Double Chocolate Orange Almond Flour Cookies (Naturally Sweetened and low carb)

Sometimes a girl just need chocolate.  I know ladies. It's just a fact. I've been having these little bad-boy chocolate cookies to save my sanity over the last year...and they have. 

Men, in case you need the scientific facts about chocolate and women, read on!

The unmistakable woman chocolate truth:

• Truth: Never underestimate the power of a woman who needs to eat chocolate and still fit into her jeans. It's an evil vortex of genius.
•  Truth: All  really bad  female headaches can only be cured by rubbing an intense dark sea salt soiree bar in the mouth and counting to 100.
•  Truth: The secret cure  to female moodiness that has baffled husbands for years is to do a choc-incantation while holding a chocolate doughnut with each index finger for added balance. This incantation must be done while wearing chocolate ceremonial garb...

•  Truth: Woman wearing ceremonial garb must also be  watching at least 2 hours of Pride and Prejudice...particular during a certain cycle of the moon that will only be discussed in secret woman circles (in hushed tones) for fear that men will actually understand us.

 **Men Please note: there are 3 days in the month that men must never question the seemingly evil chocolate force that overtakes a girl and can only be cured by creamy smooth dark squares of chocolate taken orally...and alone. Let her hide in a closet undisturbed during this phase and you will find peace in the land. Deny her chocolate during this phase...and sleep on the couch with a pillow over your...never mind. I've been told that during menopause this phase is extended from 3 days to 3 years. I'm getting a villa in France for that phase Here.

 To my husband Ace, I'm sorry. 3 years is a long time but I think it would be better if you didn't see me like that. Knowing Ace, he'll probably follow me anyway and just pat my shoulder and say (in a hushed tone), "poor, poor, thing." {By the way if you've never seen my favorite movie Harvey then that last "poor, poor, thing" won't mean a thing to you.}
 There is however, the very high chance that Ace will  throw  his hands in the air and say, "FINE!#$*%***# Have it your way Mrs. INSANE!!...France is really nice this time of year!"  


Here we go ladies. It is time to be sucked into the vortex of evil genius. I sense there is still some good in you. { Giggle. Giggle.}

Double Chocolate Orange Almond Flour Cookies
2 cups Natural Almond Flour
1/2 cup Pyure Natural Organic Stevia granules (natural sugar-free calorie free sweetener)
1/2 cup egg whites
2 Tbsp. Chia Seeds 
zest of one orange
1 tsp rum extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 Lily's Sweet Dark Chocolate Bar, Stevia Sweetened, chopped

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Dough will be stiff.  Divide into 20 cookies and roll into balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart, smashing lightly.  Bake 350 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool on the sheet, about 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

My Fitness Pal Nutritional Information: Yield 20 servings. 63 calories each, 5 g fat, 3 g low-impact carbohydrates, 1 g fiber (2 net carbs) 2 g protein. 

There you go darlings! Let's rock the weight loss and healthy whole food eating! Ya know, it isn't about losing weight so much as it is about making sure I take care of this body that God gave me. It is a gift to be alive. I'm treating it that way. 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Chef Tess Low-Carb Grain and Seed Bread Recipe (Plus the Skinny on Carbs)

I'm here to share some outstanding ideas for those who are struggling with carbohydrates. Food and science have come a long way. Hold on a minute. I need to put on my geekish lab coat (and sky-blue hair net). Okay...now I have the proper ceremonial  garb to talk techno-rocket-chef. Take a walk with me, if you dare, into my secret lair. Yes. I did rhyme right there. I'm winking at you. Do you see me? Okay. Now. Are we ready to be serious?

I'll start off sweet. There's been a lot of talk in the media and in blood-sugar news (Do you think the blood sugar news delivers on Sunday? With comics?). For the most part the thing that the publications can agree on is the fact that sugars that are broken down in your body from starches that you eat will have an impact on the "blood glucose" level in your body. For diabetics and those wanting to control their blood sugar level, the use of foods that have a minimal effect on how fast your blood sugar levels rise is a really happy idea. I have a sister that I call Auntie Em. I've loved her my whole ding-a-dang life and have seen her struggle with type 1 diabetes. It's a frustrating disease with fatal side effects if not taken care of properly. So, can I start out in all seriousness, by saying that though I'm silly sometimes, I know that this is a very important post. It can affect a lot of people to have some idea of how to eat to help control their blood sugar levels. If you're not diabetic, when someone says they are diabetic, it is not something to take lightly. When their blood sugar levels get too low or too high, the results could land them in the hospital.  However, controlling your blood sugar is not only a concern for someone struggling with diabetes, but also for anyone wanting to lose weight. Period. It's a proven fact. If you eat food that keeps your blood sugar levels at a nice even rate, you will burn fat. Now do I have your attention?  What a treat.

Revolutionary Ideas

A few years ago, Auntie Em had me read a book called "The Glucose Revolution". I had a paradigm shift my thinking when it came to carbohydrates. I no longer used the the term "complex carb" like I had in school. The evidence was put clearly enough for me to know that my line of thinking when it came to carbs was one that needed to be re-visited. Since that book there has been a lot of research on how blood sugar is effected by carbohydrates. There is now a lot of evidence supporting a method of tracking the impact carbohydrates have on your blood sugar using a chart called the Glycemic Index. "The Glycemic Index is a numerical Index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (i.e. their conversion to glucose within the human body). Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point, and is given a Glycemic Index (GI) of 100." For more information on the science behind this index, go here.

Switch it Out

For the most part, I found that I could easily change how I looked at carbohydrates. By choosing ones that were low on the Glycemic index, I could still eat carbohydrates and lose weight. For Auntie Em, this meant that she too could eats some carbs more than others and still control her blood sugar levels. It made a huge impact on my family and my life. So, that's what I'm sharing today. Generally, I try to keep my GI under 55 on the index. I still eat carbs, not in excess, but found some result really amazing for foods I thought were "complex". In general, grain that is kept whole, cracked or rolled will have a lower GI than those that are milled into flour. The only exception is Almond flour, it's high in protein and very low GI. Even so, whole grain flour, because of its fiber, will be lower on the GI. I've also discovered the benefits of using a lot more fiber in my diet!  Wow does fiber effect...a lot of things...um...including your colon health. How's that for being tactful right there? What a treat.
In all reality, there are other factors, but the one that most excited me was seeing what the common foods were that I used, that could easily be changed or replaced with lower Glycemic index foods to help me. You will want to read about the Glycemic Load and how you don't have to entirely avoid all high "GI" foods. Here's a chart that I found helpful. Portion size does matter. Darn it...you still can't eat until you pop...but at least you can feel great knowing you're taking care of something very important to your health.

Glycemic Indexes and Glycemic Loads for Common Foods
The table below shows values of the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) for a few common foods. GI's of 55 or below are considered low, and 70 or above are considered high. GL's of 10 or below are considered low, and 20 or above are considered high.

Learning More: Here

Hooray for Bread!

The good news, is that we can still have bread. We just need to use a lot of whole grain with fiber and protein. In this battle I employ Vital Wheat Gluten very often as a lean protein boost.  For those who are really concerned about impact carbs...this is a bread that I think you'll really like that is also lower on the GI...and at 5 net carbs a slice, even the diabetics will call it their new best friend! What a treat.

Chef Tess Homemade Low Carb Bread
Yield 1 loaf (12 slices at 5 net carbs each)

4 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
3T olive oil
1 1/4 cup warm water (no hotter than 115 degrees)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup Pyure Organic Stevia Erythritol baking blend
1 cup Vital Wheat Gluten
1 cup Blanched Almond Flour
1/4 cup Flax seed
1/4 cup Corn Bran
2 Tbsp.  Sesame Seed
1/4 cup Teff

• In a gallon size bowl, combine the baking powder, salt,  Erythritol, Vital Wheat gluten, almond flour, Flax seed, corn bran, Sesame Seed and teff.
  
• In a medium bowl combine the yeast, sugar, olive oil and water. Set aside until yeast mixture activates and bubbles. Add to the dry ingredients and knead by hand about 3 minutes until a mass of seeds can be seen safely nestled in a mesh of vital wheat gluten. Form into a ball. Cover and allow to raise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 
  
•  Punch down. Transfer to a counter top that has been lightly misted with water. Form into a loaf (tutorial here). Lightly coat the top of the loaf with a misting of oil. Cover loosely with plastic and allow to raise 45 minutes longer. 
  
•  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread 35-40 minutes (until over 165 degrees internal temperature). 
  

There you go! What a treat!  Happy baking. Happy new world of carbs!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Rambling Review: Isopasta High protein Low-Carb Pasta

Remember the day I promised you guys that I'd only review on my blog the stuff I liked, because I'm classy that way? Well. Here's a good one.

I recently found a low-carb pasta that is based on protein...and it's really good.

 I didn't get paid to do this post. 

They didn't send me any free product. 

This is just my own  experiment and observation because I thought it sounded too good to be true! 

 It's called IsoPasta

photo courtesy of Isopasta 

Things to note:

• At first, the price threw me. I'm admittedly a cheapskate and I'm used to the normal pasta prices at the grocery store, but then I did the math. For low carb, what I'd pay for a protein supplement or protein bar anyway, I could actually eat a rather filling and tasty meal. 
• It makes a lot of pasta!  One bag of their pasta along with vegetables and lean beef, made about a half gallon of finished fusilli. They called this 5 servings, but the pasta is so filling, it was really more like 8. Plus the calorie count was 170, including only 7 net carbs and 30 grams of protein. 
• Cooking time is real.   The package actually says to cook it for 30 minutes. That threw me off too. I'm a chef. I like a good texture to my pasta, but on this one they aren't kidding. 30 minutes and it is the texture of regular pasta. 
• It's really filling.  I can eat this at noon and not have a hunger pain until six hours later. Not many protein bars can offer that.
• It's so much like pasta, it's scary.  Like really scary. For those missing pasta in their life, it's a real blessing!

There you go. Just a quick review of something yummy!  Have an awesome Tuesday my darlings!

Chef Tess Bistro 3 ingredient "Cheating" Sweet-Hot Pickles

Cheating is only okay if nobody knows about it. 
Wait.
 That doesn't sound right. 
Let me clarify this. 

Cheating at making pickles is only okay if they don't taste like kerosene cucumbers (enters Aunt Bea from the Andy Griffith Show). Do you remember the pickle episode?  I laugh just thinking about Barney Fife and those pickles. 

These aren't those pickles. 

These are something awesome. I have been asked for years what my secret is to my bistro-style sweet-hot pickles and I'm going to share this one because I don't run a restaurant anymore (and this isn't the recipe that they are still using at the bistro after I left). This however, is a better version. It's easy! Anyone can make them and they are killer! Claim them as your own! I don't mind!

Chef Tess Bistro 3 Ingredient "Cheating" Sweet-Hot Pickles

• 1 quart Vlasic Bread and Butter Pickles spears or chips* , drained
• Frank's Red Hot Buffalo-Wing Sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning

Directions: Combine the drained pickle spears with the hot sauce. Place in a quart-sized
sized covered container and keep under refrigeration for 5 days. Good up to 2 weeks.

* The Vlasic Sugar-free bread and butter pickles are by and far my favorite low carb way to really enjoy these guys!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Low-Carb Italian Sausage Riced Cauliflower

I had my weigh-in and measurement session at my gym today.  I've literally fallen in love with  Tribrid Personal Training. It's been six weeks since I started with my trainer Chris Schenck, and I have to admit that I was pretty nervous about today. Not because of anything he said or did to make me nervous, but because I'm so much of a freakin' perfectionist! I kept thinking, "What if I didn't lose anything?"...Funny, because my scale said I did. "What if Chris makes me feel crappy about not doing better?"...Stupid, because he's never been anything less than encouraging. I've been flippin' religious about tracking everything I eat, making it to the gym, and reporting my progress. Guess what?   It's definitely paid off!

I don't want to gross anyone out, but this is a  plastic replica of a pound of pure fat. Mmm. Fat.

 Chris keeps this replica at his desk.

 Only a personal trainer would keep this at his desk. 

I'm just saying. 

So...Drum roll please...I'm down 16.25 lbs in body fat and 16.5 inches! In 6 weeks. 

Six. Weeks. 

 I am feeling pretty awesome!

Simple healthy supper is here to stay! That's pretty much how I roll these days. So, here's a great recipe that is just super quick and really delicious. 


Tess' Low-Carb Italian Sausage Riced Cauliflower 

• 1 28 oz can organic diced tomatoes
• 1 lb lean Turkey Italian Sausage
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 12 oz bag cauliflower, riced ( I use Green Giant brand)
• 1 Tbsp Chef Tess Romantic Italian Seasoning

 Directions:

In a 12 inch deep skillet, brown the turkey sausage with the onion until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and seasoning and simmer a few minutes more.  Add all the remaining ingredients and cover. Reduce heat to low ans simmer about 10 minutes until the cauliflower is warm.  Yield: 5 servings

My Fitness Pal Nutritional information: 198 cal, 10 g fat, 19 g protein, 8 g carb, 2 g fiber,  6 net carbs per serving

There you go my darlings! 

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Gluten-free, Low Carb Almond Flour Double Fudge Macadamia Nut Brownies

Chocolate. I dream about this stuff. What is it about that "dark-lord of all things evil" that just calls to me? Maybe the name says it all, eh?  It's my kryptonite. For reals.  I love chocolate. LOVE.  Sometimes a girl just needs some brownies, but being converted to a healthy lifestyle, I have to actually make my own treats. Granted, the old me would have just gone to the grocery store and had a carb and sugar loaded brownie and not really thought too much about it, but I'm not the old me.  Chocolate crisis averted with these bad-boys! They're rich and thick and fudgy. Mmmmm. Mama neeeeeeeeds....

 I used low impact carbohydrates that won't make your blood sugar trip out, and the sweeteners are from natural sources.  I also use almond flour in this recipe, making it a great source of fiber, good fats, and protein. 

 In this recipe I be using the healthiest oil on the planet! Literally. It's the healthiest.  Thanks to our friends at Ahuacatlan Pure Avocado Oil for sending me all the beautiful samples! We've had so much fun exploring this awesome stuff! I think you'll see why. The flavor is super buttery and perfect for awesome brownies!

So, without further introduction, here's today's recipe...

Gluten-Free Almond Flour Double Fudge Macadamia Brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Ahuacatlan Avocado Oil
½ cup  Pyure Sweet Stevia Erythritol Baking Blend

½ cup coconut sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup organic baker’s cocoa
2 Tbsp Arrowroot
1/2 tsp fine Sea Salt
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions: Cream together the oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients and fold into the oil mixture. Spread into a greased 8 x8 baking pan.  It is going to be pretty thick. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnut over the brownies. Bake at 325° 20-25 minutes until outside edges are almost dry.  The middle will look a little moist.   Remove from oven.  The secret is to allow them to cool 1 hour before cutting.  Cut into 20 brownies.

My Fitness Pal Nutritional Information: Serving 1 brownie. 168 calories, 14 g fat, 8 carb, 2 fiber, 3 protein
  
Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Diabetic-Friendly Pistachio, Almond, Coconut, and Ancient Seed Grain Low-Carb Cookies and Granola

 I love recipes that can make more than one thing from a simple base, and this is no exception. This recipe makes 48 servings of granola, or 48 cookies. It just depends on what you want to eat, or if you want both, it will make 24 servings of ganola, and 24 cookies. Loaded with all the good stuff including no refined grain flours, sugar or junk, this is a keeper! 

These cookies are lightly-sweet and the taste of the toasted seeds and nuts really shines through with hints of orange, spice and vanilla.  It's just a really satisfying snack.  In this recipe we'll be using the healthiest oil on the planet! Literally. It's the healthiest.  Thanks to our friends at Ahuacatlan Pure Avocado Oil for sending me all the beautiful samples! We've had so much fun exploring this awesome stuff! I think you'll see why.

Here's what we found out...

https://draxe.com/avocado-oil/

Along with the Avocado Oil we'll be using flax and my all-time favorite chia seeds...
The first time I tried a Caramel Chia Tapioca Pudding Recipe I was hooked. This was long after learning the undeniable health benefits of chia. I'm so glad I discovered them  many years ago. Chia seed has been an integral part of my weight loss program because of it's ability to help keep me full while still providing me with energy and protein.  I'm down over 30 lbs and still happy as ever with the results!   Chia seeds are the highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, and they contain more fiber than flax seeds or nuts. I won't apologize for using them often here on my blog because I'm so passionate about the benefits they bring to your health. 

In this particular recipe the use of higher fiber seeds along with the almond flour and coconut flour gives you a base that will fight hunger. That combined with the use of egg white powder, and natural stevia for sweetness, gives them a very low rating on the glycemic index. That means they are fantastic for any diabetic! In the post on The Health Benefits of Pistachios, we touched on last week are also incorporated into this granola and cookie recipe.  

That being said, because of how high in fiber and protein this recipe is, it doesn't take much to keep you full, as long as you drink plenty of water when you have it. 

Diabetic-Friendly Pistachio, Almond, 

Coconut, and Ancient Seed Grains 

Low-Carb Cookies and Granola

1 1/2 cup organic coconut flour
2 cups blanched almond flour
1 cup  Organic Pistachios
1/2 cup  Organic Grains Flax Seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup Organic Grains Chia Seed
2 scoops Creme Brulee Egg White Crystals 
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Orange zest
1 Tbsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend (  here )
1 cup Pyure Sweet Organic Stevia Sweetener Blend

1/2 cup Ahuacatlan Pure Avocado Oil
1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla extract
6 eggs
1/2 cup water

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.  Combine the wet and the dry (it will be thick, and almost crumbly.  You may need to at 2-3Tbsp more water if it seems really dry.

For Granola:

Crumble dough mixture onto a large baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees 20-25 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let the granola remain the oven for 10 more minutes.  Remove from oven and divide into 48 servings, about 1/3 cup each. 

For Cookies:

Form into 48 cookies, about 2 Tbsp dough each and flatten on parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees 14-18 minutes until golden brown.  Store in airtight container.  

My Fitness Pal Recipe Nutritional Facts: Yield 48 servings: 116 cal, 9 g fat, 6 net carbs, 2 g fiber, 3g protein. 

There you go! Some very filling very healthy cookies and granola that will help curb your appetite and keep you on track for your goals.  

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

Meatloaf Turkey Muffin Cups Three Ways--Freezer Meals from Cooking With Chef Tess

Season TWO of my show will be airing on Heartland TV  in Las Vegas on channels 34.2 and on Cox cable channel 97 every Saturday at 1:30 pm starting June 24th! YES!!!!

There are several Heartland TV Affiliate Stations Nationally and we are hoping that we'll soon be on the network across the country We also filmed several one minute tutorial videos that will be airing on cox cable across the southwest starting in July. We'll keep everyone posted as those details are made public.

As for Saturday, here's the recipe:

Time-Saving Meatloaf Turkey Cups Made 3 Ways!

 Pepperoni Pizza Meatloaf Muffin Cup 

 French Onion Meatloaf Muffin Cup

Chimichurri Meatloaf Muffin Cup

Chef Tess Meatloaf Muffins

2 pounds ground lean turkey sausage

1 medium onion, cut into chunks

1 green pepper, chopped

2 large egg

1 cup Organic Grains 7 grain rolled cereal ---here

1 Tbsp. Chef Tess All Purpose Seasoning

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Put ground beef into a big bowl. Put onion and green pepper in blender. Pulse the blender to finely chop the vegetables into very small pieces then add them to the meat bowl. Add egg, bread crumbs and grill seasoning to the bowl. Next, mix together the smoky barbecue sauce, the salsa and the Worcestershire sauce. Pour half the sauce mixture into the bowl with the meatloaf mix. Mix the meatloaf together with your hands. Wash up.

Divide between 24 muffin tins sprayed with non-stick spray Use an ice cream scoop to help you fill meat into each tin. Bake 350° 20-25 minutes. Over 165 degrees internal temperature. When fully baked, top 8 of each of the meatloaf muffins with a spoonful of a flavor variation. 

Flavor Variations  

French onion

1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp lemon zest

½ cup beef broth

Saute onions in olive oil until golden brown. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until thick. 

Pepperoni Pizza

Spaghetti sauce

Pepperoni

Mozzarella

Italian Seasoning

As needed. Top each meatloaf with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. 

 Chimichurri

If you're not familiar with it...Chimichurri is a sauce that is traditionally used as a marinade for meat in Central and South America. I almost want to call it a vinaigrette based pesto if I over simplify what it is.  I fell in love with it the first time it's flavors were unleashed on my pallet! It really lends a powerful punch of flavor and there are hundreds of variations on the internet.  This one is special because it is what I use for meat, but also for vegetarian dishes like this cheesy grain casserole.  I simply stir 1 cup of the prepared sauce into the base recipe and top it with roasted garlic.  Suddenly, everyone can't stop eating the meatloaf!

Chef Tess' Chimichurri Sauce1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2T fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4-5 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/2 jalapeno, seeded
1 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dry oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Combine all ingredients in a covered food processor and pulse until smooth.

Freezing Instructions:
Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet or plate and freeze until solid. Transfer to a gallon sized freezer bag. Label well. with cooking instructions.

Heating and Serving:
Reheat in microwave from frozen, about 2 minutes each muffin. Or, bake in oven 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Today we are going to serve  them over mashed potatoes with plenty of fresh micro-greens. 

My Fitness Pal Recipe Nutritional information Yield 24 servings, 57 calories each, 2 carbs, 2 gram of fat, 10 grams protein, 


Special thanks to our friends at Organic Grains.com for ingredients and financial support to help make this show possible. We are so very thankful for all you've done for our family here at Chef Tess Bakeresse.

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess