DAY 9: Thin Mint Puppy Chow
A crunchy chocolate snack mix that will remind you of your favorite Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie.
Chex cereal is coated with dark chocolate and Andes mint chocolates, and mixed with mint flavored M&M’s.
RECIPE:
Tag Archives: gluten free
Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Sugar-Free Orange Shortbread
![Sugar Free Orange Shortbread_thumb[1]](https://noemptychairs.me/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/sugar-free-orange-shortbread_thumb1.jpg "Sugar Free Orange Shortbread_thumb[1]")
DAY 12: Sugar-Free Orange Shortbread
These are my favorite sugar-free cookie. The shortbread cookie is soft and delicate, and not overly sweet. Drizzling the orange cookies with sugar-free dark chocolate combines two of my favorite flavors.
RECIPE:
Filed under Cookies
Berry Mousse Cheesecake with Fruit Glaze (Sugar Free)
A light and delicious sugar-free dessert that will please the whole family.
The filling is a no-bake light and airy cheesecake flavored with pureed strawberries and raspberries.
Take your dessert from simple to stunning by topping with a fresh raspberry glaze and garnishing with stabilized whipped cream and fresh berries.
RECIPE: Continue reading
Filed under Desserts
Top Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Old-Fashioned Coconut Macaroons
DAY 9: Old-Fashioned Coconut Macaroons
Traditional coconut macaroons are always a fan favorite here.. These macaroons are flourless, gluten-free cookies made from coconut, egg whites, sugar, and almond extract.
They are technically more of a candy than a cookie, but sugar is sugar however you categorize it.
The “dough” is cooked on the stove prior to baking, which leaves you with a wonderful chewy macaroon on the inside and crispy toasted coconut on the outside.
Dipping the bottoms in chocolate is optional, but I definitely recommend it.
ORIGINAL BLOG POST (2010): Old Fashioned Coconut Macaroons
RECIPE:
Old-Fashioned Coconut Macaroons
1 (14 oz) pkg flaked sweetened coconut
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp almond extract
1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, melted (optional)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper or silicone liners.
In a medium saucepan, stir together coconut, egg whites, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly (a spoon drawn through the mixture should leave a clean path). Remove from heat; stir in almond extract.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets (I use a small cookie scoop). Let stand on cookie sheets for 15 minutes before baking. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on pan for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack. Cool completely.
Dip bottoms of macaroons in melted chocolate, if desired. Place on waxed paper until chocolate has hardened.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
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Sugar-Free Strawberry Cheesecake
This sugar-free strawberry cheesecake may have just jumped onto my list of all-time favorite desserts, even those full of sugar.
This is a no-bake cheesecake that is easy to put together. Made with fresh strawberries, it is a fabulous summer dessert that won’t heat up the kitchen.
It is light and airy, not dense like a baked cheesecake. I sweetened it with stevia and erythritol, but you can easily substitute real sugar. But for those watching their carb and sugar intake, this is a wonderfully satisfying dessert. My kids don’t even miss the sugar!
I made it in a 9” springform pan, and it completely filled the pan for a nice tall cheesecake. You could make it in a little bit larger pan instead if you don’t want quite as thick of slices.
I garnished the cheesecake with some whipped cream and fresh berries. A wonderful light and summery dessert.
RECIPE:
Sugar-Free Strawberry No-Bake Cheesecake
Crust:
¾ cup whole almonds (roasted and salted)
¼ cup whole pecans
¼ cup rolled oats
3 Tbs butter, melted
10 drops of liquid stevia
Filling:
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup erythritol
½ tsp liquid stevia
½ cup cool water
2 (1 oz) packages unflavored gelatin
1 quart (4 cups) whole strawberries, hulled
1 cup heavy cream
Garnish:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs cream cheese, at room temperature
½ tsp vanilla extract
5 drops liquid stevia
Whole strawberries, and/or other berries (raspberries, blackberries)
Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place almonds, pecans, and oats in a food processor; blend until finely ground. Add butter and stevia and pulse until combined. Lightly spray 9” springform pan with baking spray (I like coconut oil spray for this). Press crust mixture onto bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Filling:
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, vanilla, erythritol, and stevia and beat again until smooth.
Place cool water in a separate bowl; sprinkle gelatin over water. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until gelatin has softened. Microwave for 15 seconds, or until gelatin has dissolved.
Place strawberries in a food processor. Blend until very finely chopped (mixture will be slightly liquidy). Add gelatin mixture to food processor and pulse until mixed. Add chopped strawberries to cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Taste mixture and add additional sweetener, if needed.
In a separate mixing bowl, whip 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into filling.
Pour mixture over cooled crust in the springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or until firm.
Garnish:
Combine cream, cream cheese, vanilla, and stevia in a mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Pipe onto top of chilled cheesecake and garnish with fresh berries.
NoEmptyChairs.me
Artichoke Basil Chicken
This chicken dish is healthy, delicious, and quick to put together for a weeknight meal. And since I just planted our garden, we have lots of fresh basil ready to use. I love cooking with fresh summer herbs and vegetables.
The chicken is quickly browned and then topped with Parmesan, chopped artichokes, tomatoes, and fresh basil.
Bake for about 30 minutes and then top with fresh mozzarella and broil until melted. More fresh basil takes this from ordinary to amazing. (Ignore the one corner of this photo with no cheese: the child this piece of chicken will serve is very inconsistent with her likes/dislikes)
We eat this on its own, but you could also serve pasta on the side to soak up some of the amazing juices.
I use these artichokes almost exclusively when a recipe calls for artichokes. They are just the best part of the artichoke: all heart, no leaves. You get 7-9 hearts in each can. I love that there are no tough leaves. (They recently changed the can label: Left=old; Right=new)
RECIPE:
Artichoke Basil Chicken
2 Tbs olive oil
4 boneless chicken breasts
Greek seasoning mix (or Italian seasoning)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs white wine
1 can artichoke bottoms, cut into ½” chunks
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
3 Tbs fresh basil, sliced
4 Tbs grated fresh Parmesan
4 slices fresh mozzarella
4 Tbs fresh basil, sliced
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and sprinkle generously with Greek seasoning. Brown chicken on both sides (2-3 minutes per side; chicken should not be cooked through). Remove chicken from skillet and place in baking dish.
Add garlic to skillet and cook 1-2 minutes, or until browned. Stir in wine and chopped artichokes. Cook and deglaze pan until wine has reduced by about half. Add tomatoes to pan and cook for 2 minutes, or until hot. Stir in 3 Tbs fresh basil.
Top each chicken breast in the baking dish with 1 Tbs Parmesan cheese. Spoon artichoke mixture evenly over chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Top with fresh mozzarella slices and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Sprinkle with additional 4Tbs fresh basil and serve immediately.
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Filed under Main Dishes
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