IN THIS CHAPTER

Making baked goods more nutritious

Finding better-for-you bread and muffin recipes you’ll love

Warm, fragrant breads and muffins make wonderful breakfasts, desserts, and snacks. Many people with diabetes think they need to avoid these delicious treats because of their high carbohydrate content, but the key is to watch your portion sizes and account for these foods in your meal plan. Baked goods can actually be an opportunity to add more fiber, fruits, and even nonstarchy vegetables to your diet. The diabetes-friendly bread and muffin recipes in this chapter incorporate healthy ingredients so you can indulge without derailing your blood glucose–control efforts.

In this chapter, whole-wheat or whole-grain flour is used to replace some or all of the all-purpose flour used in traditional baked goods, which can increase the fiber content. Fruits and vegetables impart rich flavors, amazing texture, and added nutrients to many of the recipes. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic muffin or biscuit or a more creative recipe, this chapter has a tasty, comforting bread or muffin recipe for you!

With a few simple tricks you can make a healthier version of your favorite bread or muffin recipe:

• Take a lesson from the recipes in this chapter, and try using a whole-grain flour to replace some or all of the white flour in the recipe.
• Make the most of your baked goods by adding fruits, vegetables, or nuts to increase the fiber content and provide other nutrients.
• Try replacing oil with applesauce or replacing some or all of the sugar in the recipe with a zero-calorie sugar substitute or a baking blend.

Making any of these changes can affect the texture, color, and baking time of breads or muffins, so it may take some experimentation to get things right. But the payoff — hearty, better-for-you breads and muffins — is worth it!

Banana Carrot Muffins

PREP TIME: ABOUT 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 20 MIN | SERVINGS: 12 | SERVING SIZE: 1 MUFFIN

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch cloves

½ cup bran

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons agave nectar

½ cup low-fat buttermilk

1 cup mashed banana

1 cup grated carrot

1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and bran.

2 In a smaller bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.

3 Combine all ingredients together, and mix well, but do not overbeat.

4 Spoon into muffin cups lined with paper liners, and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: 1½ Carbohydrate; Calories 100 (from Fat 5); Fat 0.5g (Saturated 0.2g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 190mg; Potassium 210mg, Total Carbohydrate 21g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 6g); Protein 4g; Phosphorus 170mg.

Blueberry Scones

PREP TIME: 10 MIN | COOK TIME: 20 MIN | SERVINGS: 14 | SERVING SIZE: 1 SCONE

INGREDIENTS

½ cup low-fat buttermilk at room temperature

¾ cup orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

2¼ cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

⅓ cup agave nectar

¼ cup canola oil

1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, orange juice, and orange peel. Set aside.

2 In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, agave nectar, and canola oil. Mix until well combined.

3 Stir in the buttermilk mixture and blueberries, and mix gently by hand until well combined.

4 Turn the batter onto a lightly floured cookie sheet, and pat into a circle about ¾ inch thick and 8 inches across. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 14 wedges, cutting almost all the way through.

5 Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool, and cut completely through the wedges to serve.

VARY IT! Cranberries also work well in this recipe.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: 1½ Carbohydrate; 1 Fat; Calories 150 (from Fat 40); Fat 4.5g (Saturated 0.4g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 100mg; Potassium 160mg; Total Carbohydrate 24g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 8g); Protein 2g; Phosphorus 80mg.

Buttermilk Biscuits

PREP TIME: 10 MIN | COOK TIME: 15 MIN | SERVINGS: 12 | SERVING SIZE: 1 BISCUIT

INGREDIENTS

2 cups high-fiber flour blend (such as King Arthur High-Fiber Flour Blend)

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

3 tablespoons canola oil

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray two cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

2 In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the buttermilk and oil; mix with a fork until well blended.

3 Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the cookie sheets, 1½ inches apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes until lightly browned.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: 1 Starch; Calories 80 (from Fat 15); Fat 1.5g (Saturated 0.2g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 170mg; Potassium 105mg; Total Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 1g); Protein 3g; Phosphorus 205mg.

Corn Muffins

PREP TIME: 10 MIN | COOK TIME: 15 MIN | SERVINGS: 12 | SERVING SIZE: 1 MUFFIN

INGREDIENTS

1 cup yellow cornmeal

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 egg whites

¼ cup ground flax seeds

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ cup cooked corn kernels

½ cup finely diced red pepper

½ cup finely diced onions, sautéed

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2 In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix thoroughly. Stir in the buttermilk, egg whites, flax seeds, and oil; blend well. Mix in the corn, red pepper, and onions. Stir well to combine.

3 Coat the muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or line with muffin liners. Spoon the batter into the muffin pans, filling the cups ⅔ full. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: 1 Starch; Calories 90 (from Fat 20); Fat 2.5g (Saturated 0.3g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 150mg; Potassium 115mg; Total Carbohydrate 13g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 2g); Protein 3g; Phosphorus 70mg.

Homemade Seasoned Bread Crumbs

PREP TIME: ABOUT 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 15 MIN | SERVINGS: 8 | SERVING SIZE: ¼ CUP

INGREDIENTS

One 5-ounce loaf whole-wheat baguette, cut into thin slices, and then into cubes

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried mint

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until lightly golden and hard.

2 Allow the bread to cool, and place it in a food processor or blender. Add the remaining ingredients, and process to make crumbs.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: ½ Starch; Calories 50 (from Fat 0); Fat 0g (Saturated 0.1g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 160 mg; Potassium 25mg; Total Carbohydrate 9g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 1g); Protein 2g; Phosphorus 40mg.

Irish Soda Bread

PREP TIME: ABOUT 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 20 MIN | SERVINGS: 10 | SERVING SIZE: 1 SLICE

INGREDIENTS

2 cups high-fiber flour blend (such as King Arthur High-Fiber Flour Blend)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

¼ cup dried currants or raisins

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2 In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Stir in the oil until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3 Toss in the caraway seeds and currants or raisins. With a fork, mix in the buttermilk until just blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very gently for 20 strokes, just until smooth. Do not overwork the dough.

4 Pat well into a 9-inch pan or shape well on a baking sheet. Make a shallow 4-inch cross in the center of the loaf, and bake for 25–30 minutes until golden. Serve warm.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: 1 Starch, ½ Carbohydrate, ½ Fat; Calories 120 (from Fat 30); Fat 3.5g (Saturated 0.3g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 150mg; Potassium 170mg; Total Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 5g, Sugars 4g); Protein 3g; Phosphorus 115mg.

Spoon Bread

PREP TIME: ABOUT 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 1 HR 10 MIN | SERVINGS: 16 | SERVING SIZE: ½ CUP

INGREDIENTS

2 cups water, divided

1¾ cups yellow cornmeal

½ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

½ cup ground flaxseeds

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

2 cups fat-free milk

2 egg whites

DIRECTIONS

1 In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the water with the cornmeal, corn, flaxseeds, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt (if desired), and baking soda.

2 In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the remaining 1 cup of water to boiling; reduce the heat to low and stir in the cornmeal mixture. Cook the mixture until thick, and remove from the heat.

3 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

4 Add the milk and the egg substitute to the cornmeal mixture, and beat until smooth. Pour into the casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour until set; serve warm.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: 1 Starch; Calories 90 (from Fat 15); Fat 1.5g (Saturated 0.2g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 190mg; Potassium 110mg; Total Carbohydrate 16g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 2g); Protein 3g; Phosphorus 125mg.

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Bread

PREP TIME: 10 MIN PLUS COOLING TIME | COOK TIME: 1 HR 15 MIN | SERVINGS: 16 | SERVING SIZE: 1 SLICE

INGREDIENTS

2 cups high-fiber flour blend (such as King Arthur High Fiber Flour Blend)

¼ teaspoon ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 egg whites

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups grated zucchini, unpeeled

1½ cups grated raw sweet potato, peeled

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-x-5-x-3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.

2 In a medium bowl, combine the flour, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.

3 In a large bowl, beat together the egg whites, applesauce, agave nectar, and vanilla. Mix in the zucchini and sweet potatoes. Add the flour mixture to the bowl, and mix well.

4 Transfer the batter to the prepared pan; bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn the bread onto a rack, and cool completely. Slice and serve.

PER SERVING: Choices/Exchanges: 1 Starch, ½ Carbohydrate; Calories 80 (from Fat 0); Fat 0.0g (Saturated 0.0g, Trans 0.0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 80mg; Potassium 150mg; Total Carbohydrate 20g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 6g); Protein 3g; Phosphorus 95mg.