1001 Low-Carb Recipes: Hundreds of Delicious Recipes From Dinner to Dessert That Let You Live Your Low-Carb Lifestyle and Never Look Back (130 page)

Press firmly into the prepared pan, making sure you cover the seam around the bottom—but don’t expect to be able to build it all the way up the sides. Bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden and cool before filling.

Yield:
12 servings

4 grams of carbohydrate, and 2 grams of fiber, for a usable carb count of 2 grams; 8 grams protein.

1½ cups (225 g) almonds

cup (40 g) vanilla whey protein powder

2 tablespoons (3 g) Splenda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup (56 g) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).

Put the almonds in a food processor with the S-blade in place. Run the food processor until the almonds are ground medium-fine. Add the protein powder, Splenda, and cinnamon and pulse the processor to blend. Turn the processor on and pour in the butter—if needed, stop the food processor, run a knife around the bottom to make sure everything mixes evenly, put the lid back on, and process a little more.

Spray a 10-inch (25-cm) pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Turn the almond mixture into the pie plate and press firmly and evenly into place, building it up the side about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until turning golden. Cool before filling.

Yield:
8 servings

Each serving will have 6 grams carbohydrate and 3 grams fiber, for a usable carb count of 3 grams; and 8 grams protein.

1½ cups (225 g) almonds

¼ cup (30 g) vanilla whey protein powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons (3 g) Splenda

¼ cup (56 g) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).

Put the almonds in a food processor with the S-blade in place. Run the processor until the almonds are ground medium-fine. Add the protein powder, ginger, and Splenda and pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse to combine—you may need to run a knife around the bottom of the food processor to make sure everything gets combined.

Press firmly into a 10-inch (25-cm) pie plate or springform pan you’ve sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, building up the sides about 1 inch (2.5 cm)—if you’re using a springform pan, make sure you cover the seam at the bottom. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until it just barely turns golden.

Yield:
8 to 10 servings

Assuming 8, each will have 5 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber, for a usable carb count of 3 grams; 6 grams protein.

Wheat germ and wheat bran give this a “graham” flavor.

1¼ cups (190 g) almonds

2 tablespoons (14 g) wheat germ

2 tablespoons (14 g) wheat bran

3 tablespoons (4.5 g) Splenda

1 pinch salt

6 tablespoons (84 g) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).

Put the almonds in a food processor with the S-blade in place. Run it until they’re ground to about the texture of cornmeal. Add the wheat germ, wheat bran, Splenda, and salt and pulse to combine. Now turn on the processor and pour in the butter, running the processor until everything’s well combined. (You may need to stop the processor and run a knife around the bottom edge to make sure all the dry ingredients come in contact with the butter.)

Turn this mixture out into an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan you’ve sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Press firmly into place. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just turning gold around the edges. Cool before filling.

Yield:
12 servings

Each with 3 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g usable carbs.

Our tester Ray Stevens made this when he couldn’t find the Lucky Leaf cherry low-carb pie filling. It’s very, very simple.

1 can (14.5 ounces, or 410 g) sour cherries packed in water

½ cup (12 g) Splenda

2 teaspoons guar or xanthan

Red food coloring (optional)

Open the can of cherries and dump the whole thing, water and all, into a bowl. Stir in the Splenda and thickener, plus 4 to 6 drops of red food coloring if you want a pretty color. Let stand 5 minutes before using.

Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Assuming 6, each will have 1 g protein; 6 g carbohydrate; 1 g dietary fiber; 5 g usable carbs.

This is a killer company dessert! Feel free to use cream cheese instead, if you prefer—your carb count will remain about the same, though your calorie count will be higher.

FOR THE CHEESE LAYER:

8 ounces (225 g) Neufchâtel cheese, softened (or regular or light cream cheese)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) heavy cream

1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pie Crust, prebaked (page 520)

FOR THE STRAWBERRY LAYER:

1 pound (455 g) frozen, unsweetened strawberries

1 cup (240 ml) water

¼ cup (6 g) Splenda

2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

To make the cheese layer: Using an electric mixer, beat the Neufchâtel cheese, heavy cream, 1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda, and the vanilla together until very smooth and fluffy. Smooth evenly over the bottom of the prebaked pie shell.

To make the strawberry layer: Put the strawberries, water, the ¼ cup (6 g) Splenda, and lemon juice in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low, and let it simmer until the strawberries are soft. Use a whisk to coarsely mash the strawberries. Now, stir with the whisk in a circle while you sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the strawberry mixture, a little at a time. (You’re trying to make sure that all the gelatin dissolves thoroughly, instead of leaving chewy little gelatin “seeds” in your finished pie.) Turn the heat off and let the strawberry mixture cool until it’s getting syrupy. Pour or spoon the mixture over the cream cheese layer and then put the pie in the fridge for at least several hours before serving.

Yield:
8 servings

Each with 20 g protein; 10 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 8 g usable carbs.

Here’s my confession: This actually makes a little too much strawberry mixture to fit in the pie shell, but I hate the idea of having a few leftover frozen strawberries just hanging around. So I pour the extra strawberry stuff into a custard cup and chill it for a gelatin dessert. But if you prefer, you could use an ounce or two less cheese instead to make room for the extra strawberries.

This is fairly simple, but it looks terribly elegant, what with the chocolate-brown crust and the deep pink filling. It’s yummy, too. It’s best to make this for an occasion where it will all get eaten up. The leftovers will still taste great, but they will look less and less impressive as days in the fridge go by.

1 package (4-serving size) sugar-free raspberry-flavored gelatin

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

1¼ cups (300 ml) boiling water

1 pint (475 ml) no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream, softened (I used Breyer’s Carb Smart.)

Crisp Chocolate Crust (page 521)

Maltitol-Splenda Chocolate Sauce (page 551)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar-free raspberry gelatin with the lemon juice and boiling water. Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Now stir in the softened low-carb vanilla ice cream. Stick the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes until the mixture is thickened a bit but not set and pour into the Crisp Chocolate Crust. Chill for at least several hours, and overnight is a good idea.

Serve with the Maltitol-Splenda Chocolate Sauce or with Sugar-Free Chocolate Sauce (page 551).

Yield:
8 servings

Each with 8 g protein; 8 g carbohydrate; 4 g dietary fiber; 4 g usable carb. Analysis includes crust. Carb count does not include the polyol sweetener in the ice cream or chocolate sauce.

Tester Julie calls this “Yummy, light, and summery.” She also says it couldn’t be easier to make!

1½ cups (225 g) almonds

¼ cup (30 g) vanilla whey protein powder

cup (8 g) Splenda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

4 tablespoons (56 g) butter, melted

2 packages (4-serving size each) sugar-free lime gelatin

2 cups (480 ml) boiling water

2 limes, grated zest and juice

1 pint (475 ml) no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream (I use Breyer’s Carb Smart.)

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, chilled

1 tablespoon (10 g) vanilla sugar-free instant pudding mix

Preheat your oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).

In a food processor with the S-blade in place, grind the almonds fine. Add the protein powder, the Splenda, and the ground ginger and pulse to mix. Now add the butter and pulse until everything’s blended. Turn the mixture out into a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate you’ve sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Press firmly into place, building up the sides, and bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Cool before filling.

In a big mixing bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water. Add the grated lime zest and the juice. Now stir in the ice cream until the ice cream is melted and the mixture is smooth. Chill until the mixture is thickened but not set.

Spoon the lime mixture into the prepared crust. Chill until firm. In the meantime, whip the cream with the pudding mix until you have whipped topping—but don’t overbeat, or you’ll get butter! Serve the pie with the whipped topping.

Yield:
8 servings,

Each with 14 g protein; 9 g carbohydrate; 3 g dietary fiber; 6 grams usable carbs. Analysis does not include polyol sweeter in sugar-free ice cream.

This is my decarbed version of the old-time favorite!

FOR THE PIE:

1½ cups (225 g) almonds