COOKIES: LOW CARB CRANBERRY WALNUT (click here to print)

• 1 and 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1 cup whey protein powder (ISOPUR) has 0 carbs
• 1/2 cup (one stick) butter
• 4 oz cream cheese (can use a low fat version)
• 2 eggs
• Sugar substitute equal to 1 and 1/2 cups sugar (see below)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup whole cranberries (fresh or frozen; no sugar added)

Preparation

Notes on Special Ingredients: In this recipe, a combination of almond meal and whey protein powder takes the place of regular wheat flour. If you use a flavored protein powder, you will probably want to cut down the amount of sweetener in the recipe. I used Designer brand Vanilla Praline, which does have artificial flavorings in it.  Look for a 0 carb protein powder

I use liquid sucralose (sucralose is the sweetener in Splenda®) as a sweetener. More about the advantages of liquid sweeteners

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

1) Cream the butter and the cream cheese together until the mixture is fluffy. Add the sweetener, cinnamon, and salt, and beat again. Add the eggs, and beat until combined.

2) Add the almond meal, protein powder, and baking soda and combine well.

3) Mix in the cranberries and the walnuts.

4) Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, or one covered with a silicone mat. The size is up to you, but avoid very large cookies.

5) Bake about 7 to 9 minutes, until the tops are just browning. Cool the cookies completely before eating -- really, they are so much better after they are cool. I don't know why. Store the cookies in a sealed container.

Nutritional Information: Each of 32 cookies has 1 gram of effective carbohydrate plus 1 gram of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 94 calories.

Source: verywell.com