July 4 is not only the birthday of our great country, it is also a day synonymous with the 5Fs; family, friends, fun, fireworks and food. And we diabetics don't want to be cheated on the food part of the celebration! Following, I have pulled together some great recipes that are suitable for diabetics and I believe, excellent dessert ideas for your Fourth of July celebrations.
AMERICANA PARFAITS
Desserts
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 small package strawberry-flavored sugar-free gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
ice cubes
3/4 cup frozen sugar-free whipped topping, thawed
Wash fruit and pat dry on a paper towel; set aside. Reserve 3 strawberries with leaves still attached. Reserve 6 blueberries and set aside with the 3 strawberries. Get six parfait glasses and divide the remaining fruit evenly between them. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir boiling water into gelatin. Stir at least two minutes to dissolve gelatin completely. Put cold water in a two-cup measuring cup and add ice cubes to make 1 1/4 cups. Add to the gelatin and stir until slightly thickened. Remove any remaining bits of the ice cubes. Pour out 3/4 cup of the gelatin and set aside. Pour the remaining gelatin evenly over the fruit in the six parfait glasses. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set but not firm. Using a wire whisk, stir whipped topping into the remaining gelatin until smooth. Spoon over gelatin in parfait glasses. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Before serving, top half the glasses with the reserved strawberries and half with the reserved blueberries.
OREO COOKIE DESSERT
2 small pkgs sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups low-fat milk
8-oz light cream cheese, softened
8-oz carton frozen sugar-free whipped topping, thawed
16 Oreo sugar-free cookies, broken into pieces
Mix together pudding mix and milk on low speed of electric mixer; add cream cheese and mix until well blended. Add whipped topping and mix well with a large spoon (do not use mixer). Add cookie pieces and mix in. Chill for several hours or overnight before serving.
SUNSHINE CUPS
3/4 cup boiling water
1 small pkg sugar-free orange gelatin
1/2 cup cold orange juice
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, rinsed and drained
Put dry gelatin into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in boiling water and still at least two minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in juice and cold water. Refrigerate approximately 1 1/2 hours until thickened to the point that a spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a definite impression.
Take 3/4 cup of the thickened mixture out and set aside. Stir raspberries and orange segments into the remaining gelatin mixture. Pour into 6 serving dishes or into 1 larger bowl. Beat the reserved gelatin on high speed of electric mixer until fluffy and approximately doubled in volume. Spoon over gelatin. Refrigerate at least 3 hours until firm.
If you don't mind heating up the oven--I suggest doing this early in the day--try these apple dumplings. We all know Apple Pie is considered very American but why not show your family and friends how creative you are by changing things up a little and going with Apple Dumplings instead?
APPLE DUMPLINGS
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup low-fat milk
5 cups chopped apples
1 cup Equal Sugar-Lite
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut flour into shortening as if making a pie crust. Add milk. Make into a dough and roll out into a rectangle. Add Equal and cinnamon to apples and mix together. Spread apple mixture over dough. Roll up jelly-roll style and cut into slices. Place into a baking pan and pour sauce over all. Bake 1 hour.
To make sauce: Bring to boiling:
2/3 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup Splenda and 1 1/2 cups boiling water
NOTE: The sauce in this recipe uses 1/2 cup sugar. You can substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or go with the sugar if you don't like the applesauce results. But be aware of this when fitting this recipe into your diet!
CHERRY DELIGHT
1 sugar-free angel food cake
1 pkg (8 oz) light cream cheese, softened
1 small pkg sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp Splenda
1 can lite cherry pie filling or no-sugar-added cherry pie filling
1 small carton sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/3 cup chopped pecans, if desired for garnish
Tear cake into bite size pieces and lay on bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Mix pudding according to package directions and refrigerate until set. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and Splenda into the pudding. Pour mixture over top of cake pieces. Spread pie filling over pudding mixture. Top with whipped topping. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top. Refrigerate 1 hour before cutting to serve.
So whether you are diabetic or will be entertaining diabetics, try one of these easy, delicious recipes and enjoy dessert without feeling guilty or sabotaging your diet. Happy Holiday!
4th of July Desserts Suitable For Diabetics
For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com
For her other dessert recipes visit her at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com