Contrary to Popular Belief.....Diabetics Don't have to Give Up Sweets!

A friend recently sent me an article from her local paper (thanks Leslie Fitzgerald) about pastry chef Stacey Harris. Her mantra is "Replace - Rethink - Reduce" when it comes to diabetic cooking.

"Sugar free only takes care of a small portion of the carbs. You have to do additional things to lower the carbs further and still have a dessert that tastes good".

She is right - and that is the part that non-diabetics don't understand. My sweet mother will buy those "sugar free" angel food cakes from Kroger and she wants to know why I can't eat a huge slice! "Sugar Free" is NOT carb free, fat free or calorie free!

Here is one of her recipes:

Best Banana Bread

Wednesday, July 18th, 2007

1 c oat flour (rolled oats powdered in food processor or blender)
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c white all purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c toasted pecans or walnuts chopped
3 very ripe bananas mashed (about 1 1/2 c)
1/4 c plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 T canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom only of loaf pan. Combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Lightly fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients with spatula just until combined. Bake for about 55 mins. Cool for five minutes and invert. Store in refrigerator for four days or on the counter two days.

Visit her website for more substitution ideas and her cookbook is available there as well!

Enjoy!