Summer Salad

Arizona summers are HOT, this year has been no exception. The past couple of weeks we have been in the 112 to 115 range. Yes, most of the time it is a dry heat, but during our "monsoon" season the humidity increases too!
The very thought of preparing a hot meal makes me perspire!

A few days ago my "fruit lady" received our shipment of Apricots from Utah. I came home with 27 pounds of the large, juicy, deep orange orbs. After making several batches of sugar free apricot jam (see sugar free strawberry jam recipe below and follow same directions), I found I still had many of the beauties left. From these spheres in waiting, came my idea for this deliciously satisfying cool dinner. I might add, it is a rapid fix as well after a busy day at the office!




1/2 bag of baby spinach (approx. 80g)
2 fresh apricots washed and sliced
1/8 cup sliced almonds
drizzle of Mexican Lime Olive Oil, about 1 teaspoon ** you may substitute 2 Tablespoons of EVOO with one packet of TrueLime added. Drizzle 1 teaspoon over salad.
1 oz soft Goat Cheese



Layer above ingredients and serve.

Use the NutritionData widget at the bottom of my blog for further details, but this is an abridgment of the food values in this salad.
2 Apricots = 8 carbs and 34 Calories and a bonus of 1 g fiber very high in potassium and other nutrients.
80 g of Spinach = 4 carbs and 5 g fiber and mega nutrients
1 oz Goat Cheese = O carbs (but caution it has 4 g saturated fat. little crumbles go a long way!

Sugar Free Strawberry Jam

The strawberries are absolutely brilliant this year. Deep shades of red and so flavorful and juicy, and there is an abundant supply at the markets.

This is not a new recipe, nor is it my own creation, but worthy of bringing to your attention. It is simple to make and so versatile in use as well.

To begin, you will need 2 quarts of nicely ripe strawberries, washed and hulled. I then used my food processor to smooch them into a slightly chunky pulp. You can also use a potato masher to do this job.

In a large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups zero calorie Splenda (granulated) with 1 package of Fruit Pectin. Mix these dry ingredients together well.

Add 4 cups of of the smashed strawberries to the Splenda mixture and stir well. It is important that you then stir this mixture for an additional 3 minutes.

Ladle into freezer containers and let stand for 30 minutes while the jam thickens. This may be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year or in the refrigerator for a month.

The jam is delicious on toast, whole wheat pancakes, sugar free pudding. The taste is that of fresh strawberries, not like jar jams. You may want to try blueberries, raspberries, blackberries of a mixture of several types of berry.

Muffin Bites

These bite size muffins are a deliciously healthy fast food for breakfast on the run, or as a quick snack when you have those craving moments. Packed full of fiber, protein and "good" carbs.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Boiling water

1 Cup of rolled oats..not instant or quick cook oatmeal

Mix these and set aside.

1 Cup Canola Oil

1 Cup Honey or Agave Syrup

2 Cups fresh buttermilk or skim milk (your choice)

5 Cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 Cup Oat bran

1/2 Cup ground flax seeds

1 1/2 Cup wheat bran

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

2 Teaspoons Salt

3 Teaspoons Vanilla

3 whole eggs or 6 egg whites (may use egg substitute)

1 1/2 Cups grated Zucchini

1 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

1 Cup Chopped walnuts or pecans

Mix all wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add all dry ingredients and hand stir together

until well blended with a whisk. Do not over mix as they will become tough.

Fill mini muffin tins 3/4 full, I used a # 40 scoop. Bake at 375 F. for 8-10 minutes, until the

muffins spring back when lightly touched or a tooth pick comes out clean.

Serving size is 3 mini muffins with 15 g Carbs and 5 g fiber.

Makes about 8 dozen mini muffins. Store in your freezer for ready to go breakfast!

Mughlai Chicken

If you are a fan of Indian and Central Asian cuisine, you will enjoy this recipe. While it seems difficult, it really isn't at all. I have mentioned before that using spices can add so much flavor to mundane foods. This is a perfect example. Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you away from trying this recipe. The aroma that filled the kitchen while preparing this dish was heavenly!

We have a local market called Sprouts, there I can buy a teaspoon or a cup or more of the spices I need. The photos of the spice "bags" are what I purchased there. By buying in small quantities the spices stay fresh longer.

Ingredients:

1 cube = 1" ginger

5-6 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if you like it hotter...add to your liking)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup water

In a food processor blend the first 5 ingredients well.

Add the almonds and water and make a paste. Set this aside for later use.

3-4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed off and cut in half.

1 Tablespoon Cardamom pods, slightly squeezed to open for flavor.

1-2 cinnamon sticks

3 bay leaves

5-6 whole cloves

1/4 cup canola oil

2 onions very finely chopped (they will almost dissolve in the sauce)

1 cup low fat Greek yogurt (be sure to use Greek yogurt as it is thick, I use it instead of sour cream in many recipes)

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half

1/2 cup raisins

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 tablespoon splenda

1 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet or dutch oven add 1/4 cup vegetable oil. (I used canola oil) and heat on medium high. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides to seal in the juices, you will not fully cook them at this point. Remove from pan and keep on a dish.

Add the spices to the skillet/dutch oven, with the onions and cook until the onions are soft

and browned, stir this often to prevent burning. Now add the paste from the food processor and stir well. Add the yogurt a little at a time blending well after each addition to prevent lumping. Stir in the chicken broth, cream and the raisins.

Return the chicken thighs to the skillet/dutch oven, sprinkle with the garam masala, splenda, and salt. Cover and cook on a medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked completely through.

I served this with brown rice, and Mediterranean salad.

Cauliflower Cheese (Faux Mac n' Cheese)

This is a comfort food that is requested often, even by the children in the family!

Ingredients: 1 Large head cauliflower or equal amount of fresh florets.

1/2 Cup Half and Half

1/4 Cup 1 % milk

2 oz low fat cream cheese (or full fat if you desire)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper (no salt is needed!)

Cook the cauliflower by steaming in bag or on the stovetop until slightly tender. Do not over cook or it will not keep the shape and get soggy.

Drain on paper towels, then place in a 8 x 8 baking dish or casserole.

In a saucepan, bring the half and half, milk to a simmer, stir in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of the shredded sharp cheese, pepper and garlic powder and whisk until everything melts together.

Pour the mixture over the cauliflower and gently toss to combine evenly.

Top with 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is slightly browned. It reheats well for leftovers!

You can spice this up by adding a well drained can of diced green chilies to this casserole!

Asparagus

I am excited that it is asparagus season again.  Most all of the local markets have it on sale now.

Growing up I hated the stuff, I think it was because my mother didn't know that you could buy it  fresh.   The slimy texture of asparagus out of a can just isn't the same.  It makes a wonderful side dish, a nice addition to a salad, or in stir fry as well.  

To make these colorful packages, I snapped the woody ends off the asparagus stalks.  Blanched them in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Wrapped them in prosciutto (3 stalks per bundle),

and baked them at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.  The color was wonderful, they were crisp, tender and sooo good.    There was no need to season as the thin slices of prosciutto added just enough salt and flavor.

Asparagus is a natural diuretic and packed full of good nutrition!  

Mediterranean Salad

By using bright colors and different textures in food we can create dishes that are not only appealing to the eye, but to our taste buds too!  This is a delicious change from the tossed salad, yet every bit as easy to prepare.  The ingredients are available at most markets.  

Eating Pretty, as I call it, helps me enjoy foods that are in my healthy lifestyle.

This salad included:

Small Heirloom Tomatoes....these have beautiful colors!

Sliced Persian Cucumbers.....small delicate cucumbers

Small fresh Mozzarella balls, drain well and quarter

Blended with a handful of micro-greens, crunchy, tender and wonderful flavor.

Dressing:  

1/4 Cup Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 fresh squeezed Lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

Use only 1/2 of the dressing on the salad.  (keeps well in the fridge) Toss gently and serve.

100% Whole Grain Pita Bread

I am sure on some blog somewhere this or a similar recipe has been posted. The reason I am sharing this recipe with you is that I actually did it!! Guess what? You can too!! Who said that type 2 diabetics can't have fun with food? Key to success in controlling diabetes I believe is to experiment with good carb foods, fun foods and try new things.

Who would have believed that "I" could make Pita bread at home? Well, you can do it too!
It really isn't that difficult, nor are there many special supplies needed to complete this task.

A pizza stone is required. You can use any size, it may limit the amount of pita bread you can bake at one time, but as they only bake for 3 minutes (4 maximum) it really goes quite quickly.

You do need a stand mixer, heavy duty type (Bosch or Kitchen Aid etc.) as the dough is much like bread dough.

A kitchen scale to weigh the dough.

Parchment paper, which will make placing and removing the pita from the oven much easier.

The following recipe will make 9-10 pitas. One serving is a half of a pita which is a little less than 15 g carbohydrates (or one piece of whole wheat bread)

As I have mentioned in other posts, I grind my own wheat, it is high in fiber & nutrition.

Whole grain products are not only good for diabetics but the whole family. Many don't have a grain mill, so I would search for a food co-op that has fresh ground wheat in your area.











First and most important is to preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. or higher if your oven has a higher setting. Preheating is not just until your oven beeps, but at least 1/2 hour after that to insure your pizza stone is hot all the way through.

In your mixer: 2 Cups warm water 115 degrees F.
1 Tablespoon Honey or Agave Syrup
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon dough enhancer
1 Tablespoon dough relaxer
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten (this is used in place of high gluten flour to keep the low carbs)
1 cup whole wheat flour

Mix all above on slow speed as you add more whole wheat flour, enough so the dough forms a SOFT ball. Once the dough forms a ball you continue to mix for 8 minutes. This allows the gluten to develop.

Place the dough on a oiled surface (to prevent sticking) Cut dough into 4 ounce pieces and roll into a ball. With a rolling pin, roll the balls into a 6-8 inch circle. You will need to lightly (Very lightly) dust the dough to keep from sticking to the pin. The technique to rolling the pita is important, and may take a little practice, but again, if I can do this Anyone can do this!

Be careful and only roll from the middle of the dough and not completly to the edge. You must never roll completely off the edge of the pita as this will prevent the bread from creating a pocket.

Place the pitas on a parchment paper that you place on the under side of a cookie sheet.

Pull the parchment off the cookie sheet onto the pizza stone.

Bake for 3-4 minutes. It is amazing to watch them pocket!
No fear if they do not pocket they are still delicious and can be opened with scissors. You can also cut them into pie shapes and bake until crispy for pita chips!




When you remove the pita from the oven, place them immediately in a plastic bag to steam and cook for 5 minutes. Then remove from the bag and allow to cool on a rack before storing in another plastic bag. These can be frozen easily too!

If you have questions or need help just let me know! I made these Sunday for the Super Bowl and filled with Chicken Salad.

Sauteed Brussel Sprouts

An excellent choice for a side dish, and so easy to prepare.  I first saw this recipe on Food Network, but decided to change a few ingredients to see if it would be as tasty as the full fat version.  It is!!

1-2 pounds fresh brussel sprouts cleaned and cut in half.

1 TBSP Olive oil

1 TBSP Butter (OK  you have to have a little fun)

3 strips Turkey Bacon cut into small pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

Brown the turkey bacon bits, drain and set aside in a non-stick skillet Put olive oil and butter in skillet and saute the onion until light brown and almost clear.  Put sprouts in the skillet, add salt and pepper to taste.   Saute with the onion until golden brown.  The sprouts will be firm and semi-crisp.  Remove from skillet and garnish with bacon bits.

Oven Made Stew

My friend Mary gave me this recipe.  It is easy, delicious and perfect for

a cold winters night!

1- 1 1/2 pounds stew meat (not too large of pieces-I usually cut them in half)

4-5 red potatoes cut in quarters

3-4 carrots chunked

2 small onions quartered

1 can peas along with juice

1 can cream of celery soup (low sodium)

1 can tomato soup (Healthy Option)

1/2 can milk

Mix the soups and milk in a bowl.

In the bottom of a covered roasting pan, place other remaining ingredients.

Pour the soup over the top, gently stir together.

Bake at 275 for 4-5 hours...covered!

I have tried this in the crock pot and it just doesn't turn out the same.

Meatball Appetizer

These are delicious little meatballs, be careful as you won't be able to  stop eating them!

2 Lbs Hamburger/ground turkey

3/4 Cup Whole wheat Bread Crumbs

1 Small finely minced Onion

1/2 cup 1% milk

2 eggs

2 tbsp. parsley flakes

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

 

Mix ingredients together and make small meatballs.  About 1" in diameter.

put on foil lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes, until done.

Sauce:

1 Jar sugar free grape jelly ( made with Splenda)

1 Jar Heinz Chili sauce

1 tbsp Agave (optional)

Mix the sauce in crock pot or other vessel of choice.  Put cooked meatballs in the pot and simmer for 1-3 hours.  (If you make the meatballs the day before and refrigerate crock pot time should be 2-4 hours.

AGAVE

I have recently learned about and experimented with Agave at my favorite cooking shop, Shar's Kitchen.  It is a natural sweetener that is retrieved from the Agave Plant in central Mexico.  Yes, it is the same plant from which Tequila is made.  The type of Agave I use is Xagave, which is a blend of blue and white agave.

The glycemic index is 30, and I have used it in baking, cooking and beverages.  There is no after taste.  It is 100% natural and for me, has caused no rise in blood glucose levels.  Agave is being used more and more by diabetics and is recommended by the ADA.

It is a bit costly, but you only use 1/3 - 1/2 cup for exchange of 1 cup of sugar as it is at least 1.5 times more sweeter than sugar.  As in the previous recipe, it reduces down to make a thick syrup.   2 cups of Agave Nectar and 1 1/2 tsp of maple flavoring makes a delicious syrup for whole grain pancakes or waffles.  It is not quite as thick as syrup, however every bit as yummy.

Everything in moderation, but for that special recipe, treat this is a good option, keep in mind it is not calorie free so again, as with many foods,  I caution to use in moderation.

I will be posting more recipes that use agave.  In most of the recipes you can use Splenda in place of agave if you choose.  I do believe Agave is worth a try.

Sticky Chicken

An adapted recipe from My Kitchen Cafe and Janae, once again, thanks Janae for this suggestion!

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless skinless chicken breast tenders

1 cup canned Lite coconut milk


1 Tbsp. Crystallized ginger or ground ginger 

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper


1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Marinade chicken in coconut milk, ginger, pepper and red pepper flakes for 1-5 hours.

Cook Brown rice:  I used the remaining coconut milk as part of the cooking liquid for the rice. Portions of rice to equal 4 servings=2 cups liquid, one cup rice.   Remember it takes about 50 minutes for brown rice to cook so allow enough time when preparing unless you have a pressure cooker in which it takes just 20 minutes.  (I love my pressure cooker! )

Glaze:  3/4 cup rice vinegar (Mirin)    1/3 Cup Agave  Nectar    3 Tbsp. Braggs Liquid or soy sauce
   1 tsp. red pepper flakes

While the chicken is cooking, bring above ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Be patient because it takes a little while for the Agave nectar to reduce. Once it starts getting really thick, immediately take it off the heat! Glaze both sides of chicken the last few minutes of cooking. 

Serve chicken over brown rice, drizzle remaining sauce on rice.  Serve with steamed oriental style vegetables.

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Turkey Breast a la Crockpot

I found this recipe that sounded so good, with a little change here and there I have made it a healthier rendition.  It is delicious!

Ingredients:

1 Turkey Breast  It would be as good with chicken breasts)

1 Tablespoons I can't believe it is not butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 package dry Italian seasoning mix

1 large onion in quarters

4 stalks celery

1 can low sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 can Healthy Request Cream of Chicken soup

8 oz Low Fat Cream Cheese

(can salt to taste)

Directions:

Brush margarine/olive oil on all sides of the turkey breast.  Rub the Italian seasoning

into the skin of the breast.  Place the onion and celery into the cavity.  Place the turkey

into a crock pot.  Add the chicken broth and pepper (salt to your taste).  Cook on low

for 6 - 8 hours.  See *** below.

Combine cream of chicken soup and cream cheese.  Warm in the microwave until smooth.

Stir into the broth in the crock pot.  *** ADD this during the last 45 minutes of cooking.

The result is tender, flavorful turkey and gravy.

Sweet Potato Pear Bisque

This is a lovely soup to serve prior to the Thanksgiving meal.  It is also a wonderful comfort soup for a cold winter night.  It is easy to prepare, high in fiber and vitamins it is a perfect diabetic friendly/family friendly soup with a slight sweet yet savory taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ½ cups water
• ¼ cup powdered chicken broth/or canned low sodium.  
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ½ tsp dried thyme, crushed
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 pears, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
• zest of one lemon

• 2 cups - half and half
• Fresh ground nutmeg to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the first 8 ingredients in 3qt pot and bring to a boil.  Cook for approx 20 minutes until

potatoes are tender.  Pour vegetables and broth into a blender. Blend until smooth. (You can

use a hand blender if you have one and it works perfectly). I use my pressure cooker to make this soup in 8 minutes.

Pour mixture back into the pot and add the half-and-half, and fresh ground nutmeg. Heat through and serve.

Serves 4-6