Not your Mommas BBQ sauce (dairy, egg, gluten, nut free, reduced sugar)

Everyone loves a good barbeque sauce.  As a bariatric patients, its hard to find a delicious, hearty sauce that isn't loaded with sugar.  I have tried a few different store bought sauces, and while good, they are lacking something. So I decided it was time to create my own sauce, and it is everything I wanted in a barbeque sauce.  It is sweet, but tangy, with a hint of spice. It is just as good on grilled chicken as it is on pulled pork.  And it is so easy! You literally throw everything in a large pot and just cook it until it is the thickness you want.  Last night I used it on some grilled chicken drumsticks, and even the kids cleaned their plates. My favorite part?! This sauce has only 16 calories per serving and only 2 sugars!

Here is what you need :

Apple cider vinegar, Truvia brown sugar blend, Worcestershire sauce, dark diet soda, liquid smoke, yellow mustard, cayenne pepper, onion powder, minced garlic, tomato paste, and reduced sugar ketchup.

Put everything in a large pot and whisk together.

Heat on medium high until it begins to boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cover. Let simmer until it reaches desired consistency, stirring occasionally.  I let mine cook down for about 30 minutes.

Use immediately or let cool and store in a large mason jar in the refrigerator.

Please let me know in the comments what you think!

Not Your Mommas BBQ Sauce

Serving size: 2T

2 1/2C Dark diet soda (Diet Pepsi, Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke, Diet root beer)

1/2C Apple cider vinegar

1/2C Reduced sugar ketchup

2 6oz cans tomato paste

3t yellow mustard

2T minced garlic

2T Worcestershire sauce

2T Liquid smoke

3t onion powder

1/2t cayenne pepper

1/2C Truvia brown sugar blend

Mix all ingredients in large pot. Cook on medium high until it comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cover.  Allow to simmer until it reaches desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Use immediately or allow to cool completely and transfer to large mason jar.  Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts:

serving size 2T

Calories:16

Fat: 0g

Sodium: 59.1mg

Carbs: 4.4g

Fiber: 0.3g

Sugar: 2.2g

Protein: 0.5g 

ReVamped Green Bean Casserole (Gluten, Nut, Sugar Free with Dairy Free Option)

Who doesn't love good old green bean casserole?  In my house it is not just a holiday favorite, but a year round staple.  Little Miss is gluten free and really missed green bean casserole.  Now I know there are gluten free cream of mushroom soups, but they are loaded with sodium and other garbage, and I have yet to find any available locally. 

I tried several gluten free recipes that called for homemade cream sauces of sorts and none of them compared to the classic. Then this past Christmas, the request for green bean casserole came, forcing my creativity for the first time since my gastric bypass surgery in Nov.  I wanted to make a meal that we could all enjoy together, while still meeting my dietary restrictions, and packing in as much protein as I could.  This is the recipe I came up with.  The calorie count for my recipe is only 20 less than the original, but has 1/3 the sodium, half the fat, and twice the protein, all while almost mimicking the flavors and texture of the original recipe we all know.

For the recipe you will need the following

Chicken stock, milk, fried onions (We were lucky to find a gluten free option at Aldi), 1 can cannelini beans, 2 cans French style green beans, pepper, and garlic powder

Begin by pureeing the can of rinsed cannellini beans with 1/4C chicken stock.  You want the mixture to be very smooth. 

Then mix the green beans, the cannellini bean mixture, 1/4cup skim milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 can fried onions.

 Pour into a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Top with remaining onions, and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden brown.

And then enjoy!

Revamped Green Bean Casserole

Number of servings: 9

2 cans French style green beans

1 can cannelini beans, rinsed

1/4C low sodium chicken stock

1/4C skim milk (or milk alternative for dairy free)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3/4 Can fried onions, divided (or make your own crispy onions for the top)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Place cannellini beans and chicken stock in food processor and blend until smooth.  Mix together bean mixture with green beans, milk, garlic powder, pepper and 1/4can fried onions.  Pour into 9" baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 mins; top with remaining portion of fried onions and bake for another 10 mins.

Nutrition Facts

serving size 1/9

Calories: 146

Fat: 7.2g

Sodium: 297.9

Carbohydrates: 17.1g

Fiber: 3.1g

Sugars: 1g

Protein: 3g

Chocolate Applesauce Cake (Egg, gluten and nut free, no sugar added, with dairy free option)

I had a request from a friend for a healthy dessert for a family function," a low carb, no sugar cake that will blow the socks off of family and so good they wont complain that they had to eat health food." Challenge accepted. I initially thought of the Chocolate Banana Cake, but since it has a stronger banana flavor and my friends husband isn't a fan of banana, I needed to come up with something else.   And so this recipe was born.


I debated whether this should be separate entry or an edit on the chocolate banana cake. Ultimately, I decided to make it a new entry because I did tweak some measurements and the nutritional content is quite a bit different.

This recipe mimics the rich chocolate flavor of a traditional chocolate cupcake, yet has just a fraction of the calories (less than 100!!), even with frosting!!



For this recipe you will need the following:

Truvia Brown sugar blend

Unsweetened applesauce

Plain Greek yogurt

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Splenda

Gluten Free Flour (I use Bobs Red Mill Cup for Cup)

Salt

Baking Soda

Milled Flax Seed

Warm Water

Begin by mixing 1 cup apple sauce and  1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt together.

Add in 3 tablespoons Trivia brown sugar blend, 3 tablespoons Splenda, and your flax seed mixture (1 tablespoon milled flax seed soaked in 3 tablespoons warm water)

Finally, add in 1 cup gluten free flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Mix just  until incorporated.

The batter looks loos amazing, so light and airy!!

Now, either pour batter into a prepared 9' square baking pan, or divide into 12 cupcakes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

I top mine with 1 teaspoon sugar free chocolate frosting.  They are soft, moist, and so light!

Chocolate Applesauce Cake

Number of servings: 12

1Cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2C plus 1T plain Greek yogurt (to make dairy free, use dairy free yogurt of choice)

1T milled flax seed

3T Truvia sugar blend

3T Spenda

3T warm water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2C unsweetened cocoa powder

1C gluten free flour

 Preheat oven to 350* Begin by soaking your flax seed and warm water. Let sit 5 mins.  While that is soaking, mix applesauce and yogurt in the bowl of your mixer.  Add in Truvia and Splenda, then flax mixture; mix. Next add in flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.  Mix just until incorporated. Divide batter into 12 cupcakes or pour into prepared 9" square baking dish.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Nutrition facts per cupcake (before frosting)

Calories: 66

Fat: 0.7g

Sodium: 158.7mg

Carbohydrates: 16.3g

Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 4g

Protein: 1.5g