Sugar Free Sunday

Welcome to my very first installment of Sugar Free Sunday!

As you may know if you've a regular visitor, I love my sweet stuff. Love, love, love. But unfortunately, it doesn't love me! I schedule a long over-due check up last month and discovered that my blood sugar was through the roof--I had the highest A1C level that I've ever had. To be truthful, it wasn't a surprise, I knew it was bad, but I had been rafting down that river called de-Nile. (Denial. I know, not that funny.) But that river has reached it's floodstage and I'm headed for dry ground.

And so I've sworn off sugar, for the most part, for the near future while I get my body back in balance, lose some weight, and get healthy.

I'll still be sharing recipes of all kinds, especially those quick and easy ones near and dear to my heart. In addition to those, I'm starting a new feature, called Sugar Free Sunday, to share with you the sugar-free foods I find and make along the way. Gone are the days that the little pink packets were our only option for non-sugar sweeteners, now there are all kinds packets and liquids and powders available, as well as sugar-free products. I'll be posting recipes and product reviews, and also a linking feature for others to share their sugar-free recipes with us.

This first recipe is kindergarten easy--a variation on something you can do with regular gelatin and whipped topping--I didn't want to get too ambitious my first week of dieting, I wanted something simple that I could put together in minutes, but still satisfy my craving for some thing a little more special than just plain sugar-free gelatin.

Ingredients:

• 1 box sugar free gelatin, your choice of flavors
• 1 c sugar free whipped topping

Mix the gelatin according to package directions, with one cup of boiling water and one cup of cold water. Refrigerate just until it gets "tacky" on top and starts to thicken ever-so-slightly.

Add one cup of sugar-free whipped topping.

Blend together with a wire wisk until the topping is incorporated into the gelatin.

Pour into your serving dish--it starts to seperate immediately--I used a glass dish so you could see the layers. Refrigerate until fully set. This takes longer than setting just gelatin, due to the added liquid. I left mine overnight.

Add an additional layer of whipped topping...

and a garnish if you'd like...

Doesn't that look pretty and refeshing?

If I were making this for company, I'd put it in a square, flat dish and cut it into squares, or maybe try individual serving dishes--I'm not sure how easy it would be to pour the mixture and get the layers even, it does start to seperate quickly.

And there you have it--my first attempt at a sugar-free "goodie".

I love the Royal brand gelatin, I got it at Walgreens 3/$1, I thought it tasted as good as more expensive brands.

The Sugar-Free Cool-Whip tasted great, too--until I really read the ingredient and discovered that while it is technically "sugar-free", the second ingredient listed is cane syrup, and it's barely any different from regular Cool Whip in carbs or sugars or calories. So I will be looking for another sugar-free whipped topping to try, or will make my own from whipping cream and sweetener.

If you have sugar-free recipes or product review to share, please add a link, I'm newly on the sugar-free bandwagon and I'd love to have some new things to try!

This post is linked to:

Meatless Monday at Sweet and Savory
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Bedlam and Beauty

Until next time--good cooking, and good eating!