Recipes

[Poodlepet2]

I am a Type II Diabetic and having 60 gram of carbs at one meal sound like a Bacchanal feast! I get 30 grams for each meal a day and 15 grams of carbs for each snack- and I have no problems making delicious non-boring meals using high quality "slow" carbs ( beans, root vegetables, squash to name a few).  Portion control is important-and that includes protein. Somehow, we became brainwashed to think it's the perfect food group, but that is not true. His Diabetes Eductor or RD will cover that. Probably-diabetic he may be, but now is a good time to purchase a glucose meter and check blood sugars two hours after eating, and noting how he feels.  For example, after the first eight months, suddenly my two ounces of pasta that I was allowed and tolerated well,, and my Light reduced calorie Pepperidge Farm bread that I really enjoyed, began to cause problems.  This disease can change and there are many factors that can contribute to that. The bottom line is that each diabetic needs to know how food and exercise affects them.  Keeping a food diary has been invaluable. The Diabeic diet is not about deprivation by any means.....

Poodlepet2

[Poodlepet2]

Mrs. G, one more point worth bringing up is that just about all diabetics are on sodium restrictions ( 1200 mg or less)....and high fiber foods are a diabetic's best friend ( next to drinking lots of water ). To calculate carbohydrate is easy: you subtract the amount of fiber ( both soluble and insoluble fiber) to get the total carb content because the body doesn't absorb fiber. For example, my lunch included two ounce of chick pea pasta.. a serving has 32 grams of carbohydrate total, but 16 grams of that is fiber. I could have tossed it into a great spinach salad and I could have added half a cup of Great Northern beans ( 16 grams total carbs minus 5 grams fiber) I love Bolthouse dressings-yogurt based, delicious and only 35 calories for two tablespoons).  With all of that fiber, it's filling and it helps blood sugar stability.

Poodlepet2

[ceekay]

I have posted this before, but not for awhile.  It is from a really good low carb cookbook my sister told me about.  The recipe is simple and it has a really nice flavor.  Assuming you like salmon... 

Salmon in Ginger Cream Sauce

From Dana Carpender, 15 Minute Low Carb Recipes

2 TBSP butter

2 6 oz. salmon filets, skin still attached

1 tsp minced garlic (or 2 cloves crushed)

2 scallions finely minced

2 TBSP chopped cilantro

4 TBSP dry white wine

2 TBSP grated gingerroot

4 TBSP sour cream

Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, and start sautéing the salmon in it – about 4 minutes per side.

While fish is sautéing, crush garlic, mince scallions, and chop cilantro.

When both sides of the salmon have sautéed for 4 minutes, add the wine to the skillet, cover, and let the salmon cook an additional 2 minutes or so, until done through.  Remove salmon to serving plate.

Add garlic, scallions, cilantro, and ginger to the wine and butter in the skillet, turn the burner up to medium-high, and cook for a minute or 2 (keep an eye on it).  Add the sour cream, stir to blend, add salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon sauce over the fish and serve.

2 servings, each with 5 grams of carbs and 1 gram of fiber

[IamMrsG]

@Poodlepet2  You have given me more information than the dietitian did, so I sincerely thank you.  All we know from the dietitian is that DH is limited to 45-60 grams per meal and ~20 per snack (2 a day). She didn’t say a word about factoring in fiber or different types of carbs.  I had no idea about “slow carbs” until reading your post.  Previous to this, I thought beans were just plain ‘out.’  We did discuss the need for portion control, and she showed him the plate that illustrates such–fully one half of it was salad and pasta was only a quarter of the plate.

It’s interesting that you point out protein not being perfect, because I’ve been saying since our meeting with her that if protein is indeed “free,” as she said, his cholesterol numbers will go through the roof.

I am keeping a diary of our dinners. His breakfast is the same every day, and he’s learned to measure–he was sorely disappointed when he learned his concept of ½ cup quantity was about half what he thought it was. His too generous bowl of cereal was running him into the 70s.

We will learn this--thanks to helpful people like you, Poodlepet2. Thank you again.

@ceekay  I missed your first posting of the Salmon recipe, so thank you for repeating it.  We both like salmon, so DH will be glad to see this on his plate.

[Gokat]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

@Gokat 

Thank you for your shared knowledge and offer to help adjust some of our favorite carb-laden recipes.  I really appreciate your generosity.

Like everyone else on this journey, breads and pastas are what we'll miss most.  I found an item at the grocery that might help with the bread, particularly hamburger buns.  It's called Deli flats or Sandwich Thins, depending on the brand.   One 'roll' is 22 grams of carbs, so, depending on what we put inside it, he should be good--even with 2 servings.   I also found LaTortilla Factory Low Carb tortillas for fajitas later in the week. They're 8 or 9 inches and only 18 grams each.   I hope they taste like something worth eating.  

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I use these, too, @IamMrsG , and I think you/DH will like them both.  Flatbreads are a wonderful way to package food so that it seems more normal.  I also cut them up and toast in the oven for dipping! There's another company, Flatout, that carries lower carb tasty flatbreads that come in different flavors as well.  I know Wegmans carries all of these.  BTW, the LaTortillas come in a larger 13" tortilla size so you can keep your eyes open for that one, too.  I have them in my freezer as we speak!   My daily carb count is much lower...closer to 60 gms./day...so a little more restricted, but I get along just fine and have come to prefer lower carb eating. 

The real culprits in our diets are SUGAR and starches.  As you become more acquainted with ingredients in foods you'll see that our diets are overladen with them, especially sugar, from all directions, and it is the primary spike in our carb intake.  It's no wonder Diabetes is running rampant in this country.

I well know about the bread/pasta thing here, but more and more tasty low carb versions are becoming available all the time.  One substitution I've really latched onto is spiralized zucchini and/or yellow squash as a spaghetti dupe.  Actually, this might be something you  test out as a mix with your pasta to bump up the portion size.  I use all kinds of sauces from red meat sauce, to pesto, to alfredo.  Not a cauliflower lover here so this one is pretty nondescript flavor-wise and makes a nice bed for the sauces...light but tasty. 

You may want to do some Googling for help with the basics of carbohydrates...exactly what they are and how they work/convert in our bodies, high fiber foods and how they play a part in keeping our carb count lower.  Also, carb/protein/fat ratio recommended for a healthy diet.  It sounds like DH's nutritionist was a little lax with the details to put you on the road to success. HTH's

[qualitygal]

Get a good carb counter, probably something on line can help. But for years of using low carb in younger years, this list stuck with me.

Vegetables, the darker the colors the better for you.

Watch onions, carrots, and go easy on tomatoes too. Higher in sugars.

Omelets with lots of veggies, like peppers (color too).

Great salads, cottage cheese

Meat, fish or poultry for meals

again with salads.

Check the library for all the books they have. Subject: low-carbohydrate

They have all kinds of books, usually with recipes.

HTH

[151949]

There is a book called The calorie King that tells the fat,calorie and carbs in almost any food. It comes in paperback and is also available on my kindle. They have it on Amazon.I think it was free on my kindle ,if not it was very inexpensive. Of course you must also learn to read labels.

[IamMrsG]

@qualitygal   I smiled when I read your advice about colorful vegetables–I’ve been teaching my grandson that lots of color on your plate is good for you, and here I am needing to be reminded of it. But, you’re absolutely right, so thank you for the nudge. I knew to watch root vegetables, but, even though they are, never thought about onions. Tomatoes came as a surprise.

@151949  Thank you for the referral.

    As I write my week's menu / grocery list, I have been Googling to check the carb count on ingredients and then, of course, reading labels at the store.  Wow, has it slowed down both processes!  This has been an eye-opener, to say the least.

[Poodlepet2]

Hi Mrs. G : I am glad I could help. GoCat has it pegged: it's refined food and sugar that causes the major problems.  That being said, each individual still has to keep track of blood glucose and how they feel afterwards-and retest a couple of times. A great example of this are common alcohol sugars used in many diabetic treats, such as erythrotol and maltilol. For years I have been reading that they have no effect on blood glucose-that is not entirely true. After I recovered from my initial shock of being diagnosed, I decided I had to start cooking again and "redo" my favorite recipes. I went on to Amazon and started reading reviews on sugar replacements:some people had no problems, while others reported marked increase in their blood glucose. The lesson here is that food-and how effectively our body converts it to energy-is very much an individual thing.

On the fat and protein issue, there are limits on both in the DM diet. It's been known for many years that excess protein is converted to fat. Dietary fat does need to be restricted for us Diabetics because it has an effect on how well our insulin works. Across the board, it's recommended that we should limit protein, and keep it on the Lower fat side.....that however, is a individual aspect once again that can be dependent on the presence of Kidney disease,  waist circumference, level of fitness etc. Smart fats include raw nuts, seeds and avocado-all in limited quantities, but not what I would declare Draconian. Grass fed, organic raised animals and free-range organic poultry is going high nutritional marks among members of the medical community. Making non_sarchy veggies and "slow" carbs the stars of your meals with protein as a supporting role is what is currently suggests.

One of the greatest things Mr. G has going for him is you: you like to cook and you have posted some great recipes: give yourself a big cheer! Hugs my friend,

Poodlepet2

[Gokat]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

I admit I had suggested we dedicate this thread to Low Carb dinners.  I changed my mind.    You see, the pork chop dinner I

The Pork Chops with Peppers and Capers turned out really, really well.  We had mashed

I had been thinking the same thing, @IamMrsG .  I have a few to contribute so will post separate threads identifying with "low carb".  Also, I'll put in the nutritional info so you can see where larger portions can be allowed for DH. HTH's