Desserts!

I want something snacky!

If you, or a loved one, have been newly diagnosed with diabetes, it's easy to think that that means no more desserts or any kind of treats.

Fortunately, that's not necessarily the case. True, you have to be careful. But there are many diabetic-friendly treats you can try. Here are six desserts to get you started, including Chocolate Cherry Tarts and Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies. Enjoy!

CHEWY PINEAPPLE PECAN SQUARES

Recipe Yield: Servings: 24 Squares. Serving Size: 1 square

Source: Cinnamon Hearts Newsletter

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chewy-pineapple-pecan-squares

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Imperial, 30% less fat margarine

1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

8 oz. crushed pinapple in juice, drained

1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup light sour cream

Directions

Stir flours, sugar and margarine together until mixture is finely crumbled. Stir in nuts.

Press 2 cups of flour mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan which has been sprayed with vegetable coating.

Stir cinnamon, baking soda and salt into remaining flour mixture. Beat in egg, vanilla, light sour cream and vanilla yogurt until blended. Stir in pineapple.

Pour batter evenly over pressed flour mixture in pan. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until batter pulls away from sides of pan. Cool slightly before cutting.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 164; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 133 mg; Cholesterol: 6 mg;Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 31 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch; 1 Fat

CHOCOLATE CHERRY TARTS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 24

Source: Cinnamon Hearts

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chocolate-cherry-tarts

Ingredients

2 (8oz) packages Neufchatel (light) cream cheese, room temp

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

24 Keebler chocolate wafers, 30% reduced fat

1 (21oz) can light cherry pie filling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tins with foil and paper cupcake liners.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Place a chocolate wafer in each cup, spoon on cheese mixture. Bake 18 to 20 minutes; remove from tins and let cool. Top with cherry pie filling. Chill overnight before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 118; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 104 mg; Cholesterol: 24 mg; Carbohydrates: 16 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 bread; 1/2 fruit; 1/2 protein; 1 fat

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY PARFAIT

Recipe Yield: Servings: 6

https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chocolate-cherry-parfait

Ingredients

3 oz Neufchatel cream cheese

2 cup cold skim milk

3 oz package Jell-o sugar-free instant chocolate pudding

1 pound fresh bing cherries, pitted, cut in half

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

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Bread; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat

HAZELNUT MACAROONS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 30 Cookies (1 per serving)

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/hazelnut-macaroons

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Ingredients

4 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup canned sweetened coconut

1/4 cup hazelnuts or pecans, finely chopped

Directions

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt to soft peaks in medium bowl. Beat in sugar gradually, beating to stiff, shiny peaks. Fold in coconut; fold in hazelnuts.

Drop mixture by tablespoons onto parchment-or aluminum foil-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees until cookies begin to brown and feel crisp when touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 44; Fat: 1.4 g; Sodium: 25.6 mg; Protein: 0.7 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Fat

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA COOKIES

Yield: 2 dozen cookies. Serving size: 1 cookie.

This is from Diabetes Self Management, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup no-sugar-added natural peanut butter

1/4 cup frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts

Whole salted peanuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheets or lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add banana and peanut butter; beat until smooth. Blend in apple juice concentrate, egg, and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chopped peanuts.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets; top each with 1 whole peanut, if desired.

Bake 8 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in tightly covered container.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 100 calories, Carbohydrates: 9 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 14 mg, Sodium: 88 mg, Fiber: 1 g

Exchanges per serving: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1 1/2 Fat.

GRANNY SMITH APPLE TART

Recipe Yield: Yield: 1 tart (8 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/granny-smith-apple-tart

Ingredients

1 refrigerated fill-and-bake pie crust (7 to 7-1/2 ounces)

3 large Granny Smith apples (about 1-1/2 pounds total), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sour half-and-half, or 1/4 cup nonfat sour cream

1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the pie crust into a 9-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom; press the crust against the fluted edge and trim off any pastry that extends over the top. Roll the trimmed dough into a ball; flatten to 1/4 inch and cut 2 or 3 shapes with a cookie cutter. Prick the tart shell in several places with the tines of a fork.

Put the sliced apples in a large bowl; drizzle them with lemon juice and toss to mix.

In a small bowl, blend the brown sugar, sour half-and-half, tapioca, and cinnamon.

Fold the brown sugar mixture into the apples until all the fruit is coated. Spoon the apples into the tart shell; arrange the dough shapes on top of the apples. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Cut in 8 equal slices. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 200; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 146 mg; Cholesterol: 8 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 34 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Fat