Sweets for the Diabetic

During my recent pregnancy, I developed gestational diabetes. I was on insulin and a VERY strict diet. My husband recently found out that he is a diabetic. We both needed to watch EVERYTHING we ate and be especially careful not to eat a lot of foods that are high in carbohydrates. But, we love sweets so what to do?

I've done a lot of researching and a lot of experimenting in the kitchen and I've come up with some recipes that are acceptable on the diabetic diet.

"Fudge"
(I craved fudge so bad when I was pregnant but couldn't possibly eat the regular kind. I have to admit that this is very different than your traditional fudge but it is still very tasty!)

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened but not melted
2 squares of Baker's chocolate, softened
½ cup of Splenda

Mix all ingredients together well using a mixer. Spread in a square cake pan lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate overnight then cut into squares and eat.

"Peanut Butter Fudge"
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened but not melted
1 cup of peanut butter (either creamy or crunchy, depending on your tastes)
2 squares of Baker's Chocolate, softened
½ cup Splenda

Mix all ingredients together using a mixer. Spread in a square cake pan lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate overnight then cut into squares and eat.

Jello with Cottage Cheese
(You really have to like cottage cheese for this one!)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 package sugar free jello, any flavor
Whipped cream

Make the Jello according to package directions. Mix in cottage cheese and put it into the refrigerator for several hours until jello has set. Serve topped with whipped cream

Smoothie
1 cup cottage cheese
8 oz Crystal Light or any other sugar free drink mix, any flavor
Ice cubes
Optional: ½ cup strawberries or blueberries or other fruit

Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Use enough ice cubes to make it thick. Sometimes I put in fruit and other times I don't but it's always good, just a little different.

Variation: Sometimes, instead of the Crystal Light, my husband uses cooled coffee, a few tablespoons of low sugar vanilla creamer, and 2 packets of Sweet and Low to make a "Coffee Smoothie"

"Fudge Pops"
Sugar free chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk

Make pudding according to package directions. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. When partially frozen, put a popsicle stick into each pop. Freeze until hard. Serve individual pops for a yummy frozen treat.

Snow Cones
Snow cone machine
Ice
Crystal Light made with ½ the water called for

Crush ice in snow cone machine. Add Crystal Light "syrup" for a sweet treat!

Jello "Cheesecake"
1 block (8 oz) cream cheese
1 box sugar free cherry jello

Make the jello according to package directions and let it set in the refrigerator until "almost" set. Then mix it with an electric mixer with the brick of cream cheese. It tastes like cheery cheesecake!

These are just a few of my favorite recipes for diabetic sweet treats. They really help when you have a craving for sweets and makes you feel like you are not really on a restricted diet!