Cranberry Pecan Biscotti - KETO (Carolyn)

Crisp almond flour biscotti studded with cranberries and pecans and dipped in sugar-free chocolate. This easy low carb biscotti recipe is a classic holiday treat made keto! Perfect for gift giving or keeping all to yourself. 

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Servings: 15 Biscotti  |   Net Carbs 3 per Biscotti

Ingredients :

Biscotti:

• 2 cups almond flour
• ½ cup granular Swerve Sweetener
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (can also sub 1 tablespoon coconut flour)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• ¼ cup butter melted
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup sugar-free dried cranberries

Chocolate Dip:

• 3 ounces sugar-free dark chocolate chopped
• ½ ounce cocoa butter (or 1 tablespoon coconut oil)

White Chocolate Drizzle:

• 1 oz cacao butter, chopped
• 2 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener or other powdered erythritol
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Dark Chocolate:

• But the dark chocolate dip is my favorite anyway, and goes so well with the cranberries and pecans. 
• All I do is melt some Lily’s Dark Chocolate with a bit of cocoa butter so it melts more smoothly. Then I dip, you dip, we dip!

Instructions :

Biscotti:

• Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, Swerve, baking powder and xanthan gum. Stir in orange zest.
• Stir together melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until dough comes together. Add pecans and dried cranberries and stir until mixed throughout.
• Turn dough out onto baking sheet and form into low, flat log, 10 x 4 inches. Bake 25 minutes, or until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250F.
• With a sharp knife, gently cut into 15 even slices. Place slices back onto baking sheet cut-side down and bake for 15 minutes, then flip each slice and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let sit inside until cool.

Chocolate Dip:

• In microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth. 
• Dip ends of the biscotti in and lay on a waxed paper lined baking sheet until set (you can chill them to set the chocolate faster).

Notes :

• Making almond flour biscotti really isn’t very different from making conventional biscotti. The method is the same, baking a log of dough first and then slicing it and re-baking the slices. Done right, you will end up with crisp biscuits that are perfect for dipping into coffee or tea.
• But there are a few differences. Being gluten free means that these almond flour biscotti are a little more fragile and have to be handled with a bit of care when slicing. Here are my best tips for making low carb, gluten free biscotti.
• Be sure to use finely milled almond flour. That goes almost without saying. The finer your flour, the better your biscotti hold together, so try to use good blanched almond flour and not the more coarse almond meal. For all of my biscotti and other keto baked goods, I always use Bob’s Red Mill almond flour.
• To help it hold together even better, try adding a bit of xanthan gum or 1 tablespoon of coconut flour. The coconut flour helps make the biscotti a little drier, and you want a dry consistency for biscotti. Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to coconut flour as well.
• If you are adding nuts or cranberries into the mix, be sure to chop them finely before adding. Larger chunks can make it hard to slice the loaf properly.
• Keep your loaf on the small side, about 4 by 10 inches, so it’s easier to cut.
• When you cut, you want to gently saw first just to get through that crisp top layer, and then you want to cut straight down. If you saw the whole way through, it tends to make the ends break off.
• Be patient! Let the biscotti completely dry out in the warm oven. They may still seem a bit soft after the second baking but they will crisp up as they cool.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Sugar Free Dried Cranberries KETO (Carolyn)

Makes 8 servings   |  Total NET CARBS = 2.9

Simply cut each berry in half so that the moisture can escape more easily. Don’t try to do whole berries, as the tough skin of cranberries means they won’t lose moisture fast enough.

Simply toss the halved cranberries with the sweetener and oil until they are all well coated. Don’t skip the oil or your dried cranberries will be tough and crispy. They get a little crispy as it is but the oil makes a huge difference.

Store the cranberries in an airtight container. If they are well dried out, you can keep them on the counter for a few weeks. If they still have some moisture to them, they are best kept in the fridge.

Ingredients:

• 1 12 oz package fresh cranberries
• ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener (more if you like them sweeter)
• 2 tablespoon avocado oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut cranberries in half and toss in a bowl with sweetener and oil (this recipe has been changed from boiling the berries until they pop because cutting them is easier and not nearly as messy!).

Spread on prepared baking pan and separate each individual berry as best you can.

Place baking sheet in oven and let dry, 3 hours or longer.

Remove, let cool and transfer to an airtight container. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

"Oatmeal" Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies KETO (Carolyn)

Servings 24 cookies   |   2 Net Carbs per Cookie 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flaked coconut
• ¾ cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter softened
• ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
• 1 large egg room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
• ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries - recipe here

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flaked coconut and sliced almonds. Process until mixture resembles oatmeal. Add almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and pulse a few times to combine.

In a large bowl, beat butter with sweetener until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract and then beat in coconut/almond mixture until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Form into balls a little over 1 inch in diameter and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. With the heel of your hand, press cookies down to about ½ inch thickness.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and just barely firm to the touch. Remove and let cool on pan.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food - Video here

Nikki's Famous Beef Stroganoff **

I have been eating Stroganoff since I was a kid.  My mom used to add tomato paste and I have no idea what else ;-)  I just remember it being pink in color.  Fast forward 10 years, a colleague gave me a recipe which called for dill and no paste but ketchup.  Hmmmm...I love dill and thought, brilliant!  It didn't take long, 1 recipe go around, to make my own recipe.  And here it is.  I really do simmer it for hours because I love tender meat.  And let's be honest....the smell in your kitchen is AMAZING!  

Servings: 4 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ribeye steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 8 or 16 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced (depends on how much you like mushrooms)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh or dried dill
• 1 clove garlic, minced or more if you like garlic
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to make GF, use GF flour 1:1)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce OR Kitchen Bouquet
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth or beef stock
• 10 ounces medium or wide egg noodles
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus more for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cooking the Beef:

Season the beef with 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, untouched, until starting to turn brown, about 1 minute. Use tongs to flip the pieces and continue cooking until deep golden brown but still under cooked in the center, about 1 minute (the beef will finish cooking in the sauce). Transfer the beef to a bowl and return the skillet to the stove-top on medium-high.

Cooking the Vegetables:

Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up the browned bits in the pan, until the onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add another 2 tablespoons butter, the mushrooms and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally scraping up any browned bits, until the mushrooms have released some liquid and are starting to crisp up, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Cooking the Sauce:

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until incorporated. Fold in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pour in the beef broth and stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.  

Simmering Beef and Sauce:

Fold the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl into the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is cooked through but still slightly pink on the inside, about 1 minute. Simmer for 1-2 hours for really tender beef. (At this point you can transfer into a crock pot and put on low for 4 hours or high for an hour if you'd like).  After simmering, add sour cream and dill, stir until blended. 

Cooking Noodles:

When ready to eat, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.  Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the chopped parsley and chives.

Divide the noodles between 4 bowls and top with the sauce and beef. Sprinkle with more chives, if desired. 

Source: Me!

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake KETO (Carolyn)

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16 Servings | 4 Net Carbs

Ingredients :

Cinnamon Crumb:

• ¼ cup almond flour
• 1 tablespoon Swerve Sweetener
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Cake:

• 3 cups almond flour
• 6 tablespoon unflavored whey protein powder
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter softened
• ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
• 3 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon apple flavoring
• ¼ teaspoon stevia extract
• ⅔ cup almond milk
• 1 medium apple peeled and cored, chopped fine

Caramel Sauce

• ¼ cup butter
• 3 tablespoon Swerve Brown
• 3 tablespoon Bocha Sweet
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
• ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 2 tablespoon water

For Salted Caramel Sauce:

• ½ teaspoon additional kosher salt or sea salt

Instructions:

Cinnamon Crumb

• Whisk together almond flour, Swerve and cinnamon. Cut in butter and use your fingers to rub together until small crumbs form. Set aside.

Cake

• Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, whey protein, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat butter with Swerve until smooth. Beat in eggs, apple flavoring and stevia extract.
• Beat in almond flour mixture in two additions, alternating with almond milk. Stir in chopped apples.
• Spread batter in the prepared pan. Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over top and swirl into the batter with a knife.
• Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon crumb mixture. Bake another 25 minutes, or until golden brown and center is set (if your cake is browning too quickly, cover with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking).
• Remove from oven and let cool. Then run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen sides. Remove sides and drizzle with remaining caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, Swerve, and Bocha Sweet. Bring to a boil and cook 3 to 5 minutes (be careful not to burn it).

• Remove from heat and add cream. Mixture will bubble vigorously.

• Sprinkle with xanthan gum and whisk vigorously to combine. Add salt.

• Return the mixture to heat and boil 1 more minute. Let cool to lukewarm and stir in water until well combined.

• For salted caramel, simply stir in additional salt at the end.

• The sauce can be stored in the fridge for a week or so (I've actually stored mine for several weeks). Just gently reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan to make it pourable again.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Cranberry Cheesecake Pie KETO (Carolyn)

Another great low carb contender for your holiday dessert table. This grain-free keto cranberry cheesecake pie makes a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas treat.

Serves 10 |  5.14g NET CARBS

Ingredients:

Cranberry Sauce

• 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen is fine)
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup Swerve, Granular
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Crust

• 1 ¾ cup almond flour
• ½ cup Swerve, Granulated
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 7 tbsp butter, melted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup Swerve, Confectioners
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tbsp whipping cream, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Cranberry Sauce

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cranberries and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cranberries have popped and can be easily mashed, about 7 minutes. Stir in Swerve and lemon zest and mash up a little. Set aside to cool.

Crust

Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, Swerve, coconut flour, and salt. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until dough begins to clump together. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture.

Press the remaining crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate or a 10-inch tart pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Filling

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and Swerve together until well combined. Beat in the egg, cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Spread cheesecake mixture into crust. Dollop with cranberry sauce and swirl lightly with a knife. Stir pecans, if using, into reserved crust mixture and sprinkle over filling.

Cover lightly with foil and bake 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheesecake filling is set.

Remove and let cool, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Cranberry Nut Cinnamon Rolls – KETO (Carolyn)

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Servings:  8  |  Net Carbs 4.3

Ingredients :

Dough

• 1 recipe dough from Keto Bagels
• 3 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• ½ cup Brown Swerve (or regular Swerve)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ cup fresh cranberries finely chopped (use a food processor if you can)
• ⅓ cup chopped toasted pecans

Cream Cheese Icing

• 2 ounces cream cheese softened
• 3 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream room temperature
• 1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
• Water to thin as necessary

Instructions:

Dough:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper. Lay a large silicone mat on a work surface and lightly grease the mat to help prevent the dough from sticking.

• Follow the directions for the bagel dough except add the powdered sweetener along with coconut flour in the first step and add the vanilla in the second step.

• Turn the dough out onto the prepared work surface and knead a few times until uniform. Cover with parchment or waxed paper and roll out to a large rectangle, about 15 by 12 inches.

Filling:

• Brush the triangle with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sweetener and the cinnamon, leaving a ½ inch border all around the dough. Sprinkle with the chopped cranberries and pecans. 

• Starting at a long end, roll the dough up tightly and pinch the seam closed. Use a very sharp knife to slice into 8 even rolls (I always cut about 1 inch off the ends of the roll as those don't have a lot of filling. This allows you to cut more even slices). 

• Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan and bake about 30 minutes, until the rolls have puffed and spread a bit, and the tops are golden brown. Remove and let cool. 

Cream Cheese Icing:

• In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sweetener until well combined. Beat in the heavy cream and the orange zest, if using. 

• Beat in enough water to thin to a pour-able consistency. Drizzle icing over the rolls. 

Notes:

• Coconut flour can be a tricky keto flour to work with, because it can vary a great deal brand to brand. I always ALWAYS use Bob’s Red Mill as it produces the most consistent results in baked goods. If you use another brand, you may find that you need to work in a little more flour as you knead the dough. If your dough is particularly greasy and sticky, sprinkle with a tablespoon or so more coconut flour and work it in with your hands.

• Accurate measuring is key. Even when you use the same brand every time, you can mis-measure easily when using volume measurements. Weight is the most accurate way to measure dry ingredients but not all of us own kitchen scales. So again, you may need to work in a bit more flour as you knead the dough. It’s always good to have the bag of coconut flour handy to sprinkle your dough with a little extra.

• Grease the work surface.You need your dough to come up easily as you roll it into a log. When it comes to any fathead dough, I find that the easiest way to ensure release from the work surface is to brush it with oil. I usually brush with a little avocado oil, but you could spray with coconut oil spray too.

• Cover with parchment for rolling out. Once the cinnamon roll dough is ready to be shaped, you want to use some parchment or some waxed paper before you roll it. If you don’t, it may stick to your rolling pin and ruining what you’ve already done.

• Brush the dough with melted butter. This helps the filling stick and also makes it gooey and delicious during baking. I used Brown Swerve for the sweetener in these keto rolls but you can easily use any granulated sweetener.

• Roll up carefully and pinch the seam. It’s easiest to start with the long end that’s farthest from you and to roll the dough toward yourself. If it’s sticking a bit, get a sharp knife or offset spatula to help lift it as you go. Roll as tightly as you can and be sure to pinch the seam shut so it doesn’t unravel during baking.

• Use a sharp knife to cut. A good large sharp knife will easily cut through this coconut flour dough and make clean round rolls. I always cut of the very end bits of the dough log, because they don’t have much filling to them. That way I get 8 even rolls perfect for baking.

Source: All Day I Dream About Food

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake KETO (Carolyn)

Servings:  1/16 of cake | Net Carbs: 3.6

This seriously is a dreamy keto coffee cake recipe. It hits all the right notes, tender cake filled with creamy cheesecake and raspberries. Trust me, you’re going to love it!  Low carb almond flour coffee cake with a ribbon of cream cheese and studded with fresh raspberries. This might just be my most popular keto coffee cake recipe!

Ingredients:

Cake Batter:

• 2 cups almond flour
• ⅓ cup coconut flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter softened
• ⅔ cup granulated Swerve Sweetener
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• ¾ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or half heavy cream/half water)

Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ½ cup granulated Swerve Sweetener (can use powdered too)
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup fresh raspberries rinsed and dried

Topping:

• 2 tablespoon sliced almonds

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325F and grease a 9-inch square baking pan (you can also use an 8x8 pan, but you will need to bake the cake for longer).

For the cake batter, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until well combined. Beat in the eggs and almond extract.

Beat in the almond flour mixture until combined, scraping down sides of bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the almond milk until well combined. Set aside while making the filling.

For the filling, beat the cream cheese with granulated sweetener until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

To assemble the cake, spread about two thirds of the cake batter in the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a knife or an offset spatula.

Pour the cream cheese mixture over batter in pan and sprinkle with raspberries. Dot the remaining batter over the filling in small spoonfuls, allowing some of the filling to peek through. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is light golden brown and filling is just set but still jiggles slightly in the middle. Remove and let cool completely, then transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.

Keep refrigerated until served.

NOTES:

This delicious low carb recipe is an almond flour coffee cake with a cheesecake filling. It’s really not hard to make, but here are some tips for success.

Use good blanched almond flour. I always use Bob’s Red Mill because I know it produces consistent results for my recipes. This cake is actually made with both their almond flour and coconut flour.

Make the cake batter first, and spread two thirds of it in a prepared baking pan. I used a 9×9 metal pan. Be sure to spread the batter all the way to the edges of the pan. My favorite tool for this is my little offset spatula from Ateco. It’s one of my most useful kitchen tools and it only costs $5! Check it out HERE.

Prepare the cheesecake filling and pour it over the cake batter, and spread it to the edges as well. Then dot the raspberries over. If you want to cut back on the carbs a little, use just a cup of raspberries.

Fresh raspberries are best, because they don’t bleed as much during baking as the frozen ones. But you can use frozen and the end results will be just as delicious.

Take the cake out when the top is golden but the center still jiggles a little bit. This ensures that your cheesecake filling won’t be overcooked and too hard. This should be ooey and gooey!

I flavored my batter with almond extract, because almond and raspberry is a dreamy combination. But if you want to stick with vanilla, that’s fine too.

As for sweeteners, you can use your favorite granulated sweetener for the cake. The filling can work with either granulated or powdered sweeteners.

Want to make a dairy-free cream cheese coffee cake? Coconut oil works well for the butter and Kite Hill Almond Milk Cream Cheese is great in the filling!

Source:  All Dream I Dream About Food

The Ultimate Chocolate Cake KETO (Carolyn)

Servings 16 | Net Carbs 4

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2 cups almond flour
• ¾ cup Swerve Sweetener
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 large eggs
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dairy Free Chocolate Frosting

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
• ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp coconut oil divided
• 4 ounces dairy free cream cheese softened
• 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ to ½ cup full fat coconut milk

Instructions:

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment and grease the parchment.

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.

Stir in the mayonnaise, eggs, water, and vanilla extract until well combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and spread to the edges and smooth the tops.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the cakes are just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for at least 20 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.

Dairy Free Frosting

Place the chocolate and 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Melt on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Alternatively, you can melt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.

Place the remaining coconut oil in a large bowl. If it is very hard, microwave it for 15 seconds or so. It should be softe enough to beat without being melted. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the sweetener and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.

Drizzle in the melted chocolate and beat again until smooth. Add the coconut milk a few tablespoons at a time until a spreadable consistency is achieved.

To assemble:

Place one layer of cake on a large plate or cake platter. Top with one third of the frosting, spreading to the edges.

Gently place the second layer of cake on top and spread the top with another third of the frosting.

Spread the the sides with the remaining frosting.

Notes:

HOW TO MAKE KETO CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE

Don’t be intimidated by this cake, as it’s actually quite easy to make. Be sure to check out the video in my recipe card for all the tips and tricks!

GREASE AND LINE YOUR CAKE PANS

Grease two 8 inch cake pans and then line them with parchment paper circles. You can buy pre-cut circles like these ones (very useful!), or you can simply cut them out yourself. This helps keep your cake from sticking, no matter how good, or not, your cake pans are.

WHISK THE DRY INGREDIENTS

This is an almond-flour based recipe, but you can try substituting sunflower seed flour if you need to be nut free. And the espresso powder is optional, but it does help deepen the chocolate flavor. I promise it won’t taste like coffee in the end.

STIR IN THE MAYONNAISE

Mayonnaise takes the place of butter and creates an unbelievably moist cake. It also makes the cake easier than many, because there is no need to cream the fat with the sweetener. One less step and one less bowl to clean!

WHISK IN THE OTHER WET INGREDIENTS

The only other additions are eggs, water, and vanilla. Because it’s made with mayonnaise, this keto chocolate cake it totally dairy free.

BAKE UNTIL JUST FIRM

Baking is said to be a science, but knowing when your cakes are done is more of an art, in my opinion. Every oven is different, and that’s why my recipes give you a range of bake time.

Tactile and visual cues are much more accurate. So in this case, you want the cake to feel firm to the touch, and spring back when lightly pressed.

HOW TO FROST KETO CHOCOLATE CAKE

You have lots of options here and you are not limited to the dairy free frosting recipe I included. The sky’s the limit! Here are some other delicious ideas:

Best Keto Chocolate Frosting KETO

Swiss Meringue Buttercream KETO

Chantilly Cream Frosting KETO

Sugar Free Peanut Butter Frosting KETO

Caramel Frosting (you will need to make 1.5 times the amount for a two layer cake). KETO

Cookies and Cream Frosting KETO

CAN YOU MAKE KETO CHOCOLATE CAKE IN ADVANCE?

This is a great recipe for making ahead by a day or two. I think keto frosting are always best fresh, so I recommend making the cakes and frosting it on the day you plan to serve it.

The cake layers can be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the finished cake, but the frosting may change consistency somewhat after it thaws.

Source: All Day I Dream About Food - Video here

The Best Garlic Baked Pork Tenderloin **

The Best Garlic Baked Pork Tenderloin recipe - delicious easy melt in your mouth tender pork tenderloin in a buttery garlic sauce.  The first time I made this, I told my family that I will never cook it any other way!!  SOOOOO moist and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp celtic sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 2 lb pork tenderloin, optional: pre-marinate pork before cooking
• 4 tbsp butter, sliced into 4-6 pats
• 2 tbsp diced garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil*
• 1 tsp dried oregano*
• 1 tsp dried thyme*
• 1 tsp dried parsley*
• ½ tsp dried sage*
• *OR 2 tbsp Italian Herb Seasoning Blend

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, and sage. Set aside.

Generously season meat with salt and pepper.

In a large pan, heat oil until shimmery.

Add to pan, and cook on all sides until dark golden brown.

Transfer to baking sheet.

Generously coat with herb mix.

Place pats of butter on top of the pork.

Wrap in foil, bake until meat is 145 degrees internally at the widest, thickest part of the tenderloin (about 25 minutes.)

When pork has come to temperature, remove and let rest, tented with foil, for at least five minutes to lock in juices.

Slice against the grain and serve immediately.

NOTES:

Marinate before cooking. Marinating or brining a tenderloin before cooking will always help to soften the meat and keep it from drying out. I love using a bottle of simple Italian Dressing or a cup of olive oil with some lemon juice, salt, and pepper for an easy overnight marinade. I'm not calling for marinade in this specific recipe because we're wrapping it in foil and slathering it in butter so it cooks in its own sort of gravy (I designed this recipe to taste great even if you didn't remember to marinate) - if you'd like to kick your dinner up a bit, or are trying a different technique, marinating makes this recipe taste even better.

Don't overcook. Pork dries out very quickly when overcooked - and the meat can become tough and very chewy. I pull my tenderloin at 140 degrees and tent with foil to continue carryover cooking as it rests for about 10 minutes before serving.

Remove silver skin. If your tenderloin has a large sliver skin (the tough, white membrane that is often trimmed off and removed by many grocers, but is sometimes still left on), you can remove it by making a small slit with a sharp knife and pulling the membrane off the tenderloin to remove before marinating and cooking. This process is just like removing silver skin from ribs.

Add different spices to your taste. I like to take these tips to make all sorts of flavor combinations in addition - you can make this recipe with all sorts of herbs and spices!

Brown before roasting. Get a good sear in a cast iron or heavy pan before baking. Getting a good sear first helps seal in the juices from the pork and brings a rich, caramelized flavor that makes this recipe irresistible! Searing meat before baking also helps it look less gray, giving it a much more appetizing appearance.

Let rest. Let meat rest for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven to lock in the juices - don't cut too early, or they will all run out!

Cook to 145 degrees. The USDA set the guideline of 145 degrees as a safe temperature for pork consumption. This might look a touch pink - pink pork is no longer an indicator of "doneness", or that the tenderloin is unsafe to eat, as long as it has reached 145 degrees. Don't overcook out of fear and turn your dinner tough and dry!

Cooking to 145 means removing tenderloin from the oven at 140 degrees - as it will carryover cook the additional 5 degrees in the foil as you let it rest.

What temperature should I cook pork at?  This recipe calls for baking pork at 350 degrees in a foil pouch.  While this is lower than many roast pork recipes, it works with the pouch to keep your pork from drying out and staying tender and juicy!

Should I Use Fresh or Dried Herbs?  You can use either fresh or dried herbs in this recipe.   If using fresh, you might want to add a bit more, since dried herbs are more intense.

Can Pork Be Pink?  Pork can be slightly pink and fully safe to eat as long as it has reached 145 degrees internal temperature.

When is pork tenderloin done cooking?  Pork needs to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees to remove the risk of foodborne illness, but this will sometimes still have a light pink color.

When should I take pork tenderloin out of the oven?  Remove baked pork tenderloin from the oven at 140 degrees as it will carryover cook to 145 degrees as it rests before serving.

How can I reheat pork?  Pork can be reheated in a foil pouch, baked in the oven at 350 degrees until it reached 140 degrees F.  It can also be pan fried with a little butter, or microwaved, to reheat.

Do I need to remove silver skin from pork tenderloin?  If your tenderloin has a large silver skin you may remove it, however, this method will give you tender pork regardless.

Source: sweetcsdesigns.com

BLT Bites ** Winner!

I made these for my friend's birthday party and they were gone in no time!  They are a bit time consuming so make sure you allow some extra time and if you can recruit a helper, all the better!  I doubled the recipe but could have tripled it or more! I garnished with butter lettuce around the platter.  I will be making these all the time!  

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces bacon, chopped
• 3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan 
• 1 teaspoon mayonnaise 
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 
• Pinch kosher salt 
• 1/2 heart of romaine lettuce, shredded 
• 6 to 8 cocktail or Campari tomatoes

Instructions:

Place the bacon in a small skillet; heat over medium heat until beginning to sizzle. Reduce the heat to medium low; cook until crisp and golden brown, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.

Add the breadcrumbs to the hot bacon fat; cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted and crunchy, about 3 minutes. Remove the breadcrumbs to a separate paper towel-lined plate, spread evenly, and then sprinkle with the Parmesan to melt slightly.

With a rubber spatula, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and salt in a bowl. Add the shredded romaine; toss well to coat.

Cut a small amount off the bottom of each tomato to create a flat surface to sit on. (Very important! otherwise they roll all over!)  Then cut off the tops as well. Run a small knife around the inside of the tomatoes to loosen the flesh. Using a 1/2-teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop out and discard the insides of each tomato (I used a small melon baller and it worked like a charm!)

Divide the bacon among the tomatoes, pushing it down slightly. Top with some of the romaine, followed by the bacon-Parmesan breadcrumbs. Serve at room temperature.

Source:  Giada Video here