Tag Archives: South Beach friendly recipes

Desserts, Recipes

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

Thanksgiving is upon us… the start of the winter holiday season where many challenges face those of us trying to maintain weight loss while still enjoying the season. I am thankful for many ways to do just that and I will be sharing a few of those over the next few weeks. For starters, I have up a few recipes on this site that will work well for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Typically, you’ll want to stuff a turkey or even a pork roast over the holidays, but normal stuffing is loaded with carbs. Make your own stuffing bread with low carb flours. Find the recipe for the one I use here.

Those mashed potatoes are also loaded with carbs but you can make a combination mash with turnips and cauliflower that will be just as tasty and not nearly as high carb’d. Try this recipe for Smashed Turnips with Leeks. Or as another alternative, try the Irish Style Celery and Kohlrabi. Or maybe you’d like a nice alternative for the sweet potatoes?  Butternut Turnip Mash is excellent.

One of my favorite desserts is Pumpkin Cheesecake and it’s really easy to make as a low carb option. I am so thankful for 0 calorie 0 carb sugars that taste good! I remember making a cheesecake many years ago with a sugar substitute before aspartame came in and it had a not really great flavor, but also had that awful after taste. This version is almost identical to a fully sugared version.

And while I’m being thankful, I am thankful for my friends and all of you who read and share my blog. This holiday is all about being thankful for what we have and have been blessed with and all of you are included in that definition. Thank you.

Pumpkin Panna Cotta Is Light

Sometimes a big holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas features a big meal that leaves you feeling as stuffed as the bird started the day. With several side dishes and stuffing, you may find yourself looking for a lighter dessert than pumpkin pie or cheesecake. That’s where this simple to make and very delicious Pumpkin Panna Cotta comes in. It’s low in calories and carbohydrates but still has the pumpkin pie taste without the heaviness. Serve it with a bit of whipped cream and a few nut sprinkles and you have a satisfying, delicious dessert that won’t overload your stomach.

While this on takes about 15 minutes to make, allow enough time for the panna cotta to set at least four hours. Or make it the night before the big meal.

Pumpkin Panna Cotta

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar substitute
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons sugar free brown sugar
1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vanilla whey powder (optional)
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
whipped cream (optional)
chopped pecans or walnuts(optional)

Sprinkle 1 envelope unflavored gelatin over 1 cup whipping cream in a medium bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. While it is softening, bring almond milk to a simmer just below boiling point. Slowly whisk the milk into the gelatin mixture with pumpkin puree and add sugars, vanilla whey powder (if you are adding), vanilla extract and Pumpkin Pie Spice. Pour into six dessert dishes, cover each with plastic film that is loose enough to touch the top of the mixture so that it doesn’t form a film. Refrigerate for at least four hours until firm.

Panna cotta in the ramekin, ready to chill.

To serve, lightly dust with pumpkin pie spice, then top with whipped cream and a few chopped nuts if you like.

You can also un-mold it by running a knife around the edge, then putting it in a shallow bowl of hot (not boiling) water for about 20 seconds to melt the gelatin a little, then flip it onto the dessert dish. Sprinkle with a little pumpkin pie spice and sugar free (or reduced sugar) brown sugar.

Nutrition Info (without topping):
Calories: 116.4 Fat: 10.6 g Net Carbs: 2.5 g Protein: 2.8 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 11/27/2013

Desserts, Recipes

A Coffee Sweet Treat

Sometimes your after dinner coffee takes on a more solid form. This is a light, delicious espresso custard that will satisfy your dessert craving and not add much to your daily carb count, or calorie count for that matter. Add a bit of sugar free chocolate syrup – I use Walden Farm’s 0 carb, 0 calories chocolate sauce, and a punch of chopped hazelnuts, topped with a bit of whipped cream for a really special, and easy to make, treat.

Espresso Custard with Chocolate and Hazelnuts

Based on a recipe from the South Beach Diet

1 1/2 cups almond milk or cream
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons sugar substitute
2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant decaffeinated coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar free chocolate syrup
Topping:
Sugar free chocolate topping
Chopped hazelnuts
Whipped cream

Prepare a 10″ skillet by filling it partially with water and placing four 6 ounce custard cups, ramekins or or small coffee cups in the water.

Whisk the milk, eggs, sugar substitute, espresso powder or coffee, chocolate syrup and vanilla extract together until well-blended. Use a measuring cup to pour into four prepared cups. Add enough water to bring the water level in the pan to 1/4″ below the top of the cups. Be careful not to splash water into the cups.

 

Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the custard is set. Carefully remove the cups from the skillet using tongs or a glove, then cover eacjh cup with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pudding, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or until chilled.

To serve, you can un-mold or leave the custard in the cup. Put a heaping teaspoon of whipped cream on top, then drip about a spoonful of chocolate sauce over that and sprinkle on hazelnuts.

 

Nutrition Information: (using liquid sucralose or Ideal sugar & Almond milk)
Calories: 77.8 Fat: 5.9 g Net Carbs: 0.9 g Protein: 4.1 g

(using Splenda & Almond milk)
Calories: 81.1 Fat: 6.2 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: 4.1 g

(using liquid sucralose or Ideal sugar & heavy cream)
Calories: 77.8 Fat: 21.9 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: 4.7 g

(using Splenda & heavy cream)
Calories: 224.5 Fat:21.9 g Net Carbs: 3.5 g Protein: 4.7 g

Desserts, Recipes

October Chills With No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

It’s October and that’s the signal for all things that are great in the Fall. Cooler weather (although September was downright cold last week), multi-colored leaves, the garden finishing the last bits of vegetables it can muster. I have a ton of cherry tomatoes that are making a bid to get fully grown and possibly pink before they have to be picked as well as several crook neck squash and a Japanese eggplant that is trying to mature. Silly plant also has another bloom on it. I think my late summer planting of turnips and kohlrabi will never see fruition. The last of the Farmer’s Markets in town was this past weekend, but the grocery stores have a lovely selection of fruits and vegetables.

I love Fall. It’s actually my favorite time of the year, although I also like early Spring quite a lot. But the light in Fall is so unique and looks so warming and beautiful on the plants and trees, whichever ones still have leaves after the winds this past Sunday and Monday. Most days are that perfect temperature — not too hot and not too cold. Fall is also the season of the pumpkin, which is one of my favorites. There are so many ways to use pumpkin. My Pumpkin Chile recipe is already on here and it is delicious. I also have a couple of pumpkin cheesecake items up, my regular Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.

This recipe is a little different in that it is one of the No-Bake pies that is made with unflavored gelatin. I admit I got the base idea off a Knox Gelatin box, but then it branched out from a regular cheesecake to a pumpkin cheesecake. And the best part of this recipe is that it can be eaten while you are just starting your new lifestyle! It’s an induction recipe with nothing that will interfere in your Phase I of Atkins or any other program you might be trying. It’s low carb, gluten free and really good!

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 envelope unflavored Gelatin
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
8 oz Cream Cheese
1 cup Pumpkin, canned
1/2 cup Almond Milk, Unsweetened Vanilla
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie spice
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
1/2 teaspoon Cloves, ground
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Mix sugar substitute and gelatin in a small bowl. Add one cup of boiling water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, placed the softened cream cheese and break it into smaller pieces, then mix with an egg beater on low speed. Add milk, pumpkin, vanilla and spices to the cream cheese and mix well. Add the gelatin mixture and continue to mix well on low.

Spray a pie pan with cooking spray and pour the pie mixture into it. Cover with plastic wrap, pulling it tight to keep it off the top of the pie.

Refrigerate for three to four hours to allow the pie to completely set. Cut into 8 or 12 slices (depending on how large a slice you want) and serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

If you are not on phase 1 of Atkins or can have nuts on your plan, top each slice off with a teaspoon of optional ground almonds.

Nutrition Info:
1/8 of pie: Calories: 115.8 Fat: 10.1 g Net Carbs: 3 g Protein 2.5 g
1/12 of pie: Calories:77.2 Fat: 6.7 g Net Carbs: 2 g Protein 1.7 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 10/1/2013 5:14 PM

Desserts, Recipes

Light And Cool Raspberry Cream Gelatin

This is an oldie, but goodie recipe that is so easy to adapt to low-calories and low-carbs. Just start with sugar-free jello mix and the rest of it is pretty low carb. I use whipped topping in it, but you can also whip up your own whipping cream if you prefer. If you use whipped topping, check the carb counts as all are not created equally and some are higher. This is not a difficult recipe, but it does require 5 to 6 hours to prepare and chill.

1 package Raspberry flavored Jello brand sugar free
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
6 tablespoons whipped topping
1 cup Raspberries, fresh or frozen
6 large Strawberries, cut in half for topping (or 12 plump raspberries)
1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Mix 2 cups of boiling water into the gelatin mix in a large bowl. Stir for two minutes until all the gelatin is dissolved. Add 1 3/4 cups cold water and stir into the mix. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 2 to 2 1/3 hours until it begins to set up. (The mix will be gooey but not solid.)

Get out the cream cheese to soften while the mix is setting up. About 20 minutes before the gelatin is ready, beat cream cheese in a bowl until it is smooth. Process the raspberries in a food processor or chopped until they are chopped. Add to the cream cheese and use the mixer to blend them in. Stir in the chopped pecans with a spoon and set the bowl aside with plastic wrap over it until the gelatin is ready.

If you are using a special mold, prepare the mold. A thin coat of cooking spray will make it easier to remove from the mold later. I used heart cupcake molds, but this also works with a bigger mold.

Once the gelatin is set up, mix the 6 tablespoons of whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spoon. Spoon the mixture into the gelatin in small batches and stir in before adding the next. Repeat until all the cream cheese mixture is blended into the gelatin. If you are using molds, spoon the mixture into the molds and smooth with the back of the spoon. If you are leaving it in the bowl, cover the bowl with the plastic wrap again and put it back in the fridge to finish setting up, about another 2 hours.

  If you’ve put it in a mold, put the mold in the freezer to chill and firm up. This makes it easier to un-mold. Again, it will be about two hours.

When you are ready to serve, remove the molds from the freezer, remove the plastic wrap carefully, place a plate or baking pan over the top and, holding onto the mold, flip the pan so the mold is facing down. Tap the mold or push against flexible molds. If they do not release, run hot water over the back of the mold until it releases the gelatin.

To serve, place one of the gelatin servings on a plate or scoop out 1/2 cup of gelatin from the bowl into a bowl or plate and put a dollop of whipped cream on top and place half a strawberry or a fresh raspberry in the middle.

Makes 12 servings, about 1/2 cup each.

Nutrition Info: Calories 76.3 Net Carbs 2 g Protein 1.8 g
Without nuts: Calories 53 Net Carbs 1.9 g Protein 1.5 g

This is a great dessert for your Valentine or use it for an engagement party or bridal shower luncheon. It’s the perfect light treat after a heavy meal. I use pecans in it, but you can use walnuts also.

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 2/14/2013 1:20 AM

Desserts, Recipes

Meringue Magic And Delicious!

Originally posted on my LJ Blog August 9, 2012

I was about 20 when I first discovered the delight of making meringue shells from a Betty Crocker Cookbook, which I still have and use. The first time I was on a low carb diet, I quickly adapted the recipe to sugar-free. Sadly, the sweeteners in those days weren’t as good as they are now and the shells, as well as all the other sugar-free desserts I made back then, tended to have a not-so-pleasant aftertaste. With present day sweeteners tasting and behaving like sugar without the aftertaste, desserts are easier and tastier than ever.  Meringue cookies and shells are easy to make and melt in your mouth like magic and don’t add inches to your hips.

The original recipe I used was called “Cherry Berries On A Cloud” and the meringue was shaped into a bowl with raised sides to hold a wonderful filling of cherries and whipped cream. Since cherries are very high in carbohydrates, I replaced them with fresh strawberries. Yummy! The bonus is the meringue is easy to shape into whatever design you might want for the dessert, be it a circle, a diamond, or a heart, so it’s pretty versatile. I’ve included my updated recipe for this below that now incorporates chocolate chips and nuts as well as low carb yogurt. Please note that it is important, and essential, to let the meringues dry out in the oven. If you don’t give them at least two hours to dry, you’ll have, as my most recent batch attested, a cookie that is more like a meringue on a pie than a crunchy, melt away cookie.

Strawberries on a Cloud

Meringue shell:
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar substitute of choice (I usually use a combination of Splenda and liquid sucralose)
½ cup sugar free chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
1 pint of fresh strawberries, halved
2 cups of CarbMaster’s flavored yogurt of choice (strawberry white chocolate is delicious!)
½ cup sugar substitute
1 cup of whipped cream or whipped topping

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper, spray with cooking spray or use a silicon mat. Draw an 8 inch circle or other shape about the same size on the paper. Or just make eight 2 inch rounds on the tray.

In a clean small bowl, whip egg whites until they are foamy, add cream of tartar and continue to beat until peaks begin to form. Gradually add the sugar substitute and continue to beat until stiff. Fold vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts into the whipped egg whites carefully.

Spread the meringue over the circle you’ve drawn and build the edges of the shell as you hollow out the center. If you would like, you can make a ¼ inch layer of meringue on the paper, then put the rest of the meringue into a plastic bag, cut the end with a small hole and make the sides of the shell with this. If you’re doing individual shells, then just hollow the centers out and build up the edges for each shell. I’ve pictured an individual serving.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes, then turn the oven off and let shells dry out in the oven for at least two hours.

Beat whipped cream in a bowl until it begins to get stiff, then add in sugar substitute gradually and continue to beat until stiff.

Fill the center of your pie shell with the yogurt, arrange berries on top, then add dollops of whipped cream around the edge. For individual ones, put in about two tablespoons of yogurt, top with several berries, a dollop of whipped cream and a berry or two on the top. I also used blueberries with mine. You can assemble the large shell, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving, but don’t do it more than a couple of hours before serving. For individual ones, assemble just before you serve them.

Makes 8 servings, approximately 110 calories, 4.5 net carbs per serving.

Meringue Cookies

The same recipe for meringue will make about 40 to 48 cookies. Simply drop by a teaspoonful, using another teaspoon to push the meringue onto the baking tray (be sure to spray with cooking spray so they won’t stick to the parchment paper or silicon mat). For variety, fold in chopped craisins or other chopped dried fruit to the mixture. They will add about 1 carb to the net carb count, but they are delicious in the meringue.

You can also make cocoa meringues by adding 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder (check for a low carb count on the can) to the egg whites as you are mixing in the sugar. You can omit the chocolate chips and nuts if you wish and just have a plain meringue.

Experiment with other flavorings like orange, almond, banana, etc. for different flavors in the meringue. You can also make a sandwich cookie by putting a tablespoon of whipped cream or a whipped cream and cream cheese combo, flavored with mint, orange, banana, or whatever you’d like to try, between two of the cookies. Have fun! Meringues are a fun, tasty low-carb treat!