Category Archives: Desserts

Desserts, Recipes

Pumpkin Season! Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

A couple of weeks ago a recipe popped up on Facebook for Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes and I love almost anything made with pumpkin.  So I decided to make them low carb.  No, not just low carb, but also gluten free for those  of you who have issues with wheat flour.  The recipe has a few incarnations on the web, so I am not sure who actually came up with it, but it may be from here.  This version evolves from the original and it is pretty darn good.

A couple of things, though.  Definitely use paper baking cups so you don’t have a mess trying to get these out of a cupcake mold.  I used silicon molds that you can flex to remove the baked goods and they didn’t come out cleanly.  Which brings up the other thing, which is to cook them until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry.  Mine was a little moist and I thought it would set up once it cooled, but it didn’t set up well enough to come out without leaving bits behind in the mold.  It also didn’t separate into a pie center with the surrounding crust, but the taste is definitely a pumpkin pie.

Smaller sized recipe makes 6 to 7 cupcake-sized pies.

Low Carb, Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

1 cup Pumpkin Puree
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
12 tablespoons Brown Sugar Substitute
1 large Egg
3 tablespoons Liquid Egg Whites
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/3 cup Almond Flour
1 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.)  Line a 6 cup muffin tin with silicon liners, foil liners or paper lines sprayed with cooking spray.  If you use paper liners, just serve them in the paper.

In a medium bowl, mix the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar substitute, egg, egg white, vanilla extract and almond milk until blended.  Add the almond flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda to the mixture.

Fill each muffin cup with 1/3 cup of the mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, use the toothpick method to check that it is done, then remove and let cool completely.

Remove cupcakes from pan and chill in the fridge for 3 until ready to serve.  Top with whipped cream or frozen topping.   Makes 6 to 7 cupcakes.

Nutrition Info: (Per cupcake)
Calories: 59 Fat: 2.8 g Net Carbs: 2.9 g Protein: 2.9 g

 

Desserts, Recipes

“Snickers” Cheesecake Without Guilt

Don’t you hate it when you go to dinner and they have a “Snickers” Cheesecake on the menu and it’s not a low carb one?  It seems like the only option you can find in sugar-free cheesecakes is the plain cheesecake with maybe a few berries on top?  That’s been my experience and even at the Cheesecake Factory, as tasty as the plain cheesecake is, it pales beside all the other options they have for everyone else.

Well, if you’re willing to grab a box of the Atkins Caramel Nut Bars, you can make your own “Snickers” type cheesecake and enjoy this treat without blowing your carb count out the window.  This works with some of the other Atkins bars, so feel free to experiment a little… like a Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar Cheesecake.  This is a crust-less cheesecake, but you can easily make a crust for the bottom of the muffin pans by using 1/2 cup ground pecans, 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar substitute.  Mix together, spoon into sprayed muffin cups and press into the bottom.

Chocolate Caramel Nut Mini-Cheesecakes

4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoon sugar substitute
2 Atkins Chocolate Caramel Nut bars
2 eggs
4 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Powder (optional)*
1 teaspoon vanilla

* Vanilla Whey Powder is optional, but I use it often in my baking to improve the texture.  If you are looking for gluten free, my brand of protein powder is gluten free, so check the label.  But I am not sure if the Atkins bar is.  It has wheat protein isolate in it, so it may not be.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare a muffin tin by spraying 8 wells with cooking spray or put in baking cups.

Chop the Caramel Nut bar into small pieces. In a small bowl, use a mixer to cream the cream cheese, vanilla, egg and sugar substitute together. Mix in the whey powder and, cream until all ingredients are blended. Hand stir in the Caramel Nut Bar pieces.

Spoon into the muffin cups, taking care to try to distribute the candy pieces evenly. Stirring the batter each time you dip out a spoonful will help.

Put a little water in any empty muffin wells so you are not baking them empty. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean. Let cool before serving or refrigerate until about 30 minutes before you are ready to serve. To serve, put on a small plate or dessert bowl and top with a little sugar free chocolate syrup and a teaspoon of whipped cream, if you like.

Makes eight mini-cheesecakes.

Nutrition Info per mini-cake:

Calories: 128.5 Fat: 11.5 g Net Carbs: 1.75 g Protein: 4.35 g

 

Desserts, Recipes

Frozen Treats Cool Down the Heat

Summer took a while, but it has definitely arrived.  Almost 100 degree temperatures around Reno, Nevada and that’s hot enough for me.  So, it’s time for cool treats to make it better.  No, I am not racing for an ice cold beer!  Although I did pick up some Skinny Syrups for Mojitos, Margaritas and Cosmos, I am not talking about one of those either.  I am talking about frozen treats!  Ices!  Well, actually, creamy treats that make a great cool down snack or a refreshing dessert.

The recipe is simple to do, but the biggest drawback to keeping it low carb is the yogurt.  If you live in an area that has a Kroger Food Store (Smith’s Food in my area), then you have access to their yogurt-like product, Carbmasters Yogurt, which I happen to like. The other alternative is Great Value Plain Yogurt, which has about 2 more carbs per 6 oz. than Carbmasters.  So, if you can’t get Carbmasters or can’t stand the taste of it, then look for a yogurt that comes in around 6 net carbs for 6 oz.

I just recently posted a recipe for homemade Peach Jam, which is about 2 net carbs per tablespoon.  You can also use Smuckers sugar free, which is what the carb count in this is based on, or LC Foods Peach Preserves, which are about the same carb count as the homemade version.  I used silicon molds, which are easy to pop the frozen treats out, but you can use any 1/2 cup container or Popsicle molds.

Peaches and Cream Freeze

6 oz Carbmasters Peach Yogurt or other plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup fresh peaches, crushed
2 tablespoons peach jam
2 tablespoons Cool Whip or other whipped cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Note:  If you use plain yogurt, you probably should add two tablespoon sugar substitute to add a little sweetness to the mix.  Take a taste and decide if you need more sweet.

Mixed yogurt, peaches and Cool Whip with peach jam ready to swirl in. The flour shapes are the molds I used.

Use a food processor to crush the fresh peaches. Mix all the ingredients, except the jam, together. Put the jam on top and use a knife or spoon to swirl it into the mixture. Spoon into six 1/2 cup molds. Each will hold about 2 mounded tablespoons of the mixture.

If you want to make them into Popsicles, cut a straw in 2 and insert it into the center of the mold. The mixture will hold it in place.

Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Pop from the mold and serve on a dessert plate or with a napkin or paper saucer or cup with a hole in the middle for the straw or popsicle stick to go through to catch drips.

If you keep these in the ‘fridge, then take them out about 20 minutes before you want to serve them.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Info: 1 serving
Calories: 23.6 Fat: .5 g Net Carbs: 3.9 g Protein: 1.4 g

Don’t stop there.  You can make this with other fruit combinations.   The carb count will be about the same.

Strawberry/Blueberry Freeze

This is like an individual version of the frozen yogurt pie.

6 oz. Carbmasters Yogurt Strawberry
1/2 cup Blueberries, pureed
2 tablespoons Strawberry Preserves
2 tablespoons Cool Whip

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into six 1/2 cup silicone molds.

Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Pop from the molds to serve on a dessert plate. Keep frozen until about 1/2 hour before you’re ready to serve.

I am also thinking that in place of the yogurt, you might substitute 4 oz cream cheese and 2 ounces sour cream plus 2 tablespoons of sugar substitute.   I haven’t tried this, but it could work.  Blend the ingredients together until they are mixed and about the consistency of yogurt,

Desserts, Recipes

Easy, Delicious No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie

Summer calls for fresh strawberries. They are everywhere right now,  calling your name and asking to be made into delicious desserts or just eaten with a touch of sugar or dipped in chocolate. They can be a real temptation for anyone trying to watch their carb or calorie in-take. Fortunately, strawberries are an allowed fruit if you’re on phase II or higher of Akins, but you do need to watch the quantity. One half cup of cut up strawberries is 3.9 net carbs, which isn’t too bad if you plan for it.

But strawberries are also delicious in other things, including salad, like this wonderful Strawberry Chicken Salad, and my so delightful adaptation of a Knox Gelatin recipe for cheesecake that I’ve jazzed up with strawberries in the mix and on top. Depending on how much will power you have, this could set you back between 2.5 nc’s (1/12th of pie) and 4 nc’s per slice (1/8th of pie).

Summer Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake Pie

Crust:
1/2 cup Almond Flour
2 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Protein Powder*
2 tablespoons low carb Baking Mix*
Butter, 2 tbsp
2 tablespoons sugar substitute
Cinnamon, ground, .5 tsp

Filling:
1 envelope Knox Gelatin
2 8 0z packages Cream Cheese
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup sugar substitute
1 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon sugar free Strawberry Drink Mix or strawberry extract
1/2 cup Fresh Strawberries

 1/2 cup Strawberries, fresh, .sliced and sprinkled with a little Sugar Substitute (optional)

• You can use all almond flour instead of protein powder and baking mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

Make the Crust:

In a small bowl, mix all crust ingredients, cutting butter through with a fork. The dough will be soft and sticky. Spray a pie tin or cake pan with cooking spray and spread the dough over the bottom of the pan. Wet your finger tips to make spreading it easier. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove and let cool while you mix the filling.

Make the Filling:

Puree the fresh strawberries in a food processor so they are mashed. Set aside.

In a small bowl, add sugar substitute and boiling water. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let it sit a few minutes to soften, then stir it in. Continue to stir until the gelatin completely melts, about five minutes.

In a large bowl, put the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract and strawberry drink mix and mix on low speed until the flavorings are blended in. Gradually add the gelatin mixture and continue to beat until the filling is smooth and creamy, then add the pureed strawberries and mix until blended.

Pour the filling on top of the crust and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least three hours before serving.

Yes, I pulled out the fine dinnerware for this one, but really? It’s summer, isn’t it? And paper plates are so much easier than doing dishes.

To serve, arrange sliced strawberries on each slice and add a garnish of whipped cream and a sprig of mint, if you have it.

Makes 8 servings
Nutrition Info per slice
Calories: 271.6 Fat: 26.3 g Net Carbs: 3.7 g Protein: 6.1 g
With berries on top:
Calories: 275 Fat: 26.3 g Net Carbs: 4.2 g Protein: 5.2 g

Makes 12 servings
Nutrition Info per 1/12 of pie
Calories: 181.1 Fat: 17.5 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 4.0 g
With berries on top:
Calories: 183.1 Fat: 17.5 g Net Carbs: 2.7 g Protein: 4.0 g

Desserts, Recipes

Cool Off with a Piece of Brandy Alexander Pie

While looking for a light, cool dessert, I spotted this recipe on a box of Knox Gelatin and decided it would be pretty easily adaptable to a low carb dessert.  I changed the crust, which was crushed Oreo Cookies, to an almond flour crust with cocoa in it for a rich, chocolate flavor.  Instead of Creme de Cocoa, I used a sugar free chocolate mocha syrup.  It is a delightfully refreshing and does remind you of the drink of the same name.  Oddly, I did discover that the brandy taste was quite pronounced on the first day, but the second day, instead of getting stronger, it seemed to blend into the overall flavor of the dessert and was not as strong.

Brandy Alexander Pie

Adapted from Knox Gelatin recipe by me

Crust:
1/2 cup Almond Flour
2 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
2 tablespoons Carbquick
Butter, 2 tbsp
2 tablespoons sugar substitute
1 tablespoon unsweetened Cocoa

Filling
1 envelope Knox Gelatin, unflavored
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/3 cup sugar substitute
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract, 1 tbsp
2 tablespoons Brandy or Brandy extract
1 tablespoon Sugar Free Chocolate Mocha Syrup
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F.) Spray a pie tin or an 8″square pan with cooking spray.

To make the crust, put all the crust ingredients in a small bowl and blend with a fork until you have small crumbs clumped together. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan and spread them smoothly to cover the entire bottom. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until it is firm and just a little brown around the edges. Set aside to cool.

In a small saucepan, add 1/4 cup cold water, then sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let stand for a minute. Stir and cook on low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

While it is cooling, beat whipping cream with an electric mixer on high speed until it is slightly thickened. Still beating on low speed, gradually add the gelatin mixture, vanilla, brandy, sugar substitute and sugar free syrup. Mix until it is well blended. Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours until it is set.

To serve, cut into 8 servings. Decorate with sugar free chocolate syrup or shaved sugar free dark chocolate, if you wish, then add a heaping spoonful of whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Info per serving (with topping):
Calories: 266.4 Fat: 24 g Net Carbs: 3.4 g Protein: 3.3 g