Serves: 5

· All the fruits and juices used in these recipes are unsweetened. They can be fresh or canned in juice or water-packed. Remember that fruit juice contains carbohydrates and cannot be considered a free food for diabetics, so drain all canned fruits unless the recipe instructs otherwise.

· The baking powder used in the recipes should be double-acting. If you wish, you can get low-sodium baking powder in health food stores and double the amount listed to get the same effect.

· Zest, be it orange or lemon, refers to the colored portion of rind and does not include the white part underneath, which can be bitter.

· All the yogurt used in the recipes is plain, nonfat yogurt. The buttermilk used should be made from skim milk. If you can't get it, get buttermilk made from low-fat milk and add 5 grams fat and 1 FAT exchange per cup used.

· All the herbs used should be dried leaves unless a recipe specifically states ground or fresh. Be sure to crush leaves in the palm of your hand or with a mortar and pestle to release the flavor before adding.

· Be sure to use fresh lemon juice. Reconstituted lemon and lime juices contain preservatives and just don't taste the same as fresh. The quality of ingredients is just as important as the recipe.

· Don't use garlic powder or garlic salt. Use fresh garlic. It's a wonder. Not only does it add distinctive flavor it also is available year-round. More importantly, it possesses healthful properties far beyond just chasing vampires away. It can, in the right circumstances, lower serum cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels. Garlic and onions also contain substances that inhibit the clumping of blood cells. Clumping is the start of blood clots, which are a major factor in heart attacks and strokes.

Choose heads of garlic that are plump, firm, dry, and free of soft or shriveled cloves. Store in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated spot, but not in the refrigerator, where it might sprout. Use lemon juice or salt to rid your hands or utensils of garlic odor. The chlorophyll in parsley helps freshen garlic breath.

This section was prepared under the expert guidance of Patty McCarthy and Tina Leeser. Patty, the mother of three hungry teenagers, is a gourmet chef who has studied in France. She and her mother have taught cooking classes for years in the southern California area under the name of "Cookworks." Tina closely supervised and guided the choice of recipes and provided all the nutrition and exchange information.

More Recipes from the The Kids, Food and Diabetes Family Cookbook Cookbook:
A Note on Ingredients
A Note on Sweetness
Test