#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