Low Carb / Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

This recipe is for all my low carb and/or gluten free friends out there. If you are both, then this is the recipe for you. I have adapted another low carb recipe to fit my own purposes and I believe you will like it as well.

Normally, I do not like soy flour. In this recipe however, it works. The muffins come out tender and delicious. My husband even likes them.

Without further ado, here's the recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Blueberry Muffins

Total Time:  40 mins

Prep Time:  15 mins

Cook Time:  20 mins

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups soy flour
• ½ cup xylitol
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup sparkling mineral water
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (I've used almond extract here with equally good results)
• ½ tsp xantham gum
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Method:

1.       Preheat oven to 375 F.

2.       Spray muffin tin with vegetable oil cooking spray. Alternatively, you could use muffin liners.

3.       In a bowl using a wire whisk, mix all ingredients, except the blueberries, until well blended.

4.       Fold in the blueberries and fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter.

5.       Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the tops turn golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.

6.       Remove from the oven and let cool before refrigerating.

I freeze mine and have as snacks throughout the week. Bon Appétit!

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories		123.6
Total Fat		3.6 g
	Saturated Fat	1.7 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.5 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	1.2 g
Cholesterol		68.8 mg
Sodium		70.6 mg
Potassium		435.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate		8.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	3.2 g
	Sugars	4.7 g
Protein		10.1 g

Sourdough bread experiment

There is nothing that smells better than fresh bread out of the oven. It fills the entire house with a pleasant aroma that just makes your mouth water. I am salivating now just thinking about it.

Making anything out of minimal ingredients appeals to me hence the desire to see sourdough bread come to fruition. Just starter, flour, water, and salt. (The only ingredients in my starter is flour and water.) It may have taken months to get to this point but that's okay. It was well worth the wait. 

On to my experimentation with sourdough. Prior to my low-carb weight-loss journey, I commenced a sourdough starter and have been keeping it going for a long time. So, in the last few days, I decided to use my starter to make some sourdough bread. I came across a recipe on the internet at www.thestonesoup.com and immediately took a shine to its simple elegance. As with all my recipe adventures, I stuck to the proffered directions the first time and then played around with them on subsequent attempts.

My last sourdough bread was exquisite. So much so, that I (of low-carb dieting status) ate an entire large slice with butter. Of course, I had to remove the temptation of stuffing bread into my gullet by sending it with my husband this morning to work. Hopefully, he shares with his colleagues there.  :)

So, without further ado, here is the recipe and directions for sourdough bread.

- 325g (11oz) all purpose flour

- 200g (8oz) sourdough starter (mine is made from organic spelt flour and water)

- 275g (10oz) filtered water

- 1 teaspoon find grained salt

Method (mostly identical to that of stonesoup's):

1. In a large bowl combine flour, starter, water and salt until just mixed together.

2. Cover with cling wrap and leave overnight for 12 hours.

3. Remove the sourdough from the bowl with a spatula and place on top of a generous amount of flour (I used a pastry mat placed on my kitchen counter). Sprinkle generously with more flour. Gently fold the edges from the outside in to form a round loaf using the spatula. Once the dough is not so sticky, knead it for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as required.

4. Place your dough in a proofing basket that has been lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean dish towel. Allow to sit for 4 - 6 more hours.

5. Place a large oven proof dish with a lid in the oven. Preheat oven and the pan 200 degrees Celsius.

6. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Remove lid. Gently remove the parchment paper from your proofing basket and place loaf (and paper) in the pan. At this point, you can cut the top with your desired pattern or leave it plain. 

7. Pop the lid back on and bake for 30 minutes.

8. Remove the lid and bake for a further 15 minutes until the loaf is deep brown.

9. Cool on a wire rack uncovered for at least 30 minutes.

This recipe is easy but requires forethought. If I want sourdough tomorrow for dinner, then start the process the night before. If I want it for breakfast, then start the morning before. It's pretty simple and amazingly delicious.  Bon Apetit!

January 11th.. a day to celebrate

Twenty three years ago today, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl at a hospital in Sherman in the upper region of Texas. She is now turning twenty three and even though we are far apart, I think of her every day. Sometimes we do not see 'eye to eye' but (along with her sisters) I will love her always. In honor of her birthday, I have decided to make my Divine Chocolate Mousse.

This chocolate mousse is sugar free and lower in carbohydrates than most you will get. It is a little higher in fat as I have used butter and cream in the recipe. For the chocolate, I have used a Vitality Brands product called Well, Naturally Rich Dark Chocolate. In Australia, you can buy it at Woolworths, Coles, IGA, FoodWorks, or your local health food store. If you can't find it, then any good quality bittersweet dark chocolate will do. I like this particular brand for use in my desserts because it is sweetened with Stevia and I am trying to reduce my sugar intake. (Don't ask me about the sugar laden cinnamon rolls I made last week?!?!?!)

Divine Chocolate Mousse Recipe

• 4.5 - 5 ounces of sugar free dark chocolate
• 4 TBSP unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 TBSP strong espresso (or strong coffee)
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 TBSP of xylitol (or sweetener of your choice)
• 1/2 cup cold heavy cream

optional ingredients: top with more whipped cream or berries of your choice.

1. To begin with, melt the chocolate either in a double broiler or in the microwave being careful not to burn it. When it's melted, whisk in the butter tablespoon by tablespoon. Once all the butter is incorporated, stir in the salt, vanilla, and coffee. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until they are completely incorporated. Set this mixture aside.
2. At this point, using a clean bowl over a pan of hot water, stir the egg whites until they are just warm. Remove the egg whites from the hot water bath and beat them with an electric mixer (set on medium speed) until soft peaks form. Set your mixer on high and begin incorporating the sweetener a little at a time. Once all the sweetener is in the mix and you have attained soft peaks, whisk a quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites using a large metal spoon. If you need a refresher on how to accomplish this without your egg whites going flat, see this handy video.
3. Finally, in another clean bowl (yes I know, your kitchen is beginning to look like a disaster area... trust me, it's worth it) whip the cream to soft peaks. Once done, fold the whipped cream into the mousse much like you did with the egg whites. When everything looks nice and evenly colored, spoon the mixture into six ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator for three hours or more. Serve with additional whipped cream or raspberries (like I did). Mmmm mmm good.

Happy Birthday Kaylee. I wish you could share in this with me but I'm sending you the recipe so you can make it too. I love you. Mom