When you are cooking for someone with diabetes, it’s important that you rethink your favorite baking recipes in terms of reducing fat and simple sugars. This is particularly difficult at holiday time when the recipes that we use and love are steeped in family tradition. It’s simply a fact that Grandmother’s fruitcake, laden with dried fruits and nuts and soaked in brandy or our mother’s sugar cookie cut-outs, decorated with buttery frosting are simply not going to be good for us. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t have delicious baked treats during this special season as long as we carefully calculate our carbo exchanges and count the fat grams, fitting them into our daily meal plan.
Fortunately we live in an age when reducing fat and sugar is a growing trend in American kitchens and manufacturer’s have developed new products to aide us in our quest for lower fat, lower sugar baked goods that taste delicious. Be sure to read the label of these products before using and make note of the amount of additional carbohydrates to your recipe.
Reducing Fat
The special qualities of fat in baked goods make it tricky to successfully make substitutions. In baked good, fats tenderize, moisturize, smooth out the texture, add flakiness, and carry the flavors and aromas. When you cut back or cut out fat, you must readjust the rest of the recipe which is in reality a carefully balanced formula. You can increase flavor in a lower-fat product by adding various extracts and grated citrus zest.
To maintain the desired texture in baked goods, you must add a moisture-holding fat substitute such as applesauce, prune puree, mashed banana, or other fruit puree. To restore the tenderness of a recipe, you can use cake flour instead of higher protein all-purpose flour. Instead of greasing a cake pan or muffin tins with solid shortening or butter, lightly spray the pan with vegetable cooking spray for no sticking and no added fat. We all love chocolate, but it’s full of saturated fat. If a recipe calls for chocolate, substitute 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon canola oil for each ounce of chocolate. The total fat will not be much different, but the fat is unsaturated.
Replacing Sugar
Recent studies show that if your blood sugars are in good control and your triglycerides are within normal range, a small amount of caloric sugar (simple carbohydrate such as table sugar, honey, etc.) may not cause as significant rise in blood sugars as once thought. However, whether or not you should use caloric sweeteners is something that you should discuss with your physician and/or diabetes educator. Since caloric sweeteners contain 4 calories per gram or about 120 calories per ounce, you may wish to use noncaloric sweeteners, particularly if you are trying to lose weight.
Sugar provides sweetness, tenderness, and color in cakes and cookies. But with most recipes you can reduce the sugar by at least one-third without changing the taste and texture. Fruit juices and frozen fruit juice concentrates may be used to sweeten baked goods. You can also use sugar-free jams and spreads as a sweetener. These all contain fructose, a form of caloric sugar and a simple carbohydrate. Discuss their use with your physician or diabetes educator.
You can also reduce your sugar intake by substituting noncaloric artificial sweeteners. These provide almost no calories and will not affect your blood sugar levels. However, not all artificial sweeteners can be used for baking. Read the labels and only use those which say that the product can be used for baking.
REMEMBER: Even when sugar and fats are reduced in a baked good — the pie, cake, cookie, etc. is meant for a treat in your meal plan and should be reserved for special occasions only. You may include one (1) teaspoon (5 ml/4 grams) of sucrose (table sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, corn syrup, maple syrup, or other caloric sweetener) per reasonable serving size. This should be used within a balanced meal, once a day, and then ONLY if your blood sugars are in good control.
We have asked the manufacturer’s of Butter Buds (a good way to reduce fat), Sugar Twin (a spoonable sugar substitute that works very well in baking) and Hershey’s Cocoa (an excellent product for making chocolate baked goods) to share some of their holiday recipes. Enjoy in moderation, please, and be sure to count your carbohydrates. We want you healthy and in good blood sugar control after the holidays! And if you have any questions as to how to incorporate these goodies in your meal plan, check with your physician or dietitian before indulging!
Brownie Sunday Pie
(Recipe courtesy of Butter Buds ~ 8 Servings)
| vegetable cooking spray | |
| 2/3 | cup sugar |
| 1/4 | cup reduced-calorie margarine, melted |
| 1 | large egg |
| 2 | tablespoons Butter Buds Sprinkles |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 1/2 | cup all-purpose flour |
| 1/3 | cup European-style unsweetened cocoa powder |
| 1/2 | teaspoon baking powder |
| 1/8 | teaspoon salt |
| 1/2 | cup reduced-calories frozen whipped topping, thawed |
| 1/2 | cup sliced bananas |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped walnuts |
| 1 1/2 | cups nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt (optional) |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. |
| 2. | In a large bowl, combine the sugar, margarine, egg, Butter Buds, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Spread in the prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes. |
| 3. | Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, spoon the whipped topping decoratively around the edges of the pie. Garnish with banana slices and walnuts. |
| 4. | Cut the pie into 8 wedges and serve with nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt, if desired. (Note if using yogurt be sure to add the extra calories and carbo exchanges — check the label for specifics). |
| Per serving: | 150 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g fat (1.0 g saturated fat), 28 g carbohydrate, 25 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium |
| Exchanges: | 2 carbohydrate (2 bread/starch), 1/2 fat |
Easy Sticky Buns
(Recipe courtesy of Butter Buds ~ 10 Servings)
| 1 | packet Butter Buds Mix, dry |
| 1/4 | cup hot water |
| 3 | tablespoons packed light brown sugar |
| 1/2 | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| 1 1/2 | tablespoons chopped walnuts |
| 1 | package (7.5 ounces) refrigerated biscuits |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. |
| 2. | In a small bowl, combine the Butter Buds, water, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Arrange the biscuits in a single layer on top of the nuts. |
| 3. | Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until well browned. Immediately invert onto a serving plate. |
| Per serving: | 80 calories, 1 g protein, 2 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 16 g carbohydrate, 0 cholesterol, 240 mg sodium |
| Exchanges: | 1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch) |
Date-Nut Coffee Cake
(Recipe courtesy of Butter Buds ~ 16 Servings)
| 1 1/4 | cups all-purpose flour |
| 1/4 | cup granulated sugar |
| 3 | packets (or 1 teaspoon bulk) Sweet ‘n Low |
| 1 | teaspoon baking powder |
| 1/4 | teaspoon baking soda |
| 1/8 | teaspoon salt |
| 1/3 | cup liquefied Butter Buds Mix |
| 1/3 | cup 1% fat milk |
| 1 | large egg |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 1 | cup chopped pitted dates |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped walnuts |
| Topping: | |
| 1/4 | cup all-purpose flour |
| 1 | tablespoon light brown sugar, packed to measure |
| 1 | tablespoon margarine, softened |
| 1 | packet Sweet ‘n Low |
| 1/4 | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. |
| 2. | In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, Sweet ‘n Low, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a 1-cup measure, combine the liquified Butter Buds, milk, egg, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring until blended. Add the dates and walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan. |
| 3. | In a small bowl, mix together all the topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter. |
| 4. | Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inch squares. |
| Per serving: | 110 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fat (<1 g saturated fat), 22 g carbohydrate, 15 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium |
| Exchanges: | 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1/2 fruit) |
Christmas Custard
(Recipe courtesy of Sugar Twin ~ 4 servings)
| 2 | slices white bread |
| 2 | cups (480 ml) skim milk |
| 2 | large eggs, slightly beaten |
| 2 | tablespoons Sugar Twin |
| 1 | teaspoon maple flavoring |
| 1 | teaspoon orange extract |
| 1/2 | teaspoon ground nutmeg |
| 1/4 | teaspoon salt |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 325°F. Cube the bread and place in a 1-quart casserole. Scald the milk on top of the stove. |
| 2. | In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, Sugar Twin, maple flavoring, orange extract, ground nutmeg, and salt. |
| 3. | Slowly add scalded milk to egg mixture and stir well. Pour mixture into casserole. Bake in a pan filled with hot water which comes halfway up the sides of the casserole for about 1 hour. To test for doneness, insert a knife near the edge of the casserole; knife should come out clean. |
| 4. | Remove casserole from hot water bath; let stand for a few minutes to cool. Spoon into 4 dessert dishes. |
| Per serving: | 114 calories (26% calories from fat), 8 g protein, 3 g total fat (1.1 g saturated fat), 13 g carbohydrate, 108 mg cholesterol, 307 mg sodium |
| Exchanges: | 1/2 lean meat, 1 carbohydrate (1/2 bread/starch, 1/2 nonfat milk) |
Cheesecake Dainties
(Recipe courtesy of Sugar Twin ~ 32 2-inch squares)
| 1 | cup unbleached all-purpose flour |
| 1/2 | cup chopped walnuts |
| 1/4 | cup Brown Sugar Twin |
| 1/3 | cup firm margarine, cut into pieces |
| 8 | ounces cream cheese |
| 1 | large egg |
| 2 | tablespoons Sugar Twin |
| 1 1/2 | tablespoons fresh lemon juice |
| 1 | tablespoon skim milk |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8-inch square pan with Baker’s Joy brand no-stick baking spray. |
| 2. | Mix together flour, walnuts, Brown Sugar Twin, and margarine. Remove 1/2 cup for topping. Press remainder firmly in pan. Bake for 12 minutes. |
| 3. | Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, egg, Sugar Twin, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Spread over baked crust, spreading to cover. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Return to oven and bake 25 minutes. Cool. |
| 4. | To serve, cut into 2-inch squares. |
| Per 1 square serving: | 70 calories (70% calories from fat), 1 g protein, 6 g total fat (2.1 g saturated fat), 4 g carbohydrate, 13 mg cholesterol, 48 mg sodium |
| Exchanges: | 1 fat |
Applesauce Raisin Drops
(Recipe courtesy of Sugar Twin ~ 2 1/2 dozen drops)
| 1 | cup unbleached all-purpose flour |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons baking powder |
| 1/2 | teaspoon baking soda |
| 3/4 | teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| 1/4 | teaspoon ground nutmeg |
| 1/8 | teaspoon ground cloves |
| 1/8 | teaspoon cream of tartar |
| 8 | tablespoons stick margarine, softened |
| 1/3 | cup Brown Sugar Twin |
| 1 | large egg or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute |
| 1 1/3 | cup unsweetened applesauce |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 1 3/4 | cups quick-cooking oats cereal |
| 1 | cup seedless raisins |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheets with no stick baking spray. |
| 2. | Into small bowl, sift together first seven ingredients; set aside. |
| 3. | In large bowl, cream margarine until fluffy. Blend in Brown Sugar Twin and egg. Alternately add sifted dry ingredients and applesauce; blend well. Stir in vanilla, oats, and raisins. |
| 4. | Drop by tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheets then flatten. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until firm. |
| Per drop: | 82 calories (37% calories from fat), 2 g protein, 4 g total fat (0.6 g saturated fat), 12 g carbohydrate, 7 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium |
| Exchanges: | 1 carbohydrate (1/2 bread/starch, 1/2 fruit), 1 fat |
Orange and Chocolate Chip Bread
(Recipe courtesy of Hersey’s ~ 16 slices)
| 3 | cups reduced-calorie all-purpose baking mix |
| 1 | cup skim milk |
| 1/4 | cup fresh orange juice |
| 1 | large egg |
| 1 | tablespoon grated orange peel |
| granulated sugar substitute to equal 1/2 cup sugar | |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 1/2 | cup Hershey’s Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate |
| 1. | Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9X5X2-3/4-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray. |
| 2. | Place baking mix in medium bowl. Combine milk, orange juice, egg, orange peel, sugar substitute and vanilla; add all at once to baking mix. Beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Stir in small chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared pan. |
| 3. | Bake 40 to 56 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap; store overnight before slicing. |
VARIATION:ORANGE CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS: Heat oven to 350°F. Paper-line or spray 16 muffin cups (2 1/2 inches in diameter) with vegetable cooking spray. Prepare as directed above. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
| Per serving: | 120 calories, 3 g protein, 3 g total fat, 20 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 260 mg sodium |
| Exchanges: | 2 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch, 1 fruit), 1/2 fat |
