Category: Sauces and Toppings

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce

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Chocolate sauce! Every baker and home chef needs an outstanding recipe for chocolate sauce. Chocolate sauce goes on everything from ice cream to fruit and beyond. Its limits are only bound by your creativity in using it.

This recipe is fairly straight forward. It makes a thick rich sauce that is flavorful enough on its own but layers nicely with additional flavorings as well.

Don’t forget to check out some of my favorite flavor enhancers below.

Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 8 Servings
  • Serving size: About 2 Tbsp
  • Calories: 110
  • Fat: 9.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 9.2g
  • Fiber: 7.5g
  • Protein: 2g
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Ingredients
  • 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 oz sugar-free chocolate
  • 6 tbsp canned coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp xylitol
  • 1 tbsp erythritol
  • Pinch pure powdered stevia
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Finely chop the chocolates and place them in a medium bowl.
  2. Place the coconut milk, xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir continuously until the mixture just begins to bubble around the outside of the pan. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to melt then whisk to blend. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the vanilla or other flavorings, stir into a smooth mixture and adjust flavor if necessary.
  3. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks and serve warm by gently reheating. Makes 1 cup. Each serving is about 2 Tbsp.
Notes
Net Carbs : 1.7g
sugarOH: 6.3
 

Here are some of my favorite flavor additions:

Optional Flavorings:

  • ½ tbsp rum
  • ¼ tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp raspberry extract
  • ½ tsp orange extract

But it doesn’t end there. As you may know, I also love essential oils and being that this recipe is rich in healthy fat it offers a great base to add essential oils. A couple drops of lavender served over blueberries is divine. Adding basil and serving with fresh strawberries highlights their sweetness with the green notes from the basil with the bitterness of the chocolate. Go lightly, it is easy to add to much essential oil. I hope you enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Pie Granola

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Pumpkin Pie Granola!  Just what the doctor ordered for your next pie topping.  What?  What I mean is that this versatile granola is not only delicious on it’s own as part of your morning go to healthy breakfast (served with Coconut Yogurt perhaps) but it also makes a fantastic crumble for an apple pie or even as the base of a pumpkin pie or cheesecake.  But the ultimate way to use it is with chocolate!

Pumpkin Pie Granola
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 4 cups
  • Serving size: ½ cup
  • Calories: 268
  • Fat: 24.7g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.8g
  • Fiber: 11.3g
  • Protein: 5.7g
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Ingredients
  • ¼ cupSpiced Pumpkin Butter (or pumpkin puree)
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 tbsp Lakanto® sweetener https://www.lakanto.com/
  • 1 Pinch pure stevia powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground allspice
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ cup flax seeds
  • 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together the Spiced Pumpkin Butter, coconut oil, eggy white and vanilla. Add the sweeteners salt and spices and whisk until thoroughly combined.
  3. Place the flax seeds in a food processor and pulse a few times. Then add the coconut, pecans, and pumpkins seeds and pumpkin butter mixture. Pulse 5-7 times until completely blended and mixture is medium coarse in texture. If you prefer a chunkier granola pulse less.
  4. Spread mixture evenly on the parchment paper or silicon mat and bake for 15 minutes. Stir using a spatula, flipping over larger pieces and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes until fragrant and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. If you find your mixture is not quite dry. Heat oven again to 300°F then turn off and set the granola back in the oven and close the door allowing the granola to continue to dry out but at a much lower temperature as the oven cools. Makes 4 cups, each serving is ½ cup.
Notes
Net Carbs = 3.5g
SugarOH = 6g
 

Spiced Pumpkin Buttter

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I love pumpkin butter… I admit it.  It is pictured here with my Hazelnut Crackers.  I love it in my grilled cheese sandwich (with low-carb bread of course and manchego goat cheese – to die for really!)  I love it on crackers spread with soft goat cheese or even cream cheese.  It helps to make a fantastic pumpkin pie (just substitute 1/2 of your pumpkin puree and follow the recipe as written.)  It can create interest to just about anything you eat it can even be combined with nuts to make Pumpkin Pie Granola.  Oh my!  Did I mention Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Bark?!  Uh oh!

Spiced Pumpkin Buttter
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 12
  • Calories: 39
  • Fat: 2.5
  • Carbohydrates: 5.6
  • Fiber: 3.4
  • Protein: .5
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Ingredients
  • 15 oz canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp Lakanto® brown sugar substitute
  • 1 pinch pure stevia (20 drops of liquid)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp ginger
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • ¼ tsp chili powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp maple extract (optional)
Instructions
  1. Combine pumpkin, coconut oil, xylitol, stevia, spices and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook while stirring to prevent scorching on the bottom. Continue to cook until it darkens in color and becomes thick; about 15-20 minutes.
  2. Stir in the lemon juice, remove from heat and allow it to cool until room temperature then stir in vanilla and maple extracts. Adjust sweetness by adding more stevia if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 2 weeks. May be frozen for up to 6 months. Makes 1 ½ cups of 2 tbsp per serving.
Notes
Net Carbs = 2.3g
SugarOH = 2g
 

Cran-Blueberry Sauce

Cran-Blueberry Sauce

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A video version of this recipe can be found here.

Cran-Blueberry Sauce
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 12
  • Serving size: ¼ cup
  • Calories: 43
  • Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.9g
  • Fiber: 11.4g
  • Protein: 0.3g
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Ingredients
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 cup water
  • ⅓ cup xylitol
  • ¼ cup erythritol
  • 1 pinch pure powdered stevia
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
Instructions
  1. Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the cranberries burst and the mixture becomes thickened.
  3. Cool and then store in the refrigerator until ready to use. May be made up to one week in advance or frozen for up to three months. Makes 3 cups. A serving is about ¼ cup.
Notes
Net Carbs: 5.5g
SugarOH: 9.3g
 

Blackberry Jalapeno Jam

Blackberry Jalapeno Refrigerator Jam

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A video version of this recipe can be found here.

Blackberry Jalapeno Refrigerator Jam
 
Author: 
Nutrition Information
  • Serves: 10
  • Serving size: 2 tbsp
  • Calories: 13.3
  • Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 3.5g
  • Fiber: 2.5g
  • Protein: 0.3g
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Ingredients
  • 1½ cups fresh blackberries
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp xylitol
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • ⅛ tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 pinch of pure powdered stevia (optional)
Instructions
  1. Depending upon the size of the blackberries and the consistency of jam that you enjoy, leave the blackberries whole or cut them in half to make the inner core smaller. Place them in a heavy bottomed saucepan with the diced jalapeno, xylitol, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and continue to cook while stirring occasionally for 15–20 minutes or until thickened slightly.
  2. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the surface and then blend in with a spoon, continue to cook for one minute then remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Adjust sweetness by slowly adding stevia, to your taste. Once cool, place in a glass jar or plastic container with a tightly fitting lid and keep refrigerated for up to two weeks. This may also be properly canned if desired. Makes 1¼ cups. Each serving is 2 tablespoons.
Notes
Net Carbs: 1.0g
SugarOH: 1.2g