Santa is getting his reindeer ready and packing his sleigh full of presents. Christmas is nearly here. 

With all the hectic excitement, planning and craziness that is the festive season, I’m definitely in need of a sweet treat. 

Until now, every year I have baked my go-to low-carb and sugar free Christmas Cake, with almond meal and Lupin Flour, but this year I wanted to make something a bit out of the ordinary. 

You can find the Christmas Cake recipe HERE  if you still want something traditional.  

Feeling like a caramel Christmas, I decided to try a sugar free Panna Cotta for 2019. 

Panna Cotta is one of the easiest and fastest desserts you can make, it takes no time at all, requires very few ingredients and doesn’t leave you with a sink full of pots and pans to wash up. 

Using only four ingredients, if you’re in a rush this Christmas, give my sugar free Caramel Panna Cotta a go. 

My secret ingredient  

For those of you who follow my blog, you know that Stevia powder is my sweetener of choice. I use the all natural version which is great as it isn’t full of hidden chemicals. 

But, Caramel Stevia liquid is like nothing else. If you haven’t tried it, you must give it a go – it tastes amazing and you only need the tiniest amount as it is very sweet. 

You do have to go to a health food store to buy it, as it’s not available in standard supermarkets. 

You can literally use this stuff on anything. I add it to ice-cream, or cakes, even milkshakes. 

It’s particularly brilliant when I get home from work and am craving something sweet but don’t want all the added calories of ice-cream, chocolate or cake. 

So, I add a dash of Caramel Stevia to my coffee and it really hits the mark! 

So give my Caramel Panna Cotta a go this Christmas, there’s joy in every mouthful! Merry Christmas.

You may have read my last post on Supercharging your diabetes management by adding more greens and low-carb veg to your diet. 

In case you missed it you can read it HERE.

In keeping with this green theme, what better time to share with you my all-time favourite Kale Satay skewer recipe? 

It’s the perfect marinate for chicken on the BBQ. It’s ideal for a weeknight meal or a talking point at your next get-together! 

Why kale? 

I have to be honest, I didn’t initially set out to create a kale satay. 

Craving satay on day, I pulled out all the usual ingredients and was ready to make my standard satay recipe, which you can check out HERE when low and behold I realised ….

I didn’t have any fresh coriander! 

“What? How could this happen, what now?” I thought. 

So rummaging through the fridge again, I came across some kale and thought, “that’ll do”. So I gave it a shot. 

Surprisingly it tasted sensational, so much so that my hubby loved it and even the kids couldn’t get enough because it was the same colour as Kermit the Frog.  

This is now one of my favourite satay recipes and I make it all the time. 

What’s so great about kale? 

Kale is said to have more nutritional value than spinach and may help improve blood glucose control in diabetes, lower the risk of cancer, reduce blood pressure, and help prevent the development of asthma according to Medical News Today.

Packed full of fibre, antioxidants, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin C and iron, there are plenty of reasons to add kale to your recipes.

This includes people with diabetes, as a high intake of fibre has shown to help in lowering blood glucose levels. 

So give my Kale Satay a go for your next family mid-week meal, or BBQ get-together. 

Enjoy!

Plants are a great source of vitamins, fibre and nutrients, but for people with diabetes, they hold an even greater benefit.

Many veg, particularly green, leafy veg, are low in carbohydrate, which is great if you’re looking to fill yourself up without all the added carbs or fat.

Ingredients such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, cabbage, mushrooms and zucchini are some of my favourites.

Veggies can be used to bulk up almost any dish and they don’t have a strong flavour so they soak up any curry or sauce which jam-packs them full of flavour.

Often, if you reduce your carbohydrate intake, research suggests that people with diabetes tend to automatically add more protein and fat to their diet.

Protein is a great source of nutrient for the body, but it can be high in fat and calories, particularly if it’s not lean.

Plant power

Bulking up your recipes with lower-carb, plant based ingredients, is a great way to stay full, without upping your fat or calorie intake or affecting your blood glucose.

Animal protein and fats can impact your BGL – to find out more, check out my earlier post, Beyond Carbs: Impact of Fat ad Protein on BGL.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do love a good piece of lean chicken or fish, so I’m not suggesting you cut animal protein from your diet altogether, but you may like to up the ante when it comes to veggies.

You definitely don’t have to go all-out vegan or vegetarian, not that there’s anything wrong with that though. I like to mix up my week and often cook meat-free meals every few days just to keep things interesting. 

By adding more veg to your meal, your supercharging your food which has many health benefits for achieving stable bloods and weight loss. 

Other great plant-based ingredients include legumes like chick peas, lentils and beans, nuts and seeds, and whole-grains.

These are lower in Glycemic index which helps you feel fuller for longer as well as keeping your BGL stable, which reduces that tired feeling you get from highs and lows. 

Power of plants for diabetes management

Studies show that introducing more plant-based ingredients to your diet, is great for diabetes, particular in the prevention of type 2 diabetes – WebMD .

There are heaps of great cookbooks on the market, as well as really yummy recipes online.

If you’re looking for inspiration, or you’re not too familiar with cooking vegetables,  you can check out some vegan or vegetarian recipes and then just add a bit of meat if you prefer.

Here are some of my favourites for inspiration:

• The Doctor’s Kitchen
• Slow Cooker Vegetarian
• Veggie Desserts
• Deliciously Ella
• Elsa’s Wholesome Life
• The Healthy Chef

Note: I do have to modify some of these recipes if they contain a lot of flour and sugar, to keep them lower in carbs and sugar free.

Try greening up your diabetes today and happy eating! 

If you haven’t jumped on the cauliflower rice bandwagon yet, now’s the time!

Cauliflower is one of my favourite ingredients for low-carb, diabetic-friendly cooking. 

One cup of this white beauty only has about five grams of carbohydrate, 0.3 grams of fat, which is perfect if you’re trying to cut down on overall carbs.

Kudos to cauliflower 

Cauliflower is also packed full of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, B6, and vitamin K. 

The great thing about cooking with cauliflower is it doesn’t come with a strong flavour, so it’s the perfect ingredient to add to any recipe including curries, salads, bakes, soups, even cakes! 

In my Mango Chicken Curry, the carbs I save from using cauliflower instead of traditional rice, means I can use mango to sweeten up the dish. 

I generally don’t eat much mango, because it is naturally higher in carbs, but the mango/cauliflower match allows me to splurge a bit.

Bulk up with broccoli  

Broccoli is another one of my favourite vegies for bulking up a meal.

Like cauliflower, it doesn’t come with a strong flavour, which means you can add it to almost any dish. Using low-carb veg in your meals is a great way to bulk up a recipe in place of higher carb vegetables. 

Many traditional curries call for high quantities of potato and pumpkin, which are both high in carbs. Halving the quantity of these types of ingredients, or swapping them for lower carb alternatives, is a handy and tasty way to cut your overall carb intake without compromising on flavour. 

Broccoli and cauliflower are a perfect ingredient for curries and bakes, because they soak up the sauce in your recipe which jam-packs them full of flavour.  

So if you’re after a quick and healthy take on traditional curries, give my Mango Chicken and Cauliflower Rice and go!

If you’re someone who finds breakfast boring, then keep reading because this post is for you!

I personally love breakfast – it’s my favourite meal of the day! The second I wake up of a morning, the first thing I do is run downstairs and make my coffee and low-carb toast. 

My husband jokes because he knows not to get in my way while I’m on my breakfast-making mission.

I can miss any other meal of the day, but not breakfast. I can’t function until I’ve had my breakfast. 

But if you struggle to eat breakfast, or find it boring, then you have to try my sugar free, low carb and diabetic-friendly Fig and Apricot Loaf. 

The low-down 

At 14.7 grams of carbohydrate per slice (approximately one portion/exchange of carbs), this is the perfect recipe for anyone with diabetes or just looking for something a little different to kick-start the day.  

This loaf is great toasted with butter or sugar-free jam, or is great just on its own. 

It’s not only lower in carb than most traditional fruit loaves you see in the supermarkets, but it’s also packed with fibre. 

Dried fruit is a great way to get natural sweetness into a recipe without the need for added refined sugar.

This recipe harnesses the sweetness of dried figs and whole dried apricots, along with a touch of natural Stevia powder. 

So if you’re thinking of skipping breakfast, give my Fig and Apricot Loaf a try – you’ll never skip brekky again! 

Whether you’re into the health benefits of acai powder and berries or not, this recipe is unbeatable!

The bright pink healthy icing, made from pink pitaya, makes these cupcakes super perfect for kids, as well as us big kids!

So what is acai and pitaya anyway? You might ask, well check this out …

What’s all the fuss about?

The Nature’s Way ‘Acai + Berries’ powder is a combination of Acai, goji, pomegranate and blueberries – all super-rich in antioxidants which are immune-boosting, energy-boosting and packed with Vitamin C. 

Acai berries are native to South America and are a small berry, deep purple in colour. 

These little power-berries are very low in carbohydrate, high in fibre and heart-healthy fats, and contain more antioxidants than other commonly eaten berries (Medical News Today.).

When I created this recipe, I actually wasn’t focused on the super-food aspect, I was just interested in experimenting with the Acai + Berries powder I found at my local Woolworths. 

I’m not affiliated with this product and am not here to advertise it. 

Nature’s Way Acai + Berries Powder is expensive though at around $15 per packet, so I normally wait til it’s on sale. 

It’s great because the powder is pre-sweetened with stevia which I’m a huge fan of, and just the right amount so you don’t have to add any additional sweeteners when making these cupcakes, which is really handy. 

Aldi also has a similar product available called  Acai Powder which contains 100% acai berries (no other berries), which retails at around $4 per packet. 

The Aldi version is not pre-sweetened, so if you are using this version, you will need to add some sweetener (my preferred option is 100% pure Stevia extract powder available at health food stores). 

Low and behold, the flavour was out of this world! It can almost be described as bubble-gum. It’s like nothing I’d ever tried before. 

But how to make these cupcakes pop? They needed an icing that would blast your senses as much as the cupcake itself. 

Pitaya! 

Healthy pink icing – no way!

Anyone who follows my blog knows I love to make healthy sweet treats, so when it comes to icing, this can be challenging, but for this recipe I came across a mind-blowing product – pink pitaya powder.

Pitaya is super-fruit, also known as Dragon fruit, native to Central and South America and comes in a pink or white variety. 

Like acai, pitaya is also high in antioxidants, Vitamin C and fibre. 

But the best part of all, is the intense pink colour you get from the fruit when it’s in a powder form, which is perfect for making naturally-coloured icing – wait til your kids see it! 

I use the Unicorn Super Foods  range as it’s 100% pure freeze-dried pitaya, which locks in the nutrients. 

The Unicorn range also includes other great poweders including blue spirulina, green matcha, purple acai and red beetroot. You can go crazy with these and even make rainbow icing! 

Super-food powders are often used in coconut bowls and smoothies, so the uses are endless. 

The Unicorn range is slightly pricey though at $24.95 a packet, but the great thing is you only need the tiniest amount as the colour is so intense, that an entire packet will last you months.

I got a year out of mine, but it depends how often you’re baking of course. 

So give these Super-berry Cupkakes a try, they’re low-carb at only 7.9 g of carbohydrate per serve, low in fat, and great for kids and adults with diabetes, or anyone just keen to try a healthy cupcake alternative.  

Enjoy!  

Print

Super-berry Cupcakes

Course Snack

Keyword acai berry, alomd meal, blueberry, Diabetic friendly, diabetic friendly cake, diabetic friendly snack, low carb, super berry

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Nikki Wallis

Ingredients

• 120 g almond meal
• 15 g Acai + Berries powder (Nature's Way Super foods range)
• 1/2 tsp unsweetened vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp rose water
• 1/4 cup full cream milk

ICING: 15g Acai + Berries powder, 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp Pink Pitaya powder (JustBlends), 80g unsweetened plain yoghurt (I use YoPro).

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 
• Place all dry ingredients in a bowl including almond meal, Acai + Berries powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix well.
• Then add the wet ingredients one at a time to the dry ingredients (including vanilla, egg, rose water and milk) and mix well. 
• Spoon the mixture into a silicone muffin tray (divide mixture into four). 
• Tap the tray on the bench top to smooth out the mixture and remove any air bubbles. 
• Place the tray into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Once cooked, remove tray from oven and allow to cool. 
• ICING: In a bowl add the Acai + Berries powder, Pink Pitaya powder, cocoa and yoghurt and mix until well combined. 
• Spoon icing onto each cupcake and smooth over. Enjoy! 

Notes

This recipe makes four cupcakes. Each cupcake has approximately 7.9 grams of carbohydrate. 

Super Berry Cupcakes

Has dinner got you beat? Are you running out of ideas on what to cook? Is your family picky when it comes to food?

I’ve got you covered!

My Lower-carb Cottage Pie recipe is a must-try. It’s perfect for the whole family, not just those of us with diabetes.

Jam-packed with goodness, this recipe is full of low-carb veg like celery and zucchini, is high in protein and uses lower-carb potatoes.

There are a couple of brands of lower carb potatoes on the market including SpudLite and Carisma. To find out more about these, check out my earlier post Digging up the Facts on Lower Carb Potatoes.

Beans are another great way to add bulk to a dish because they are high in protein so they’ll leave you fuller for longer. I like to use butter beans in this recipe, but you can also try soy beans or cannellini beans. 

Lean pork mince is the star of this dish. I like to use pork instead of beef, as it’s a bit lower in fat. I also find for me, it doesn’t impact my Blood Sugar Levels (BGL) as much as beef (I normally give myself an extra 1 unit of short acting insulin for about 40 grams of beef).

Research now suggests that people with insulin-dependant diabetes should also account for fat and protein when calculating insulin dose, not just carbohydrate. To find out more, here is my earlier post Impact of Fat and Protein on BGL.

But everyone is different, so if you’re not used to counting fat and protein, speak with your doctor. 

This recipe is a meal in itself – it’s basically meat and three veg … well four veg … it will fill you right up and the whole family will love it! 

Have you ever wondered what the best food is to eat to keep your Blood Sugar Levels (BGL) stable?

Well stop wondering, here’s some good news as research has uncovered the benefits of low GI diets for people with diabetes.

What is GI? You might ask.

In my earlier post, 6 Things You Need to Know About Low GI Foods , I spoke with an expert at the Glycemic Index (GI) Foundation, who shed light on what all the hype was about.

Here is the latest low-GI foods. 

What’s so good about low GI diets for diabetes?

Low GI foods such as some breads, pasta (cooked al dente), Clever Rice and quinoa are higher in protein and fibre, and starches that are slowly digested by the body.

The facts:

• The glycemic index (or GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100, according to how much they raise blood sugar (glucose) levels after they’re eaten.
• High GI foods (GI of 70 or above) are quickly digested, absorbed and metabolised and cause fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Low GI foods (GI of 55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose and therefore usually, lower insulin levels too.
• Foods with a low GI rating are great for anyone, but particularly for people with diabetes, as they help to maintain stable blood glucose levels.

New low GI range launched

The Glycemic Index Foundation (GIF) recently announced the world’s first low-GI, profit-for-purpose food brand called GiLICIOUS.

A not-for-profit health promotion charity, the GIF is supported by The University of Sydney and Diabetes NSW & ACT.

A new lower GI potato, which is also 25% lower in carbohydrate than regular potatoes, was released by the GIF and is available at Woolworths stores across NSW.  

You can’t miss them – the pack is green and features the GIF logo and a certification by Diabetes Qualified.

A portion of the profits from packs sold goes to the prevention of diabetes (namely type 2) and obesity.

Type 2 diabetes now affects more 1.1 million Australians, with an estimated 2 million people at high risk of developing the disease.

For more information about the GIF, the benefits of low GI foods, or information on new product launches, visit the GIF website.  

Is low GI good for people with type 1 diabetes? 

Research shows that low GI diets are beneficial for the management of stable blood sugars.

This is applicable to anyone, but is particularly relevant for people living with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, as well as anyone who is overweight or obese.

Low GI diets are also beneficial for people with type 1 diabetes.

Studies of patients with T1D found replacing high-glycemic-index carbohydrates with low-glycemic-index carbohydrates improves blood sugar control and reduces hypos.

The Australian Diabetes Society National Evidence Based Clinical Care Guidelines for Type 1 Diabetes in Children, Adolescents and Adults include evidence for low GI diets; click HERE to find out more. 

While low GI diets are beneficial for people with type 1 diabetes, it is worth noting that low-GI diets are typically focused on the quality of the carbohydrate eaten rather than the quantity.

So, even though a product may be low-GI, it doesn’t mean it is low in carbohydrate or that you can eat five times as much. Moderation matters.

This is particularly relevant if you’re calculating insulin dosage.

As Diabetes UK puts it, “The amount of carbohydrate you eat has a bigger effect on blood glucose levels than GI alone.”

Similarly, Nutrition Australia states that, “Eating moderate amounts of low GI carbohydrate foods regularly over the day will help you maintain consistent blood glucose levels.

So for those of us with type 1 diabetes, it’s not just about the GI factor alone, remember …

Moderation + Low GI = stable B.G.L!

The amount of low-GI foods you eat is important. It’s all about getting the right balance.

It’s also worth reading the nutritional label to compare total carbohydrates. Some low GI products can be higher in carbs than other versions.  To find out more visit Diabetes UK.

So give low-GI a try and chat with your doctor or dietitian to work out the best diet for your diabetes.

Conflict declaration: I am on the Board of the GI Foundation, but I have not been paid for this article or influenced by any organisational views. This article has been written by me and it reflects my own personal views.

Credit: GiLICIOUS photo supplied by Megann Evans Photography. 

These Low Carb Mexican Chicken Wraps are a delicious alternative to traditional Mexican meals. 

The wrap on low-carb wraps 

Using Mission Low-carb wraps, which have about 11 grams of carbohydrate per serve, they are a great alternative to standard wraps which are a lot higher in carbs. 

You can also use Helgas Lower Carb wraps which are great as they are wholemeal, but do have slightly more carbs per serve, at 17.5 grams, compared with Mission.  

This recipe features Mission Low -Carb Wraps, so if you do decide to use the Helgas option, the total carbs will be slightly higher. 

Mexican punch 

My Low-Carb Mexican Chicken Wraps are so close in taste to traditional Mexican dishes because they feature two really important spices. 

Smoked Paprika and Cajun spice. You can’t make a Mexican meal without these two star ingredients! 

Paprika is a spice made from the dried, ground, mature fruit of Capsicum annuum. It is often associated with Hungarian and Spanish cuisine, but actually originated in central Mexico.

This smoked paprika powder has a robust smoky flavour with the sweet notes of capsicum, and is a deep red colour. It adds wonderful colour and flavour to recipes (TheSource). 

Cajun spice is not native to Mexico, but I have seen it used in several super-market salad dressings.

Recipes using the spice originated from Louisiana and other Southern parts of America. It’s also used in parts of Northern America in West African and Caribbean dishes such as Gumbo (SpiceHouse). 

This pungent spice is hot and contains bell peppers, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaves, garlic and cayenne pepper.

You can’t beat this recipe, it’s great for a family dinner or even a weekend lunch for family and friends! 

Print

Low-Carb Mexican Chicken Wraps

Course Main Course

Keyword diabetic dinner, Diabetic friendly, low carb, mexican, wraps

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 33 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Nikki Wallis

Ingredients

• 6 low-carb wraps (I use Mission Low Carb Wraps)
• 500 g chicken tenderloins
• 2 tbsp garlic oil
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• Shredded tasty cheese (to serve)
• 200 g Greek yoghurt (full fat)
• Juice of one lime
• 1 tin Black beans or kidney beans
• 1 avocado
• 75 g frozen corn
• 1 bunch fresh coriander (optional)
• 1 tomato
• cracked black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tbsp Cajun spice
• salt (to taste)

Instructions

• SALSA: Wash the tomato and dice into small pieces and add to a serving bowl. Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed and dice into small pieces before adding it to the tomato in the bowl. Heat 75 g of frozen corn in the microwave for approximately 25-30 seconds and add to the bowl of other ingredients. Remove beans from the tin and drain using a sieve before adding to the bowl. Wash the coriander and chop finely, adding this to the bowl along with some cracked black pepper to taste. Lastly, juice the lime and drizzle over the other ingredients before mixing well using a spoon. Set aside. 
• YOGHURT CONDIMENT: Spoon the yoghurt into a small serving bowl, add the Cajun spice and salt to taste. Mix well using a spoon. 
• CHICKEN: Preheat a frying pan on the stove. Remove chicken from the packet and trim away any excess fat. Place chicken in a bowl and add the garlic oil and smoked paprika. Mix well to ensure chicken is well coated. Add the chicken to the pan and fry for approximately 4 minutes on each side on medium heat. Once cooked, turn off the heat.
• WRAPS: To assemble the wraps, place one wrap on a plate, add 2 tbsp of the salsa onto the wrap, add two pieces of the chicken, spoon over 2 tbsp of the yoghurt and sprinkle over a handful of cheese. Roll up the wrap into a cylinder and enjoy! 

Notes

This recipe serves about six people, with each wrap having approximately 22.4 grams of carbohydrate in total. 

Low carb Mexican chicken wraps

If you’re looking for a treat for dessert, afternoon tea, or for a special occasion, then try my Diabetic-friendly Cherry Cake.

It has approximately 12.8 grams of carbs per slice! 

This recipe features Morello cherries, which are the perfect accompaniment for an almond meal cake.

Slight tart, Morello cherries are also relatively low in carbs at only 18.4 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams. 

They come in a jar and are available at any leading supermarket. 

Icing sugar alternatives 

You can’t have a cake like this without a sprinkling of icing sugar on top, but if you have diabetes like me, trying to find a sugar-free alternative can be tricky. 

I had to search around a bit to find the right substitute.

There was a sugar-free icing-sugar available at my local health food store, but it turned out it wasn’t actually sugar free at all.

Well while it didn’t contain traditional cane sugar, it was made from pure Xylitol. 

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol. Sugar alcohols come from plant products such as fruits and berries but the carbohydrate in these products is altered through a chemical process. 

Sugar alcohols are often used in products labelled, ‘sugar free’, but be careful, they still do impact blood sugar and should be accounted for when calculating insulin. 

Due to the fact that sugar alcohols are harder for the body to digest, their impact on blood sugar levels is about half that of regular sugar. 

When counting total carbohydrate in products containing sugar alcohols, the sugar alcohol total should be halved and added to the total carbs. 

This can be tricky to calculate though, as some nutritional tables don’t list the total sugar alcohol content. 

For more information about sugar alcohols visit my earlier post Sweeteners Explained or visit Joslin Diabetes Centre .

More great tips to help you calculate sugar alcohols can be found at Diabetes Education Online.

So ….

For my Diabetic friendly Cherry Cake, I like to use Natvia powder as a icing sugar substitute. 

It is made from Stevia, which is a naturally occurring plant and does not impact blood sugars.

It does also contain Erythritol, which is a sugar alcohol, but the great thing about this product is the quantity is featured on the nutritional label so it’s easy to calculate total carbs. 

At only 1.98 grams of Erythritol and zero total carbs per serve (2-3 teaspoons), this is approximately 1 gram of total carbs per serve (using the sugar alcohol calculations above). 

So give this recipe a try, it’s a great sweet treat with a cup of your favourite tea or coffee.