dairyfreeketodesserts

Turkey Cupcakes – Thanksgiving Cupcake Decorating Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s Day have a ton of fun dessert decorating ideas, but I think Thanksgiving gets a little gypped. After all, we spend most of the day making food, so why not make it cute?! Don’t panic, I didn’t put actual turkey in these cupcakes! They just look like adorable little turkeys 🙂 These Turkey Cupcakes are chocolatey and have some Reese’s Pieces as the feathers, so it’s the perfect decorating activity! If you’re allergic to peanut butter, just use 1 row of candy corn instead and have it fan out like feathers would! There are also lots of substitutions to making the little turkey faces, so check for those in the notes below! Ingredients 20-24 unfrosted cupcakes 20-24 Hershey Kisses 1 C. white chocolate chips-I used white Melts, divided Orange gel food dye (see notes below) Mini chocolate M&Ms Chocolate frosting (or chocolate peanut butter) 1 bag Reese's Pieces Directions First you'll make th...

Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies {naturally gluten free recipe} Crispy and chewy at the same time, intensely chocolatey and rich, these cookies are closer in flavor to a brownie than a traditional cookie. I was craving something sweet and chocolate this weekend, but I didn’t want to spend a whole lot of time baking. I’ve had this recipe saved to try for a while now and this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. It only took a few minutes to whisk the batter together and these cookies were in the oven in very little time at all. For the chocolate lover in your life, these cookies are the ultimate treat! Ingredients 3 cups powdered sugar 3/4 cups dutch process cocoa powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 large egg whites 1 large egg 2/3 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips Instructions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add the eggs. Whisk again until smooth. (Using an electric mixer will make this even easier, but it's simple enough ...

AVOCADO AND TOMATO SALAD Fresh and bright, this Avocado and Tomato Salad is a perfect side dish alongside any Mexican themed meal. It’s also a great pot-luck salad! This recipe is actually one that I made first back in 2008, alongside these Steaks with Mexican Spices and Chile Con Queso. This Avocado and Tomato Salad is the definition of simple – which is why it’s so good. I love when you can take so few ingredients and turn it into something so delicious and packed with flavor. And even though it’s April, and super flavorful, in-season tomatoes are no where to be found, this salad still packs a punch. You can bet that I’ll be making this all summer long when the local tomatoes start showing up. Want more Super Side Salads? Check out this Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad (great as a salad or a dip!), this Zucchini and Tomato Salad Recipe (perfect for summer zucchini) or this fresh but hearty Tomato and Black Bean Quinoa Salad. Or check out these other salads from around the web: Brocc...

Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies {naturally gluten free recipe} Crispy and chewy at the same time, intensely chocolatey and rich, these cookies are closer in flavor to a brownie than a traditional cookie. I was craving something sweet and chocolate this weekend, but I didn’t want to spend a whole lot of time baking. I’ve had this recipe saved to try for a while now and this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. It only took a few minutes to whisk the batter together and these cookies were in the oven in very little time at all. For the chocolate lover in your life, these cookies are the ultimate treat! Ingredients 3 cups powdered sugar 3/4 cups dutch process cocoa powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 large egg whites 1 large egg 2/3 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips Instructions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add the eggs. Whisk again until smooth. (Using an electric mixer will make this even easier, but it's simple enough by ...

This easy, spicy pesto shrimp recipe has lots of flavor thanks to the ingredient list: pesto, garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh basil. It’s gluten free and low carb. If you want to know how to make the best sautéed, garlic shrimp with lots of flavor – this dish is for you! And, it’s so easy! Pesto Shrimp with Mushrooms Recipe This easy, spicy pesto shrimp recipe has lots of flavor thanks to the ingredient list: pesto, garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh basil. It's gluten free and low carb. Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound shrimp , peeled, deveined 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 ounces white mushrooms , sliced 3 cloves garlic , minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup basil pesto 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon fresh basil , chopped Instructions Heat large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add olive oil - it should run without sizzling. Add shrimp, season shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, cook for abou...

CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY BUTTER SAUCE CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY BUTTER SAUCE — Sauteed chicken breasts smothered in a creamy rosemary butter sauce. Ready in 20 minutes or less! I know it’s been said before, but you really can’t have too many chicken recipes. Especially chicken recipes like this Chicken with Rosemary Butter Sauce. This delicious dish can be made in about 20 minutes and only dirties one pot! And a sauce made with butter and cream–how could you possibly go wrong there? This chicken is nice enough for company, but easy enough for a weeknight meal. My kind of dinner! I recommend a side of rice, potatoes or pasta to go with the creamy rosemary and butter pan gravy. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to double the sauce so you have some to spoon over your chosen side dish. Sauteed chicken breasts smothered in a creamy rosemary butter sauce. Ready in 20 minutes or less! INGREDIENTS 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 4 tablespoons butter, divided 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup heav...

Buttery Garlic Herb Chicken with Zucchini is a easy 30 minute meal that has tender and juicy chicken cooked in a buttery garlic herb sauce with zucchini.  This dish is cooked with fresh herbs and is incredible! The best part about it is that you can make an easy 30 minute meal but still have it be incredible!  And you can never go wrong with the butter garlic and herb combination.  Am I right? Buttery Garlic Herb Chicken with Zucchini Recipe Buttery Garlic Herb Chicken with Zucchini is a easy 30 minute meal that has tender and juicy chicken cooked in a buttery garlic herb sauce with zucchini. This dish is cooked with fresh herbs and is incredible! INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons butter 4 garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup freshly chopped oregano 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, or breasts salt and pepper 2 medium sized zucchini, sliced INSTRUCTIONS In a medium sized skillet over medium high heat add the butter...

CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY BUTTER SAUCE CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY BUTTER SAUCE — Sauteed chicken breasts smothered in a creamy rosemary butter sauce. Ready in 20 minutes or less! I know it’s been said before, but you really can’t have too many chicken recipes. Especially chicken recipes like this Chicken with Rosemary Butter Sauce. This delicious dish can be made in about 20 minutes and only dirties one pot! And a sauce made with butter and cream–how could you possibly go wrong there? This chicken is nice enough for company, but easy enough for a weeknight meal. My kind of dinner! I recommend a side of rice, potatoes or pasta to go with the creamy rosemary and butter pan gravy. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to double the sauce so you have some to spoon over your chosen side dish. Sauteed chicken breasts smothered in a creamy rosemary butter sauce. Ready in 20 minutes or less! INGREDIENTS 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 4 tablespoons butter, divided 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup heavy w...

Turkey Cupcakes – Thanksgiving Cupcake Decorating Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s Day have a ton of fun dessert decorating ideas, but I think Thanksgiving gets a little gypped. After all, we spend most of the day making food, so why not make it cute?! Don’t panic, I didn’t put actual turkey in these cupcakes! They just look like adorable little turkeys 🙂 These Turkey Cupcakes are chocolatey and have some Reese’s Pieces as the feathers, so it’s the perfect decorating activity! If you’re allergic to peanut butter, just use 1 row of candy corn instead and have it fan out like feathers would! There are also lots of substitutions to making the little turkey faces, so check for those in the notes below! Ingredients 20-24 unfrosted cupcakes 20-24 Hershey Kisses 1 C. white chocolate chips-I used white Melts, divided Orange gel food dye (see notes below) Mini chocolate M&Ms Chocolate frosting (or chocolate peanut butter) 1 bag Reese's Pieces Directions First you'll make the t...

AVOCADO AND TOMATO SALAD Fresh and bright, this Avocado and Tomato Salad is a perfect side dish alongside any Mexican themed meal. It’s also a great pot-luck salad! This recipe is actually one that I made first back in 2008, alongside these Steaks with Mexican Spices and Chile Con Queso. This Avocado and Tomato Salad is the definition of simple – which is why it’s so good. I love when you can take so few ingredients and turn it into something so delicious and packed with flavor. And even though it’s April, and super flavorful, in-season tomatoes are no where to be found, this salad still packs a punch. You can bet that I’ll be making this all summer long when the local tomatoes start showing up. Want more Super Side Salads? Check out this Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad (great as a salad or a dip!), this Zucchini and Tomato Salad Recipe (perfect for summer zucchini) or this fresh but hearty Tomato and Black Bean Quinoa Salad. Or check out these other salads from around the web: Br...

CHEESY Heart-shaped Bread Sticks If you’re making your sweetheart a homemade dinner for Valentine’s Day, these cheesy heart-shaped bread sticks will make it a special meal indeed! They are made from simple French bread dough, rolled by hand into long ropes, coated with pungent Italian cheese, and baked until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. This bread requires two risings before the hearts are shaped, so make sure to give yourself enough time to get your CHEESY Heart-shaped Bread Sticks complete in time for your love on Valentine’s day. CHEESY Heart-shaped Bread Sticks Makes 20 2 1/2 cups very warm water 2 packages active dry yeast 1 teaspoon sugar 6 cups all-purpose white flour 1 tablespoon salt 1 cup grated Italian 3 Cheese Mix (or fresh Parmesan) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Directions: In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Allow it to sit until bubbly – about 5 minutes. If using a stand mixer, use a dough hook attachment. Add three cups of the flour ...

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP (STUFFED FRENCH BREAD) Mega flavorful Buffalo Chicken Dip Stuffed French Bread is your favorite creamy, cheesy, decadent dip baked right into the loaf with three cheeses all topped with crispy bacon! Crazy delicious EASY crowd pleasing appetizer perfect for parties or game day! Everyone will be begging you to make this!   The base of the Buffalo Chicken Dip is the dreamy creamy trio of sour cream, mayonnaise and cream cheese. Instead of just one or the other, they are exponentially better together. INGREDIENTS 1 large loaf French bread or 2 smaller loafs 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sour cream 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/4 - 1/2 cup Frank’s Original Hot Sauce (1/2 for quite spicy) 1 1/2 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning mix 1/2 tsp EACH chili pwdr, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic pwdr, onion pwdr salt to taste 1/4 cup Blue cheese crumbles up to 1/2 cup if you LOVE blue cheese 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, ...

APPLE DAPPLE CAKE WITH CARAMEL GLAZE Apple Dapple Cake with Caramel Glaze, where have you been all my life? Never had this delicious cake and wondering what I’m talking about? Read on to find out how to make this amazingly simple and wonderfully delicious apple cake. Oh, and don’t forget the yummy caramel glaze! Apple Dapple Cake with Caramel Glaze is an amazingly simple, moist, homemade cake filled with fresh apples and covered with an easy sweet caramel glaze! INGREDIENTS Cake Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup pecans chopped 1 cup vegetable or coconut oil 2 cups granulated sugar 3 eggs 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 3 cups raw apples peeled and finely chopped (about 3 large apples) Caramel Glaze Ingredients 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks) INSTRUCTIONS Cake Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the bottom and sides of the cake pan with a little butter, shortening, or use baking spray. ...

Easy Moist Honeybun Cake This recipe will quickly become a family favorite. If you’re making it during the holidays, I suggest making more than one honeybun cake, because it will go fast! For all of my readers that hate from scratch recipes, you’ll be pleased to know that this honey bun cake recipe is made with a box of yellow cake mix. So no worries, you will be able to make this easy moist honeybun cake without any issues! Ingredients 15 oz yellow cake mix 3/4 cup buttermilk 4 medium sized eggs 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup butter unsalted 1 cup brown sugar 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg Icing 2 cup powdered sugar 4 tbsp milk 1 tsp vanilla extract Instructions Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9X13 pan with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, eggs, buttermilk and butter.  After the batter is well combine, pour half of it into your prepared pan. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, nutmef and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the batter i...

BAKED CHICKEN PIZZAIOLA Baked chicken cutlets covered in parmesan bread crumbs and topped with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. If pizza and chicken Parmesan fell in love and had a baby together this is what it would look like. The pepperoni adds a spicy punch that kicks up the flavor a notch or two. That’s where the ‘pizza’ in the ‘pizzaiola’ comes in. Combined with the mozzarella and the tomato sauce your taste buds think you’re eating pizza, with the chicken acting as a stand-in for the crust. If you’re craving pizza, this might not do the trick but if you’re looking to change-up your traditional chicken Parmesan routine or just need a quick dinner idea, then this is your answer. Baked chicken cutlets covered in Parmesan bread crumbs and topped with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, served with spaghetti and an easy tomato sauce. Ingredients Sauce {substitute 1 jar (24 ounce) premade sauce to save time}: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium-ish yellow onion, diced ½ bell pepper, diced 4 ...

LOW CALORIE CHEESY BROCCOLI QUICHE It’s actually not great. I mean, not the recipe. The recipe is great. The conspicuous lack of variety in my recent diet is what’s not great. A behind the scenes note is that I just typed grate and not great which is poetic justice for the sheer tonnage of cheese I’ve consumed in the past week or so. But I digress. This recipe is actually my go-to when I’m in charge of bringing a dish to a potluck because it’s so simple to throw together and, as a low carb vegetarian, I can then personally guarantee there will be at least one delicious offering I can actually eat. The only drawback? Everyone at the potlucks I’ve brought this quiche to has loved it so much that there usually isn’t enough for me. INGREDIENTS 6 ounces light mozzarella cheese, grated (see note below!) 2 pounds broccoli florets (I use frozen, but fresh works too) salt + pepper 3 cups egg whites INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or grease it w...

BANANA BREAD WITHOUT BUTTER AND EGGS Making banana bread without butter and eggs is super easy! This vegan banana bread with chocolate and chopped hazelnuts is one of my all-time favorites! Chocolate heaven, here I come!! Making banana bread without butter and eggs is super easy! This vegan banana bread with chocolate and chopped hazelnuts is one of my all-time favorites! INGREDIENTS For the banana bread: 3 very ripe bananas, mashed 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup almond milk 4 tablespoons ground hazelnuts 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips For the topping: 3 oz dark chocolate, chopped 1/3 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Grease a loaf pan with vegan margarine or coconut oil. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Let the banana bread cool off. Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or o...

{caramel & chocolate} Turtle Dump Cake Turtle dump cake is an easy, decadent dessert that is for the serious chocolate caramel lover. Only a few easy ingredients combine in one bowl and then pour into a baking dish. So simple to prepare! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for one of the best desserts ever.  The best part of this turtle dump cake dessert is that you only need 6 ingredients! A boxed cake mix, instant pudding, dark chocolate chips, caramel sauce (like the stuff you put on ice cream), pecans, and some milk. Super simple and you can have this in the oven in just about 10 minutes. Maybe 5 if you’re super fast 🙂  If you’re not familiar with turtle desserts (think those Turtle candies) they are just a combination of chocolate & caramel and usually with something salty. Like pretzels or in this recipe today, there are chopped pecans. It’s basically sweet & salty perfection! Ingredients 1 small box (3.4 oz) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix 1 1/2 cu...

Delicious Bread Cones Ingredients Dough: 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup water 3 Tbs vegetable oil 1/4 cup sugar 1beaten egg 1-1/2 tsp salt 2-1/4 tsp instant yeast 3-1/2 to 4 cups flour Egg Wash: 1 egg 1 Tbs milk Instructions Heat water and milk in microwave to scalding (not quite boiling) Pour into mixing bowl, and allow to cool slightly so you don’t kill the yeast. Add oil, sugar, and salt. Mix until well blended. Add in beaten egg and 2 cups of the flour, mixing well. Add in instant yeast and mix well. Allow to sit about 10 minutes uncovered. Now, start to slowly add in more flour. When dough starts to clear the sides of the bowl, allow it to mix for about 8 minutes. (or knead by hand at this point) Add a tablespoon of oil to a clean bowl, tipping to coat bottom. Place dough into bowl, flipping to coat both sides with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest till double in bulk – about 1 hour. Remove dough and knead a few times to release bubbles. Cut the dough into 8 – 12 pieces (depend...

Limoncello Cake Recipe Heavenly zesty lemons transform this cake into something truly special. Citrus cakes are always a crowd pleaser – so much fresh, bright, tangy flavour, it’s like eating sunshine. Even if you don’t have limoncello, this is a really good basic recipe. If you don’t have, or don’t want to use alcohol, simply substitute it with good old lemon juice. You’ll still get great flavour which is helped along by the zing of lemon zest. Limoncello is a southern Italian lemon liqueur traditionally served cold as a digestif. It’s also ridiculously easy to make if you’re so inclined. Homemade limoncello is a great gift – especially for men (I tend to find buying presents for the men in my life challenging). A gift idea for you – combine this cake and a bottle of limoncello (homemade or not) for a great present. Ingredients For the cake: 2 eggs 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt 1 cup sugar ¼ cup canola oil zest of 1 lemon 3 Tbs Limoncello (or lemon juice) 2 cups flour 1½ tsp baking powde...

Instant Pot Better Than Sex Chocolate Lava Cake Have you ever had a dessert that made you weak in the knees? After eating it you have no words it is so good? That is how I felt after eating Instant Pot Better than Sex Lava Cake. I never thought that making a dessert in the Instant Pot would be so good but it is! Quick and Easy Instant Pot deserts are amazing  A Instant Pot Dessert made in under 10 minutes that makes you weak in the knees who could ask for more? The Instant Pot Better than Sex Lava Cake is not on any kind of diet plan but it is a worthy treat on occasion. There is nothing better than a hot cake with cold ice cream oozing with chocolate from the center. I have made many deserts in the Instant pot like Cheesecake , 7-up Instant Pot Cake and Apple bread with salted caramel icing. but never a regular chocolate cake. There really is no way to describe how good this cake is, which is why I called it better than sex lava cake. Not really but I thought that would grab your...

Ultimate Chicken Spaghetti Our days are rarely perfect. We clash with coworkers, fight traffic, experience loss, the list goes on. And when things turn sour, we often turn toward the things that make us the happiest. Family, friends, and food often rank high on the scale. For many of us, comfort food is where our minds go. But what is comfort food? Simply put, it’s food that makes us feel better. It’s Mom’s chicken soup. It’s mac and cheese, a steaming bowl of grits or oatmeal, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Comfort food is made up of dishes that hold memories for us. Comfort food makes us happy. With the loss of our sweet family pet recently, comfort food has been on the menu a lot at the Little household. Sometimes a hearty stick-to-your ribs meal is just what the heart wants. Yeah, yeah, calories… blah, blah, blah, but still. Calories don’t count when your heart hurts, right??? For me, one of my favorite comfort foods is the classic chicken spaghetti. You know which on...