Category Archives: Recipes

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Biscuit Based Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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Interior at Tian Sing Restaurant in San Francisco.

I missed posting last week, although I did pop a recipe in over the previous weekend. I went to San Francisco for a few days to see the incredible Josh Groban in concert at the Masonic Theater. It was the first time I’ve had the pleasure of hearing him sing in live performance and it was a wonderful evening. Getting a cab back to the hotel was not so great, but that’s the city for you. While my roomie and I were there we went to a really good Chinese Restaurant near the hotel. Wonderful food and if you’re in San Francisco I highly recommend Tian Sing. In fact, I wrote a review about the experience for the Chinese Quest blog. You can read it here.

It’s November and I’m still on a pumpkin kick because it’s that time of year and pumpkin is really more versatile than you might have imagined. A couple of months ago I posted reviews for a couple of low carb cinnamon roll mixes and I said then that I was going to try making one from scratch. As I was making low carb biscuits the other day, I figured out how I would make the biscuit version of cinnamon rolls and since it is pumpkin season, I added some puree to the dough. They are delicious. This recipe is entirely my own concoction so do let me know how you like it if you try it.

Pumpkin Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoons Shortening
1 tablespoon Sugar Substitute
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Ricotta Cheese
3 tablespoons Pumpkin Puree
2 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

2 tablespoon Butter, softened
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Sugar-Free Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.)

Prepare topping:   In a bowl, place butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar substitute and maple syrup and mix together to form a paste.

Mix the biscuit dough: Put flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar in a bowl and cut in the shortening until tiny crumbs form. Add the vanilla extract, ricotta cheese, pumpkin and cinnamon. Add 1 tablespoon cold water and mix until the mixture forms a stiff dough. If necessary, add more water a little at a time. The dough should be stiff and not too sticky.

Roll out biscuit dough into a rectangle about 6″ x 8″.

Spray a sheet of waxed paper with baking spray and turn the dough onto the paper. Pat into a rectangle about 6″x 8″ and about 1/2 inch thick. Spread the topping over the rolls evenly, going to the edge on all sides except for about 1/2 inch on one short side. Sprinkle the pecans on top evenly.

Spread filling almost to the edge on all sides, leaving 1/2″ on the short side.

 

Using the wax paper to lift, roll the dough from the short side with toppings and finish with the opposite side with no topping. Seal the dough where it meets and place the roll seam side down. Cut the roll into 6 rolls. Place on a sprayed baking pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Rolls in oiled pan and ready to bake.

While dough bakes, make an icing with 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar Substitute, 1 tablespoon softened Butter and enough water to make a spreadable icing.

Let rolls cool for a few minutes, then spread with the icing and serve. Makes 6 rolls.

Nutrition Information per roll:
Calories:176 Fat: 15.2 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 6.3 g

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Condiments and Sauces, Pork, Recipes

Brunch with Biscuits and Pumpkin Chorizo Sausage Gravy

Halloween is almost upon us and I am still celebrating pumpkin. If you’d like to make a special breakfast or brunch meal for Halloween or Thanksgiving or Christmas or traditionally for New Year’s Day, you can’t go wrong with biscuits and gravy. And yes, they can be made low carb.  In fact, this dish, using one biscuit, is less than 4 net carbs when made with CarbQuick.  It may be a little higher with other low carb flours.

Boy-oh-boy, this is a favorite dish of mine, so I have been working to get a really good recipe for them. I use CarbQuick for my low carb flour baking mix choice, but you can also use Bob’s Red Mill Baking Mix or Dixie Carb Counters or LC Foods. It might work okay with almond flour, but it’s best to try to mix another flour in with it. This recipe for biscuits is the tastiest one I’ve come up with so far. The gravy has a fall twist to it and also a bit of a spicy touch as I add pumpkin puree and chorizo sausage along with the regular sausage. It is a great flavor combination. Be bold. Give these a try.

Best Savory Biscuits

1 cup Low Carb Flour
2 tablespoons Shortening
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
1/3 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
Pinch Salt
Pinch ground Thyme
1 to 2 tablespoons Cold Water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.) Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, salt, thyme and sugar substitute and mix together. Add the shortening and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles crumbles. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix it into the dough. If it doesn’t pull together easily, add a little more water. You want the dough stiff but completely mixed.

Mix in the cheddar cheese until distributed. Divide the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a 3-inch round about 1/2-inch thick and place on the baking pan.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Makes 4 biscuits.

Nutrition Info per biscuit:
   Calories: 152.5 Fat: 12.8 g Net Carbs: 2.3 g Protein: 6.4 g

Pumpkin Chorizo Sausage Gravy

1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour
4 oz. Pork Sausage
2 oz. Basque Style Chorizo Sausage
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Puree

In a medium skillet, brown the sausage and chorizo, breaking it into smaller pieces as you cook it. When lightly browned remove to a paper towel on a plate to drain. Stir the low carb flour into the grease in the pan to make a paste. If there isn’t enough, add a little oil to the pan.

Stir in the heavy whipping cream and 1 cup of water, the Worcestershire sauce and the cayenne pepper and mix well. Then stir in the pumpkin puree and the cooked sausage. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

Split the biscuits in half and pour 1/4 of the sausage gravy over each biscuit.

Makes 4 servings or 2 hungry-man (or woman) servings.

Nutrition Information for both biscuit and gravy per serving:
   Calories: 327.4 Fat: 23.9 g Net Carbs: 3.9 g Protein: 12.4 g

Main Dish, Pork, Recipes, Soups and Stews

Autumn Harvest Stew with Ham, Cauliflower and Butternut

Autumn is such a great time of year.  The days are cooling down and the leaves are such beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold.  It’s really my favorite season of the year.  And the various winter squashes are coming into season along with other winter produce such as pomegranates, quince, and cactus pears.

This lovely stew actually happened a bit by accident, but it tastes so great that I intend to keep it in my frequent meal file.  It combines the delicious flavors of ham, cheddar cheese, cauliflower and butternut squash in a sauce thickened with pumpkin puree.  That’s it, I’ve opened another can of pumpkin so I’ll be doing several pumpkin recipes over the next few weeks.  I love pumpkin and it usually helps to thicken stews and sauces without adding flour or cornstarch.

Harvest Stew with Ham, Cauliflower, Butternut & Cheddar

2 cups Cauliflower, chopped
1/4 cup Pumpkin puree
1/2 cup Onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup Water
2 tablespoons Butter
1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
2 cups lean Ham, diced
1cup Butternut Squash, cubed
1/4 cup Red Peppers, sliced
1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, cubed
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.)

Chop cauliflower into small pieces and cut butternut squash into cubes. Cook in a microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or put in boiling water for about 4 minutes to partially cook.   Cut ham into cubes.

In a saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until the onion begins to get tender. Add whipping cream and water and stir together. Add pumpkin and ricotta cheese and stir in. Then add the cheddar cheese and stir until it melts.

In a large pot or baking dish, add the vegetables and ham, then mix the sauce into the pot. Sprinkle the cheddar jack cheese over the top and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve in bowls with a low carb biscuit or a side salad.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving: (6 servings)
Calories: 312.6 Fat: 22.9 g Net Carbs: 6.6 g Protein: 17.4 g

Nutrition Information per serving: (8 servings)
Calories: 234.4 Fat: 17.1 g Net Carbs: 4.9 g Protein: 13.1 g

 

Crock Pot Recipes, Main Dish, Poultry, Recipes

Slow Cooking Coc au Vin

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I don’t know about your part of the world, but here in Reno, Nevada, the season just turned to the crisp, darn near freezing nights, of FALL!  At our house, we try to hold out until November 1 before turning on the heater, but I broke down this week when I woke up in the morning from sleeping with my robe wrapped around my head and surrounded by cats seeking warmth.  So mid-October and the heat is on.

But it’s also a great time for stew and soups.  One terrific way to make a delicious meal is your slow cooker.  With a little preparation, you can toss all the ingredients into the pot before you head off to work or whatever else you have planned and come home to a fully cooked meal.

This isn’t the recipe for that.  Yes, it’s a slow cooked meal and it is a delicious French version of a chicken stew with wine, but the preparation takes about thirty to forty minutes with the chopping and cooking.  But, if you do all the work the night before, then put it in the cooker in the morning, then it is simple.  Just prepare  the ingredients, do the skillet cooking, then bag the chicken and the vegetables separately and refrigerate overnight.  Layer them into the pot with the vegetables first, then the chicken, set the cooker on low, then get on with your day.

Slow Cooker Coc au Vin

8 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Low Carb Flour
4 slices Bacon , roughly chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted Butter or Olive Oil , divided
1 package white or Baby Bella Mushrooms , sliced
2 large Carrots , cleaned and sliced
2 stalks Celery, cleaned and sliced
1 medium Yellow Onion , chopped
2 cloves Garlic , chopped
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 cup Red Wine
2 large sprigs fresh Thyme

Begin by prepping the vegetables. Cut the carrots into about 1 inch slices. If they are thick, you can cut each slice in half so they cook quicker. Clean and slice the celery stalks into the same size pieces. Chop or slice the onion, depending on your preference. If the mushrooms need to be cut, do that also. Chop or mince the garlic into tiny pieces.

Put a piece of waxed paper on a baking sheet, then place the skinned and boned chicken on it. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to your preference, then sprinkle and pat low carb flour over the chicken. Turn the chicken over and repeat. Set aside.

Cook bacon in a large skillet or use my method and cook it between two pieces of paper towel on a plate in the microwave until it is crisp. Discard any bacon grease and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and cook the chicken until browned on each side, then remove to a paper towel.

Add the rest of the butter along with the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown along the edges, then add the onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Add a little salt to your preference. Cook until the carrots begin to soften, then transfer all the vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker. Add chicken broth. Layer the chicken over the top, then pour the wine over the top and add the thyme. I prefer to remove the leaves and just use those as to putting the whole sprig in.

Turn the slow cooker to the low setting. For those who have a warmer setting, medium and high on their cookers, this would be the medium setting. The stew will be cooked in about six hours. In a hurry, use the high setting for two hours, then lower it to low or medium.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 268.5 Fat: 12.3 g Net Carbs: 5.3 g Protein: 21.3 g

Desserts, Recipes

Simply Peanut Butter Cookies

I’ve seen this recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies go around a couple of times on Facebook, so I decided to try it with sugar substitute. Generally, I use a little less sugar than called for and when possible, I try to use more than one sweetener for more balance. It works pretty well although the cookies are small,  about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. I don’t have a ball scoop, so I used two teaspoons to drop the cookies and it works although they are not as pretty. Check the carb counts on the peanut butter. My jar of JIF was pretty low, but when I checked to buy another jar, the carb count was higher. So I calculated the carbs on peanut butter that is 2 net carbs per tablespoon.

Peanut Butter Cookies #1

1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar substitute
1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F.) Prepare a baking sheet by putting parchment paper or a silicone mat on it.

In a bowl, mix the ingredients together until they are well blended. Use a 1-inch ball cookie scoop or a teaspoon to put balls of peanut butter on the baking sheet about 2-inches apart. You can press down on the center with your lightly sugared (in sugar substitute) thumb to make a well for a thumbprint cookie or press down with the tines of a fork one direction, then the opposite direction to get a grid pattern.

Bake for about 8 minutes until the cookies are starting to brown around the edges, but don’t overcook. Let cool and top with a little sugar-free jam if you wish.

Makes 24 cookies.

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 108 Fat. 8.2 g Net Carbs: 2.0 g Protein: 2.3 g

Now, I simply can’t leave the recipe as it is. By my very nature, I have to make a change or two in it. I like a little more of a cookie taste to it, so I added 1/4 cup of Vanilla Whey Protein Powder to the mix. You can also use Almond Flour or any low carb baking mix. Then I also added sugar-free mini chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar substitute
1 large egg
1/4 cup Almond Flour or Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
2 tablespoons mini sugar-free chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F.) Prepare a baking sheet by putting parchment paper or a silicone mat on it.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients, except the chocolate chip together until they are well blended, then stir in the chocolate chips. Use a 1-inch ball cookie scoop or a teaspoon to put balls of peanut butter on the baking sheet about 2″ apart. Press down with the tines of a fork one direction, then the opposite direction to get a grid pattern.

Bake for about 8 minutes until the cookies are starting to brown around the edges, but don’t overcook. Let cool a few minutes then eat warmed or at room temperature.

Makes 30 cookies.

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 95 Fat. 7.1 g Net Carbs: 1.7 g Protein: 4.4 g

For a more traditional Peanut Butter Cookie, try the Peanut Butter Blossoms or the Triple Peanut Chocolate Chip Bars.