Chocolate Cream Cheese Zucchini Bread KETO ( Carolyn)

 Summer brings an abundance of zucchini. Taking zucchini bread up a notch by adding chocolate. Awesome. But wait, add a cream cheesecake swirl and it's decadent and super awesome!!

Servings: 12    |    Net Carb:   4

Ingredients:

Zucchini: You need about 12 ounces of zucchini for this recipe, give or take an ounce. It should be weighed prior to draining and squeezing.

Cream cheese: Soften the cream cheese properly before beating it. You should be able to poke it lightly with a finger and leave a good dent in it.

Sweetener: I used Swerve Confectioners for the cream cheese ribbon, and Swerve Granular for the bread. If you can only purchase one, get the Confectioners variety as it can be used in both parts. You can also use BochaSweet or allulose.

Almond flour: If you want a nut-free keto chocolate zucchini bread, use sunflower seed flour.

Cocoa powder: I recommend dutch process cocoa powder for a richer, deeper chocolate flavor.

Protein powder: Protein powder helps keto baked goods rise properly in the absence of gluten. I recommend using grass-fed whey protein or egg white protein.

Eggs: You need three large eggs for this recipe.

Butter: Make sure the melted butter is not too hot when you add it in.

Pantry staples: Salt, baking powder, vanilla extract

Tips:

Baking pan: Loaf pans come in 8×4 inches and 9×5 inches. The smaller sized pan produces a taller loaf, but it does take longer to cook through. Whereas 9×5 inch pans produce a wider, shorter loaf that bakes faster.

I do recommend using a metal pan for this recipe, as glass and ceramic don’t conduct heat efficiently. But once they do heat up, they hold the heat too much. The outside of your bread will cook much faster than the middle.

Zucchini weight: Measure out the zucchini before you salt it and drain it, for accuracy. Zucchinis differ greatly in size so measuring by weight is best for this recipe.

You can skip the cream cheese swirl if you prefer. The bread will cook through faster so keep your eye on it.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz grated zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)
• ½ teaspoon salt divided
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ⅓ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract divided
• 2 cups almond flour
• ⅔ cup Swerve Granular
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup unflavored whey protein powder or egg white protein powder
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• ⅓ cup melted butter

Instructions:

Place the zucchini in a sieve and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss to combine, then let drain one hour. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a metal loaf pan well. 8×4 inch pans will take longer to bake than 9×5 inch pans but both work.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sweetener and ½ teaspoon of the vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, granulated sweetener, cocoa powder, protein powder, baking powder, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

Add the zucchini, the eggs, melted butter, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir until nicely combined. The batter should be scoopable but not quite pourable. If it's too thick, add a little water, one tablespoon at a time.

Spread half of the batter in the prepared loaf pan, and dollop with half of the cream cheese mixture. Swirl to combine, then repeat with the remaining batter and remaining cream cheese mixture.

Bake 45 to 60 minutes (more for 8×4 inch pans, less for 9×5 inch pans), until the top of the bread is just firm to the touch. (The cream cheese swirl will still feel soft).

Remove and let cool 1 hour, then run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan and flip the bread out onto a plate to cool completely.

Notes:

Storage Instructions: Because of the cream cheese swirl, this bread should be stored in the fridge. Wrap it up tightly and store for up to 7 days. 

It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. 

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Smokey BBQ Sauce KETO (Carolyn)

This easy low carb BBQ sauce is totally going to blow your mind. It requires no cooking, just whisk together the ingredients and you’ve got the best BBQ sauce on the planet. Sweet, smoky, tangy and totally sugar free!  You are simply not going to believe how easy this low carb sugar free BBQ sauce is!

Servings 6   |    Net Carbs 3 per 2 Tbsp

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sugar-free ketchup I highly recommend Primal Kitchen
• 3 tablespoon Brown Sugar Swerve
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tablespoon liquid smoke optional but highly recommended
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle powder

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until the brown sugar substitute dissolves, about 2 minutes. 

That's it. That's all. You're done. Go slather it on some delicious grilled meat!

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Spaghetti Sauce KETO (me)

This keto spaghetti sauce is a thick, rich, and versatile sauce that is perfect over pasta, proteins, or even vegetables! Made with simple ingredients, you won’t believe it is low carb! 2 grams net carbs per serving. 

Servings: 12   |  Net Carbs: 2

Let's talk about tomatoes...

It's so important to use quality tomatoes!  My favorite is San Marzano tomatoes.  Yeah, they are more expensive but so worth it.  I could eat them straight out of the can! I either get whole and break them apart with my hands (good stress reliever) or a potato masher.  Be careful, they squirt!  I like to have diced on hand too.  You can mix 1 can crushed with another whole or diced for more texture.  Once you taste the difference of San Marzano. you will never go back.  Most canned tomatoes are peeled in chemicals.  San Marzano comes from a specific region in Italy.  Make sure you don't get fooled by a can that says "San Marzano Style".  That's NOT San Marzano!  Here's my favorites that are certified:

Ingredients:

Onion– Adds a lovely flavor to the sauce, especially when paired with garlic. 

Celery– Thickens the sauce and adds some green. 

Garlic– A must for any good tomato-based sauce. 

Olive oil– Use garlic or chili-infused oil for some added punch. 

Crushed tomatoes– Most grocery stores stock Italian-style crushed tomatoes, which are preferred. If you can only find the standard kind, that works well too. Just be sure there is no added sugar in the canned tomatoes. 

Granulated sweetener of choice– Just a dash to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes. 

Basil– Fresh is preferred, but dried can also be used. 

Italian Seasoning - essential in this sauce

Crushed red pepper flakes (optional) I like add some heat.

Salt and pepper– To taste. 

• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup basil roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes 

Instructions: 

Start by finely chopping the onion, celery, and garlic. In a medium pot, add the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped vegetables and sautéed until soft and tender. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce to low heat and let the sauce simmer for 40 minutes. 

Tips:

If you’d like to make a Bolognese sauce (Italian meat sauce), add 1 pound of ground beef or pork before adding the tomato.

For a thinner sauce, add the cooled sauce to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. 

If you’d like an extra thick sauce, simmer it for up to an hour.

Storing and freezing:

To store: Pasta sauce should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. It will keep well for up to 2 weeks. 

To freeze: Place leftover sauce in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

Source: Adapted from Big Mans World

Best Creamy Alfredo Sauce KETO

This keto alfredo sauce recipe is one you’ll keep in your memory bank to make anytime and anywhere. It’s made with just 4 ingredients: butter, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and garlic. That is it.

It’s ready in just 10 minutes and it’s super versatile in tons of recipes or over various proteins: chicken breast, salmon, and even pork chops. The texture is on point. It’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor.

Servings:  1    |  Net Carbs:  1

Ingredients:

The beauty of this recipe is just how simple the ingredient list is. If you’ve made any of my other keto recipes before, you probably already have everything in your kitchen!

Butter- Unsalted butter. Use a very good quality butter, as the flavor really shines through. 

Heavy cream- Also known as thickened cream or double cream. Avoid using reduced fat or low fat varieties, as it will yield a more watery sauce. 

Parmesan cheese- Freshly grated or refrigerated parmesan cheese. Do not use the shelf stable variety, as it won’t melt and it will leave the sauce gritty. 

Garlic- Freshly minced garlic. 

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese finely grated

Instructions:

Two simple steps are all you’ll need to follow this recipe.

Whether you are a beginner cook or a full-fledged chef, this sauce will turn out perfect.

Step 1- Prepare the sauce base

Start by adding the butter into a small saucepan and placing it over low heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Gently stir through the heavy cream, and slowly mix, until it simmers.

Step 2- Fold through the cheese

Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, allowing it to thicken. Remove from the heat and fold in the parmesan cheese. Let the cheese melt into the sauce before serving it over your favorite entrée or main course. 

Storage information:

To store: Alfredo sauce will keep well stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it in a seal-able container and reheat it in the microwave or stove top. 

To freeze: Place the leftover sauce in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

Serving Options:

While traditional pasta and noodles are out of the question, there are tons of keto options that taste just as good, if not better.

Low carb pasta– Store bought keto pasta, like penne or shirataki noodles. You can also try homemade kinds like almond flour pasta, keto pasta, or keto gnocchi. 

Vegetable noodles– Zucchini noodles (zoodles), butternut squash noodles, or even spaghetti squash. 

Steamed vegetables– Low carb vegetables like broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, or asparagus. 

Meat– Simple cooked protein like steak, pork chops, or chicken thighs.

Grilled fish– Plain white fish like grouper, red snapper, or rainbow trout.

Source:  A Big Mans World

Stir Fry Sauce KETO

This recipe for a keto stir fry sauce hits all the flavor sensations- sweet, salty, slightly spicy and SO delicious! Made with just 5 ingredients, add it to your favorite stir fry and have dinner ready in 10 minutes! 

This keto stir fry sauce recipe is something you’ll be making weekly. It will soon become part of your dinner rotation and one that you will pass on throughout the family! 

Servings: 4   |  Net Carbs:  1

This sauce is- 

• Made with minimal ingredients, but extremely flavorful ones! 
• Slightly spicy, slightly sweet, and easy to customize. Want it sweeter? Add more sweetener. Want a spicy kick? Add some chili sauce or hot sauce! 
• Ready in two minutes, so you don’t need to waste time letting it thicken, and start prepping your vegetables and protein of choice!
• Super versatile and works with every kind of protein out there, including chicken, shrimp, beef, or even tofu. 

I use this multipurpose sauce multiple times a week, and my go-to is my favorite keto stir fry– It is so satisfying!

Ingredients:

Chicken or vegetable broth– Instead of using water, using broth will make the sauce even more flavorful. It also cuts out any salt, pepper, or spices. 

Soy sauce– Standard soy sauce or gluten free soy sauce, Tamari. Do not use dark or flavored soy sauce, as their flavors can be quite overpowering and often contain added sugars and carbs. 

Fish sauce– Adds a delicious and umami flavor to the overall stir fry sauce. Don’t worry about any fish flavors or tastes, as it is not evident at all. 

White vinegar– Adds an overall tanginess and helps the sauce stick to the protein and vegetables. Apple cider vinegar can also be used. 

Granulated sweetener of choice– Every good stir fry sauce needs some sweetness to balance out all the salty flavors. To keep it low carb, use a keto powdered sugar or brown sugar substitute, I use Swerve. 

Xanthan gum– Optional, but adding a dash of xanthan gum thickens the sauce considerably. 

• 1/2 cup chicken broth or any broth of choice
• 3 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar substitute or granulated sweetener of choice, I use Stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum, highly recommend

Instructions:

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until combined. 

To add to a stir fry- Cook your protein and vegetables until tender. Pour the sauce over them in the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and has reduced. 

Dietary and flavor variations:

Switch up the ingredients to make them suitable for various diets or some fun flavors!

Make it vegan! You can easily get vegan chicken broth or if you’d prefer, stick to a plant based vegetable stock. 

Make it gluten free! Use gluten free chicken stock, gluten free soy sauce (or tamari) and gluten free fish sauce. 

Spicy stir fry sauce– Add 2 tablespoons of hot chili sauce or 1/4 cup of mild chili sauce. 

Healthy stir fry sauce– Use low sodium stock and low sodium sauces. 

Garlic stir fry sauce– Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic (on top of any garlic you add to the actual stir fry).

Make ahead and freezing stir fry sauce:

To make ahead: Sauce can be made up to three days in advance. 

To freeze: Place prepared sauce in a shallow container and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. The sauce must be thawed completely and brought to room temperature before adding it to a stir fry. 

Source: The Big Man's World

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake KETO (Carolyn)

 

What to serve for dessert without turning on your oven?  The solution is simple, my friends. All you need to do is whip up this creamy no bake cheesecake. It’s been one of my most popular keto desserts for a long time, and with good reason. It’s delicious and so beautiful, everyone will think you slaved over it. Shhhh, the secret is ours.

Servings: 16    |    Carbs:  5

Tips:

• Whisk the crust ingredients until they begin to clump together. Then press them firmly into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. To smooth it out, you can use a flat bottomed glass or measuring up. 

• Take some strawberry slices and set them standing up around the inside of the pan, on top of the crust. They should stick easily to the sides of the pan and create an eye-catching border around the finished cheesecake.

• Bring the berries to a boil with a little water and cook until soft. Then mash them up with a fork or a potato masher.

• Bloom the gelatin in some water and once it’s thickened, stir it into the warm berry puree until the gelatin dissolves.

• Whip the cream to stiff peaks with the vanilla.

• Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sweetener, then beat in the berry puree. Finally, fold in the whipped cream and pour the batter over the crust.

• Patience, friends! You need to let the cheesecake set a full 3 hours in the fridge.

• Bring the cream to a simmer for the keto chocolate ganache. Once everything is melted and smooth, dip 4 whole strawberries into the chocolate. Set them on a waxed paper lined plate and refrigerate until set.

• Pour the remaining ganache all over the top of the cake.

See, it’s really not that hard. You dirty a number of bowls, but the end result is worth it, believe me! It’s the best keto strawberry cheesecake you will ever make.

Ingredients:

No Bake Crust

• 1 ¼ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener
• Pinch salt
• ¼ cup butter melted
• 7 or 8 smallish strawberries thinly sliced
• Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
• 2 ½ cups chopped strawberries
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoon water divided
• 1 tablespoon grassfed gelatin
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 16 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener

Chocolate Ganache

• ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 2 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 1 tablespoon allulose or BochaSwee
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Crust

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture begins to clump together.

Press the m ixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Stand the berry slices upright around edge of the crust to create a border. Set aside.

Strawberry Cheesecake Filling

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the chopped strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the berries can be mashed with a fork, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mash into a puree.

Place the remaining ¼ cup water in a small bowl and sprinkle the surface with the gelatin. Let sit a few minutes to thicken. Add the gelled mixture to the strawberry puree and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream with the vanilla until it holds soft peaks. Set aside.

In another large bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sweetener until combined and then beat in the strawberry puree.

Carefully fold in the whipped cream until no streaks remain. Spread the filling over the crust. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until set.

Once set, carefully run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen (try not to disturb the berry border). Remove the sides.

Chocolate Ganache

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to just a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit a few minutes to melt.

Add the sweeteners and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip a few whole strawberries into the ganache and place on a waxed paper lined dish. Refrigerate until set.

Pour the remaining ganache over the top of the cake, spreading to the edges and letting some drip down the sides. Place the chocolate covered strawberries on the top of the cake.

Refrigerate 20 minutes or so to set the chocolate.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting KETO (Carolyn)

Look no further for the perfect keto chocolate frosting. Smooth and creamy, with rich chocolate flavor. This is the best recipe for all your low carb cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and brownies!

Servings:  12     |    Net Carbs:  1

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ cup butter softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese softened
• ⅔ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup heavy cream room temperature (give or take a few tablespoons)

Instructions:

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and coconut oil. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring in between until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Beat in the powdered sweetener and the cocoa powder until well combined. 

Add the chocolate and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. The mixture will be very thick at this point. 

Add the cream a few tablespoons at a time until a spreadable consistency is achieved. (How much cream you need depends on the other ingredients...certain brands of cream cheese and cocoa powder have more fillers and fiber, which thicken the frosting and require more cream).

Notes:

This makes enough frosting for 12 cupcakes or a single layer cake. You may need to do 1.5 to 2x the recipe for larger cakes. 

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting KETO (Carolyn)

This  buttercream frosting is silky smooth and perfectly pipe-able. It is hands down the best sugar free frosting I’ve ever made and is worth the effort. Up your keto baking game with this amazing vanilla buttercream recipe. And it’s virtually carb free!

Servings:  16    |   Net Carbs:  .01 yes!

WHAT IS SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM?

Swiss meringue is perhaps one of the most beloved frosting of professional bakers. It has an incomparable silky consistency and sweet buttery flavor, without being as tooth-achingly sweet as the standard American frosting.

It’s called “meringue” because it involves using egg whites to get a lighter, fluffier consistency. They are combined with sugar (or in our case, sweetener) and then gently warmed over a double boiler until the sweetener dissolves. Then they are whisked to stiff peaks.

You then add cubes of room temperature butter, which deflates the egg whites. For once, you actually want to deflate the egg whites so don’t panic! Once the whites and the butter are full combined, you truly have the most amazing silky frosting which pipes and spreads so well.

It also uses far less sugar or sweetener. A typical American buttercream will use upwards of 2 cups of powdered sugar, just to have the right structure. In many of my sugar free frosting recipes, I’ve gotten around this by using a little cream cheese to give it some structure without copious amounts of expensive sweeteners.

But this recipe for keto Swiss meringue buttercream uses less than a full cup of sweetener in the whole batch. And it’s enough to frost a 9 inch layer cake or about 18 cupcakes!

Ingredients:

• 4 large egg whites
• ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
• ⅓ cup Bocha Sweet (allulose or xylitol may also work)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature cut into tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Make sure the bowl of a stand mixer is very clean and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Add egg whites and both sweeteners. 

Whisk gently but constantly, until the sweeteners have dissolved and egg whites are hot and slightly frothy. They should reach about 150F on an instant read thermometer.

Transfer the bowl to the mixer and attach the whisk. Whip the egg whites at medium high speed until they are thick and glossy and the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm, anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes. The temperature should be about 90F on an instant read thermometer.

Start adding the butter cubes one at a time until full incorporated and the frosting is smooth and creamy. Turn stand mixer to medium low and add the vanilla and salt until combined. 

Spread or pipe on your favorite keto cakes and cupcakes! This frosting also freezes really well. Let it come to room temperature again and rewhip lightly before frosting. 

NOTE: You need the two different sweeteners here! A combination of an erythritol based sweetener, such as Swerve, and one that keeps things softer, such as Bocha Sweet, xylitol, or possibly allulose, is necessary to achieve the correct consistency. 

How to rescue sugar-free Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

Curdled frosting: If the frosting has little lumps of butter, it means it's a bit too cold to fully incorporate together. Simply sit the bowl over the pan of water and rewarm very gently. Once it's looking a bit melted around the edges, put it back on your stand mixer and turn it on low. Slowly increase the speed and whip it until it comes together. 

Soupy frosting: If the buttercream is thin and liquidy, it means it's too warm. Refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes, until it's hardened around the edges but still soupy in the middle. Then whip until it thickens and firms up. 

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Vanilla Birthday Cake KETO (Carolyn)

 

Servings:  16    |    Net Carbs:  2

Tips:

Grease and line the pans. The best way to prep round cake pans is to grease them generously and line them with parchment. This ensures that the bottom of your cakes don’t stick to the pan.

Use finely ground almond flour. When people say that almond flour is grainy, it’s usually the brand that’s the issue. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour, as they are so fine, they make cakes with perfect crumb.

Don’t skip the protein powder. If you want a truly light and fluffy keto birthday cake that rivals conventional cakes, the protein powder is a must. It helps lighten the cake and make it hold together better.

Cream the butter properly. Just like conventional cake, you want to spend some time creaming the butter with the sweetener. This helps whip air bubbles into the cake batter, again making it lighter and fluffier.

Room temperature eggs. Don’t forget to let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes! All your effort creaming the butter will go to waste if you add cold eggs.

Let cool in the pan. Let the cake layers sit and cool for at least 30 minutes before flipping them out. They will be too fragile until they cool a bit and firm up.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2 ½ cups almond flour
• ½ cup whey protein powder or egg white protein powder
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter softened
• ¾ cup granulated Swerve Sweetener
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unflavored nut milk

Frosting and Garnish

• 1 ¼ recipe Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Sugar free sprinkles

Instructions:

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease two 8 inch round metal baking pans well. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and grease the parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until lightened and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated, then beat in the vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the nut milk. Divide the batter among the prepared baking pans and spread to the edges.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and the tops are just firm to the tough.

Remove and let cool in the pans 30 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges and flip out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting and Garnish

Prepare the frosting according to the directions. Reserve about ½ to ⅔ cup of the frosting for piping decoratively.

Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or plate. Spread the top with one-third of the remaining frosting. Place the second layer on top and spread the top with another third of the frosting. Spread the sides with the final third.

Use the reserved frosting to pipe rosettes or stars around the edge of the top of the cake. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon sugar free sprinkles.

To add sprinkles to the side of the cake: Set the cake plate on a clean counter. Pour sprinkles into your hand and gently press around the bottom 1 to 2 inches, letting any that don't stick fall onto the counter. Turn the cake as you press more into the bottom.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins KETO (Carolyn)

Delectable keto pumpkin pumpkin muffins with a rich gooey center of cream cheese. They’re a delicious fall breakfast or snack. You might even want to save them for dessert!

Tips:

These tender and delicious muffins aren’t hard to make at all. Here are my best tips for getting it right:

• Prep your cream cheese filling. Do this first so that you’re ready to fill the muffins right away.
• Always use well softened cream cheese. You want to be able to poke a finger into it and leave an indent easily. Sometimes in winter, I even warm mine up for 15 seconds in the microwave, as I find it easier to beat smoothly when it’s really soft.
• Use a powdered sweetener for the cream cheese filling, so there’s no residual grittiness.
• This is an almond flour based recipe and it doesn’t work well with coconut flour. However, if you need to make it nut-free, use a seed flour like sunflower seed flour.
• The protein powder is vital, as it helps replace gluten so that the muffins rise and hold their shape. You can use egg white protein instead. You can skip it but just know your muffins may sink a bit more.
• Add about half of the batter to the bottom of the muffin cups, and then use a spoon to make a well in the center.
• Fill with cream cheese. Use about 1 tablespoon of the sweetened cream cheese mixture to fill the well in the center.
• Cover with more batter. Try to cover the cream cheese completely so it doesn’t ooze out the sides of the muffins.
• Bake until golden. And remember to let them cool completely before trying to eat them!

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 6 oz cream cheese softened
• 3 tablespoon powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Pumpkin Muffins:

• 2 cups almond flour
• ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
• ¼ cup unflavoured whey protein powder
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup butter melted
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Cream Cheese Filling

Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sweetener, cream and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

Muffins:

Preheat the oven to 325F and line a muffin tin with parchment or silicone liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

Add the eggs, pumpkin puree, melted butter, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Drop a spoonful of batter into the bottom of prepared muffin tins and use a spoon to make a well in the center. Drop a tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the well, then top with more batter to cover the cream cheese mixture

Bake 23 to 25 minutes, or until tops are set and edges are just browned. Let cool in pan 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Rhubarb Pecan Scones KETO (Carolyn)

Servings:  12    |    Net Carbs:  4

Ingredients:

Scones:

• 2 large stalks of rhubarb thinly sliced crosswise
• 7 tablespoon Swerve Sweetener divided
• 2 ½ cups almond flour
• 3 tablespoon coconut flour (or another ½ cup almond flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoon butter melted
• ½ cup chopped, toasted pecans

Topping:

• 1 teaspoon Swerve Sweetener
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, toss together sliced rhubarb with 3 tablespoons of the Swerve. Let sit.

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, remaining Swerve, baking powder, and salt. Stir in eggs and melted butter until dough just comes together.

Stir in rhubarb mixture and chopped pecans until well distributed.

Turn dough out onto prepared baking sheet and form into a rectangle about 1 inch thick (should be about 6 by 8 inches). With a sharp knife, cut into 6 even squares. Then cut each square diagonally into two triangles.

Gently lift scones and spread around baking sheet so they have room to rise. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown and just firm to the touch.

In a small bowl, combine Swerve and cinnamon. Lightly sprinkle over hot scones and let sit 15 minutes.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Scones KETO (Carolyn)

 

Tender low carb scones full of peanut butter and chocolate chips and drizzled with a peanut butter and chocolate glaze. You don’t want to miss this for breakfast!

Servings:    16    |    Net Carbs:   5

Ingredients:

Scones:

• 2 cups almond flour
• ¾ cup peanut flour
• ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ⅓ cup sugar-free chocolate chips
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoon cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze:

• 2 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1 oz sugar-free dark chocolate

Instructions:

For the scones, preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, peanut flour, sweetener, and baking powder. Stir in chocolate chips.

In a small microwave safe bowl, combine peanut butter and butter and cook on high in 20 second increments until melted, stirring in between.

Add peanut butter mixture, eggs, cream and vanilla to almond flour mixture and stir until dough comes together.

Divide dough in half and transfer to baking sheet. Pat into 2 circles about 6 inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Cut each into 8 wedges and carefully lift the wedges and spread out on baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between each scone.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until just firm to the touch and lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the glaze, melt butter and chocolate together in a microwave safe bowl on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted.

Stir to combine and then drizzle over scones. Let set 10 minutes.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Scones KETO (Carolyn)

 

Servings:   12    |     Net Carbs:   5.25

Ingredients:

Scones:

• 2 ½ cups hazelnut meal
• ½ cup golden flax seed meal
• ⅓ cup Swerve Sweetener
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup hazelnut oil
• 2 tablespoon cream
• ½ teaspoon hazelnut extract or vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon stevia extract
• ⅓ cup sugar-free chocolate chips such as Lily's

Chocolate Drizzle (optional)

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 oz dark chocolate such as Lily's, chopped

Instructions:

Scones

Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together hazelnut meal, flax seed meal, sweetener, baking powder and salt. Add eggs, hazelnut oil, cream and extract and mix well until dough comes together. Stir in chocolate chips.

Turn dough out onto prepared baking sheet and pat into a rough rectangle, about 1 inch thick (it should be about 6x8 inches). With a sharp knife, cut into 6 even squares, then cut each square diagonally into two triangles.

Carefully separate and lift scones and place them around the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until just firm to the touch and lightly browned.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Chocolate Drizzle

In a small bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt butter and chocolate together until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones and let set, at least 20 minutes.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Pumpkin Pecan Scones KETO (Carolyn)

 

Servings:  12  |    Net Carbs:  5

Ingredients:

Scones:

• 2 ½ cups almond flour
• ⅓ cup Swerve Sweetener
• ¼ cup Coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup chopped pecans optional
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup butter melted
• 1 ½ teaspoon Rodelle Pumpkin Spice Extract OR 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Glaze

• ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

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

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chopped pecans.

Add pumpkin, eggs, melted butter and pumpkin spice extract (or pumpkin spice) and stir until dough comes together.

Turn out onto prepared baking sheet and pat into a rectangle about 1 inch thick (about 6 by 8 inches in size). With a sharp knife, cut rectangle into 6 even squares, and then cut each square into two triangles.

Gently lift scones and spread them around the baking sheet so they aren't touching. Bake 23 minutes, or until firm to the touch and lightly browned.

Remove and let cool on pan.

For the glaze, whisk together powdered sweetener, cream and cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle over cooled scones and let set 10 minutes.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food