Easy Recipe for Low-Carb, Diabetic-Friendly Coconut Clusters

Yesterday evening, I found myself baking a diabetic-friendly dessert for the very first time in my life.  In the past couple of years, I've learned of several family members and friends who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and others who are trying to control their blood sugar levels for various reasons.  The incidence of diabetes is increasing and society as a whole is becoming more and more aware of the dangers of sugar to our bodies.  

Those of you who know me, know that I love to cook and bake.  I enjoy making dessert to take to dinner parties and such, but increasingly, I have found that not everyone has the luxury to indulge in these sweets. Yesterday, I was invited to my in-laws' house for dinner. I wanted to bring a dessert that could gratify everyone.  It always breaks my heart when I see one or two people unable to enjoy a treat.

I found a wonderful low-carb, diabetic friendly recipe that truly surprised my taste buds.  The recipe is from one of my cookbooks, "The Low-Carb Gourmet", written by Karen Barnaby.  The ingredients are things I usually have around the house and the recipe is so easy, anyone can make it.  The best part is that the coconut clusters were enjoyed by all, not just those watching their blood sugar.  Oh, and the aroma they leave in the house is heavenly.  

Some of my friends have requested the recipe, so I am sharing it with you, precisely as written on page 162 of Karen Barnaby's book...

Cream Cheese, Coconut,  and Lemon Mounds

Makes 20 mounds

90 g (3 oz) unsweetened desiccated coconut

2 tbsp Splenda

120 ml (4 fl oz) whipping cream

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

60 g (2 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon rind

In a medium bowl, mix the coconut, sweetener, cream and vanilla.  Let stand for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F / gas 4.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stir the cream cheese into the coconut mixture until blended.  Add the egg and mix well.  Stir in the lemon rind.

Drop by level tablespoons (making macaroon-shaped mounds), 5 cm (2 in) apart, on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until the tops are lightly speckled with brown.

Per mound.  Carbohydrates: 0.7 g;  Protein: 0.8 g;  Fat: 5.4 g;  Calories/kJ: 54/226

And voila!  The coconut clusters are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!  I promise!  The best way I can describe their taste and texture is a cross between a macaroon and cheesecake.  Keep in mind that they do need to be refrigerated or frozen overnight to prevent spoiling (because of the cream cheese).  That is if they last that long!  Hope you enjoy! 

How to Cook Rutabaga

How many of you have eaten rutabaga before?  Probably not too many.  I, for one, tasted rutabaga for the first time just a few months ago.  My friend, Sandy, introduced me to it.  She raved about how tasty it was and what a great alternative to potatoes it could be. 

Rutabagas are low in carbohydrates.  One cup of cubed, cooked rutabaga contains 15 grams of carbs.  One cup of cubed, cooked potato has 37 grams of carbs.  That's a huge difference!  If you are looking to cut carbs from your diet, replacing rutabaga for potatoes is a great way to start!

At first, I was a little intimidated by the rutabaga.  I didn't know how to cook it or what to do with it.  I wasn't even sure if I would like the taste of it.  After cooking with it, I have since found it to be a delicious, versatile, low-carb alternative to potatoes.  I've made "potato" salad with it, chopped it up and used it in stews, and last night, I made mashed "potatoes" with it.

Let me formally introduce you, if you haven't already been acquainted...

 The rutabaga is a root vegetable. It's a cross between a cabbage and a turnip.  It isn't the prettiest looking vegetable.  Rutabagas can get quite large.  The one in the photo weighs 1 1/2 pounds.  It made enough mashed rutabaga to feed our family of four.  One rutabaga can really go a long way!

How to cook mashed rutabaga...

First, peel it using a vegetable peeler and slice the ends off.

Next, chop it into one-inch cubes.

I must tell you, rutabagas are hard to cut into.  Some people prefer to microwave it for a few minutes to make the chopping easier, but I like to chop it as is, using a good chopping knife.

Add the chopped rutabaga to a large pot and cover with water.  Once the water comes to a boil, add salt to taste, lower the heat to low and allow the rutabaga to simmer for approximately 35 minutes or until tender.    

Once the rutabaga is tender, drain all the water from the pot and mash it with a potato masher.  Notice, how the color changes to a beautiful golden yellow?  Add three tablespoons of butter to it and a sprinkling of fresh nutmeg, if you have some on hand. 

It's as easy as 1-2-3!

It made a delicious, low-carb accompaniment for our pork schnitzel.  

Maybe the next time you see rutabaga in your grocery store, you can bring some home and try it.  I don't think you'll be disappointed!  

 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Last week, a friend of mine sent me a link to a recipe she thought I'd be interested in.  The recipe was for a cauliflower crust pizza.  The fact that the crust is made with cauliflower and cheese and not pizza dough, makes it a healthy low-carb and gluten-free option.

Ever since I switched to a lower carbohydrate lifestyle, pizza hasn't really been on the menu (although I will indulge on "special" occasions), so the idea of a low-carb pizza sounded perfect to me! 

Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable and I've had great success using it to replace rice.  I hoped that the cauliflower would work just as well in this recipe, and it did...it really did!

This great recipe comes from the food blog  Stick a Fork in it and I'd like to share my interpretation of it with you! 

Here is a look at the crust before it was baked.

The crust consists of:

1 cup cooked cauliflower rice

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic salt

1 egg, beaten

I brushed the pizza pan with olive oil and then formed an 8 inch circle with the cauliflower mixture.  I baked the crust in a preheated 450F oven for approximately 15 minutes.

  This is how the crust looked after baking for 15 minutes.

I made my own pizza sauce using whole canned tomatoes pulsed with some extra virgin olive oil, and garlic salt - easy to make and so much better than the canned stuff.

Next, I added shredded mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced chorizo, sliced kalamata olives, green peppers and basil leaves.  I put the pizza under the broiler (550F) for approximately three minutes...

And here is the result!  Doesn't it look yummy?

The personal pizza was delicious and very filling.  My favourite part was the cheesy, crispy edges.  How does it compare to a regular crust pizza?  The taste was delicious.  I couldn't even taste the cauliflower!  The only difference is in the texture of the crust.  Instead of being crispy, it is kind of limp and soft, but not surprising, as the crust contains cauliflower and cheese.  But, for me, it in no way, takes away from the pizza.  It was close enough to a regular pizza as you can get!

Care for a slice?

I was so pleased with the way it turned outl, that I made personal pizzas for Nuno and the girls for dinner.

Pepperoni and cheese for the girls

Chorizo, mushrooms, green peppers, kalamata olives, and basil leaves for Nuno

We all enjoyed the pizza, the girls too!  If any of you are looking for a low-carb and/or gluten-free pizza option, this one's for you! 

Bon Appetit!

Eating Local and Organic

Do you ever think about the food you eat and where it comes from?  Does it even interest you at all?  I tend to feel proud of myself whenever I purchase wholesome, healthy food - such as chicken, beef, pork, fruits and vegetables.  I thought I was buying the best food I could for my family.  What I didn't realize, was how oblivious I was about where all this "good" food came from and how it got here.

I watched a documentary last week that has made me much more aware as a consumer, and has got me asking lots of questions.  The documentary is called Food, Inc., an American film, directed by Robert Kenner.  This wonderful documentary has opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking.  The film is based on farming in the United States and the industrial production of meat, grains and vegetables.  It shows how "in the dark" consumers are about food and how it is produced. 

After seeing this film, I promised myself three things:  First,  I am going to pay more attention to the food I buy.  Next, I want to know where my food comes from.  And lastly, I want to buy local  (whenever possible) and purchase more organic.  I want the food industry and big corporations to know I care about my food and what I eat.

I don't want our cows injected with hormones, in turn, tainting our beef and milk.  Despite international concern, the USA and Canada continue to allow the hormone injections!!  
I could go on and on about this documentary, but I'd like you to see it for yourself.  If you have Netflix, you can watch it on there.   It is so important that we, as a society, become more aware of the food we are eating.  We are being kept in the dark and we need to know the truth about what is really happening behind the scenes. 

Enough of my ranting...

On the weekend, Nuno, the girls and I went to our local farmer's market in downtown Barrie, inspired and on the lookout for local, fresh ingredients.  I bought some organic kale from one vendor and came across another vendor who sold organic chicken and other meats.  She told us about her farm store, Nicholyn Farms. 

Lucky for us, it was only 10 minutes north of Barrie. So we took the short drive.   If you click on the link above, you will see that they are a family operated business, certified organic, and raise all their animals locally without growth hormones.

We weren't sure what to expect.  We were so pleased with the quality and selection! 
Here is Annabel pushing the grocery cart with some of our goodies...

organic chicken, turkey breast, spaghetti squash and milk!

I will definitely be shopping here more often.  I am not saying that all my groceries will be organic - the cost is definitely higher - but I will make an effort to purchase organic more frequently.  I want the food industry to know that natural, drug free food is important to me. 

"You must be the change you wish to see in this world"

- Mohandas Gandhi

I roasted the organic chicken for Sunday night's dinner.   This is a photo of the chicken just before it went into the oven.

2 1/2 hours later...crispy skin, moist, delicious, aromatic chicken. 

I made a delicious gravy with chicken stock, the pan drippings and a touch of cream.

Turkey breast with roasted carrots and stir-fried kale.

I must tell you how absolutely delicious this chicken was.  You could really taste the difference in the meat and even in the crispy skin! 

This is the spaghetti squash I roasted on Monday evening for our spaghetti dinner...

I cooked up my homemade tomato meat sauce and used the spaghetti squash to replace actual "spaghetti".  And now it's low-carb!

I don't think I'll ever enter a supermarket and look at food the same way again.  When I look back, I think, how was I so unaware of the food I was consuming?  The important thing is that now I know.  Knowledge is power.  I will be making better food choices in the future and will be visiting farmer's markets more often.  I can't wait for Spring!  I'm looking forward to fresh, local asparagus in May and supporting our local farmers and community! 

Happy Thursday, dear friends!   I appreciate and love reading your comments!

Have a healthy, happy rest of the week!  xo