Chocolate Walnut Microwave Mini-Cake

In a hurry try this one minute or less recipe and get a mini- one serving cake that taste like a brownie but without all the carbs.

Ingredients

1 Egg
2 T cocoa powder
1/2 c Splenda
2 Tb Atkins bake mix
2 Tb Melted Butter
Walnuts(to taste)

Instructions

Mix egg, melted butter, and Atkins bake mix together. add cocoa powder and splenda, add walnuts, if using.
bake in a cereal size microwave bowl, or a cup will do, for one minute or less.

Nutritional information, per serving.

Calories: 556
Carbs: 22
Fiber: 5
Net Carbs: 17
Protein: 23
Fat: 45

True carbs=12g

Raspberry Jello Dessert

Raspberry Jello Squares


This raspberry jello dessert is a fast and easy to make low-carb dessert. It can be made with or without the pecan crust. I like the crunch of the crust so I use it often, not only with this dish but with other desserts that sometimes need a low-carb crust. You can use other flavors of jello as well as change the fruit. But keep in mind the carbs wont be the same...

Ingredients:

1 small package raspberry sugar-free geletin dessert
1+1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup pecans
2 tablespoons butter
Sugar substitute equal to 1/4 cup sugar (zero carb sweetener such as liquid Stevia)
pinch salt
6 oz cream cheese cut up into pieces
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1+1/2 cups fresh or unsweetened frozen raspberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350° F

Dissolve raspberry gelatin in boiling water.

Process pecans in a food processor until they become a coarse meal.

Add butter, salt, and sweetener and process until smooth

Press the pecan mixture into the bottom of a 9 X 9 square pan

Bake for 8-11 minutes, until lightly brown (watch carefully so they don't burn)

When gelatin mixture is cooled to the point where you can comfortably stick your finger into it, add the orange extract and cream cheese and blend. You can use a stick blender, food processor, or regular blender.

Stir 1 cup of the berries into mixture and pour into pan over the pecan crust.

Cool in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes, until mixture is thickening but not set. Sprinkle the other half cup of raspberries across the top.

Cool until completely set.
Cut in 9 squares.

Nutritional Information:

Each square has 2.5 grams effective carbohydrate
2.5 grams fiber,
3 grams protein,
and 179 calories.
True carbs=0

Baked Apple Frittata

Baked Apple Frittata

Ingredients

Butter flavored cooking spray
6 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
2 medium tart apples, thinly sliced and sprinkled with fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Lightly coat 3-quart ovenproof pan with cooking spray.
In bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and flour. Pour into prepared pan.
In medium bowl, toss apple slices with brown sugar and thyme leaves.
Gently place tossed apple slices into pan with eggs.
Bake until frittata is puffed, golden brown, and set in center, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving equals:
136 calories,
6 g fat (2 g saturated fat),
78 mg sodium,
15 g carbohydrate,
7 g protein.

Neapolitan Parfaits

We sometimes judge a dessert by the way it looks so I used these small ice cream dishes for this parfaits. But this low-carb dessert tastes great no matter what you serve it in.


Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar substitute, plus 2 tablespoons (recommended: Splenda)
1 teaspoon no sugar added vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced (sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar substitute if not sweet)
Fresh mint, for garnish

Directions

With an electric mixer on high, whip the heavy cream in a bowl just until frothy and add in the 1/3 cup sugar substitute and vanilla and continue to whip just a little more to blend; do not whip all the way to soft peaks yet. Put half of the partially whipped mixture into another bowl and finish whipping it on high speed until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip, or the cream will break. Set aside the vanilla cream.

To the first bowl with the other half of the partially whipped cream mixture, add in the cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons more sugar substitute and finish whipping on high until stiff peaks form, again being careful not to over-whip. This is the chocolate cream.

In each of 4 parfait glasses, layer a couple spoonfuls of chocolate cream, followed by some fresh strawberry slices, and top it with a couple spoonfuls of fresh vanilla cream. Chill completely before serving. Garnish with strawberries and a sprig of fresh mint.


Carbohydrates per serving 7 g

Lemon-Vanilla Cheesecake

Yeah, It's another cheesecake...but with less carbs, so you can have a larger slice. Or you can even have a second slice because it too is made with whey protein powder and is very low in carbs.


Lemon-Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:

2 Cups cottage cheese
2eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vanilla-flavored whey protein
1/4 cup Splenda
Grated rind and juice of fresh lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

**Low-carb crust

Cooking spray
1+1/2 cups hazelnuts***
1/3 cup vanilla-flavored whey protein powder
4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Grind hazelnuts or almonds in food processor or blender to medium-fine
Add protein powder and butter, mix well
Spray pie plate or pan with cooking spray
Press crust mix firmly and evenly into pan
Place crust in preheated oven on bottom rack
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until brown
Let cook before adding cheesecake mix.

Directions for filling:

Preheat oven 375ºF
Mix cottage cheese,eggs,sour cream, protein powder,Splenda,lemon rind,lemon juice, and vanilla extract in blender or with mixer(high speed) Blend until smooth.
Pour into pre-baked crust.
Place cake on the top rack of oven.
Place a flat pan of water on bottom rack under cake.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes
Let cool then chill before serving

Makes 12 servings
8g carbs
2g fiber
True carbs=6g

What is a "free food" ?

I got an e-mail from one of my readers and he wanted to know what they mean when they say it's a "free food" ?

Well Dan here is the answer...

A free food is any food that contains less than 5 grams of carbohydrates and has less than 20 calories.(Yes, I count the calories too) You should limit all free foods to no more than 3 servings a day spread out throughout the day.

Cranberry Pear Brown Betty

Delicious and crunchy, just in time for the holidays. You can even add some nuts
for more crunch.

Yield: Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS

2 cups dry coarse whole wheat bread crumbs**
2 tbsp butter, melted, or extra virgin olive oil
6 pears, peeled, cored and sliced (or large can pear halves,drained, enough to equal 3 pears)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
* 1/4 cup packed brown sugar *
1/2 cup cranberry cocktail (no sugar added)

Directions

In a bowl, combine bread crumbs and butter. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine pears, lemon juice, cranberries and brown sugar.

In a greased slow cooker stoneware, spread one-third of the bread crumb mixture. Layer half of the pear mixture over top. Repeat. Finish with a layer of crumbs and pour cranberry cocktail over top. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours, until fruit is tender and mixture is hot and bubbly.

Notes

Works best in a small (3½ quart) slow cooker

* You can reduce the carbs by using Splenda Brown Sugar

**To make dried bread crumbs for this recipe, toast 4 slices of whole wheat bread. Tear into pieces and process in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until finely ground. Use a light-tasting whole wheat loaf for this recipe.