Sugarfree Apple Crisp

Prepare crisp topping:

2/3 -  3/4 C packed brown sugar (for low/no sugar, use brown sugar substitute)

1/2 C flour
1/2 - 1 C oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 C butter

Apple filling:

4 C sliced, peeled apples
1/2 C frozen apple juice concentrate, undiluted (try raspberry or other versions for a delicious variety)
1/2 to 1 Tbsp cornstarch, flour, or ground tapioca
1 T cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Mix apple juice concentrate, thickener, and spices and stir. Add lemon juice if desired to keep the apples lighter-colored. Gently fold in the apples and stir until coated. (Taste an apple to check the spice combination.) Pour into pie pan and top with crisp topping.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 8x8x2-inch square pan, or pie pan arrange apple slices.  Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over apples.  Bake until topping is golden brown and the apples are tender, about 30 minutes. 

(Microwave for about 12 minutes, or until apples are tender.)

For variety, use other fruits, apricots, peaches, pinneaple...

 Serve warm or cold. Serves 6-8.

Note: Apples have some natural pectin, but a small amount of thickener seems necessary to "hold" the sweet concentration of the apples for an even flavor.

Sugarfree Apple Pie

Pastry crust for a two-crust 8-inch pie*

4 C sliced, peeled apples
1/2 C frozen apple juice concentrate, undiluted (try raspberry or other versions for a delicious variety)
1/2 to 1 Tbsp cornstarch, flour, or ground tapioca
1 T cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Divide the pastry* into two parts and roll thin to fit an 8-9 inch pie pan. Set aside. 

Mix apple juice concentrate, thickener, and spices and stir. Add lemon juice if desired to keep the apples lighter-colored. Gently fold in the apples and stir until coated. (Taste an apple to check the spice combination.) Pour into pastry-lined pie pan and top with the second crust or pastry strips. Seal the edges and cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

Note: Apples have some natural pectin, but a small amount of thickener seems necessary to "hold" the sweet concentration of the apples for an even flavor. Serves 8.

*Or use my husband's VERY favorite method of apple crisp, also on this blog!

Quick Orange Chicken (Lower Sugar!)

Got this recipe from Best Recipes Diabetic Cooking magazine, the May/June 2004 issue.

2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tbsp no sugar-added orange marmalade
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (abt 1 lb)
1/2 C fresh orange sections
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Microwave Directions

1. For sauce, combine juice concentrate, marmalade, mustard and salt in 8-inch shallow round microwavable dish until juice concentrate is thawed.

2. Add chicken, coating both sides with sauce. Arrange chicken around edge of dish without overlapping. Cover with vented plastic wrap.  Microwave at HIGH (100%) 3 minutes; turn chicken over. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

3. Remove chicken to serving plate. Microwave remaining sauce at HIGH (100%) 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

4. To serve, spoon sauce over chicken; top with orange sections and parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Dietary exchanges:
3 lean meat, 1/2 fruit

Nutrients per serving:
Cal - 157
Total Fat - 2 g
Carb - 8 g
Chol - 65 mg
Fiber - <1 g
Cal from fat - 16%
Sat fat <1 g
Protein - 26 g
Sodium - 234 mg

Homemade Granola (Low Sugar Version)

(Original recipe was one of my favorite recipes from Jil Abegg's "How to Save Big Money Grocery and Household Shopping Savers' Seminar", and Marie Rick's homemaking class)

6 c. regular oats

½ - 1 c. toasted wheat germ

1 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

1 c. unsweetened ribbon coconut

1/4 c. sesame seeds

1 c. chopped nuts

½ c. shelled sunflower seeds

1-2 tsp. cinnamon

¼- ½ tsp. nutmeg

1 c. vegetable oil

¼- ½ c. honey (regular recipe called for 1 C)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. raisins (optional)

METHOD

Pour honey, oil and vanilla mixture over oat mixture, and stir until well mixed. Turn onto lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake in 300° oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown, turning over occasionally. May stir in one cup raisins and bake for an additional five minutes.

Pizza Dough

(From my Betty Crocker Cookbook, 1983 edition.)

1 pkg active dry yeast or 1½ tsp Saf-Insant yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2½ cups all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water (if it’s active.) Stir in remaining ingredients; beat vigorously 20 strokes. Let rest about 5 minutes.  (I've started adding italian spices to the dough, 1 tsp each garlic, basil, oregano, for added flavor - mmm!)

For pizza - Roll out on pizza pan and top with favorite pizza toppings or make bread sticks. Bake for about 18 mins in 425° oven.

For deep dish pizza - See the recipe here.

My addition: For bread sticks - Spread with melted butter, grated mozzarella cheese and little salt, bake 10+ minutes at 425°.

Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

I found this salad on Pinterest, and LOVED it!! I've made it several times for the family since finding it two or three months ago! It is my new favorite taco salad. So I have to post this here, so as to NEVER loose it! The recipe supposedly serves four, since not all my family is as crazy for it as my husband and I are, it "feeds" us all. Click on the picture to go to the original post, although I'm cutting and pasting most of her recipe text below:


salad:
2 cups shredded chicken
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can sweet yellow corn (or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed)
2 roma tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, sliced
1 head ice berg lettuce, washed and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 ripe avocados, diced
1 cup crushed tortilla chips

dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 tbsp ranch seasoning
1 tbsp taco seasoning

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips.  

In a small bowl stir all dressing ingredients together.  Pour dressing over salad, starting with about half of the dressing.   Toss to combine, then gradually add more dressing until it is dressed to your liking.  Top with tortilla chips.  Enjoy!

Susan Beckstrand's Zucchini Casserole

(This is my husband's favorite - and it's a low-carb, most delicious way to use summer zucchini - sometimes we even have to have it in the middle of the winter!)

Slice and par boil one large zucchini, drain and lay it in a casserole dish.

Make a very basic tomato sauce with cooked ground beef* & onion, 2 cans diced or crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. (NO flour or other spices!) Poor over zucchini.

Sprinkle grated cheese over this, & be generous. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the cheese. (I usually make them with a piece of toast.) Broil until cheese is melted and starting to brown.

 

Mmm, mmm good!

*I fry all my hamburger up when I buy it -with or without onions- and pkg it for individual meals (1/2-1 lb sizes) & freeze - very quick to thaw, and makes meal prep VERY fast.

Sugar-Free Apple Pie

Pastry Crust for 8" 2 crust pie

4 C sliced, peeled apples
½ C frozen apple juice concentrated, undiluted, (try raspberry versions for delicious variety)
½ - 1 T. Tapioca, cornstarch or flour
½ to 1 t cinnamon, nutmeg or apple pie spice
½ t Lemon juice (opt)

Divide pastry in 2 parts and roll thin to fit an 8-9 inch pie plate.  Set aside.  Mix apples, apple juice concentrate, thickener and spice and stir until apples are well-coated.  Add lemon juice, if desired, to keep apples lighter-colored.  Taste one piece of apple to check the spice.  Pour into pastry lined pie pan and top with the second crust or pastry strips.  Seal the edges and cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.  Bake at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve warm or cold.

Note: Apples have some natural pectin, but a small amount of thickener seems necessary to “hold” the sweet concentrate of the apples for an even flavor.

Makes 8 servings.

Super Spaghetti Sauce by Susan

Cooked hamburger*
1 chopped onion
2-3 cans tomatoes (1 crushed, 1 diced, some mixture, can use tomato sauces too.)
2-3 crushed garlic cloves

1/2 to 1 chopped green pepper (if available)
1 tsp each, salt, oregano, and basil
Pepper to taste
2 c zucchini sauce (blended zucchini - add when it's in season, don't when it's not)
grated carrotIf you have time to cook this a long time, add some

Simmer as long as you want (I usually do as long as it takes the pasta to cook al dente,) then serve. Quick, easy, and nutritious...mmmm!

*I fry all my hamburger up when I buy it -with or without onions- and pkg it for individual meals (1/2-1 lb sizes) & freeze - very quick to thaw, and makes meal prep VERY fast.

Taco Soup

To one pound browned hamburger & oninos, mix one pkg of taco seasoning mix*.  Add 1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans undrained, 1 can (17 oz) corn undrained, 1 can tomato sauce.  (I have to double or triple that for my family.)

Cook on medium heat about 15 minutes to blend flavors.  Serve in bowls, top with cheese.  Eat with tortilla chips.

(Makes great dutch oven camping recipe - use chips instead of spoons!)

*I never buy taco seasoning mix.  I make my own by adding chili powder, cumin, garlic powder or fresh minced garlic, and salt & pepper. 

Turkey Cranberry Wreath

I was a Pampered Chef Consultant for a couple of years, and very much enjoyed that.  This was one of my very favorite recipes from then, and it has become a tradition in our house after turkey dinner holidays!  Mmm! 

Click here to go to the Pampered Chef website 

Leftover Thanksgiving turkey? Create this season’s showcase recipe–an impressive braided wreath featuring a warm cranberry studded turkey filling.

2 pkgs (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
½ C mayonnaise
2 Tbsp honey Dijon mustard
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 C cooked turkey chopped (about 12 oz)
½ C celery, sliced
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, snipped
½ C dried cranberries
4 oz Swiss cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 C walnuts, chopped
1 egg, separated

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center, arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond edge of Baking Stone. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center, matching wide ends. Seal seams using Dough and Pizza Roller. (Points will overlap in center; do not seal.)

2. Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into Classic Batter Bowl. Chop turkey using Food Chopper. Slice celery using Chef’s Knife. Snip parsley using Kitchen Shears. Add turkey, celery, parsley and cranberries to Batter Bowl. Grate cheese into Batter Bowl using Deluxe Cheese Grater. Mix filling using Mix ‘N Scraper®. Using Medium Scoop, scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle.

3. Coarsely chop walnuts using Food Chopper; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangles, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.

4. Separate egg over Small Batter Bowl using Egg Separator. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough using Pastry Brush. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut and serve using Slice ‘N Serve®.

Yield: 10 servings.

Nutrients per serving: Calories 270, Total Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 40 mg, Carbohydrate 22 g, Protein 15 g, Sodium 520 mg, Fiber less than 1 g

©The Pampered Chef, Ltd., 2000

Fall/Winter 2000 Season’s Best Recipe Collection, Cover Recipe, p. 16.

Low Sugar Quick Orange Chicken

2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tbsp no-sugar-added orange marmalade
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
4 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
1/2 c fresh orange sections
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Microwave Instructions:
1. For sauce, combine juice concentrate, marmalade, mustard and salt in 8-inch shallow round microwavable dish until juice concentrate is thawed.

2. Add chicken, coating both sides with sauce.  Arrange chicken around edge of dish without overlapping.  Cover with vented plastic wrap.  Microwave at HIGH (100%) 3 minutes; turn chicken over.  Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

3.  Remove chicken to serving plate.  Microwave remaining sauce at HIGH (100%) 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

4.  To serve, spoon sauce over chicken; top with orange sections and parsley.

Makes 4 servings.

Dietary Exchangees:
3 Lean Meat, 1/2 fruit

Found in "Diabetic Cooking", May/June 2004, p. 18.

I make this when it's just Nels and me - like when we went away for a week in Park City, or the kids are away, and it's just us at home.  Love it, he does too!


Printer friendly version here.

Low Sugar Oatmeal Spice Cookies

2 egg whites

½ C granulated sugar

2 T skim milk

1 C dry rolled oats

1 C sifted cake flour

1 t cinnamon

t nutmeg

t soda

½ t baking powder

½ C margarine

½ C chopped walnuts

½ C  raisins

Beat egg whites, add sugar and milk. Mix well, then add the oats. Mix the spices, soda and baking powder with the sifted flour. Sift this dry mixture into the liquid mixture. Melt margarine and add. Add the walnuts and raisins and stir until well mixed. Drop by teaspoon on oiled baking sheet and bake in 375˚ oven 12-15 minutes.Makes 30 cookies. One cooky equals 3/4 bread unit and 1 fat unit.

(From Diabetes Control Cookery, by Dorothy Revell, 1975, Berkley Publishing Corp., p. 132.)

Favorite Crock Pot Chili

½ lb dry pinto or kidney beans, softened*
2 14 ½ oz cans tomatoes
2 lbs coarsely ground chuck browned and drained
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
Salt to taste


Completely soften beans. Put all ingredients in Crock-Pot in order listed. Stir once. Cover and cook on Low 10-12 hours (High: 5 to 6 hours).


Note: Two 16 oz cans red kidney beans, drained, may be substituted for dry beans.

*See Jane Martin's Bean Softening Recipe for easy overnight instructions.

Banana Bread

5 large very ripe bananas
4 eggs
1 c margarine or butter, softened
1 c sugar*
4 c flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Blend bananas and eggs in blender until smooth.  Add to creamed butter and sugar.  Add mixed dry ingredients.  Fold in walnuts.  Pour in wax paper lined regular size bread pans.  Bake at 350 F for 50 minutes

*The sugar in this recipe is half of what the original recipe usually called for.  It works better for my diabetic husband, and everyone really likes it, so we go with it!

Apple Crisp 1

(My husband prefers crisps to every other kind of pie!) 

4 cups sliced apples
2/3 -  3/4 C packed brown sugar (for low/no sugar, use brown sugar substitute)
1/2 C flour
1/2 - 1 C oats
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 C butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a square 8x8x2 inch pan arrange apple slices.  Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over apples.  Bake until topping is golden brown and the apples are tender, about 30 minutes. 

(Microwave for about 12 minutes, or until apples are tender.)

For variety, use other fruits, apricots, peaches, pinneaple...

Serves 6.

Nels’ Favorite Granola

(My husband is diabetic, so I altered the original by Jill Abegg and came up with this low sugar version.)

Mix together well:
6 C regular oats
½ - 1 C wheat germ
1 C unsweetened shredded coconut*
1 C unsweetened ribbon coconut*
1/4 C sesame seeds
1 C chopped nuts
½ C shelled sunflower seeds
1-2 t cinnamon
¼- ½ t nutmeg

Measure together:
1 C vegetable oil
¼- ½ C honey
2 t vanilla extract

Pour honey mixture over oat mixture, and stir until well mixed.  Turn onto lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake in 300° oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown, turning over occasionally.  May stir in one cup raisins and bake for an additional five minutes.

ENJOY!

*Available through health food stores or online vendors such as the San Francisco Herb Co.

Printable version here.

Lemon Tarragon Chicken

Finally we combined two of our favorite recipes: Lemon chicken & Tarragon Chicken, and came up with this delicious dish!

2 lbs chicken pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 T - 1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 t paprika
1 t tarragon
1/8 t pepper

Fry the chicken in a little olive oil, until just browning. Mix soup and spices and juice together, set aside. Place fried chicken in a baking dish, and pour chicken pieces over it. Bake until chicken is done, 45 minutes to an hour.

Serve with pasta, rice or potatoes. Mmm!

Printable version here.

Another yummy Quick Terragon Chicken Recipe here.