CRANBERRY, WHITE, CHOCOLATE & MACADAMIA COOKIES

CRANBERRY, WHITE CHOCOLATE & MACADAMIA COOKIES

Hands down, our cinnamon choice for these cookies is Saigon. Its intense flavor is a perfect complement to tart cranberries and sweet, creamy white chocolate.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 to 15 minutes
Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection® Saigon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed, light brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
4 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1 jar (6.85 ounces) macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate, nuts and cranberries. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 to 3 minutes; remove from baking sheets. Cool completely on wire racks.

Nutritional Information per Serving:
About 

183 Calories, 

Fat 11g, 

Protein 2g, 

Carbohydrates 19g, 

Cholesterol 21mg, 

Sodium 136mg, 

Fiber 1g

CRANBERRY "CRUNCH" COOKIES

Cranberry "Crunch" Cookies

The cranberries and chopped Crunch bar give these cookies just the right touch of sweetness.

Estimated Times

Preparation Time 15 mins.
Cooking Time 7 mins.
Cooling Time 15 mins

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons granular sugar blend for baking (such as SPLENDA)
2 tablespoons brown sugar blend for baking (such as SPLENDA)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
3/4 cup all-purpose flour *add your favorite unflavored or vanilla protein powder here, and boost the value of the protein values, adjust nutritional values accordingly.
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 (1.55 oz.) NESTLÉ CRUNCH Candy Bar, chopped

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

BEAT butter, granular sugar blend and brown sugar blend in small mixer bowl until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla extract and orange peel. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda. Stir in cranberries and chopped Crunch bar. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto baking sheets.

BAKE for 7 to 9 minutes or just until golden around edges. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yields 24 cookies

Nutrition Facts

Yield Size: 1/24 of a recipe (24)
Yield per Recipe: 24

Amount per serving
Calories 50
Calories from Fat 15
Total Fat 1.5 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 20 mg 1
Carbohydrates 8 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g 0
Sugars 4 g
Protein 1 g

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serving Size : 12 

Preparation Time :0:00

-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1 cup splenda granular
15 ounces pumpkin
3/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs -- room temperature

Blend cream cheese with the Splenda until creamy... add the rest of the ingredients except the eggs, blend together well... Add eggs, one at a time until just blended. Pour over crust, if desired.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven. Run a knife around the outside edge of the pan to loosen the cheese cake from the sides, to keep it from cracking. Let cool completely. Refridgerate over night.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 

125 Calories; 

10g Fat (69.0% calories from fat); 

4g Protein; 

6g Carbohydrate; 

trace Dietary Fiber; 

93mg Cholesterol; 

118mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 

1/2 Lean Meat; 

0 Non-Fat Milk; 

1 1/2 Fat.

Lemon Cheesecake Mousse

Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoon egg white(s), dried
• 1/4 cup(s) water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 1/2 package(s) tofu, silken-style firm, light, (6.15 ounces) cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and well drained in white paper towels
• 4 ounce(s) cream cheese, reduced-fat
• 2 teaspoon lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon preserves, strawberry, reduced-sugar
• strawberries, (optional)
• sprig(s) mint, fresh, (optional)

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, combine dried egg whites, the water, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Set aside.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine tofu, cream cheese, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Cover and blend or process just until smooth. Do not overmix. Gently fold tofu mixture and preserves into egg white mixture. Stir just until combined but some streaks of the egg mixture and preserves remain.
3. To serve, spoon mousse into 6 dessert dishes. Top with fresh strawberries. If desired, garnish with mint sprigs.

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 113, 

Saturated Fat: 3g, 

Sodium: 119mg, 

Dietary Fiber: 0g, 

Total Fat: 5g, 

Carbs: 13g, 

Sugars: 11g, 

Cholesterol: 14mg, 

Protein: 5g

Exchanges: 

Other Carb: 1, 

Lean Meat: 0.5, 

Fat: 1

Carb Choices: 1

Apple Confit

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 2 h 30 mins

Total Time: 2 h 50 mins

Ingredients

• 3 pounds apple(s), cooking, firm, such as Granny Smith, Northern Spy, Rome, or Golden Delicious
• 1/4 cup(s) sugar, granulated
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground, (1/4-1/2 tsp to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Peel the apples and slice 1/4 inch thick. (You should have about 9 cups.) Place the apples in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste, and toss to coat well.

2. Cover and cook until the apples are very tender and almost translucent, but not pureed, 2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 4 to 4 1/2 hours on low. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. 

Nutritional Info (Per serving): 

Calories: 98, 

Saturated Fat: 0g, 

Sodium: 2mg, 

Dietary Fiber: 4g, 

Total Fat: 0g, 

Carbs: 26g, 

Cholesterol: 0mg, 

Protein: 0g

SUGAR FREE FUDGE

Ingredients

2-8 OZ. PKGS REDUCED FAT CREAM CHEESE
2-1OZ SQS. UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE-MELTED AND COOLED
SUGAR SUBSTITUTE EQUAL TO 1 CUP SUGAR
1 TEASPOON VANILLA
1/2 CUP PECANS CHOPPED
*use a scoop (or 2) of your favorite chocolate flavored protein powder to add more protein to this recipe. adjust nutritional values accordingly

Cooking Instructions

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, chocolate, sweetener, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour into an 8 inch square pan lined with foil, cover and refrigeraye overnight. Cut into 16 squares. serve chilled. Yields 16 servings.

Servings Per Recipe: 1

• Total Fat-- 14g
• Saturated Fat-- 0g
• Sodium-- 84mg.
• Protein-- 3g
• Carbohydrate--5g
• Cholesterol--31mg
• Fiber--0g
• Dietary Rxchange--3 Fat

OATMEAL ALMOND CRISPS

Oatmeal Almond Crisps

 

These cookies are delicious ~ buttery oatmeal & almond goodness!

1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Nature Sweet crystals
1 1/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal *add your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder to add bonus protein to this recipe. adjust nutritional values accordingly.
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone nonstick liners.

Whisk together the egg, butter, vanilla and Nature Sweet until smooth. Add oatmeal and almonds and mix to coat. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto prepared sheets. Flatten each cookie into a 2 inch round. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely on sheets and then remove. Store in airtight container.

Makes 18 two-inch cookies
Per Cookie:
calories 71,
fat 4g,
carbs 4g,

protein 2g

NO BAKE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

 

Sometimes you want a decadent cheesecake without the trouble of baking one…this will do just fine, thank you.

Try it with fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, even nectarines or cherries. Go crazy….you’ll be glad you did…

One pastry pie crust, baked and cooled completely OR graham crumb crust, baked, cooled
2 cups heavy whipping cream OR One 8-ounce container Cool Whip, thawed
Two 8-ounce packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups Splenda Granulated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
Enough whole berries, cut in half to cover the pie
1/3 cup sugar free strawberry jam, melted

Beat heavy cream into soft peaks and set aside in the refrigerator.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in Splenda, vanilla, and almond extract. Fold in the whipped cream and chopped strawberries. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Garnish with strawberry halves. Brush melted jam over berries and chill until set. Cover loosely and chill.

Makes 16 servings
Per Serving:
Calories 183;
Protein 4 g;
Fat 14 g;
Carbs 9 g;
Sugar 1 g;
Sodium 148 mg

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Molten Chocolate Cakes

 

These cakes are every bit as good as any full sugar version served in a fine restaurant. The rich dark cake crust is only surpassed by the warm fudge interior. This dessert is extraordinary and it is very easy to make. The cakes are NOT low fat or low calorie so they are not an everyday dessert, however, for a special occasion, these scrumptious cakes will knock everyone’s socks off. You won’t believe the flavor of this fully sugar-free dessert.

Vegetable cooking spray
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ounces imported sugar-free dark chocolate - Valor or Guylian are excellent, but have also used 5 ounces of small DOVE sf before!
3 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup Splenda granular
Pinch of table salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour *add your favorite chocolate protein powder here, to boost the protein value of this recipe. adjust nutritional values accordingly.

Preheat the oven to 400 °. Lightly spray six 6-ounce ramekins with vegetable cooking spray and arrange on a baking sheet.

Melt the butter and the chocolate in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat, gently whisk until smooth, remove from the heat and set aside. Beat the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, Splenda, and salt using a hand-held mixer, at the highest speed until the volume doubles, and mixture is the texture of softly whipped cream, about 7 to 8 minutes. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and sprinkle on the flour. Gently fold until the mixture is fairly well blended with a few streaks remaining.

Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the sides of the cakes have puffed slightly above the top edge of the ramekins but the centers are still a bit soft. Do not overbake! Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then unmold onto a dessert plate. Serve at once with a small dollop of Splenda sweetened whipped cream or a small scoop of no-sugar added vanilla ice cream. A cooled cake is the texture of a very good fudge brownie.


Makes 6 individual cakes
Each serving,
Calories 273,
fat 24 grams,
carbs 2 grams,

protein 5 grams

ITALIAN SWEET RICOTTA PIE

Italian Sweet Ricotta Pie

 

For Italians, Easter is both a religious and culinary celebration. Since it is preceded by Lent, a time for fasting, Easter Sunday is a day to rejoice and to indulge, especially in sweets. Creamy, dense, sweet ricotta pie is a hallmark of an Italian Easter Sunday feast. It's delicious at breakfast, lunch or for dessert for any time of year!

I will bake this in a pie crust when serving this dish for a holiday with guests, but make it crustless for home use as I do not generally eat pie crust.

3 eggs
1 cup Nature Sweet (preferred) or Splenda Granulated
1 cup Half & Half (do not use fat free version as it has starch and gums)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound POLLY-O original or part skim milk ricotta cheese (this is best supermarket brand, dont save a dollar and buy inferior cheese)
1 cup canned crushed pineapple, well drained and squeezed of moisture
Ground cinnamon

*add a scoop of your favorite unflavored or vanilla protein powder to add a boost of protein to this recipe. adjust nutritional values accordingly.

Blend eggs with Nature Sweet, beat in half & half, vanilla, and cornstarch until smooth. Add ricotta and blend well. Fold in pineapple and pour filling into pie crust. Dust with cinnamon.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the filling slightly puffs, turns golden and is set - meaning it should be firm, not jiggly when you gently move the pie plate from side to side - a little soft in the center is desired.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

10 servings:
calories 213;
Fat 16 g;
carbs 8 g;
protein 8 g.

GINGERBREAD CAKE

Gingerbread Cake

 

Cut into 9 squares: 

Calories 237, 

Fat 11g, 

Carbs 29 (8 sugar), 

Protein 5g

Cut into 16 squares: 

Calories 133, 

Fat 6g, 

Carbs 16 (5 sugar), 

Protein 3g

I have baked gingerbread houses for over 30 years – there’s nothing quite like the smell of warm cinnamon, ginger, and molasses. This cake is moist and absolutely delicious – especially when you top it with some warm applesauce and whipped cream. This dessert gets my vote for top dessert to serve alongside Pumpkin Pie this Thanksgiving! It is perfect to serve with a bottle of Believe Chai Tea as the flavors mirror that of this cake.

½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
½ cup Whey Low Gold, sugar replacer – available at Whole Foods Market
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour*add your favorite unflavored, or vanilla flavored Protein Powder to add a boost of protein to this recipe. adjust nutritional value accordingly.
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Spray an 8 inch deep round or square cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and preheat oven to 350°.

Cream the butter and sugar replacer until smooth and creamy; blend in the egg, molasses, and milk. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until creamy and smooth. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes and turn onto wire rack to cool completely. Serve dusted with powdered sugar or top with homemade applesauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

DOUBLE CHCOLATE CHIP CHEESCAKE

Double Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

 

 Serve this after a special occasion dinner and blow everyone’s mind.

Serves 12

WLS portion, 

Calories 163, 

fat 12 gr, 

carbs 8 gr, 

protein 6gr

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 ½ cups  Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Two, 8-ounce packages,  Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
2⁄3 cup Splenda granular
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup reduced fat sour cream
3 large eggs
6 ounces sugar-free mini chocolate chips

* you could add your favorite unflavored or vanilla, or chocolate  flavored protein powder to add a boost of protein to this recipe, adjust nutritional values accordingly.

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Lightly spray a springform pan with vegetable cooking spray and place on baking sheet.

Pulse the cookies in the large bowl of a food processor until they are finely ground. Add butter and blend until moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and one half inch up side of prepared pan. Chill while filling is prepared.

Mix cream cheese, Splenda, vanilla, and sour cream with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Fold in half the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Scatter the remaining chips over the surface of the batter.

Bake at 300°F for 45-50 minutes until center is just set. Cool on rack at room temperature. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Serve with shaved chocolate and Splenda sweetened whipped cream.

COCONUT PANNA COTTA

Coconut Panna Cotta

  Panna cotta (from Italian cooked cream) is an Italian dessert made by simmering together cream, milk and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool until set. It is generally from the Northern Italian region of Piemonte, although it is eaten all over Italy, where it is served with wild berries, caramel, chocolate sauce or fruit coulis

Soft, delicate, silky, light - Panna Cotta is so easy, but it so impressive. I've flavored this with coconut milk and added a sparkling, deep purple sauce that puts it over the top!

Panna Cotta

1 1/4- ounce packet of powdered gelatin *add a scoop of unflavored or your favorite vanilla protein powder to give this a protein boost. adjust nutritional values accordingly.
2 cups, milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Splenda
1/4 teaspoon, kosher salt
One 13.5-ounces can unsweetened LITE coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of milk and set aside for 10 minutes. Combine the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk, the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk first the gelatin mixture, then the coconut milk, into the pan. Strain the panna cotta mixture through a fine sieve then pour it into eight 4-ounce ramekins or coffee cups; chill overnight.

Blackberry-Lemon Sauce

2 cups frozen unsweetened blackberries, divided
1/2 cup Splenda
pinch salt
Juice and zest of one lemon

Place 1 1/2 cups berries into a saucepan. Add Splenda, salt and zest and juice from the lemon. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up berries. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When lukewarm stir in remaining berries, keeping them whole. Cool and serve over panna cotta or as a syrup. Serving size is 2 tablespoons.

Per Serving:
106 Cal;
3 g Protein;
5 g Tot Fat;
10 g Carb;
2 g Fiber;
8 g Sugar;
114 mg Sodium

CINNAMON APPLESAUCE

Cinnamon Applesauce

 

Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce is an ideal texture for even early post-ops; smells like heaven and is super easy for even a non cook. Make a big batch; your family will eat it up. Blend your delicious applesauce with unflavored yogurt, cottage or ricotta cheese, or use to sauce thinly sliced roasted turkey tenderloin or chicken thighs.

8 large apples (I use a blend of apples as they cook down with different textures; McIntosh for smooth sauce, Fuji for chunky, Granny Smith for tart)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Splenda granular, plus additional to taste
*you can also add unflavored, or apple flavored protein powder to give a protein boost to this recipe.

Cut each apple into quarters; peel skin and remove core of each piece. Place prepared apples into large covered saucepan, add cinnamon, and 1/4 cup water. Cover pan, bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook apples 30 to 40 minutes, until very soft. Remove from heat and mash apples into a chunky sauce using a potato masher or a wooden spoon. If you are a very early post-op, use a blender or food processor to turn apples into a smooth puree. Stir in Splenda, plus additional if needed, to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

Makes about 4 cups
per 1/4 cup serving:
calories 31,
fat 0g,
carbs 6,

protein 0

CHCOLATE PUDDING

Chocolate Pudding

 

There is nothing like warm Chocolate Pudding on a Saturday!

You probably have the ingredients for our Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding in your kitchen. This is not the stuff in the little cups - this is amazing. We combine dark chocolate with other flavors indigenous to Mexico – cinnamon, and vanilla. It is rich and satisfying yet surprisingly low in fat and calories. Forget the supermarket stuff. Stir some Inspire Protein powder into your portion for a super breakfast or planned protein snack food.

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder - I buy really good quality Ghiradelli or Green & Black cocoa powder
3/4 cup Splenda granular
a pinch of cinnamon
1 ¾ cups skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together the dry ingredients - cornstarch, cocoa, Splenda, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Add the milk and the vanilla and blend.

Heat the mixture over medium high, stirring frequently until it begins to thicken. Mixture will not blend completely or smoothly until it is hot. Once it begins to thicken stir constantly while it comes to a boil and cook for two minutes until pudding is shiny and smooth.

Pour into small serving dishes, or one large bowl and chill before serving. If you do not like pudding skin, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding before chilling.

Makes four ½ cup servings
Calories 86,
fat 3 grams,
carbs 10 grams,

protein 6 grams

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Chocolate Cream Pie

 

So little effort for such big smiles when your family hears the words Chocolate Cream Pie. Everyone LOVES Chocolate Cream Pie. Use the technique to make banana cream pie, or even butterscotch cream pie with different cookie crusts, and pudding mix combinations.

One package Murray sugar free cookies - Double Chocolate Chip or Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted - use real butter, margarine contains water and will make a mushy crust
One 4 serving size package sugar free JELL-O chocolate pudding mix - the kind you COOK
2 cups whole milk - you need a little fat for creaminess, but this is still delicious with low fat milk
Redi Whip Whipped cream or Cool Whip

Pulse the cookies in a large bowl of a food processor until coarsely ground - add butter and pulse a few times until mixture resembles damp sand. (If you don't have a food processor, you may crush cookies in a sealed bag using a rolling pin, wine bottle, or heavy saucepan. Add the melted butter to the bag and smooge around the bag until the crumbs are evenly moistened.)

Transfer crumb mixture into a glass or metal pie plate. Use the bottom of a small measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Chill while preparing the filling.

Pour the pudding mix powder into a medium pot, add the milk and cook over medium high heat, slowly whisking while it heats. Cook until thick and glossy (as per the package directions) Pour into pie crust - place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and chill at least four hours.

Just before serving, pile on the whipped cream, and cut into wedges. I prefer to cut into wedges and THEN add the whipped cream to each piece of pie as the leftovers stay fresher in the fridge without whipped cream. Grate a little dark chocolate over the top or add a single perfect maraschino cherry to the top.


Makes 8 WLS servings.
Calories 165;
fat 6g,
carbs 12 g,

protein 3 g

CHOCOLATE CHERRY MOUSSE

Chocolate Cherry Mousse

 

Absolutely gorgeous and rich, but not too sweet, this airy mousse is a beautiful ending to a summer supper.

Perfect with raspberries, blackberries or strawberries, too...

2 ounces unsweetened solid chocolate, chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
2 tablespoons cherry liqueur or sugar free cherry syrup
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup diced fresh cherries
6 whole cherries with stems for garnish

Melt the chopped chocolate, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, and cherry syrup in the microwave at 30 second intervals, whisking in between, until melted and very smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine the remaining 1 cup cream, Splenda, almond, and vanilla extract - beat with an electric mixture until soft peaks form.

Beat 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until well blended to lighten the mixture, then carefully fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Gently fold in diced cherries.

Divide into 6 dessert glasses and chill for at least one hour. Garnish with a whole, fresh cherry. Makes six servings.

Per Serving:
Calories 136;
Protein 2 g;
Fat 12 g;
Carbs 4 g;
Sugar 2 g;
Sodium 10 mg

CHERRY CLAFOUTI

Cherry Clafouti

Clafoutis, sometimes in Anglophone countries spelled clafouti, is a baked French dessert of black cherries arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter. The clafoutis is dusted with powdered sugar and served lukewarm.

This dessert is an amazing combination of fluffy almond flavored custard studded with a handful of ripe sweet cherries. The biggest, darkest fresh cherries are best for the ultimate flavor, but frozen cherries work well in a pinch if you drop them into the batter while still frozen. If you can’t find cherries in the market, fresh (or frozen) blueberries will also make your mouth water. Learning to live well after bariatric surgery means that you need to be creative in finding substitutes for the high fat and sugar desserts that we used to devour.

½ cup low fat milk
½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
½ cup granulated Splenda
½ cup flour * you could use your favorite unflavored or vanilla flavored proetin powder here, adjust nutritional values accordingly.
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh pitted cherries
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 425º. Combine the milk, ricotta, eggs, Splenda, flour, vanilla, and almond extract in a food processor or blender, blending until smooth. Let batter rest for 20 minutes. Spray the bottom of a 9 inch round ceramic baking dish. Pour the batter into the dish and evenly arrange the cherries in the batter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm, dusted with 1 teaspoon of confectioners sugar and cut into wedges.

Serves 10
Full portion,

Calories 82,

fat 2 grams,
carbs 8 grams,

protein 5 grams

BLUEBERRY STREUSEL CAKE

Blueberry Streusel Cake

 

This is a sugar free recipe but because it contains a cup of regular white flour it is not low in carbs. I cut my cake round into 16 pieces as a small piece is very filling.

3/4 cup Nature Sweet
½ stick butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream, or Greek yogurt
3/4 cup all purpose flour *use your favorite unflavored or vanilla flavored protein powder, and bump up the protein values. adjust nutritional values accordingly.
3/4 cup almond flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen blueberries, do not defrost

Topping
1/3 cup Nature Sweet or Whey Low sugar replacer
1/3 cup all purpose flour
½ stick butter, softened
1/3 cup sliced almonds or pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Spray a deep 8 inch round or square pan with Pam; preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream sugar and butter - add egg and sour cream, blending until smooth. In a small bowl combine flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt and add to egg mixture. Fold in frozen blueberries and spread batter in prepared pan. In the small bowl blend topping ingredients with fork until crumbly and well blended and arrange evenly on top of batter.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake tests for doneness.

16 servings
Calories 127,
fat 12g,
carbs 8g,

protein 4g

CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Crust:
2/3 cup Almond flour
1/3 cup Flax meal
¼ cup vanilla whey protein
2 TBS Splenda
1/3 cup butter, melted
This is very similar to the recipe I make called "faux" Graham cracker crust except with the added Vanilla Powder and without a pinch of added salt. I am not sure if I needed the vanilla powder or not. Not having enough raw almonds in the house really affected my options, and I think I like the addition of the salt.

Quote:
Topping:
12 oz Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1 egg
½ cup sour cream
½ cup SPLENDA® Granular
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup canned fruit cocktail in juice or water, drained
I bumped up the cream cheese a bit more to make the bars a bit bigger and a bit more like cheesecake. I estimate that I could get 18 small pieces from my recipe or more likely 12-15 servings. 
That makes my recipe at 15 servings:
188 Calories, 17g Fat, 7g Carbs, 1.5g Fiber, 5.7g Protein