So I have this blog . . .

I have recently been reminded, by more than one party, that I do indeed, have a blog.  I humbly apologize to my followers.  All 3 of you.  Just kidding.  I know that there are at least 5 or 6.

Actually, I have been tracking my re-pins on Pinterest, and have found that I have a few recipes that are pinned quite a bit.  They are not the recipes that I would have expected.  I thought it would be fun to list my top 5 pins for you.  :)

 5) The first meal log.  apparently, that first log is popular. I thought it would be the post about the day I found out I did have diabetes.  That post has the most comments.  But this one is pinned.


4) Egg cups are next on the list.  I'm so embarrassed at the photography.  It is truly horrid.  But people seem to care more about the recipe than the photo so --- whew!

3) Next up are my favorite little indulgence.  Peanut butter balls!  Mnnnn.  Again the photography is just awful.  But the peanut butter balls are fabulous.  You should try them, even if you aren't diabetic.  They are awesome, easy, and fairly healthy! 

2) This is a funny story.  My kids were complaining about how much salad I was making them eat.  To "cure" this, I declared 'Salad Week.'  Meaning, every meal was a salad.  This was such a hit, that my kids still beg for it!  This is Cheeseburger Salad.  Once you make it, life as a diabetic, or low-carb dieter, will never be the same.  You will discover that you can eat real food, and feel satisfied!  It really is so good!


1) This one shocked me!  My Peanut Butter and Chocolate malt smoothies are pinned lots and lots and lots.  They are good, to be sure.  But the picture is not! But please, make the smoothies, then judge the picture.  You will be too enraptured with the creamy goodness to worry about my silly photography.  :)  Enjoy!

Top Ten Things You shouldn't say to a Diabetic

Let me start by saying that I have made all of the comments below.  I can remember really getting after my dad for not taking care of his diabetes that way I thought he should.  I remember telling him that I wanted my kids to have a grandpa and he needed to do better at controlling the disease.  I don't think I said it that nice.  Hello!!!!  Guilt trip city.  I got after my older brother for not taking care of himself.  I did it out of love, because I love them.  Because I don't want this disease to take them from me.  I thought I was right. Then I got gestational diabetes.

For only 5 months I needed to follow a diabetic regimen.  It was hard.  I was lousy at it.  I hated it.  I felt deprived.  And it dawned on me, I was wrong!  My dad and my brother were doing the very best they could.  It is hard. And while my diagnosis would reverse as soon as I gave birth, they have no end in sight.  They live with the disease everyday. 

I have changed my responses.  My diabetic friend was eating a piece of cake and a friend walked up and said, "don't eat that, it's not good for you."  My friend said, "don't tell me what to do."  Can you blame her?  

We all want to help our friends who are diabetic.  We find ourselves thinking, "they shouldn't eat that."  But should we really say it?  Well, probably not.  Here are the most common comments that I have heard, or made and a better way to say it.  :)



1) Should you be eating that?  ---  My response, in my head, is usually, "what's it to ya?"  This is one that you shouldn't say period.  There is no sweet way to say it.  Leave it alone and trust that a diabetic knows what they can or can't have.

2) I made everyone this for dessert, but I made you this. ---  Really?  I'm not a child who is unable to abstain if needed.  But you were trying to do something nice.  How about this instead: (announce to everyone) "for those who would rather not have so much sugar, I have made this.  For those who would like to splurge, I have made this.  Please enjoy."  Now, don't get upset if the diabetic splurges.  They spend most of their life going without, once in a while it's okay to have that beautiful dessert you made.

3) You aren't taking care of yourself. ---  If you are a spouse, a parent, or a doctor you can say this.  If you are a buddy that meets for lunch once in a while, uh uh.  Don't say it.  Better is this:  "I don't know much about diabetes.  Please tell me what you have to do to manage the disease."  Mostly this is reserved for close friends.

4) Don't eat that. ---  this is usually followed by a grab for the offending food item.  Again, unless you think the item has been poisoned, don't say this.

5) Oh, you can't eat there can you.  We'll pick a different restaurant. --- Diabetics live in the real world and learn how to navigate menus.  If you want to be sensitive to where a diabetic will enjoy a meal, a better way to ask is: "Do you have a preference for where we eat?" 

6) Wow, I've heard of all the problems diabetes causes, like blindness.  Does that freak you out?---  YES!!!!!!!  Yes they are very freaked out.  They never get to stop worrying about it.  If you are close friends, you can ask this.  But time it well and start with, "I know there are some complications with diabetes, if you ever want to talk about that, I'm here for you."  Or even " Are you worried about your eyesight and all the complications that go along with diabetes?" Most of the time, they don't want to think about the disease, but trust me, 4 times a day, when they are pricking themselves with a needle to test their sugars, they are very well aware of what the disease is doing to their bodies.

7) I know you're diabetic, but I just had to share this plate of cookies with you.  ---   Better: "Hey, I really wanted to share some cookies I made, so I brought you 2, just so you would know I was thinking of you."  Or even better:  "I made you some bath salts, or I made you a card, or a phone call ahead with a "I just made some cupcakes that I would like to share with you, can I bring you one or a dozen?" and let them say- "oh just one." or "oh I'm so glad you thought of me.  I don't need treats, but I'd love a visit.  or even "heck yeah!  I've been so good this week.  I want the whole dozen." (As an aside, the diabetics I know, don't love sugary treats dropped off to temp them, but they love loaves of wheat bread with low sugar jam, or a quart of strawberries with a bit of whipped cream.)

8) You are so amazing, I could NEVER go without sugar. (sometimes followed by stuffing the face with a giant cupcake.) ---  Um, they didn't get diabetes on purpose.  No hero worship necessary.  Try: "I admire how you have handled this."  Enough said. 

9) If you lose weight will the diabetes go away? ---  Let me answer the question first.  Maybe, maybe not.  There are a lot of things that contribute to diabetes.  Weight is only one of those things.  However, for a diabetic, losing weight is soooo hard.  They have to eat on a schedule.  They have to eat!  And they have to eat enough.  Their bodies hold on to the weight.  Don't remind them of their shortcomings.

10) Is it contagious? --- No no no no no!  It is not contagious.  However, for many in America, it is preventable.  You can't catch it, but you can develop it, so keep working on becoming the healthiest you possible.

BLTs - Bites Licks and Tastes, plus a quick weekly menu

 

I have noticed that what really gets me, are BLTs. Bites, licks, and tastes. A bite of my child's cookie, a taste of my husband's dinner and lick- okay a tablespoonful of ice cream, 3 cheetos, and 4 chips... after a while they start adding up. I think if I avoided all BLTs, I might not even need to diet. I think a lot of my calories are coming from that. My goal has been to track everything. My goal now is to track everything and avoid BLTs.

 I do really well with my exercise. I am even working super hard to cook healthy.  I have tried diligently to add more vegetables and I've come up with some delicious dinners.  But I really think that one of the biggest changes I need to make is a small change- the BLTs.  That's the goal.  Wish me luck. :)

  How about you.  What small changes could you make to get healthier?

So here is a quick list of the dinners that I made this week.  I'll get recipes up soon.  

Sunday -- Pork Sirloin Roast with mashed potatoes and salad.  I almost always serve salad. It's so filling and good for you.

Monday -- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas. (I made some with whole grain tortillas and some with white tortillas.  My kids loved the whole grain tortillas!) They were amazing. and Salad.

Tuesday -- Very Veggie Lasagna Casserole.  You can find the recipe Here. and of course, salad.  We also had whole wheat garlic bread

Wednesday -- Grilled Cheese (on whole wheat, of course) and Tomato Soup for the family.  I had a left-over quesadilla.

Thursday -- Lower Fat Stroganoff, fresh veggies with dip and green beans.

Friday -- Husband cooks-- will probably be burgers.  I will most likely eat mine bunless with yummy avocado added.

Saturday -- oh Saturdays are always a toss up.  so Free day.  :)

 Here is a list of Breakfasts that I made this week. Recipes soon.

Sunday -- I didn't eat breakfast.  :)

Monday -- Whole grain Breakfast Burrito

Tuesday -- Whole Grain Breakfast Burrito (what can I say- if I like it, I'll eat it 2 days in a row)

Wednesday -- 1 egg

Thursday -- 1 egg, 1 buttermilk, dollar sized pancake

Friday -- 1 egg, 1 pancake

 Okay so breakfast hasn't been exciting this week.  However, I will get the recipe for the breakfast burrito up soon.  It really is tasty, fast and low cal.  

Post Christmas Food Blues

Christmas was awesome.  The Christmas food was awesome.  But now I live with the consequences.  Meh, I only feel a little guilty.  Today I threw away all the sweets that were hanging around.  Left over pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheese cake, peppermint torte, chocolates, homemade sandies, and homemade candies, all in a nasty pile in the trash.  I suppose that's a win. I still have New Year's to navigate, however.

Eating like a diabetic, when you are not actually a diabetic is hard.  I don't have to avoid sugar. I don't have to count my carbs.  I don't have to check my sugars. But I sure feel better when I do.  I am sooo sugared out this holiday season.  I didn't make nearly the treats that I normally do, and I still managed to make something at least every other day.

The worst part is, I got sick.  From the neck up, I am miserable.  From the neck down, I want to go for a run so badly it hurts.  And I cannot believe how sluggish I feel from not exercising.  It's been 4 days now.  I'm so antsy.  There was a time that I wouldn't have noticed if I happened to exercise in a week.  Now I am counting the days and whining about it.  That is a huge change. 

I have a plan for the New Year's menu.  This is the plan, right now.  I'm checking with the other people who are coming to see what changes they want to make.  I am trying to make it so that people who want to be healthy, can be.  Those who don't want to be healthy, well, they should have some options also.

Swedish meatballs -- (home made with extra veggies added to the meat- no noodles)

Soft pretzels -- (again - homemade)

Apple / orange salad (basically apple and orange slices with a juice made from fresh lemon juice 

                                    and  fresh orange juice)

Buffalo dip

7 layer dip or nachos  (7 layer dip is healthier, but nachos are tasty)

Veggie platter

Fruit bowl

Lil’ smokies / pigs in blanket

Soda / lemonade

Birthday cake for my friend who was born on the 1st.

Jello salad / jello squares 

Coleslaw -- (homemade with about 1/4 the mayo normally used and double the veggies)

potato chips & dip (don't judge - diabetics can have this)

What do you think?  What would you add or subtract?  How would you make it healthified?  What are you having?

Egg Cup Breakfast

When I was growing up, if I asked my dad what he wanted for breakfast, he always gave the same answer: Steak, eggs and hash browns.  We usually laughed at my dad, because really? Steak and eggs for breakfast?  Dad was a breakfast guy.

I don't like to eat in the morning.  I think I've mentioned this before.  I don't like to cook in the morning even more than I don't like to eat in the morning.  In fact, it could be why I don't like to eat in the morning.  Never mind, I'm starting to sound cranky- like it's morning.

Anyway, breakfast is important.  It starts the day and we need our blood sugar levels to come up.  After all we've just been fasting for 8 hours. (Hence the name, break fast- breakfast.) Ta da!

Protein is the best way to start the day. (Hmmm, maybe my dad was on to something.)  For me that means eggs.  I'll 86 the steak and hash browns.  To make life a little easier I decided to make egg cups.  Since I was already making egg cups, it seemed like a good idea to make 12 and put some in the refrigerator for the week.  Now I just pop one of these out and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Breakfast is a little more palatable when it's fast, and there's no mess!

 This isn't so much a recipe as a method.  That is a statement I repeat a lot.  You know way more about the way I cook than is strictly necessary. lol.

Anyway, I just added lean meat, ham and turkey, to the muffin tin.  I added a tiny bit of Parmesan cheese and cracked an egg into the tin.  Bake at 350 for 12 min.

 For the scrambled version I added 1 Tbl cottage cheese per 2 eggs to a bowl and then the eggs and some salt and pepper.  As with the other cups I added a tiny bit of cheese (maybe 1/2 teaspoon) and then the egg.  Bake 350 for 12 min.

 I also did some without the meat.  For those I added the Parmesan directly to the scrambled eggs along with the cottage cheese. I also added a Tbl. diced ham per every 2 eggs.  No salt because the cheeses are so salty.  I did use cooking spray so the eggs wouldn't stick.  Bake at 350 for 12 min. Delicious.

The hardest thing has been keeping my family out of my eggs.  :)  Guess I'll have to make some for them also.

Healthier Salmon Croquettes Anytime

A strange thing happened.  I had left over salmon and a left over baked potato in my fridge on the same day.  These are two items that I don't usually have as left overs, let alone at the same time.  I got an idea!  Generally I would feed the left over salmon to the dog.  I know- really expensive meat to feed to a dog, but it usually tastes and smells too 'fishy' for me after the initial meal.  But this fillet was really fresh and it didn't smell or taste funny and there was a lot of it left.  So I decided to make croquettes.

Croquettes are little fish patties that are breaded and fried and greasy and wonderful.  They are not diet friendly, even if it is fish. Additionally, they are usually made with mayonnaise and and cracker or bread crumbs.  I thought I could do a bit better, so I nixed the mayo, opting for Greek yogurt instead.  I ground up a nice big carrot and cut up my left over potato and added a smidgen of panko.  I also added green onion, and celery.  Then I decided to bake them instead of fry them.

Yummy- and my house doesn't smell like grease.  Bonus! Anyway, you try them and tell me what you think.  I'd love to hear how it turns out for you. :)

Patties:
1 Salmon fillet, cooked. or (I would guess) 2 cans of canned salmon - but fresh will give better texture.
1 potato baked, peeled and cubed
1 large carrot, run through a food processor to get a very fine dice
1 celery 
2 green onions
2-3 tbl. of Panko, or bread crumbs, or smashed crackers
1 egg
1 Tbl. Old Bay (I love this stuff. I put it on everything.)
2 Tbl fresh parsley or 1/2 to 1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp white pepper
2 shakes of cayenne (If you like it hot, go ahead and add more. I was looking for flavor, not heat.)
1 container of plain Greek yogurt (6 oz) 
1 Tbl. lemon juice
(Breading will follow)

Put all ingredients in a gallon sized zip sealed bag and mush it up. You can put it in your mixer and use a paddle attachment to get a very fine texture, but I like my meat chunky.  Mush it until incorporated and it will form a ball.  If it is too loose add some more lemon juice and yogurt.  If it's too wet, you can add more Panko.

Form the mixture into 1/8 cup sized balls, (a little bigger than a walnut).  Flatten but don't smash. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze.

Breading:

2 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 package of  panko crumbs
either 1/2 package of a commercially produced fry mix
or
1 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper and cayenne ( you can also add a little cornmeal)

Combine the eggs and water and whisk. In a separate bowl combine your flour and panko.
Take each salmon patty and dip first in the egg wash and then in the flour.  I like to use one hand to do the wet, and one to do the dry, so that I don't end up with a gummy flour mess.  Return the patties to the cookie sheet as you go.

I froze most of the patties at this point, so I could have some quick meals in the future.  But even if you don't plan on doing that, put them back in the freezer for another 20 min. You don't have to do this step, but it is easier.

When you are ready, spray some cooking oil on a baking sheet and place your patties on the sheet.  Then spray the patties with some of the cooking oil. 

Bake at 425 for 20-24 min., turning once at about 16 minutes.

How to get all that Protein on a Budget

 Dieters and diabetics alike eat protein!  It keeps us full, it keeps us happy and it doesn't cause sugar spikes.  For most people protein means meat.  Meat is expensive!  One of the biggest reasons that people think they can't stick to a healthy living plan, is how expensive healthy food is.  Mac-n-cheese is cheap.  Steak is not.  Even Chicken is so expensive, unless you are willing to buy the whole bird, and a dieter usually only wants the white meat. And then there is the "the-hormones-in-the-meat-are-making-us-fat" argument.  I don't know if that is true or not.  This is what I know:

1) I want to eat.
2) I want it to taste good.
3) I want it to be healthy to fuel my body.
4) I want to cook one meal for the whole family (see number 2).
5) I want to be able to afford to eat this way.

I don't consider any of these wants unreasonable.  But to accomplish them all, I buy in bulk.  I buy from a place called Zaycon foods.  I buy the beef which is 97/3 and tasty.  I buy the chicken, which is boneless, skinless, hormone free and not previously frozen- so fresh.  I do buy it in 40 lb increments. It is worth it to me.  I get it home and repackage the meat into quart sized freezer bags and I add marinades to about 1/2 of what I get.  That way, I take a package out of the freezer in the morning and by dinner time, I have a nice marinated chicken breast to cook up.  Easy!  I pay $1.00-$2.00 less per pound by doing this.  When you buy 80 lbs of meat that adds up!  I think it takes my family of 6 3-5 months to go through this much chicken.  Although, some days we are having beef, but we mostly eat chicken.

For me the quality is better that my local grocery store and the price is lower, so it is worth the extra work of rebagging. I know for others this is not the case, but for me it works.

What do you do to keep the cost of eating correctly down?

By the way, I am including a link to Zaycon Foods here for you.  Go ahead and take a look.  See if they deliver in your area of the country. If so, give it a try and let me know what you think.  They have a lot of great products.  And before anyone asks, NO! +Zaycon Foods  did not pay me to write this. Yes! I like the service that much! And the only sort of compensation I might get is that if you buy something, and go through my link, I get $1.00 off on my next order.  It is not enough for me to write a blog post.  I have to actually like them.  :)

https://www.zayconfoods.com/refer/zf1982

Fresh Spring Rolls

I love Pad Thai Fresh Rolls.  They are Ah-Mazing!  They are also really diet friendly.  I like diet friendly.  You get to eat a lot of food for not too many calories.  It's a definite win.  They don't make fantastic left-overs, so if you make them, you should plan to eat them, or just know that tomorrow they will be good- but not great.  They aren't difficult to make, but they do take some time.  If you have a spouse that likes to spend time with you in the kitchen- or you are looking for a good date idea, these would be fun to make together. :)

I'm going to give an ingredient list, but you put in what you like.  These are adaptable to suit your tastes.

Fresh Rolls
1 pkg. rice paper wrappers (look in the Asian foods section of your local grocer)
1 pkg of mung bean noodles (these are dry in the Asian foods section)
2 carrots peeled and julienne cut
1 cucumber peeled, seeded and julienne cut
4-5 large leaves of lettuce Chopped (try romaine)
4-5 pieces of cooked bacon, cut in half and then sliced into thin strips
1 green onion
1 small bunch cilantro or mint leaves
1 avocado

Sauce
2-3 Tbl. Rice vinegar
2-3 Tbl. Sesame Oil

1 Tbl. Soy Sauce
1 Heaping Tbl. Peanut butter
2 tsp. honey
1 Tbl. brown sugar
1 Tbl. minced garlic
dash of red pepper flakes

Method

Place the bean noodle in a bowl of cold water for 10 min.  Then drain and transfer to a bowl of hot water for 4-5 minutes, Drain.  (I do the soaking while I'm chopping my veggies.)

Line up all your ingredients on the counter assembly style.

Place hot water in a bowl.  Next to that place 2 paper towels.  Take your rice papers out of the package.  Take the first paper and dip it into the bowl of water.  Don't wait for it to get soft.  If you do, it will break when you try to fill it.  Just dip it in and set it on the paper towels.  Now place a few pieces of mint or cilantro on the bottom 1/3 of the paper.  Add some carrots, cucumber,  bacon, onion, and the noodles. Now you add the  lettuce and the avocado.  Fold each side in and then roll the paper around the ingredients.  (Think of wrapping a burrito).

Set on a plate and do the next one.  You can really only do one at a time, because you don't want wet rice paper waiting around for you.  It would get too soft.  This recipe should make about 12, so that is four servings.

For the sauce:
Just combine all the ingredients and wisk.  Taste it.  If you need more sweet add sugar or honey.  If you need more salt, add soy sauce.  You can use fish sauce, but I don't usually have that on hand.  :)

For fun you can crush some peanuts to serve with the rolls.  You dip first in the sauce, then in the peanuts.  It's super yummy.  :)

Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Salad

2 large chicken breasts
your favorite Asian marinade. I used Yoshida's Sweet and Savory
Marinade for 24 hrs. Don't skip this step!

After 24 hrs. cut into bite sized pieces and cook on the stove top.
toward the end of the chicken cooking, I added water chestnuts. I am not sure if they should be eaten straight out of the can, so I cooked them.

While the chicken is cooking I put some Olive oil (I have also used wok oil and it is yummy) in a pan and heat it. Then I throw in some raw almonds. (By some, I mean 3 1/2 of my handfuls. I have small hands. That is the best measurement I can give you.)

I sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and pepper and a few dashes of paprika. You might be able to skip the paprika. I like it. I cook until golden and shiny. (Okay, I taste one.)

When done, set aside.

Dressing: (I realize the quantities aren't precise- but the fact that I remember them all is a miracle, so go with it.) :)

about 1/4 cup rice vinegar (this is the most important ingredient and no other vinegar will work)
about 3 Tb. soy sauce
about 2 Tb. Honey
1 tsp ginger (or less)
You can add some orange juice, I'd say 2-3 Tb.

Wisk together and set aside.

When ready to eat lay your lettuce in a bowl, add all the yummy veggies that you want, carrots, snow peas (okay I hate snow peas, but Seth likes them) green onions etc. Peel and slice oranges and lay on top and then add your almonds. Now put your meat over the top, (and your water chestnuts obviously). Give your dressing another quick wisk and drizzle over the top.

Delish. 

I also serve with some chow mein noodles, because everyone seems to like that. :)

Exercise - Are you doing it?

Exercise has always lately been easy for me, but I haven't had success losing weight.  Until now.  I am finally moving the scale.  Guess what it is?  Moving faster, for longer every day.  (Well 5 days a week.)  I walked/ran 100 miles in 12 days.  That is so close to 10 miles a day.  That has been the turning point.  Now I am constantly trying to see how far, how long, and how fast I can go.  My legs and arms are screaming at the end of my first 60-80 minute work out- every day.  And Every day, I know that I will go a second time for another 60 min.

It's hard work.  But you know what's harder?  Carrying 30-40 extra pounds and knowing I am that much closer to diabetes.  So I'm learning to enjoy one hard thing, to avoid dealing with another hard thing.

What are you doing to reach your goals?  How are you avoiding diabetes, heart disease and other weight related illnesses?

Peanut Butter Smoothie & Chocolate 'Malt' Smoothie

This is a great smoothie.  It tastes like Reese's Pieces in a glass.  So good.  More than that, it is also healthy and less than 300 200 calories!  Sounds like a great breakfast to me.  It also keeps me full all morning.

Peanut Butter Smoothie

1 scoop Vanilla Attain Powder. (You could substitute SlimFast powder or any meal replacement or protien powder.)

1 Tbl. Creamy peanut butter

8 oz. or 1 cup Coconut Milk

1 Cup crushed ice

1 Medium Banana

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Pour into 2 glasses.  Enjoy with a friend.  :)

 This tastes like a chocolate malt shake, only it's not a shake, and there isn't any malt.  How is this possible?  Nutella.  Oh yeah!  My friends know that I have a slight obsession with Nutella, but I had never considered adding it to a smoothie.   After all, it is a high calorie treat.  But- it's only 10 calories more than peanut butter.  I can work with this.  :)  Turns out, it is delicious and I still came in around 200 calories. And it seriously tastes like a creamy, yummy ice cream shake. Decide for yourself.  Make this soon!

1 cup Vanilla Soy milk
1 small to med. banana
1 Tbl. Nutella
1 scoop vanilla Attain powder
1 cup ice

Blend well and pour into 2 glasses, if you can stand to share.  But you must share, or it's not 200 calories. lol.

Calorie breakdown--

1 scoop attain powder -- 120 cal.
1 banana 90-105 cal. depending on size
1 cup soy or coconut milk 70-90 cal. depending on brand
1 Tbl. Peanut butter 90 Cal.
1 Tbl. Nutella 100Cal.

Each shake averages 190 Calories, based on 2 servings per recipe, or 380 calories for the entire recipe. :)

Re-done Lasagna

 I love lasagna!  I love the gooey cheese, the meaty tomato sauce and the soft noodles.  I love it!  Admit it, you do too.  However, I don't love the MAJOR caloric intake.  Oh my, some recipes will cost you a days calories in one serving.  Not good.  So, I changed that.

 

 This is the lasagna we had for dinner tonight.  It has some very significant changes from a traditional recipe.  First I used half the noodles, then I added carrots, and celery to the meat, and last, I used a miniscule amount of cheese.  Guess what?  No one but my husband noticed.  The kids scarfed it down and so did I.  It was delicious!  My honey couldn't get past the carrots in the lasagna.  I normally shred carrots into my hamburger while it is cooking, but I only had a package of pre-cut carrots.  They were Julienne cut so they were clearly visible.  My bad.  It's a texture thing.  However, this is a diet and diabetic friendly version of lasagna that only took about 30 minutes to throw together.  

Rochelle's Easy Healthy Lasagna

9 egg or whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 pound of ground beef

1/2 c. shredded carrots

1/4 c. sliced celery

1/4 c. diced onion

1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce, or 2 cups homemade sauce

1 16oz container of cottage cheese (low fat is fine)

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1 c. Italian cheese blend (low fat mozzarella, Parmesan and asiago are what I used)

1 tsp. of basil or parsely

1 egg

Cook the noodles to al dente. While they are cooking fry the beef and drain.  After you drain the meat, add the carrots, onion and celery and cook a bit longer, until the celery is bright green. Once your meat/veggie mix is finished cooking add the spaghetti sauce.  In another bowl stir the cottage cheese, the 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, the egg and the parsley or basil together.

In a 9x13 pan place about 2 tbl of sauce on the bottom of pan and spread around.  Lay 3 noodles down and add 1/2 of cottage cheese mixture.  Next layer 1/3 of the tomato mixture.  Add 3 more noodles, the rest of the cottage cheese and another 1/3 of the tomato mixture.  Layer on 3 more noodles and then the last of the sauce.  Now add the Italian cheese blend. Spray some foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna.  Bake for 1 hour at 375.  You can remove the foil the last 10 min. of cooking if you want, but I didn't and still got a nice browning of the cheese.  

Don't tell your family its healthy.  ;)

I'm Still Kicking

So I logged onto the computer for the first time in 2 weeks and was rewarded with more hits on my blog.  It is so great that so many people have followed my journey.  I have been officially declared NOT DIABETIC!  It has been an amazing feeling!  I am still committed to the diabetic diet, however.  For one thing, I now like fruit more than chocolate.  Who knew that was even possible?  I also ate yogurt instead of ice cream last night.  It was an automatic response.  I won't complain about that.  Don't get me wrong; I am enjoying the freedom to eat a candy bar, but it isn't a craving, it's a choice.  I will continue to post, but it will be a week or two longer before I can maintain a regular schedule.  So please enjoy my past posts and check back in with me in a few weeks.  Thanks for your support.  :)

Another Meal Option

Time is short for me these days and keeping a food log is hard.  Still worthwhile though.  At the same time, since I have a shake almost every morning and the same things for lunch every day, it is a little repetitive to post here.  I still want to show what meals are helpful to my sugars though.  I also find it helpful to my own nutrition goals to keep posting, so although I may not post full days of food logs here, I will still post meals and options that have helped me.  :)

A few weeks back I told you that a friend of mine has the most amazing recipes.  Last night I used one of her most delicious.  It is a version of Caesar Salad, that does not have fish in the dressing.  This is really important to me since one of my family members is allergic to certain types of fish.  It is a little like Russian Roulette to find a Caesar dressing for him, and yes it is his favorite.

This is not a low cal food, but it is good for a diabetic or someone following the South Beach diet (which happens to be the diet that 3 doctors have recommended that I live on and the lady at the Diabetes Center also recommended).  The marinade for the chicken does not have sugar, and the dressing, while made with mayonnaise, also is low on the sugar scale.  Additionally, if the croutons are too much for your sugar levels, they are easily removed.  The meat is grilled, not fried and the cheese is Parmesan so a little goes a long way.  It is my family's favorite salad.  :)  We had it with sugar-free jello.

A Diabetic Meal Broken Down

I thought I would put up some examples of some meals that don't raise sugar levels to outrageous levels and try to explain why.  I'm not a doctor, or nurse, so I may be wrong on why, but I have tried to understand this illness and how it works in my body, and this is what I think.  If you want to correct me- PLEASE DO!  I want this blog to be helpful to those who are struggling with diabetes, pre-diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

Mini-wheats with a little fruit in the middle.  Served with unsweetened Almond milk rather than regular milk.  Why this works: While this cereal does have 29 grams of carbs, it only has 10 of those from sugar.  Additionally it has 6 grams of fiber which slows the digestion process.  The unsweetened almond milk does not have any sugars and has between 1-5 grams of protein, depending on what brand you buy.  The whole grain wheat, protein and fiber combine to keep you full and slow the digestion process enough to keep your sugar levels in check. Cheerios work great too, as does oatmeal (not instant) and whole grain toast with peanut butter and 1/2 a banana. 

This is an all American picnic meal.  A hamburger, potato salad and a green salad.  Why this works: protein from the burger and cheese slow the digestion process.  The bun should ideally be whole wheat or only 1/2 a bun, but once in a while a full out burger is okay.  However, there are no chips, jello salad, sweet baked beans or fries on this plate.  Instead there is a green salad, (and no I didn't use dressing, but you could) and a small helping of potato salad made with real mayonnaise.  I have also stacked the burger with lettuce, and tomato.  The more veggies you add the better.  The veggies add a complex carb to your plate.  I did add sliced almonds to the salad, as they are tasty and add just a bit more healthy, fatty protein.  I like to be full.  There was no need for seconds, this plate was plenty. 

A diabetic can have pasta?  Really?  Yes really.  The ravioli is filled with cheese and the sauce is a meat sauce.  That is plenty of protien to counteract the carbohydrates provided in the pasta.  Portion size is, of course, critical with pasta, but the sauce and filling really help.  Also, I chose a vegetable that is more difficult for the body to digest.  A complex carb.  I don't cook the broccoli until it's mushy, just tender crisp.  That way my stomach does more work and I get more vitamins.  If this doesn't look like enough food for you, add a big green salad.  It is amazing how satisfying a good salad can be.

So there you have it.  Some examples of meals that I have eaten that haven't destroyed my sugar levels, and haven't required me to eat differently than the rest of the family.  It takes a bit of thought but the more you do it the easier it gets. :)

It's a Series of ReStarts

So I have been very complacent this week.  My sugars have reflected this the last two days, so has my weight.  3lbs this week.  Yuck!  Well, I will just have to restart.  Isn't this the way it always is?  With diets, To Do lists, exercise and all worthy goals there are set backs and restarts.  The successful just restart.  I think that what I previously thought was will power, is actually restart power.  It is the ability to not beat yourself over the head, but instead to recommit yourself to the goal.  So here I go again.  :)

I started out great on Thursday with a shake.

Then for lunch I had a turkey avocado sandwich.

swim lessons kill me.  Sitting outside in 106 degree weather for an hour and 10 minutes, weakens my resolve.  An ice cream float was necessary.

Dinner. A corn Dog, potato salad and watermelon.  This is not a diabetic meal, but it is what had to happen.  I am too tired to cook.  Hopefully now that swim lessons are over, I'll be better this week.

The next morning I started with a shake again.

for lunch I had a baked potato with cheese, ham, butter and gravy. I know, I know.  Not the best choice.

Swim lessons got me again.  It is sooooooo hot!!!

For dinner, there was no way I was cooking.  Frozen pizza and watermelon.  I had 4 slices of watermelon and 2 slices of pizza.

late night snacking killed me.  chips and dip, a snickers bar, a diet soda and a piece of my son's bar cookie.  Then I was sick all night.  Lesson relearned.

This is Getting Old

Eating is getting old.  I'm serious.  I look at my lunch options, and they are yummy, but I walk away because I just don't feel like eating.  I'd rather grab a handful of chips and be done.  I will measure my sugars, but I still don't feel like eating, even when I know I should.  I think it's the weather.  It is hot, and I mean hot outside.  108 is not weather to eat in.  I am, however, perfectly happy to drink anything!  I want shakes, smoothies, soda, ice cream floats, water, water and more water.  I think it is probably a normal reaction to a hot summer, but when you are diabetic, it isn't an option.  My husband brought me home all the fixings for turkey, avocado sandwiches to entice me.  He's a good man.  I'll have one today.  I know that it keeps me from eating all the stuff I shouldn't.  M&Ms are fast, as are chips and cookies, and when you haven't eaten, because it is hot, you find yourself snacking - at least I do.  Today will be better.  :)

shake for breakfast

a whole 3 chicken nuggets at lunch.  No Sauces.

a Cheese stick for a snack.

ravioli and broccoli for dinner.  I know the portions are small, but I am so tired of heartburn that I refuse to eat a full portion of anything at the moment.

chips and dip for a snack.

snacked on these too.

and my son made bar cookies- yup, snacked on these too.

Back Again

I took a break last week.  It was a rough week, and blogging just wasn't in the cards for me.  But I am back this week. My sugar levels were pretty good yesterday and this morning, so even though the end of day snack was a bit high in sugar, it was still alright.  Here is yesterday's food log.

I tried the vanilla Attain for the first time.  Sooo delicious.  I love this stuff.  I used coconut milk and a banana and it was a little tropical happiness in a glass.  And sugar levels stayed low and hunger stayed low.  Nice, huh?

Don't let the picture fool you.  I had a nice big helping of strawberries.  I did not add more cream, as I am getting used to eating without adding sweetness, but I did have triple this amount of strawberries.

Watermelon.  It is so hot where I live.  I seem to want fruit and that is it.  Watermelon is that fruit that hydrates and satisfies.  It is very sweet, but hasn't affected my sugar levels thus far, so I happily chow down.

Okay- when you only have strawberries and watermelon for lunch, you will get hungry very quick.  About an hour after lunch, I had some yummy potato salad. Only about a cup.

My sweet hubby bought me Rolos.  Because they are individually wrapped I can have just 2-3.  I get my chocolate/sweet fix and don't eat a whole candy bar.  It is a nice compromise.

Thanks to Pinterest I learned that you can bake potatoes in the slow cooker.  It was 108 degrees yesterday.  Being able to make dinner in the slow cooker was awesome!  I had one potato with broccoli, (actually, I ended up adding more broccoli after taking this photo- it was so yummy).  I also topped it with cheese, ham, gravy and yes, some sour cream.  It is an odd thing, but baked potatoes turn to sugar in the body really fast, so if you are going to eat one, putting fat on it is a GOOD thing.  Weird huh?  But the fats slow the absorption of  the sugar by slowing the digestion process.  It is also a small potato with lots of broccoli.  As a diabetic, you can eat anything- but you must understand what the food does in your body and how to compensate for undesirable effects. 

It is vanilla ice cream and raspberry soda.  No I did not opt for sugar free this time.  I could have, but it isn't as good.  Plus, I have a theory, that at some level, sugar is better for our bodies than substitutes.  It gets back to that whole moderation thing that I keep bringing up.  One soda float, once in a while, will not hurt me.  Seconds are not an option.  It also can't be a daily occurrence. 

Food Log - a Little Late

This food log is from last week.  I wasn't able to get it up, so you get it now.  Aren't you excited?  My sugars were low, so I didn't watch what I ate.  I also didn't feel well.  I talked to my doctor, and she is having me increase my protein.  She thinks I am spiking fast from all the carbs and then dropping low. She is probably correct.  So the last few days I have been much better, but I don't record my weekends, so I won't have a log until tomorrow.  :)  For now, here is my very very naughty Wednesday.

Cupcake.  I only had one.  My friend brought it to me, and it was yummy.

This is a cherry shake, not a strawberry smoothie.  Made with ice cream and everything.

burrrito for lunch.

hamburger helper for dinner.  I think we have this once a year.  It is tasty. 

love my shasta.

snack

and almond milk

and a serious chocolate craving.