The Low-Carb Diabetes Solution Cookbook (23 page)

1
/
4
cup (60 ml) heavy cream

1 can (12 ounces, or 355 ml) sugar-free soda, flavor of your choice, well chilled

YIELD:
1 serving 205 calories; 22 g fat; 1 g protein; 2 g carbohydrate; 0 g dietary fiber per serving

Simply pour the cream into the bottom of a large glass, and pour the soda over it.

I
deally, you'll be eating three meals per day, each with 5 grams or fewer of carbohydrate. Yet you're permitted a total of 20 grams. So where do the other 5 grams come from?

Guess what? They can come from dessert, if you like. You will find here a broad variety of desserts, some super-simple, some to satisfy your inner baker. Because they're nutritious, some can even serve as a quick breakfast.

A word of warning: Keep a sharp eye on portions. If you have a problem with sweets, you may do best to skip these recipes at the start. Or you can divide them up into portions, and refrigerate or freeze them that way, so you only take out one serving at a time. When my sister Kim was a little girl, and she was tempted by something she knew was off-limits, she'd say, “Put it in a high place, Mommy.” Food that is not in your line of sight is less likely to speak to you.

These make a nice little nibble after dinner, and are perfect with a cup of coffee. Take care when frying these—it's a quick jump from done to burnt.

1
1
/
2
cups (150 g) walnuts

Boiling water, as needed

1
/
2
teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon (15 g) erythritol

Coconut oil, for frying

YIELD:
6 servings 191 calories; 18 g fat; 8 g protein; 4 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber per serving

Put your walnuts in a bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let them sit for just 4 or 5 minutes, then drain well.

Add the vanilla, and toss till it's evenly distributed. Add the erythritol, and toss until they're all evenly coated. Now spread your walnuts on a plate, and let them dry for an hour or two. This will minimize spitting when you fry them.

Put your big, heavy skillet over medium heat, and add
1
/
4
inch (6 mm) of coconut oil. Let it get hot, then fry your walnuts a handful at a time, till just crisp. Cool, and store in a tightly lidded container.

Yummy! Butter-nut-cinnamon goodness. If you have any people with diabetes on your holiday gift list, tins of these make a nice present.

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter

1 cup (100 g) shelled walnuts, pecans, or a combination of the two (I like the combo)

1
1
/
2
to 2 tablespoons (22 to 30 g) erythritol

1
/
2
teaspoon ground cinnamon

YIELD:
4 servings (or possibly 5; remember, this is just a nibble) 239 calories; 24 g fat; 5 g protein; 5 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber per serving

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then add the nuts. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring from time to time. Then turn off the heat, and
immediately
sprinkle the erythritol and cinnamon over the top, and stir to distribute. (If you wait for the nuts to cool, the sweetener doesn't stick nearly as well.) I like these best warm, although they're quite nice when cooled.

Another bonus: These cheesecakes are filling enough that a slice can stand in for breakfast. How's that for an eye-opener?!

This recipe was named by the reader who contributed it for
500 More Low-Carb Recipes
. For a great add-on, pour a tablespoon (15 ml) or so of your favorite flavor of sugar-free coffee flavoring syrup over your slice of cheesecake.

2 pounds (900 g) cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups (50 g) Splenda
*

3 tablespoons (45 ml) heavy cream

5 eggs

*
Alternative Sweeteners

2 cups (96 g) Stevia in the Raw

2 teaspoons liquid stevia (you could play with flavors)

2 teaspoons EZ-Sweetz Family Size

1 teaspoon EZ-Sweetz Travel Size

YIELD:
10 servings 365 calories; 36 g fat; 10 g protein; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g dietary fiber per serving

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5).

Mix everything together thoroughly with an electric mixer. Spread in a buttered 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250°F (120°C) and bake for an additional hour.

At the end of the hour, remove the cake and run a knife around the edge of the pan.

Return the cake to the warm oven and let it sit until the oven cools (approximately another hour).

Chill in the fridge overnight and enjoy!

Linda Guiffre, who donated this recipe for
500 More Low-Carb Recipes
, says: “I drive a lot for my job so I'm particularly interested in portable food. These muffins are very quick and easy, and are pretty enough for company. They're also delicious and make a great snack or breakfast on the go.”

FOR MUFFINS:

5 eggs

16 ounces (450 g) full-fat ricotta

8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, softened

1 cup (25 g) Splenda
*

1 teaspoon almond extract

1
/
2
teaspoon vanilla extract

1
1
/
2
tablespoons (8 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

FOR TOPPING:

1
/
2
cup (115 g) sour cream

1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda
*

1
/
4
teaspoon vanilla extract

*
Alternative Sweeteners

For muffins:

1
/
2
cup (120 g) erythritol
and
1
/
2
teaspoon liquid stevia (plain or vanilla)

1 cup (48 g) Stevia in the Raw

1
/
2
teaspoon EZ-Sweetz Family Size

1
/
4
teaspoon EZ-Sweetz Travel Size

For topping:

1 tablespoon (3 g) Stevia in the Raw

18 drops liquid stevia (vanilla)

YIELD:
12 servings 182 calories; 15 g fat; 8 g protein; 3 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber per serving

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).

To make the muffins, in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs briefly until blended. Add the rest of the muffin ingredients, except the cocoa, to the bowl, and beat until completely blended.

Pour into muffin pans lined with cupcake liners (you'll need 12 liners) until about one-fifth of the batter remains in the bowl. Add the cocoa powder to the remaining batter (there is no need to worry about or be exact with amount of batter left over in the bowl; this recipe is very forgiving). Mix it in.

Slowly pour a dollop of the cocoa batter into the center of each cupcake so that you have a two-toned design. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is puffy and slightly cracked, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out relatively clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to cool for a few minutes.

To make the topping, while the cupcakes are cooling, mix the topping ingredients together. Drop a rounded teaspoon of the topping onto the center of each cupcake (no need to flatten or shape) and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Cool and keep refrigerated. These freeze wonderfully, so you can always have some on hand.

Linda adds: “For an impressive dessert presentation I make this cheesecake in a 7-inch [18 cm] springform pan, pouring the cocoa batter in a concentric design. I increase the topping to
3
/
4
cup [172 g] sour cream, 1
1
/
2
tablespoons [2.25 g] Splenda, and
1
/
3
teaspoon vanilla extract and spread it over the cheesecake. It's beautiful when sliced and gives the impression of being very labor-intensive—only you will know differently.”

This idea has been going around the Internet to great reviews. It's so easy and simple, I had to pass it on. Bonus: The brightly colored balls are so pretty, a mixed plate of them would be nice to offer to company.

8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, chilled

1 package (0.3 ounce, or 8.5 g) sugar-free gelatin, any flavor

YIELD:
8 servings 103 calories; 10 g fat; 3 g protein; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g dietary fiber per serving

Cut your bar of cream cheese into 16 equal chunks. Use clean hands to roll each into a ball.

Pour the gelatin onto a plate, and roll each ball in the powder to coat. That's it.

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge.

Like a light-and-fluffy cheesecake in a cup. If raw eggs worry you, look for pasteurized eggs.

2 tablespoons (28 ml) cold water

1 tablespoon (7 g) unflavored gelatin

1
/
4
cup (60 ml) lemon juice

4 egg whites

1
/
4
teaspoon cream of tartar

8 ounces (230 g) cream cheese

1
/
4
teaspoon liquid stevia
*
(lemon drop), or more to taste

1 egg

1
/
2
cup (115 g) sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

*
Alternative Sweeteners

1
/
4
cup (6 g) Splenda or (12 g) Stevia in the Raw

12 drops EZ-Sweetz Family Size

6 drops EZ-Sweets Travel Size

YIELD:
8 servings 156 calories; 13 g fat; 5 g protein; 4 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber per serving

First put the water in a small cup, and sprinkle the gelatin on top to soften. Let that sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put your lemon juice it in a small, nonreactive saucepan over low heat, and warm it up. When the gelatin is softened, add it to the lemon juice, and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved and there are no granules left.

Now you need to beat your egg whites. Make sure the bowl and the beaters are completely grease-free, and that there's not even a tiny speck of yolk in your egg whites, or they won't whip! Beat them until they're frothy, then add the cream of tartar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside for a minute or two while you do the next step.

In a mixing bowl, use your electric mixer to beat the cream cheese with the stevia and egg until it's light and fluffy. Now beat in the sour cream, lemon zest, and the gelatin mixture.

Gently fold this cream cheese mixture into the egg whites. Now pour the mousse into 8 pretty dessert dishes, and chill for at least 4 to 6 hours before serving.

I adore baked custard, and this one is rich and silky. It's a great dessert, but consider this for breakfast as well.

2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream

1
/
3
cup (80 g) erythritol
*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1
/
2
teaspoon liquid stevia
*
(vanilla)

6 eggs

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground nutmeg

8 tablespoons (120 ml) sugar-free caramel coffee flavoring syrup

*
Alternative Sweeteners

To replace both the erythritol and the liquid stevia:

3
/
4
cup (18 g) Splenda or (36 g) Stevia in the Raw

1
/
3
teaspoon EZ-Sweetz Family Size

18 drops EZ-Sweetz Travel Size

(When making any of these substitutions, add an extra
1
/
4
teaspoon vanilla extract.)

To replace only the liquid stevia:

1
/
2
cup (12 g) Splenda or (24 g) Stevia in the Raw

1
/
4
teaspoon EZ Sweets Family Size

12 drops EZ-Sweetz Travel Size

YIELD:
8 servings 256 calories; 25 g fat; 5 g protein; 2 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber per serving

Preheat oven to 350°F (´°C, or gas mark 4). Grease a 10-inch (25 cm) pie plate or a 9
1
/
2
-inch (24 cm) deep-dish pie plate.

Put the cream, erythritol, vanilla, stevia, eggs, salt, and nutmeg in your blender, and run till it's all well combined.

Put a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Place the prepared pie plate in it. Pour water in the outer pan up to within about
1
/
2
inch (1 cm) of the rim of the pie plate. Now pour the custard mixture into the pie plate.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until just set.

Carefully remove the pie plate from the water bath to let it cool for 30 minutes before chilling.

You can run a knife around the edge and invert the flan onto a plate, then top with the caramel syrup to serve, but it's easier to just cut wedges like a pie, or spoon it out. Still top it with the syrup to serve!

Love Walkers Shortbread cookies? You have to try these!

2 cups (270 g) hazelnuts

1 cup (128 g) vanilla whey protein powder

1
/
2
teaspoon salt

1
/
4
teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (225 g) butter, at room temperature

1
/
2
cup (120 g) powdered erythritol
*

1 egg

2 tablespoons (28 ml) water

*
Alternative Sweeteners

1
/
2
cup (12 g) Splenda or (24 g) Stevia in the Raw

YIELD:
48 servings (1 cookie) 91 calories; 8 g fat; 5 g protein; 1 g carbohydrate; trace dietary fiber per serving