Watermelon and Cactus Pear Salad

This was my first experience tasting prickly pear (cactus fruit).  They were four for a dollar, and I thought they would make a good dessert.  Small watermelons were $1.50, so that was happening no matter what.

What surprised me was that they taste a lot like watermelon.  Once I got the hang of peeling them, the salad came together quickly.  I could have added more fruits for a color variety, but it was already overflowing the bowl.

4 prickly pear (cactus fruit), redder is sweeter
1/2 "personal" sized watermelon, about 4 cups diced
2 Tb lime or lemon juice
pinch of salt
Tajin or other savory/sweet seasoning, optional

1.  To peel the prickly pear, cut off top and bottom to reveal the deep red interior.  Cut lengthwise into the skin about 1/8".  When you peel with your fingers, both the greenish outer peel and red inner peel will come off easily, leaving the red core.  The seeds inside are edible, but crunchy.  Cut into large dice.

2.  For the watermelon, peel and dice.  I do it by cutting off the top and bottom, cutting it in half, and putting the large, flat part down.  Slice the rind off the fruit, then dice.

3.  In a large bowl, toss both fruits with lime juice, salt, and any seasonings you choose.  Chill until ready to serve.

Serves about 6

Difficulty rating  π

Almond Apple Crisp

I should make crisps more often.  They're easy if you use canned fruit, and go in the oven in less than ten minutes.

This one was inspired by the jars of apples I canned last Fall.  The way I made it, it's lower in sugar than a typical dessert.  Since apples canned in light syrup aren't a thing in the grocery store, I'm going to assume you're using pie filling.  It will be sweeter than what I made.

Once again, I'm putting the vanilla protein powder to the test.  It is not an essential ingredient.  In my case, it replaced the sugar.  I'm really amazed that my sense of how much sugar counts as "sweet" has been slashed after a few years of eating less of it.  I know, multiple studies say the same thing.  Seeing it in action is not what I was expecting.

*1 20 oz can apple pie filling
1/4 C flour
*1/4 C almond flour
1/4 C rolled oats
*1 scoop vanilla protein powder or 2 Tb brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 Tb butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
sliced almonds for garnish

1.  Grease or pan spray a standard loaf pan.  Preheat oven to 350º.

2.  Pour pie filling into the loaf pan.  Sprinkle in the cinnamon and stir a bit to distribute.

3.  In a small bowl, stir together flour, almond flour, oats, salt, and protein powder or sugar.  Cut in butter to make a crumbly paste.

4.  Sprinkle crumb paste evenly over apples.  Scatter almonds on top.

5.  Bake until bubbly and starting to brown, about 40 minutes.  It's going to look like a liquid mess.  Allow to cool, when it will firm up.

6.  Scoop into bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Difficulty rating  π

Oaty Pancakes

It is very depressing to go to IHOP and realize how much of the menu is not low-carb friendly.  Yes, they have protein pancakes, but the sheer volume means you're getting a lot of carbs as well.  I decided to make my own and add oats for fiber, protein, and staying power.  There's also some protein powder in here for flavor, but it isn't necessary.

I guess I don't make pancakes more often because there isn't such a thing as a small batch.  One egg makes 4 to 6 servings.  For a household of one, this counts as meal prep.  The pancakes I didn't eat the first day went into the freezer.

The original recipe I started with was from the Sunset Easy Basics for Good Cooking, copyright 1982.  That was for quantities of dry vs wet ingredients.  What I ended up with was vastly different.

1 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C rolled oats
1 Tb baking powder
*2 scoops (1 serving) vanilla protein powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 C milk (or water for dairy-free)
*1 egg
3 Tb butter or margarine, melted
oil for the pan

1.  Whiz the oats in a food processor or coffee grinder to make a coarse flour.

2.  Stir together flour, oat flour, protein powder, and salt in a bowl.  In a separate container, stir together milk, egg, and melted butter.

3.  Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Stir several times, then let sit for 10 minutes, to allow the oat flour and protein powder to hydrate.

4.  Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.  Grease with a thin layer of oil.  When it's hot enough for drops of water to dance, you're ready to begin cooking.

5.  Pour 1/4 C of batter onto the skillet for each 3-4 inch pancake.  These came out thinner than I was aiming for, but got thicker as the batter matured.  Cook until bubbles stop popping on the surface, 2-3 minutes.  Flip and cook until the other side is golden, another 1-2 minutes.  Remove to a platter, re-oil the griddle as necessary, and repeat until all the batter is cooked.

Makes about 20 small pancakes, serving 4-6

Difficulty rating  :)

Pumpkin Protein Custard

I read several recipes for pumpkin pudding that are high protein, but didn't really find what I wanted.  I was kind of in the mood for a keto version of the pumpkin chiffon pie.  So that's what this is, except I put in the whole eggs instead of doing the chiffon whip part.  I didn't think I could finish the batch before the egg whites started to weep and separate.

The custard part of the title is because this will be cooked.  I'm doing the stovetop version and not baked like a crème brulée.  The mixture just has to get to 145ºF to be safe.  I went to 155º because some would be in the fridge for longer than three days.  Just being extra cautious.

The protein powder does the heavy lifting here for sweetness.  The date syrup/molasses is for flavor.  To make this truly keto, simply omit it, but you will be missing a layer of complexity.

I got five ramekins because they hold a cup if you go up to the rim.  Where I filled them, it made five servings.  This will also make enough filling for a 7" graham cracker pie crust.  Or you could make some kind of trifle or tiramisu with it, if you build the layers before the gelatin sets.

1 envelope plain gelatin, softened in 1/4 C cold water
*1 15 oz can pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
1 C milk
*1 serving (2 scoops) vanilla protein powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
*1 Tb date syrup or molasses
2-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
whipped cream for serving, optional

1.  While the gelatin is softening, add all remaining ingredients to a saucepan.  Stir to combine, getting out the lumps of protein powder.

2.  Heat the pumpkin mixture over medium, stirring frequently.  When it starts to spit, stir constantly.  Cook until mixture reaches at least 145ºF and thickens, about 8 minutes.   Remove from heat.

3.  Stir in gelatin until dissolved.  Portion into serving cups.  Chill until ready to serve.  If desired, top with whipped cream.

Makes about 4 C, 4-6 servings

Difficulty rating  π

Black Bean Brownies

As we continue the quest for high fiber, high protein, low sugar desserts, I decided to try these from Sugar Spice and Glitter.  There are vegan versions out there, but I got a really good deal on eggs at Super King.  10¢ each, but you had to buy two flats of 20, so 40 eggs for $4...to go through in about a month.  Non-vegan bean brownies it is.

This is one of those recipes that the ingredient assembly takes longer than actually making it.  Also, I cooked the beans from dry.  That's a generous 2/3 C soaked for 8 hours, then simmered for 2 hours.  I bought a can the next day so this wouldn't happen again.  Home-canned is slightly less than two cups because of headspace, or I would have opened a jar.

While these do count as a snack/dessert, they could also fit the nutritional profile of breakfast.  Eggs, beans, dates, and applesauce.  There's nothing wrong with unsweetened cocoa powder in breakfast.  I did add chocolate chips to mine, as I would for any brownie, but walnuts would add to the breakfast argument.  Your choice.

*1/2 C cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 C cooked black beans (one 15 oz can), rinsed
*1/2 C chopped pitted dates
*1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
*2 eggs, room temperature 
2 tsp vanilla
*up to 1/2 C mix-ins or toppers like nuts and chocolate chips

1.  Prepare an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment.  I would suggest also spraying it.  Being low fat, they do stick a bit.  Preheat oven to 350º.

2.  In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In the food processor, combine everything else except mix-ins.  Pulse at first, then run until fairly smooth.  It's going to look like very awkward quiche filling.

3.  Add the cocoa powder and run the processor until a smooth batter forms.  Pour into prepared baking dish and smooth to fill all the corners.  I put a layer of chips inside and left the top plain.  You could sprinkle toppings on it.

4.  Bake about 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.  I think mine went a minute too long and almost dried out.  Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove using the paper to cool fully on a rack.  Cut into squares and serve.  Store leftovers at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge up to a week, or longer in the freezer.

Makes 9 to 12, depending on cuts

Difficulty rating  :)

Protein Popsicles

I bought some vanilla protein powder.  I usually get chocolate and make mocha shakes with it.  Holy cow, the vanilla is sweet.  Also, I didn't think there was such a thing as too much vanilla before this.  I tried blending it up with various low-sugar fruits, and it was still sweet.  Haven't tried a lemon yet, but that may be what it takes.

I haven't used my popsicle molds in months, but it's that season again.  I decided to throw some leftover berries and protein powder with water and yogurt into the blender to make some.  Then I went and got a lemon anyway, to counter the sweetness and preserve color.  After that, I cut up some oranges to make orangesicle pops, which I should have thought of in the first place.

This is going to be my new favorite snack for a while.  High protein, low carb, fiber-rich, and cool for summer.  I could have run the mixes through the ice cream maker, but this felt slightly less messy and only used one appliance.  Between the powder and the yogurt, it's at least 8g of protein per pop.  I didn't do the exact math.

*1 C fresh or frozen fruit
2 scoops protein powder of choice
1 C water
1/4 C Greek yogurt

1.  Ready a six-pop mold and set up a blender or food processor.  If going for a smooth texture, get out a strainer.

2.  Place all ingredients in the blender.  Run on low to combine.  If trying for a smooth pop, run on a higher speed, but let it sit five minutes after for the foam to settle.

3.  At this point, you basically have a smoothie.  Strain if desired, then pour into the pop molds.  Drink anything left to hide the evidence or freeze it in ice cube trays.  Insert the sticks and freeze for at lest 4 hours.  Mine took more like 6.  Loosen from the mold with a bit of warm water and serve.

Makes six 1/3 C pops

Difficulty rating  :)

High-Protein Cheesecake with Tofu

Yes, it's another cheesecake.  My quest for low-sugar desserts continues.  I caught a clip of someone using silken tofu in a cheesecake and ran with it.  The base for this is honey-vanilla, with a jammy whipped topping.

This isn't keto.  It has a teaspoon of honey per serving, plus the biscuits and the topping.  What I created here had a goal of higher protein than the average cheesecake.  It made up for only putting one can of chickpeas in a four-serving vegan sheet pan dinner.

While a variation on the blender cheesecake, I made all three parts in the food processor and just kept rinsing it out.  It kept down the number of dishes to wash.

*1-1/2 C digestive biscuit or graham cracker crumbs
3 Tb melted butter or margarine
1 tsp *stevia or 2 tsp sugar
8 oz cream cheese (or Neufchatel or mascarpone), room temperature 
2 tsp vanilla extract or *1 bean, scraped
2* Tb honey
2 eggs, room temperature 
1 Tb cornstarch
1 14oz package silken tofu
*2 Tb fig jam (or other topping)
*1/4 C whipping cream

1.  Prepare a 6" springform pan (or double recipe for an 8") and place on a baking sheet in case of leaks.  Preheat oven to 350º.

2.  Break up the cookies if starting from whole and process with the sugar or stevia until you get 1-1/2 cups.  I started by breaking up some cookies, pouring it into the pan, adding more, repeat until I had enough, then added the butter.  Pulse in the melted butter to make a damp mixture.  Press into springform, going up the sides as much as possible.

3.  Rinse out the processor.  Pulse cream cheese, vanilla, honey, and cornstarch until mixed.  Add eggs and about 3/4 of the tofu.  Pulse again, then run for a few seconds until smooth but not whipped.

4.  Pour batter into crust.  Bake for about 45-50 minutes, until center is just barely not jiggly.  Turn off oven and leave it shut for 30 minutes, then crack it open for another 30 minutes before removing cheesecake.  It will have puffed during baking, then crashed while cooling.  This is normal for cheesecakes.  Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate before topping.

5.  To make the topping, run the remaining tofu and whipping cream in the food processor until fluffy.  Take care not to let the whipping cream turn to butter.  Add jam and pulse until evenly distributed.  Once the cake has cooled, fill the crashed parts of the cake with the cream/tofu topping.  Decorate with more fruit if desired.  Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 6

Difficulty rating  :)

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cheesecake

Because Reese's is trademarked.  And, strictly speaking, I'm not using anything Reese's in it.

This is what I made for Pi Day (March 14th), and was primarily to use up some chocolate cookie crumbs I had in the freezer from a previous pie crust.  For this crust, you can use chocolate grahams, Oreos, or any other plain hard chocolate cookie you like.  These were Kedem chocolate tea biscuits.  I saw Reese's Oreos recently, but those may be special edition.

This recipe is an adaptation of my blender cheesecake.  I didn't want to clean peanut butter out of the blender and made it in the stand mixer.  Or, you can make this with a hand beater.  I'm going ahead and posting the 1/3 version for a 6" springform.  Triple everything if you're making this in a 10".  I bought all those smaller pans when 6" cakes were a thing, and I still prefer to bake smaller cakes.  You don't have to wait for a huge party that way.

*1/2 C chocolate cookie crumbs
3 Tb butter, melted
*8 oz cream cheese, softened
*1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
*1/3 C creamy peanut butter
1/3 C sugar (1/4 for less sweet)
2 eggs, room temperature 
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla
*1/4 C semisweet chocolate chips
*2 Tb cream or whole milk

1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Line a 6" springform pan with parchment paper, if desired.

2.  In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter.  Actual butter works better than margarine because it will harden more firmly.  Press into the bottom of the springform.  I did an especially good job this time, so I took a photo.  Bake 10 minutes, before it starts to look darker.  Set aside while you mix the cake.

3.  Cream together cream cheese and yogurt until smooth.  Add peanut butter and sugar and beat again.  Scrape down the sides.  Add eggs, which will make the mixture a little broken and soupy at first.  Last, beat in cornstarch and vanilla.  Scrape down again, checking the bottom of the bowl, and beat another minute.  Everything should be well mixed at this point.  If still broken or clumpy, continue to beat.  While this is happening, boil about a quart of water.

4.  Wrap springform in foil and place in a baking dish.  Pour filling into the springform, and place on the baking rack.  Carefully pour boiling water into the baking dish surrounding the cake pan, until it comes up about an inch on the sides.

5.  Bake 45 minutes, then check for doneness.  Cake should be mostly set when jiggled.  It's ok if it cracked or gets a little browned.  Check at 5 minute increments if too wet.

6.  Once cake is done, turn off oven.  Leave it in the oven with the door shut for 30 minutes.  Then open the door a crack and let it sit another 30 minutes.  This slow cooling is to reduce the chance of it collapsing.  Once cool enough to handle without oven mitts, remove it from the oven and let it sit until room temperature.  Only then, move on to the next step.

7.  Melt chips in the milk, either on a double boiler or in the microwave at 20 second intervals.  Stir until smooth into a ganache.  Spread onto cake, then chill until firm, at least 2 hours and preferably 4.   I made too much ganache and froze it in ice cube trays for later.  I'll either make it into truffles or stir into hot milk to make hot chocolate.

8,  When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake, then pop the spring.  You'll notice I did the reverse in the photos, and I think it would have looked better if I had glazed it in the pan.  If you lined the bottom, you may be able to slide it off the bottom plate.  If not, it isn't worth the risk.  Just serve it on the springform's bottom on a platter.  If you've planned ahead, decorate with Reese's cups, whipped cream, or another garnish.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  :-0

Dried-Fig Pastry Filling

One of the pantry items I'm trying to use up is a bag of dried figs that aren't as good as the brand I usually buy.  Probably why they were half price.  I've never made hamantaschen with fig filling before.  Sounded like something I would enjoy.

The recipes I researched all looked a lot like the one I used for the fig cookie bars, so I fussed with a double batch of that.  It killed off half the bag of figs in a few minutes.

It's going to look like there isn't enough sugar in this for a jam.  Figs are excessively sweet, especially dried ones.  The orange juice and nutmeg are in here to cut that sweetness a bit and bring a floral touch.  You can't taste the nutmeg.  If you can, you overdid it.

Quick note that this is not a canning recipe.  There isn't enough acid and it is far too dense.  You can freeze it for longer storage.

*8 oz dried figs
1/2 C water, more if figs are especially dry
*1 Tb honey
*2 Tb orange juice
dash nutmeg

1.  Remove any stems from the figs and chop into small pieces.  Place in a saucepan with  water, honey, orange juice, and nutmeg.

2.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  Cook until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

3.  Purée the mixture, either in a good blender or food processor.  If desired, add more water for a thinner texture.

4.  Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Freeze for longer storage.

Difficulty rating  π

Sweet Potato Soufflé

Got this one in under the buzzer for Thanksgiving.  Also, since it uses ingredients people shop for at the holiday, you shouldn't have to run back to the store for anything.

While I'm modeling this recipe on a half version of Paula Deen's, I'm making a few healthier choices.  For one thing, although I'm calling the ingredient maple syrup, I used keto monkfruit pancake syrup to reduce the added sugars.  I also reduced the amount of butter.  It's still more dessert than a side, which is common for a sweet potato casserole.  I made it for dessert, and included that label.

I know not everyone is a fan of cloves.  The same amount of nutmeg or double in cinnamon is a reasonable substitute.  You could also use pumpkin pie spice, if you want that flavor profile.

*1-1/2 C mashed sweet potato (either roasted or canned & drained)
1/4 C granulated sugar or *3 Tb maple syrup
*1 egg
1/4 C milk
4 Tb unsalted butter, divided
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
*1/4 C chopped pecans

1.  Preheat oven to 400º.  Grease or pan spray a loaf pan, 6" cake pan, or 4 one-cup ramekins.

2.  Melt 3 Tb of the butter and allow to cool slightly.  Let the other Tb come to room temperature.

3.  In a bowl, combine sweet potato, sugar, egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and ground cloves.  Pour into prepared pan.

4.  In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and pecans.  Work in other tablespoon of butter until it makes crumbs.  Top potato mixture with the crumble.

5.  Bake 20-25 minutes, until topping is browned and casserole is mostly set.  It will firm up more as it cools.  Can be served warm or chilled.

Difficulty rating  π

Repurposing Leftover Fruit Syrup

I bought seven pounds of cherries when they were $3 per pound.  I attempted to make seven pints of canned cherries, but two didn't seal.  Those got frozen with the others I had set aside to freeze.

I wasn't sure how much syrup to make for hot pack pitted cherries (yes, I pitted seven pounds of cherries in one day), and ended up with more than a quart left over.  It was four quarts of cherries (including blanching the ones to be frozen).  I thought I would need far more per jar than I did.  It felt like a waste to just pour it out, so I went looking for other things to do with it.  Then I realized this is also a frugal way to make use of the syrup or juice in store-bought canned fruit and started a section topic post.

The first idea was to add lemon juice to cut the sweetness.  I have way too many overly ripe lemons on the tree right now, so that worked two problems at once.  Cherry lemonade is pretty good.

Next up was popsicles.  I had to go buy some popsicle molds for that one, but I think I'll be using those several times a year.  I actually bought two sets.  The one from The Container Store cost three times as much as the one from Home Goods, but it's higher quality and I expect it to last three times as long.  I want to experiment with unexpected things like freezing chai tea.

There was yet more juice to play with, so I made gelatin desserts.  The box of plain gelatin says one packet will set one cup of juice, so I just made two half-cup servings.  I did find that too firm, and will probably do 1-1/2 C of juice per packet in the future.

All of these projects can be done with the juice or syrup in a can of fruit.  It can also be used to sweeten iced tea if you opened something like pears or peaches.  Marinate chicken or pork in it.  A frugal home finds ways to use every bit of what has been purchased.