I'd suggest using low-glycemic agave nectar instead of no-calorie chemical sweeteners. Splenda, and other chemical sweeteners, as well as stevia, don't react like sugar does in breads. Most chemical sweeteners are proteins and therefore don't feed yeast. So Splenda won't perform the same function that a "sugar" does. Sugar does more just sweeten the finished loaf. In bread recipes that call for "sugar" (in the broad sense - to include table sugar, syrups, honeys) it aids in tenderizing the crumb, browning the crust, feeds the yeast, and actually makes the bread heavier. Syrup sweeteners like malt syrup provide all the characteristics of "sugar", but also provide enzymes to break starch (in flour) into sugar for yeast action. Lean dough recipes, like French and Italian breads, don't require sugar in the recipe, but they characteristically stale rapidly because they don't include sugar and fat in the recipes. The reason there is a French Bread cycle on bread machines is that lean doughs don't include sugar in the recipes and it takes longer for the dough to rise, so the French Bread cycle has a longer rising time. The baking temperature is higher on the French Bread cycle because without sugar the crust will not get too dark with a higher heat. Agave nectar is a natural low-glycemic, honey-like sweetener, that doesn't raise blood glucose, but it works like sugar does in breads. Agave nectar aids in fermentation due to its high monosaccharide content. So it can be used to your advantage in bread making (and baked goods) to help maintain freshness and texture. When used in breads and baked goods, instead of "sugar", agave nectar has the ability to increase the water retention properties of a food, so they stay moist longer, which is a plus for homemade bread which tends to stale quickly. Because of its high content of monosaccharides (over 90%), agave nectar has a high osmotic pressure. This characteristic helps to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Another good quality that aids in helping to prevent mold growth. Agave nectar contributes to the Malliard browning reaction for a nice brown crust. Different "sugars" give different characteristics in breads. All "sugars" interfere with gluten development. Too much table sugar can destroy gluten (two tablespoons of sugar per cup of flour is the maximum that you can add without major gluten damage). Glucose and corn syrup browns at lower temperatures than many sugars. If you start to read the labels on commercial breads you will notice a number of "sugars" are used in them. Most sugars are hygroscopic and absorb water. Naturally-occurring (not chemical forms of) fructose (which agave nectar and honey are high in) and fruit sugar (which is one of the two sugars that makes up table sugar), is more hygroscopic than most, which is why table sugar is commonly used in enriched breads. Yeast doesn't respond well to the sugar, lactose, in milk, and milk has other attributes it contributes to breads. Both honey and agave nectar aid in keeping the moisture in the crumb if you freeze your breads. -Grainlady

Chocolate Walnut Fudge Serves: 25    1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk    1/3 cup agave nectar    1 pinch salt    12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips    1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (4 ounces)  Mix sweetened condensed milk and agave in a small saucepan and stir to blend. Add a large pinch of salt. Bring mixture just to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add chocolate chips and lower heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts completely and mixture is smooth. Stir in walnuts. Pour the warm mixture into an 8 x 8-inch pan and smooth the top with a butter knife. Let cool and refrigerate until cold. Cut into 25 squares. ____________________________________________________________________ Banana Loaf Made With Spelt Flour Recipe Ingredients  1/2 cup butter at room temperature  1 cup or less light/golden brown sugar  2 organic eggs, beaten  1 tsp. vanilla (optional)  2 cups Spelt flour  1 tsp. baking soda preferably aluminum-free  1/2 tsp. salt  2 or 3 very ripe organic bananas, mashed  1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Directions Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Stir in dry ingredients. Blend bananas and walnuts and mix gently. Bake in a well greased and lightly dusted 5 x 9 inch loaf pan or three 3 x 5 inch loaf pans. Bake for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Lessen the baking time for the smaller loaf pans. NOTE: When using spelt flour as a substitute for All-purpose or whole wheat flour, always remember that spelt requires approximately 25% less liquid. You can either reduce the liquid by 25% or add 25% more spelt flour than your recipe calls for.

#1. I'd like to suggest a cookbook, "How Sweet It Is...WITHOUT THE SUGAR" by Jean C. Wade (Delicious Desserts for Diabetics and Others). Each recipe includes nutrition facts and diabetic exchanges. Check your local library for this and other diabetic-friendly cookbooks. #2. Remember, it's total carbohydrates and the "sweets" need to be considered a part of the total daily amount of food exchanges for a diabetic. #3. Watch portion sizes. In fact, try to make portions very small - mini-muffins, instead of regular or jumbo sizes. Bake quick breads in small loaves and cut the slices very thin, rather than using a traditional 9x5-inch loaf pan. Use a very small scoop for cookies - nothing served in it's normal or larger size. #4. Choose foods that are on the lower half of the Glycemic Index of Foods, which raise the blood glucose much slower than the upper half of the list. If serving "sweets", also serve veggies, and high-protein foods, like low-fat cheeses to offset some of the glycemic impact of the "sweets". Use whole grains, especially spelt, kamut, rye, and barley flour which are lower on the GI than wheat flour (even lower than whole wheat, as well as lower than unbleached/bleached flour). Wholegrain spelt flour is a good substitute for bleached/unbleached wheat flour in quick breads to help lower the glycemic impact. Coconut Flour is also a very low-carb alternative flour ("Cooking with Coconut Flour" by Bruce Fife, N.D.). #5. Just because a food isn't "sweet" doesn't mean it won't quickly raise blood glucose. Things commonly consumed during the holidays, like snacking cereal mixes (Chex Mix), are very high on the Glycemic Index of Foods. Instead of open bowls/containers of snack foods, such as Chex Mix, which are easy to gobble by the handful, package it in some kind of single serving amounts. Foods sweetened with a non-calorie sweetener might also quickly raise blood glucose due to other high-glycemic ingredients, such as high-glycemic fruits or white flour. #6. Foods with a small amount of sugar can also be used by most diabetics (muffins, for instance - even many cookie recipes and quick breads have low amounts of sugar), it's still about the total carbohydrates. Don't be fooled by so-called "sugar-free" recipes that incorporate concentrated fruit spreads or fruit juices - they can still be very high in "sugar" and carbohydrates and quickly raise blood sugar levels. You'll find many traditional cookie recipes are relatively low-carb, even though they use sugar. Check out the number of carbs in things like Scandinavian Butterballs (aka Mexican Wedding Cakes, etc.). These cookies are usually rolled in a small amount of powdered sugar. Instead of rolling the entire cookie in sugar, just dip one side, and bake the sugared side up, or omit the dusting of powdered sugar entirely. Reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe, or use a low-glycemic sweetener (or even a combination of a small amount of sugar and a non-calorie chemical sweetener), like agave nectar, or non-calorie sweeteners. Be sure to warn people eating foods containing non-calorie chemical sweeteners, especially Splenda. Many people are very sensitive to this sweetener - I have a friend with a severe sensitivity to Splenda, and eating it would even mean a trip to the hospital. Check nutritional information in cookbooks for the total amount of carbs. Off-set the carbohydrates by increasing the protein and fiber (add nuts, coconut flour, whey protein powder, and flaxmeal, etc.) I also substitute Agave Nectar (a natural, honey-like, low-glycemic sweetener) for sugar in most recipes I use. In many cookie recipes, you can easily reduce the sugar by 1/4-1/3 the amount without compromising the cookie. Here are a couple of my original "candy" recipes I used at a Holiday function where I catered all low-carb, low-glycemic foods. We're not diabetic, but I choose to make foods that are low-glycemic in hopes of preventing diabetes (which is prevalent in my husband's family). So far, so good... PROTEIN PEANUT BUTTER BALLS 1/2 c. whey protein (vanilla flavored) 1/2 c. peanut butter 2 T. Agave Nectar 1 t. vanilla or almond flavoring Mix thoroughly, by hand, with a fork. Form into small, 1/2-3/4-inch balls. Place in festive candy papers (look like small muffin cup papers). *If desired, add 1/2-3/4 c. crisp wholegrain rice cereal to the dough, for a little crunch. *Toppings: Melt 1/2 c. chocolate chips and drizzle a thread of chocolate over the tops of the candy balls. You can also dip the balls in a little Agave nectar and then dip in chopped, blanched, roasted almonds or toasted UNsweetened coconut (small shred). COCONUT ALMOND CANDY (Yield: 20 pieces) Melt: 2 T. butter in a frying pan Add: 1/2 c. long-shred UNsweetened coconut & 1/2 c. chopped raw almonds Over medium heat, cook until the ingredients begin to brown. CAUTION - this will burn easily. Remove from heat. Add: 2-3 T. Agave Nectar & 1 t. almond flavoring Stir well. Using a melon baller, or other small portion scoop, place a small scoop of candy in a small paper candy cup. Cool in a refrigerator at least 1/2 hour to set. -Grainlady

Most publications and on-line information say to use 25% less agave nectar than sugar called for (3/4 c. agave nectar for each 1 c. sugar), but I've found I can use much less than that in most cases. It depends on other ingredients and what part (food science) the sweetener plays in the type of food. If there are sweet ingredients or spices, you can often use less agave nectar than 25%. In this wholegrain banana bread recipe - I use 1/4 c. agave nectar. BANANA-POPPY SEED BREAD 1 c. mashed banana 1/4 c. agave nectar (OR 1/2 c. sugar) 1/2 c. milk (I use homemade kefir) 3 T. vegetable oil 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 c. all-purpose flour (I use wholegrain spelt flour) 1 c. whole wheat flour 2 t. baking powder 2 T. poppy seeds (I substitute whole amaranth for an additional whole grain that is high in protein. They look like golden poppy seeds in the bread.) 1/2 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1/2 t. cinnamon vegetable cooking spray Combine the bananas and agave nectar (or sugar) in a small bowl; stir well. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk, oil, and egg; set the mixture aside. Combine flours and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Make a well in center of mixture; add banana mixture to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened. Spoon into 8-1/2x4-1/2x3-inch loaf pan (NOT a 9x5-inch pan usually used for quick breads) coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool on a rack. Grainlady Note: I like to bake quick breads in a Danish Loaf pan (aka Tea Loaf Pan - see link below). It's longer and more narrow (12" x 4" x 2 1/2" pan holds the equivalent of a 9" x 5" loaf pan) with playing-card sized servings. It's easier to slice very thin slices from this type pan - important when control portion sizes. Plus, it bakes 25% faster than a 9x5 pan. -------------------- WACKY CAKE (a frosting-free snack cake) 1-1/2 c. whole wheat flour (soft wheat, or whole wheat pastry flour OR 1-1/2 c. + 2 T. spelt flour) 1 t. soda 1/2 t. salt 3 T. cocoa powder (can eliminate) 1 T. vinegar 2 t. vanilla 5 T. butter, melted 2/3 c. agave nectar 1/3 c. cold water Mix ingredients in an 8-inch square pan in this order: -Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. -Make 3 holes evenly spaced apart in dry ingredients. -In first hole, put vinegar. In second hole, the vanilla. In third hole, melted butter. Mix water and agave nectar together and pour over all the cake ingredients. Stir well, using a dinner fork or spatula (be sure no dry ingredients remain in corners). Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes. One serving - 1/16 of cake (cut the cake into 16 pieces). For spice cake: Omit the cocoa and add 1/2 t. Penzeys Cake Spice (www.penzeys.com). A mixture of: China cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves. -------------------------------- Other agave nectar goodies (my original recipes): COCONUT ALMOND CANDY Melt: 2 T. butter in a frying pan Add: 1/2 c. long-shred UNsweetened coconut 1/2 c. chopped raw almonds Over medium heat, cook until the ingredients begin to brown. CAUTION - this will burn easily. Remove from heat. Add: 2-3 T. agave nectar 1 t. almond flavoring Stir well. Place in small paper candy cups. (I use a 100 size portion scoop for this - approx. 1 teaspoon.) Cool in a refrigerator at least 1/2 hour to set. Yield: approx. 20 pieces. PROTEIN PEANUT BUTTER BALLS 1/2 c. whey powder (vanilla flavor) 1/2 c. peanut butter 2 T. agave nectar 1 t. vanilla or almond flavoring Mix thoroughly with a dinner fork. *If desired, add 1/2 to 3/4 c. crisp wholegrain rice cereal to the dough. Roll into small (3/4 to 1-inch) balls. *Toppings - Melt 1/2 c. chocolate chips and drizzle over the top. You can also dip the balls in a little agave nectar and then dip in chopped roasted almonds or toasted unsweetened coconut. ---------------------- VANILLA ICE CREAM 4 oz. EGG BEATERS (DO NOT substitute raw eggs) 1/4 c. agave nectar 1 c. Half & Half 2 c. cream 1-1/2 t. vanilla In a 4-cup measuring cup or equal-sized bowl, combine Egg Beaters, agave nectar and vanilla and stir to mix. Add cream and half and half. Chill thoroughly in the freezer (just until ice crystals start to form on the edge. Process in an ice cream maker of choice AGAVE NECTAR CHOCOLATE SYRUP 1/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa Powder 1/2 c. agave nectar 1/2 c. cold water Mix, with a whisk (it takes a bit of mixing to get it smooth). Store in refrigerator. Serving: 1/2 c. ice cream and 1 T. cocolate syrup -Grainlady