I wonder if anyone has any recipes for low cal sweets that don't use artificial sweetner. I have never been able to make the switch and find a bitter after taste on all things with Nutrasweet and such.

OHSue: I use Splenda for ALL of my baking--pies, cupcakes, cheese cakes, etc. It definitely does not have an "after taste." Apple dumplings are also just wonderfu with Splenda. My husband is diabetic and we both eat the same desserts an I cannot tell the difference.
The other "Sue"

I have tasted Splenda in soda, in pudding, in yougurt, in ice cream and in baked goods. I have heard folks say that it has not aftertaste, but I and everyone in my family has noticed it. I have tried slipping it past my 12 YO son and husband in Ice cream, yogurt and baked goods and they both say, what is that weird taste, like something bitter in there.

Guess you guys just have sharper taste buds than us older folk (70s). I made a fresh apple pie yesterday, lattice top crust, using a new pie crust recipe that I got from GH magazine and my husband really loved it. The apples were Cortland and Mootsu (not sure of the spelling). We got them in PA when we traveled there a couple of weeks ago.

As for icecream, the best "no sugar added" is Blue Bunny (in any flavor). It is just exceptional. However, it does have more fat content, I think. We do love it.

OhSue: Have you ever tried "Stevia"...my friend had breast cancer and went through chemo and other treatments in a "spin off-type" program from Cancer Treatments of America. The program required her to take mega doses of vitamin and food suppliments and she could NOT eat anything white, or things made with sugar. Her doctor told her Stevia was a good substitute. While she was in chemo for 7 months we did her evening meal for her so she'd make sure and get a meal. She was 80, widowed and lived alone so when she was sick, she didn't feel like making anything to eat or even trying to figure out what she COULD eat. For that 7 months DH and I cooked for her and ate everything she ate...we could npt tell the difference between sugar and Stevia. It's kind of spendy but give it a try if you haven't already....my friend is now 88 years old, living with her daughter in the mid West and is doing very well. Her cancer has gone somewhere else!

Have to admit I have not tried Stevia and have just started seeing it in the store. I would love something to make iced tea more palatable for me without having to resort to sugar or honey. Does it dissolve instantly like other artificial sweeteners? Can you use it in baking? I know it wouldn't be a direct sub cause sugar accounts for part of the moisture in baked goods, but for things that have some fruit in them it would be good if you could use it.

I don't do much baking, but use stevia in the iced tea and coffee I drink all day. The powdered packets take all the guesswork out of how much to use, and it tastes fine to me.

you can use brown sugar as a substitute or use 1/2 splenda and 1/2 regular sugar

You can get Stevia as a powder, or as a liquid, I have found that the liquid works better for cold stuff and I like the powder better for hot things. It's probably all in my head, but there ya go. And for a low cal treat, I LOVE to make a stiff meringue and bake it in "strips' that I've piped onto parchment paper.. then once it's cool, dip one end into chocolate.. not too bad for calories and tastes totally yummy!! called Lange du Chat... (sp) or "Cat's tongue"

I use Stevia all the time.