It can be hard living with diabetes, especially with the many eating restrictions that you could encounter. Instead of letting this overtake your life discover some great gourmet cooking recipes that are diabetic friendly.
A diagnosis of diabetes is a wake-up call that it’s time to make some lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, getting regular exercise and choosing a nutritious, well-balanced diet. But to many of the 24 million diabetics in this country, the mere thought of eliminating sweets and many processed foods from their diet connotes endless meals of flavorless, bland and boring foods. Can diabetics eat healthfully and also make it enjoyable? The answer is a resounding “yes,” says Chris Smith, author of The Diabetic Chef’s Year-Round Cookbook (American Diabetes Association). Smith uses fresh, seasonal ingredients to create healthy, interesting meals full of flavor for diabetics and everyone else at the table, while reducing the salt, sugar and fat that many have come to rely upon to add taste.
HEALTHY EATING FOR DIABETICS
Healthy options that will work with your diabetes.
Just like the rest of us, people with diabetes should eat nutritious meals that are low in fat (especially saturated and trans fat), moderate in salt and very sparing with sugar, while emphasizing whole grains, vegetables and fruit. However, because diabetics are at a greater risk for life-threatening complications such as hypertension, heart disease and stroke, it’s particularly important that they keep blood glucose control while maintaining normal levels of blood pressure and blood lipids (cholesterol). It can be challenging to do all that while still preparing food that is flavorful and appealing. I asked The Diabetic Chef to share his secrets for preparing foods appropriate for people with diabetes that are delicious enough for everyone to want to eat. Here are some of his best secrets…
HERBS & SPICES ARE ESSENTIAL
Liven up your meals with garden-fresh herbs, many of which are available year-round, even in supermarkets. Fresh herbs are densely packed with flavor. You can use herbs in a variety of ways throughout the seasons.
- Fine herbs, such as thyme, oregano, dill, basil and chives, are usually available in the spring and summer. These should be added as a finish (at the end of the cooking process) to release their delicate flavors and aromatic qualities. “Use fresh basil with summer tomatoes and olive oil for pasta, or as a finish to a tomato sauce,” said Smith. “Use chives as a delicate finish to soups, salads and sauces.”
- Hearty herbs (rosemary, sage), available year-round, can be added earlier on in the cooking process. Use them with stews, soups and crockpot dishes. They can withstand the heat of cooking without losing flavor and, in fact, the longer they’re cooked, the more mellow and flavorful they are, says Smith.
- Dried herbs are dehydrated, so must be rehydrated in cooking — for instance, think of homemade tomato sauce. When using dried oregano and basil, the sauce has much more flavor the following day because the flavor of the dried herbs fully blooms and combines with the other ingredients.
“Herb” typically describes the leaves of a plant, while spices are derived from any other part — including the root, seeds, bark or buds. Spices can be used to create a medley of flavors and can be evocative of different types of ethnic cuisines. “Spices bring great diversity to food,” said Smith.
OTHER TIPS FOR HEALTHFUL EATING
Overall, Smith points out that healthful eating is a matter of practicing what he calls “Nutritional MVP,” which stands for moderation… variety… and portion control.
From his cookbook, another suggestion is to learn how to do template cooking. Template cooking is taking one recipe and adapting it in different ways by using the same cooking method but substituting different ingredients, said Smith. “It gives you the freedom to be creative, which is the essence of good cooking.” It also brings much-needed diversity to meals, so you are not forever serving the same old thing. One example of a template recipe is the Simple Chicken Breast (see below). “There are only seven ingredients in this recipe but you can vary it with fresh, seasonal ingredients,” said Smith. “For instance, in springtime you can exchange the olive oil for sesame oil and use lemon grass rather than garlic to create an Asian flavor. In summer, substitute fresh cilantro for the rosemary.”
Try different cooking techniques to bring out the essence of foods.
- Grill, broil, roast, sauté or steam food to enhance flavor without added fat or salt. Slow-roast vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil in a 400 degree oven to bring out their true flavors. Many develop a natural sweetness when roasted. Season with garlic or add herbs to vary the taste. Rather than sautéing garlic or onions with butter or oil before adding them to soups or stews, try roasting in the oven.
- Marinate foods in a few ingredients. “The herbs, lemon and spice in the Simple Chicken Breast recipe create a vibrant flavor, and the extra virgin olive oil allows the herbs and spices to reach their full bouquet,” said Smith.
- Sear meat (brown on both sides in a pan for a few minutes before placing it in the oven) to enhance flavor without adding extra fat or salt. “Any kind and cut of meat can be seared,” said Smith.
Pair dishes with colorful sides. Instead of a plate full of brown items such as chicken and rice, liven up your plate with deeply colored fruits and vegetables that add variety and important phytonutrients (components of fruits and vegetables that are thought to promote health) to your diet. (For more on this topic, see Daily Health News, February 19, 2009.)
Keep the pantry stocked with these healthy ingredients.
- Oils: extra-virgin olive oil, sesame oil, canola oil and grapeseed oil.
- Vinegars: balsamic, champagne, rice and aged sherry vinegar.
- Essential spices: cayenne pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, mustard, nutmeg, paprika and pepper.
- Essential dry herbs: bay leaves, dill, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and sage.
- Other essential products: chicken, vegetable and beef broth, dried beans, whole gluten-free grains such as quinoa and amaranth.
- Essential fresh ingredients: lemons, limes, oranges, garlic, onions, shallots, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, butter (salt free), sour cream (fat free), eggs, hard cheeses (Parmesan and Romano), mustard (grain, Dijon), capers and olives.
Template Recipe: Simple Chicken Breast
Serves four.
Serving Size: 1 Breast Half
4 chicken breasts
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tsp dried rosemary
1 Tsp poultry seasoning
1 Tsp salt-free lemon pepper
1 Tbsp minced garlic
½ Tsp red pepper flakes
Cooking spray
- In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and place chicken breasts in it. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Preheat sauté pan to medium-high heat. Spray pan with cooking spray. Add chicken breast to pan and sear to desired color, about 10 seconds, then turn over and sear other side.
- When both sides are seared, remove chicken from pan and place in a baking dish or cookie sheet. Do not cover. Place in oven. Cook meat until it is done, at 165°F internal temperature. When chicken is done, remove from oven and let rest for two to four minutes.
For more tips from Smith go to: www.TheDiabeticChef.com.
Source(s):
Chris Smith, The Diabetic Chef, is an executive chef working in the healthcare field. A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Smith has also worked as a chef at the four-star Le Cirque restaurant in Manhattan. He is author of two cookbooks,Cooking With the Diabetic Chef and The Diabetic Chef’s Year-Round Cookbook (both from American Diabetes Association). He lectures widely about cooking for people with diabetes. www.TheDiabeticChef.com.
Take the time to look through all your meal options and get exactly what you want. Make sure that you include one of the Medifast Coupons so that you can get a great discounted price on your next Medifast Diet Plan.
Reprinted with the permission of:
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