A Pancake Bedtime Story.

Would you like me to tell you a story about pancakes?



Once upon a time there was a girl who loved pancakes (especially real buttermilk pancakes with fresh blueberries in them...ooh, or banana pancakes). Her mother made them for her often and life was good.

As she grew older, the pancakes still lured her, yet they often over stayed their welcome... as in, they liked to hang around her middle (so annoying). Since the girl's original intention was to grow up, not grow out, she decided to show the pancakes who's boss.

She looked across the land for a better pancake, a low-carb pancake, a healthy pancake!

She looked far and wide. She looked high and low (remember, we are looking for a BETTER pancake), but alas, none was to be found. They were either too flat, or rubbery, dry or mushy, weird tasting or starchy. As she went along, she made up this rhyme...

"Red pancake, blue pancake, this one's hard to chew pancake.
Flat pancake, glue pancake, what's a girl to do pancake?"

I know, terrible right?

So she returned home from her long journey tired and hungry, with taste buds assaulted. She opened her pantry looking for something to eat.

She saw almond flour and lecithin, coconut flour and psyllium. oat bran and gelatin...

This got her thinking...

Soon she began measuring and mixing, stirring and flipping.

Her family came in to see what was the clatter, to find her and the kitchen covered in batter!

So excited was she that the mess didn't matter.

Because by eating these pancakes her stomach would be flatter!


The End.



There is a morsel to this story...

The gluten-free, low carb pancake recipes "out there" are generally yucky.

But don't worry, my mom and I are up to our elbows in pancake recipe creation mode.

We will post low-carb pancake recipes that are Sugar-Free not pastey, Gluten-Free and tasty!


So please stay tuned and don't be hasty, or your pancakes too could turn out...gross.

Have a great night,

Leila.

P.S. Check out this post with a recipe for brand new low-carb pancakes!

Chia Blueberry Sauce - Sugar-Free (Healthified)

Try this healthy variation of blueberry sauce.

This is a very delicious and very easy sauce to put together. It is loaded with antioxidants and fiber. Since it is sugar-free, you can enjoy it knowing that it won't spike your blood sugar.

The beautiful thing about this sauce is it seems dessert like and very more-ish, yet it is great as a yogurt topping for breakfast, or on low-carb ice cream for dessert. there are many uses for this versatile sauce. You will not feel deprived, trust us!

We also like that you don't have to cook this blueberry sauce to death. It tastes F-R-E-S-H.

Also note how we keep using a blend of sugar-free sweeteners on this blog. That is because the blends we use are synergistic, which means they enhance each other's sweetening power along with tasting much more like conventional sugar. Cool, right?



Chia Blueberry Sauce Recipe:

2 boxes (22 to 24 ounces total) fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
2 c. "Old Orchard" brand no sugar added Cranberry-Raspberry Juice
1/4 c. dark chia seeds
1 to 2 t. very finely powdered psyllium husks
4 to 6 T. erythritol, to taste (or Lakanto white sweetener)
4 to 6 T. xylitol, to taste
Fresh lemon juice and/or Vitamin C powder, to taste
Stevia Glycerite, to taste


Method:

In a small saucepan place the blueberries, chia seeds, and 2 c. juice.
Mix together and let thicken 30 minutes.
Barely cook the mixture.
Powder the psyllium husks very finely in a Krups seed mill.
Mix the psyllium husk powder with the erythritol and xylitol.
Add the psyllium mixture to the hot berry mixture and still very will until fully dissolved.
Let berry mixture cool.
Add fresh lemon juice and /or Vitamin C powder to taste.
Add Stevia glycerite to taste.
Chill the berry sauce overnight.
If the sauce thickens up too much, just add more juice to reach the desired consistency.
Use as a topping for cheesecake, yogurt, ice cream, etc...


Variations:

This Blueberry Sauce can be made with less juice and be used as a sugar-free blueberry pie filling!

Or, Make it less sweet and it could become a tasty blueberry Danish Pudding.

Or, mix it with any kind of sugar-free syrup to make a blueberry pancake syrup!

There are lots of options for the blueberry lover...


Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.

Chai Spice Mug Cake - Sugar-Free, Low-Carb, and Gluten-Free. Y-U-M.

Here is another Amazing 2-Minute Speedy Cake!

2-Minute Chai Spice Jiffy Cake.

This is another delicious gluten-free cake recipe that is very similar to our Amazing Mini Gingerbread Speedy Cake. These make your kitchen smell heavenly!

I adore Chai Tea. I make some herbal caffeine-free versions of chai that our family loves and they have long been one of our favorite beverages... But I just cant seem to get enough Chai, so this mini cake was born.

This low-carb Chai-Spice mug cake is light and fluffy. It tastes terrific, plus it is packed with lots of nutritious ingredients, instead of using a high amounts of starch like the typical gluten-free baked goods. This unique Mini Cake fills you up and keeps you feeling satisfied for a long time, taking care of your cravings for sugary sweets. It's perfect paired with a cold glass of organic whole milk or almond milk.

We LOVE these Jiffy Cake recipes!

This is a variation of a recipe created in the Kitchen Cheetahs Test Kitchens in the fall of 2014. This delicious microwave mini cake cooks in only 2 minutes. It's nice to make just a little cake and not have a bunch of leftover cake you don't know what to do with.

We like to prepare several of these single-serving cake mixes and package them up into mini zip-lock bags. The ingredient list is more complex, but it is totally worth getting out all of these ingredients to make these cake mixes. Then they are ready for a quick dessert, breakfast, or snack. Often 2 of us will share 1 of these scrumptious cakes. They are very filling and enjoyable to eat. These quick mini cakes are great for people who don't want to be deprived on their low-carb or gluten-free diets, and still want to lose weight.

These are truly a guilt-free treat. I feel completely comfortable having my family eat these for breakfast, or as a snack before bed. This is sugar-free, gluten-free, chemical-free, and dairy-free. It also has a nice protein content and is loaded with healthy fiber. The coconut oil is very good for you too.

Stay tuned, more delicious speedy mini-cake recipes will be posted on this blog!



MINI CHAI SPICE SPEEDY CAKE Recipe:

Dry Cake Mix Ingredients:

3 T. finely ground white almond meal
1 T. plus 1 t. coconut flour
1 T. finely ground golden flax meal
2 t. finely ground rice bran or oat bran
1 T. xylitol
1 T. IMO powder
1 T. Lakanto brand White Zero-Calorie Natural Sweetener (sugar substitute)
1/16 t. (heaping) lecithin powder


1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. plus 1/8 t. ground cardamom, to taste (I love cardamom)
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground cloves or allspice
1/4 t. ground ginger (make sure your ginger powder is fresh)
1/8 t. powdered intense natural sweetener, of choice (we will post a formula for soon!)
1/16 t. (heaping) sea salt or Biosalt (recipe on this blog)


Wet Ingredients:

1 large egg, at room temperature
1 t. vegetable glycerine
2 T. warmed coconut oil
2 T. warm water
1/2 t. real vanilla extract, optional


Method:

To Make The Dry Cake Mix:

Place the first 8 ingredients in a Krups seed mill and finely grind together. The finer this is ground, the nicer the cake will turn out.

Pour out the fine powder mix into a small zip-lock bag.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients into the zip-lock bag.

Seal the bag and shake together well to blend.

Repeat this process for however many cake mixes you choose to make.

Label and store the bags of cake mix in your refrigerator, or in your freezer for longer term storage.


To make 1 mini-Cake:

Oil a 2-cup sized Pyrex baking cup (we like to use deodorized 76 degree coconut oil).

Crack the egg into the 2-cup Pyrex baking cup and whisk to blend without incorporating air.

Add the vegetable glycerine and vanilla and whisk together.

Add the warmed coconut oil along with the warm water, whisk together well to blend.

Pour in a single serving of prepared dry Mini-Cake Mix. Stir together until smooth.

Place the Pyrex baking cup off-center in your carousel microwave for even cooking.

Cook on high for 2 minutes in the microwave. The center of the cake should just spring back when touched.

Let cake cool in the microwave 3 minutes.

Remove from microwave and eat once it has cooled down enough, or cover with a lid to keep moist and eat it later.

You may sprinkle the top with additional cinnamon or chai spices. Topping with whipped cream is excellent too!

Enjoy!


Variation: To Make a mini-cake that you can turn out of the baking cup:

Cut out a piece of parchment paper that fits neatly into the bottom of your Pyrex baking cup.

Oil the bottom and partway up the sides of the Pyrex baking cup. Place the parchment paper disk in the bottom of the baking cup and press to attach.

Oil the top of the parchment paper in the baking cup.

Mix up your cake mix in a separate small bowl and scrape it out into your oiled and papered Pyrex baking cup.

Microwave 2 minutes, as directed above. Cool 3 minutes in the microwave.

Remove from microwave and then invert cake onto an oiled serving plate. Peel off parchment paper.

Let the cake cool an additional 3 minutes before eating, or cover for later.

Source: VitaFiber IMO (Isomalto-oligosaccharide) fiber powder http://www.bioneutra.ca/product_vitafiber.htm



Photos of the process:

An easy way to store and warm the coconut oil for Jiffy Cakes.

Mix the wet ingredients together and them add the dry ingredients (I used a pre-made mix).

Mix together well until lumps are removed.

Microwave off-center 2 minutes, for even cooking.

The finished cake.

Sprinkle the top with cinnamon or chai spices if desired. You can top with whipped cream too!

A very nice textured cake.

Enjoy!

Leila & Nancy
The Kitchen Cheetahs!

My Other Favorite 2-Minute Egg Sandwich

This is a great hot sandwich and it's easy to make. 

2-Minute Egg Sandwich

We had this for dinner tonight because I worked past dinner time and I hadn't planned ahead. I actually crave this tasty sandwich, which is weird because I'm generally not a sandwich person.

Choose a good, on the sweet side B-B-Q sauce, because it makes the sandwich. My husband first made this egg sandwich for me when we were dating... and I fell in love - and the sandwich wasn't bad either!


As a teenager, my husband was an assistant breakfast cook in a ski resort restaurant, called Purgatory. He also learned how to make a mean sunny-side-up egg (I'll post his method later). I asked him if it got hot in that Purgatory kitchen (yup). I'm thinking it was hot in that kitchen because HE was in it!

Anyway, try this sandwich - it's yummy.

You can omit the dairy if desired, and of course, you can choose a gluten-free option.

Egg Sandwich Recipe:

Serves: One

1 extra-large egg
1 T. purified water or organic whole milk, optional
1 scallion, minced
1/2 c. chopped vegetable mix of choice, fresh or frozen
1/2 t. dried onion flakes
1/8 t. garlic seasoning of choice
1/8 t. fresh ground black pepper
BioSalt or sea salt, to taste
Cheese for topping
Sandwich bun of choice (gluten-free if preferred)
Mayonnaise
B-B-Q sauce of choice
Garnishes like sliced tomato, sliced avocado, spinach...


Method:

Oil the bottom of a 2-cup baking dish about the circumference of your sandwich bun.
Crack the egg into the dish, and add the water or milk and whisk to blend.
Add scallion and chopped vegetables, to taste.
Season with dried onion flakes, garlic seasoning, and pepper.
Microwave on high for 90 seconds.
Salt the top of the egg to taste, then top with cheese and microwave on high 30 seconds to melt.
Prepare your sandwich bun with mayonnaise and a generous portion of B-B-Q sauce.
Place egg pattie onto bun and top with garnishes of choice.
Eat hot.


Note: Normandy vegetable blend is good when you want fast vegetables. We will also use an oriental vegetable blend. We chop it up uncooked and stir into the egg. I do prefer using fresh chopped vegetables however (like broccoli, cauliflower, onion, carrot...)


Photos of the process:

Prep the vegetables.

Chopped frozen Oriental vegetable blend.

Mix the vegies into the egg.

Season the egg and prepare the bun.

The uncooked egg mixture is ready to microwave..

The egg mixture has been microwaved for 90 seconds, making an egg pattie.

Topping the egg with Provolone cheese.

Microwave 30 seconds to melt the cheese

The cheese-topped egg pattie is ready to transfer to the bun.

Now top with desired garnishes.

EAT.

Enjoy,

Leila.


P.S.   Speaking of my cute husband, he bought me these gorgeous flowers this week. I thought I'd share them with you :)

Thanks sweetie!


Author, Leila.

Super Easy Potatoes, Eggs & Ham Skillet Meal (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free options)

Perfect for a Sunday afternoon, when you want to serve something delicious and filling to your family, without wearing yourself out in the kitchen. 

Super Easy Potatoes, Eggs & Ham Skillet Meal

Today was one of those Sundays... I felt like I needed a nap almost all day. I like making Sunday a day of rest. Our lives are so hectic, it's nice to reserve at least one day a week where you can connect with people you love, get some relaxing in, and even have some alone (NAP) time.

Wrapped burrito-style.

This yummy skillet meal makes a mean breakfast burrito for on-the-go, or just eat it as-is on one of those plate thingies, you know, those things you use to hold food, like when you sit at a table, together, as a family?

I quickly made this meal today and figured out a new great way to steam and soften the tortillas. Microwaving tortillas makes them tough and they dry out quickly, and I do not recommend it. Using tortillas strait out of the package, cold, is yucky too in my opinion - Plus they crack and break spilling the filling all over the place. FOOD FIGHT!

Not.

I used a couple of left over Perfect Baked Potatoes (recipe on blog) for this quick to prepare meal.

It is easy to make this a gluten-free or dairy-free meal by how you select your ingredients.


Potatoes, Eggs & Ham Breakfast Skillet Recipe:

Serves 6 generously

1 T. deodorized coconut oil
1 T. organic butter
2 cold leftover baked potatoes, cubed
1/2 large red onion, diced
2 c. ham, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 large free range eggs
1/4 c. organic milk or purified water
20 grinds fresh black pepper
1/8 t. garlic powder
2 c. shredded cheese blend of choice, optional
1/4 t. smokey paprika, optional
1/2 t. BioSalt or sea salt, to taste
2 scallions, minced
1 tomato,diced
1/4 t. onion salt
Large flour tortillas, steamed, optional (for making breakfast or brunch burritos)
Sour cream, optional (We love to use our Favorite Reduced Fat Sour Cream Blend)
Salsa, optional


Method:

Melt the coconut oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add cubed potato and saute 1 minute.

Add the onion and saute 1 minute.

Add the ham and saute a few minutes, until starting to brown.

Whisk the eggs with 1/4 c. milk or water and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet with a lid, place a small metal cooling rack inside. Fill skillet with about 1/2-inch of water. Place the skillet with lid on, over medium heat and let the water start to steam.

Add the red bell pepper to the ham mixture and saute until everything is starting to brown nicely.

Place the desired number of flour tortillas onto the metal rack above the simmering water. Place lid on and steam tortillas a couple minutes, until warm and soft. Remove from heat and keep lid on.

Push the ham mixture to one side of the skillet and pour the egg mixture into the empty side.

Scramble the eggs until just barely cooked through (you can add a dab of butter if desired).

Mix the eggs into the ham mixture. Season with salt and mix. Top with cheese and let it melt.

Sprinkle with smoked paprika if desired. Top with tomatoes and scallions. Sprinkle with onion salt.

Serve hot along with sour cream and salsa as garnishes.

Make into fabulous breakfast or brunch burritos using the steamed flour tortillas.



Photos of the process:

Prep your ingredients.

Add potatoes to the melting coconut oil and butter.

Add the onions and saute.

Add the ham and saute.

whisk egg mixture.

Brown the mixture.

Prepare a pan for steaming the tortillas.

Place tortillas onto rack over steaming water.

Steam as many tortillas as needed.

Place lid over tortillas to steam gently.

The skillet mixture is sizzling and browned.

Push ham mixture aside and pour egg mixture into the pan,

You can now add additional butter to the eggs. 

Gently scramble the eggs.

Mix the just cooked through eggs into the ham mixture.

The skillet is ready for toppings.

The tortillas are steamed and flexible.

Top with shredded cheese blend.

Let the cheese melt.

Season with salt and stir the cheese in a little.

Top with fresh tomatoes.

Top with scallions.

Sprinkle with onion salt and smoked paprika to taste.

The skillet meal is ready to eat!

Laying out the goods onto a soft warm tortilla.

Fold 1.

Fold 2.

Fold 3.

E-A-T


ENJOY,

Leila.