Diabetics Rejoice!: November 2020

Monday, November 30, 2020

Keto Hot White Chocolate Peppermint Cocoa

The mornings and evenings are colder, which puts me in the mood for hot chocolate! This version uses white chocolate chips (either in peppermint flavor or plain) to create a delicious warming beverage that has a flavor reminiscent of Peppermint Bark. Perfect for any time of day, but especially at night, because there’s no caffeine...just pure, delicately sweet white chocolate and peppermint!

Keto Hot White Chocolate Peppermint Cocoa

Makes 1 serving

1-1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

A tiny pinch of salt

2 tablespoons sugar free white chocolate chips (I used Lily’s Peppermint baking chips, see below*)

2-3 drops peppermint extract, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon chocolate or vanilla extract

6-7 drops monkfruit extract or liquid stevia, or to taste

1. Heat the coconut milk, heavy cream, pinch of salt and white chocolate chips in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the chips are melted and the mixture is hot and bubbly around the edges.

2. Remove from heat and add the extracts and sweetener. Stir to combine.

3. If you have one, use a frothing tool to create foam and pour into a mug. If desired, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed sugar free peppermint candies. Serve immediately.

*Note: I used Lily’s sugar free Peppermint Flavor baking chips, which are available for a limited time at WalMart. If you can’t find them, just use any sugar free white chocolate chips and add enough peppermint extract to achieve the peppermint flavor you desire.

Nutritional Information: 168 calories, 4.4 g carbohydrate (1.5 g dietary fiber, 0.6 g sugars), 17 g total fat (8.3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 215 mg sodium, 572.6 mg calcium, 19 mg potassium, 120 IU Vit A, 1.4 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 2.9 grams

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Duchess Cauliflower Casserole

I saw an intriguing recipe on America’s Test Kitchen a few weeks ago for Duchess Potatoes. I immediately thought how delicious it could be made with cauliflower! This low carb recipe is super easy because I started with frozen riced cauliflower. Once baked, a golden brown crust forms on the top of the casserole creating a contrast to the creamy, buttery cauli-mash inside. This side dish is going to be a favorite on my Keto Thanksgiving Buffet this year.

Duchess Cauliflower Casserole

Makes 6 servings (1/2 cup each)

20 ounces frozen riced cauliflower

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsweetened almond or coconut milk

1 large egg, separated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

A pinch of nutmeg

4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat riced cauliflower in a large saucepan until thawed and most of the excess liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and puree in a food processor until a mashed potato consistency is reached.

2. Whisk together the heavy cream, almond or coconut milk, egg yolk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir this mixture into the mashed cauliflower along with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter until well combined.

3. Grease a small casserole dish and spread the cauliflower mash evenly in the dish.

4. Whisk together the egg white, remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter and a pinch of salt. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 of the egg white mixture on the top of the cauliflower mash. Tilt the pan and allow the egg white mixture flow into the corners and all over the top until evenly coated. Use the flat side of a sharp knife to carve a diamond pattern into the top of the casserole, pressing only about 1/4 inch into the surface.

5. Place in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning 1/2 way through cooking. Bake until the crust is a nice golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 15-20 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information per serving (1/2 cup): 120 calories, 4.6 g carbohydrate (2.2 g dietary fiber, 2.3 g sugars), 10.6 g total fat (6.4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 58 mg cholesterol, 234 mg sodium, 31 mg calcium, 14 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 47 mg Vit C, 107 IU Vit A, 3.4 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 2.4 grams

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Low Carb Peppermint Candy Sprinkles

I’m getting ready to make some holiday and winter desserts that call for crushed peppermint candy as an ingredient or decoration. There are sugar free peppermint candies available, but they contain a type of sugar alcohol (isomalt, mannitol, sorbitol or maltitol) that causes painful and embarrassing digestive issues! That’s not the kind of holiday gift I want for myself or to share with family or friends, so I avoid all sugar free candies with these offending sweeteners. Because I need peppermint candies in recipes, I decided to create a suitable substitute. This recipe is the result of my experimentation and, because it contains a small amount of real crushed candy canes combined with the coconut, it really does taste like crushed peppermint candies! I am so pleased with these sprinkles and look forward to the many delicious creations I’ll be making with them.

Low Carb Peppermint Candy Sprinkles

Makes 1/2 cup (24 servings)

1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

4 drops red food coloring

4 drops monkfruit extract or liquid stevia, or to taste

5 drops pepperment extract, or to taste

2 mini peppermint candy canes, crushed (I used candy canes made with real sugar)

In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients until well combined. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutritional Information per 1 teaspoon: 14 calories, 0.8 g carbohydrate (0.2 g dietary fiber, 0.4 g sugars), 1.1 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 1 mg sodium, 0.1 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 0.6 grams

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Low Carb Yellow Cake

I love to bake and decorating cakes has become a fun and creative hobby. It’s been difficult to find a really good low carb, gluten free, sugar free and low oxalate cake recipe, until now. I have made this cake several times and the result has been good, but the edges sometimes dried out before the center was done. After hearing about cake pan bands, that insulate the edges so the cake bakes more evenly and the edges don’t over-brown, I tried baking with them this time and the cake was PERFECTION! A tender and soft crumb throughout with no tough, dried out edges! My entire family loved it, whether they’re low carb or not! Comments all around were that this might be the best low carb cake I’ve ever made. To learn how to make your own cake pan bands out of newspaper and foil, watch this video by America’s Test Kitchen: https://youtu.be/1eU6UpHH3-s

Low Carb Yellow Cake

Makes 12 servings

96 grams coconut flour (about 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)

3/4 cup granulated erythritol sweetener

1/3 cup unflavored whey protein powder

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 large eggs

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 8-inch baking pans (or three 6-inch pans) by wrapping with cake pan bands (optional, but results in a more tender cake, see link in the description above to learn how to make them with newspaper and foil.) Next, grease pans, line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk the coconut flour, sweetener, whey protein powder, baking powder and salt. (If you can’t weigh the coconut flour, scoop and level with a light hand, do not pack down.)

3. In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until light and lemon yellow in color. Add the melted butter, coconut milk and extract. While the mixer is on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and then switch the mixer to medium and beat just until the dry ingredients are incorporated and a smooth batter forms. It will be thicker than traditional cake batter, but that’s okay.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans, spread to the edges and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Bake for about 30 minutes if using 8-inch pans until lightly brown around the edges, the tops are slightly firm to the touch and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. (If using 6-inch baking pans, test cake after 20-25 minutes.) Do not overbake.

5. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 10-15 minutes. Coconut flour cakes can be delicate while hot, so let them cool a bit before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before filling and decorating them with the cake frosting of your choice.

Nutritional Information per serving (1/12th of recipe, no frosting): 148 calories, 6.4 g carbohydrate (2.9 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugars), 11.5 g total fat (7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 113 mg cholesterol, 194 mg sodium, 112.6 mg calcium, 43 mg potassium, Vit A 118 IU, 1 mg iron, 5.5 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 3.5 grams

More about my experience with Type 2 diabetes:

After experiencing gestational diabetes while pregnant in 1988, it wasn't long before a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was made, and then, much later, I was correctly diagnosed with autoimmune Type 1.5 (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults, also known as LADA).

Like many people newly diagnosed, I had to read and learn what diabetes was all about. I did everything my doctor told me to do, took my medication exactly as prescribed, began to exercise more, I consulted with a diabetic nutritionist, I changed my carb-loving lifestyle to within the dietary guideline of my nutritionist and lost some weight. For many years, following the advice of the experts, I managed the disease fairly well. Yet, it concerned me that my need for medication continued to rise steadily, but I was told by my doctor that diabetes is a progressive disease and that what I was experiencing was normal. In a few years of trying diet change, exercise and oral medication alone, I was prescribed insulin to go along with the oral meds. My blood sugars stabilized, but my need for more and more insulin over time to manage good control continued to go slowly and steadily upward, along with my weight. With the larger and larger amounts of insulin (the fat storage hormone), it didn’t take long for me to become obese! I was not pleased because at the rate my need for meds was growing, it appeared that it wouldn't be long before my condition would be too difficult to control.

Finally, I said "enough!" Something had to change! I read The Diet Cure by Julia Ross and began a diet overhaul unlike anything ever suggested by my diabetic team. Two other books I highly recommend are The Blood Sugar Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman for a T2 diabetic and Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution by Dr. Richard Bernstein for a T1 or any diabetic on insulin. I cut out all white starches and grains from my diet and went 100% sugar free. (No expert had ever suggested I look at the sugar grams in the foods I ate before and I was shocked to discover large amounts hidden in most processed foods, even items not meant to be sweet!) I began to eat mainly fresh vegetables, very small amounts of fruit and only when it's in season (I love summer berries!), plenty of healthy fats and a moderate amount of high-quality protein. I now follow a Ketogenic diet which allows about 20-30 grams of good carbs per day, mainly in the form of non-starchy vegetables. I don't go out often but, when I do, I go to a restaurant where I know I can eat within my diet. By living this lifestyle, I lost over 65 pounds but, more than that, my need for medication grew less and less. I now need only very small amounts of insulin at meals and 4 units of long-acting insulin at bedtime (down from over 25 units when I was eating higher carb). The best part is that I’ve been able to stop all other oral prescription medications, as well! My blood glucose is always steady, in a normal range and hardly ever goes above 100 mg/dl. My A1c is consistently 4.9 or lower. These excellent health outcomes keep me motivated to stick with a keto lifestyle, plus I really enjoy the food!

I am now at my ideal weight and have kept it steady for over six years. My cravings for carbohydrates and my voracious "sweet tooth" are well controlled. I am motivated to cook and have made cooking healthy my #1 hobby. I'm excited about incorporating the alternative flours into my baking so I can occasionally still enjoy a dessert or bread product in my diet. The outlook of managing my diabetes and the future of my health is extremely positive.

If you're reading this and dealing with similar issues, take heart! You can make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle to share in this positive outlook, too. Just take it one day at a time, be good to yourself, and do not depend solely on medication. I had to face the fact: There is no "magic pill" out there! Instead, I needed to commit to eating well to heal myself from within. Remember, it's your future and your health; no one can do this for you! You owe it to yourself and your loved ones!

Monday, November 30, 2020

Keto Hot White Chocolate Peppermint Cocoa