ALTERING FOR A DIABETIC

Q. Any tips for diabetic recipes?

Liz's A. Diabetes changes your life forever. Once they get the diagnosis, a diabetic has to make the decision to completely change their life style. My father, grandfather, and several people I cook for at work are diabetics or pre-diabetics. The great news for diabetics is that by eating correctly and by exercising, they can feel good again. Even better news is that most recipes can be altered for a diabetic diet.


-- As a professional, I prepare a diabetic meal as follows: 1/2 a plate of VEGETABLES, 1/3 protein (If the sauce is sugary or is thickened with a starch I put it on sparingly), and whatever is left over is the small dallop of potatoes, rice (brown rice is best), pasta (turn to wheat), or the small wheat roll.

-- Simple changes like leaving the breading off, or turning a sandwich into a salad will go a long way. Also eating foods normally eaten over rice or pasta over a bed of vegetables is a yummy and healthy way to fill-up.

-- When a recipe calls for a lot of sugar (ketchup, even soy sauce, vinegars, syrups), add less of it than what is called for. You can turn more to low-sodium broths to find your flavors. Making everything more savory than sweet is a great way to look at it.

-- Since diabetics also need to watch fats, learning to use less butter and oils in cooking is a great start. Olive oil is much healthier than vegetable. When cooking with oils, small amounts of plain water or low-sodium broths can often be used in place of adding more oil.

-- Falling in love with cheese, especially the fancier ones, can help to alleviate the sweet tooth. ?Yes, cheese can be carbalicious, but never like cake and ice cream. If your blood sugar gives the okay, you can pair with fresh fruits.

-- GO NUTS with nuts! Great snacks for in between meals, and they "crunch" like some of those carbalicious snacks. I don't mean the kind coated in sugar. Raw ones are best. Add nuts to salads, cereals, and even to entrées! Keep nuts in your reach, keep sweets far away for special occassions.

-- It's okay if something's FISHY, fish is AWESOME for a diabetic diet, and most recipes can have fish substituted in as the protein. Just remember to shorten the cooking times.

-- Plan your diet to celebrate holidays and anniversaries with your favorite yum yums. Favorite treats are such an important way of celebrating! Just don't go crazy. If you don't do this, you are more likely to go crazy on sweets out of frustration. Don't forget to stalk the freezer section, they have sugar free ice cream treats!!!!

A positive thing for today's diabetics is actually part of a negative, they are growing in number, fast! This means that there are endless resources available, including recipes. Find some delicious ones here: https://www.ontrackdiabetes.com/recipes. Please share your favorite diabetic friendly recipes with us here on Taste This!

Many of the recipes here on Taste This can be altered or are already perfect for a diabetic. Here are some fun examples:

Crepes are not the best for a diabetic, but for a splurge day, they have less carbs than pancakes or waffles. You can make dessert out of them by filling with sugar-free pudding. You can always use wheat flower. You can also fill with low-fat yogurt and complex carbs like fresh fruits.
http://tastethisliz.blogspot.com/2008/08/crepes-in-blender.html

Leave the toast out of breading for Liz's Chicken Cordon Bleu, you can also use a low-sodium broth and less flour and butter in the sauce. It will be less thick, but healthier.
http://tastethisliz.blogspot.com/2009/01/lizs-chicken-cordon-bleu-with-cream.html

One of my faves is this low-fat veggie wrap. You can always leave out the tortilla and use a lettuce leaf, or eat this over a bed of lettuce.
http://tastethisliz.blogspot.com/2008/08/veggie-wrap-with-tangy-yogurt-dressing.html