refrigerator.

These are best when allowed several days before eating for the alcohol to really flavor the dough.

Nutrition information per ball with Sugar-Free Mocha Syrup:
Calories: 72.5 Fat:6.3 g Net Carbs:0.8 g Protein: 1.33 g

Nutrition information per ball with Light Corn Syrup:
Calories: 76 Fat:6.3 g Net Carbs:1.6 g Protein: 1.33 g

The original recipe with Vanilla Wafers

Bourbon Balls

1 cup Vanilla Wafer Crumbs
1 cup chopped Pecans
1 cup Confectioners’ Sugar
2 teaspoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup Bourbon
2 teaspoons Light Corn Syrup
1/3 cup Confectioners’ Sugar or Granulated Sugar to roll the balls in

Crush about 1-1/2 cups of Vanilla Wafers and measure out 1 cup for the recipe. In a medium bowl, mix wafer crumbs, pecans, confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder together until well blended.

In a cup, mix bourbon and corn syrup together and add to the flour mixture, mixing in well until it is moist. Roll into 1″ balls and place on a wax paper or parchment covered baking sheet. The dough may be sticky, so wet your hands to keep the dough from sticking to them. If they are too sticky, let dry for about an hour before rolling into the confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar.

Makes about 24 1″ balls.

Nutrition Info per ball:
Calories:80.5 Fat: 4.2g Net Carbs: 8.8 g Protein: 0.6 g

Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts, Recipes

Holiday Breakfast Waffles Are Great!

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Typically on Christmas or New Year’s, I’m looking for something a little special for breakfast that isn’t too heavy or too high in carbs because that big holiday dinner is coming and I want to be able to fully enjoy it. So this recipe for Cranberry Waffles works really well. It is easy to make and very satisfying. Put a couple of strips of bacon or sausages with it and it’s the perfect holiday breakfast.

There are a couple of other good options on this site for holiday breakfast that are equally easy to make and can even be made in advance. (By the way, the waffles can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready for them. Simply microwave for about 40 seconds or until they are hot, then butter and serve.)

Check out these recipes:

Breakfast Egg Casserole
Fiesta Cornmeal Pancakes
Pumpkin French Toast
Ricotta Waffles with Bourbon Pecan Sauce
Cream Scones
Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake

Cranberry Waffles

Waffle cut to show the cranberries and rich texture of the cake. Tastes as good as it looks.

I used a Belgian waffle maker and this recipe makes two waffles that will serve two people, so a total of four servings from the recipe. A regular waffle maker will probably make at least six waffles.

1/2 cup low carb flour
1/2 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
1/4 cup Cranberries, chopped
2 tablespoons Sugar Substitute
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil or Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 tablespoons Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

Chop cranberries up with a food processor.

Heat the waffle iron. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together and stir well to combine. If the batter is too thick, add a little water until it is liquid enough to spread without the aid of a spoon. It should be thick, but able to spread once it is placed in the waffle maker.

When the waffle maker is hot, spray with cooking spray, then put one-third to one-half cup of batter into the iron and use the back of a wooden spoon to spread if it is a little too thick. Close the lid and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until steam from the waffle is almost dissipated (about 2 to 3 minutes), then carefully lift up on the lid. If the waffle is done, the lid will lift easily. If it doesn’t, let it cook a little longer.

When the lid lifts easily, carefully lift the waffle from the iron with spatula or pancake turner to give it support. Waffles made with almond flour and other low carb flours tend to be delicate when they are hot. The easiest way to get it out in tact is to put a plate over the waffle and flip the whole iron, but be careful to use hot pads so you don’t burn your hand.

Cut each waffle in half, butter and serve with sugar-free syrup.

Makes four to six servings, depending on your waffle iron.

Nutrition Information per 1/2 Belgian waffle:
Calories: 187 Fat: 8.3 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 13.5 g

Adding either pecans or walnuts will add about a .2 net carbs to each serving and brings the calories up to about 212.5.

For a special dessert, use one-fourth of a waffle on a dessert plate with a scoop of low carb vanilla ice cream (Breyers makes CarbSmart, which is delicious) and a tablespoon of Cranberry Syrup over the top. Or you can top it with whipped cream and a little low carb Cranberry sauce.

You can make your own cranberry syrup by using the recipe for cranberry sauce, then processing in a food processor until it is completely pulverized, putting back in the sauce pan with a little water and cooking until thick. You can strain if you don’t want any pulp in it, but it isn’t necessary.

Regular Version

To make this fully carb’d, here’s the ingredient list. The directions are the same.

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 cup Cranberries, chopped
2 tablespoons Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil or Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 tablespoons Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

Nutrition Information per 1/2 Belgian waffle:
Calories: 208.6 Fat:6.0 g Net Carbs: 30.2 g Protein: 7.2 g

Desserts, Recipes

Super Snap Ginger Cookies

It’s almost Yule and almost Christmas Day and all the other happy festivals that come at this time of year. Time to get out the cookie recipes. Here’s one that I have been working to get formulated to just the right amount of snap. This is not a crisp Gingersnap Cookie, but a soft one with a sharp bite. Adjust the ginger and cinnamon down if you don’t want it too snappy, but if you like that tang of ginger, this one is for you.

There are quite a few holiday cookie recipes on this site, including one of my favorites, the Cranberry Orange Cookies. Here are some links to great cookies for the holiday that won’t round you out to resemble the jolly elf who doesn’t eat low carb.

Cream Cheese and Thumb Print Cookies
Almond Shortbread Cookies
Cranberry Pecan Cookies
Triple Peanut Chocolate Chip Bars
Cranberry Coconut Macaroons
Cranberry Pumpkin Biscotti
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Want more? Just search under cookies on this site.

Super Snap Ginger Cookies

1 cup sifted low Carb Flour
1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Shortening
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Sugar-free Maple Syrup
1 tablespoon Sugar-Free Ginger Bread Syrup (optional)
3 tablespoons Cinnamon and Sugar-Substitute mixed together

In a small bowl, mix the low carb flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking soda and salt together so it is blended well.

In a larger bowl, add the shortening and use a mixer to cream. Then add the sugar substitute and mix to cream them together. Add the egg and sugar-free maple syrup and mix together, then add the flour mixture one-third at a time. If you use the Ginger Bread syrup, reduce the maple syrup to only one tablespoon. The dough will not be stiff, but should be thick enough that you can work with it easily.

Put the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up the shortening in it.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F.). Put a piece of parchment paper on each baking sheet you will use. I got 1 dozen cookies on each sheet.

Use a tablespoon to scoop up enough dough to make about a 1″ ball and roll it into a ball. The dough may be sticky. Dip into the sugar/cinnamon mixture and place on the baking sheet. Repeat. Allow about two inches between the balls.

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes until the cookies are browned. Cool on the pan for about five minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

You can ice these if you’d like with a mixture of confectioners’ sugar substitute and enough water to make a glaze.

Makes 24 cookies

Nutrition Information per cookie: (1/2 net carb each!)
Calories: 44 Fat: 4 Net Carbs: 0.5 g Protein: 1.1 g

Regular Recipe

Don’t care about the carbs? Here’s the regular ingredient list. The instructions are the same as above:

1 cup sifted Flour
1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Shortening
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 tablespoon Ginger Bread Syrup (optional)
3 tablespoons Cinnamon and Sugar mixed together

Nutrition Information for regular recipe 1 cookie:
Calories: 72.6 Fat: 3.3 Net Carbs: 9.6 g Protein: 0.8 g

 

Desserts

Butternut Cranberry Pudding Is Yummy

I had about 1/2 cup of butternut squash leftover and I wanted to turn it into a dessert, using it like I would pumpkin. I hit on the idea of making a pudding with it and adding cranberries and pecans. It turned out to be a delicious combination and a fairly easy dessert to make.

I’m trying something new this time and giving you both the low carb recipe and the regular recipe that doesn’t use sugar substitute. The food is basic and it’s good, whichever way you make it.

While I’m thinking about it, don’t forget that my cookbooks, Low Carb Recipe Magic Meals for Two and Low Carb Recipe Magic Sweets by the Season are available at Amazon in both paperback and Kindle editions.  They make a great gift for anyone you know who might be watching their carbs either for weight control or because they are diabetic.   Or give one to yourself this Christmas.

Butternut Cranberry Pudding

Low Carb Ingredients:

1/2 cup Butternut Squash, cubed
2 tablespoons, Cranberries, chopped
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoon Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup Brown Sugar Substitute
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 to 4 tablespoons Walden Farms Marshmallow Dip (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 4 1/2 cup soufflé cups by spraying with cooking spray or coating with butter.

Put butternut squash in a microwavable bowl with butter and microwave for about three minutes until the squash is tender. Mash with a fork.

In a medium bowl, put the squash, cranberries, protein powder and spices. Stir together, then add eggs, sugar substitute, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add pecans if you are using them.

Spoon or use a 1/4 cup measure to divide among the four baking cups. Place in a glass pan, then add enough warm water to the pan to come about 1/2 the way up the sides of the baking cups so they are sitting in it. This will help keep the pudding moist while it cooks.

Bake for about 40 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Top with marshmallow cream if desired and bake another 5 minutes to heat. Let cool a few minutes, then serve warm. Or refrigerate and serve cold with whipped cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition info per serving without optional ingredients:
Calories: 162.6 Fat: 13.8 g Net Carbs: 3.3 g Protein: 5.4 g

With optional ingredients:
Nutrition info per serving:
Calories: 214 Fat: 19.2 g Net Carbs: 3.6 g Protein: 6.0 g

Using Regular Ingredients

1/2 cup Butternut Squash, cubed
2 tablespoons, Cranberries, chopped
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoon Flour
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 to 4 tablespoons Marshmallow Creme (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 4 1/2 cup soufflé cups by spraying with cooking spray or coating with butter.

Put butternut squash in a microwavable bowl with butter and microwave for about three minutes until the squash is tender. Mash with a fork.

In a medium bowl, put the squash, cranberries, flour and spices and stir together. Add eggs, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add pecans if you are using them.

Spoon or use a 1/4 cup measure to divide among the four baking cups. Place in a glass pan, then add enough warm water to the pan to come about 1/2 the way up the sides of the baking cups so they are sitting in it. This will help keep the pudding moist while it cooks.

Bake for about 40 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. Top with marshmallow creme if desired and bake another 5 minutes to heat. Let cool a few minutes, then serve warm. Or refrigerate and serve cold with whipped cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition info per serving (without optional ingredients):
Calories: 255 Fat: 13.8 g Net Carbs: 29.1 g Protein: 3.9 g

Nutrition info per serving (with optional ingredients):
Calories: 326 Fat: 19.2 g Net Carbs: 34.5 g Protein: 4.6 g

Desserts, Recipes

Introducing Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes

The other night I wanted to do a pumpkin cake that was a little like a cheesecake but was still more like a cake. I came up with this option which has a cake texture but keeps the cream cheese and pumpkin flavors blended together. Like a cheesecake, they come out of the oven nice and puffy, then sink in the middle when they cool. This is an excellent place to put a tablespoon of whipped cream or even a scoop of low carb ice cream. One of the extra ingredients in this is Sugar-free butterscotch pudding. I use one tablespoon of the dry mix, which keeps the net carb count on these low at a total of 2.5 net carbs per cupcake. Making them cupcakes controls the serving size and they cook quicker.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes

4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 large Egg
2 tablespoons Sugar-free Instant Caramel Pudding Mix
2 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
1/4 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

Preheat Oven to 365 degrees (F.) Spray a 6 cup muffin pan with baking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, add cream cheese and sugar substitute. Beat with a mixer until the sugar is creamed into the cream cheese. Add pumpkin, egg, pudding mix, whipping cream, vanilla, and seasonings and mix together until thoroughly blended.

In a small bowl, stir together the lc flour, baking powder, and vanilla whey powder. Add to the creamed cheese mixture about 1/3 at a time, mixing with the mixer until all the flour is incorporated.

Spoon into the muffin pan, filling to about 2/3rds full. Bake for 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving with whipped cream on top. The cake will collapse, but it makes a nice well for the whipped cream.

Makes 6 cupcakes.

Nutrition Information per cupcake:
Calories: 136 Fat: 5.1 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 7.6 g

Tip: Don’t like pumpkin?  Try this with baked and mashed butternut squash or sugar-free applesauce.  Or you can omit them altogether and make the recipe without the added puree,  You may need to add a little water to the mix.  Unsweetened applesauce will raise the net carbs to 4.5 g.  You could use sweet potato puree, but it will add about 3 net carbs to the count, bringing it to 5.5 nc.