Eat This...Not That.....During the Holidays!

Eat This...Not that...during the holidays!  This is a reprint from

December 2010 - lots of great food suggestions to help control your Blood Sugar during the Holidays!

Cocktails
Worst cocktail:
Gin and tonic (8 ounces) 240 calories 22 g sugars
Drink this instead:
Champagne 100 calories 5 g sugars
Before your raise your glass to good health, consider your own. The sad truth is that light-tasting tonic water contains as much sugar as two glazed doughnuts, making it nothing more than a glorified soda. Champagne is just as bubbly but contains only one-fourth of the sugar and half the calories.
Dip
Worst dip: Spinach and artichoke dip 300 calories 19 g fat
Eat this instead:
Salsa (1/4 cup)10 calories 0 g fat
The wrong dip can transform healthy veggies and a whole grain pita into vessels for fat and hundreds of extra calories. Avoid creamy, cheesy dips at all costs and stick to the tomato-based salsas and bruschetta, which are low calorie and offer a healthy serving of vegetables to boot.

Side Dishes

Worst side: Baked potato with butter and sour cream 400 calories14 g fat (6 g saturated)
Eat this instead:
Roasted red potatoes (1/2 cup) 100 calories 5 g fat (1 g saturated)
The difference here is in the toppings. Add bacon and cheese to the mix, and add an extra 150 calories. Another smart sides rule: Not all salads are paragons of virtue. Greens with croutons and Italian dressing pack in 140 more calories than a serving of peas with pearl onions.

Hot DrinksWorst hot drink: White chocolate mocha (20 ounces) 660 calories 22 g fat (15 g saturated)95 g sugars
Drink this instead: Café au lait with peppermint syrup (20 ounces) 150 calories 5 g fat (3.5 g saturated) 17 g sugars
Sugary coffee concoctions are a holiday shopping staple—but the wrong one could deliver more calories than a Big Mac! Avoid mochas, lattes and cappuccinos and order a café au lait with a spurt of flavored syrup instead.

Desserts

Worst dessert:
Pecan pie à la mode 810 calories 65 g fat 55 g sugars
Eat this instead: Chocolate fondue 340 calories 10 g fat 28 g sugars
In the wide world of holiday pies, nothing is worse than a slice of pecan. Blame the filling, which is a sickly-sweet sludge of corn syrup and sugar. Fondue, in comparison, is a fun and relatively healthy way to splurge after a big meal. Angel food cake makes an ideal dipper: light, low in calories and virtually fat-free. Fruit is even better.

The Diabetic Plate

Lately, several people I know and love have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  When you are diagnosed, it can be so overwhelming you may just want to stick your head in the sand and pretend you didn't hear what the doctor just told you.


There are so may components to this complex disease, you sort of have to take things one day at a time in order to figure it all out.  The other thing about diabetes is that it's a personal disease, meaning it affects everyone differently, so you have to learn to be aware of your body's signals and how certain foods and exercise effect your blood sugar levels. The best way to do this is write down every item you eat at a meal then test your blood sugar about an hour after your meal. That is when it will be the highest level. This will help you determine how the food you just consumed effects your blood sugar.


The nutritional side can also be confusing as all carbohydrates impact you differently, depending on the fiber content as well as the fats.  Eating high fat foods that are low in carbs might seem like a great idea, but in fact fatty foods will cause your blood sugar to stay high longer, plus they are bad for your heart and will cause you to gain weight.


I tell people to view their dinner plate like a pie chart - take 1/2 of the plate and fill it with salad and any vegetables that are green or yellow or white. Hint - don't put your salad on a separate salad plate or in a bowl, put the salad on your plate. The other side of your plate should contain your lean protein (4-5 ounces), perhaps a small 1/2 cup serving of either wheat pasta or a 1/2 baked sweet potato (eat the skins they are full of fiber) or another low carb option, and more vegetables. Bread is not all bad - but if you have bread, don't eat the pasta or potato, have one or the other.


A diabetes diagnosis does not mean you can't eat good food.  You will learn how to decide what foods work best for you, and you can always have treats every now and then as long as you count the carbs!

Thanksgiving Turkey Breast with Fresh Herbs

This is a repeat from 2010 - but it's that time of year!

I saw Rachel Ray fix this turkey breast on the food channel a few years ago and It looked so good I went to the store, bought the ingredients and made it myself! It's easy and soooo good!

Preheat Oven to 400'!

Ingredients:

4-6 pound boneless turkey breast, thawed

Fresh herbs: (they really need to be FRESH!)

1/4 cup rosemary
1/4 cup sage
1/4 cup thyme
1/4 cup parsley
4-5 bay leaves
5 tbsp olive oil
roasting bag
salt, pepper to taste

1 stick butter, melted

Combine all herbs (except bay leaves) in food processor or blender with 2 tbsp olive oil and pulverize until you have a green paste.

Cut skin away from turkey and stuff it with the herb paste mixture.

Open roasting bag and place 5 bay leaves in the bottom of the bag, with 3 tbsp olive
oil. Place turkey on top of bay leaves. Baste turkey with melted butter, salt and pepper. CLose bag and tie, and bake at 400' for 1-1 1/2 hours or until done. THe roasting bag does the basting for you. This is the BEST turkey you will ever eat. Samantha and her cousins loved it!

Healthy & Diabetic Friendly Mac and Cheese

If you enjoy fall and winter comfort food like I do, tempting casserole and comfort foods abound and test your willpower constantly.


My big weakness and one dish I miss the most is good ole fashioned macaroni and cheese!
I created my own version that I think comes pretty close to the real thing.


For Two servings:


1/2 box whole wheat pasta with added fiber (corkscrew or elbow)


1/2 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low fat American cheese or cheese blend
1/2 cup skim milk
salt/pepper to taste
(do not use fat free cheese it does not melt well)


Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain and set aside.
In small saucepan, on low heat, add milk and melt cheeses until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste.


Mix cheese sauce with pasta and serve.


I have no idea on the nutritional breakdown, but I can tell you if I eat about 1/2 cup
serving with my meal, and no other bread or high carb foods, my blood sugars stay
within range.


Enjoy!

Summertime Food is the Best!

I have returned to the blogosphere! It's been awhile and I have missed my writing but I have been encouraged recently to get back to my writing by my friends, and even my late father who always told me " when you think you don't have anything to do, write." We'll lately it seems I have had plenty to do, but I really missed my blog.

I love the food that is available this time of year!  Fresh, local grown fruits and vegetables are in abundance and can help create a delicious menu for anyone - diabetic or not.  I shop the farmers markets and my favorite local store - BJ's Plants and Produce in Sherwood, owned by my friend Teresa Kyzer. The best part is they are open all day so you don't have to be there at 7am for the best selection!

Do you love Fresh salsa like I do? Here is an easy recipe featuring those amazing Arkansas tomatoes!

2-3 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2  cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

I use my blender on low to mix it all up!


Now if you like ranch dip.... You can take 1/2 cup of your fresh salsa and mix it with a one ounce packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix and 1 pint of low fat sour cream and you have a delicious dip perfect  for dipping celery sticks, zucchini, sliced peppers, and broccoli!

If you have any recipes you would like me to share, please email me at
Jhawking@sbcglobal.net.

Thanks!