Sweet Potato Pancakes

This is adapted from Daphne Oz's recipe printed in the October 1, 2012 People magazine. As always, though, Kaya and I change it up to make it our own!

1 medium Sweet Potato peeled and grated
1/4 onion peeled/grated
1/2 apple peeled/grated
1 carrot (or three large baby carrots) peeled/grated
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt (I used less)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 cup olive oil (for frying)

Combine sweet potato, onion, apple, and carrot. Wrap with paper towel or cheesecloth and wring out as much liquid as possible. Then, in large bowl, mix grated ingredients with egg whites, flour, salt, and pepper.

Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pat the mixture into about 3" round patties and lay in the oil. Press gently to flatten and cook on each side until browning, then remove to paper towel to drain.

Serve warm. Make 10-12 cakes.  Carb count: 60 carbs for entire mixture - about 6 carbs per cake. Calories: 687 total - about 57 per cake.

Since only Kaya and I ate them, I put the rest in the fridge and can pop them in the oven to go with lunch or dinner!

Thanksgiving Prep

Our typical Thanksgiving feast involves the standard fare - turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, beans (green and brown), salad, fruit, and lots of desserts. 

This year, our first year of diabetic holiday festivities, we have to rethink our approach. Most desserts are out, most of the rolls, brown bean, corn, and mashed potatoes.   This does not leave a lot.  As a result, Kaya and I have begun experimenting with replacements and new recipes for the holiday season. Here is a short list of what we have been working on and planning on for our first major holiday.

Mealtime:

• Turkey, of course
• Ham
• Sweet potatoes - we are going to replace the marshmallows on top with Walden Farms marshmallow creme (no carbs), and brown sugar replacement
•  Green beans with almonds
• Broccoli with garlic butter
• Salad with light dressing
• Paleo bread/rolls

Desserts:

• Sugar free reeses peanut butter cup cookies
• Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies - low carb low sugar
• Low carb spice cupcakes - with pumpkin cream cheese topping
• chocolate fountain with fruit and cookies for dipping
• sugar free pie - not sure what type yet. 
• sugar free cool cheesecake.

I think that is it for now.  We will have to play with a lot of Kaya's numbers as it looks like she will not have a pump in time for Thanksgiving, but I am hoping we can still make it an awesome day for her. Top it off with  Holiday decorating, and it will be great regardless! 

I hope all of you are enjoying the start of your holiday planning! 

Coconut Almond Shortbread

For this recipe,  we took a low carb recipe off the internet and made it our own with almond and coconut flours.  Coconut flour is great because it is SO high in fiber!  You can top it with a jelly or apple butter if you like, or cinnamon and sugar (or the sugar substitute of your choice) if you like.

Ingredients:

2 sticks (1/2 lb) butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup trevia/Stevia sweetener
1 cup almond flour
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/8 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 cup all purpose flour

Blend butter until soft, add sugars and blend until smooth. Add flours, blending until still dough forms. Press into greased 9 X 13 pan. Sprinkle top with coconut and sliced almonds and press into dough. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. They turn out perfectly sweet and crispy. So Yum.

Total Carbs: per 1.5 x 1.5 cookie = 9.  Recipe should make between 24-28 cookies.

Grilled Pork Roast with apricots and cranberries

The idea for this came from The Diabetic Bible, but I modified it for my needs. Here it is:

Ingredients:
2 lb pork roast
1/2 cup white wine
dried apricots and cranberries (1/2 cup each - divide in half)
1/2 tsp each of ginger, ground cloves, and Chinese All Spice
foil wrap

For glaze:
1 tsp corn starch

Place roast on large piece of foil, and place on a grilling tin. Stab roast a few times with a fork. Pour wine over roast. Sprinkle on ginger, cloves, and all spice.  Add 1/4 cup of apricots and cranberries.  Wrap up in pocket format and put on grill. Grill at 400 degrees for about an hour, or until internal temps reach 165 degrees. Pull from grill and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Glaze:
Remove roast from foil. Pour juices and fruit from foil into small pan. Add remaining apricots and cranberries. Turn on medium heat. Mix cornstarch with a bit of water and pour into pan to thicken juices. Remove from heat and pour over the roast. Cut into 8-10 slices and serve.

Carb count: 10 carbs if you eat the fruit with your serving, 0 carbs if you don't!  YUM!

We had it with mashed sweet potatoes and peas. You can also roast it in the oven, or use your slow cooker.  No pictures, sorry. We ate it too fast!

Peanut Butter Cookies

This is another one Kaya found. Mind you, she is making 98% of all these recipes herself. I am around to make recommendations or help is she is stuck with something, but otherwise she is in the kitchen all by herself. She is 12 and an aspiring artistic chef.

These cookies are soft but yummy. Try baking them for an extra minute or two to make them a bit crispier.

1/2 cup sugarless/ natural chunky or smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup Splenda or Stevia
2 tbs agave nectar
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped pecan, almonds, peanuts, or hazelnuts, if desired.
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 tbs almond flour or processed almond meal
1 tbs macadamia nut flour (optional - processed oatmeal works well too, or whole wheat flour, but this will change the carb count a bit)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375. Mix well all ingredients in order and drop onto greased cookie sheet by teaspoonfuls (you can also use parchment paper). Bake about 10 minutes (I recommend 11-12) or until set but not hard. Be careful not to burn!!  If making 10 cookies - 3.8 carbs per cookie.  If making 16 cookies, 2.4 carbs per cookie.

Modified Wilton Butter Cream Icing (no carbs)

Ingredients:
1 cup Crisco shortening (we used butter flavored, but the recipe calls for white for ease of coloring the icing)
1 tsp of vanilla, almond, or butter extract
7-8 tsp of water or milk (if you use milk, you will add carbs to the frosting)
1 lb (about 4 cups) Sugar Free Powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
(we left out the 1 tbsp of meringue powder)

Cream shortening, water (or milk), and powdered sugar. Add extract and pinch of salt. Mix together until creamy. Makes about 2.5 cups of icing.
Carbs: 0 per serving
Calories: 200 per serving (if you use all of the frosting on the cake - that's A LOT of frosting! )

Powdered Sugar for frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup Splenda or Stevia
1 tsp corn starch

Place Splenda or Stevia and corn starch in food processor. Process for one minute until texture is similar to powdered sugar.

This makes one cup of powdered sugar.