Fill up your cookie jar…

CRANBERRY PECAN COOKIES

Studded with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans, these are the perfect little cookies.

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Vegetable cooking spray
4 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup  Whey Low Granular
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel
1 egg white
1 cup flour
1/4 cup almond flour/meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray or fit with parchment paper.

In a small bowl combine flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar sub until light. Beat in milk, orange juice, orange peel, and egg white. Stir in dry ingredients. Batter will be stiff. Stir in pecans and cranberries.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on baking sheet for one minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 20 cookies.

Per Serving: Calories 78; Protein 1 g; Fat 5 g; Carbs 5 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 18 mg

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GiddyUp!

COWBOY COOKIES

You know these cookies…the ones with all the goodies crammed into them!  Really, it’s totally up to you how much or how little you use – but I’m tellin’ ya…the more innards, the more they look like CowPIES!!!

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1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup Whey Low Granular

1/2 cup Whey Low Gold, packed

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup sf chocolate chips or chunks OR sugar free M&M-type candies

1/2 cup chopped nuts – peanuts, walnuts, pecans…whatever you love

Preheat overn to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the flour, soda, salt, and baking powder and set aside.  In a large bowl cream the butter, WL Granular, and WL Gold until light.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Stir in the flour mixture along with the oatmeal, chocolate, and nuts.  Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet  (these will spread a bit) and bake for 10-12 minutes or until set.

I make BIG cookies…and nobody ever makes them the same size…so the stats are for the WHOLE recipe.  Divide by how many you end up with!

Total Recipe: 2876 Calories; 59 g Protein; 174 g Tot Fat; 385 g Carb; (360 NET Carbs); 25 g Fiber; 63 g Sugar; 1343 mg Sodium

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Oh. My. Gosh…

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CREAM PUFFS

Don’t be traumatized by the length of the recipe… it’s not as hard as it looks! And the ooohs and aahhs that will come from those you serve them to will have you making them again and again. Experiment with the flavors of the filling if you wish…it’s easy when you use a different sugar free syrup each time!  (DaVinci or Torani have practically  umlimited sugar free flavors!)

These are best eaten the same day they are made. You can make the filling and ganache a couple days ahead and chill. (Slowly reheat the ganache in the microwave, stir and use when ready to serve.)

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Pastry:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Whey Low or Splenda
4 eggs

Filling:
One-half of an 8-ounce pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar free cherry syrup
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon Splenda

Ganache:
4 ounces sugar free 70% cacao chocolate
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar free cherry syrup

Cream Puffs:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium saucepan heat the water and butter to boiling. Reduce heat; with a wooden spoon stir in flour, cocoa powder, salt, and Splenda. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. With the wooden spoon beat in eggs, one at a time, until no longer glossy. Place 2 tablespoons of dough onto greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. (May need to do in two batches.) Bake for 15-20 minutes or until puffed and dry to the touch. (Pierce one of the puffs with a sharp knife and make sure it is dry on the inside. If gummy, return to oven for 1 more minute.) Remove puffs to a wire rack to cool completely.

For Filling:
In a medium bowl beat the softened cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and cherry syrup. Fold in whipped cream. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill.

For Ganache:
In a microwave safe bowl place the chocolate and whipping cream. On 50% power heat for 1 minute. Stir and heat for another minute. Repeat until chocolate is soft, but not completely melted. Add cherry syrup and, with a whisk, incorporate the cream and syrup into the chocolate until it is very smooth. Set aside. (May need to gently reheat when ready to use.)

To assemble:
When puffs are cool, cut in half with a serrated knife. Remove any moist dough in the middle. Place on a plate and fill the bottom with 2 tablespoons cherry filling. Dip the tops of the puffs into the warm ganache. Serve. Makes 14 mini puffs.

(The leftover ganache makes wonderful truffles when left in the fridge. Simply scoop out with a teaspoon or melon baller.)

Per Serving: Calories 206; Protein 4 g; Fat 17 g; Carbs 8 g; Sugar 0 g; Sodium 145 mg

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Sugar free shortbread – yep!

ALMOND SHORTBREAD

Real-Deal Shortbread that will make any Scotsman proud!  The secret is to not over-work the dough or over-bake it.  It’ll still taste great – just won’t be nice and flaky!

**(This dough is affected by moisture in the butter. Purchase a higher end brand for this recipe.)

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1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup Whey Low Powdered OR Splenda Granular
1 stick butter, softened (no substitutions)

In a medium bowl combine the almond flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar sub. With a fork cut in the butter until ping large pea-sized balls form. Let it chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while dough is resting.

Carefully form dough into a rough ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet – preferably lined with parchment paper. Using your fingertips or rolling pin work it into a disk 1/4-inch thick. (Do not knead this dough or work with it anymore than is necessary as it will become tough.)

Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and prick with a fork. Return to the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes or until it just begins to get golden on the edges but is still pale in the middle. Over-baking will cause it to become greasy. Allow to cool on the baking sheet until lukewarm. With a very sharp knife cut into slices and cool completely before removing to a plate.   Makes 12 servings.

(You can make this into individual cookies by carefully rolling tablespoonfuls into 12 balls and flattening to 1/4-inch thickness. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden on the very edges. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.)

Per Serving: 122 Cal; 2 g Protein; 11 g Tot Fat; 5 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar; 56 mg Sodium

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Pretty perfect pair…

BANANA-CHIP BARS

Bananas and chocolate – they go together like…well, they just DO!

These bars are moist, dense, loaded with banana flavor and just enough soft, dark chocolate chunks.  They are one of our favorite quick desserts.  Great right out of the oven or even the fridge.

This recipe makes a large panful and they travel well, so they’re perfect to take on a picnic or to pack in lunches. Kids adore these bars.

(To reduce the simple carbs, I’ve taken out some of the regular all-purpose and added in almond flour.)

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Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening or butter (I prefer butter)
1 1/4 cups  Whey Low Granular (some have used Splenda Granular and it worked)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1 cup regular or sugar-free dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the shortening or butter and the sugar sub until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and mashed banana until well mixed. Beat in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and moist crumbs adhere to a toothpick inserted in the middle. (Do not over-bake…you want these moist!) Makes 16 bars.

With Nature Sweet: Per Bar: Calories 157; Protein 3 g; Fat 11 g; Carbs 11 g; Sugar 2 g; Sodium 142 mg

With Whey Low: Per Bar: Calories 171; Protein 3 g; Fat 11 g; Carbs 19 g; Sugar 6 g; Sodium 142 mg

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