MAPLE PECAN TART

I have been working on a diet pecan pie recipe for quite a while and then I found this and decided to try it this year. It sounds interesting. It is called a pecan tart.

It gets added tang from dried cherries. Instead of corn syrup, which is found in most pecan pie recipes, it uses maple syrup. If you can find it, choose dark amber or grade B, because it has the richest maple flavor. The crust, made with heart-healthy pecans and canola oil, couldn't be easier to whip together. Just blend it in the food processor and pat into your tart pan. I wonder if I could use sugar-free syrup.

                                MAPLE PECAN TART

1 large egg yolk
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and divided
2 tbsps canola oil
1 tbsp water
2 cups pecan halves, divided
1 tbsp grandulated sugar
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tsps dark rum optional
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Generously coat a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray.
2. Combine egg yolk, 2 tbsp butter, oil and water in a small bowl. Process 1/2 cup pecans and sugar in a food processor to the consistency of coarse meal. Add flour and 1/4 tsp. salt and pulse until combined.
3. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, pressing it into the bottom and all the way up the sides to form a crust. place on a baking sheet and bake just until dry and beginning to brown on the edges.
4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, maple syrup, brown sugar, rum and the remaining 1 tbsp butter and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup of the mixture to a small bowl. Chop 1/2 cup pecans and add to the medium bowl. Stir in cherries. Mix the remaining 1 cup pecans with the reserved maple mixture.
5. Remove the tart crust from the oven. Reduce the oven temp to 350 F.
6. If there are any cracks in the crust, sprinkle with a little flour and use a dry pastry brush to "seal" the flour in to the cracks. Evenly spread the filling in the crust. Arrange the maple syrup-coated pecans decoratively on top and drizzle with any remaining mixture.
7. Bake the tart until it no longer jiggles in the center when gently shaken, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan (use a butter knife to gently loosen the tart from the pan sides if it sticks in spots.) Let cool completely, about 40 minutes more.

FRUITY CHICKEN SALAD

The most amazing chicken salad I ever tasted was made by my aunt Josie when I was about 10 years old. Her husband did not like chicken any way you could make it so she had to cover up the taste. She tried all different ingredients to mask the taste but it was still there. Finally one night while Paula , her daughter and I were doing our homework, my aunt came up with a great recipe and I still use it today. When she had finished, she fixed my uncle a plate, serving the salad on a bed of lettuce with a slice of tomato and some chips. When he had finished, she asked him,"how was your salad?" He replied that it tasted a little to much like chicken to suit him. My cousin and I just about died laughing because it was suppose to taste like chicken. I think they were the Edith and Archie Bunker in my family excluding the fact that they lived in the South and had a little bit more flavor to there vocabulary. So just try this one on for size.

1 5 to 6 lb. roasted or baked chicken (de-boned) chopped
l large Granny Smith apple chopped
1 large Red Delicious apple chopped
1 medium red onion chopped
1 small can crushed pineapple drained
1 stalk of celery chopped
1 cup white grapes cut in 1/3's
1 cup purple grapes cut in 1/3's
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp red pepper
2 tsp mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise or enough to mix well.
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or almonds)

Mix all ingredients and serve on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes and crackers.

I first published this recipe on my blog whoknowsaboutrhonda but I decided to move it to this blog with all my diabetic recipes.

FESTIVE CHEESE BALL

In all my cooking with diabetic ingredients, I never use fat free products. All of the fat is replaced with extra sugar. However, I do look for sugar-free products especially sweetened with Splenda. I have now learned that dark brown sugar is better for you than the sugar substitutes. So this recipe uses reduced fat products with no added sugar. Cheese is one product that you have to use sparingly in any diabetic menu.

2 pkgs of reduced-fat cream cheese (8 ozs.) room temperature
1 block of reduced fat Cheddar cheese (8 ozs.)
1 T. onion, finely chopped. use red or purple onion*
2 T. green bell pepper finely chopped
2 T. red bell pepper finely chopped
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice-fresh or bottled
1/8 tsp. sea salt*
1/8 tsp. red pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
1/4 tsp of Accent
any type of crackers or vegetables

Grate cheddar cheese*. Mix cream cheese with food processor and add grated cheese. Beat until just blended. Mix in vegetables with salt and pepper.  Shape into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill thoroughly. Roll in chopped nuts and serve with crackers or vegetables.

* Blue or purple vegetables are better for diabetics. This coloring helps your heart.
* grating your own cheese makes for a creamier texture to the cheese ball instead of using the pre-shredded cheese.

BROWNIES

Any one who knows my husband, knows that he loves chocolate, any kind of chocolate. So I found this recipe in a diabetic cookbook and tried it. He liked it and so did I, and the next time I bake them, I am going to use some of my whole wheat flour and see how it works. I also have some soy flour. I do know the wheat flour works very well in biscuits. I thought in brownies, it might have a little more fiber.

BROWNIES

1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 c. canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped walnuts
1. preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat an 8" by 8" or 9" by 9" baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. Put the sugar, oil, egg, egg white, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pour into the flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. (the batter will be stiff)
4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until firm at the edges and a wooden pick inserted off-center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Place the pan on a rack and let cool completely.
Makes about 12 good size brownies.

CONGEALED SALAD

I grew up with this salad . It was one of my favorites so when I became a diabetic I adapted it for that purpose. With so many prepackaged sugar-free products, it is a lot easier today.

Congealed Salad

1 pkg. sugar-free  lime jello (or orange)
1/2 c. grated carrots
1/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained (reserved)

Mix jello with 1 cup boiling water until dissolved. Mix  reserved juice with enough water to make 3/4 cup. Add to jello mixture. Stir in mayonnaise  until incorporated. Add carrots,   nuts and pineapple. Put mixture in a bowl or mold and chill until set or congealed. Serve on a bed of lettuce as a side dish with meat.

 I never had a problem with my children eating this dish and they got vegetables in the deal.

 

CHICKEN SOUP

        When I first found out that I was a diabetic, I sat down and cried and then called my dad. That was the hardest call I ever had to make because all my life, my dad wanted me to watch my weight and fat intake. He had lost a brother and sister with diabetes. I was depressed a lot so food was my outlet. Now I am having to pay the price. I have learned over the years that you can live with this disease and it is not easy. This is not a diet, but a new life style. Forget all the diets and fads. This is a brand new day. The hardest thing is trying to cook for everyone else and have your own food in the process. So lets start with something easy.

CHICKEN SOUP

2 chicken bullion cubes.
1 large can of chicken or breasts from a roasted chicken.*
2 can of mixed vegetables (sodium-free)
2 ribs of celery finely chopped.
1 chopped onion
1 clove garlic chopped
1 can of low-sodium diced tomatoes (optional)
1 cup whole grain rice.
1 tsp. salt substitute (I use Mrs. Dash)

Saute onion, garlic, and celery in a small amount of olive oil. Mix the bullion cubes in 1 quart of water and bring to boil. Lower heat to simmer and add sauteed vegetables. Add chicken, mixed vegetables, and rice. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve with whole wheat crackers or toast.

*if I don't have canned chicken, a roasted chicken will work just as well or any type of cooked chicken.
all my family have their own tastes so I add the tomatoes just for myself.

Serve with a small salad, and you have a great meal. 

MY BANANA CAKE

As anyone knows, diabetics have to watch their intake of food and what the ingredients possess. NO SUGAR? Well you have to have a little sugar to sustain this way of eating. So let's start with a simple Banana cake.

2 bananas mashed
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 stick or about 1/2 cup I Can't Believe it's Not Butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup of Splenda or sugar substitute
1/4 c buttermilk
1/4 c applesauce-unsweetened


     Mix mashed bananas with lemon juice and set aside. Sift flour, add salt, soda, and baking powder. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add flour mixture alternately with bananas and buttermilk into creamed mixture. Then add applesauce and mix well. Add chopped nuts if you prefer.
     Bake in a greased and floured loaf pan or a 13" by 9" baking pan. Cook at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Cool and top with unsweetened whipped topping or sugar-free ice cream.

My family like this cooked as muffins and eat as finger food.