Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Easy Low Sugar Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake

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There are so many wonderful reasons to love the month of May. The school year ends (for most), the frigid weather finally becomes pleasant (in Nebraska), and strawberries are everywhere (in bowls, in plates, in my hand…). I will now introduce you to my most recent recipe experiment involving strawberries: Easy Low Sugar Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake.

This cake is moist. It’s flavorful. It’s low in sugar. It’s whole grain. It offers the wonderful taste of early summer joy. And friends, it is topped with Cream Cheese Frosting. I declare that to be the MVP of this cake – along with the strawberries, of course!

Cutting Back on SugarYum

If you’ve been around here long, you know that I’ve taken the liberty of cutting down the sugar in many recipes, making sure they still taste amazing. I believe a lower sugar ratio is something we can get our taste buds used to! I recommend cutting back on sugar gradually, starting with homemade desserts and muffins.

Hoping to cut back on sugar? Read some simple ideas here to help make that happen!

And now, I reward your cutting-back-on-sugar efforts by giving you this recipe:

Easy Low Sugar Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake

Easy Low Sugar Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake
 
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Serves: 15
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • ½ cup sucanat or sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ cups fresh or frozen strawberries
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Puree strawberries until smooth.
  3. Add pureed strawberries, milk, sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla.
  4. Mix with beaters until smooth.
  5. Pour into a buttered 9x13 cake pan.
  6. Bake in a 350° oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  7. Allow cake to cool.
  8. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe options below)

Want to keep the frosting low in sugar too?

Here are my favorite Low Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting recipes!

Stevia-Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tablespoons softened butter
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Liquid stevia to taste (I use about 20 drops)

In a large bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Add softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and stevia – whipping until well combined and smooth. Spread over cooled cake. Store in refrigerator.

If you prefer, here’s a slightly sweeter but still not too sugary frosting option:

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces softened cream cheese
¼ cup softened butter
3-4 Tablespoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With a hand mixer (or in your blender), whip together all ingredients until smooth. Spread over cooled cake.

Looking for more Low Sugar Recipes?

Here are just a few of our favorites!

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INCREDIBLE Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

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Stop what you are doing right now and make these Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake Bars!! Well, maybe finish reading this post so you can get the recipe. Otherwise though, the making of these bars should become a very high priority. My family is in love with them!

As it happens, one day I decided to experiment with combining my Raspberry Oatmeal Bar recipe with my Crustless Cheesecake recipe. The result is this incredible, layered dish of delightfulness.

The cheesecake filling bakes right into the bars, creating a fantastic moist texture with raspberry cheesecake flavor. Truly, each bite of these bars is full of WOW.

As a bonus to the deliciousness of these Raspberry Cheesecake Bars, we get to enjoy the nourishment of whole grains, healthy fats, and low sugar content. I personally find nothing wrong with serving these bars for breakfast. But they are also wonderful as a dessert!

Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake BarsYum

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Whole Grain Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
 
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Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1½ cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup melted butter
  • ½ cup 100% raspberry jam
  • CHEESECAKE LAYER:
  • 8-ounces softened cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Mix together flour, oats, sucanat, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Stir in melted butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.
  3. Press half of the mixture into an 8x8 inch baking pan.
  4. Spread jam over the top.
  5. In a blender or with beaters, whip together cream cheese, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  6. Spread this cheesecake layer over the top of the jam.
  7. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top of the cheesecake layer.
  8. Bake in a 350° oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned.

Not a fan of raspberries? Substitute any of your favorite jams or jellies. And my next experiment will likely include something involving chocolate too! (You are shocked, I’m sure.)

Want more info?

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Easy Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes

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This recipe is so easy I’m not sure why we haven’t been making this for years and years. Not to spoil the punch-line, but it is a fact that we can make Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes simply by whisking some unsweetened cocoa powder into our pancake batter. Yup, it’s that easy!

I’ve always loved fresh berries and whipped cream on my pancakes, but on Chocolate Pancakes? Be still my heart.

Or on another day, I might spread homemade peanut butter over my chocolate pancake for a fabulous chocolate peanut butter combo. You know, for the added protein. Yes, that’s why I do it. ;)

The topping possibilities for these Easy Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes are endless, and I love the fun and ease of turning regular pancakes into a chocolate surprise.

I always have a big container of Homemade Pancake Mix on hand, so making a batch of these pancakes is even easier! Here’s how I make these:

Easy Whole Grain Chocolate Pancakes

Easy Chocolate Pancakes
 
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Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole grain flour (I use freshly ground hard white wheat)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • OR 1 Cup Pancake Mix**
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup cultured buttermilk or regular milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3 Tablespoons melted butter (or oil)
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the ingredients until the batter is smooth.
  2. Cook pancakes on a well buttered, hot skillet or griddle, flipping once bubbles begin to form.
  3. Serve with real maple syrup, applesauce, jelly, fresh fruit, or any of your favorite pancake toppings.

Recipes for you!

Here are our favorite pancake toppings:

Resources for you!

  • Do yourself a favor and order any of the Unsweetened Cocoa Powders from Olive Nation. (And use the code home to get 20% off!) I can’t tell you what a wonderful difference these cocoa powders have made in my chocolate recipes. The quality is MUCH better, and they do not cost more than I was spending on the lesser varieties. Rock on!
  • Do you have our **Simple Mixes to Save the Day eBook yet? Grab it so you can save time and energy by using the Pancake Mix for this recipe!! I LOVE having these mixes on hand!!![wp_eStore_fancy1 id=27]

What are your favorite pancake toppings?

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Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs

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If it seems too simple, that’s because it is. Today I am sharing what is so obvious, you probably already thought of it yourself. Still, it is worth taking the time to mention the idea to take the Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs, add sauce, and make the meatballs into a brand new meal of Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs!

Oh how I love food that is versatile like this. When we can make one recipe, but turn it into whatever we need it to be – now THAT is a recipe to keep in our back pockets!

Like literally. Print this out and put it in your back pocket. Later, you’ll reach in and say, “Oh! I have something in my back pocket. Could it be a $5 bill I forgot about? No? It’s a recipe for Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs? Well that’s even better than surprise cash!”

Yes, that is exactly the scenario that will happen when you put this recipe in your back pocket.

Now my friends, watch and see how easy it is to make a delightful (and ridiculously obvious) variation to our newly beloved Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs. We shall now add sauce, serve them with our favorite pasta, and make everyone in our family very happy. But no one will quite be as happy as we are because we are the ones cooking the food and we are the happiest about the ease of this recipe idea!

Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs

Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1-2 pounds of pre-made Parmesan Meatballs*
  • 16-ounces of our favorite pasta sauce (red or white!)
  • 12-ounces cooked pasta
Instructions
  1. Reheat or bake meatballs* as directed.
  2. Pour sauce over meatballs and simmer until heated through.
  3. Serve over your favorite prepared pasta. OR
  4. Serve with rice or potatoes if you like!

* Here’s our recipe for Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs.

Another of our favorite ways to enjoy these Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs? With this 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. Along with a salad and veggie, of course.

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Real Food Recipes That Include Natural Peanut Butter

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Peanut butter is a great source of healthy fat and protein, but also, it just tastes delicious. Pair it with chocolate, and all we need is a glass of milk and a smile. Today we’ve got 40+ Real Food Recipes that Include Natural Peanut Butter. But first, let’s talk about making homemade peanut butter. It’s incredibly easy!

Real Food Recipes That Use Natural Peanut Butter

As my life has become more full (ha, I didn’t think that was even possible!) – I’ve stopped making every single food from scratch. I’m looking at you Homemade Ketchup and Homemade Hashbrowns. But Homemade Peanut Butter? I can’t not make it. The homemade version is just too incredible. So I take 5-pounds of peanuts and spend the time turning them all into peanut butter. One mess, 6ish jars of homemade peanut butter. Fast, easy, and WORTH IT.

Here are the tutorials for making peanut butter. Be amazed at how easy!

Now we’ll take that peanut butter and turn it into any of these 40+ recipes!

Real Food Recipes That Include Natural Peanut ButterYum

See that recipe up there for Homemade Peanut Butter Captain Crunch? Ha! I’d forgotten about that one! If I’m not taking the time to make ketchup or hashbrowns anymore, I’m certainly not taking the time to make Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. But you’ve gotta admit: It’s fun to see how it’s possible. And it is super delicious.

What are your favorite ways to use Peanut Butter?

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Easy 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Truffles for Valentine’s Day

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Not that we can’t make a treat like this any day of the year. It’s just that these Peanut Butter Truffles seem best served as a special Valentine’s Day treat. Perhaps we should make a trial batch here in January though? And maybe remind ourselves how to make them sometime next April? Then again in August. All that to say, who am I to tell you when to make these truffles? I totally and completely support your truffle-making choices.

I love how easy these are to make. I love that the only sugar in them is what is already in the chocolate chips. I love the peanut butter-chocolate combo. I love…well, love. So see? These are perfect to make for Valentine’s Day!

Easy 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Truffles

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Easy 4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Truffles for Valentine's Day
 
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Serves: 18-24
Ingredients
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter (I used homemade peanut butter*)
  • ⅛ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan stir together chocolate chips, cream, and butter over medium heat.
  2. Just as the chocolate chips have almost melted, add peanut butter and stir until smooth.
  3. Spread mixture into a pie pan and chill for about two hours.
  4. Cut and roll mixture into 1 inch balls.
  5. Dip balls into cocoa powder if you like.
  6. Place on parchment paper and chill until set.

*I use homemade peanut butter from one of the following recipes:

Roll these truffles in powdered sugar for a fun variety. And place them into holiday colored mini-muffin liners to make them festive!

Here are many more Low Sugar Treats for you to enjoy!

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Simple Cheesy Salsa Chicken – 2 Minute Prep!

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What has kept me from thinking of this idea Simple Cheesy Salsa Chicken before? After all, I’ve been on a grand mission to use the same basic, real food ingredients in all different ways to create a variety of easy-to-throw-together meals. And yet, it never occurred to me to put chicken and salsa together, then stir in some cheese?

It’s like the idea was too simple to even become an idea. But aha! We have thought of it, it has become a wonderful idea, and now we can put dinner together with 2-minutes of “work.”

You may recall the Simple Crock Pot Salsa Shredded Beef idea, in which we put a frozen (yes, frozen!) roast into the crockpot and dump salsa on top. It cooks itself, falls apart like magic, and tastes amazing in tacos, burritos, salads, or simply on a fork. Now let’s take that same idea and use chicken instead.

Frozen chicken, to be exact. Unless you are the type to actually remember to thaw your meat. Thawed meat works well too. Some of us are underachievers who cannot handle thinking of and walking to the freezer hours before meal prep time. We feel ridiculous about this weakness, but it is what it is. Dinner arrives at the table just the same because we have learned ways to compensate for our lack of meat-thawing skills. We have accepted that thawing meat is not our gift. We have moved on.

Therefore, we take frozen, boneless chicken and put cook it with salsa until it falls apart. We eat it with joy, and because of this, we are never motivated to remember to thaw meat again.

Simple Cheesy Salsa Chicken

Simple Cheesy Salsa Chicken - 2 Minute Prep!
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 2 cups salsa
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (we like Colby jack best, but any will work!)
Instructions
  1. Place chicken and salsa into a Crockpot, Instant Pot, or cooking pot.
  2. Crockpot: Cook on low for 7 hours.
  3. Instant Pot: Seal and cook on manual at high pressure for 10 minutes.
  4. Stove Top: Cover and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly and shreds easily.
  5. Once meat is cooked, shred or cut into chunks and serve with cheese on top.
  6. Serve over cooked rice or tortilla chips or a bed of lettuce.

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Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

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I have a major confession, and I think you will all be a tiny bit shocked. (No I didn’t start eating margarine. Who do you even think I am?) For years, I deemed this Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe the best in the world. I held to this opinion for years. And now. NOW, I have discovered a recipe that is even better than the best. Allow me to introduce you to the marvelous, wonderful, fabulous 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese!

If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, I feel you, I get you, and I was on your Non-Instant-Pot-Team for many years. Then I finally gave in and allowed this jewel to change my life forever. I truly do love my precious Instant Pot because it saves me so much time and energy in the kitchen. It’s like God knew we all needed Simple Meals and Simple Recipes so on the eighth day He created the Instant Pot. And God said it was good.

What are my favorite foods to make in my Instant Pot? I’m so glad you asked.

If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, might I recommend that you save up and invest in one? I do think you will love it as much as I do!

For all the Instant Pot owners out there, you’ll be delighted to know that this 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese can actually be ready to serve – from start to finish – in just 10-minutes. This has become a great go-to lunch for my boys at home or a wonderful side dish at dinner after a busy day.

Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

4.0 from 2 reviews
Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 16-ounces whole grain pasta (any shape)
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (always butter, never margarine, amen, hallelujah)
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 cups shredded cheese (we love Colby jack)
Instructions
  1. Stir uncooked pasta, water, butter, and salt in your instant pot.
  2. Seal and cook on manual, high pressure for 4 minutes.
  3. Quick release the pressure.
  4. Open the pot and stir in the cream and cheese until melted and creamy.

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Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Hamburger and Potatoes

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Add this Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Hamburger and Potatoes recipe to the growing list of reasons it is awesome to have a stash of frozen hashbrowns waiting in the freezer!

Around here, we like our recipes to be both easy to prepare and made with real food. Why?

Because loving God and loving people is more important than well, anything else in this world.

(Matthew 22:36-40)

Therefore, we’re learning to do everything possible to keep our food as nourishing as possible, all while preparing it as quickly as possible. This frees up our time and energy to spend doing what God calls us to do each day.

Frozen Hashbrowns for the win!

I shared in this post about my happy hashbrown find and why I now rely on it for a healthy, convenient option. (In summary, Mr. Dells frozen hashbrowns has one ingredient: Potatoes. Beautiful!)

Since discovering these, I’ve come up with a variety of fun Hashbrown Casseroles that my family loves and that take only a few minutes to put together. Many can be made either in the oven or in the crock pot, which means I can make adjustments based on what we have going on each day!

Other super easy (but still real food) Hashbrown Casseroles I’ve shared:

Today we’re adding 5-Minute Cheesy Potatoes and Beef to the list! How can this be made in 5 minutes? Well, with our trusty frozen hashbrowns of course. And also, IF you follow this handy trick of cooking hamburger meat ahead of time, then all you have to do is pull out cooked meat, add it to your crock pot or baking dish with the other ingredients, and in 5 minutes, dinner is ready to bake!

Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Potatoes and Beef

Simple 5-Minute Cheesy Potatoes and Beef
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1-2 pounds ground beef
  • 30-ounces frozen hashbrowns (or 5 medium potatoes sliced thinly)
  • 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 cups shredded cheese (we use Colby jack)
  • ½ cup chicken or beef broth
Instructions
  1. Brown hamburger meat in a skillet on the stove-top.
  2. In a large crock pot, layer ½ of the potatoes followed by ½ of the cooked meat.
  3. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon minced onion, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and 1½ cups shredded cheese.
  4. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, meat, seasonings, and cheese.
  5. Drizzle broth over the ingredients and put the lid on the crock pot.
  6. Cook on "Hi" for 4 hours.

Need some veggies to go with this meal. YES. Always. :) Here are my favorite easy ways to prepare veggies to go with our meals!

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Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

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If you haven’t tried any of these varieties of Cheesecake Muffins, well, why?? They are beyond delicious! Perhaps it’s because you’ll been waiting for these Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins to show up?

Having a layer of cheesecake on top of any of these muffins is incredibly delightful. And when you eat one whilst sipping coffee or tea? Well, it might as well become a National Cheesecake Muffin Holiday. Truly, the joy. It cannot be measured.

Here is the running list of the other Cheesecake Muffin varieties we’ve shared recently:

And now for the latest!

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins
 
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Serves: 12-15
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Muffin Mix** or...
  • 1½ cups whole grain flour
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar or sucanat
  • ½ teaspoon baking power
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • ¾ cup frozen or fresh blueberries
  • Cheesecake topping:
  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Scoop Muffin Mix or measure dry ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Add egg, sour cream, milk, and melted coconut oil, stirring until ingredients are combined.
  3. Fold in blueberries.
  4. Scoop batter into 12-15 prepared muffin tins.
  5. Prepare cheesecake topping by blending (in a blender or with a hand mixer) cream cheese, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
  6. Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of cheesecake topping over each unbaked muffin.
  7. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-22 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

 

**Do you have our Simple Mixes to Save the Day eBook yet? Grab it so you can save time and energy by using the Muffin Mix for this recipe!! I LOVE having these mixes on hand!!!

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What is your beverage of choice while eating baked goods like muffins? (My favorite is this coffee with a little cream stirred in!)

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