BEEF ENCHILADAS

Don't get carried away here, watch your portion size. This recipe should be okay for most diabetics occasionally.

Note: This recipe is one I got from the Brown Eyed Baker but it was adapted from America's Best Test Kitchens 2008. I have changes to make it more diabetic-friendly.

3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon Splenda Granulated
1 teaspoon salt
1¼ pounds boneless chuck steaks, trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup water
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
4 ounces low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped canned pickled jalapeños
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, sugar and salt.

2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sprinkle the meat with salt and cook until browned on both sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate.

3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions to the pot and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat is tender and can be broken apart easily, about 1½ hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Strain the beef mixture over a medium bowl. Transfer the meat and any other solids to a separate medium bowl and break the beef into small pieces. Mix together with half of the shredded cheeses, the cilantro and the jalapeños.

6. Spread ¾ cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Microwave the tortillas according to package directions to soften. Spread about ⅓ cup of the beef mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll up tightly, and place in the baking dish seam-side down. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas and spread to ensure that all of the ends are covered in sauce.

7. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top of the enchiladas, cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Make-Ahead: The beef filling and sauce can be prepared through step #5 and refrigerated in separate containers for up to 2 days. Prepare the rest of the recipe as directed, increasing the covered baking time by 5 minutes.

(Recipe adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2008)

FRUIT COCKTAIL CAKE

1 3/4 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour*
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups Splenda Granular
1/2 cup Splenda baking blend**
2 tsp baking soda
1 can (15-oz) no sugar added fruit cocktail
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, salt, cinnamon, both Splendas and the baking soda. When combined, add the fruit cocktail with juice and eggs. Mix together well.

Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

Before cake is finished baking, make the following topping:

1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 cup Splenda granulated
7 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, optional

Combine the topping ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil mixture 5 minutes. Pour topping over the hot cake.

*May use additional white whole wheat flour if you don't have garbanzo bean flour.

**If you cannot have any sugar, use additional Splenda Granulated.

Note: As with all desserts, do not go overboard in one sitting! Diabetics must always eat in moderation.

ROASTED GREEN BEANS WITH MUSHROOMS, BALSAMIC, AND PARMESAN

I got this recipe from a facebook friend's post. Haven't tried it yet but certainly intend to.
Ingredients:

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced in 1/2 inch slices (I used brown crimini mushrooms, but any mushrooms will work)
1 lb. fresh green beans, preferably thin French style beans
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 T finely grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450F/230C. Wash mushrooms and let drain (or spin dry in salad spinner, which is what I did.) While mushrooms are drying, trim ends of beans and cut beans in half so you have bite-sized pieces. (An easy way to trim them is to gather a small handful of beans, stand them up on cutting board, holding loosely so they will fall down and have ends ends aligned, then trim. Repeat with other end.) Cut mushrooms into slices 1/2 inch thick.

Put cut beans and mushrooms into a Ziploc bag or plastic bowl. Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour over, then squeeze bag or stir so all the beans and mushrooms are lightly coated with the mixture. Arrange on large cookie sheet, spreading them out well so beans and mushrooms are not crowded. Roast 20-30 minutes, starting to check for doneness after 20 minutes. Cook until beans are tender-crisp, mushrooms are cooked, and all liquid on the pan from mushrooms has evaporated. Season beans to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper, then sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan. Serve hot.

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE ALICE SPRINGS CHICKEN

For those of you who enjoy the Alice Springs Chicken from Outback Steakhouse, here is a recipe from a friend. Since I don't eat chicken I can't vouch for this but I hear it is an almost exact replica of Outback's. I have added notes to make this even more diabetic friendly. I also suggest diabetics cut the cheese back to 1 or 1 1/2 cups.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
Lowry's Seasoning Salt  (Diabetics should apply any salt lightly.)
6 bacon slices
1/4 cup regular mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 cup sliced fresh mushroom
2 cup shredded Colby/Jack cheese (Diabetics should use low-fat cheese)

First, Sprinkle and rub the chicken breasts with seasoning salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is in the refrigerator, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. ***Do not discard grease.***

Saute chicken in the bacon grease for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Place chicken in a 9" × 13" casserole dish or pan.

To make the Honey Mustard: In a small bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayonnaise and dried onion flakes.
Spread some of the Honey Mustard over each piece of chicken, then layer with mushrooms, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheese.

Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and chicken is done.
Serve with the left over Honey Mustard Sauce that you made.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIR CAKE

Note: This cake uses graham crackers. If you have a serious problem with your blood sugar readings, take this into consideration.

2 pkg (3-oz each) instant sugar-free French vanilla pudding mix
3 cups fat-free milk
1 carton (9-oz) Sugar-Free frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 box Graham crackers
1 can ready-to-use sugar-free fudge frosting

Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or pan. Line bottom of pan with Graham crackers.

Mix the pudding mix with the milk by following directions on box; fold in the whipped topping. Alternate layers of pudding and crackers, ending with a cracker layer. Top with the frosting.

Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Serves 12

LAYERED TURTLE CHEESECAKE - DIABETIC STYLE

I posted a recipe on my Ladybug's Sweet Treats blog that looked so good I decided to try making a diabetic version. It is pretty tasty but as always we diabetics need to remember we must eat all things in moderation!

CRUST:
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp + 2 tsp packed Splenda brown sugar blend
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
6 tbsp cold butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place a greased 9-inch springform pan on a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil (about 18-inches square). Wrap foil tightly around the pan.

In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar blend, and pecans; cut in the butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees 12 to 15 minutes or until set. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

FILLING:
1 pkg (8-oz each) cream cheese, softened
3 pkgs (8-oz each) low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup Splenda granulated
2 tbsp + 2 tsp packed Splenda brown sugar blend
1/4 cup + 1 tsp white whole-wheat flour, divided
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar-free caramel ice cream topping
1/3 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, beat cream cheeses and both Splendas until smooth. Beat in 1/4 cup of the flour, whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until blended. Remove 1 cup of the batter to a small bowl and stir in the melted chocolate; spread over the cooled crust.

In another small bowl, mix the caramel topping with the 1 teaspoon of remaining flour; stir in the pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls over the chocolate batter. Top with the remaining batter.

Place the springform pan in a large baking pan and pour 1-inch of hot water into the baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours until the center is just set and the top appears dull. Remove the springform pan from the water bath then remove the foil. Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the sides of the pan to loosen cake. Allow to cool on a wire rack for another hour.

Refrigerate overnight.

GANACHE:
1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
Additional sugar-free caramel ice cream topping, if desired

Place chips in a small heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the whipping cream just to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chips and whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Remove sides of the pan.

Spread the ganache over top of cheesecake and sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Refrigerate until set.

If desired, drizzle with additional caramel topping before cutting to serve.

EASY CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

2 cups low-fat cold milk
2 tbsp Splenda granulated
1 pkg (4-serving size) sugar-free instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

In a large bowl, combine all three ingredients; beat on lowest speed of electric mixer for 1 minute or just until blended.

Pour mixture into a shallow pan that is freezer-safe.  Freeze mixture until firm, at least 4 hours.

Remove from freezer and let stand 15 minutes before scooping to serve.

ENCHILADA BAKE

Note: I got this recipe from a friend. It is a facebook post with the info at the end of the post. Don't know what "batch red enchilada sauce" means but I will use a can of enchilada sauce. It is very low carb which is why I am posting it here. Fat content seems a little high but if you are going low carb, it appears to be a good recipe.

THIS IS SOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!! Feel Free to Share !!!!!!!!!! 

ENCHILADA BAKE 

Crust: 
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon Taco Seasoning
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 ounce tortilla chips, finely crushed *

Beat or whisk the cream cheese and eggs until smooth. Add the seasoning; mix well. Stir in the cheese and crushed chips; mix well. Grease a 9x13" baking dish or line with parchment paper; spread the cheese mixture evenly over the bottom. Bake at 350º, 35 minutes or until browned, but not too dark. Let stand 5-10 minutes before adding the topping.

* 1/4 ounce is about 4-5 small round tortilla chips. I used the unflavored white corn kind. They only add about 4 carbs to the whole recipe.

Topping:
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning 
1/2 batch Red Enchilada Sauce (about 1 cup)
8 ounces pepper-jack cheese, shredded

Brown the hamburger; drain fat. Stir in the seasoning and enchilada sauce. Spread over the crust. Top with the cheese. Bake another 20 minutes or so until hot and bubbly.

Makes 8 servings

Per Serving: 414 Calories; 32g Fat; 27g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs

The addition of the tortilla chips makes a big difference in this dish and adds less than a carb per serving. I was making the crust for my Enchilada Bake recipe and threw the crushed chips in on a whim. I wasn't even sure if such a tiny bit would be noticeable but was pleasantly surprised to find that they add a nice corn tortilla flavor.

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LOW CALORIE BROWNIES

This is a recipe I saw on facebook. I have not made these yet so cannot personally recommend them. For us diabetics I added unsweetened to the applesauce. Also, I never bake with a stevia product as I find it turns bitter at high temperatures. I use Splenda in all my baking.

(If you don’t save these to your wall, then you are NUTS.. who doesn’t love brownies??)

3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (I used vanilla)
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Old fashioned rolled oats (like Quaker)
1/2 cup Truvia (or any natural/stevia based sweetener that pours like sugar)
1 egg
1/3 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a square baking dish (I used 8”x8”). Combine all ingredients into a food processor or a blender, and blend until smooth (about 1 minute). Pour into the prepared dish and bake for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 9 large squares.

GLADYS KNIGHT'S SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS

Many years ago when Gladys Knight (and The Pips) was diagnosed with diabetes there were lots of interviews with her and lots of her recipes were made public.  Here is an old yellowed clipping I saved from a magazine. With diabetes in my family, I had already started paying attention to diabetic articles.  Found this the other day and thought it worth sharing.

Click on recipe to enlarge for easier reading.