Donut Holes

I bought a cake pop maker. What I really wanted to buy was a donut maker but, after searching high and low at the local shopping centre, a cake pop maker was the closest thing I could find. And, honestly, I just couldn’t wait the months it could take for donut makers to come back in vogue and hit the shelves again.

See, after pancakes, donuts are one of my favourite things to eat. Yes, they are carbage with little to no nutritional value, but I like them. A lot. (Which probably goes some way to explain how I got so overweight to begin with!). Anyway, when I came across some low carb recipes for donuts using no grains or sugar, I knew I just HAD to try them. Immediately.

So cake pop maker it had to be.

I tried my first batch of these grain free/sugar free babies last night. Turns out my cake pop maker makes great donut holes! I didn’t ice or glaze them, instead rolling them in a little bit of cinnamon and some powdered erythritol. Next time I will try icing.

Serves: 28* (depending on the size of your donut/cake pop maker holes)

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup powdered erythritol (or alternative sweetener)  

2 tbsp vanilla whey protein powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/8 cup cream mixed with 1/8 cup water

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, erythritol, protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.

Stir in melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Fill donut/cake pop maker according to instructions and bake until donuts are lightly browned and set.

Repeat with any remaining batter.

Place extra powdered erythritol and cinnamon in a medium bowl and roll cooked donut holes in mixture to coat.

*How many donuts you get will depend on the size of your donut/cake pop maker

Batch: Carbs 16.3gms, Protein 68.4gms, Fat 120.9gms, Fibre 12.6gms, Calories 1,431gms Net carbs 3.7gms per batch!

Recipe adapted from All Day I Dream About Food

Spicy "Corn Chips"

Makes 30 chips.

 

¾ cup almond meal

¼ cup of flax seed

¼ cup of coconut flour

¼ cup of unsalted butter (can use salted but the chip will be more salty)

1 large egg

1½ tsp of chilli powder (use more if you like it extra spicy)

1 tsp of onion powder

½ tsp of cumin

½ tsp of paprika

½ tsp of salt

Heat oven to 180 c

Line a large flat baking pan with baking paper.

Mix all of the ingredients in a food processor.

Divide the dough into 2 balls.

Place one ball between two large sheets of baking paper. On a flat surface use a rolling pin to flatten the dough. Flatten the dough to the thickness of a thin cracker.

Lift off the top of the baking paper.

Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into triangles.

Take off any dough leftover from cutting. Place it with the other ball.

Gently lift the parchment paper with the cut dough, and invert it onto the baking sheet with the baking paper.

Gently pull the baking paper off leaving the dough on the baking sheet.

Bake in the oven at 180 c for 7 ½-10 minutes. The chips are done when the dough is crispy and light brown.

Repeat for the second ball of dough.

1 Chip = Fat 1.58g, Net Carbs 0.62g, Protein 1.19g, Calories 42.93

 

Author: Carol Lovett

Asian Spiced Chicken Wings

2 tsp coconut aminos

1-2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1-2 teaspoons finely chopped/crushed Ginger (to taste)

1 -2 teaspoons chilli paste (make sure no added sugar)

1/2 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons sweetener (I used Norbu)

1 tbs Dry sherry (or wheat free Chinese Rice Wine if you can find it).

Squeeze of lemon

750 grams chicken wingettes/mini drumsticks, etc.

Mix all ingredients together. Coat chicken pieces well, ensuring all sides are covered. 

Leave to marinate for several hours or overnight.

Bake on oven tray covered in baking paper at 180c until fully cooked.

Keto Chocolate Mousse

This dessert is pretty indulgent at 704 calories a batch, but it's a great way to increase fat in your diet. Restraint is required!

Serves: 3

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup cream cheese

2-3 tablespoons low carb cocoa

1-2 tablespoons powdered erythritol (to taste)

Splash vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients together.

Batch: Net carbs 5.4 gms, fat 71gms, protein 10gms, calories 704

Choc Chip Granola Biscuits

Choc Chip Granola Biscuits

Serves: 20

1/4 cup almond flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter) melted

1/4 cup erythritol (or alternative sweetener)

2 eggs

40gms 85% chocolate (chopped)

3/4 cup Grain Free Granola ( use chopped mixed nuts/seeds as alternative)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup water

Mix dry ingredients. Add eggs, melted oil/butter, and water. Mix well until dough-like.

Roll into small balls. Place on greased baking paper. Flatten with fork.

Bake on 180c for 15-20 minutes.

Batch: 53 gms carbs, 176 gms fat, 44 gms protein, 32.5 gms fibre, 1975 calories.

Approximately 1 net carb per biscuit.

Cauliflower au gratin

Forget making a roux with flour and butter. This cheese sauce is super easy and amazingly delicious. You can use it on any vegetable, but in this case, I chose cauliflower - a vegetable very low in carbs - and made cauliflower au gratin.

Serves: 4-6

250ml Thickened cream

50 gms Tasty cheese (or more if you like it really cheesy)

Tablespoon cream cheese

Clove of garlic, crushed.

1 -2 tsp  mustard powder (to taste)

1-2 tsp English mustard (to taste)

1 1/2 teaspoons guar gum (a thickener available at good health food shops)

Paprika to sprinkle on top.

Place cream, garlic and cheese in saucepan on medium heat. 

Stir while cheese is melting. 

Add mustard (English and powder). Stir well. 

Add guar gum by sprinkling over top of cheesy mixture.

Stir until combined and keep on Heat until slightly thickened.

Place pre-cooked cauliflower in oven proof dish.

Pour cheese mixture over cauliflower.

Sprinkle paprika over top.

Bake in oven 180c for 10 minutes.

Raspberry Coconut Scones

I had my lovely inlaws over for afternoon tea today. The Other Half requested scones, so I decided to try this recipe for raspberry coconut scones from All Day I Dream About Food. I also made traditional, white flour scones with jam and cream. My MIL (who would never lie about something so important) said these were better :)  They are delicious!

Serves: 12

2 ½ cups almond flour

½ cup golden flax meal

½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

½ cup powdered erythritol or sweetener of choice

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup cream

½ tsp coconut or vanilla extract

1 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 180c.

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, flax meal, shredded coconut, erythritol, baking powder and salt.

Stir in eggs, coconut oil, cream and coconut or vanilla extract until dough comes together. It will be quite sticky.

Stir in raspberries until well distributed.

Turn out dough onto a lined baking tray and pat into a rough rectangle, 15 x 20cm. Cut into 6 even portions, and then cut each portion in half diagonally to make 12 triangular scones.

Gently separate scones and place around cookie sheet, leaving at least 2cm between them. Bake 28 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Remove and let cool on pan.

Per serve: 8.6g carbs, 4.8g fibre. Net carbs 3.8g. 

Flax Meal Pancakes

Pancakes are one of my favourite things to eat. No, they really are... I love them in all their forms - fluffy, crepes, savoury or sweet. One of my favourite childhood memories is eating crepes made by my dad. I'd cover them in butter, lemon and sugar and roll them up and cut them into pinwheels.  The more lemony the better! 

When I changed to LCHF, I thought I would have to give up my beloved pancakes. Thankfully, I was wrong.  These little puffy delights are made with flax meal (is there anything you can't make with flax?!). They take minutes to make and, while heavier than your standard, white flour pancake, they are extremely delicious...and filling!

Just be careful of the toppings you use. I usually measure out some blueberries (you don't need very many), and put them on the top of my pancake with butter, cinnamon and 5ml of pure maple syrup (my one sugar treat).

Some people say life is too short to measure out 5ml of maple syrup. I say, life is probably going to be shorter if you don't! Seriously though, pure maple syrup (not "maple style syrup" or "maple flavored syrup") is full of minerals and other healthful goodies. However, no matter how you look at it, it is still a sugar, and it is still full of carbs. I figure though, my 5ml once or twice a month (as my only added sugar) is fine.

Similarly, cinnamon is so very healthy (and another of my favourite things) but, surprisingly, it is very high in carbs at about 6 carbs a tablespoon. The health benefits probably outweigh the high carb level, but don't go nuts.

Serves: 3

6 tbsp of flax meal

3 eggs

1 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 tbsp water (add more if mixture thickens)

1 - 2 tsp sweetener  (Optional)

Mix everything together. Cook in frying pan in butter on medium heat, approximately 3 minutes each side or until cooked through,

Per serve: 131 cals, 6.7gm fat, 11.3 gm protein, 1.2gm carb, 4.3gm fibre.

Recipe from Low Carb Friends

Juicy Lucy Burgers

I first saw "Juicy Lucy" burgers on an episode of "Man Versus Food" on Foxtel. (If you haven't seen it, it's a series where a guy travels around the U.S undertaking food eating challenges.)  Basically, they are stuffed burgers. You can put anything in them but cheese is a no-brainer!  In this recipe, the flax meal helps bind the mix.

Serves: 10 small patties or 5 larger patties

500 gms beef mince

Heaped tsp crushed garlic

1/4 cup flax meal

1 tbs water

Mixed herbs (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Fillings - cheese, jalapeños, diced onion, sundried tomato, etc (whatever you like!)

Mix mince, garlic, herbs, flax meal, salt, pepper and water thoroughly. 

Form into thin patties.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes to help firm up patties.

Remove from fridge. Place fillings in the middle of patty (careful not to overfill). Cover with another patty. Press together to seal around edges.

Fry in hot pan, turning carefully when cooked on each side.

Serve on grain free bread rolls with favourite low carb toppings.

Grain Free Bread Rolls

Bread is something that a lot of people miss eating low carb. Thankfully, there are lots of alternatives you can bake using things like flaxmeal, psyllium husks, coconut flour or almond meal. We are having burgers for dinner and these rolls should do nicely at keeping all of those lovely fillings under control!

Serves: 4-5

1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour (or 1/2 cup coconut flour) 

5 TBS psyllium husks  

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp salt

2 eggs (4 if using coconut flour) 

1 cup BOILING water 

Preheat the oven to 180c. In a medium sized bowl, combine the almond, psyllium husks (no substitutes: flaxseed meal won't work), baking powder and salt. Add in the eggs and combine until a thick dough. Add boiling water into the bowl. Mix until well combined.

Form into 4 to 5 mini rolls (the dough will rise and spread a little) or one large loaf and place onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes (longer if a loaf) Remove from the oven and allow the bread cool completely. Cut open with a serrated knife. Fill with desired fillings. 

Per batch: 798 calories, 63.3g fat, 33.2g protein, 10g carb, 32.9g fibre.

Recipe from Mariahealth blog

Date Free Bliss Balls

Makes: 12

1/3 cup almond meal

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup almond butter

1/4 cup powdered erythritol (or sweetener of choice)

1 tbs flax meal

1 tbs coconut oil

2 tbs cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Extra coconut/cocoa for rolling

Mix dry ingredients. Melt coconut oil and almond butter together.

Add melted coconut oil/almond butter to dry ingredients. 

Add vanilla. Mix well until combined.

Roll into balls and coat with shredded coconut or cocoa.

*Flavour can be altered or enhanced by adding different extract oils (eg. Peppermint, orange, etc). For an adult version, add 10-15ml of Cointreau.

Batch:  Carbs 11.1gms, Fibre 16.3gms, Fat 92.9gms, Protein 13.6gms, Calories 1026.