Keto Friendly Brownies

Fudgy Brownies are a must for me now and then. Actually, more often! Once into the Ketogenic Diet I had to have Brownies and here they are. These are no sugar, no gluten, low carb. So, with that said I give this recipe a solid B (4 Star) when comparing it to this recipe with real sugar. That’s where the scale drops a bit. I used Swerve (Here’s a little information, Sweeteners.) Swerve is one of the newer sweeteners and claims are made it causes less stomach upset, tastes more like the real thing and can be used in baking like sugar 1:1. I found there isn’t an aftertaste as with other sweeteners but there is, I guess you’d call, a texture difference from the real thing. It’s hard to describe … like cold tiny bubbles of sweetness dissolving on your tongue. I thought pop rocks but that’s a little exaggerated.

With all this said the recipe is worth a try and you can decide for yourself if it’s a keeper. When using the best unsweetened baking chocolate not much else matters when it comes to brownies.

Next up this week-end is (Ketogenic) Hamburger Cheese Bake with Spaghetti Squash Noodles. 5 Star!

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Cauliflower Mac n Cheese

For the next posts I’m creating some delicious Ketogenic recipes. Not all meat! In fact, there are Vegetarian versions of this diet. Whether you’re into the Ketogenic Diet or not you’ll enjoy this version of Mac n Cheese. Roasted Cauliflower subs for the macaroni. No matter how much cheese or what spice you add this definitely tastes of cauliflower. My family loves roasted cauliflower … So, adding cheese was just a perfect addition for a main dish result.

About the Ketogenic Diet … I recently began following Keto recommendations with amazing success in losing weight but what peaked my interest most was the benefits to nerve and brain health. I’ve lived long enough to know, information today changes tomorrow … But what I’ve studied just makes sense. I’m sure this diet isn’t for everyone. I recommend contacting your physician before beginning any strict dietary regimen.

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Sour Cream Blueberry Scones

When you have company who isn’t into eggs and bacon, pancakes or waffles and just wants coffee you bake something that goes good with coffee. I’ve done coffee cakes, here and here. But this day I made these amazing scones. A little more moist that the usual scone with just a bit of sour cream tartness. I can always tell with this guest if it’s a success. He sneaks seconds! (Just like a kiddo.) I love it!

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Best Chocolate Layered Dessert

All about good ingredients and the main ingredient is CHOCOLATE! This dessert can be put together with mixes but if you really want to knock your & family’s socks off use homemade cake, pudding and toffee candy. And by all means whip the heavy cream. Coffee, Kahlua or Bailey’s is poured over the cake when layered and all this melds together into an amazing delectable dessert.  A heavenly dessert idea is one of Melissa’s, my hairstylist, who not only does a fantastic hair color but has given me some wonderful food ideas … ethnic recipes usually, Turkey Alcatra, and then there are those like Jalapeño Poppers Dip. Melissa has a large extended family … some of her ideas have been passed along by other family members. I believe she said this was her aunt’s creation. Melissa is an experienced cook with a bit of perfectionism thrown in. Enjoy this perfect dessert for chocolate lovers. Thanks to Melissa & her aunt.

Choose one of your favorite Chocolate Cakes for baking or one of these, here. The whole cake need not be used for this dessert. For example, if you choose a 3 layered German Chocolate Cake you can save one layer for this dessert. I used one-half of Trisha’s Chocolate Pound Cake and recommend pound cake because of the texture. Cake with a lighter texture may not hold up to layering with high moisture ingredients.

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Gazpacho with Feta Crema

 

This recipe was adapted from California Olive Ranch’s Classic Summer Gazpacho with Feta Crema, a whole different take on Gazpacho. Of course it includes olive oil from California Olive Ranch. Make no mistake their olive oil is competitive with the best in domestic and imported. I can count on its consistent good quality. No advertisement here just my experience. About the Gazpacho, it’s an interesting take and worth the effort.

I did change it up a bit with peeling the tomatoes and I do recommend a sweet red onion instead of the sometimes bitterness a shallot can produce. Give it a try and let me know what you feel about the results. Enjoy!

Here is my Family Loved Recipe of Gazpacho.

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Chocolate Pound Cake

 

Just given a new dessert recipe to try! The main ingredient is a chocolate cake. Pretty much any chocolate cake as long as it’s tasty. I’ve posted many of my favorite chocolate cake recipes over the years but wanted to try something new just for fun. Chocolate pound cake seemed the perfect texture for the layered cake dessert recipe (coming soon). So I did a search and came up with Trisha Yearwood’s Chocolate Pound Cake. Since I know Trisha (ha) I just had to try it. I guess I should explain I really don’t know Trisha. I did run into her husband, Garth Brooks, at Reasor’s in Owasso (Oklahoma) back in the day. There was no fuss going on around him and I wouldn’t have noticed but he looks like my middle son (with a cowboy hat). I did a double take! And if you’ve heard the story of Trisha and Garth’s engagement, well, it’s all about Bakersfield, a place I know very well. Back to the cake, I had all the ingredients for her cake recipe and it had nearly a five star rating. A perfect choice for my layered dessert. Until then enjoy Trisha’s pound cake and some of my favorite chocolate cakes too.

 

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Stuffed Poblanos

Changing up from the traditional stuffed bells to poblanos. Less bitter than green bells, full of flavor, especially when roasted, poblanos are a great choice for stuffed peppers. Use your own recipe and substitute roasted poblanos or my vegetarian stuffing (easy to make vegan). I have a meat stuffed bell here or another vegetarian version here … one is bound to strike your fancy.

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Summer Vegetables with Pasta

Rustic pasta with vegetables, herbs and broken pieces of long ziti. Purely vegetarian with a light taste. Great to serve on a hot summer’s day. Enjoy the last of summer veggies with this simple satisfying dish.

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Eggplant Rollup

Appetizer or dinner this eggplant treatment is not usual, and fun to do! Definitely Italian in flavor making it so delicious. Cheesy basil stuffed tender rolls of eggplant are so good. Add a plain red sauce or not. It’s Perfect!

Apparently I’m into eggplant. I have quite a few recipes with this ingredient. If you’d told me when I was younger this would be one of my favorite vegetables I’m not sure I would have agreed. Here are a few other eggplant recipes you might enjoy.

 

Roasted Eggplant Dip

Orzo with Eggplant

Eggplant Appetizer

Eggplant Parmesan

Ratatouille

Tangy Roasted Vegetables

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Fig Chutney

Dinner tonight with wine of course! My little fig tree produces the best figs. It’s that time of year. So tonight I had Fig Chutney with mascarpone on toasted country bread. It was scrumptious! This is a versatile recipe. Not into all the spices just eliminate what you don’t like. Add lemon zest if you are into it Chopped apple can be added too. It’s hard to go wrong!

If you’re into figs you might like to try these recipes too, Fig Topping & Fig Bars

 

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