Three Delicious Holiday Dessert Recipes for Restricted Diets

The aromas floating from the stove top tantalized your taste buds all day, but your dietary restrictions might keep you from enjoying those holiday treats. What’s a gluten-free, dairy-free or sugar-free Okie supposed to do?

Don’t worry, that’s not a rhetorical question. We don’t believe any health condition should define who you are, much less whether you get to eat delicious desserts during the holidays.

In today's On Your Health article we are featuring three recipes for delicious desserts that will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth, but with a twist. Each recipe is made specifically to adhere to the strict guidelines of some of the most common restrictive diets — the gluten-free diet, the dairy-free diet and the sugar-free diet.

Gluten-free diet

If you or your family members suffer from celiac disease, a gluten sensitivity or wheat allergies, you may be required to eat a gluten-free diet. While it isn’t always simple to find delicious options, this recipe from The Vegan 8 will bring a smile to everyone’s face. (To download and print this recipe, click here).

Dairy-free diet

Did you know dairy allergies, milk allergies and lactose intolerance can all force people to avoid dairy in their diets? During the holidays, everything from the pie to the potato usually contains milk, which makes it hard for some with a dairy intolerance to enjoy themselves. However, this recipe from A Virtual Vegan is a top choice for anyone who eschews milk but still loves to reach for something sweet at the end of a meal. (To download and print this recipe, click here).

Sugar-free diet

With about 30 percent of Oklahomans classified as obese, it’s no surprise we have one of the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in the country. According to the American Diabetes Association, about 450,000 adult Oklahomans suffer from this serious illness, which can cause heart disease, stroke, end-stage kidney disease, blindness – and even death. Every year, 19,000 more Oklahomans are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and approximately 1 million more are prediabetic but don’t know it.

Whether or not you are diabetic or have someone in your family diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a delicious sugar-free dessert would benefit many of us. These peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake cups from Diabetic Gourmet might just do the trick. (To download and print this recipe, click here).

Enjoying the holidays

Living with a restricted diet doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice delicious flavors during the holidays. While it may take a little time to find a good recipe and a little practice in the kitchen with new ingredients, anyone can enjoy these treats this holiday season.