Thin: Tip #2--low-carb treats

O.K., I don't really know if these low-carb recipes will make you thin, but supposedly they are healthy! My mom, who is on a low-carb diet for health reasons, only uses nut flour and replaces honey with agave (you can get it from a health food store--it looks like honey but you don't need as much of it). This recipe for muffins that she got from the Shiloh Farms Almond Flour package, is yummy!


CINNAMON BREAD OR MUFFINS.

1-1/3 c. almond flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp skim milk (dry or wet)
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 jumbo egg
1 banana (not too ripe)
1/4 c honey or (slightly less) agave nectar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. Mix honey or agave, egg, milk and banana in a blender until thoroughly mixed. Add dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Divide batter into to 3X5 loaf pans or muffin tins. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow 5 minutes for cooling before removing from pans.
Variations: Add 1/4 c chopped nuts, 1/2 c raisins. or 1/2 c blueberries (fresh or frozen).

Recipe from Shiloh Farms Almond Flour package. (see product at: http://www.shilohfarms.com/productDetails.php?navid=166&itemNumber=194005)


My cousin Teresa McDowell Ingley submitted these. She said the Lemon Bars recipe is from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam. My mom made these last night and she hasn't invited me over yet to give me some (I spoke too soon--my dad just dropped some off at my house and they were a great treat!).

Lemon Bars

Crust
1 1/2 C blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 TB grapeseed oil
1 TB agave nectar
1 TB vanilla extract

Topping
1/4 C grapeseed oil
1/4 C agave nectar
3 large eggs
1/2 C freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8-in square baking dish and dust with flour.
To make the crust, combine the almond flour and salt in a large bowl. In a
medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil, agave nectar, and vanilla. Stir
the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
Press the dough into the baking dish. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until lightly golden.

For topping, combine the grapeseed oil, agave nectar, eggs, and lemon juice in
a blender. Process on high until smooth. Remove the crust from the oven. Pour
the topping evenly over the hot crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the topping is golden. Let cool in the baking dish for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours to set. Cut into bars
and serve.

From The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam


My cousin Teresa also sent in the following almond cookie recipe. My mom tried it and replaced the honey with agave (using a lesser amount of agave than the honey). She gave me some the other night and they are great! From: Nourishing Traditions - Sally Fallon, with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D

Almond Cookies
1 1/2 cups ground almonds (my mom just used almond flour)
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup arrowroot
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
about 18 almonds
Place almonds in food processor and process to a fine meal. Add remaining ingredients, except 18 almonds, and process until will blended. Form dough into walnut-sized balls and place on buttered cookie sheets. Press an almond into each. Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes. After 5 minutes in the oven, press cookies down lightly with a fork. Let cool completely before removing to an airtight container. Store in refrigerator.

From: Nourishing Traditions - Sally Fallon, with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D


Publish Your Recipies:

Submitting your own recipes to magazines and contests are a great way to get published. I'll never forget how in the movie, "Anne of Green Gables," Anne couldn't get her first love story published until her friend Dianna secretly edited it by puting in a cake recipe and sent it off to a baking powder company. Here is my writer friend Patt's recipe success story:

"When my life changed and I became a mom, I found myself looking through magazines here and there. My favorite magazine (yes I will divulge this information) is Better Homes and Gardens, because, the homes and gardens they show are so much better than mine. BH&G have a contest every month, this contest I have been trying to date get a winning recipe published because their prizes are phenomenal . My winning recipe was from the McCormick Spice contest. Their ad was in the reputable BH&G. Thrilled as if I won the lottery when the contract came in the mail!!! A quick trip to the bank for a notary signature and the contract was mailed back. Their prize was sending me eight copies of the recipe booklet. I gave away six autographed copies, and kept two of the books for myself and my family. The thrill was when I showed the booklet to my friend and famous Author Lisa Saunders [what a friend!], she noticed that my recipe was on the fold of the book and claimed that was a place of honor." Snaps from Patt


P.S. If you want other tips on how to get published, download my free e-book at: FREE e-book: How to Get Published