5 of My Most Popular Recipes in 2015

Looking back over the year, I realized I have posted many fewer recipes than in previous years. I have to admit to doing less experimenting in my own kitchen than I have in the past, and have been enjoying favorites that are already created, way more often.

Here are 5 of the most popular recipes I posted this year. Not only were they viewed, and Pinned quite often, they are dishes that I like to make over and over again myself... so I am going to highlight them here for you, so that you can check them out for yourself if you missed them the first time around.

They are all gluten freen,  and grain free. They may contain eggs or egg whites.  Where I call for a particular brand, use your own favorite version.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do myself!

In no particular order...

Low Carb Revolution Rolls

High Protein Waffles

Ultimate English Muffin

High Fibre Egg White Muffins

PB2 and Banana Waffles

What was your favorite new dish this year?  

Do you experiment in your kitchen or do you stick with the tried and true?

The Ultimate English Muffin, Gluten Free and Grain Free

This recipe for my Ultimate English Muffin is one that I have been fine tuning and tweaking for the past several weeks.  I am finally satisfied that I have it right and am ready to share it. Actually, I am very excited to share it because I think it fills a real need for many of us.  It certainly has for me.

I have been living gluten free (or as much as possible) for a couple of years now, and mostly grain free, too. I have tried a few of the gluten free breads and rolls on the market and even though I have found a couple that are acceptable in taste and texture, I just don't think that all those substitute 'flours' are good for me on any kind of a regular basis.  I really don't want to eat all those carbs either. And let's not even discuss how expensive they are!

But let's be honest.  Occasionally I like to have a sandwich.  Even though my Low Carb Flatbread and Low Carb Tortillas are great, I don't always have some on hand... or thawed, as I do store them in the freezer.  I needed to come up with something new made from ingredients I normally have in the cupboard and fridge, and that make up quickly and without a lot of fuss.

These little faux English Muffins fill the bill.  I have decided to call them Ultimate English Muffins because I am using a bit of North Coast Naturals Ultimate Daily Cleanse to give them a bit of body... NCN sent me this product several months ago to sample and test, and I have been using it a lot ever since.  You can use either ground flax seed or psyllium husk (or a bit of both).  I have tested the recipe with both and it is just fine.

However, here is a bit of a warning.  Don't leave out the olive oil. They don't work. And don't use coconut oil either. I tried it. Fail.  For some reason coconut oil doesn't mix well with the hot water and cold egg whites.

I am really pleased with the texture of these little muffins.  I have eaten them untoasted and also toasted, and I prefer the latter.  They could be dressed up with the addition of cinnamon or savory herbs, I am sure.

I use a glass container to cook them in the mike. It is about 3-1/2 inches in diameter. I think you could use something a bit smaller if you like... but anything bigger will make them too thin to slice easily.

I would love to know what you think if you give them a try... and I hope you will if you are looking for a gluten free, grain free English Muffin.

Ultimate English Muffin

Makes 1 muffin

• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1 Tbs hot water
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 tsp North Coast Naturals Ultimate Daily Cleanse (or flax seed or psyllium husk)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

1. Beat the egg whites, water, and olive oil in a medium bowl.
2. Add the coconut flour, Ultimate Daily Cleanse, and baking powder.
3. Beat again. The coconut flour will thicken as it absorbs the moisture.
4. Pour batter into microwave safe dish.
5. Cook in the mike for 2 minutes.
6. Remove the muffin from the dish with a spatula and turn out onto a cooling rack for several minutes.
7. Slice in half and toast if desired.

Per serving.

Weight Watchers P+ = 3.

Calories 109

Fat 6.1g

Sat. Fat 1.7g

Carbohydrates 6.1g

Sugar .5g

Fibre 3.4g

Protein 7.3g

Did you notice a change in the way I have reported the Nutritional Information for this recipe?

Starting with this recipe, I am offering more N.I. details than I previously have. I have been reading more and more lately about how important it is for us to reduce sugar and saturated fats in our diet (Zero Belly Diet by David Zinczenko) so I am going to report those statistics for my recipes.  I use either Fit Day or My Fitness Pal to do my calculations so they are as accurate as I can make them, based on the ingredients I quote.

UPDATE

Weight Watchers released their new SmartPoints food program on December 6th, 2015. It also concentrates on saturated fat and sugar, so I wanted to share the SmartPoints values for this recipe as well.

Per serving.

Weight Watchers SmartPoints = 3.

Calories 109

Fat 6.1g

Sat. Fat 1.7g

Carbohydrates 6.1g

Sugar .5g

Fibre 3.4g

Protein 7.3g

Before popping into the mike.

And after cooking.

Cook on rack for a few minutes before slicing.

After slicing....

and toasting.

These are toasted a bit more.

With a bite gone so you can see the inner texture.

And the ultimate breakfast sandwich!

Printable Recipe

What do you think? Is this something you might like to try?

High Protein Waffles

I do love me some waffles… and I love to eat of protein at breakfast time so it was a natural that I was eventually going to mix some protein powder with some eggs whites and make waffles.  I can’t believe it took me so long…and I don’t know what else to call them… High Protein Waffles tells the story pretty much!  They are grain free and gluten free... bonus!

I have made them a couple of times now.  They get crispier the longer you cook them.  The first time I made them, The Captain could smell them from another room and thought I was burning sugar!

Mmmmm.

If you love waffles, you have got to try these.  I am sure you could use whatever protein powder is your favorite.  Make them vegan if you like.

And I promise you they will keep you full all morning… mine power me through a 7km run and cool down quite easily. 

The N.I. I am sharing is based on the North Coast Naturals 100% ISO Protein whey powder that I used.  Yours will vary of course.

High Protein Waffles
Makes 1 serving

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

1. Mix all ingredients till well blended and pour batter into hot waffle iron.
2. Cook according to the directions on your waffle iron.
3. Remove and top with fruit of choice.

Per serving without fruit.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 171; Protein 37g; Carbohydrate 3g; Fat 1g; Fibre 0g.

Yep, that is a lot of cinnamon on top!

Printable Recipe

What about you? Waffles or pancakes?

Do you eat more protein on days you work out or run?

Roasted Cauliflower and Onions with Parmesan Cheese

I love cauliflower!  My Mother would be so proud of me if she knew that.  I would never eat it as a child without a gallon of milk to wash down each bite,though, and because my Father didn’t care for it either, she never  served it at home. I use it in a variety of ways to make grain free pizza crust, tortillas, flatbreads, rice, and in soups and stews... but hardly ever just as side dish.  For some reason I have been craving it lately.  This Roasted Cauliflower and Onions with Parmesan Cheese, which has lots and lots of garlic, too, is truly delicious.  I might even get The Captain to try it!  The cheese interests him a lot.

I have used coconut oil instead of my usual olive oil here in roasting these veggies. I am making an effort to use more coconut oil in my cooking these days and this is a natural fit.

You cannot imagine how good the aroma coming from kitchen was as this baked away in my oven! I wish I could capture that and share it with you!  The whole, smashed cloves of garlic in this dish smell just wonderful as they cook.  And yes, my windows are still open wide, long after removed the pan from the oven.

I calculated the N.I. for this dish as 4 servings, but honestly, I could easily make a meal of this just for myself!  And if you like really cheesy, by all means... add more!

A word of caution here… don’t slice the onions too thin or they will just disappear as they bake.  I like to leave them at least 1/2 inch in width.

Roasted Cauliflower and Onions with Parmesan Cheese
Makes 4 generous servings

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/2 medium to large white onion (cut it in half vertically)
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 Tbs coconut oil
• Dashes of salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese 

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Wash the cauliflower and remove its core and leaves. Break it into flowerettes and place them in large bowl.
3. Slice the onion vertically and place the pieces in the bowl with the cauliflower.
4. Add the peeled and smashed garlic cloves to onions and cauliflower and toss altogether.
5. Drizzle the coconut oil over veggies and mix well.
6. Pour it all into a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven, and stir veggies. 
9. Place the pan back in oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
10. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the veggies with the parmesan cheese.
11. Place the pan back in the oven for a final 20 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven. 
13. Serve warm or cooled.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ =  3.
Calories 132; Protein 7g; Carbohydrate 16g; Fat 6g; Fibre 6.

Mix all the veggies together in a large bowl and drizzle with coconut oil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper before placing the pan in the oven.

After 20 minutes, remove from oven, stir vegetables, and then replace in oven for another 20 minutes before sprinkling with parmesan cheese and baking a final 20 minutes.

Serve hot from the oven, or allow to cool and store in fridge till ready to serve.  Reheat in microwave or eat cold… great either way!

Mmmmmmm!

Printable Recipe

What is  your favorite way to eat cauliflower?

PB2 and Banana Waffles

You know I have been experimenting several times a week with my new waffle maker!  And finding all kinds of fun and delicious combinations… The Captain is such a great guinea pig for my creations.  And if you know me at all, you HAD to know this was coming.  PB2 and Banana Waffles.  Oh my!

I never cared for peanut butter as a child. The only way I would eat it is in PB and Banana sandwiches… which my own Mother never made for us, but I do recall having them at a young male cousin’s birthday party once.  I think that may be the only time I ever ate peanut butter.  Then, fast forward to my early 20s when my first Mother-In-Law showed me how to make my own peanut butter in the blender… with Just raw peanuts.  It has been love ever since.

And now I have discovered PB2 which is just peanut flour, really.  I use it regularly in my kitchen and I have discovered it is a very good sub for grain flours sometimes.  So it was a natural that I was eventually going to make PB2 and Banana Waffles.  Hope you like them too.

PB2 and Banana Waffles
Makes 2 servings

• 2 Tbs PB2
• 1 large banana
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup egg whites

1. Mash half of the banana in a medium bowl.
2. Cut the other half into slices and set aside.
3. Add the PB2 to the mashed banana and blend in the egg and the egg whites till well combined. 
4. Spoon batter into your waffle iron and bake according to instructions. Remove them to a plate and keep warm while you cook the rest of the batter.
5. Top waffles with banana slices and a bit of syrup serve warm.

Per serving, including banana slices but not syrup
Weight Watchers P+  = 4.
Calories 144; Protein 13g; Carbohydrate 17g; Fat 4g; Fibre 2g.

Printable Recipe

Hemp Protein and Banana Pancakes

These pancakes were born of combining my love for pancakes with my love for hemp protein powder. I particularly like the one from North Coast Naturals. It mixes readily with other ingredients and is flavor-neutral so never overpowers the taste of the other ingredients.

I bet you could substitute cooked pumpkin or other squash for the banana in this recipe quite easily, if you like.

You will want to have your patience cap on when you make these pancakes.  They take a wee bit longer to cook than a pancake made from a flour batter does.  Just a wee bit, but still, when you are hungry… noticeable.

Hemp Protein and Banana Pancakes
Makes 1 serving of 2 pancakes

• 1/2 ripe banana, mashed
• 3 Tbs egg white
• 1 Tbs almond milk
• 2 Tbs hemp protein powder.
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mash half of a ripe banana in a medium bowl.
2. Add the egg whites and beat with a fork to combine with the mashed banana.
3. Add the almond milk, hemp protein powder and the cinnamon and stir to combine.
4. Set a non-stick pan over MEDIUM heat on the stove and when it has warmed up, spoon half of the batter into the pan. Allow to cook until edges are set and bubbles appear throughout, about 4 or 5 minutes.
5. Flip over and cook the second side for about 3 minutes.
6. Remove to plate and cover to keep warm while cooking the second pancake in the same manner.
7. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Per serving, without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 190; Protein 20g; Carbohydrate 23g; Fat 3g; Fibre 9g.

Printable Recipe

Don't forget about the North Coast Naturals giveaway that is open to Canadian residents until April 3rd, 2014.  You can find the details here on this blog post.  Good Luck to you!

My New Flax-Coconut Pancake… you’ll see why

The main thing on my shopping list when we visited the Trader Joe’s in Silverdale, WA earlier this week, was pumpkin butter.  I love this stuff and I happen to think that TJ’s is the very best.  Each 1 tablespoon serving is only 40 calories, and it’s all carbs… no fat, no protein… but does have lots of Vitamin A. 

It’s not health food, folks.  But it is truly delicious!  And for you fellow Weight Watchers, it is only 1 P+ per serving.  Yes, I have made pumpkin butter and sweet potato butter myself… and it is really easy to do and it is very good.  But when I finally get an opportunity to get across the border and find a TJ’s, especially in the Fall, I do stock up!

In honor of opening the first jar this morning, after our run, I made up a new grain-free pancake!  I wanted to have something tasty to spread that lovely, spicy pumpkin butter over… I thought it would be a little more elegant than just eating it out of the jar with a spoon, or my fingers!

Flax-Coconut Pancake
Makes 1 serving

• 1 Tbs ground flax seeds
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• splash of vanilla
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mix all the ingredients till well blended and then pour into prepared skillet over MEDIUM heat.
2. Cook till the mixture bubbles, about 5 minutes.
3. Then flip and cook second side about 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Remove to serving plate and garnish with your favorite toppings.

Per serving, without toppings.
Weight Watchers P+ = 4.
Calories 185; Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 9g; Fibre 5g.

If you want something a little lower in fat, just replace the whole egg with 1/4 cup of egg whites.  And of course you can double the ingredients... and make two cakes instead of just one!

Printable Recipe

Are you a pumpkin butter or sweet potato butter fan?  Have you ever made it?

If you haven't, but would like to, check out my recipe… it is so easy!  

More Grain Free and Gluten Free Coconout Flour Pancakes

This is just another little tweak to my favorite coconut flour pancakes.

I first made them with whole eggs and coconut flour, a bit of water, vanilla, and some cinnamon.  Then I subbed egg whites for one of the eggs.  But, lately I have been making them without whole eggs at all… just egg whites.

The coconut flour makes a fairly heavy batter, and I think using egg whites instead of whole eggs lightens the pancakes up quite a bit and you likely won’t need to thin it with water.

I have been enjoying mine with a half cup of fresh blueberries added to the batter before cooking… and then another half cup sprinkled over the top as I eat them.  And I have discovered there is no need for syrup with the sweet berries!  The berries here are large and luscious right now.  Mmmmm.....

Coconut Flour Pancakes

Makes 1 large pancake

• 2 Tbs coconut flour
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp or more of vanilla

1. Mix the ingredients together very well in a medium bowl and then pour the batter into a prepared skillet.
2. Cook over MEDIUM heat for 4 or 5 minutes till bubbles appear in the batter and the edges are somewhat dry.
3. Flip and cook the other side.
4. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Per serving without toppings.

Weight Watchers P+ = 3.

Calories 121; Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 11g; Fat 1g; Fibre 6g.

Printable Recipe

Have you tried cooking with coconut flour yet?

Are you a fan of fresh blueberries?

Coconut Flour Coffee Cake for The Captain's Birthday

When this Coconut Flour Coffee Cake recipe appeared in my Facebook feed this morning I knew it would be just the thing for The Captain’s birthday cake.  July 28th is The Captain's birthday and probably the only day of the year he lets me spoil him all day long.

He told me not to bother baking a cake for him, and that he would be happy with some ice cream after our day’s outing… so I was really happy when I saw the ingredients in this lovely grain free and dairy free cake…. definitely something I could also sample, and share with him to celebrate his special day.

I knew he would love the texture ‘cause it is a heavy cake, very similar to pound cake and he does love that… and he certainly is a fan of coconut, and also ‘carmelly’  crumbly toppings.

The recipe calls for one one ingredient I didn’t have… coconut palm sugar… but after reading through the ingredient list I was pretty sure I could get away with using a dark brown sugar in its place… and it did work… very nicely.  Next time, though, I will solidify the coconut oil somewhat before mixing with the sugar because I think it will produce a drier, more crumbly topping.  I also may bake it for about 5 minutes less.

My Weight Watchers friends will surely balk at trying this recipe due to the N.I. and high P+ value per piece… but, hey, it’s CAKE after all.  And a delicious one at that.  And don't forget you don't HAVE to eat ice cream... bet a nice banana and/or berry 'soft serve' would be really good with this cake.

If grain free and dairy free suits you, do give it a try.  The recipe and instructions can be found here at this link… and some really nice pictures, too.  I calculated the N.I. myself.

I divided the cake into 8 slices… you could cut it into squares if you prefer. And of course you could make them smaller.

Per piece.
Weight Watchers P+ = 6.
Calories 234; Protein 4g; Carbohydrate 18g;  Fat 17g; Fibre 4g.

Folding the coconut flour, egg yolk, honey, vanilla mixture into the beaten egg whites.

Ready to put into the oven.

And cooling on the counter after baking.

Topped with ice cream and a candle, of course…

♪ Happy Birthday, Dear Captain.  Happy Birthday to You. ♪♪

Are you a coconut fan?  

Have you ever baked a grain free cake?

What is your favorite birthday cake?

A New Coconut and Flax Protein Pancake

I have been experimenting a bit with pancake recipes again lately.  Eggs and omelets just don’t cut it every day for breakfast…

I do like the flavor that coconut flour brings to my morning cakes, but today I wanted something a little different so I added a bit of vanilla whey protein powder and ground flax to the mix.  They turned out really well… nice texture and great taste. 

The cake fluffs up quite nicelly, too… no need for baking powder this time.

I served it with a bit of sugar free syrup and some fresh strawberries… if I had thawed frozen berries, I wouldn’t bother with the syrup at all.  You could also top these with your favorite nut butter or a bit of honey or maple syrup too.

Coconut and Flax Protein Pancake
Makes 1 serving

• 1 Tbs milled flax seed
• 1 Tbs coconut flour
• 1 Tbs vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/4 cup egg whites (2 egg whites)
• splash of water
• dash of cinnamon

1. Mix together the flax seed, coconut flour, protein powder and egg whites in a bowl.
2. Add a splash of water and cinnamon and mix again.
3. Pour into a heated non-stick pan and cook for about 3 minutes.
4. Flip and cook the second side for about another 2 minutes.
5. Remove to plate and serve.

Per serving.
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 142; Protein 15g; Carbohydrate 8g; Fat 5g; Fibre 5g.

Flipped and cooking the second side.

Plated and ready to enjoy.

There you have it!  Gluten free, grain free, low in carbs and high in protein.  Just right up my alley.  I know my WW buddies will appreciate the N.I. in these especially, and forgive me for the sugar free syrup!

Do you like coconut flour pancakes?