Yep, that’s some low-carb fudge made with healthy real foods

I’ve become a full-fledged fan of social networking over the past year or so. I don’t know if you’ve decided to take the 21st Century plunge into either Facebook or Twitter yet, but I HIGHLY encourage you to do so to connect with old friends and make some awesome new ones. There are nearly 1,000 friends on my Facebook page alone, but I also enjoy adding more each day. Feel free join the bandwagon.

One of those friends from Facebook shared a delicious new low-carb chocolate fudge recipe with me this week that I just couldn’t resist telling my readers about here at my blog. Her name is Fiona O’Dowd and she’s from Sydney, Australia (incidentally, there’s a pretty large contingent of regular LLVLC readers from the land down under comprising about 5% of my total visitors each day). It looks like she did a lot of experimenting in the kitchen to perfect this superb fudge recipe that I’m dying to try for myself sometime. It makes a rather large batch, so feel free to cut the recipe in half if you don’t want so many servings. Or, if you want more, DOUBLE IT! THANKS for this outstanding recipe, Fiona! ENJOY everyone!

FIONA’S WICKED LOW-CARB CHOCOLATE FUDGE
1 cup organic full-fat coconut cream
1 100g bar quality extra dark (86% cocoa) chocolate
4 tablespoons of natural peanut or almond butter
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots or cranberries (optional)
1/2 cup whole raw nuts and seeds mix
2 Tbs linseed sunflower almond (LSA) meal
2 Tbs oat bran
2 Tbs whole oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tbs preferred sweetener

Click here to find out how to make this deliciously healthy high-fat, low-carb fudge!

Making an mmm mmm mock mashed potatoes masterpiece

It’s a shame that so many people think that livin’ la vida low-carb is all about depriving yourself of foods that you think you can’t live without. In my experience, that is simply not the case at all. When you make smarter choices about what you allow to go inside of your mouth, the result can be as equally if not MORE delicious than the original dish you started out with.

Take, for example, mashed potatoes. This is one recipe you CANNOT have when you are following a healthy low-carb lifestyle. Potatoes are not an integral part of any effective diet plan because of their negative impact on blood glucose and insulin levels. But who says you have to use potatoes to get that same taste and texture of mashed potatoes? My low-carb blogging buddy Kent Altena offered up his own Mashed Fauxtatoes video recipe using cauliflower instead of potatoes and I even shared my own mashed cauliflower recipe in late 2008 that would fool even the most ardent skeptic.

Today, our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur serve up their own version of mock mashed potatoes with the use of the ever-popular cauliflower and even a variation using of all things TURNIPS! Yep, you read that right! Keep reading and try these low-carb alternatives to one of the all-time favorite comfort foods. ENJOY!

LOW-CARB MMM MMM MOCK MASHED POTATOES
2 10-ounce packages frozen cauliflower (or fresh 3/4 head)
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tsp minced onion flakes (optional)
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs heavy cream

Click here for the instructions on how to make this mock mashed potatoes recipe as well as the turnip alternative that will have them screaming for more!

Whip up a delicious batch of low-carb frosted chocolate cupcakes

Do you have a birthday party or celebratory event coming up where you’ll need to have an incredible low-carb dessert ready to go? While most traditional desserts are loaded with sugar and white flour, you can make them better and healthier simply by using ingredients that are low in carbohydrates. It’s amazing how incredibly simple it is to swap out things like almond flour for white flour and alternative sweeteners for the sugar. But people who are livin’ la vida low-carb do it all the time and I’ve got another awesome recipe to share with you today.

Thanks to our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur for this low-carb chocolate cupcakes recipe that includes the frosting, too! If you need a little something sweet to eat as a low-carb treat or if your family is trying to eat healthier even on those special occasions, then this could be the perfect recipe to try. And the recipe is not very hard to make at all, so ENJOY!

LOW-CARB CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CREAMY FROSTING

Ingredients for Cupcakes
2 cups almond flour
1 cup Splenda (or sweetener equivalent)
6 Tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon Singing Dog Vanilla Extract
5 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons baking powder
5 Tablespoons Ghiradelli Unsweetened Cocoa

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. In separate bowl, using electric mixer, cream butter with egg yolks until light yellow and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and Splenda.

Beat until well mixed. Add about 1/3 of whipped egg whites to the butter/egg yolk mixture and mix lightly. Fold the whole thing in to the whipped egg whites and fold lightly.

Add 1 cup of almond flour and fold lightly. Add remaining almond flour, baking powder and cocoa and fold thoroughly, being careful not to break down whites. Fill paper muffin cups in muffin tin about half full.

Bake at 325°F about 15 to 20 minutes until cracked on top.

Ingredients for Frosting
1 pkg Dixie Carb Counters Vanilla Pudding Mix
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup heavy cream
3 packets Splenda
Half ‘n Half (to thin to make spreadable if necessary)

Whip cream cheese in food processor or with electric mixer until smooth. Add cream and mix again briefly. Add pudding mix and Splenda and then mix well. Add Half ‘n Half in 1/2 teaspoon amounts if necessary.

Makes enough to frost 32 cupcakes (2 batches) and will store in fridge or can be frozen. This recipe can also be spread in a fudge pan, frozen and cut in squares as a treat.

Chocolate Pudding can be used for Chocolate Frosting or fudge.

Makes 16 cupcakes. 3g net carbs per cupcake unfrosted, 6g net carbs frosted.

An elegant low-carb dessert for virtually any occasion

We low-carbers are used to being left out when we go to a party and there are sugar-filled, high-carb desserts surrounding you. From cakes to pies to cookies, it’s virtually inescapable and can be discouraging if you are sticking with your low-carb plan. But what if you could make a delicious low-carb dessert that will enable you to stay on track with your low-carb lifestyle while nobody knows the difference? Well, I’ve gone one such dessert recipe to share with you today.

Our friends from Low-Carb Connoisseur have this delicious low-carb cream cherry crunch recipe that you, your family, and friends will just adore. It includes a special homemade low-carb crust and unique cream cheese and cherry filling that is rich, decadent and filling. The best low-carb desserts are the ones you can’t tell are “diet.” This is DEFINITELY one of those. ENJOY!

LOW-CARB CREAM CHERRY CRUNCH

Crust:
1 1/2 cups CarbQuik
3/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons of your favorite sugar substitute
1 cup pecans, chopped

Mix well and press into a 13 x 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees until brown, about 20 minutes. Cool thoroughly.

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Up to 2 cups preferred sweetener to taste
2 envelopes Carb Counters Vanilla Mousse Mix
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Singing Dog vanilla extract
1 (21 ounce) can of Lucky Leaf Sugar Free cherry pie filling

Beat cream cheese and sweetener. Prepare Vanilla Mousse according to instructions (with heavy cream and vanilla extract). Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour into cooled crust and chill. Top with pie filling. Chill for two hours.

Fresh asparagus with eggs makes for a tasty low-carb power breakfast

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait for the arrival of one of my favorite low-carb vegetables on the planet to come into season–California fresh asparagus. These succulent green spears are just about in season with Spring coming sooner than you think and I just love experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes utilizing this stylish and versatile veggie for people who are livin’ la vida low-carb. It can be used in a wide variety of dishes or as the perfect side dish to your meat on your dinner table.

In these difficult financial times right now, a lot of people are choosing to eat at home more often while looking for low-carb comfort foods that combine taste, nutrition and value. For those of us who are also trying to cut down on our carbohydrate intake, I’ve got the perfect recipe to share with you today that combines the incredible taste of asparagus with a low-carb staple–EGGS! It’s a Fresh Low-Carb California Asparagus Scramble that can literally be served anytime during the day.

This amazing dish provides a mouthwatering veggie/protein combo that will delight the low-carber in your life. The moist tender asparagus spears are packed with some remarkable nutrients and the simple ingredients and preparation of this recipe will yield you some of the most delicious results you’ll ever see in a low-carb dish. Special THANKS to the California Asparagus Commission for allowing me to share this recipe with my readers today. ENJOY!

FRESH LOW-CARB CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS SCRAMBLE
1 lb. asparagus spears, ends trimmed
8 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 oz. whipped garlic and herb cream cheese
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Blanch asparagus spears in medium pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk eggs in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add eggs. Stir until eggs are almost set, about 1 minute.

Add cheese in dollops and then add tomatoes. Stir until cheese melts and eggs are softly set, about 2 minutes.

To serve, cut asparagus spears into 2-3-inch pieces and fold into egg mixture and place on heated plate or oval ovenware. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Option: serve an additional 2-3 spears of cooked asparagus on the side.

Servings: 6

Nutrients per serving:
Calories 193
Fat 14g
Saturated fat 5g
Total carbohydrates 6g
Dietary fiber 3g
Net carbs 3g
Protein 12g

Tips for Buying Asparagus
Select spears of similar diameter so that they cook evenly. Tips should be completely closed. Store fresh asparagus, wrapped in plastic, upright in the refrigerator for up to three days. Once cooked, asparagus can again be stored for an additional three days.

Peanut butter cookies that are low in carbs and oh so easy to make

Some people are chocolate lovers like me and simply adore the decadent taste of virtually anything with chocolate in it. Others may prefer something a little different than that to satisfy their desire for something sweet–like peanut butter! I’ve never been one to get into peanut butter personally, although it’s not so bad mixed with chocolate for me.

Special thanks to our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur, I’ve not only got a delicious low-carb peanut butter cookie recipe to share with you today, but it’s about as easy a recipe as I’ve ever posted before. Bake and ENJOY!

EASY LOW-CARB PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 cup Skippy Natural peanut butter
1 cup Splenda or other sweetener equivalent
1 egg
1 teaspoon Singing Dog vanilla
A dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Mix together and roll into balls.
2. On lightly greased cookie sheets, place balls about two inches apart.
3. Flatten the balls with a fork dipped in sweetener.
4. Bake until set.

NOTE: These cookies are more like shortbread in texture, but are a good treat when the craving for peanut butter hits. And for those of you who are like me and LOVE chocolate with your peanut butter, why not drizzle some melted low-carb chocolate on top for an added layer of ooo la la to make this even better?! Oh yummy!

Delight your special low-carb Valentine with this perfect cake

It’s never too early to be thinking about Valentine’s Day this time of year and it’s already coming next Saturday. Have you thought about what you’re gonna do for your lovey-dovey yet? Well, for those of us who are livin’ la vida low-carb, it may seem impossible to try to make a sweet treat for that person you call sweetie in your life. Yet, it may not be as difficult as you think.

Thanks to our good friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur (who recently relaunched a cool new version of their low-carb retail web site), I have the PERFECT low-carb recipe to share with you for a delicious coconut layer cake that includes ooey-gooey yummy sugar-free icing, too! This is something you can make anytime of the year, but is especially cool for Valentine’s Day.

Make that lover in your life kiss you extravagantly for being so thoughtful and considerate of his or her dietary needs even on this special occasion! ENJOY!

LOW-CARB COCONUT LAYER CAKE
8 eggs
3/4 cup Now Xylitol sugar substitute
1 tablespoon coconut extract
2/3 cup Carbquik Bake Mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
6 egg whites
3/4 cup Now Xylitol sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup Now unsweetened shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper; grease again. With an electric mixer on high, beat eggs, sugar substitute, and extract until ribbons form (about 5 minutes).

2. In three additions sift bake mix over egg mixture; fold in with a rubber spatula to combine. Fold in butter. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 22 minutes until cake springs back in middle when lightly touched. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Line racks with paper towels and invert cake layers. Gently peel off parchment. Cool completely.

4. For frosting: in a double boiler or a bowl placed over simmering water, whisk egg whites, sugar substitute and salt until temperature reaches 130°F. Transfer whites to mixing bowl and beat on high speed until cool. Reduce speed to medium and beat in butter until well combined.

5. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Mix 1 cup frosting with half the coconut; frost bottom layer. Place top cake layer over bottom layer. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting. Pat remaining coconut over frosting.

Servings: 12
Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake/Cook time: 22 minutes
Carbohydrates: 6.5g
Net Carbs: 5.5g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 7.5g
Fat: 37g
Calories: 404

Cauliflower is the best friend of the low-carb dieter

Although meat, eggs, and cheese are all staples of a low-carb diet, they aren’t the only foods you eat when you are on a healthy low-carb lifestyle. We all know you can consume delicious and nutritious foods like nuts, some low-glycemic fruits, and green leafy as well as non-starchy vegetables. The king of the non-starchy veggies above all others has got to be cauliflower. It’s so versatile in the kitchen and saves you a TON of carbs on your plate!

In Episode 52 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” I’m pleased to share my version of the classic mashed cauliflower recipe that everyone who has been on low-carb undoubtedly has tried. I even have tried to make Better-Than-Potato Cauliflower Pancakes previously that give you yet another option for cauliflower. And “ricing” your cauliflower is becoming more and more popular as well.

Watch me as I show you step-by-step how to make mashed cauliflower Jimmy-styled in today’s video:

Everybody has their own mashed cauliflower recipe and some have suggested adding a little cream cheese instead of the heavy whipping cream. Also, I’ve heard from a couple of people who said you can steam the cauliflower to soften it up rather than boiling it which will prevent the water from being soaked into the cauliflower. GREAT IDEAS! Check out my low-carb blogging friend Kent Altena share his mashed “faux-tatoes” recipe for even more ideas on this classic low-carb dish.

Special THANKS to my lovely wife Christine for manning the camera for this video. She does such an amazing job and actually enjoys doing it, too. Watch all of our previous YouTube videos and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube videos if you like what you see. Send us your feedback about the show anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANK YOU for supporting “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube.”

Jonny Bowden’s new book is chock full of yummy low-carb recipes

Following up on the success of his bestselling The 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth and The Most Effective Natural Cures On Earth, renowned diet and nutrition expert Dr. Jonny Bowden is back with his very first cookbook entitled The Healthiest Meals on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What Meals to Eat and Why. This book is full of delicious meal ideas for your healthy low-carb lifestyle regardless of which plan you choose to follow.

By special permission from Jonny’s publisher Fair Winds Press, I have one of those meal recipes from his latest book to share with you today. It’s a mouthwatering salmon recipe that’s out of this world and contains lots of healthy essential fatty acids for great heart health. For those of you on a much more strict version of livin’ la vida low-carb, you may need to omit or substitute some of the ingredients. But this recipe is a great template for a healthy meal regardless of your chosen low-carb diet plan. ENJOY!

Broiled Salmon With Tamari-Orange Marinade
Full of omega-3s for your heart, mood, and skin

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