TESTIMONY OF THE DAY
Do you or someone you know suffer from an autoimmune disease? Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder is close to my heart. One client really sticks out in my mind. Kiki was a middle-aged woman who came into my office. I saw her often in the weight lifting class that I take three times a week, but I never talked to her. It was impossible to ignore that she always wore a bandana on her head, but I never knew why. Her story is that in her 20’s she started losing her hair and by the time she came into my office, it was completely gone.
I love this story because Kiki was a professor so I never saw her at the gym during the school year. After 6 months of my anti-inflammatory, keto-adapted, gluten-free diet, Kiki walked into the gym with a bandana on like usual and ran up to me with a huge grin. She ripped her bandana off and had a full head of hair. She said with delight, “I had my first hair cut in 10 years!” As a woman, I can’t imagine. I use to let those “bad hair days” upset me, but after meeting Kiki, that just seems silly.
She thought I was crazy when I told her that she had a food allergy causing her to lose her hair. She is a total believer now! She was so excited that she had her first hair cut in over 10 years!
We eliminated certain foods and added in some specific supplements to help with skin and hair conditions. Also, in the cases that I see of autoimmune disorders (like alopecia) adding in low-dose naltrexone (LDN) to help immune status. LDN works by blocking opioid receptors so the pituitary will somewhat normalize and the immune system functions better.
If you or someone you know is interested in getting on the right path, please email me for a consult. I would be honored to help! Click HERE to get started!
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup Swerve (or erythritol )
1 tsp stevia glycerite
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups peanut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 cup ChocoPerfection Bar, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sweetener. Beat eggs in well. Mix in peanut butter, sour cream, and vanilla. Combine peanut flour, baking powder, soda, and salt together and add to creamed mixture. Stir in most of the chocolate chips, reserving a few for the top. Spoon mixture into greased mini muffin tin. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Makes 12 large muffins or 42 mini muffins.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1 large cupcake)
Traditional Chocolate Chip PB Cupcakes = 396 calories, 49.5 carbs, 2.5g fiber
“Healthified” Chocolate Chip PB Cakes (making 12 servings) = 302 calories, 12 carbs, 6.9g fiber
“Healthified” Mini Muffins (making 42 muffins) = 86 calories, 3.6 carbs, 2g fiber
*Nutritional Info using ChocoPerfection Bar
Wow, you’ve got some great-looking desserts and baking here lately.
Thanks so much!
OMG! These are sooooooooooo good!! I just pulled them out of the oven and the kids love them too!! The almond flour worked well. I’ll have to order some peanut flour. Thank you!
I just want to say that I love the addition of photos of all the ingredients you’re using. It’s helpful to see the exact brands you select when making your recipes.
I agree, especially for beginners. 😆
could I use greek yogurt instead of sour cream? I have a milk sensativity.
I would try a coconut based yogurt if you have a dairy sensitivity. Happy baking!
Why do you use Truvia and not Stevia? I am reading online, but just am wondering what guides you?
I am new to and LOVE your blog. I made zebra cakes last week and plan to make the muffins this week.
Thanks for all you do.
Truvia is a mixture of stevia and erythritol. I personally use erythritol and stevia rather than Truvia. BUT for people who want an option that is found in a traditional grocery store I list Truvia.
Happy Baking! These little bites are heaven!
My local grocery just had powdered stevia, no truvia. Do you think it is fair to use the same amount of the stevia as the truvia? THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!!!
No… You would only want to use a tsp of stevia… Otherwise it will be too bitter. I also would add erythritol or xylitol for crystallization and bulk. Check out http://www.netrition.com
Happy baking!
Can I make these with xylitol? What qty would you recommend? 1/2 cup? Would I also need the Stevia glycerite?
All fixed Molly! Thank you!
I reduced the peanut flour by 1/2 cup (simply because I didn’t want to open a new package) and they still turned out fantastic! I love having being able to have “muffins” without the carbs.
Thanks Molly! I’m glad to hear you liked them!
i bought just bought the “taste like sugar” which one would i use baking,brown or table and how much? im still waiting on your cookbook, have the other two, love them. Have to tell you. I had a mortons neuroma removed on july 1 and have the complication of complex pain syndrom and have tons of nerve pain. Dr. had me take two different type of antidepressants that are suppose to help with nerve pain, well i hate how i felt on them, after reading some of your book, i started taking 1000mg of magnisum, 750 of gabe and one of the 5 htp and i have been competely painfree with this little pain cocktail. Thank you so much, even told one of the foot docs i work with and told him what im doing and he is going to start having his patients take that for their nerve pain…
first time since july 1 i have been out of pain, thank you sooo much
connie
Thank you Thank you Thank you for writing! I know many doctors think I am crazy, but the proof is in the results! You are amazing! Keep it up!!!
For this recipe, I would use 1/2 cup of either, I like the taste of the Table Top better.
Happy Eating!
Thank you so much for this recipe. My husband and I agree that this is the best of the best of the low carb recipes I’ve tried thus far. So moist and delish! Our second favorite are your chocolate chip cookies in your book, by the way. Yum!!
Thanks SO much Rischa! You are very sweet!!!
Oh!!! I’m crazy frustrated right now! I paid an obscene amount for 1 lb Just Like Sugar (baking). I added 1/2 c to the butter to cream & within seconds it globbed up into one solid mass! Ruined & 1/2 c wasted! Any idea what went wrong???
Did you melt the butter? The JLS is all a fiber so it will suck up all the liquid and solidify. Was that the problem?
Yes. Too bad that isn’t stated on the pkg or on your recipe. I”m on attempt 3. (determined to have these yummies for tomorrow). It seems to be ok- they’re in the oven, so time will tell!
I suggest to sift the peanut flour and the JLS together (and baking powder) before adding the butter…just in case:) lol
I am dairy-free. Is there a good substitute for sour cream you can recommend?
I would use coconut cream. You can find all my milk and dairy substitutions at my aStore.
Happy eating!
This is the recipe we made today, using the swerve. It was a huge hit with all three of my kids, which says a lot. It is funny to think that these are way healthier than my daughter’s usual cheerios and milk. Do kids have to stick to the 10 tsp of sugar in bloodstream, or can they metabolize a little more?
A normal blood sugar is actually 1 tsp of sugar! Kids can metabolize more but that doesn’t mean it still won’t effect them in the long run (blood sugar spikes, fatty liver, etc). Our boys get little to no sugar and they thrive and are very active. 🙂
Have you ever used the silicone muffin and/or cake pans?
No, I haven’t but people that use them seem to like them. 🙂
your link to the peanut flour above in the recipe ingredient list takes you to Stevia glycerite. Where do you buy peanut flour? Do you use the dark or milk choco perfection bars?Also, is there something else you could recommend using for the chocolate chunks that costs less than the choco perfection bars? Thanks. I have 2 of your books and I love your blog and the fact that you actually answer people questions!
Thank you! I do my best to answer all questions that come in. I fixed the above for the peanut flour. Thanks for pointing it out! I use the brand in my astore that it links to now. I use the milk chocolate chocoperfection bars. I haven’t seen any lower price alternatives. The best would be to make your own (Cocoa, coconut oil, a little salt and maybe some vanilla extract if you like). 🙂
didn’t even think about making my own…thanks!
I can’t find peanut flour in our local health food store and, since shipping to Canada is exorbitantly priced, I substitute almond flour VERY successfully!! Also, I used an 85% cacao by Lindt and the kids loved it – a little bittersweet to off-set the sweetness.
Doubled the recipe so I can put some in the freezer in preparation for school lunches, as my 4 kids ask for these by name (My 11 year old son eats 4 in one sitting)!! It made 3 dozen plus 2 (coffee time!!). Enjoy!!
Maria, thanks for creating recipes we all enjoy and that fill us up – especially important for my bigger kids. I’m getting the hang of grain/sugar free, and having fun experimenting!!
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know how it went. 🙂
Do you like Swerve or Just Like Sugar better?
I like both but Swerve is about half the price of Just Like Sugar so that is my favorite. 🙂
when you bake with coconut oil, what type/brand do you use? I buy Nutiva and love it, but it does have a strong coconut taste. Was wondering what you preferred when baking.
I use this brand because it tastes good and it is a good price. 🙂 http://astore.amazon.com/marisnutran05-20/detail/B001EQ5I9M
Maria,
Do you know if there can be any negative side effects from using a chicory root sweetener?
Since it is almost all fiber, as with any fiber, you can get loose stools if you eat a lot of it (like a whole bag). I did a post on it if you just search on the right above for “chicory root”
what can I use instead of dairy for the sour cream
You could try Coconut Kifer. 🙂 http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2012/05/dairy-free-frozen-yogurt.html
oh and how much almond flour can I use instead of peanut flour?????
Yes, it just won’t have the peanut butter part of the flavor. 🙂
Yum, these just came out of the oven. Created a little concoction of flours since I didn’t have peanut..mixed coconut, almond and Jay Robb protein. Thank you Maria!
1)Can peanut flour, almond flour, and hazelnut flour be used interchangeably in baking?
2)When you say coconut oil or butter in a lot of your recipes, do you mean for the butter to be melted so it is like “oil”–or just softened? (There’s such a difference in the consistency–especially with cookies which flatten out with the oil.)
Thanks for all your recipes.
1) For the most part, yes. They will have a different flavor and Blanched Almond flour will have a consistency closer to real flour vs. a different nut meal.
2) Coconut Oil is solid at room temperature. If it should be softened, I state that in the recipe. 🙂
Sorry, I didn’t know that. I got coconut oil at the store and thru Amazon and it is all “liquid”. I notice the label says “becomes liquid at 76 degrees”. We don’t keep our house that cool so no wonder my cookies flattened out. Maybe in the winter, it will solidify when our house is cooler. Thanks!!
Ah! That must be it. Our house usually is about 74. 🙂
i didnt want to turn on my oven, so i made these in my waffle iron…they turned out perfectly! now i have peanut butter chocolate chip wafflemuffins!
Thanks! Great Idea!! 🙂
Another fabulous recipe from you! I am really loving these. I made twelve big muffins and froze most of them. When I take them out of the freezer I throw them in the microwave for twenty five seconds and I have a great breakfast or dessert. I bought all the ingredients you use and am loving the flavor so much more than using Splenda. Thank you!!
Thank you! 🙂
Do you use hershey sugar free chocolate chips (as shown in picture)when baking?Just picked up a bag and noticed that they contain maltitol, which I thought was a no no?
Thanks for all your recipes!!
Thanks! Yeah, that’s why I use a chopped up ChocoPerfection bar. There aren’t any good sugar free chocolate chips. 🙂
Hi Maria,
Recently, I found Lily’s chocolate chips that are sweetened with Stevia and have no sugar!! I haven’t bought them yet, but I am excited to try it out.
http://www.vitacost.com/lilys-dark-chocolate-premium-baking-chips-9-oz?csrc=GPF-PA-856481003180&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=856481003180&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=856481003180&gclid=CK6i3Nvai7wCFaTm7AodtwoAgg
Awesome! Thanks for the tip. 😉
I have tried these and they are great, and vitacost has a lot of good sales and shipping is reasonable. I purchase a lot of items from them, like Jay Robb Lily’s chocolate chips, Swerve. I can’t get these items in Canada is store so I really live Vitacost as Amazon.com does not ship to Canada either, such a shame, they could have so many customers.
Hi Maria,
Is the last picture of all mini chocolate chip cookies? They look gorgeous! What kind of flour did you use? I followed your recipe of “the best chocolate chip cookies” and used almond flour + coconut flour but the texture didn’t look like the ones in your picture.
It is just a pile of the mini muffins. The recipe is the above one. 🙂
What can we use for the sweetener part if we can’t tolerate any of the sweeteners very well?
I guess you could try leaving it out. Have you tried stevia glycerite? I haven’t found anyone that has an issue with that.
Do you think I can substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream and almond flour for the peanut flour? Want to make these so badly but don’t have those 2 ingredients.
That should work. Make sure to use full fat unsweetened yogurt.
These came out amazing! Everyone in my household is a peanut butter lover so these were such a success, especially for my 10, 8 and 4 year old kids. Great after school snack. I used almond flour instead of peanut b/c I didn’t have. And Xylitol instead of Swerve and plain yogurt instead of sour cream and they came out great. I just wish I could find more healthy nut-free snack options for the kids to bring to school! Any suggestions??
I thought you didn’t prefer eating of peanuts/peanut butter?
Love, love, love these! They’re going to be a staple in my home. I made them as directed but without chocolate chips. The recipe made 12 standard size muffins. The muffin cups were pretty full, but they didn’t rise too much or spill over. Baking time was approx. 23 minutes.
Thanks!
i know im getting better cuz i looked at this recipe and copied it in my recipes folder on my pc and thot mmmmm choc chipped muffins, im gonna go make these!
and then I thot, u know what? i dont really want any chocolate right now…i dont really want any sugar-kind-of-thing either! Do you know that is amazing for me?? I am content with the meals i’ve been eating today and last several weeks to a month.
WOOOOOW
That is great! That does happen with this lifestyle. 🙂
Healing really does happen BEFORE you lose the weight. That really is WHY it comes off, when it finally does LOL
I took 2.5 mos to lose much at all, esp compared to how much i have to lose. Now, it’s sliding off and i’m enjoying my meals; almost no snacking anymore either–even tho they were healthy snacks, i have no more need of snacks. FREEDOM JOY HOPE
That’s awesome!
For how long would you cook medium sized cupcakes?
Twice as long.
Just made these but had to use almond flour as my whole foods no longer sells peanut flour. They are wonderful. Used Lilly’s stevia sweetened chips and Mexican crema sour cream and the batter was so fluffy. A keeper in my book!
Awesome!!!