Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

I am getting a lot of baking in for Valentine's Day this year. I have had the idea for this recipe running around in my head for a few weeks. I found the time to try it out today. This makes a true dessert muffin. Outrageously yummy. I was going for two things. First, the flavors of all the ultra pricy chocolate dipped strawberries you see these days. Second, a sweet shortcake like muffin, full of rich vanilla flavor to set off the small touches of chocolate and fresh berries. These are light and airy, yet the three flavors balance so well!

I refuse to buy chocolate chips with stomach wrenching sugar alcohols. I also dig my heels in when it comes to paying way too much to order specialty low carb chips online. So, I made my own for this. Actually, I made enough for several recipes. I wish my chips were more solid. I am thinking it must be best to work with them frozen. They taste like rich dark chocolate. Sorry, you milk chocolate lovers, I am a dark chocolate devotee. If you want to try my recipe, I will post it here. If you have more money and less time than I do, buy some of your choice.

Sugarfree Chocolate Chips 

2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup powdered erythritol blend
2 tbsp cream
Stevia drops to taste


Heat coconut oil and chocolate in the microwave or on the stove top until melted. Stir in the powdered erythritol until well dissolved. Add the cream, stirring well. Add stevia drops two at a time until the chocolate reaches the sweetness level you desire. Place the melted chocolate into a squirt bottle. Squeeze the chocolate out into chip shapes on top of parchment paper or a silicon mat. Chill or freeze before removing from mat. Store chips in the freezer.

I used a squirt bottle especially made for chocolates that I purchased at Michael's. If the chocolate needs to be rewarmed, It can be heated in the microwave. In the mean time, extra chocolate, if thinned and used as a sauce, can be stored in the squirt container.

The muffins themselves have a secret weapon for an extra special flavor boost. I adore the Vanilla Butter Nut flavoring. It can be hard to find, but it is worth it. To me, it adds an extra pound cake like flavor. If you can't find it, just use a tsp of vanilla extract. My son liked these so much, he just kept coming back for more. I think I have like 9 left out of a batch of 24 mini muffins. Between the three of us, we ate 15? Yikes! Well, my youngest is way too skinny. I am always trying to get food into him. Since I have found something healthy enough that he really likes, I will be making more to send along to his college classes in the mornings. He is such a sweetheart of  young man, he deserves a special Valentine treat from his mom--even though he does have a fiance now. They sure grow up too fast!

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins


3 eggs
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla Butter Nut flavoring
1/2 cup erythritol*
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup sugarfree chocolate chips, frozen


In a medium sized bowl, combine eggs, melted coconut oil, vanilla and vanilla butter nut flavoring. Stir in the erythritol. In a small bowl, blend the coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Gently fold in diced strawberries and chocolate chips. Spoon into mini muffin cups. Bake until they are just turning golden, and a toothpick tests clean in the center. Makes 24 mini muffins.

* I used Swerve, a sweetener blend. If using straight erythritol, you may wish to add a tablespoon more.

I baked mine in my cupcake maker, so I didn't exactly come up with an oven time. My batches only took 8 minutes. I didn't add too much filling, either chocolate chips or berries because I did not want to make wet or overly rich muffins. With just the right touch of chocolate and strawberry, my guys loved these!

Blueberry Upside Down Chocolate Cake

The grocer had a special deal on blueberries a week or so ago. I bought more than I really needed, so the need arose to use them up--soon. I also had these adorable heart shaped bowls I picked up last year on discount. I really wanted to bake a cake in them, and I wanted to make an upside down cake with the blueberries. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember seeing a photo of someone doing this, but I have lost my reference. So I had to completely wing it on my own. I decided a richer version of my chocolate muffins would be in order. I wasn't really trying to duplicate a light fluffy cake. Being an upside down version, a denser treat fit the order. This is not the most beautiful of my Valentine creations, but I assure you the flavor is there. The berries burst in the oven and spread sweet fruit glaze all over the cake. It is impossible to see that in the photo, but trust me, there is no frosting needed. I just added a heart shaped dollop of coconut milk.

Long a fan of raspberry and chocolate, I decided this fruit combination would work as well. I was right. The berries make the chocolate more interesting. The chocolate makes the berries more indulgent. The cake was fun to share with the hubby. Rather than use two bowls, just serve one plate with two forks. That is more romantic. We ate one today, and the other, I will save for our Valentine dessert. I wanted to share the idea with you too in time for you to get the groceries if this blueberry heart becomes your little heart's desire.

Blueberry Upside Down Chocolate Cake


Berry Layer:
2/3 cup fresh blueberries
2 tbsp granular erythritol
2 tsp butter

Cake Layer:
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup erythritol/stevia blend ( add an extra 2 tablespoons if using straight erythritol)
1 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp butter
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs


Lightly grease the cake pan(s). Add the berries, and sprinkle them with erythritol. Dot with butter and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour and the baking soda. In a microwavable bowl, melt the butter and chocolate for 30-40 seconds. Stir to combine after heating until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the erythritol until mostly dissolved. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition. Pour the chocolate mixture into the almond flour mixture. Combine by hand. Pour the batter over the berries and smooth the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out cleanly.  The baking time will be determined by the size of bakeware chosen. Let cake(s) cool for five minutes before inverting onto a plate.

I use an erythritol and stevia blend which brings the sweetness up to the equivalent measure of sugar or granular sucralose. If you choose to use straight erythritol, you may choose to increase the amount, as erythritol is generally 70% as sweet as sugar. Since sweet preferences vary, the amount to add may vary to taste. I like both ZSweet and Swerve. You can play around with whatever sweeteners you prefer. There are so many to choose from these days! This recipe would, I think, make 6 large cupcakes, although I used 2 heart shaped baking dishes.

Tomorrow I am trying out a couple of strawberry recipes, so stay tuned. I promise I do have a dinner entree that was a hit with my guys too. That will have to wait until after Valentine's Day. Collard greens, while your body may love them, just don't make it on the holiday menu. But still, I did get them to eat greens, so that is something!

Among Friends Thursday - Carolyn's Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

Last week, I had to take some "treats" to a church function. It is amazing how terrible the food tends to be at church. Donuts. Really? Potlucks--nothing but carbs! Well, my church at least does not offer anyone donuts, replacing them with granola bars, and I have to admit that the hospitality crew does at least offer bananas regularly. (especially at the first of the year when the staff does a Daniel fast) so they are a little ahead of the norm.

But this event, the idea was for hosts to lure people over to your table with goodies. We saw a lot of candy. A lot. I also knew there would be other small bites--cupcakes, cookies, brownies and the likes. Deciding that chicken wings would be a little messy, I decided not to buck the trend. After all, this was almost like a speed dating event, where John and I would be meeting and talking to dozens of people who might be interested in attending the Lifegroup we lead each week. How could I bring something that was both good for us and pretty too? In my mind, I decided to try out a Carolyn recipe. Her treats always look amazing. I can't claim I did right by her. My version of her brownie bites are not as gorgeous, but I had little time, and I had to make so many of them! I am lucky to have had the time to snap a photo. What mine may lack in glamor, they make up for in taste.

I decided that everyone likes brownies. Peanut butter is a favorite too. So I baked these up in my cupcake maker. It made quick work of them. Loved the fact that the frosting was minimal, since I had to find a way to transport these all to church. Certainly, I could not hold them all in my lap! We arrived safely. The tables looked almost like a bake sale or cupcake competition. Glad to say, my gluten free, sugarfree brownie bites held their own. People seem to appreciate a home baked treat over the fancier store bought goodies. I made a little sign to explain that these were sugarfree and gluten free. A couple of guests actually thanked me for providing that option. I got thumbs up responses from everyone who tried them.

Even amid the vast selection of brownies and cupcakes, most of mine got eaten. It is a little intimidating seeing people sample them right in front of you. What if they just spit it out? Woohoo. No one did!

These brownies are dense, being made from peanut flour. I still have a stash my soon to be daughter-in-law brought me from her hometown Trader Joe's. Wish I had one of those here... They are very chocolatey, and not overly sweet. The peanut butter cream cheese frosting is amazing. Easy to prepare and the flavor is the best. Perfect with the brownie. I adore the slightly salty combining with the sweetness.

Since I made so many, we had a few leftover to eat at home. We could not have done that if I had gotten lazy and run to the store to buy bakery cupcakes to attract the masses! Still, they did not last long enough, as I am wishing there were more...If you would like to try the recipe too, it is on page 197 of the Low Carbing Among Friends Cookbook. You can order it by clicking on the link at the right. Carolyn has such a talent for creating wonderful baked goods.

Today I am lunching on Maria's Cheeseburger Stuffed Buns. I am off to take some photos, so you will have to wait until next Thursday to hear about them--unless you try them for yourself!

Coconut Milk Sweet Treats for Valentines

St. Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and it is time for us to choose what wonderful treats we can delight ourselves in. I would say that it is all about making what our loved one likes, but that would be a lie. This time, I make what I would like and hope he follows suit. I am going to have more than one post this week devoted to the special day, so keep watching. Today's offerings are embarrassingly easy, yet so delish and elegant, any sweetheart is going to smile.

For starters, you have choices. Chocolate or strawberry. Mousse or frozen confection. All from the same basic technique that takes advantage of full fat coconut milk. I gave you a recipe in the February Diner News for Chocolate Mint Mousse. Yes, it is paleo if you allow some sweeteners. I chose stevia, but you can add whatever you like. The mousse recipes don't need too much of a sweet boost. What we are doing here, is taking advantage of the natural thickness of the chilled coconut milk. I tested two brands, and both worked really well. Thai Kitchen and Badia both passed my test. Some other brands did not. Hint: if you can hear liquid sloshing around inside the unopen chilled can, chances are you don't have enough to work with. I can't even hear movement in these brands while they are still room temperature. That is what you want for mousse.

I got the idea for coconut milk mousse last fall, when I discovered that ingenious cooks were using coconut milk as a whipped cream substitute. I took my instructions from The Nutty Kitchen blog. It worked for me with hardly any whipping, so why not flavors? I had the idea stuck in my notebook for a paleo themed newsletter, so that is when I tried it. Well, come to find out, there are others similarly as brilliant as I. Go figure. Chocolate Covered Katie actually calls the mousse, frosting shots. Her version did not go with mint flavoring like I did, but they are remarkably close. After I saw hers, I decided you might be able to pipe the mousse out. It worked. From there, I piped some onto parchment paper and froze them. Delight! They are like gorgeous little bites of chocolate mint ice cream. Oh yeah. Easy storage and portion control! Just pluck the frozen bites off the parchment and put them all in a freezer bag. They will be waiting to make you feel better 24/7.

But back to Valentine's Day.  As much as I like the chocolate mint, I wanted pink. Strawberry Mousse to be precise. Another hit! Light and airy, a berry cloud with the slightest touch of coconut. Perfect for the sweetest day. This mousse is a little thinner than the chocolate, given the wetness of the strawberry puree. I don't think this could be piped as a frosting. Think of it more like a whipped cream consistency. It could be dropped onto parchment from a spoon like little pink clouds. I decided to try the pink mousse out in my heart shaped ice cube trays. Perfect pale pink hearts. Being larger than my piped chocolates, these are just a little trickier to eat. They melt a little, but need about 5 minutes out of the freezer to avoid breaking a tooth. That would spoil a romantic evening... The look is so fun, though, they are worth the timing trouble.

Ready for the recipes?


Chocolate Mint Mousse

1 can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp mint extract
1/8 tsp stevia extract (OR 1-2 packets of sweetener)

Open the can of chilled coconut milk. Scoop out the solidified portions, leaving the coconut water in the can. Reserve that for a smoothie or soup. Add the creamy portion to a small bowl. Stir in cocoa powder, vanilla and mint extract. Hand whip or use a hand mixer to incorporate all ingredients. Spoon into dessert glasses and chill.  Makes 2 large desserts, or 4-6 dessert shots.

To make frozen swirls, fill a pastry bag with the mousse. Place on a star tip. Pipe the mousse into bite sized mounds on parchment paper. Freeze. Once firm, remove individual mounds and place in a freezer bag. These must be kept frozen, but are best about 5 minutes after removing from the freezer. Too much longer, and the outsides will melt in the hand.

Serves 4:   259 calories     6 net g carb

Strawberry Coconut Mousse


1 can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
6 frozen strawberries
1/8 tsp stevia extract


Allow frozen berries to thaw about 30 minutes on the counter. Use a blender or food processor to puree the berries. Add the solid portions from the can of coconut milk. Reserve the water in the can for another use. Blend the berries and coconut milk. Add the stevia, and adjust taste to your preferences. Spoon into dessert glasses. Makes 2 individual desserts or 4-6 dessert shots.


To make frozen strawberry clouds, spoon the mousse onto parchment paper in bite sized mounds. Freeze two hours or more. For strawberry hearts, pour the mousse into ice cube trays and chill two hours or until firm. Remove from trays. Allow the hearts to warm 5 minutes before eating. Store remaining hearts in a freezer bag.

Serves 4:   254 calories     6 net g carb

These are pretty, easy, healthy and delicious. What more could we want for a fun Valentine treat?

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Miracle Made Mayo

Mayonnaise. It seems you love it or hate it. I am not the norm, as I can take it or leave it. I actually prefer mustard. Dare I even mention that Southern staple, Miracle Whip? In my part of the country, the two are often interchanged. Since my mom was never a fan of mayo, but even less partial to mustard, Miracle Whip was always in our refrigerator. My grandma loved the stuff, and always called it mayonnaise. If she sent my Papa to the store for mayo, it was Miracle Whip he brought home. I know, I know...crazy but true. That is what went into our potato salads, pea salads and sandwiches.

I still like the sweet, tart flavor I grew up with. I don't like the chemicals and frankenfood, though. My youngest son likes Miracle Whip, but does not do the corn syrup and chemicals. I made this for him. It is healthy; a bit thinner than the stuff in a jar but who cares? Great fats and good flavor with no chemical thickeners. Once you have mastered your style of making a home made mayo, it goes together in a snap. There are tons of different ways to make home made mayo. Some are time consuming, some a quicker, but tricky. I have made several batches that refused to thicken, or have "broken" or failed in some way I could not detect the problem. I gave up years ago trying to perfect mayo. Afterall, it certainly didn't keep me stocked long, being made with raw eggs. I didn't know how I could trust to eat it after just a couple of days in the fridge, and I surely wasn't going to drag out the blender ever couple of days just for a little mayo.

Then I learned that it can be easily and quickly made with an immersion blender. True, it sometimes didn't work for me then either, but at least it was quick and less mess. There are lots of tutorials for this method on YouTube, so go there before you try it. Note: None of the videos use my favorite recipe, but they will show the technique.) The trick I finally learned after reading scores of blogs--the one that finally got things to work consistently for me, is using warm eggs. Let them sit on the counter, or soak in hot water for a few minutes. Once I even warmed cold eggs in the microwave for 12 seconds. The chemistry of it all seems to work best this way.

When I learned that mayonnaise could be lacto-fermented like the salsa, escabeche, kraut and carrots I had done, I was sold. It had taken me a while to accept the idea of lacto-fermentation, but once I did, I was sold. Just adding some whey to this home made mayo makes it last for weeks. Even those on the fence about mayo can use it up in that amount of time. Since I make my own yogurt, I always have lots of whey with live cultures. I just stir it in after processing the mayo, then let it ferment for the day on the counter. Then in the fridge for the duration. I can't discern any fermented flavor either. The batch we are finishing up today was made on January 6th, and it is still fine.Considering the added health benefits of probiotics, I will never make it another way.

But I will make it. We don't do many sandwiches, but mayonnaise can be used in salads, salad dressings, casseroles, dips, etc. The mayo today was great stirred into the tuna salad and served in a red pepper boat. If I do want a sammie, using my Mr. Peanut Bread or Almond Butter Bread, the Miracle Mayo version is my condiment of choice. It takes me back. The texture of the bread is perfect, the taste of the whip is right. A real sandwich with no compromise. Today, hubby got his tuna sandwiches for lunch. I made finger sandwiches for him using my Almond Butter bread with the tuna salad.

First the Mayo.

Olive and Coconut Oil Mayo (plain or lacto-fermented)


2/3 cup light tasting olive oil
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt


Allow eggs to come to room temperature. Add the egg and yolks to a tall jar or plastic container  just large enough to fit the immersion blender. Add in the mustard, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Heat the coconut oil to liquid state, and carefully add it to the egg mixture. Pour the olive oil over that. Place the immersion blender at the bottom of the container. Give it several short bursts to blend the eggs. Do not move the blades up. When the eggs take on a white appearance, run the blender and very slowly move upward until all the oil in incorporated and the mixture is thickened. This should not take more than a minute. The mayonnaise will become more firm upon refrigeration. Should the mayo break and become separated or refuse to thicken, try adding another egg yolk.


If you would like to extend the freshness and add probiotics, add a tablespoon of whey (the clear liquid from a yogurt with live cultures). Stir the whey in by hand. Leave the mayonnaise on the counter for 8 hours, then store in the refrigerator.


If you do not want the slight coconut flavor, choose an expeller pressed/refined version of coconut oil. If using a flavorless coconut oil, you may want to change the ratios of oil to half and half. The coconut flavor stands out too strongly if using the flavored oil in a 1:1 ratio. Do not use extra virgin olive oil, unless you want the olive flavor to dominate the mayonnaise.

Now you have your healthy mayo. If you want the Miracle version, read on. If not, don't tease me for being a Southern girl! This is yummy. This recipe is for a small portion, but you can double or triple with no problems.




Miracle Made Mayo
3 rounded tbsp mayonnaise
3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar (the type with the "mother" included is the healthiest)
3 drops liquid stevia
a pinch (1/16 tsp) paprika
a pinch (1/16 tsp) garlic powder


Stir all ingredients together. Let flavors blend an hour or more if possible before serving.
Each Tbsp has about 100 calories and less than one carb.

This is great on sandwiches. The advertising says "a sandwich just isn't a sandwich without the tangy zip"....so if you miss it too, try this with an Almond Butter Bread finger sandwich. This sandwich is a sandwich!

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Among Friends Thursday - Kent's Low Carb Taco Bake

It's funny. I almost want to call this Ken's Upside Down Taco Bake. It is really similar to my Mexi-Burger Casserole in the e-book. Ken makes a base of egg and cheese. I pour mine over the top. But the taste? Just about the same! You know we liked this casserole, since I have one similar and liked it enough to include in my book.

I really do love Mexican food. What I hate is going to a restaurant and sitting on my hands to avoid the tortilla chips constantly shoved under my nose. We went to lunch with some missionary friends from China last week. They were craving Mexican food--somehow it is rare over there! I surely would never ask them to give up those freshly fried chips and home made salsa. I had a great fajita meal on the way, but the waiting was terrible. That is why eating at home is so much better. No tortilla chips to tempt me. With this dish, you get all the same tastes, without the carbs! Kent compares this casserole to taco pizza. Those are not my favorite, but I really liked this. Very satisfying. You can find it on page 294 of the Low Carbing Among Friends Cookbook. What? You don't have that yet? Just click on the book on the sidebar and get yours. They really are a huge bargain when you see the multitude of recipes in there. Every one I have tried is a winner!

Mr. Peanut Bread, Almond Style

My Mr.  Peanut Bread is still the most popular post ever on this blog. I have had quite a few questions lately, so I thought I would devote another post to a popular variation. Almonds. Quite a few folk avoid peanuts, and choose to make the bread with almond butter. Yes, it is more expensive, because almonds are more expensive than peanuts. Yes, it is a little calorie rich. Other than those factors, it makes a great bread.

The flavor is much milder than the peanut version, making it suitable for any sandwich. The prep work is just as simple. No specialty flours, no hard to find ingredients. Great texture--so much like wheat bread. If you make your own almond butter, the price is reduced considerably. ( I told you how to make that in the January Diner News) It really is not that hard if you have a sturdy food processor. But of course, if you don't mind the cost of one cup of almond butter, then that is the simplest route to amazing sandwiches.

If you are ready to take the plunge, I have a few tips. Let the bread cool before cutting. For the photo, I needed the daylight, so I sliced it hot and got a few crumbs. You should get either 12 or 16 slices per loaf, depending on your preference. I use my ceramic loaf pan, which measures 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" and makes half sized slices. Therefore, you need 4 slices to make a full sized sandwich. The bread is so filling, though, I have found that half a sandwich is generally plenty, especially if paired with a yummy soup. If you use a larger loaf pan, you get shorter slices which make more like finger sandwiches.

I haven't tried the variations with the all almond bread, but the peanut version does really well in muffin cups, individual loaf pans and even plopped on a cookie sheet as artisan style bread. This recipe is so forgiving, you can also blend in other nut butters with the peanut or almond. Beware the sunflower butter. Chemical reactions can cause the bread to turn green. Who knows, I might try that out for St. Patrick's day.

Here is the variation recipe:

Almond Butter Bread

1 cup almond butter
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 packet stevia (optional)

Blend almond butter and eggs until smooth. Add in remaining ingredients. Pour into a sprayed 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Let cool before slicing. Can also be baked in muffin tins for slider buns.

12 servings    151 calories   5 g protein   14 g fat   4 g net carbs
 
This is the sandwich I made today. A yummy lemon pepper tuna salad. Mmm.

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