Cinnamon Roll Cookies

I have been baking up a storm. Busy days in the kitchen. Not for Thanksgiving...well that too...but for the Holiday issue of the Diner News. I have so much good stuff in this month's issue! Lots of new cookies, great dips and appetizers too. Some fun drinks and sweets will make the mood festive.

These Cinnamon Roll Cookies are wonderful. They are soft and tender, without being heavy. They have that cinnamon goodness and the extra sweetness of the creamy glaze. So good.  I tried a few thicker cut and a few thinner. We really liked the thicker ones better, so that is how I wrote up the recipe. If you want more cookies, feel free to make thinner slices. They both work well.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies 

2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

3/4 cup powdered erythritol or equivalent

1/2 cup lightly flavored oil or melted butter

1/3 cup almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sweetener

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp cream

2 tbsp powdered erythritol

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, whey, baking powder and salt.

In a smaller bowl, break the eggs, separating the white from one egg in a cup. Beat the eggs with the powdered sweetener. Stir in the oil, almond milk and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients in the larger bowl.

Line two 8 inch square pans with parchment paper. Press half the dough into each one. Cover the top of the dough with additional parchment and make a smooth, even surface on the dough. Chill for 30 minutes.

Remove top layer of parchment. Brush the dough with the egg white. Combine the granulated sweetener and the cinnamon. Sprinkle it over the egg white. Cut the dough into 16 strips in each pan. Roll into spirals and place on lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Combine cream and powdered sweetener. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

2 cookies: 170 calories    2 net g carbs

If you want all my new recipes for your fabulous low carb holidays, be sure to order the Diner News.

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

Take a look at some of the offerings this month:

Buckeye Brownie Cookie Bites

Cheeseburger Appetizer Meatballs

Cream Cheese Cranberry Dip

Cranberry Salsa

Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip with Cinnamon Lavash Crisps

Champagne Veggie Dippers

Fudge Filled Mocha Cookie Cups

Hot Cocoa Bar

Maple Glazed Brunch Sausages

"Star of Wonder" Lemon Jellies

That is just a sampling of the recipes you get this month. You gotta have the holiday issue!

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

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Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles, 

A Table for Two here.

Candy Bar Treats

It is getting close! It is almost Christmas candy time. I am already up to my eyeballs in sweets, because I am putting together a really fun issue of the Diner News. I have one whole page of candies. These are my favorites so far. If you like Snickers, you are gonna flip for these.

The chocolate is the real thing. The creamy center is a cream cheese and peanut delight. I know the caramel layer is inside on a Snicker bar, but for me, it is a little dollop of caramel dip on the top. The taste is so there, and the caramel won't pull out your fillings! I don't have any fillings, but I do remember when my oldest son couldn't eat caramel because of his braces. These will work!

I know a guy who used to keep Snickers bars in his freezer. This is really close to that. Just keep em cold. One is so rich, you won't need more! I made these in my square silicone brownie bite pan, but mini muffin cups will work just as well. You can even put them in cupcake papers if you want. I just wanted to be able to see those beautiful layers of yumminess.

Candy Bar Treats

Chocolate Layers:

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

2 tbsp creamy natural peanut butter

1 tbsp unflavored coconut oil

1/4 cup powdered sweetener

Creamy Layer:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

2 tbsp powdered sweetener or equivalent

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

3 tsp Walden Farms Caramel Dip

Melt chocolate over low heat. Stir in peanut butter, coconut oil and sweetener until smooth. Pour half of the chocolate mixture into 12 mini muffin cups or silicone molds. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer until firm.

While that is chilling, combine the cream cheese, sweetener and vanilla. Mix until very smooth. Remove chocolate from freezer and divide the cream cheese mixture among all the cups. Press the peanuts on top of the cream cheese.

Spoon the remaining chocolate mixture over the peanuts. Chill again until firm. Top each candy with 1/4 tsp Caramel Dip.

each candy is 119 cal.    2 net g carbs

Yep, it is pretty easy. Not much effort for a great taste. One word of advice. Use whatever sweetener you like the best. Chocolate is often tough to sweeten. Lots of people think sucralose just doesn't do a good job of sweetening chocolate. I tend to use a lot of Swerve, but I often throw in a little of another type of sweetener. I think they work together well in combination. You will be able to use liquid stevia or sucralose here too, but too much can seize the chocolate. Granulated erythritol often does not melt into chocolate well, so go with powdered. Judge with your taste buds and don't be afraid to experiment a little.

Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I have two meals to help prepare this year, one at school. Lots of turkey breasts baking at my house this week. Our family holiday is going to be pretty small. Only one of my sons is going to be with us. That is so hard on a Mama's heart. I am finding it hard to scale down the food and even harder to not cry over missing my boys. I had better just be super thankful for the loved ones who will be there. I still have my amazing mom, and my hubby gets part of the day off. Maybe we will see a niece or two.  I hope your holidays are blessed. Be sure to love on people wherever you are! That is more important than the food anyway.

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

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Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles, 

A Table for Two here.

4 Amazing and Easy Hot Drinks

Peppermint Cocoa

We are getting our first snowfall of the season here. It is the perfect day to cuddle up under a blanket and sip something sweet and steamy. I have 4 different ideas for you--and I have treated myself to one of each this weekend. They are easy to make and are really just as good as any high carb original.

The first two recipes use So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage in a carton. I have the unsweetened vanilla variety. You could also use almond milk or any coconut/almond blend. Just remember that this is not the coconut milk in a can. I also used a bit of canned whipped cream as a topping. I know it is the lazy way and has some sugar, but I just use a bit--1 -2 carbs at the most. You can sweeten to your tastes. I think my sweet receptors have dulled over the years, as I tend to need more sweetener than some recipes call for. It is always easy to start with less and add more if you need it. For my versions this weekend, I used mostly stevia, and I seem to need more of that. It is easy to overdo though, so use caution.  As usual, your mileage may vary!

Peppermint Cocoa

3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk beverage
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/8 tsp peppermint extract
Sugarfree sweetener to taste (I used the equivalent of 4 tsp or 2 packets)
Canned whipped cream for garnish

Heat the coconut milk in a pan or microwave. Stir in the cocoa powder, peppermint extract and sweetener. Top with whipped cream and enjoy.

Serves 1:  64 calories    <2 net carbs

Coconut Cream Pie Hot Sipper

This is an unusual hot drink. No chocolate, no tea, no fruit. It tastes like vanilla and coconut, reminiscent of coconut cream pie. The tiny shake of salt and sliver of butter make a big difference in that pie like flavor. It definitely counts as dessert!

Coconut Cream Pie Hot Sipper

1 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk beverage
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp butter
small pinch salt
Sugarfree sweetener to taste (I used the equivalent of 4 tsp or 2 packets)
1/2 tsp toasted shredded coconut
2 tbsp canned whipped cream

Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan or microwave.  Stir in the vanilla, butter, salt and sweetener. Adjust sweetener to taste. Top with whipped cream and shredded toasted coconut.

Serves 1:  130 calories  3 net g carbs

Hot Orange Spice

This cirtusy hot drink tastes amazingly like the Hot Russian Tea mix my mom made in the eighties. The main event there was Orange Tang and instant tea. This one has no tea. The wonderful orange flavor comes with a packet of True Orange. Love that stuff. Then some common spices and you have a terrific drink that warms you up but doesn't cost you the calories and carbs!

Hot Orange Spice 

3/4 cup water
1 packet True Orange
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Sugarfree sweetener to taste (I used the equivalent of 4 tsp or 2 packets)

4 calories 1 net g carb

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Coffee

I love spiced coffee. What I don't like is having 3 or 4 bags of flavored coffees open at once. We really don't have to buy a specialty coffee to get a wonderful spiced flavor. Using my coffee press, I make just a single cup of coffee and add the spices directly to the grounds. Voila!

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Coffee

1 cup water
1 tbsp ground coffee
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp half and half
Sweetener to taste

In a single cup brewer, place coffee and pumpkin pie spice. Brew as usual. Add creamer and sweetener as desired.

Serves 1:   23 calories   1 g carb

So there you have four ways to keep warm and happy this winter. Be sure to adjust the calorie and carb count to match the beverage you use to make milk, and the sweetener you choose.

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Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles, 

A Table for Two here.

Cream Cheese Lasagna

This stuff is amazing. So yummy. I made it a long, long time ago with Dreamfield's Lasagna noodles--before all the hoopla about their real carb content. I don't bother to buy it anymore (although I never did much, as I had already discovered that it raised the hubby's blood sugar). But forget that! Who needs the pasta anyway? This one uses eggplant slices to replace the pasta. Not quite the same texture, but superb flavor!

The thing that makes this dish so special is the cream cheese. Most lasagna recipes rely on ricotta cheese or cottage cheese. This has so much more flavor. Can you say creamy? True that it looks a little weird before it bakes. The tomato mixed in with the cream cheese looks pink. Fear not, when baked the pink is gone and all is well! I used sausage for even more flavor, but it is good with beef too. In the original recipe, I made a larger lasagna, and used half sausage and half beef. This recipe is easy to double, so do that if you have a crowd.

Cream Cheese Lasagna with Eggplant and Sausage

1 lb pork sausage
1 eggplant
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz cream cheese
14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
5 oz frozen spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or any of your choice)

In large skillet, brown sausage. Cut the eggplant into thin slices. Cut larger slices in half.  Place slices on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. With paper towels, press the moisture off the slices. Brush each with olive oil. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and flip each slice. Bake another 5-7 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven.

While those are baking, combine the cream cheese, diced tomatoes, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. (If cheese is cold, heat it a bit before adding tomatoes). Place 1/3 of the sausage, along with a bit of the pan drippings, in the base of an 8 inch square dish. Top the sausage with a layer of eggplant slices. Spoon 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture over the slices. Top with half of the spinach. Repeat layers of sausage, eggplant and cream cheese. Add the remaining spinach. Add the last of the sausage and cheese mixture. Top lasagna with shredded cheese. Bake 30 minutes. Let lasagna rest 10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 6:   464 calories    6 net carbs      38 g fat


Carb counts can vary with cream cheese, so watch. Neufchatel would lower the calories and fat a bit, but some have higher carbs. My Fitness Pal had the Neufchatel version 2 carbs per serving higher. I can't see how that can be. I hate how different software programs give you different figures. Grr. Just go with this is somewhere between 6 and 8 net carbs per serving.

The eggplant does not exactly stay in obvious layers like the pasta counterpart. It is really tasty, however. This is nice reheated, so go ahead and make a double batch if you want. Divide it up for lunches or freeze an extra. The busy upcoming holidays will be a time you will appreciate having those frozen meals waiting for you!

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

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Order my original e-book or the latest version for couples and singles, 

A Table for Two here.

Rhineland Green Beans and the November News

Are you planning your holiday dinners yet? Even though my family tends to like to old favorites from year to year, I always like to come up with something new. This green bean dish is a creation from a couple years ago for me, although its origins are somewhere else back in antiquity. The old country flavors with mustard and vinegar, onion and bacon. I am a huge fan. Although this was featured in the Diner News November 2012, this one is so good it also made it into Low Carbing Among Friends, Volume 5 pg. 113.

The Diner News for November is all about food for the family gatherings of the season. Here in America, Thanksgiving is on the calendar. For those of you everywhere else on the globe, I have to ask if there is any bad time to share your table with family and friends? The Diner News has pages of ideas for special gatherings. No matter where you call home. Some of the recipes are real show stoppers--look at the Delicata Squash Rosette. Beautiful presentation! Others are a taste sensation. Try the Tarragon Cream Spaghetti Squash. Yum. Others are delicious and gorgeous--like the Fondue in an Acorn Squash Cup. You will be the hostess with the mostest! (or host with the most)

Rhineland Green Beans

2 lbs frozen green beans

1 tbsp plus ³/₄ tsp salt

8 slices bacon

¹/₄  cup thinly sliced red onion

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp whole grain mustard German-style

2 tbsp olive oil

¹/₄  tsp coarsely ground black pepper

In large pot, bring water to a boil and add 1 tbsp. salt. Add green beans and cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Fry bacon until crisp and transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Let cool, then break into pieces. Reserve 2 tbsp  bacon drippings from skillet and return to medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, mustard, oil, remaining ³/₄ tsp  salt, and pepper. Add this to green beans, along with bacon, and toss to combine. Serve warm or chilled.

8   servings      218 calories     3 net carbs   18 g fat

So if you want even more ideas for holiday meals, be sure to get this month's Diner News. Here is a sampling of what you will find.

Delicata Squash Rosette

Onion and Sage Roasted Breast of Turkey

Balsamic Glazed Buttercup Squash

Spaghetti Squash in Tarragon Cream

Pioneer Style Green Beans

Fondue in Acorn Squash Cup

Spinach and Shrooms

Cranberry Crumble

Hungarian Cabbage Bake

"Honey" Balsamic Green Beans

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Shot

And of course, there is more. This issue will be the perfect start to your low carb holiday season! To order a year of the Diner News, go to 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.