Author: Jennifer

Pumpkin Cheesecake Donuts

Posted on by
Pumpkin Cheesecake Donuts
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 6
  • Serving size: 1 donut
  • Calories: 270
  • Fat: 22.4g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.7g
  • Fiber: 10.6g
  • Protein: 8.3g
Save Print
National Filled Donut Day! Temptations abound when the fall season hits. These pumpkin donuts filled with rich cheesecake are no exception. It doesn't take an expert to make these at home, you can squeeze them out in no time! See the directions for how to easily squeeze these into your morning routine.
Ingredients
  • Donuts:
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 Tbsp erythritol, powdered
  • 1 Tbsp xylitol, powdered
  • 1 pinch pure powdered stevia
  • 2 tbsp coconut milk
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 3 Tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 tsp powdered psyllium husk
  • 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp all spice
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Filling:
  • 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
  • 2 pinches stevia
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2-3 drops lemon essential oil (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-well donut pan and set aside. Powder the erythritol, xylitol and 1 pinch of stevia in a blender, pulsing until fine.
  2. Whisk the eggs and pumpkin puree together. Whisk in the powdered sweeteners, coconut milk, butter and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
  3. Add the almond meal, coconut flour, psyllium husk powder (optional; it helps to keep the donuts from falling apart after baking), spices, baking powder and salt mixing until fully incorporated and thick. Set aside.
  4. In a small microwave safe bowl, heat the cream cheese until slightly warm and whisk until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, stevia, lemon juice, lemon zest and essential oil if using (tangerine is also delicious in this recipe). Whisk until creamy then add to a zip top bag, cut the corner about ¼-inch and set aside.
  5. Fill each donut well about ⅓ full and spread evenly with a spatula. To do this easily, fill a zip top bag with the batter and cut off one corner (about ½ inch). Squeeze about ½ of the batter into the wells and spread out with a spatula. Now add the cream cheese filling placing it in the center of the batter around the ring (so there is batter on all sides). Pipe the remaining batter over each cheesecake ribbon and using a spatula or finger tips be sure that all the cream cheese is covered with batter without disturbing it too much. You shouldn’t see any cheese peeking through anywhere.
  6. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the donuts are puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and allow the donuts to sit in the pan for 10 minutes to cool. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Makes 6 donuts.
Notes
NC: 5.1g
SugarOH: 6g
 

Coffee and Cardamom Ice Cream

Posted on by

Cardamom and coffee are old pals.  Cardamom is a is a spice known to have a strong, pungent flavor with hints of lemon, mint, and smoke.  It is traditional in the Middle East to add it to coffee.  If you haven’t tried the combination it is absolutely a must, and with this ice cream recipe the sweetness and coconut milk flavor adds just the right amount of pop!  My favorite way to enjoy this ice cream is as a floater to cold brew iced coffee.  It’s like having a treat in the morning without the sugar and all the flavor.

Coffee and Cardamom Ice Cream
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 6 servings
  • Calories: 157
  • Fat: 12.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 13.4g
  • Fiber: 10.6g
  • Protein: 1.5g
Save Print
Ingredients
  • 13.5 oz canned coconut milk or cream
  • ⅓ cup xylitol, divided
  • Pinch pure powdered stevia
  • 1 tbsp instant coffee
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ½ - 1 tsp freshly ground cardamom
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • Pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Combine the coconut milk, all but 1 tbsp of the xylitol, stevia, instant coffee and cardamom in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat. Heat until bubbles just start to form around the edge of the pan. Take off the heat and set aside.
  2. While the milk is heating, whisk together the egg yolks, 1 tbsp xylitol and salt. Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture and then return it to the sauce pan and set it back over medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon; about 5 minutes (do not allow it to boil). Stir in the vanilla and transfer to a small bowl set over an ice water bath. Allow to sit and cool stirring every 5 minutes until chilled. Cover surface of the custard with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight to intensify flavors and chill properly.
  3. Once chilled, place into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions to make ice cream. Serve immediately or put into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to one month. Makes about 3 cups. Each serving is ½ cup.
Notes
NC: 2.8g
SugarOH: 10.7g
 

 

Banana Chocolate Protein Muffins

Posted on by
Banana Chocolate Protein Muffins
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 11
  • Serving size: 1
  • Calories: 134
  • Fat: 9.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 11.2g
  • Fiber: 5.5g
  • Protein: 6.4g
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Save Print
Chocolate and Bananas? Bananas are often not considered to be a good choice when living a sugar free lifestyle. However, this is the case mostly because they are high in sugar and easy to over eat because they are convenient (easy to throw into a workout bag) and are known as healthy. The key is to only eat a small amount. These muffins are the perfect solution to get in just the right amount of probiotic loving banana without the blood sugar impact. Did I mention they are delicious too?!
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tbsp erythritol (Swerve or Lankanto - brown also work beautifully)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup mashed banana
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 tbsp whey protein powder
  • 4 tbsp hydrolyzed gelatin powder
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ⅓ tsp salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 11 muffin liners in a muffin tin and set aside.
  2. Whisk together the melted coconut oil, eggs, erythritol and vanilla. Add in the mashed banana mixing to combine.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, whey protein powder, gelatin, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt to break up clumps.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients blending to fully combine. Scoop into 11 muffin liners and bake 20-23 minutes until puffed and set in the centers. Set aside on a rack to cool in the pan. Makes 11 muffins.
Notes
Net Carbs: 5.7g
SugarOH: 2.2g
 

 

Probiotic NY-Style Non-Dairy Cheesecake

Posted on by

Probiotic Cheesecake?  What in the world is that, you may ask.

Probiotic foods are quite popular for a very good reason.  Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that normally reside in your gut.  They are highly beneficial to our health and are best when served within their natural habitat (in other words with the foods they like to eat and can grow from).

This cheesecake,  aside from being creamy, healthy and dairy free, is quite possibly one of the healthiest desserts around!

To make it cashews are cultured with probiotics (much like yogurt) and since it is not cooked the probiotics remain active.  A luscious probiotic sour “cream” made from coconut milk is added to the top.  As always it is sugar free and low in carbs.

I added a quick blackberry topping to give it some color and decadence.  Try topping it with your favorite berry!

Sweet Synergy

 

More delicious recipes in my book, Sweet Synergy!

 

Probiotic NY-Style Non-Dairy Cheesecake
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serving size: 1
  • Calories: 150
  • Fat: 12.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 8.6g
  • Fiber: 3.2g
  • Protein: 3.3g
Save Print
Ingredients
  • Cheesecake Filling:
  • 2 cups raw cashews
  • 2 probiotic capsules (or ¼ cup unsweetened coconut yogurt or whey from milk or coconut kefir)
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 lemon (zested and juiced, 2 tsp zest and 2 tbsp juice)
  • 2 tbsp xylitol, powdered
  • 2 pinches pure powdered stevia
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut milk or water
  • 1 tsp gelatin
  • 2-3 drops lemon essential oil (optional)
  • Cheesecake Topping:
  • 14oz can of unsweetened coconut milk or cream
  • 2 probiotic capsules (or ¼ cup unsweetened coconut yogurt or whey from milk or coconut kefir)
  • 2 tbps xylitol, powdered
  • 1 pinch pure powdered stevia
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut milk or water
  • 1 tsp gelatin
Instructions
  1. Filling:
  2. Soak nuts overnight or for at least 8 hours and as much as 24 hours in a large bowl with filtered water. Drain and place in a blender with the coconut oil.
  3. Blend until the cashews become a very fine paste adding water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to create a very smooth and thick mixture.
  4. Break open the probiotic capsules (or add the other options) and add to the nut mixture. Blend for 1-3 pulses until combined.
  5. Pour mixture into a bowl, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel or clean paper towel and place in a dark area in your kitchen (I place mine in a cabinet so it won’t be disturbed and won’t be affected by light). Allow the probiotic cashew mixture to sit undisturbed for 24-48 hours. Test after 24 hours to see if it is sour enough for your taste. Place in the refrigerator in a container with a tight fitting lid.
  6. After both the filling and topping (below) have been cultured (either before or after refrigeration) stir the lemon zest, lemon juice, xylitol and stevia (add lemon essential oil now too if using) into the cheesecake filling. Set aside.
  7. Place the coconut milk into a small microwavable bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top; allow to rehydrate for 2-3 minutes then microwave for 10-15 seconds until all the gelatin has melted and appears clear (do not boil). Add 2-3 tbsp of the cheesecake filling to the bowl of gelatin and stir until blended then blend that into the rest of the filling. Set aside.
  8. Topping
  9. Heat the coconut milk to 115°F, remove from heat and set aside to cool down to 100°F.
  10. Once the milk has reached 100°F, break open the probiotic capsules and sprinkle them onto the warm milk. Whisk until uniform. Pour mixture into the container of your yogurt maker or pour into a container with a cover (not airtight) and set in a warm location in your kitchen (an oven with the oven light on works fine) for 18-24 hours.
  11. After the coconut milk has cultured, place into a container and blend in the xylitol, stevia and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
  12. Place the coconut milk into a small microwavable bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top; allow to rehydrate for 2-3 minutes then microwave for 10-15 seconds until all the gelatin has melted and appears clear (do not boil). Add 2-3 tbsp of the cheesecake topping to the bowl of gelatin and stir until blended then blend that into the rest of the topping. Set aside.
  13. Putting It All Together:
  14. At this point both the filling and topping are cultured and all the ingredients have been added for both. Placing them in the refrigerator at this point will produce thickened filling and topping – it will set the gelatin. Both the filling and topping can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the refrigerator for optimal flavor and sour taste as long as they are made without the gelatin. The gelatin can be added just before assembling.
  15. Prepare a sheet pan with 14 silicon regular muffin cups (alternatively paper cups can be used in a muffin tin). Using a 3 tbsp scoop, scoop 3 tbsp filling into each muffin cup and then top with 1 tbsp of topping (you will have extra topping, use it to make a sugar-free granola parfait with berries – it’s delicious!) Place the sheet pan in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours for the gelatin the fully set. When you plan to serve them, pop them in the freezer for an hour so they are easier to remove from the silicon or paper. Makes 14 regular muffin-sized cheesecakes or 1-9-inch cheesecake (in a spring-form pan; use all of the filling and 1 cup of the topping). Keep leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
Net Carbs: 5.4g
SugarOH: 13g


More delicious recipes in my book, Sweet Synergy!

Sweet Synergy
 

 

    More delicious recipes in my book, Sweet Synergy!

 

 

 

Want to learn more?
    More delicious recipes in my book, Sweet Synergy!

 

 

 

 

More delicious recipes in my book, Sweet Synergy!

 

Tips for Making Sugar Free Ice Cream at Home

Posted on by

National Ice Cream Day is the third Sunday in July. I don’t think I will ever forget this day several years ago because my daughter used to manage a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream store. She came home that night with ice cream from head to toes! She was exhausted and a bit sticky. She told us there were 8 people working that day and they gave away over 1000 ice cream cones. She also vowed that she would not work that day ever again.

Which reminds me of another time I was living in Danville, CA and we went out for ice cream… imagine a hot evening (it was over 100°F that day) and we had the brilliant idea of getting ice cream at the local shop. We step in the door angling for a good view of the tubs in the freezers and carefully chose the very best flavor, mine is usually butter pecan or chocolate. After being mesmerized and oblivious to anything but the creamy goodness before us we looked up to determine just how long it would take the two kids behind the counter to serve us. It was just a moment later, watching one young man scoop ice cream for the next customer, that we noticed he had ice cream up to his shoulders and all over his apron front from leaning into the cases. Initially it wasn’t an unpleasant thought but as we continued to wait and see more and more ice cream being scooped and more and more ice cream ending up all over this kid… it began to change our experience from one of excitement to one of thoughtfulness.

Instead of feeling excited about my flavor choice I started to wonder if getting ice cream was really necessary. Do I really want it that bad to wait this long for it and seeing it all over this poor oblivious kid helped me to step away and rethink my desire or need for a scoop. I also had a few pounds to lose and I knew ice cream probably wasn’t going to help me fit into that pair of jean shorts I’ve been hoping to wear that summer.

Boy do I wish every temptation had a kid like that to help me rethink my food choices! He was the perfect antidote for wanting a scoop. That was the first time I walked away from an ice cream store empty handed. Ever since then I had a new perspective on ice cream and it began my search for an alternative.

It’s not every day that I recommend eating ice cream but there are scenarios where it can be a wonderful dessert and it doesn’t have to make you feel guilty, unhealthy or derail your diet. There is no need to feel left out on National Ice Cream Day! However, finding sugar-free ice cream that tastes delicious in an ice cream store or even in the super market is not a reality. When you can find it, sadly, sucralose or Splenda is often used along with a lot of chemicals to make commercial ice cream shelf stable and palatable. Not a choice I recommend.

The good news…

Ice cream can be made dairy free, egg free, flavorful, probiotic (good for your belly) and as always sugar free. AND it is truly simple to make! Using simple ingredients and techniques you can have ice cream in a matter of minutes. Here are some simple tips to help you: Ice Cream Your Way

It is best to follow a tested recipe in order to make ingredient swaps. Please see my Special Desserts recipes for several recipes you can try.

Buttermilk-Sherbet-with-Peaches-and-Rum-Caramel

1.Collect ingredients:

  • Choice of milk. For traditional ice cream milk and heavy cream are used. Since we would like to make the ice cream low in sugar I recommend substituting out the milk for unsweetened coconut, almond or other nut milk. Do keep the heavy cream though as it provides the creamiest texture (full fat coconut milk can be substituted if you are dairy free).
  • Choice of sweetener. My typical sweeteners of choice are xylitol, erythritol and stevia. Erythritol cannot be used in ice cream. It will recrystallize and become grainy once frozen (not most people’s preferred texture in ice cream). Xylitol alone or in combination with stevia is the best choice. Stevia alone will not provide the necessary “solids” to make the ice cream taste good.
  • Choice of thickener. Eggs are typically used to thicken ice cream and to provide emulsification for the other ingredients which helps to give it a creamy texture. Gelatin can be used to replace eggs as well as xanthan or guar gum.
  • Optional flavors or mix-ins. These could be sugar-free caramel, sugar-free candies, frozen fruit or even essential oils.

2. Prepare Ice Cream Base:

  • Steep milk with dried flavorings. For example, if you want to make an earl grey tea ice cream it is best to steep your hot milk of choice for at least 20 minutes to infuse the flavor of the tea.
  • Make base according to directions in the recipe. This may require tempering eggs or adding rehydrated gelatin. Some recipes are so simple you just need to put them into your ice cream maker!
  • Cure your base by pre-chilling overnight. This important step allows the sweetener to absorb as much water as possible which creates the best texture. But if you are in a hurry it can be skipped.

3.Choose freezing method:

  • Old Fashioned Method. A big plastic or wooden outer bucket with a metal inner bucket. Rock salt and ice are added to the outer bucket and the mixture to the inner bucket. The dasher (whips air into the mix as it freezes) is inserted and it is either cranked by hand or electronically creating the ice cream. Works very well but takes time and effort.
  • Ice-Cube Tray Method (ready in minutes!) Ice cream base is poured into ice cube trays and place in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen blend the cubes at 30-second intervals with additional milk of choice (just a small amount if needed) until smooth then store in a container in the freezer until ready to eat.
  • Milk Shake Method. No need to wait. Simply add your chilled ice cream base (I like to stick it in the freezer about 45 minutes) and ice to a blender and enjoy!
  • Nesting Bowl Method. Nest a small bowl with your ice cream base inside of a larger bowl filled about halfway with ice and lots of rock salt. Using a hand mixer blend the ice cream base until it becomes cold (about 10 minutes) then cover with a towel and place both bowls in the freezer for 45 minutes. Remove from the freezer and blend again for 2-4 minutes, pour into a small container and freeze for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve. This is also accomplished with equipment such as for the KitchenAid mixer where a specialty freezer bowl is pre-frozen and can be used directly with your machine.
  • Self-Contained Freezer or Ice Cream Maker Method. Essentially, the mix is added and a button is pushed and off it goes for about 20 minutes or so. This is the easiest and makes the best texture of ice cream but can be an expensive purchase and the unit is very heavy and bulky (takes up a lot of counter space) and is often difficult to clean.

However you decide to make your ice cream, eat it within a few months if it lasts that long! Freezers are notoriously changing temperature and your ice cream may be perfect the first time you eat it but the longer it sits the more likely it will absorb odors from other foods and change texture as the temperature fluctuates and it thaws slightly then refreezes every time you open the door.

In the meantime… enjoy your ice cream! Let it drip down your face too.

Kastl-Ice-Cream