Get your caramel on.

CARAMEL LAYER COOKIE BARS

No such thing as too many cookies…so here ya’ go.

These were created to use with Cinnamon Bliss…one of my favorite things on earth.  You can find it in this link at Amazon.com and a little goes a long way, so the jug will last awhile.  If you can’t find it or don’t want to have that much hanging around, my Gold Caramel Sauce or a good-quality store-bought sugar-free sauce would be wonderful in these.

(Using the commercial stuff, these are fairly full of sugar alcohols – which I’m not fond of.  Whey Low doesn’t contain any, so using that and the recipe for Caramel Sauce would be best if you are sensitive to SA’s.)

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Crust:
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oatmeal (not instant)
1/2 cup Whey Low granular, Maltitol crystals, or Splenda Granular
1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preaheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.
Stir together almond flour, flour, oatmeal, Nature Sweet crystals or Splenda, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix until crumbly.  Reserve 1/2 cup for the topping. Pat remainder into the pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until starting to become golden on the edges.

Filling:
2/3 cup Cinnamon Bliss OR Gold Caramel Sauce – recipe link above (or store-bought SF)
2/3 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

Bring sauce and nuts to boil and, stirring constantly, boil for 2 minutes. Pour over baked crust.  (If using Gold Caramel Sauce, just heat through…don’t boil or it will be TOO chewy!)

Topping:
4 ounces sugar free Dark or Milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup reserved crumbs

Sprinkle chopped chocolate over caramel layer. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over chocolate. Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly on edges and top crumbs are slightly golden. Cool in pan and cut into 16 pieces.  Makes 16 servings.

Per servings: Calories 207; Protein 4 g; Fat 15 g; Carbs 15 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 83 mg

 

Quick little quickie!

SPINACH-GORGANZOLA QUICHE CUPS

 

I love quiche in any way, shape, or form.  It’s comforting to me…the possibilities are innumerable…and they are protein-filled while being fairly low in calories.  A complete meal in a finger food!  (I love LOADED quiche, so I added a little more spinach in the ones photographed.)

These freeze wonderfully, so make lots.  It’s not any more work to do a double batch!

(This is my interpretation but, thanks to Shelly of TheWorldAccordingToEggface for the inspiration and tons of variations!)

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1 medium sweet onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons butter

One 10-ounce package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

6 eggs

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon salt-free Italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

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In a small saute pan, heat the butter over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, or until softened.   Transfer to a bowl and stir in the spinach and cheeses.

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs until frothy.  Whisk in the milk, salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a regular-sized muffin pan (12 count) with vegetable cooking spray.  Divide the spinach mixture amongst the cups.  Pour the egg mixture over the spinach.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until puffed and just set.  Makes 12.  (Can also be done in a deep dish pie plate,  mini muffin tins, or custard cups – depending on what serving size you prefer.)

Per each “cup”:  Calories 101, Protein 8g, Fat 6g, NET Carbs 3g, Sugar 1g, Sodium 112mg

Let’s make soup!

Don’t know about where you are, but in my neck of the woods this last month and a half have been a little drizzly and dreary.  And by a little I mean nothing-but!!

Time to warm up.

Soup always makes you feel better – the act of gathering the ingredients, chopping the veggies, smelling the onions and garlic simmer in olive oil and a little butter…feels like you are really accomplishing something!

These are some of my favorites (click on title for recipe) – most deal with groceries probably already in your arsenal, or can be made with WHATEVER you have on hand.  There are no rules…all’s fair in love and soup!

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Tomato-Crab Bisque,   Creamy Garlic-Edamame Soup

Curried Chicken & Wild Rice Chowder, Caribbean Sweet Potato & Sausage

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Taco Soup,   Creamy Broccoli Chowder

Salmon Chowder,  Tortilla Soup

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Lasagna Soup,  Meatloaf Minestrone

Cheesy Chicken Cauliflower Chowder,  Thick Black Bean Soup

Kiss, kiss, love, love…

RED VELVET CAKE

Hello, Beautiful!

Sometimes being bad is really very good…and with this cake, on a special Valentine’s Day (with someone or alone!) it’s even better.

I’ve cut the original recipe in half to give you a single layer, but split it and stacked the gorgeousness into an impressive little number that will get you noticed and loved in return.   (The photo makes it look taller than it is!)

Same red velvet flavor as always; same beautifully white cream cheese frosting…just lower sugar.

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1 1/4 cups cake flour (such as Softasilk)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup Whey Low granular or Nature Sweet sugar sub

1 egg

1 ounce red food coloring

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9 inch round or square cake pan with vegetable cooking spray and dust with 1 tablespoon cake flour, tapping upside down to remove the excess, and set aside.

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In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and unsweetened cocoa powder.  Set aside.  In a large bowl cream the butter and WL until light and fluffy, at least 2 minutes.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Carefully beat in red food coloring, scraping bowl frequently.

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Beat in 1/2 of the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk; then the remaining flour mixture.  In a small bowl combine the vinegar and baking soda and quickly stir into the batter.  Immediately pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out still moist, with large crumbs – or almost clean, but not wet/raw.  Do not over-bake!  Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove cake from pan by placing the wire rack on top of the cake and invert; allow to cool completely.  (To ensure that your cake stays nice and moist, when the cake is out of the pan and on the rack, lay plastic wrap loosely over the top as it cools.)  Split cake in half with a serrated knife or a long piece of thread and frost with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.  (This needs to be kept in the fridge and actually gets better a day later. I put toothpicks on the top to keep the plastic wrap from ruining the frosting.)

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Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

One 8-ounce pkg. reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups Splenda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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In a medium bowl beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.  In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in Splenda and vanilla.  Gently fold in whipped cream.  (This makes a lot of frosting, but it’s worth it!  You may not use it all on the cake, but it’s great on other things, too.)

. Makes 12 servings.  Per Serving: Calories 160; Protein 4 g; Fat 11 g; Carbs 12 g; Sugar 0 g; Sodium144 mg

Something’s fishy here…in a good way!

CRISPY TILAPIA IN TOMATO-CREAM SAUCE

This is a fast and filling dish – protein-packed and everyone will love it.  I use tilapia in most of my fish dishes because it’s my husbands favorite.  It’s mild and easy to work with as it doesn’t fall apart or “weep” like some varieties can.  It is forgiving (for those of us who may overcook their seafood…moi!) and stays moist.  Sounds about perfect to me!

I served it with steamed edamame sprinkled with sea salt for an even bigger protein punch.

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1 1/3 cups favorite spaghetti sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons half & half

Four 4-5 ounce Tilapia fillets

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 cups Panko crumbs

1 teaspoon salt-free Italian Seasoning

Freshly grated Parmesan

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In a medium sauce pan, over medium-low heat, bring the sauce and garlic to a simmer.  Stirring occasionally, allow to cook until reduced by half.  The sauce will become dark red and thick.  Stir in the cream and heat through.  Keep warm.

Rinse and dry the tilapia fillets and set aside.

In three pie plates or shallow dishes, place the flour, salt and pepper in one, the beaten egg in another, and the crumbs mixed with the seasoning in the third.  Coat each fillet with the flour mixture, dip in egg until covered, and then press on the crumbs.

Heat  a frying pan on medium to medium-high heat until very hot.  (Will depend on YOUR stove.  Mine is very hot on medium.)  Add a little olive oil and fry the fish for 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy-golden and fish flakes easily with a fork.  Remove to a platter and spoon the sauce over.  Garnish with Parmesan.  Makes 4 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 300; Protein 25 g; Fat 4 g; Carbs 20 g; Fiber 3 g; Sugar 2 g; Sodium 664 mg  (The stats on this recipe account for the entire amount of  flour and Panko crumbs.  However,  you may not use all of them, so that will reduce the carbs and calories a bit.)

Holiday Cookies! My favorite Molasses-Spice one…ever.

GINGER-MOLASSES COOKIES

If you want crispy, crinkly, snappy ginger cookies, these aren’t them.  But soft, chewy-cakey, velvety?  Gotcha covered.

This is my favorite spice cookie and it gets BETTER as it ‘ages’.  Make these a couple days ahead of when you want to serve them, wrap tightly, and put away for a sweet nap.  So comforting.

Pour yourself a cup of Chai tea and slip one of these beauties onto your saucer – sit back, soothe your soul, and overdose on spices. The perfect way to spend a Holiday afternoon.

Lots of photos…just cause they are so gorgeous!

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1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Whey Low granular

1/2 cup packed Whey Low Gold

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup mild molasses

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger (yes…a Tablespoon)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

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In a large bowl beat the butter, cream cheese, WL granular, and WL Gold until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, water, and molasses.

In a small bowl combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, soda, and salt. Add all at once to the butter mixture and beat just until combined. Cover and chill dough for at least 2 hours – I do it overnight so it’s very cold.

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If you can, use parchment paper to line a sheet with. Drop dough by a very rounded tablespoon (or 1/3 cup – seriously.  I love BIG cookies!)  onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with WL granular. Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on the size, or until just set.   (I sprinkle with granular again while they are still warm.)  If using paper, simply slide off entire thing onto a rack and cool completely.  If not, let them sit on the baking sheet for a moment to set and then remove to a wire rack to cool.

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Makes 30 cookies.

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Per Cookie: Calories 81, Fat 4 gr, Protein 1 gr, Sugars 5 gr, NET Carbs 10 gr, Sodium 11 mg

Love That Quinoa Burger!

QUINOA BURGER

So yummy!  If you want a change of pace that’s meat-free, yet full of protein, fiber, and very filling…this might be for you.

I like it with Tzatziki on top (my recipe is in this post), or  a little “fry sauce” (what some drive-ins call that wonderful mayo/ketchup combo), and with a thick slice of tomato, avocado, onion and lettuce, as a burger should be, it’s fab.

Don’t be afraid of Quinoa.  It cooks just like rice – might even be a little easier! – and can be subbed almost straight across in most recipes.   I made Rice Burgers for my kids for years and this is the same recipe, with Quinoa instead.

UPDATE!!   I recently found myself without carrots so used shredded zucchini instead.  WONDERFUL!  And my husband says I have to make them like this from now on.  The measurements are in the recipe, also, if you’re interested.)

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2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see note below for cooking instructions)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1 /2 teaspoon Splenda or sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

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To cook quinoa for the above recipe:

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat.  Add quinoa and reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.

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In a large bowl combine the 2 rounded cups of cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

(To help them stay in patty form and not fall apart, I cook them on med-low slowly so they have longer to set-up without burning.  Makes them easier to flip, too.)  Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat.  Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick.  Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.   Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Per burger:  Calories 132; Protein 8 g; Fat 5 g; NET Carbs 12 g; (Fiber 2 g); Sugar 0 g; Sodium 200 mg