Red Raspberry Baked Brie (5g carbs/serving)

Appetizer, start to finish:  25 minutes, EASY

           

Here’s a simply elegant hors d’oeuvre that’ll take center stage at any holiday party.  The blending of flavors is exquisite.  Hints of curry and garlic accent the other delectable tastes.  Not too little.  Not too much.  Just enough.  Both play brilliantly against the sweet-tart fruit, the smoky chipotle heat, the crunchy cashews and the savory mellow cheese.  Multi-depth melty goodness.  (Man, oh man, is this good!)

Ah, and the fragrance while this is baking…. ‘Mouthwatering’ doesn’t do it justice.  It’s a symphony for your senses.  Pair this appetizer with plain low-carb crackers or sliced-thin and toasted-crisp bread.  You want the appetizer to carry the flavor; so, don’t use highly seasoned crackers.  They’ll detract from the cheesy-yumminess. They are the accompaniment, not the star of the show, after all.  

*World Table™ (Wal-Mart brand) offers some varieties of low-carb crackers.  Joseph’s Bakery has low-carb pita, tortilla and lavash options that are perfect to cut into smaller ‘slices’ and toast.  (Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.  Spray baking sheet with non-stick olive oil spray.  Arrange ‘slices’ in a single layer on sheet and bake 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.)  Or you can get ambitious and make your own low-carb plain flaxseed crackers/crispbreads.  (See credits for more info.)

Ingredients

·        1/2 cup cashews, coarsely chopped and toasted

·        16-ounce wheel Brie, do not remove rind (can use multiple smaller-sized wheels)

·        1 teaspoon curry powder

·        2/3 cup Smucker’s® Sugar-Free Red Raspberry Preserves with SPLENDA®

·        1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

·        1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder (or Cajun or Creole seasoning powder)

Preparation

1)       Preheat oven to 350° F.  While oven preheats, toast cashews in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.   Set aside.

2)       Sprinkle curry powder evenly over top, bottom and sides of Brie wheel(s).  Rub curry into the rind to thoroughly coat the surface on all sides.  Place each wheel in a decorative oven-proof dish. 

3)       Combine sugar-free preserves, garlic and ground chipotle powder in a small bowl.  Spread mixture evenly over the top of cheese, allowing some to drip down the sides.  Sprinkle toasted cashews over top.

4)       Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cashews are slightly golden and cheese inside the rind is melted.

5)       Serve warm with your choice of crackers or toasted pita/tortilla/lavash ‘slices’.

Numbers you need to know:  This recipe yields 16 servings, 2 tablespoons per serving.  Per serving:  Calories: 125; 10g Fat; 32mg Cholesterol; 7g  Protein;  5g Carbohydrates; trace Dietary fiber; 179mg  Sodium.  (This nutrition breakdown DOES NOT include the information for the crackers/pita/tortilla/lavash.  You’ll need to figure those carbs, etc., and add those into your totals.)

Nita’s notes:

I’m not really a dessert person.  Didn’t grow up with them as the norm.  This “Raspberry Baked Brie” has the kind of ‘special occasion’ carbs I like to consume and how I like to consume them—combined with an almost equal number of protein grams.  This helps temper the effect of the carbs on my blood glucose level, helping me avoid the dangerous spikes that leave me feeling awful.   Can’t count the terrible holidays I had as a child.  I was allowed a ‘special treat’ (sugary dessert) for said occasion, only to wind up very sick shortly thereafter.  Sometimes hospitalized.  Sometimes not.

Always, especially at the holidays, be aware of what you are eating.  Carbs, fats, calories and sodium add up.  And add up in a hurry when you’re attending a holiday party.  Just because this is a diabetic-friendly appetizer, doesn’t mean you can consume it like a ‘free’ food.   You can’t graze at the appetizer buffet.  You can’t consume LOTS of diabetic-friendly (but not ‘free’ food) food and it not affect your blood glucose level.  Even low-carb options consumed without regard will turn into high-carbs.  Party smarter.   

And don’t forget to count the ‘accompaniments’ to dips and spreads.  Some people don’t realize how high-carb most of these things are.  I’m pairing this Brie with “World Table™ Original Rice Crackers (Oven-Baked)”, which have 25g carbs and 130 calories in a serving of 15 crackers.  No, I’m not going to eat 15 crackers at one time.  But, that does translate into 1.7 grams of carbohydrate and 8.7 calories per cracker, which makes these crackers VERY low-carb/low-cal to eat with this spread.  Just pay attention.  Avoid the spike.  (I’d try to make a football reference; but, I’m team-sports-impaired.)

Here’s my party-hardy-but-healthy protocol:  1)  Check blood sugar.  Check blood sugar.  Check blood sugar.  And check it OFTEN during the festivities.  I mean it.  It’s better to know than to be willfully ignorant.  Too many consequences.  2)  I always take something I know is safe for me to eat in moderation, like my Raspberry Brie and rice crackers.  But, I do cut myself off when I’ve reached my carb/cal limit.    3)  I ALWAYS, ALWAYS take ‘free’ foods to nosh on once I’ve reached that carb/calorie quota.  I’m lucky.  I happen to L-O-V-E raw veggies.  So that’s never a compromise for me.  I take ‘em because I love ‘em.  I also keep a few single-serving mint tea bags and artificial sweetener in my Peacock Mini diabetes handbag.  That makes a nice sweet drink with no carbs and no post-party repercussions.

I know many people say they just eat what they want and take extra insulin; but, that doesn’t work for me.  And it’s not worth the “I feel like death warmed over” ickiness.  (I don’t want to celebrate my holiday in DKA.  That’s not celebrating.  That’s comatose.)  But, that’s me.  You have to decide for yourself.  What you are willing to sacrifice.  For me, it’s no choice.  I’d rather feel bright-eyed and alert to enjoy our holidays.  Play with the kids.  Hold the new babies.  Converse with a clear head.  Be involved. 

If in doubt about how to handle your holidays, talk to your healthcare team.  Even if you think you know what to do, it’s always a good idea to run it by your doc and dietician.

—Happy, HAPPY holidays from my home to yours. 

And, as always, make healthier choices for a happier life!

Anita Peacock

Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic

MyDiabeticBag@gmail.com

Check out my diabetes bags, y'all:  http://www.mydiabeticbag.com/

Join our Facebook diabetes support group:  MyDiabeticLife

Credits: 

·        “Raspberry Baked Brie” is my much lower-carb, much improved flavor version of “Chutney Baked Brie” in Ultimate Guide to Holiday Appetizers, http://images.allrecipes.com/site/allrecipes/appetizers2.pdf

·        Flax cracker/crispbread recipe:  http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lowcarb-recipe-help-suggestions/688339-flax-crackers.html

·        http://www.josephsbakery.com/Smucker's is a registered trademark of The J.M. Smucker Company.   http://www.smuckers.com/products/

·        SPLENDA is a registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.  http://www.splenda.com/

·        World Table™ “Original Rice Crackers (Oven-Baked)”, distributed by Wal-Mart Stores,  http://mypbrand.com/2010/11/08/a-closer-look-at-walmarts-world-table/     (World Table™ also has a “Brown Rice & Flax Rice Crackers” option that I really wanted to try; but, we didn’t find it here in our local Wal-Mart.)  

from MyDiabeticBag.com



Diabetic-Friendly Apricot-Mustard-Sherry Glaze (6g total carbs per serving)

OK, sorry ‘bout this; BUT, I had to revise my apricot glaze recipe as I had previously posted it. Put it back the way I originally made it, using Splenda Brown Sugar Blend rather than just the Splenda Granular. Also, I needed to decrease some of the other ingredients back to my original version amounts. I shoulda known not to mess with 'perfection'....haha

I thought at first the adjustments I'd made to the recipe made it every bit as good; BUT, no. (And Hubby-Hugh agreed tonight. That's why I'm on here confessin' my sins.) The alterations were definitely detrimental. And, the changes had only saved 1g carb per serving. I'm deleting the old recipe (No Sugar Added Apricot-Mustard-Sherry Glaze) and reposting it as "Diabetic-Friendly Apricot-Mustard-Sherry Glaze" under documents.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Perfectly mouthwatering, low-carb, low-cal glaze for your holiday ham!  This is one of those recipes you'll absolutely love.  So easy to make and it fills your home with the oh-so-deliciously-festive scents of cloves and orange.   But, just wait 'til you have some.  Oh, my.  The savory taste of fresh rosemary and the 'bite' of both pepper and horseradish give the flavor so much more depth than a purely sweet glaze could ever hope to achieve.  Yum!  Yum! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Smucker’s Sugar Free Apricot Preserves made with SPLENDA®
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3  tablespoons SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons brown mustard
• 3 Tablespoons sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish (not horseradish sauce, which has high-fat mayo and other things you don't need)

Preparation:

1. Whisk together sugar-free preserves, orange juice, Splenda,  garlic, pepper, cloves, red pepper flakes, rosemary and cornstarch in a small sauce pan until well blended.  Cook over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, whisking often so mixture does not stick to bottom of pan or scorch.
2. Whisk in brown mustard, sherry and horseradish.  Continue cooking three-to-four minutes longer, whisking often.  Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.  (If not using immediately, store refrigerated in an airtight container.)
3. If you are using this as a glaze:  Use 1/4 cup (separated from the remaining glaze) to brush on a 10-pound ham.  Glaze ONLY during the last thirty minutes of roasting/baking time; but, baste often during that time.  Serve remaining glaze (from step 2) alongside meat at the table.    

Numbers you need to know:

Yields 2 cups (32 tablespoons), 1 tablespoon per serving.  Per serving:  19 Calories; trace Fat;  trace Protein; 5g Carbohydrate**; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 20mg Sodium. 

**Special 'per serving' info:  The 1/4 cup used to glaze the ham during roasting contributes approximately 1g carb per serving (assuming 20 servings per 10-pound bone-in ham).  Adding this to the 5g carbs in 1 tablespoon glaze served alongside meat raises your carbs to approximately 6g total per serving.

Nita's notes:

• Although I've been a ham-harpy here, this is a heavenly basting or side sauce for any roasted meat, pork, fowl or fish. 
• And don't forget the sandwiches, especially during the post-Thanksgiving pre-Christmas/Hanukkah  holiday frenzy!  This yields the perfect low-carb/low-cal spread for open-faced ham and/or turkey sandwiches.  Simple meals for stressful times.
• Special, SPECIAL Nita note:  mind your serving size with any and all recipes!!  You can't 'drink' this glaze like a diet cola and then wonder why on earth your blood glucose level is through the roof.  Serving sizes and their corresponding nutrition breakdown matter.  They are what you and I depend on to make healthy choices.  Hidden carbs, calories, fats, cholesterol, protein and sodium add up quickly if you're not paying attention.  So, pay attention.  Be aware of what and how much you are eating.  This is such a potent taste sensation, believe me, you don't need more than the serving size to be above-and-beyond satisfied.  Scale it down to suit your own tastes. 

Make healthier choices for a happier holiday season!

Anita Whittle Peacock

Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic

Email:  MyDiabeticBag@gmail.com

eCommerce site:  MyDiabeticBag.com (ALL bags $29.95!)

Facebook diabetes support group:  MyDiabeticLife

Subscribe to this blog:  http://mydiabeticbag.blogspot.com/

Credits:

• "Diabetic-Friendly Apricot-Mustard-Sherry Glaze" is my reinterpretation of the following carb-laden recipe: http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--2383/apricot-brandy-glaze.asp
• Smucker's is a  Registered trademark of The J.M. Smucker Company.   http://www.smuckers.com/products/ProductDetail.aspx?groupId=1&categoryId=18&flavorId=94
• SPLENDA is a registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.  http://www.splenda.com/

World Diabetes Awareness Day--Frederick G. Banting

Frederick G. Banting
11/14/1891-02/21/1941
Discoverer of Insulin
1923 Winner (with J.J.R. Macleod) of the Nobel Prize for discovery

Happy birthday to you!  Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, Dr. Banting.  Happy birthday to you!  We diabetics are SO VERY GLAD that you were born.

On this World Diabetes Awareness Day, the 120th anniversary of Dr. Banting's birth, I'd like to say a few things in simple appreciation of this man and his work.

Seems like EVERYBODY has diabetes these days.  Didn't used to be so.  Not for long anyway. Before Dr. Banting's little discovery of insulin, a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis was a death sentence.  Let me put it even more bleakly, before 1922, there was a 100% death rate for Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetics.  Our bodies, unable toprocess carbohydrates, literally starved to death.  Our organs stopped working.  A painfully horrific death.

Insulin is so widely available now that it's hard to believe there was a time in our not-too-distant past (before 1922) when insulin injections didn't exist.  No one knew anything about this simple hormone (first dubbed 'isletin' for the Islets of Langerhans).  We didn't know it existed.  For Type 1 diabetics, that was a fatal thing not to know.  Not to have.  Not to live.

But, in walks our unlikely hero, the plucky and persistent Frederick G. Banting.  I don't throw the word 'miracle' around too much.  People overuse and abuse it.  But, it really is quite miraculous that Dr. Banting discovered insulin.

So, I thank you, Dr. Banting for so many things.  Here are just a few.

Thank you, Dr. Banting, for putting your heart and soul into diabetes research, even though you had no prior research experience and had attended only one lecture on diabetes before taking the job in Toronto where you discovered insulin, how to isolate it, how to inject it.

Thank you, Dr. Banting, for turning the incredible loss you suffered, when your close friend withered and died from diabetes, into a driving force in unlocking some of the mysteries of the pancreas.

Thank you, Dr. Banting, for believing in yourself, for not giving up on your theories about a 'pancreatic extract' even though your boss, J. J. R. Macleod--a leading figure in the study of diabetes in Canada, didn't put much stock in your ideas to begin with.

Thank you for your tears when your diabetic research collie, that you'd kept alive on your 'isletin', died 9 days after the meager supply ran out.  Thank you for caring so much.

Thank you for selling your car to personally fund your research endeavors when the initial university money ran out.  Thank you for putting your all into finding an answer.

Thank you for not being greedy, for never profiting from your discovery so that insulin could be a very low cost miracle drug available to everyone that needed it, not just the rich.  You sold your insulin patent for $1 to the University of Toronto to further research.  You didn't accept the $1 million dollars (in the 1920s!!) offered to you by a financier.  You were an honest, ethical man committed to your ideals.

Thank you, Dr. Banting, for all the parents who don't have to watch their Type 1 kids die like they did before insulin.  We still lose more than we should; but, not like we did before you entered our world.

I have to cry when I read the story of your injecting this newly purified insulin into diabetic children in hospital wards in 1922.  The kids lay comatose and dying of ketoacidosis.  Before the last children were injected, the first began waking up from their comas.  I can only imagine how that felt, not just to the kids and their parents; but, to you.  

You changed the world.  And did it with such humility.  I wish I could have known you.  You are my hero.

I thank you, Dr. Frederick Grant Banting, for all the  birthdays I've celebrated since being diagnosed a Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetic a few months before my sixth birthday in 1969. 

Without you, I wouldn't be here.  There wouldn't have been a seventh birthday for me.  We Type 1s that are alive today have you to thank for every yesterday, today and tomorrow.  We mourn those who didn't get the benefit of your work.  Who weren't as lucky as we are.  Thank you doesn't seem big enough.  But, it's simple and straightforward.  Thank you for saving our lives.  Millions and millions of 'thanks' for the millions and millions you saved.

Anita Whittle Peacock
Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic
This post made possible by Dr. Frederick G. Banting

Cited references:

"Discovery of Insulin" by Christian Nordqvist in 'Medical News Today',
 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/discoveryofinsu
lin.php

"The Discovery of Insulin".  NobelPrize.org. 
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/insulin/discovery-insulin.html

"Frederick Banting", http://scienceheroes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=115

"Frederick Grant Banting".  Encyclopedia of World Biography.   2004.  Encyclopedia.com.  http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Sir_Frederick_Grant_Banting.aspx

'It's the Great Pumpkin'-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie (6g carbs per serving)

'Tis the season of the pumpkin! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha……ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!' (That last bit was maniacal laughter, in case you couldn’t tell.)

It’s that wicked time of year again. Sharpen your scythe.  Pluck an unsuspecting pumpkin from its safe haven.  Carve it.  Prepare its sweet and vulnerable flesh for the devouring.

The bad “spray-on tan” shade of the pumpkin’s outside lets you know right off the bat that something’s amiss—some toxic evil’s a-brewin’ inside.  So what gives the pumpkin its supernatural, ungodly hue?  Get ready for it…drum roll, please…brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… beta-carotene.

Stop right there.  I don’t like the sound of this beta-carotene, at all.  It’s kind of freaking me out. "Ooooh, I am the super-villain Beta-Carotene, come to wreak unholy, unspecified havoc!   Cower before my awesome… uh…awesomeness! GRRR!"
　
Gulp. Uh, OK, I spooked myself. Time to change subjects or seasons…or, possibly, undergarments…. (Too far?)  All I’m saying is that you can just tell by looking at ’em that pumpkins are evil, right?  Up to no good. Bad to the bone. (If they had bones—I’m telling you, they’d be bad.)  Let’s just leave it at that.

No can do.  Sorry to trick you, boys and ghouls; but, we need to stay on this shaky ground a while longer.  Dig a little deeper.  Unearth more dirt on beta-carotene.  Where’s it come from?  Is it good or bad?  What’s it do?  Why is it that ungodly color?  

Sit up straight, uncover those eyes and unclench those fists!  We’re about to sink our teeth into some tips I gleaned in my search for the truth.

Beta-carotene is definitely a good guy when you get it organically through your diet, not through supplements.  It’s one of the most abundant “pro-Vitamin A” phytonutrients found in nature.  (Phyto means “plant”.)  Certain fruits and veggies are full of it—beta-carotene, that is.

Beta-carotene converts to retinol (Vitamin A) in our bodies with a little help.  It is a fat-soluble compound, which means you must eat foods rich in beta-carotene with a dietary fat for it to be absorbed and converted by the body.  (The good fat in the recipe below is just fine and dandy as an absorption-conversion catalyst!)

So, what’s the hubbub about Vitamin A?  Why do we need this unholy conversion?  Simply put, we need Vitamin A (and thus foods rich in beta-carotene) for normal growth and development, a properly-functioning immune system and good vision.  Ironic, huh?  The pumpkin is a time-honored symbol for Halloween—the season to flaunt all things abnormal—when, in fact pumpkins (and all beta-carotene-rich foods) help us be anything but.

And, believe it or not, that supernatural Day-Glo orange exterior is really one of the super natural colors in Mother Nature’s palette.  Beta-carotene produces (often vibrant) shades in the yellow-orange-red range and, when combined with other of nature’s pigments, deep green, pink, and white.

But, let’s concentrate on fall harvest colors:  Those silky ambers and deep, delicious gingers and greens that we see so abundantly this time of year.  Most of these are thanks to beta-carotene—sweet potatoes, carrots and winter squash (including the pumpkin).  Dark leafy greens like collards, kale, turnips, spinach, cilantro and fresh thyme—you guessed it, rich in beta-carotene.  Oh, and broccoli—never forget broccoli!

So get freaky and have yourself a happy beta-carotene-y Halloween-y! Treat your tricksters (with parental permission) to the delicious pumpkin cookies below.

Be they ghosts, goblins—whatever the evil incarnation that comes a-knockin’ at your castle door—these diabetic-friendly devilish delights are guaranteed to put a smile on those impish faces.  (And for you adults, a couple of these are GREAT with a cup of hot tea!   Just 'cuz you're too old for the trickin', doesn't mean you're too old for the treatin'!)

The Great Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Start to Finish:  1 hour

Ingredients:

-Butter-flavored nonstick fat-free cooking spray
-3/4 Cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
-1 1/2 Cups almond flour—I like Bob’s Red Mill®
-1/2 Cup flaxseed meal—I like Bob’s Red Mill®
-1 1/3 Cups old-fashioned rolled oats
-1 Teaspoon baking soda
-1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 Teaspoon ground cloves
-1/2 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1/2 Teaspoon sea salt or regular salt
-1 Cup Brummel & Brown Spread® w. yogurt (or your favorite butter substitute), softened
-1/2 Cup SPLENDA® Granulated No Calorie Sweetener
-2 Tablespoons SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend (optional)
-1 Cup Libby’s® 100% Pure Pumpkin (or your favorite, BUT, NOT PIE FILLING!)
-1 Large egg
-1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
-3/4 Cup raisins

Preparation:

 1)  Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray three large baking sheets (preferably with sides) with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.
2)  Toast chopped walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Set aside.
3)  Combine flour, flaxseed meal, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.
4)  Beat Brummel & Brown®, SPLENDA® Granulated No Calorie Sweetener and SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend (if using) in a large bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in toasted walnuts and raisins.
5)  Coat a tablespoon with the nonstick cooking spray. Drop cookie mixture by rounded tablespoons (try to get them equally sized and well-spaced) onto prepared baking sheets. 
6)  Bake 14-16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 3-4 minutes.  Remove cookies carefully (they will be a bit crumbly) to wire racks to finish cooling completely, about 15 minutes.

Numbers you need to know:

A little preliminary frightfest:  The regular "non-carb-reduced-AT-ALL" original Libby's® "Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies" recipe yields 48 cookies/servings, 120 calories each with a humdinger of 17g carbs per cookie.  That's enough to scare you to death.  Or carb you to death, as the case may be!  (And, these are not huge cookies!)

A little-less scary (but, still hair-raising) option:  "Harvest Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies" recipe from SPLENDA® Simple & Sensational cookbook reduced the calories a little and the carbs a nice chunk:  48 cookies/servings with 110 Calories and 12g Carbohydrates per cookie/serving.  Still, YIKES!

Now, I don't know about you; but, I thought we could do much better carb-wise than this; so, I went to work in my very own teen-tiny, not-so-secret laboratory.  (That's my kitchen, in case you didn't know.)  

And, here's the best option of all, my very own "The Great Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie" recipe. 

My muchly-modified recipe yields 45 cookies/servings, with 79 Calories (76, if you omit SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend) and 6g Carbohydrate (5, if you omit SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend) per cookie/serving.  That's a whole lot less scary.  And when it comes to carbs, the less scary and less lethal, the better.  

Again, these are not huge cookies!  But, my recipe cookie-size is exactly the same as the original Libby's® and SPLENDA® cookbook recipe cookie-sizes.  

Nita's notes:

Here's what and how I substituted to make the carb-load a good bit lighter.  My recipe in this post has only 1/3 of original Libby's® carbs and 1/2 of SPLENDA® cookbook recipe carbs for the same sized cookie.   I wanted much lower carbs without sacrificing the rich taste and texture of these yummy cookies.  I think you'll be very satisfied with my non-evil experiment results!

I used a mixture of almond flour and flaxseed meal (both MUCH lower in carbs) to replace the regular flour.  Now, of course, almond flour won't work for every recipe; but, it's perfect for cookies. 

Almond flour is simply blanched, ground almonds and has very little carbs, 6 grams per 1/4 cup.  Flaxseed meal is also a great lower-carb flour substitute--it has only 8g carbs per 1/4 cup.  In comparison, regular flour (white, all-purpose, whole wheat) has a whopping 23 grams of carbs per 1/4 cup.  That adds up in a hurry!  

So, how do you substitute almond flour and flaxseed meal for regular flour?  A general rule of thumb:  Replace 1/4 of the total amount of flour called for in a recipe with flaxseed meal and replace the remaining 3/4 amount with almond flour.  (This original recipe called for 2 cups all-purpose flour.  So, by using our formula:  1/4 of 2 cups = 1/2 cup flaxseed meal;  3/4 of 2 cups = 1 and 1/2 cups almond flour.)

Refined sugar and artificial sweetener adjustments:  Rather than using 1/2 cup each of SPLENDA® Sugar Blend and SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend  (I'm not even gonna discuss the undiluted sugar and brown sugar of Libby's® original recipe, egads), I substituted a total of 1/2 cup SPLENDA® Granulated plus 2 tablespoons SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend.   Same great taste.  MUCH fewer carbs.  No-brainer substitution.  (I've not yet tried a batch omitting that final 2 tablespoons of SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend; but, I'll let you know as soon as I do!)

(Special note:  check out the links to Libby's® original recipe and SPLENDA® cookbook recipe to get the SCARY nutrition breakdown for those.  Those facts'll send you screaming in fear for your life!)

Hope you enjoy my burnt offeringsas much as we do.  (No, really, I didn't burn them!)   They are scrumptious.

And, as always, make healthier choices for a happier life.
Happy haunting!  Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Anita Peacock
Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic

MyDiabeticBag@gmail.com
Visit us online now at www.MyDiabeticBag.com
Please, request to join our Facebook diatetes support group:  MyDiabeticLife

Info Credits and Links:

“CDC – National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition - Fat-Soluble Vitamins & Micronutrients: Vitamins A and E and Carotenoids”, http://www.cdc.gov/nutritionreport/part_2a.html

“Human Nutrition: PL FAQs”: http://ars.usda.gov/Aboutus/docs.htm?docid=4142

“Influence of Dietary Fat on Beta-Carotene Absorption and Bioconversion into Vitamin A”, Ribaya-Mercado, Judy - TUFTS-HNRCA,
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=161734

MasterCook Deluxe, version 11.0, ValuSoft, a division of THQ, Inc. http://www.valusoft.com/

"Splenda's Real Nutritional Information:  An Update to the Sweetener Post", http://www.lowcarbfreedom.com/2005/06/an_update_to_th.html


Recipe Credits:

Bob's Red Mill® registered products and flour conversion use:
http://www.bobsredmill.com/; Bob's Red Mill, 13521 SE Pheasant Court, Milwaukie, Oregon 97222. All Rights Reserved. Permission to use granted to Peacock Products. (Thanks, Andre!)

Brummel & Brown is a registered trademark of the Unilever Group of Companies, dually headquartered in London, The United Kingdom (Unilever PLC) and Rotterdam, The Netherlands (Unilever N.V.).

The Great Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie recipe adapted from “Harvest Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies” in SPLENDA® Simple & Sensational Recipes. (Copyright©2008. Published by Publications International, Ltd., Lincolnwood, IL 60712. All rights reserved. Permission to use granted to Peacock Products.  (SPLENDA® adapted their recipe from the original Libby's® Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin cookies recipe as shown here:  http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/134563/Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin-Cookies/detail.aspx)
Libby’s® is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé
S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.  http://www.nestle.com/

SPLENDA® is a registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.; 601 Office Center Drive, Fort Washington, PA  19034.  http://splenda.com/

Special Credits:

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, TV animated short film
based on Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” cartoon strip.  Director: Bill Melendez. Release date: 27 October 1966 (USA).  Produced by: Lee Mendelson, Bill Melendez. For more information, go to the following website: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060550/

Special BIG thanks to Ted Lowell for helping me get my blog templates tweaked!  You're a sweet boy, Tedward!  Much love from Deeda.

Eggplant Parmesan

http://mydiabeticbag.com/vegetarian/everything-you-ever-wanted-in-an-eggplant-parmesan-and-nuthin-you-dont.htm

Please, click the link above to go to the recipe.  You will have several options:  "pdf", "print" and "email".  Let me know if you like this method of posting better than having the entire blog post (individual recipe or article) show within the blog.  Linking to the recipe on my eCommerce site saves me a few steps and a good bit of time.  But, it's not worth it, if y'all don't like it.  So, please, let me know through the email link below.  Thanks a bunch!

Anita Peacock
Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic
MyDiabeticBag@gmail.com

Barbecued Boneless Pork Chops (7g carb)

Celebrate Labor Day by indulging in some guilt-free and lip-smackin' good barbecued pork chops!  The double-duty marinade and serving sauce is easy to whip up and tastes better than any bottled sauce you'll find.  It's sure to be one you'll conjure up often for whatever you're throwing on the barbeque! 

Marinade/Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:

■     1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted, no salt added, diced tomatoes

■     1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

■     1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

■     2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (or lemon juice)

■     6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

■     2 tablespoons minced garlic

■     2 tablespoons minced onion

■     2 tablespoons dry sherry

■     2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

■     1/4 cup fresh chopped tarragon (or 4 teaspoons dried)

■     1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste

■     1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

■     1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly-ground is best)

■     dash red pepper sauce, or to taste

Pork Chops:

■     8 boneless top loin pork chops, 4 ounces each

■     olive oil spray

■     freshly-ground black pepper

Preparation:

1)   Pour fire-roasted tomatoes into a medium non-metal bowl.  Mash the tomatoes well with a potato masher or fork.  Add remaining marinade/sauce ingredients and stir very well to blend.

2)   Place thawed chops in a large glass or stoneware baking dish.  Pour marinade over chops and turn chops to coat all sides well.  Cover baking dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before continuing with the recipe.

3)   Spray grill or grillpan with olive oil and preheat on low heat for 2-3 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and allow to heat an additional 2-3 minutes until nice and hot.  Remove the chops from marinade (reserve marinade for step 4) and shake excess marinade from chops before placing each on your grill (or grillpan).  Grill 4 minutes per side, sprinkling each "up" side with freshly-ground pepper.  (Also, it wouldn't hurt to spray the "up" sides with olive oil before flipping the chops over to grill the other side.)

4)   Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade into a medium saucepan and bring to boil on stove burner.  Reduce heat immediately and simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until sauce is thickened slightly.  This is a lovely accompanying barbecue sauce to serve alongside the chops.  (Reduced sauce will yield approximately 3 cups, which is about 3 tablespoons per serving.)

Numbers you need to know:

Recipe yields 8 chops and approximately 3 cups of sauce (after reduction):

1 chop and 3 tablespoons reduced sauce per serving.

Per serving info:  179 Calories; 5g Fat (2g Saturated, 2g Monounsaturated, 1g Polyunsaturated); 21g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 51mg Cholesterol; 372mg Sodium (237mg, if additional lemon juice is substituted for soy sauce).

Nita's notes:

■     Great recipe for any grilling holiday menu!  (Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day.)  But, also great any time your mouth starts watering for good ol' barbecue.  Could be done on an outside grill over medium-high heat, be it gas or coals.  I just like to do it indoors with a grillpan.  Any time can be grilling time.  So yummy and really so simple.

■     Don't ever grab ready-made barbecue sauce!!  No one needs that high-sugar, high-sodium sauce in a jar, not when you can whip up this easy and delicious version.  Store any leftover reduced sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.  Great on sandwiches using leftover chops!  Great marinade and sauce for other grilling/roasting protein like chicken or beef.

Hope you have yourself a wonderful Labor Day! 

And, as always, make healthier choices for a happier life.

From my home to yours—Nita

Anita Whittle Peacock

Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic
peacockproducts@bellsouth.net
MyDiabeticBag.com