Healthier holiday treats with sugar substitutes

Christmas is nearing and with that comes visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads. During this time of year, we all tend to overindulge, and who can blame us with all of the great holiday goodies laying around everywhere we go. If you are trying to limit your intake of carbs and calories, either due to diabetes or for weight loss, it can be a nightmare.

Fortunately, you can have those holiday treats without all the sugar and calories, and still have great taste thanks to a couple of new items that have hit the market in the last month or so.

I was first introduced to these items at the American Dietetic Association annual conference in October and I have to say I was very impressed with the food samples we were given in order to test these products. My colleague and I went through those lines to sample chocolate chip cookies and banana bread more times than we should have.

The products I am referring to are Equal Sugar Lite and Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking. Both products are a mix of their respective no calorie sweetener and real sugar. Using these products instead of no calorie sweeteners alone, particularly in baked goods, means a more appealing end product that bakes up golden brown with moistness and volume and no aftertaste.

Equal Sugar Lite measures cup for cup with sugar in recipes, so there is no need for converting measurements. Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking measures 1/2 cup to replace one full cup of sugar in recipes, so there is a slight conversion factor that needs to be considered when using this product. Following are recipes from the makers of each of these products. For more information or recipes, please visit www.EQUAL.com and www.SPLENDA.com

Enjoy! MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!



Holiday Sugar Cookies Made with Equal® Sugar Liteô

15% calorie reduction and 32% carb reduction from traditional recipe

A holiday favorite that can be made as a drop cookie or rolled and cut into traditional shapes. Both types are sweet and tasty, thanks to Sugar Lite. Makes 3-1/2 dozen.



1/2 cup stick butter, softened

1 cup Equal® Sugar Liteô

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Sugar-free fruit flavored gelatin

Beat butter and Equal® Sugar Liteô in medium size bowl on medium speed of mixer until well combined. Mix in egg and vanilla until blended. Add combined flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until blended.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Flatten slightly using a spoon. Sprinkle with sugar-free fruit flavored gelatin*.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely on wire rack. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

NOTE: *Or frost with favorite frosting after cookies are baked and have cooled.

VARIATION: For rolled sugar cookies, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Work with half the dough at a time; keep remaining dough in refrigerator. Roll on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with desired cookie cutters. Place onto cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with sugar-free gelatin. Bake in preheated 350° F oven 8 to 10 minutes. Proceed as recipe directs.

Nutrition Info Per Serving (2 Cookies): Calories 87, Protein 1g, Carbohydrate 10g, Fat 4g, Cholesterol 21 mg, Sodium 50 mg. Food Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 fat



Angel Food Cake Made with Splenda Sugar Blendô

27% reduction in calories and 30% reduction in carbs from traditional recipe

Makes 12 servings.



1 1/2 cups egg whites (whites from 10-12 large eggs)

1 1/2 tsp. Cream of tartar

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 cup SPLENDA Brand Sugar Blend for Baking

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sifted cake flour

1/4 cup cornstarch



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place egg whites in a large mixing blow; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup SPLENDA Sugar Blend for Baking and light corn syrup.

Sift flour and cornstarch 2 times into another large mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup SPLENDA Sugar Blend for Baking to flour mixture, stirring until blended.

Sprinkle 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites. Fold gently. Repeat procedure three times with the remaining flour mixture.

Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading batter evenly in pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air bubbles. Bake on lowest rack in oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Invert tub pan; cool cake in the pan for 30 to 40 minutes.

Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula; remove cake from pan.

Nutrition Info Per Serving (1 slice): Calories 170, Protein 4g, Carbohydrate 39g, Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 70mg. Food Exchanges: 2 1/2 Starches.



(Sherry Munoz is a registered dietitian at Banner Churchill Community Hospital and St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. Your nutrition questions are welcome--send questions to Sherry Munoz, R.D., C.D.E. in care of this newspaper.)