Reduced Carb Coconut Cream Pie ~ adapted from Minimalist Baker and Sweet as Honey

For the crust:
3/4 c coconut flour
2 eggs
1 T honey
1/3 c coconut oil, melted

Preheat oven to 325 and grease a tart or pie pan with removable bottom. Set aside.

Place all crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture comes together and resembles wet sand. Turn mixture out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Press mixture together into a disc, wrap and freeze 3-5 minutes.

Take crust mixture out of plastic wrap and press evenly into prepared pan and up the sides. With a fork, prick the crust several times. Bake 10 minutes, cover the edges, and bake 8-10 minutes more or until golden. Allow crust to cool for several hours before adding filling.

For the coconut filling:
3 T cornstarch
1 14oz can coconut milk (full fat)
1/4 c honey
1 and 1/2 t vanilla, divided
1/2 c toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (additional 1/4 cup for garnish, if desired)
1 c heavy whipping cream

Place cornstarch in a medium sauce pan. Slowly whisk in coconut milk, making sure to remove all lumps from cornstarch. Add honey and cook over medium heat until just beginning to bubble, whisking occasionally. Turn heat down to low and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring constantly using a silicon spatula to scrape down sides and bottom of pan to avoid burning. Remove from heat and stir in 1 t vanilla and 1/2 c toasted coconut.

Pour mixture into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap is touching mixture to avoid a film developing while cooling. Cool in refrigerator for 2 hours.

After coconut mixture has cooled, whip cream using an electric beater until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 t vanilla and continue whipping until desired consistency. Take coconut mixture out of refrigerator and stir until creamy. Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the coconut mixture. Spoon coconut cream into prepared pie crust.

Refrigerate 4 hour minimum, preferably overnight. Top with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut just before serving. Keep in refrigerator tightly covered up to 3 days.

*Tip: To easily toast coconut flakes, place in a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Stir with a spatula until desired color.

Easy Apple Pie - adapted from allrecipes.com

2 refrigerated 9” pie crusts
3 pounds granny smith apples., approximately 6 cups
12 oz  apple juice concentrate
3 T corn starch
1 T ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 9”metal or ceramic pie pan with one pie crust. Set aside.

Whisk together 1/2 c apple juice with cinnamon and corn starch in a small bowl. Set aside.

Peel and core apples, then thinly slice. Place apples in large saucepan with remaining juice concentrate and simmer over medium high heat for 10 minutes. Add corn starch mixture and stir until thickened.

Pour apple mixture into prepared pie pan and cover with second pie crust. Flute and vent as desired.

Bake 45 minutes and cool completely before slicing.

Healthy Magic Bars

Crust
1 1/4 c almond flour
1/4 c butter, softened
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients and press into 8x8 pan. Bake 10 minutes. While crust is baking, prepare filling.

Filling
3 T butter, melted and cooled
1/4 c honey
2 egg yolks
1/2 c dark chocolate coarsly chopped, recommended: Ghiradelli 86%
1/2 c walnuts coarsley chopped
1/2 c unsweetened flake coconut

Combine butter and honey. Add egg yolks and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. Pour evenly over crust, return to oven and continue baking for 20 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. Yield 16 bars.

Low Carb Blueberry Scones ~ adapted from Brian Speaks.com

Scones are best served with a hot beverage, typically black tea. While there's nothing that can compare with a traditional scone, these are an excellent substitute for a lower carb option. 

3 c almond flour
2 large eggs
1/4 c honey
1/3 c melted butter or coconut oil
1 c frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease baking sheet with coconut oil or line with sil-pat.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs well. Add melted butter while stirring constantly then add honey and mix very well. Stir in almond flour and gently fold in frozen blueberries. Drop batter evenly onto baking sheet making approximately 10 scones, flattening the tops slightly with your fingers.

Bake 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Serve warm with lots of butter. These are best eaten the day they are made, but will reheat fairly well in a 400 degree oven for 8 minutes. Store any extra scones loosely covered at room temperature for 3 days maximum.

Yield 10 scones.
Information per scone: Calories: 325. Carbs 16g. Protein 9g.

Kentucky Derby Pie Bars ~ adapted from 'all day I dream about food'

crust
1 1/4 c almond flour
1/4 c butter, softened
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients well, press into a 9x9 pan. Bake 12 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden. While crust is baking, prepare filling.

filling
1 c pecans
1/4 c coarsely chopped good quality dark chocolate, recommended Ghiradelli 86%
1/2 c butter
1/4 c honey
2 t vanilla
1/2 c heavy cream
2 large eggs

Place pecans in cast iron skillet and roast over medium-high heat until well browned and fragrant. Stir often taking care not to burn.

While pecans toast, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add honey and vanilla. Whisk until completely incorporated. Add cream and eggs.

Sprinkle pecans and chocolate over hot crust. Pour over cream and butter mixture, return to oven. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until center is just set. Cool 30 minutes minimum before slicing.

Best served completely chilled from the refrigerator, topped with unsweetened whipped cream and chopped pecans.

Low Carb Lemon Squares ~ adapted from mygutsy.com

For the crust:
1 1/2 c almond flour
2 T honey
2 T butter
1 T vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all crust ingredients well until it forms a ball. Press into a greased 9x9 pan and bake 15 minutes.

For the filling:
1/2 c lemon juice, recommended: Italian Volcano organic lemon juice
3 eggs at room temperature
scant 1/4 c honey
1/4 c melted butter

Whisk filling ingredients until well mixed. Pour filling over hot crust, return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes. Take care not to over bake, crust will burn easily. Wait 30 minutes minimum to slice. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Yield 16 lemon squares.

Enjoy for breakfast topped with berries and honey for a decadent treat!

Single Serving Chocolate Cake, Gluten & Refined Sugar Free ~ adapted from leelalicious

2 T coconut oil
2 T coconut flour
2 T cocoa powder
1 t honey
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t vanilla
1 egg
Splash of milk

Place all ingredients in a ramekin and stir with a fork until completely smoothe and looks like cake batter. Microwave on high power 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and let stand 2 minutes prior to serving. Top with unsweetened whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.

Total carbs: 9g

Low Carb Snickerdoodles ~ adapted from Ancestral Nutrition

2 c almond flour

1/4 rounded teaspoon baking soda

1 t cinnamon, plus extra for topping
Pinch of kosher salt, optional

2 T butter, melted

1 egg

3 T honey, more or less to taste

1 T vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat.

Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Using cookie scoop, place batter on baking sheet. Wet hands slightly and press cookies down to flatten (cookies will not spread while baking). Sprinkle extra cinnamon on top.

Bake 13-15 minutes or until beginning to brown. Allow to cool 5 minutes minimum before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Depending on the size of your cookie scoop, yield is approximately 15 cookies with 3.2 carbs each.

Low Carb Dinner Roll ~ adapted from Hey Keto Mama

1 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c cream cheese
1 c almond flour
1/4 c ground flax seed
1 egg
1/2 t baking soda

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat.

In medium bowl, microwave cheeses 1 minute, stirring halfway through. Add egg and stir vigorously until egg is completely incorporated (1-2 minutes). Add almond flour, flax, and baking soda. Mix well, dough will be sticky.

Divide dough into 6 balls, place on baking sheet and flatten tops slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden. Cool 5 minutes minimum before serving. Store tightly covered in refrigerator. Yield 6 rolls.

Total carbs: 5g

Low Carb Chicken Pot Pie ~ adapted from Kasey Trenum

Chicken filling
2 c cooked chicken breast, diced
2 c French green beans, blanched
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
3/4 c heavy cream
1 t poultry seasoning
1/2 t rosemary
1/4 t thyme
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Pie topping
4 T butter, melted and cooled
2 T sour cream

4 eggs

1/4 t baking powder

1/4 c coconut flour

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  

For chicken filling:

In large skillet or dutch oven, melt 2 T butter. Add garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add chicken soup, cream, and seasonings. Stir until well mixed, add cooked chicken and green beans and cook until heated through.

For pie topping:

In medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, sour cream, and eggs until liquified. Fold in coconut flour, baking powder, and cheese. Drop by spoonfuls onto chicken filling. Do not spread topping across filling.

Place in preheated oven and bake 18-20 minutes or until pie is set on top. Remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Tip: using leftover rotisserie chicken works well in this recipe and saves time on weeknights.

Low Carb Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies ~ adapted from Yummy Inspiriations

3.5 oz high quality dark chocolate, 90% cacao minimum
3.5 oz butter
2 eggs
2 T honey
1 t vanilla
1/4 c coconut flour
1/4 c cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8x8 pan, set aside.

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat until completely smooth. Take care not to scorch chocolate, remove from heat as soon as completely melted and allow to cool slightly.

In medium bowl, beat eggs, honey, and vanilla until honey is fully incorporated into eggs. Slowly add cooled chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Gradually add coconut flour, one tablespoon at a time,  until thoroughly incorporated.

Pour half batter into prepared pan. Dot with small pieces of cream cheese and top with remaining batter, covering cream cheese completely. Bake 15-18 minutes. Do not over bake or brownies will be dry. Cool a minimum of 15 minutes prior to cutting. Store loosely covered at room temperature up to 3 days.

Low Carb Hot Chocolate with Honey Vanilla Whipped Cream

Hot Chocolate
4 oz. high quality dark chocolate, 80% minimum. Recommended: Ghiradelli 86% cacao
8 oz. whole milk

Finely chop chocolate. Place in small saucepan with milk. Heat over medium low heat until chocolate is melted and milk is hot. Do not allow to boil.

Pour in mug and top with honey vanilla whipped cream. Yields one serving.

Honey Vanilla Whipped Cream
1/2 c heavy cream
1 t vanilla
1 t pure honey

Whip ingredients until soft peaks form. Keep covered in refrigerator up to 3 days. Rewhip if cream begins to separate after refrigeration.

Pecan Porridge ~ adapted from Deliciously Diabetic

1/2 c pecans

1/4 c whole milk

1 egg

heavy cream, for serving

2 T coarsely chopped pecans, for garnish

Pulse pecans in food processor until finely ground (some texture is ok). Place pecans, milk, and egg in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened. Serve hot with cream and extra pecans. Yield 2 servings.

Grain Free Granola

1 c pecans
1 c walnuts
1 c cashews
1/2 c slivered almonds
1 c unsweetened flake coconut
3 T coconut oil, melted
3 T maple syrup, more to taste
1 t vanilla
1 t sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

Coarsely chop pecans, walnuts, and cashews. In large bowl, toss all ingredients until well combined and coated with oil and syrup. Spread evenly on baking sheet and bake 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cool completely, store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Yield 4 cups granola.

Low Carb Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting ~ adapted from Cut the Carbs

Carrot Cake
3 eggs
1 1/2 stick butter,  melted
2 T honey
2 t vanilla
3 c carrots, grated
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
1/2 c unsweetened flake coconut
1 1/2 c blanched almond flour
2 t baking powder
1 t allspice
1/2 t cinnamon, more to taste
1/2 t ginger powder

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 T butter, softened
1 T honey, more to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Grease heavily one 8 inch cake pan, line bottom with wax paper and grease with butter. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat eggs, melted butter, honey, and vanilla with a wooden spoon until combined. Add carrots, walnuts, and coconut. Mix thoroughly. Add almond flour, spices, and baking powder and fold until combined.

Pour into prepared cake pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes or unitl a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes then transfer to rack to cool completely before adding cream cheese frosting.

In medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, butter, and honey until very smooth. Frost top of cake generously with cream cheese frosting. Store cake tightly covered in refrigerator up to 5 days.

Approximate nutrition facts:
Serving size: 1/10
Calories: 320
Carbohydrates: 5.5g
Protein: 5.4g

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ adapted from very best baking

2 c blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
1/2 t salt (omit if using salted butter)
1/2 t baking soda
6 T butter, softened
1/4 c pure maple syrup
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 c good quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 c pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with sil-pat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix well until completely smooth. Add almond flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate and pecans until thoroughly mixed.

Using a small cookie scoop, portion batter evenly between 2 cookie sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with your hand or the bottom of a glass. Bake 12-15 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown. Cool cookies 15 minutes on cookie sheet before moving to rack to cool completely.

Store 3 days at room temperature. Yield 24 cookies.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies ~ adapted from Ruled Me

1 1/2 c blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 c butter
1/2 c pumpkin pureé (not pie filling)
1 t vanilla extract
1 egg
1/4 c pure maple syrup
1 t pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350°. Place almond flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk well to break up the almond flour. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until combined.

Using a cookie scoop, place cookies on baking sheet lined with a sil-pat or parchment paper. Flatten cookies slightly with your hand or a spoon. Bake cookies 13-14 minutes or until edges begin to brown. cool completely before removing from baking sheet, store at room temperature up to 3 days. Yield ~ 15 cookies.

Hand dipped Buttercream Candy

2 lbs powdered sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 T vanilla extract
1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips
1 t coconut oil
Assorted flavorings, see below

In a large bowl, combine half powdered sugar with half milk and vanilla. Stir until well combined and very smooth. Add the following flavorings, as desired:

     1 bag sweetened flake coconut, or
     1/4 c cocoa powder plus 1 stick softened butter, or
     1/4 c cocoa powder plus 1 stick softened butter plus 1/2 c chopped walnuts
   
Shape into small rounds, approximately one or two bite sized, and refrigerate until firm.

While candies are firming, melt 1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips with 1 t coconut oil. Dip chilled candies individually into chocolate coating. Replace in refrigerator to set.

Place candies in individual paper liners and store in the refrigerator.

Note: Shaping flavored candies into different shapes prevents guesswork when selecting a candy to try (i.e. triangle = chocolate walnut, round = chocolate creme, square = coconut creme, etc.)

Oatmeal Chocolate No-Bake Cookies ~ adapted from 12 Tomatoes

2/3 c natural peanut butter

1/2 c coconut oil

1/4 to 1/2 c honey, adjust to taste

3 c quick cook oatmeal

1/3 c cocoa powder

2 T vanilla extract

1/4 t coarse salt

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Set aside. 

Melt peanut butter, coconut oil, and honey over medium heat, stirring until completely smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir in oats, cocoa powder, and salt until well mixed. 

Using a small cookie scoop or 2 spoons, drop cookie balls onto prepared baking sheets and flatten tops slightly. Freeze 15 minutes. Store in freezer tightly covered. Yield ~ 30 cookies. 

Fresh Nectarine Gingersnap Tart ~ adapted from smitten kitchen

6 oz thin ginger cookies, recommended: Nyakor Pepparkakor

3 T butter, melted

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz mascarpone cheese

1/4 c plain Greek yogurt

1 T honey

1 t vanilla

2 nectarines 

1 T no sugar added peach jelly, recommended: Polaner all fruit

2 T finely chopped crystalline ginger

Preheat oven to 350. 

Crust:

Place gingersnaps in food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse to combine. Press firmly in bottom of 8" tart pan with removable sides. Bake 8 minutes, cool completely. 

Filling:

Cream together cream cheese, mascarpone, yogurt, honey, and vanilla. Spread evenly over cooled crust almost to edge. Place in refrigerator. 

Topping:

Thinly slice nectarines and place on filling, overlapping to cover. Melt peach jelly in microwave and brush over nectarines. Sprinkle with chopped ginger. 

Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour or overnight. Remove sides of tart pan, slice into 8 pieces, and serve.