Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 cup Hazelnuts

1 tbsp Splenda

2 Tbsp butter

1 egg white

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Filling:

2 packages (8 oz each) of cream cheese

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Splenda

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups pure canned pumpkin

1/2 cup sour cream

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 1/2 inch springform cheesecake pan. Add all crust ingredients into a bowl, and mix. Place the crust mixture to bottom of the springform pan, distributing evenly.

3. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, Splenda, and vanilla until fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl.

4. Add the pumpkin and sour cream, mixing thoroughly on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each one. Mix in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. 

5. Pour the batter over the nuts in the pan. Bake for 80 min, or until knife comes out clean when stuck into the center. Cool 20 min, then chill for at least 2 hours, overnight is recommended.

Coconut Flour Brownies

Healthy Coconut Flour Brownies

Serves 12-16

Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 sticks salted organic butter (3/4 cup), softened
OR 1 stick butter, 8 ounces sour cream (for more moist brownies)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup sifted Bob's Red Mill coconut flour
3/4 cup erythritol or xylitol OR 1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon NuNaturals pure stevia extract (increase to 1 teaspoon if using honey)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup organic heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brush both sides of an 8" by 8" (or 11" by 7" for thinner brownies) pan with coconut oil, or spray with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray. Place a cut square of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.

Beat softened cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in butter, vanilla, and sweetener. Whisk together dry ingredients. Add eggs one at a time to cream cheese mixture, and beat until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and heavy cream. Fold in nuts. Pour chocolate mixture into prepared pan, and smooth top with a spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes for the wider pan, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top feels firm to the touch. When done, place pan on wire rack and cool completely. Cool pan of brownies overnight in the refrigerator. Slice into 12-16 squares, and serve. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or freeze cut brownies, individual wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil.

~4g net carbs per 1/12th of a recipe

Creamy Lemon Bars

crust

3/4 Cup Almond Flour
1/4 Cup Oat Flour
1/2 Cup Splenda
1/2 Softened Butter
1/2 tsp xantham gum

Filling

5 oz cream cheese
4 tbsp Splenda
2 eggs
1 1/2 fresh lemon zest
The juice from two lemons


Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend the crust ingredients together and pat into an 8x8 baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake about 18 minutes or until no longer shiny. Let rest until cooled.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar substitute, eggs, zest, and lemon juice and beat until smooth. Pour into crust and bake until set (about 16-18 minutes). Cool to room temperature and chill before serving.


This recipe is a mix between two recipes I found. It is very delicious and goes great with low carb vanilla ice cream or cool whip. Enjoy!

Dude Ranch Soup and "Corn" Bread

This is a great meal for a cold night, or just when you don't have a lot of time. You basically throw everything into the crock pot, and let it do the cooking for you.The "corn" bread takes just 2 min in the microwave, and is very easy to make.

I was able to find this low carb version of corn bread on Food.com. The soup recipe also comes from a great book called "The Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook" by Kitty Broihier and Kimberly Mayone. I highly recommend it.

Dude Ranch Soup Recipe:

2 lbs round steak, cut into bite size pieces
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp adobo seasoning
1 cube beef bullion
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp dried minced onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1.Add all ingredients to the slow cooker except the cheese, mix well
2. Cover and cook 7 1/2 hours
3. Add Cheese and cook 1 more hour

"Corn" Bread Recipe:

3 1/2 oz ground almond flour
1 oz melted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1.In a small bowl, mix all wet ingredients.Work in dry ingredients
2.Pour into greased microwaveable dish (about 6 inches square)
3.Microwave 2 min
4.Cut into 8 slices, serve with butter

Syrian Shrimp Kebabs

This recipe takes some time to put together, but it's so worth it! It's honestly one of my favorite recipes from my collection, and turns out great every time. I do like to add extra veggies to the Kebabs (the recipe only calls for onions, lemon wedges, bay leaves). I add mushrooms and bell peppers, so they are a little bit more substantial as far as filling your plate and it adds some color as well. (I found this recipe in Redbook Magazine).

Recipe:
http://www.redbookmag.com/recipefinder/syrian-shrimp-kebabs-recipe

Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos

Here is a great recipe for an or-derv or side item that is delicious and fun. I've made these a few times, and they are always a big hit, because they taste so good and easy to eat. This recipe can be found on cooking.Light.com, but I have included it below

Recipe:

2 slices of center cut Bacon
1/2 cup (4 oz ) Cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1 oz) shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced green onions
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
14 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
Cooking spray
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp chopped seeded tomato

Instructions:

1.Preheat grill to medium high heat
2. Cook the bacon until crisp (I find the microwave to be easiest). Crumble
3.Combine bacon, cheeses, and next 4 ingredients in a bowl, stirring until well mixed
4. Spread cheese mixture into each of the pepper halves and place on grill coated with cooking spray (cheese side up). Cook peppers for 8 min or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese is browned
5. Sprinkle with cilantro and tomato
ENJOY!

Four Layer Chocolate Delight

I made this recipe for a dinner with my husband and my mom, and they both had seconds. It's honestly one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted, and it's low carb! I did find the original recipe needed some tweaking as far as measurements go, but other than that, it turned out great. Here is my version:

Ingredients-1st layer:
3 cups chopped pecans
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Instructions:
Combine ingredients and press into 11x13 baking dish. Bake at 325 for 10 min or until lightly browned. Cool.

Ingredients-Second Layer:
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup Stevia
1 cup whipped cream ( 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped with one packet of Stevia)

Instructions: 
Combine all in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Spread over the cooled crust

Ingredients-Third Layer:
1 4 oz box Jell-O Sugar free chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 cup water
3/4 cup Heavy Cream (liquid)
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:
Combine these items into mixing bowl, beat for two min. Pour over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 10 min.

Ingredients- Fourth Layer:
2 cups sweet whipped cream (such as cool Whip) or 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with two Stevia packets whipped together

* REMEMBER to look for "peaks" when making the whipped cream out of (liquid) Heavy cream, that's when it has been mixed correctly

 Instructions:
Spread evenly across the Chocolate layer
ENJOY!