Low-Carb Chocolate Chip-Macadamia Nut Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cool off during the dog days of summer with this yummy low-carb treat!

Who among us doesn't remember the days when we'd take two cookies and smash our favorite flavor of ice cream in the middle to eat when the temperatures outside were blistering like they are right now? Yep, we sure did and it was a great way to cool off. Unfortunately, it wasn't so good on the waistline.

Nowadays, we're eating better than we used to because we're livin' la vida low-carb (RIGHT?!) and we're shunning the sugar in our diet, too (RIGHT?!). Because of that, I'm happy to share an absolutely amazing low-carb chocolate chip-macadamia nut ice cream sandwiches recipe compliments of our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur.

The cookies are from Big Train and I LOVE LOVE LOVE these. They taste just like toll house cookies and you'll NEVER believe they are low-carb. I was quite impressed. And the macadamia nut ice cream is the icing on the proverbial cake, so to speak. You won't want to go overboard with these, but they can be a nice oasis to beat the heat of that last blast of this summer scorcher! ENJOY! :)

LOW-CARB CHOCOLATE CHIP-MACADAMIA NUT ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

COOKIES
1 (8-ounce) package Big Train Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
1 Stick butter, at room temperature
1 large egg

MACADAMIA NUT ICE CREAM
3 cups heavy cream
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
3/4 cup NOW Xylitol sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Singing Dog Organic vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Mac Farms macadamia nuts

1. For the cookies: Mix according to package directions, adding the butter and egg. Portion the dough to make 20 cookies. Bake and cool following the package directions; set aside.

2. For the macadamia nut ice cream: Pour heavy cream into a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, stirring often so the cream does not boil over. Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, place eggs, egg yolks, sugar substitute and salt. Using either a hand mixer or a whisk, beat together until thickened and smooth.

4. Using a ladle, remove about a cup of the hot cream from saucepan and gradually whisk into egg mixture (this tempers the eggs so they wont curdle). Whisking, pour tempered egg mixture into remaining cream in saucepan.

Place over medium heat and whisk until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour into a clean bowl, whisk in vanilla and almond extracts; let stand until custard is completely cooled to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours. Refrigerate 2 hours, until well chilled, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

5. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturers directions. Add chopped macadamia nuts 15 minutes before freezing process is complete.

6. To assemble sandwiches: Arrange 10 cookies, top side down, on work surface. Using an ice cream scoop, working quickly, place 1/4 cup ice cream on each cookie. Top each with another cookie, bottom side down. Wrap each sandwich well in plastic wrap and place in freezer. Freeze at least 4 hours (ice cream will be soft) or overnight (for firmer sandwiches). Can be stored in the freezer up to 1 month.

Servings: 10
Prep time: 40 minutes
Bake/Cook time: 25 minutes

Calories: 422
Fat: 37g
Protein: 7g
Total Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 5g
Net Carbs: 15g

'Secret Sale' Contest Winner Announced

One of my readers was the winner of Low-Carb Connoisseur's drawing

To help celebrate their 10th anniversary serving the low-carb community, our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur conducted a special "Secret Sale" I told you about last week.

While the deal was you get 20 percent off of your entire purchase, one lucky winner would be drawn at random to receive an incredible 50 percent off! That winner was chosen today and just happens to be one of my blog readers:

BARBARA F. from Port Orchard, WA!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, Barbara! I know you'll enjoy saving a few extra bucks on your order. I'm glad you were able to take advantage of this special offer from our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur.

Special THANKS to Elaine for conducting this "Secret Sale" contest.

Online Low-Carb Retail Store Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary With A 'Secret Sale'

Low-Carb Connoisseur in business for a decade having a huge sale

The secret is out about a special "Secret Sale" happening RIGHT NOW at the popular online low-carb retail store Low-Carb Connoisseur. Believe it or not, they have been serving the low-carb community for the past 10 years and they want to reward YOU for your faithfulness over the years.

How are they doing that? Well, if you CLICK HERE to access the "Secret Sale" then you will automatically receive an instant 20 percent discount off of your entire purchase, including sale items. EVERYTHING is on sale! Sweet!

For example, my book Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year is already discounted 20 percent currently. But you'll get ANOTHER 20 percent off of it through this special sale bringing the price down to nearly $10!

This "Secret Sale" is even good off of some of the most popular new and bestselling low-carb products like Flax Z Snax Elite Brownie Mix, La Tortilla Factory Low-Carb Wraps, ChocoPerfection Bars, Konjac Shirataki Noodles, Ketone Strips, all of those beautiful Low-Carb Gift Baskets, and much, much more.

Elaine Payne, founder and president of Low-Carb Connoisseur, said she could not be happier with the long-term success that her business has seen since it first began in 1997.

"We're celebrating our 10th year of providing the low-carb community with the best products and the best customer service," Payne stated. "Stores and products have come and gone, but we are still here after 10 years, and we feel that the future of the low carb industry is looking brighter all the time!"

I can personally vouch for Elaine since her online store is based out of a town about an hour from my home called Anderson, South Carolina. She's enthusiastic about what she does and it shows in the personal attention you receive from her and her staff at Low-Carb Connoisseur.

As AMAZING as the "Secret Sale" already is giving you a 20 percent savings on EVERYTHING, one lucky customer will receive an added bonus--an incredible 50 percent off of their order--if their name is drawn at the end of the promotion.

This sale won't last for long, though, so stock up now on your favorite low-carb items during Low-Carb Connoisseur's "Secret Sale." ENJOY! :)

Oh My Gosh, It's Low-Carb Honey BBQ Wings!

Whip up some hot and spicy low-carb honey BBQ wings

When you are livin' la vida low-carb, one of the foods you get to know quite intimately is chicken. I bet I've eaten chicken every which way but loose in recipes that make me cluck just thinking about them. Yes, I LOVE my chicken, but it's hard to surprise me with a recipe that makes chicken stupendous again!

Well, it's finally happened with a recipe from my friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur for a low-carb version of Honey BBQ Wings. But I thought you couldn't have honey on the low-carb lifestyle because of all the sugar? That's right, you can't!

But this recipe uses a delicious low-carb alternative for honey to create the most mouth-watering, spicy BBQ wings that have ever graced the presence of your tastebuds! This is a perfect party platter pleaser whether you are livin' la vida low-carb or not. Don't be surprised when people come back begging for more!

Hey ya'll, chicken's BACK!!!

LOW-CARB HONEY BBQ WINGS
3 lbs. chicken wings, cut into drumsticks & wingettes
1 tsp. Emeril's Original Essence
1 tsp. ground black pepper
4 oz. Texas Pete's hot sauce
3 oz. Nature's Hollow Taste Like Honey
1 cup KC Masterpiece Low Calorie Barbecue sauce
Walden Farms Blue Cheese or Ranch Salad Dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Separate wings at joint with sharp knife. Rinse all pieces with cool water. Discard wing tips.

Place chicken pieces in baking pan. Coat evenly with Emeril's Seasoning and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix barbecue sauce with honey and hot sauce until well blended; coat baked wings evenly with BBQ sauce mixture. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered.

Serve with celery and Walden Farms Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing and ENJOY!

Oh my gosh, it's low-carb honey BBQ wings!!! WOO HOO!!!

Low-Carb Fudge To Tantalize Your Tastebuds

Who can resist homemade low-carb fudge around the holidays?

I don't know about the Christmas traditions you had in your family, but one of the things my mom always did was make fudge and lots of it. I remember seeing what seemed like an endless supply of chocolately fudge coming out our ears in the weeks leading up to December 25th. It was a tradition that my mom still does to this very day.

Now that I'm livin' la vida low-carb, that tradition can still continue with this incredible recipe for creamy homemade low-carb fudge that will tantalize your tastebuds compliments of our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur.

So, whip up a batch of this stuff for your friends and family and start a Christmas tradition of making this healthier alternative to the sugary fudge we all grew up eating. ENJOY!

CREAMY HOMEMADE LOW-CARB FUDGE

1 cup cocoa butter
2 blocks Ghiradelli unsweetened chocolate
2 cups your favorite sugar alternative
1 - 8 oz block Cream Cheese
2 tsp Singing Dog Vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a double boiler melt the cocoa butter then measure it. Grate or chip the unsweetened chocolate then add to the cocoa butter in the double boiler and allow to melt and blend. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly.

2. Soften the cream cheese and blend with the sugar alternative. Add the vanilla and blend until smooth.

3. Add the hot cocoa mixture and whip with an electric mixer until smooth and shiny and just beginning to thicken. Add the walnuts.

4. Pour into an 8X8 Pyrex pan lined with waxed paper. Chill completely. Cut into 36 squares. Keep refrigerated.

36 servings
Carbohydrates per piece: Less than 0.5

A Holiday Classic: Low-Carb Gingerbread New York Style Cheesecake

Nothing beats a well-made cheesecake just about any time of the year. But when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around each year, there's something special about creating this decadent and delightful dessert for friends and family members.

Your cheesecake need not be loaded with carbohydrates either and I've got just the recipe for you, too! Using the unique secret ingredient--DaVinci Gingerbread Syrup--this is a cheesecake you can be proud of and delight your guests with whether they are livin' la vida low-carb or not. You'll make this recipe a holiday tradition for many years to come!

Special thanks to our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur and Low-Carb Luxury for sharing this simple yet festive cheesecake recipe with us today. ENJOY!

LOW-CARB GINGERBREAD NEW YORK STYLE CHEESECAKE

1 cup Now almond flour
6 Tablespoons Splenda
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
5 (8-oz) packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Splenda
1 Tablespoon Oat Flour
1 Tablespoon Singing Dog Sugar-Free Vanilla Extract
3 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup DaVinci Gingerbread Syrup

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix the first three ingredients and then press into bottom of springform pan.

Mix cream cheese, Splenda, flour, Da Vinci Gingerbread syrup and vanilla with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each, just until blended. Blend in sour cream and pour over crust.

Bake 65-70 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around the rim of the pan to loosen cake and allow to cool before removing the springform pan ring. Refrigerate overnight.

Total carbohydrates: 97.3g
At 20 servings: 4.8g carbs per slice
At 24 servings: 4g carbs per slice