I’ve tried several products from Dixie Carb Counters, but where the breads were excellent, I can’t say the same for these muffins. They are simple to make as all of DCC’s mixes are. You simply add eggs, sour cream and butter to the mix, stir it together well and bake. It makes 12 muffins.
However, the muffins didn’t rise very much, so they are about 2 inches high. I overcooked mine a little and they came out a little tougher than they would normally be, but the real disappointment was in the taste. They had little bits of cranberry in them and the taste of oranges, but it wasn’t very strong and the it lacked any sweetness.
The addition of sugar substitute might help these as would another egg white to get more rise in them, but overall, these are not as good as the muffins from New Hope Mills. I can make a better flavored muffin from scratch using CarbQuick.
Although low carb, the muffins still have 4 net carbs in each one. They are low calories at 31 calories per muffin, with no fat and 2 grams of protein. Given the small size and the flavor of the muffins, they aren’t worth it.
On a scale of one to five, I give them three spoons, edible, but not the tastiest.
Disclaimer: I have not received any promotional items to review and no one from any of the companies whose products I review have asked me to do so. I have purchased the product and am giving my honest opinion about it. Should any company send me a product to try, I will state it up front and will still give my honest opinion.
This is my take on a very delicious and easy to make restaurant dish. I started with two pork loin steaks that I cut into three pieces each so they cook a little quicker. Add freshly ground pepper while cooking and make a delicious pepper sauce to put over the top or return the pork steaks to the pan and smother them in it. Either way, they are simply delicious and have gone into my “do often” recipe file.
The only real low carb extra in this recipe is the use of a low carb flour for coating the pork and thickening the sauce. You can omit it completely and just coat the pork with ground pepper, then cook it in butter until it browns and is almost done. Cook the sauce longer to reduce the liquid until it is thickened.
Cracked Pepper Pork with Mushrooms
3 tablespoons Butter
2 Pork Tenderloin Steaks, cut into three pieces each
Pinch of Salt
2 tablespoons Freshly Ground Peppercorns
2 tablespoon Low Carb Flour
1/4 cup chopped Onion
1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
1/2 cup sliced Mushrooms
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 oz. Burgundy Wine (optional)
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
Put one tablespoon of low carb flour, 1 tablespoon of ground pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of seasoning salt in a plastic bag and shake it to mix it together. Add the pork pieces and shake to coat with the mixture.
Preheat the oven to 150 to 170 degrees (F). Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and just starting to bubble, add the pork and cook until golden crisp on each side. Remove the pork to a sheet of aluminum foil, wrap and put in the oven to keep warm. Add the rest of the butter to the pan, then add the garlic and chopped onion and sauté a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and continue to cook until they are lightly browned. Add the remaining flour and stir to a paste, then add the chicken broth, wine (if you are using it), remaining pepper and heavy cream. Blend together, then bring the heat up to high and continue to cook and stir until the sauce is thickened.
Arrange the pork on the serving plates and spoon the sauce over the top. Add a little more pepper if you wish. You can also put the pork back into the sauce to warm again before serving.
Makes two large servings or three smaller servings.
Nutrition information per large serving: Calories: 502.3 Fat: 35.2g Net Carbs: 6.8 g Protein: 37.9 g
With Easter coming up this weekend, I wanted to get this nice spring cookie recipe out to everyone. This is a simple, colorful cookie that’s easy to make–mix, bake, and decorate. I used a sugar-free liquid drink mix to color the coconut. Unsweetened coconut is dried and doesn’t have much coconut flavor when it’s reconstituted. I used a strawberry-flavored drink, so it added a touch of strawberry flavor. If you use food coloring, you might want to add a little flavor extract, like even coconut, to the mix.
I used Russell Stover’s sugar-free Jelly Beans but several other companies make them. Check at your grocery, drug stores, or Wal-Mart for them.
Spring Bird’s Nest Cookies
Recipe by Rene
1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 egg white
3/4 cup Low Carb Baking Mix
1/4 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder or Almond Flour
1/4 cup Unsweetened Shredded or shaved Coconut
Few drops of food coloring or Sugar Free Liquid Drink Mix
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
36 Sugar Free Jelly Beans
A couple of hours before making the cookies, put the coconut into a small bowl, add about 1/4 cup of water and the food color or drink mix. The mix will add a little flavor to the coconut shreds. If you don’t use it, you might want to add a little coconut extract as the shreds don’t have a lot of flavor. Stir the coconut around and let sit to rehydrate and dye the coconut.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F.) Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter, sugar substitute , vanilla extract and egg white together with a mixer, or vigorously by hand, in a medium-sized bowl . Do not over-cream. You just want it to mix together into a smooth paste.
Add the flour and protein powder (if you’re using it) and mix to combine it into a shape-able dough. Make sure all the flour is mixed in.
Separate the dough into quarters and form three ball from each quarter. Place on the parchment paper about 1-1/2-inches apart and use the back of a spoon to press into a flattened round about 1-1/2 inch in diameter. Don’t press them too thinly.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned but the top is not. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Spread the coconut on a piece of waxed paper on a plate to allow it to dry a little while the cookies are cooling.
Make the sugar icing by combining the powdered sugar substitute and cream. Stir to mix it together until it forms a thick, but spreadable icing. If it is too thick, add a little water.
Using a spoon, put about a half teaspoon of icing on a cookie and spread it around the middle of the top, then put about 1/2 teaspoon of colored coconut on it to make a nest. Dip the edges of three of the jelly beans into the icing and place them on the nest. The icing will help them stick to it. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. Let the icing dry and enjoy.
Makes 12 cookies.
Nutrition Information per cookie (whey powder): Calories: 106.4 Fat: 9.1 g Net Carbs: 1.2 g Protein: 3.9 g
Nutrition Information per cookie (almond flour): Calories: 110.5 Fat: 10.3 g Net Carbs: 1.3 g Protein: 2.3 g
Note: The carb counts may vary a little depending on the flours and other ingredients you use, but they should be very close.
Close up of this colorful and yummy-tasting cookie.
Full Flavor Non-Low Carb Version
If you want to make non-low carb version using flour, sugar and regular shredded coconut, you just need to dye the coconut as it is already moist. So for that version, put the coconut in a bowl and add a couple of drops of food coloring and stir around, adding more drops of color to adjust the shade to one you prefer.
1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 egg white
1 cup Flour
1/4 cup Shredded Coconut
Few drops of Food Coloring
1/4 teaspoon Fruit Extract, such as Coconut, Pineapple, or Strawberry
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
36 Jelly Beans
Follow the instructions above using the regular ingredients in place of the low carb and unsweetened ones.
Nutrition Information per cookie (regular flour, sugar & coconut): Calories: 184.5 Fat: 9.6 g Net Carbs: 22.0 g Protein: 1.3 g
St. Patrick’s Day is past, but the Sunday after is always a good time for an Irish Benedict breakfast or brunch. Who am I kidding? Any time is a good time for Irish Eggs Benedict. It’s often on the menu at our favorite breakfast spots in Reno, along with Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. When you’re watching the carbs, the big drawback in ordering it is the English Muffin.
This make-at-home recipe uses the fabulous Muffin in a Minute recipe as the base muffin. Actually, I have a recipe that enhances that one, but is just as easy to make, but you can use either one. Did you know that when you can take the microwaved muffin, slice in half across the middle and pop it into the toaster and it tastes fabulous? It changes the taste and the texture so it is more like toast. It also has a lot of little holes in for butter melt into so it’s a little like an English muffin! Yep, it’s the perfect base for this Irish Benedict.
Irish Eggs Benedict
For the complete dish, you will need:
2 Super Minute Muffins or Muffin in a Minutes, toasted
2 tablespoons Butter
4 eggs, poached or over-easy
1 cup shredded or diced Corned Beef
4 slices tomato
1 cup fresh Spinach
Hollandaise sauce recipe(see below)
Prepare Muffins by using my recipe or by using Atkins recipe for Muffin in a Minute in a 3″ in diameter bowl or ramekin. Cook them, cut in half and set aside or now. TIP: Leave out the sugar substitute and add a little seasoning salt. You can also make them with almond flour in place of flax meal.
Prepare the corned beef by slicing and either chopping or shredding it into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 1 cup of meat. Slice the tomatoes and set aside for now.
Prepare the hollandaise Sauce. You can make your favorite one or use this recipe.
Hollandaise Sauce
2 egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick)
Pinch cayenne or white pepper
Pinch salt
Put about two cups of water in a pan and put on the stove to boil. Separate eggs, putting the yolks into the top of a double boiler or other metal pan that can fit inside a pot without touching the water. Put the whites away to use in a different recipe. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl for about 20 to 30 seconds. Add lemon juice to the eggs. Reduce the heat on the boiling water to a simmer, then put the egg pan over the hot water and begin whisking. Make sure the water doesn’t boil or it will scramble the eggs instead of making them creamy. When they thicken, stir in the butter, salt and pepper. Remove from heat but keep in a warm place.
Assemble the dish:
Put the muffin halves into a toaster or toast in the boiler. Cook the eggs by either poaching or frying, two at a time. (This will also be tasty with scrambled eggs.) When the eggs and toast are done, then put the spinach into a pan and cook over low heat for about 30 seconds until they begin to wilt.
Assemble the dish: Put the muffin halves on a plate, then put a tomato slice on each half. Put the 1/4 of the wilted spinach leaves on top of the tomato, then add 1/4 cup of corned beef on top of each one and top each with a poached egg. Spoon 1/4 of the Hollandaise sauce over the top.
Serve or put in an oven on low to keep warm, then prepare the second plate the same way.
Makes 2 servings. For a lighter breakfast, you can serve 1/2 a serving along with Smashed Turnip Fritters or Zucchini Fritters or 1/2 cup of berries.
Nutrition Info per full serving: Calories: 1061 Fat: 88.2 g Net Carbs: 6.1 g Protein: 55.0 g Per 1/2 servings (one muffin with toppings) Calories:530.5 Fat:44.1 g Net Carbs: 3.1 g Protein: 27.5 g
NOTE: These carb counts are for the full Irish Benedict, including the muffins and the Hollandaise.
Confession time,as you may conclude by the photos, I didn’t put the eggs on the Irish Benedict when I made it this morning. It was an oversight, or maybe subconciously I was thinking that I didn’t need any more eggs in my meal. However, it does great without it and I didn’t miss the eggs until I started working on this page. So feel free to make those poached or fried eggs optional.
This recipe is a variation on the Atkins Muffin in a Minute. I added a couple of things to it to make it a sturdier muffin and it uses a low carb baking mix instead of flax meal. It can also be made with almond flour. I would not recommend coconut flour for this one. Like the MIM, it cooks up quickly in the microwave. I also prefer to put it in a one cup ramekin about 3″ or more in diameter. This gives me a muffin that I can easily pop into my toaster to make breakfast toast.
Low carb muffins with sugar-free pumpkin butter. You don’t have to miss out on anything on a low carb life style.
Super Minute Muffins
2 tablespoons Low Carb Baking Mix
1 tablespoon Golden Flax Meal
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Sugar Substitute *
1 large Egg
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon or other seasoning*
*To make a savory one for a sandwich or garlic toast, use garlic seasoning, a pinch of salt, and onion or other seasonings of your choice. Omit the sugar or just add a pinch.
Spray a ramekin with baking spray.
In a small container, mix all ingredients together until completely moist. Add a little water if the batter is too thick to pour into the ramekin. Tap the ramekin on the counter a couple of times to try to eliminate any bubbles. They are persistent though and mine often come out a little lopsided.
Cook in the microwave for one minute. Remove and set on counter to cool. Gently press against the muffin to rock it free from the container. Let cool until you can touch the ramekin without burning your fingers, then gently tap it and turn upside down to released the muffin. If it doesn’t come out easily, push against the sides of the muffin and continue to tap the bottom. If it still won’t release, slide a knife along the sides and nudge the bottom until it pulls free.
Look at the lovely little wells to hold your butter and jam!
Cut the muffin in half and toast, then butter and add sugar-free jam if you wish. Makes 1 muffin.
Nutrition Information per muffin: Calories: 225 Fat: 15.1 g Net Carbs: 3.5 g Protein: 12.9 g
However, the muffins didn’t rise very much, so they are about 2 inches high. I overcooked mine a little and they came out a little tougher than they would normally be, but the real disappointment was in the taste. They had little bits of cranberry in them and the taste of oranges, but it wasn’t very strong and the it lacked any sweetness.
