This is something which I cooked as a dessert on a few occasions when I worked at the Manor. I often had to cater to silver service 5 course meals and my boss usually liked me to have at least two desserts for her guests to choose from.
Normally she liked everything to be overly complicated. I always tried to temper the complicated dishes with a few simple ones and dishes that I could do a lot of pre-prep for were what I preferred.
After all I was all on my own in the kitchen. When you are talking about shopping and prepping for a huge dinner party that is a lot of work.
They would start with canapes to be served with drinks. You would think canapes would be simple, but actually they are quite fiddly. I would have to serve no less than 4 or 5 different canapes.
A favorite with me was Quail's eggs with seasoning salt. The hardest part was the peeling of the cooked eggs, but depending on how many guests there were, this was something that went rather quickly for me.
They were always served on a huge platter atop a bed of shredded lettuce, a bird's nest holding a dish of seasoning salt in the center. Another favorite was smoked salmon on brown bread. Also very easy.
Other canapes would be parmesan crisps, easy . . . I used to make these Indian shortbreads that were gorgeous. The recipe is on here. I liked doing those because they could be baked ahead of time and then just put together on the night.
I had a few other favorites I liked to do as well. Lets just say, easy was key for me, as much as possible.
The first course all depended on what the main course was going to be. I liked it when she wanted a soup of some kind because I could also do that ahead of time and just reheat it on the night.
The main course would be major work, always. I didn't mind however. I got to use the finest ingredients and really stretch my culinary abilities. I got to cook things I would never have been able to afford to cook at home.
Usually it would involve duck, or lamb, maybe beef, with a sauce. A starch of some kind (either potatoes or rice.) I made a really fabulous Dauphinoise Potatoes. This could also be made ahead of time and then reheated at the last minute.
Usually two or three vegetables to accompany on the side also.
Always, always two desserts, and she liked to go really fancy there. Most people would not choose one or the other, they usually had a tiny slice of each, whatever it was.
One favorite was the frozen Lemon Souffle. One reason I liked that as a dessert was, again, I could make them ahead of time and have them in the freezer waiting to pull out when I needed them. I tried to do that with both desserts if I could.
Another favorite would be this simple French Apple Tart. It looks impressive and complicated, but really it isn't. And lets face it, if you call something a tart, it automatically sounds special.
A simple pastry is made. Its a sweet pastry. You can make it earlier in the day and chill it. Roll it out and then par-bake it. This can all be done ahead. Bonus!
The fiddliest part of this tart is peeling, slicing and arranging the apples. They are mixed with a spice mixture, some lemon zest and lemon juice and then arranged in the tart crust, atop a flour and sugar mixture.
The flour/sugar mixture is there to help absorb some of the juices from the apples, so that the pastry doesn't get all soggy.
And then you just bake it. It bakes for a short time at a higher temperature, and then you reduce the temperature and bake it for a bit longer.
Just until the apples are crispy tender. You don't want them mushy. Once they are just right, you pull it out of the oven and brush it all over with some sieved apricot jam to glaze it a bit.
Its best served at room temperature. They always enjoyed it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Always Hagen Das.
While they were enjoying their dessert, I would be getting the cheese course ready. This was always served on a large silver tray with a silver biscuit barrel to hold the crackers. Usually six cheeses, and some fruit.
And as if that wasn't enough, once they were finished with the cheese course I would serve them coffee and chocolates in the Linen Fold room, which was a special room that had oak walls carved in a special linen-fold pattern. The manor itself dated back to Tudor times and this room and its walls were dated back to that time.
Then while they were enjoying their coffees, etc. I would start with the cleaning up. Usually I had my husband and the housekeeper to help me with that. Even so, it was a HUGE chore and we would be very lucky if we were home by 2 a.m.
All in all though they were pretty wonderful experiences. I look back on them now and I wonder at how I managed to pull it all off. There was only me to do everything, but somehow I managed to sort it every time and do it well. I am rather proud of that.
In any case I hope you enjoy this French Apple Tart! They always did!
Yield: 6
Spiced Apple Tart
A wonderful tart with a crisp and rich dessert pastry base, delectably sweet filling of apples . Serve at room temperature with a hot drink after dinner for a real taste treat!
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 280g plain flour (2 cups)
- 120g cold butter (1/2 cup)
- 56g sifted icing sugar (7 TBS)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 TBS water
For the filling:
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- the finely grated zest and juice of one large lemon
- 50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, packed)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 TBS each plain flour and granulated sugar, mixed together
To finish:
- sieved apricot jam
Instructions
- First make the pastry. Sift the pastry into a basin. Add the butter, cut into pieces and rub it into the flour until it resembled fine dry bread crumbs. Add the icing sugar. Whisk in well.
- Make a indentation in the centre of the butter mixture. Beat the egg yolks and water together. Pour into the indentation and then, using a fork, mix together to a rough dough in the basin.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Shape into a ball and then place into a zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, while you make the filling.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6
- Put the apple into a bowl along with the grated lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and spices. Set aside.
- Take the pastry out of the refrigerator. Roll it out onto a floured surface to a round about 14 inches in diameter.
- Line a 10 inch diameter tart tin which has a removeable base with it, being careful not to stretch it. Don't trim off any of the overhang.
- Prick with a fork and line with a piece of baking parchment and fill with baking weights. Place onto a baking sheet and place into the heated oven.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, remove the baking parchment and the weights and return to the oven for a further 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and run a rolling pin over the edge all around and remove the overhang and discard.
- Sprinkle the base with the flour/sugar mixture. Add the apple slices, placing them into the pastry on top of the flour/sugar mixture in a really decorative manner.
- Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160*C/325*F/gas mark3 and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the top with the sieved apricot jam. Allow to cool to warm.
- Cut into wedges to serve.
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Special K Breakfast Muffins. I love baking muffins that can be made with breakfast cereal. Bran Muffins, Oatmeal Muffins, etc. I love them all.
I had bought myself a box of Special K cereal with the red berries a month or so ago, and then I went and fell on it. (Don't ask!) Okay, I was tidying my room up and I tripped over something.
Anyways, I am no light weight, as you can clearly see, and I crushed the cereal somewhat. I decided to look for a recipe that I could use some of it in today and I found this one.
I actually found quite a few, but this was the one that I thought looked the soundest. It rang true with me and I think I can tell if a recipe is going to be any good or not after all the experience I have had through the years.
I also loved that it only made six muffins. She shows 5 on her page, but mine made 6 medium sized muffins.
I also wanted to showcase this dinner set that was my mothers. Not this set IS mine. And I just love it. No, its not worth a fortune. It is an old melamine set that my mother received back in the 1960's.
It consists of 6 dinner plates, cups, saucers, fruit nappies, roll bowl, and a cream and sugar set. I do not know the pattern. The plain pieces are brown and the plates are printed with autumn leaves and wheat sheaves.
Used only for special occasions I can remember exactly when my mother got this set. We had gone with my father to Winnipeg for one of his business meetings. He had a TV Arial and Television Repair business that he did on the weekends for extra money.
He had a meeting with a supplier in Winnipeg and we went into the city with him as my mother wanted to do some shopping. We had to wait in the car while he was in his meeting and it went on overly long. It seemed we were in the car for hours.
Finally my father must have said something to the client about us waiting in the car because the man was very apologetic. He came out to the car to apologize and gave my mother this dinnerware set to sweeten up the apology.
I can remember mom using it on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. For some reason she was really proud of it, even though it was plastic. None of it ever broke. The set is entirely intact and I love it.
The set is mine along with my mother's teacups. My mother promised me her tea cup collection many, many years ago, and in fact, had already given them to me when my second marriage broke up. She got them back from my ex's house one day for safe-keeping (he wouldn't let me take anything.)
And she saved them for me. There are quite a few and I love each of them. There are even several clear bubble glass ones. I know I don't drink regular teas, but I do love herbal teas and I do enjoy drinking my tea from a cup and saucer.
Anyways, this set is mine, along with the cups and saucers. And I am grateful to have them and for the memories they contain.
Now back to the muffins. I do like to make us something special for the weekend. I've always been like that Saturday has always been a bit of a treat day in my home. I would either be making muffins or pancakes or some such for breakfast on Saturdays.
Oh, I baked during the week also, but usually just cookies and the odd cake now and then. Weekends were reserved for muffins and pies . . . pancakes.
On Sundays we would have bacon and eggs. But Saturday breakfasts were a bit lighter.
I adore muffins, especially muffins that are not like cake. When I eat a muffin I don't want a piece of cake, or muffins that are like eating cake. Overly sweet . . .
I want a muffin as it is supposed to be. Slightly raised with rounded pebbly tops. The insides filled with nice holes. Perfect for spreading with a tiny pat of butter.
A muffin is a quick bread after all. Its not meant to be a mini cake. We have cupcakes for that. They are not meant to be cupcakes.
Muffins are as easy to make as stirring together wet and dry ingredients and spooning them into paper-lined muffin pans, or well buttered muffin pans. Its not rocket science. Anyone can make a good muffin.
Having said that here are my hints and tips for making sure that your muffins turn out beautifully every time:
1. Mix wet and dry ingredients separately. To prevent the mix from being overworked, first mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl and mix the dry ingredients in another. Make a well in the dry ingredients, carefully pour in the wet ingredients, then stir the mix a couple of times to roughly combine.
2. Don't over mix your muffins. The most important rule of muffin making is to not over stir the mix. What you really want is to just moisten the ingredients. Do not stir or beat the batter until it is smooth and lump free. You want the final mix to be lumpy, and thick with a few floury streaks.
3. Add your flavors last. While spices should be added with all the other dry ingredients, additions like fruit and nuts should be added last. Give the batter one more light-handed stir once you've added them in just to combine.
4. Line the pans. You can choose to either grease the muffin tin or line it with paper liners. If you choose to forgo the liners, make sure you grease the base and sides of the cups with oil spray or a little melted butter. If you're not going to eat the muffins for a while, do use paper liners as these will keep the muffins fresher for longer.
5. Don't overfill your pans. Aim to fill the cups ¾ full to get muffins with nice round tops and to prevent them from spilling out over the top of the cups. Often if your tins are over filled the muffins will rise to the top and then collapse on themselves.
6. For extra interest, add a flavorful sprinkle on top. Once the muffin cups are all filled, you can choose to sprinkle the tops with more fruit, nuts or a crumble topping, even sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar, for even more taste and or crunch. As the muffins rise these toppings will cook into the tops of the muffin.
7. Protect your baking pan. If there isn't enough batter to fill all the cups, half fill the empty ones with water. This will help the muffins bake evenly and will help to protect your pan from buckling.
8. Cooling them down. Once you remove the muffins from the oven, let them sit in their pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack. This is especially important for muffins that aren't in a paper liner, as it will help them from falling apart. However, remove them after five minutes otherwise you risk them going soggy as they cool in the pan.
9. Freeze extras for later. Muffins freeze beautifully, so if you can't enjoy them all on the day they're baked, wrap them in plastic wrap tightly, and put them in the freezer for later. They will keep for about 3 months and reheat wonderfully in the microwave for about 30 seconds on high from frozen.
One of the main things is not to overmix them really. They should be lumpy. Over-mixed muffins often end up tough and heavy. Or they won't rise as well as they should do.
Perfect muffins should have a crispy top, a moist interior and loads of little holes which invite butter. I know second time I have talked about buttering muffins. I can't help it. I love butter on warm muffins.
I also love muffins that are interesting, which is why I added more cereal to the tops of these. I used the Special K with red berries, but I did not put any berries on top. Its been my experience that these will burn unappealingly.
You don't want that, but for a bit of crunch some of the cereal crushed and sprinkled on top is great!
These are the PERFECT breakfast muffins. Quick to make. Easy. Delicious. I highly recommend. That's one of my hand embroidered tea towels they are sitting on top of. A part of my preparations for my new home once I get it.
Special K Breakfast Muffins
Yield: 6 muffins
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Simple and delicious and filled with fiber. You can use plain Special K or the one with berries, etc.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (20g) crushed special k cereal
- 3/4 cup (105g) all purpose plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) melted butter
- 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- additional crushed cereal to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. 6 muffin cups lined with paper cases.
- Measure the cereal, flour and sugar into a bowl along with the baking powder. Whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Add all at once to the dry ingredients and stir together just to combine.
- Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle some additional crushed cereal on top to decorate if desired.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm.
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In October of 2015 I was diagnosed with having Type 2 Diabetes. No surprise there. It runs in my family and I had been dodging the bullet for a long time. It was bound to catch up with me.
At first I was really dismayed. As a person who loves to cook and to eat, I despaired that I would ever be able to eat anything delicious again. Oh how very wrong I was. But more on that later.
Meal planning is the most challenging task in living day to day with diabetes. There are three types of Diabetes.
- Type 1 diabetes, which is found in about 10% of all cases and occurs mostly in children and young adults. This type requires insulin along with dietary management and regular activity.
- Type 2 diabetes, which I have. This kind of diabetes accounts for 90% of people and is usually seen in adults, although it is not unheard of in children with the growing rates of obesity. This type is managed with a personalised meal plan, oral medication and/or insulin and physical activity.
- Gestational diabetes, which occurs in 2% to 4% of all pregnancies. This type is usually managed by meal planning, exercise and sometimes insulin. This type of diabetes also can increase the risk of both the mother and children later in life.
Managing diabetes, once diagnosed, requires daily attention. Food intake, activity, blood glucose monitoring and healthy lifestyle choices all play a part of this. (Scroll down for some delicious diabetic friendly recipes.)
Some guidelines for people learning to live with Diabetes include:
(these can apply to all people)
1. Limit salt alcohol and caffeine
2. Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight by enjoying regular physical activity and healthy eating (this is the hard part.)
3. Choosing lower fat dairy products, leaner meats and food prepared with little or no fat.
4. Emphasize whole grain cereals, breads, other grain products, vegetables and fruit.
5. Eat a variety of foods. Eat a rainbow.
Most people with diabetes try to cut out carbohydrates from their diet altogether. This is not a healthy thing to do. The simple truth is we get a lot of our energy from eating carbohydrates. 50 to 60% of our daily energy needs and calories should be obtained from eating carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate sources include grains and starches, milk & alternatives, fruits, vegetables and other choices. These should be in our diets, but we need to be more careful about the ones we choose to consume. Complex carbohydrates are what is best for us.
A complex carbohydrate is one which contains plenty of fiber and starch. So you need to be eating carbohydrates that rich in these things. Fiber is especially important because it promotes bowel regularity and helps to control cholesterol.
Things you need to be eating carbohydrate-wise include:
1. Whole grains: Whole grains are good sources of fiber, as well as potassium, magnesium, and selenium. Choose less processed whole grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, and whole-wheat pasta.
2. Fiber-rich fruits: Some of these are apples, berries, and bananas. Avoid canned fruit since it usually contains added syrup.
3. Fiber-rich vegetables:
Eat more of all your veggies, including broccoli, leafy greens, and carrots.
4. Beans: Aside from fiber, these are good sources of folate, iron, and potassium.
Choosing the right carbs takes time and practice. With some research and by keeping an eye on nutrition labels, you can start making healthier choices to energize your body and protect it from long-term complications.
A fiber intake up at least 25 to 35g per day is what is recommended for adults. High-fiber foods are preferable, especially those with a low glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale that ranks carbohydrate rich foods by how much they raise blog glucose levels compared to standard foods.
Many factors contribute to a food's glycemic effect. Things such as the soluble fiber, how resistant the food is to digestion, how the food has been cooked or prepared, and whether or not the food is eaten alone or as part of a mixed meal.
By choosing foods which have a low-glycemic index more often than not, people with diabetes may experience less of a rise in blood glucose after meals or snacks. Low glycemic foods are often higher in vitamins, minerals and fiber and help you to feel full longer.
There are plenty of healthy and nutritious foods to choose from. You should build your diet around the following low GI foods:
Bread: whole grain, multigrain, rye, sourdough
Breakfast cereals: steel cut oats, bran flakes
Fruit: apples, strawberries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, kiwi, tomatoes, and more
Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, zucchini, and more
Starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes with an orange flesh, corn, yams, winter squash
Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, baked beans, butter beans, kidney beans, and more
Pasta and noodles: pasta, soba noodles, vermicelli noodles, rice noodles
Rice: basmati, Doongara, long grain, brown
Grains: quinoa, barley, pearl couscous, buckwheat, freekeh, semolina
Dairy and dairy replacements: milk, cheese, yogurt, coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk
The following foods contain few or no carbs and therefore don’t have a GI value. These foods can be included as part of the low GI diet:
Fish and seafood: including salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, and prawns
Other animal products: including beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and eggs
Nuts: such as almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, and macadamia nuts
Fats and oils: including olive oil, butter, and avocado
Herbs and spices: such as garlic, basil, dill, salt, and pepper
It goes without saying that foods which are high in salt, sugar, and fat should not be a regular part of a Diabetic's diet, or anyone's for that matter, however an occasional treat is something which can be enjoyed in moderation from time to time.
I know that I post a lot of baked goods and other delicious recipes on the blog. For the most part these things are given away and not eaten by myself. When I was living in the UK, I had a husband who could eat whatever he wanted to eat without any adverse effects, and in fact had a problem keeping his weight up. He lost weight all the time with little or no effort. Annoying to me for sure. He was always more than able to enjoy all of the treats
Now I am living with my family, most of whom are either diabetic or on the verge of being so, these treats have gone right down and its a lot easier for me to manage my diet. When I looked through my recipe archives however, I found a multitude of healthy recipes and things which were not verboten for Diabetics. I thought I would share some of them with you today.
ZIPPY RED SLAW
I think this is pretty healthy all told. You get vivid color and crunch from the raw red cabbage, which really doesn't taste much different from green cabbage. Cabbage is filled with vitamins and is quite low in any carbohydrate value and natural sugars.
I added some red beans and some corn for extra fibre and just a tiny bit of starch, but not overwhelmingly so. The beans also add protein, which is really important. Chopped tomatoes added a bit of colour and natural sweetness and some chopped spring onion added a bit of zest.
ALMOND CRUMBED COD
This is delicious, easy to make and low in fat. There are approximately 10g carbs per serving. I like cod because it has a lovely mild flavour and beautiful texture.
The almond and whole grain topping add a nice crunch and flavour as well.
PUMPKIN MUFFINS, TWO WAYS
I decided to play with one of my favourite Pumpkin Muffin recipes the other day to see if I could replace the sugar in it with a sugar substitute suitable for baking, and replace the regular cooking oil with coconut oil, which is better for you.
Actually I thought the sugar sub ones were a lot tastier. The coconut oil added a lovely flavour. But both muffins are very delicious.
TURNIP & CARROT DISH
This delicious vegetable mix here today is a very flavourful way to get in some of your five a day fruit and veg.
With carrots, turnips (you could use rutabaga or swede instead), celery and onions, it is a beautiful combination, both in looks and in texture and taste.
CHICKEN DIJON
Lean Chicken Breasts are simply rolled in a mix of plain yogurt and Dijon mustard, and then in some tasty whole wheat bread crumbs. I used a malted loaf, so there are also some little bits for extra crunch in the coating.
With some simple new potatoes (browned on one side in a nonstick skillet sprayed with low fat cooking spray) and the vegetables from the other day, it was quite simply part of a healthy plate for dinner! Yum!
OATMEAL PANCAKES WITH MAPLE FRUIT
Different doesn't have to be boring as this recipe I am showing you here today will prove! These are fabulous, and whilst they are not doused in lashings of butter and maple syrup, they are still filled with plenty of flavour and interest.
Wholesome and oaty they are delicious.
CRUMB TOPPED CORNMEAL & MOLASSES MUFFINS
Light and filled with whole grains, these muffins make the perfect breakfast when accompanied with a small bowl of unsweetened applesauce along with a dollop of low fat plain yogurt. High in fibre and relatively low in fat and sugars, these make a healthy alternative to most regular muffins.
WHOLEWHEAT BAKING POWDER BISCUITS
They rise high and have soft and tender insides with a delicious nutty and wholesome flavour. You might not think you can bake a fabulous biscuit using wholewheat flour that will rise high and be tender and delicious.
This recipe proves exactly the opposite. You really can!
TURKEY SPINACH BURGERS
These are moist and delicious and pretty healthy too. Both spinach and turkey are superfoods!
Served with some mixed green peas and beans and roasted sweet potatoes they made for a very delicious, color and fibre filled supper!
TURKEY TACO PIZZA
Something tasty to do with your leftover turkey (or roast chicken). Deliciously simple and pretty healthy. There is no luxurious thick crust . . . just a plain (six inch) whole wheat tortilla . . . there's likewise no real sauce, just some tomato salsa. (Pick a spicy one for extra flavor.)
With a bit of a nicely flavored cheese melted on top and a low fat sour cream drizzle, this went down a real treat.
FIG CLAFOUTIS
The figs were sweet and satisfying . . . the batter likewise, thanks to some Splenda sweetener. You could use regular sugar if you wanted to, 1/4 cup would do the trick. I would use fruit sugar however.
The only thing missing was a scoop of vanilla ice cream . . . but you just can't have it all! These were very tasty, filled with fibre and quite healthy. All pluses!
PASTA WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE
Who says a pasta sauce has to have meat in it to be delicious. This is fabulous. With a whole wheat pasta and this was rich and satisfying.
CAULIFLOWER, GREENBEAN & TOMATO SALAD
This was a really delicious way of getting in not one or two vegetables, but three or more. Celery is a vegetable I am sure and tomatoes . . . well, I know that they are classified as a fruit, but they're in there too!
MAPLE & OATMEAL MUFFINS
Easy to make and quite a satisfying healthy option. The batter seems a bit runny when you spoon it in, but don't worry, it works out fine. These delicious muffins are loaded with low GI oats. Yummilicious!
GREEK ROASTED PEPPERS
Simple and delicious. You could have a slice of crusty wholegrain bread with this to sop up all of these delicious juices, or serve as a main meal with some whole grain or basmati rice, or even cooked barley or quinoa.
CHICKEN PAD THAI
Low in carbs, high in protein and low in sugar. This is quick and easy to make . . . and that sauce is really moreish. It's salty (from the fish sauce and soy) and spicy and hot and sour.
I added carrots for color and a bit of crunch, along with the bean sprouts . . . you get protein from scrambled egg and chicken. Altogether it was delicious!
ROAST CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI PESTO PASTA
Dishes like this Grilled Chicken with Broccoli Pesto Pasta are a great example of how you can still fit carbs into your diet by making wise choices. You will want to choose a whole grain pasta for this, making sure that on the label the product information lists more whole grain than any other ingredient.
That broccoli pesto is amazing!
TURKEY & STUFFING CASSEROLE
Turkey breast, stuffing and a delicious low fat gravy. What more could you ask for? Easily multiplied to serve more than two also.
A hearty casserole that is healthy and deliciously low in fat and calories, served with it's own gravy. Why wait for the holidays to enjoy turkey and stuffing!
WHOLEMEAL PUMPKIN PIE ROLLS
This recipe makes a dozen wholemeal scone type of buns, filled with a delicious virtually sugar free filling of spiced pumpkin.
There is only 60g (1/4 cup) of butter in the whole recipe, and 1 tsp of molasses in the filling, which you add along with splenda sugar substitute. There is sugar in the glaze . . . you can't get around that, but with only 1/2 cup of icing sugar, spread over 12 rolls, even that is not an incredible lot of sugar.
BERRY & APPLE CRUMBLE
An occasional treat. This delicious crisp is full of lovely flavours and is low in sugar and fat. It's delicious. It has a nutty and oaty topping. I did use a sugar substitute called Truvia. It was quite delicious altogether.
GLAZED TURKEY MINI LOAVES
Although they didn't photograph well, these mini meatloaves with their lush glaze were delicious! Plus they are a great way to get some vegetables into the family without their knowing it. Courgettes (zucchini), onions and red bell peppers. I use all three for extra flavour and moistness.
There is BBQ sauce used both in the meat mixture and as a finishing glaze.
Carrots, cauliflower, onions, potatoes, peas and tomatoes . . . vegetable stock, lots of lovely spices and some raisins for just a touch of sweetness, this was fabulously delish.
Filled with fiber and lots of flavor.
TURKEY HOT BROWNS
Delicious open faced sandwiches which are low in fat and diabetic friendly, and yes, delicious! Grab your knife and fork!
These sandwiches make for a nice light and healthy supper when it gets too hot to cook, or when you are starving at the end of the day and can't be asked to cook. Not only are they quick and easy to make, but they are diabetic friendly also!
PARMESAN CHICKEN WITH AN AVOCADO & TOMATO SALAD
Chicken breasts are the perfect canvas for many flavours and these were simply seasoned, dipped in beaten egg white and then rolled in a simple mix of finely grated Parmesan cheese and chili powder for a bit of zip. Chicken and Parmesan are a marriage made in heaven!
The salad really makes this dish. It's a beautiful mix of colour, flavours and textures.
CARDAMOM & LEMON CHICKEN STIR FRY
Healthy and delicious! If you get all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time, it goes together in a flash. Filled with plenty of fibre, flavour and crunch.
CAKE PAN SALAD
This delicious salad is every bit as attractive as the normal layered cake pan salads you see and is not lacking at all in flavour. Even though it is healthy, it is filled with plenty of yummy ingredients.
A HEALTHY BIG BREAKFAST
You don't have to eat this delicious mix for breakfast, it also makes a delicious supper. Pesto grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, spinach scrambled egg on top of wholewheat English muffins.
GUILT FREE CHICKEN STRIPS WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES
Exactly what it says. Everything is baked instead of fried, and so you are virtually free to enjoy them without a lot of guilt! The chicken is marinated in buttermilk for several hours which helps to keep the meat moist and tender!!
GARLIC BUTTER SALMON & BROCCOLI
Perfectly baked and flavoured. Moist and delicious salmon with crispy tender broccoli, all baked together on one baking sheet. I served it with roasted mashed sweet potatoes for the win.
As you can see being diagnosed as a Diabetic is not the end of the world. There is still plenty of deliciousness and variety to be had out there. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Eating healthy can also be quite exciting if you put your mind and heart into it!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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