Low Carb Blondies

Yummy, gooey-goodness! I am in love with these, and am thinking I need to put them under lock and key.

I found this recipe on one of the low carb forums, and tweaked it just a bit, but it's my first recipe to make using the Poly-D. I have to say, I think I am going to like using it for cookies at least! :)

Low Carb Blondies
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups Carbquik
1 cup polydextrose
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granular Splenda or equivalent liquid
1 1/2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 ounces pecans, chopped, 1/2 cup 

1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, blend the Carbquik and polydextrose; set aside. 
3. In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sweetener, molasses and vanilla until creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. 
4. Add the dry ingredients and blend on low speed just until blended. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. 
5. Spread in a greased 9x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown all over, checking after the minimum time. (mine took closer to 30 minutes) 
6. Cool in the pan on a rack at least 30 minutes before cutting.  (Really, be patient and wait, they are too soft to get of the pan in one piece otherwise... trust me!)

Makes 18 servings
Can be frozen

Products used in this recipe: 
(use the netrition.com search box of the left to search for these products and purchase them!)

Nevada Manna Sugar Free Chocolate Chips

Polydextrose

Splenda, grandular

Carbquik

Linking up here:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Pie

Is there a more perfect way to celebrate Pi day (3.14) then to eat pie? :) I think not!! But doing so and remaining true to the low carb way of eating can be challenging. I had some definite ups and downs working through this recipe. But I think I got it... :) I may have to do some more tweaking, and if I do-- I will come back and make some updates. I found the ideas for this pie here and here.

I am not a cake decorator... so don't judge! lol :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer pie


Ingredients:
-For Crust:

• 1 1/4 Cup of Almond Flour/Meal
• 1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt 
• 5 Tbs of Icy Water

For Chocolate Layer:

• 2 Tbs Butter
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 Tbs. Cream
• 1/2 Cup of Splenda

For Peanut Butter Layer:

• 4 Tbs Cream Cheese, softened- room temperature
• 5 Tbs Peanut Butter (I used creamy All Natural Skippy)
• 1/3 C Splenda

Topping:

• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Tbs Splenda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin

Directions:

1. Crust: Mix Almond flour, salt and coconut oil by cutting in the oil, then add 1 Tbs at a time of icey water, mixing as you go. It will be crumbly but will have the ability to hold together. Next, press the dough into a greased pie plate, spread over the bottom well, and then bake at 450 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Before I added the water

while the crust cooled... I will explain below why the edges were so dark...

• Allow pie crust to cool and then put it in the freezer, and allow to freeze before you make your next layer.(I only waited about 15 minutes)

2. Chocolate layer: Melt butter and chocolate in microwave approx. 2 minutes (stop about every 30 seconds to stir). Mix in cream and vanilla. Stir well. Mix in splenda. Pour over frozen pie crust and put back in freezer.

With the the chocolate layer spread on the crust... just barely enough!

3. Peanut Butter layer: Mix peanut butter, cream cheese and splenda with hand mixer. Spread over frozen pie. Put back into the freezer.

With the peanut butter layer spread on top...

4. Whip cream with vanilla, gelatin and splenda until stiff peaks will form. Spread over pie and refrigerate.

 There are about 53 net carbs in this pie, that makes 6.625 per slice (assuming 8 servings)

A "profile" picture... look at the yummy layers! (my crust was about 2x's too thick (explained below)...

So, this pie was a lot of work, but it was worth it! Even my carb-loving friends gave it their stamp of approval! :) 

Things I learned along the way: 

- if it doesn't work the first time, try, try again (see pics below)

- unflavored gelatin can be mixed into your whipped cream (no noticeable taste that I could tell), and it will prevent the whipped cream from "deflating" or "weeping". I actually used about another 1/2 tsp in the little bit of topping I saved to pipe the words with.... and it held up very nicely!

- you could definitely make the crust using butter
- ALWAYS read the reviews/comments before you try a new recipe!!!! :) (as evidenced by by experience noted below!)

My trials with making this crust:
The original recipe called for 1 1/4 cup of almond meal/flour and 2/3 cups coconut oil. I thought... hmmm, that seems like a lot, but I went for it. And it looked fine, I even patted it up the sides of the pie pan to make a "true" pie crust. Then about 5 minutes into the baking I took the following picture, and realized there might just be a problem:

See the problem? Startin' to "melt"

Apparently the amount of oil was too high, but I gave it another 5 minutes (just in case) and here was the result:

Kind of bubbly and soupy looking... :(

Check out this perspective... it was nearly bubblin' over... 

So, I mixed in more almond flour (about a cups worth) and was happier with the drier consistanacy and put it back in for another 15 minutes (thus the super dark edges-- but not burned, I do not burn things - I BROWN them!! LOL). Next time I am definitely going to cut back the oil to 1/4 cup (thinking that's about right since my crust was still a bit "soft" once it had come back to room temperature).


Linked up at the following parties:


Between 3 Sisters Mid-Month Motivation

Products in this post:
Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour, 16-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)
100% Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 16 fl.oz
Skippy Peanut Butter, Natural Creamy, 15-Ounce Jars (Pack of 6)
Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated, 1.2-Pound Bag
Unflavored Gelatin - 1 lb

Cannoli Cream with Blueberries

I have had some Ricotta Cheese sitting in my refrigerator for about 2 weeks... I know, I know... but I couldn't come up with anything to make with it. At first I planned to make those "pancakes" that I see the recipe for everywhere. But just never came up with the desire to make them. So after searching a bit online I found this recipe for Low Carb Cannoli Parfaits by George Stella from the Food Network's "Low Carb and Lovin' It" series (which is sadly off the air). But being me-- I had to tweak it... cause number one-- I didn't want the chocolate chips... and number 2: I had some blueberries to use up. Although, I imagine one day I will try it the way that George Stella suggested!

Cannoli Cream with blueberries:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)
• 1/4 teaspoon real almond extract
• 1 teaspoon no sugar added vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh

Directions

 1. With an electric mixer on high, whip heavy cream just until frothy, and then add sugar substitute and almond and vanilla extracts. Continue to whip on high until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, or cream will break.

2. Gently fold in the ricotta cheese and almost all of the blueberries, saving a few  for garnish. Spoon cannoli cream into parfait glasses, top with remaining blueberries, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves 4.
8.9 net carbs/serving