Chocolate Drizzled Orange Biscotti

 Isn't it crazy that the holiday season and the flu season coincide? Too much to do to be sidelined in bed. It seems like everyone around me is dropping. I have had several bouts of illness myself this autumn. One trip to the doctor sent me straight to the emergency room. All better now, but  it was a battle to get all my recipes tested for the last issue of the 2017 Diner News. I found myself in the final week of November, also my birthday, with more cookies and cakes than I could possibly consume. There is a blessing in that though. I now know which of my new cookie creations stand up to the test of time. Great for gifting or shipping off to loved ones. This biscotti is a winner in that category.

I can remember just how cherished the Christmas box of goodies was that my sweet mama sent to me when I was in college. I was the most popular girl in the dorm when that package arrived. This is one cookie that could meet the challenge. It is sturdy. The flavor improves with age, and the texture is delightful. Biscotti is known for that. Good for dunking. I personally don't dunk, preferring a crisper or firmer cookie. It is near impossible to get a really crisp low carb cookie, but I have never liked soft, doughy cookies. My friends claim I like burned cookies. It is true to a point, but I just refuse to eat an underbaked confection. To each his own. If you like cookies that crumble in your fingers (or perhaps even fold around a finger) then be sure to have coffee or cocoa for dunking. Me, not so much.

I love the combo of orange and chocolate. It seems Christmasy to me. You can leave out that flavoring, adding in whatever you prefer. Use the sweetener you like. Make your own chocolate chips or buy a more expensive brand. Make this one work for you!

Chocolate Drizzled Orange Biscotti

1 3/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup oat fiber
3 tbsp Pyure granulated or any 2 x sweetness sugar sub
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg
1 tsp orange extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup melted sugar free chocolate chips
1 tbsp coconut oil

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Stir in 1/4 cup butter, egg and orange extract until dough comes together. Gently stir in sliced almonds. Place dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Form into a long loaf shape about 5 inches wide at the widest. Bake at 350 degrees for 25—30 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch. Let cool two hours. Slice the loaf into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange on cookie sheet and bake again for 30 minutes, turning cookies over at the halfway point. Turn oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven. Melt chocolate chips with coconut oil and drizzle over biscotti. 

Makes 10 Biscotti: 155 calories     2 net g carb

This recipe is from the last edition of the Diner News. I have retired from the newsletter. It was so much work every month with such a strict deadline. My subscriptions are down, and my time is limited. I am still going to be doing recipe development, but I am planning for more specialty e-books and such. My family has changed with all the boys grown and out of the house. My hubby is never home for dinner anymore, as he is working nights. More often than not, I am cooking pretty simple meals. I still plan to keep up my blog and social media. In fact, that may increase with less effort going into the Diner News. We will see. I need a little time to recuperate and energize. The new year always inspires me. I will share more of my holiday recipes, and then we will delve deeply into healthier eating for the new year. I have two diabetic friends who want to lose weight, so hopefully, we can focus on health together. My oldest son in low carbing now. Sadly, he is in Arkansas, but I am sending him ideas and products to try. Needless to say, the 24/7 Low Carb Diner will still be around.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

What a crazy week at my house. Between fall break, some unknown mystery flu, someone reporting my blog as a threat on Facebook (again), a trip to the ER, being admitted into the hospital and released within two hours... who has time to think about menu plans? Aaargh. Is your life like this too? Who could even think about eating healthy? (ok a couple of days in there, I could barely think about eating at all. I will spare you the details)

So, since I am now working double time on the November Diner News, the Thanksgiving edition, I am going to share a recipe from the October issue. This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf lasted me many coffee breaks. I  made it to take to bible study when the rest of the ladies were eating doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. No deprivation at all. It is moist and chocolaty. A few fall spices just add to the deliciousness.

Granted, you need my baking mix to make this loaf. You should have that all the time. It makes muffins and cakes so much faster to put together. The combo of ingredients is so good. I remember my early days low carbing. Trying to cover the flavor of flax. Trying not to eat too many calories with almond flour treats. Never knowing the outcome with coconut flour or protein powder recipes. This blend works every time for me. Get the recipe here.

Ready to make this delicious fall treat? Just a couple details. You can use my home made chocolate chips. Recipe here. Or you can use those expensive sugarfree chips. Or you can decide to live with the possible intestinal effects of maltitol in the readily available Hershey's Sugarfree Chocolate Chips. If you tolerate them, these are the cheapest and easiest. You do what is best for you.  I left the bag on the counter and my son nibbled them out of the bag all evening. He never reported any tummy issues. But my husband and I have an embarrassing story to tell about the time we ate some sugarfree fudge at a Branson stageshow. Another story I will spare the details on.

On to the recipe:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

This bread is moist and gooey with the chocolate chips. We love the spice and chocolate combination!

 

4 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup Swerve or erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar

1 cup Master Baking Mix (either blend)

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup sugarfree chocolate chips

Combine egg, pumpkin, coconut oil and sweetener. Stir in baking mix, baking powder and spice. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into a parchment lined loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Test the center. When the center is set, remove from oven and let cool.

Cut into 12 slices. Each slice is 134 calories and 4 net g carb

 I promise now that I am feeling healthy again, I am cooking up a storm. Here it is 11 o 'clock on a Friday night and my house smells like smoked turkey and sweet and sour red cabbage. Having lost so many days this week, I have to miss my bible study girls tomorrow. Since I have to take photos when I have good lighting, I told them I was going on a turkey shoot.

You guys stay happy and healthy. The hectic holidays are coming. We got this!

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Maple Street Cookies

I love the sweet flavors of fall. Pumpkin spice is a given, but don't forget caramel apple,  maple and cranberry. This month's Diner News celebrates those kind of dishes that make us love this time of year. Comforting soups are back on the menu, along with hot sippers with fall flavors. Pumpkin recipes abound, but not necessarily sweet. Cranberries are perfect for salads. In my part of the world it is state fair time, so caramel apples are popular too. I have lots of recipes that will keep us low carbers from cheating or missing out on favorite fall treats.

These cookies are full of maple flavor. They are really easy to make too. One bite is really quite similar to that first taste of waffles topped in syrup. Yum. I wanted to make them pretty, but colored sugar sprinkles just won't do. I made a little tinted coconut milk powder mix to go on top. It worked well. Just enough seasonal prettiness.

Maple Street Cookies  

2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup erythritol/stevia blend

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

2 1/2 tbsp butter, melted

¾ tsp vanilla extract

 ½ tsp maple flavoring

1/8 tsp stevia extract

2 tbsp dried coconut milk powder

1 tsp powdered erythritol / stevia blend

Combine almond flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in egg, butter, vanilla extract , maple flavoring and stevia extract until dough comes together. Use a small cookie scoop to measure out a ball of dough. Roll into a ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten each ball. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Remove to cooling rack. Combine coconut milk powder and powdered sweetener with a drop of yellow and drop or red food coloring. Sprinkle the top of each cookie with the tinted topping.

36 cookies.      A serving of 3:  143 calories     2 net g carb

Now check out the other great fall dishes in this month's Diner News. You know you can order the 2017 Diner News here.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Close Your Eyes Caramel Apple Float

Pumpkin Pizza

Harvest Chicken Salad

Maple Roast Beef

Pumpkin Spice Sipper

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin Smothered Pork Chops in Paper

Roasted Cranberry Apple Slaw

Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip

Skinny Pumpkin Chipotle Soup

Spaghetti Squash Chili

 

 

 

 

 

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Shooter

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Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here.

Strawberry Ice Cream

It is a perennial favorite. Berries and cream. Cold and sweet. What could be better on an August afternoon? I don't make ice cream too often, so this is a wonderful treat.

This recipe does have a few ingredients you won't find in your grandma's old recipe. A couple of low carb tricks are in order. The cottage cheese thickens it up and lowers the calories too.  And for a smoother texture and better freezing, go ahead and purchase some glycerin--it really adds to the mouthfeel.

Just 120 calories and 6 net g carb. Make room for this sweet treat! Last year, I used this ice cream for the base of a beautiful ice cream mini cake. This was so delish. Get the recipe here

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Strawberry Ice Cream

2 1/2 cups unsweetened cashew milk

1 1/2 cup diced strawberries (divided use)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup erythritol/stevia blend

1 tsp glycerin

1 tsp glucomannan

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

In a blender, combine cashew milk, 1 cup diced strawberries, heavy cream, cottage cheese, egg, sweetener, glycerin, glucomannan, vanilla,  and salt. Process until smooth and pour into ice cream maker.

When ice cream is soft set, add remaining strawberries. Scoop the soft serve into a freezer container.  

Serves 6:  120 calories     6 net carb

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Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here.

Honey Sun Butter Cookies

Life is certainly nuts around here. This month, all my recipes in the Diner News feature nuts. This is a favorite--they taste nutty, but they are actually made with seeds. Sunflower Seeds, ground into a butter. Great for schools with no nuts policies. Good eating for all of us.

The old magic peanut butter cookie with just three ingredients was my inspiration. This one, the sun butter replaces the peanuts. A honey flavoring replaces the actual honey. Very nice. Chewy, not crumbly or hard like some low carb cookies. And talk about easy to make! Just 4 ingredients. No baking powder to react with the sunflower and turn green! (although that is rather fun)

You can make them without the honey flavoring, but I think that really does add to the taste. I use Lorann Super Strength Honey Flavoring. I got mine at Netrition, but it is available in lots of places.

These cookies are a nice little treat that everyone can enjoy anytime. Perfect for lunchboxes. It is a little harder to make that signature criss-cross shape with a fork--at least harder than I remember when I used to bake peanut butter cookies with my sweet grandma.

Honey Sun Butter Cookies

1 cup sunflower seed butter (sunbutter)

1 cup powdered Swerve

1 egg

1/4 tsp honey flavoring

Combine butter, sweetener, egg and honey flavoring. Use a scoop to place balls of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. The dough will be sticky. Use a fork  to gently shape a criss-cross design. (the dough will be stickier than traditional peanut butter cookies) Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Remove to a solid surface and cool.  Makes 36. 

2 cookie serving is 93 calories and 1 net carb (of 3)

The Diner News will be out soon. I am on the run since we have a short month! I have lots of fun nut mixes, some entree ideas and recipes for making your own nutmilks and nutbutters. Seeds too. You are going to love it!

Get more great recipes at the Low Carbing Among Friends Facebook Page:               https://www.facebook.com/LowCarbingAmongFriends

 Order any of our great cookbooks at  http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here.

Peanut Butter Cup Pops -the Most Amazing Summer Treat!

These are the best popsicles I have ever made. Hands down.

I happen to love chocolate and peanut butter combined, so that was a no brainer. These are super easy to make. The hard part will be waiting for them to freeze--especially if you licked the bowl like I did.

They are not icy hard either; even after a night in the freezer. The peanut butter keeps them on the creamy side. So delish. My son came for dinner tonight and gave them a big thumbs up.

A couple of notes for the purists. This recipe does take a couple of shortcuts that some might consider to not completely match a whole food approach. I did depart from my usual choice of sweeteners. I added a packet of Diet Swiss Miss cocoa for the chocolate flavoring. (now labeled "Light") Chocolate is tricky to sweeten, so I often use a combination of sweeteners. I took a shortcut by using hot cocoa mix that has Sucralose and Ace-K. It is just one packet for 4 servings, and I can live with that. You do what is best for you. You may want to experiment with some straight cocoa powder and some extra sweetener. I haven't tried that yet. When I do, I will let you know.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pops

1 1/2 cups unsweetened  cashew or almond milk, plain or vanilla

4 tsp erythritol/ stevia blend

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (Smuckers is my brand)

1 envelope Swiss Miss Light cocoa mix

Optional:

1/4 cup cashew or almond milk

2 tbsp sugarfree chocolate syrup

Add sweetener to cashew or almond milk. Spoon peanut butter into  a medium bowl. Gradually mix half of the cashew milk into the peanut butter. Add the envelope of cocoa mix and stir until no lumps remain. Slowly add the remaining cashew milk. Pour this mixture into 4 popsicle molds and freeze 4 hours or overnight.  Optional: Combine 1/4 cup cashew or almond milk with 2 tbsp sugarfree chocolate syrup. Add to the top before inserting sticks.   

Serves 4 large pops:   232 calories   4 net g carb

If you go with the cocoa mix, be sure not to choose the sugarfree label. That has more carbs and calories. I know, the world is just not fair, right? The optional chocolate layer is what I needed to fill up my cups. Depending on size, you may not need the chocolate layer. While interesting, it is not as good as the peanut butter portion, so you won't be missing out if you leave it off.

 Now that all the possible issues have been dealt with, back to the raving. So yummy. Such a treat. Far better than a cheat with a real fudgesicle or peanut butter shake from Sonic.

We are treating ourselves a lot lately. The next Diner News will feature all sorts of frozen foods and drinks. Perfect for August's heat. Be watching!

Get more great recipes at the Low Carbing Among Friends Facebook Page:               https://www.facebook.com/LowCarbingAmongFriends

 Order any of our great cookbooks at  http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles,  A Table for Two here