define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true); gluten free Archives - Your Fit Day https://www.yourfitday.com/tag/gluten-free-2/ with Debby K! Coaching for fitness, fat loss, and whole foods based cooking Thu, 11 Jan 2018 09:36:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.7 20187703 Frozen Chocolate Kisses – Low Carb https://www.yourfitday.com/frozen-chocolate-kisses-low-carb/ https://www.yourfitday.com/frozen-chocolate-kisses-low-carb/#comments Mon, 04 Dec 2017 09:02:42 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=686 Frozen Chocolate Kisses One would think that I’m addicted to au chocolat based on my previous posts, here, here, and here! But really, I’m more of a lemon lover, as you can see here, here, and here! Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t love something as tasty as low carb frozen chocolate kisses. Honestly, when I was … Continue reading "Frozen Chocolate Kisses – Low Carb"

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]]> Frozen Chocolate Kisses
These Low Carb Frozen Chocolate Kisses taste just like Hershey’s Kisses, except they are frozen. Photo Credit: jos delightfultastebuds.com

Frozen Chocolate Kisses

One would think that I’m addicted to au chocolat based on my previous posts, here, here, and here! But really, I’m more of a lemon lover, as you can see here, here, and here! Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t love something as tasty as low carb frozen chocolate kisses.

Honestly, when I was a kid, there was always room for a some chocolate truffles and milk chocolate bars! My favorites? Fannie Farmer truffles, and Hershey’s. Anything Hershey’s!

Now for special occasions, like when I was sick, I always loved truffles. Not the pig snorting type. No, I’m talking chocolate. The milkier the better!

So, when I was down with the flu -Most definitely a special occasion for treats – I’d always ask Mom for a box of milk chocolate truffles from Fannie Farmer. Then, I would hide them in my sock drawer where nobody else would find them. There was no way anybody going to get my truffles!! I would then savor each one until I declared myself better. Yes, I had total control over my truffles. They were all mine!

Picture of Fanny Farmer Candy Box
Fanny Farmer Truffles were my special treat!

Chocolate truffles-the perfect medicine! My own ‘Spoon Full of Sugar’!

A Chocolate Lover’s Dream Come True For A Kid:

Hershey’s chocolate. I mean, who didn’t love Hershey’s chocolate  when I grew up!

Well, back in the 70’s my parents packed us all up, like sardines, into our station wagon, for a trip to the Florida sunshine.  It was spring break and we were getting out of the cold, like many a Bostonian did.

Yup, six of us in a station wagon!

Ok, that part is not part of the dream come true!

No. The most fun part of the trip was our visit to the Hershey’s Chocolate factory in Hershey Pennsylvania, where they chose our family to be special taste testers.

My job? To be a ‘Secret Chocolate Agent’ for the day. It was like being in the Willy Wonka Factory!

My mission-and you better believe that I accepted it- was to eat chocolate, drink chocolate, and basically live by chocolate for the entire afternoon. Oh,  and then answer a series of questions for some kind of secret chocolate research they were doing!

Who knows what the questions were, and who cared, really. I was eating and breathing Hershey’s Chocolate like a Diva!

Could it be that I helped shape the world of Hershey’s for generations to come? Of course I’d like to believe, that in the name of chocolate, I was helping all of humankind. At least those humans who ate chocolate.

So, what was my favorite Hershey’s chocolate ? The Hershey Kiss.

I loved the way they fit perfectly on the roof of your mouth, and slowly turned into that silky, sweet, chocolatey goo. I can still remember that sweet taste and texture!

My Healthy Version Of Frozen Chocolate Kisses

If you’re looking to recreate those halcyon days of eating Hershey’s kisses, but you want a healthier version, you’ve stopped at the right place. Because after popping one of my frozen Frozen Chocolate Kisses into your mouth you too will swear that you’ve just eaten a Hershey Kiss…except mine is just a little bit colder!

And if you’ve never tried a Hershey Kiss, trust me, you won’t have to. This healthy version will do the trick.

So go ahead and try my Low Carb Frozen Chocolate Kisses. But I dare you to try and eat just one.

Alas, let’s start baking!

Frozen Chocolate Kisses - Low Carb
 
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A low carb creamy chocolate frozen treat that melts in your mouth, and tastes just like a Hershey's Kiss!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Primal
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Ingredients:
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 7 Tbsp coconut milk
  • 6 gr (approx 1 Tbsp) whey protein powder whey protein powder
  • 10 grams (approx 2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp eryhtritol (or 2 packets Splenda or to taste, and omit the powdered stevia) eryhtritol
  • ¼ tsp powdered stevia powdered stevia
  • pinch of ground sea salt
  • 4 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Whisk an egg yolk and 1 Tbsp of coconut milk in a small dish.
  2. In another deep small bowl mix 5 or 6 gr of a whey powder, 8 grams of cocoa powder, stevia and splenda mix or whatever you happen to use, and a pinch of finely ground sea salt. whisk that all up!
  3. Then, with a rubber spatula mix the egg yolk mixture into the cocoa mixture and blend it all up. It's hard not to lick the spoon and just eat that. But stop yourself so you can indulge in the real goodness that is to come!!
  4. Then, in a small saucepan heat 6 tbsp of coconut milk until just simmering and small bubbles appear on the sides.
  5. Remove from stove and begin tempering the chocolate with the milk by adding 1 tbsp of the milk into the cocoa mixture and mixing vigorously as you do that, combining it all. Then continue to do this tbsp by tbsp, until it's all combined.
  6. Then, with the rubber spatula transfer that all back into the saucepan.
  7. Now here is where you need to be super vigilant! Reduce heat to low and put saucepan back on stove. But making sure to stir stir stir that cocoa mixture. It will seem like nothing is happening. But in 30 seconds to 1 minute it will start to thicken and you will see streaks of the pan on the bottom.
  8. Make sure to continue moving that spatula around the corners of the pan. At the 1 minute mark or slightly less you will see small curds start to form. Immediately lift the pan 4-6 inches off the stove top, but continue stirring the mixture around the pan, getting in all areas as it thickens up.
  9. It may start looking dry on the edges and you don't want this, so lift the pan higher and make sure that the flame is low.
  10. Once those curds start forming at the beginning, when you first start to lift the pan off the stovetop, you only need to do that mixing for about 1.5 minutes. I used a timer at the beginning , but eventually you will know when to stop.
  11. So now, take the pan off the stove and place on counter. Add in the coconut oil or butter, only adding in TWO tsp at a time, and mix it all in before adding in the next 2 tsp. It will be nice and shiny and glossy. Take a whiff. It will smell like a Hershey Kiss.
  12. Put it into a small tupperware, or Tbsp rubber kiss shaped ice cube molds (I didn't have any, and metal molds will work just fine t00), and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes or longer, depending on how hard you want your chocolate gelato. It will be very soft gelato at the 20 minute mark. I actually let it sit in there until it's hard, then let it soften a bit, and eat it like fudge. It literally melts in your mouth, like how Hershey Kisses do, or did, when we were kids.
Notes
You can also put this pudding into the baked nut crust, and put it into the freezer for about 20 minutes, for a frozen tart.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 Calories: 237.5 Fat: 23 Carbohydrates: 3.5 Fiber: 1 Protein: 6

 

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]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/frozen-chocolate-kisses-low-carb/feed/ 1 686 Low Carb Pumpkin Brownie Bites https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-pumpkin-brownie-bites/ https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-pumpkin-brownie-bites/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2015 14:00:30 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=540 Hello Your Fit Day Friends! I’m kind of on a chocolate roll these days. Funny, because I’m not even a chocolate lover. In fact, you’ll never see me go hunting for chocolate, or wear one of those Death by Chocolate T-shirts. But still, I love making my sugar free low carb treats…and chocolate is good … Continue reading "Low Carb Pumpkin Brownie Bites"

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]]> If you're not a chocolate lover now, you will be after eating one of these...!
If you’re not a chocolate lover now, you will be after eating one of these…!

Hello Your Fit Day Friends!

I’m kind of on a chocolate roll these days. Funny, because I’m not even a chocolate lover. In fact, you’ll never see me go hunting for chocolate, or wear one of those Death by Chocolate T-shirts.

But still, I love making my sugar free low carb treats…and chocolate is good for us (right?)…and practically everyone I know will snatch up a piece of chocolate something, if offered.

So… I’m offering,..with my Low Carb Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Bites!

This recipe is a variation of my Melt In Your Mouth Chocolate Chiffon Brownie Cake, the one where I used Kabocha squash (known also as Japanese pumpkin) and Splenda granules. The one that tastes like a chocolate truffle!

In this Low Carb Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Bites recipe I’ve replaced the Splenda with erythritol and liquid stevia.

And for convenience, and because some people can’t find kabocha squash in their area, I used canned pumpkin.

Each bite melts in your mouth, and tastes just as decadent as my Chocolate Chiffon Brownie Cake. And if you let it sit in the fridge for a day it becomes nice and fudge-y!

These Low Carb Chocolate Pumpkin Brownie Bites are not too sweet, so you may want to add extra sweetener. But I think it’s really really good just the way it is!!

For most of my pumpkin baking treats I usually use kabocha squash, which is also called Japanese pumpkin.  I love kabocha and have been using it for more than 20 years. You can read about kabocha here.

Crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside!!
Crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside!!

So here’s how I made these brownie bites:

First, I sifted the dry ingredients together, minus some of the sweetener which is used for the egg whites.02_dry_mixture

Then I beat the egg whites in a stainless steel bowl until frothy (copper bowls are best, so they say; and you can also use glass),03_foamy_eggwhites

at which time I added in the cream of tarter. I continued beating until soft peaks formed,04_softpeak_eggwhites

and then added in the sweetener of choice (See notes below), a little bit at a time so it wouldn’t fly around the room. (In the pictures I used erythritol and liquid Splenda)

After it was all incorporated I beat for about another 30 seconds, just until stiff peaks formed. When they are fluffy, STOP your beating!

These are egg whites whipped until stiff peaks
Whip it! Whip it good!

Make sure not to over beat the whites or they can liquify again. And if they’re too stiff they will get dry and crack when you are folding in the other ingredients. If this happens make sure not to panic! Just add in another egg white and carry on. It’s a learning experience…all will be OK!!

Next I gently poured the squash/egg mixture on top of the egg whites. 06_pumpkin_on_top_eggwhites

Then I folded in the squash/egg mixture until all incorporated.07_pumpkin_mixed_eggwhites

So it looked like this,08_pumpkin_eggwhite_batter

Then I sifted and folded in the dry mixture, in 4 equal siftings, until no pockets of the dry mix was left visible.06_sifted_dry_mixture_on_eggwhites

This part takes a lot of patience and time. Because every time you think it’s all mixed in another little pocket appears underneath the egg whites. So you kind of have to gently lift that bubble of egg white/dry mix, and shake the spatula against the bowl when it appears, so it bursts out the dry mix hidden inside, and then keep folding. I told you this takes patience!! But it’s well worth the effort in the end!07_eggwhite_cocoa

Your final batter will look like this:

Try not to eat the batter, like I do!!
Try not to eat the batter, like I do!!

If you’re not too sure on how to fold flour, or any other ingredients into egg whites, refer to my Lemon Chiffon Poppy Seed Cake recipe directions and watch the video on folding.

Then I divided my batter evenly (about 2.5 tbsp per cup) into 8 greased muffin cups without the parchment paper-because they come out more crispy-and placed them on the middle rack. (Or you can use parchment lined muffin tins, but they are not as crisp on top and sides and bottom).DebbyK Low Carb Chocolate Brownie Bites

And finally, after baking in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes (while being tortured with the smell of chocolate wafting through my apartment) out from the oven they came. As hard as it was to do, I let them sit for 15 minutes.

DebbyK Low Carb Chocolate Brownie Bites

Then I plated them up…12_round_stacked_closeup

and devoured every last one. Well, that part wasn’t hard at all!!12_round_stacked_02

Really, I did! Because my chocolate brownie bites, have 24 grams of protein for the entire batter. I’d qualify that as a complete meal!

I like to schemer some my home made coconut butter, or some of my homemade chocolate pudding , on top, to add some good fats to the experience! So go ahead, have your cake and eat it too…for dinner!!

BTW: The macros for canned pumpkin and kabocha are very similar.

Notes about Sweeteners and carb counts:

Using Splenda Granules and erythritol: The first time I made these brownies I used Splenda Granules. (Yes! I eat Splenda!) This is what helps impart that light and airy melt in your mouth texture. I find that Splenda granules bake up more like real sugar than erythritol does.

Erythritol is a heavier sweetener by weight, and I believe this makes the brownie texture slightly more dense. But this could just be my own experience with it.

The recipe below is using erythritol, which gives the brownies a slightly different mouth feel; a bit more fudge-y.

Should you count Erythritol Net Carbs?: Personally I don’t count the sugar alcohols of erythritol into my net carb count, like some low carbers do. Erythritol has been shown not to spike insulin, and is not metabolized by our bodies, and even eating the entire cake doesn’t affect me.

But we are all individual snowflakes, so follow your bliss!

So if you choose not to count the erythritol carbs, that leaves the entire batch of brownies with 15g net carbs. That’s less than 2 grams net carbs per brownie!

However, in the nutrition info I have included total net carbs using erythritol, for those of you who count the sugar alcohol’s net carbs.

12_round_stacked_angle_02

12_round_stacked_01

12_round_stacked_front

P.S- You can also bake these as a cake and enjoy the crispy corners! I prefer to bake these in one of those grocery store 7″-8″ cheap pie pans.

This is a picture of brownies baked in an 8 inch square tin seen on DebbyK website wwww.yourfitday.com
Melt In Your Mouth Brownies made with pumpkin

Alas, let’s get baking!

Note: If you prefer even more of a ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ experience and don’t mind using Splenda,  check out this chocolate ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ brownie recipe.

Low Carb Melt-In-Your Mouth Chocolate Brownie Bites
 
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A low carb Paleo friendly brownie, with a slightly sticky and crispy top, that's light and airy inside, and melts in your mouth with every bite!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 egg whites
  • 75gram canned pumpkin
  • 1 Tbsp coconut milk
  • 1 tsp liquid vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 10 gram whey protein powder
  • 1 Tbsp coconut flour
  • 8 gram unsweetened cocoa powder
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp xantham gum (optional)
  • ¼ cup erythritol
  • ¼ tsp powdered stevia

  • What You'll Need:
  • Large Stainless Steel, Copper, or Glass mixing bowl
  • Medium size bowl
  • 2 small bowls
  • Rubber spatula
  • Mixer, either hand or stand
  • Sifter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Lightly grease muffin tins with coconut oil
  3. In a medium size bowl, separate the egg whites and the yolks (best done when the eggs are still cold straight up from the fridge). Reserve the yolks for another use.
  4. Let egg whites rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes
  5. Grind ¼ cup erythritol in a coffee grinder.
  6. In a separate bowl, mix coconut flour, whey protein powder, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt, ¼ tsp powdered stevia and ½ of the powdered erythritol.
  7. Sift the dry ingredients.
  8. In another bowl, mix canned pumpkin with 1 Tbsp coconut milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 Tbsp of water. Mixture should resemble thick gravy. Don't make it too watery. If the batter gets too watery, a quick remedy would be mix about 1-2 tsp of the sifted dry ingredients.
  9. By this time, the egg whites should be at a room temperature.
  10. Using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, lightly beat egg whites until foamy.
  11. Lower the mixer speed, then put in ⅛ tsp cream of tartar. Increase the mixer speed and beat until soft peaks formed.
  12. Lower the mixer speed, then mix in the remaining powdered erythritol. Mix it slowly until everything incorporates so you won't have powdered erythritol flying around.
  13. Beat the egg whites until stiff peak formed.
  14. Pour in the pumpkin/coconut milk mixture and carefully fold into the egg whites. Please watch video on folding below:
  15. Once the batter is mixed, sift ¼ of the dry ingredients on`to the egg white. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites mixture. Repeat this three more times, until you use up all the dry ingredients.
  16. Fill about 2.5 Tbsp batter into each muffin tin. The batter should fill about ½ of the muffin tin if you want to make them into 8 muffins.
  17. Bake in 350F for 45-50 minutes
  18. Remove from oven and let sit about 15 minutes before removing from muffin tins. They come out easier this way.
  19. Enjoy!
Notes
Take your time when folding all the ingredients into the egg whites. And make sure to break apart, very gently, any lumps or bubbles of dry mix that you see.

The best way to do this is by lifting the lumps onto your spatula and breaking them apart by tapping the spatula on the side of the bowl.

Using Splenda: I use ½ cup of the Splenda granules (not the baking Splenda or packets) and then powder that for the dry mix, and use ¼ cup for the egg whites.

Net Carbs: NOT Counting Erythritol, for Entire Batter: 15g
That's for the entire batter!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 8 Calories: 28 Fat: .6g Saturated fat: .3g Carbohydrates: 7.9g Sugar: .5g Sodium: 24 Fiber: .8g Protein: 3g

A big Thank You to Jos, over at Delightfultastebuds, for her exceptional photography skills and patience!

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]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-pumpkin-brownie-bites/feed/ 1 540 Low Carb Chocolate Protein Pudding https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-chocolate-protein-pudding/ https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-chocolate-protein-pudding/#respond Sun, 23 Aug 2015 01:53:26 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=659 Hello Your Fit Day Friends! I’ve always loved rich creamy pudding type foods. They don’t even have to be deserts. I’ll make just about anything into a thick gloppy mush and eat it! This one just happens to a be creamy, sweet and chocolatey low carb chocolate protein pudding! And each serving has 6 grams … Continue reading "Low Carb Chocolate Protein Pudding"

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]]> Chocolate pudding
Warm and creamy protein pudding, before being turned into ‘gelato’

Hello Your Fit Day Friends!

I’ve always loved rich creamy pudding type foods. They don’t even have to be deserts. I’ll make just about anything into a thick gloppy mush and eat it! This one just happens to a be creamy, sweet and chocolatey low carb chocolate protein pudding! And each serving has 6 grams of  protein. Great for a little afternoon protein boost.

I came up with this recipe because I had some extra room in the day for my fat and protein macros, and I was experimenting with making pudding. So I kind of just threw things together following a couple different recipes for pudding and lemon curd.

What’s not to like about a warm and creamy chocolate pudding. And what’s not to like about your pudding going a.k.a. as gelato, chocolate sauce, or a ganache for your cakes and muffins!

Well, this Chocolate Protein Pudding can be all that. It just depends on what type of self control you have the moment it comes off the stove!

And I’m not going to lie! I had to maintain a lot of self control not to spoon all of this goodness into my mouth instead of those little glass dishes. It was a challenge, let me tell you.

As I was pouring the pudding into the dishes I just happened to very intently swiped my finger through the stream of chocolate and touch the tip of my tongue with it, and suddenly my olfactory memories transported me back to my mother’s kitchen, baking chocolate chip cookies, and dissolving Hershey Kisses in my mouth.

And that’s exactly what this pudding tastes like (to me, anyway!). A bowl of melted Hershey Kisses.

And if you love Hershey Kisses you will definitely become addicted to this pudding. I’m not even a chocolate lover and I’m hooked!

It’s super quick and easy to make, and takes all of about 6 minutes from prep to fridge. (Of course you then have to wait for the pudding to firm up in the fridge!)

So go ahead and whip some of this goodness up. But I’m warning you now, you may not be able to wait the 20-30 minutes for it to firm up! Let me know how far you got…. 🙂

Alas, let’s get baking!

chocolate pudding in two glass jars

Chocolate Protein Pudding
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Whisk an egg yolk and 1 Tbsp of coconut milk in a small dish.
  2. In another deep small bowl mix the 5 or 6 gr of a whey powder (about a tbsp), 8-10 grams of cocoa powder( about 2 tbsp), the stevia and erythritol mix ( or whatever sweetener pleases your fancy), a pinch of salt together. Whisk that all up!
  3. Then, with a rubber spatula, mix the egg yolk mixture into the cocoa mixture and blend it all up. It's hard not to lick the spoon and just eat that. But stop yourself so you can indulge in the real goodness that is to come!! If it's not sweet enough then sweeten to taste.
  4. Then, in a small saucepan heat 6 tbsp of coconut milk until just simmering and small bubbles appear on the sides.
  5. Remove from stove and begin tempering the chocolate with the milk by adding 1 tbsp of the milk into the cocoa mixture and mixing vigorously as you do that, combining it all, and then continue to do this tbsp by tbsp until it's all combined.
  6. Then, with the rubber spatula transfer that all back into the saucepan.
  7. Now here is where you need to be super vigilant! Reduce heat to low and put saucepan back on stove. But making sure to stir stir stir that cocoa mixture. It will seem like nothing is happening. But in 30 seconds to 1 minute it will start to thicken and you will see streaks of the pan on the bottom.
  8. Make sure to continue moving that spatula around the corners of the pan. At this 1 minute mark or slightly less you will see small curds start to form. Immediately lift the pan 4-6 inches off the stove top, but continue stirring the mixture around the pan getting in all areas as it thickens up.
  9. It may start looking dry on the edges and you don't want this, so lift the pan higher and make sure that the flame is low.
  10. Once those curds start forming at the beginning, when you first start to lift the pan off the stovetop, you only need to do that mixing for about 1.5 minutes. I used a timer at the beginning , but eventually you will know when to stop.
  11. So now, take the pan off the stove and place on counter. Add in 4 tsp of coconut oil or butter, TWO tsp at a time, and mix it all in before adding in the next 2 tsp. It will be nice and shiny and glossy. Take a whiff and sweeten to taste if necessary. It will smell and taste like a Hershey Kiss.
  12. Divide evenly into 2 small shallow dishes
  13. Place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes or desired consistency is reached. I don't put plastic on top of the pudding, but if you care about a film that may form you may do so to prevent it.
  14. Or, eat warm from the dish or serve on top of some of my other delicious treats!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 Calories: 237.5 Fat: 23 Carbohydrates: 3.5 Fiber: 1 Protein: 6

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]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-chocolate-protein-pudding/feed/ 0 659 Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Pumpkin Muffins https://www.yourfitday.com/gluten-free-lemon-poppy-seed-pumpkin-muffins/ https://www.yourfitday.com/gluten-free-lemon-poppy-seed-pumpkin-muffins/#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2015 15:00:02 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=547 Hi Your Fit Day Friends! Well, spring is here in the Bay Area and the days are getting warmer and longer. And with more warm weather comes sunshine. And as always, that means more lemons from my friend’s lemon tree. Actually, here in California we are blessed with lemons hanging all year round. I love lemon-y anything! So when life hands you … Continue reading "Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Pumpkin Muffins"

The post Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Pumpkin Muffins appeared first on Your Fit Day.

]]> Hi Your Fit Day Friends!

Well, spring is here in the Bay Area and the days are getting warmer and longer.

And with more warm weather comes sunshine. And as always, that means more lemons from my friend’s lemon tree. Actually, here in California we are blessed with lemons hanging all year round.

I love lemon-y anything!

So when life hands you lemons, what do you make?

Cakes, cookies, muffins and pies. That’s what!

And what goes with lemon? Poppies Poppy seeds, that’s what. And I love poppy seeds.

Those little crunchy poppy seeds with their bursts of nuttiness. There’s nothing like a sweet pastry, cake, cookie or dough laced and filled with poppies… I mean poppy seeds!

I first developed this muffin a couple years ago, after my shoulder surgery, when I started using the Carnbite® Solution Plan, which I stayed on for about 1 1/2 years ( A little too long, but that’s another blog I’ll be following up with).

So it was during this time I was inspired to start baking more gluten free deserts for both me and my clients.

And I had a real yen for lemon poppy seed bread.

After many failed attempts, and a bunch of bricks, I finally came up with my own gluten free version for lemon poppy seed muffins, which are also delicious baked as small tea cakes.

I use Kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin, because of it’s rich creamy texture, and is my ‘go to’ substitute for fat in almost any baked good. But you can also use canned pumpkin, or another winter squash.

As you make more of my recipes, you’ll see that I use Kabocha in most of them. It’s super nutritious and packs a punch with vitamin A. It’s a bit starchy though, so a little goes a long way.

This muffin is by no means low carb, so it can be a great addition to your post workout protein to round out the meal.

But my favorite time to have this is for my desert after dinner, when I let those carbs coax me into a deep sleep, where I dream of…  poppies …I mean my next days challenge in the weight room!

Be careful though, as the Yum factor of this muffin is quite high, and you may find yourself stuffing your face with the whole bunch!

Let’s start baking!

Photo credits go to my good friend Jos at www.delightfultastebuds.com. Make sure to visit her site full of yumminess!

Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Pumpkin Muffins
 
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A quick and easy gluten free lemon poppy seed muffin made with kabocha pumpkin squash and rice flour
Author:
Recipe type: Desert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • ½ cup white rice flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt (I used fine sea salt)
  • 3 tbs sweet potato starch or potato starch. You can buy sweet potato powder(starch) at local Asian market or maybe on Amazon
  • 10 gram whey isolate (i use zero carb raw pastured from Z-natural)
  • ½ cup baked kabocha (Japanese pumpkin)squash that is pressed into the ½ cup measure cup. You can also use butternut or acorn squash. Canned pumpkin is an option too if you don’t have any winter squash.
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 3 tbs lemon Juice
  • 2 tbs water or almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ Stevia, or to taste. Or ½ cup erythritol (I've also used about ½ cup granular Splenda )
  • 1-2 tbsp poppy seeds. Macros are for 1 tbsp
Instructions
  1. Mix dry together in small bowl, except sweetener and poppy seeds
  2. In medium bowl , using hand mixer, blend together wet ingredients and sweetener.
  3. Add dry to wet and mix with spoon until smooth and everything is incorporated
  4. Fold in poppy seeds
  5. Using approximately ¼ cup measure, divide batter into 6 silicon baking cups, or 6 paper lined muffin tins (note that rice flour baked goods will stick to the sides of paper liners and make it hard to peel off); or divide into TWO 3” non stick ramekins (or lightly oiled non stick ceramic ramekins)
  6. It should make 6 muffins. I think the last muffin was short so I took like ½ tsp out of others to even it out
  7. Bake 365 for 30-40 minutes depending on if you’re using small muffin cups or 2 larger ramekins. Smaller muffins check at about 25 minutes. Mine usually take about 35 minutes, but it depends on if my oven is running on the cooler side.
  8. Tops should be brown.
  9. Test a muffin by slicing out a small portion. If the center is still a bit gooey put back in oven for another 5-8 minutes. The toothpick test may not necessarily work with this muffin
  10. Cool muffins for 5 minutes before removing from cups
  11. These are amazing with coconut oil, coconut butter, or even a blueberry compote drizzled on top!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 6 Fat: 2 Carbohydrates: 27 Protein: 2

How nice these would be with a some of my homemade lemon coconut butter spread!
How nice these would be with a some of my homemade lemon coconut butter spread!

 

Gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins
Lemon and Poppy Seeds…Yum! Photo: Jos www.delightfultastebuds.com

 

 

 

 

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]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/gluten-free-lemon-poppy-seed-pumpkin-muffins/feed/ 1 547 Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chocolate Brownie Cake https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-melt-in-your-mouth-chocolate-brownie-cake/ https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-melt-in-your-mouth-chocolate-brownie-cake/#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2015 14:00:23 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=655 Hi Your Fit Day Friends! As I sit here on my ball, writing my post, the scent of chocolate is wafting it’s way throughout my apartment and under my nose. This is causing quite a stir. With me anyway, since I’m the only one here, and I know how amazingly good this low carb melt-in-your-mouth chocolate brownie cake is! … Continue reading "Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chocolate Brownie Cake"

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]]> Top view of brownie slices on platesHi Your Fit Day Friends!

As I sit here on my ball, writing my post, the scent of chocolate is wafting it’s way throughout my apartment and under my nose. This is causing quite a stir. With me anyway, since I’m the only one here, and I know how amazingly good this low carb melt-in-your-mouth chocolate brownie cake is!

And I can almost guarantee that you will soon add these chocolate melt-in-your-mouth brownies to your list of ‘go to’ and ‘must haves’!

Now, for those of you who know me, or who’ve clicked around on my blog, here, and here, you know that I’ve been sugar, and processed-foods free for the past 26 years.

But that doesn’t stop me from indulging in a bit of decadence-low carb style. And that’s just how my low carb melt-in-your-mouth chocolate brownies make you feel: like you’re diving into a box of Swiss chocolates!!

They’re super chocolatey, with a slightly sticky, merengue-like top. And, they have crisp sides, which has always been my favorite part of a brownie.

Ahhhhh…and when you sink your teeth into one…it’s so light and airy… and just melts in your mouth.

low carb melt-in-your-mouth chocolate brownie cake
They will melt in your mouth after each bite!

OK! Well, I don’t want to make you wait any longer…so here’s what to do:

Make the kabocha squash mixture and set aside.

Pureed kabocha pumpkin in white bowl
Creamy Kabocha squash mixture should be like a thick gravy or sour cream consistency.

Sift together dry ingredients following recipe directions, and set aside.

cocoa powder and coconut flour dry mix in bowl

Beat eggs until frothy, and then add in the cream of tarter,

03_foamy_eggwhites

Beat until soft peaks form,

04_softpeak_eggwhites

and then add in the sweetener of choice (see notes in recipe), a little at a time, and continue beating until stiff peaks form

Egg whites beaten to stiff peaks
Beat egg whites just until stiff peaks form

And then add the kabocha mixture gently on top, and spread around a bit, making sure not to break the whites.

Kabocha squash mixture sitting on top of egg whites in metal bowl
Kabocha mixture should sit on top of egg whites

Then fold the mixture gently into the egg whites. (You can watch the video on folding here)

Kabocha partially folded into stiff egg whites.
Slowly fold kabocha squash mixture into beaten egg whites

Until they look like this

orange colored stiff egg whites in metal bowl
Folded to perfection with lots of volume

Then, take 1/4 of the dry mixture and sift it over the egg whites. Then fold this into the egg whites gently. Repeat this step three more times. It will eventually look smooth and creamy like this.

Picture of chocolate batter
The dry mixture has been nicely folded into the kabocha/egg white mixture. Make sure that all the large and small clumps have been bursted and incorporated

You’re almost done!

Now pour this lusciousness into the prepared tin.

Chocolate batter in round baking tin
Tap the pan on the counter to take out all the air bubbles. Look how nice and smooth the batter is!

And bake, following the directions below, until it looks like this.

Baked brownies in round pan on counter
Waiting to be cut and plated for some eating pleasure!

Or if you are a square, like this!

baked brownies in square pan

(Personally, I prefer to bake these in one of those grocery store 7″-8″ cheap pie pans because the bottom and edges come out super crispy).

Let cool without going nuts (Oh, you can fold those into the batter at the end if you want!)

Slice and plate them up, like this, if you want!

Side view of sliced brownies on plates with glass of milk

Or this…

Brownie slices on plate with glass of milk
They will melt in your mouth after each bite!

Or this…

Triangle slices of brownies on plate in star shape with glass of milk
Almost too pretty to eat…NOT!

Honestly, I couldn’t wait this long with my first batch. They were gone, baby, gone!

Really, whichever way you choose to bake these, it’s like eating milk chocolate truffles (that recipe’s coming soon!).

Ha! I should have called it my milk chocolate truffle cake!

Alas, let’s get baking!

All photos credited to Jos. Be sure to check out all her yummy recipes, too!

Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chocolate Kabocha Brownie Cake
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A chocolate chiffon-like brownie cake that melts in your mouth with every bite!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert/Meal
Cuisine: Paleo/Primal
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 egg whites
  • 75gr baked kabocha
  • 1 Tbsp coconut milk
  • 1 tsp liquid vanilla extract
  • 5-6 Tbsp water (this really depends on how watery or starchy your kabocha squash is. Add 1 Tbsp each time until you got that thick gravy/sour cream consistency
  • 10 gram whey protein powder
  • 1 Tbsp coconut flour
  • 8 gram unsweetened cocoa powder
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp xantham gum (optional)
  • ½ cup powdered Splenda
  • ¼ cup granulated Splenda

  • What You'll Need:
  • Large Stainless Steel, Copper, or Glass mixing bowl
  • Medium size bowl
  • 2 small bowls
  • Rubber spatula
  • Mixer, either hand or stand
  • Sifter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Lightly grease 7-8 inch tin with coconut oil
  3. In a medium size bowl, separate the egg whites and the yolks (best done when the eggs are still cold straight up from the fridge). Reserve the yolks for another use.
  4. Grind ½ cup granulated Splenda in a coffee grinder until it becomes powdered
  5. In a separate bowl, mix coconut flour, whey protein powder, baking powder, powdered Splenda, cocoa powder, and salt.
  6. Sift the dry ingredients.
  7. In another bowl, mix mashed baked kabocha with 1 Tbsp coconut milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 Tbsp of water. Mixture should resemble thick gravy. Don't make it too watery. If the batter gets too watery, a quick remedy would be mix about 1-2 tsp of the sifted dry ingredients.
  8. By this time, the egg whites should be at a room temperature.
  9. Using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, lightly beat egg whites until foamy.
  10. Lower the mixer speed, then put in ⅛ tsp cream of tartar. Increase the mixer speed and beat until soft peaks formed.
  11. Lower the mixer speed, then mix in ¼ cup granulated Splenda. Mix it slowly until everything incorporates so you won't have the Splenda flying around.
  12. Beat the egg whites until stiff peak formed.
  13. Pour in the kabocha/coconut milk mixture and carefully fold into the egg whites. Please watch video on folding below:
  14. Once the batter is mixed, sift ¼ of the dry ingredients on`to the egg white. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites mixture. Repeat this three more times, until you use up all the dry ingredients.
  15. Fill your 7-8 inch tin with the batter.
  16. Bake in 350F for 45-50 minutes
  17. Remove from oven and let sit about 15 minutes before removing from the tin. They come out easier this way.
  18. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Take your time when folding all the ingredients into the egg whites. And make sure to break apart, very gently, any lumps or bubbles of dry mix that you see.

The best way to do this is by lifting the lumps onto your spatula and breaking them apart by tapping the spatula on the side of the bowl.

Using Splenda: I use ½ cup of the Splenda granules (not the baking Splenda or packets) and then powder that for the dry mix, and use ¼ cup for the egg whites.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 8 Calories: 28 Fat: 1 Saturated fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 5 Sugar: 1 Sodium: 24 Fiber: 1 Protein: 3

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]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-melt-in-your-mouth-chocolate-brownie-cake/feed/ 2 655 Lemon Curd https://www.yourfitday.com/lemon-curd/ https://www.yourfitday.com/lemon-curd/#comments Mon, 23 Jun 2014 22:54:22 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=618 Hello Your Fit Day readers! This is Jos and I’d like to thank Debby for having me doing a guest post on her blog. I’m sure you’re all still remember her delicious Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake? If you haven’t made it yet, go shop for the ingredients and make them pronto! … Continue reading "Lemon Curd"

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]]> Hello Your Fit Day readers!

This is Jos and I’d like to thank Debby for having me doing a guest post on her blog.

Single serve Lemon Curd by Jos

I’m sure you’re all still remember her delicious Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake? If you haven’t made it yet, go shop for the ingredients and make them pronto!

When Debby shared her recipe to me, I couldn’t wait to try them out and it has become one of my staple low carb treats whenever I need a sweet-tooth fix. FYI, in general, I am not a sweet tooth person but once in a while, that thing kicks in.

02_lemon_curd_muffins

I enjoyed her Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake (in these photos, I made them in muffin tins). When she posted her recipe, she told me that the cake will go very well with my Lemon Curd, which I posted on my blog here.

03_lemon_curd_muffin_sliced

Since her recipe yields extra 2 egg yolks, I am thinking instead of having you figuring out how to scale down my original Lemon Curd recipe, might as well I do it for you, right?

Anyway let’s proceed with the recipe, shall we?

Single Serve Lemon Curd
 
Save Print
A yummy dairy-free lemon curd. Perfect companion for Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 Tablespoon full fat coconut milk
  • 1 Tablespoon erythritol
  • ½ tsp liquid SweetLeaf Vanilla Stevia
  • 1-2 tsp lemon juice (if you like it tart)
  • 1 tsp liquid lemon extract
  • ½ tsp lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and heat on a double boiler on medium heat. Stir constantly. If you don't have a double boiler like me, you could place the bowl on top of a sauce pan filled with water. Just make sure the bowl isn't touching the water.
  2. Mix until the mixture thickens but be careful not getting it too hot or you'll end up with scramble egg yolks. (usually takes about 7 minutes at least).
  3. Once the mixture thickens, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  4. Cover the curd with plastic wrap directly to prevent skin forming. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
  5. Enjoy with Debby's Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 133 Fat: 11 Carbohydrates: 2 Protein: 6

So, what are you still waiting for?

04_lemon_curd_muffin_sliced_topview

The post Lemon Curd appeared first on Your Fit Day.

]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/lemon-curd/feed/ 2 618 Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-melt-in-your-mouth-lemon-chiffon-poppy-seed-cake/ https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-melt-in-your-mouth-lemon-chiffon-poppy-seed-cake/#comments Fri, 06 Jun 2014 23:04:18 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=559 HI Your Fit Day Friends, Are you ready to got to low-carb heaven? Wait until you try my Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake. This was really just an experiment and it was the first try. I wasn’t even sure it would come out OK. When I tasted it… I almost died. But I … Continue reading "Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake"

The post Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake appeared first on Your Fit Day.

]]> "picture of baked muffin and slice of cake on white plate...with slices of lemon"
This cake literally melts in your mouth!

HI Your Fit Day Friends,

Are you ready to got to low-carb heaven? Wait until you try my Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake. This was really just an experiment and it was the first try. I wasn’t even sure it would come out OK.

When I tasted it… I almost died. But I didn’t, thank god. Instead, I ate the whole cake. I couldn’t help it. It literally melted in my mouth.

So here’s how I came up with this delectable lemony lusciousness.  I thought I’d try to make an angel food cake using coconut flour. I was hungry, wanted something sweet, it was a low carb day, and I still had macros left to consume for the day.

And when I’m in the mood for baking I love to experiment and come up with goodies that I can make into a complete meal…and gobble them right up after I make them!!

So I got to baking and this is what I ended up with.

Low Carb Lemon Poppy Seed Chiffon Cake
You don’t have to eat just one slice… This is a complete meal!

It’s actually not a classic chiffon cake, since there is no oil in the batter. And it’s not a classic angel food cake because there are yummy yolks involved. But it has that spongy, light texture, it melts in your mouth, and is just as yummy as both of those cakes. As it turns out, it’s really what I was going for using the coconut flour!

So, with any angel food cake it requires that the dry ingredients be folded into the egg whites in  four equal parts. I’m not sure why, but that’s what I’ve read on many food blogs, and also what my mother taught me. You can’t always trust a blog, but who’s to argue with your mother!

But folding coconut flour into egg whites is not that easy, and takes some patience folding it four times. Because it’s really boring you need to do it slowly and gently. It actually puts me into a Zen state. In fact, I’m sure making this cake lowers my cortisol with all the folding! Just another excuse for everyone to make this cake! Not to lower my cortisol, but to lower yours!

Now… Back to my making and baking…

Low Carb Lemon Chiffon Cake
No crumb will be left behind!

The first few times I made this cake all I did to combine the dry ingredients was to whisk them together. Then, using a small tea strainer, I sifted and folded the dry mix into the egg whites, in four equal parts.

Sifting and folding the first two of the four portions of the dry mixture was always the hardest to incorporate into the whites. It just didn’t dissolve very well into the whites, like how my other gluten free flours would.

Make no mistake, the cake never failed to come out melt-in-your-mouth, even the first time I made it. But I’m a recipe hacker, and I knew I could make the folding easier, and upgrade the cake.

So I thought, what if the coconut flour was super super fine, and also blended into the protein powder more uniformly.

The secret, which I found out after many trials of baking  and eating every crumb of this deliciousness, was to sift the dry ingredients twice. ( I bet a third time would be even more of a charm, but that would be torture having to wait even longer to eat this cake!)

So here’s what I did: Instead of just whisking the dry ingredients with a fork and calling it a day, I sifted them after whisking them together. And that first sifting made all the difference.

The second sifting comes when it’s time to incorporate the dry mix into the egg whites.

Here is a video on how to fold ingredients into egg whites. Focus on the folding technique.

For my lemon cake it takes about 14 minutes to fold in all the ingredients, including the squash mixture and lemon. When folding in the lemon juice and extract I do that in about 3-4 folds, so I don’t break down the whites. Same with the poppy seeds and lemon zest. Less is more-She’s so right!

The addition of the first sifting really made the difference in how much easier I was able to fold the dry ingredients into the whites. And you can see how creamy and smooth the batter is! (It’s really hard not to eat the cake batter, so I do!).

"top shot of cake batter in aluminum pan and ramekin"
Sifting the dry ingredients twice makes all the difference.

I really think sifting is key when using coconut flour in any recipe that calls for it, since it’s such a heavy, clumpy flour. And if you’re not afraid of a few extra carbs, like 2 of them OMG, you can always add 1 tsp of cream of tartar to the dry mix, which I find makes the combination of coconut flour and whey protein lighter, and more uniform in texture for folding.

The cream of tartar actually makes for a more fluffy crumb, and I’ll have that recipe posted shortly.

The pictures above and below are of the cake baked at 350 degrees in a convection oven, not a traditional oven, and this one was slightly under baked, where the edges are only slightly brown. It’s OK though, because being slightly under baked can also help give it that creamy melt-in-your-mouth explosion, just with a little less crisp to the crust.

If you use a convection oven, click here to get appropriate recipe adjustments.

I like my cake a bit more brown and crispy on top. So I generally bake the cake so it’s uniformly golden brown, with the edges a bit more brown and crisp. And it still has the melt-in-your-mouth sensation, equally as good. (There’s a picture of this in the baking experiment section below)

The batter also makes super muffins ( I use silicon baking cups so they don’t stick), as well as a yummy mini muffin-cake like this one below, which was baked in a ramekin.

"lemon poppy seed muffin in red ramekin...sitting on table"
Tastes great as a mini cake or muffin too!

Before baking this cake make sure to read all of the notes below, including my oven temp experiments, as well as the recipe ingredients and steps. So keep reading…!

Some baking notes before starting:

Oven Temperatures:

Make sure your oven is calibrated and is accurate. Most ovens are not. I always recommend an oven thermometer to make sure.

In fact my oven bounces around and I often have to keep adjusting the oven for the first half of the baking time.

Oven Temperature Experiments:

These all produce yummy  cakes with slightly different textures.

At first I baked this cake at 375 for 30 minutes and let it sit for 10 a few minutes before trying ( I couldn’t help myself, it smelled so good!). It was light and fluffy in the middle, very moist. The top of the cake was deep yellow with deep golden hues. Not deep brown..but golden brown.  You don’t want to let it get to the deep browned top stage, or else the inside will not have that melt-in-your-mouth experience.

However, this cake is very forgiving, and even if you really brown the top (like, a few times when I forgot-it-in-the-oven for 40 minutes brown!) the cake will still taste great, just a bit more cake-like, with a soft spongy crumb.

I also baked it at 365 degrees for 33-35 minutes. For my taste, I think this is the best oven temperature, and amount of time in the oven. I find at this temp and time the edges and top are crisp, and it still springs back to the touch, leaving you with a light melt-in-your-mouth experience. I prefer the juxtaposition of crisp and melt-in-your-mouth textures. Here is a picture of how I like it…

This is how I like my cake baked...all golden brown with a crispier crust...Yum!
This is how I like my cake baked…all golden brown with a crispier crust…Yum!

I also baked it at 350 for 35 minutes (the pictures at the beginning of the blog post) and it was very moist, had the melt in your mouth texture, but the sides and tops weren’t as crispy as the 365 degree cake (and I love crispy!). This is always a good go-to temperature for baking this cake.

And, lastly, like some traditional angel food cake recipes,  I tried pre heating the oven to 375, reducing the temp to about 365, and lettigng it bake for about 33 minutes, or until the tops got golden brown all over and it was still soft to the touch. These too were delicious, and had the crisp and melt in your mouth sensation.

For convection oven adjustments click here.

Any of these should work!

Mashing the squash into creaminess:

Here’s what the squash/egg/coconut milk mixture should look like. It should be like a thick gravy, that will sit on top of the egg whites and not crash or run through them.

This is a picture of pureed squash
Get it nice and creamy, like a thick gravy!

Beating the Egg Whites:

After adding the cream of tartar, beat the whites until soft peaks, where they just fold over. Then add your sweetener of choice. Then beat just until stiff peaks form and no longer. They should look moist and shiny. So check the whites about 30 seconds after you add the sweetener.  You don’t want to over beat where the whites become dry and crack.

Folding ingredients into batter:

Folding coconut flour:

As you go underneath the whites scraping from bottom, up and over, you will notice pockets of the dry mix as you fold. Be patient and keep folding. It takes time to get the coconut flour all mixed in. Just when you thought it was all mixed you’ll suddenly see another pocket of dry mix on another fold!!! Keep folding!!

Take your time, go slow, and breathe through your tummy!! This is the Zen part of baking. Be super gentle and remember, less is more. Use a soft touch, as if you were helping a wounded chick back into it’s nest. You want to be that gentle!

Frosting And Layering The Cake:

Sometimes we just need a little more decadence in our life! Layering or frosting this cake with Delightfultastebud’s yummy lemon curd is sure to take it to the next level of YUM. And it’s a great way to use up the extra egg yolks, too.  So go to town. If you count your macros remember to add this in!

I will have a chocolate ganash frosting on the blog soon, too! So check back, or sign up for my newsletter to get regular updates.

Nutrition Values:

The nutrition value for this cake is for using Splenda. So the carb count will be higher. That’s why I divided up the servings into four. But if  you’re not concerned then eat the whole cake if you want!!

If using erythritol/Stevia blend then I count the net carbs at below 10 for the entire cake, since erythritol and stevia don’t spike insulin. Personally no-calorie sweeteners don’t have an affect on my body composition, so I don’t stress about them. Make your own decision.

But I’m not a food Nazi so eat how much of it that you want, whenever you want. Just enjoy it when you do 🙂

Experiment and let me know what you like.

I want to thank my friend Jos, at delighfultastebuds, for baking and taking such lovely pictures of my low carb melt-in-your-mouth lemon ‘chiffon’ poppy seed cake. It was so nice of her to help out. I didn’t hear any complaints, most likely because by the time she was finished her tummy was full. Lucky for me I got such great pictures before she ate up all the goods!

I know it looks like there are a million steps to this recipe, but many of them are just explanations.

If you want more of my low carb and post workout gluten free treats, most of which you can eat as a complete yummy meal, make sure to sign up for my newsletter for weekly updates and recipes 🙂

Alas, let’s get baking!

Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon Chiffon Poppy Seed Cake
 
Save Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A low carb lemon poppy seed chiffon-like cake that melts in your mouth with each bite. This cake can be eaten as a complete meal, assuming your macros allow it. So enjoy each bite til the end!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert/Meal
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
  • 2 deep cereal sized bowls
  • Small dish or cup for lemon juice and lemon extract
  • 1 large glass or metal mixing bowl that is clean and dry (this is a must for the egg whites)
  • Flexible rubber spatula
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer ( I use a hand mixer, but I wish I had a stand mixer, hint hint!)
  • 7 (best) or 8 inch aluminum pie plates (yes, those cheap ones make the cake come out the best)
  • Hand sifter or metal strainer (I use a small tea strainer and sift in batches)
  • Optional: Silicon muffin cups for some quick muffins, or ramekins for mini cakes
  • coconut oil for greasing tins
  • Ingredients:
  • 4 Egg whites
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp coconut milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp organic lemon extract
  • 1 tsp lemon rind zest(optional)
  • 2 Tbsp baked Japanese pumpkin or Kabocha squash(Approximately 30gr, weighed after baking ) or any other baked winter squash, or canned pumpkin like LIbby's. Make sure there are NO spices and sugar in the LIbby's.
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ scant tsp guar or xanthum gum
  • 3 gr (approx. 1 tsp) poppy seed
  • 7 grams weighed of a sugar free, no carb plain whey protein powder. You can also use vanilla if that's all you have but I haven't tried that yet.
  • pinch salt
  • 10 gr Granulated Splenda, not the baking splenda, or packets
  • Optional instead of Splenda:1/2 cup erythritol (separated into two ¼ cups , and then powdered into powdered sugar) and1 tsp liquid stevia( or ½ tsp powdered stevia if you prefer it to the liquid-I don't like powdered stevia that much) Primal version
  • 1-2 Tbsp water if needed to make squash mixture consistency of a thick gravy, maybe more depending on moisture content of your squash.
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Grease aluminum pie plates with coconut oil, and/or ramekins if using.
  3. Separate eggs and let the whites sit for at least 20 minutes to bring them to room temperature
  4. Set aside 2 egg yolks in small bowl. (The remaining yolks you can freeze for later use)
  5. Whisk dry ingredients together with the 5 grams of Splenda that has been powdered, into small bowl (or if using erythritol and powdered stevia combo, powder ¼ cup of erythritol, using coffee grinder, and sift that with the dry ingredients, along with the stevia powder. If using liquid stevia then add this to the egg mixture)
  6. Re sift dry mix into another small bowl.
  7. In a cereal bowl, If using baked squash, first mash it with a fork to get it as soft, smooth, and creamy as possible. If using pumpkin just stir it to get it creamy.
  8. Next, add in coconut milk one tbsp at a time and mash it further until it becomes even more creamy and smooth.
  9. Then add in egg yolks, one at a time, and continue to blend with fork continuing to make the mixture as smooth as you can.
  10. Add in vanilla.
  11. Add in liquid stevia here if using.
  12. Add in any water that you need to get it to the consistency of thick gravy(see picture), one tbsp at a time. There should be no chunks in the puree, but it also should not be too think and runny. It's fine if it's of pourable consistency, again, like a thick gravy.
  13. Set aside.
  14. In large glass bowl beat egg whites until foamy
  15. Add cream of tartar
  16. Beat until soft peaks form
  17. Add the other 5 grams (approx ¼ cup)granulated Splenda, by pouring small portion at a time over egg whites and then beating, so the Splenda doesn't fly all over the place. (or, if using, do the same with the other ¼ cup of powdered erythritol)
  18. Beat until stiff peaks form
  19. Set aside. If it is very humid or hot in your kitchen put the egg whites in the fridge while preparing the other parts of the cake.
  20. With the beaters still attached and a little bit of egg white still on them, beat the squash mixture one last time!
  21. Pour squash mixture gently on top of the egg white mixture. Gently smooth them over the top of the egg whites evenly. They should sit on top without dissolving the egg whites.
  22. Gently fold the squash mixture into the egg whites until the egg whites are uniform in color. Do not rush this part. (If you are not experienced with folding please refer to the video link on folding). This may take about 3 minutes. Be sure to get underneath the egg whites, and bring up and over, turning the bowl as you go. Slow turtle wins the race here!!
  23. Combine the lemon juice and lemon extract in small dish.
  24. Fold lemon mixture into egg white using about 3-4 folds. If you are not using lemon juice, use 1-1½ tsp lemon extract, depending on how lemony you like your cake. I like mine lemony!
  25. Fold in grated lemon rind using 2-3 folds.
  26. Then fold in poppy seeds until incorporated. They hide in pockets so make sure they all get folded in.
  27. Fold in dry mixture, in 4 equal parts, sifting each part over egg whites and incorporating it into the whites before sifting in the next part. This takes time. And as you go underneath the whites scraping from bottom, up and over, you will notice pockets of the dry mix as you fold. Be patient and keep folding. It takes time to get the coconut flour all mixed in. Just when you thought it was all mixed you'll suddenly see another pocket of dry mix on another fold!!! Keep folding!!
  28. For best results Bake in 7 or 8 inch aluminum tin (the cheap flimsy ones you get at Walgreens or the grocery store) at 350 for about 30-35 minutes...
  29. Tops will be light golden brown and edges will be slightly brown, starting to get crispy. Top should still be soft to the touch. (Please refer back to baking notes above)
  30. If using muffin cups fill up 70% to top, same with ramekins. It will make about 6 muffins
  31. Check muffins at 25 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. For ramekins about 30 minutes. For cake, check at 33 minutes, it may be done then, depending on your oven. They are done when the tops of cake or muffins are uniformly golden brown along with the edges slightly brown.
  32. For more of a creamy texture slightly under bake.
  33. Let cool and set for about 15 minutes. I know... this is the hard part! I hardly wait that long!
  34. Run a think knife around the edges.
  35. Slice in quarters, or eat the whole thing. Who cares, just eat it now!!
Notes
Be sure to use granulated splenda and not the packets.
If using erythritol, powder both the ¼ cup that is added into the egg whites, as well as that which is added into the dry mix.
If using liquid stevia with the erythritol, use 1 tsp. If using powdered stevia use about ¼-1/2 tsp.
If you like your cake more crispy on top then let the top get brown.
At all suggested temperatures the cake will be done in 30-35 minutes. It's a very forgiving recipe!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4 Calories: 85.5 Fat: 4.5 Carbohydrates: 6.75 Sugar: .75 Fiber: 1.75 Protein: 7.25

 

"this is a picture of the baked cake in aluminum pan, taken from top shot"
Who can resist a lemon poppy seed cake?

 

The post Low Carb Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon ‘Chiffon’ Poppy Seed Cake appeared first on Your Fit Day.

]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-melt-in-your-mouth-lemon-chiffon-poppy-seed-cake/feed/ 3 559 Gluten-Free Rice Flour Pumpkin Skillet Biscuits https://www.yourfitday.com/gluten-free-rice-flour-pumpkin-skillet-biscuits/ https://www.yourfitday.com/gluten-free-rice-flour-pumpkin-skillet-biscuits/#respond Sat, 22 Mar 2014 13:00:53 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=442 Hello Your Fit Day Friends! I want to let you in on a secret. Carbs are not evil. Really. They’re not. And neither are my Gluten-free Rice Flour Pumpkin Skillet Biscuits. Trust me on this one! It’s more about which carbs you choose, how you cycle them into your diet, and how to make them work for you. If … Continue reading "Gluten-Free Rice Flour Pumpkin Skillet Biscuits"

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]]> Crisp on the outside...sweet and creamy like porridge on the inside.
Crisp on the outside…sweet and creamy on the inside.

Hello Your Fit Day Friends!

I want to let you in on a secret. Carbs are not evil. Really. They’re not. And neither are my Gluten-free Rice Flour Pumpkin Skillet Biscuits. Trust me on this one! It’s more about which carbs you choose, how you cycle them into your diet, and how to make them work for you.

If you haven’t read my last post, where I talk about why I’m using the Carbnite® Solution Plan, stop and click here first. That should explain it all. Well, a lot anyway.

Now, I’m all about helping you stay lean and fit, so some of the best times to indulge in my starchy treats would be:

  1. After a weight training session, preferably in the evening.
  2. When you’re on a Low Carb High Fat ‘diet’, where a re-feed of starches will help boost your metabolism. (Low Carb diets are typically low calorie, due to the satiating effects of fat. You are eating more fat, aren’t you?!!)
  3. Anytime,  because you really don’t care about all this carb timing stuff; you’re here mostly for the yummy gluten-free and sugar-free recipes, high carb or low carb; and because you want to impress someone with your gluten-free, sugar-free baking skills instead of serving them bricks. I know, I’ve had my share of them too!

So, I’ve decided to travel outside the box of my post-workout-world staples of straight-up sweet potatoes and kabocha squash, and get creative in the kitchen. And I’ll be delivering them to you one bite at a time, all gluten-free and sugar-free!

First, I thought I’d give my hand a try at making some biscuits. You know, those light, fluffy, flaky shortcakes, that catapult you into a state of carb-coma euphoria.

But when I was searching the web for “gluten free rice flour biscuits” I hit a stumbling block: I could only find super high-fat and sugar laden recipes, most of which included slow carb flours from grains and legumes. Not exactly what we’re looking for post-workout, or for a program like Carbnite®, which you read about here.

So after some searching and tweaking of recipes, I think I came up with a pretty good gluten-free, sugar-free, low fat biscuit. Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?

Ah ha! But it’s not! And to prove it, below is my modified version of a skillet biscuit I found over at The Daily Diatribe. I replaced most of the fat, and all of the applesauce (fructose), with Japanese pumpkin (Kabocha squash); and I used stevia instead as the sweetener, instead of the maple syrup.

You could use any type of dense starchy winter squash if you don’t have Japanese Kabocha pumpkins. Or you could use canned pumpkin. However, I can’t vouch for the canned pumpkin because I haven’t tried it yet. But I’m sure it would work. Although, I wouldn’t add any extra water to make a mash, since canned pumpkin is already the right consistency. If you do try it please let me know how they turn out in the comments below.

Mind you my version didn’t end up exactly light and fluffy, like regular biscuits.  Instead they are a bit flatter, crispy on the outside, with a creamy and sweet, baked porridge-like texture on the inside; and very carb-coma worthy!

I also saved out two 1/4 cup portions of the batter and baked them at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes until the tops were a deep golden brown. They save you a bit of fat and I think they are just as crunchy and creamy and delicious.

I find both ways rather addicting.

For some extra added comfort I drizzled a few swirls of my homemade lemon-blueberry compote on top…Divine! (Recipe coming soon)

Some Variations to try:

Bacon Skillet Biscuit (I have not tried this as of yet, but I imagined it to be yummy?): Cook 4 strips of bacon until crisp. Cut each slice in half, so that you have eight pieces.  Crumble each 1/2 strip.  Gently press each 1/2 crumbled strip into each 1/4 cup of scooped batter before ladling onto skillet. Cook per directions.

Blueberry Skillet Biscuit (I have tried this and it is yummy!): Wash and pat dry 8 oz of organic blueberries. Divide into eight separate one ounce servings. Dust each ounce serving with rice flour. Add one ounce of blueberries to each 1/4 cup of scooped batter. Cook per directions.

Chocolate chip variation (I have not tried this yet, but chocolate with everything, including bacon, is yummy!): Measure out eight 1 oz servings of gluten free dark chocolate chips. Add one ounce of chips to each 1/4 cup of scooped batter. Cook per directions.

Savory Chive and Herb (I have tried this with my Ultra Low Carb biscuits-recipe coming soon-and they are Yum Yummy!): For savory biscuits you can fold in some fresh chives, or your favorite blend of fresh or dried herbs, to the mixed batter. Cook per directions

I hope you like them as much as I do. Please let me know in your comments below.

And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter, in the above right hand corner, so you don’t miss out on the fun!

Biscuits that melt in your mouth
Biscuits that melt in your mouth…drool!
Gluten Free Rice Flour Pumpkin Skillet Biscuit
 
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A sweet and savory biscuit with a hint of vanilla. Lightly cooked in coconut oil on your skillet makes for a crisp savory crust with a sweet creamy inside, similar to a thick griddle cake. You can also try baking these biscuits too.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetiser
Cuisine: Gluten Free
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used Whole Foods 365 Almond milk unsweetened)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1⅓ cups white rice flour (not sweet white rice flour or brown rice flour)
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 4 tablespoons sweet potato mash (4 tbsp baked kabocha squash* with 1-3 tbsp of water to make puree the consistency of applesauce. This is important. This will depend on the moisture content of your winter squash. You will end up with slightly more puree than 4 tbsp. I usually add it all since it's just a little bit more)
  • ¼-1 tsp liquid stevia, to taste. Start with small amount as it's very potent.
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • * You can also use winter squash such as acorn, butternut.
  • * You can also use canned pumpkin, but you don’t need to add any extra liquid to make it a puree, since it's already the right consistency.
Instructions
  1. Stir together the milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside to curdle. Begin heating a skillet on medium to allow it to get nice and hot.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
  3. Add the oil, kabocha mash puree and vanilla to the milk and stir.(If making savory biscuits then omit vanilla and instead add your favorite spices, maybe onion powder, garlic, red pepper flakes, to flour mixture). These are still savory-sweet, if you stick to original recipe.
  4. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir together just until completely mixed.
  5. Add oil to your skillet(I just coat the pan), then scoop the batter into the skillet, using a ¼ measuring cup per biscuit. Try and shape the biscuits so they are high when you scoop them out of the measuring cup. (Actually, I whacked the pan to get them out; or you can be more civilized and use a spoon).
  6. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip. Immediately cover the skillet with it's lid (or find something to cover it with) and cook for another 4 minutes.
  7. I didn't have a top so mine were a bit flat, but they still puffed up.
  8. Remove from skillet and let cool about 5 minutes before serving.
  9. If they are not crispy for your liking, or you prefer the centers to be a bit more baked, you can put them into an oven at 350 for a few minutes to crisp them up.
  10. Best eaten warm.
Notes
You can also bake the biscuits in a pre heated 400 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are a deep golden brown. I kept biting into mine to see if they were done. After about 30 minutes of taste testing, and not much biscuit left, I proclaimed them to be delicious!

These freeze well in a zip lock bag. To reheat simply thaw and bake for about 5-8 minutes in a 300 degree oven or until crispy and crunchy again.


Nutrition Info for the Variations
Per Biscuit

Bacon: Fat:8.5grams; Protein: 6.5grams ; Carbs same as original

Blueberry: Carbs:29grams ; Fat and Protein same as original

Chocolate Chips(Enjoy Life Brand): Fat:13 grams ; Carbs:41grams ; Protein:5
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 8 Fat: 4 Carbohydrates: 23 Protein: 2
Crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside!
Crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside!

 

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]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/gluten-free-rice-flour-pumpkin-skillet-biscuits/feed/ 0 442 Low Carb Pumpkin PieTartlettes and the Art of baking https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-pumpkin-pietartlettes-and-the-art-of-baking/ https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-pumpkin-pietartlettes-and-the-art-of-baking/#respond Wed, 26 Dec 2012 10:54:03 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=397 HI Your Fit Day Friends! I Love Art! It’s no wonder since I grew up with an abundance of art and music in my home; from an opera singer mom to an impressionist painting dad, as well as my brothers, sister and myself playing our various instruments and doing our own crafty things. And during … Continue reading "Low Carb Pumpkin PieTartlettes and the Art of baking"

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]]> Pumpkin Tartlette
Hand sculpted like a piece of art!

HI Your Fit Day Friends!

I Love Art! It’s no wonder since I grew up with an abundance of art and music in my home; from an opera singer mom to an impressionist painting dad, as well as my brothers, sister and myself playing our various instruments and doing our own crafty things. And during those years I  was drawn to jewelry making, knitting, claymation, ceramics, cooking, tile making,photography, painting t-shirts, terrarium building and landscape gardening, to name just a few!
So of course I would classify myself as the creative type, possibly a diva!

But like most of us life got in the way, and it was hard to keep up with my crafting. And as I got older I found myself not doing much more than making Holiday cards and cookies! Then about 14 years ago, after a tragic event in our family, once again I had this sudden urgent creative itch, which ran deep.

At  first this resulted in the medium of painting;. However, it didn’t take me long to realize I would never be Renoir or Van Gough. I can barley draw a line, let alone a circle. No, I was painting pots. You know, the red clay ones you buy at the garden store.  I bought a few, went to the art store, stocked up on color and started painting away; which only resulted in a bunch of pots in my house that reminded me of my 5th grade art class.  The passion was there but I needed more authenticity in its expression.

It didn’t take me long to realize that I should be building the pots I was going to paint, not buying them. I needed to get down and dirty in some clay; really make something… or attempt to anyway. So I found a ceramics studio in Oakland-near my apartment and conveniently right next door to my pool-signed up for a class, and fell in love with the art of building and molding things out of clay.

After a couple years of this, and a house full of eclectic pieces, I considered myself an artist and was energized by the thought of just going to class. I dreamed about pottery as much as I did about lifting weights!

But then, tragically, the studio closed down for renovation. Unfortunately I couldn’t find another suitable place to do my craft, since they were too expensive or too far a drive. And when the City of Oakland’s Studio One finally did open it’s doors again, in it’s swanky new building, the price for a session had nearly tripled. While my tax dollars had supported the building of a new art studio my budget was unable to support taking a class. So my art fell to the wayside.

Well, kind of. Fitness has allowed me to sculpt not only my own body but those of 100’s of others’. But with my recent two surgeries, one on my hip in October of 2011, and another on my shoulder in May 2012, it’s been hard training clients, do art, or even garden (and won’t be able to garden for several months). But that craving to create has never ceased. And it’s getting stronger.

Fast forward 12 years later

My passion for creativity has surfaced again and it’s like a tsunami! But now I have found a new art medium:  the art of baking. And so here we are, at my fitness blog, drooling over pumpkins, pies and nutty crusts, and who knows what else that lies ahead!

What I really love about baking is that, just like working with clay, I can dream up anything; and using all my senses I can bring it to life. My hands now work again as they did with clay: I mold and shape the dough,  I mix the ingredients into batter, and  I fire, or now bake, what was once raw. And just as I did with my clay pieces, I hope my baked ‘piece’ turns out as intended. Sometimes it doesn’t because ovens, as with kilns, can be testy and temperamental,  having their own intentions. And sometimes I end up with a flop! But who cares. I love the whimsy of both: art and baking.

So making my pumpkin pie tartlettes brought me back in time… to the old Studio One ceramics class.  There you would find me one with the clay, transformed with intent, immersed in another world, throwing, plying and molding the mound with my hands; and bringing to life the various shapes and beings that I had no idea could come forth from the tips of my fingers. Just as it was with clay I now find myself in my closet kitchen-my culinary studio-hovered over my counter top doing the same.

Today I’m working with ground nuts, like I did with clay, and molding the delicate meal into a vessel that holds my leftover pumpkin pie batter, which is then baked into the mini, sweet, aromatic pumpkin pies. And let’s be honest, it’s a lot easier to lick your hands when they’re filled with ground nuts than it is if they’re yucked up with mud.

These spicy tartletes are 1/5th of the leftovers from my Perfect Paleo Pumpkin Pie. But you can make and use the entire batter which will yield about 26 mini pies.

I also did a new take on my Nutty Crust and Pumpkin Pie Batter, using more spices. Hope you like it. Let me know in the comments!

Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Tartlettes
 
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A creamy rich mini pumpkin pie, with a spiced, slightly salty crust, that I make from the leftovers of my Perfect Paleo Pumpkin Pie.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Leftover pumpkin pie batter from Perfect Paleo Pumpkin Pie or 1 cup or your own leftover pumpkin pie batter.. Or the entire batter if you want to make 26 tartlettes.
Pumpkin Pie Batter
  • 2 cups pumpkin, mashed ( I use real sugar pumpkins, not canned. If you use canned pumpkin use 1 15oz can but results will vary)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ cups Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
  • 1 can (15 oz) coconut milk, canned, full fat
  • 1 teaspoon liquid stevia - vanilla cream flavored
  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract (Use 1 more tbsp if no Vanilla cream stevia)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
  • ½ teaspoons nutmeg (adjust to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger (adjust to taste)
Nut Crust
  • ½ cup, whole almonds, raw
  • ⅔ cup, ground hazelnuts, ground
  • ⅓ cup Finely ground, blanched almonds
  • 1 tablespoon walnut halves, roughly chopped (OPTIONAL, as these were all I had left so I used them!)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil metled
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoons fresh ground sea salt
Instructions
Crust
  1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Line 6 muffin tins with liners (you will have approx. 6 tbsp of crust batter left over, which you can make into shells for something else!)
  3. Combine all ingredients into food processor or blender. Pulse or grind til combined and meal sticks together in small beads. Make sure to stop before nuts have become butter.
  4. Using 3 Tbsp of nut batter per muffin liner gently mold into liner making sure entire cup is covered in nut batter. Make sides are thicker than bottom and batter goes to top rim of liner.
  5. Bake at 350 for approx 10 minutes
  6. Let cool 10 minutes before filling
  7. Make pie batter while waiting for crusts to bake (If not using leftovers, of course)
  8. Be careful not to eat the pie batter while waiting, it tastes that yummy!
Batter
  1. If using frozen leftover batter bring to room temperature and set aside and proceed to CRUST direction.
  2. If using your own batter results may vary as well as nutritional information. I highly suggest making my lovely Pie batter.
  3. In a blender or food processor add pumpkin, eggs, spices. Blend until combined. Slowly add coconut milk and continue blending until combined. Recipe makes 5 cups of batter. Approximately 1 cup of batter makes 6 tartlettes.
  4. Gently add Approx 3 Tbsp of pumpkin batter into each of the nut crust lined muffin tins.
  5. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until center of tartlettes are firm.
  6. Check at 20 minutes and pull out of oven before tops of tartlettes turn brown
  7. It's smelling really good right now!
  8. Let cool 5 minutes
  9. Keeping the tartlettes in the liners, remove from tins and place in open Tupperware container.
  10. Place in refrigerator to set for an hour, and keep your hands off!
  11. Store loosely covered in fridge. Will keep for about a week, if they last that long uneaten!
Notes
The entire batter will make approximately 26 tartlettes. You will need to triple the Nut Crust recipe.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 6 Calories: 201 Fat: 20 Carbohydrates: 7 Sodium: 133 Fiber: 2.8 Protein: 6.65

Pumpkin Tartlettes

Gluten Free Pumpkin Tartlette

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]]> https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-pumpkin-pietartlettes-and-the-art-of-baking/feed/ 0 397 Low Carb Nutty Pie Crust https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-nutty-pie-crust/ https://www.yourfitday.com/low-carb-nutty-pie-crust/#comments Thu, 22 Nov 2012 07:24:42 +0000 http://www.yourfitday.com/?p=384 HI Your Fit Day Friends! I’d been pondering a while on what would be the best low carb pie crust for my first pumpkin pie – while also being suitable for Ultra Low Carb meals, including the Carbnite Solution Diet Plan and Carb Backloading program. Since giving up grains about 15 years ago, my Mom’s … Continue reading "Low Carb Nutty Pie Crust"

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]]> HI Your Fit Day Friends!

Paleo Pie Crust
This is basically a big nut cookie!

I’d been pondering a while on what would be the best low carb pie crust for my first pumpkin pie – while also being suitable for Ultra Low Carb meals, including the Carbnite Solution Diet Plan and Carb Backloading program.

Since giving up grains about 15 years ago, my Mom’s sweet, light and flaky, cinnamon-y pastry flour pie crust was no longer an option. I remember helping her in the kitchen, learning how to roll out the dough and laying the dough dipped pin over the pie plate. But the best part of pie making for me was collecting the falling waves of cut and crimped dough into my powdery hands, dousing them with cinnamon and sugar, and baking them until tender and flaky into my ‘pie crisp cookies’. They were little drops of buttery flakes that melted on my tongue like snowflakes. But my tummy, digestion and skin are so much better for giving up gluten and grains ( I do eat rice on my Carbnite!).

So my quest was to make a crust that was as alluring as a traditional one, which would also pleasing to the Paleo pallete!

To stay gluten free and low carb, coconut flour was certainly option.  But I decided I wanted to make this crust with nuts only. To bind it together I would need a fat. Yum yum, fat!

My options were butter, lard, coconut oil…and maybe some of DebbyK’s coconut butter. Well, since I don’t eat dairy butter was not really an option for this crust (but don’t let me stop your grass fed butter dipping addictions!).

And straight lard in a nut crust just didn’t seem appealing to me with pumpkin pie.

I thought coconut butter, since it’s so thick, might seize up and make the nuts harder to spread, which would result in using a lot more coconut butter – quite possibly my entire jar. And truth be told I’d rather eat DebbyK’s Coconut Butter straight out of the jar than dump most of the jar into my pie crust. I confess, I’m an addict.  Although, I do intend to try using the coconut butter in my next pie crust, so stay tuned!

Since this was my first pie crust I hopped to the web to get some inspirations and see what others, who are gluten free and primarily primal, had cooked up. Although the tart crust from Elenas Pantry was inspiring and looked tasty, I decided to exclude the egg, make it a nut medley, and throw in all the nuts I had in my fridge instead of using only almond flour.

The first crust I ended up with (without cinnamon because I forgot to add it in-oops!) sent wafts of sweet nuttiness through my small apartment. It was so hard not to eat it up right then. But I was thinking of you, so I didn’t. Which was the right thing to do, because if I had eaten that crust/cookie I’d be stuck without a crust for my Perfect Paleo Pumpkin Pie, which I hope you are making right now for Thanksgiving. And when I added the cinnamon in a second testing the crust came out even better: sweet nuttiness! That’s the one you’ll find below.

Really I could eat this pie crust alone as a giant cookie it, tastes that yummy!

As a side: I got even more creative with another crust for my tartlettes which I made from the leftover pie batter, and I added in 1/2 tsp ginger as well. Feel free to add a 1/4 tsp to the recipe below if you wish, and maybe even 1/4  tsp of nutmeg to marry the crust and pie together even more. If you do, let me know how it comes out.

Anyway, you’ll get to taste the tartlettes soon enough!

Here is my Low Carb Nutty Crust:

Nutty Pie Crust
 
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A sweet nutty crust that tastes just as good as a giant cookie!!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American/Paleo
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup walnuts
  • ½ Cup almonds
  • ½ Cup almond flour (blanched)
  • ½ Cup hazelnut flour
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 Tsp cinnamon
  • Optional:
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
  1. In a blender or food processor ( I only have a blender) add all pie crust ingredients.
  2. Pulse until nuts start to get crumbly. Be careful as to not allow nuts to start forming a butter.
  3. Continue to pulse until mixture forms a crumbly meal and comes together when pinched. Make sure you don't grind too much, you don't want nut nut butter! Stop to scrape down sides as needed.
  4. Scrape out into mound in center of pie pan or dish
  5. Starting from middle work the pie crust out and up sides of pie tin. This part of pie making reminds me of hand building a bowl or plate out of clay! Allow for thicker crust up the sides. Bottom can be thinner.
  6. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until it just starts to brown. Do not over bake!
  7. Remove and let completely cool before filling
  8. Pie crust can be made day ahead and stored in refrigerator
  9. To keep carb count low I slice my pies into 16ths.
  10. Feel free to make this 8 servings but account for your daily net carbs.
  11. Remember: If this crust is for a pie stay focused, think PIE, and Do Not eat this as a cookie!
Notes
This crust has been known to disguise itself as a cookie, so beware! It's highly addicting. It can also be used as a crumble for muffin and cake toppings. Be creative!!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/16 Calories: 125 Fat: 12 Saturated fat: 2 Carbohydrates: 3 Sodium: 38 Fiber: 1.63 Protein: 3

Paleo Pie Crust
This is basically a big nut cookie!

 

 

 

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