Wednesday Recipes

I ran across an article/warning about potential dangers of blood thinner for diabetics in The Diabetic News that some might find interesting. Titled “Warning: Diabetes Drug and Blood Thinner Mix Leads to Serious Interaction”, it warns of falls, altered mental states and insulin shock for people using warfarin and sulfonylureas. To read the article/warning in its entirety, go to http://thediabeticnews.com/diabetes-warfarin/.

And now to something a little more pleasant – today's six recipes, beginning with Italian Lemon Cookies. Enjoy!

ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES

This recipe begins, “These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.”

Yield: 27 Servings

Serving Size: 2 cookies

Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1159.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup light butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup egg substitute

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.

Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened. Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly.

Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.

Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.

Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Calories from Fat: 60; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g ; Sugars: 7 g ; Carbohydrates: 19 g

CHICKEN BREASTS PICCATA

Serving Size: 3-ounce half chicken breast plus 2 tablespoons sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Source: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Terrific Diabetic Meals

Author: Lucy Beale, Joan Clark, Barbara Forsberg

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/458.shtml

Ingredients

Vegetable oil cooking spray

4 (3 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 teaspoon no-salt lemon-pepper seasoning

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoon drained capers

Directions

Spray a grill rack with cooking spray. Preheat a gas grill to medium/medium-high or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, with the rack placed 4 to 6 inches above the heat. Sprinkle chicken with lemon-pepper seasoning.

Place chicken on the grill and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, and its juices run clear, turning once. Keep warm.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook, stirring to dissolve any lumps, for 1 minute. Stir in wine and capers; cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Serve sauce over chicken.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 211; Protein: 28 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 243 mg; Cholesterol: 83 mg; Carbohydrates: 1 g; Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat, 1 Fat

MOCHA CHEESECAKE BARS

This bar cookie pairs a crunchy graham cracker with a creamy mint-flavored cheesecake filling to create a sumptious dessert.

Serves: 20

View recipe and photo here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1230.shtml

Serving Size: 1 bar

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1/3 cup light butter, melted

12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1-1/4 teaspoons instant espresso granules

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup white chocolate chunks

Directions

Crust Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray an 8-inch x 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine chocolate wafer crumbs, Splenda Granulated Sweetener and butter in a mixing bowl, stirring until blended. Press mixture into prepared pan. Bake 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Filling Directions: beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.

Combine Splenda Granulated Sweetener, espresso granules, and cocoa powder; add to cream cheese, beating until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla, beating, just until blended. Stir in chocolate chunks. Pour filling over prepared crust.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until firm; cool. Chill until firm. Cut into bars.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 120 mg; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Saturated Fat: 4.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g

APRICOT-ORANGE CHICKEN WITH GLAZED ONIONS

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Author: Robyn Webb

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/454.shtml

Ingredients

1 whole roasted deli chicken, skinned

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar apricot preserves, divided

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar orange marmalade, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large onion, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon each apricot preserves, marmalade, and vinegar.

Place chicken in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add water to pan to a depth of 1/4-1/2 inch. Brush chicken with preserve mixture. Combine the remaining preserves, marmalade, vinegar, onion, and garlic and spoon around the chicken.

Roast, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 more minutes, until onion is tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 278; Protein: 34 g; Fat: 9 g; Sodium: 110 mg; Cholesterol: 100 mg; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 4 Lean Meat

RAISIN RICE PUDDING

Makes: 4 Cups (8 Servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

Ingredients

2 large eggs, slightly beaten, or 1/2 cup egg substitute

2 cups cooked rice

1-1/2 cups fat-free milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 1-1/2 quart baking dish with non-stick pan spray.

In a prepared dish, combine all the ingredients. Stir gently to mix.

Set the filled dish in a shallow pan on the middle oven rack. Pour hot water into the outer pan to a depth of 1 inch around the baking dish. This makes a water bath to cook the pudding slowly.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the pudding comes out clean. Remove the dish from the water bath. Serve the pudding warm or chilled.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: (1/2 cup): Calories: 126, Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 54 mg, Sodium: 114 mg, Carbohydrate: 24 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 11 g, Protein: 5 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Carbohydrate

CHERRY CHOCOLATE PIE

Yield: Makes 1 pie; serves 8

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

Ingredients

1 prepared 9-inch pie shell, baked

Cherry Topping Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups thawed frozen pitted tart cherries (1/2 or a 1-pound bag)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Filling Ingredients:

6 ounces soft fat-free cream cheese

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons fat-free milk

Directions

For the topping, combine the cherries, sugar, 1/4 cup water, and the cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Stir well to dissolve the cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened and clear. Add the almond extract and stir to blend. Refrigerate the sauce to chill and firm.

For the filling, combine the cream cheese and chocolate chips in a small pan or in the top of a double boiler. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the chips are melted; add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the chocolate filling into the baked pie crust. Let cool at least 10 minutes, or until the pudding sets. Gently spread the cooled cherry topping over the chocolate layer. Chill the pie at least 2 hours before serving. At serving time, cut into 8 equal pieces.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: (1 slice): Calories: 265, Fat: 11 g, Cholesterol: 4 mg, Sodium: 274 mg, Carbohydrate: 36 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 23 g, Protein: 7 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1-1/2 Fat