With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start planning to remember our diabetic or diet-challenged friends. Here is an idea that uses Splenda granulated sugar substitute for layered gift mixes.

The latest research lists sugar as the number one culprit for everything from diabetes to obesity to bone loss. For those with a sweet tooth, consider a healthier version such as:

I’ve learned the hard way that no diet will be successful if you’re hungry all the time. Sheer willpower only saves you for so long before you fold, and begin eating everything in sight. For a weight loss plan to be truly successful, it needs to fill you up with healthy food…ones that will curb your hunger and make you feel satisfied. Only then will you lose weight.

I love lemon bars with its buttery crust and fresh, tart lemon taste.  Visually appealing with the snow topped dusting of powdered sugar, they’re also easy  and inexpensive to make. But it’s so easy to eat more than the alloted serving size, so a lighter, healthier version that also tastes good is better for most of us.

This version tastes almost like the original fattier recipe with a light sweet shortbread crust and lemony flavor that lingers on your tongue without being overpowering sweet.

I served these at a recent party and no one knew it was a low fat version.  So make, bake, and enjoy!

Artificial sugar is a mainstay in today’s society. From yogurt to bottled water to cookies, artificial sugar is showing up in more and more food products. It used to be seen only in diet sodas and for sweetening coffee, but now the business of artificial sweeteners is a million dollar industry.