"Lower Carb" Sugar-free Caramel Corn

What are the holidays without some fun, tasty indulgences in traditional favorites? One of the keys to any lifestyle change is moderation. While this recipe is not technically low carb, it's lower in carbs than "regular" caramel corn. A little will go a long way.

When I created this recipe, I had to find a substitute for the corn syrup -- a liquid, sugar-free substitute of approximately the same viscosity. I'm always up for a challenge! I started looking through my pantry and I came across sugar-free maple syrup. I made a test batch and happily discovered that it worked amazingly well, without any distinct telltale taste.

Please keep in mind while preparing this that you are essentially making candy, working with scalding hot syrup. You must exercise care and caution. A few of my pics are blurry because of my awareness of this. Give it your undivided attention. The syrup comes together very, very quickly.

Use at least a two-quart saucepan to prepare the syrup. Once you add the baking soda it will foam and expand so you must have a large enough pot to do this safely. I use a silicon scraper to stir. I find that it works better than a wooden spoon since I can scrape the saucepan and thoroughly blend the syrup ingredients.

This doesn't make a large amount. If you want to prepare more, do it in batches. It's much easier to work with the syrup that way.

Click photos to enlarge.

Ingredients:

3 quarts of popped corn (12 cups)
.5 cup peanuts (I use unsalted)
.25 cup sugar-free chocolate chips, optional

For the syrup:

1 stick of butter
.5 cup Splenda brown sugar
.25 cup sugar-free maple syrup
.5 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Spread the popcorn and peanuts on a large, non-stick cookie sheet. If your cookie sheet isn't non-stick, spray it lightly with vegetable cooking spray.

Prepare the syrup:


Melt the stick of butter with the maple syrup in a two-quart saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is almost melted, add the brown sugar. Bring to a simmer, and melt the brown sugar. Stir constantly. Once everything is melted and well-blended, add the baking soda. Again, be careful. Start stirring slowly, then stir very briskly to incorporate the baking soda. The baking soda will cause the syrup to become foam-like and expand. You may have to stir very hard. As soon as it foams up, remove it from the heat and pour it over the popcorn. Stir the popcorn, coating as much of it as you can.

Bake for one hour, stirring every fifteen minutes. For an extra treat, stir in .25 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips the last 15 minutes.

Let cool on sheet (it will crisp a bit as it cools), then store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies

Craving a cookie? Prepackaged "diet" products can be downright detrimental to your low carb lifestyle. You will find low fat, sugar free, etc. treats galore. But two of the main foes of low carbers -- white flour and sugar -- often are ingredients in these otherwise "acceptable" substitutes.

It's easy to bake low carb cookies, cakes, and more if you know what to use in place of sugar and flour. Splenda is the obvious sugar replacement but what about the flour? Low carb bakers use nut flours, soy flour, and Carbquik to achieve results that rival -- and at times, are better -- than the snacks we have all come to know and love.

These are a delicious low carb version of traditional Toll House cookies. The first time I made them was the first time I ever used almond flour for baking. I was surprised by the way it lent the cookies a subtle, nutty taste without giving them an overwhelming almond flavor. (I purchase almond flour at GNC. You may purchase it online or buy blanched almonds and finely grind them in your food processor.) Because of the high fiber content of the almonds, these cookies have less than two net grams of carbs each.

Preheat the oven to 375.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups Splenda (bulk, not packets)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 ounce bag of Hershey's Sugar Free Chocolate Chips

Blend the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs and blend well. Add the remaining dry ingredients and blend them well. Add the chocolate chips last and mix well.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 9-10 minutes. Let stand for two minutes before removing from cookie sheets and cooling on wire racks.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen medium-sized cookies, less than two grams of net carbs each.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Chicken can be an easy, quick, and versatile dish to prepare. The process can be further simplified with products such as Perdue Perfect Portions boneless, skinless, all natural chicken breasts. If you're in the Pittsburgh area, you can find these at Wal-Mart. This recipe is for two portions. Please note that to keep this recipe truly low carb that you must use "real" mayonnaise, not "light" or "fat free" varieties. I also recommend that you purchase freshly grated Parmesan or a block that you can grate yourself -- not only does it taste better than the canned variety (which is actually a "topping") but it's usually not loaded with the same sorts of unhealthy additives.

Preheat oven to 425.

Place two Perdue Perfect Portions chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam (I use butter flavored to give it some extra goodness).

Mix the following together until well-blended:
1/2 cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 capful of Mrs. Dash, Tomato, Basil, Garlic flavor

Spread the mixture evenly over the two breasts.

Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the topping is brown and crusty.

Serve with a tossed salad, spinach, broccoli, etc. for a low carb feast.

Less than one gram net carbs per piece.

Low Carb "Italian Flag" Pizza

If you low carb long enough you'll soon be missing pizza. Thick crust can be made using products such as Carbquik, but my favorite way to a fast and satisfying low carb pizza is to use Joseph's Low Carb Pita. Joseph's pitas are made at Joseph's Middle East Bakery in Massachusettes and are available at Wal-Marts nationwide. Be sure to pick up the ones with the red label at the top, not the yellow -- they're different products! The low carb pitas pack a miserly 4 grams total net carbs per pita, along with the added health benefits of plant sterols and flax...and they taste great!

Here's my "recipe" for "Italian Flag" pizza, aptly named for the white cheese, green spinach, and red tomato:

1 Joseph's Low Carb Pita
Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (I use already minced, bottled in olive oil)
1/4 cup shreded Italian blend cheese (such as Kraft's)
1/4 cup spinach
3-4 thin tomato slices
Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Mrs. Dash (optional)

Preheat oven to 425.

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spray foil with Pam Cooking Spray.

Place pita on cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil.

Assemble pizza: Spread garlic thinly over pita, then add cheese, spinach, and tomato slices. If you're using Mrs. Dash, sprinkle a little on top. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until sides of pizza are browned and crunchy.

About 6 grams of net carbs per pizza.

French Onion Soup

In addition to be being a wonderful comfort food, soup can be a vital part of your low carb lifestyle. With little effort you can create a nutritious, low carb, low fat entree or tummy-pleasing side dish. Here's my recipe for a quick French Onion Soup that you can prepare in your slow cooker. Serve it with a leafy salad for a simple dinner or quick lunch. It also freezes well. (Photo at right shows ingredients just placed in the pot. The onions will carmelize and reduce as they cook.)

French Onion Soup

1 26 oz. carton Swanson's Beef Stock

1 16 oz. can Swanson's Chicken Broth

1 very large sweet onion (mayan, vidalia, etc.) sliced very thin.

1 scant capful of Mrs. Dash (Original)

Few dashes of thyme

Few grinds of the pepper mill

1/4 cup grated or a few thinly sliced pieces of provolone cheese per serving (optional)

Slice of Brownberry Carb Counting Multi-Grain Bread, toasted, per serving (optional)

Pour stock and broth into slow cooker. Add Mrs. Dash, thyme, and pepper. Stir. Add onion. Stir again. Place lid on slow cooker and let cook on high for 5-6 hours or longer, if desired.

Optional (per serving): Toast a slice of Brownberry Carb Counting Multi-Grain Bread. Float in bowl of soup. Place 1/4 cup of grated provolone cheese on the top. Place under broiler or microwave to melt cheese. Serve immediately.

Makes about 4 servings, approximately 3g carbs per serving without bread and provolone; 9g carbs with bread and provolone.

Some Low Carb Pantry staples

If you're serious about pursuing a low carb lifestyle there are several items you should consider keeping stocked in your pantry. Most low carbers rely heavily on eggs, butter, and cream, but there are other ingredients that will enhance your meals without adding any -- or just a very few -- carbs to your diet. Here are some that I find indispensable, and they will be used in some recipes that I will be posting:

* Mrs. Dash. Mrs. Dash can be used to flavor soups, veggies, and meats without adding any carbs. The variety of flavors makes it a welcome addition to any pantry. I always make sure I have the following available: Original; Tomato, Basil, and Garlic; Lemon Pepper; and Southwest Chipotle.

* Pam Vegetable Spray. The primary ingredient of Pam spray is canola oil. I like regular and butter-flavored.

* Olive oil. Carapelli's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from the first cold press and has a delicate yet distinct flavor. A small bottle goes a long way.

* Sea salt. For the most part I avoid salt but occasionally I'll add a pinch of sea salt to a dish.

* Black pepper. McCormick's grinders are great.

* Hot sauce. A few drops go a long way and it's very low-carb friendly.

* Heinz's One Carb Ketchup. A cashier asked me if there was one carb in the entire bottle. There isn't -- it's one carb per serving. It's sweetened a bit with Splenda.
Purchase.

* Splenda Brown Sugar Blend. You use half of a serving compared to regular brown sugar, e.g., if you like 1 teaspoon of brown sugar in your oatmeal, you only use 1/2 teaspoon of Splenda Brown Sugar Blend.
Purchase.

* Mustard. I keep yellow mustard as well as Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard on hand.

* Pickles. Look for Vlasic Sweet Gerkins - No Sugar Added (sweetned with Splenda). These may be chopped and substituted for relish in dishes such as deviled eggs or used as topping for a hot dog. Three pickles have only 1 gram of carbs!

* Stock. Be sure to keep cans or boxes of chicken, beef, and veggie broth on your shelves. We'll be using them in dishes such as Chicken Normandy, Low Carb Chili, and French Onion Soup.

Useful Low Carb Products

Over the course of this blog I'm going to share with you some of the ingredients that I've found to be userful components of my low carb lifestyle. I will be posting recipes that will utilize some of them. You may be able to find these items at you local grocery store while others are readily available online. I've included links for more information and to purchase online.

* Joseph's Low Carb Lavash (flatbread). I find this at Wal-Mart but you can order online. This lavash is made of flax, oat bran, and whole wheat flour, sans white flour and is very soft. It also includes plant sterols, which promote heart health. This comes in two sizes and you must be aware of them so you can control your portion size. The five piece package contains single servings. The four piece (shown) is double servings, which means you must cut each lavash in half.
Additional info.
Purchase.

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* Joseph's Low Carb Pita. Same ingredients as the lavash, but a nice pita texture.
Additional info.
Purchase.

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* Carbquik. Yes, there is a low carb version of Bisquik although it's not made by the same company. I've not found it in any local stores so I purchase it online. All sorts of wonderful things can be made with Carbquik, including pizza crust, desserts, and yes, biscuits!
Additional info.
Purchase.

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* Dreamfields Pasta. This wonderful low carb pasta is indistinguishable from traditional name brand favorites such as San Giorgio or Muellers. It is available in elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, spaghetti, linguini, and lasagna noodles.
Additional info.
Purchase.

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* Hodgson Mill Soy Flour. Soy flour is loaded with protein and fiber. Although it can't be substitued 1:1 for white flour, you can make cookies, pancakes, and other low carb foods with it. You will find this in your local Wal-Mart.