RECIPE: Carol's Low Carb Pumpkin Nut Muffin

The leaves show the slightest hint of color change and I start craving pumpkin! I've been sticking to low carb lifestyle for a while now, and so I've been working on some low carb (net 4 carbs!) pumpkin recipes to help pacify my cravings. 

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons pumpkin purée
1 egg
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2+ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons Splenda
A handful of chopped pecans (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a coffee mug stir the egg and the pumpkin purée together. Add almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and Splenda then stir well. Add pecan pieces, if desired. 

Place coffee mug in microwave and cook on high for a minimum of one minute. Because of the extra moistness of the pumpkin purée it takes about two minutes in my microwave. (The muffin in the photo has been cut in half and put in a toaster for a crunchier texture.)

I altered the basic recipe to include pumpkin. If you want to delete the pumpkin add 1 tablespoon of butter instead. This recipe can also be made as a savory muffin by eliminating the Pumpkin, nuts and Splenda and adding herbs of your choosing.

Here's the breakdown from the recipe I added on MyFitness Pal ...

RECIPE: Peach Sorbet

For four nights in a row we have had a different variety of sorbet as our dessert. Strawberry, mango, blueberry, and now peach! I didn't realize we were out of coconut milk, so I decided to try almond milk instead. We were pleasantly surprised with how it turned out!

PEACH SORBET

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk (We were out of coconut milk - turned out great!)

1 cup frozen Peaches

4 Ice Cubes

2 tablespoons Honey

DIRECTIONS:

Add ingredients  to blender in order listed. For best results blend milk, fruit and ice fairly well before adding the honey. Those goes with all fruits ... The honey hardens when it sits too long with the frozen berries and ice. Blend until very smooth and creamy. 

Store in a container in the freezer for a few hours before serving. Mix well because the edges will be a lot firmer than the center. Spoon into decorative glasses or bowls. 

Garnish, as desired. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Blueberry Coconut Sorbet

Okay, so the strawberries were awesome in sorbet ... Mangos, too ... Tonight I tried blueberries ... Guess what? They were awesome, too!
BLUEBERRY COCONUT SORBET

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Coconut Milk
1 cup frozen Blueberries
4 Ice Cubes
2 tablespoons Honey

DIRECTIONS:
Add ingredients  to blender in order listed. For best results blend milk, berries and ice fairly well before adding the honey. That tip goes for all fruits ... The honey hardens when it sits too long with the frozen berries and ice. Blend until very smooth and creamy. 

Store in a container in the freezer for a few hours before serving. 

Mix well because the edges will be a lot firmer than the center. 

Spoon into decorative glasses or bowls. Garnish, as desired. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Banana Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

Y'all are going to think we consume nothing but smoothies! Not so - I assure you! I'm not going to post any more for a few days ... Smoothies - Not recipes! I'm planning on doing some real cooking ... Just you wait! (However, this is one of my most favorite smoothies!!!)
BANANA BLUEBERRY SPINACH SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Milk
1/2 cup vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 Banana
1/2 cup frozen Blueberries
2 cups fresh organic Spinach

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a blender. 

Blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour. Enjoy!

RECIPE: White Chocolate Macadamia Smoothie

Who doesn't love white chocolate macadamia nut cookies? Who doesn't love smoothies?? I experimented today ...
WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Milk
1/2 cup vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 Banana
2 tablespoons White Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons Macadamia Nuts
6 Ice Cubes

DIRECTIONS:
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. This may take a while if the macadamia nuts are whole. 

For best results, chop them first. Pour. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: No-atmeal

Crazy name, huh! Well, I have fond memories of eating oatmeal when I was a kid, but since it's a grain, it's a no-no. Since I have sensitivities to oats, it's a double no-no. So, I went in search of alternate recipes for a hot breakfast dish that would be similar to my once-beloved oatmeal. 
I was digitally 'thumbing through' the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook when I fond something interesting ... No-atmeal, submitted by Doug Descant. 
NO-ATMEAL (No-Oat Breakfast Cereal)

INGREDIENTS

1 small handful of walnuts

1 small handful of pecans 

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon unsweetened ground coconut

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 pinch of ground nutmeg 

1 pinch ground ginger 

1 tablespoon almond butter 

1 banana, mashed 

3 eggs 

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (add more if you prefer it a little runny) 

2 teaspoons chopped macadamia nuts*

1 handful of fresh strawberries

(**NOTE: Macadamia nuts are not in photo below - They were an after-thought)

Quoted from the cookbook ... 

"Pronounced “note-meal” (as in, no oatmeal), Doug’s recipe is for all you ex-cereal lovers out there and for anyone who needs a warm bowl of comforting goodness on a cold winter morning. As Doug says, “it’s a hot meal full of essential proteins and fats, not to mention the necessary vitamins and minerals, in order to stay energized for the cold weeks ahead.” Just thinking about eating No-atmeal for breakfast is guaranteed to coax you out of bed in the morning."

DIRECTIONS

1. Add walnuts, pecans, flax seed and spices to a food processor and pulse it down to a course grain, making sure to stop before it’s totally ground into a powder. Set aside. 

2. Whisk together eggs and almond milk until the consistency thickens a little bit into a loose custard. Thoroughly blend together the mashed banana and almond butter and add it to the custard, mixing well.

3. Stir in the nut mixture. 

4. Microwave until the “no-atmeal” reaches your desired consistency; this should only take a few minutes. I checked and stirred it every 30 seconds and removed it after 2 minutes.

5. Sprinkle macadamia nuts and strawberries on top. Add more almond milk if you want. 

6. Lick the bowl clean!

RECIPE: Strawberry Mango Smoothie ... With Avocado and Spinach!

Conrad isn't completely sold on the idea of "drinking vegetables" mixed with fruit, so I took yesterday's recipe and added avocado and spinach and drank it myself. It was awesome! Smooth, rich, creamy, nutritious ... green ... what more could one ask for!


STRAWBERRY MANGO SMOOTHIE WITH AVOCADO AND SPINACH

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup ZOI vanilla Greek Yogurt
6-8 fresh Strawberries (I used fresh)
1/2 cup chunks of Mango (I used frozen)
1/4 Avocado
2 cups fresh Spinach
1 teaspoon Agave
6 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Strawberry Mango Smoothie

Even though "Smoothie Month" is officially over I am still making and loving drinking them. With Spring and Summer just around the corner, I am going to be trying even more varieties. I will post my findings as I progress.


STRAWBERRY MANGO SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup ZOI vanilla Greek Yogurt
6-8 fresh Strawberries (I used fresh)
1/2 cup chunks of Mango (I used frozen)
1 teaspoon Agave
6 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour. Serve. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Cinnamon Nut Bun Smoothie

Yes, this is just an alteration of the last smoothie, but what a difference a sprinkling of pecans makes! The hint of rich, nutty taste really made this recipe. I LOVE pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts, so I will be experimenting with them more often. As for the two Cinnamon Bun Smoothie recipes? I'll definitely be making both of these again!
CINNAMON NUT BUN SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 Banana
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons raw Pecans
6 Ice Cubes

 DIRECTIONS:
1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Pour. Serve. Enjoy!