Pumpkin Goat Cheese Croquettes | Low Carb | Keto | Gluten-Free

We often associate pumpkins with sweet treats such as pies, quick breads, and muffins, why not try a savory take? These Pumpkin Goat Cheese Croquettes are savory bites that make for a great seasonal appetizer. The rich and creamy orbs are a nice balance of flavors. Slightly tart, creamy goat cheese contrasts nicely with the mild sweetness of pumpkin. They are made with roasted fresh pumpkin, filled with a goat cheese and sage mixture, then coated in egg and almond flour.

These croquettes will most definitely impress your guests. They do take a bit of time to make so you can make ahead and then cook right before your guests arrive. You could also make the day before, and then reheat in the oven.

Other serving suggestions: Serve with an autumn salad made with mixed greens, chopped kale, bacon, pumpkin seeds and a vinaigrette.

Pumpkin Goat Cheese Croquettes | Low Carb | Keto | Gluten-Free

Pumpkin Goat Cheese Croquettes | Low Carb | Keto | Gluten-Free

Low Carb Pumpkin Goat Cheese Croquettes

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Croquettes | Low Carb | Keto | Gluten-Free

Serves: 20

Ingredients:

1 small butternut pumpkin, cut in 1/2 and seeds removed (about 900g)

1/4 t grated nutmeg (optional)

100 g soft fresh goat cheese

1 T chopped sage

1 T champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 eggs, beaten

Salt & Pepper to taste

Almond Flour for coating

oil, for deep frying (such as olive oil or avocado oil)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place pumpkin on a baking tray and cook for 45 minutes or until tender.

3. Remove from the oven and cool.

4. Discard the pumpkin skin and chop the flesh.

5. Place the flesh in a food processor, add the nutmeg (optional) and pulse to a puree.

6. Season to taste. If mixture is too wet, strain to remove any excess water.

7. Combine the goat cheese, sage, and vinegar in a bowl and season to taste.

8. Roll the mixture into balls the size of small marbles.

9. Coat the cheese balls with the pumpkin puree mixture.

10.Roll the croquettes in the almond flour, then dip in the beaten egg and coat completely again with almond flour.

11. In a large frying pan or wok, heat enough oil to deep fry until hot but not smoking.

12. Cook the croquettes in batches until golden (about 3 mins).

13. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

Cooks tips: To save time, make your pumpkin puree the day before. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the croquettes.

Nutritional Information: (note: calculation was done, using 1/2 cup almond flour) Calories 45.6 Total Fat 3.0 g Total Carbohydrate 2.9 g Dietary Fiber 0.8 g Protein 2.5 g

Net Carbs 2.1 g

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna | Keto | Low Carb

This Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna is a decadent and delicious alternative to the classic meat and red sauce lasagna. It's a seasonal dish filled with rich creamy cheeses, bechamel, butternut squash and fresh spinach. This lasagna was inspired by the "Just Like The Real Thing" Low Carb Keto Lasagna invented by Peace Love and Low Carb. I used her low carb lasagna 'noodles' to create this vegetarian lasagna.

This butternut squash and spinach lasagna is warming and pure comfort food that makes for a wonderful main dish for holidays or special occasions.

I will be honest, this dish is some what time consuming to make. To save time you can prepare the lasagna noodles, butternut squash puree, and fillings ahead of time before assembling and baking the lasagna. You can even make the lasagna ahead of time and then reheat when ready to serve. I personally like it better the next day after the flavors have melded.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna | Keto | Low Carb

Roasting and Pureeing Butternut Squash

For easy assembly, make your fillings and 'noodle's ahead.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Assembly

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna | Low Carb | Keto

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna | Keto | Low Carb

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash Filling Ingredients:

1 cup butternut squash puree

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 to 2 T heavy whipping cream

1/8 t salt

1/8 t nutmeg

Spinach Filling Ingredients:

8 oz spinach (1 cup cooked spinach, chopped and drained well)

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

1 garlic cloves minced

1/8 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

Bachamel Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 oz. cream cheese

1/8 t salt

1/8 t ground black pepper

1/8 t ground nutmeg

Lasagna Noodles Ingredients & Directions: The lasagna "noodles" recipe can be found here. I changed the seasonings in the noodles to be 1/4 t onion powder and 1/4 t cracked black pepper.

Other Ingredients:

3/4 cups mozzarella cheese or more

cracked black pepper

Cooking Tools:

1.5-Qt Loaf Pan

Potato Masher

Baking Sheet

Food Processor (optional)

Directions:

Prepare the lasagna noodles by following the recipe and directions over at Peace Love and Low Carb, “JUST LIKE THE REAL THING” LOW CARB KETO LASAGNA. You can make the lasagna noodles ahead of time and set aside, or make the night before and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

Next, prepare the following fillings and sauce:

Butternut Squash Filling:

For this filling, you will need to have pre-cooked butternut squash puree (I do this by roasting the butternut squash in the oven, see note). In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of butternut squash puree with 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, 1 T cream, salt and nutmeg. Add more cream if needed to make the butternut squash filling creamy. Mix well, taste and add more seasonings if needed. Set aside.

Note: To make butternut squash puree:

Cut butternut squash in half, long ways. Scrape out the seeds and fiber out of each half.

Brush a baking sheet with olive or vegetable oil. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on to the baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes or until fork-tender. Scoop out the innards into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher OR puree with a food processor.

Spinach Filling:

In a medium bowl, combine spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside

Bachamel sauce:

Add all ingredients to a nonstick saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring continuously.

Lower the heat and let simmer for a few minutes, until it reaches desired consistency.

When it's almost ready, taste and add more salt or spices if necessary. How To Assemble The Lasagna: (follow these steps and see photo above)

Prepare a 1.5-qt loaf pan. Grease the loaf pan lightly with olive oil spray.

Spread a thin layer of bachamel sauce on the bottom of the dish. Top with 1 lasagna 'noodle'. And then spread another thin layer of bachamel sauce on top of the 'noodle'.

Spread half of the spinach filling over the 'noodle'. Top lightly with mozzarella cheese

Spread half of the butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese.

Top with the second lasagna 'noodle'. Spread another layer of bachamel sauce, spinach filling, a thin layer of mozzarella cheese, butternut squash filling, a thin layer of mozzarella cheese.

Top with the third lasagna 'noodle'. Spread the remaining bachamel sauce on top of the 'noodle'. Top with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper.

Bake The Lasagna:

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes or until bubbly and the top starts to get lightly golden brown.

Let cool at least 20 minutes before serving. Otherwise it will fall apart when slicing.

Kyndra Holley's Carveable Keto Cookbook is a must for your low carb bookshelf!

Her cookbook contains the recipe for the 'noodles' used

in my Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna,

so be sure to check it out:

Nutritional Information:

Calories 522.5 Total Fat 42.5 g Total Carbohydrate 9.1 g Dietary Fiber 0.7 g Protein 26.9 g

Net Carbs 8.4 g

Apple Walnut Muffins | Low Carb | Keto | Gluten-Free

I welcome you to try these low carb gluten-free Apple Walnut Muffins. They are the perfect fall breakfast or snack! Just the right amount of crisp apple are in these muffins, giving them that apple that you crave this time of year, and still keeping them low in carbs. The muffin itself is light and fluffy and flavored with cinnamon, filled with bites of apples and then topped with chopped walnuts. Fall is the time of year for wonderful apple choices. You can use your favorite baking apple in this recipe. Being in New York state, we have so many choices in our farmer's markets to choose from this time of year. I personally like Cortland, Macintosh,Granny Smith, Fuji or Gala apples for these muffins.

These muffins are definitely worth making! Your family and friends will love them.

Low Carb Apple Walnut Muffins

Low Carb Gluten-Free Apple Walnut Muffins

Low Carb Gluten-Free Apple Walnut Muffins

Apple Walnut Muffins | Low Carb | Keto | Gluten-Free

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups fine ground almond flour

3/4 cup Swerve granular sugar replacement

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Trader Joe's is my favorite)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 eggs

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or plain unsweetened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 small apple, weighing 4 to 5 ounces peeled, seeded, and diced (Granny Smith, Cortland, Macintosh, Fuji, or Gala apples)

3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Prepare a muffin pan by lining it with muffin papers.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, granulated Swerve, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well blended.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk and vanilla extract. Whisk in melted butter (or coconut oil).

4. Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together. Fold in diced apple.

5. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full.

6. Top each muffin with chopped walnuts.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Do not over bake.

8. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the pan. Remove from pan and continue to cool on cooling rack.

This recipe is adapted from Simply So Healthy, using the ingredients I like to bake with.

Nutritional Information: 4g net carbs per muffin