Diabetes Triple Play

Three simple diet strategies can help control blood sugar, enhancing diabetes management and reducing your risk for development of diabetes:

1.  Reduce intake of simple sugars and refined flours.  Healthier options include:

            -Quaker Old Fashioned or Quick Oats

            -Barilla Pasta Plus

            -Splenda in place of sugar or honey

            -Sugar Free Jello

2.  Focus on health promoting fats, such as Omega-3’s found in:

            -Smart Balance spreads and peanut butter

            -Planters nuts, especially walnuts and pistachios

            -Fish like salmon and Meijer can tuna in water

3.   Pile-up Plant Foods which supply abundant fiber and protective antioxidant nutrients:

            -Simply Juice with pulp

            -Silk Soy Milk

            -Plenty of Meijer vegetables and whole fruit

            -Old Orchard Healthy Balance Juice

Nutrient rich foods, or those that pack a lot of nutrition for a small amount of calories, are the best foods to emphasize for any diet, especially a diet for those with diabetes.  Read on to learn more about foods to include in your healthy eating plan:

Beans:  An excellent source of both insoluble fiber—essential for bowel health and regularity, and soluble fiber–a gummy substance that helps regulate blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol.  Beans are a low fat, high fiber protein source that's rich in folate, iron and potassium.  The versatile bean is inexpensive and is great in just about everything: salads, stews, soups, and sandwiches.  Eat beans often (four or more times weekly), as a side dish or as a meatless main dish entrée.

Oats:  Truly the breakfast of champions!  Oats are loaded with soluble fiber that reduces cholesterol and aids in maintaining steady blood sugar levels.  Oats are a good source of arginine, a nutrient that helps maintain healthy blood pressure.  Quaker quick cooking oats or old-fashioned oats are excellent mixed in quick breads, cookies, meatloaf, or used as a dessert topping.  Oats are a low sodium, low sugar food.  Instant oats are more processed and often flavored, increasing sodium and sugar content (sometimes dramatically!).  Make oats part of your diet 3 or 4 times each week.

Colorful Vegetables: Deep green, red, orange and yellow vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which protect your body from harmful substances that promote heart disease, cancer, diabetes complications, and immune system disorders.  Meijer fresh, frozen or canned (without added sauce or salt) are excellent choices.  Eat five or more servings of vegetables each day, including one cruciferous vegetable as part of your daily intake (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc).

Healthy Fats: Emphasize healthy fats in your diet, while decreasing your intake of saturated fats from animal sources and Trans fats from processed foods.  Healthy fats include:

            Monounsaturated Fats:  Olive oil and Canola oil or Pompeian Olive-Canola Oil blend

            Most polyunsaturated Fats:  Planters Nuts, seeds and plant foods such as avocado

            Omega-3 Fats:  Fish and flax seed products

These healthier fats support brain function including memory, decrease inflammation, regulate hormone action, aid the immune system, and keep cell walls flexible—helping cells to function and communicate effectively. 

Diabetes Friendly Recipes

Cheddar and Ham Muffins

Makes: 9 Servings

Ingredients:

·         3/4 cup Kraft 2% milk sharp Cheddar cheese

·         1/4 cup fresh grated Meijer Parmesan cheese

·         1 3/4 cup reduced fat all-purpose baking mix (such as Bisquick)

·         1 cup Meijer low-fat milk

·         1/2 tsp black pepper

·         1/4 cup low fat ham, finely chopped

Method:

Mix cheeses, milk and baking mix together; add pepper and ham. Mix well and spoon into lined muffin pans 1/2 full. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Approximate Nutrition Information per Serving:  Calories: 140, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 470 mg, Protein: 8 g, Carbohydrates: 18 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g

Diabetic exchanges:  1 Lean Meat/Protein, 1 Carbohydrate

Recipe adapted from: United Dairy Industry of Michigan, www.3aday.org/recipes

Mango Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

·         2 1/4 cups (1/2-inch pieces) grilled skinless, boneless chicken breasts (make it easy by using Meijer Rotisserie Chicken)

·         3/4 cup Meijer plain, nonfat yogurt

·         1 teaspoon McCormick curry

·         1/4 cup cubed mango (fresh or Meijer frozen-thaw and pat dry before using)

·         1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries

·         1/4 cup Planters walnuts, coarsely chopped

·         1/3 cup Kraft Mozzarella, cut into small cubes

Method:

Cut cooked chicken breast meat into small pieces and set aside. In a medium bowl, blend yogurt and curry with a whisk and stir in chicken, mango, cranberries, walnuts and Mozzarella. Mix well and serve on a bed of lettuce or flat spinach leaves.

Approximate Nutrition Information per Serving:  Calories: 320, Total Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 70 mg, Sodium: 160 mg, Protein: 30 g, Carbohydrates: 31 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean Meat/Protein, 2 Carbohydrate (1 fruit, 1 starch), 1 Fat

Recipe adapted from: United Dairy Industry of Michigan, www.3aday.org/recipes

Pork Tenderloin with Fall Vegetables

Serves: 4   

Ingredients:

1  pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4  pound)
3 medium white potatoes, peeled, cut into 2” pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
1 medium onions, peeled and sliced thick
1 tart baking apple, peeled and core removed, cut into thick slices
Meijer Canola oil (about 1 Tbls)

1 tsp. McCormick dried, crushed Rosemary
Coarse Salt and Freshly ground pepper
 
Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350^oF.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all vegetables with enough oil to lightly coat, mixing with hands. Add meat, and turn until also coated.   Place vegetables into a 13 x 9 x 2 casserole dish, place 1 pork tenderloin on top the bed of vegetables.   Sprinkle mixture and meat with crushed Rosemary, 1-2 tsp of salt, and grind pepper over top to taste.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to baking dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Check vegetables for doneness. Remove cover and let roast for another 10-15 minutes to crisp potatoes.

Remove from oven; re-cover, let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving tenderloin.

Approximate Nutrition Info per Serving:   Calories 405, Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 100mg, Carbohydrate 32g, Fiber 5g, Protein 34g, Sodium: 265mg

Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean Meat/Protein, 2 Carbohydrate, 1Fat