Wednesday, January 3, 2018

My Top Tips for Starting the Ketogenic Diet


Hey everybody! So with the new year came tons of people starting Keto! So I thought I would make a list of my top tips for Keto. I’ve been adding tips to my notes for the past day, so I might add more if I think of them. 💗 Here they are- 

1. Educate yourself! Do not start Keto without first doing research. You are setting yourself up to fail. You need to know what to do and what to  expect before you start. You may be blindsided by #5 and give up. There are sooo many resources available for you to teach you about Keto. Google and Pinterest are your friend when you are first starting out! There is tons of research, personal stories, and recipes available. 

2. Realize Keto is not “one size fits all”. There are so many different ways to Keto. Some people may have to stay below 20 net carbs to remain in ketosis, and then there are some people who can handle 50 net carbs. You also have the people that follow net carbs (total carbs minus fiber minus sugar alcohols) vs people that count total carbs. There are also different macro (macronutrient = fat, protein, carbohydrate) ratios and calorie levels. You have people that track everything they eat and then there are people that don’t track anything. Everyone does Keto a little differently.  

3. Find what works for you! This can be a hard thing. People want an exact answer on what to do to reach their goals, but it’s such an individual thing. You’ll see that quickly when you ask for advice on a Keto FB group. Some people will say to up your fats, then another person will say you don’t need fats. Same with protein, increase it or decrease it. Then what grams of carbs people should stick to. There are going to be varying answers, as highlighted in # 3. Just because it works for someone else, does not mean it will work for you and vice versa. You will have to experiment to see what works best for you and your body. 

4. Calculate your macros and then track your food. I use this Keto calculator. You should be updating your macros as you lose weight. Personally I track what I eat. I find that when I don’t track I am able to maintain my weight, not lose. And since my goal right now is to lose weight, I have made the choice to track what I eat with the MyFitnessPal app. I use the free version and change the macro goals to fit what’s been calculated for me. 

5. Expect and recognize the Keto flu. You will learn about the Keto flu when doing your research for tip #1. This can happen at any point while eating Keto but it is especially prominent during the first week. Your body is detoxing from the carbs and sugars, and your electrolytes go wacky. Which leads me to tip # 6.....

6. Electrolytes! Electrolytes are sooo important when you are eating Keto. You have to be replenishing your sodium, potassium, and magnesium. The products I use are 1) Ultima electrolyte replenisher in raspberry, 2) Natural calm magnesium drink in raspberry lemon, and 3) Himalayan pink salt. 

7. Use a food scale. This goes with tip #4 with tracking your food and macros. I used to think only crazy health people had food scales, but once I got one I realized how important they are. Even when you follow the 2 Tbsp or 1/2 cup measurement that is provided on the nutrition label, it is usually much more than the amount by weight. So I use it to make sure I’m accurately following the serving size and macros. 

8. Use other measurements besides the scale! The scale is not the only (or even best) measurement of your progress. There are so many factors that influence your weight like muscle and water. You should be taking measurements of your body to track inches lost. I also love taking pictures to track my progress that way. Sometimes I’ll feel like I look the same way I did when I started, but that’s easy to prove wrong when I place pictures side by side. It’s especially helpful if you’re at a plateau/stall. 

9. Be patient! I see so many people on the Keto FB groups with these crazy expectations on how much weight they are going to lose. “I only lost 20 pounds my first month. What am I doing wrong?!” You did not put on all this weight in a month, so you are not going to lose it all in a month. I’m a very slow loser so I’ve had to be incredibly patient and trust the process. This also leads me to number 10->

10. Don’t compare! There is always going to be someone who is losing weight quicker than you, working out more than you, losing more inches than you, and making progress quicker. Please don’t compare yourself to others, it will just make you miserable. Compare yourself to the person you were yesterday, last month, last year. Work on yourself while focusing on yourself, not others. 

11. Give it at least 30 days, even better... 100 days. I’ve seen people try Keto for a week and then quit. How can you really tell how this way of eating is going to benefit you in a week?? Stick around for a while before you decide if it’s right for you. There are so many rewards that I did not experience right away. Clear skin is a big example of that. At the beginning my skin actually got worse, but I trusted the process and it paid off big time. There are a lot of 100 day Keto groups that you can join for accountability and support. 


Okay guys, that’s all I have for now! I hope this was helpful 💗

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Gluten Free S'mores Cake and Cupcakes Recipe

This past weekend for my sister's 10th birthday party, I made two dozen S'mores cupcakes and a three-layer S'mores cake. They were both decorated with a beach theme, but you could also decorate it with mini hershey bars, kisses, or chocolate shavings to make it more "adult-appropriate." The recipe below makes two dozen cupcakes or two 8-inch cakes. I made 1.5x the recipe to create a three-layer 9-inch cake.




Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes or Cake Recipe-

Ingredients-

2 cups gluten-free flour blend (I use cup4cup
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (omit if using a flour blend that contains xanthan)
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup salted butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions- 

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. In your mixing bowl, combine gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 
3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, cocoa powder, and 1 cup water. Bring just to boiling, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and add to try ingredients. Beat until combined.
4. Add buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat for one minute on low-medium speed. 
5. Pour batter into cupcakes liner.
6. Bake at 350℉ for 17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
7. Let cool in pan for five minutes, then remove cupcakes. Wait to frost until completely cool. 

*You can also bake this as a cake in a 9x13" pan for around 35 minutes, or in two 8" pans for around 22 minutes. Make sure to spray the pans well with non-stick cooking spray or grease using butter.*

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting Recipe-

Ingredients- 

2 cups salted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
1 (13 ounce) jar marshmallow creme

Directions-

1. Cream butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until butter is soft and fluffy.
2. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time. Beat in almond extract.
3. Gently fold the marshmallow creme into the frosting until thoroughly incorporated. 

Graham Cracker "Sand"-

To create the 'sand' for these cupcakes, I simply took graham crackers (these can be gluten-free or regular) and put them in my nutribullet (you could also use any blender or food processor) and pulsed into it until it was the consistency of sand. I put it on top of the cupcakes to create a beach. For the cake, I put it in between the layers for taste and on top to create a beach. 

The edible seashells were purchased on Amazon










Recipes adapted from here and here






Thursday, May 4, 2017

Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents

There was some interest in my paper that I wrote for my Abnormal Psychology class on Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents, so I decided to post it here for those who wanted to read it. I left out the references page, but there are still in text citations.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that affects between 1 and 2.6% of all adults around the world (Corner 213; Giedd 32; Kessler et al. 617). Leonhard first used the term bipolar in 1957 for disorders comprised of both the lows of depression and the highs of mania (Leibenluft “Mood” 130). In 1980, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) adopted the name bipolar disorder to replace the term manic depression (Phillips and Kupfer 1663). Persons having a depressive episode may feel sad, down, empty, or hopeless, have decreased energy levels, decreased or increased need for sleep, have trouble concentrating, decreased or increased appetite, and/or absence of or decreased pleasure. On the opposite end of the spectrum, someone having a manic episode may experience grandiosity or overblown self esteem, reduced sleep need, increased talkativeness, agitation or irritability, rapidly shifting ideas, and/or excessive pursuit of risky and potentially problematic activities (Corner 184-186,212; “Bipolar Disorder”). If a manic episode experienced by one is less severe, it is defined as being a hypomanic episode.
There are four main types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder, and bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (Phillips and Kupfer 1663). Bipolar I disorder is defined as having an occurrence of a manic episode, plus a hypomanic or major depressive episode that either follows or precedes the manic episode (Purse “Differences”). Ronald J. Comer stated in the textbook Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology that “some have mixed features, in which they display both manic and depressive symptoms within the same episode- for example, having racing thoughts amidst feelings of extreme sadness” (212).  A person may also experience rapid cycling. Rapid cycling is when, “a person with the disorder experiences four or more episodes of mania or depression in one year” (“Rapid Cycling”). It can occur at any point during one’s disorder, and can come and go over many years. People with bipolar II disorder and women are at increased risk to experience periods of rapid cycling during their life. Ultra-rapid cycling is when episodes last between a few days to a few weeks. Lastly, ultradian cycling refers to variations within a 24-hour period (Miller and Barnett 172; Geller “Prepubertal” 81). Bipolar II disorder is characterized by the presence or history of major depressive episode(s), presence or history of hypomanic episode(s), and no history of a manic episode (DSM-5 154; Corner 212). The National Institute of Health defines cyclothymic disorder, or cyclothymia, as, “numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms as well as numerous periods of depressive symptoms lasting for at least 2 years (1 year in children and adolescents). However, the symptoms do not meet the diagnostic requirements for a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode” (“Bipolar Disorder”).  Lastly, bipolar not otherwise specified (NOS) displays depressive and hympomanic-like symptoms that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for any of the previously mentioned disorders. It should be noted that most children with bipolar disorder fall under the category of bipolar not otherwise specified.
One area that has come into focus with increasing interest in bipolar research within the past 20-30 years is the existence of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents, also called pediatric bipolar disorder, early onset bipolar disorder, or childhood onset bipolar disorder (Arabind and Krishnaram 88; Findling et al. 202; Perlis et al. 875; Leibenluft “Pediatric” 1122; Birmaher et al. 175). Although this is a relatively new area of focus, Elizabeth B. Weller wrote that:
There have been case reports of mania in preschool children and prepubertal school-age children dating back to Esquirol in the mid-19th century (1845). Kraepelin (1921), Kasanin (1931), Barrett (1931), Bleuler (1934), Olsen (1961), and Campbell (1952) have also reported cases of mania in this group. Kraepelin believed that mania existed in prepubertal children and that the occurrence of mania increased with the onset of puberty (709).
Studies of adults with bipolar disorder have reported a childhood onset in as many as 59% of cases (Geller “One-Year” 303; Lish et al. 281). However, the characteristics and clinical prevalence of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents remains a highly controversial topic (Kowatch et al. 483; Soutullo et al. 479; Aravind and Krishnaram 88). One thing that holds back researchers and clinicians are the challenges that come with recognizing and diagnosing bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. Those difficulties include the difference in symptoms compared to adults, course of treatment, and the symptomatic similarity to attention-deficient/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among other psychiatric illnesses including panic disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders (Aravind and Krishnaram 88; Findling et al. 202; Giedd 31; McGlashan 221; Soutullo et al. 479; Leibenluft “Mood” 130; Geller “Two-Year” 927; Miller and Barnett 171). These disorders may also be comorbid with bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.
Most researchers on the topic of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents agree that there are some major differences in the way that bipolar disorder manifests itself in children compared to adults. This has been one of the leading challenges in diagnosing the disorder in children. Diagnostic criteria in the DSM was developed for adults, and children with bipolar do not always meet that criteria (Aravind and Krishnaram 88). The most prominent difference between adults with bipolar disorder and children or adolescents, is that adult-onset forms are commonly characterized by distinct, lengthy mood states with inter-episode recovery. On the other hand, initial data suggests that children and adolescents with the disorder display brief mood episodes, rapid cycling, mixed states, and an absence of inter-episode recovery (Findling et al. 202; Geller et al. “Complex” 265; Geller and Luby “Child” 1168; Weller and Weller 711). Simply put, this means that adults with bipolar disorder have clear-cut, longer lasting depressive and/or manic episodes. Adults also experience a recovery-period between depressive or manic episodes. Children with this disorder lack those clear-cut episodes, making it extremely difficult to get an accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Chang writes, “As you get younger and younger, you start to lose those distinctions around the edges, and it's harder to discern discrete episodes. In other words, very often a child is rapidly moving from one mood to another, and so it's difficult to tell exactly when the mania starts and when the mania ends.” In one study, it was found that 57.7% of children and adolescents reported having ‘mixed-mania’ (coexistent mania and depression), also known as a mixed state, compared to 30% prevalence in adults (Geller et al “Complex” 265). Also, adolescents that were hospitalized for bipolar disorder were found to experience mixed states more frequently and experience psychosis less frequently than do adults who are hospitalized with the same disorder (Findling et al. 202; McElroy et al. 44). Children and adolescents may also display different signs and symptoms during manic and depressive episodes than do adults. One distinguishing characteristic of bipolar disorder in those under the age of 18 is irritability. Findling et al. writes in the article “Rapid, Continuous Cycling and Psychiatric Co-Morbidity in Pediatric Bipolar I Disorder” that, “periods of mania, hypomania, or mixed states can be characterized by irritability. Similarly, youths may appear more irritable than sad during periods of depression” (207). Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder may also display behavioral problems, which may include school problems like fighting, substance abuse, and sexual behavior (Aravind and Krishnaram 88). Lastly, family studies suggest that youth with bipolar disorder may have a greater genetic load, or presence of unfavorable genetic material in the genes of a population, for bipolar disorder than do adults with the disorder (Soutullo et al 479; Todd 141).
You can also find a variation in symptoms within children and adolescents. Elizabeth B. and Ronald A. Weller noted that, “a literature review by Carlson (1983) reported irritability and emotional lability were more common in manic children who were younger then 9 years of age, while euphoria, elation, paranoia, and grandiose delusions were more common in children older than 9 years” (Weller and Weller 711; Carlson)
Before moving on to the similarities between bipolar disorder in children and adolescents and other psychiatric illness, and also comorbidity, let’s discuss the signs and symptoms most prominent in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Varanka et al. performed a study of 10 6- to 12-yeard-old children who were diagnosed to have mania by DSM-III-criteria (1557-1559). Miller and Miller reported the results of the above study:
All of these children reported mood disturbances. However, 50% reported a primarily elated mood and 50% reported a primarily irritable mood. All were restless; 90% reported decreased sleep; 70% reported visual hallucinations and persecutory delusions; 60% reported increased sexual activity, pressured speech, and racing thoughts; 50% reported increased talkativeness, increased distractibility, flight of ideas, and auditory hallucinations. Grandiose delusions were reported by 20% (711).
In a different study conducted by Kowatch et al, they analyzed the clinical characteristics of mania in children and adolescents. Hypersexuality, appearing in 31-45% of cases, and flight of ideas, appearing in 46-66% of cases, were less common than any other symptoms or feature of mania. Occurring in around 70% of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder was racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, and poor judgment. Increased energy was one of the most commonly presented symptoms, appearing in 76-96% of cases (489-490). Weller and Weller reported that the clinical presentation in young children usually includes a worsening of disruptive behavior, difficulty sleeping at night, moodiness, hyperactivity, an inability to concentrate, and impulsivity. Explosive anger, low frustration tolerance, and episodic short attention span that are followed by depression, guilt, sulkiness, and poor school performance have been reported (711). There have also been reports of ‘model children’ who dramatically change and become ‘wild’ (Carlson and Cantwell).
There are numerous disorders that have symptomatic similarity to and/or are comorbid with bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. The disorder most prominently misdiagnosed with, or comorbid with bipolar disorder is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Jay N. Giedd writes that the “DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder and ADHD directly overlap for symptoms of talkativeness, distractibility, and psychomotor agitation” (31). Giedd goes on to say that other criteria, while not directly overlapping, can be difficult to discern clinically. These include decreased need for sleep (BPD) versus sleep difficulties (ADHD), flight of ideas versus difficult sustaining attention, and excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences versus impulsivity. There are also overlaps between the two disorders present in school performance, self-esteem, and social and family relationships. However, there are some distinguishing characteristics that set bipolar disorder apart from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Barbara Geller et al. conducted a study and found that 87% of children with bipolar disorder reported elevated mood, compared to only 5% of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Grandiosity, an unrealistic sense of superiority, was found in 85% of children with bipolar disorder versus 7% of those with ADHD. Decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and hypersexuality were also found to be more common in children with bipolar disorder than those with ADHD (Geller et al 81; Giedd 31). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder has also been found to be the most common comorbidity, the simultaneous presence of two chronic diseases in a patient. In a study by Findling et al., ADHD was found in 70% of the youths (75% of children and 61.8% of adolescents) (205). Where there is comorbidity between bipolar disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, it is recommended to stabilize the mania before treating ADHD symptoms to get the best results (Aravind and Krishnaram 90). It is worth noting that the treatment of choice for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, stimulants, are ineffective in the treatment of bipolar disorder and may actually induce mania in some individuals with very severe consequences. In a study, of the 73 children with bipolar disorder who were first treated with Ritalin, 65 percent were thrown into severe manic states and had to be hospitalized (“Research”). The onset of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is also usually earlier than the onset of bipolar disorder. The onset of ADHD occurs in their preschool years and the course of illness is more chronic (Weller and Weller 712).
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is not the only disorder that bipolar disorder is comorbid with or has symptomatic similarities. Conduct disorder, anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, and schizophrenia have been identified as possibilities. In one study, it was found that 81.1% of youths (83.9% children and 76.5% teenagers) met diagnostic criteria for a comorbid psychiatric condition while euthymic. Findling et al. reported that, “the onset of bipolar disorder proceeded the development of a substance abuse disorder in five out of six cases (83%)” (206). In children, the mania that comes with bipolar disorder has been associated with conduct disorder. Aravind and Krishnaram report that most patients with mania qualify for a diagnosis of conduct disorder. However, physical restlessness and poor judgments are more common in comorbid cases of conduct disorder, than in mania cases alone (90). Also, children with conduct disorder’s behavior are more hurtful and vindictive with the motive to get others in trouble, and do not usually show any guilt or remorse. On the other hand, a manic child’s behavior is usually more mischievous. Children with mania also display a push of speech, psychotic symptoms, or flight of ideas that children with conduct disorder do not (Weller and Weller 712). It also been noted that anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder and agoraphobia, are frequently comorbid with mania in children.  Another psychiatric disorder brought up in literature is schizophrenia. However, children with schizophrenia usually have a family history of schizophrenia and a more insidious onset of illness. They also do not have the push of speech, flight of ideas, or the engaging quality that a child with mania has.
Another highly controversial aspect of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents is treatment. There is currently a lack of long-term and combination studies on the topic, but there is still some data in literature from small-scale studies. Starting with the use of medication itself, Findling et al. found in their study of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder that:
Over the course of their lifetime, the average total number of psychotropic [any medication capable of affecting the mind, emotions, behavior] medications that had been prescribed to these youths was 3.94. The mean number that had been prescribed to the children was 4.07 and the mean number of medications that had been prescribed to the adolescents during their lifetime was 3.74. At the time of assessment, the youths were on an average of 1.56 psychotropic medications with the children on 1.50 and the adolescents on 1.65 agents (205).
Moving on to specific treatments, psychopharmalogical interventions for childhood mania include valproate, lithium, and/or atypical antipsychotics. Atypical, or second generation, antipsychotics include risperidone and aripiprazole, which have been approved to treat mania in children 10 years of age or older. Atypical antipsychotics seem to have a favorable efficacy profile in treating mania. Anti-consultants that were used in the past in the treatment of bipolar have proved to have a poor efficacy profile. As mentioned before with use of stimulants, antidepressants and SSRIs have been found to have adverse affects in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Chang calls for the “need [for] better studies of lithium, quetiapine, aripiprazole, lamotrigine, or other agents that are not antidepressants that have been either shown or have been thought to be effective in adults with bipolar depression.” On the forefront of bipolar treatments for adults is lithium. Researchers have been trying to confirm the same efficacy in children and adolescents with the disorder. According to Aravind and Krishnaram, lithium has been fund to be therapeutically effective in the management of pediatric bipolar disorder (90). In one short-term study, 20 children and adolescents with mania were treated with lithium. At a follow-up fifteen days later, there was a recovery rate of 63.5%. Greater severity and longer duration predicted a poorer response.
            First discussed in this paper were the signs and symptoms of the mania and depression that comprise bipolar disorder. These included the grandiosity, talkativeness, and rapidly shifting ideas that make up mania. And then the feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, and decreased pleasure and energy levels that make up depression. Next was the four main types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, cyclothymic disorder, and bipolar not otherwise specified. Also discussed were the concepts of mixed episodes and rapid cycling. This brought us to the main subject of the paper, bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. First talked about was the history of mania in children, dating back to the 19th century. Then we moved on to the three biggest difficulties that come up when talking about bipolar disorder in children and adolescents: symptoms in youth vs. adults, comorbidity and symptomatic similarities, and course of treatment. The first obstacle discussed was the difference in symptoms displayed in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder compared to adults with the disorder. Adults with bipolar disorder display clear-cut, longer lasting depressive and/or manic episodes. They also experience a recovery-period between depressive or manic episodes. However, children with the disorder lack those clear-cut episodes, making it extremely difficult to get an accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Children and adolescents also have a higher prevalence of mixed states, and irritability is present more frequently in depressive and manic episodes. Briefly discussed was the variation of symptoms with the children and adolescent age group. Then we moved on to the most prominent symptoms that children and adolescents with bipolar disorder experience. The top symptom was increased energy, followed by racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, and poor judgment. The next big difficulty was the comorbidity and symptomatic similarity of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents with attention—deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorder, and schizophrenia. The last challenge discussed was treatment. Atypical antipsychotics have shown promising efficacy in the treatment of mania in childhood bipolar. Lithium has shown promising results in studies as well. Anti-consultants, anti-depressants, and stimulants have been shown to be ineffective or cause adverse reactions in the treatment of bipolar disorder in children. There is a call for more research to be done to find treatments for the depression found in bipolar. Now that bipolar disorder in children and adolescents is gaining more attention, the hope is that more research and long-term studies will be conducted to further help children and adolescents with this disorder.


Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Marc Jacobs Highliner Voxbox

Received another VoxBox courtesy of @influenster ðŸ’œ This time it was two Highliner Matte Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliners from @marcbeauty! They quickly became my favorite brand of eyeliner after using them! They glide on easily with full color right away. No need to make extra passes. It stayed on all day and didn't smudge at all or lose its intensity. I got the (Earth)quake which is a dark brown/black and Mist me?which is a lilac/purple. The eyeliner has a sharpener at the bottom and twists to extend (no need for a sharpener). If you are interested in receiving free product in return for reviews and posts, click here. (I received these products complimentary from influenster for testing purposes though all opinions are my own.) #contest #highliner

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes are perfect for summer! (or when you're missing summer) This cupcake combines the tanginess of the lemon with the sweet burst you get from the blueberries. I made these cupcakes for Easter one year, and they were a huge hit! I hope they are with your friends and family as well.

The recipe will be posted below, and I have added a new feature to my blog so you can now print my recipes. A "printer friendly" icon should be located below the post so you can print the recipe and also decide what content you wanted printed. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting 
Yield 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

    Cupcakes

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

    Frosting

1 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
10-12 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line cupcake tins with 24 liners. 

2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla and lemon zest, mix to combine. Add the dry mixture in three parts alternating with the sour cream, ending with the dry mixture. Stir in the blueberries. Fill the prepared tins two-thirds full and bake 16 to 20 minutes. Cool.

3. For the frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and juice, blend until combined. Add the powdered sugar gradually until combined and desired consistency is achieved. 

4. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting. Optional- garnish with a fresh blueberry on top. 





Recipe adapted from here. 

Friday, December 16, 2016

Gluten Free Maple Bacon Cupcakes

I made these delicious cupcakes for my older brother's college graduation. They were a hit with everyone! The sweetness of the maple combined with the saltiness of the bacon is a match made in heaven. These cupcakes are best enjoyed the day of making them.

Recipe will be posted below, and I have added a new feature to my blog so you can now print my recipes. A "printer friendly" icon should be located below the post so you can print the recipe and also decide what content you wanted printed. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Yield- 14


Ingredients: 

Cupcake-

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free Flour
2/3 cup milk

Frosting-

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
4 cups powdered sugar

Topping-

4-6 slices bacon
Pure maple syrup

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a cupcake tin with 14 liners.

2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Scrape bowl as needed. Add dry ingredients, mixing until combined. With mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in milk, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated well and no streaks remain. 

3. Divide between prepared liners, using a large cookie scoop. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

4. Prepare bacon as desired. Drain on paper towels and chop into small pieces.

6. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter, followed by maple syrup. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar at a time to cream cheese mixer. Beat until smooth and piping consistency is reached. Transfer to a large piping bag, fit with a piping tip. Frost cupcakes and top off with bacon. When ready to serve, drizzle lightly with maple syrup. 





Recipe adapted from here.

Gluten Free Salted Caramel Crunch Cheesecake Recipe


For this past Thanksgiving, I was tasked with the job of making the gluten-free dessert. Though I'll be honest, I volunteered. We already had three not gluten-free pies, so I wanted to mix it up with a cheesecake. One of my favorite things lately has been salted caramel, so I made a Gluten Free Salted Caramel Crunch Cheesecake! This baby has five delicious layers! A gluten free graham cracker crust, layer of toffee crunch, salted caramel cheesecake, sour cream layer, and topped with homemade salted caramel sauce and toffee crunch!

Recipe will be posted below, and I have added a new feature to my blog so you can now print my recipes. A "printer friendly" icon should be located below the post so you can print the recipe and also decide what content you wanted printed. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Salted Caramel Crunch Cheesecake Recipe
Serves 12

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter softened
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 tsp flaky sea salt

Graham Crust

1 1/2 cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs (I just crushed gluten free graham crackers in a bag to create crumbs)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup Skor or Heath bits (I used Daim but you'll only find it overseas or in speciality stores like IKEA or World Market.)

Cheesecake Filling

4 [8 oz] packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
2 tsp vanilla extract

Sour Cream Topping 

3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp salted caramel sauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Skor or Heath bits, for garnish
Salted caramel sauce, for garnish

Directions

1. For the salted caramel, place sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Continuously stir until the sugar is completely melted and a deep amber color. Remove from heat and stir in butter until combined. Butter and heavy cream must be warm or the caramel will not mix and immediately harden. Add cream and sea salt (mixture will bubble up) and return to heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and pour into a glass container to cool completely. Can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.

2. For the cheesecake crust, preheat oven to 350℉. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar. Press the mixture evenly and firmly over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Skor or Heath toffee bits. Set aside.

3. For the cheesecake filling, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add cream, caramel, and vanilla extract until combined. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake 55-60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before placing topping over cheesecake.

4. For the sour cream topping, in a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, sugar, caramel, and vanilla extract until well combined. Spread over cheesecake and bake for 10 minutes in 350℉ oven. Cool 1 hour at room temperature and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle Skor or Heath toffee bits over top and drizzle salted caramel sauce to garnish.



Recipe adapted from here.