Spice-spice, baby!

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

There are few spice blends that I use more than Pumpkin Pie. It’s so good in everything – from my Pumpkin Protein Shake, to Greek-style yogurt, cheesecake, quick breads, spice cookies, sprinkled on oatmeal…the list goes on and on.

The one that you can buy is good in a pinch…but nothing beats the hand-picked cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, high-quality ginger and all the LOVE that goes into making your own!

I know there are higher-end places you can buy spices, but I love Penzey’s. They are super fresh and affordable, and have a big variety.

Making your own blend means you can choose the flavors you love to dominate, add just a touch of this or that and go heavy on something else. This recipe is the ratios that I love – add, subtract…use a stronger or milder cinnamon – whatever makes you happy in your heart!

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For the standard, Libby’s-everybody-loves-it pumpkin pie recipe (two pie-big can) I use 3 1/2 teaspoons of the mix.

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12 teaspoons China Cassia cinnamon (this is my fave, but any will work)

6 teaspoons ground ginger

3 teaspoons cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 rounded teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg  (makes a huge difference!)

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Combine all and store in an airtight container.  Keeps at least six months.

 

 

 

 

If you love peanut butter like I love peanut butter…

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

WOW.  This is one rich pie.  I made it into a PIE once, actually…since then I freeze it in slightly rounded 1/4 cup portions and stick it away for a frozen nap. (Out of sight, out of mind……  oh, who am I kidding?  I know it’s there, but it’s harder to binge on when it’s solid as a rock!)

Anyhow…yes, it’s rich.  But for a special treat it is absolutely fantastic and so good, you’ll swear you really shouldn’t be eating it.  But you can.  In moderation.  Like small servings – frozen, to slowly shave off tiny bites and completely savor over several luxurious, heavenly moments!  

(Ignore the ancient photo.  I haven’t had the energy to take new ones this summer – maybe soon!  Plus it’s a humongous piece.  Did I mention not to pig out on this fabulousness?! )

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Crust: (totally and completely optional – I give you stats for both ways)

1 1/2 cup sugar-free cookie crumbs OR graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In microwave-safe bowl melt peanut butter and butter. Add to crumbs and mix until well combined. Pat into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely.

Filling:

One 8-ounce pkg. reduced-fat (or fat free) cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup Splenda Granular
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
One 12-ounce container (3 cups) frozen whipped topping, thawed OR 3 cups sweetened whipped cream
Chopped peanuts or cookie crumbs

Stir together cream cheese, peanut butter, Splenda, and vanilla until well mixed. Fold in thawed whipped topping. Pour into prepared pie crust and carefully smooth to edges. Sprinkle chopped peanuts or cookie crumbs on top for garnish. Cover tightly and chill overnight.  Makes approx 16 servings.
WITH CRUST:  Per Serving: Calories 219; Protein 7 g; Fat 17 g; Carbs 11g; Sugar 4 g; Sodium 205 mg

WITHOUT CRUST:  Per Serving: Calories 162; Protein 6 g; Fat 14 g; NET Carbs 4 g; (Fiber 1 g); Sugar 1 g; Sodium 152 mg

Gotta Crunch?!

PUMPKIN-CRUNCH GRANOLA

When I get to eat a sweet and satisfy a crunch with good-for-me complex carbs – that’s a good day!  This mix is everything you love a granola to be.  Slightly sweet, spicy, nutty, crunchy, nice-sized chunks, and lots of oats.  

Oh, and it makes your house smell like Pumpkin Pie.  There’s never anything awful about that.

Add this to some Greek-style yogurt with a Gold Caramel Sauce swirl – super.   In a bowl with a little almond milk – fabulous.  Sprinkled as a crust on Apple Crisp – so good.  

Don’t leave out the egg yolk – it’s for the “clump factor”.  Without the stickiness that sugar gives the clumps are lost!  Adding some chopped dried cranberries/cherries/raisins or some chocolate chunks would be wonderful, too.

(Thanks to Lynne  for the inspiration!)

Personally, I think this is better as it sits, so I’d make it ahead and store for a day or two!

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1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup (OR agave)

1/3 cup  Whey Low Gold (OR Splenda Granular)

2 tablespoons sugar free Caramel Syrup (OR Vanilla, Toffee, Hazelnut…etc) OR add 2 T. more of maple syrup

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (OR 1 t. cinnamon, 1/2 t. ginger, 1/4 t. cloves, 1/8 t. nutmeg)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup chopped pecans (OR walnuts, macadamia nuts, coconut, etc)

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In a medium bowl combine the pumpkin, agave, WL Gold, caramel syrup, egg yolk, spice, vanilla, and salt.  Stir in the oats and nuts until every flake is coated.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Coat a 11 inch baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray and spread the oat mixture evenly.  Bake for 45-60 minutes (stirring every 15 minutes) or until deep brown.  Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes approx 15 (1/4-cup) servings.

Per 1/4 cup: Calories 119; Protein 6 g; Fat 8 g; NET Carbs 11 g; (Fiber4 g); Sugar 4 g; Sodium 41 mg

With Agave:  Per 1/4 cup: Calories 135; Protein 6 g; Fat 8 g; NET Carbs 16 g; (Fiber 4 g); Sugar 8 g; Sodium 41 mg

Summer’s coming…thank goodness!

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SAUCE

If you are blessed with your own – or a neighbor’s! – rhubarb plant you’ll need something to do with it.   How ’bout this ruby deliciousness?!

Tart-sweet, spiced, and vanilla scented – perfect to stir into some plain yogurt or ricotta, over an Oatmeal-Cottage Cheese Pancake, inside a Crepe, or blended into a shake.   I LOVE THIS SAUCE!

Double or triple it, if you can…stick it in your freezer for summer all year long.

PS – if you don’t have any strawberries,  just use another cup of rhubarb.  Either way, it’s beyond yum!

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3  rounded cups finely diced rhubarb

1 cup chopped strawberries (or about 10 frozen)

1/2 – 1 cup Splenda Granular OR Whey Low Granular (adjust to how tart/sweet you like it)

Zest and juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, Splenda, lemon zest/juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Bring to a boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until fruit is soft and mixture is thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Makes approx 2 cups.   Serving size approx 1/4 cup.

Per Serving: Calories 20; Protein 1 g; Fat 0 g; NET Carbs 4 g; (Fiber 1 g); Sugar 2 g, Sodium 2 mg

Might not be pretty…but it IS pretty good!

OLD-FASHIONED GLAZED MEATLOAF

(First…let me apologize for the hunk ‘o meatloaf-on-a-plate.  Good grief.  

I had served dinner to Hon and he ooed and awed over it so I then felt like I should have taken a photo so I could post the recipe.  That was all that was left.  

Don’t worry.  It’s really, really great, regardless!)

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Yes, I’m channeling Gramma with this one!

Meaty, filling, flavorful, with that sweet glaze we all remember and loved.  I’ve given you two ways – beef or turkey, and both are fabulous.   Depending on your preference and caloric need, either meat will give you wonderful results.   I prefer to use mini loaf pans because it bakes so quickly and they freeze great.

A mixed green salad (plus baby white corn with sea salt and warmed whole grain rolls for those who aren’t limiting carbs)  - the perfect dinner!

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1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 slice turkey bacon, finely diced

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup skim milk

1 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon sage

1 slice bread, diced very small (OR 1/4 cup Panko crumbs)

3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 pound very lean ground beef (OR 1 pound mixed dark/light ground turkey)

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup Whey Low Gold (OR 1/4 cup Splenda Granular PLUS 1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup OR 1/3 cup regular brown sugar)

1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With vegetable cooking spray coat 2 regular loaf pans, or 4 mini loaf pans and place on a baking sheet.  Set aside.

In a saute pan heat the olive oil over medium low heat.  Add the onion, celery, and bacon.  Cook for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are soft.  Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl whisk the egg, milk, salt, pepper, and sage.  Add the bread and stir until “mushed” up and no dry pieces remain.  Stir in the cheese and the onion mixture.  Add the ground beef or turkey and combine until well mixed.  Divide among prepared pans and lightly pack down.

In a small bowl whisk the ketchup, WL Gold (OR Splenda and sf maple syrup), and mustard.  Spoon over meat mixture.  Bake for 30-35 minutes for mini loaf pans, or 45-50 minutes for regular sized loaf pans….or until instant read thermometer reads  165 degrees, temp will increase to 170 as it rests.) Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.  Makes 8 servings.

Per Serving (90% lean ground beef, WL Gold):  Calories 234, Protein 20 g, Fat 11 g, NET Carbs 10 g, Sugar 8 g, Sodium 434 mg

Per Serving (ground turkey mixed light/dark, WL Gold):  Calories 210, Protein 12 g, Fat 9 g, NET Carbs 10 g, Sugar 8 g, Sodium 452

Without Whey Low Gold: subtract 8 calories and 5 sugars

Are these YOUR favorite?

SUGAR FREE “CADBURY” EGGS

 I have to say, they aren’t MY fave.  I prefer a caramel-chocolate-nutty-coconut thingy instead of the super-sweet-make-your-teeth-ache candies.  But a friend requested these and here they are!

Kind of hard to work with, as the ooey-gooey filling (which makes them so yummy to folks!) is soft and hard to mold.  A quick trip in the deep freeze helps that, though.  All in all they turned out pretty darn close to the real-deal.  

Given more trial and error I think I could come up with a cooked sugar-syrup that is thick like corn-syrup, using Whey Low Granular.  For these I had on hand maltitol honey flavored syrup – which is a sugar alcohol.  This can give some intestinal distress to people…and by ‘some’ I mean LOTS…and to ‘people’ I mean ME.  (I’m no longer speaking to Andrea…thank you very much.)

Maybe next year a few weeks ahead of Easter we’ll bring out the recipe again and see what happens!  Meanwhile – they are what you’d expect – super sweet, sticky beyond belief, with a crisp chocolate shell – and in the realm of Easter-Candydom that makes them just about perfect.

(I don’t expect everyone to rush out and make these!  It was more of a fun why-not, just to say I did!)

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The Powdered Whey Low can be found HERE…and the maltitol syrup HERE and HERE.  I made a half batch and the recipe amounts reflect that.

And I couldn’t get them perfectly round like an egg.  So they are FLAT…but egg shaped…sorta. And they were frozen so the chocolate set up immediately!

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1/4 cup Maltitol syrup

2 tablespoons softened butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups Whey Low Powdered

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2-3 drops yellow food coloring (a drop of red if you want an orange yolk)

6 ounces SF chocolate chips/solid chocolate (OR regular bittersweet/dark)

1 teaspoon shortening

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In a medium bowl beat until fluffy, the syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt.  Slowly beat in the WL powdered and cornstarch until mixture is well combined.  Remove 1/3 of the mixture to a small bowl and add the food coloring.  Place bowls in the freezer for at least an hour or until hard enough to work with.

Quickly make small yolks and cover them with the white – Place on plastic wrap and mold into egg shapes.  IMMEDIATELY place back into the freezer.

In a small bowl SLOWLY melt the chocolate and shortening – stirring every 20 seconds.  Be careful – chocolate can scorch in the microwave very quickly.  Melt until it’s warm to the touch, but not hot.

Place toothpicks in both ends of each egg (leave the ones you aren’t using in the freezer) and spoon chocolate over the top and bottom.  Place on waxed paper and immediately place back in the freezer.  Continue until all your eggs are covered.  How many eggs you get depends on how big you make them.

And I’m not even going to attempt to give you the stats.  If you have to ask…!

Blast from the past…with a new twist

BROCCOLI-QUINOA CASSEROLE

 You remember this dish… from every church pot luck, community cookbook, and Gramma’s table.  Yes, THAT broccoli-rice casserole.  Bubbly, cheesy, rich, and so very good.  Old-fashioned comfort food, personified.

Since I love using quinoa in everything calling for rice (less starchy, more protein) I thought I’d give it a try in this one.  And it worked just as well.  As you can see in the second photo, it’s the same creamy-dreamy texture and flavor we loved before – only this time it’s not full of rice-carbs that can wreck havoc with blood surgar.  AND the quinoa gives added protein.  How ’bout that?!

I can’t believe how great this turned out!  It’s the perfect side dish for all your meats or a vegetarian option on it’s own.  The old version was a favorite in our house – and now this will DEFINITELY be!

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One 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup (or mushroom), low-sodium if you prefer (*see note for gluten free)

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise (original called for 1 full cup. WOW.)

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, etc)

1/2 teaspoon Splenda/sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

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2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups  COOKED quinoa (see note)

Feshly grated Parmesan cheese

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To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

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Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear.  In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible.  Fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole.  Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden.  Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

Per Serving: Calories 199,  Protein 10 g; Fat 9 g; NET Carbs 14 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 297 mg

*NOTE FOR GLUTEN FREE…Progresso makes a Creamy Mushroom Soup that is gluten free…or  here is a recipe for a Cream of Anything Soup.  Haven’t tried it, (a comment-er  below did and loved it…) but it’s been a big hit on a Celiac/Gluten Free forum.)

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Condensed “Cream of Anything” Soup

1 cup cold milk
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Instructions
In a small saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch till well blended.
Stir in butter, bouillon, salt, and pepper.
Heat to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer on low for one minute more to thicken.
Use in recipes to replace one can of cream of anything soup.

CONDENSED CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP:
Stir in a drained 4 ounce can of mushroom pieces to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Mushroom Soup.

CONDENSED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP:
Stir in 1/2 cup cooked chicken pieces to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Chicken Soup.

CONDENSED CREAM OF CELERY SOUP
Stir in 1/2 cup sautéed chopped celery to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Celery Soup.