Cooking for diabetics.

When Hubby was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, I got my marching orders: Control his carbs! Yes, indeed, I took those orders seriously. Controlling carbs is what allows a person to enjoy life and most foods. Since he and I enjoy a glass of wine with our dinners, we needed strong strategies to succeed in our pursuit of happiness.

These are my strategies:

1. Provide small snacks between meals that curb the appetite and control his blood sugar.

2. Serve vegetables at every meal. Salads or vegetable soups are always served before a meal.  Dressings are homemade.

3. Meals are varied and based on seasonal vegetables. The plate:1/2 vegetables; 1/4 protein; 1/4 starchy vegetable or a grain.

So, here is yesterday's meal plan:

Breakfast:  Toasted whole wheat bread topped with sliced tomato, slice of par- broiled bacon, and 1/2  slice of cheese.

Morning snack: Yogurt and blackberries. (picked on our morning walk)

Lunch: Pot roast with cabbages, onions and carrots.

Afternoon snack: 1/4 apple, sliced and served  with peanut butter.

Dinner: Salad greens, mint, apples, pumpkin seeds, and oil and vinegar dressing, pot roast meat on the side, and 1/2 glass of cabernet.

Note: I cooked enough pot roast to serve as a main meal and a couple of small meals at another time. The rest of the pot roast will become a beef/vegetable soup for lunch today.
I make enough dressing to last me a couple of meals.

Recipes for an easy salad dressing: Double the recipe if you want enough dressing for a week.

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 T of vinegar ( experiment with different ones)
1 teaspoon of sugar or Splenda
1 T chopped shallot or red onion

In a jar with a screw top, pour everything in and shake. Use a Tablespoon for each serving. Refrigerate the rest. Change vinegar for a new flavor. Use citrus juices and herbs to enhance a certain taste.

We have both lost weight and feel great with this diet. The best part? We are never hungry!


What if we crave a dessert?
We substitute it for the starch in our meal. So, instead of bread, or potatoes, or pasta at any meal, we can choose to have 1/2 cup of ice cream. 


The best part for me, the cook?  I don't have to cook separate meals!

Easy does it!

A new year is a great occasion to clean out the pantry and the refrigerator.
To organize, simplify and streamline your cooking duties.
While you are at it, think of everyone's favorite  recipes.  Identify the basic ingredients you need to have around and stock up. 

Cooking can be daunting and frustrating.  Get a plan for one week's worth of meals that can change if inspiration and energy are high.  On the weekend, cook a more elaborate meal and save leftovers.

My secret? A bit of preparation after I bring home groceries.
I cut and separate meats and fish in serving sizes before freezing.
I buy wonderful breads and rolls,  and freeze.
I cook big batches of meat sauce, bbq's, chicken breasts, roasts on weekends.  Leftovers are labeled and available to add to pasta, rice, casseroles, or for sandwiches at the last moment.


Here they are, my easy-does-it meals, all healthy and delicious, and with addition of fruit, and crusty bread, a filling meal. With a few variations, this plan  takes the frustration out of planning meals.

1. Main Meal Salads---greens and leftover meats marinated in salad dressing before the greens are added. Add something different every time you serve this as a main meal, nuts, dried fruit, chunks of  cheeses.

2. Minestrone-put together in no time with canned beans, cabbage,  tomatoes and a bit of pesto sauce you made ahead.

3. Pasta and...I put the water on for the pasta before I even know what to serve with it. I may add broccoli florets to the water at the last minute. I saute' crushed garlic and crushed red peppers with olive oil before I add the cooked pasta and veggies.  Serve with lots of cheese on top.

4. Shrimp and veggies baked in a cream sauce while rice is cooking.  Half a glass of wine with half a can of Cream of Celery will make a great sauce for your seafood. Bake for 30' at 350F.

5. Casserole-My all time favorite is pork chops and potatoes. In a shallow, oven proof pan, saute the pork chops. Layer cut potatoes that have been salted and oiled. Sprinkle some cheese on top of the whole thing. Add 3/4 cup of water. Cover and bake for 30' at 400F. Remove the foil and bake for another ten minutes to color the potatoes.


You need a basic plan that works for you, for your schedule, for your tastes. If every meal is a big production, I guarantee you will fall apart and give up.
Have meats and chees and tuna for sandwiches when nobody wants to deal with dishes.

Planning Meals.

Before you cringe, I offer you this bucket of freshly cut flowers to put you in a good mood.  Yes, before we sit down to plan and organize our tasks in the kitchen we need inspiration, stamina and a plan.

Fresh food raised by organic methods is very expensive. So, good planning will save us money and frustration.

Forget what everyone else has told you to do, to plan a weekly menu and go shopping with a list.  If you did this, you'll feel rushed and frustrated. If you abandon your list, you feel guilty. Your list did not have corn or peaches.

So, my suggestions are to simplify your planning by having everything you could ever need already on hand in your pantry or your freezer by shopping in bulk ever so often at whatever big store you prefer.  Canned goods, frozen vegetables and fruit, condiments and oils should all be in your pantry or in your freezer, replenished regularly.

Your meat, dairy and produce, however, should be purchased  from local sources as close to the time of cooking as possible. If you have a CSA( community supported agriculture), near you, take advantage of it.  Their prices may be higher than your supermarket, but their products are superior. Their vegetables and fruit, even meats, will come with recipes and ideas.Improvise with the rest.  Be flexible with your palate.  Sometimes, a plate of raw vegetables with fresh aioli is all the food you need.

Visit local farmers' markets to see what  is new.  Have you had grilled fennel lately? Or favas?  When was the last time you cooked whole beets?  Have you tried all the different kinds of vegetables displayed?  If not sure what you are looking at, ask the farmer how best to prepare that food in a simple way.

Have standbye quick meals.
My secret? I cook extra meals and freeze in portions.  So, at any time, I can pull out a container of minestrone  or eggplant parmigiana and loaf of  bread out of the freezer and dinner is ready. For dessert, cheese and fruit.

In the next post, I will share a recipe for minestrone.   Who said vegetables couldn't be stars?