It’s time for some fresh spring flavors. Here in Finland we still enjoy (not!) occasional heavy snowing, but nothing prevents from dreaming of sunny and warm spring days. And dreaming is much easier while spreading some of this tangy, sweet and sour spread on freshly-baked muffins. So great for breakfast… wakes you up! Or with afternoon coffee when in need for some energy.
…
I was planning to develop a recipe for crisp bread and had the idea for the basic ingredients for quite some time. I wanted to check how it works and of course develop the recipe as good as I can. Well, instead of a replacement for traditional crisp bread the result is this: Grain-Free “Whole Grain” Crackers. I call them “whole grain” because they look and feel like they would be made from whole grains. But no, no grains or gluten here. Just hearty healthy unblanched organic almonds topped off with beneficial extra virgin olive oil.
These wholesome “whole grain” crackers without whole grains are tasty carriers for all kinds of low-carb delicacies like spreads, butter, ham, cheese, veggies or eggs. Even jam and other sweet spreads go well with these tidbits, especially if you omit the salt or reduce it remarkably. Naturally, the crackers are great munchies as such. Try them yourself!
…
Deviled eggs make a beautiful appetizer. They a great for the finest party and a cozy gathering a like. You can decorate them or just leave plain, in any case they just look stunning and are extremely delicious! I’ve created these cute little nests here, they are especially great for any party in the springtime!
Deviled eggs are also staples in low-carb lifestyle. Actually, I haven’t seen many low-carb cookbooks without a recipe for deviled eggs. This is very understandable. Deviled eggs are delicious, easy to make and naturally low in carbs. You can vary them endlessly with different additions, spices and seasonings.
Remember to use organic, free-range eggs for the best health benefits and the best color. Have you noticed that the yolks in free-range eggs are bright orange compared to those which originate from intensive farming? Yes, the organic free-range eggs are much more nutritious than the regular pale store-bought ones!
…
Paskha or pasha is something many people eat during Easter here in Finland regardless of their religion. We have even commercial — of course sugar-laden — versions of paskha. Originally paskha is enjoyed by Orthodox Christians on Easter and the dish originates from Russia.
Well, for some people Easter is not Easter without paskha, whereas some people cannot stand it. Finnish paskha differs from Russian paskha in the sense that Russian paskha has smooth texture and the ingredients are simpler. Actually I didn’t know this difference before I did some googling and found this recipe for Russian paskha. I adapted my own sugar-free low-carb paskha version from that recipe.
Russian paskha is seasoned with just a hint of vanilla while the Finnish version is bursting with almonds, raisins, sultanas and lemon flavor.
…
Here is another exciting recipe for your sugar-free St. Patrick’s Day festivities. This is an adults-only delicacy, with a small but clearly noticeable boozy note. If you are not consuming alcohol at all, or would like to make a family-friendly version, there is a tip for that in the end of the post. Have fun and enjoy!
…
In these green shamrock cookies — which I developed especially for your St. Patrick’s Day party — Ireland meets America. The sugar-free, gluten-free cookies get enchanting flavor from root beer stevia. The green color comes from natural sources, which makes these treats even healthier! In case you are not a fan of root beer, I give some ideas for variations in the end of the post. Have a joyful St. Paddy’s Day!
…
These low-carb duchess cauliflowers are cousins of the classic duchess potatoes. However, they won’t be upstaged by their better-known high-carb relatives, quite the contrary: full of flavor and healthy ingredients, these morsels are also great for the finest dinner.
…
I seem to be in a jam making mood. Last week I published the recipe for Easy Sugar-Free Raspberry Jam and now: Sugar-Free Strawberry Jam. I got so thrilled about my (finally!) successful raspberry jam experiment, that I wanted to try out the same method for strawberry jam. And, my husband prefers strawberries to raspberries.
Just replacing raspberries with strawberries didn’t work, there were many other things to consider and to change. But, finally I succeeded in making jam which my whole family likes, including me. Hope you like this as well!
…
When I was developing the recipe for the Low-Carb Linzer Hearts, I needed some raspberry jam for filling the cookies. Initially I used commercial sugar-free raspberry jam, but it was far too sweet for my taste. And I like sweet! Since the jam was sweetened with grape juice, the carb count was also relatively high. And, I’m not comfortable using jams sweetened with Splenda or NutraSweet, so those didn’t come into question either. Therefore, I wanted to develop a fruity and fresh home-made sugar-free raspberry jam, which is also very low in carbs.
…
Treat your loved ones without guilt to these low-carb, gluten-free and sugar-free Linzer hearts! These spectacular cookies are perfect for Valentine’s Day, or anytime when you want to indulge yourself or bring some happiness to the people around you. And the best part: you need only 5 ingredients for these tasty tidbits!
…
