Triple Chocolate Snack Cake – Grain Free, Gluten Free, and Sugar Free

This is one of the best low-carb sugar-free cakes I’ve ever had.

Triple Chocolate Snack Cake – Grain Free, Gluten Free, and Sugar Free

1 cup almond flour (like Honeyville), or low carb flour blend
2/3 cup erythritol, or Swerve (I used Swerve)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
3 whole eggs
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs dark chocolate
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup organic chocolate chips, like Enjoy Life chunks

 

1) Whisk first 5 ingredients in mixing bowl.

2) In small microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate
and coconut oil. Set aside to cool.

3) In separate bowl, whisk eggs, cream, and
vanilla extract together. Add chocolate mixture
to the egg mixture; mix well.

4) Gradually add to the flour mixture, whisking
for several minutes until batter if fluffy.

5) Pour into a greased loaf pan or 8” cake pan.

6) Sprinkle top with chocolate chips or chunks.

7) Bake at 350ºF 25-30 minutes until top springs back
to the touch. Cool before serving.

~Tastes great the next day!

Crumb shot – just see how good the crumb is on this cake?!

 

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Here’s a delicious Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cheesecake recipe!

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DISCLAIMER: If you purchase from the links in this post you are helping support Heart of a Country Home at no extra charge to yourself.  Thanks and Happy New Year!

Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy ~ Low Carb and Grain Free

I’m adding this recipe to my low carb comfort foods file!

Totally filling and very satisfying, this meal has it all.  It’s fried and topped with gravy.  I felt like I was eating off plan!

On to the recipe…

Process the pork skins and almond meal for the breading until crumb-like.

Put the pork steak into the egg wash then the “breading”.

Cook the steaks one at a time until done.

Top with gravy when serving.  Enjoy!

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Chicken Fried Pork Cubed Steak with Cream Gravy

4 pork loin cubed steaks, medium size
1/3 cup almond milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup pork skins
1/3 cup almond meal
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon butter

Gravy:
3/4 cup cream
½ cup water
salt and pepper

Put the cubed steaks on a plate and place in the freezer while preparing the egg wash and breading.  The ones I used were very tender and almost fell apart.  Slightly chilling them in the freezer should help firm them up for the breading process.

For the egg wash: In a small flat bowl, combine the almond milk and egg. Beat with a fork until well blended.

For the breading:  In a food processor, process the pork skins and almond meal together until crumb-like.  Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse again.  Add some garlic powder and stir.  Pour into a flat bowl that will be usable for breading the steaks.

Melt coconut oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Dip pork cubed steaks in egg wash and then the breading (on both sides).   Slightly press in the breading on the steak.  Place one steak in the skillet and fry on the first side about 4 minutes, flip and then cook 2 minutes or until done.  (It didn’t take too long and I cooked one at a time so they’d have plenty of room in the skillet.)  Remove from pan and drain if necessary.  Mine didn’t seem greasy at all.

After the steaks are cooked, pour the cream and water into the skillet for de-glazing and making a tasty gravy.  Cook until some of the water has evaporated and the cream has thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.  To serve, spoon over the steaks.

I served mine with buttered steamed broccoli and radishes.  I added cooked rice to my family’s plates.

Serves 4.

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Disclaimer: Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links.  If you purchase through the links provided, I will receive a very small compensation at no extra cost to you.  Thanks!

September is National Biscuit Month

September is

National Biscuit Month!

I don’t know about you, but as a Southerner, that’s pretty exciting to me.  It’s like it almost gives me a reason to eat biscuits every morning, or maybe all day!  If I do, it will need to be the almond flour kind, otherwise I might not be able to fit through the door at the end of the month.

Anyway, I have several biscuit recipes on the site already and I wanted to link to those.

Buttermilk Biscuits are delicious with homemade jam!

 

Sour Cream Biscuits are simple, delicious, and only need three ingredients!  Yummy served with Apple Butter.

 

Almond Flour Biscuits ~ Low Carb & Grain Free are so good you’ll almost feel guilty!

 

Low Carb Biscuits are made with Carbquik and great served with Sausage Cream Gravy.

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So if you’re eating grain free, wheat free, low carb, or just plain eatin’, there’s a biscuit that you can enjoy.  Don’t grab a can off the shelf, be brave and try one of these easy recipes.  You won’t regret it!  Go ahead and celebrate!

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Disclaimer: Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links.  If you purchase through the links provided, I will receive a very small compensation at no extra cost to you.  Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Almond Flax Bread ~ Low Carb • Grain Free • Wheat Free

I miss a good sandwich bread, so I wanted to try to make this when I saw a similar recipe.  This bread is sturdy and not real tall but can be sliced thin like I like it, so the loaf will make a few sandwiches.

Almond Flax Bread ~ Low Carb • Grain Free • Wheat Free

1 cup blanched almond flour (I use the Honeyville brand)
2/3 cup golden flax seed meal
1 tablespoon coconut flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon aluminum free baking powder
3 whole eggs, room temp
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon local honey (I used sugar free maple syrup)

Preheat oven to 350º.
Grease a bread pan with butter, lard, or coconut oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, flax meal, coconut flour, salt, &
aluminum free baking powder.

Using your mixer,  beat eggs, honey, water & oil together.
Add wet ingredients into dry and mix well. Let mixture rest in bowl for 5  minutes.  Place bread mixture in the prepared greased bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Let cool for 1 hour before removing bread from pan.

COOK’S NOTE:  This recipe makes a dense loaf that does not rise much, but is great toasted in butter and topped with  all natural fruit preserves.  I also used it to make a Black Forrest Ham-mayo-avocado sandwich that was really tasty.

Also optional:  I added sprinkled some poppy seeds over the loaf just before baking.

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Sharing with Thrifty Thursday!

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DISCLAIMER: If you purchase from the links in this post you are helping support Heart of a Country Home at no extra charge to yourself.  Thanks for your kindness.

 

 

Spunky Chunky No Bean Chili

My family loves chili!  There’s not many meals any easier than throwing chili in the crock pot to simmer throughout the day.  When I walk through the door in the afternoon, I know supper is almost ready.

Making chili is more of a process than an actual recipe.  There’s so many ways to do it.  You have your choices of meat, even chicken if your heart desires!

In this recipe, I use ground beef, but I’ve seen where some people use carne asada.  I’ve seen that in the beef section of our grocery store and it looks really good!  I just may try that next time.

Start out by browning the ground beef, onion, and peppers.  I jsut happened to have a frozen mix of peppers that I used this time.

After the meat is a browned and drained, put it together with every thing else in the slow cooker and relax the rest of the day.  Or in my case, head back to work for a few more hours.  🙂

Spunky Chunky No Bean Chili 

3 lbs. ground beef (if you use 80/20, drain it after cooking)
1 large onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped

In a saute skillet, brown beef, onions, and peppers.  Drain if needed.

While the meat is cooking, add to a large crock pot or slow cooker:

1 32 oz can of petite diced tomatoes, or 2 small cans
1 can of Rotel tomatoes or tomatoes with green chiles
2 cups beef stock
¼ cup ground cumin, or to taste
¼ cup chili powder, or to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
pinch of sweetener, optional (add this to balance the acid in the tomatoes)

After the meat is drained, add to the tomato/spice mixture in a crock pot.
Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on low.  Should make 12 servings at around 8 carbs each.

Serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.

*I also made some almond flour biscuits and fried them up like fritters.

 

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DISCLAIMER: If you purchase from the links in this post you are helping support Heart of a Country Home at no extra charge to yourself.  Thanks for your kindness.

Almond Flour Biscuits ~ Low Carb • Grain Free

Looking for a sturdy wheat free biscuit to hold up some yummy sugar free pumpkin butter or maybe some sausage gravy?   Not exactly like grandma made, but close to it for sure.  And so tasty, you’ll almost feel guilty.

Almond Flour Biscuits ~ Low Carb • Wheat Free • Grain Free

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of almond flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
2 tablespoons cold salted butter
egg whites from 3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Mix almond flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium size bowl. Add cold butter and using a pastry cutter, mix until crumbly.

Next, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork until they are slightly frothy, about 30 seconds. Blend the eggs in with the almond flour mixture until combined.  Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the bits of butter to harden.

Divide the biscuit mixture into 4-6 portions and spoon on to a parchment lined baking sheet or into a well-greased muffin top pan. Bake right away for 10 -12 minutes.  Remove when golden brown.  Makes 4-6 biscuits.

Serve with butter and preserves or top the biscuits with your favorite sausage gravy.

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Nutritional information for 6 servings:

For each biscuit = Calories 147,  Carbs 5, Fat 13,  Protein 6

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DISCLAIMER: If you purchase from the links in this post you are helping support Heart of a Country Home at no extra charge to yourself.  Thanks and Happy Holidays!

Fried Fauxtatoes – Low Carb and Grain Free

This crunchy tuber has quickly become one of my favorite potato replacements!

It just satisfies that need to crunch and chew, which I love!

(Don’t these look like the real deal?!)

This crispy tuber has a hint of sweetness and resembles a turnip in appearance.  A cup of jicama contains 11.5 g carbohydrates (with 6.4 g being fiber), which is about equal to a carrot.  It also brings to mind water chestnuts, so it would probably work great in a stir-fry.

(Photo courtesy of COOKING LIGHT)

For my Fried Fauxtatoes recipe, I first peeled the jicama and cubed it up into small bite-size pieces.  I diced up some onion and skillet fried both in bacon grease for great flavor.  The jicama retained its crunch instead of softening like potatoes but it was still a very satisfying breakfast.  I topped it with a fried egg.

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Linking with

Pumpkin Bars ~ Grain Free • Wheat Free • Sugar Free

October and cooler weather brings on that desire to bake!

This tasty bar recipe is perfect for breakfast or dessert.

(Here’s my version of pumpkin bars topped with a warm cinnamon butter cream sauce that I just threw together using cream, Stevia, and cinnamon.)

 Low Carb Pumpkin Bars

 2 cup blanched almond flour (I like Honeyville)
2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
1 15 oz. can of real pumpkin
1 cup granular sweetener (for example, Swerve)

    Preheat oven to 350º F.   Grease 9×13 inch glass cake pan or spray with    non-stick spray. I like to fill my Misto sprayer with coconut oil.  In medium mixing bowl, sift together almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon,
salt and baking soda. Set aside.

  In the bowl of your electric mixer, blend together eggs, pumpkin and sweetener until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine on low speed until smooth.  Pour pumpkin bar batter into cake dish and smooth with spatula.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

  Completely cool on rack before cutting and serving. Top with your choice of real whipped cream or buttery cinnamon glaze.

Serves 15.  Nutrition Information: 120 calories 9 g fat, 6 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 3 g net carbs, 5 g protein (without the toppings)

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Disclaimer: Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links.  If you purchase through the links provided, I will receive a very small compensation at no extra cost to you.  Thanks!

Going wheat-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and soda-free and my 1 month results!

After much research and reading, I decided to make some changes in my “diet” on September 1st.

I had been noticing that after I ate a meal that included wheat and sugar, my hands would swell and I would be stiff the next morning.  I decided to eliminate those things from my diet for a while and see what happened.

Well, no more bloating, swelling, or stiffness and my appetite is more manageable.  My desire for sweets has diminished as well.

So as of today, I have successfully gone wheat-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and diet soda-free for a month!

No, I haven’t been perfect, but real close!

After a month, I have lost and kept off 7.4 lbs! yay me! 🙂

I feel much better, have more energy, and have lost inches.  My plans are to keep on this way of eating and hopefully heal some physical issues I’ve had for a few years.

October, here I come! I’m still a work in progress, but it is progress after all!

What changes have you made in your diet lately and what results are you getting?

Does meat rot in your colon?

Okay, this may be a strange subject, but it just happens to be one I’m interested in.

I overheard a conversation about meat taking days to digest in the system and I got to thinking about it so I decided to do a little research.  Based on my own personal observations, I tend to lean toward this way of thinking.

Does Meat Rot In Your Colon? No.

What Does? Beans, Grains, and Vegetables!

I found this information over at Gnolls . org.

Some excerpts from the article:

“On average, a ‘mixed meal’ (including meat) takes 4-5 hours to completely leave the stomach—so we’ve busted yet another part of the myth. (Keep in mind that we have not absorbed any nutrients yet: we’re still breaking everything down.)”

“It turns out that pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and our other proteases do a fine job of breaking down meat protein, and bile salts and lipase do a fine job of breaking down animal fat. In other words, meat is digested by enzymes produced by our own bodies. The primary reason we need our gut bacteria is to digest the sugars, starches, and fiber—found in grains, beans, and vegetables—that our digestive enzymes can’t break down.”

“In other words, meat doesn’t rot in your colon. GRAINS, BEANS, and VEGETABLES rot in your colon. And that is a fact.…And That’s Why Beans Make You Fart.”

“You can demonstrate the purpose and limits of human digestion with a simple experiment: eat a steak with some whole corn kernels, and see what comes out the other end.

It won’t be the steak.”

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I don’t want to post all of it as it is a long article.  Please read the rest of this article here.

Credit for the article goes to J. Stanton at Gnolls . org.

Warm Cream Cheese and Bacon Spread aka “Crack Dip”

This has become one of our favorite cream cheese spreads.

Full of flavor, it is a tasty and quick party or anytime appetizer!

Warm Cream Cheese and Bacon Spread aka “Crack Dip”

(Also similar to Neiman Marcus Dip)

2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

8 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

3 green onions, diced

1 T ranch dip mix

• Heat and soften the cream cheese in the microwave on 70% power.  Mix softened cream cheese and mayo together with electric mixer.
• Add all other ingredients and mix by hand.
• Shape into 1 large or 2 small cheese balls and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours , or serve warm with your favorite crackers (see these gluten free crackers and these low carb flax crackers),  your own Almond Thins, chips, or veggies.

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One Saturday my girls had a friend over and we had an appetizer lunch.

It felt like we were having a party!

We had Pizza Rolls, Party Meatballs, Warm Cream Cheese and Bacon Spread, and fresh fruit.  It was delicious and hit the spot!

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For low carbers…serve the cheese spread with Almond Thins.

DISCLAIMER: If you purchase from some of  the links in this post you are helping support Heart of a Country Home at no extra charge to yourself.  Thanks and Happy Holidays!

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I’m joining the party over at

Almond Thins ~ Low Carb Crackers

ALMOND THINS

1 cup almond flour (I use Honeyville )

1 package Truvia sweetener

1 egg white

1/4 tsp salt

dash of garlic powder and  onion powder (see organic spices here)

Preheat oven 325. Mix ingredients well. Place mixture onto a well greased piece of tin foil.  Spray a piece of wax paper with cooking spray and lay over top of mixture (I prefer to use  parchment paper).

Use a rolling pin to roll out to a cracker thickness.  Gently remove wax paper.  Sprinkle more salt on top if desired and press lightly into dough. Score with knife or pizza cutter into squares.  Lay tin foil on rack in oven. Bake until golden brown about 10 minutes.  Makes around 50 crackers. (I didn’t get that many, but my dough needed to be thinner and maybe the crackers should have been cut smaller.)

If you can make 50 crackers, serving of 5 crackers each is:

Cal 66, carbs < than 2 per serving

*Recipe from Low Carb Friends.

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DISCLAIMER: If you purchase from the links in this post you are helping support Heart of a Country Home at no extra charge to yourself.  Thanks and Happy Holidays!

The best Chocolate Chip Cheesecake ever!

This is absolutely one of the best

Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes

I’ve ever tasted!

A few days before, I had made some low carb almond flour brownies.  They were okay, but nothing to write home about.  I hated to waste, so I decided to recycle what was left of the brownies.  I wanted to make a peanut butter cheesecake, but there was no peanut butter, but…I had sugar free chocolate chips!  So I drug out this recipe I have used before, along with a 9″ spring form pan.  I’m so glad I did!

 

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with Brownie Crust

Crust:

I crumbled my leftover brownies in a bowl along with an egg and mixed it well.  I pressed that mixture into the bottom of the spring form pan to form the crust.

Cheesecake:

2 large eggs, beaten
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup granular  Splenda (or equivalent in Kal Stevia)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips

Place the eggs, granular Splenda, cream cheese and vanilla into a mixer and blend until smooth.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour the cheesecake mixture into the crust and bake for 45-50 minutes at 350º or until it looks like it is set or kinda firm in the middle.  Cool in the oven for a few hours. Refrigerate overnight.

This cheesecake makes several servings and even a small slice is very satisfying.

* Honeyville Almond Flour 

Note:  If you are not watching your sugar intake, substitute regular granulated white sugar for the Splenda and regular semi-sweet chocolate chips for the SF chocolate chips.

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Chocolate Chunk Cookies ~ Grain Free • Wheat Free • Low Carb

What’s not to like about Chocolate Chunk Cookies?!  In this recipe, I made my own chocolate chunks by melting some chocolate and adding some sweetener.  

They were delicious but didn’t hold their shape.  That’s why the poor cookies look chocolate chunk-less in the photo.

 Nevertheless, the cookies were great!

CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

1 1/4 cups of almond flour (I prefer Honeyville)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup of xylitol (or raw honey)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup of chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and blend with a spoon.
Add the wet ingredients and blend well with a spoon.
Drop by tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Space
them about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until
they are starting to brown around the edges.
Makes about 15 cookies.

*To make these lower carb, you need to use the xylitol instead of the honey.

**Xylitol can be harmful to dogs, so keep your pets away when using this sweetener.

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DISCLAIMER: If you purchase from some of the links in this post you are helping support Heart of a Country Home at no extra charge to yourself.  Thanks for your kindness.

 

Today I’m linking to:

Southern Style Salmon Patties (low carb)

Low Carb Southern Style Salmon Patties

16 ounces pink salmon, canned

1 egg

1/3 cup onion, minced

1/2 cup Carbquik (or 1/4 cup almond flour and 1/4 cup crushed pork skins)

dash each of salt, pepper, Old Bay Seasoning

almond flour for dredging

oil for frying

Drain salmon thoroughly.  Flake it with a fork in a large bowl.  Add remaining ingredients (except dredging flour and oil) and mix well.  Form into patties.   Add oil to a frying pan and heat to medium-high heat.  Dredge each patty in almond four.  Place patties in pan.  Brown on each side, turning once gently. Drain on paper towels and serve with Heinz reduced sugar ketchup  or homemade tartar sauce for dipping.  Add a green veggie or garden salad to complete the meal.

Cook’s Note:  Mom always used corn meal for dredging. 

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Disclaimer: Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links.  If you purchase through the links provided, I will receive a very small compensation at no extra cost to you.  Thanks for your support!

 

 

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Today I’m linking to