Sugar-Free Clafoutis

Blueberry Clafoutis

I remember the first time I tried Clafoutis. "Cla - what now?" was my first thought. But one bite and I was a believer!

Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert, a cross between an egg-y pancake and a coffee cake, loaded with lovely fresh fruit. In Limousin, the region of its origin, fresh cherries are used, pits and all. Equally delicious are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apricots, pears or plums. Served warm, it is perfect for dessert, breakfast, or afternoon tea, and comes together with ease and speed, and very few dirty dishes.

One day I just had a flash of inspiration - what if I made this (sugar-free, of course!) with coconut flour? Lately I've been experimenting with coconut flour, an ingredient with many possibilities. It is very smooth and fine, super high in fiber, and pleasantly sweet tasting. Being so high in fiber, it absorbs moisture like crazy, so when substituting for wheat flour, you need to use a smaller amount of coconut flour. I played with the proportions, and the first batch was fantastic, right off. (I can't always count on that.)

There's only one problem with this recipe .... it's gone in a flash. My daughter and I ate a whole batch of this, made with blueberries, for breakfast last week. Fortunately, it's so fast and easy, I'll just make another one!

Sugar-Free Clafoutis

1 pound berries, or 1 1/4 pound of other firm fruits, as listed above, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup sugar substitute (I like Swerve)

2 TB coconut sugar (optional, but delicious - very low glycemic)

1 cup whole milk (or coconut, almond or other milk, or substitute 50% of it with heavy cream)

The immersion blender is the perfect tool.

4 large eggs

¼ cup coconut flour + 2 TB

¼ tsp salt

3 TB unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 TB vanilla

1). Pre-heat oven to 400 F

2). Butter shallow 2 quart baking dish or pie pan generously

3). In a blender, food processor, or, if using an immersion blender, a bain Marie, combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, butter, vanilla, and sugar. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

4). Sprinkle the fruit over the bottom of the baking dish, then pour batter over it.

5) . Bake until puffed and golden, 35 to 45 minutes

This batch was made with full cream coconut milk - delicious!

 

Serve warm

Sugar-Free Clementine Cake

My friend Shiela is very fond of the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, in which, interestingly, Clementine Cake is featured prominently. After multiple viewings, she became so intrigued with the idea of this cake that she Googled it, immediately found a great recipe from The New York Times, baked it, and raved about it. I have never seen the movie, but when she described the recipe to me, I knew immediately that it was a winner, and one that I could easily adapt to sugar-free goodness. The results? Oh, this is good. The crumb is moist, the flavor intense, the crust chewy.... Excellent for breakfast or afternoon tea; full of protein and fiber. I can see making this into individual tea cakes, too....

Sugar-Free Clementine Cake

Adapted from The New York Times

• 5 medium clementines or tangerines (1 pound)
• Spray cooking oil
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar substitute (I am loving Swerve!)  
  ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups almond flour or meal (Bob's Redmill and Trader Joe's are great sources)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  

 

Poached Clementines

PREPARATION

1. Place whole unpeeled clementines in a medium-sized sauce pan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 2 hours, adding more water as needed. Remove clementines with a slotted spoon and, once cool enough to handle, halve and remove any seeds or other hard bits. Purée in a food processor, immersion or conventional blender and set aside. (May be done up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.)
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking oil, line bottom with parchment paper and spray paper with oil.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together with the melted butter, sugar substitute, salt and clementine purée. Add the almond flour and baking powder and stir until just combined.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake until edges are golden brown and starting to pull away from sides of pan, about 1 hour. Transfer to wire rack set over baking sheet. After 10 minutes, run a knife around edge of pan to loosen cake; remove cake from pan. Peel off parchment paper and return cake to wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with dusting of powdered sugar or with chocolate glaze or candied clementines, or both.

New: Sugar-Free Banana Bread

Even after I have created a new recipe and found it delicious, I continue to tweak it; I work on lowering the carbohydrates and raising the deliciousness. And frankly, sometimes I lose confidence in ingredients that I was fond of; soy  - not so thrilled with how it's raised.  These days, I'm pretty excited about working with coconut flour. It is low in carbs, very high in fiber and protein, and has a fine crumb and a lovely sweet base flavor, perfect for cakes and cookies. However, all that fiber tends to suck up the liquid, and creates a strong drying effect. This is where a fruit quick bread is the perfect pairing; the moisture in the fruit binds with the coconut fiber. This, plus the addition of almond meal and additional eggs creates a moist, flavorful loaf. In this case, the new formula is so much more delicious than the old, I decided to do a new posting. One word of warning: the lower the wheat content, the lower the gluten. The lower the gluten, the lower the crown. This recipe is completely delicious, but it has a lower profile than you might be used to!

Group 1
4 small, very ripe bananas, or 3 large, mashed
3 large eggs
1/3 cup erythritol
2 TB xylitol
1/4 tsp stevia extract powder
1 TB coconut palm sugar (optional, but delicious - for flavor)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

OR:
2/3 cup xylitol or Swerve
1 TB coconut palm sugar
1/4-1/2 tsp stevia extract powder

Group 2
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond meal
2 TB flax meal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Group 3
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into medium pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease loaf pan. (Gotta love spray-on coconut oil!)

2. Combine mashed bananas, eggs, sweeteners and vanilla in a large bowl and stir well to combine.

3. In a medium bowl, combine flours, salt and leavening. Whisk to combine, carefully breaking up any lumps of meal or flour. (Coconut flour does have a tendency to lump.)

4.  Stir flour mixture into banana mixture. Stir until all lumps and dry spots are well incorporated.

5. Stir in walnuts until well distributed.

6. Scoop batter into greased loaf pan and smooth top.

7.  Place pan on middle rack of preheated oven. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, around 50 minutes to 1 hour.

8. Cool on rack until cool enough to tip out of pan. Cool completely on rack out of pan.

Sugar-Free Stone Fruit Cake

SUGAR-FREE PEACH/APRICOT CAKE

The finished product - golden brown and luscious

Is this a cake, a tart, a pie.....? Call it what you will, this is the perfect use of all of the apricots, peaches, nectarines, and plums dropping off the trees at this time of year! This delicious recipe is so easy and so good, you may find yourself making it several times in one week. Not being very sweet, it makes a lovely coffee cake, breakfast, snack, or dessert. Try any stone fruit, and if you wish, replace a cup or so of the stone fruit with some fresh blueberries. As always, this recipe is sugar-free, high protein, and low-carbohydrate. Although this is perfect for folks like me who are diabetic or have a metabolic disorder, everybody else loves it, too. Only YOU will know that it's sugar-free!

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

PASTRY

Press the dough firmly and gently up the sides

1 1/4 cups almond meal
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup Swerve OR 1/4 cup erythritol + 2 TB xylitol + 1/2 tsp stevia powder
6 TB unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp almond extract
1 large egg

Mmmm - super ripe Royal Blenheim apricots from my tree!

FILLING
2 1/2 pounds stone fruit, washed, dried, pitted and cut into fourths (apricot, peach, nectarine, or plum)
OR replace 1/2 pound of fruit with 1 cup fresh blueberries
2 TB almond liqueur
1/2 cup Swerve OR 1/4 cup erythritol + 2 TB xylitol + 1/2 tsp stevia powder
1 TB tapioca flour OR 1 TB tapioca quick-cooking tapioca

For the Pastry: 
1. Using a food processor, pulse the almond meal, flour, salt, baking powder, and sweeteners until they are just combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mix resembles coarse meal, with some pea-sized butter chunks. Add the egg and almond extract and pulse until it just comes together.

2. Using floured fingers, press the pastry into a spring form pan, flattening with the palm of your hand, and coaxing it up the sides of the pan until it reaches half way up the sides. (You want the pastry to be as least as high as the fruit.)

3. Chill the pan in the refrigerator until firm, at least 15 minutes.

For the Filling:

1. Meanwhile, prepare the fruit. Wash, dry, pit, and cut the fruit into chunks. Add the almond liqueur and stir to combine.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the sweeteners with the tapioca flour thoroughly (available from the bulk section of Berkeley Bowl or in packages from Bob's Red Mill), or, if you are using quick tapioca, whirl the sweeteners with the tapioca in a spice mill until the tapioca becomes a flour.

3.  Sprinkle the fruit with the sweetener mix, and stir gently to combine thoroughly. Spoon the fruit mixture evenly into the chilled springform pan. Cover with foil, place on a baking sheet (the butter does tend to leak out the bottom.) and bake, covered, for around 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown around the edges.

The filling should come just below the pastry line

4. Cool, uncovered, on a rack, for at least 1/2 an hour. Carefully remove the sides of the springform and put on a platter. Wait until the cake is thoroughly cooled before serving; the filling will firm as it cools.

(Sugar-Free) Fresh Apricot Crostata

Sugar-Free Fresh Apricot Crostata

Apricot feast or apricot famine! Last year - famine.  This year - feast!  I went to the farmer's market and bought seconds; ripe, delicious, and cheaper than firsts. First came multiple batches of jam, then a batch of apricot liqueur. I saved all the pits, smashed them open, and put them into some organic Prairie vodka to make almond extract. (The kernel in the pit is a "bitter almond," poisonous to eat, but what almond extract is made from; it's far more almond-y than almonds are!) I was feeling pretty satisfied, the larder was full and I had enough to weather the next famine; no need for more.  But.....then my friend Kate scored yet another massive batch of organic apricots at the farmer's market; the first time she scored 25 pounds and hustled to use it all, soliciting recipes from all her friends in the longest Facebook exchange I've ever seen.  Then she scored another 36 pounds - yikes!  This time she was ready to share some, so we traded; some Artemesia Organic Blood Orange Liqueur for 10 pounds of apricots.  The ripest ones needed to be used right away, so I just went straight into jam mode.... there went five pounds.  A few more went into the jar of liqueur, with more vodka to cover.  And that left me with about 3 more pounds.  Hmmmm...... Apricot Crostata!

If you notice any similarity between this and my recipe for sugar-free Linzertorte, you are a clever and observant reader.  I changed my recipe for the dough ever so slightly (almond meal only instead of hazelnuts, a little vanilla), and the filling recipe here is essentially a quick jam recipe.  In fact, if you don't have any fresh apricots on hand, you can use some sugar-free apricot jam - preferably home-made. Both commercial varieties of sugar-free apricot jam I tried truly had no discernible flavor at all, so if that's all you have available, I would doctor the jam; see below* for instructions.

The recipe would work perfectly with cherries, using exactly the same proportions (I riffed the filling recipe off of a cherry crostata recipe in the Gourmet Cookbook.)  If you use cherries, eliminate the almond extract.

Sugar-Free Fresh Apricot Crostata

Time to add the thickener

Dough
I.
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg yolks
Finely grated fresh lemon zest from 1 lemon
1 tsp apple sauce
1/2 tsp vanilla

II.
1/4 cup erythritol
3 TB xylitol
6 tiny scoops stevia extract powder  (the little measuring spoon in the container)

III.

8 oz/2 fairly packed cups of almond meal
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (spoon and sweep measuring*)
1/4 cup + 2 TB soy protein
1/2 tsp salt

Filling
1 3/4 lbs ripe, fresh apricots
3 TB unsalted butter, divided into a few pieces

1/4 cup + 3 TB erythritol
3 TB + 1 1/2 tsp xylitol
6 tiny scoops stevia extract powder

1-2 TB fresh lemon juice (I used Meyer)
2 TB kirsch
1/2 tsp almond extract

3 TB corn or tapioca starch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Tools: a 10" tart pan with a removable bottom, a mixer

Dough Instructions:
Using your mixer, beat the butter until fluffy.  Then add the remaining ingredients from group I and beat until well combined.

Measure all of the sweeteners from group II into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.

Next, measure all of the ingredients from group III into a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine.  Add gradually to the butter mixture until it is well mixed.  Form the dough into two equal balls, place each on its own sheet of waxed paper, and squash into large disks. Put them in the fridge to chill for at least 1/2 hour.

While the dough is chilling, make the filling:

 
Filling Instructions

Wash, dry, pit and cut the apricots into quarters. (Save the pits to make  your own almond extract!)

Add the butter to a 12" saute pan and melt over medium low heat. Add the apricots, lemon juice, kirsch and almond extract and stir to combine. While the apricot mixture cooks over medium heat, measure the sweeteners into a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Add the sweeteners to the apricot mixture and stir well.  Please note: the sweetener amount is calculated for really sweet, ripe apricots (Blenheims are sooooo delicious!) If your apricots are a little tart and under-ripe, up the sweeteners to taste, and go with the lower amount of lemon juice - perhaps even dropping it; it's there to balance the sweetness. Cook until the apricots have softened somewhat, and released their juices, about 8-10 minutes. Stir up the starch/water slurry to recombine and add it to the apricot mixture.  Cook until the whole batch thickens and no longer tastes of corn starch, about 10 minutes more. You will have a delicious, flavorful filling. Let it cool in the pan.

Meanwhile:

Remove the dough from the refrigerator to soften, and pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Put a silpat on a baking sheet, or cover it in foil, and place on the middle rack of the oven to heat.

When the dough is malleable enough to roll, remove one dough disk and set it aside so that you can use both pieces of waxed paper to roll the dough with.  (Of course you can use an additional piece of waxed paper, but I like to use as little disposable stuff as possible.) Placing one disk between two pieces of waxed paper, roll until the dough into a 12" round.  Put it in the tart pan, and press the dough up the sides of the pan. You can trim off the excess dough or fold it over to reinforce the sides of the tart.  Put it back in the refrigerator while you work on the second disk.

Using your two pieces of waxed paper, roll the second disk into another 12" round. Remove the top layer of waxed paper, and cut the round into 10 strips, each one 3/4" -1" wide. Put the whole thing on a baking sheet and put it in the fridge to firm up a bit - this makes it easier to handle - while you do the rest.

Remove the tart pan from the refrigerator, and fill it with the luscious apricot filling. You may have a tablespoon or two left over; don't over-fill the pan - it will overflow and make a sticky mess. This extra filling is the cook's treat while the tart cooks.  Well, of course. you could eat it right now, before you go to the next step; I did.

Take your dough strips out of the refrigerator, and being mindful that the outside pieces are the shortest and you will need to repeat the strips going the other way, lay the strips across the tart, either straight to make squares or on the diagonal to make diamonds.  You may need to use a spatula to remove the dough strips from the paper. Pinch the outer edges of the dough onto the dough rim in the pan and remove any excess.  Repeat going the other way.  You will likely have a few small pieces of dough; again, cook's treat. You can eat it raw, or put it on the cookie sheet to bake; it makes a tasty shortbread-like cookie. Just remember to take it out after about 10-12 minutes, or it will burn. (I've done this twice now; phooey.)

Put the tart on the heated cookie sheet in the middle of the oven, and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, until the crust is golden-brown and the filling is bubbling.

Cool the crostata for at least an hour and a half so that you can safely remove it from the pan and cut it without it breaking.

*Special instructions for doctoring commercially made jam:  Take 1 1/3 cups apricot jam. In a medium sized sauce pan, melt the butter, then add the jam and thin it by heating it a bit. Add the almond extract, lemon juice and kirsch in the proportions shown above, and heat and stir to combine. Taste it, adjust the flavors, and follow the directions from there.


GLUTEN-FREE VERSION:

To make this recipe gluten-free, simply substitute your favorite gluten-free baking mix for the whole-wheat pasty flour. All set!

Caramel Breakfast Cheesecake (Low-Carb, Low Sugar, High Protein)

Caramel Breakfast Cheesecake

Some months back, I posted a recipe for breakfast cheesecake, featuring orange or lemon zest.  Yum. Well, as I have gone on about at great length, I have been living the low-carb high-protein life for over a year now, with great health success.  And as I have been talking a lot about lately, I've been experimenting a lot with coconut palm sugar, the hot "new" low-glycemic sweetener.  As keeping carbohydrates as low as possible, not just preventing blood sugar spikes through the use of low-glycemic sweeteners, is important for my health success, I use this sugar sparingly.  However, just a spoonful or two of this delectable, caramel-y sugar brings huge amounts of flavor to a recipe.  I have been inspired to revisit my older recipes with this in mind.  Now, just a reminder: no need to just eat this for breakfast; how about lunch, snack or dessert? 

So, without further ado, a new variation on breakfast cheesecake.  I think it's divine.

Caramel Breakfast Cheesecake

2 cups (16 oz) full-fat cottage cheese or ricotta
1 cup (8 oz) whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt (Fage has the lowest carb content)

5 tiny scoops stevia powder
3 TB coconut palm sugar
2 TB xylitol
1/3 cup erythritol
3 large eggs 
2 tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven to 325 F, and put the kettle on to boil.

Place the cottage cheese in the bowl of your food processor and whir it until it is well-creamed.  (An immersion blender or blender would also work.) Scraped down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the cream cheese and whir until they are both creamy and smooth.   Scraped down the sides of the bowl again. Add all of the sweeteners and process until well-combined, then scrape down the sides again.  Now add the eggs and vanilla and process until all are well combined.

Place your ramekin collection (you will need 6-10 of them, depending on size) in a high-sided roasting pan.  Pour the batter into the ramekins, using your spatula to get all the goodies into the pan.  (If you don't have ramekins, you can line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and use those.)  After the cups are full, carefully pour the boiling water around them. Place the pan in the center of the oven, and bake until the cakes have set,  around 40-45 minutes.  Cool, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

(Sugar-Free, Low-Carb) Granola with Flax

Sugar-Free, Low-Carb Granola

As with so many of my low-carb creations, this new recipe was born one day when I was thinking wistfully about eating some of my yummy maple granola with flax. Or rather, thinking about how I couldn't eat it anymore, and yes, feeling a little sorry for myself.  Sniff. Sniff.  Isn't it interesting that inspiration is often born out of desperation?  I immediately thought about how I could make sugar-free, low-carb granola;  I would raise the amount of protein and lower the amount of carbohydrates by replacing a substantial percentage of the grains with nuts, seeds, and coconut.  (And coconut is good for the immune system, too!)  There was just one problem; what to use as a sweetener? 

I love using the sugar alcohols erythritol and xylitol; they are naturally low glycemic and low carbohydrate.  They even help prevent tooth decay.  There's just one major problem; their drive to re-cyrstalize is very hard to overcome. If you dissolve some in boiling water and let it sit, it will turn into rock candy in less than 24 hours. In my baked goods, I prevent this by using plenty of moist, fiber-filled fruits and vegetables (apple sauce, sweet potatoes, bananas) which bond with the sugar alcohols and keep them from linking back up again.  Unfortunately, I didn't see how that would work with granola.  And of course, stevia has that yucky licorice-y aftertaste - not what I wanted at all.

There is a third commonly used sugar alcohol which readily stays in a looser, liquid state; maltitol.  Maltitol has the consistency and appearance of light corn syrup, and has a very neutral flavor.  It is very commonly used in commercial sugar-free products, such as sugar-free chocolates and energy bars, presumably because of its resistance to re-crystalizing.  There is only one problem with maltitol - okay, two.  The first is that, far more than any of the other sugar substitutes, it causes intense flatulence.  I could deal with this by using it very sparingly, but.... the other problem is that it is not readily available to the general public, sold only to food manufacturers.  After googling extensively, I was able to find some retailed on the internet.

By using some stevia along with the malitol, I was able to use the malitol sparingly, helping each sweetener to overcome its issues.  And the results?  This granola was really, really, REALLY good.

*BUT.... UPDATE: JULY, 2014: Since writing this post, I have done further research on maltitol which makes me uncomfortable with using it or promoting it. Many sources now say that maltitol raises blood sugar, and actually has a much higher number of usable carbs in it than the label indicates. Given all this, I will no longer be buying, or using, products with maltitol.

Enter the new darling of the low-carb world: yacon syrup! Yacon is a South American tuber, much like jicama in flavor. When squeezed and cooked down, it creates a thick, dark, tangy syrup which is nutrient-rich, low glycemic, and very good for you. As usual, it's expensive. As usual, it's hard to get. And since Dr. Oz promoted it, a shortage hit. Sigh. Friends at Coracao Confections (organic, raw, low-glycemic, vegan, and fantastic!) referred me to Raw Food World for their syrup. These folks are lovely - great customer service, good products - and I've stocked up. Again, buy using stevia, you can stretch your yacon syrup in the recipe.
The best way to eat it, in my opinion, is with whole milk Greek yoghurt, which is creamy and delicious, and very low in carbs.  The Fage brand has the lowest carbohydrate content of all of the other brands whose labels I've examined, and is super thick, rich and mild-tasting - no sour yoghurt action at all. Trader Joe's also makes a very good whole milk Greek-style yoghurt - and at a great price!  I like to sweeten the yoghurt with some erythritol, and then add a little vanilla for flavor.  Let it sit for a moment to allow the erythritol crystals to dissolve into the yoghurt.  Then sprinkle on the granola....... mmmm.



Sugar-Free, Low Carb Granola with Flax

2 cups quinoa flakes
2 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking oats)

OR: 4 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes - the big pieces, not the shredded kind
1/2 cup flax seeds
1 cup toasted almonds, preferably slivered
1 cup walnuts, broken into smaller pieces
1 cup pecans, broken into smaller pieces
(or your choice of nuts)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 tsp powdered stevia extract

3 TB flax oil
3 TB coconut oil, or a neutral oil such as canola or sunflower
4 TB yacon syrup or 6 TB maltitol syrup


Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.  Combine all of the grains and nuts in a large bowl.  Sprinkle the stevia powder over the top and toss and stir to combine well.

In an microwave proof cup (such as pyrex) measure all of the oils and the yacon syrup.  Heat them in the microwave until they are hot and have thinned out.

Pour the liquids all over the grain mixture, and stir well to coat all of the contents.  Pour the granola mixture into a roasting or baking pan large enough to hold it all.

When the oven is at temperature, place the pan onto a rack in the center of the oven.  Set the timer for 15-20 minutes. After the timer goes off, stir well to redistribute the contents.  Set the timer for 10-15 minutes, and stir again.  Be careful not to let the contents burn; your goal is golden toasting and drying of all the layers.  Set the timer for 5-10 minutes, and stir again.  If it is golden through and through, remove it from the oven and turn the oven off.  If it is not yet golden, return it to the oven for another 5 minutes or so.  At this point, you can turn the oven off and let the granola toast in the residual heat left in the oven.

Cool in the pan, and then store in an airtight container.  It will keep for several weeks, but is at its tastiest when it is fresh.

Pumpkin Bread (High protein, sugar-free, low-carb)

I grew a nice big crop of butternut squash last year. Unfortunately, the seedlings got such a late start that by the time the squashes were ripe, it was so late in the season that they didn't cure properly before I had to harvest them.  So there I was, mid-winter, looking at all of my beautiful squashes, which were growing a thatch of furry white mold on their crowns. Phooey.  I had to cut off the bad parts and rescue the good parts, but NOW.

Little known fact: most canned "pumpkin" in the store is actually butternut squash.  Another little known fact: there are special eating pumpkins, like Sugar Pie Pumpkin, and then there are jack-o-lantern pumpkins.  Eating pumpkins are sweet and tender. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins are tough and fibrous, not intended for eating at all.

So, anyway.  I cleaned up the squashes, throwing the bad stuff into the compost heap and peeling and chopping the good parts.  I put the cubes of squash into a ceramic bowl, covered them in water, put a plate on top and cooked them in the microwave.  Then I mashed them up well. And now:  it's "Pumpkin" Bread time.

I decided to go for a little more decadence than I normally do in my quick breads; there's melted butter built-in to this luscious bread. Rich, dark, a little spicy with caramel notes; it is excellent for breakfast, or for an afternoon pick-me-up with tea or coffee.  It's wonderful on its own, but toasted, with a little whipped cream cheese smeared on top, or even a little more butter (!)  - heaven!  After I made the first loaf, here's what I wrote on the recipe draft: "Wow! Delicious."

A word about the optional coconut palm sugar; this super low glycemic sugar is the new darling of the low glycemic/diabetic crowd.  Even Dr. Oz did a segment on it on his show, recommending it as a way to lose weight by preventing sugar crashes. It has delectable caramel notes that echo the vanilla in the bread.  The bread is wonderful without it, but if you have a chance to add it, it brings a surprising amount to the party.



Pumpkin Bread

I. 
1 cup pureed pumpkin or butternut squash
1/2 cup melted butter or oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup water

II.
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/3 cup erythritol
2 TB xylitol
5 tiny scoops stevia extract powder
1 TB coconut palm sugar (optional, but delicious)

III.
3 TB flax meal
3 TB soy protein
3 TB almond meal
3 TB unflavored, unsweetened whey powder
3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

IV.
1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.  Grease a loaf pan.

2.  In a large bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients from section I and mix well.

3. In a small to medium bowl, combine all of the sweeteners and whisk them to mix well.  Add them to the wet ingredients and stir to combine well.

4.  In a medium bowl (perhaps the one you just used to mix the sweeteners), combine all of the dry ingredients from section III and whisk well to combine.

5.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just enough to combine well.

6.  Stir in the chopped walnuts.

7.  Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula.

8.  Bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then tilt out of the pan onto a cooling rack to complete cooling.

(High Protein, Low Carb, Low Sugar) Almond Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Almond Butter Thumbprint Cookies

 In my family, marzipan (almond paste candy) is considered one of the yummiest treats possible,  so my latest cookie recipe holds a special place in my heart.  These cookies are so delicious, so moist, so flavorful.... oh, my!  It's like eating a piece of marzipan, or of linzer torte. Divine! They have received rave reviews from everyone who has sampled them so far.  You will find it hard to believe that you can eat them and still feel virtuous; as always, they are super high-protein, super low carbohydrate, and super low-sugar.

Almond Butter Thumbprint Cookies

I.
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) roasted, salted, unsweetened, creamy almond butter
 (well stirred)
1 stick salted (or unsalted; your choice) butter, at room temperature

II.
6 TB coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup erythritol
6 TB xylitol
8 tiny scoops stevia extract powder

III.
2 TB unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 large egg, at room temperature

IV.
3 TB flax meal
6 TB soy protein powder
2 TB unsweetened, unflavored whey powder (or milk powder)
3 TB almond meal
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

V.  Sugar-free jam; preferably raspberry or apricot*

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Step 1:  cream the butter, then add the almond butter and cream them well together, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure they are well incorporated.

Step 2:  measure all of the sweeteners into a small bowl, and whisk them well together.  Then add them to almond butter/butter mixture, and cream until they are well combined, again scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Step 3:  Add the egg, applesauce, vanilla, and almond extract to the butter/almond butter/sweetener mix.  Mix until well combined.

Step 4:  In a medium sized bowl, measure all of the flours and meals, salt and baking powder, and whisk to combine.  Add them to the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined, again scraping down the sides of the bowl and the beaters to make sure everything is well mixed.

Line two baking sheets with silpats (silicone baking sheets) if you have them.  If not, don't worry; these are fine without.

Scoop a heaping tablespoonful or so of the batter and roll into a ball, placing it on the baking sheet.  Repeat, spacing the cookies.  You should be able to fit all the cookies onto the two baking sheets, a dozen plus a few more per sheet. (The dough does not run much as it bakes.)  Using your thumb, press a dimple into the center of the cookie, flattening the ball slightly as you do so.  Repeat with all of the cookies.


Place both baking sheets into the pre-heated oven.  Bake for 15 minutes, until just beginning to become golden brown all over.  Remove the pans from the oven, and if the dimples have leveled out too much, press them in again using a spoon or the handle of a wooden spoon.  Spoon a 1/2 teaspoon or so of the jam into the depression in each cookie; a tiny espresso spoon works well for the task.  Don't skimp on the jam, but don't get carried away, either, as the jam will melt and run during the baking. Return the sheets to the oven, switching the location of the baking sheets to ensure even browning.  Bake the cookies for another 5-8 minutes, until the cookies are evenly golden all over and the jam has melted into a pool.

Cool on the pan, then remove and store in an airtight container.  These will keep for a week or more (theoretically - they don't tend to stick around long!)  However, they are at their very tastiest when they are very fresh.

* If you are going to use apricot jam, it really needs to be homemade; commercial sugar-free raspberry jam is pretty good, but commercial sugar-free apricot jam just tastes like... nothing at all. The Foodier Than Thou recipe for  Tangy Sugar-Free Apricot Jam is awesome! Make a bunch when the apricots are ripe, and you will be all set for the year.

Double Chocolate Super-Rich Utterly Delicious (Sugar-Free, High Protein, Low Carb!) Brownies

Double Chocolate Super-Rich Utterly Delicious (Sugar-Free, High Protein!) Brownies

 I have yet to meet anyone who dislikes brownies.  Chocolate and butter barely held together with flour; what on earth is there to dislike? In the course of my brownie research, I read a quote that there were as many brownie recipes as daisies in the field.  So true; there is infinite variety, from the amount of chocolate and butter, to the number of eggs and the amount of flour, to the size of the pan.

There are those who like them cake-y, and those who like them fudge-y.  I'm a fudge-y person, myself.  If I want cake, I'll make a cake!  Back in the day when I used to use brownie mixes (which really aren't bad) I used to half-bake them to get them the way I like them; downright goopy in the middle!

When I am inventing a new sugar-free recipe, sometimes it takes a few tries to get the recipe right.  You know, one where nobody knows it's sugar-free but the baker.  This one is spot-on.  Fudge-y, dense, rich goodness.  Oh yeah.  You're going to like this one!

Double Chocolate Super-Rich Utterly Delicious (Sugar-Free, High Protein, Low Carb!) Brownies

5 oz sugar-free, sweetened dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 oz unsweetened (bakers') chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 stick (8 oz) unsalted butter, cut into smaller pieces

1/2 cup erythritol
1/3 cup xylitol
7 tiny scoops stevia extract powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs
2 TB unsweetened applesauce

2 TB whole wheat pastry flour
2 TB soy protein
2 TB unsweetened, plain whey powder
1 TB almond meal


1 cup walnut meats - optional


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and put rack in the lower third of the oven.


2. Line a 9" square baking pan with foil, letting the ends of the foil run up the sides and hang over the edges of the pan.  Do not butter or flour the pan.

3. If using walnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until lightly toasted and fragrant, 7-10 minutes.  Cool them and chop coarsely.

4. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the chocolates and butter and melt over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

5. When melted, remove mixture from the heat, and stir in the sweeteners, vanilla, and salt, until well-combined.

6. Stir in the applesauce, then stir in one egg at a time until well-combined.

7. In a small bowl, combine the flours and whisk to combine.  Stir them into the chocolate mixture until well-combined.

8. Add the walnuts, (if desired) and stir well.

9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, on top of the foil, using a spatula to scrape all of it out of the pot and into the pan.  Spread evenly in the pan.

10. Put pan on a rack in the lower third of the oven and bake until the surface is glossy and smooth, and a toothpick comes out fairly clean from the center, about 40 minutes.  (A few crumbs may stick to it; that's okay.)

11. Cool brownies in the pan, on a rack.  Use the foil to remove the whole batch from the pan when cool.  Cut into squares of the size you desire (keeping in mind that these are rich.)

Brownies will keep in an air-tight container for several days.  Well, theoretically.  

Notes:  You can get pretty darned good sugar-free dark chocolate at Trader Joe's, sweetened with maltitol.  This has become my go-to baking bar, because the price is very good for decent chocolate.  Bob's Red Mill makes all of the other flours, and you can buy them in a well-stocked health food store.  (We can buy them in bulk at Berkeley Bowl or Berkeley Natural Grocer.)  If you want to, you can substitute 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour instead.

Sweeteners:  Erythritol and xylitol are sugar alcohols; low-glycemic, low-calorie, sweeteners suitable for use by diabetics or those with metabolic disorders.  You can easily buy xylitol  at a well-stocked grocery or health-food store.  Erythritol is more readily available on-line.  Stevia is a natural sweetener extracted from the stevia leaf.  It is readily available at grocery stores, including at Trader Joe's.

Gluten-Free (Super High Protein) Peanut Butter Cookies

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

My dear friend Nina has suddenly been forced to go gluten-free, and she reports that virtually all of the gluten-free commercial products she's tried are dreadful.  Frankly, I don't know what I'd do if I had to go gluten-free in addition to having to go low-carb; using vital wheat gluten is a - well, vital aspect of my low-carb, high protein baking strategy!

However, as I prepared to make her a yummy treat and looked over other people's gluten-free recipes out there, I realized that a large number of my recipes could be easily adapted to be gluten-free; I've already replaced most of the gluten-laden ingredients with protein, so it wouldn't be hard to just replace the rest with a gluten-free flour.

Frankly, these peanut butter cookies are amazing.  Let me say that again:  these cookies are FREAKING AMAZING.  Party on, gluten-free friends!


Gluten Free (Super High Protein) Peanut Butter Cookies

Dough Balls

makes about 26 cookies

1 1/2 cups creamy, unsweetened, salted organic peanut butter (not "natural")
1 stick salted or unsalted butter, (4 ounces) softened

1 large egg
2 TB applesauce
2 tsp vanilla

1 cup dark brown sugar

OR:
1/4 cup plus 2 TB xylitol
1/2 cup erythritol
7 tiny scoops stevia
1/4 cup + 2 TB coconut palm sugar, or 1/4 cup brown sugar


3 TB flax meal
6 TB soy protein powder
2 TB unsweetened whey powder
3 TB almond meal
3/4 cup gluten-free flour baking mix
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

optional, but recommended: 6-8 ounces chocolate bars, either sugar-free or not, broken into big chunks, or jam of your choice (strawberry is especially yummy with peanut butter)


1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

2. If using my special sugar-free sweetener blend, in a small bowl, measure all the sweeteners and whisk to combine.

3. Measure the protein powder, whey powder, flax meal, and almond meal and put into a medium sized bowl. Using the "spoon and sweep" method (spoon the flour loosely into the cup until full, then scrape off excess with a knife) measure the flour and add to the other flours. Add the salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum and whisk to combine.

4. Place the peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl and cream until it is very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically.  (I use the paddle attachment.)

5. With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, vanilla and applesauce and mix until just combined.

6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar or sweeteners, process until well combined.

7. Scrape down the sides again and add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure it is all incorporated. You will have a very dense dough.

8. Using your hands or a spoon, make balls of dough and place them about 1 1/2" apart on the cookie sheet. You can make the cookies as big or small as you like (Don't worry, they don't run at all.) You can fit 12 to 15 medium-sized cookies on a sheet pretty easily. Using a fork, carefully press the balls flat from both directions, leaving the characteristic crosshatch mark on the surface, OR press with your thumb to make an indentation to hold the jam or chocolate.  If the dough balls break apart, just squeeze them back together with your fingers.

9. Place the optional - but highly desirable - chocolate on the surface of each cookie, or a scant 1/2 teaspoon of jam. (The jam can melt and run, so don't get carried away.)

10. Bake the cookies until they are just golden underneath, and slightly puffed, 12 to 15 minutes or so. Using a spatula, put on a rack until cool (or cool on the cookie sheet). Repeat until you have baked all of the dough.

High Protein (Low Carbohydrate) Bread

High Protein, Low Carb Bread with Sugar-Free Strawberry Jam

With that first batch of ultra-delicious sugar-free strawberry jam that solved my "boo-hoo, no more jam for me" moment, (also fig jam and raspberry jam) I inadvertently created a new boo-hoo moment. Because, of course, jam must go on something, and the item it seems best designed to go on is bread. And even the 100% whole grain, organic lovely stuff I've been buying at the Vital Vittles bakery up the street from us (day old - $2.50 a loaf!) has plenty of carbohydrates. Sure, I can pile on the jam, but one piece of bread a day? Only open faced sandwiches? Humph.

Fortunately, the boo-hoo bread moment went by as quickly as the boo-hoo jam moment; like the little red hen, I knew I would have to make some myself.

How do you make low-carbohydrate bread? I mean, bread means flour means carbohydrates, right? Well, I've been practicing by substituting out 50% of the flour in my quick-breads (banana, sweet potato, apple sauce) with an array of proteins, and I realized that I had what I needed right in my freezer drawer. I dusted off my bread machine ($15 at Salvation Army) got out some bread recipes, and got to work. The first try, where I substituted 50% of the flour with protein, was very good. But as usual, I wanted to push the envelope; how much protein could I substitute in before it stopped being bread? Version II, which left just 1/2 a cup of whole wheat flour, was fantastic - way better even than the bread I used to make with flour; more tender and chewy, rather than the crumbly dense stuff you get with whole grain. Protein-packed, but still full of fiber, plus the goodness of the Omega three fatty acids flax seeds bring to the party. Peanut butter and jam sandwiches, here we come!

High Protein (Low Carbohydrate) Bread

Makes 1 large loaf; 1 pound 11 ounces

Special Equipment: A large capacity bread machine

Bring all your ingredients to room temperature:

Lowest Carb Version

1 TB regular yeast
1/2 cup psyllium husk fiber (available at health food stores in the bulk aisle)

1/2 cup flax meal - packed (Bob's Redmill is available at Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup whey protein concentrate (unsweetened, unflavored) Be careful - not whey powder, whey protein concentrate - lowest carb, highest protein)
1/2 cup almond meal - packed - (available at Trader Joe's)

3/4 cup vital wheat gluten (available at health food stores in the bulk aisle)
1/2 cup soy protein powder, hemp protein, or coconut flour

1 tsp salt
3 TB Agave nectar OR brown rice syrup
3 TB flax oil
approximately 1 3/4 - 2 cups water - more as needed

1/3 heaping cup sunflower, flax, poppy, or other edible seed or nuts

Put all the ingredients except for the seeds in the pan of your bread machine. Program the machine for the white bread cycle, light baking, and large size. The machine will go through two kneading cycles. If the machine complains, add a little more water. The texture of the dough should be VERY soft and spongy, maybe even a little sticky; when you prod it with your finger it should give easily, like a fat tummy. If it's a little moist, that's okay; the seeds will absorb some of the water. At the end of the first cycle, the machine will stop and give a beeping sound; add all but 1-2 TB of the seeds. At the end of the second kneading cycle, sprinkle on the rest of the seeds. (If you add them at the beginning they will be pulverized, if you add them all at the end, many of them will fall off.)

Let the machine do its thing, and in a few hours you will have truly delicious bread; bread so good that you will have to fight the rest of your family for it.

Notes from Christine: Why a bread machine? Frankly, I don't hold much truck with one-trick equipment; that might fly in one of those fantasy kitchens, but my un-remodeled 1920's kitchen has so little space in it, everything must earn its keep. But a few years ago, my mother and all my sisters went out and bought bread machines at thrift stores for $5-$20, and I was much taken with being able to have fresh delicious bread even in the middle of nowhere, so I went off to the thrift store, too. I keep it on the floor, under my worktable, behind the trashcan. It deserves the spot, now more than ever.

What's with the gluten? I keep reading about how gluten is bad for you. Gluten is a protein which naturally occurs in wheat; gluten forms chains when it is exposed to warmth, water, and kneading. The chains are what give bread that characteristic chewiness. Some people have sensitivities or auto-immune reactions to gluten; this recipe is not for them. For most of us, gluten is not a problem at all.

Psyllium Husk Fiber  This stuff is insanely high in fiber and low in carbs. It is available in bulk in health food stores; here in Berkeley, I can get it at Berkeley Bowl or Berkeley Natural Grocer. It does absorb a LOT of water, and it takes a while to absorb it. When I make the bread, I use 1/2 cup of psyllium and the higher amount of water. At first it seems too wet, but after I've added the flax seeds, and by the time the kneading cycle is done, it's just the perfect consistency; spongy, springy, but not sticky.

Where do I get all this stuff? A really well-stocked grocery store or health food store carries all of this stuff. I bought all of it at Berkeley Bowl; Bob's Red Mill makes all of these products. Trader Joe's also sells almond and flax meal.

Why are you using agave nectar or brown rice syrup instead of a sugar-free sweetener? I like to cut carbs and sugar wherever I can, but yeast likes to eat the real thing! Choose a low-glycemic sweetener to make everyone happy. In fact, if the sweetener is too low in carbs, the bread turns out short and dense; I used coconut palm sugar for a little while there and it just didn't rise properly.

What if I'm a vegan? The only animal product in here is the whey powder. You can easily substitute soy protein for that, instead.

What if I don't have a bread machine? Here are alternative directions:

Warm the water up to 105-115 degrees F, and pour it into a large bowl. Add the sweeteners and the yeast, and whisk to combine. In another bowl, whisk all of the flours and solids. Ad the flax oil to the water. Add the flours, and using either your hands, a wooden spoon, or a mixer paddle attachment, mix until everything is well incorporated. Add all but 1-2TB of the seeds to the dough. Switch to a dough hook if using a mixer, and knead for 10 minutes, or knead by hand until dough has become elastic. Oil the bowl to keep the dough from sticking, make a ball out of the dough, cover with a cloth, and let rise until it is doubled in size, about an hour. Punch down the dough, and shape into one large or two small loaves. If you have pans of the right size, use them. Otherwise, put the loaf on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining seeds. Cover with the towel and let rise until it is doubled again. When it is getting close to time, preheat the oven to 350 F. When it is doubled and the oven is pre-heated, uncover and bake the bread, about 45 minutes.

Ch-ch-ch-changes: If you visit this blog often to use the recipes, from time to time you may see a change. I am always experimenting with my recipes, trying to see how low I can go on the carbs, and how high I can go on the protein and fiber. As I improve it, I update the recipe.The latest (as of 1/22/14) is that I upped the amount of almond meal by 1/4 cup. I really can't believe how much tastier it is from the change - and it was plenty tasty before! That extra 1/4 cup of almond meal rendered the crust chewier and more satisfying, the center moist but not spongy, the flavor delicious. I just ate a slice with butter and sugar-free homemade jam - divine! The only problem is now it is so yummy I want to eat more of it.....


Nutritional Analysis:  Friends have been asking for this for a while - "how many carbs does this bread have?" And I really wanted to know, too. So I finally sat down and did the analysis; if you use ONLY the lowest carb options above: flax meal, psyllium husk, whey powder, etc., the results are phenomenal!  One loaf of bread weighs about 1 pound 14 ounces, and yields 13 very generous slices. How generous? One slice is enough for my breakfast, and back in the day I would have eaten two slices of regular bread.

1 slice of bread (2 1/2 ounces): 7 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, 9 net grams of carbohydrate, 1.75 grams of omega 3 fatty acids - just from the oil alone! 150 calories. Compare that to one 2 ounce slice of Vital Vittles Organic Flax-Seed Oat Bread: 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, 21 net grams of carbohydrate, 140 calories. And mind you, this is fabulous, ultra whole-grain stuff; not processed smoosh bread.

High Protein, Sugar-Free Banana Nut Bread

One of the ways you can tell how much action a particular recipe gets is to open someone's cookbook and see where the pages land. It can be fun to try this experiment the next time you visit a friend (and have had a glass of wine or two.) I've been making this Fannie Farmer Cookbook recipe for about.... oh, 40 years. (Ack! Believe me, that was hard to say.) But, it is still true; I started making this as a girl, using my Mama's cookbook, and when you crack open my own copy of the Fannie Farmer cookbook, this is one of the primary spots where it falls open.

Now, I know there are untold numbers of banana bread recipes out there, and I don't claim this one is the most delicious. Our elementary school pal Laura Kate served us some banana bread a few months ago that was unbelievably delectable, and Johanna did not spare my feelings about how much she wanted me to make that recipe. However, I think this one is one of the healthiest recipes around. The only moisture comes from ripe bananas and eggs - no butter, no oil, no fat. Most of the loaf breads out there (zucchini, pumpkin, persimmon) all seem to call for a cup of "salad oil."

Of course, if you've been following my posts, you know that the fat is no longer a problem for me - it's the sugar. Yeah, and the carbohydrates. So, of course, I had to make some changes to my old favorite. That being the case, I will give both versions of the bread; the original from Fannie Farmer, and the sugar-free, whole-grain adaptation. Either one is completely delicious, but of course, the whole grain version is even more nutritious, and you know how I like to pack in those nutrients.

Fannie Farmer's Banana Nut Bread

3 ripe bananas, well mashed
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan. Mix the bananas and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the walnuts and blend. Put the batter in the pan and bake for one hour. Remove from the pan to a rack. Serve warm or cooled, as you like it.

Notes from Christine: the recipe does not specify the size of the bananas, and of course, banana sizes vary widely. I use 3 large bananas, or 4 small ones. This can mean varied liquid amounts, which can add to the length of the baking time. Just be sure to test the center with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.


Christine's Banana Nut Bread - EVEN NEWER - LOWER CARBIER THAN EVER!
Adapted from Fannie Farmer

3 large, ripe bananas, or 4 small ones, well mashed
2 large eggs

1/3 cup erythritol

3 TB xylitol

5 tiny scoops stevia


1 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup almond meal
3 TB plain whey powder or milk powder

1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup soy protein
1 TB wheat germ
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan.

In a small bowl, measure all of the sweeteners and whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork and stir in the sweeteners, then whisk in the eggs.

Measure the flours, salt and baking soda into a medium sized bowl and whisk them to combine.  Add the dry ingredients to the banana mix and stir well. Add the nuts and stir in well. Spoon batter into the loaf pan, and bake for about an hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the loaf, then cool on a rack. This is most delicious toasted, served with butter or cream cheese.

Notes from Christine: You may have a bunch of questions as to why I've given the substitutions I have. Why whole wheat pastry flour? Well, pastry flour is lower in gluten than regular flour, and more finely ground; therefore, it makes a less dense bread, which I consider desirable! This way you get the whole grains and the reduced carbohydrates, but without the heaviness.  Why the flax meal? Flax meal is full of omega 3 fatty acids, which actively convert "bad" cholesterol into "good" cholesterol in your body. Here is a lovely way to sneak them into something yummy. Why the xylitol, erythrytol and stevia? As I have written in previous posts, stevia is a calorie-free, completely natural sweetener extracted from stevia leaves. However, it has a funky aftertaste. Therefore, it is best to mix it with another sweetener. Xylitol and erythritol are sugar alcohols, which the body metabolizes differently than sugar. They are way lower in calories, and metabolized 75% more slowly than cane sugar. They are very useful tools for diabetics or other sugar intolerant folks. I like those numbers! Plus, it is actually good for your teeth. However, erythritol is only abut 60% as sweet as sugar, and xylitol is extracted from birch wood.... So, ta-da! Mix them together!