Low Carb Links

New to low-carbs but learning

I am a co-writer on my friend Dawn Gagnon blog called The Low Carb Kitchen.  In the process of learning about low-carbs I have also created a few different recipes that I would like to share the links to.  One of my newest loves in the kitchen is using almond flour, flax-seed meal and wheat bran instead of white flour.  Instead of using fresh eggs in my baking, I now use No-Egg and instead of using oils like canola and vegetable oil I use coconut oil.

Since I have changed my eating habits a lot, I still wanted to be able to have things like chocolate chip cookies and muffins, except now I bake them very healthy.  They may not taste exactly like a regular chocolate chip cookie, but they are good and they cure the craving.

Some my recent recipes I wrote for the low carb kitchen:

No Guilt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers

Honey Coconut Cookies

Low-Carb Breakfast Bars

Healthy Naan Bread

I will admit, Almond Flour is not the cheapest flour.  You can easily make your own by grounding up some raw almonds.  If you can find Raw Almonds on sale, purchase them and what you do not use right away, keep in your freezer.  

As with all recipes when you are using new ingredients and more natural things, the taste is going to be different.  Like I mentioned earlier, my recipe for the chocolate chip cookies may be different than regular ones, but I really like them and they take care of my craving.

Should you try any of these recipes, please stop by and drop a note and share how you liked them.

Italian Calzones

What are calzones? Calzones are these wonderful pizza type sandwich that makes you keep coming back for more.  You start with a pizza dough, add wonderful ingredients to one side of calzone, fold them over, cook and enjoy!  The best thing about calzones is you can fill them with what you like, especially veggies! 

So, let's start with the pizza dough.

Add:

1 cup warm water

1 package of yeast

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons olive oil

Mix together and allow this yeast mixture to sit for about 10 minutes or so.

Mix your dry ingredients in another bowl:

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon parsley

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup of wheat flour

Use a whisk and mix everything together.  Slowly work in another cup of flour making sure the dough is not too sticky or too dry.  If it is too sticky add additional flour, if it is too dry add a little more water but only add a tablespoon at a time.  Knead the dough for a few moments, cover the bowl and allow it to rise 30-45 minutes. I place my covered bowl in the oven (make sure your oven is turned off) because it  holds heat well even when turned off.

After the 30-45 minutes take the dough and knead for another few minutes.  Divide the dough into however many calzones you want to make-usually you should get 5-6. (I usually make four large ones). Cover the dough balls with a towel while you make your filling.

Meatball Filling

Mix Together:

1 pound turkey or 95% lean ground beef

2 egg whites

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

1/2 cup no sodium bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic powder (not garlic salt) You can add however much seasonings you like, I really do not measure my spices when making meatballs.

Place some olive oil in a large cooking pan and allow it to start heating up.  Use a small ice cream scoop and start making your meatballs.  Cook them until they are almost done. 

Mix Sauce

1 Large can of crushed organic tomatoes

1 small can of tomato paste

1/2 cup or less of water

oregano, parsley, onion powder, pepper, pinch of sugar and garlic. Simmer on low for a few minutes and pour over meatballs.

Start rolling out your disk.  Make sure you have dusted your working space lightly.  You want each disk to be about 1/8" thick.  

Add meatballs and low-fat mozzarella cheese, a little extra sauce to one half side the dough disk.  Leave about 1/4 inch border.  Close with a fork and set onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.  Use a pastry brush and spread a tiny amount of olive oil over the top.  Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown on 375 degrees.

** I use Parmesan cheese for a little salty taste.  If you do not have to watch your sodium, add sea salt to the recipes.

Apple-Carrot Cupcakes

If you like apples and you like carrots putting them together is a like a beautiful marriage. The flavors just go so good together.  I actually came up with recipe by accident but I am glad I did because they really are good.  You can top them with powder sugar like I did in the picture or you can use a vanilla or Cream Cheese frosting.

Apple-Carrots Cupcakes

Peel and core 2 apples and 2 carrots.  Place them into a food processor until they are chopped to the consistency you like.

Mix all of your dry ingredient together:

1 1/4 cup Flour

1/4 cup Milled Flax Seed

1/2 cup Quick Cooking Oats ( I ground my into a flour)

1/4 cup Organic Coconut

1 cup Brown Sugar

3 teaspoons Sodium Free Baking Powder

2 teaspoons organic cinnamon

Stir everything together and set aside. 

In a separate bowl mix your wet ingredients:

2/3 cup Almond Milk

1/4 cup Canola oil

3 egg Whites

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Slowly merge the two bowls of ingredients together being careful not to overwork the batter. Place paper cups into your muffin pan and lightly spray the paper cups with a cooking spray to make sure your muffins do not stick. Fill the cups 3/4 full and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.  After the cupcakes have cooled you can either dust them with powder sugar or frosting them with vanilla or Cream Cheese icing.