This is a recipe for people who enjoy baking (like me).  While this is a low carb recipe, it still has around 13g net carbs per serving (12 servings total) so this is more of a “special occasion” dessert.  [Recipe from http://www.wheatlessbuns.com]

INGREDIENTS:

For the filling:

• 2 cream cheese (8 oz. each and room temp)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 packet plain gelatin
• 1/2 cup xylitol (powdered)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. grated lime peel
• 20 drops of Stevia extract
• A couple of drops of green food coloring (optional)

For the crust:

• 1 cup almond flour/meal
• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 3 tbls. butter (melted)
• 2 tbls. xylitol (powdered)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray or grease a 9″ springform pan.  Mix the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for approximately 12 minutes or until it starts to get lightly browned.  Allow to cool.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  In separate bowl, beat the whipping cream to soft peaks.
3. In a saucepan on the stove, sprinkle the gelatin over the water–let rest for about 1 minute.  Then stir in the xylitol, lime juice, grated peel, Stevia drops and green food coloring.  Turn the heat on low and stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Pour the gelatin mixture slowly into the cream cheese.  Turn the mixer on medium and keep blending.  At first, it will look like green jello with cottage cheese, but don’t panic.  Just keep the mixer going until the mixture has a smooth texture.  Then fold in the whipped cream.
5. Spoon the mixture onto the crust and spread evenly.  Garnish with toasted coconut and grated lime.  Refrigerate for a few hours, then remove the springform.♥

This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  It is adapted from http://the-lowcarb-diet.com.  You do have to set out the egg and butter ahead of time so they are room temperature.  While you can use whatever sugar substitute you want, I prefer using powdered Xylitol.  Total recipe makes approximately 12 servings and each cookie has 2.11g net carbs.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/4 cup almond flour
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sweetener
• 1/3 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, sift together almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low-medium speed, cream butter, sweetener, egg and vanilla until smooth.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix until evenly mixed.  Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Drop 1-2 tablespoon size mounds of dough onto baking sheet, spacing the mounds at least 2 inches apart.  Using your spoon or palm of your hand, flatten the cookies to the desired size and thickness.
6. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges.  Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I’ve made this recipe several times and it is a definite keeper (from buttoni.wordpress.com).  It is a great dessert for the summer time.  This recipe makes 8 servings and has approximately 6.9 net carbs but it depends on which fruit topping you use.  I made one of these pizzas with strawberries and one with peaches.  It would also be great with blueberries or raspberries (or a combination).  The crust is made the day before because you need it to sit in the fridge overnight.

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST:

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1/3 cup Splenda
• 2 1/2 tablespoons low carb mix or almond flour (or 1 tablespoon coconut flour)
• 2 egg whites lightly beaten with a whisk until frothy
• 1 tsp almond extract

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar-free syrup (like DaVinci or Torani)
• 3 oz. softened cream cheese (optional)
• 1 pint fruit

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a pizza pan with foil.  Grease a 9-10″ circle with butter.
2. Combine all crust ingredients in a bowl and stir well.  Using fingers, spread and press firmly the coconut crust mixture into a 9-10″ circle on a greased sheet pan.
3. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate overnight.
4. The day before you want to serve, place crust on flat cake plate.
5. Whip cream with a splash of vanilla and sweetener of your choice.  (I used cinnamon vanilla once and french vanilla the other times.)  Also add a dusting of glucomannan powder to the whip cream to firm it up.  If doing the variation with cream cheese, add it at this point and stir well.
6. Spread the whipped cream mixture evenly over coconut crust and top with fruit.
7. Chill for an hour and then cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Enjoy!

This is a great dessert my whole family loves (thanks to Andres at the-lowcarb-diet.com).  It makes approximately 9 servings and has 2.56 net carbs each.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sweetener
• 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup low carb protein powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Melt and whisk butter and peanut butter together.
2. Whisk in the cream cheese and sweetener until well blended and smooth.  Add the protein powder and mix well.
3. Butter an 8-inch non-stick baking dish (or line with buttered parchment paper).  Pour the fudge mixture in the pan.  Melt chocolate chips and drizzle on top of fudge.
4. Let chill until set, at least 1-2 hours.  Cut into squares and serve.  Fudge can be stored in the fridge or at cool room temperature in an airtight container.

This is a wonderful low-carb, healthy version of my family’s favorite iced pumpkin recipe from allrecipes.com (the one that contained sugar, flour and 22 carbs).  I do not have the carb count for this, but I’m estimating each cookie has approximately 4-5 carbs each.  For a lower carb count, you could cut down the Splenda to 1-1/2 cups and not add sugar-free chocolate chips.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cups granulated Splenda
• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
• Optional: chopped almonds or pecans
• 1/2 cup Swerve confectioners’ sugar or 1/2 cup Splenda (put into a food processor and blend until it becomes a powder or put it in a baggie then roll your rolling pin over it a few times until it becomes a powder.
• 1-1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoon melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl combine coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and salt.  Set aside.
3. In mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and Splenda.  Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy. Add dry ingredients while mixer is running.  Turn off mixer and stir in SF chocolate chips.
4. Drop on cookie sheet by large tablespoonful.  Flatten slightly.  Bake for 17 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven.  Cool cookies on wire rack, then drizzle glaze with fork.  After glaze has set (20 or 30 minutes), sprinkle with chopped nuts.
5. To Make Glaze:  Combine Swerve or Splenda confectioner’s sugar, heavy whipping cream, melted butter and vanilla extract.  If glaze is too thick, add a little more cream.

I will admit that Tom, Andie and I had this for breakfast.  I did follow George Stella’s 2005 recipe without realizing he had made some changes to it in his 2014 cookbook.  The 2005 recipe was great so I’m sure the newest recipe is even better.  Net carbs: 4 grams (doesn’t include the strawberries that I added).  Here is the 2014 recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup extra fine ricotta cheese (make this smoother by using a hand mixer or food processor)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar substitute (I used Splenda but next time I’ll try Swerve, just to see if any difference)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks

DIRECTIONS:

1. PLACE the oven rack in the center position, and preheat to 400 degrees.  Spray an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Wrap the entire outside of the springform pan in aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping into the cake.
2. MAKE a water bath so the top of the cheesecake won’t split as it bakes:  Pour about 1 inch hot water into a shallow roasting pan big enough to hold the cake pan, and place it on the center rack of the oven to heat.
3. WITH an electric mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese, ricotta and sugar substitute for about 1 minute, until well blended.
4. IN  a separate bowl, whisk together the cream, vanilla, lemon juice, eggs and yolks.
5. TURN the mixer on medium speed and slowly pour the egg mixture into the cream cheese mixture.  Beat just until blended; be careful not to over-whip.
6. POUR the batter into the greased springform pan, and smooth the top with a spatula.  Place the pan in the heated water bath, and bake for 15 minutes.
7. LOWER the oven temperature to 325 degrees.  Continue baking for about 1 1/2 hours, until the top is a light golden brown and the cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan.
8. REMOVE from oven and let cool on counter for 1 hour, and then refrigerate at least 8 hours before slicing to serve.

I had a craving for something sweet and lemony and found this delicious recipe from Carolyn Ketchum.  They were a big hit in my family.  Makes about 40 2-inch cookies or about 28-30 medium-sized cookies.  Servings: 2 with 2 net carbs per serving.

INGREDIENTS:

Sanding “Sugar”:

2 tablespoons sugar substitute (I like Swerve)

1 drop yellow gel food coloring

Dough:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar substitute (I like Swerve)

1 large egg, room temperature (or run it under warm water)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

Glaze:

6 tablespoons powdered sugar substitute (I like Swerve powdered sweetener)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. For the sanding “sugar,” combine granulated sweetener and gel food coloring in a small bowl.  Use the back of a spoon to work food coloring into sweetener granules.  Set aside.
2. For the dough, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter with sweetener until well combined.  Beat in egg, lemon juice and lemon zest.  
4. Add almond flour mixture and beat until dough comes together.  Turn out dough onto a large piece of parchment paper.  Pat into a rough circle and then top with another piece of parchment.  Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness.  Place on a cookie sheet and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line another baking sheet with parchment.  Cut out cookies into desired shape and lift carefully with a small, offset spatula or knife.  Place cookies at least 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.  Reroll your dough and cut out more cookies (if your dough gets too soft to work with, you can put it in the freezer for a bit to harden up).
6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until just golden brown and firm to the touch.
7. Let cool on pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the glaze, stir powdered sweetener and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth.
9. Spread a thin layer of glaze over each cookie and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

This recipe comes from George Stella and is my favorite cookie recipe so far!  2 net carbs per cookie.

• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar substitute
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups Almond Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

CINNAMON TOPPING

• 2 tablespoons sugar substitute
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. PREHEAT oven to 375°, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. USING a stand or hand-held mixer, add the cream cheese, butter, sugar substitute, egg and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl, and beat on high until creamy and fluffy.
3. ADD in Almond Flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and mix on medium until well blended.
4. USING a teaspoon or 1 ounce ice cream scoop, drop 16 evenly spaced cookies on the prepared sheet pan, and push down slightly on each.
5. COMBINE the cinnamon topping ingredients, and sprinkle evenly over the top of each cookie.
6. BAKE for 8-10 minutes, or until they begin to brown around the edges.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.