No Sugar, High Protein Carrot Cake

After success last week making some Apple Cinnamon Brekkie Bars using Protein Pancake Mix I used my imagination and made this carrot cake! It is awesome if I do say so myself... it is filling and fragrant, and without any added sugar!

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups Protein Pancake Mix
• 3 medium Carrots, grated
• 1 cup Sultanas
• 1/2 cup chopped Dates
• 3/4 cup Walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup Pepitas
• 1 cup Almond Meal
• 4 Eggs
• 1tbsp Olive Oil (or oil of your choice)
• 1 1/4 cups Milk (I use full cream organic milk, but you can substitute with the milk of your choice)
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut
• 1/2 cup Kapai Puku Seed of Life
• 2 tsp Mixed Spice
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celsius.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using your (clean) hands, combine everything together.
3. Pour and spread the mixture into a slice tin lined with baking paper.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown on top - it may need longer, depending on how firmly it sets near the middle of the pan.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing.
6. Enjoy!

I cut up the slab and store it in the fridge and freezer, warming it up in the microwave before eating (say, 30-40sec) makes it truly delicious!

You could also bake in a muffin tin or in patty cases (for less time, but I am yet to test) so they can be eaten on the run!

Apple & Cinnamon Brekkie Bars

 I'm a big fan of Protein Bread, and have a packet of their pancake mix in my cupboard. I'm so excited that this pancake mix is so versatile! I just ate a delicious slice of their Apple & Cinnamon Brekkie Bar for breakfast, such a nice change from porridge or low carb toast! Find the recipe here.

I like my measurements in cups, so here is a converted recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups Protein Pancake Mix
• 3 x Apples, cubed (I use Granny Smith)
• 1 cup Sultanas
• 3/4 cup Almonds, chopped
• 3/4 cup Pepitas
• 1 cup Almond Meal
• 4 Eggs
• 1Tbsp Coconut Oil/Butter
• 1 1/4 cups Coconut Milk
• 1 1/4 cups Desicated Coconut
• 1tsp Cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celsius.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using your (clean) hands, combined everything together.
3. Place the mixture into a slice tin and press down firmly.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing.
6. Enjoy!

I'm really looking forward to playing around with recipe too, substituting different types of fruit, cocoa, and even my favourite peanut butter! 

The Best Spread?

I love Protein Bread for breakfast, and I have a number of favourite spreads to choose from each morning, depending on what I feel like. So which one is best for me? Well in the end, it depends on what else I plan on eating for the rest of that day. The other main point below is I have also not taken saturated vs. non-saturated fats into account.
These are all good choices, so I decided to compare their nutritional values on a table:

	Vegemite	Cocopure	Mayvers	RDPB
SERVING SIZE	5g	10g	20g	15g
PROTEIN	1.3g	0.9g	3.7g	3.6g
CARBOHYDRATE	Less than 1g	2.9g	6.3g	1.4g
FAT	Less than 1g	4.4g	10g	8g

And here they are, if serving sizes were identical:

	Vegemite	Cocopure	Mayvers	RDPB
SERVING SIZE	5g	5g	5g	5g
PROTEIN	1.3g	0.45g	0.93g	1.2g
CARBOHYDRATE	Less than 1g	1.45g	1.58g	0.47g
FAT	Less than 1g	2.2g	5g	2.7g

You can learn more about each spread at their websites:

• Vegemite
• Cocopure Chocolate Coconut Butter
• Mayvers Dark Chocolate Super Spread
• Ridiculously Delicious Peanut Butter

Lamb Cutlets made with Protein Breadcrumbs

I enjoy eating Protein Bread because it meets my nutritional needs without filling me with sugar or carbohydrates. I love eating it for breakfast with Vegemite or Cocopure, and it also makes a lovely toasted sandwich!

I started thinking about lamb cutlets as the weather cooled, and wondered 'Is it possible with Protein Bread?' The answer is YES!

INGREDIENTS
2 slices of Protein Bread, dried (I left them on the window sill in the sun for a while)
1 dessert spoon of ground almonds
1 dessert spoon of Parmesan cheese (I use per grated Grana Padano from Fratelli Fresh)
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

6 x lamb cutlets (I get mine from The Artisan Butcher in Potts Point, Sydney)
 1 x large egg, beaten
1/2 cup of coconut flour

METHOD
- Place all crumb ingredients in small food processor and blend
- Cover lamb cutlets with coconut flour and coat with beaten egg
- Roll lamb cutlets in breadcrumb mixture
- Heat oil in shallow pan suitable for frying, cook for approx 4min each side
- Served here with sweet potato mash and steamed vegies (nothing too fancy, it was a weeknight) !

Creates enough crumb for at least 6 lamb cutlets.
Visit the Protein Bread website here, they also have a great Facebook page.
If you are located in Sydney you can try out Protein Bread at the Whole Meal Cafe in Darlinghurst.