Makeover Monday ~ Iced Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

It is  Monday, so it is time for another recipe makeover. I love to take favorite recipes and make them THM friendly. One of the biggest hurdles people have to overcome is thinking that healthy eating means never having their favorite foods again. The truth is that you can make a healthy version of almost any meal. And most meals don’t require that much work to re-make!

I don’t know what it is like where you live right now, but where I live, fall has settled in for the past week. Now, I know that we still have some summer left where I live as well, but this cool snap has turned my mind to all things fall. Chili, soup, fires, sweaters and of course, all things pumpkin spice! I saw this recipe and new that I had to recreate it to be THM friendly.

These cookies are everything I love about a sugar cookie. They are soft, sweet and delicious! The texture of these is very reminiscent of the iced “lofthouse” style sugar cookies that my kids have always loved from the store. The pumpkin spice flavor makes them a bit more sophisticated though.

I hope that you will enjoy these cookies as much as my family has. They are definitely going to become a fall staple around here!

What You Will Need

• THM baking blend
• Collagen
• baking powder
• Mineral salt
• pumpkin pie spice
• softened butter
• Xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• egg
• vanilla extract
• 1/3 less fat cream cheese

Iced Pumpkin Spice sugar Cookies

Comfy, cozy taste of fall

Cookie Ingredients

• 1 cup THM Baking Blend
• 1/4 cup collagen
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of mineral salt
• 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup of gentle sweet or xes sweetener
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 1 cup of gentle sweet or xes sweetener (powdered)
• 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch mineral salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

   
   
   

2. In a mixer, combine sweetener and butter, and beat with paddle attachment until fluffy.

   
   
   
3. Add egg and vanilla, and continue beating until fluffy and combined.
   
   

4. Add baking blend, collagen, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice and stir just until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

   
   
   
5. Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon and make 24 even balls of cookie dough and place on baking sheet.
   
   

6. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until edges are golden. Don't over bake. Let cool.

7. To prepare frosting, using the paddle attachment, beat butter, powdered sweetener, pumpkin pie spice, and pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
8. With mixer still running, add in vanilla extract.
9. Divide cream cheese into 4 cubes and drop them into the mixture one at a time until well combined.
10. Frost the cookies after they are cooled completely.
    
    

It is a good idea to refrigerate these cookies after frosting to firm everything up. However they will keep nicely in a sealed container on the counter top for a week.

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like me to THM’ify? Comment below and I will see what I can do!

As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Makeover Monday ~ Glazed Lemon Baobab Bars

It is  Monday, so it is time for another recipe makeover. I love to take favorite recipes and make them THM friendly. One of the biggest hurdles people have to overcome is thinking that healthy eating means never having their favorite foods again. The truth is that you can make a healthy version of almost any meal. And most meals don’t require that much work to re-make!

If you’ve been following my blog for long you might be surprised to see this post! I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from my routine posting here. (Is almost a year too much to call a bit of a hiatus?!?) But a good friend and fellow THM Facebook Admin, Conney Keel, asked me if I could remake this recipe and when I tried it I knew I needed to bring it here!

This recipe for Glazed Lemon Baobab Bars was inspired by this recipe for Lemon Brownies. I love lemon bars and Conney suggested the addition of the baobab. That got my wheels spinning. How could I make this recipe not only waist-line friendly, but also a nutritional powerhouse? I decided to add not only Baobab, for its great Vitamin C addition and citrusy flavor, but I also added collagen for more protein as well as all of the joint, skin and hair benefits it brings. If you do not have collagen, never fear, you can still make this recipe, but adding it is really going to up the nutritional benefits of this treat. And we all know that the more nutritious our treats are, the better we feel about it when we have them for breakfast!

Let me just say, I think these are good right out of the fridge, great at room temperature and over the top amazing slightly warmed! Try them with a few blueberries sprinkled on top!

What you will need:

• THM baking blend
• butter
• Xes sweetener or gentle sweet*
• eggs
• Lemons
• Collagen
• Baobab
• Baking Powder
• Xylitol**
• Almond Milk 
• Butter or Coconut Oil

Glazed Lemon Baobab Bars

A tangy, sweet dessert that will leave you wanting more!

Lemon Baobab Bar Ingredients

• 1 Cup Butter (Softened)
• 1 1/2 Cups THM Gentle Sweet or XES Sweetener*
• 1 Lemon, Zest and Juice ((large lemon))
• 4 Eggs (large)
• 3/4 Cup THM Baking Blend
• 1/4 Cup Collagen
• 1/4 Cup Baobab
• 1 tsp Baking Powder

Glaze Ingredients

• 1 Cup Xylitol** (powdered)
• 1 Lemon, Zest and Juice ((large lemon))
• 1 Tbsp Baobab
• 1-2 Tbsp Almond Milk ((Start with 1, add more if needed))
• 1 Tbsp Butter or Coconut Oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sweetener until light and fluffy.

3. Zest the lemon and chop zest into small bits. Juice the lemon.

   
   
   

4. Mix zest and juice into butter/sweetener mixture.

   
   
   

5. Beat in eggs, one at a time until combined.

   
   
   

6. Gradually beat in the dry ingredients until combined.

   
   
   

7. Spread the batter into the baking pan. It will be thicker than a normal cake mix but should spread easily.

   
   
   

8. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Do not over bake.

9. While the cake is baking, zest the second lemon and chop zest into small bits. Juice the lemon.

10. In a saucepan, whisk together the powdered xylitol, lemon juice, lemon zest, baobab and 1 tablespoon of almond milk until combined.

11. Put saucepan on medium-low heat and add the butter. Warm the glaze to make sure the sweetener is completely dissolved and butter is incorporated. This will not take long. Just get it completely warmed through. (No more than 2-4 minutes). If the consistency is too thick (it should be a spreadable glaze consistency) you can add a bit more almond milk.

12. When glaze is warmed through, take it off the heat and let it cool completely. You can put it in the refrigerator if desired.

    
    
    

13. When cake is finished baking, allow it to cool completely.

14. Spread the glaze evenly over the lemon bars.

    
    
    

15. At this point you can serve the bars as is or allow them to set up more in the refrigerator. The glaze should be soft, but not runny at room temp and it will be firmer coming from the fridge.

    
    
    

*Any low-glycemic sweetener can be used, but because they vary in sweetness levels that will difference will need to be taken into account when making the recipe.

**I chose to use xylitol because it does not re-crystallize when cooled like erythritol does.  You can use any low-glycemic sweetener you would like however. Just be aware that there may be crystallization in your glaze if you use an erythritol based sweetener.

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like me to THM’ify? Comment below and I will see what I can do!

As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Thanksgiving Picks ~ 2019

It is 10 days until Thanksgiving!! Do you have your menu ready? Whether you are hosting and providing all the food or you are just bringing a dish or two to a family or friend celebration I have a list that is sure to give you plenty of options! Some of these items are the same as last year’s picks and some new ones have been added. I think you will enjoy them all!!

The first thing on my menu is the turkey of course. I started using a “spatchcock” method for cooking my turkey lately and I highly recommend it! It cooks so much more quickly and evenly. Check out how to Spatchcock a Turkey and get a bonus gravy recipe HERE.

Of course you can’t have a Thanksgiving feast with just meat! You are going to need some comforting side dishes as well. Using any of these options will add joy to your meal as well as adding health! You don’t need to skimp on comfort foods when you do them right. Here are my picks for the best things to enjoy alongside the bird with zero guilt or regret:

Sweet Potato Casserole (XO or E)

Bean Casserole(XO)

Green Bean Casserole (E)

The Best Green Beans (S)

Loaded Veggie Casserole (S)

Stove Top Style Stuffing (S)

Another Stuffing (S)

Cranberry Sauce (FP)

Just Like Canned Cranberry Sauce (FP)

Mashed Cauliflower (S or FP)

Rolls (S)

Broccoli Salad (S)

Quick Corn Casserole (E)

You’ve cleaned your plate and even eaten a good amount of vegetables! Good for you! Now you are going to want to indulge in a special dessert! Even those who are not following THM are going to love these options! I suggest the following:

Pumpkin Roll (S)

Coconut Cream Pie (S)

Pecan Pie (S)

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake (S)

Pumpkin Pie (S)

Tagalong Pie (S)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (S)

Berry Crisp (S)

Pumpkin Pie Crisp (S)

Guilt Gone Cranberry Pie (S)

Holidays usually mean special drinks as well. Some people like hot drinks and some prefer cold. Here are my favorites for both hot and cold drinks. Some, like the cranberry wassail, can be served either way!

Cranberry Wassail (FP)

Pumpkin Spice Latte or Creamer (S or FP)

Party Punch (S)

Slow cooker or Stove top Hot Cocoa (S)

Egg Nog (S)

How is your holiday planning going? Are you looking toward next year yet? I am! In fact I am having a pre-order blowout sale on the first three group sessions I am hosting in 2020! Keep your eyes open for details!

Don’t miss out on this sale! It will run from 12am to 11:59pm on Black Friday and offer deep discounts on the first three group sessions I will run in 2020! Be sure to come back and check it out!

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Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

It is not Monday but I have another makeover recipe for you this week! This one was created by my daughter!

This past weekend was my husbands birthday. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting has always been his favorite. Because of this my daughter really wanted to make him a healthy version of his favorite. Without me knowing about it she found a couple recipes and converted them on her own and the outcome was delicious!

The secret ingredient in the cake (which is a remake of this homemade yellow cake) is a bit of peanut flour. It does not really give the cake an overwhelming peanut butter flavor (there is just a hint) but it does add something to both the taste and texture of the finished cake.

The secret to the frosting (which is a variant of a buttercream) is a bit of stabilized whipped cream. Butter creams call for a lot of powdered sugar and you really don’t need to use that much of an alternative sweetener like gentle sweet. To make up for the loss of volume she added a bit of whipped cream. The icing is delicious! (And I am not even an icing fan!)

To everyone’s surprise this cake was great right out of the oven! If you are experienced with baked goods made with alternative sweeteners, often you want to make them a day ahead to get the best flavor. With this cake you could make and serve it the same day without worrying about whether or not it will taste good enough. Bonus! I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

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What You Will Need:

Cake Ingredients

• THM baking blend
• peanut flour
• Xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• THM Super Sweet
• baking powder
• Mineral salt
• nut milk
• coconut oil melted
• butter
• vanilla extract
• eggs

Frosting Ingredients

• heavy cream
• Just Gelatin
• water
• butter softened
• Xes sweetener or gentle sweet  must be powdered
• pure stevia powder
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• nut milk
• vanilla extract
• Mineral salt

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting ~ THM S

Cake Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups THM Baking Blend
• 1/2 cup peanut flour
• 1 cup THM Gentle Sweet
• 1/4 cup THM Super Sweet
• 3 1/2  tsp.  baking powder
• 1  tsp.  mineral salt
• 1 1/4  cup  nut milk
• 1/8  cup  coconut oil (melted)
• 1/2  cup  butter ((1 Stick) softened)
• 1  tbsp.  vanilla extract
• 3  large eggs

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/3  cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tsp Just Gelatin
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 6  tbsp  unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 1/3  cups  THM Gentle Sweet (must be powdered)
• 1 tsp pure stevia powder
• 3/4  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup cashew milk
• 2  tsps  vanilla extract
• 1/4  tsp  mineral salt

Cake Instructions

1. In a small bowl whisk together baking blend, peanut flour, sweeteners, baking powder, and salt.

   
   
   
2. Place softened butter into stand mixer and mix on medium for 1-2 minutes.
3. Place dry ingredients into stand mixer and combine with butter for 30 seconds.
4. Add milk, oil, vanilla and eggs and mix on medium-high for one minute.
   
   

5. Pour batter into two well greased cake pans. To insure that cakes will not stick you may wish to line the bottom of the pans with a parchment circle. Bake at 350. For 9-inch pans it will take 20-25 minutes. For cupcakes start checking around 15 minutes.

   
   
   
6. Cool before frosting.
   
   

Frosting Instructions

1. Dissolve the gelatin in hot water.
   
   
2. Begin whipping the heavy cream with a whisk attachment on your mixer. While mixing slowly pour in the gelatin mixture. (It should still be warm enough to pour as a liquid but not extremely hot. If it is too cool it will gel up in your whipped cream instead of blending in.)
3. Beat to stiff peaks and set aside.
   
   

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a high powered hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it is smooth, about 1 minute. (This step is incredibly important for a smooth frosting. I skipped it which is why my frosting is a bit lumpy.)

5. Add the sweeteners and cocoa powder to the bowl and beat until combined.
6. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly stream in the milk and vanilla extract then add the salt and continue beating until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
   
   
7. Increase the speed to high and beat the frosting for an additional 2 minutes. Add in the whipped cream mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
   
   
8. Use the frosting immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge. (If you refrigerate the frosting, you may want to re-blend it for a few seconds in the mixer before using it.)

To Assemble the layer cake

1. Place one layer of the cooled cake onto a serving plate.
2. Spread 1/3 of the frosting (about 1 cup) over the top of the layer.
   
   
3. Top with second cooled cake layer.
4. Spread remaining frosting over the top and around the sides of the cake. If you are using the frosting you just made it may be a little soft and want to run down the sides. To firm up the icing, put the icing on top of the cake and refrigerate it for about 10 minutes before spreading the icing down the sides. This will give you more control over the icing.
   
   
5. Serve immediately or put into the refrigerator for storage.
   
   

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As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Have you ever considered getting a coach to help you on your journey but you aren’t sure what a coach could do for you? Contact me for a free consultation. I can explain to you how I would help you with no strings attached.

Makeover Monday ~~ Pumpkin Pie Crisp

It is  Monday, so it is time for another recipe makeover. I love to take favorite recipes and make them THM friendly. One of the biggest hurdles people have to overcome is thinking that healthy eating means never having their favorite foods again. The truth is that you can make a healthy version of almost any meal. And most meals don’t require that much work to re-make!

I love pumpkin pie, but sometimes I don’t want to go through the process of making a crust. I have made crustless pumpkin pie before and it is all good, but it lacks a little something. When I saw this recipe for Pumpkin Pie Crisp I knew it would solve both problems! This recipe is super simple to put together, super tasty and completely good for you. I hope that you will enjoy this recipe as much as I did! As a side note, the original recipe did not call for any nuts in the topping so this is completely optional, but I think chopped pecans in the topping would have taken this over the edge in yumminess! I have included them in the recipe as an optional addition. If you love nuts, I would highly recommend it!

What you will need:

• pumpkin purée
• Xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• eggs
• pumpkin pie spice
• Mineral salt
• vanilla extract
• heavy cream

• THM baking blend
• oat fiber
• Xes sweetener or gentle sweet
• THM Super Sweet
• cinnamon
• Mineral salt
• chopped pecans
• butter melted

Pumpkin Pie Crisp ~ THM S

For Pumpkin Filling

• 2 15-oz. cans pumpkin purée
• 1 cup xes sweetener or THM Gentle Sweet
• 4 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup heavy cream

For Streusel Topping

• 3/4 cup THM Baking Blend
• 1/2 cup oat fiber
• 1/2 cup xes sweetener or THM Gentle Sweet
• 2 tablespoons THM Super Sweet
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 10 tablespoons butter (melted)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9×13 dish with coconut oil spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sweetener, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla extract.
   
   
3. Whisk in heavy cream until smooth.
   
   
4. Pour into prepared skillet and set aside.
   
   

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sweetener, cinnamon,nuts and salt. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly. (Can also beat with a hand mixer until crumbly if needed).

   
   
   
6. Spread cinnamon streusel topping on top of pumpkin pie mixture in an even layer.
   
   
7. Bake until the filling is set and the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
   
   

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As always, I appreciate it when you choose to shop through my affiliate links. It costs you no extra but provides me with a small compensation that helps me keep adding valuable content to this blog.

Have you ever considered getting a coach to help you on your journey but you aren’t sure what a coach could do for you? Contact me for a free consultation. I can explain to you how I would help you with no strings attached.