Triple Layer Coconut Candies

I like to get in my coconut oil every day. I recommend it for my students too. I believe the brain needs fats, but I seem to have a tough time convincing my students and parents that coconut oil is healthy for them. Perhaps this recipe will do it. It is so easy to use, I just don't get it. Why are they wary? Read this article about Coconut Babies.

I have been making coconut oil candies--"coco-crack" as some call it for several years. It is so easy, just melt, mix, pour and chill.  I love plain chocolate.  I adore peppermint added to the chocolate. And oh, the peanut butter flavor! I promised yesterday that I would post some recipes I have been playing around with. This one is nothing new--just a bit fancier than the type I have told you about before... a triple layer delight.

But since so many of you have asked on FB for the recipe. Here it is...just a quick bit of info first. The great folks at Tropical Traditions sent me this jar of their finest coconut oil. This is the good stuff. Amazing quality. Check it out here. I will have more news from them soon, so stay tuned to learn more about how you might be able to sample the Gold Label oil for yourself. No announcements today because I wanted to send you off to read the health benefits of the oil before we get going that direction. Contests have all sorts of rules about making health claims and I am certainly no researcher or doctor.

This is my simplest recipe, but I have more that I want to send to the Tropical Traditions site. I have a strawberry mousse that is incredible. That will be the one I will post with more news. Be watching.

Triple Layer Coconut Candies

3/4 cup Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup natural peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
liquid sweetener to taste, about 18 tsp equivalent, divided

Heat coconut oil until it is melted. Divide it among three bowls. In one bowl, stir in the cocoa powder until completely dissolved. Add liquid sweetener to taste. (I used about 6 drops of E.Z. Sweetz) In another bowl, stir in peanut butter until smooth. Add sweetener to taste. In the last bowl, add sweetener to taste.

To make individual candies, use a silicon form. Mine is squares, but mini muffin cups would work well,  as would conventional candy molds. The pan I use to make the square candies is available here. Divide the chocolate flavored oil among 12 small cups. Set the mixture into the refrigerator to set up. Be sure the mold rests evenly. Chill for about 10 minutes. Spoon the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate layer. Return to the refrigerator to set. When firm, take out and pour the remaining clear layer over the peanut butter. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 12. Each candy is 167 calories and 1 net gram carb.

Just a note--sweeteners really vary a lot, so I cannot emphasize enough to taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking. This brand of coconut oil seems sweet and flavorful already, so yours may vary. Stevia is also a good choice, and you may want to use a vanilla flavored stevia in that case. I love the contrast of the flavors in this candy. The peanut butter lends a slight salty bite, and the coconut is creamy and delish. Chocolate speaks for itself.

Remember to keep these chilled. On hot days, coconut oil will melt quickly. On cooler days, they do just fine in my bento box where they are protected. I limit myself to 2 a day. These really take care of any sweet cravings. Today is my youngest son's 20th birthday. These are my only sweet treat. Good enough. I do kinda miss the days of the big birthday parties, but I don't miss baking those cakes and sorting a dozen little boys!

Remember to watching for bigger news coming soon.

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Browned Butter Asparagus

As promised, the recipe for the delicious asparagus my mom and I dined on last Wednesday for our girls lunch. There are lots of ways to do asparagus, but I have often found myself a little perplexed as how to get the base parts tender without turning the tips to mush. I know to trim them, but I hate cutting off too much. When I grill or roast, it seems the ends stay a little woody. This method worked for me. Tender but not mushy.

The boiling broth tenderizes the ends, and adds flavor too. Then top it off with some browned butter and it is delish! I adore browned butter! This dish is the best of spring.

Browned Butter Asparagus

1 bunch fresh asparagus, about 3/4 lb
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp butter

Wash and trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Heat a small skillet with the chicken broth. When simmering, add the asparagus. Braise until just tender, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Place the asparagus into a serving bowl and set aside. Pour the broth off, saving it for soup. Melt the butter in the skillet. Stir it gently over a medium temperature until it begins to brown. Cook until most of the butter takes on a light brown hue. Remove from heat immediately and pour over the asparagus spears. Serves 4.   70 calories  1 net carb 

We are prepping for a fundraiser garage sale for our school this weekend, so I have lots of washing and sorting still to do. I did manage to make a great new recipe today, so I will share that one later this week. Gotta run while the sun still shines!

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Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Salmon

Not my regular Diner fare. This lunch was shared with my mom today--a girly meal. I don't do many of those. She supplied the fresh rosemary and the asparagus. I supplied the salmon and did the cooking. Not being the biggest fish eaters, we decided a flavorful glaze was in order. I found this method  at Victory or Death in the Kitchen and decided to adapt it just a bit. As usual, I read the recipe and then headed into the kitchen to do what felt natural. Far less vinegar and lighter on the rosemary too. I didn't grill, but slightly overbaked our fillets (not the plan), but they were still pretty good. I will put the changes I will make next time into the recipe below.

I think I will post the recipe for the asparagus later, as I did a little special thing with some browned butter.  Be looking for the recipe soon--Browned Butter Braised Asparagus. Yummmmmm. Seems to me that asparagus is either too soft and mushy or still stringy at the base. This method worked.  Maybe I was paying more attention to the vegetables than the salmon. That could have something to do with overbaking a tad. Maybe just maybe. My friends know I tend to overcook everything if given the chance. Don't be telling me I burned the onions. That is the way I like them--those little crispy dark brown ends. You can keep yours lightly golden.

Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Salmon

This recipe is for 2. Feel free to multiply for more servings.

2 wild caught Salmon fillets (4 ounces each)
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 small springs of fresh rosemary

Topping:
1/2 onion
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Glaze:
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves

Brush salmon fillets with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place each fillet on a foil square. Top with a  sprig of rosemary. Close the foil and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven.  Open the foil packets and return to the oven to bake for another 5-10 minutes. Fish should flake at the thickest part.

While foil is baking, slice onion into slivers. Saute in olive oil until browned. Stir in vinegar and set aside. To assemble glaze, place vinegar, water and rosemary leaves in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until reduced by half. When salmon is fully cooked, remove and reserve the rosemary sprig and place each fillet in the saucepan to coat with glaze. Plate the fish and top with onions. Place the reserved rosemary sprig on top and serve.

205 calories     6.5 net carbs

My mom's friend offered up the rosemary from her large potted plant that mom swore was as big as the landscaping bushes. Wouldn't that be nice to have!? We are having a freeze tonight. Because I was thinking of getting a large rosemary bush for my mom for Mother's Day--do any of you know how these large plants survive freezing? I certainly don't want her trying to haul it inside for winter. I don't have a green thumb, so I really don't know these things. In the mean time, she also brought some thyme. What shall I do with that? I felt bad that I hadn't started anything out in my pots. Now that the next two nights are freezing temperatures, I don't feel so guilty.  Brr.

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Sunflower Chocolate Muffins

With last Sunday being Easter, I didn't manage any prep cooking. Today, I am working double time! Already got our breakfast casserole and batch of muffins made for breakfasts this week. Made some sandwich wraps, egg salad and pepperoni chips and cheese crisps for lunches. I have the carne picada in the oven for our Triple Play meal this week--it will become Mexican, Asian and barbecue dishes. I still need to make the salad and prep some Minute Beef. I wanted to take the time to share these muffins before heading back into the kitchen.

I am currently out of almond flour, and I am a little tired of coconut flour muffins. I know Honeyville is having a sale right now, and I really wanted to order some, but it is just not in the budget. I do still have some raw sunflower seeds. My mom made some delicious cookies with ground sunflower seeds, but I know that combined with baking powder, you can get a green baked good. I don't know the exact chemistry of it all, but I really didn't want green muffins. The best anecdote? Cover any potential problem with chocolate. Come to think of it, that works well with all sorts of problems!

So I grabbed my trusty Ninja and made a batch of fluffy Sunflower Seed Flour. You could use a food processor or high end blender. (If you have one of those I am officially jealous) These muffins do have a flavor that is different from almond flour. If you like sunflower seeds, that shouldn't be a problem. The texture is light and fluffy. It is almost like a chocolate nut flavored muffin...with no nuts.  We liked these, and the sunflower seed flour has a couple distinct advantages over almond flour. First, it is cheaper by far. Second, these are seeds, so the flour is technically nut free too. I think I will do some more experimentation. This recipe could be adapted using different fats, and any sweetener you like. You might even prefer half almond and half sunflower seed flour. One cup of seeds makes one cup of flour. That is easy.

What is not easy is finding one source that agrees on the carb profile. My Mastercook program is having trouble today recognizing this. It seems to give the same numbers for flour and seeds still in the shell? I certainly don't trust that one, but then it also seems to give me an extra high carb number on almond flour. Imperfect software, I suppose. From what I can see from various sources, the carbs are very close to those of almond flour, so use accordingly. I don't know of any place that sells the flour pre-ground. Woohoo. Another chore to do from scratch, you say. You decide if it is worth it. If you think so, you might want to go all the way and soak and dehydrate the seeds first. I am not going there, so we will take our chances. It is either this or he will resort to Little Debbie.

Chocolate Sunflower Muffins

2 cups raw sunflower seeds
1 cup erythritol OR equivalent sweetener
2 tsp baking soda
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 stick butter
4 eggs
1/2 tsp liquid stevia OR sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup
Glaze:
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp powdered erythritol
1 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp butter, softened

In a food processor or blender, grind raw sunflower seeds into a flour. Be careful not to process too long, or you may get a nut butter. In a medium bowl, combine sunflower seed flour, erythritol, and baking soda. In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave. Add stevia and stir to blend. Add eggs to the chocolate mixture, beating one egg in at a time.Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Spoon batter into 12 baking cups, filling 2/3's full. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. The tops will crack. Remove from oven when centers are set. Let cool.

To make glaze, blend cocoa powder, erythritol and hot water until smooth. Stir in softened butter and stir until butter is incorporated. Dip the tops of 6 muffins into the glaze, and drizzle the glaze over the remaining muffins. If you prefer, double the glaze recipe. Dip all the muffin tops and use the remaining glaze on as a topping for ice cream or strawberries.
140 calories each    14 g fat    1.2 net carbs

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Ginny's French Toast

I have been so lax about photographing and reviewing the wonderful recipes in the newer Low Carbing Among Friends books. Starting and running an alternative school is a load of work! But hey, we all have lives, right? This morning I made this French Toast recipe from Ginny in the Low Carbing Among Friends Volume 2. It is on page 187. If you don't have the book, go get it now!  Go here.

We really liked it, although I had to change up one ingredient. Ginny's recipe calls for almond flour and Parmesan cheese. I had some cheese, but when I grabbed it, I found out the one I had left had crushed red pepper and Italian seasonings added. Not such a great match with French Toast. I decided to try a substitution of Golden Flax meal. Thankfully, that choice worked very well. The recipe is for one and goes together really quickly. The batter is baked in the microwave oven in under 2 minutes. Wow.  That is easy. I found a little Corningware casserole dish that is the perfect size for one piece of bread. Ginny says this can also be made into Texas Toast--you know the thick cut bread. It does bake up nice and thick. That is great since it doesn't fall apart after being dipped in the egg mixture.

I like to use a screaming hot cast iron skillet, so my French Toast cooked up faster than the recipe calls for. I even held it with the spatula to brown the sides a little bit. Just a bit of sugarfree syrup and breakfast was done. Really filling too. One piece will do ya!

This Easter weekend, my newlyweds are bringing their panini machine for sandwiches. I think this just might be the bread of choice for us low carbers. The thickness is going to work very well in the press.  I will keep you updated on that when the time comes.Until then, go make yourself some yummy French Toast. Thanks Ginny. Go check out her blog too. Ginny is a diabetic's inspiration! She may not know it, but I have been a fan since the days we first began low carbing for my Hubby's diabetes. You could say that I was probably her stalker on the Bernstein forum. She and I just gel because we both like to make real foods that feed our families and pass the "man" test! When you meet people who have maintained this way of eating for years, then you know it is the real thing.

Eggies and the Nutrition Police

None of my guys eats hard boiled eggs. I will on occasion. When I saw the Eggies gadget at the Dollar Tree, I decided to try it.  I mean, it was a dollar. I saw tons of reviews online of people that hated it. I saw more who questioned why bother. I saw a couple who liked it.

True, I have more kitchen experience than the average person, but I had no problem with leaking eggs, no messy counter, no boilovers. Pretty straight forward process. It does not save cooking time, and even adds prep time. I does prevent the pain of peeling eggs. I will never be good at that.  I know, I know. Use old eggs. Put soda in the water. Bake them instead.  I still have problems getting the shell off smoothly. No lectures please.

While we are on that lecturing subject. Yes, I know this is cooking in plastic and that is not good. I won't be doing this often-- promise. I figure there are so many bad things out there that I can't avoid, that I am not going to be the super vigilant, hyper healthy mom/wife/person that makes everyone around feel unworthy and judged. I remember the day a fellow parent made me feel terrible because I didn't use the right peanut butter and because my back yard did not have mature trees.  Excuse me. I never want to be her and I feel feel the sting of her judgment. I never go around telling people how awful sugar is. Not even when I see diabetics suffering. I offer our story simply as it is.  It is possible.

I work at keeping us healthy, but certainly don't want to make enemies because we choose to use or avoid certain foods or products. I read an article recently about how the "Paleo Police" make so many people give up even trying to make healthy choices. I got some rather snarky comments because I used Tilapia this week.  Ouch. Sometimes it just seems like there is nothing that is safe to consume.Either it is bad to start with, genetically modified, sprayed with pesticides, fed corn, coated in wheat, cooked with smoke, cooked too long, hard to digest when raw, source of salmonella, cooked in the wrong skillet, a possible allergen, or something.  Aaargh!

 I sometimes make bad choices and I admit it. Life is to be lived and every once in a while I have a diet Dr. Pepper. Not too often.  I do the best I can to be a good steward of our health and our finances. The two don't always get along well. Honestly, shopping at Whole Foods is simply not possible for us, and we have always lived simply, so there is no place to cut back.  I'll just place my hope in the fact that the good Lord has my days numbered and the occasional egg boiled in plastic or fizzy soda will not upset his plan for me. We are seldom sick and I have much more energy than people half my age. The reason for the Diner Plan was to keep us stocked in healthy foods when our attention was focused on life. Hard to believe, but despite having a food blog and being a cookbook author, my life focus is not food. I love it, but there is so much more to life. Let's go enjoy it instead of hyper focusing on every bite that goes into our mouths (and that stands true as to the state of the mouths around us too!) So Eggie or traditional boil, tis the season to enjoy some eggs. Go for it. And oh yeah, I remember when those were bad for us too.

Tilapia Tots

Fish haters everywhere! You gotta gotta gotta try this recipe. Tilapia was never this fun to eat! Who knew? These amazing little balls are filled with good stuff that makes getting your fish in a real treat. Yep, look at that photo---that is flaked tilapia, eggs, almond flour, cheese and spices. So instead of coating your fish and then frying-- hoping the breading will stay on-- just stir it all up, breading and all.

I made these beauties in my cake pop machine. (See? I promised you all there were more uses than sweets for this little gadget.) Because it crisps from all around, there is no need to fry.  Woohoo easy. If you still don't have one, than make these into little nuggets and pan fry in a little oil.

I made a super quick tartar sauce to go with these, but they are flavorful enough to eat alone. My sauce is 4 parts mayonnaise to 2 parts pickle relish to 1 part mustard. The relish I use varies. Right now I have a batch that tastes a little like bread and butter relish. What I did for that is to drain a jar of dill relish of most of the juices. Then I poured in the sweet pickle juice from an empty jar of Mt. Olive sugarfree pickles. That way, if you prefer your sauce with sweet pickles, you get a lot of that sweet taste. Good since sugarfree sweet pickles are hard to find around here.

Pretty sure this recipe for tots will be versatile. I used tilapia, but any white fish would work, I think. Feel free to vary the spice combo too.  I think Cajun seasoning would rock. Some Old Bay would probably be good too. I used cheddar cheese, but any easy melting cheese will work too. The yellow cheddar adds to the golden color too, making them appealing to the eye.


Tilapia Tots

2 tilapia fillets OR other mild white fish
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt

Bake the fish fillets until they flake with a fork at the thickest point.  Place fillets in a medium bowl and flake. Let cool 5 minutes before stirring in the eggs. Add the cheese to this mixture. In a small bowl, combine almond meal, baking powder, lemon pepper, garlic powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir. Use a scoop to place the fish mixture into the cavities of a cake pop maker. Bake for 5 minutes. If pan frying, melt some coconut oil in a skillet until hot. Use a scoop to place about 2 tablespoons of mixture onto the hot pan.  Smooth the edges with a spoon. Fry until golden on both sides and set in the center. Makes 18 tots. To serve 4, these have 201 calories and 6 carbs. 21 g protein and 11 g fat.

See the bready texture? These are almost like hush puppies too. Only better.  Cheesey, not fishy. Great for finicky kids---and, uhm...husbands.


Love the recipes I share on this blog? My ebook helps you plan and prep to stay healthy 24/7.   http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com

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