frozen berries

Breakfast Berry Scooper Cake @ NancyC

It’s hard to believe we’re almost through November already and looking forward to the 51oDdaQDHAL._SX442_BO1,204,203,200_ Thanksgiving holiday! I didn’t realize until this year that November is also American Diabetes Month. In 2012, 9.3% of the American population (or 29.1 million Americans) had diabetes, so chances are that you or someone you know has been diagnosed with it. I recently received a review copy of the Two-Step Diabetes Cookbook by Nancy S. Hughes, so I thought I’d share a little about the book and try out a recipe.

This cookbook includes over 150 recipes that are simple, quick, flavorful, and healthy. And everyday ingredients are used to create these diabetic-friendly dishes. Some of the recipes include:

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Apple-Walnut French Toast
Pepperoni Mozzarella Pita Crisps
Corn and Black Bean Salsa Salad
Vanilla Honey Sweet Potatoes
Veggie-Loaded Sweet Corn Muffins
Herb-Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables
Cinnamon Raspberry Cookie Cake Squares

I decided to try the Breakfast Berry Scooper Cake, which is served with Greek yogurt. This breakfast cake is very, very moist, lightly-sweet and packed with fruit. If you serve this hot, you can scoop it out of the pan. If you serve it warm or cool, you can cut into squares, which is what I did. The yogurt is a nice creamy pairing with the cake, giving you a slightly sweet, slightly tart taste combination–a great option for your morning meal!

BREAKFAST BERRY SCOOPER CAKE AND YOGURT from Two-Step Diabetes Cookbook

Makes 9 servings in an 8″square pan (2 1/2″ square and 1/3 cup yogurt per serving)

1 cup all-purpose flour (I used unbleached flour)

7 Tablespoons sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk

1 large egg

3 Tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 (1-pound) bag frozen mixed berries

3 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Meanwhile, combine the flour, all but 2 teaspoons of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, buttermilk, egg, oil, and extract in a medium bowl. Whisk together until smooth and pour into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray; top with the frozen berries.

Bake 1 hour or until browned and wooden pick inserted 2 inches from edge comes out clean. Remove from oven, place pan on cooling rack, and sprinkle with remaining sugar (I forgot to sprinkle on the remaining sugar, but I didn’t really miss having it on there). Serve hot, warm, or room temperature with yogurt on the side.

Cook’s Tip: If serving hot, use a spoon to remove. It will be a “loose” pudding cake texture. If serving warm, carefully cut into squares and use a flat spatula to remove; it will be a very moist pudding cake texture. If serving room temperature, cut into squares. Use a flat spatula to remove. It will be a firmer, but still very moist, pudding cake texture.

EXCHANGES/CHOICES: 2 Carbohydrate, 1 Protein, lean 1/2 Fat

BASIC NUTRITIONAL VALUES: Calories 215 (Calories from fat 45), Total Fat 5.0 g (Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g), Cholesterol 20 mg, Sodium 175 mg, Potassium 180 mg, Total Carbohydrate 30 g (Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugars 17 g), Protein 11 g, Phosphorus 170 mg

My cake had browned quite a bit on top, so next time I’ll check to see if it’s done at 55 minutes instead of 60. You may want to do that too, especially if your oven tends to run hot.

Even if you don’t have diabetes, the recipes in this cookbook give you lots of great ideas on ways to eat healthier. What are some of your favorite healthy breakfast dishes?