30 days until spring.
That means all these COVID pounds need to start melting off because hopefully, many of us will be vaccinated and we can resume semi-normal activities this summer! But holy-moly, sitting at home for a year has not been kind to the body. Trying to stay on track with low carb is hard, and working out at home is hard-especially with the weather being so rough. I have forgotten what it is like to wear pants that zip?! I know I am not the only one. It’s been tough but I also think we need to be kind in forgiving ourselves. We have gone through a pandemic, a tumultuous economy, and a non-peaceful election cycle. None of this is normal. Feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated is normal. Getting tired of the people you’ve been locked in the house with for 12 months is normal. I have to remind myself of these truths a lot lately. I get seasonal depression, and it gets very bad in late February every year. My husband is used to me and tries to suggest things to help, Lord bless him. But THIS seasonal depression has added layers of COVID lockdowns, vaccine anxiousness, and record snowfalls, to name a few. But I keep trying. Especially the low-carb eats. I keep trying, because I know if we aren’t as active day in and day out, carbs will NEVER get used up, and fat stores keep growing. So we have to keep the carbs to a minimum (let’s pretend I didn’t make my way through half a bag of sea salt popcorn last Wednesday….*cough cough*).
I was getting tired of eggs last week, which is the go-to low-carb breakfast with keto/paleo/whole 30. I was craving a muffin or quick bread of some kind and tried this recipe. The walnuts in this bread make it extra filling, and the Paleo Flour Blend from Bob’s Red Mill is my new favorite flour replacement. There are a plethora of natural sugar replacements on the market right now, so try different ones to see what your tastebuds prefer. I find Stevia to have an aftertaste that works in some things, but not in others. I also find that some sugar alcohols upset my stomach, and other natural sugars like Monkfruit are easily digested by my system-yet are not as sweet as other alternatives (needing to finesse the recipe ratios for proper sweetness.) I liked this bread without the frosting, but you can certainly use it to get more of a carrot cake vibe. I spread some vanilla whipped cream with a slice and a cup of coffee and it was quite delightful. So you do you to get yourself through the next 30 days.
Maybe it’s all about balance? If you binge on a candy bar to cheer you up, then have a salad for dinner to get back on track. And don’t judge yourself or any of the choices you make right now. Just keep showing up and trying. That is heroic enough.
Low Carb Carrot Spice Bread
Preheat oven to 350˚. Line a 9” loaf pan with parchment paper, and spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (flour blend, tapioca starch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices). Mix in the sweetener. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whip the soft butter, then add the eggs and whip until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and almond milk and mix until well blended. Fold in the dry ingredients until combined. Add the shredded carrots and the chopped walnuts and mix until evenly distributed. Pour into the loaf pan, and use a spatula to make sure the batter is level. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top should be a golden brown and spring back to the touch. Let cool on a wire rack.
Whip the cream cheese until fluffy, then add the sugar and vanilla and cream, and whip again. Spread on cooled bread.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚. Line a 9” loaf pan with parchment paper, and spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (flour blend, tapioca starch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices). Mix in the sweetener. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whip the soft butter, then add the eggs and whip until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and almond milk and mix until well blended. Fold in the dry ingredients until combined. Add the shredded carrots and the chopped walnuts and mix until evenly distributed. Pour into the loaf pan, and use a spatula to make sure the batter is level. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top should be a golden brown and spring back to the touch. Let cool on a wire rack.
Whip the cream cheese until fluffy, then add the sugar and vanilla and cream, and whip again. Spread on cooled bread.
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