Sugar-Free Tomato Chipotle Ketchup

Tasty Burger with Sugar-Free Chipotle Ketchup and a dollop of mayo

As our daughter squirted a nice big blob of ketchup on her hamburger at dinner the other night, she remarked with satisfaction that "ketchup made everything taste better."  Well, that's pretty accurate.  It certainly enhances the savory, salty flavors of meat.  A nice big dollop on top of a burger or hotdog - good stuff.  Eaten in sufficient quantities on tater tots or fries to be considered a vegetable in its own right?  Yeah.  Sounds good!



Of course, ketchup is pretty much off limits to those who lead a sugar-free life, so I set out to make a new recipe for it.  The fries and tater tots - well, sadly, that's never going to happen.  But we can say "heck yeah!" to burgers and hotdogs.

This recipe offers the sweet, spicy, vinegary notes that are the hallmarks of ketchup, with the additional complex smoky spice of chipotle.  It lasts for months in the refrigerator, so it's ready any time you are for a meaty treat.

Sugar-Free Tomato Chipotle Ketchup

1 @32 ounce can tomatoes in puree (use good quality tomatoes - it really makes a difference here)

2 TB olive oil
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 chipotle en adobo
1/3 cup erythritol
1/4 cup xylitol
5 tiny scoops stevia
1 TB tomato paste
1 stick cinnamon

1. Puree the tomatoes with an immersion blender or regular blender

2.  In a heavy sauce pan, heat the olive oil, then cook the onion and garlic until they are softened

3.  Stir in the remaining ingredients, including the pureed tomatoes.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring with increasing frequency, until very thick, about an hour.

4.  Remove the cinnamon stick and let the mixture cool.

5.  Puree the ketchup again.

6.  Store in the refrigerator or freezer; it's good for a few months.

Sugar-Free Fresh Fig Jam with Bourbon and Vanilla

Sugar-Free Fig Jam with Low-Carb Bread

Perhaps you are wondering; does this woman know that she's spoiled rotten? The answer is why yes; yes I do. I live in easy walking distance of world-renowned grocery stores, three weekly farmers' markets, greengrocers, bakers, and charcuterers. My BFF Kim and her partner Michael grow unbelievably good organic coffee on their 5 acre parcel in Costa Rica, http://www.riocoyote.com/ and they roast it to order in their backyard 4 blocks from here and deliver it to me when they walk the dog. I try not to take it for granted. Growing up in Massachusetts, I never laid eyes on a fresh apricot or fig; apricots came in a can in heavy syrup, and figs came dried in our Christmas stocking. So, yeah, I have a pretty good idea that I'm spoiled.

This week I went into our local, medium-sized, family run greengrocers, Monterey Market. Their size and turnover, and very good buyers, mean that they can buy up a farmer's whole crop. This means unbelievable selection, and fantastic prices. So I walk in, and they have fresh, local, organic Black Mission figs for $2.49 a pound. Sure looks like jam time to me!

I wound up making two different batches, one with a simple flavor profile, one, based on ideas given to me by a neighbor, more complex. Both were delicious, and now I will have summer in a jar all winter long.

A few notes about proportions; although I used 6 1/2 pounds of figs (about 13 cups, once cut, cleaned and mashed) you can make a batch using any amount; the important thing is to use the right proportions of ingredients. Be sure to follow the instructions included in your pectin box. I use Pomona low-sugar pectin; if you use a different brand, be sure to follow their instructions.

Fig Jam Bubbling Away....

Sugar-Free Fig Jam with Bourbon and Vanilla
Yield: about 8 pints

I.
6 1/2 pounds ripe figs
14 tsp calcium water (1/4 cup + 2 tsp)
1/2-1 cup fresh lemon juice (I used one cup of Meyer lemon juice - Meyers are very sweet)
1/2 cup water
3 sticks of cinnamon bark/canela

II.
10 1/2 tsp Pomona pectin (3 TB + 1 1/2 tsp)
2 1/2 cups erythritol
1 2/3 cups xylitol
35 tiny scoops stevia extract powder

III.
1/2 cup dark rum or bourbon, or a combination
1-2 tsp vanilla extract


If you are using new canning jars, wash them and their lids thoroughly. Place enough clean jam jars and their rings and lids to house the whole batch in a very large stock pot or canning pot. Fill with enough clean water to cover the jars completely, cover the pot, and set it on the stove over a medium flame. Bring it to the boil, then lower heat to a simmer and let them simmer while you complete the jam. Be sure to scald the ladle and wide-mouthed funnel you will use.

While the jars heat, wash and drain the fresh figs. Using a paring knife, trim off the stem ends and any excess white, pithy inner skin. If the figs are ripe enough to have become a bit moldy, just scrape off any offending bits of skin and wipe if off the knife onto a clean paper towel. Set a large stock pot nearby, and cut the figs into small pieces, about 4 - 6 per fig, directly into the pot. Using a potato masher, mash the figs in the pot.

Add the lemon juice, calcium water, water and cinnamon sticks to the pan. Stir well, then set the pot over a medium flame. Stir frequently, and adjust the flame as necessary to prevent scorching.

While the jam cooks, measure all of the sweeteners and pectin into a medium bowl, and whisk well to combine.

When the figs are well-cooked, add the bourbon or rum and the vanilla and stir in.

When the jam has reached the desired state, remove the cinnamon sticks. Stir in the sweetener/pectin mix and stir vigorously to dissolve. Stirring frequently, bring the jam back to the boil. When it has come to a full boil, turn off the flame. (The jam will thicken as it cools.)

Using a "jar grabber" or tongs, carefully remove the jars and lids from the pot of hot water, and place them upside-down on the towels. (I use tongs and a dry towel in my other hand to make sure I don't drop the jars or spill boiling water all over my feet.)

If you haven't yet scalded your wide-mouthed funnel (optional, but totally worth it!) and your ladle, do so now. Put the lid back on the pot of water, raise the flame, and bring it back to a full boil while you put the jam in the jars.

Put the jars right side up on the cloths. Clear a space right next to the jars for the jam pot. Using your funnel and the ladle, fill the jars to 1/4" below the top (a vacuum requires air to operate.) When all are full, add the lids and rings and screw them on fairly tightly.

When the water has returned to the boil, repeat the method with tongs/jar grabber and towel, and return the jars to the pan. You will need to be more careful with full jars than with empty. Also, you may need to remove some water from the pan, as full jars displace more water than empty ones.

Bring back to the boil, reduce temperature as needed to keep at a gentle boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Using the tongs/jar grabber, remove the jars and put them back on the toweled area to cool.

Notes from Christine:

"What's with all of these obscure sweeteners?" Erythritol and Xylitol are sugar alcohols; super low-glycemic, super low-calorie, super low-carbohydrate, and good for your teeth.  

Xylitol is a little sweeter than cane sugar, has a fairly neutral flavor with a little bright, almost pepperminty quality, and can be found easily at a well-stocked health food store or really good grocery store.

Erythritol, very neutral in flavor, is about 60% as sweet as sugar, and is very difficult to find in stores, except in individual packets. As it is 60% as sweet as sugar, it takes quite a bit more to reach the right level of sweetness in a recipe, and this makes proportions difficult.  However, its very neutral profile makes it a natural for blending with xylitol and stevia, especially since stevia is so highly concentrated.  It's worth tracking it down by mail-order, or you could make a special request to a grocer to order some for you.

Stevia is a natural, calorie-free leaf extract, super concentrated and very sweet, but with a weird, bitter aftertaste and no volume; due to its highly concentrated state, one teeny-tiny scoopful (which comes in its container) is equal to a teaspoon of sugar. It is easily purchased at Trader Joe's or any grocery store.

Be aware that some Xylitol and Erythritol brands in American packaging are actually imported from China and repackaged. That is why I buy all of these directly from Xylitol USA, http://www.xylitolusa.com/ which manufactures them from North American sources.

Sugar-Free Strawberry Jam

Low-Carb Bread with Sugar-Free Strawberry Jam

 My basement is filled with glistening rows of jam now; sugar-free strawberry, sugar-free fig, sugar-free strawberry rhubarb, sugar-free raspberry.....  Too bad the California apricot crop failed!

You may be thinking; "with all the recipes out there for sugar-free jams, why should I use this one?"   Because this one tastes like fresh, delicious summer in a jar, like the best ripe strawberry you've ever eaten - not like diet gelatine.

6 pounds of ripe, perfect, organic strawberries (7 green 1 pint baskets)
1/3 - 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (I used 2/3 cup Meyer lemon juice; it's quite sweet)
7 tsp calcium water

7 tsp pectin
2  1/2 cups erythritol
1  2/3 cup xylitol
35 tiny scoops stevia powder (1 level tsp)

Makes 6 pint and 4 half pint jars of jam

If the jars are brand new, wash them and the rings and lids to remove any chemicals left from processing. If they have been sitting in the basement, check them for dust, and wash off any you find. Put the jars and rings into a very large stockpot or canning pot and fill with hot water to cover by an inch or two. Put them on the rear burner of the stove over high heat and bring them to a boil. When they come to a boil, turn the heat down and keep them hot and ready.

Following the instructions in your low sugar pectin kit, make calcium water. (I use Pomona brand.)

Meanwhile, prepare the fruit: wash it, dry it, hull it, and cut it up:  (halves for small, quarters for medium, eighths for large) and put it in an 8 quart, heavy stock pot, along with the lemon juice and calcium water. Put it on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a full boil.

While the fruit cooks, measure the sweeteners and the pectin into a medium sized bowl and whisk them all well to combine.

When the fruit is ready, get a long-handled wooden spoon ready, and gradually add the sweetener mix to the hot fruit, stirring constantly as you pour in the sweeteners. Stir well and frequently to dissolve the pectin and the sweeteners with the fruit and to prevent lumping. Bring it back to a full boil. When it looks lovely and thick, turn off the heat and get ready to can. (Don't worry if it isn't as thick as jam; it thickens as it cools.)


Clear a good sized work surface near the stove, and cover it with clean dishtowels (preferably ones you don't care about!)

Turn the heat off under the pot of jars and move it to the front of the stove so you can reach them easily, and move the jam to the back of the stove so you don't get water into it by accident. (Put the lid on the pot if necessary.) Using tongs or a jar lifter in your dominant hand, and a clean dishtowel in your other hand, carefully remove the lids and rings and drain them on the towels. Lift each jar out of the hot water, dump the hot water back into the pot, and carefully guide and transport the hot jar over to the towels. Turn it upside down to drain out the extra water. Repeat until all of the jars are drained and ready.

Turn the heat back on high underneath the pot that the jars came out of, and bring it back to a full boil while you can.

Now, again using your tongs (or a clean towel, oven mitts, or tough hands!) turn the jars right side up, and line them up to be ready to fill. If you have a wide-mouthed jar funnel (which I so highly recommend - available at any good hardware store, Bed Bath and Beyond, well stocked grocery stores, etc., for less than $5) put it on top of one of the jars.

Grab your best ladle, and bring the pot of hot jam over to your work surface. Carefully fill each jar, leaving 1/4" of space at the top. If you have a wide-mouthed funnel, the bottom should come to just the right spot. If you don't, do your best! If necessary, spoon some out to reach the right level. After you have filled all your jars, use a clean, moist towel to wipe the ring area and the top surface of the jars clean. If you have less than a full jar of jam, put that one straight into use and don't bother to can it.

Put the lids on, followed by the screw tops, and screw them down.

When the water bath comes back to a full boil, lower the heat to medium, (so the jars don't break) and again using your tongs, carefully lower the jars back in one at a time. Boil them all for 10 full minutes, then remove them with your tongs and let them cool on the toweled work area. If necessary, work in batches.

Notes from Christine:

Why organic strawberries?  If you can't afford much organic food in your budget, strawberries are a must (as are bananas, red peppers and apples.) The way conventional strawberries are raised leave tons of poison on the berry, releases gases into the environment, and endangers farm workers. 

"What's with all of these obscure sweeteners?" Erythritol and Xylitol are sugar alcohols; super low-glycemic, super low-calorie, super low-carbohydrate, and good for your teeth.  

Xylitol is a little sweeter than cane sugar, has a fairly neutral flavor with a little bright, almost pepperminty quality, and can be found easily at a well-stocked health food store or really good grocery store.

Erythritol, very neutral in flavor, is about 60% as sweet as sugar, and is very difficult to find in stores, except in individual packets. As it is 60% as sweet as sugar, it takes quite a bit more to reach the right level of sweetness in a recipe, and this makes proportions difficult.  However, its very neutral profile makes it a natural for blending with xylitol and stevia, especially since stevia is so highly concentrated.  It's worth tracking it down by mail-order, or you could make a special request to a grocer to order some for you.

Stevia is a natural, calorie-free leaf extract, super concentrated and very sweet, but with a weird, bitter aftertaste and no volume; due to its highly concentrated state, one teeny-tiny scoopful (which comes in its container) is equal to a teaspoon of sugar. It is easily purchased at Trader Joe's or any grocery store.

Be aware that some Xylitol and Erythritol brands in American packaging are actually imported from China and repackaged. That is why I buy all of these directly from Xylitol USA, http://www.xylitolusa.com/ which manufactures them from North American sources.

Sugar-Free Raspberry Jam

  

Sugar-Free Raspberry Jam in a Sugar-Free, Low-Carb Linzertorte

                                  
 
Red raspberry jam is such a lovely treat on toast.  It is also a vital component in the classic Austrian pastry called Linzertorte.  

I had a yen for Linzertorte, so I decided to splurge and make a small batch of raspberry jam.  The jam was delicious.  The resulting Linzertorte was amazing - and with one torte the jam was all gone!  Of course, I had to make more jam so I could make more Linzertorte...

The Linzertorte recipe will follow, after I've had a chance to make another one and perfect the recipe.  Meanwhile, summer is here - we'd better make the jam while we can!


As always, check the proportions in your low-sugar pectin package; I used Pomona Pectin, an apple derived pectin made especially for low-sugar or sugar-free jam.

Sugar-Free Raspberry Jam

4 1/2  cups mashed organic red raspberries (about 8 small baskets)
2 1/4 tsp calcium water (Pomona Pectin - an activator for the pectin)

2 1/4 tsp low-sugar pectin
1 1/4 cup erythritol+ 2 TB
2/3 cup xylitol
14 tiny scoops stevia powder

yield:  2 pint jars plus 3 half pint jars

1. If the jars are brand new, wash them and the rings and lids to remove any chemicals left from processing. If they have been sitting in the basement, check them for dust, and wash off any you find. Put the jars and rings into a stockpot or canning pot and fill with hot water to cover by an inch or two. Put them on the rear burner of the stove over high heat and bring them to a boil. When they come to a boil, turn the heat down and keep them hot and ready.  Be sure to scald the wide-mouthed funnel and ladle, too. 

2.  Following the instructions in your low sugar pectin kit, make calcium water. (I use Pomona brand.)



3.  Pick over the berries and remove any that are moldy.  Put the rest into a large measuring cup, and mash them well.  Use the amount of mashed fruit you have to determine how much calcium water, pectin, and sweeteners to use. 

4.  Put the raspberries and calcium water into a saucepan big enough to comfortably accommodate the whole batch.  Don't fill the pan too close to the top.  Bring the fruit to a boil over medium low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

5.  Meanwhile, measure the sweeteners and the pectin into a medium sized bowl and whisk them all well to combine.

6.  When the fruit comes to a full boil, get a long-handled wooden spoon ready, and gradually add the sweetener mix to the hot fruit, stirring constantly as you pour in the sweeteners. Stir well and frequently to dissolve the pectin and sweeteners and prevent lumping. Bring it back to a full boil. When it looks lovely and thick, turn off the heat and get ready to can. (Don't worry if it isn't as thick as jam; it thickens as it cools.)

7.  Clear a good sized work surface near the stove, and cover it with clean dishtowels (preferably ones you don't care about!)

Turn the heat off under the pot of jars and move it to the front of the stove so you can reach them easily, and move the jam to the back of the stove so you don't get water into it by accident. (Put the lid on the pot if necessary.) Using tongs or a jar lifter in your dominant hand, and a clean dishtowel in your other hand, carefully remove the lids and rings and drain them on the towels. Lift each jar out of the hot water, dump the hot water back into the pot, and carefully guide and transport the hot jar over to the towels. Turn it upside down to drain out the extra water. Repeat until all of the jars are drained and ready.

Turn the heat back on high underneath the pot that the jars came out of, and bring it back to a full boil while you can the jam.

Now, again using your tongs (or a clean towel, oven mitts, or tough hands!) turn the jars right side up, and line them up to be ready to fill. If you have a wide-mouthed jar funnel (which I so highly recommend - available at any good hardware store, Bed Bath and Beyond, well stocked grocery stores, etc., for less than $5) put it on top of one of the jars.

Grab your best ladle, and bring the pot of hot jam over to your work surface. Carefully fill each jar, leaving 1/4" of space at the top. If you have a wide-mouthed funnel, the bottom should come to just the right spot. If you don't, do your best! If necessary, spoon some out to reach the right level. After you have filled all your jars, use a clean, moist towel to wipe the ring area and the top surface of the jars clean. If you have less than a full jar of jam, put that one straight into use and don't bother to can it.

Put the lids on, followed by the screw tops, and screw them down.

 8.  Bring the pot of water back to a full boil, and carefully return the full jars of jam to the pot.  You may have to remove some of the water, as full jars displace more water than empty ones.  Bring the water back to the boil again, and boil for 10 minutes.

9.  Remove the jars and let them cool on the towels.


Notes from Christine:

"What's with all of these obscure sweeteners?" Erythritol and Xylitol are sugar alcohols; super low-glycemic, super low-calorie, super low-carbohydrate, and good for your teeth.  

Xylitol is a little sweeter than cane sugar, has a fairly neutral flavor with a little bright, almost pepperminty quality, and can be found easily at a well-stocked health food store or really good grocery store.

Erythritol, very neutral in flavor, is about 60% as sweet as sugar, and is very difficult to find in stores, except in individual packets. As it is 60% as sweet as sugar, it takes quite a bit more to reach the right level of sweetness in a recipe, and this makes proportions difficult.  However, its very neutral profile makes it a natural for blending with xylitol and stevia, especially since stevia is so highly concentrated.  It's worth tracking it down by mail-order, or you could make a special request to a grocer to order some for you.

Stevia is a natural, calorie-free leaf extract, super concentrated and very sweet, but with a weird, bitter aftertaste and no volume; due to its highly concentrated state, one teeny-tiny scoopful (which comes in its container) is equal to a teaspoon of sugar. It is easily purchased at Trader Joe's or any grocery store.

Be aware that some Xylitol and Erythritol brands in American packaging are actually imported from China and repackaged. That is why I buy all of these directly from Xylitol USA, http://www.xylitolusa.com/ which manufactures them from North American sources.

"Cheesy" Party Popcorn - Perfect for School Snacks!

School is back is session - time to break out my handy bag of tricks for potlucks, parties, and snacks. Here's how this fantastic recipe joined my repertoire.....

I was at a pre-school reunion a few years ago, looking over the potluck offerings. The tamales were mighty fine...uh-huh, then there were the usual potluck offerings... But wait - what was this? A brown paper grocery bag, dotted with grease stains, full of this very, very, tasty-looking popcorn. It was covered with some golden-brown flakes, with flecks of dark sprinkled here and there.... I tasted a couple of kernels - it was unbelievably good. Next thing you know, I was standing there, cramming fistfuls of it into my mouth, unable to stop, unable to show the slightest bit of self-control. What on earth was in that popcorn?

Eventually, I paused long enough to make inquiries. It went something like this: "Does anyone (smack, gobble, chew) know who made this (chomp, lick, snarf) amazing popcorn?"

Ry and Mandalyn, parents of Moonoka, had made the popcorn, and they told me how to do it. The ingredients? Generous amounts of olive oil, nutritional yeast, Oregon pink salt, and a few judicious pinches of fine pieces of dulse (an edible seaweed).

A word about yeast: Nutritional yeast (which is NOT the same thing as brewer's yeast) is a remarkably tasty substance; it tastes like the cheese mix packet that comes in boxes of mac and cheese. (Come on, 'fess up - you've licked out a few of those, right?) Even more amazing is its nutritional profile; in addition to generous amounts of protein and fiber and numerous minerals, it offers whopping amounts of B vitamins. One 2 TB serving contains 640% recommended daily amounts of Thiamin (B1), 280% of Niacin, 480% of Vitamin B6, 60% of Folic Acid (pregnant women take note!) 133% of vitamin B12... I mean, it's astounding!

I went home and followed their outlines, and I was easily able to make popcorn just as tasty as the prototype at the potluck. Since that time, I have made it for morning snacks for Kindergarteners, party snacks for every grade, potlucks, Christmas gifts, cocktails.... there is no end to the applications for this delicious and nutritious treat. The other amazing thing is that it has universal appeal; this is not just something that "Berkeleyer-Than-Thou" children enjoy - this is something that every single person I have encountered finds utterly delicious. It has become my "go-to" potluck offering.

This popcorn has come to be considered "Christine's Popcorn," and our daughter asks for it for every occasion. However, ahem - props really go to Ry and Mandalyn.

What they gave me is not really a recipe, it's a guideline. So I'm going to pass it along to you the same way it was given to me.


"Cheesy" Party Popcorn with Nutritional Yeast

Special Equipment: a heavy 4 quart (or larger) dutch oven with close-fitting lid
or a popcorn maker (If your pan is smaller, make less popcorn)

Popcorn:

2 TB high smoke-point oil, such as peanut or sunflower, or in a pinch, medium smoke-point oils such as canola
2/3 cup popcorn kernels

To Season:

plenty of olive oil - at least 1/4 cup
pink mineral salt or sea salt
nutritional yeast (NOT Brewers' Yeast)
Dulse sea vegetable particles (optional)

1. Pour the 2 TB of cooking oil into the Dutch oven. Add the corn kernels, cover, and turn the gas heat to the highest setting. (If using an electric stove, you may wish to choose a slightly lower setting, and monitor the corn closely to prevent burning.)

2. Wearing heavy oven-mitts, grab the handles of the Dutch oven with your fingers, clamp on the lid at the same time with your thumbs, and shake-shake-shake the pan. Repeat this frequently, first side to side, then back and forth, to prevent the kernels from burning before they pop.

3. Continue to shake the pan frequently, until the popping has slowed way down. Turn off the heat/remove from the electric ring, and let it finish popping with the lid on. Meanwhile, gather your seasonings.

4. Spoon the popped kernels into a very large bowl or an 8 quart stockpot, being careful to leave as many of the unpopped "old maids" behind.

5. Drizzle the hot popcorn VERY generously with olive oil, then stir and toss to coat all the kernels. Make sure that they are well coated; you will need plenty to get all the yummy coatings to stick.

6. Sprinkle with salt, and stir/toss well. Taste it; does it need more salt? If so, repeat until just right.

7. Now add a generous spoonful of the nutritional yeast. Stir/toss, and repeat as necessary. When you have enough yeast on there:

8. Sprinkle a few generous pinches of dulse (optional) over it, and stir/toss again.

9. Devour!

Notes from Christine: Nutritional Yeast is readily found in the bulk sections of health-food stores and well-stocked grocery stores, by the pound. The optional dulse, which also contains many fine micro-nutrients, is typically available in the same venues, often in small baggies.

Sugar-Free Deep Dish Apple Pie (Low Carbohydrate)

Doesn't that look good?

I admit it; I've become O.P. - obsessed with pie. Ever since I went low-carb, I've been developing new recipes to satisfy my sweet tooth. I've been averaging a pie a week, alternating between apple and sweet potato, with a chicken pot pie thrown in for good measure. Yum.

As I've gone, I've continued to fiddle with the balance of sweeteners, trying to hit the sweet spot. As I have mentioned before, stevia is a completely natural, calorie-free leaf extract, but it has a funky aftertaste. Xylitol is a sugar alchohol, slightly sweeter than cane sugar, neutral in flavor, measures like sugar, 70% lower on the glycemic index than sugar, anti-cavity, BUT - extracted in a funky fashion from wood. Then I discovered a new darling; erythritol, marketed as organic "Zero" by Wholesome Sweeteners. This is also a sugar alcohol, but made naturally through fermentation, and available as an organic product. (Be careful; some of the stuff out there is made from corn cobs in China. No thank you.) No calories, zero on the the glycemic index - Ooh - so far, so great! But it is only 60% as sweet as sugar, so you need to use more, and it is wickedly expensive; about $14 for a 12 ounce bag. Ouch!

So, the blending continues.

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Whole grain pie dough for one crust

8 baking apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 Meyer lemons: all grated zest, plus 2 TB juice (or more to taste)
OR 1 Eureka/Lisbon lemon: all grated zest, plus 1 TB juice (or more to taste)
2 TB xylitol
1/2 tsp powdered stevia extract
1/4 cup erythritol (Zero)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2-4 TB (1/4 -1/2 stick) sweet (unsalted) butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg whisked with 2 TB water, milk or cream for glaze
1 tsp sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 425 F, and bring the crust to room temperature.

Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, put them in a large non-reactive bowl, then toss with the lemon juice and zest.

Combine the salt, sweeteners and spices in a small bowl, and whisk to combine them well.

Sprinkle sweetener/spice mixture over the apples, and toss well to combine.

Pour the apples into a deep-dish pie plate. Dot with the butter.

Roll out the pie crust, and carefully transfer it to the top of the apples. It's fragile; try using a spatula to help transfer it over. If it breaks on the way, just patch it up. Tuck the excess dough down into the sides of the pie dish. Make an egg wash, whisking one egg with 2 TB heavy cream, milk, or water.  Daub the crust surface with the wash, then sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of sugar.  (Yes, real sugar.  The sugar alcohols don't do well in this application.)  Cut a circle of steam slits with a sharp paring knife.

Put the pie onto a cookie sheet to catch the drips. Bake the pie at 425 for 25 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 F, and bake until the fruit is tender when pierced with a skewer and the crust is golden brown; about 25 more minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool 15 minutes or to room temperature before eating; this helps thicken the juices.

High-Protein (Low-Carb) Focaccia Bread

Fresh baguettes and rich, herb-y focaccia; chewy and crispy on the outside, tender and chewy on the inside. Tear a piece off, wipe up the last delicious bits of vinaigrette and fresh tomatoes. Mmmm.... doesn't that sound delicious? And here I am, able to pick up a fresh loaf of either one, so good you can close your eyes and pretend you're in Paris or Italy. Lucky me!

Except, of course, NOT ANY MORE.

Life was looking up - way up - after I invented a high-protein, low-carbohydrate bread recipe. I am now baking a fresh loaf a few times a week, for toast and sandwiches - yummy. However, even that new treat cannot take the place of the way a simple piece of good, chewy bread behaves with pesto slathered on it.

Yes, folks, it was time to do something about it! This recipe I've devised for low-carb focaccia fits the bill; chewy, rich, great alone, used to soak up sauce or as a platform for cheese, Italian cold-cuts, or pesto. It's fantastic fresh out of the oven, and if you have leftovers, you can restore them to close to their fresh-baked consistency with a visit to the oven or toaster-oven.

High-Protein (Low-Carb) Focaccia

Special Equipment: A bread machine - but directions follow at the end if you don't have one.

Dough
1 TB regular (fast-acting, not instant) yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup vital wheat gluten
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup soy protein
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup plain whey powder
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups water

Topping
3 TB olive oil
1 TB finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp coarse sea salt

Bring all of the ingredients to room temperature, and add them into the loaf pan of a bread machine. Set the machine for "White," "Large," and "Dough." Start the machine, let it run through the mixing and kneading cycles. Check the dough as it comes together; it should be very elastic and almost spongy, without sticking to the sides of the pan. If the machine is complaining, or the dough seems dry, add a little more water. If it is too moist, add a teaspoon of flour or gluten. Repeat as necessary until it is the right consistency. Let the machine run through all of the cycles of kneading and rising.

When the dough has gone through its final rise phase, get out a baking sheet with sides, and put a coating of olive oil all over it. I like to use a small silicone pastry brush; works like a charm, and can be thoroughly cleaned - no more rancid oil in my pastry brush!

Take the dough out of the loaf pan, and, using your hands, coax, smash, stretch, and smear the dough out to cover as much of the pan as possible. Using your finger tips, leave dimples and impressions in the dough to hold the olive oil.

Now, cover the pan and let it go through one more rising. I like to just put another baking sheet over the first, as I hate to waste anything. Let the dough rise until it is doubled again, for about an hour. If it hasn't risen much more, don't worry about it. It will rise some more in the oven.

Meanwhile, finely chop the rosemary and mix it with the olive oil in a very small bowl. Preheat the oven to 425 F. When the dough has risen, and the oven is hot, spread the olive oil/rosemary mixture all over the bread, letting the oil pool slightly in the dimples. If your coarse sea salt is VERY coarse, you can crush it slightly with a mortar and pestle, or with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the bread.

Put the pan in the oven and bake it until it is gorgeously golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove, and eat it - preferably right away! Store any leftovers in an airtight container. As I said earlier, heat up the leftovers in a toaster oven or oven, and they will be restored to almost fresh-baked goodness for as much as a week later.

If you don't have a bread machine: Put the yeast in a large bowl. Heat the water until it is lukewarm (105-115 degrees F), and whisk it into the water until it dissolves. Let the yeast wake up for a few minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together all of the dry ingredients in another large bowl. When the yeast/water mixture is a little foamy, add the olive oil, and then the rest of the dry ingredients. If you are using a stand mixer, use your paddle attachment to combine them well, and then switch to the dough hook and knead the bread for about ten minutes. If you are using your hands, do the same with your hands and a spoon, and knead it until it is quite elastic. Follow directions above for reaching the right consistency. Cover the bowl with a clean dishcloth, and let it rise until it is doubled in size, about an hour and a half. Follow all of the rest of the directions above from there.