We’ve entered the final count down to Christmas, and chances are that you’re now in prime Holiday Party mode, with at least one or two popping up each week. While this time of year can be challenging for anyone trying to follow a healthy eating plan, diabetics have to be especially careful. Between the holiday cookies, cocktails and extra carbs, weekly meal plans can be dashed in minutes! To help you get through this challenging time of year without destroying your health, I’ve created a special Christmas Recipe Board on Pinterest, and I’ll be sharing some of my favorites each week. To kick things off, let’s start with a toast to this amazing mulled cider alternative from Diabetic Living. Happy Holidays!
Mulled Cranberry Punch
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 8 inches stick cinnamon, broken
- 8 whole cloves
- 4 whole allspice
- 1 32 - ounce bottle low-calorie cranberry juice
- 1 11 1/2 - ounce can frozen white grape-raspberry juice concentrate
- 4 cups water
- Thin lemon slices (optional)
Directions
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove several 2- to 3-inch-long sections of orange peel from the orange, avoiding the white pith underneath. Juice the orange.
- For a spice bag, cut a 6-inch square from a double thickness of 100%-cotton cheesecloth. Place orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in the center of the square. Bring the corners together and tie closed with 100%-cotton kitchen string.
- In a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, combine cranberry juice, juice concentrate, the water, orange juice, and spice bag.
- Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Remove spice bag and discard. Serve immediately or keep warm on low-heat setting for up to 2 hours. If desired, garnish drinks with lemon slices.
