Diabetics Rejoice!: Chocolate Turtle Pecans

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Chocolate Turtle Pecans

These toasted buttered pecans have just a hint of caramel and are lightly glazed with sugar free chocolate to give them the taste of old-fashioned Chocolate Turtle Candies. The nice part is that they’re quick and easy! No messy or tricky caramel to make, just toast the pecans in a skillet, bake in the oven to crisp up and stir in chocolate chips...that’s it! You’ll want to have this low carb treat on hand for snacking or as a simple dessert anytime.

Chocolate Turtle Pecans

Makes 12 servings (1/4 cup each)

3 cups pecan halves (or you can use 1/2 walnuts and 1/2 pecans)

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon granulated erythritol (I used Golden LaKanto Monkfruit sweetener)

3-4 drops caramel flavoring, or to taste (I used Capella, see photo below)

1/4 cup sugar free chocolate chips (I used Lily’s)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In an oven-proof or cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the nuts. Stir to coat. Sprinkle with the salt, erythritol sweetener and caramel flavoring. Stir to coat the nuts evenly. Taste and adjust sweetness and flavorings, if desired. Toast the nuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant.

2. Place the skillet with the nuts into the preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time. Cook until lightly toasted, but not burned.

3. Remove from the oven and spoon the hot nuts into a large bowl. Immediately add the chocolate chips and stir. When the nuts are nicely coated with the melted chocolate, spread the nuts in a single layer onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet to cool completely. To hasten the process, you can refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes.

4. Once cooled and the chocolate has set, store the nuts in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. The nuts are most flavorful when served at room temperature.

Nutritional Information per 1/4 cup serving: 213 calories, 5.5 g carbohydrate (3 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugar, 1 g sugar alcohols), 22 g total fat (4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 7.5 mg cholesterol, 122 mg sodium, 111 mg potassium, 35.2 mg magnesium, 3.1 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 2.5 grams

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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!

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Chocolate Turtle Pecans

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Diabetics Rejoice!