Diabetic friendly recipes are so much better for you than most “normal” recipes that it is a wonder that most people don’t use them in their day-to-day lives. In fact, most people enjoy diabetic friendly recipes and do not question the ingredients at all. This really isn’t surprising. Diabetic friendly recipes usually include a healthy array of foods, such as fruits and vegetables that add nutrition and flavor to the meal. In fact, the best diabetic friendly recipes will follow the American Diabetes Association’s “Create Your Plate” guidelines, which call for a healthy mix of grains, vegetables, and meat or meat substitutes.
One of the best types of diabetic friendly recipes to try is diabetic dessert recipes. Though they are not healthy to eat all of the time, they do help to take the edge off of your diabetic diet. The main difference between diabetic friendly dessert recipes and those more commonly used is that diabetic recipes usually use some sort of sugar substitute, which makes them much less fattening and more beneficial to anyone’s health. In fact, studies have found a link between the use of refined sugars and unhealthy levels of blood fats in patients, according to WebMd.com. In addition to using sugar substitutes, such as equal, many diabetic friendly dessert recipes use the natural sugars from the fruits being used to sweeten the treat in a healthier way. This is just one more reason why people should use diabetic friendly recipes more often, whether they are diabetic or not.
Diabetic Friendly Dessert Recipes
Easy Diabetic Pie
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) container of Cool Whip Free, thawed
- 1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust
- 1 box sugar-free Jello (should serve 4, any flavor of your choice)
- 2/3 cups water
- 1 cup water/ice cubes
- Fruit of your choice, sliced (optional)
Instructions
Begin by boiling 2/3 cup of water. Remove from heat and mix the Jello in with the boiling water for about 2 minutes or until the Jello is totally dissolved. Next, add the water/ice cube mixture to the Jello mixture and stir until the ice melts. Add the cool whip and whisk the mixture until smooth. Place the mixture into a mixing bowl and refrigerate this for 20 minutes. Spoon the filling into the crust and allow your pie to refrigerate overnight before serving. Garnish with sliced fruit which complements the Jello flavor, if desired.
Diabetic Friendly Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 2 tbsp. butter, softened
- ¼ cup artificial sweetener
- ½ cup flax seed meal
- 1 ½ cup almond flour
- 2 oz. chopped almonds
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- Cooking spray
Instructions
To begin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and then mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the softened butter and mix thoroughly and evenly. Add in the egg whites and do the same. Coat cookie sheet(s) with cooking spray and then use a table spoon to divide the dough into 30 equal cookies, with 1 inch in between. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Diabetic Friendly Cake Recipes
Diabetic Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 ¼ cup dates, chopped
- 1 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup grated carrot
- ¼ cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Cooking spray
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Next, combine the carrots, dates, raisins, water, applesauce, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and then allow it to simmer for at least 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, and then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well. This should form a batter. Spray and cake pan (8×8 in.) with cooking spray and spoon in the batter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes and allow the cake to cool before serving.
Diabetic Friendly Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 4 large graham crackers
- ½ cup cold water
- ½ cup iced water
- 2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp. sugar or sugar substitute equivalent, divided
- 1 egg white
- ½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
- 1 ½ tbsp. lemon rind, grated
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- 1 tbsp. reduced fat margarine
- 1 tbsp. gelatin, unflavored
- Cooking spray
Instructions
Begin by spraying a 8 or 9 inch round cake pan heavily with cooking spray, and then crush the graham crackers until the crumbs are fine, and then mix in the margarine until well combined. Sprinkle these crumbs evenly on the bottom of the cake pan and press gently to form a crust. Allow the crust to chill in the refrigerator.
Soak the gelatin in cold water and then heat over boiling water to dissolve. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the yogurt and half of the sugar/sweetener. Beat at a moderate speed. Then, add the dissolved gelatin gradually. Chill to the temperature of the egg whites. Meanwhile, combine the ice water, lemon rind, egg white, and dry milk in a large bowl. Next, add in the lemon juice, vanilla, and the rest of the sugar/sweetener. Beat at a high speed until the mixture is stiff.
Fold the yogurt mixture in with the rest. Blend well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan on top of the crumbs. Allow this to chill for 4 hours before serving. Garnish with cherries or strawberries if desired.
