Tag Archives: vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable

Healthy Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes – With a Secret Ingredient! (low carb, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, grain free)

Posted in breakfast, dairy free, dessert, easy, gluten free, low carb, Recipes, snacks & appetizers, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

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IT ISN’T KALE. I repeat, the secret ingredient IS NOT KALE. I just wanted to put that out there first. We can all breathe easy now.

There’s something especially unappealing to me about the idea of “tricking” your family and friends into eating something healthy. When it comes to food, I am not into secrets. I think we already have enough creepy secrets about what’s in what we eat. No thank you, move along.

Because honestly? Healthy food can taste great. And the more we treat certain foods like they need to be a secret, the more people will assume they’re not worth eating without being disguised. You dig?

So in the interest of full disclosure, I shall reveal to you a fine example with my actually not that “secret” ingredient – CHIA SEEDS. In your chocolate cake donut holes. Because what’s the point in eating a healthy dessert if you can’t be openly smug about it to your peers? I swear this is not my main motivation for making healthy desserts. 

This isn’t the first time I’ve extolled the virtues of the mighty chia seed. I used them enthusiastically in my vanilla cinnamon chia seed pudding, for example. Often referred to as a ‘superfood’ (don’t we all just love that term), chia seeds boast an intimidating amount of nutritiousness:

  • Chia seeds are rich in polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3s in chia seeds can help reduce inflammation, enhance cognitive performance and reduce high cholesterol.
  • Chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber, with a whopping 10 grams in only 2 tablespoons.
  • Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants that help protect the body from free radicals, aging and cancer. The high antioxidant profile also helps them have a long shelf life. They last almost two years without refrigeration.
  • Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 18 percent of the DRI for calcium, 35 percent for phosphorus, 24 percent for magnesium and about 50 percent for manganese.
  • The outer layer of chia seeds swells when mixed with liquids to form a gel. This can used in place of eggs to lower cholesterol and increase the nutrient content of foods and baked goods. To make the egg replacement, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for 15 minutes.
  •  Chia seeds can play an important role in regulating insulin levels. They can reduce insulin resistance and decrease abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood. (healthyeating.sfgate.com)

Also: Chia Pets. Never forget. 

Because chia seeds are capable of absorbing up to 10-12 times their weight in liquid, your batter will develop a thick, almost gel-like texture the longer it sits. This is ok. They all bake up the same! As in, PERFECTLY.

It was entirely by accident that I discovered the texture of ground chia seed provided the perfect texture and mouthfeel for a Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkin. The fluffy air pockets, the slight crunch of the glaze giving way into the crumbly, cakey inside. Wait, where were we?

OH YES. You, making these, and feeling great about it. ALLOW ME TO ENABLE YOU:

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Healthy Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes – With a Secret Ingredient (low carb, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, grain free)

Yields: About 20-22 donut holes

Ingredients:

Donut Holes:
¾ cup sweetener
¼ cup milled/ground chia seeds (if grinding whole seeds, use about 2 heaping tbsp)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
3 egg whites, or about 1/3 cup egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sweetener
3 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk or water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease or spray a cake pop mold/donut hole/muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, and mix well to create a batter. Reminder: The longer you let your batter sit, the thicker it gels. Not a problem! Spoon batter into prepared tin, almost to the top.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

To make glaze, whisk powdered sweetener, almond milk or water, and vanilla extract until smooth. If you prefer a thinner glaze, add in more milk or water one teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Allow the donut holes to cool slightly. Place a cooling rack atop a baking sheet, and dip each donut hole into the glaze. Cover all sides with glaze and lift using a fork, tapping off excess glaze.

Transfer donut holes to the rack to allow any more extra glaze to drip off. Let glaze set, about 30 minutes to an hour.

Nutritional Info (As calculated for 20 servings, using water in glaze):

donut holes nutrition

 

 

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars (low carb, gluten free, no added sugar)

Posted in breakfast, dessert, easy, gluten free, low carb, Recipes, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

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When inspiration hits, it’s a lot like getting hit by a truck. Ignoring it is incredibly difficult.

A totally hypothetical example: seeing some “snickerdoodle sandwich cookies with cream cheese frosting” on sale and then thinking of how great that sounds for three days straight.

Outside of this totally hypothetical example, we all know how I feel about cookies. (TL;DR: High. Maintenance.) But the flavor combination was irresistible. Anything cinnamon. Anything cream cheese. But cookies? No. Life is too short for that.

And this is where the Truck of Inspiration™ came hurtling merrily down the Snackademia highway. Cheesecake bars. Of course. Bars are my everything. I would make everything into a bar version if I could (AND I HAVE). THE ANSWER WAS CLEAR. We were making snickerdoodle cheesecake bars.

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But this brought about its own set of challenges. I was immediately imagining a graham cracker crust. This does not fit very neatly into a low-carb or grain-free diet. Then the Truck of Inspiration™ made an entirely legal U-Turn and came back around at top speed.

PECANS. Whether you pronounce them “pee-can” or “puh-kahn”, we can all agree that (second only to the macadamia), the pecan is a superior nut:

With a little cinnamon and nutmeg, you’ve got yourself the perfect graham cracker crust analogue. No need for butter with the natural oils in the pecans providing all the binding power. And how could we forget the sweet, crunchy cinnamon “sugar” topping, so crucial to the snickerdoodle experience?? We could not.

So now the problem is that I ate all of these already and I’ve been thinking of making them again for three days straight. I don’t need inspiration for that one. Maybe I need the Truck of Distraction™.

Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars (low carb, gluten free, no added sugar)

Recipe adapted from Shugary Sweets

Yields: Around 24 – 30 bars

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 1/2 cups pecans
2 tbsp granulated sweetener, OR 1 tbsp granulated sweetener plus 1 tbsp sugar free brown sugar substitute
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Filling:
2 8 oz packages cream cheese (I used neufchâtel), softened
3/4 cup granulated sweetener, OR 2/3 cup granulated sweetener plus 2 tbsp sugar free brown sugar substitute
2 egg whites, or around 1/4 cup egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 butterscotch or molasses extract, optional
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:
1/4 cup granulated sweetener
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.

To make crust, place pecans, spices, and sweetener into a food processor or high-speed blender and process until pecans form a crumbly mixture that begins to ball and stick together (make sure to stop before you’ve made pecan butter!).

snickerdoodlecheesecake8Ugh I love pecans so much.

Press crust into the greased 9×13 baking pan and par-bake for about 8-10 minutes.

For the filling, beat cream cheese with sweetener, egg whites, vanilla, butterscotch or molasses extracts (if using), and cinnamon using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer. Beat for a few minutes until fluffy and smooth. Pour over pecan crust and smooth with a spatula.

 

In a small bowl, combine sweetener and cinnamon for topping. Sprinkle generously over the cheesecake layer.

Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until topping has browned and filling jiggles only slightly. Once cooled, refrigerate until completely set and cut into squares. Keep any (unlikely) leftovers in the fridge.

IMG_5647ALL HAIL THE TRUCK OF INSPIRATION™

Nutritional Info (Calculated for 26 servings):

snickerdoodle cheesecake nutrition

Fudgy Ganache Layer Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (low carb, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free)

Posted in dairy free, dessert, gluten free, low carb, Recipes, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

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Every year I seem to hold some kind of unspoken competition with myself to make the richest, most decadent birthday cake on earth. Each year has gotten successively richer, and more decadent, and this year has been the most ridiculous yet. I am actually concerned. I have no idea how to top this thing. Next year I might just chug a pint of heavy whipping cream and call it a day.

This is a tour de force. It’s like eating a brick of fudge. I could build a delicious house with this cake. A delicious NEIGHBORHOOD. There are THREE LAYERS EACH OF FUDGE CAKE AND DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE ALONE. NOT TO MENTION THE BUTTERCREAM?? JUST LOOK AT IT.

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ARE YOU SEEING THIS.

This is the cake your mother warned you about.

Luckily, I am here to hold your hand through everything. I even tried to temper the intensity of this confection for more delicate sensibilities by arranging actual edible flowers on top. You are not obligated to do this, but just be warned that without them, you’ll be slammed in the face with the full magnitude of this chocolate monsterpiece. It takes no prisoners. 

This recipe was written for a three layer 6″ cake instead of the more traditional 9″ rounds because trust me, it’s enough. You are however totally free to make two slightly thicker 6″ rounds, or even one 9″ round. Whatever floats your boat!

You know what else oughta float your boat? The fact that this magnificent creation is low carb, gluten free, dairy free, and contains no added sugar. You could do worse.  

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Fudgy Ganache Layer Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (low carb, gluten free, no sugar added, dairy free)

Yields: Around 10-12 servings

Cake recipe adapted from Gourmet Girl Cooks

Ingredients: 

Cake
2/3 cup butter, coconut oil, or dairy-free spread, melted
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 to 1¼ cups powdered sweetener
¼ tsp sea salt
1½ tsp liquid stevia
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 large egg whites, or about 1/3 cup egg whites

Ganache
6 to 8 oz good quality sugar free chocolate
6 to 8 oz heavy whipping cream or unsweetened almond milk (8 oz. = 1 cup)
½ tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
½ cup butter or dairy-free spread, softened
2 – 2 ½ cups powdered sweetener
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp almond milk or heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325° and grease two or three 6″ round (or one 9″) cake pans. Cut out a circle of parchment paper and place on bottom of each pan. I’m serious, don’t skip this.

To make cake, use a large bowl to combine melted butter (or coconut oil or dairy-free spread), cocoa powder, powdered sweetener and salt. Mix until well combined.

Stir in stevia and vanilla. Add egg whites one at a time, beating briskly after each addition until batter is glossy and smooth. Spread batter evenly in prepared pans using a spatula. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on how thick each layer is) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Let cool completely in pan before flipping out onto a cooling rack or cake stand.

To make buttercream frosting, beat softened butter or dairy-free spread and powdered sweetener until well combined and smooth.

Add vanilla extract and unsweetened almond milk or cream and beat until fully incorporated, adding more if needed for spreading consistency. Keep refrigerated until ready to pipe or spread onto cooled cake.

To make chocolate ganache, coarsely chop chocolate with a serrated knife, and then transfer to a heatproof bowl. You can now either bring the cream or almond milk to just a boil over medium-high heat (don’t let it boil over!), or heat it in the microwave. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow it to melt the chocolate. Whisk together until smooth and shiny.

For an even lazier ganache, microwave the chopped chocolate and heavy cream or almond milk together, 30 seconds at a time. Let it sit for a minute, and then whisk away (I may have used this method).

NOW FOR MY FAVORITE PART. The layering. Place first cooled cake layer onto a cake plate and use the refrigerated buttercream to create a buttercream dam, piping around the edge. Pictured below:

See what I did there? The dam helps to keep the ganache from oozing out. This is my new favorite thing.

Continue this until the final layer, spreading top with remaining buttercream. Pour on the remaining ganache, which will be slightly thickened. If you’re extra fancy, add some ~*~organic edible flowers~*~ on top. Enjoy, and let every bite take you on a journey. 

Nutritional Info (Calculated for 12 servings, with dairy-free spread and unsweetened almond milk):

 flower cake nutrition

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie With Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (low carb, gluten free, dairy free, no added sugar)

Posted in dairy free, dessert, gluten free, low carb, Recipes, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

 

Ok, so technically another cookie recipe – WAIT I CAN EXPLAIN. While I have consistently maintained that cookies (PLURAL) are a tedious, high-maintenance endeavor, this is not the case when we are dealing with one gigantic cookie (SINGULAR).

LAZY LOOPHOLES.

More specifically, we’re talking about a cookie pie. Because pies are a…spring thing? (Are they?) And it’s spring now…?

You know what, no one was asking why. The why is obvious. Chocolate chip cookie pie. That is why. Also: fluffy whipped chocolate buttercream, because I have a whisk and am prepared to use it at all times.

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Because you are all subject to my personal whims, I aimed for my ideal cookie texture – dense, gooey, just this side of underbaked. I succeeded. Giddy with triumph, I decided that the only way this could be any better was with more chocolate. This would explain the buttercream.

Now if you know me, and I think you know me, things just keep GETTIN’ BETTER. This frosting-trimmed-chocolate-studded ~*~dream pie~*~ won’t be spiking any blood sugars or providing your daily dose of completely unnecessary trans fats.  That is not how we do things around here. What we do is the good things minus the bad things. It’s basic math. Look, I didn’t make the rules, Pythagoras.

 

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In this case, that means swapping out the carbs, glutens, and sugars for healthier alternatives, and losing none of the unbridled joy one experiences when eating a giant cookie. Pie. A giant cookie pie.

LET US WASTE NO MORE TIME.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie With Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (low carb, gluten free, dairy free, no added sugar)

Recipe adapted from Cafe Delites

Yields: Around 10-12 servings

Ingredients:

Cookie:
1/2 cup butter or dairy-free spread, softened
6 tbsp granulated sweetener, OR 1/4 cup granulated sweetener plus 2 tbsp sugar free brown sugar substitute
1 egg white, or three tbsp egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups almond flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips

Chocolate Buttercream:
1 cup powdered sweetener (or more if needed)
1/4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter or dairy-free spread, softened 
1-2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9″ pie pan.

In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and powdered sweetener. Add in the egg white, vanilla, almond flour, and salt and continue mixing until throughly combined.

Fold in chocolate chips, and then transfer to pie pan, smoothing with a spatula. Bake for 24-28 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or mostly clean, if you prefer it a bit underbaked).

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To make the buttercream frosting, combine the powdered sweetener and cocoa powder. Beat the butter or dairy-free spread on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add the sweetener/cocoa powder mixture with the almond milk. Stir in vanilla and salt, mixing again until smooth.

Decorate the cooled cookie pie with frosting however you please!

Nutritional Info (As calculated with dairy-free spread and brown sugar substitute):

chocolate chip cookie pie nutrition

Roasted Eggplant Lasagna (low carb, gluten free, vegetarian)

Posted in easy, entree, gluten free, low carb, Recipes, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

Is there anything more delightful than an eggplant? THAT WAS A TRICK QUESTION. Because the answer is yes: roasted eggplant, which is in fact marginally more delightful than just regular eggplant.

For those who require examples of the aforementioned delight: baba ganoush, ratatouille, stir fry, moussaka – the (delightful) possibilities are simply endless for this glossy, purple fruit! It also boasts an impressive array of many vitamins and minerals, such as excellent amounts of fiber, folate, potassium and manganese, as well as vitamins C, K, and B6, phosphorus, copper, thiamin, niacin, and magnesium. It even contains phytonutrients with high antioxidant compounds.

But let’s not kid ourselves. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of eggplant dishes? That’s right. This fine aubergine is usually just relegated to second fiddle in an eggplant parmesan – breaded, fried, and reduced to mush under a mountain of sauce and cheese.

Now, I won’t even lie. I am entirely ok with the mountain of sauce and cheese. So let’s work on everything else.

AS PROMISED: mountains of sauce and cheese.

Baked, grilled, roasted – nothing brings out the ~*~rich complexity~*~ in an eggplant’s flavor than some lovin’ in the oven (…or grill). Plus, with its dense, robust texture, it makes an excellent substitute for meat in vegetarian or vegan cuisine.

So let’s keep it classic. We want sauce, we want cheese, and we want eggplant playing a better role than ‘breadcrumb vehicle’. Here’s an idea: ROASTED EGGPLANT LASAGNA (this is where you get excited because I said just the title of the movie post). Now it’s low carb, gluten free, and still accessible to our vegetarian friends!!

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Roasted Eggplant Lasagna (low carb, gluten free, vegetarian)

Yields: Around 8 servings

Ingredients:

3-4 medium to large eggplants
Olive oil spray AND/OR about 3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, seasonings of choice (I used Penzeys Italian Herb Mix, which includes oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme and rosemary)
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (I used a ‘no salt added’ variety)
1 16 oz. jar no sugar added tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 to 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella (I used part-skim mozzarella)
Chopped parsley, for topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400º, and line a large baking sheet (or sheets) with aluminum foil. Spray or drizzle with olive oil.

Slice eggplant and lay on baking sheet(s) in a single layer. Lightly salt and season, and spray, brush, or drizzle with olive oil again.

Place in oven and roast for 30 – 45 minutes, flipping each slice over about halfway through. (NOTE: if some slices are thinner than others, they may brown and crisp up – these make AWESOME eggplant chips and are excellent for snacking on. NO MISTAKES HERE.)

While eggplant roasts, pour the diced tomatoes into a colander placed in the sink, and allow to drain.

Spread about 1/4 cup tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a large casserole dish. Layer with roasted eggplant, and then top with the drained diced tomatoes. Sprinkle about 2 tbsp parmesan and 1/2 cup of mozzarella, and then continue layering with eggplant, tomato sauce, and cheeses until eggplant runs out. Make sure you finish with a glorious layer of mozzarella and parmesan!

Bake about 30-40 minutes, or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Top with fresh chopped parsley, and serve hot.

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Nutritional Info (as calculated with olive oil spray):

roasted eggplant nutrition

 

“Nutella” Cupcakes (Low carb, no sugar added, gluten free, dairy free)

Posted in dairy free, dessert, gluten free, low carb, Recipes, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

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Here is why America is the greatest country on Earth: Nutella.

I know. You’re thinking, “Nutella is an Italian product.” Ok, yes, smartypants, but this isn’t about origin. It’s about availability. And while European markets may be rife with Nutella delights, so are American ones. But it gets better: we also have peanut butter, speculoos spread, and even products SWIRLED WITH MORE THAN ONE. Europe, step YOUR GAME UP. (disclaimer: I still love Europe.)

We have all of these spreads available in spades. You know when even Jif is trying to get in on the chocolatey hazelnut action, it’s hit the mainstream.

And yet, in a sea of variety and choice, I was still left completely deprived in the Nutella department. True tragedy: the very first ingredient in Nutella is sugar. Great. Sure, there are loads of excellent recipes available to make your own, but sometimes you want to be able to just buy something instead of exhausting all that effort. HAZELNUTS DON’T BLANCH THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW.

So, essentially: water, water, everywhere, and not a drop to drink. 

This is why I openly wept with joy when Go Lo Foods sent me a few samples of their Sugar Free Dark Hazelnut Spread With Cocoa. Sweetened with erythritol (my sweetener of choice!), it literally says “100% less sugar than Nutella” on the packaging. Yes. 

IMG_6051Read it and weep (with joy).

Straight off the spoon, this spread provides a mellow, dark chocolatey hazelnut flavor without the cloying sweetness of so many other spreads. With a bag of hazelnut flour, some sugar free dark hazelnut spread, and a dream, I knew what I had to do. I had to stop eating the samples long enough to make nutella cupcakes. 

I opted for a simple vanilla buttercream to let the hazelnutty chocolate goodness be the real star of the show. One bite of these brought me to my knees. I am actually still on my knees. It has been very uncomfortable to type this.

So come join me on the floor and whip up a batch of these today! Thanks, Go Lo Foods!

“Nutella” Cupcakes (Low carb, no added sugar, gluten free, dairy free)

Cupcake recipe adapted from Keto Adapted 

Yields: About 12 regular cupcakes, or 24 mini cupcakes

Ingredients: 

Cupcakes:
2 cups hazelnut or almond flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 egg whites, or about 1/3 cup egg whites
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup granulated sweetener
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp liquid stevia, optional

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
½ cup butter or dairy-free spread, softened
2 – 2 ½ cups powdered sweetener
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp almond milk or heavy whipping cream
¼ cup Go Lo Foods Sugar Free Dark Hazelnut Spread With Cocoa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, combine the hazelnut or almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, combine almond milk, egg whites, sweetener, stevia, and vanilla extract.

Stir the wet ingredients into the hazelnut or almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Spoon the batter into the liners, about 2/3rds full.

For regular-sized cupcakes, bake 18-25 minutes (around 12-18 minutes for mini, but keep an eye on them), until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

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To make buttercream frosting, beat softened butter or dairy-free spread and powdered sweetener until well combined and smooth.

Add vanilla extract and unsweetened almond milk or cream and beat until fully incorporated, adding more if needed for spreading consistency.

Spoon or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

For topping, spoon or pipe dark chocolate hazelnut spread on top of vanilla buttercream in swirls or melt slightly and drizzle over frosting. Enjoy!!

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Nutritional Info (Calculated for 12 regular-sized cupcakes, with hazelnut flour and dairy-free spread):

nutella cupcake nutrition 

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a sample for my review. All opinions expressed are purely my own and not influenced in any way.

Classic Hamantaschen (low carb, gluten free, no added sugar, dairy free)

Posted in breakfast, dairy free, dessert, easy, gluten free, low carb, paleo, Recipes, snacks & appetizers, vegan/vegan adaptable, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

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With all the accidental Lenten festivities going on last week, it only seemed right to include some other theological treats in the fun. And with Purim right around the corner, what better than a makeover of the classic hamantaschen cookie?

Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, a huge jerk that planned to murder all of them because he didn’t like one guy in particular. Hamantaschen are a traditional filled pastry folded into a triangle, generally thought to be referencing Haman’s three-pointed hat. Eating the hat of your enemies: APPROVED.

Now I have seen recipes for hamantaschen that put this one to shame – red velvet, brownie-filled, funfetti-cheesecake hamantaschen – but what’s the hurry? Build up to those, I say. Let’s start with the classics.

Well, classically, hamantaschen are filled with a variety of sweet fillings, like poppy seed (the oldest and most traditional variety), apricot, raspberry, raisins, fruit preserves, cherry, fig, chocolate, or even caramel or cheese.

Being a cheap lady of distinguished taste and discretion, I opted for apricot and raspberry as my fillings of choice, also because I already had a jar of each. (But THAT was because those two are the best fillings for anything, so really it all comes full circle.)

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I acknowledge that for someone who hates making cookies as much as I do, I am doing an EXCELLENT job at finding recipes to make them at every opportunity. That being said, these are pretty painless in terms of effort, even though they look so fancy. I promise! I’ve included pictures on how to fold them and everything!

With some simple substitutions for flour and sweetener, it was almost TOO easy to create an authentic hamantaschen minus all the wheaty-ness, sugary-ness, and gluten…ness. Plus, this is a cultural learning experience! This way, we all win.

Come, let us nosh.

Classic Hamantaschen (low carb, gluten free, no added sugar, dairy free)

Recipe adapted from All Day I Dream About Food

Yields: About 15 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup sweetener
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg white, or about 2-3 tbsp egg white
2 1/2 tbsp butter or dairy-free spread, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp stevia extract
1/4 cup sugar-free or reduced sugar raspberry preserves
1/4 cup sugar-free or reduced sugar apricot preserves

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine almond flour, sweetener, and salt in a medium bowl. Add egg white, vanilla and stevia extracts, and melted butter or dairy-free spread, and stir until dough comes together.

Always make a tiny version of the thing you are making when the opportunity presents itself.

Roll out dough onto a large piece of parchment paper. Using another large piece of parchment on top, roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out rounds using (no smaller than) a 3 inch round cookie cutter.

Using a spatula or knife, very gently loosen rounds from parchment and transfer to prepared baking sheet.

Re-roll dough and cut out more rounds as necessary, until dough runs out. Spoon about 3/4 tsp of either raspberry or apricot preserves into the center of each circle.

Fold the dough in from three sides and firmly pinch the corners. The dough will be delicate, so don’t worry if you find yourself patching up little tears and cracks along the way.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are just golden brown. Remove and let cool completely before attempting to transfer to any other plate/dish. Nosh away!

Nutritional Info (Calculated with dairy-free spread and sugar-free preserves):

hamantaschen nutrition

14 Healthier Recipes For Your Super Bowl Sunday (Low carb, paleo, vegan, sugar free)

Posted in dairy free, dessert, easy, entree, gluten free, Lists & Collections, low carb, paleo, Recipes, snacks & appetizers, vegan/vegan adaptable, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

Super Bowl Collage

Being that I am a patriotic, warm-blooded American, it would only follow that of course I love football. I am saying this with a backdrop of the American flag billowing valiantly behind me. There is also a bald eagle.

There may be naysayers who doubt this claim, asking strange questions like “But what about the time you asked who was winning an hour and a half before the game even started?” Ha! Well – “Or what about when you asked how many quarters were in a game?” UHH I CAN EXPLAIN- “Or when you-“

ok FINE YOU CAUGHT ME AND MAYBE I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL. But. I do love the Super Bowl. Wanna guess why? HINT: It starts with ‘f’ and ends with ‘ood’. GIVE UP YET?

Yes, and no one is surprised. The Super Bowl has given rise to some truly fantastic snackage over the years. And the excuse to make and inhale all of them in short order (like I even need an excuse).

It has come to my attention, however, that many are justifiably hesitant to participate in this nationalistic tradition of Super Bowl snacking, since most traditional Super Bowl fare is not exactly the epitome of healthy eating. And that just ain’t right. So here’s a little collection that covers some of our favorites: low carb, gluten free, paleo, vegan – NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND.

Recipe links below! And remember, with a few simple substitutions (vegan cheese products, switching out proteins, using alternative sweeteners) most of these recipes can easily be adapted to dairy free, vegan, or sugar free if not already!

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Buffalo Salmon Avocado Salad here at The M’Academia Nut

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Football Deviled Eggs at Full-Thyme Student

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Mini Bun-less Cheeseburger Bites with Thousand Island Dip from Sugar-Free Mom

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Buffalo Spiced Cocktail Nuts at All Day I Dream About Food

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Zucchini Nacho Chips from Keto Adapted

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Crunchy Cucumber Rolls with Herb Cheeze from Nutrition Stripped 

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Quick and Easy Guacamole from KetoDiet

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Loaded Mexican Nachos – Paleo Style from Primally Inspired 

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Kickin’ Chili from Peace, Love and Low Carb

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Jalapeño Popper Dip from Simply Gourmet (TIP: leave out the cracker crumbs for a lower carb topping!)

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Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Seed Pudding at The M’Academia Nut

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Peanut Butter & Chocolate Truffles from I Breathe I’m Hungry

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Avocado Chocolate Mousse – Two Ways! from Chocolate-Covered Katie

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Cosmopolitan Jello Shots from All Day I Dream About Food 

LOW CARB Chocolate Birthday Cake with (SUGAR-FREE!) Vanilla and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Posted in dairy free, dessert, gluten free, low carb, paleo, Recipes, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

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I feel very strongly that you would be impressed by the amount of cake I can put away.

I guess it’s just one of those innate talents I was born with. Some people are naturally gifted mathematicians or artists, but I was graced with the singular ability to effortlessly inhale about half of an entire cake in one sitting. I don’t bring it up much since I don’t want to intimidate people or anything.

Hahahaha!!!! No, that will not be nearly enough.

Hahahaha!!!! No, that will not be nearly enough.

There is but one day a year that my special skill can truly reveal itself, and that is of course every day MY BIRTHDAY HOORAY. Which was actually months ago now and is shamefully when I ORIGINALLY meant to post this, but let’s not kid ourselves: every day is a day that I could just take out the ingredients for this cake and make it because I have hands and a functioning oven. BOOM. No justification needed.

I mean ages before my birthday was even a consideration to normal people, I was planning this cake. I even made a beta version.

I knew it needed to be richer than God, and include various buttercream delights because I almost don’t consider frosting frosting without butter. But then also: not made of carby things.

Yes, you heard right. Carby things. NOT made of it. This cake contains no grains, flour, or added sugars – it’s LOW CARB. This is a freakin’ birthday cake that you could actually eat every day and not feel guilty for. The BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (which comes in both vanilla and chocolate, thank you very much) is sugar-free, for god’s sake! Even the fats it does contain are the good ones! I don’t even feel an ounce of guilt for implying this could be called healthy. And it’s a birthday cake. Yes, I am typing this one-handed so I can also pat myself on the back at the same time.

Seriously, go check out the nutritional comparison with a regular cake. And try not to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of crap they can pack into one slice.

You will notice from the pictures that there appears to be only half a cake present. This is actually NOT because I had already annihilated that half before I managed to pick up the camera – I actually only made a half cake so I could justify baking a ton of other desserts that weekend and argue that I only had half a cake so this was fair. Future posts on those to come! WOO! So please, go make this low-carb, low-sugar, gluten-free, vegan-adaptable (so basically, SUPER GREAT FOR YOU) birthday cake and enjoy! 1/4th the cake at a time.

LOW CARB Chocolate Cake With (SUGAR-FREE!) Vanilla and Chocolate Buttercream

Recipe adapted from Maria Mind Body Health

Yields: two 9 ” cake layers (I halved the recipe and stacked one layer)

Ingredients: 
Cake:
1 1/4 cup sweetener (I used ZSweet)
1 3/4 cups blanched almond flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt (I omitted this because the shortening I used already had salt)
2-3 egg whites (or two whole eggs)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
drops liquid stevia to taste (I used this one)
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened (I used Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Sticks)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting:
Recipe adapted from DaVinci Gourmet Coffee Syrups
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sweetener (I used Swerve Confectioners)
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons choice of milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
2 tablespoons Da Vinci Gourmet syrup of choice (I used sugar-free caramel). But if you don’t want to use this, I would substitute with a tsp or two any flavor extract of your choice!
1 teaspoon vanilla

For chocolate buttercream: add 2-3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, add milk as until desired consistency is reached. I also added some DaVinci sugar free french vanilla. Feel free to substitute this with a tsp or so vanilla extract if you’d like.

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9 inch cake pans. I also always cut out a circle of parchment paper and place it on the bottom of the pan for extra safety.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetener, almond flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, almond milk, butter or oil and vanilla.  Mix that for 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. PLEASE NOTE: almond flour is very delicate right out of the oven, so let it cool for at least 15 minutes before flipping the pants out.

For the frosting, use an electric mixer to combine all of the ingredients until smooth. Frost cake once it’s cooled! And be sure to sample a lot of everything.

More or less what happened.

More or less what happened.

Our cast of cake components. I recommend mixing them up and baking:

yassss

yassss

The batter will be thick, almost like a brownie batter. Just trust me on this – you’re doing it right.

PASS THE BUTTER

PASS THE BUTTER

And the frosting, which should be approximately 50% of your cake, ideally.

Mix everything up and then BOOM. Cake.

I opted for a more postmodern cake label.

I opted for a more postmodern cake label.

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You know what to do.

Nutritional Info:

My cake calculated with two full layers and both frostings OF COURSE. Please also keep in mind this was all calculated with the specific products and ingredients I used as listed above – of course things will vary depending on what you put into yours!

chocolate cake with frosting NutritionLabel

Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Seed Pudding (Low carb, sugar free, gluten free, paleo, vegan)

Posted in breakfast, dairy free, dessert, easy, gluten free, paleo, Recipes, vegan/vegan adaptable, vegetarian/vegetarian adaptable by

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Do you see what has been artfully spread on a charming tablecloth in the picture above. 

THAT’S RIGHT.

CHIA SEEDS.

Sara always keeps her promises. (note: Sara is me.)

(addendum to note: this is still not actually the chia seed recipe my sister requested I’M SORRY I’M GONNA GET IT RIGHT EVENTUALLY)

Let me teach you the way of the chia seed. 

These are indeed the very same chia of the ch-ch-ch-chia pet fame. And they’re just fantastic. They’re these tiny little powerhouses of nutrition and versatility, and I haven’t even come close to unlocking their full potential yet as an ingredient. In fact: preliminary research hasn’t not shown that eating chia seeds on a regular basis makes you better than everyone else.* 

On their own, chia seeds taste pretty neutral, so they can work in both savory and sweet applications. Throw ’em on a salad, in a smoothie, your cereal, yogurt, even as an egg substitute for vegan-types!

Or you could make pudding with them.

It's a TABLEAU.

It’s a TABLEAU.

Among many other delightful qualities, chia seeds are loaded with fiber. And it’s thanks to this fiber that helps chia seeds absorb any liquid you mix it with and form a pudding-like gel. I learned this from the google and also real-life application, so I’m qualified to speak on this.

This pudding is yet another incredibly low maintenance recipe for all of those out there like myself who enjoy throwing things into a bowl and then walking away. This also isn’t overwhelmingly sweet, so that can also be adjusted according to preference. PLUS the options for different flavor combinations is endless! Throw in some chocolate, nut butters, pumpkin, coconut, whatever. Go wild. I won’t hold you back.

Because I am apparently only capable of making recipes containing cinnamon, vanilla, and almond in some capacity, I went ahead and made some vanilla cinnamon chia seed pudding with almond milk.

Vanilla Cinnamon Chia Seed Pudding

Original recipe from an edible mosaic

Yields: four 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients: 

2 cups unsweetened almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla)
6 tbsp chia seeds
1-2 packets stevia/choice of sweetener to taste (I use SweetLeaf Stevia)
4-8 drops liquid vanilla stevia, or to taste (…also SweetLeaf no they aren’t paying me BUT THEY SHOULD)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
teeny pinch of salt

Directions:

The lineup.

The lineup.

Add all ingredients into a bowl, and stir to combine.

Action shot!!!!!

Action shot!!!!!

I know. It’s going to seem like the cinnamon will never want to mix in. But you just have to believe. 

~*~BELIEVE~*~

~*~JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF~*~

Good enough. Then, let the chia seeds work their mysterious and exotic magic and refrigerate until pudding thickens, at least 2 hours or overnight. Feel free to pop in and stir occasionally.

Then, place into fancy dishes (not optional) and be sure to sprinkle various ingredients all over your table so everyone knows that you are better than them for eating chia seeds.*

"I ate this, and I'm better than you" -you

“Statistics don’t not show that I am better than you for eating this ” -you

And enjoy!
*Source: Authority for the Creation of Deceptively Phrased Facts About Chia Seeds

Nutritional Info:

Calculated with stevia. Dat FIBER.
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