Diabetic Dhristmas food ideas/recipes please!

[BadTasteFlump]

Hi - this Christmas we are having a family member to stay who has recently been diagnosed with Diabetes. She's been doing really well since diagnosis and has cut out sugar and fat, mostly by just not eating anything unhealthy anymore. She has said that she doesn't want me to go to any trouble and make anything especially for her - but I would really like to be able to treat her to some nice 'Christmassy stuff' - ie some cake, mince pies, canopes etc, which won't break her diet regime and make her blood sugars go nuts.

Can anyone recommend any good recipes for desserts (which don't end up tasting of bitter sweetener - I've tried a few and they didn't really work...) and ideas for healthy canopes - we always have loads of nuts, cheesy things, etc, which I'm assuming would be bad because of the fat levels?

Any advice really really appreciated

Dhristmas? What's that then

Dh is diabetic and I'm a podiatrist (we deal with diabetic patients a lot).

I'd say for one day a few treats would not be frowned upon by the gp. But I mean a few, not a dozen. Peoples ideas of treats vary a lot ime.

You could make your own sweet pastry for mince pies using table topsweetner, but cake and Xmas pud are about 50% sugar so either best avoided or only have a small portion.

For canapes try high protein snacks avoiding anything with pastry, veg or lean protein pizza eg chicken, tuna or ham. If you make them yourself you only need a little Parmesan to give it a bit of flavour rather than loads of cheddar.

Avoid diabetic chocs, but you can get franks diabetic vanilla ice cream in most supermarkets which you could make into a sundae with choc curls rather than choc syrup and toasted hazelnuts?

I make sugar free apple pie with my own pastry and apples sweetened with table top sweetener, she could have that with either sugar free custard (sold in most supermarkets in dry sachets) or birds made with semi skimmed mlk and more sweetener.

Remember dried fruit is pure sugar, so fresh dates would be preferable to dried eat me dates.

If you look on diabetes uk I feel sure they will have some sort of suggested menu.

1/2 cups sultanas
1/2 cup raisins
I have made this for my Dad and he likes it thinks it is ok not as good as the real thing which he loves I like it and top it with nuts like a Dundee cake

2 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon water
1 cup sieved pumpkin puree (no lumps)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup skim milk or 1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup wholemeal self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Mix the sultanas, raisins, brandy and water, and then soak overnight.

Mix seived pumpkin, eggs, apple juice and milk.

Add the soaked fruit, nuts and spices, then sifted flour and bicarbonate of soda. Return bran left in sieve to flour mixture. Mix well with wooden spoon.

Spoon into a lightly greased 20cm cake tin.

Bake for 10 minutes at 200C, then turn down the heat and bake at 180C until cooked through and browned. (approx. 1-1/4 hours).

Using the apple concentrate gives the sweetness to this cake.

I meant to say it still has a lot of sugar in it because of the dried fruit but better then a treacle sugar laden cake

Thanks for the recipes and advice - all v useful as I've not got much idea about it at all...

Will definitely try the cake - haven't made one at all yet so could try as my Christmas cake this year

How about smoked salmon rolled up and popped on cocktail sticks for a canape? We make this loads - served with horseradish sauce mixed with a dash of creme fraiche as a dip. Tis lovely and quite festive.

Ooh that sounds nice - would have to make plenty though as I love salmon

More protein and less carbs will have less of an effect on her blood sugars, so the smoked salmon roll things are a good idea. Maybe some cocktail sausages, nice cheeses and chicken bites.
There's probably not a lot you can do about all the traditional Christmas foods as they tend to be high in sugar and/or simple carbs, but maybe a few would be OK.

Is the relative on insulin? I ask because if that is the case, they can probably eat whatever they like and take the insulin to match it.

kicking is right, my sister does that although she does follow a low carb and fat diet too (or something like that) But sounds like OP's relative isn't on insulin, probably tablets and I think you have to watch your diet on the tablets, but I still would have assumed that it would be a lower carb or a 'good' carb plan and low sugar for the insulin production? No idea really about type 2.

No she doesn't take insulin; it's being controlled by diet alone at the moment - she's lost a lot of weight by being good with her diet and that's helped her blood sugar levels too.