Diabetes and the holidays
Diabetes can make the holidays a struggle – both for those people who have diabetes and for those who want to cook for friends or family members who have it.  Having diabetes does not have to mean giving up all the traditional foods you love.  Eating smaller portions and swapping out certain foods for others can let you enjoy a feast without feeling like you are missing out.

The key message for people with diabetes is to “count carbs.”  Foods high in carbohydrates like bread, tortillas, rice, crackers, cereal, fruit, potatoes, corn and sweets raise your blood glucose levels the most.  If you choose to eat a small serving of dessert, cut back on potatoes or skip the roll.

The www.diabetes.org website is a great resource for tasty recipes that are lower in carbs or sugar – like the cookie recipes included below.  Indulging with some fresh baked cookies this holiday season is possible for people with diabetes.  Just remember to be cautious of serving sizes and don’t eat the whole batch!

Crispy Oatmeal Cookies
Yield: 44 cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned (not quick cooking) oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the oats, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well.
Set aside.
Combine the butter-flavored spread, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Add the oat mixture and beat at low speed until moistened.
Stir in raisins.
Drop mounds of dough, 2 level teaspoons each, 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned but centers remain soft – 10 to 12 minutes.
Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes.
Two cookies contain: 98 calories, 3g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 83 mg sodium, 17g total carbs, 1g dietary fiber, 8g sugar, 2g protein.

Chocolate Crackles
Yield: 52 cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup 67% vegetable oil butter-flavored spread, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.
Line the baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well.
Set aside. 
Combine the butter-flavored spread and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Beat in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until a stiff dough forms.
Place the confectioners’ sugar in a shallow dish.
Roll the dough into 52 balls, 2 level teaspoons each.
Toss in confectioners’ sugar to coat, shaking off excess.
Place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the bottoms and have a crackled appearance on top.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes.
Two cookies contain: 100 calories, 4g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 16mg cholesterol, 81mg sodium, 16g total carbs, 1g dietary fiber, 9g sugar, 2g protein.