Category: Food and Nutrition

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How Much Sugar Is In Champagne

The tradition of drinking champagne to mark celebrations originated in the royal courts of Europe before 1789, where the expensive drink was viewed as a status symbol.

A 5-ounce serving of champagne has 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1.5 grams of sugar. Champagne tastes less dry than wine because the acidity level is very high.

However, remember that these grams of carbs and sugar will add up with every glass of champagne you drink.

 Unlike Champagne and some sparkling wines, Prosecco is made using a less expensive method than champagne.

For a long time, Prosecco was regarded as something of a ‘poor man’s Champagne,’ but its popularity has soared since 2000, and in 2013 it outsold Champagne for the first time worldwide.

A glass of Prosecco contains 1.5g of sugar per glass (80 calories).
A six-ounce glass of other well-known Proseccos is around 100 calories, and for Champagne, around 140 calories. It should be noted that Champagne is always going to be higher in calories because it contains more alcohol compared to Prosecco.
Skinny prosecco contains half the sugar and just 67 calories a glass.

Pink champagne is a victory lap in a glass. The pale color, the effervescent bubbles, and the unique shape of the glass lend themselves to marking milestones. The elegant way you sip it and how it sparkles on your tongue make moments real or imagined better.  For these reasons and more, I chose pink champagne over other cocktails to be featured in my song, Pink Champagne.

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Carb Kitty Videos Make Counting Carbs Fun For Everyone

Divabetic’s Carb Kitty Games make carbohydrate counting fun! Carbohydrate counting or “carb counting” can help you manage your blood glucose levels.

Most adults with diabetes aim for 45-60 grams of carbs per meal and 15-20 grams per snack. That number may go up or down, depending on how active you are and the medicines you take, so check with your healthcare collaborator.

Foods that contain carbohydrates raise your blood glucose values. By monitoring the number of carbohydrates, you eat can help to better understand your blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates (“carbs”) can be counted in 2 ways: by grams or by carb choices.

Remember, 1 carb choice or one serving of carbohydrates = 15 grams of carbohydrate. For example, one slice of bread, a small piece of fruit, or an ear of corn each have around 15 grams of carbs. Each of these equals one carb serving.

Most food items have nutrition labels on their packaging, showing the total carbohydrate count per serving. Be sure to look at the serving size, too. Certain packaged foods may contain more servings than you think. If you are eating out, call the restaurant, check out their website, or ask for their menu nutrition facts when you arrive.

Put together a food journal for many foods and meals you normally eat and their carb count per your typical serving. This can be something you keep on your smartphone or tablet. Start by writing down the foods and beverages you eat at each meal.  If you don’t know the portion size you usually eat, measure the food and take note of the portion size. Next, combine the individual foods into meals, and add the total carbohydrate count for each meal.

Over time, you’ll know how many carbs are in certain foods you eat and how they affect your blood glucose levels.

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An Appetite For Disaster: The Hummus Wars Between Two Nations

Hummus is packed full of diabetes-friendly complex carbs, protein, heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and vitamins and minerals. It has a low glycemic index because your body digests them slowly. That means they aren’t absorbed as quickly as other carbs and won’t spike your blood sugar. The chickpeas in hummus give it lots of fiber and protein to fill you up too.

It’s hard to believe something as healthy as hummus could cause a riff between two nations. But that’s what a few handfuls of ground chickpeas did back in 2009.  “The Hummus Wars” began when Lebanon’s minister of tourism­, Fadi Abboud, wanted to break the world record for making the largest tub of hummus in the world. Lebanon’s goal was to claim hummus as their national dish and stop other nations, especially Israel, from encroaching on their proprietary rights of hummus. 

“I thought the best way to tell the world that the hummus is Lebanese is to break the Guinness Book of Records,” said Fadi Abboud in an interview.

At the ceremony, Guinness awarded Lebanon’s 4,532-pound plate of hummus the prize. A gleeful Abboud announced, “We want the whole world to know that hummus and tabouli are Lebanese, and by breaking [into] the Guinness Book of World Records, the world should know our cuisine, our culture.”

Of course, the ceremony’s results became big news all over the Mideast region, along with Lebanon’s fervent boasts claiming that hummus solely belonged to them. Unfortunately, Lebanon’s claim did not sit well with everyone.

So in 2010, the people of Abu Gosh set out to break Lebanon’s claim to the Guinness Book of World Records. When they did that, the news was broadcast worldwide. “In the town of Abu Gosh this morning, Israel re­took the title for the world’s largest hummus dish, weighing 4 tons and served in what a broadcaster described as something resembling a ‘satellite dish.’ 

The Lebanese heard the news and quickly counter-attacked. They created an even bigger entry by producing a vat of 23,042 pounds of hummus.  They were also trying unsuccessfully to simultaneously register the word “hummus” with the European Union (EU), thus banning any country other than Lebanon from calling their product hummus.

The EU previously had awarded a similar protective designation of origins to other countries. France had successfully registered Champagne, Italy registered Parmigiano Reggiano, and Greece laid claim to feta cheese. Unfortunately, the EU believed that hummus was the food of an entire region, not a country. Therefore they did not allow Lebanon to register hummus as its own.

And so hummus became a symbol of all the tension in the Middle East. But even as the Hummus Wars continue, nobody gets hurt with this war.

Enjoy another food story. Tune in to Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcast, Tomorrow Is Not On The Menu.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, lands his to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage’s Wellness Retreat on the Jersey Shore. Everything seems low pressure and low calorie until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s new chef knives. Now he’s the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation!

Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Or will he be trading his fruit suit for coveralls with stripes?

Weight loss murder never tasted so good.

Starring Mr. Divabetic, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage,’ Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller and Lorraine Brooks. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Special thanks to our colleague, the multi-talented Wendy Radford.

Music from The Pink Panther and The Return of The Pink Panther soundtracks by Henry Mancini courtesy of SONY Music.

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Sugar-Free Baked Rice Pudding Recipe by the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Divabetic wants to encourage you to indulge in the creative side of Halloween this year.

Instead of feasting on loads of candy, why not listen to our short audio ghost story about the Van der Voort Sisters who haunt Central Park as you enjoy this sugar-free recipe from the Diabetic Pastry Chef?

Sugar-Free Baked Rice Pudding by the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Ingredients

3/4 cup cooked brown rice

2 cups whole milk

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup dry sugar substitute of choice

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup raisins

sprinkle of nutmeg for garnishing

nutmeg for garnishing

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Garnish the top with a light sprinkle of grated nutmeg.  Bake until the pudding is firm in the center, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold with cream or whipped cream.

The Diabetic Pastry Chef’s Note: The pudding mixture can be baked in small greased ramekins or mini casserole dishes instead of a large casserole dish.

Janet and Rosetta Van der Voort, born in the 1800s, were two wealthy sisters whose father rarely let them leave the house unaccompanied. The one place they were allowed to visit was Central Park’s Wollman Rink, where they went ice skating in the winter. The two sisters never married, were lifelong best friends, and died a few months apart. Since their death, their ghostly spirits have been seen periodically skating together on the Central Park Pond, wearing the same red and purple outfits they wore over 100 years ago.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Are you interested in baking tips and recipes?

Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with special guest Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef, on Thursday, November 10, 7-8 PM EST.

During this Extra-Special Baking Party on Zoom, we invite you to bake along with The Diabetic Pastry Chef as she prepares her delicious Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Muffin recipe. Once you register, we will send you the recipe’s complete list of ingredients so you can prepare before our program begins.

The Diabetic Chef will also demonstrate her favorite kitchen tool and share expert tips for using sugar substitutes and alternative flours in traditional recipes.

Free Prizes! Mr. Divabetic will host a Baking Trivia Contest and Prize Drawing during the program. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our prize drawings to win a Splenda Baking Kit, Tonya Kappes Cozy Mystery and PEAK 10 SKIN SAVE MY SOLE foot rescue cream.

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION

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Quick and Easy Portobello Mushroom Pizza Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

Every day we’re bombarded with messages to limit the amount of processed foods in our diets and instead eat more fruits and vegetables.
But that advice can be harder than it seems since processed foods are abundant and convenient. So we asked our friend and colleague, Nationally Recognized Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care and  Education Specialist, and Best-Selling Author Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, FAND, and CHWC, for creative ways to add more vegetables to our meal plans. Lucky for us, she also shared a delicious, easy-to-make mushroom pizza recipe! 
Q: Small changes often have big rewards. Can you advise us on how to add more vegetables to your meals – like breakfast and lunch?  
Jill Weisenberger (JW): For breakfast, you can add veggies to something you’re already eating. For example, top your eggs with salsa or scramble your eggs with any veggies you like. Alternatively, you can simply add vegetables on the side. I learned a lot of ideas from traveling. Roasted mushrooms and grilled tomatoes are often served in some European countries. In Greece, I sat down to stuffed grape leaves, Greek salad, and a bowl of olives. And in Israel, every breakfast included raw chopped tomatoes and cucumber or something similar.
I get vegetables at lunch by reaching into my fridge for anything raw and tasty: jicama, snap peas, radishes, carrots, etc. Plus, I usually have leftovers from the previous night’s dinner that I can heat up.
Q: Can you share some tips and resources to make eating more plant-based meals easier without sacrificing food and restaurants?
JW: Start with the plant-based foods you already love. Do you have a favorite lentil soup or chickpea salad? Put them into the rotation more often.
You don’t have to give up meat if that’s what you’re used to. Simply add plant proteins. Can you add white beans to chicken soup, red beans to beef chili, or canned chickpeas to a salad with leftover baked salmon?
In restaurants, double up on any vegetable to tame your appetite for a smaller serving of meat.
And try some new recipes based on your favorite flavors. Italian? You can get some ideas simply by entering “healthy Italian bean recipes” into your internet browser. Or, if your family loves tacos, create bean or lentil tacos and omit the beef.
Jill shares her simple portobello mushroom pizza recipe that you can personalize for a fast lunch or snack. Each member of your family can create and enjoy their own personalized pizza. There’s no portion distortion!!

Portobello Mushroom Pizza Recipe by Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, FAND, CHWC

Ingredients

  • Large or medium-sized portobello mushrooms
  • Tomato bruchetta or jarred spaghetti sauce
  • tomato slices or any veggies on hand
  • Cheese
  • Fresh or dried herbs or a combination of both

Click HERE for the Full Recipe

Jill Weisenberger is the author of Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week is a bestseller and can help you manage your weight and blood sugar at the same time, The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition offers solutions to your everyday food and nutrition problems – no matter how busy you are, 21 Things You Need to Know about Diabetes and Your Heart gives you specific actions to take to improve your health right away, and her newest book Prediabetes: A Complete Guide featuring dozens of concrete steps to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other chronic health problems.
Jill Weisenberger’s Stick With It is a self-paced video course that guides you step-by-step to the healthy habits you want. You’ll learn why your motivation and willpower move up and down like a roller coaster and what you can do to keep them up higher and longer!
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Sugar-Free Pumpkin Roll Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Divabetic’s special guest, The Diabetic Pastry Chef at the upcoming Sugar-Free Baking Party knows ways to transform decadent desserts so they’re no longer off-limits. By using blended flours and a combination of sugar and sugar substitutes, reducing milk carbohydrates, and eliminating trans fats, Stacey Harris can convert almost any recipe into a lower-carb alternative without compromising taste or quality.

Sugar-Free Pumpkin Roll Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Ingredients

1 cup sugar substitute of your choice

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

2/3 cup canned pure pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Swerve Confectioners

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add all ingredients except walnuts and Swerve Confectioners to the mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. 

Line an 11×15″ jelly roll pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Grease the paper and add the batter spreading evenly. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

Invert the cake onto a thin linen dish towel sprinkled heavily with Swerve Confectioners (about 1/4 cup). Remove parchment paper or wax paper and gently roll the cake. Let cool for a minimum of 2 hours. 

Unroll the cake and evenly spread with filling. Reroll cake. Freeze for 1 hour before serving. Thaw, sprinkle top with Swerve Confectioners to cover, and slice. Enjoy!

Filling Ingredients

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup Swerve Confectioners

2 Tbsp. butter softened

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Mix ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth.

Note: The Diabetic Pastry Chef’s choice of sugar substitute for this recipe is Erythritol.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Are you interested in baking tips and recipes?

Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris,The Diabetic Pastry Chef, on Thursday, September 28, 7-8 PM, EST.

REGISTER NOW

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Around The Table: Stories Of The Food We Love Exhibit

Table

Recently I visited the New York Botanical Gardens to see the Around The Table: Stories Of The Food We Love exhibit.

Specifically, I saw about half of the 32 tables designed by artists living or working in the Bronx on display throughout the Garden. Below are some of my favorites.

Table

Textile-Knit Artist Ruth Marshall‘s fine art textile table design stands out! It explores the creative possibilities of knotting. She accurately depicts various vegetables with her versatile, brightly colored nylon material (paracord and zip ties) on wood.

Table

Artist Reina Mia Brill‘s design showcases different edible flowers. The artist used paper seed packets, acrylic paint, gel medium, and resin on wood. She is the recipient of a Bronx Council for the Arts Grant as well as a New York Foundation on the Arts Fellowship.

Table

Of course, Santina Amato‘s Per La Mamma Mia table design effortlessly captured the love of my Italian heritage. Her red and white checkerboard acrylic paint design on wood made visiting the  Home Gardening Center a must! The artist’s muse is bread dough and relates to her immigrant childhood, where the dough was no foreign matter. Her first memory and experience of femininity and the power of creation (and potentially female desire) were watching her mother knead this soft, white, voluptuous material on our kitchen table. Folding the dough over onto itself and pushing her whole body towards it, she transformed the ingredients of flour and water into a living organism, created for both our oral pleasure and life sustenance.

Artist Matthew López-Jensen‘s display, “Lamb’s Quarters: A Love Story,” most closely resembles Fine Artist Susan McCaslin‘s work for Divabetic’s Plate Poetry Project. Both displays’ use of words is similar.

Matthew López-Jensen’s original essay across the top of the table celebrates the connection between foraging, love, and queer identity (available in Spanish and English). He used text, stain, and acrylic paint on wood for “Lamb’s Quarters: A Love Story.”

Fine Artist, Susan McCaslin‘s work for Divabetic’s Plate Poetry Project was exhibited at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn and the Mosaic Central Farm Market in Mosiac, VA.
Plate Poetry Project depicted people’s conversations while eating on dishware at a dinner table. Visitors were encouraged to interact with the table and take apart the place settings to read each statement.
Eating is such a central part of our diabetes lives that food becomes associated with almost everything we do. We eat if we’re happy, sad, angry, celebrating, grieving, lonely, or bored. Emotions become connected with food. When you eat based on your emotions, it can hinder your diabetes wellness management.

Susan‘s display, “What Words Do You Bring To The Table?” depicts the different thoughts and emotions related to eating.

Plate Poetry

Divabetic’s Plate Poetry “What’s On Your Plate?” workshops focus on the emotions related to eating for people at risk, affected by and living with diabetes. Our Plate Poetry Project video testimonials aim to assess the emotions associated with managing diabetes and the underlying reasons attributed to those emotions.

Watch this video to find out more about the artists participating in the Around The Table: Stories Of The Food We Love exhibit.

. Each one-of-a-kind table will celebrate the cultural and historical significance of crops and plant-based food traditions—and encourage sitting, sharing, and storytelling.

Barry Manilow’s classic hit, “I Made It Through The Rain,”  sparks real-life confessions about overcoming challenges related to diabetes self-care on this episode of Divabetic’s monthly podcast. Guests include The First Lady of Def Jam Alyson Williams, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, diabetes advocate, blogger, and mentor FatCatAnna. Music from The Essential Barry Manilow courtesy of SONY Music.  Hosted by Mr. Divabetic.

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Blueberry Ricotta Cake Recipe by Splenda

Looking for a Summertime treat that won’t put your diabetes wellness at risk? Enjoy this wonderful Blueberry Ricotta Cake recipe from our friends at Splenda.

Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, blueberries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, but they are also anti-inflammatory.

Ricotta is an Italian curd cheese made from whey left over from the production of other cheese. Compared to most cheeses, ricotta is a healthier choice because it contains less salt and fat – 10 percent fat, of which 6 percent is saturated.

Blueberry Ricotta Cake Recipe by Splenda

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

⅔ cup Splenda® Stevia Granulated Sweetener

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

1¼ cups low-fat ricotta cheese

¼ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1½ cups blueberries, rinsed and dried

See FULL RECIPE

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, September 28, 7-8 PM, EST.

During this Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a Sugar-Free Dessert recipe, demonstrates her favorite kitchen tools, and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes.

Win gifts courtesy of The Diabetic Pastry Chef, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘s Camper Cozy Mystery, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

We’ve also been fortunate to offer a Splenda Gift Basket as one of our prize offerings at our previous Baking Parties.

REGISTER NOW

Speaking of ‘blueberries,’ the first song that comes to mind is Fats Domino’s Blueberry Hill.

In 1949, the musician and singer made one of the first rock’n’roll records, called The Fat Man, and instrumental in the early rock’n’roll scene of the 1950s and early 1960s.

His hits included ‘Ain’t That a Shame’ and ‘Blueberry Hill.’ In the 1950s his records were only outsold by those of Elvis Presley, according to Rolling Stone.

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How Much Added Sugar Is Too Much?

The American Heart Association suggests women should have no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams) and no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar) for most men.

2 tablespoons of Barbeque Sauce (around 28 grams) can contain your total daily allowance of added sugar,  around 9 grams.

Almost half of the added sugar in the American diet comes from one source: sugary drinks (regular soft drinks, sweetened tea and coffee, energy drinks, and fruit drinks).

A standard 20-ounce (591-mL) bottle of a sports drink will contain 32.5 grams of added sugar and 161 calories. This is equivalent to 9 teaspoons of sugar, your daily allowance.

Here’s another eye-opening statistic:  a large flavored coffee or coffee drink can contain 45 grams of sugar, if not much more. That’s equivalent to about 11 teaspoons of added sugar per serving!

Other sources of added sugars are candy, desserts, sweet snacks (cakes, cookies, pies), dairy desserts, milk products (ice cream, sweetened yogurt, and sweetened milk), breakfast cereals and bars, and other items.

For example, a single cup (245 grams) of low-fat yogurt can contain over 45 grams of sugar, about 11 teaspoons. This is more than the daily limit for men and women in just a single cup.

New science shows that when we overload on added sugar, our brain receptors change, making it hard to regulate how much we eat. Sugar is addictive. It lights up the same reward receptors and triggers the same cascade of feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine as cocaine. And when you’re shaky, irritable, and looking for your next food “fix,” you may not even realize it—but you’re hooked.

If you’re struggling with managing your added sugar intake, check out the book Sugar SavvySolution: Kick Your Sugar Addiction for Life and Get Healthy by my friend, health guru Kathie Dolgin, High Voltage.

High Voltage’s Sugar Savvy Solution is more than a diet. It’s an eye-opening, confidence-building, life-affirming program that literally and scientifically helps remap your brain chemistry to change what you crave and want to eat. It’s a plan that will empower you from the top down and inside out. Sugar Savvy includes: • a complete 6-week plan to transform your eating and exercise habits • easy-to-assemble Power Meal Formulas plus more than 40 simple Power Meals and Snacks you can use to eat Sugar Savvy anywhere • Moving Affirmations that move your body and your spirit • inspirational stories and advice from the 17 Sugar Savvy Sisters who tried our program, every single one of whom lost weight • and much more! This one-of-a-kind plan beats obesity where it begins—in your brain. The Sugar Savvy motto is Eat whatever you want, but we will change your desires. 

“Science is just now catching up to what High Voltage figured out years ago: Breaking your sugar addiction isn’t about willpower, it’s about brain chemistry. Follow her innovative Sugar Savvy program to change what you crave, lose weight, and beat disease!” –Mark Hyman, MD, author of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet

I’m thrilled to announce that my friend, High Voltage will join the cast of Divabetic’s Annual Mystery podcast, Tomorrow Is Not On The Menu, this September! She will help us raise awareness of the dangers of excess amounts of added sugar in our diets.

Here’s a short synopsis: The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic lands his to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage’s Wellness Retreat on the Jersey Shore. Everything is hunky-dory until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s new chef knives. Now he’s the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation! Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Weight loss murder never tasted so good.

Tomorrow Is Not On The Menu stars Max “Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’, Seveda Williams, Terri Seidman, and Lorraine Brooks. Music by Ivan Hampden Jr.

 

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Less Sugar Peach And Blueberry Cobbler Recipe

My friend, Stacey Harris, known as ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’, who co-hosts our Divabetic Sugarfree Baking Parties on Zoom has inspired me to experiment in the kitchen. Specifically, I’ve been replacing half of the amount of the sugar needed with Splenda brown sugar and substituting almond flour for white flour in dessert recipes. In most cases, I used a combination of sugar and sugar substitutes.  Trust me, I won’t be appearing on The Great British Bake-Off show anytime soon but if I can do it, so can you!

Since I’ve been working on lyrics for a new song tentatively entitled Peach Cobbler, I decided to take on this dessert with my limited culinary skills.  I started with the Original Bisquick™ Peach Cobbler recipe, like food blogger Karlynn Johnston, but added oatmeal (more fiber) and fresh blueberries and substituted some of the sugar with Splenda brown sugar. The result was surprisingly good!

Less Sugar Peach & Blueberry Cobbler Recipe 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
  • 1/2 cup of oatmeal
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 Splenda Brown Sugar
  • 1 can (29 ounces) sliced peach, drained
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 375 °F.
  • Whisk together the baking mix, oatmeal, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add in milk. Pour in the melted butter and mix again. Pour into an ungreased 8×8 pan.
  • Combine the peaches, and blueberries with sugar and Splenda brown sugar, tossing to coat them well. Spoon onto the top of the Bisquick mixture in the pan carefully, trying to keep them on top if you can.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes until golden brown. You can insert a toothpick into the baked part and see if it comes out clean.

 

Oops, I added some Whipped Cream too!

From time to time I like to sprinkle my R & B playlists with country music. One of my all-time favorite country songs is Deana Carter’s Strawberry Wine. The song was released in August 1996 and became Carter’s first number 1 hit on both the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks. The song follows a young girl as she falls in love for the first time, and Carter drew inspiration from her own first love to sing it.

My new unfinished song, Peach Cobbler, is about a woman’s first experience with heartbreak and her mother’s comforting words. Here are the lyrics to the first verse and chorus that inspired me to get in the kitchen and alter the Original Bisquick™ Recipe. 

Peach Cobbler by Max Szadek
verse
I was crying so hard
when I crept home
didn’t see mama
standing by the stove
 
she was cooking peaches
but her pot got cold
the minute she saw 
my teardrops rolling 
 
down my cheeks
when I tried to speak
she hushed me
saying, Oh, Child, Please!
 
you know, I wasn’t born this old 
back in the day, when I was your age 
I met a few Romeo’s
had my share of heartaches
now it’s your turn to learn 
what your grandma told me
when my heart was first broken 
 
chorus
you can’t hurry love
any faster than you can 
speed up a pan,  cooking cobbler
 

so don’t bother with fools

who promise the moon
to get you to do
what you don’t wanna
 
they’ll steal your stars 
leave your nights a whole lot darker 
take it from me
I wasn’t any smarter
 
until my mama taught me 
you can’t hurry love
any faster than you can 
speed up a pan, cooking peach cobbler

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