Desserts!

There are many misconceptions when one gets a diabetes diagnosis. True, it does change one's life, as well as the lives of those a diabetic lives with: watching one's health, numbers, diet, meds.

When one of my loved ones was diagnosed, one of our first thoughts (once we got over the shock and our brains started trying to process everything) was that we could no longer have any snacks or desserts. No more ice cream! No more pies at holidays! No more cake for birthday celebrations!

Wow, were we wrong! While a diabetic has to watch what he or she eats, and in what amount, this goes for almost everyone. Moderation is so important here.

That said, here are six yummy desserts from Diabetic Gourmet for you to try. Enjoy!

ORANGE AND ALMOND CAKE

Yield: 10 slices; Serving Size: 1 slice

Source: "Great Healthy Food - Diabetes" by Azmina Govindji

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/17.shtml

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/613.shtml

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 large eggs

1/2 cup reduced-fat margarine, at room temperature

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/3 cup ground almonds

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease the base of an 8-inch non-stick baking pan and line with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Beat the eggs until they are light and frothy.

Beat the margarine and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the beaten eggs gradually, beating well between each addition. If the mixture shows any signs of curdling, beat in a little of the flour mixture.

Stir in the flour mixture together with the ground almonds, almond extract and orange zest and mix lightly to a thick, fluid (but not runny) consistency, adding a little orange juice or water if necessary.

Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake in the center of the oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center.

Strip off the parchment paper and leave the cake to cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/10 of recipe): Calories: 122, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 6 g, Carbohydrate: 16 g, Fiber: 0 g, Cholesterol: 32 mg, Sodium: 99 mg, Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 2/3 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Fat

CHOCOLATE FILLED CAKE ROLL

Servings: 4 (1/2 cup)

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/118.shtml

Ingredients

Cake:

5 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3 packets of Sweet'n Low

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling:

2 cups skim milk

1 package sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix

Topping:

2 teaspoons sugar-free cocoa mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Grease and line the bottom of a 10x15" jelly roll pan with waxed paper.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.

Sprinkle sugar, Sweet'n Low and vanilla over eggs; continue beating for 2 minutes.

Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.

Sprinkle half the mixture over batter; fold in with spatula.

Repeat with remaining flour mixture.

Spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake on center rack in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.

Arrange a towel on work surface and cover with aluminum foil.

Loosen edges of cake; unmold on foil.

Roll cake jelly roll style, using towel as a guide.

Leave cake rolled until it cools into jelly roll shape.

To make filling, blend milk with pudding mix according to package directions.

Refrigerate pudding until it thickens.

Unroll cake, spread evenly with pudding, and reroll.

Lightly sprinkle sugar-free cocoa over the top to decorate.

Cut into 1" slices and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 122; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 197 mg; Cholesterol: 92 mg; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1/2 Skim Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1 Starch

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY PARFAIT

Servings: 6

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/158.shtml

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=158

Ingredients

3 oz Neufchatel cream cheese

2 cup cold skim milk

3 oz package Jell-o sugar-free instant chocolate pudding1 pound fresh bing cherries, pitted, cut in half (or frozen, thawed)

Directions

Blend cream cheese with 1/4 cup skim milk, on low speed of electric mixer, until smooth. Add remaining milk and pudding mix. Mix 1 or 2 minutes until smooth and well blended.

Add to 75% of the fresh cherries to 1/2 cup water, and cook until it boils for 1 minute. Remove from heat, drain well.

Alternately spoon pudding and cherries into parfait dishes, ending with pudding.

Garnish the top of each parfait with the remaining cherries.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 116; Fat: 3.5 g; Sodium: 305 mg; Cholesterol: 14.5 mg; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Bread; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat

BAKED APPLES WITH RAISINS

Servings: 2

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/159.shtml

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=159

Ingredients

2 apples

1 tbsp raisins

Orange juice

Pinch ground cinnamon

Directions

Peel and core the apples. Coat with the orange juice on the outer surface. Stuff with the raisins. Sprinkle on the cinnamon. Place in Pyrex baking cups.

Bake in a 350 F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until fork pierces surface easily. Serve warm or cold.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 74; Protein: 0 g; Sodium: 0 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Fruit

SPICY PUMPKIN PIE

Servings: 8

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/154.shtml

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=154

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) pastry shell

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cup pumpkin (canned)

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs; beaten

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 cup low-fat milk

1/4 tsp Salt

3 tbsp liquid cal-free sweetener

1 pinch ground cloves

2 tbsp brown sugar, packed

Light vanilla ice cream

Directions

Prick pastry shell with a fork. Bake in 450F oven for 8 min.

Stir together pumpkin, egg, milk, sweetener, sugar and seasonings. Pour into partially baked pie shell.

Bake in 350F oven for 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool slightly and then refrigerate.

Cut into 8 wedges and serve each with 2 tbsp light vanilla ice cream.

Nutritional Information Per Serving; Calories: 173; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch/Bread, 1-1/2 Fat, 1 Dairy, 1/2 Fruit

BAKED VANILLA CUSTARD

This recipe begins, “Traditional baked custard with half the calories. Made with Equal and reduced-fat milk, all the great flavor is still there. Garnished with fresh fruit and mint it looks good, too.”

Yield: 10 servings

Source: Equal ®

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/874.shtml

Ingredients

1 quart 2% milk

6 eggs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful*

2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Sliced fresh fruit (optional)

Fresh mint (optional)

* May substitute 27 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Heat milk just to boiling in medium saucepan. Let cool 5 minutes.

Beat eggs, Equal, vanilla and salt in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in hot milk.

Pour mixture into ten 6-ounce custard cups or 1-1/2 quart glass casserole. Place custard cups or casserole in roasting pan. Pour 1 inch of hot water into roasting pan.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated 325F oven 50 to 60 minutes or until sharp knife inserted halfway between center and edge of custard comes out clean.

Remove custard cups or casserole from roasting pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Serve garnished with sliced fresh fruit and mint, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 90; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 124 mg; Cholesterol: 135 mg; Carbohydrates: 5 g; Exchanges: 1/2 milk, 1/2 lean meat