Cinnamon rolls

 This recipe makes 32 cinnamon rolls. You may pre-bake and freeze some for later.

ingredients

1. 1 cup skim milk
2. 1/4 cup canola oil
3. 1/3 cup sugar
4. 1/4 teaspoon salt
5. 2 packages dry yeast (about 0.75 ounces per packet)
6. 1/4 cup warm water
7. 1 egg
8. 2 egg whites
9. 3 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
10. 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat (whole-meal) flour
11. Cooking spray
12. 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
13. 3/4 cup brown sugar
14. 1/4 cup raisins
15. 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed

Directions

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until just below the boiling point. Don't boil. Stir in the canola oil, sugar and salt. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and cool until lukewarm.
In a small bowl, combine yeast and water. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat the egg and egg whites using an electric mixer. Add in the yeast and milk mixture.
Using a wooden spoon mix in the flours, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. (If you have a countertop mixer, use a dough hook and follow the manufacturer's directions.)
Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough in half and form into 2 balls. Cover with plastic and let sit for 10 more minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins.
Spray an 11-by-14-inch pan with cooking spray.
Using a rolling pin, roll each ball of dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Spray the dough with cooking/baking spray. Sprinkle each rectangle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Starting at the long side, roll up each rectangle. Slice each roll into 16 pieces and place on the prepared pan. Let rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.*
To make the glaze, heat the apple juice over medium heat. Cook until the juice is syrupy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush each roll with the apple juice. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.* Serve warm.
*If you want to freeze rolls for later, only bake them until the dough rises a bit more but hasn't browned. Cool partially baked rolls in pan. Wrap tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap and freeze. When you want to use them, thaw in refrigerator. Then bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Serving size :1 roll

• Total fat 2 g
• Calories 130
• Protein 3 g
• Cholesterol 6 mg
• Total carbohydrate 25 g
• Dietary fiber 2 g

• Monounsaturated fat 1 g
• Saturated fat < 1 g
• Trans fat Trace
• Sodium 30 mg
• A

Is it true that cinnamon can lower blood sugar in people who have diabetes?

Answers from M. Regina Castro, M.D.

Whether cinnamon can lower blood sugar is a topic of debate — but some research suggests that cinnamon may be helpful as a supplement to regular diabetes treatment in people with type 2 diabetes.
A 2012 review of several recent studies concluded that the use of cinnamon had a potentially beneficial effect on glycemic control. One study published in 2009 found that a 500 mg capsule of cinnamon taken twice a day for 90 days improved hemoglobin A1C levels — a reflection of average blood sugar level for the past two to three months — in people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (hemoglobin A1C levels greater than 7 percent).
More research is needed to confirm these findings and determine how cinnamon supplementation could lead to these benefits. One theory is that cinnamon increases insulin action.
If you have diabetes, remember that treatment is a lifelong commitment of blood sugar monitoring, healthy eating, regular exercise and, sometimes, diabetes medications or insulin therapy. Consult your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your diabetes treatment plan.