Diabetics Rejoice!: Low Carb Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites (Gluten Free!)

Monday, December 9, 2024

Low Carb Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites (Gluten Free!)

These delicious Chocolate Dipped PB Pretzel Bites call for gluten free mini pretzels, making them gluten free, grain free and low carb! So easy to make and no baking involved. This is a fun activity to do with the kids. You can decorate them with sprinkles to customize them for any occasion. The pretzels stay crunchy, which pairs nicely with the creamy peanut butter filling and luxurious chocolate coating. Looking for a low carb food gift to share with friends? These pretzel cookies travel well and stay fresh for many weeks!

Low Carb Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

Makes 25 cookies

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (no sugar added)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/3 cup powdered low carb sweetener of choice

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons peanut butter powder (no sugar added)

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

50 gluten free, mini pretzels (1 carb each*, see note below)

1 cup sugar free semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (I like keto-friendly Guittard 72% cocoa chips)

1. Place the peanut butter and softened butter into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. (This can be done using an electric mixer or by hand.) Add in the powdered sweetener, coconut flour, peanut butter powder, salt and vanilla. Continue mixing until well combined. Chill mixture to firm up so it can be rolled into balls more easily.

2. Portion the peanut butter mixture into approximately 1 inch balls, then press each ball between two mini pretzels. Continue until you have 25 pretzel bites.

3. Melt chocolate in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until fully melted. (I like to do this at 50% power so the chocolate does not burn or seize while melting.) You can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler, if you’d prefer.

4. Dip one side of each pretzel bite into the melted chocolate, scrape the bottom along the rim of the bowl to remove any drips and then place each dipped pretzel bite onto a tray lined with parchment paper. If desired, while the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with decorative sprinkles. Allow the pretzel bites to cool and set up before serving. To hasten this process, you may place them in the refrigerator for a few minutes until the chocolate is set.

5. These Pretzel Bites can be stored at room temperature, if you plan to eat them within a day or two. Otherwise, store them in a refrigerator for longer storage.

*Note: Snyder Gluten Free Mini Pretzels are 1 carb per piece. If you use a different brand of pretzel, the nutritional information and carb count in the final product may be slightly different.

Nutritional Information per 1 pretzel bite: 52 calories, 4.5 g carbohydrate (1.3 g dietary fiber, 0.6 g sugars, 0.6 g sugar alcohols), 3.8 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 57 mg sodium, 3.8 mg calcium, 11 mg potassium, 8 IU Vit A, 1.2 g protein. Net carbs per bite: 2.6 grams

No comments:

Post a Comment

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, December 9, 2024

Low Carb Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites (Gluten Free!)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Diabetics Rejoice!