Diabetes Desserts Cookbook For Dummies

Amy Riolo is an award-winning author, chef, cooking show host, cooking instructor, and Mediterranean expert. She’s the author of Mediterranean Lifestyle For Dummies and co-author of Diabetes For Dummies and Diabetes Cookbook For Dummies. Amy was a ­franchise cookbook author for the American Diabetes Association. She currently teaches around 80 hands-on cooking classes per year.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond This Book 4Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: Discovering Delicious And Nutritious Desserts 5Chapter 1: Defining Diabetes-Friendly Desserts 7Exploring Blood Glucose Levels. 7Looking at how sugar affects the mind and body 8Regulating your blood sugar while enjoying desserts 9Creating a Lifestyle That Supports Diabetes Desserts 9Eating right — Focusing on macronutrients 10Fitting diabetes-friendly desserts into your diet 10Having the right ingredients on hand 11Choosing healthful desserts when not home 11Preparing and Eating Delicious Dessert Recipes 13Chapter 2: Understanding Sugar’s Role in the Body 17Noting How the Body and Brain Use Sugar 17Listing the types of diabetes 18Understanding the basics of diabetes 18Taking control of your behavioral health 19Examining the Causes of Sugar Cravings 20Understanding cravings often lead to impulsive eating 20Curbing sugar cravings: The how-to 21Recognizing what to eat when you’re craving sugar 22Making easy substitutions 22Preparing yourself to give up your sugar cravings 23Adding “Sweet” Lifestyle Strategies to Your Day 24Tapping into your happiness hormones 25Utilizing the emotional guidance scale 26Selecting Healthy Ingredients Directly Impacts Your Diabetes 27Discussing glycemic index and load 27Using better ingredients to make better choices 28Making Desserts Healthful with These Ingredients 30Fresh fruit 30Almonds, almond butter, and almond flour 32Pure cinnamon 32Other sweet spices 33Dark chocolate 34Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) 34Unsweetened peanut butter 34Tree nuts 35Greek yogurt 35Seeds 35Whole-grain flours 36Identifying Ideal Desserts for People with Diabetes 36Desserts Redux — Making Desserts Diabetes-Friendly 40Chapter 3: Keeping Blood Glucose Balanced While Eating Desserts 43Regulating Blood Glucose Levels 43Shining a spotlight on blood glucose 44Measuring blood glucose at home 46Comparing testing for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes 47Perusing the Best Diabetes Care 48Relying on professional help 48Making a plan to seek help 50Focusing on Problematic Foods 51Spotting problematic dessert food 51Getting rid of problematic food and subbing it with more healthful options 52Noticing your emotional triggers to food 53Satisfying your sweet tooth in a wholesome way 54Keeping Track of Your Goals 55Starting a food and exercise journal 55Noticing patterns 56Part 2: Incorporating Desserts Into Your Diet 59Chapter 4: Making Macronutrients Work Together 61Understanding How Protein, Carbs, and Fat Affect What You Eat 62Going deeper into macronutrients 62Recognizing how your body uses nutrients 64Identifying the Best Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats 64Taking a closer look at protein 65Considering carbohydrates 67Exploring fat 72Chapter 5: Enjoying Diabetes-Friendly Desserts: The How and When 73Focusing on Timing 73Knowing the right time to eat dessert 74Making smart lifestyle choices 75Strategizing Your Meals When You Have Diabetes 76Planning your meals with dessert 76Preparing ahead: Adjusting desserts to make them more diabetes-friendly 77Putting together sample meal plans with desserts 78Calming Your Feelings of Shame and Guilt 83Comparing Desserts: Eating Out and Store-Bought versus Homemade 85Looking at store-bought and restaurant desserts 86Making homemade desserts (and a plan) 87Chapter 6: Building a Pantry and Choosing Healthful Sweeteners 89Decoding Nutrition Labels 90Stocking Your Kitchen with Diabetes-Friendly Dessert Ingredients 91Supplying your pantry 92Keeping your fridge stocked 93Freezing some foods 94Sweetening the Pot — Sweeteners 94Deciphering the good from bad 94Identifying healthful sweeteners 96Swapping Out Healthful Sweeteners in Recipes 100Chapter 7: Fitting Homemade Desserts into Your Schedule 105Analyzing Your Schedule to Include Baking 105Getting started 106Fitting baking into your schedule 106Creating a plan to make desserts 109Making Desserts in Advance 110Whipping Together Last-Minute Desserts 111Reinventing Baking Day: Recognizing the Benefits to Baking with Others 112Part 3: Preparing Diabetes-friendly Desserts: the Recipes 115Chapter 8: Introducing Base Recipes to Your Kitchen 117Baking Crusts 117Whipping Up Custard 121Making Ganache 123Chapter 9: Focusing on Fruit-Based Desserts 127Transforming Fruit into Dessert 127Preparing Creamy Fruit and Dairy Desserts 138Chapter 10: Making Brownies and Bars 147Indulging in Chocolate Brownies and Bars 148Savoring Fruit-Studded Brownies and Bars 152Whipping Up Whole-Grain Goodness Bars and Squares 157Chapter 11: Enjoying Cookies 161Making Cookies: The Basic How-To Techniques 161Baking Cookies with Chocolate 163Enjoying Nutty Cookies 167Traveling the World: Classic Cookies from around the Globe 174Adding Oatmeal Cookies to Your Repertoire 180Chapter 12: Preparing Spoon Desserts and Puddings 185Making Panna Cotta and Puddings 186Creating Comfort Desserts: Crisps and Cobblers 196Adding Fruit to Traditional Dessert Recipes 201Chapter 13: Creating Truffles and Fruit-Based Sweet Treats 209Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth with Bite-Sized Treats 209Pleasing Your Palate with Fudge, Clusters, and Bark 215Dipping Fruit in Chocolate 219Chapter 14: Whipping Up Frozen Desserts 223Having Fun with Frozen Yogurt 224Transforming Ice Cream into a Healthful Finale 230Trying Granita and Sorbet Recipes 236Freezing Delightful Frozen Classics 240Chapter 15: Mastering Pies and Tarts 245Creating Crostata and Strudel 246Making Tarts and Pies 251Serving Jars and Pots 255Chapter 16: Sipping on Sweet Drinks 259Crafting Some Sweet Fruit Sips 260Cooling Down with Drinks 263Warming Up with Hot Drinks 268Chapter 17: Baking Cakes 273Experimenting with Classic Cake Recipes 273Baking Fruit Cakes 278Relishing Chocolate Cakes 284Part 4: the Part of Tens 287Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Enjoy Desserts When You Have Diabetes 289Relishing Desserts 289Consuming All Three Macronutrients during Each Meal 290Monitoring Your Blood Glucose Levels 290Eating More Fruit-Based Desserts 290Paying Attention to Portion Sizes 291Substituting Butter with EVOO Whenever Possible 292Making It a Team Effort 292Exploring New Tastes and Dessert Styles 293Planning Ahead 293Exercising on a Regular Basis 294Chapter 19: Ten Myths Debunked about Diabetes and Desserts 295Knowing Your Current Blood Glucose Levels Doesn’t Matter 296Exercising to Control Your Glucose Doesn’t Help 296Increasing Medications Enables You to Eat Anything 297Using Alternative or Artificial Sweeteners Is Okay 298Preparing Desserts in Advance or Thinking about Them Is Taboo 299Making “Healthful Desserts” Taste Good Is Impossible 300Planning for the Unexpected Isn’t Necessary 300Thinking That Desserts Can’t Be Good for You 301Prepping Tasty Diabetes-Friendly Desserts Is Hard 301Avoiding What Is Problematic Is Difficult 302Chapter 20: Ten Best Ingredients for Diabetes Desserts 303Cinnamon 304Dark Chocolate 304Almonds and Almond Flour 305Other Nuts 305Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 306Seeds 306Citrus: Oranges and Lemons 307Plain, Full-Fat Greek Yogurt 307Fruit 308Index 309