Lemony Lime Cheesecake

So I had to bring the desserts for my church group Wednesday. That can be tough when the group knows you are a food blogger. Such high expectations. Mine is a great group with no pressure at all, but there are some fine cooks among my friends. I wanted to show that sugarfree can be tasty for anyone, not just the diabetics. Since my upcoming newsletter theme is a little fancy--ladies' luncheons, showers and teas, then I knew some wonderful desserts were in order. Gotta say I outdid myself with two new recipes that are really delicious. Sadly, I ended up with a crazy headache and had to send the desserts with my hubby while I stayed home. I am glad I made both a day ahead.

The recipe I am sharing today is a lemon and lime cheesecake. The base has only a very light citrus taste, with only some lime zest to lend a lime flavor. The top is a tart, yet creamy lemon lime curd that really pops with flavor. I love the combination in your mouth. Creamy and tart in different combinations as you chew. This really is a wonderful spring dessert, and would be pretty on the Easter table, any baby or wedding shower, or on a fabulous dessert cart for a ladies' lunch. If you like lemon or lime, you really should try it. Most recipes are one or the other, but the combo is extra special. And never mind the name "curd" anyway. I never could understand why something so yummy had such an unappealing name.

Lemony Lime Cheesecake

Crust:
3/4 cup almond flour
1 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
pinch salt
3 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp erythritol/stevia blend equal to sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Filling:
24 oz cream cheese
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cup erythritol/stevia blend equal to sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lime zest
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Curd:
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup erythritol/stevia blend equal to sugar
2 whole eggs plus 1 yolk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp heavy cream
pinch salt (omit if using salted butter)

Garnish:
whipped cream

Butter or oil the sides and base of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan. For easiest removal, cut a circle from parchment paper to line the base. In a small bowl, combine almond and coconut flours, xanthan gum and salt. Stir in melted butter, sweetener and vanilla. Press this mixture into the base of the pan. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. It will not look cooked through.

To make filling, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Slowly add sweetener, vanilla, zest, salt until just mixed.  Slowly add cream, but do not overbeat. Pour this mixture over the crust in the springform pan. Wrap the pan in foil and place into a larger roasting pan. Place both pans onto a lower rack in a 350 degree oven. Pour water into the roasting pan to create a water bath. Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour. When time is up, open the oven door a few inches, but let the cheesecake remain in the oven. After an additional hour, remove cake to the counter to fully cool. At this time, run a knife along the edges.

While cheesecake is cooling, prepare the curd. In a small saucepan, heat the lemon and lime juice combined with the sweetener. In a separate bowl, beat two eggs and one separated yolk. Very slowly pour the heated juice into the eggs, stirring constantly to temper, not curdle. When all the juice is added, return the mixture to the saucepan. Heat on a moderate flame, stirring well, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted, then the heavy cream. Add a small pinch of salt. Chill the curd until time to assemble the cooled cheesecake.

When the cheesecake has cooled on the counter to room temperature, spread the chilled curd over the top. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. To serve, add shipped cream to the edges of the cheesecake.

Serves 12:  329 calories  5 net g carb

I love that the crust on this cheesecake is sturdy. I even picked up a slice with just my hand. The xanthan gum helps stabilize it, but it will work without it. I had a little trouble getting it to cover the base of the pan. It is a bit sticky. Just keep buttering those fingers. The top of mine did crack, even with the water bath. Probably because my ingredients were not quite a room temperature. It was a busy day. No problem though, because the lemon curd covered the crack. Small blessings are so appreciated!

My hubby said this was a hit at our group. I had only three slices left, and my mom who came over to help with some more kitchen cabinet work, liked it too. This is just one of the recipes I will feature in the April Diner News, so get ready for some festive foods! Just wait until you see what I did with peanut butter...

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Hatch Valley Cauliflower with Cheese

I grew up on cauliflower and cheese sauce. I loved the way my mama made it. I used to watch her cooking the cheese sauce, scaring me as she used a sharp knife to slice the cheese while standing over the saucepan. Fear that she would cut into her thumb kept me mesmerized. She still cuts that way, but I never do. I always slice away from me. But that is probably how I learned to make a good sauce. Of course, making a low carb sauce is trickier. This one is not so tough, though.

American cheese melts easily. Glucomannan thickens without too many lumps. And Hatch Chile?
Well, that adds a punch, for sure!  We finally got a Trader Joe's in my town. Woohoo. This sauce features their Trader "Jose's" Hatch Valley Salsa. Filled with fire roasted Hatch hot green chiles, and a few tomatillos and lime juice to tame the heat. Perfect with my cheese sauce.  Of course, you can sub any salsa verde and get a very similar dish.



Hatch Valley Cauliflower with Cheese

1 head cauliflower, quartered
1 cup water
3/4 tsp glucomannan
1/4 cup Hatch Valley Salsa (or salsa verde)
3 oz American cheese
1/4 tsp salt

Steam cauliflower. While it is cooking, prepare sauce. Combine water and glucomannan in a saucepan. Stir until dissolved. Add salsa. Heat to a simmer. Add cheese, diced or sliced, stirring well. Add salt to taste.

Serves 6:  82 calories  6 net g carb

 We used the sauce over steamed cauliflower and used a it on our burger patties also. Yum.  The sauce is  nice and thick. You may need more or less depending on the strength of your glucomannan. You might prefer to use xanthan gum, although I find it harder to blend in without lumps. This may make more than you need for one head of cauliflower. Keep the extra to serve with some scrambled eggs. I bet you will like it!

The sun was setting as I took the photos for this. I took a few that really did not have enough light. That is how you know this is real life cooking and not a set up with a food stylist. So here are some real photos, and although the lighting looks different from the top photo, I promise it is the same dish!

Since I am a newbie at Trader Joe's, please share with me your favorites. I found fennel at a great price, so be looking for a new recipe there. What do you like?

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

Gnome's Chicken Pot

My hubby bought me a Dutch oven as a gift. All these years in the kitchen and I never had a real cast iron dutch oven. Go figure. Today I tried out a new recipe using it. I think he felt a little sad that it took me so long to use it. Alas, with the refinishing of all the old cabinets, my kitchen has been a mess. We are halfway done. I decided to put the kitchen back together and get the rest of the cabinets redone, and the new ones added, during spring break. There are so many steps involved in taking my kitchen from the original honey oak to a stained, distressed linen color. I like the transformation, but it is so much time involved. Goodbye wood stained hands, this week, I will cook.

In looking for recipe ideas specifically for Dutch ovens, you find very few that are low carb. Of course, I know that this will be great for chili, stew and whole chicken, but today I wanted to try something unique. I found this recipe for Sprite Chicken, from Life in the Lofthouse and decided to convert it to low carb. Cooking with lemon lime soda sounded interesting, and I saw several variations for the campfire version. I tend to like a the sweet and savory combo, so I tried it. Some call for cheese to be added, but I wanted to see if I could taste the soda. I am a little sad, that I really don't taste it. Just a hint of sweetness.

Diet Sprite won't work because of the aspartame, but I have a Soda Stream and have some sucralose sweetened lemon lime beverage. I avoid aspartame as much as possible, and would always choose Splenda over it. Generally, I sweeten everything with stevia or a blend of stevia and erythritol. I would suggest Zevia if you want to try this recipe. Even if you choose to drink aspartame sweetened sodas, the heat would break down the sweetness.

after cooking before stirring

So, no "Wow! What is the secret ingredient in this?"  This is more like a comfort food casserole of chicken and root veggies. The original recipe calls for potatoes. I subbed radishes and rutabaga. That worked. Radishes held their shape. They are a little watery, but mild in flavor. The pink color is reminiscent of red potatoes and looks so nice with the bright orange of the carrots. Far fewer carrots to keep the carbs down a bit. But don't leave them out. So pretty!


So why the name you ask? Sprite. (Yes, I looked it up) I had no idea that it was an imaginary little being endowed with magical powers--synonyms of fairie, goblin, brownie, elf, gremlin, pixie, and the one I chose--Gnome. It seemed a little more earthy and fun. Not girly and certainly not chocolate which would have been so confusing if I had chosen "brownie." Gnome it is!

after cooking, stirred

A little coconut flour replaces wheat flour and coats the chicken pieces to be nicely browned. The chicken tastes very flavorful since it browns in the bacon fat. Our Trader Joe's just opened up this past week, and I was able to get the package of end pieces to use for this recipe. Those fried up nicely in my new cookware. It was nice being able to fry and then bake in the same pot. With all the veggies added in, all I had to do was put the lid on and get the whole thing into the oven. That is a feat unto itself. Cast iron cookery is not for the weak! I think it would take many a gnome to carry this one.

Gnome's Chicken Pot

1/2 lb bacon
1 small onion, diced
3 large boneless chicken breasts, diced
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tsp seasoned salt or 1 tsp salt with 1 tsp spice blend of choice
1 lb radishes, trimmed and quartered
3 carrots, diced
1 cup rutabaga cubes
1 cup sugarfree lemon lime soda

In a Dutch oven, fry bacon. While that is browning, dice vegetables. When bacon is browned, remove it from the pot and set aside, reserving the fat. Add the onions to the pot and stir. Turn heat down to low and brown. While onion is browning, dice chicken. Add half the salt and seasoning blend to the coconut flour. Toss the chicken pieces with the flour mixture. Add chicken to the pan. Brown on all sides. When browned, add radishes, carrots and rutabaga. Sprinkle with remaining seasoning and crumbled bacon. Pour lemon lime soda over the top. Place the lid on the pot and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir and serve. Add cheese if desired.

Serves 6:  361 calories  7 net g carb
Serves 4:  542 calories  10 net g carb

 So this has us fed for the day, and a meal later this week too. In case you are interested in kitcheny stuff, I will give you a peek at my new cabinets. The lighting is terrible. I have no windows in my tiny kitchen. I promise these really are the same color, just two different angles. We wanted to lighten the kitchen up a bit, so we went light. My drawers were in terrible shape, and those are not getting replaced. The builder did a terrible job 20 odd years ago and all my drawer fronts have had to be supported with screws and L brackets, which ended up showing in the front. I have tried to hide that with some scrapbook paper Mod-Podged on the front. I like the style. The bumps still show a little, but it is a vast improvement.  I love the red and the French Country look I am slowly getting. Everything matches my distressed red table that you see so often in my photos. It is about my only place for photography with a light source!

As my Christmas present, my oldest son is paying for new cabinets all along one wall. They are literally sagging and crooked on the wall. Definitely an accident waiting to happen. Maybe leftover damage from that storm a few years ago-maybe just more terrible workmanship. I still have to paint those and the old uppers we will keep. I sure hope the others stay attached to the wall until we are ready. I am so not looking forward to having workers here tearing out the old ones. What a mess that will be. It will be great to have safe, pretty cabinets though. And an update from the honey oak I have had for 20 years.

The old ones--see the steam damage from my coffee pot and pressure cooker?

If you have an electric pressure cooker, be more careful than I have been about protecting the wood from the steam. I will be better with my new finish! I would love to add drawer pulls and knobs, but we will wait until the hubby finds a job! Doing all this work ourselves is keeping it under $100.

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

Love your kitchen appliances!

I love my small appliances. They make my time in the kitchen more efficient and more fun. This month, I am featuring recipes that take advantage of these great accessories.  I find that I am using my electric pressure cooker/multi cooker several times a week. I love that it can be used for fast cooking or for all my favorite crock pot recipes. With a keep warm function and a delayed start button, it does more than my slow cookers. Many models are well over a hundred dollars. Worth it, but the model I purchased is just around $83. Check it out!

I also love my fun little cake pop maker. I use it for both sweet and savory treats. It is fast and fun. Great non stick, unlike my traditional pans. I also use my doughnut maker and waffle stick maker often. If you don't have these, check out my Amazon store. Every little bit I earn helps out, especially since my hubby is still unemployed.

Every cook loves a good blender. I just got a new, more powerful blender. I have recipes for nut butters, but it is also great for specialty drinks, batters and soups.

Microwaves are workhorses than can do so much more than reheat your coffee or warm up leftovers. We low carbers love the endless variations of Minute Muffins and Mug cakes. I also have some savory ideas for the microwave.

Here is a peek of what is in this month's Diner News:

Chicken Cacciatore in the Pressure Cooker

Pressure Cooker Strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Feta Cheese Poppers

Strawberry Cake Bites

No Tell Rotel Soup

Parmesan  Chicken Pops with Marinara

Healthy Hazelnut Frozen Coffee

Broccoli Cloud Soup

Jack's Spicy Cheese Puppies

Home made Sunbutter

Pizza in a Bowl

Sunbutter Cinnamon Muffins

Pork Lorenzo

These are really great recipes, and this month's Diner News has even more inside. 8 full pages, delivered to your email every month for just $6 a year. What a deal.

http://www.247lowcarbdiner.com/html/newsletter.html

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.

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream from the Blender

It is unseasonably warm here. I have a new blender. The two go together. How? Ice cream! Of course, you were thinking that. Look at that lovely bowl of pink goodness in the photo above. How wonderful that we were indulging in that here in February...and not shivering one bit.

The March Diner News is featuring appliance helpers in the kitchen. I will have two pages devoted to blender recipes. This one is so delicious, I can barely contain myself. The cream cheese makes it so creamy, yet the bit of lemon makes it just slightly tart. So GOOD! And it is quick and easy in the blender. No ice cream maker needed, and no waiting. Just a good soft serve ready when you are. Of course, you have frozen strawberries, right?

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream from the Blender

1/2 cup cashew milk

3 oz cream cheese

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar

3 cups frozen strawberries

1 cup ice cubes

Add ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Turn blender on, gradually turning up to high speed. Use the tamper to push down sides. When blender changes sounds, stop. Over processing will make a thinner ice cream. Serve immediately or freeze for a firm texture.

Serves 4:  116 calories    7.5  net g carb

I really should have garnished this ice cream for the photo. Granted, it is pretty enough to stand alone. Truth is, I ran to get photos before it melted. The flavor is so fantastic, it doesn't need a drizzle of chocolate or a sprinkle of coconut. Wonderful just as it is--unadorned beauty.

It has been a busy day. We set my oh so talented son. Pearson, up with a booth at the local antique and craft mall. He is offering his art for sale. I am so proud of his abilities! Just look at this sample. Some people thought it was my portrait. "I'm Sorry" to say that it is not me. I love it anyway. Very cool technique he uses. What a great guy he is.

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.

Mississippi's Cousin Roast Beef

My favorite great aunt was from Mississippi. She was also a phenomenal cook...and she always smelled good. Funny the things you remember from your childhood. Her hugs were soft. She had a big fur coat. She made the world's best chocolate cake. And she loved me and my sis like we were her own grandkids. She never had children, so we were hers. Every little girl could do well with an extra pair of loving grandparents. That was my Aunt Gladis...and Uncle Worrall too.

Some have scoffed at this internet sensation of a recipe, declaring the ingredients to be somehow "unlikely southern." Granted not too many cooks from the old days of southern charms had pepperoncini peppers in their pantry. But, I have to say, despite what some seem to think, the South is still alive, and great southern cooks are able to innovate and take advantage of modern ingredients. I do get a little tired of the attitude that nothing matters in the U.S. but the coasts. But I will spare you all my soap box there. Afterall, some of you aren't even from North America, and here I am whining.

This is a tried and true recipe, popular for several years now. Even foodie snobs seem to like it. Thanks ladies, for a great recipe. If you want the history on the recipe, here it is from the NY Times. The original relies on packaged gravy and ranch dressing mixes. I opted for a less processed version and upped the peppers a bit too. I also left out the stick of butter: not because I hate fat, but because I am too cheap! I just couldn't figure out what it was going to do since I wasn't going to try to make a thick gravy. What I was going for was the flavor of the peppers with the beef.  I used sliced peppers rather than whole, so we could get the flavor in every bite with no effort on our part.  Maybe I shouldn't even call this the Mississippi Roast, having tinkered with the recipe so much.  I should call it my Mississippi's Cousin Roast Beef. If you want it more like the original, add some thickener and butter.

My family really liked this roast, but then, we never met a slow cooker roast we didn't like. It made fantastic leftovers too. It is good at any temperature. I loved the bit of a vinegary bite as part of a salad later in the week. Decidedly, this will be made again and again. And even though she never made this one, I will always think of my dear Aunt.

I featured this recipe in last month's crockpot edition of the Diner News. If you love your crockpot as much as I do, be sure to subscribe for this and other fantastic recipes.

Mississippi's Cousin Roast Beef

2 1/2 -3 lb beef roast

1/2 cup prepared beef stock, made double strength

1/2 tsp molasses

1 tsp dried dill weed

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 cup diced pepperoncini peppers

Place roast in the base of the slow cooker. Combine dill, garlic salt,  and onion powder. Sprinkle over the roast. Prepare a double strength beef stock. If using bouillon, just use half the amount of water. If using natural stock, reduce to half volume in a saucepan. Stir in molasses. Pour over the roast. Top with pepperoncini peppers. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Let meat rest for 20 minutes before shredding with two forks.   

Serves 8 : 299 calories  1 g carb

Just goes to show that lots of amazing things come from Mississippi.

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

Strawberry Cake Bites for My Sweetheart

Today, being Valentine's Day, seems to be all about chocolate. Well, that and roses. Enough of that.
I did get some beautiful red roses for the holiday. My hubby was so anxious, he gave them to me yesterday. And a Teddy bear---and a card. Yes I am loved, and he has too much time on his hands these days. Not complaining.

With all those great gifts, I needed something better than average for him. My love usually shows itself in the gift of food. After all,  I would never be doing this blog and cookbook thing if it wasn't that I love my diabetic hubby! (and I plan to keep him around) I have made chocolates in the past, cakes and even breakfast in bed. Today I decided to try something different. Strawberry. You don't even need the expensive fresh berries for this recipe. I keep dried strawberries on hand. They are great in baked goods, on salads and just for a sweet snack. Just dehydrated berries, no sugar added. Love these because they are packed with strawberry flavor--I buy mine at Aldi.

This month, I am doing a Diner News theme on small kitchen appliances, so I decided to make this treat in my cake pop machine. They will do just as well as mini muffins, but the round shape is so cute and more fun to eat. These taste so amazing! Using my own Bake Mix from the June '15 Diner News, these are so light and truly taste like a delicate tea cake. It would be hard to know they are low carb. All the different ingredients in the bake mix work together to make magic. It really is worth making the bake mix for delicate cakes like these. No strong flavor of flax or coconut. Lighter on calories than nut flours. Moist and tender unlike many recipes featuring oat fiber and protein powder. This recipe used Mix #1 which is lighter colored with golden flax. Either will work. I love my baking mix! It made Valentine's Day a hit!

Strawberry Cake Bites

3/4 cup dried strawberries with no sugar added (divided use)
2 eggs 
1/4 cup water 
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 tsp MCT or liquid coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
14 drops Capella Strawberries and Cream flavoring (optional)
6 tbsp Master Bake Mix #1 or #2
2 tbsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
2 tbsp ground dried strawberries
1 tsp baking powder

Topping option #1
1 oz cream cheese
2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
1 tsp dried strawberry powder

Topping option #2
1 tbsp coconut oil (refined)
2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
1 tsp dried strawberry powder

Garnish:
2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend equal to sugar
remaining dried berries


In a bullet blender, fit the grinder blade. Process 1/2 cup of the dried strawberries until they form a powder. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine eggs, water, coconut milk, oil, vanilla and strawberry flavoring if using. When well mixed, add baking mix, sweetener, 2 tbsp of powdered strawberries and baking powder. Stir until no lumps remain. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup of dried berries into pieces about the size of a pea. Add these to the batter.

Heat a cake pop appliance or heat an oven to 325. Oil the appliance or mini muffin tin. Bake the cake balls for 4 minutes per batch. Bake mini muffins for about 15 minutes.

Topping #1: This will taste more like a strawberry cheesecake. Combine softened cream cheese with sweetener and strawberry powder. Spread on the top half each ball of cake. 

Topping #2: This is a more intense strawberry flavor, but the glaze looks more red than pink. Melt coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the sweetener and dried berry powder. Dip each cake ball in the glaze.

Garnish:  Combine 2 tsp sweetener and the remaining strawberry powder. Sprinkle over the topping or dip the cake ball into the sweetener.

Approx. 16 cake pops or 12 mini muffins

Serves 4:  135 calories   4 net g carb cream cheese topping
                141 calories   3.5 net g coconut oil topping

I like the cheesecake topping the best, but the glazed are quicker to assemble. Your choice! If making muffins, you might choose to make half again as much topping, as the balls do not require as much frosting as a cupcake generally uses. In the photo above, the ball on the front left is the coconut oil glaze and the one on the right is the cream cheese topping.

If you want to buy a cake pop maker, head on over to my Amazon store and get one delivered to your door. I will have more recipes to try in the March Diner News. Chicken Parmesan Pops sound good? Thought so.

I forgot to mention that my darling hubby also bought me a cast iron Dutch oven. Beautiful red for Valentine's day and to match my old--and new kitchen. New kitchen?

My oldest son gifted me a partial set of new kitchen cabinets for Christmas, so we are about to undergo a bit of a kitchen reno. We are refinishing all the older cabinets that are staying, so wish me luck. Out with the 90s golden oak and in with a stained linen color.  I sure hope we don't mess it up. I wish we were making my tiny kitchen larger, but that just can't happen now. Hubby is still without a full time job, so we are pinching every penny. It should be fun, but it will be even harder to get new recipes tested. We will see what happens! I would love to feature some reader's favorites like I did when the tornado blew our roof off, so send some recipes in if you can. I am sure there are lots of great cooks out there.

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.