Chocolate Cheesecake Keto Style

397.  This is a dessert to savor and have a second piece.  Its chocolaty and not too sweet but very rich in flavor.  It is beautiful as well.  Here is my recipe:

 This cheesecake freezes very well and puts on quite a show for your guests.

"If there is a cheesecake in the house, I'll have some!"

~ Kelly Ripa

"When you've been on a low-carb diet for 5 years and you realize it has only been 5 minutes."

~  Hilarious Meme

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

376.  With Independence Day fast approaching, I have a perfect recipe for you.  It is clever in that you can color coordinate with red, white and blue.  It is a dessert with pretzels in the crust, cream cheese in the filling and strawberries and blueberries in the top jello layer.  As a child I recall this dessert at picnics and gatherings with family friends.

We have a local Strawberry patch down the road with the most sweetest strawberries I've ever tasted. I used all three pints for this recipe and placed it in a 9 X 13" baking dish.

My addition to the traditional recipe is to add pecans to the pretzel crust which gives a richer, nuttier depth of flavor.  The salt from the pretzels also adds additional nuance.

 
I chose to use sugar free jello and sugar free cool whip to slash calories and eliminate extra guilt *wink*.  You could go further and use fat free cream cheese as well...but the flavor profile changes drastically when all sources of fat and sugar are removed.  If you want to create a more pronounced color profile you could use an additional 3 oz. box of blueberry gelatin with 1 cup of water and mix separately with blueberries and pour this over the red layer after it has hardened.

To save recipe select and drag to desktop and print or select and print from smart device.

"I love berries.  Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, anything with an 'eerie' in it!"

~  Jordin Sparks

"We do not rejoice in victories.  We rejoice when a new kind of cotton is grown and when strawberries bloom in Israel."

~  Golda Meir

"Strawberries are what make life taste wonderful!"  ~ Anthony T. Hincks

Banana Bread

366.  What to do with over-ripe, blackened, bananas?  This is an every day problem most of us deal with.  You hate to throw them away so you pop them in the freezer only to have them moved around for 6 months.  And they just land in the trash anyway.  So just make a quick batch of Banana Bread or muffins.
  Although most Banana Bread recipes are basic and produce a nice banana loaf, they seem to be too sweet.  So here is a recipe that is low in sugar and you can adjust it to your liking.  And it is great for diabetic diets and if you are watching your sugar intake.  If you'd like, you could always add a bit of sugar to the recipe, up to 3/4 cup for added sweetness.  But I would suggest serving jam or honey is the best solution.  You can also substitute the coconut oil for butter and use all white flour, 2 cups to be exact and eliminate the almond meal, bran and whole wheat flour.  But to taste the original recipe is worth it.  I know in certain parts of the country it is hard to find almond meal or bran.  So use what you have and substitute.  This is a very versatile recipe.

To save recipe drag and drop onto desktop and print or select and print from mobil device.

 This is a beautiful Banana Bread loaf.  It is light on the inside and has a crisp outer crust.  Keeps well for 3 days at room temp.  But it won't last that long.

"When life gives you rotten bananas, make banana bread!"  ~Charles Hobbs

"The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight."  ~M.F.K. Fisher

Pineapple Scones

340.  This morning I made a batch of scones for brunch and used a vegan recipe from my daughters vegan cookbook "Frugal Vegan" by the Katies.  Here is a great review for this cookbook at Well Vegan.  After major surgery six weeks ago I'm finding that eating vegan and vegetarian is agreeing with me in the healing process.

These scones are made with fresh pineapple.  The recipe calls for canned but the fresh fruit adds so much more flavor to this recipe.  You can find the full recipe on-line Here

Pineapple Scones 

(My version)

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp coconut oil, measure and place in freezer first

Cut a ripe pineapple and chop 8oz (1 cup) into small pieces, set aside

Preheat oven to 425 degrees  Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet

1/4 cup almonds, slivered or chopped coarsely, set aside

Brown sugar

In a large bowl mix together:

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

In small measuring cup combine:

3/4 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup nondairy milk (almond, coconut etc)

Allow the milk to sit and curdle, then add:

3 Tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Remove the frozen coconut oil from the freezer and cut it into small pieces. (I did this in the dry mixture bowl).  Place it into the dry mixture and cut the coconut oil into the dry mix till incorporated.  Be careful not to handle it too much so the coconut oil melts.

Slowly pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients a little at a time.  Then add the pineapple stirring till completely combined.

Carefully transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead gently to incorporate all the dry flour remaining.  Shape into a 12" x 12" square and cut in half, quarters then triangles.  Or use a cookie cutter to cut shapes.  Place each scone onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Spray with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkle each top with brown sugar and almonds.

Bake for 10 minutes or till the scones are high and lightly browned.

"Another name for vegan, fat-free, sugar-free brownies...compost."
~ Anonymous

Squash Soup

321.  Have you tried Panera's Squash Soup available each fall?  This soup is always a favorite of mine, on the same level as "psl's" for others. (That's "pumpkin spiced latte's"😉)
Though, once December came, this yummy soup disappeared off the menu.  So I thought to myself, "How hard could this soup be to make?"  So I decided to try it.  I did a bit of research and discovered the ingredients on the Panera website of menu items.  Then I set out to recreate the magic.

I used a fresh pumpkin, cleaned and then baked at 275∘ F till tender to the touch.

Puree pumpkin in processor and set aside.

I then peeled, and chopped 

1 medium onion

4 carrots peeled and chopped

2 apples peeled & chopped

3 cups cooked pureed pumpkin

1 1/2 cup vegetable broth

I brought to a boil and cooked till tender.  Transfer the veggies to a processor or blender and blend on high/puree or use an immersion blender.

Return puree to the pot.  Add 3 Tablespoons coconut oil

salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Taste and add more salt, pepper, curry or cream as needed.  Bring back to boil then serve in warm bowls adding toasted pumpkin seeds on top for texture. This soup was so simplistic using basic products.  You could use frozen squash or canned pumpkin but the flavor will vary and may not be as bright as fresh butternut squash and pumpkin.

"When the Lord starts out to make an oak tree, He takes 100 years to do it, but He can make pumpkin in 90 days.  More or less life is like that. We must choose whether we desire to become an oak tree or a pumpkin."

-Sterling W. Sill

Granola

 296.  Crunchy, sweet, healthy, delightful, satisfying and so simplistic!  GRANOLA
Sprinkle it on yogurt, spoon it over your peanut butter.  Or just fill a bowl and add ice cold milk and a spoon.

I am amazed each time I purchase granola bars or granola in the market and realize how pricey it is.  I decided to create and make my own.

 While researching other recipes there was a large variety of ingredients to choose from.  I practiced and experimented with many items.  Here is one recipe that was ace.

Granola

Old Fashioned Oats  6 to 8 cups
Finax Nut and Fruit Oat mix from IKEA Marketplace 4 cups
Almonds 2 cups
Coconut Flakes 2 cups
Coconut Oil 1 cup
Craisins 1 cup, dried cranberries
Sea Salt 2 Teaspoons
Brown Sugar 1 cup
Egg White 2
Cinnamon 1 Teaspoon
Molasses 2 Tablespoons

Place all ingredients in a large bowl.  Wash your hands and arms very well and dry.  Mix the ingredients together with your hands.  You will be able to feel the ingredients blending together.  This is much more effective than using a spoon or spatula.

Place mixed ingredients into a baking pan with sides (jelly roll pan).  Bake in a 230 degree oven for approximately an hour.  Stir the granola every 15 minutes to make sure the outer edge does not burn.

 Allow the granola to cool.  Then store in an airtight container.  It will store for up to a month...but it won't last that long.

 To make granola bars, just add more egg white, brown sugar and coconut oil.  When you are mixing the granola it will be more sticky and hold together.  Press into the same type of baking sheet.  Bake but do not mix during the baking process.  You may need to adjust the baking time and temperature. Then,  wait for 5 minutes and cut bars into desired shape.  Wrap each bar separately or store in an airtight container between waxed paper sheets.

The other items you could add are endless!  Just use your imagination and add what you love.  One hint:  When adding chocolate chips, make sure you refrigerate the chips then add them after the granola cools.  In bars, refrigerate chips then drop them on the top of the bars after you cut them.  The chocolate will begin to melt slightly and adhere to the top of the bars.

"God has already done everything He's going to do.  The ball is now in your court.  If you want success, if you want wisdom, if you want to be prosperous and healthy, you're going to have to do more than meditate and believe; you must boldly declare words of faith and victory over yourself and your family."

~Joel Osteen