TOMATO AND BASIL CHEESE MUFFINS

I have made these muffins the conventional way forever, and it is good. However I have now experimented with a low carb version. First I tried it by adding eggs to the mixture which the conventional method does not have. It was good and then I tried making it without eggs, only adding psyllium husk to bind it - not such a good idea. The taste is great, but it looks - "ag siestog arme ek." And so we learn from our mistakes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c grated full fat cheddar cheese
1 c almond flour
20 ml baking powder
30 ml melted butter or extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin coconut oil. (I usually use butter)
5 sun dried tomato halves, chopped ( I use Ina Paarman's marinated version.)
1 T psyllium husk powder
5 ml dried basil
2 ml cayenne pepper
2 eggs
190 ml cream

Method

Set the oven to 180 degrees C
Mix all the dry ingredients thoroughly.
Add 1 c cheese and mix well.
Add the tomato, butter, cream and eggs. 
Mix well and spoon the mixture into a regular sized greased muffin tin. 
This will make approximately six muffins. 
Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes for the psyllium husk to firm up. (if  you don't the cheese on top will just ooze down the center of the muffin and you will have a secret center and hardly any cheese on top.)
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top.
Bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees C.
Let it cool down for a few minutes before removing from the tin.

Baked Sugar Free Cheesecake

This cheese cake does not have a lot of ingredients, but it is still delicious. I have an option of Xylitol or honey for sweetener, but you can use what ever sweetener you prefer. I personally prefer the honey. If you are a Banter, stick with the Xylitol as honey is on the orange list.

Crust

1 1/2 c crushed almonds or pecan nuts
4 T melted butter
2 T Honey or Xylitol

Mix together and press into a spring form tin lined with baking paper. Place in the deep freeze for the crust to set.

Filling

500 g Cream cheese
2/3 cup Xylitol or Honey
4 large eggs
1 t vanilla
1 T lemon juice

Soften cream cheese and add Xylitol/ Honey, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat well.
Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
Pour filling into crust and bake at 180 degrees for 45 - 50 min or until firm.

Topping

1 c sour cream
1/2 t vanilla
3 t lemon juice
1 T Xylitol/  honey

Mix all the ingredients for topping together and spread over hot cheese cake.
Return the cake to the oven for a further 5 - 7 minutes.
Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Let it cool and refrigerate

Low Carb Coconut Clusters

The other day we felt like something sweet. I chucked a few things together and the end result was not bad at all. Just remember if you are following a LCHF lifestyle and you are still trying to lose weight, do not eat the whole container. Eat one when you get hungry.
I use a flat Tupperware dish about 22 X 12 cm to press it into.

Ingredients

1 c fine coconut
2/3 c extra virgin coconut oil (melted)
2 T Cocao
2 T raw honey - on the orange list for Banters. You can use any sweetener of your choice.
1/2 t vanilla

Method

Mix everything together.
Line the container with wax paper.
Press the mixture into the container.
Cut into squares and freeze.

It is a very quick and easy treat to make. Enjoy!

Chicken Livers

I like chicken livers - now and then. I have made a few versions, recipes I got from friends and from recipe books. Some are good and some are just so-so.
The other day I found a recipe for a basting sauce for meat and chicken in Low Carb is Lekker. I made chicken with it and it was indeed lekker. When I decided on chicken livers again, I used the basting sauce as a cook-in sauce. I made a few changes to the ingredients, not major though.

Ingredients

250 g chicken livers
3 T butter
2 T lemon juice
2 t crushed garlic and ginger mixture
1 t curry powder
1 t dried mixed herbs
1 t raw honey
4 T double cream
1 t mustard powder
Salt to taste (when I use curry in a recipe, I never use black or white pepper)

Method

Melt butter and add the rest of the ingredients. Let it simmer slowly until the sauce has reduced a little.
Serve with a slice of bread-in-a-cup, cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash.

General

Fresh Start

People who have been following this blog will know that nothing much happened here in a while. Well this is Naomi's Kitchen's fresh start.

There have been changes in my lifestyle and commitments and there will be a few different recipes seeing the light on this blog.

Watch this space.