Just diagnosed as diabetic. help me find some good recipes. substitutes for pasta, etc

SAM
  • Posted by: SAM
  • January 2, 2014
  • 5246 views
  • 21 Comments

21 Comments

SAM January 6, 2014
thanks...and, i'll def try this. the sugar amt. is extremely low.
you all rock !
 
nutcakes January 5, 2014
I just made this stuffed cabbage with Brown Rice. This may fit into your diet.

1 large head Savoy cabbage, halved and cored
3 T butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 t ground allspice
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 pound lean ground beef
Applesauce (recipe follows)
1 cup sour cream

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the cabbage into the boiling water, cover, and let boil gently for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, only until the onion is soft, not browned. Add the tomato sauce, water, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning. The sauce should be thickened, but not so thick that it plops when poured from a spoon.

Gently remove the tough outer leaves from the cabbage and reserve. Remove 12 more leaves to make the rolls. Chop the remaining cabbage coarsely and spread over the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the chopped cabbage, then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine three-quarters of the sauce with the rice and beef, and mix well. Divide the filling into 12 approximately equal parts and spoon each generous portion onto a cabbage leaf. Starting from the stem end, roll up each leaf, tucking the sides, and place the roll on the chopped cabbage, seam side down. Spoon a little of the remaining sauce on top of each roll. Cover the top with the reserved outer leaves. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Discard the topping of outer leaves and serve with sour cream and warm applesauce.
 
SAM January 5, 2014
great suggestions !
i can cut carbs out by finding different subs for pasta and rice. however, i need to get the foods i might be missing. the number of people with diabetes is staggeringly high !
 
twinjadojo January 5, 2014
I highly recommend reading the book Wheat Belly by William Davis as well as Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Both will offer evidentiary-based alternative approaches to the suggested diabetic diet, and, more importantly, highlight the foods that your current diet is likely lacking that will fill-in for all of the foods that you are suddenly discouraged from eating. These two books provide a solid path to restored, vibrant health. Good luck!
 
SAM January 4, 2014
i agree, i have enough to learn about, accu-chek machines, carbo loading foods to avoid, etc. the changes will come slowly. i am, however, scheduled for a FBS in 30 days. i did notice that last night after dreamfields spaghetti (lots of veggies and 1/2 cup of pasta) that i didn't feel sluggish and tired.
 
luvcookbooks January 3, 2014
Even though the first thing I would think about is the food, diabetes education in general is a really good idea! Vegetables, some fruits, whole grains and lean protein and dairy is my mantra! This is such a big change, be patient with making changes.
 
SAM January 3, 2014
i just now signed up with them on facebook and also their newsletter. everyone has been great with all these fantastic suggestions !
 
healthierkitchen January 3, 2014
Good luck with this Sam!
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx January 3, 2014
Have you looked at the American Diabetes Association's website? They have a food/recipe section for Type 1 & 2 diabetics. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/?loc=GlobalNavFF They have their own cookbooks, as well.
 
SAM January 3, 2014
@ HEALTHIER KITCHEN...couldn't post a comment for your cookbook suggestions...i ordered them both from amazon.
 
healthierkitchen January 3, 2014
Farro can be a little pricey, but they do have it in bulk at my local organic market for much less, maybe other coops do too? I've also seen it at Costco! I love wheatberries too, but they are a little chewier and and take much longer to cook. I like to make wheatberry salads, etc.
 
LeBec F. January 3, 2014
farro is a great idea though it is very expensive because it comes from Italy (here in Boston they sell it at Whole Foods.) Whole grains will be something you will really enjoy discovering i bet. Wheatberries are my fav because of their nutty chewiness. you can make a batch and keep them in the freezer, as they nuke very quickly.
 
LeBec F. January 3, 2014
There are diabetic food websites too, so use your Google! Jerusalem artichokes, or 'sunchokes' are wonderful- taste kind of like a nutty carrot , and native to New England. They are excellent for diabetics and can be eaten raw, or sauteed or made into a pureed soup, or cooked and mashed like potatoes. They are a staple for us.
 
klrcon January 2, 2014
All good suggestions here but I'd like to second the idea of meeting with a nutritionist, specifically one with experience in working with diabetic patients. In fact, if you can find a local hospital that runs a good quality diabetes education program you should totally do that and it should include the nutrition advice as well as lots of other helpful information. There's a lot to learn with diabetes but it can be managed and the good news is you don't have to really give up foods you love like pasta, you just have to learn the right portion sizes and how to balance them out with protein and the like. A good nutritionist can help you design a diet you can really enjoy that will also help you stay healthy - but it's worth getting the specialized and professional advice, especially when you're newly diagnosed. There's a lot of misinformation and myths about what's healthy for diabetics to eat out there and the pros can help you cut through that.
Also, the NIH has a pretty comprehensive web site on diabetes with good quality info that can get you started and even some recipe books and the like that can help you get started.
Good luck!
 
susanne January 2, 2014
my sister is diabetic, and my dad was too. i try to avoid it, and one way is to eat more beans and vegetables. if you love pasta, try topping cooked dry beans with your favorite sauces. i make the beans in a slow cooker, with a big bundle of herbs to flavor them. you can quickly saute onion, garlic, greens, peppers--to taste--and top those beans for a very quick, satisfying dish. and so on. i think the key is making sure you have protein in every meal or snack. and of course following your doctor's orders!
 
SAM January 3, 2014
sounds like a cincinnati chili idea
 
HalfPint January 2, 2014
Go to your local library and look at the cookbook section, usually 640 (of Dewey decimal system). The diabetic cookbooks are usually organized at the beginning of this section. Last time I looked (like 2 weeks ago) there are a good number of diabetic cookbooks published. Don't forget to check out the card catalog (do they still call it that?) for other books that might be checked out. My library is part of a large network of local area libraries, so if my local library doesn't have what I want, I can usually request it be delivered from one of the other libraries that do have it.
 
SAM January 2, 2014
next time i have a day off...i work midnight shift at the crisis center and sleep during the day...i shall check out our library. good suggestion
 
healthierkitchen January 3, 2014
Nutritionist Robyn Webb has done several, and Amy Riolo (http://www.amazon.com/The-Mediterranean-Diabetes-Cookbook-Riolo/dp/1580403123/ref=pd_sim_b_1). I also heard about this Asian cooking one recently, though I haven't gotten hands on it yet: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580404502/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
 
healthierkitchen January 2, 2014
Sam, you might want to meet with a dietician to get some more technical advice, but, generally, switching to whole grains and smaller portions of them helped my parents. Have you tried farro? While farro seems rice like, it is hearty enough for pasta sauces. I use it with pesto as well. Quinoa, which is actually a seed and related to the brassicas, is another good sub and very versatile. There are many recipes on this site for both. Some people put meatballs and/or tomato sauce on top of shredded zucchini and/or spaghetti squash and there are recipes on this site for that too! Good luck!
 
SAM January 2, 2014
haven't tried farro...but, will look it up. obviously, i need to be careful and only use brown rice from now on.
 
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