Yogurt to Go--Homestyle

I was making yogurt cups to go today from my home made yogurt. I realized that I have never shared my methods here on the blog. I put them in the newsletter a while back, but never here. There is lots of great advice online, but these are my favorite methods to make a low carb yogurt. Remember, the longer you leave the yogurt to culture, the more lactose will be consumed, making it even better for low carbers. Since there seems to still be some differing opinions on how to count the carbs in yogurt, I go with a long culturing time to be sure. My son's diet required 24 hours, and I can attest, that makes for a thicker product. Perhaps a little tart for some tastes, but thick!

Because it keeps really well, I always use the cooler method now, and make more than a gallon at a time. I generally use a mix of one gallon whole milk and one quart of half and half. If you can afford the calories, yogurt made with just half n half is divine!

Thermos Method Yogurt
Fill a thermos container with whole milk or half and half. Then pour it into a microwave-safe container or a pan.
Bring the milk or cream to a soft boil. Allow the milk to cool to around 120°F. This is the optimum temperature for the yogurt culture to grow. If you don’t have a thermometer, aim for a temperature that will be very warm to the finger touch. You should be able to keep your finger in the liquid for about ten seconds.
Add a teaspoon or two of prepared plain yogurt with live cultures to the warm milk. This will provide your starter.
Pour this mixture back into the thermos container and set it in a spot where it will be undisturbed for 12 hours or overnight. After that time, the yogurt will be ready to chill.
To make the yogurt thicker like the Greek variety, drain for several hours by lining a colander with coffee filters or cheesecloth and setting this over a bowl. Drain the yogurt until it reaches the thickness you desire.


Heating Pad Method Yogurt
To make larger quantities, try using a cooler and heating pad.
Choose containers with lids, or quart canning jars to make the yogurt in. Measure the milk or cream used according to container volume.In other words, how many jars you intend to fill--or gather enough jars to contain the amount of milk and cream you want to culture.
Heat the whole milk, half and half or cream and milk mixture until it reaches a slow boil. Let milk cool to 120 degrees F. This is the optimum temperature for the yogurt culture to grow. If you don’t have a thermometer, aim for a temperature that will be very warm to the finger touch. You should be able to keep your finger in the liquid for about ten seconds.
While milk is still in the pot, mix in 1-2 teaspoons live culture yogurt per pint. Pour this mixture into containers and place lids on.
Place a heating pad on low inside an insulated cooler. (I use the inexpensive Styrofoam kind) Place yogurt containers inside. Close the lid on the cooler as best as possible. I carved a small groove to hold the cord to the heating pad, and allow the lid to close more tightly. Let the yogurt culture for 12 hours or longer.
Drain the yogurt in a colander lined with cheesecloth or coffee filters.

Now that you have your yogurt how do you make it more appealing? I like to flavor several small containers at a time. If I makes quarts of all one flavor, we get bored. But it is pretty easy to flavor individual cups for lunch boxes, breakfast on the run and late night snacks. I use my Capella and Lorann flavorings here, as well as other creative ingredients. Peanut flour or PB2 makes yummy peanut butter flavored yogurt. Fresh strawberries and blueberries are great too. Unsweetened coconut is great with a bit of vanilla. You can even use flavored syrups, though they will thin the yogurt a bit. When I have it in a container, I use a chalk marker to write the flavor on the container. The marking will stay on until it is empty and washed, and labeling is really quick and easy that way.

Don't forget the other uses for yogurt. Drip it a very long time and you have a cream cheese like product to use in recipes. Thin it out and make your own drinkable yogurt. Replace sour cream with the good for your tummy Greek style yogurt. With some herbs it make a great dip. Add it to smoothies. You might even be able to make some frozen yogurt when the weather warms up.

Italian Sausage with Secret Alfredo Sauce

Shh. If you don't mention it, they might not even notice. This unassuming plate of Alfredo has a big secret--chia seed gel. I used it to extend the normal sauce. The non flavored gel offers big nutrition, but no flavor at all. It extends the flavor of my sauce rather than diluting it, but lowers the fat and the calories. It even cuts the carbs because of the great fiber content. Chia seeds are themselves highly nutritious, boosting protein.

Sure there are some little seeds floating around in my sauce--but they don't look gross.In fact my guy did not even notice they were there. He just kept telling me how outstanding the dish was. He loves Italian sausage. He loves cabbage. He doesn't know that he also loves chia seeds.

This month's newsletter has more chia seed ideas. Can you tell that is what I am working on today? The Diner news will feature all sorts of low carb specialty products, so watch for it in your mailbox on April 1. Maybe chia seeds could be your little April Fools trick too!

Mr. Peanut Sandwich Bread

Who woulda thought peanut butter could make a great bread? Sliceable, great texture, and just a mild peanutty flavor. Definitely yummy with all the fixings. In this case, mayo, ham and lettuce. I made the loaf last night and let it firm up in the loaf pan over night. Great stuff.

I got the basic recipe when my son was doing the GAPS protocol for his stomach issues. The original recipe calls for the inclusion of honey, which is legal on that plan. The honey is not necessary, though. Without the sweetener, you have a great bread for sandwiches, something we low carbers really miss.

Here's the how to:

Mr. Peanut Sandwich Bread

1 cup natural peanut butter, smooth
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 packet sweetener (optional)

Blend peanut butter and eggs until smooth. Add in remaining ingredients. Pour into a sprayed loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

The texture of this loaf is fantastic. It is not dense like many coconut flour breads. It is springy, yet sturdy enough to hold together well for sandwiches. If you don't mind a slight nutty flavor, this will be a go to recipe. It can be made into muffins too. Just think, a great bread with no specialty ingredients or time consuming methods.

Spinach and Red Pepper Lasagna

My guys raved about this one. It is similar to my other cream cheese lasagna, but omits the Dreamfield's noodles and replaces them with pepper strips and spinach.

It it rich and creamy with cream cheese added. It has the fabulous tastes of red bell pepper and spinach--two veggies that happen to be really good for you! Try it.

Spinach and Red Pepper Lasagna

This is one of the recipes included in my new cookbook project, Low Carbing Among Friends.

This recipe is available in the book, along with over 60 additional 24/7 Low Carb Diner recipes. By ordering the book, you get more than 300 favorite gluten free recipes from four other well known low carb cooking experts…Jennifer Eloff of Splendid Low Carbing cookbook fame, Kent Altena, the Atkins Diet Geek and You Tube star, nutritionist and author Maria Emmerich of Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, and popular blogger and food stylist, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food. Unlike any other cookbook you may own, this one is a compilation of mini cookbooks featuring the talents of these well known low carbers. Think of it as a “best of” project.

Low Carbing Among Friends also features recipes from numerous other talented low carbing friends and recommendations from the medical community who recognize the health benefits of low carb, gluten free living. To preorder your copy, visit http://www.amongfriends.us The official release date is 11/11/11, so pre-order now for a discount.

I used Jack cheese because that is what we had on hand. Mozzarella would be nice too. I think this would freeze nicely, but I don't think I will get a chance to find out. At least not tonight.

I added extra spinach for the side salad, and threw on a few grape tomatoes to complete the red, white and green theme. MMMmmm. Let me know what you think. No one is leaving comments for me lately, and I am feeling a little lost in cyberspace. Anyone out there?

Broccoli with Sun Dried Tomato Cheese Sauce

No need to eat boring broccoli with this saucy topper. We made extra grilled chicken while the coals were hot last night, so this became a great easy lunch. The sauce on the broccoli came about because I wanted to try out the sun dried tomatoes I recently purchased. This is pretty enough for fancy holiday dishes--though this is just an ordinary Tuesday.

Sun Dried Tomato Cheese Sauce

3 ounces cream cheese
2 Tablespoons dried tomato chips, rehydrated in a little water
1 Tablespoon parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon pesto
water to thin as needed

Add water to soften tomato chips. Warm the cream cheese in a microwave for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, cheese, garlic and pesto. Stir well and add water a spoonful at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Serve over steamed veggies.

I sprinkled some bacon bits and a few more dried tomatoes over the sauce after spooning it over the broccoli. This would be really nice with cauliflower too, just not as pretty. I love the frozen broccoli from Sam's Club. It is really high quality with no stem pieces which are tough. We are all out of the house tonight, so dinner will be more like lunch--a meal on the go!

Hickory Burger

I have always loved Sonic Hickory burgers. They are simple--beef, sauce, lettuce and onions. Tonight, we had a Burger Buffet meal. This was my choice. While I waited for my hubby to grill the burgers, I mixed up this simple sauce. This is not a barbecue flavored sauce--that is too complex. It is a hickory sauce through and through. Wonderful stuff if you are a fan of Sonic burgers. Plus, it is really easy to make. Make the effort to find Wright's liquid smoke. It is superior to other brands.

Hickory Sauce

This is one of the recipes included in my new cookbook project, Low Carbing Among Friends.

This recipe is available in the book, along with over 60 additional 24/7 Low Carb Diner recipes. By ordering the book, you get more than 300 favorite gluten free recipes from four other well known low carb cooking experts…Jennifer Eloff of Splendid Low Carbing cookbook fame, Kent Altena, the Atkins Diet Geek and You Tube star, nutritionist and author Maria Emmerich of Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, and popular blogger and food stylist, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food. Unlike any other cookbook you may own, this one is a compilation of mini cookbooks featuring the talents of these well known low carbers. Think of it as a “best of” project.

Low Carbing Among Friends also features recipes from numerous other talented low carbing friends and recommendations from the medical community who recognize the health benefits of low carb, gluten free living. To preorder your copy, visit http://www.amongfriends.us The official release date is 11/11/11, so pre-order now for a discount.

I made my burger with grilled onions, unlike Sonic. I tried a bit with raw onion, and thought it was even better. Both ways are delish.


We survived another big party. I lived through making a regular cake for the cake walk--not wasting my expensive sweeteners on those who don't care. This is a Devil's Food cake with sauerkraut, hence the WWII name. And, no you can't taste the sauerkraut, but it makes it really moist. It is my mom's old recipe. We kept to the cheese, pork skins and the coconut flour donuts I brought. It was a 1940s USO Party, so the donuts were almost authentic. We also chowed on the Spam, since that was made famous in that era. With a little planning, and contributing to the snack table, it is possible to eat low carb almost anywhere!

St. Pat's Cheesecake

It has been a cheesecake kinda week. I couldn't resist making some green cheesecake to celebrate the holiday. Cute, huh? Easy peasy too...just a little extra effort. Some I swirled with food coloring; some I mixed a green, then plopped little bits of colored mix into a clover shape. Fun stuff!

The cheesecake is the no bake variety. Similar recipe I used for my first Tie Dye Cheesecake. That originally came from Linda's site. I will go ahead and put my changes in here today. Have fun with this. I just may make another for a dessert at our USO theme party this weekend. Red white and blue of course!

Tie Dye Cheesecake (as a starter for Holiday decorating)

1 cup cold water
1 envelope dry gelatin
16 oz cream cheese
2/3 cup powdered erythritol (or equivalent sweetener)
1 tsp clear vanilla

Pour cold water into a small microwaveable bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over the water and let it absorb for 5 minutes. While that is sitting, use a mixer in a medium bowl to combine the cream cheese, sweetener and vanilla. Heat the gelatin mixture for approximately 1 minute in a microwave oven. Remove and stir until well dissolved. Combine the gelatin and cream cheese mixture.

To make the marbelized cups, divide the mixture among the serving cups or dessert dishes. Add a drop or two of food coloring, and use a toothpick to swirl the color around until you get the desired effect.

To make the sharmrock, set aside 1/4 cup of the cheesecake mixture. Fill dessert dishes. Use a tiny spoon to drop the mixture onto the surface forming the shamrock shape.

Chill at least two hours to set.

8 servings / each:   209 calories     4 g protein   20 g fat   4 g net carbs

This is not a super rich cheesecake, like the baked variety. But it is really fun. I even chill it in thin layers and use cookie cutters to make cool shapes. I started today trying to make a rainbow cheesecake for the holiday, but my colors ran together. I think you would have to let each layer set before adding the next, and that would be a really complicated scenario to put together. So, swirl is good too! Wanna see even more? See my Easter Bunnies. I will be making those again this Easter.

What are you doing to celebrate? We have having some broccoli Emerald Isle soup with dinner tonight. Hope that works!



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

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

Cheesecake Dibs!!!

Oh my, I have hit the jackpot with this one. I knew a few weeks ago that I had created a real winner, but now I have all the tools assembled and the final product is awesome!

If you are a cheesecake lover, these are for you. If you miss your ice cream, try these frozen and they are to die for good. I remember as a little girl, I loved our occasional trips to Dairy Queen. I loved the Brown Derby cones--the ones where they would make a vanilla soft serve cone, then dip it in the magical liquid chocolate that made a cold, crunchy shell on the outside. I loved the contrast in textures between the chocolaty outside and the creamy smooth ice cream. I know I always made a mess, and tried to eat it all up before the slabs of chocolate started melting and sliding down my hand. Ah, the memories!

Well, these are just about the same thing, only in a Dibs size. I have to admit I don't know exactly what a Dibs is in culinary terms, other than a bite of ice cream dipped in chocolate and served as a frozen treat. These qualify there, but they are less messy.

Read on for my version. You will want to try these!


First issue is the pan. When this recipe was still stewing in my brain, I used my Michael's coupon to purchase this silicon pan. It makes the bites all the same size, and cooks them uniformly. Worth six dollars in my opinion. I know this will be a recipe I use often. Since these will be a fabulous summertime treat, the individual squares will bake faster too. If you don't have one of these, use mini muffin cups, or use a standard dish and then cut the cheesecake into squares. For the dipping, make sure you have some coconut oil. This is a must have item for the shell to set up really fast.

Cheesecake Dibs

16 ounces cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup powdered erythritol

**************
1/2 cup coconut oil
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup powdered erythritol (or to taste with any combination of sweeteners)

Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Beat cream cheese and eggs. Add in sour cream and sweetener. Poor into special baking mold or use mini muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees.

Remove from oven and let cool. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours. When ready to dip, first prepare chocolate coating. In a ceramic mug or small bowl, melt coconut oil and then stir in cocoa powder and sweetener. Remove the frozen cheesecakes from their pan. Using tongs, dip each frozen bite into melted chocolate mixture. Set on foil to firm up. Eat frozen for an ice creamlike treat, or eat chilled for a cheesecake treat. Either way is great! My tray makes two batches, or 48 dibs.

As with most chocolates, you may prefer a sweeter version. Feel free to add a bit more sweetener. I usually prefer a combination of sweeteners, but tried to get a standard starting point for most tastes. Just keep in mind that I am a dark chocolate devotee, so I am likely to prefer a less sweet dib.

These need to be kept chilled or the coconut oil will melt. You might be able to dip them in real chocolate, but then you wouldn't be getting the thin chocolate shell, and you lose the health benefits of coconut oil.

Tell you how good these are--John asked me three times if I was sure they were legal for low carbers. I had terrible lighting tonight. I may try again tomorrow to get a better photo for these little treasures.

This is one of the recipes included in my new cookbook project, Low Carbing Among Friends.

This recipe is available in the book, along with over 60 additional 24/7 Low Carb Diner recipes. By ordering the book, you get more than 300 favorite gluten free recipes from four other well known low carb cooking experts…Jennifer Eloff of Splendid Low Carbing cookbook fame, Kent Altena, the Atkins Diet Geek and You Tube star, nutritionist and author Maria Emmerich of Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, and popular blogger and food stylist, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food. Unlike any other cookbook you may own, this one is a compilation of mini cookbooks featuring the talents of these well known low carbers. Think of it as a “best of” project.

Low Carbing Among Friends also features recipes from numerous other talented low carbing friends and recommendations from the medical community who recognize the health benefits of low carb, gluten free living. To preorder your copy, visit http://www.amongfriends.us The official release date is 11/11/11, so pre-order now for a discount.

Chicken in Sour Cream Sauce

I am definitely not a french chef. Come to think of it, I am not even really a "foodie." I usually serve foods that are really nothing fancy. I'm no Martha in the kitchen, requiring the absolute best of everything. I even--gasp--use garlic powder rather than washing the garlic out of those tiny grates. I often use lemon from that little plastic bottle because I just don't have all day to do the ultimate prep. Maybe it is because I make so much MAN food. The Diner style really fits us best. Good food, fast prep. Doesn't leave too much time for finicky palettes.

For example, tonight's sauce is a little lumpy. I didn't even notice that until after I photographed my plate. Did a little lump of sour cream bother you? Hope not, because we ate it all up. The taste was wonderful. If you are a Martha, go ahead and drag out the immersion blender to make sure every bit is incorporated. Or, if you are like the weekday me, just whisk it by hand and dare to eat a lump!

Either way, sauces are a challenge. I think I would add a little bit more thickener, so I will alter the recipe for you. I just used a half teaspoon, but let's try a full teaspoon. My chicken must have released a few more juices which thinned the sauce out in the oven. When it cooled, it was a bit thicker again. Using a bit more thickener ought to do the trick...but then, I am still learning my way around the kitchen with glucomannan. Your mileage may vary, so I included the option of using xanthan gum too.

Chicken in Sour Cream Sauce

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon glucomannan powder, or 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Use a contact grill to cook chicken until almost done. While chicken is cooking, make sauce. Melt the butter. Add the broth and stir well. Stir in the thickener, sprinkling very lightly as you whisk briskly. When mixture begins to thicken, stir in sour cream. Adjust salt.

Transfer browned chicken to a small casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the top and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

I had intended to add some tarragon to this sauce, but alas,it has disappeared out of my spice rack. Who knows where it is hiding in my pantry? I really need to do some spring cleaning in there! Even without it, this is really good. The sour cream really gives a nice flavor to the sauce.

I served tonight's chicken with roasted broccoli. I love that stuff. It is totally different from the steamed veggie. I just toss frozen crowns with some olive oil and some lemon pepper or a squirt of lemon juice. I bake it with whatever happens to be in the oven at the time. This is just important to watch if you are using the higher temperatures. A tiny bit of browning is fine, but too much will ruin the dish. We also had a romaine lettuce salad with a good Italian dressing to counter the creaminess of the sour cream sauce.

I started my cheesecake bites recipe again, so you can bet they will be on the blog tomorrow!

Albuquerque Cream of Chicken Soup

Unlike last night's dinner, everyone liked this. In my freezer was the last bit of shredded Green Chile Chicken. I knew I wanted to make a soup with it because there is no lettuce in the house and it is cold today. So much for Spring Break, huh?

I threw together some of my favorite ingredients--my almost still new green chile powder, some frozen green chilies, some cream cheese and chicken broth. It turned out great. For my carby boys, in the green and blue bowls, I added some cooked rice. For the low carbers, just the soup with a sprinkling of Jack cheese.

If you don't have any green chile powder, you really need to order some. The taste is all in there! Here is where I got mine. I have been throwing it in everywhere. Just about slugged the husband when he dropped it in the floor, sending my precious green powder everywhere. I even made him sweep it up--I couldn't bear to scoop it all into the trash can. Now I think I already need to place another order.

If you don't already have green chili chicken shreds, like I did, then just use plain chicken and double the amount of spices.

Albuquerque Cream of Chicken Soup

This is one of the recipes included in my new cookbook project, Low Carbing Among Friends.

This recipe is available in the book, along with over 60 additional 24/7 Low Carb Diner recipes. By ordering the book, you get more than 300 favorite gluten free recipes from four other well known low carb cooking experts…Jennifer Eloff of Splendid Low Carbing cookbook fame, Kent Altena, the Atkins Diet Geek and You Tube star, nutritionist and author Maria Emmerich of Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, and popular blogger and food stylist, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food. Unlike any other cookbook you may own, this one is a compilation of mini cookbooks featuring the talents of these well known low carbers. Think of it as a “best of” project.

Low Carbing Among Friends also features recipes from numerous other talented low carbing friends and recommendations from the medical community who recognize the health benefits of low carb, gluten free living. To preorder your copy, visit http://www.amongfriends.us The official release date is 11/11/11, so pre-order now for a discount.

This was just right for our cloudy, cold weather. It is so hard to go back to cold drizzle after glorious sunshine! Somehow, though, a little chile pepper makes me warm all over.

"The Baconeater" a la George

At our house, to "George" is a verb. "A la George" means a quick chicken breast or burger patty prepared on the Foreman grill. It doesn't mean a plain boring hunk of protein, though. In the e-book I list twenty ways to dress up a plain chicken breast. This one happens to be the Baconeater. Very yummy, especially when a little dash of Bacon Salt is added. My serving even has a touch of Ranch Dressing too, though some of my guys protest that addition. It is one of the E.Z. fix meals that never fails to please, because everyone around here likes bacon. If you are feeding carby boys like me, just add a bun and dinner is good to go!

Smoothies and Puddings with Glucomannan

Another situation where I am late to the party. I am just now getting around to trying out glucomannan powder. I knew about it, and even thought about ordering it plenty of times before, but just refused to invest twenty bucks plus a huge shipping cost. I am cheap like that, always have been.

But when I saw it at another vendor, cheaper and less shipping, I knew I had to break down and try it. Afterall, it is supposed to be so good for diabetics. Here is what the Health Diaries had to say about this innocent looking white powder.

Weight Loss
Glucomannan is a soluble fiber that absorbs several times its weight in water and forms a gel in the stomach, giving a feeling of fullness, slowing gastric emptying and slowing the digestion of fats.

Allergy Relief
In mice, glucomannan powder inhibited the development of atopic dermatitis and overproduction of substance P and proinflammatory cytokines. It also inhibited overproduction of IgE, the immunoglobulin that causes most of the body's allergic reactions. (reference)

Lung Cancer Prevention
Studies in mice indicate that glucomannan powder may have a strong inhibitory effect on lung tumors. (reference)

Hyperthyroidism Treatment
Researchers have been studying the effects of glucomannan on thyroid hormone levels in patients with hyperthyroidism. Results have been positive so far and glucomannan may be a good complement to standard hyperthyroid treatments. (reference)

Lower Cholesterol
In one study of 63 healthy men, consumption of glucomannan powder significantly reduced total cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and triglycerides, while HDL ("good") cholesterol was not lowered. (reference)

Blood Pressure
In the same study of 63 men, the mens' systolic blood pressure decreased by an average of 2.5%.

Constipation Relief
Glucomannan decreases fecal transit time and provides very good constipation relief thanks to its soluble fiber. The gel that forms in the stomach aids digestion and elimination as well.

Help for Type 2 Diabetes
Glucomannan keeps fasting blood glucose levels stable. In one study, diabetic patients were given glucomannan for 90 days and their fasting glucose levels fell by an average of 29%.

Anti-Aging Benefits
In one study, researchers found that feeding rats glucomannan meal for 18 months delayed cell aging, arteriosclerosis, and brain deterioration. (reference)

Healthier Meals
It can increase the volume of recipes and be used as a healthy thickener, which allows you to create lower-fat, lower-calories meals and desserts that are good for your overall health.

Sounds good! I will be sharing some more experiments with you soon enough. This is something we don't want to rush. Already this afternoon, I am feeling the tummy rumblings associated with that increase of fiber. Definitely don't want to overdo that one!

This morning, I made two fabulous smoothies. John's was the strawberry cheesecake smoothie in the photo. I used some leftover cold coffee and made a cappucino smoothie for me. Both were good, and had a great thick mouthfeel thanks to the glucomannan. I couldn't tell much difference though from when I add in xanthan gum. Both do the trick. Glucomannan does seem to mix in a little easier though.

I am also playing around with an eggnog flavored pudding. I haven't eaten much of it so far, as mentioned above, I can't spend the day in the bathroom. I will pack it up for lunch at school and work tomorrow. The consistency is not exactly like an old fashioned pudding, but it is tolerable. Not nearly as slimy as xanthan gum. I did detect a little coating on my tongue it seemed. It will be fun to keep playing with this stuff. I have so many flavors of Capella drops, that alone could keep me going for weeks. Then there are the bases--dairy, almond milk, fruits, etc. Should be fun.

Here is what I did for the strawberry smoothie.

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

5 frozen whole strawberries
3/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup home made Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons sugarfree vanilla syrup, I used Da Vinci
6 drops Capella Cheesecake flavoring
1/8 teaspoon powdered stevia (or sweetener of choice)
1 teaspoon glucomannan powder

Add first six ingredients to blender. Mix well. Sprinkle the glucomannan powder lightly over the surface. Immediately blend again on high. Let the smoothie rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow it to thicken.

For my smoothie, I did basically the same thing using a water and cream mixture rather than the yogurt. I used Capella Cappucino drops to enhance the coffee flavor. I think next time I will add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to up the nutrition.
These smoothies will definitely keep you filled up for a while. A smaller version would make a great late night snack too. It would replace those ice cream cravings I hear some people have. I don't get those, personally.

If you are interested in purchasing some where I did, go to Healthy Village and order a pound for $12.40. I purchased some stevia and some dehydrated veggies while I was there too.

Coconut Flour Doughnuts

These are from this month's newsletter. What a great snack or breakfast treat. They are really easy to make. While they don't taste just like a typical doughnut that is over processed and full of junk, they are still really tasty and remarkably good for you, with coconut flour, coconut oil, eggs and no sugar. Try them if you like cake doughnuts. If you don't have a doughnut pan, a mini muffin pan will work too. If you don't want to glaze or ice them, add a bit more sweetener to the batter.


Baked Coconut Flour Donuts

This is one of the recipes included in my new cookbook project, Low Carbing Among Friends.

This recipe is available in the book, along with over 60 additional 24/7 Low Carb Diner recipes. By ordering the book, you get more than 300 favorite gluten free recipes from four other well known low carb cooking experts…Jennifer Eloff of Splendid Low Carbing cookbook fame, Kent Altena, the Atkins Diet Geek and You Tube star, nutritionist and author Maria Emmerich of Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, and popular blogger and food stylist, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food. Unlike any other cookbook you may own, this one is a compilation of mini cookbooks featuring the talents of these well known low carbers. Think of it as a “best of” project.

Low Carbing Among Friends also features recipes from numerous other talented low carbing friends and recommendations from the medical community who recognize the health benefits of low carb, gluten free living. To preorder your copy, visit http://www.amongfriends.us The official release date is 11/11/11, so pre-order now for a discount.

This photo is the doughnuts with cinnamon and Cinnamon Danish flavoring added to the batter. I tried just dipping them in powdered xylitol and it worked great. They look just like those little "gems" that we used to eat. They even make the same white snowfall under your chin when you bite them!

My history students are having a USO party this weekend. I think I will make a batch so my family can enjoy the coffee and doughnuts too. We are also supposed to be running a cake walk. Now, just what would we do with a regular cake, chocked full of sugars and gluten? If we don't win it, maybe we can work a trade for the low carb dessert I will bring. Now to decide what that will be...

Cilantro Cream Sauce on Chicken

I have made this sauce before--several different ways. The original recipe was Amy's. I dunno who Amy is, but she must have been a devotee of cilantro, and her recipe is now all over the web! I made a tangier variation tonight, and one that uses less cream cheese. I think I have been overdosing on that ingredient lately...and it is getting too pricey!

This version is a little thinner, with more sparkle from the lime and a lot less garlic. I like it all ways, both as a sauce over chicken, or poured into the skillet and thickened up a bit with it. Tonight's version is definitely a sauce or veggie dip. My fellas really liked it. If you have a good food processor, it is a snap to make. I also subbed the can of tomatillo sauce with some green chile powder. If you need to sub that, add a can of green chiles.

Cilantro Cream Sauce

This is one of the recipes included in my new cookbook project, Low Carbing Among Friends.

This recipe is available in the book, along with over 60 additional 24/7 Low Carb Diner recipes. By ordering the book, you get more than 300 favorite gluten free recipes from four other well known low carb cooking experts…Jennifer Eloff of Splendid Low Carbing cookbook fame, Kent Altena, the Atkins Diet Geek and You Tube star, nutritionist and author Maria Emmerich of Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, and popular blogger and food stylist, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food. Unlike any other cookbook you may own, this one is a compilation of mini cookbooks featuring the talents of these well known low carbers. Think of it as a “best of” project.

Low Carbing Among Friends also features recipes from numerous other talented low carbing friends and recommendations from the medical community who recognize the health benefits of low carb, gluten free living. To preorder your copy, visit http://www.amongfriends.us The official release date is 11/11/11, so pre-order now for a discount.

The flavor is really fresh. I adore cilantro, so it is a hit with me. It would make eating raw veggies a party, and I generally do not love raw veggies. Over grilled chicken, it is superb. If you happen to be one of the odd people who don't have the genetic predisposition to love cilantro, then please don't try this recipe. You would have to write me and tell me how terrible it is and that would break my heart. On the other hand, if you love Cilantro, this is a great treat for you, as the flavor shines through!

Peanut Butter for Lovers

Hi everyone! Has your weekend been as crazy as mine? Between shopping and kids home from college, big events with church and school, our life is nuts! No time to do my prep cooking today, but a salad bar at the local pizza place sure was yummy. We ate out three times this weekend which is almost unheard of for my clan. I have been feasting on Parmesan Chicken tenders, beef fajitas--sans the tortillas of course, and a big salad. Sometime Saturday, I had a craving for sweet, and I love peanut butter, so I took a minute to whip these up. Love, love, love 'em.

A minute is truly all the time it takes to throw together a sweet treat. Based on the coconut bark candies, this one leave out the cocoa powder, for a nutty treat. Here is all I did:

Peanut Butter Candy

1. Melt about 1/4 cup of coconut oil. I used refined for no coconut taste in this version, but I think the really good stuff would be wonderful too.
2. Stir in about 2 Tablespoons of natural peanut butter
3. Add some sweetener to taste. It is ok to stick that pinkie in to taste. I am having a hard time knowing how much sweetener I used, since I like a combo of sweeteners and just kept adding in a pinch until I found my sweet spot.
4. When it is all mixed together, pour into ice cube or candy molds. I obviously still had my heart shaped molds from Valentine's day nearby. But then, I am always a sucker for hearts and romantic stuff like that.
5. Chill and eat. If you are really suffering a craving, use the freezer, and they will set up in just a few minutes.

According to plenty of folk out there, a few tablespoons of coconut oil will actually help us to lose fat, so I don't even count three of these as cheats. Now warning. It is hard to stop eating. Be sure to hide these in the back of the fridge so you can't easily cruise by and commit a drive by snacking. That is deadly!

Bacon Flowers

These are going to be wonderful to serve for Easter Brunch. The newsletter was devoted to breakfast this month, and while these did not make it in, they should have. I just ran out of hours to fit it all in!

These tantalizing little bites taste incredible. They are a little more work than the usual breakfast cups, but the eye appeal is all there. The secret is the turkey bacon. I have never been too impressed with it personally, but I am pretty sure it is crucial to the success of this recipe. It doesn't shrink and curl, or put out too much grease. That is key. Even better, it leaves these cute--even though, preformed--little scalloped edges that look like flower petals. I didn't even have to try! Also, I precooked the egg mixture a bit so it wouldn't just run under the bacon. That is important too.

Bacon Flowers

This is one of the recipes included in my new cookbook project, Low Carbing Among Friends.

This recipe is available in the book, along with over 60 additional 24/7 Low Carb Diner recipes. By ordering the book, you get more than 300 favorite gluten free recipes from four other well known low carb cooking experts…Jennifer Eloff of Splendid Low Carbing cookbook fame, Kent Altena, the Atkins Diet Geek and You Tube star, nutritionist and author Maria Emmerich of Maria’s Nutritious and Delicious Journal, and popular blogger and food stylist, Carolyn Ketchum of All Day I Dream About Food. Unlike any other cookbook you may own, this one is a compilation of mini cookbooks featuring the talents of these well known low carbers. Think of it as a “best of” project.

Low Carbing Among Friends also features recipes from numerous other talented low carbing friends and recommendations from the medical community who recognize the health benefits of low carb, gluten free living. To preorder your copy, visit http://www.amongfriends.us The official release date is 11/11/11, so pre-order now for a discount.

I got a phone call and just about burned mine, so watch them closely. I am not completely sure about the oven time since I was talking, and had not yet set a timer. Oh well, that is real life! I know the hubby is going to be jealous over this one. He was out the door this morning before I had a chance to try them. I sent him off with a Strawberry Cheesecake shake. I will have to hide a few flowers for him before the guys and I gobble them all up. They taste great at room temperature too, and would be fantastic appetizers for a party. I will do these again.