*Christmas recipes that are low carb, gluten free*

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bedazzledjewels, Nov 16, 5:10am
"*Christmas recipes that are low carb, gluten free or low glycaemic load*"

Christmas is a time when those of us who have chosen this healthier way to eat find it quite challenging to create dishes that we can enjoy and share with loved ones and family.
Please hop in with any recipes and suggestions that you are going to try this year, or that you have successfully used in the past.

bedazzledjewels, Nov 16, 5:14am
Righto - I'll jump in with a dessert recipe that all of us enjoyed and it was very simple.

In a large flat dish I mixed together different beautiful coloured berry fruits - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and some thawed and drained frozen raspberries.
Over the top I drizzled some melted 85% Lindt chocolate.
Served with unsweetened cream and icing sugar and icecream for the high carbers.

doug57, Nov 16, 8:03am
Hmmm. . I'll add the delicious cheesecake that I posted in the 'original' low carb thread!
Low Carb BAKED cheesecake
Preheat oven 325 degrees.
2 med eggs, 2 tspn vanilla ess, 1/2 cup splenda, 1. 5cups sour cream. . Blend until combined, then add 2 softened pkts philly cream cheese and 2 Tblspns melted butter. Make a crust from 1. 5 cups ground almonds, 1/4C splenda and 1/4C melted butter and press firmly into dish. Pour over mix and bake in oven 35-40 mins. . it won't look quite done, but firms as it cools and has been in fridge. Place dish of water on shelf below to keep heat moist and prevent cracking. For a 'posh' look, hold back a cup of the batter when you pour the mix in and add some unsweetened cocoa powder to it. . mix well and then dollop the chocolatey mix in and swirl around. You should get 12 servings from this. . they freeze very well. WHOLE cheesecake has 57 Carbs. . YUM!

doug57, Nov 16, 8:12am
Mini Pecan Pies [I always used to make these with walnuts]

Pie Shells :
100gms softened butter, 3 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup finely ground pecans. You may need an extra 1/2 cup if mixture is too thin.
Cream butter and cream cheese together, add pecan 'flour' to make a soft dough and refrigerate for one hour.

Filling:
2 T melted butter, 3/4 cup splenda, 1 egg, 1 tspn vanilla, 1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans.
Blend together.

Preheat oven to 350. Remove dough from fridge and shape into approx 1" balls. Press into mini muffin tins. Fill shells with pecan filling and bake 20-25 mins until golden brown.

This makes 36 mini muffin treats. [total carbs for entire batch is 15. 5g]

doug57, Nov 16, 8:16am
Lots of recipes that you find on overseas low carb sites call for Atkins bake mix. . Here's a couple of recipes for faux atkins bake mixes! . . Choose which one will suit you best

BAKE MIX #1: 2 Cups ground almonds, 1/2 cup wheat gluten flour, 1/2 cup protein powder, 3 tspns splenda, 1/2 tspn Baking Powder, 1/2 tspn salt. . mix well.

BAKE MIX #2 : 1. 5 Cups Protein Powder, 1. 5 Cups Wheat gluten flour, 2 Tblspns splenda, 2 Tblspns B Powder, 1 tspn salt. mix well.

doug57, Nov 16, 8:31am
Biscotti:

1. 5 cups toasted and skinned hazlenuts ~ Finely chop 1/2 cup and coarsely chop 1 cup.
1 cup faux atkins bake mix, 3/4 cup splenda, 1 tspn cinnamon, 1/4 tspn salt, 1/4 cup sour cream. 4 eggs, lightly beaten, 170g butter [at room temp]

Method:

1. Whisk tog finely chopped hazlenuts, bake mix, cinnamon and salt.
In a medium bowl mix sour cream and eggs.
2. In a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and splenda for 3 mins till creamy. Add half egg mixture, beat 30 secs, scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and repeat with remaining egg mixture.
3. Turn electric mixer on low and add dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in coarsely chopped hazlenuts. Chillo dough for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350F.

4. Divide dough in half, on ungreased baking sheets, form each dough half into a log [12 ' x 2. 5" ~ moisten hands to prevent dough sticking]

5. Bake logs 30 mins until almost firm. Transfer to wire rack to cool for 10 mins.
Reduce oven to 325F

6. Carefully cut logs crosswise with a serrated knife into 1/2" wide slices. Arrange slice on baking sheets. Bake 17-20 mins until crisp and firm. Cool well before storing.

* I always chop a few squares of Lindt choc into the dough mix.
* You can substitute macadamia nuts or pecans for hazlenuts.

uli, Nov 16, 8:56pm
That Atkins bake mix has gluten in it though doug57 - and I guess it needs it too. Wonder if it would work to substitute the gluten with a couple of eggs or even egg whites? I am not going to eat unfermented gluten, so will have to experiment.

bedazzledjewels, Nov 17, 5:15am
Low Carb Cranberry sauce

Will try this.

1 bag cranberries - I assume you could use frozen ones.
1 cup water
3/4 to 1 cup Splenda or other artificial sweetener
Cook until berries swell up and pop. (this will happen by the time it comes to a rolling boil) Mash and serve. 30 calories and 5 net carbs per 1/2 cup.

bedazzledjewels, Nov 17, 5:17am
Mark’s Mini Muffin-quiches - this appeared on Mark's Daily Apple website. As I'm doing breakfast this year, these will be on my menu!

 6 eggs
 1/4 – 1/2 cup cooked meat, cut or crumbled into small pieces
 1/2 cup diced vegetables
 1/4 tsp salt
 1/8 tsp ground pepper
 1/8 cup mayonnaise
 1/8 cup water
 Optional Ingredient Idea: Make a Mexican Omelet Muffin by adding 1/4 cup shredded cheese, onions, and lightly drained salsa to the eggs.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 6 muffin tins with butter or coconut oil or for easier removal line with paper baking cups. The baking cups also help the muffins hold their shape.
In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add meat, vegetables, salt, ground pepper, and any other ingredients and stir to combine.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until a knife inserted into the center of an muffin/omelet comes out almost clean. The omelets will continue to cook for a minute or two after removed from the oven. Remove the omelets from the muffin cups and serve, or cool completely and store for another day.

bedazzledjewels, Nov 17, 5:20am
Would love to try this too - if I can someone growing courgettes! Haven't got room for them this year.

Baked courgette flowers
Ingredients:
• 1 egg
• 1 cup ricotta
•handful of parsley and chives
•salt and pepper to taste
•olive oil
•zucchini blossoms

Directions:
Mix cheese, egg and spices together and stuff into zucchini blossoms. Twist the blossom ends. Drizzle olive oil over them and bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. (Blossoms should be crisp and transparent. )

kristy21, Nov 17, 5:40am
Lemon Posset (Jo Seagar) -

Now Im not claiming they are GF or really low carby but if eaten in small quanties are a great treat! We double this for bigger parties and serve in shot glasses or small glasses. Always a hit. Im sure it would work with some splenda mixed with caster sugar, I will try it and let you know when I do.

600ML of cream
3/4 Caster Sugar
Grated rind and juice of 2-3 lemons

Place cream and caster sugar in small saucepan and stir as you bring to the boil. Boil for exactly 3 minutes -( I find more is fine less is NOT! )

Remove from heat and whisk in grated rind and lemon juice - taste and add more lemon if not sharp enough.
Cool then pour into small glasses for 6 hours/better if overnight

Serve with a small dollop of whipped cream and grated lemon rind or lemon curd.

Makes 10 small servings

bedazzledjewels, Nov 17, 6:25am
Sounds wonderful Kristy. Maybe someone could come up with lower carb suggestion for this from the latest Cuisine.

Eggs & Rum Sauce
1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
1 cinnamon stick broken in half
250ml full cream milk - maybe half and half cream/water?
3 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1/3 cup castor sugar - splenda maybe?
1T flour - aaarrrgh - just leave it out?
60ml dark rum
150ml cream whipped
Method:
- Put vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and milk in pan & heat until just boiling point. Remove from heat & infuse for 5 mins then remove vanilla & cinnamon, scraping out the seeds into the milk.
- In a bowl whisk egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar until light & creamy (about 5 mins).
- Sift in the flour and sdtir to combine.
- Continue whisking and pour in the hot milk until well blended.
- Place mixture in double boiler and heat over boiling water, whisking until thickened. This will take about 2 mins and you have to keep whicking or the eggs will scramble! ! !
- Remove from heat and whisk for 1 minute then place a piece of baking paper over the surface to prevent a skin forming and chill.
- You can sieve it at this stage if you feel it is a little curdled - or blend in food processor.
- Before serving fold in the rum and whipped cream.
This is served with berries. Sounds wonderful!

buzzy110, Nov 18, 3:09am
(This recipe has some carbs but is still quite low)
Strawberry Shortcake:
(These delicious little shortcakes are made in muffin cups. )

Ingredients
¼ cup sifted TIANA coconut flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs
3 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon baking powder

Method

Blend together butter, eggs, honey, salt and vanilla. Combine coconut flour with baking powder and whisk into batter until there are no lumps. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Bake at 205 Degree C (400F) for 15 minutes. Serve topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Makes 6 cakes.

Coconut flour is both gluten free and low in carbs.

lil_miss_haley, Nov 18, 4:02am
Where do you get your coconut flour from buzzy?

uli, Nov 18, 5:35am
From here:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Food/Other/auction-2547
14649.htm

lil_miss_haley, Nov 18, 6:16am
Thanks uli, I was just wondering if buzzy had found another source :)

buzzy110, Nov 18, 10:59am
Yes. Ceres has it on their shelves. That must mean Huckleberry Farms may have it as well. I will check next time I go there.

uli, Nov 18, 6:44pm
Hmmm - when my neighbours ordered last time from Ceres (some weeks ago) they were told they had only finely ground coconut, not coconut flour - go figure. Sounds like a typical Ceres scenario again ...

maxwell.inc, Nov 19, 1:50am
Been having a read of both here and over in low carb

Still puzzled as to why "splenda" seems to be so highly used and prized.

Coconut flour - cheaper places than TM... (just bored and googling for ppl)

http://www.zenian.co.nz/index. php? main_page=product_info&
;products_id=10

22. http://www.naturallyorganic.co.nz/shop/shop. php? cat=16

also has CO - http://www.frot.co.nz/nature/coconut.htm

seems to be all zenian brand I am finding. .

http://www.huckleberryfarms.co.nz/shop/Baking/Flours/Prepack
ed+Flours/Zenian+Organic+Coconut+Flour.html

Import from AU

http://www.organicsaustraliaonline.com. au/prod285.htm

http://www.organicsaustraliaonline.com. au/prod1444.htm

uli, Nov 19, 2:35am
good work maxwell. inc

Meanwhile I have found out that Chantals will get coconut flour, certified organic, from Indonesia from mid-February onwards.

doug57, Nov 19, 3:09am
maxwell. . I don't place any great value on splenda as I'm not particularly fussed on eating sweet things, but for the occasional 'treat'. . it's a better choice than eating sugar! PLUS, many people when beginning a low carb way of life, need time to transition from eating sweet goodies on a regular basis to just occasionally. I guess Xmas would be a prime example of when family and friends are gathering together, it would be easy to cave in and wave goodbye to healthy eating for a few days [or longer! ]
When I first started low carbing 6+ years ago, I made sure I had plenty of lower carb sweet recipes to fall back on. These days it's just something I no longer think about!
I can't remember the last time I ate a piece of lindt choccy even! [carrot cake is my weakness. . not that I bake it myself! ]

accroul, Nov 19, 3:20am
lil_miss_haley, I got coconut flour from naturally organic today, they told me that it was starting to become popular!

uli, Nov 19, 3:27am
Now this I would dispute doug57 - if it is an "occasional" treat, then I would much prefer my body had sugar, as it knows how to deal with it - rather than artificial sweetener of any sort (including stevia) where the body expects that "sweet" (=sugar of sorts) is coming (as the tongue instructs the brain) and then it doesn't come and the whole body preparations are out of synch.

kiwimum, Nov 19, 3:33am
GF Fruit cake

Soak 1 kg fruit mince mix overnight in 2 cups of orange juice next day mic in 2 cups of GF baking mix or flour and stir to mix. Bake 160c for about an hour. Eat by itself or with fresh yoghurt and/or cream

maxwell.inc, Nov 19, 3:46am
Thats exactly my point uli!

Better a known poison than an unknown poison. . Sucrolose (aka Splenda) your playing russian roulette there thats for sure, you might as well just eat the carbs and be done with it! (same deal really)... and just look at how much is in some of the recipes! if you worked it out you would be eating about 10-20x the amount of splenda in a recipe like many of the above than you would in sweetening 1 cup of tea or coffee.

Stevia at least has good science behind it. . however I would never use it in recipes to replace sugar. (steiva also has good side effects, the whole sugar on the tongue body expecting sweets has been dis proven to a certain extent)