Chicken in Mole Sauce--Crockpot Style

We got our first real snowfall of the year today. Yes, it did change my plans for the day, but that was not too bad a thing. I got a jump on my weekend prep for meals. (and a strong start on the February Diner News) This was just the thing I needed to warm me up today. Nice and spicy! Chicken in Mole Sauce. The sauce is complex, for sure, but not at all hard to put together. If you have never made or enjoyed a Mole sauce, you may be surprised to learn that chocolate is an important ingredient. The sauce is a little sweet, and a little spicy. Both hot spicy and cinnamon and clove spicy. I loved this! My kitchen happens to have guajillo chile powder. That can be hard to find, but you can sub with an additional tsp of regular chili powder. The guajillo I have really adds some heat, so if you like it spicy better plan on a shake or two of cayenne or red pepper flakes too. If not, the plain chili powder will make this much more kid friendly. My big kid--the hubby--would find my version too spicy. Good thing for him I made three crockpot meals today. Yes, I am that crazy gadget lady that owns 4 different slowcookers.

The crockpot made it easy-peasy. Maybe this is not as striking as the rich mahogany colored sauce ladeled over a sizzling breast of chicken, but I am more into easy than fancy. I did bother to grab my pretty plate and placemat for the photo. That shows how much I love a theme! Speaking of which, this will be in my slow cooker themed Diner News for February.

Chicken Mole

14 oz canned diced tomatoes

2 tbsp finely diced onion

1 oz unsweetened chocolate

2 tbsp almond meal

2 tsp erythritol / stevia blend sweetener equal to sugar

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp guajillo chili powder

1 tsp plain chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

Add all ingredients except chicken to the crockpot. Stir well to distribute spices. Add chicken (may be diced, but can be put in whole) Cook at low temperature for 6-8 hours. Let cool 10 minutes. Shred chicken with two forks and allow sauce to seep into the meat.

Serve with a salad. Garnish chicken with cheese and chopped cilantro.

Serves 4 as a meal with 2 cups salad w/tomato and 2 tbsp cheese

248 calories and 10 net g carb

Don't you love lazy days? So good to have them once in a while. We could have ventured out, but why? As I sit here, I am still in my loungewear, no make-up and messy hair. Love it. John is wearing mismatched clothes and I don't even care. He his cleaning his office. Woohoo. I did battle yesterday at the grocery store. I promise you, here in Oklahoma, where we don't get much snow, just a forecast of an inch or two will send everyone scurrying to the store for provisions. It's crazy how we think somehow we might get snowed in for weeks without milk or bread.( Not that I buy those things)

Whatever the weather in your part of the world, enjoy!

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.

Cranberry Diet Drinks

My final installment in Cranberry Week. For this beverage, I have been in experimental mode. I had read about the Biggest Loser weight loss drink with unsweetened cranberry juice. It seemed interesting. Several different recipes are online, most with varying ingredients. One constant seems to be the unsweetened cranberry juice. Since I was needing to place an order at Swanson's, I added some of that to my list. I honestly have not looked for it locally. You may be able to get unsweetened juice at your health food store. I used this. I have always been a fan of cranberry juice. Until recently, I only knew about the sugary kind on the grocery store shelves. Never too old to learn! Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants, and are great to support urinary tract health. I struggle in that area a bit from time to time, so I think this will be a terrific addition to my diet.

I have also been checking out some essential oils to add to my beverages. I love grapefruit juice. It is one thing I really miss. I used to drink the grapefruit flavored Crystal Light. Now, I don't do aspartame. I bet the loss of my sales alone led to the company discontinuing that flavor! I have to say, I love a simple grapefruit water. Just water and 2 drops of essential oil. Just enough flavor to make water more interesting. I drink that at school. Grapefruit is one of the oils recommended for weight loss. It is supposed to help with appetite suppression and metabolism--among a host of other good things. This is not a review for any weight loss promises. I just figure it is good to do what I can. We older gals have such a hard time dropping weight. If it happens to work like magic, I assure you, I will share. Even if you aren't looking for weight loss, these drinks are healthy and amazingly tasty. 

Before you look for a sales pitch, I am not a distributor for any essential oil company. In fact, I did some research on therapeutic grade essential oils because I just couldn't tolerate the mark ups and shipping costs my friends endure. Most of them signed up to be representatives just so they could afford the oils. That  just irritates me. I want to get a high quality product without a business entanglement. I found Native American Nutritionals. The prices are much better, the quality is good. Shipping was--well, free. Win. Couldn't get a better deal even if I bought from one of my friends. Sorry girls. I get no money or product for endorsing this company, just sharing a tip. While I was ordering my grapefruit oil, I noticed a blend for weight loss called Slim and Trim. It says it will help with cravings and appetite control. Yes! I added a small bottle to my order. It is a blend of pink grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, cinnamon bark and celery seed. From the reviews, some love the taste, others, no so much. I was surprised to like it as much as I did. But it needed some tweaking. See the recipe below. We shall see how the appetite control works out. 

All of these ingredients I am sharing today are easy to mix and match. Add them to water or tea, add spices or other oils. Make a custom cocktail! Be sure to use glass containers, since essential oils are thought to pull toxins from plastic. I love to drink from mason jars with lids and straws. Remember the Diner News issue where I showed you how to make you own lids with holes for straws?  Here are my favorites from this week: 

Biggest Loser Inspired Weight Loss Drink

(My version is a combo of several found online. I chose less cranberry juice. Some add cinnamon and cayenne, not a great flavor combo with the lemon in my opinion.)

1 bag green tea

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon flavoring

Ice and water to fill 1 quart

Stevia to taste

Steep green tea in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and discard bag. Stir in cranberry juice, lemon juice, and  lemon flavoring if using. (This really does make a super lemony boost) In a quart jar or glass bottle, add ice and water to the top. Add liquid stevia to taste. (I used Hungry Girl Stevia with honey flavoring.) My favorite lemon flavoring is Simply Organic Lemon flavor. You can always just add a couple of drops of lemon essential oil instead of the juice and flavoring.

18 calories   4 g carb

Simple Cranberry Grapefruit Slimmer 

1 bag green tea

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate

2 drops Grapefruit essential oil

Ice and water to fill 1 quart

stevia to taste

Steep green tea in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and discard bag. Stir in cranberry juice and grapefruit essential oil. Add ice and water to fill a quart jar. Drink as is or add stevia to taste.

14 calories   3 g carbs

Slim and Trim Appetite Slammer

Cayenne pepper has a thermogenic effect to boost metabolism. It is optional.

1 bag oolong tea (or green)

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate

2 drops Native Nutritionals Slim and Trim blend essential oil

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

Ice and water to make 1 quart

stevia or other sweetener to taste (I use E.Z. Sweets Stevia with Monkfruit)

Steep oolong tea in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and discard bag. Stir in cranberry juice, Slim and Trim essential oil, cinnamon and cayenne if using. Fill a quart jar with ice and water to the top. Add stevia to taste.

15 calories   3 g carbs

So there you have it. No excuses for sodas. Add some nutrition to everything you take in--even your water. If any of you try these recipes and the essential oils, please let me know if you see results. In the past, I have been terribly inconsistent when I try to evaluate a supplement. I kinda fail at doing the body hacking thing. Worth a try?

Get more great  low carb recipes at Low Carbing Among Friends.

 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. 

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

 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.

Cinnamon Puff Balls

I started out today to make some cinnamon minute muffins. Somewhere along the way. my ideas jumped plan over to my cake pop maker. After all, it is spring break for me and I have a little more time to play in the kitchen. I still have a huge to do list for this week, but I took some time to make these sweet little breakfast treats. Hubby liked them and took a bunch to work. They are pretty tasty.

Cinnamon Puff Balls

3 tbsp golden flax meal
2 tbsp almond flour
1 tbsp coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
2 tbsp mild flavored oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup Swerve or any sweetener equal to 1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp water

Coating:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp granulated sucralose or any granulated sweetener
1 tsp cinnamon

In a small bowl, mix flax meal, almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the oil, vanilla and sweetener. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Remove half the batter to a separate bowl and stir in 1 tbsp cinnamon and the water.

Cake pops: Pre-heat the cake pop appliance. Fill the wells, alternating between vanilla batter and cinnamon batter. Bake for 4-5 minutes and remove to cool. Repeat with all the batter

Mini Muffins: Coat the muffin tin or cups with oil. Do not use papers.  Fill muffin cups 3/4 full alternating vanilla and cinnamon batters. Mix with a toothpick if you like. Bake at 350 until set in the center, approximately 15 minutes. Release the muffins from the pans.

Coating: Melt the butter in a ramekin. In a shallow bowl, combine the granulated sweetener and 1 tsp cinnamon. Dip each ball or mini muffin in butter and then roll in the cinnamon mixture.

Makes 16 puffs or 12 mini muffins
Serves 4 at      205 calories    2.5 carbs     7 g protein    18 g fat

Given that this is based on a Minute Muffin recipe, these might work well in the microwave oven if you have mini muffin silicone cups. Didn't try it, but it might work. You may need to add a bit more granulated sweetener when rolling. Happy Spring!

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

Order our books at: 

http://amongfriends.us/24-7-LCD.php

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

Pumpkin Nut Blondies

Yum.Oh Yum. Oh Yummo. I am still on a pumpkin kick. I wanted a bar that featured those fabulous fall flavors but was so easy. This is it. I started with my amazingly simple Maple Nut Blondies. Those are fabulous, mind you, (recipe in Low Carbing Among Friends I) but these are too. I bet when you see the ingredients list, you will think no way--peanut butter? That does not end up as the predominant flavor, I promise. These have a delightful blend of nuts, pumpkin and spice. If you are unsure, sub almond butter. More pumpkin flavor perhaps, but also more expensive to make. If you aren't anti-legume, go ahead and give these a try. Maybe Sunbutter? Another day...

Pumpkin Nut Blondies

1 1/4 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp liquid stevia or any sweetener equal to 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp powdered erythritol

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, pumpkin, egg, vanilla, stevia, spices and soda. Stir well. Spread into an 8x8 inch dish brushed with coconut oil. Spread the mixture smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered erythritol. 

Makes 9 servings   253 calories  5 net g carb

The photo is not lying. The powdered erythritol absorbed the pumpkin coloring and turned yellow. I kind of like it though. Adds a fall touch. The texture of these is a little bit "sandy" as you often get in peanut butter cookies. I happen to love that texture. True, with all that cinnamon, they aren't really blonde, but there is no chocolate in these babies--so blonde it is. These are so easy to put together, no mixers needed, and only one bowl. No flour, only one egg. This is one of those recipes with nut butter that sometimes confuse even experienced bakers. Seems like it would need flour, but no. Go with it and soon you will be rewarded with deliciousness!

I used EZ Sweetz liquid stevia to sweeten these blondies. The company was nice enough to send me a sample box of several of their sweeteners. This one is pure stevia, but they also have blends available. I have been using bottles of stevia and monkfruit for months now. If you use any other brand, be careful to be sure of your measuring equivalents. The strengths can vary among brands.

Now if I can keep us from eating these all up tonight, they are going to make great lunch box treats this week.

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.  

Launch time

Things just never seem to go as planned. They cookbook was ready. The web page for ordering was...well...almost ready. Then life as usual intervened, and suddenly it is two months later. But now it seems as it is the real deal. Time to launch the cooking system and let my friends and fellow low carbers know about my venture.

The webpage is ready for orders. On it, you will find some sample recipes, some photos, and a brief explanation of how my kitchen system works. I also have the newsletter ready for anyone who buys the cookbook and joins up. That has extra recipes, favorite kitchen gadgets, seasonal ideas and more stuff that somehow interests me as a cook or low carber. I will also list the recipes I have chosen for entrees for the month.

Here's a sample from the October newsletter:

Joseph’s Cinnamon Crisps
Spread softened butter on a sheet of Lavash bread. Fold it together to make sure butter is evenly distributed even to the edge. Unfold the bread.
Mix 1/4 cup of granulated Splenda with 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon.
Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the buttered bread.
Cut the bread into 3 inch strips using a knife or pizza cutter.
Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees.

Get the cookbook and newsletter to get the pumpkin dip recipe that goes with these chips. Yummy.


I promise to be posting more regularly now. Be sure to let me know when you have stopped by.