My Grandmother was a wonderful cook, but baking was her specialty. When my grandmother passed on, my mother took over her recipe box and made sure that the family would still enjoy all the rich, delicious food that we were accustomed to eating.
Unfortunately over the years, some family members and friends were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The best way to live with the disease is to take medication properly, exercise and maintain a proper diet that is low in total fat, calories, bad cholesterol (LDL), saturated fat and salt.
The calorie laden, rich and scrumptious desserts in Grand mom Prentice’s recipe box didn’t come close to being diabetic friendly. Holidays became a challenge. Some of our diabetic relatives and friends would try to “be good” and just take a very small piece of dessert. Others would take small pieces of all the desserts and there was always one-usually my aunt, who would say, “the heck with it” and eat as much and as many desserts has she could handle and still take some home for later.
After too many of these repeated holiday episodes, my mother and I tried making slight changes to some of the more popular baking recipes by substituting a healthier version of various ingredients that my grandmother’s recipes called for. Some tasted Ok. Others were a complete flop, but there were a few that turned out to be really good and those are the ones we would like to share.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/3 cup stick margarine, or Smart Balance stick, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1/3 cup firmly packed Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
3/4-cup all-purpose flour
1/2-teaspoon baking soda
1/4-teaspoon salt
1/2-cup semisweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips
Beat margarine or Smart Balance with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until blended. Mix in Splenda and Splenda brown sugar until combined.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into margarine, Smart balance mixture until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350 F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden color. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Thumbprint Cookies
6 tablespoons stick margarine or Smart Balance stick, softened
1 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1 large egg
2 tablespoons 1% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup favorite sugar-free spreadable fruit, jelly or jam
Beat margarine, or Smart Balance and Splenda until well combined. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in combined flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into balls. Place on sprayed baking sheets. Press thumb deeply into dough to form a “thumbprint” indentation. Bake in preheated 350F oven 11 to 13 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack. Fill each cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon sugar-free fruit, jelly or jam.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Apple Pie – Reduced Calorie 2 Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine, or Smart Balance
6 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1(6 ounce) can frozen unsweetened apple juice
6 cups peeled, sliced apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Mix cornstarch and apple juice in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring until clear. Stir in apples and cinnamon mixture into pastry and add top crust. Dampen edges of lower crust with cold water and cover with remaining crust. Cut slits in top crust to let steam escape.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Serves 8
Pumpkin Pie- Reduced Calorie 2 Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine, or Smart Balance
6 tablespoons ice water
2 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
2 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
6 large eggs
1.5 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Light or Fat Free whipped topping (optional)
Roll pastry on floured surface into circle two 1-inch 9-inch pie plates. Ease pastry into plates; trim and flute edge.
Beat pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until well combined. Blend in remaining ingredients. Pour into pastry shells.
Bake in preheated 400 F oven 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with light, or fat-free whipped topping, if desired.
Serves 16
Sweet Potato Pie- Reduced Calorie 2 Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup margarine, or Smart Balance
7 tablespoons cold water
4 cups cooked, cooked and peeled sweet potatoes (about 4 pounds)
8 large whites eggs, lightly beaten
2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
2 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
Make 2 pastry pie shells and place pastry into plates; trim and flute edges. Set aside.
Blend sweet potatoes in mixing bowl on medium speed until smooth. Stir in eggs, Splenda, lemon juice, vanilla, spices, salt and evaporated milk. Pour mixture over pastry shells.
Bake in preheated 400 F oven 40 to 45 minutes or until filling is set and sharp knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool pies completely on wire rack. Sprinkle nutmeg on top of pies.
Serves 16
Cake, Rolls:
Pumpkin Roll
3 large eggs
1 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup self-rising flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Filling:
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 to 2 cups light whipped topping, thawed, if frozen
2 tablespoons Splenda
For Cake:
Beat eggs and 1 cup Splenda for 5 minutes in mixing bowl on medium speed Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Blend in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined. Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake in preheated 350 F oven 5 to 8 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool three minutes in pan; turn out onto a cloth and roll up from the narrow end. Chill in refrigerator until completely cool.
For Filling: Beat cream cheese, whipped topping and 2 tablespoons of Splenda in mixing bowl on medium speed until smooth and spreadable.
Unroll pumpkin roll and spread with filling. Re-roll. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice cake into pinwheels.
Lemon Pound Cake
2 1/2 cups reduced fat Bisquick baking mix
2 cups Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 cup light lemon or plain flavored nonfat yogurt
6 tablespoons stick margarine, or Smart Balance melted
2 large eggs, or 4 large egg whites
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons 1% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Combine Bisquick, Splenda cornstarch and lemon peel. Mix in yogurt, melted margarine or Smart Balance, eggs, lemon juice, milk and flavorings until blended.
Spoon mixture into sprayed 9 or 12-cup Bundt cake pan. Bake in preheated 350 F oven 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cake cool Remove and cool completely on wire rack.
Serves 16
Southern Style Soul Food Cornbread
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt substitute
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 medium egg white; beaten
1 cup 1% milk
Preheat oven to 425F
Spray a 12 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Sift dry ingredients together. Add egg and milk; mix well. Pour into
Prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Makes 12 Servings
