Today we are going to switch gears and talk about something that needs our attention; Diabetes.
November is Diabetes Awareness month, and the awareness is aimed at tackling this epidemic that takes the lives of close to 5 million people annually.
My dear friend, Carolyn, from All Day I Dream About Food, lives with the disease, and has asked a few of us food bloggers to participate on this day, which is World Diabetes Day, with a message about Diabetes, and a Sugar-Free recipe to go with it.
Most of us know or even live with someone that is a diabetic. Obviously, as with any other disease, prevention is key, but without the proper education, achieving that is nearly impossible. Also, for those that already live with the disease, the need for better access to disease-management resources is essential.
Many years ago my father came home after a visit to the doctor, and basically said that he had borderline diabetes. He was 35 years old. 35!! I will be 35 in 2 months. That’s scary.
But he was lucky to have caught it early on thanks to some valuable resources; a community that was there to help and educate, access to a team of great healthcare providers, and a bit of holistic medical intervention. When those three components came together, my Dad was nearly healed. But, it was not an easy road. And it still isn’t.
22 years later he is still on the same diet plan that he was put on at the beginning of his journey, he exercises like a mad man, and controls his stress-levels by playing a lot of soccer. He also swears by his morning dose of Wormwood Tea. My friend, Maggie, who also lives with this disease, can attest to that. When we were in High School he would force her to drink it. Maggie has been a diabetic since she was 6 years old! Brave girl. ♥
For more information on Diabetes please refer to Carolyn’s post by clicking on the badge below; she has a wealth of information to share with us and she is giving away a blue KitchenAid Stand Mixer!!
I’m also hosting a giveaway!
Swerve was kind enough to offer this very pretty package with some baking essentials to one lucky winner!! And guess what? You can use Swerve to make these delicious bites that I’m about to share with you.
Swerve Sweetener is an all-natural sweetener that measures cup-for-cup just like sugar. Swerve is made with ingredients derived from fruits and vegetables, and there are no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors. It contains zero calories, and it is safe for those living with diabetes.
Contest Rules:
Open to residents of the continental United States, only. The giveaway ends on Wednesday, November 21st, 2012 at 11:59pm (CST). Winner will be drawn via Random.org and announced on Thursday, November 22nd, 2012.
To enter this giveaway please leave a comment about how Diabetes has affected your life or the life of a loved one.
For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):
- Follow Diethood on Pinterest and Pin this post
- Like Diethood on Facebook
- Follow Diethood on Twitter and tweet this post
- Like Swerve on Facebook
- Follow Swerve on Twitter
And now onto the recipe…
Peanut Butter and Cranberry Cookie Bites {Gluten-Free and Sugar-Free}
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter , softened
- 1 cup Natural Peanut Butter (I use Smucker's)
- 1 cup Swerve Powdered Sugar
- 1 1/2 cups Gluten-Free crisp rice cereal
- 1 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup unsweetened all natural cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy; about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in cereal, cranberries, and pecans, and mix until well incorporated.
- Shape mixture into 1-inch bite-size balls.
- Roll balls in coconut OR in cocoa powder.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Let stand on counter for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
my friend in his 30’s just had a toe amputated from previously undiagnosed diabetes.
Is swerve a new sweetener? I just heard of it. I have a coworker who is suffering from years of unproperly treated diabetes. Unfortunately, he got a gangrene infection, which resulted in the loss of part of his leg. To date, he has recovered and there are no signs of gangrene left. He is becoming acclimated to his prosthetic. He will no longer be able to work at our company because of his prosthetic, which is very heart-breaking, but I am extremely happy to see him doing well.
Diabetes is a really rough disease, and it is sad to see how many Americans are affected by it.
My grandmother developed diabetes late in her life and it was one of the things that made the end of her life much harder. Now I recently met someone who is 16 and has diabetes, he is an inspiration- a hockey player that is being scouted!
I Liked Swerve On Face Book.
I Liked Diethood on Face Book.
My cousin has diabetes. He has had foot surgery because of it. Also has effected his eye site. He really has a time with it.
One of my good friends from my childhood has diabetes. It was always tough to see her giving herself injections and not being able to live the carefree life that I seem to have. She is doing a great job of managing the condition and it’s very inspiring.
I found out in January 2012 that I have borderline diabetes. If I didn’t start reducing my carbs and sugars I could have diabetes. So that was the start of my journey to a healthy lifestyle. So far I have lost 50 pounds but still could afford to lose more. I’m not sure I would have been able to accomplish what I have without the help of many of the fabulous website with great recipes. Thanks for sharing your ideas with everyone!
My family history of diabetes is really scary, so it is something I really pay attention to, and think about. I loved reading all the different recipes for world diabetes day! Your recipe sounds fun, and perfect dessert when I travel for work:-) Hugs, Terra
This is truly a cause near and dear to my heart. Both of my parents are diabetic and Carolyn has single-handedly helped me teach them that you can still have delicious treatos with diabetes. And these look positively scrumptious as well!