Posts filed under ‘Diabetes’
Review of Two Diabetic-Friendly Recipes for the Salad Challenged
People with diabetes can benefit from eating salad when all the ingredients are blood-sugar friendly. These two salads fit the bill.
What is your relationship with salad?
Salad and I do not have a love-love relationship. Go here, and you’ll read why I think Salad is a Bother. In fact I list five reasons why.
But I know that diabetic-friendly foods help keep my blood sugar within a normal range. When my diabetes is not controlled these are a few things that are negatively impacted: energy, eyesight, feet, bladder, and thinking. So I strive to munch on greens with healthy embellishments on a daily basis.
Healthy salads include no gooey toppings, grain additions, or sugar-laden dressings. Thankfully, there are lots of recipes that do fall into the diabetic-friendly category. My daughter and I have been on a taste-testing quest. Some recipes just don’t live up to their hype or picture. But we’ve discovered two that will be on our regular menu rotation.
Citrus Crab Salad – This is a pretty salad with varied textures, colours, and tastes. It is also easy and quick to assemble.
- Of course, you can use any meat you like.
- Since we grow our own sprouts (which are super easy to cultivate), we can choose from a variety of seeds to grow.
- Another change we make is to use balsamic vinegar instead of rice vinegar. My blood sugar does better with the balsamic vinegar.
Paleo Taco Salad – I LOVE Mexican food, but many of the dishes just aren’t diabetic friendly. This one is. This salad screams “Mexican taste,” so I don’t miss the beans, rice and the corn or flour tortillas.
- The cilantro, avocado and Kalamata olives make my mouth happy.
- I don’t add the honey and it isn’t missed in my opinion.
- This is also an easy and quick, summer meal to prepare. Actually, I can eat this any time of the year.
Your Turn . . . Please share a diabetic-friendly salad that you love.
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Strawberry Chia Seed Jam – No Cook!
Since there are so few strawberries in this recipe, next time I will try using a masher.
Strawberries are in season and my taste buds are quite happy! I like strawberries in salad, smoothies, cereal, yogurt, and as a snack. Although I like it, I don’t eat much jam because the sugar content is too high. “Jam recipes mostly comprise equal weights of fruit and sugar.”
But a couple of years ago I found this recipe for Berry Chia Seed Jam. This recipe has only 1 Tablespoon of sweetener per cup of berries. I finally made it this morning. Since it was a no cook recipe, it made up in minutes.
I put the following ingredients in a blender
- 2 cups washed, hulled and sliced RIPE strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 Tablespoons filtered water
- 2 Tablespoons raw honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
I blended it a few times until I slightly mashed the berries. Then I put everything into a pint jar. After 20 minutes or so in the fridge, I will taste to see how the texture is by trying it on a pumpkin pancake.
Next time I make this I will try using Xyla. This is even a more diabetic friendly choice for me.
Your Turn . . . How do you like to use strawberries? . . . Have you made a no cook jam before? If yes, what is your favourite recipe?
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Low Carb Pumpkin Pancakes
After you’ve tried all the pumpkin recipes, do this gratitude pumpkin next. The link is below.
I really like pancakes. But they are not a healthy choice for me because the typical pancake has lots of carbohydrates.
One day a friend and I cooked up several recipes from her Paleo Cookbooks.
I went on a pancake making spree and came up with THE recipe for me. The below recipe is my adaptation of the recipes we made.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple.
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda.
- 2 Tablespoons almond meal
- 1 Tablespoon ground flax
- ½ cup chopped nuts – walnuts or pecans
- 2 Tablespoons butter or coconut oil – AND you’ll need more to grease the pan
I add the almond meal and flax so that the meal “stays” with me longer. Otherwise I get hungry too soon. Sometimes I add a little extra depending on how thick I want my pancakes.
Directions
- Whisk the eggs, canned pumpkin, vanilla and pure maple syrup together.
- Sift the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, almond meal and flax into the wet ingredients. Stir in the nuts.
- Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter (or coconut oil) into a large skillet over medium heat. Then pour this melted butter into the batter and stir.
- Grease the skillet and spoon the batter into the skillet to make pancakes of your desired size.
- When a few bubbles appear, flip the pancakes once to finish cooking.
- Serve with butter and cinnamon or sliced bananas.
Yield – – – Approximately 8 small pancakes or 2 servings.
NOTE: When I make extra, I flash freeze these and then wrap each one individually. When I want one, I take it out at night and put it in the fridge and then reheat it in the microwave or oven in the morning.
By the way – these pancakes also keep just fine in the fridge and they taste better the second day.
Your Turn . . . Do you have a favorite low carb pancake? If yes, please share the recipe.
5 Reasons Salad is a Bother
What is your opinion of salad? I know it is politically correct to like it and eat some every day. But for the moment, I am not going to be politically correct. And in fact I will be a little petulant.
Below are my five reasons that salad is a bummer, bore, and bother.
ONE. Teeth. Things, as in green things, get stuck in my teeth. And do folks think to let you know of your unfortunate enamel decorations? Not typically. So at the end of the day, when you take a bathroom break and you notice the green-toothed buggers, how do you feel? I feel stupid and ugly.
TWO. Comfortless. Salad is never said to be a comfort food. Healthy, light, crunchy, cooling? Yes, yes, yes, and yes! But never is it called a comfort food. And life is stressful enough that I need comfort food, often.
THREE. Carbless. This means no croutons. No sugared walnuts. No jello concoctions. No salad greens drenched with sugared dressings. No dried fruits. No rice, pasta, or potato salads either. And you know what all this means, no fun!
FOUR. Tummy. For whatever reason, my digestion is not the greatest. And so I have a hard time digesting raw foods. Unfortunately raw food is basically the types of salad I can eat to make my blood sugar happy. When I eat raw salad my blood sugar is happy and this means that MOST of my body is therefore happy, healthy and likely to live a little but longer. But my tummy is still not happy.
FIVE. Time. Eating a salad takes a long time. Every time I order a salad, which I do almost every Tuesday, I am the LAST person (at our staff lunch) eating. This is so even if I eat quickly and hardly talk. I always feel a little embarrassed to always be the laggard.
Your Turn . . . What would you add to this list on why salad is a bummer, bore, and bother?
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7 Reasons to Eat Salad
Best ever taco Salad. There was delicious FLAVOUR in every bite. We didn’t miss the chips. You could eat this at every meal.
I don’t prefer salad. Left to my natural inclinations I will go for the junk food: Cheetos, ice cream and Cadbury’s Fruit & Nut Chocolate bars. Or I will go for the easy food: oatmeal, microwave popcorn, and McDonald’s burgers.
BUT I have diabetes. And if I want to keep control of this awful disease, I NEED and WANT to eat differently. Therefore, I have ventured into the salad-making and salad eating world.
I’ve thought about “why” eat salad. Thinking about this why helps me to keep on making that a key focus in my food repertoire. I know that salads are full of fiber and good nutrients. In addition to those ideas, below is my why list.
- A salad is easy to put together. Most days I don’t want to spend a lot of time preparing meals. So I really need and want easy. I usually buy the bags of precut veggies. And sometimes I buy the bags of already prepared chopped salads. Buying these types of foods takes away any reluctance or time to chop. And thus it is an EASY meal to prepare.
- A salad is a complete meal. This also adds to the easy factor. I buy already cooked protein or prep it myself and toss it into the vegetable/lettuces mix. I frequently have raw nuts and hard-boiled eggs on hand for such purposes. Sometimes I add a few beans (garbanzo
I love it when my fridge is filled with this kind of jarred goodies.
is a fave). Avocado is a must. And I love adding either strawberries or blueberries.
- You can make a week’s worth by putting them in mason jars. When I am feeling energetic or have some programs to get caught up on, I’ll buy a bunch of salad foods and pep them while watching TV or listening to a TED talk. I don’t put dressing in mine because I have a bottle at work. Having these salads prepared in advance helps me save money and helps ensure I have at least one salad a day.
- There are TONS of recipes to try. I don’t have to get bored eating them. It is easy to find salad recipes that are healthy for me and that fit into the diabetic guidelines. My daughter visited last weekend and we tested three new (to me) salads: (1) Citrus Crab Salad (2) The Breakfast Salad and a (3) Paleo Taco Salad.
- My blood sugar numbers always go down after eating one. This is a marvel to me. My body adores salad. Of course I make sure that I have healthy ingredients (no dried fruits, croutons, added sugar, etc) and that I don’t slobber the salad in dressing. The dressing is usually vinegar and oil.
- Salads are versatile. I can (and do) eat them for any meal. When I am at a restaurant for breakfast. I’ve been known to order a garden salad with two eggs “over easy” on top. I get stares. And I also get a good for me breakfast.
- Salads are crunchy. Now this may seem like a silly reason to eat salad. But to me, this is important! I can’t do many all liquid meals as I NEED to feel like I am actually chewing. And the crunchier the better. Chewing this type of food helps me feel satisfied and full for longer.
Your Turn …
- What is your “why” for eating salad?
- Do you have a fave recipe or two? If yes, share that recipe.
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Friday’s Fave Five
Some ministry and personal milestones happened this week which I also mentioned last week. We finished missions week and I had more birthday celebrations. I am looking for this week’s five favourite things because of a meme that Susanne from Living to Tell the Story does each week. Join us in sharing your week’s blessings.
Most adorable and tasty birthday dessert ever.
ONE. GREAT BIRTHDAY FOOD. Again I had ice cream and waffles for breakfast although this time it was for MY birthday. And for MY birthday dinner we ate steak salad!
My niece made the most gorgeous dessert: dark chocolate covered fruit with a side of real whipped cream and more berries. The fruit on the Popsicle stick is 2 raspberries.
Rima used her grandma’s china. Gorgeous!
TWO. MISSIONS TEA. Oh, my, I could do an FFF just on the Tea! And I probably will.
Our speaker, Marcia, spoke on an oxymoron of God’s love: how we are protected by God and yet know we will suffer. Marcia is a senior citizen who has worked, mainly in Africa, for the past 36 years. She has seen PLENTY of protection and suffering and still loves, worships, and serves God.
My hostess, Rima, was one of 13 hostesses. She did an awesome job making us feel welcome & coordinating food for our table.
Go Giants! The game went into overtime to break a tie score. And then it was suspended because it got too dark to finish.
THREE. BASEBALL GAME. I attended a game because one of the players (who attends my church) invited me. I was surprised at how small the ball looked. I’ve never attended a Little League game before. My kiddos were into soccer and softball.
It was FUN watching and cheering.
And I found a job that I want to have. I want to be in charge of the lights on the scoreboard. It would be even cooler if I could also be in charge of the fireworks when there is a home run. Although they don’t have fireworks at Little League games, they should.
John’s theology of pain has helped me to go though my own dark times better. It was awesome to be able to meet one of my spiritual heroes.
FOUR. JOHN STUMBO VISITED. John is the president of our denomination. This week about 30 pastors and C&MA workers gathered at my church to meet with him. John encouraged us from 2 Corinthians 4, asked us questions about our ministries, and then he and another pastor prayed and said a blessing over each of us.
I first heard about John in 2009 when he was a pastor at an Alliance church in Oregon. He went through a mysterious and severe illness, that looked terminal, which God eventually delivered him from. I wrote a post about it here: Peace and Hope While in the Depth of Pain – John Stumbo’s Story.
My online group helps me to not dunk my head. This cartoon was found on wakemedvoices.org.
FIVE. HEALTH SUPPORT. When I was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago, I knew I needed support, lots of it. So I started a Facebook group called B.U.F.F.
We are B.U.F.F. stands for Brilliantly Utilizing Friends & Facts to combat diabetes. We use these two avenues to move ourselves towards a healthier lifestyle where diabetes doesn’t rule. We do!
At times I do really well at managing my health and other times not so well. When I am doing well, it is in part because of this support group. I am figuring out what works especially when allergies are hitting me so hard! This group encourages me to stay the course even though my numbers don’t always reflect my hard and diligent work.
Please share your blessings by writing and linking your own FFF or share a blessing in the comments.
Happy FIRST day of spring especially to you folks where there is still some snow.
5 Things I Did in 2014 and Wish I Didn’t
I am disappointed with myself in five areas. Photo by Konrad Baranski.
Every January I like to recall the last year and assess how well I did and didn’t do. Below are five things in 2014 that fall into the “not well” category. I am also including my remedy for each fault.
In 2007 I reflected on the yer and wrote a similar post: 5 Things I Did in 2007 and Wish I Didn’t.
ONE. LET THE SCALE OVERTAKE MY LIFE. Finding out I had diabetes and other health ailments threw my thought-life into turmoil. My health was in serious trouble.
The doctor and diabetes nurse said I NEEDED to lose weight and keep it off. This would be one of the best ways to overcome the consequences of diabetes, etc. I did everything I could think of
Within 3 months my health dramatically improved. But I only lost 7 pounds. I tried for 3 more months. All numbers except for the scale were in the good to great range. But I was very, very, very discouraged.
I am sorry to say that I LET DISCOURAGEMENT beat me down and I gave up on being so diligent.
- I let the high cost of strips prevent me from buying them and therefore I stopped testing as much.
- I stopped walking every day. It didn’t help that I’ve misplaced my best motivational tool (my fitbit).
- I stopped tracking my water intake.
- I stopped writing down what I was eating.
- I let myself have more “treats” than was good for me.
REMEDY FOR 2015. (1) I put my scale in the garage, I know that as long as I am doing what I need to do, eventually my weight will fall. (2) I am starting up again with being diligent. Some of those actions are the opposite if the above list. (3) I am becoming active again in B.U.F.F. This is a diabetes Facebook support group.
Related Posts . . .
- Backwards Thinking to a (Diabetes) Goal of Eating More Veggies
- Friday’s Fave Five – a little of my diabetes story
TWO. STAYED UP TOO LATE. I almost always get a burst of energy in the evenings. It is easy for me to stay up late doing projects, reading, internet researching and pinning, or watching shows on Hulu.
When I stay up too late I am not able to get all the rest I need on a consistent basis. This negatively impacts my health, motivation, and daily routines. It is harder to get things done and to maintain an energetic, positive mood.
REMEDY FOR 2015. (1) I am going to track this again. (2) I wrote a note on my bathroom mirror, “Go to bed by 10,” as a visual reminder.
Related Posts . . .
THREE. STOPPED READING THROUGH THE BIBLE. I became a Believer 40 years ago. I achieved my goal of reading through the Bible almost every one of those years. However 2014 was not one of the years I did so.
I always do my Bible studying for whatever small group I am a part of. However, “just reading” through the Bible accomplishes something different from studying the Bible (for me). When reading I am alert for whatever pops up; I don’t have an agenda. Also this type of reading helps reinforce the flow of content of the whole book I am reading.
REMEDY FOR 2015. I had an 11 day Christmas vacation this year. My plans to go away didn’t happen, so I had a staycation. One of the things I did was to read the New Testament in chunks of time.
So far I’ve read Matthew – John. Today I will start in Acts. Because of the time I spent reading, I am ahead of schedule, and that always motivates me to stay on task.
Related Posts . . .
- 3 REASONS I Have a Regular Quiet Time (aka Devotions)
- 21 Things I Learned by Reading Individual Bible Books in One Sitting
FOUR. DIDN’T MAKE ENOUGH TIME FOR FRIENDS. Like most of you, I have a busy schedule. And I let that busy schedule keep me from spending time with friends. I regret not having more fun, walks, heart-to-heart-chats, prayer, and creating (baking, sewing, etc) with my friends.
REMEDY FOR 2015. I am scheduling “dates” with my friends. I have already done this with 3 of them and have had several dates.
Related Posts . . .
FIVE. FORGOT ABOUT EATING FISH TWICE A WEEK. (Not every goal has to be huge and difficult to achieve,) In 2013, I made it a goal to eat fish twice a week. I rocked that goal most weeks. And I started 2014 doing well too. But then I forgot all about it until last week (January 2015). I was talking to my daughter about my diet and remembered that goal. I am not sure when I stopped eating fish.
REMEDY FOR 2015. (1) I will go grocery shopping this weekend and purchase FISH. (2) I will make up a menu plan that lists fish for dinner or lunch. (3) Anytime I go out to eat, I will have the fish option (when available).
Related Posts . . .
Your Turn . . .
- What did you do last year that you wish you didn’t?
- Share your plan to correct that this year.
Fruitful Words 