Lemon Bundt Cake

It is a rainy day on the farm. The men are taking the opportunity to make repairs and wash some of the machinery while I get to play in my kitchen. Sounds fair to me!
Today I wanted to try and come up with a decent lemon dessert. My favourite flavour in the entire world is lemon. Lemon beats chocolate every day of the week for me. My sisters are lemon lovers also so I am sure this dessert will be made in all their homes. As I am writing this, my cake is still in the oven so lets hope it doesn't flop or I will have to bake again tomorrow and go without dessert tonight. I really like the texture of the almond, coconut flour/whey isolate mix. I find it resembles a regular cake texture.
I have changed this recipe as I was not 100% happy with the flavour. It is delicious now!

Lemon Bundt Cake

Lemon Bundt Cake

Recipe

2 Cups Almond flour
1/2 Cups Coconut flour

2/3 Cup Whey Isolate powder (I use the unflavoured)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Combine the above ingredients and set aside. 

1 Cup Sour cream or Greek yogurt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 Cups Truvia (In the pot, not the bag)

1/3 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 large eggs, room temperature eggs give a better rise

1 teaspoon vanila

In a stand mixer beat the softened butter with the Truvia until smooth. Add the lemon juice and mix until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, with the vanilla and continue to blend until well incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixture and fold the sour cream into the batch. 

Pour into well greased bundt cake pan and bake for 60-65 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove to wire rack. Leave cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then turn out carefully after loosening sides. 

Glaze

In a small sauce pan add 1/4 cup Truvia  with 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Place on stove medium low heat and heat, stirring constantly, until the Truvia has dissolved completely.

Place a sheet of parchment paper under the wire rack to catch the run off of the glaze.
While cake is still a little warm, Pole holes in the top and sides of the cake with a skewer or tooth pick. 

Pour the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides. 

Leave cake on cooling rack until completely cooled and then move to a serving platter.

Serves 20, approximately 3 net carbs per slice.
© 2016-2017 DIANE ROLFE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Low Carb Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

One of my son Patrick's favourite cakes is a coffee cake with a cinnamon swirl centre. It is a beautiful bundt style cake with a delicious little cinnamon swirl throughout. It is a wonderful cake to bake and enjoy with friends over tea or coffee. I have realized that I can bake just about any kind of cake I want to with the mixture of Almond flour, Coconut flour and Whey Isolate powder that I have used in some of my other cakes so I have given the coffee cake a try. I am quite pleased with the way this one has turned out. Give it a try and you can thank me later by liking my Facebook page.
https://m.facebook.com/ketofiedkitchen/

Low Carb Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Low Carb Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
Recipe

Cake Batter

2 Cups Almond flour
1/2 Cups Coconut flour

2/3 Cup (60 grams) Whey Protein Isolate Powder

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon cardamon

1 block (250 grams or 8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3/4 Cup butter, melted

2 Cups sweetener (I use erythritol/stevia)

10 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix together the Almond flour, Coconut flour, whey powder, baking powder, salt and cardamon and set aside.

In a stand mixer beat the softened cream cheese with the sweetener until creamy.

Melt the butter and let cool. Once cooled enough, add to creamed mixture along with the 10 eggs and the vanilla beating until well blended.

Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Filling

1/2 cup cottage cheese

3/4 cup sweetener

2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a medium bowl beat the cottage cheese, sweetener and cinnamon until the cottage cheese bits are very small.

In a well greased bundt pan add half of the cake batter. Add the filling and then the other half of the batter. Smooth the top with your spatula.

Bake in 350 oven for 65 minutes or until knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Do not undercooked or it will fall. When the top starts to look like it is getting a little too dark is usually when it is ready.

Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, loosen sides and then turn on to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Once cake has cooled completely you can sprinkle with a little confectioner's type sweetener if desired. This is optional and really only for decorative purposes specially when you are like me and turn the cake out too soon and have to do a patch up job. Lol

Serves 20, each piece has approximately 4 net carbs. I do not count sugar alcohols.
Enjoy!

© 2016-2017 DIANE ROLFE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Low Carb Korma

That's Korma with an O not Karma with an A sisters!

Well, thank you Nicola!

Last night one of the members of a Keto Facebook group asked if anyone had a good low carb version of Korma. I had no idea what it was but I love a challenge, so I looked it up. Turns out this tasty little gem of a chicken curry is already pretty Keto friendly. I looked up a few recipes and tweaked them to my liking. The one I followed closest was from www.dairygoodness.ca/recipes/chicken-korma I used tomato sauce instead of paste and only half an onion (100 grams) in order to cut back on the carbs a little. I also did not have any fresh coriander for the garnish so you'll have to forgive me for the bland picture but I assure you, the dish was anything but bland! I added fenugreek seed to the spices because I didn't have leaves.
Eh! So I improvised a little, it turned out delicious! I think I will add a little more heat next time, maybe some cumin.

Low Carb Korma

Low Carb Korma 
Recipe

635 grams of raw chicken breast meat cut into large cubes 

2 Tablespoons butter

100 grams diced onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1/2 teaspoon Chili powder

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seed

2 Tablespoons ground almonds

2 Tablespoons Tomato sauce

1 Cup Greek style yogurt

Fresh Coriander and Fenugreek leaves for garnish (Optional)

Melt the butter in a deep non stick pan. I used my wok.

Sauté the onions in the butter on medium heat until they soften. 

Add the garlic, ginger, child powder, turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander and fenugreek seed. 

Cook for a few minutes until the aroma rises from the pan.

Stir in the ground almonds and the tomato sauce.

Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides and juices run clear. 

Toss frequently so it does not stick.

Stir in the yogurt and cover. Heat through thoroughly.

Makes 6 servings of approximately 7 carbs each.

I served it with a side of caulk-rice.

Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

The fall is a busy season when you live on a farm. It's a race against time and weather to get the harvest in and every feed mill, ethanol plant, whisky plant and port is jam packed with trucks trying to deliver the harvest. You can sit for hours waiting your turn to dump. Everyone is anxious, frustrated and exhausted, my husband among them.
I wanted to make something warm and satisfying for supper tonight. I knew André would appreciate it. He had taken chicken breasts out, which we usually grill on the BBQ but I knew he wouldn't want to cook so I decided to make a creamy chicken alfredo. He devoured it! The other 2 portions went in his lunch box for his morning snack and his lunch. I made a little stir fry of onions, red peppers and celery as a side dish sautéd in butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Recipe

4 Chicken breasts (no skin or bones)

Salt and pepper to taste

6 Tablespoons butter

1 Cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic

1 1/2 Cups shredded Parmesan cheese.

Cut the chicken breasts into large cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and add the chicken. Cook chicken until browned on all sides and juices run clear. Remove from pan and set aside.

Melt the other 4 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and add cream. Simmer for 4-5 minutes but don't let it boil.

Meanwhile, crush garlic and mince. 

Add fresh garlic and Parmesan to cream and stir on medium heat until all of the cheese is melted.

Add the chicken back to the pan and heat through.

Serve over spaghetti squash, cauli-rice or Shirataki noodles. 

Makes 4 servings approximately 1.5 carbs per serving without noodles or cauli-rice.

Low Carb Carrot Cake

My sister-in-law Jaqueline makes an awesome carrot cake. Best carrot cake in the world according to my boys and my friend Karen Anne. Come to think of it, everyone who has ever had a piece, raves about it! I miss that cake.
Most carrot cakes have carrots and pineapple, neither of which are terribly keto friendly, never mind low carb. The coconut and walnuts are fine but they have carbs too! So I had to put on my thinking cap and make some compromises for this cake. Since my friend Karen Anne is coming for supper tomorrow night, I decided to make her my guinea pig; she's a real foodie so I am sure she won't mind.
My favourite pastry chef, Allison Sklar http://savourysweetsbakery.com/ shared a few tips and tricks with me about replacing cream cheese icing with a combination of heavy whipping cream and mascarpone cheese. It has a lighter taste and is absolutely decadent and delicious! That's an all around win in my books. For my vegetarian friends, Allison also has a food blog full of wonderful vegetarian recipes. You can follow her at: http://baconveggie.blogspot.ca/?m=0
So without further ado, here is my version of a Low Carb Carrot Cake.

Low Carb Carrot Cake

Low Carb Carrot Cake
Recipe

1 1/2 Cups Coconut flour

2/3 cup (60 grams) whey isolate powder

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1cup flaked coconut, unsweetened

3/4 cup butter softened

1 1/2 Cups sweetener (I use a stevia-erythritol)

10 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 Cups (200 grams) shredded carrots

1 Cup ricotta cheese

1/2 Cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare two 9" cake pans. (I line the bottom of each with parchment paper and spray liberally or grease with butter.)

Combine the first 5 ingredients and set aside.

With an electric mixer beat the butter and sweetener until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, carrots and ricotta cheese and continue to mix until well blended.

Add the dry ingredients and the walnuts, if using, making sure to mix until there are no lumps.

Divide batter equally between the two cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool in pans for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto cooling rack and cool completely before icing.

Mascarpone Icing

1 Cup heavy whipping cream

1 Cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons sweetener

In a metal bowl with electric beaters, beat the cream until it starts to thicken. Add the remaider of the ingredients and whip until thick.

Place one layer of the carrot cake top down (flat side up) on a serving plate. Spread about 1/3 of the icing and then top with second layer, flat side down. Spread the remainder of the cream on top and sides of cake.

This should serve 20. 

Each slice is approximately 5 net carbs.
Note: next time I will add a little cinnamon and I will try this with sour cream in place of the ricotta. It is very good as is, but I feel like the sour cream may give it a little extra moisture. I will post my results when I have a chance to bake this again. 
© 2016-2017 DIANE ROLFE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Cauli Fried "Rice"

One of my favourite vegetables is cauliflower. It can be expensive however so we would only eat it when in season.  Since starting this way of eating, however, I have been known to pay a ridiculous price for a lovely head of cauliflower.  This vegetable is so versatile that it can be made into faux pizza crust, faux mashed potatoes and, my personal favourite, faux fried rice. The first time I made this, Andre asked me if I was sure this wasn't rice? Would I be eating it if it were? No!
Just like fried rice, you can use whatever you have in your refrigerator to dice up, sauté and add to the rice. The important thing is to use cold cauliflower that has already been processed into fine rice like pieces, real butter and a good soya sauce. I do not add oyster sauce to my cauli fried rice like I would to real fried rice because it has sugar, nor do I use peas but it is delicious just the same.

Cauli Fried "Rice"

Cauli Fried "Rice"
Recipe

1 Head Cauliflower, pulsed

1/4 Cup onion, minced

1/4 medium red pepper, chopped

3-4 celery stalks, chopped 

2-3 green onions, cut into rings

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons soya sauce

Start by washing and cutting the cauliflower into small pieces. Working in small batches pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles fine grains of rice. Set aside.

Mince and/or chop all of the vegetables into small pieces. 

Melt the butter in a large wok. Add the vegetables (except the cauliflower and also reserve a few green onion rings for garnish) to the melted butter and sauté until fragrant and beginning to soften. 

Add the cauliflower and continue to sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Add the soya sauce and toss until well covered. 

Serve warm with a few rings of green onions for garnish.  

I will sometimes scramble an egg and add to the "rice" like I would for fried rice. 

This makes approximately 8 one cup servings, for approximately 3 net carbs each. 

Creamy Chicken Florentine

I have so many recipes that some I cannot remember where they came from. I know this one came from one of my cooking groups several years ago but I cannot remember the woman's name who shared it and she had gotten in from another friend. In any case, I have modified it like I do most recipes I collect.We have been enjoying this one for quite some time and it is perfect for the low carb, Keto way of life.
I hope you enjoy it and add your own twist. Today I added red pepper but sometimes I add mushrooms and french shallots. Today I served it over some caulirice with roasted garlic and broccoli.

Creamy Chicken Florentine

Creamy Chicken Florentine
Recipe

6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6 ounces each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

300 gram package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2-3 large garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 cups heavy cream (35%)

2/3 cup freshly grated or flaked Parmesan cheese

1/2 Cup Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts. 

Heat oil in large skillet and brown the breasts on each side. 

Transfer to a 9x13 glass dish.

In same skillet sauté the garlic with vegetable (spinach plus any other vegetable you decide to add) for 2-3 minutes.

Whisk together the heavy cream and Dijon mustard in another bowl until well blended. Pour over the vegetables and add 1/3 cup of the cheese. Stir for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour sauce over the chicken in the glass dish.

Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken cut open.

Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes longer until top becomes gold.

Serves 6. Each serving has approximately 3.5 net carbs with the red peppers.

ENJOY!

Coconut Flour Chocolate Zucchini Bread

It is no secret that I love to bake. I am definitely my mother's daughter in that sense. My mother was the most amazing cook but she was an even better baker! I will never forget the baptism of my first son Michael. We had decided to get the main meal catered but my mother insisted the she and I would bake all of the desserts. One of my neighbours, an Austrian fellow named Karl, was a fabulous baker. Like my friend Miguel, Karl also used his hands to scoop out the flour and sugar. No measuring for him; but pure perfection when done. Karl made a fabulous Black Forest cake so we asked him to bring that. My mother and I baked pies, made a trifle, butter tarts, a beautiful fruit tart, a dessert table fit for royalty. One of the guests was a renown neurosurgeon from Sherbrooke Quebec. He and his wife were so impressed with the baked goods that they asked my mother who had catered the desserts? My mother was very proud to tell them that she, I and the neighbour had made everything ourselves. She was thrilled that someone as prominent as a neurosurgeon and his wife would give her such a rave review. It was definitely one of those shining moments in life.

You can understand now, how I felt when I discovered that all of these carbs were causing my inflammation and that I could no longer eat sugar. I was devastated that my baking days were over. Sure I could still bake for others but I was determined to find ways to bake without the carbs.
One of my acquaintances, Pina, from the Bakes and Cooks Facebook group, posted a coconut flour banana bread a few months ago. I had a counter full of zucchini so I altered the lovely Pina's recipe and turned it in to this delicious loaf you see here. Thank you Pina, you are a pearl.

Coconut Flour Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Coconut Flour Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Recipe

3/4 Cup Coconut Flour

1/3 Cup Whey isolate powder (Optional)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup Cocoa powder

Blend the above ingredients

2 1/2 to 3 Cups Shredded zucchini

6 tablespoons butter, softened

5 large eggs

1/2 Cup sour cream (do not use if omitting the Whey isolate powder)

3/4 Cup sweetener of choice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Blend all ingredients until smooth and add dry mixture. 

Blend again and pour into greased loaf pan. I always fit a piece of parchment cut to size on the bottom of all my baking pans. This prevents sticking.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Knife should come out clean when inserted in centre.

Approximately 3.5 net carbs for 1/10 of the loaf with the optional whey and sour cream. 

Note: The whey isolate powder gives the bread a more flour like consistency and the sour cream is added for extra fat and liquid to support the added dry ingredient. I have made it both ways and it turns out well either way.

© 2016-2017 Diane Rolfe  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED