Chef Michael's Irish Soda Bread

Irish Bad Boy... and LOVING IT!!!

I know... I know... Purists will chastise me... Hardliners may disown me... My Irish heritage is appalled and I am sure my ancestors are stirring in their graves readying to mount a zombie attack against me and my disrespectful ways...

I'm not much of a baker, but years ago when I was running parenting workshops with my very Irish friend Mary Dowd, she introduced me to her version of Irish Soda Bread that was just divine. She was kind enough to share her recipe and I had fun making the breads on my own. Easy peasy...

...and then...

I was getting ingredients to make the breads one year and there they were... calling to me... and I thought... hmmmmm, this might work... Enter the beautiful, amazing, tasty and tradition-bucking...

----CRAISINS----

Irish Soda Bread made with craisins has been my St. Patrick's Day signature treat ever since; friends and family rave quietly by way of yummy noises every year. Ohhhhh the sacrilege... The recipe is best used as a dessert or breakfast bread, because... well, the craisins are just a little weird with corned beef ;-) So without further ado, let me introduce you to something quite different from Irish tradition:

Chef Michael's Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 16 oz. container sour cream
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup Craisins…. YES CRAISINS!!!

Yes... I know I am handing my fellow diabetics pure sugar, but there's a good chance not all our guests share our disease, and as always... moderation is our friend. We diabetics are diligent all year round, right? So, in a nutshell... "Live a little!" a few times a year is how I roll... Enjoy!

Preparation:

Mix all dry ingredients well. Add egg and sour cream. 

Fold ingredients with floured hands until well combined, but not overly mixed.

Fold in and combine... and combine.... yeah, right LOL

Basically, squoosh the hell out of this messy, very sticky batch

of gooey goodness until you have a big, sticky ball.

Then... just when you're ready to launch Irish obscenities....

You're done!

Bake at 375 degrees in greased 9” cake pan for about 50-60 minutes

or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Enjoy!

Serve as a dessert or for breakfast… Add a little butter and OMG YUM!

And... all my fellow diabetics? Moderation, please! 

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Gluten Free Mini Eggnog Cupcakes

These treats are just what the doctor ordered for the holidays. Please note that they do contain artificial sweeteners. Schools of thought, as with many things in the diabetes lifestyle, differ on the use of sweeteners. If you'd like to read more about their possible connection to diabetes, check out the research I included in this Weekend Ramble a while back. If you are someone who uses artificial sweeteners, then these cupcakes will induce Yummy Noises! Enjoy! 

Credit: American Diabetes Association’s Diabetic Food Hub

Ring in the holiday season with these light and sweet mini eggnog cupcakes! While “mini” is in the name, the flavor of these cupcakes is big. Eggnog, cinnamon, nutmeg, and zero-calorie Splenda® Stevia Sweetener will make your tastebuds merry and they’re only 80 calories! If you can’t get a hold of eggnog, any milk may be used—they will still have plenty of eggnog flavor from the eggs and spices. 

Ingredients:

The Cupcakes

• 3 lge eggs
• 5 tbsp Splenda Stevia Sweetener
• 1/2 cup eggnog
• 1/3 Plain Nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups superfine almond flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

The Topping

• 2 oz light cream cheese - softened
• 2 squeezes Splenda® Stevia Liquid Sweetener 
• 1 tbsp eggnog 
• 1 cup sugar-free whipped cream 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a mini muffin tin by spraying with nonstick cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk eggs for one minute until well-beaten. Whisk in Splenda Stevia Sweetener, eggnog, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Sprinkle in almond flour, baking powder, and spices. Stir until fully combined. Mixture will be thick.

Scoop batter into mini-muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until cooked through. Remove and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare topping by beating cream cheese with Splenda Stevia Liquid Sweetener and eggnog until cream cheese is completely smooth, with no lumps. Fold in whipped topping gently. Refrigerate until cupcakes are ready to be topped.

When cupcakes are cooled, pipe about a tablespoon of topping and sprinkle a little nutmeg or cinnamon onto each. Serve immediately.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Baked Cinnamon Apples

Everyone knows that apples are a fun and healthy snack year-round, right? :-)

In this recipe from the Diabetic Cookbook for Beginners - 2024 Edition there is no sugar or sweetener added so I suggest staying away from anything tart and sticking to a sweet variety like Honey Crisp. The end result can be eaten warm from the oven or as a cold snack later on. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 large apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter - melted
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Toss the apple slices with the ground cinnamon until evenly coated.

Add the melted butter and toss until apples are fully coated.

Pour mix into an oven-proof dish, spread evenly and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Creamy Colonial Crunch

Desserts... always a tough one in the realm of diabetes. The ingredients here have a relatively low GI, and by limiting the quantity to what a sensible dessert SHOULD be, you can indulge without freaking out . Yeah yeah, I know... yogurt and berries... what's the big deal, right? Well the big deal is that you're putting this together yourself. You can get creative with the fruit colors to represent different countries. :-) More importantly, you are TAKING CONTROL and making something delicious that won't wreak havoc with your numbers! :-) 

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup fat free PLAIN yogurt
· Some blueberries
· two strawberries
· some sunflower seeds

Preparation:

Put the yogurt in a very small bowl. The key here is.... dessert, not a whole meal. Cut up the strawberries into small pieces so it looks like more than just two and place them on top. Add the blueberries and sunflower seeds... Done!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!