The Diabetic Pastry Chef

3 ( 6.75-oz) pkgs sugar-free Oreo cookies
1/2 c butter
1 (16-oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 ( 8-oz) pkg light cream cheese, softened
1 c confectioners sugar
2 c milk
1 ( 3.5- oz) pkg instant sugar-free chocolate pudding mix

Crush Oreos into bite-size pieces, reserving 1 cup for top. Melt butter and mix with rest of cookies. Press into 9×13 pan or slightly smaller. Put in freezer for 5 minutes.

Blend 1/2 of the whipped topping with all of the cream cheese and confectioners sugar. Spread over the crust and place cheesecake back in the freezer.

Prepare the instant pudding with the milk according to package directions. Spread over top of the cheesecake. Spread the remaining whipped topping on top of the pudding. Sprinkle with the remaining crushed cookies. Keep cheesecake refrigerated.

2  1 lb 13-oz cans sliced peaches, drained
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c brown sugar
3/4 c Peach Schnapps
3 T flour
1 T cornstarch
1 T lemon juice
butter
1 double pie crust
milk
1 tsp sugar

In bowl, gently combine first 8 ingredients ending with lemon juice. Add to pie crust that has been fitted into 8×8x5-inch baking pan or 9-inch pie pan. Dot with butter. Add top crust and seal. Vent top of pie by pricking with fork in several places. Brush crust with a little milk, and sprinkle top with 1 tsp sugar. Bake at 400 degrees about 40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serve warm with no sugar added ice cream.

Lots of pie crust recipes are available at allrecipes.com. Be sure to read the reviews before making your selection. Try adding a bit of whole wheat flour, or oat flour to replace the white flour in pie crust recipes. You might start with substituting a few tablespoons or a quarter of a cup in single crust recipes, or a half cup of these flours in double crust recipes. Continue to increase the amounts in future baking until you are satisfied with the results.

Recipes containing canola oil appear to be the most heart healthy. My personal favorite pie crust contains white flour, half butter and half shortening. Not the healthiest choice, so I’m not including the recipe here. I  plan on developing a blended flour pie crust recipe that relies on oil  in the near future. I’ll be sure to share the results with you.

I roll my pie crusts out between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap, and then flip the crust into the pie pan, and again atop the pie.

3/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c white flour
1 c rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c canola oil
1/2 c raisins
3/4 c sour milk or buttermilk*

Mix dry ingredients. Combine milk with oil and raisins. Quickly stir into dry ingredients, combining just until mixed. Flour hands and place dough onto greased baking sheet. Pat into circle about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 4 or 6 wedges and separate each wedge. Brush top of each scone with a little oil. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes. Serve with canola butter and if you prefer, sugar-free jam.

*Milk can be soured by adding 2 tsps of vinegar to the 3/4 cup of milk.

I have made this recipe with 1 1/2 cups pastry flour also.

2 tsps cinnamon
3 T brown sugar
6 apples, sliced
1 c water
1/3 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 T butter

Mix together cinnamon and brown sugar.

To saucepan, add apples, water and half of of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cook until almost tender.

In bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Melt butter and cut into dry ingredients with remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture until crumbly.

Turn apple mixture into 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Home Cooking magazine.

When making fruit pies or crisps, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the acid content. Then you will only need to add half the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. The finished product will taste as sweet as if you used the full amount of sugar.