HONEY BUN CAKE

1 box sugar-free yellow cake mix (2-layer size)

1/2 cup olive or canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs
1 carton (8-oz) fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup Slenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 cups "fake" powdered sugar*
4 tbsp low-fat milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a mixing bowl beat the cake mix, oil, applesauce, eggs, and sour cream by hand for 50 strokes. Pour half the batter into the baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the Splenda and cinnamon; spread over the batter in the pan. Pour remaining half of the batter over the sugar/cinnamon layer. Using a knife, make swirls in the cake.

Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 40 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

In a bowl combine the "fake" powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Spread over the warm cake.

*Recipe available on this blog site. There are also 'fake' powdered sugars on the market now. This is a repeat of a 2016 post.  Swerve is a good one that comes to mind.

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BOLD AND SPICY MEATLOAF

1 lb lean ground beef

1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
6 tbsp Bold and Spicy Steak Sauce, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except 2 tablespoons of the steak sauce. Mix well and press into an 8-inch loaf pan. Drizzle reserved steak sauce over the meatloaf. 9I suggest omitting the drizzle, if you blood sugar is hard to control.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Remove from oven and allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

Yield: Serves 6

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CHEESY CHICKEN LASAGNA

Serve with a green salad that has beans, real bacon bits, and chopped boiled eggs as toppings and a sugar-free salad dressing for a healthy meal.

2 (12 oz) cans fat-free evaporated milk 
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 cups cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1 (12-oz) whole-wheat or low carb lasagna noodles, cooked (important not to use reg pasta)
1 1/2 to 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. 

Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done, rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together). 

Combine evaporated milk and Ranch dressing in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Layer half of lasagna noodles, poultry sauce, and cheese in prepared 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Popular recipe repeated from 2013.

PANKO OVEN FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS

4 (about 2 lb total) bone-in chicken breasts, skinned

1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup flour (1/4 cup whole-wheat finished out to 1/3 cup with all-purpose)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
1/4 cup cornmeal
nonstick cooking spray

Place the chicken breasts in a gallon-size ziptop plastic bag; add the buttermilk.  Seal bag and rotate to coat chicken.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours but up to 12 hours.  Turn several times during this time.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet that has sides with foil, very lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Remove the chicken pieces from the plastic bag, drain and discard buttermilk. 

Place the flour, poultry seasoning, pepper, salt, and paprika in another large plastic ziptop bag.

Place the eggs in a pie plate or shallow bowl.

Combine the bread crumbs with the cornmeal in anothe pie plate or shallow bowl.

Place chicken, 2 breasts at a time, into the bag of the flour mixture and shake to coat chicken.  Remove from bag and coat with the egg.  Roll chicken in the crumb/cornmeal mixture until coated.  Place chicken on the prepared baking sheet and give a very light spray with the cooking spray.

Bake chicken at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to 170 degrees or the juices run clear.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: 340 cal, 5 g (2 sat) fat, 34 g protein, 26 g carbs

QUICK TURKEY SOUP

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups diced yellow onions

3/4 cup diced carrots

3/4 cup diced celery 

salt, lightly, to taste

pepper to taste

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or turkey stock

1/2 cup uncooked pearl couscous

3 cups chopped, cooked turkey 

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add butter, onions, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme, cook another 2 minutes.

Add the broth and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in couscous, then reduce soup to a simmer. Cover and simmer until couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in turkey then season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with grated Parmesan and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 

Yield: 6 servings

recipe and photo woman's world 2025

EASY PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

1 box yellow sugar-free cake mix

1 can (15-oz) pumpkin

1 tsp ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 18-24 muffin cups with olive oil cooking spray; set aside.

Combine the dry cake mix, pumpkin and spice until well blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill each muffin cup almost full and bake in 350-degree oven approximately 25 minutes or until done.

This is a picture of these muffins I took years ago when I used nuts instead of chocolate chips.

TEXAS ARMADILLO EGGS

2 to 3 cans of crabmeat

2 cans jalapeno peppers (about 17 peppers)

unsalted butter for sauteing 

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped mushrooms

1 tbsp jarred garlic

salt to taste, optional

pepper to taste, optional

3 eggs, beaten

cracker meal for rolling

Sauté onion, mushrooms, garlic and spices, if using, in butter. Add crabmeat and mix together.

Slice jalapenos lengthwise and remove seeds (be sure to remove seeds). Slice peppers down one side only. Generously stuff jalapenos with crab meat mixture. Dip in a mixture of 3 eggs and 1/4 cup milk. Roll in cracker meal. Dip again into the egg mixture and roll again in the cracker meal. Drop into a preheated deep fryer and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

file photo, not this exact recipe

TUSCAN TURKEY AND WHITE BEAN SKILLET

1 tsp dried rosemary, divided

1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1 lb turkey breast cutlets
2 tsp canola oil, divided
1 can (14 1/2-oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16-oz) navy beans, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pound the turkey cutlets to 1/4-inch thickness.

Combine half the rosemary, garlic salt, and half the pepper in a small bowl mixing well.  Sprinkle the spice mixture over the cutlets.

Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add half the cutlets and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the center.  Transfer to serving platter, tent with aluminum foil and keep warm.  Repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.

To the same skillet, add the tomatoes with juice, beans, and the other halves of the rosemary and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.  Spoon tomato mixture over and around the turkey cutlets on the serving platter.  Sprinkle the cheese overall.
Garish with a sprig of fresh rosemary, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

 Recipe and photo from an old diabetic magazine

OATMEAL AND BANANA PANCAKES

1 1/3 cups low-fat milk
1/2 cup quick cook oats
1 cup white whole wheat flour
 2 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp canola oil
1 large banana, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup sugar-free strawberry preserves

In a large mixing bowl combine the milk and oats; allow to set for 10 minutes.

Sift the flour and baking powder together. Add the flour mixture, egg, and canola oil to the oats; stir together until moistened but do not beat. Stir in the banana.

Spray griddle with nonstick cooking spray and heat up over medium heat. Drop the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the hot griddle. Cook about 3 minutes until bubbles form on on the tops and bottoms are browned. Turn and cook another minute or two until second side is browned.

Microwave the preserves on high until syrupy, about a minute or so. Serve this syrup with the pancakes.

Yield: 6 servings of 3 pancakes and 2 tablespoons of the syrup.
176 calories, 3 g (1 sat) fat, 35 g carbs, 6 g protein, 36 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 198 mg sodium

To improve carb to protein ratio, I always recommend a couple slices of bacon or sausage (turkey or protein products are okay) with a serving of pancakes.

DIABETIC-FRIENDLY GRANOLA

3 cups rolled oats

1 tsp salt
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup unsalted mixed nuts
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp almond extract
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Stir the oats, salt, almonds, peanuts, and mixed nuts together in a large bowl.

In a large measuring cup combine the honey and canola oil.  Stir in the almond extract, cinnamon, an nutmeg.  Gradually add the oat/nut mixture in batches to the honey/oil mixture in the measuring cup, stirring well after each batch until the cup is full.  Add this mixture to the remaining oat/nut mixture in the large bowl; mix well to coat.

Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper.  Spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 300 degrees; stir every 5 minutes during baking. 

Allow to cool before serving.

Yield: 20 servings of 1/4 cup each.
Per serving: 206 calories, 6 g protein, 19 g carbs

This may be placed in a jar or a colorful tin for gifting.

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