Eggplant Pesto Pizza with Low-carb Flaxseed Crust

Finding a palatable healthy low-carb pizza crust is as daunting as squeezing into your spring jeans after a Michigan winter. Never doubt the power of wholesome flaxseed, ground into fine nutrient-packed goodness. Eggplant takes the job of the wholesome veggie, sprinkled with sauteed onion and vibrant baby bell peppers. Add a dollop of pesto and you've got yourself a hearty, all-encompassing nutritious meal. 

Crust:

1 cup ground flaxseeds (flaxseed meal)

1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan 

2 eggs

Eggplant topping:

1/4 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch-wide slices

2 baby bell peppers, sliced length-wise

1 small sweet onion, sliced into half-moons

2 Tbsp Pesto

4 Tbsp Tomato sauce of your choice

1/4 cup shredded mozarella cheese

Directions for the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a flat baking pan. Mix the ground flaxseeds and parmesan together in a medium bowl. Add the eggs and mix until dough-like. Flatten the dough on top of the sheet in the shape of a circle (this is approximately 10 inches in diameter). Cook for 8 minutes.

Directions for Eggplant topping:

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, add some olive oil and sautee the eggplant, bell peppers, and onion for 10-15 minutes (or until soft and flexible). Add the tomato sauce to the flaxseed crust after it has been baked for 8 minutes. Spoon out the pesto and spread on top of the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the mozarella cheese and the sauteed vegetables on top. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Ricotta-Fig and Chocolate Muffins (Low flour, Low sugar)

These may look and smell like muffins, but they aren't--these treats are disguised as the much loved carb-tastic delight that we all know and crave except these come without all the guilt. Feel free to substitute the figs with any fruit of your choice, but try to stick with more sticky and less juicy fruits such as cherries or dates as it could change the consistency of these muffins.  Also, if you are really trying to keep this low sugar, leave out the chocolate chips. Keep in the fridge when finished.

Ingredients:
32 oz. Part-skim Ricotta cheese
4 eggs
4 T flour, regular white or whole wheat
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp Pumpkin spice (optional)
1 1/2-2 cups chopped figs or other choice of fruit
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix ricotta, eggs, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and spices together until smooth. Stir in the figs and chocolate chips. Pour into greased muffin liners or shape into tablespoon-sized balls and lightly flatten on a greased pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until firm. Great for school and work snacks!

Paleo Peanut Butter Cookies

It seems the latest trend is to curtail white carbohydrates and sugar and replace them with more plant-based foods--or to make our food more "paleo." These peanut butter cookies are flour-less and instead of using white sugar, I used coconut sugar. While there is still a form of sugar in these, I'm not going to pretend these cookies are completely diet safe but the fact they have no flour should be one victory worth celebrating!

Ingredients:

1 cup Peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
3/4 cup Coconut sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 Egg
3/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the peanut butter and coconut sugar thoroughly together. Add the vanilla, egg, baking soda and salt and mix until completely blended. Taking tablespoon size bits of the dough, roll into a ball and place onto the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Lemon Parmesan Green Beans with Gouda and Chopped Almonds

Ingredients:

16 oz Fresh green beans, snapped and rinsed
2 Tbsp Parmesan-infused olive oil (or regular)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 cup Finely cubed gouda
1/4 cup Chopped almonds
Salt and black pepper to taste


Directions:

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly except the chopped almonds and set in a pan on medium-low heat. Sautee the green bean mixture for about 5-7 minutes (you want to maintain the crispness of the green beans). Toss in the chopped almonds and enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies with Coconut Sugar and Coconut Oil

I had originally made these goodies with all things coconut: coconut flour, coconut sugar and coconut oil but the cookie gods told me I had a coconut problem and so those cookies did not bid well. The coconut flour, it turns out, is super dry and even if you add more liquid, the cookie falls apart. So, as a compromise I thought I'd try these with whole wheat flour. I've also heard almond flour works better than coconut flour but being that I've never baked with almond flour, I will let you brave bakers try it. Have a try at these and happy baking!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Coconut sugar
1/4 cup Sugar in the raw
2 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup organic Coconut oil, unrefined
2 cups Whole wheat flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking powder
4 oz Dark chocolate (I used 98% cacao which is super duper dark chocolate and just added honey to my liking when I melted it or you can simply use dark chocolate chips).
8-10 cherries, chopped and de-seeded.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet.
Mix the coconut sugar, sugar in the raw, honey and coconut oil in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the wheat flour, salt, and baking powder together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture until well blended. Cookies may get a little crumbly but if they are too crumbly, add a bit more coconut oil.

Take tablespoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls, gently squish the balls in the palms of your hands and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden browned.

Add the dark chocolate to a glass bowl that fits over a small pan filled with water. Bring water to a low boil and melt the chocolate on low heat until it is completely melted, making sure not to burn it. Set aside.

After cookies are done baking, use a butter knife or rubber spatula and dip it into the chocolate and drizzle over the cookies. Top with the chopped cherries and enjoy!

Creamy Italian Spinach Chicken Bake with Asparagus, Gouda, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts

Whew! What a mouthful. And you'll be getting quite a mouthful with this exquisitely tantalizing and hearty dish. This is perfect for those who love the taste of Italy without all the carbs but feel free to toss it with some pasta or dip some bread in the sauce, either way, you won't regret it!

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs, cooked and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 bunch asparagus chopped, lightly grilled with olive oil and salt
1 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 16 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 14 oz artichoke hearts, quartered
22 oz light or regular alfredo sauce (I used about 1 and 1/2 jars of the 15 oz jars but feel free to use more)
2/3 cup chopped gouda cheese
8 oz pre-packaged shredded Six Italian cheese mixture (parmesan, mozzarella, provolone, asiago, romano, and fontina)
Black pepper
Rosemary
Basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large casserole dish, drizzle a bit of the alfredo sauce on the bottom. Sprinkle a few of the artichoke hearts on top of the sauce, followed by a bit of the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, spinach and Six Italian cheese. Drop a few pieces of the chopped gouda evenly throughout the mixture. Repeat this until all of the ingredients are used. Top with black pepper, rosemary and basil. Bake for 25-28 minutes.

Lemon Raspberry Button Cookies

This is my summer version of the Susan cookie with a sweet and tart twist. Per request of my lemon-loving boyfriend, these are sure to please those with a sweet and sour palate!

Makes about 15 cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1-1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tsp lemon zest
2-1/2 Tbsp Honey
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Raspberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, coconut oil, lemon juice, zest, and honey together.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture to the lemon and sugar mixture, stir until completely combined.

Roll the dough into small round balls and place a raspberry in the middle, making sure to secure it enough so it does not fall off in the baking process. Bake for 12 minutes or until firm and cream colored but not hard and golden.