I was diagnosed at the end of June and had a really high hba1c of 13.3% or for you UK people 125mmol/mol so my blood sugar levels were reading similar to yours are. I too love to cook and bake and felt very stressed out at my diagnosis. I think I spent the first week periodically breaking out in tears. Everyone who has joined the diabetes club will tell you that it does get better but when you are newly diagnosed, it doesn't seem like what they are saying is true but it is.
It's a huge learning curve and a period of adjustment but we are really lucky to be diagnosed at a time where the world is opening up to low carb lifestyles, where we have the internet, diabetes forums and low carb recipes at our fingertips. Even standard supermarkets are stocking delicious low carb treats for us as well as lower carb options and replacements for dietry staples like breads, pasta, nut milks etc. I used to feel guilty eating fat prior to this. I'm enjoying low carb sausages, pork crackle, cheese, bacon, nuts as part of my regular diet.
I've found breads at my aldi in Australia that offers 5.0 net carbs for two slices. I make low carb flat breads out of golden flaxseed meal. I make low carb pancakes out of ricotta and almond meal. I make my own ***** bear lollies using low calorie jelly powder and gelatin and then dust them in a stevia/erythritol blend icing sugar mixed with citric acid to make them like sour ***** bears. Whatever you fancy eating is a google search away by just adding the term low carb or keto. If you love to cook this us an exciting time because you get to have fun testing new recipes to decide if they are in your 'keep' pile and you can have fun learning an new healthier way to cook for yourself! Im pretty sure that some great keto Christmas cake recipes are out there or you could mix it up by making a delicious keto cheesecake with a nut crust. I used nigellas chocolate pavlova recipe the other day and just subbed the regular sugar for a monkfruit sugar blend. I found the lowest carb cocoa powder I could find in Australia. I then decorated it with delicious cream, fresh raspberries, thin shavings of a keto friendly chocolate and topped it with a sprinkling of toasted almond flakes. It was a hit and everyone at the party wanted the recipe and were surprised that it was traditional sugar free and low carb.
You can definitely do this and in a few months you will feel so full of energy and fabulous because all your diabetes symptoms will get better. My numbers were like yours. I'm now in non diabetic range by way of my hba1c just by losing weight, exercising and cutting carbs. It just takes a little time, some trial and error and a willingness to do the right things for yourself and prioritizing your health. Hugs to you.
