Diabetic Friendly Recipes for my friend Patrick!

These are recipes that I have previously used from various websites...  Take a look!  All lemons, all the time

 

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons butter (½ stick)
• ½ cup lemon juice, preferably fresh
• 1 cup sugar equivalent artificial sweetener, preferably liquid (powdered may have off-flavors)
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 small pinch salt

Preparation:

• Cut butter up into pieces (around 8 to 10 pieces is good). Put the butter into the freezer.
• Blend the rest of the ingredients together, with either a stick blender or standing blender.
• Heat slowly in small saucepan or double boiler. Whisk or stir frequently. When curd begins to thicken to the point where it coats the spoon, or leaves a trail when the bottom of the pan is scraped with a spatula, or is 170 F, remove from heat (don't let it get to boiling).
• Immediately whisk or stir in butter. Keep stirring until butter is melted and incorporated.
• Taste. If you think it's too "sharp," try adding another Tablespoon or two of butter.
• Put in airtight container. A piece of plastic wrap on the surface will keep a "skin" from forming. Cool completely before using (it will thicken a bit more).

It can keep in refrigerator up to one week.

 

 

Lemon Meringue Pie

 

Ingredients              

• Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie
• 3 tablespoons corn starch        
• lemon zest, from the two lemons
• 2 lemons, juice
• 5 tablespoons splenda granulated artificial sweetener
• 2 eggs, large + 1 white 
• 200 ml cold water
• scant 1/4 teaspoon cream tartar

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Roll out and place pastry in a 6-7inch pie dish,
3. In a small non stick saucepan, blend the corn flour with the water adding the lemon zest and the juice from the lemons. slowly bring to the boil, stirring all the time
4. Add 4 tablespoons of the splenda, removing from the heat, let it cool for about 10 minutes.
5. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Put the egg whites to one side for the meringue and add the yolks to the lemon mixture and pour the mixture into the pastry shell
6. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until set.
7. While the base is cooking start meringue, beat 3 egg whites in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar. Beat to soft peaks. Gradually beat in remainder of sweetener, beating to stiff peaks.
8. Spread the meringue over the lemon filling carefully sealing to edge of crust to prevent shrinking or weeping.  Return to the oven for about 5 minutes or until the peaks of the meringue turn a lovely honey brown.

 

Tangy Lemon Squares

 

Ingredients

 

Crust Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold stick butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teapoon vanilla

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated**
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons stick butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

*May substitute 8 packets Equal sweetener
** May substitute 18 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

• For Crust, combine flour, 1/3 cup Equal and salt in medium bowl. Cut in 6 tablespoons butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon lemon peel and vanilla. Mix with hands to form dough.
• Press dough evenly on bottom and 1/4-inch up sides of 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated 350F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack.
• For Filling, beat eggs and 3/4 cup Equal. Mix in lemon juice, 4 tablespoons melted butter and 1 tablespoon lemon peel. Pour mixture into baked pastry.
• Bake about 15 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares.
• Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

 

Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut/Almond Salsa - Compliments of Chef Aldo Villani

Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut-Almond Salsa

Pictures to be posted later

Ingredients for the Salsa:

1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
2 jalapeno peppers, (wear rubber gloves)
2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro

Ingredients for the Soup:

2 cups chopped onion
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp canola oil
3- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash,peeled,halved,the seeds and strings discarded,and the flesh cut into 1/2- inch pieces
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider (do not replace with apple juice)

8 cilantro sprigs for garnish

Method for the Salsa

In a blender or food processor blend the almonds, coconut, jalapeno, a pinch of salt, and 1/3 cup water until the mixture is ground fine. Add the cilantro and blend the mixture until it is ground fine.

(This recipe makes what is known as a dry salsa, which has a slightly grainy texture.)

The salsa may be made 1 day in advance and kept refrigerated. Makes about 1 cup.

Method for the Soup

In a soup kettle, cook the onion in the butter & oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add the squash and 1/2 cup water, and cook the mixture,covered, over moderately low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Add the broth, and the juice and simmer uncovered, for 15 minutes. With a hand blender or in a food processor puree the soup in batches.  Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with about a tablespoon of the salsa, to be stirred into the soup, and a cilantro sprig.

Makes about 10 cups, serving 8.