Low Carb Almond Meal Muffins

So I have decided to make a lifestyle change in regards to my diet. I have been consuming foods that are much lower in carbs than I use to and 4 weeks into my new lifestyle change I feel better than ever. The most exciting part is that I get to experiment will different cooking products that I have never used before. Here is an AMAZING recipe for low carb muffins. They are made with almond meal which is just ground up almonds. These muffins are much more moist than regular flour muffins and taste better! 

Almond Meal Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour (found at your local health food store)

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1/4 cup melted butter

4 eggs

1/3 cup water

Sweetener to taste - I use about 1/3 cup equivalent to sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 cup cranberries/ blueberries (optional but tastes oh so great)

12 muffin baking cups

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Place one baking cup into each muffin tin. 

3. Mix the almond meal, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together.

4. Add in the eggs, butter, sweetener, water and vanilla extract. Mix well.

5. Add in the cranberries or blueberries. Mix well.

6. Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 full.  

7. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


P.S. EVERYONE in your house will love these. Even if they are not eating low carb :)

Lemon Tilapia

For dinner the other night I cooked tilapia for the hubby and myself. It has to be my favourite fish other than the fresh water fish I catch at the cottage. It is very easy to cook and hard to screw up which is good for beginners. I generally buy fish fresh at the grocery store as I find frozen tilapia can be a bit fishy. I payed about $6 for two large fillets of tilapia at loblaws. Here is the recipe, if you are generally not a fish person I recommend this type of fish as its flaky and has a subtle flavour. 

 

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Tilapia fillets - one fillet per person (fresh preferred)

1 clove garlic

1 lemon

1 teaspoon of butter or margarine

1. Heat a medium sized cooking pan at medium heat

2. Melt the teaspoon of butter or margarine on the pan, reduce heat to medium low

3. Run the fish under cool water and rinse

4. Once the butter is melted, place fillets on the pan

5. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon onto the fish 

6. Mince the garlic and add it to the fry pan

7. Cook on the one side for 4-5 minutes, you will start to see the fish cooking through

8. Flip and cook for 3-4 minutes, the fish is cooked when it is white all the way through 

9. Serve fish with your favourite veggies 

** For this meal I steamed broccoli and fried leftover brown rice I had with corn, onions and a scrambled egg! yum :)

Chef Denise

Cranberry, Banana Muffins and Tilapia

Decided I needed a break from writing papers and studying so I cooked cranberry, banana muffins and tilapia for dinner! So tasty! I will post these recipes tomorrow :)

Chef Denise

Overripe, Brown Bananas? Make Muffins!!!

Overripe bananas... we all buy 5 or 6 bananas thinking we will eat them all before they get too ripe to eat but then realize a week later there are still 3 left! We dont want to waste the bananas, our hard earned money went into buying those! Why not make banana muffins? They taste sooo good especially right hot out of the oven! Try this recipe next time you have a few ripe bananas laying around :)

Banana Muffins

Prep time: 5 - 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas

1/3 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1  1/2 cups flower

Pinch of salt

Chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large mixing bowl mashed the bananas and mix in the melted butter

3. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla

4. Add baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix

5. Mix in the flour and add the choc chic (optional)

6. Grease the muffin pan or use muffin liners

7. Spoon batter into the muffin pan 

8.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until tops are browned and toothpick comes out clean

Tip!*** To save some money, buy some of these ingredients in bulk @ the bulk barn or other bulk stores! I buy my chocolate chips and vanilla extract here.

Remember, the key to cooking is having fun :) Cooking can be very relaxing and can help to relieve stress. I seem to want to cook most when I am stressed.

Chef Denise

Fabulous and EASY Quiche

Here is a very tasty and easy quiche recipe that my mom has been cooking for my family for years and I cant get enough of it.... neither can my boyfriend or friends!! The best part is, you can add whatever vegetables you like and whatever protein you like! I cook it with imitation crab meat and it turns out wonderful. So here is the recipe, give it a try!!! :)

Momma's Quiche

 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

1 - 2 cups of fillings of your choice (red peppers, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, crab meat, ham etc)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 cup milk

1 cup bisquick

4 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

Pinch of pepper

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees

2. Grease 10'' pie plate 

3. Sprinkle fillings and cheese in pie plate

4. Beat the eggs, milk, bisquick, salt and pepper until smooth and pour into plate

5. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean (the longer you cook it the crispier it will be on the top)

 Chef Denise <3

Yummmy Banana Bread

So I have been making this amazing banana bread and it seems to be quite popular with my friends and even my boyfriends Dad so I figured I would share it with the world. Here's the recipe.... I will post a photo soon.

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teasponn vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl mash the bananas and add the melted butter. Mix.
3. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla.
4. Add baking soda and salt and mix in.
5. Add the flour and mix in. Add in chocolate chips or nuts if desired.
6. Butter a 4 x 8 pan and pour mixture in.
7. Bake for 1 hour.
8. Let cook and serve.


P.S. You will absolutely love this moist banana bread and im sure your family and friends will too!


<3 Denise

20 Minute Pad Thai

Here is a recipe for a basic Pad Thai that is quick, easy and tastes great! It feeds about 4 hungry people :)

Cooking and prep time: Approx 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 Package of rice noodles

1 Medium Onion

1 Green Pepper

1 Red Pepper

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Large pan or wok

1 Jar of Hoisin sauce

1 Handful of crushed peanuts

1 Medium size bag of frozen shrimp (Chicken can be used as a replacement)

Olive Oil

1. Remove the shrimp from the freezer and place in a bowl with lukewarm water to defrost.

2. Fill a large pot of water approximately 3/4s the way full and turn on high heat.

3. Wash the vegetables and cut into 1 inch by 1 inch pieces. 

4. Mince the garlic. (Refer to my instructions and video posted on Nov 22)

5. Add the noodles to the boiling water and turn heat to medium. Rice noodles generally take 8 minutes to cook.

6. Turn the pan or wok on medium to high heat and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

7. Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, peppers, onions and shrimp and cook for about 5-8 minutes.

8. Strain the noodles and add to the pan or wok.

9. Add the hoisin sauce and stir to incorporate the vegetables and sauce.

10. Let cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

11. Add the crushed peanuts to the pan or wok and serve!

** If chicken is being used instead of shrimp be sure to cook it thoroughly until there is no pink in the centre of the chicken. 

Chopsticks are a great way to eat pad thai! If you are not a fan of chopsticks a fork will work as well :)

Tried this recipe and liked it? Tell me! Post a comment :)

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