Pumpkin Bread Balls (low carb, no gluten, grains, or nuts)

These are so freakin good...and since it's fall and that means it's pumpkin season...GAME ON!

I love pumpkin...pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins...you name it, I love it...sooo, since my old recipe had almond flour as a main ingredient, I needed to make some modifications. I'm so glad I did. These trump anything pumpkin-y that I've ever made. They are kind of like a cross between an old fashioned doughnut, pumpkin bread and a snickerdoodle cookie. They are delicious, and have only about 2 net carbs per "ball". They're pretty too, with the cinnamon/erythritol coating...


1 1/4 c coconut flour
1/4 c vanilla whey protein (Jay Robb)
1/4 c chia seeds
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 c erythritol

2/3 c coconut milk
2/3 c + 3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil - melted
1 tsp stevia glycerite
6 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

Coating -
6 Tbsp erythritol
2 Tbsp cinnamon

Whisk all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Ensure that everything is well mixed before you begin adding the wet ingredients.

Add all wet ingredients and use a hand mixer to get everything all mixed. Blend for 2-3 minutes or until well combined.

Preheat oven to 350 and allow dough to sit for 10 minutes or so to thicken up, while your oven heats up.

Mix erythritol and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Roll dough into balls, approximately 1 1/2 inches. Roll dough in cinnamon/erythritol mixture and place on parchment lined baking sheet. (They don't spread, so you can put them pretty close together). This amount of dough should make approximately 45-50 balls.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.


Update - I ran out of Jay Robb protein powder and couldn't justify it's cost. I now use an unflavored whey and/or egg white protein powder that I order via Subscribe and Save on Amazon. To compensate for the additional sweetness, I add about 1/4 tsp of liquid stevia (2 droppers) and a tsp of vanilla, while using the same amount of protein powder.


(Lindsey Slattery is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This costs you nothing, but if you purchase items that I recommend, I will receive a small percentage of the item's cost.)

Double Chocolate Mocha Biscotti (low carb, gluten free, dairy free)

2 ¼ cups almond flour

¼ c cocoa powder

2 Tbsps tapioca flour

1 egg

Pinch of salt

50 drops of liquid stevia

¼ cup strongly brewed coffee

½ tsp baking soda

Handful of chocolate chips

 

Mix all of the dry ingredients in the food processor. Add the egg, stevia and coffee. Process until it all comes together. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until they are combined.

Work the dough with your hands into 2 small loaves on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, or until they are set and cool enough to handle.

 Cut biscotti pieces with a sharp, serrated knife and spread the pieces out on the parchment.

Return to oven for 10-12 minutes, turn oven off and leave in for a couple of hours or until they are dried out to your liking. 

If serving within 24 hours, simply package in an airtight container and leave on the counter. If serving later, freeze them – they’re good both frozen and defrosted.

Delicious, both with coffee and without.

Pumpkin Bread - low carb, sugar free, grain free & spicy

Pumpkin Bread

Low carb, gluten and grain free pumpkin bread (spicy!)

1 3/4 c almond flour
1/2 c - 1 tbsp coconut flour
1 can pumpkin
4 eggs
1/2 c butter
1/2 c olive / grapeseed oil
1 cup Splenda
1 tsp stevia
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp xanthan gum






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Cantaloupe Bread

1 c cantaloupe puree (food processsed and then strained by about 1/2)
1/3 c coconut oil - softened or melted
6 eggs
1.5 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
40 drops liquid stevia (NuNaturals)
1/3 c sour cream
1/3 c plain yogurt (not vanilla)
3/4 Tbsp cinnamon (eyeball it)
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp almond extract
3/4 c coconut flour
1/2 c walnuts (optional) - put on the top and push down into the bread before baking.

Food process the cantaloupe, coconut oil and eggs until light and kind of frothy. Add remaining ingrediants, except coconut flour. Process for 30-45 seconds. Add coconut flour and process for an additional minute or so. Batter will be loose, but kind of grainy.

Bake in a well oiled (or parchment lined) bread pan at 350 for 35-40 minutes

Tastes similiar to a pumpkin/banana bread. I'm thinking you could easily sub either of those ingrediants for the cantaloupe and have a successful baking experience.

Chocolate Cake (the best so far!)

Based on this recipe: http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2011/10/mocha-fudge-cake-and-converting-flours.html and modified only slightly! Can't wait to try the version with almond flour...

USING COCONUT FLOUR
1 1/2 c Kroger brown sugar sub
1/3 c coconut oil
6 eggs
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 heaping T cocoa
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cups coconut flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup hot coffee
1 1/2 tsp vanilla or chocolate extract
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

Pre-heat oven to 350˚. Beat sweetener and butter in a bowl until combined. Beat in eggs, then chocolate, then sour cream. Sift the coconut/almond flour and baking soda in a bowl; add to chocolate mixture. Beat in coffee, vanilla and salt until combined. Coat a 9" cake pan with coconut oil spray; pour in batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

Low Carb, Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Easy peasy in the food processor...with a great texture and way better for you than regular peanut butter cookies! Definitely try these and see if you ever want to go back. By the way...if you eat the whole batch, these are no longer low carb...but would still be gluten free :)

Low Carb and Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 c. almond flour
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c no calorie brown sugar sweetner (I used Wal-Mart Brand....it's lower carb than Splenda Brown Sugar)
1 tsp liquid stevia (I use NuNaturals, which I buy at iHerb - use referral code FAC437 to save $5 on your first order!)
1/3 c peanut butter (creamy)
1/3 c coconut oil
2 eggs

Heat oven to 325

Mix all of the dry ingrediants in the food processor until they are well-blended. Add all of the wet ingrediants, except the eggs. Mix well. While leaving the food processor on, add the eggs, one at a time.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into a log(ish) about 1.5 inches in diameter. Pluck off 1.5 inch pieces and place on cookie sheet. Mash slightly with your hand, as these don't spread or change shape (at all...seriously).

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes (optional for pretty cookies...remove from oven at 8 minute mark and use a fork to make traditional peanut butter cookie crosses - if you plan on doing this, you can leave your cookies a little taller at the beginning).

Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes and then remove (carefully) to a wire cooling rack.

Enjoy...but not the whole batch!

My Splendid Gluten Free Bake Mix Remix

So, I cannot take credit for the initial splendid gluten free bake mix that Jennifer Eloff created. I used her initial recipe from the get go and must say that it is quite good. It was an excellent starting point for me as I embarked on a gluten free lifestyle to compliment the lowcarb lifestyle that I had been living for 4.5 years.  I have since modified it ever so slightly, so I wanted to share...

1²/₃ cups almond flour (Bob's Red Mill or Trader Joes)

3/4 cup certified gluten-free oat flour (Bob's Red Mill)

1/4 cup coconut flour (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045TSUYK)

³/₄ tsp xanthan gum

 

I modified the amount of coconut flour from what Jennifer uses...I feel that this works better, and is less annoying to measure out. It also makes it measure 1 for 1 to regular flour more often than not, in my humble opinion. But, I do want to give credit where credit is due...and my modification is slight, so thanks Jennifer.

 

I just throw everything in a food processor and buzz it a couple of times, then put in a container that I used to use for flour. I make up about 2-3 batches at one time, so that I have it when I need it - less annoying that way!

Coconut Banana Bread (LC and GF)

3 medium bananas
3 TBSP butter (melted)
1/3 c coconut oil (melted)
½ c Splenda
1 TBSP liquid Sugar Free sweetener - equivalent to 1 C of sugar (I used sweet and low, you could use stevia)
1 TBSP molasses
2 TBSP Crown Royal
1 TBSP vanilla extract
½ c sour cream
2 eggs
2 c. splendid gf bake mix
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ c unsweetened coconut
¾ c pecans (mine were toasted - this makes it better)

Add all ingredients, through the eggs, to the food processor. Blend well until liquefied.

Add dry ingredients and pulse a few times to blend, then run food processor for about a minute.  Once everything is mixed thoroughly, add coconut and pecans and pulse to break up the pecans and combine.

Spoon into muffin cups or bread pan, filling approximately 85% (to get a good, rounded muffin). I used mini muffins and they came out beautifully…muffins - 350 degrees for 20 minutes, bread loaf - 350 for 45-50 minutes (check it after 35 so it doesn't burn...toothpick should come out clean)

Low Carb Garlic Bread

Dry Ingredients
3 1/3 c. Pre-Mixed Bake Mix
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp guar gum
1 tsp xantham gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Wet Ingredients
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese (softened)
1 c. butter (really soft/slightly melted)
4 eggs
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 Tbsp fresh garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add all wet ingredients to a blender and mix until well blended. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until well combined.

Spray the bottom of small loaf pans with cooking spray. Portion batter into 3 small loaf pans. Top loaves with an additional tsp or so of fresh minced garlic and a pinch of salt.

Bake for approximately 35 - 45 minutes until top is golden and a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.

Optional Additions:
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and well drained.
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

Low Carb Almond Bread

This one was approved by even my non-LC friends! If you don't have LC Bake Mix, check out the recipe from my previous post!

8 ounces cream cheese - softened
1 cup butter - softened
4 eggs
1/3 c. Splenda®

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups almond flour
1 c. premixed lowcarb baking mix
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp guargum
1 tsp xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a 1 1/2 qt loaf pan (or 3 mini loaf pans) with cooking spray.

Combine wet ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
Mix dry ingredients together and then fold in wet ingredients. Pour evenly into baking pan. Bake for 50-60 (40-50 mins for mini pans) minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert on a serving plate.
Keep refrigerated.

Optional - Add an additional (1) cup of Splenda for a sweeter bread that tastes almost cake-like.

Low Carb Bake Mix

Yes, it's here...after a lot of tweaking, I have finally developed a do it yourself low carb bake mix. Make up a batch of this and keep it in the freezer to use to make the most fabulous low carb breads and baked goods ever!

1 c. Soy Flour
3/4 c. Flax Meal
1 c. Almond Flour
1 3/4 c. Whey Protein Powder (I use French Vanilla w/ 3 net grams of carbs per 2 scoops, just make sure it's a low carb version)
4 tsp Splenda
3 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt