Christmas Baking ideas?

[warmsummerfall]

Hi everyone, I am having family over to do the yearly christmas cookies and bars bake off. My question, I would love to hear your favorite treats that are atkins friendly? Including candies to cakes or cookies.
Thanks Cindy

[mission to lose]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

Hi,

Have you checked out the recipes here on the ADBB?

Atkins Food and Recipes - Atkins Diet

And Linda's low carb recipes website? Just google it.

I was thinking of maybe looking for a meringue cookie recipe on the internets, and adjusting it to Atkins.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

Linda's site is:

Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes - Home

[Shrew2u]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I may be flamed for this, but the dessert recipes I have tried from Linda's site suck. They just taste chemically. Tread carefully and test before springing it on family.

That said, my favorite cheesecake is in my blog, based on the recipe that came with the HoneyMaid Graham Cracker Crust. I add 1T more lemon juice to give it more lemony kick and make a blueberry topping for it that really goes well with it. The "cheesecake" itself is Atkins-friendly, the crust is a matter of personal choice. I prefer to bake it in the HoneyMaid crust, then peel the crust off and toss it in the trash while I enjoy the filling (high carbers will eat the whole thing and call you a liar when you say the filling/topping is Atkins-friendly). My husband really liked a low-carb nut crust I made using a recipe from Blaine's Low Carb Kitchen, but it's not *quite* up to a high-carb taste-test.

[ShannonM]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I may be flamed for this, but the dessert recipes I have tried from Linda's site suck. They just taste chemically. Tread carefully and test before springing it on family.

I agree, but it's not only the ones from her site. I've found it to be true of low-carb desserts/treats in general, albeit with very rare exceptions. My husband has made clear he's tired of being the guinea pig for all the substitute desserts I used to make. I finally gave up the point and conceded they really don't taste the same as regular desserts.

How'd you get the blueberry topping Atkins-friendly? Is it something that could translate into a pie if I used a low-carb crust?

[Shrew2u]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

How'd you get the blueberry topping Atkins- friendly? Is it something that could translate into a pie if I used a low-carb crust?

The topping is simple (and scalable for larger batches): simmer 1 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries / 1 T lemon juice / 1/4 t cinnamon / 1/8 t nutmeg / 1/4 to 1/2 packet Splenda on medium heat for five minutes. Beats the crap outta canned filling and doesn't taste chemically. It's ok for OWL Rung 4 and above. Adding ThickenThin not/Starch or unflavored gelatin could make for a tasty pie with the right crust.

I toyed with Blaine's nut crust again tonight; only this time, I processed my pecans using my Magic Bullet for a finer grind than I can get in my food processor. I'm am waiting for my cheesecake to cool down enough to do some taste testing!

[warmsummerfall]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I am excitedly waiting for your official test result of your crust , although it will be a while before I can try it Im still in induction. Cindy

[imagood1]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

Hi everyone, I am having family over to do the yearly christmas cookies and bars bake off. My question, I would love to hear your favorite treats that are atkins friendly? Including candies to cakes or cookies.
Thanks Cindy

It mostly depends on where you are on the rungs as to what you'll be able to eat.....I have made a couple things with almond flour when I got to the nut rung and liked them.....I tried some cookies off her site that I liked also....I think it's a personal flavor choice.

[mission to lose]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I may be flamed for this, but the dessert recipes I have tried from Linda's site suck. They just taste chemically. Tread carefully and test before springing it on family.

Well the desserts probably taste "chemically" from the sugar substitute. I don't see how you can change that. It is not Linda's recipe itself, it is what you MUST change to make it Atkins friendly. There are only so many ways you can remove the sugar, and still make a dessert taste sweet.

Linda really does put her heart and soul into the recipes, and tons of time and money.

FYI to all Atkineers,

Also, Linda and her husband are facing a great hardship in case you have not heard. Her husband is in serious need of a liver transplant. There are many problems going on regarding his inability to work now, insurance, costs they are incurring, his daily ups and downs, etc. She gives regular updates on her website.


Happy Baking!

[ShannonM]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I can't speak for shrew, but I intended no slight whatsoever on Linda's terrific low-carb resource. Not only has she provided me with a ton of tasty savories, she's an experienced cook who gives very good opinions and suggestions on making and modifying recipes. I certainly never meant to imply the chemical taste of low-carb desserts is Linda's fault.

[liv]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I made these macaroons last christmas - making them again this year - I love cocunut and they are easy.

There are some ideas in this thread too

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/recipe-requests/79082-cookies-am-i-dreaming.html

[warmsummerfall]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

Thank you so much for your recipe I copied it down and I am excited to try it!!! Cindy

[Babs]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I may be flamed for this, but the dessert recipes I have tried from Linda's site suck. They just taste chemically. Tread carefully and test before springing it on family.

That said, my favorite cheesecake is in my blog, based on the recipe that came with the HoneyMaid Graham Cracker Crust. I add 1T more lemon juice to give it more lemony kick and make a blueberry topping for it that really goes well with it. The "cheesecake" itself is Atkins-friendly, the crust is a matter of personal choice. I prefer to bake it in the HoneyMaid crust, then peel the crust off and toss it in the trash while I enjoy the filling (high carbers will eat the whole thing and call you a liar when you say the filling/topping is Atkins-friendly). My husband really liked a low-carb nut crust I made using a recipe from Blaine's Low Carb Kitchen, but it's not *quite* up to a high-carb taste-test.

If you notice on Linda's website, she rates the recipes she has taste tested and it's based on her opinion. And then she tweaks them to her liking or says she will never eat it again because it was so awful. So no worries; I didn't see it as a flame. You are entitled to your opinion as well, and it's apprecited as much as anyone elses. If you don't like some recipes, that's ok. :flower :

Anyway, your blueberry with lemon sound good. I make a Dr. Atkins crustless cheesecake. It has ONE strawberry on it for 8 servings. haha, but that one berry really adds to it. Now when I see cheese cake recipes, I think, "Oh, some use crust with theirs?" I have served ti to company, and they didn't notice that the crust was missing. I make sure I tell anyone it's sugar free and which sweetener in it, in case there is an allergy to it.

[Shrew2u]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I am excitedly waiting for your official test result of your crust , although it will be a while before I can try it Im still in induction. Cindy

After action report - the finely-ground crust got an A+ from Mr. Shrew, and the texture is darn near spot-on for a graham cracker crust - but it's still not up to high-carb snuff taste-wise. Not bad, just too nutty for my taste. (well, duh, it's a nut crust) I think I'll make the next crust with finely-ground almonds rather than pecans.

Mission, with some recipes, the incorporation of Splenda/sugar-free syrup is the very least of their sins. I am indeed aware of the ratings and caveats - I nevertheless spat the three-star peanut butter and chocolate brownie into the trash when I made it. Nothing against Linda - she maintains a wonderful library of low-carb recipes and I would swear by anything on that site...outside of the dessert section!

Liv, I wish Mr. Shrew liked coconut - those macaroons sound heavenly!

Babs, don't leave us hanging - you must share your one-strawberry crustless cheesecake!

[dmat28]

Re: Christmas Baking ideas?

I love these peanut butter cookies which I adapted from a recipe I found here on this site.


1 cup smuckers natural chunky pb
3/4 c sweetner (I use granular splenda, liquid splenda 2 tbsp sweetfiber and 3 pkt truvia to = 3/4 cup sugar equivilant) mixed sweetner tastes better than just using splenda
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

mix it all together and drop by rounded tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 min (they taste better slightly undercooked).