Dark Chocolate Pudding: Low Sugar

This week I tried a new recipe for chocolate pudding by Melissa Clark that was featured in the New York Times. The recipe I worked out earlier with Choco Perfection was very tasty, but every time I made it I enjoyed it so much I ate a big bowl full, and the next thing you know I was suffering from horribly uncomfortable bloating. Not worth it! So I decided to figure out how to cut down the sugar and carbohydrate for this new recipe. Immediate score! Deep, dark, luscious, rich, tasty - a cross between mousse and the best pudding you've ever had .... and no tummy issues!

Dark Chocolate Pudding

Group I
2 TB butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 oz 85% or higher chocolate, chopped

Group II
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup xylitol or Swerve
1/2 tsp stevia extract powder
2 TB coconut palm sugar
2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
2 TB cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

Group III
2 large eggs

Equipment: an immersion blender or food processor

1. If using an immersion blender, put all of the ingredients from group I into the bain marie or heatproof bowl. If using a food processor, place in the bowl of the food processor.

2. In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients from Group I and whisk to combine. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a low boil, whisking frequently. Continue to boil for 1-2 minutes; overcooking causes the cornstarch to stop working.

3. Meanwhile, crack the two eggs into the heat-proof measuring cup from the milk; beat lightly with a fork.

4. Pour a small quantity of the hot milk mixture into the eggs and whisk with the fork to keep the eggs from curdling. Add more hot milk mixture and whisk again. Now pour the egg mixture back into the hot milk mixture and whisk into the whole. Put the heat back on under the pan, and bring it just to the boil again.

5. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour over the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Process until smooth. (The hot milk will melt the chocolate.)

6. If in the bain marie or heatproof bowl, let cool to room temperature, then chill. If using the food processor, pour into ramekins, small bowls, or a large heatproof bowl and chill.

Serve with optional whipped cream, lightly sweetened creme fraiche, and/or chocolate shavings.

Sugar-Free Classic Chocolate Pudding

Rich, creamy, home-made chocolate pudding. Yay! What could be yummier? I love the recipe in the Gourmet Cookbook; it whips up in no time at all and is supremely delicious. But of course, there's the whole sugar thing. Yup, sugar. Carbohydrates. Diabetes. It all sucks.

But - ta-da! Here is my sugar-free adaptation. I promise that this is just as delicious as it would be made with sugar. Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

1/4 cup sugar substitute (I love Swerve, but you can use xylitol or another)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
pinch of salt
*2-3 TB cornstarch

2 cups whole milk (this is the richest tasting, as well as lowest in carbs)
1 large egg
4 oz best quality semisweet sugar-free chocolate, chopped finely (I like ChocoPerfection)
OR a mix of sugar-free and low-sugar chocolate

6 small to medium-sized ramekins or custard cups

Whisk together the sugar substitute, cocoa powder, corn starch and pinch of salt in a 2 quart heavy saucepan, then gradually whisk in milk. (Please note that you may need a spatula to get some of the powder from the perimeter of the pan to incorporate.) Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil, whisking, until the pudding is thick, 3 to 5 minutes.

Place the egg in a medium-sized bowl, and whisk it. Gradually whisk the hot pudding into the egg. Add the chopped chocolate to the pudding, then whisk until it is melted and well-incorporated.

Pour the pudding into the ramekins. Let cool until room temperature, then cover and put in the refrigerator. Chill for at least two hours. Devour!

Chocolate notes:  Most of the sugar-free chocolate on the market is sweetened with maltitol.  In fact, most of the sugar-free products on the market are sweetened with maltitol. Unfortunately, according to my online research, maltitol causes insulin to spike. Therefore. its usefulness as a sweetener for diabetics is limited. There are several nice non-maltitol-sweetend chocolates out there. ChocoPerfection, which is sweetened with inulin (chicory root) and erythritol, Coracao, which uses xylitol, and Xyla, which also uses xylitol. None of them are cheap, but it's worth it!

*Cornstarch Notes:  For reasons that are unclear to me, many of the sugar-free chocolates have a completely different thickening behavior in the pudding. While pudding made with regular chocolate requires only 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch, most sugar-free chocolates require 3 TB. If you use a mix of regular and sugar-free chocolate, the lower amount works up until approximately 50% regular chocolate. Otherwise, if using all sugar-free chocolate, I recommend using the higher amount. You will certainly find on the first batch (and I assure you, you will make more within a day or two!) whether you hit the right amount. If it's too thin or too thick, it's still completely delicious. Just adjust it on the next batch.

ChocoPerfection

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 Plum Butter

Plum Tree at our Community Garden

 It's early July, and plums are dropping like sticky rain all over Berkeley. From the tiny maroon fruits that blend into the leaves on the street trees, to the teeny bright red ones landing in the back yards, the full-sized purple and deep red ones, everyone with a plum tree has more than they can possibly manage.

Our neighbors Lisa and Brooks put out the call: come pick some plums - please! Naturally I hustled right on over, not having any idea what kind of plums were on offer. If they were large, I was thinking of galette or German pflaumenkuchen, if small, plum butter.  When I arrived, I found tiny ruby fruits covering a gigantic tree in their back yard, plonking all over the patio and grass, squishing under foot. Plum butter, here we come!  Good thing I bought some more canning jars.....

When the fruits are small, there is no need to do anything to them but rinse and drain them, sort out any rotten ones, and put them on the stove to cook with a little lemon juice and some calcium water.  You can filter out the pits and skins later using a food mill. If you don't have a food mill (I don't) a colander and a big pestle, wooden spoon or muddling stick will do just fine.

There are several flavor directions you can go in with plums to enhance their flavor; this recipe uses vanilla, which rounds out the flavor beautifully. I have also seen recipes calling for a piece of cinnamon stick instead, which sounds very good.  I wonder about star anise......

This recipe is completely, utterly delicious. I wonder if Lisa and Brooks have some more plums to spare....

Sugar-Free Plum Butter

6 pounds plums
2 vanilla beans, split OR 2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup lemon juice (I used Meyer variety)
4 TB calcium water
2 TB low-sugar pectin

2 3/4 cups erythritol
1 1/3 cups + 2 TB xylitol
1 tsp stevia extract powder
1 tsp unsalted butter

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 to a simmer and keep them hot and ready.

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

Prepare the fruit: wash and dry the plums. If large, cut in quarters and remove the pits. If small, put the whole fruits in an 8 quart, heavy stock pot, along with the calcium water and the lemon juice. If using vanilla beans, cut them in half lengthwise and add them to the pot. Put it on the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is completely softened, to the point of puree.

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

My antique pestle works great!

When the fruit is ready, turn off the heat and put the whole mixture into a food mill or colander placed over a large bowl or another stock pot.  If using the colander, use a large pestle, muddler, or wooden spoon to force the plum flesh through the holes and leave behind the skin and pits and vanilla beans. Be as thorough as possible, and be sure to scrape off the exterior of the mill or colander to get all the good flesh that is left on it.

Here it is after removing the pits and skin.

Put the filtered puree back in the stock pot and bring it back to a full, rolling boil over medium-high heat.  When it 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. Add the vanilla extract and the butter. (The butter is optional, but keeps the foam in check.) Bring it back to a full boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Taste and adjust sweetness as necessary.  Turn off the heat.  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 of jam 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 on your work surface. 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 work table, using the towel in your non-dominant hand to support the jars until you get it safely to its destination. Turn it upside down to drain out the extra water. Repeat until all of the jars are drained and ready. Scald your best ladle and wide-mouthed funnel in the boiling water and have them ready with your jars.

Turn the heat back on medium high underneath the pot of water and bring it back to a full boil while you jar 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. Again, if you have a wide-mouthed funnel, you are much less likely to spill the jam onto the jars and need to clean them. 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, reduce the heat to low, and again using your tongs, carefully lower the jars back in one at a time. (The shock of the boiling water can break the jar, which is a big messy bummer.) Boil them all for 10 full minutes, then remove them with your tongs, using the same tong/towel technique described above, and let them cool on the toweled work area. If necessary, work in batches.


Notes from Christine:

* Why the range of xylitol quantities?  The fruit varies widely in how sweet it is; if you have sweet fruit, use the lower amount, if tart, use the higher. You can always start with the smaller amount and add more if it needs it, but you can't subtract it once it's in!


"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 low in carbohydrates and is about as sweet as cane sugar.  It has a fairly neutral flavor, but a little bright, almost pepperminty quality. It can be found easily at a well-stocked health food store or really good grocery store.

Erythritol has 0 carbohydrates and is very neutral in flavor - yay! But it 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 - and 0 carbs! make 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.

Tangy Sugar-Free Apricot Jam

I never laid eyes on a fresh apricot until I moved to California.  For a special treat, we might crack open a can of apricots in heavy syrup after dinner, or get some dried in our Christmas stockings, but fresh? Never.  Apricots don't travel well; they really need to be picked when they're super ripe and flavorful, and they won't travel very far that way.  This is one fruit you are really best off buying super-ripe, straight from the grower at a farmer's market; then take them home and cook them up or eat them straight away.

In fact, apricots are at their very tastiest when they are ripe to the point of smooshi-ness.  When you are prepping them, just cut out the really dark bruises or tough scaly patches they sometimes get, (the tough skin doesn't soften as it cooks.) Be sure to use the really ripe soft ones - they are the best of all!

The 2011 California apricot crop was a complete bust, (bloom+rain = sleeping bees= no fruit) so I was unable to make jam.  Because I wanted to use sugar-free apricot jam in my almond butter thumbprint cookies, I wound up buying two different brands of xylitol-sweetened apricot jam.  Phooey.  They both just tasted like..... nothing. 

This recipe, which I adapted from Gourmet Cookbook, could never be called dull.  Tangy, flavorful - oh, boy!  (How good is it? I gave a jar to my friend Shiela, and she confessed to enjoying it so much she started eating it with a spoon straight out of the jar.)

Interestingly, the recipe includes almond extract, which is extracted from the "bitter almond" kernels inside the apricot pit; although you won't be able to detect the flavor of the almond in the jam, the extract enhances the apricot flavor on a very deep level. This jam will not disappoint!

Sugar-Free Apricot Jam
(adapted from Gourmet Cookbook)

A Case of Frog Hollow Seconds

5 pounds ripe organic apricots or apriums
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
10 tsp calcium water

2 1/2 - 3 cups erythritol
1 - 1 1/2 cups xylitol*
1 1/4 tsp stevia extract powder
7 1/2 tsp low sugar pectin (such as Pomona)
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp unsalted butter (this keeps the jam from foaming up)


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 to a simmer 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, remove the pits, cut the apricots in small chunks and put it in an 8 quart, heavy stock pot, along with the calcium water and the lemon juice. 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 into a medium-sized bowl; if the fruit is sweet, start with the smaller amount - you can always add more later. If the fruit is tart, you can go straight to the higher amount if you wish.  Add the pectin to the sweeteners and whisk them all well to combine.


Cook the fruit until it comes to a full boil, softens and becomes the consistency of chunky apple sauce.  (See picture below.) 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. Add the almond extract and the butter. (The butter is optional, but keeps the foam in check.) Bring it back to a full boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Taste and adjust sweetness as necessary.  Turn off the heat.  Get ready to can. (Don't worry if it isn't as thick as jam; it thickens as it cools.)

This jam is about ready to have the sweetener/pectin mix added

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 of jam 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 on your work surface. 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 work table, using the towel in your non-dominant hand to support the jars until you get it safely to its destination. Turn it upside down to drain out the extra water. Repeat until all of the jars are drained and ready. Scald your best ladle and wide-mouthed funnel in the boiling water and have them ready with your jars.

Turn the heat back on medium high underneath the pot of water and bring it back to a full boil while you jar 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. Again, if you have a wide-mouthed funnel, you are much less likely to spill the jam onto the jars and need to clean them. 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, reduce the heat to low, and again using your tongs, carefully lower the jars back in one at a time. (The shock of the boiling water can break the jar, which is a big messy bummer.) Boil them all for 10 full minutes, then remove them with your tongs, using the same tong/towel technique described above, and let them cool on the toweled work area. If necessary, work in batches.


Notes from Christine:

* Why the range of xylitol quantities?  The fruit varies widely in how sweet it is; if you have sweet fruit, use the lower amount, if tart, use the higher. You can always start with the smaller amount and add more if it needs it, but you can't subtract it once it's in!


"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 low in carbohydrates and is about as sweet as cane sugar.  It has a fairly neutral flavor, but a little bright, almost pepperminty quality. It can be found easily at a well-stocked health food store or really good grocery store.

Erythritol has 0 carbohydrates and is very neutral in flavor - yay! But it 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 - and 0 carbs! make 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.

Individual (Sugar-Free) Chocolate Lava Cake

Oops - we ate half of it before I remembered to photograph it!

So I was reading Sunset Magazine while on the cross-trainer at the Y when I came across this delicious sounding recipe from another food blogger, Joy Wilson.  Of course, I immediately started thinking about how to make a sugar-free version.... and then a gluten-free version... and then a sugar-free, gluten-free version. Sadly, my dear friend Nina is gone now (if you think you may have a gluten allergy, please please PLEASE get it checked out) but I still dabble a bit in gluten free recipes, as there is such a demand for them.

This recipe is an immediate, delicious, sure-fire winner.  As written, it makes one cake, but it can easily be adapted to make as many as you like.  While testing the recipe I made them two at a time, in different versions so I could speed up my recipe testing.

Individual Chocolate Lava Peanut Butter Cake
adapted from Joy the Baker

I.
 1/2 tsp butter
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

II.
1 TB unsalted butter
1 1/4 oz sugar-free, sweetened chocolate, broken into chunks (the best quality you can find)
1-2 TB smooth, salted, sugar-free "natural" peanut butter OR 1 TB bourbon

chocolate, butter and peanut butter

III.
3 tsp erythritol
1 tsp xylitol
3 tiny scoops stevia extract powder
1 generous pinch salt

IV.
1 large egg
1 tsp flour, OR 1 tsp gluten-free mix OR 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder


1.  Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Grease a 3/4 cup capacity ramekin with the 1/2 tsp of butter - feel free to use your fingers.  Sprinkle in the tsp of cocoa powder and shake it around to coat all of the surfaces.

2.  In a small heat-proof bowl, place the 1 TB butter and 1 1/4 ounces sweetened, sugar-free chocolate.  Put the bowl in a microwave, blast for a few seconds, check the contents. If it's beginning to melt, stir it up, and continue to blast, check, and stir until it is all melted. Stir until well combined.  Now stir in the peanut butter or bourbon.  You get to choose how peanut-buttery you want it to be.

3.  In another small bowl, combine all of the sweeteners and stir well to blend.  Add the sweeteners to the melted chocolate mix and stir well to combine.

4.  In the small bowl you just used, whisk the egg until well-combined.  Add the egg, tsp of flour/cocoa/gluten-free mix and pinch of salt to the melted chocolate mix. Stir well to combine.

5. Using a small spatula, scrape the mix into the buttered ramekin and smooth the surface.  Bake the cake on a baking sheet for about 12 minutes, until the rim is cake-y and the center is pudding-y.

6.  Cool for a couple of minutes, then run a knife around the edges to dislodge it from the ramekin onto your plate.  (Or just eat it out of the ramekin - why not?)  Eat it right away, while it's still all melt-y and good!

Batter ready for the oven.....

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.

Fudgy Rich Chocolatey Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Low-Carb Brownies

Just in case you need to be sugar-free AND gluten-free, here is a recipe that is sure to please.  It will surely please you, the sadly deprived baker (although you cannot possibly feel deprived when eating one of these luscious, moist, chocolatey treats.)  And it will just as surely please anyone else who eats one, whether or not they have to abstain.

Last night I made the maiden batch of these brownies for a school potluck.  (Naturally, I ate one first to make sure it was of the highest quality.) It was immensely gratifying to be able to offer one to a friend at the potluck who is actually allergic to sugar, as well as to those who are gluten intolerant; something for everyone!

And as with all of my recipes, it is super high-protein and super low-carb.  How satisfying is that?

5 oz sugar-free, sweetened dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter

1/2 cup erythritol
1/3 cup xylitol
7 tiny scoops stevia extract powder

2 TB unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
2 TB quinoa flour or gluten-free baking mix
2 TB soy protein
2 TB unsweetened, unflavored 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 small bowl, combine all the sweeteners and whisk to combine.

5.  In another small bowl, combine the flours and salt and whisk to combine. 

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

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

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

9.  Stir flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until well-combined.


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

11. 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.

12. 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.)

12. 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.

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.

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.