To purchase directly from us: Splendid Low-Carb Desserts or order from Amazon.com
I'm going to be honest, lest anyone think I've always been an angel when it comes to diet and nutrition. Alas, I'm very human. Many years ago before we discovered Splenda, I loved desserts made with sugar and I even enjoyed (don't laugh) white bread with golden corn syrup and cheese. In those days (my twenties and early thirties) I didn't indulge myself too often though as I realized it was fattening. I was very figure conscious in those days. However, after writing my first Splenda cookbook (traditional diabetic-style, low-fat, sugarless recipes) and then in the middle of the second one, I was hopelessly addicted to carbs and probably had that horrible non-nutritive bread combination way more often than I should have, plus my desserts which were almost always available. Needless to say my weight began to climb. I was also suffering from an autoimmune disease which left me hypothyroid, compounding the problem of insulin resistance and weight gain.
Because I have such a sweet tooth, this book was a fun project. I enjoyed it so much that it was finished in 4 months! I wrote two cookbooks in that one year as a result. In any case, even after making all those desserts, I had not gained much weight at all. I think I had about 4 lbs I wanted to shed. Considering I was now much older (late forties) and peri-menopausal, this was a minor miracle thanks to low-carbing!
Onto the blurb now:
Let me start with the beverages. One that I use all the time is the Hot Chocolate Drink Mix. I even take it with me on vacations. It is cheaper than buying the Swiss Miss Splenda Hot Chocolate and does not contain all that sodium. Besides the Iced Caffe Latte, and a couple of other beverages, there are two, thick fruit smoothies made with plain yogurt, strawberries or sliced, canned peaches in juice (drained) and DaVinci Syrups to reduce carbs (I usually give alternatives for the DaVinci Syrup, if I use it) but still give sweetness and flavor (one can use liquid sucralose or Stevia or whatever you prefer). I believe it was with this book that I discovered the Splendid Low-Carb Bake Mix, which really made life easier for converting high-carb desserts. I have since discovered that the whey protein powder component of the bake mix can be replaced with either coconut flour (for fiber)or for slightly higher carbs, oat flour or whole wheat pastry flour (this flour is almost as low as oat flour in carbs). Whey protein powder (like the Designer Whey proteins can be bought at upscale health food stores or upscale online stores such as Netrition.com or CarbSmart.com) I still include the Vital Ultimate Bake Mix with its variations, because it is so similar to baking with white flour, and can be substituted in any of my recipes. It can be replaced cup-for-cup for white flour in any other regular recipes you may have. In addition, a nut-free bake mix (also a perfect cup-for-cup substitution) is supplied for those allergic to nuts.
Four muffin recipes, such as Lemony Delight Muffins and Applesauce Carrot Muffins (only flour in each carrot muffin is 1/2 tbsp vital wheat gluten which itself is 75% protein). There is a useful banana bread with 2/3 cup mashed banana in it, other loaves and even Cake Donuts which won't last long.
The desserts sport some real comfort foods, such as Bread Pudding, Cake Pudding, Rich Man's Caramel Custard and Peaches and Cream Trifle.
In the frozen desserts section, of note amongst them, are the instant frozen yogurts and ice creams, plus easy Orange Creamsicles (popsicles). One of my best ice creams is made with a low-carb condensed milk recipe.
Pies such as Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble, Snow-capped Pumpkin Pie, Glazed Blueberry Cheese Pie, Chocolate Pecan Pie, Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Frozen Ice Cream Pie, Almond Butter Chip Pie, Strawberry Cream Pie, Butterscotch Cream Pie and Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Pie are found in this book. Each pie has an accompanying crust, as I don't do deprivation real well. There are two different pie crust recipes as well as a Graham-cracker-like crust (actually tastier and much lower in carbs!).
Several beautiful cakes adorn this book, including two sweetheart cakes, awesome Golden Fruitcake and a Spicy Chiffon Cake.
There are many super cheesecake recipes, including Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake, a smooth, creamy, solid cheesecake high on flavor.
The confections have my favorite Sticky Chocolate Toffee and two fudge recipes that taste like the real thing with 1.4 g carbs per piece and 2 g carbs per piece respectively. Truffles and 2 other fudge recipes, sauces and frostings, plus condensed milk round out this section.
In the cookies and squares section, my favorites are the Coconut Sultana Cookies, Spiced Pumpkin Chip Cookies, "Sugar" Cookies, Fudge Fantasies, Butter Tart Squares, Lemon Curd Tartlets, the Best Brownies, Ecstasy Squares, Cream Cheese Cake Bars and Glazed Lemon Raspberry Bars.
These recipes are worthy opponents of their high carb versions and can be served without embarrassment. Find more lovely photos of desserts at:
Splendid Low-Carb Desserts
To purchase directly from us: Splendid Low-Carb Desserts or order from Amazon.com