Valentine’s Day Treats For Diabetics Diet and Some Alternatives…

Posted by admin on Jan 28, 2011 in Diabetic Recipes | 72 comments

Most special days of the year we are led to believe that the essential gift has to include chocolate. To misquote Shakespeare, ‘If chocolate be the food of love, eat on’. For the diabetic love of your life this can make things tricky.

So here are some tasty diabetes treatment and alternative gifts that will get straight to their heart and not in a bad way!

Tasty Treat

CAPPUCCINO PIE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup room temperature coffee

1/4 oz unflavoured gelatine

1/4 cup coffee liqueur

1 cup low fat or light ricotta cheese

Sugar substitute equal to 1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups low fat or light whipped topping

1 Chocolate-Almond Piecrust

1-1/2 tablespoons shaved dark chocolate

Method:

Place 2 tablespoons of the coffee in a blender. Sprinkle the gelatine over the coffee and let sit for 2 minutes.

Bring the remaining coffee to a boil and pour over the mixture in the blender. Blend for 1 minute, until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Add the liqueur to the blender mixture and blend to mix. Add the ricotta, sugar substitute, and cinnamon and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the consistency of pudding. Whisk until smooth and then fold in the whipped topping.

Spread the ricotta mixture into the piecrust, swirling the top.

Sprinkle the chocolate over the top.

Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, or until set.

Thanks to Sandra Woodruff’s Diabetic Dream Desserts.

Alternative Treat

GO FOR A ROMANTIC WALK

Hmm. I’m writing this from the UK. February is so not the time for a walk, this being the most chilly and unpleasant month of the year. I say put the walk off and stick with the pie! Leave the walk for a fine Spring day.

Tasty Treat

COGNAC-LACED TRUFFLES

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cognac

½ cup double cream

11 squares (1 oz each) semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 squares (1 oz each) white cooking chocolate, chopped

1 square (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup sweetener (such as Splenda)

Coating:

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Method:

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper. Heat cognac in a small saucepan just to simmering. Remove from heat. Add cream. Bring to a simmer.

Place all the chocolate and the sweetener in a food processor and whirl 1 to 2 minutes or until finely chopped. With machine running, add cream mixture in a steady stream. Process until smooth. Scrape into a medium-size bowl. Refrigerate just until thick enough to hold shape, about 1 hour.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. With your hands, quickly shape into balls. (Refrigerate to firm while working if necessary.) Place in freezer 30 minutes.

Prepare coating: Sift cocoa powder and sweetener into a small bowl. Add truffles, 3 at a time; toss to coat. Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature.

Thanks to Family Circle’s All Time Favourite Recipes.

Alternative Treat

SHARE A ROMANTIC SUNSET

Again, I’m not so sure. Apart from it being a touch on the cheap (erm, free) side there’s no guarantee of the weather. I’m all in favour of the romantic ideal but I don’t think it’s a goer as a treat by itself. Besides, cognac-laced truffles are very tasty reason to stay indoors!

Tasty Treat

AMARETTO AND CHOCOLATE DIP WITH STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients:

2 cups low fat strawberry yogurt

1/4 cup whipped fat-free topping (such as Sugar Free Dream Topping)

1/3 cup amaretto

2 punnets fresh strawberries

Diabetic chocolate for dipping

Method:

Start melting the chocolate (preferably in a fondue)

Blend yogurt with amaretto. Top with whipped topping. Serve in a bowl with strawberries surrounding the yoghurt dip and chocolate fondue.

Alternative Treat

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS OR JEWELLRY

Well, this is more like it. Flowers are always popular and jewellery most welcome. However, flowers don’t last and jewellery can be prohibitively expensive in these stringent times.

In summary the tasty treats prepared by your loved one would always be my first choice. Alternative treats are nice too but best at the right time! Whatever you decide it’s always quality time spent with your loved one that matters most.

Guest blogger Greg loves Valentine’s Day and even all the unashamed sentimental soppiness that comes with it. When his head’s not in the clouds he writes blog posts and helps small companies develop a social media presence.