sugar free goodies

[canesisters]

HELP!

I have a group that meets at my house every Monday night. I try to provide something yummy for snacking but I've found out that one of the guys is borderline diabetic. Naughty!!! He's been scarfing up the cookies and cake!!
Well, I don't want to be his enabler so I'm looking for yummy goodies that are sugar free (and easy to make).

 

[thistlebloom]

How about cheeses and wholegrain crackers, or a fruit and veg tray. Then there's no cooking on your part and everybody can feel virtuous about what they ate!

 

[bobm]

I came down with diabetes about 4 years ago. I can tell you that one can be very good at eating the non sugar items such as the whole grains, or fruit, or vegetable trays, however when one sees daughnuts, cakes, cookies, etc. you want to scarf them up because you get the almost UNCONTROLABLE craving for the forbidden fare. Since my wife is a gourmet cook, and she loves to bake, all she has to do is substitute sugar for Splenda... works great for me!

 

[MontyJ]

Umm... grilled chicken wings?

 

[897tgigvib]

Deep fried onion rings with spicy breading?

 

[Nyboy]

Ice cold fruit salad.

 

[canesisters]

The poor folks have had to endure my experiments, like PB&J cobbler (which actually turned out pretty good). Once in a while I manage to pull off something like glazed meatballs or chili in the crockpot but lately it's been a steady offering of various incarnations of chicken or ham or tuna or beef salad with some sort of sweet goodie. I'm getting tired of fixing chicken salad and I'm sure they're getting tired of getting it. Problem is that I work till 5 - home by 5:30 - they show up between 6:30 & 7:00. When I get home I've still got to check on and feed the critters, set up the den (move the kitchen chairs in & tidy up), set up the kitchen table with snacks and coffee & water, and check and clean the bathroom etc. So it has to be either something that I can make on Sunday or that I can put together very quickly on Monday afternoon.

Marshal and Monty - wings and onion rings would be a HIT except they wouldn't last long enough for the group to get any
Thistle - I've done the fruit and veggies a couple of times and everyone liked them but buying them already cut up is EXPENSIVE and I can't seem to keep them looking nice if I cut them up Sunday afternoon. Any tips?

 

[thistlebloom]

Well, how about if the group shares in the expense and labor by splitting the responsibility to provide edibles and everybody take a turn? You would still be hostessy by providing the liquid refreshment and location.

That's how we used to do it when we had groups, then the burden isn't always on the person providing the clean house to meet in.

 

[seedcrazy]

Well recently I went to something that was catered and they had this chicken/cream cheese/artichoke spread that was to DIE for. I'm doing weight watchers and I found a recipe I think may just be it (I would think you'd need to make it ahead of time for the flavor to develop which would be perfect) and just sit it out to soften up when you get home and it should be ready when they get there. They actually had lettuce leaves you dipped it into and rolled up.

Chicken Artichoke Cheese Spread

16 oz Philadelphia Fat free cream cheese
3 cans Swanson Chicken Breast
8 1/2 oz canned artichoke hearts without oil
1 1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup(s) uncooked scallion(s)
1 Tbsp lemon juice canned or bottled
1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp black pepper

Instructions
Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl, stir until blended. Spoon into a straight sided 5 X 9 inch loaf pan lined with plastic wrap. Cover and chill 8 hours. Invert chilled mixture onto a serving plate. Remove plastic wrap. Cut loaf in half crosswise, place 1 cut half directly on top of remaining cut half, and smooth sides. Garnish: Plunge green onion stems into boiling water; plunge stems into ice water to stop cooking process. Immediately transfer to paper towels, drain stems and press between paper towels to dry. Press stems onto sides of cheese square beginning with end of one stem on each side. Bring stems up and over to center of top. Form loops with remaining stems and secure with toothpicks. Arrange chili pepper halves on top. Cover and chill up to 4 days.

For a Sweet you could make these (I would think you could use fruit or the sugar free preserves on top)

Mini Cheesecakes

2 large egg(s)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup(s) SPLENDA Splenda sugar blend for baking
2 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese (room temp)
12 vanilla wafer(s)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line muffin tins with foil cupcake papers. (I use a mini-mini pan, so mine come out to 24 cakes total, but 12 is the serving size of regular muffin tin.)
3. Place vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cup. (For the 24-cups, use mini wafers or crush wafers.)
4. Beat cream cheese until smooth.
5. Add Splenda and vanilla, mix well.
6. Add eggs and beat until smooth.
7. Dollop cheesecake mixture into each cup with a spoon/spatula.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

[Optional, but its really delicious to add mashed strawberries, any type of sugar free pie filling, or fresh fruit to the top.]