Have you thought about making your own Halloween treats for the kids this year, but you're reluctant to even start because you think no sugar means it will taste awful?
It's so far from the truth, besides they taste so darn good.
There is nothing hard about it, nothing difficult, you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry, or most of them anyway, and it will be so much fun knowing your family and friends are enjoying the delicious sugar-free treats you put together.
There's no denying that making your own treats takes time, but if you follow recipes carefully, you needn't worry about making "sugar-free" for your kids.
Information about diabetes abounds, probably because there are over 23 million American children and adults who have a diabetic disorder. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that diabetes is now an epidemic in America and nearly eight million people don't even know they have it.
Over 1.6 million new diabetics are diagnosed every year, and in 2005, $60 billion was spent treating diabetes, the money coming from Medicare. A frightening one child in 400 to 600 will become diabetic, and the cases are becoming more serious - diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S.
We are reminded daily that diabetes can be controlled when caught early with diet, exercise, and medication. A personal friend of mine spends over $100 per month on medications over and above what his health care provider pays. Manage early. A sensible diet will include sugar-free treats, and there are a lot to choose from. Improvise your recipes to make them what you need them to be.
Pumpkin Bread
Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9" x 5" nonstick loaf pan with cooking spray. Or use cup-cake liners in a muffin pan instead.
1 egg, 1 egg white, 3 drops stevia, 1/4 cup artificial brown sugar, 1 cup canned pumpkin,
6T buttermilk, 1 T canola oil, tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2T cornstarch,
3/4 tsp baking powder, cup baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp ground allspice, 1/8 tsp ground cloves
In a food processor or blender, combine the egg, egg white, stevia, and brown sugar substitute, until smooth. Add pumpkin, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, the pumpkin mixture. Stir just until lumpy batter forms.
Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan, or divide batter equally among the cupcake cups. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. The tops should be golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, cupcakes for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan or muffin tin and cool on a wire rack.
Makes 1 loaf or 12 cupcakes 87 calories per serving.
Ice with the following sugar-free frosting
1 (1.4 oz) package sugar-free instant pudding mix, 1 3/4 cups milk, 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, 1 8 oz. lite frozen whipped topping, thawed.
In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and milk, mix well and let stand until thickened.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, add pudding and mix well, try a dash of orange food coloring. Fold in whipped topping. Ice your cake or the cupcakes.
Recipe #2:
Chocolate Chip/Raisin Cookies
cup margarine, cup brown sugar substitute, lightly packed, 1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract,
1 cup all-purpose flour, tsp baking soda, tsp salt, cup quick-cooking rolled oats, cup raisins, cup sugar-free semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 F
In a mixing bowl, cream together the margarine, and sugar substitute until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stir in the creamed mixture, along with the oats and chocolate chips.
Using 2 teaspoons (one to scoop, the other to push off ) onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with a wet fork. Bake until cookies begin to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Makes about 24 Serving size: 2 cookies 89 calories per cookie
Happy Halloween!
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