Fudgsicles KETO - Carolyn

These homemade sugar free fudge pops are as healthy as they are delicious! So creamy and rich, they taste like frozen chocolate pudding. And at only 1.6g net carbs, these keto fudgesicles are perfect for summer.

Servings:  8 popsicles            Net Carbs:  1.3

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or hemp milk for nut-free)
• ⅓ cup Swerve Sweetener
• 1 tablespoon allulose
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the cream, milk, sweetener, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil and cook one minute, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle the surface with xanthan gum and whisk briskly to combine. Let the mixture cool at least 10 minutes and then pour into popsicle molds.

Freeze 1 hour, then push the sticks two thirds of the way into the popsicles and return to the freezer. Freeze until solid, at least 5 hours and up to overnight.

To unmold the popsicles, heat some water in a kettle and run it over the outside of the mold you want to release for 5 to 10 seconds. Gently tug the stick to remove the popsicle.

Source:  All Day I Dream About Food

Brownie Cheesecake KETO - Carolyn

Net Carbs:  3.3

This recipe really is a must make for any keto dessert lover. It starts with a base of fudgy keto brownies.  Then it’s topped off with a layer of vanilla cheesecake, and baked to creamy perfection. And the layers look absolutely stunning when you cut it into slices.

It freezes well, too, so you can practice portion control. And it has only 3.3g net carbs per serving. Yay!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Brownie Base:

• ½ cup butter melted
• ⅔ cup Swerve Granular
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup almond flour
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoon water
• ⅓ cup walnuts or pecans chopped

Cheesecake Filling:

• 12 ounces cream cheese softened
• ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the brownie base:

Preheat the oven to 325ºF and butter a 9-inch springform pan. If your springform pan is prone to leaking, place it on a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sweetener, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well combined.

Stir in a little water at a time to thin the batter to a thick but pourable consistency. Stir in the chopped nuts, if using.

Spread evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until set around edges but still soft in the center. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes.

For the filling:

Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese for two minutes, until very smooth. Beat in the sweetener until well combined. Then add the eggs, cream, and vanilla and beat until just combined.

Pour the filling over crust and spread evenly. Bake until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly when shaken, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Run a knife around edges to loosen and then remove the sides of pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Notes:

Butter: Use unsalted butter for best results.

Almond flour: Make sure you are using finely ground almond flour for a fudgy brownie consistency. To make this nut-free, you can swap out with sunflower seed flour in the same quantity.

Cocoa powder: I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder as it has a deeper, richer chocolate flavor. I try to use really quality brands like Rodelle or Ghirardelli because it bakes better. I don’t recommend raw cacao powder, as it doesn’t dissolve well into the wet ingredients.

Eggs: Large eggs are the standard for baking.

Swerve Sweetener: I recommend Swerve or another erythritol-based sweetener for this recipe. Using another sweetener will change the texture and consistency. Learn more about keto sweeteners here.

Chopped nuts: This is optional, but I like to add some chopped walnuts or pecans into the brownie layer.

Cream cheese: Use full fat cream cheese as low-fat contains fillers that high in carbohydrates.

Heavy cream: A little heavy cream helps thin out the cheesecake layer and make it even creamier. You can also use sour cream.

Pantry staples: Salt and vanilla extract

How do you store brownie cheesecake?

Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap or place it in a resealable container. It can last in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can also freeze the entire cake or individual slices. As always, wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn. It will be good for at least 2 months.

Can I swap almond flour with coconut flour?

Coconut flour behaves very differently from almond flour, and several other adjustments must be made to accommodate this. However, you can try using my Coconut Flour Brownies recipe for the base.

Source:  All Day i Dream About Food - Carolyn

Protein Baked Oatmeal KETO

 Have your oatmeal and get your protein in with this protein baked oatmeal! It’s easy to make, perfect for meal prep and packs over 17 grams of protein per serving.

Ingredients  

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats or KETO oatmeal
• ½ cup vanilla protein powder, I used Sun Warrior
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, or any dairy-free milk
• ¼ cup peanut butter, or any nut butter
• 2 large eggs, or flax eggs
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup fresh blueberries, plus more for topping
• nut butter, for drizzling on top

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
• A square baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oats, protein powder, almond milk, peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt.
• Ingredients for protein baked oatmeal mixed together in a bowl.
• Stir in blueberries and carefully pour oatmeal mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with additional blueberries.
• Oatmeal mixture added to prepared baking dish and topped with extra blueberries.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Portion and serve with a drizzle of nut butter.

Substitutions & Notes

Protein powder: I prefer to use a plant-based vanilla protein powder, but feel free to use your favorite flavor and brand of protein powder. I’m sure whey protein or hemp protein would both work, I’m just not sure what the end result would taste like as I haven’t tried either of these options. 

Peanut butter: If you have a peanut allergy or don’t have any on hand, feel free to swap it out with any nut or seed butter. Almond butter would be my second choice, but cashew butter, tahini or sunflower seed butter are all great options.

Eggs: To make this recipe vegan use flax eggs or chia eggs instead or regular eggs.

Maple syrup: Feel free to use your favorite liquid sweetener like honey or agave. To keep this recipe low-sugar use monk fruit maple syrup.

Blueberries: I prefer fresh blueberries, but you could really use any fruit of your choice. Some options I would try are strawberries, raspberries, cherries or blackberries. If you want to skip the fruit and add a different mix-in, go for it! Chocolate chips or chopped nuts would both be delicious.

Want to make this a blended baked oatmeal? If you’re a fan of the blended baked oats and want to make a blended version of this protein baked oatmeal just add all the ingredients (except for the berries) to a blender and blend until smooth, add blueberries, pour into a baking dish and bake!

How to Make

Just like all of my baked oatmeal recipes this one is super easy to whip up. Start by preheating your oven to 375°F and spraying an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray or oil. You could also line it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl mix together the oats, protein powder, almond milk, peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt. Once combined, stir in the blueberries and carefully pour the mixture into baking dish. Top it off with additional blueberries.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center is set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Portion and serve with a drizzle of nut butter!

A plate of protein baked oatmeal on a plate. A fork has removed a bite.

What to Serve With Baked Oatmeal

This baked oatmeal is packed with fiber, healthy fats and 17 grams of protein per serving, so it’s a great breakfast option and can definitely be eaten on its own, but if you want to serve it with some sides here are some ideas that would pair well with it:

• A savory egg dish – baked egg muffins , egg white bites, dairy-free spinach quiche or kale and feta crustless quiche
• A fresh fruit salad – easy fruit salad or fruit salad with mint
• Meat – regular bacon, tempeh bacon, chicken sausage, breakfast sausage or veggie sausage
• Yogurt – a side yogurt bowl

OPTION 1: BAKE AND THEN REHEAT BEFORE SERVING

• Prepare baked oatmeal as the recipe suggests. Once baked, let the oatmeal cool, cover the baking dish and place in the fridge. You can do this 1-2 days in advance. When you’re ready to serve, take the baked oatmeal from the fridge, cover with foil, and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. 
• For individual portions, set the toaster oven to 350°F and bake for 5-10 minutes. Or you could use a microwave for 1 minute.

OPTION 2: PREP AS MUCH AS YOU CAN WITHOUT BAKING

• Mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl, cover, and let sit out on the counter until morning. 
• Mix together all the wet ingredients in a different bowl, cover, and store in the fridge until morning. 
• In the morning just mix your dry and wet ingredients together and pour the mixture into your baking pan, and prepare in the oven as suggested above. 
• A pan of protein baked oatmeal with two servings missing.

How to Store and Reheat

• This baked oatmeal is a great meal prep recipe and stores really well in the fridge or freezer.
• In the fridge: store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
• In the freezer: store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When freezing, I recommend cutting the oatmeal into portions, wrapping each in plastic wrap and placing the portions in a large freezer bag. The individual servings make it easier for reheating. 
• To reheat the entire pan of baked oatmeal: cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes or until warm. 
• To reheat individual portions: set oven or toaster oven to 350ºF and bake for 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave for 1 minute. Once warm, add your toppings and enjoy!

Source:  eatingbirdfood.com

Protein Chia Pudding KETO

This protein chia pudding packs in about 20 grams of protein and has only 3 grams of sugar per serving. It’s so easy to whip up and is the perfect healthy breakfast or snack to meal prep for the week.

Chia Seed Health Benefits

Chia seeds are powerful little seeds! When you add them to liquid, they absorb the liquid and form a gel-like consistency.

Why are they so healthy? For starters, they are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation and have been linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases. They’re a good source of antioxidants, plant-based protein and fiber! 

Ingredients Needed

• vanilla protein powder –  look for no refined sugar and high protein.
• almond milk – I like to use unsweetened almond milk, but feel free to use another non-dairy milk like oat milk, cashew milk or coconut milk for a creamier texture! You can also use dairy milk if that’s what you prefer.
• chia seeds – both black and white chia seeds work for this recipe. Make sure your chia seeds are fresh or they may not absorb the liquid as well and your chia pudding won’t turn out. 
• maple syrup – my personal favorite for this recipe, but you could also use honey, agave or any sugar substitutes like stevia or monk fruit for a low sugar option.
• Greek yogurt – for a creamy and delicious optional topping with an addition boost of protein. I prefer full fat whole milk Greek yogurt, but feel free to use your favorite variety of yogurt!
• toppings – feel free to get creative here, but my go-to toppings are fresh berries, granola and nut butter.

How to Store

Chia pudding is an awesome meal-prep option because it can be stored for up to 5-7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to make and store chia pudding in 16-ounce mason jars. Make a batch on Sunday to have in the fridge for a quick breakfast, healthy snack or even dessert throughout the week.

Ingredients: 

• 1 scoop (25 grams) vanilla protein powder
• 1 ¼-½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk, plus more as needed
• 4 Tablespoons chia seeds
• ½ Tablespoon maple syrup, honey or sweetener of choice
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
• Granola, for topping, optional
• ½ cup Greek yogurt (or non-dairy yogurt), for topping, optional
• Toppings: fresh berries, granola and nut butter.

Instructions 

In a bowl or mason jar, whisk together almond milk and protein powder until protein powder has dissolved. If you’re using a mason jar, you can put the lid on and shake the mixture to combine.

Add chia seeds, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir or shake mixture until well combined. Once the chia pudding mixture is well combined, let it sit for 5 minutes, give it another stir/shake to break up any clumps of chia seeds.

Cover and put the mixture in the fridge to “set” for 1-2 hours or overnight. The chia pudding should be nice and thick, not liquidy.

When ready to serve, portion chia pudding into two glasses with layers of granola, if desired. Top with ¼ cup Greek yogurt each, fresh berries, additional granola and nut butter or toppings of choice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 without toppings | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g

Source:  eatingbirdfood.com