Help with Diabetic Baking

[vyapti]

I give a cake to my staff at the staff meeting on their birthday. One of my staff members was recently diagnosed with diabetes. I want to support her, but at the same time, give here some sort of birthday treat. But, I know next to nothing about diabetes. Does anyone have any pointers, suggestions or ideas for a diabetic birthday treat and, like I said, it doesn't necessarily need to be cake or cake-like.

Thanks

 

[kadesma]

I'm diabetic and can have regular desserts. I do this by exchanging one carb for another. You need to find out if your frnd does this. Do they take meds for it? How about insulin the will be taught how to work with it and their food. It's complicated at first. I myself love a small crisp apple and some cheese. Nuts,are also a good choice. I know many will tell you sugar free, but the flour in the recipe is a carb and will raise blood glucose not just the sugar.That needs to be watched..If they are a veggie lover, Veggies not high in sugar content, celery and cheese for stuffing,jicama,cauliflour,broccoli,fresh mushroom,a few grape tomatos. Just a few ideas for you.
kadesma

 

[Kathleen]

Diabetic Treats

I feel deeply for your friend. It was very hard for me when I was diagnosed with diabetes. You are terrific for considering her diagnosis. The question is not an easy one. Not all diabetics are the same. Some will be able to have a bit of cake and ice cream on their birthdays, whereas others have to adhere to a strict diet.

My key with diabetes is the carbs. Unfortunately not all carbs are alike. And not all diabetics will react to them the same way. For example, pasta does not send my blood sugar skyrocketing, but rice will. My answer here really is based on what has worked for me.

You may wish to consider a cheesecake made with splenda - b/c you can adjust the amount of crust, etc. Also cheesecake has enough protein from the cream cheese to help bind the sugars and keep the bg from spiking.

Another idea would be an apple crisp made with splenda brown sugar and try for a whole grain topping on the crisp.

You can make cream pies that are sugar free, etc.

But. as mentioned, the key is the carbs. Even a fruit pie made with splenda will have carbs. Like a small apple is 1 carb exchange. So think portion sizes too. For example, a sugar free chocolate pie still has carbs from the milk and the crust. So maybe a cup of sugar-free pudding would be better. Carb for carb, the cup of pudding would likely have less carbs than the sliver of sugar-free pie. Crusts typically have a lot of carbs.

Similarly, the apple crisp with a sprinkle of crisp will allow her to have more than a sugar-free apple pie.

Fats are the hidden triggers to blood sugar. Fats are three sugars held together by a glycerine molecule which breaks down to three sugars. So fine today and pay for it come morning...for me, anyway.

I'd go with something like a fruit crisp made with splenda and dabs of butter. Lots of flavor. And you can seriously control the carbs that go into it or adjust her insulin. Or make it with sugar and she can figure that out too.

If she has had education on her diabetes, take the recipe. She should be able to look at it and the portion and figure out her carbs for it to fit it in her food plan.

Hope this helps.

~Kathleen

 

[vyapti]

I think this is a new discovery for her and I don't think she knows all the implications herself.

 

[kadesma]

I'm diabetic and can have regular desserts. I do this by exchanging one carb for another. You need to find out if your frnd does this. Do they take meds for it? How about insulin the will be taught how to work with it and their food. It's complicated at first. I myself love a small crisp apple and some cheese. Nuts,are also a good choice. I know many will tell you sugar free, but the flour in the recipe is a carb and will raise blood glucose not just the sugar.That needs to be watched..If they are a veggie lover, Veggies not high in sugar content, celery and cheese for stuffing,jicama,cauliflour,broccoli,fresh mushroom,a few grape tomatos. Just a few ideas for you.
kadesma

I need to mention milk will raise the blood glucose so be careful with things made with milk. One way to determine is anything that ends in ose will cause a rise in bg's.
kadesma

 

[vyapti]

so, is low GI food generally ok?

 

[Selkie]

You might consider a cake that has lots of flavor and is served in small slices, and uses very little sugar or a sugar substitue - such as a lemon pound cake that uses Equal. (I would use stevia, but that's me.)

Cooks.com - Recipe - Lemon Pound Cake With Equal

Enhanced flavor can be just as satisfying as sweetness.

 

[Kathleen]

You might consider a cake that has lots of flavor and is served in small slices, and uses very little sugar or a sugar substitue - such as a lemon pound cake that uses Equal. (I would use stevia, but that's me.) Enhanced flavor can be just as satisfying as sweetness.

Good point! I've found that I can have a satisfying piece of Angel Food Cake with this strategy.


Vyapti - People have mixed feelings about the GI index, but I find that it is pretty accurate for me with very few exceptions.

~Kathleen

 

[Constance]

You can make a lot of adjustments to a regular recipe that will help make the desserts or any foods easier on your diabetic friend.

Substitute whole wheat flour for most (2/3 to 3/4) of the all purpose flour. The carbs in the whole wheat flour are more complex, which means they take longer to digest and do not suddenly flood the body with glucose. Your cake will not be as light, but will still be good.

Replace sugar with Splenda. They also make a brown sugar Splenda. If you need powdered sugar, grind the regular Splenda in the food processor.

Use fruit with no sugar added. (You can even find apple and cherry pie fillings with no sugar added.)
Combine sugar free pudding mix with sugar free Cool Whip for frostings and fillings.
Use sugar free Jello mix to sweeten and flavor all kinds of things.

I made a sugar free carrot cake for my diabetic grandson's birthday, using the above tips, and not only did it not mess with his sugar, it also tasted really delicious.

 

[vyapti]

This was posted on another forum. I'm a little concerned about all the juice, but maybe I can find some sugar free juice.

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups rolled oats
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.2 tsp salt
1/2 cup margarine
1 1/3 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts

 

[babetoo]

cake mixes with very low sugar content on the market. think it is betty crocker. i use splendia a lot in from scratch recipes. go on line and read about diabetes. knowledge is key to yummy tastes , you will learn what to sub so a small amount of carbs are ok
complex carbs are another way to go.

 

[kadesma]

I agree with babe...one thing , as a diabetic it is important to test our bg's. I do mine more than people like to hear. It's important to know where we are. We can't tell unless we do. I do a fasting then before a meal and 2 hours after a meal...several times more during the day and at night. I find it's easier to keep them down this way. How about you?
kadesma

 

[babetoo]

i always test in am before breakfast and again in the evening before bed and i mean always. unless i get a bad reading at either time , i don't test anymore. usually i can feel where it as i am sure you can, especially if to low. it is important to use these tests to see if problem is being solved, with insulin if to high and food if to low.

 

[kadesma]

i always test in am before breakfast and again in the evening before bed and i mean always. unless i get a bad reading at either time , i don't test anymore. usually i can feel where it as i am sure you can, especially if to low. it is important to use these tests to see if problem is being solved, with insulin if to high and food if to low.

I can tell if I'm low high's are more iffy..Unless ig very sleepy I've no idea where I am unless I test. I've been called a fanatic but I don't buy that not with hbaic's of 4-5's.Testing is one thing I'm fussy about for me.
kades