Recipe - Low-Carb Burgers

I had a couple of different fun diabetic cooking videos I was considering sharing with you today, but the other one was stuffed peppers, which was a bit more involved, and since we just did the big long cabbage rolls recipe on Wednesday, I figured I'd give you a quick and easy one for the weekend! Burgers are a great way to get a fresh, from-scratch, and filling low-carb meal in minutes, so they're great for diabetics, or just busy folks wanting to cut back on carbs a bit. This one uses ground turkey, but as he shows, you can also use beef, beans, or my favorite - ground venison.

Enjoy!

Diabetic Recipes - Low Carb Burger
Diabetic Recipes - Check out this great low carb burger. Diabetic recipes are the most healthy recipes around! For more low carb recipes explore over 8000 recipes at www.dlife.com

More Great Diabetic Recipes:
   

Recipe - Low-Carb Cabbage Rolls

If you're diabetic, or just looking for a low carb recipe that's still hearty and filling, try this tasty recipe. I've made a variation of this using ground lamb and couscous, and you can also use Chinese cabbage leaves for a slightly different taste. This recipe is slightly more involved, so if you're looking for something fun and a little different, throw this one into the mix once in a while when you have a bit of extra time.

Meaty Low-Carb Cabbage Rolls
(Makes 18 dinner-size cabbage rolls. Serves about 6-8, or 4 with leftovers.)

A cabbage roll עברית: גליל כרוב ממולא (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Ingredients:
1 big or 2 medium cabbage heads
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. lean ground beef (if you prefer it leaner, try ground venison instead of either the beef or pork)
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup beef stock
Sour cream for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preparations:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Carefully cut the core out of the cabbage and clean away any undesirable leaves, then wash head of cabbage under cold running water.
• Bring a large pot of fresh water and salt to a boil, then lower whole head of cabbage in, cover the pot, turn heat to a simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cabbage head softens enough to be able to pull the leaves off individually. 
• Remove cabbage head and let cool on a rack or colander long enough so you can handle it. This recipe will make 18 dinner-sized cabbage rolls, but depending on the size of the leaves, you may have more or less. Take off as many leaves as you can before the difference in size is too great. Sometimes two cabbage heads works better than one in order to get enough similar-sized leaves off the head.
• After you've removed all the leaves you want, take a small sharp knife and cut a triangle shape along the thick center stem part of each leaf to remove it, making sure you leave the cabbage leaves intact. Set aside.
• Cut up the cabbage that is leftover and throw it into a large baking dish or Dutch oven.

2. Filling & Stuffing:

• To make filling, put the onion and butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until onion is softened; then let cool.
• In the cooled skillet with onions, crumble up the beef and pork and stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper; mix together but don't overwork it so the meat will stay tender when cooked.
• Take about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture (more or less depending on the size of the leaf) and put on a cabbage leaf, roll up, tucking in the ends, until the meat is sealed inside the leaf.
• Put the cabbage roll (seam side down) on top of the chopped cabbage in the baking dish and repeat with all the remaining cabbage leaves, arranging each roll in baking dish. If you don't want to put your cabbage rolls on top of each other, you may have to use two baking dishes if yours isn't large enough.
• Pour the beef stock evenly over the cabbage rolls, season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cover and put in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.

Serving Suggestions:

This can be served as a main dish with the cut-up cabbage served underneath the rolls. You can prepare a sauce by stirring together the juices from the pan with some sour cream, then pouring over the cabbage rolls on each plate.

Or, make the cabbage rolls smaller (using smaller heads of cabbage to get smaller leaves) and serve as a tapa or appetizer on a buffet. Serve with a variety of dipping sauces.

For a party, you can make a batch or two and freeze them.  Just reheat in a low oven and serve.

Cooking From Scratch Tips for Diabetic Kids

Diabetes can affect young and old alike. It is important to check your blood sugar and keep it regulated. Today we are sharing some tasty variations on common recipes that won’t spike the blood sugar. But first, a bit of background....

Diagram shows insulin release from the Pancreas and how this lowers blood sugar leves. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)What Is Diabetes?

There are two types – Type 1 and Type 2. Children may have either type. Type 1 diabetes occurs in childhood most often. For this type, the body doesn’t make any insulin at all.

Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. It is used to transport glucose from the blood to the cells where it is used as fuel.

Consider insulin to be a taxi driver in your bloodstream. In response to high levels of glucose in the blood, it is manufactured and shipped off so that glucose can hitch a ride.

Type 2 diabetes is often called insulin-resistant diabetes. It usually occurs in adults but children can develop it too if conditions are right. Either your body stops responding to the insulin that is present or you aren’t producing enough to handle the load of glucose in your blood (a common problem in today's typical American diet laden with WAY too much sugar).

Type 2 diabetes is often a complication of obesity. The amount of glucose in the system overwhelms the body and it will stop responding to glucose, or insulin levels will be deficient.

In both cases, the concern here is for the levels of sugar in the blood. Too much glucose can damage the organs and lead to even more serious health problems. In order to keep blood sugar at manageable levels, it has to be checked several times a day.

For those with Type 1 diabetes, the amount of insulin needed to lower that glucose level depends on the glucose number. In Type 2 diabetes, insulin may be needed to move glucose but often the levels are managed with medication and diet.

Helpful Recipe Modifications for Kids

What we want to watch here is carbs. They are broken down into sugars. These sugars enter the bloodstream to await pick-up by insulin. Foods that keep glucose levels steady are more desirable.

Tips to make recipes diabetes friendly:

* Start with their favorite recipes. Use different substitutions to lower the carb count to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

* Use rice instead of pasta. Shrimp or chicken goes just as well atop rice as atop pasta. Try brown rice. It is healthier for the body, and has a lower glycemic load (glucose is released more slowly into the bloodstream).

Pasta con funghi e piselli (Photo credit: davide.santoni)* Try low carb pastas. There are several on the market today in many pasta varieties besides spaghetti.

* Make your own sauces. Store-bought sauces contain a lot of hidden sugars. Get the kids involved and show them how to make spaghetti sauce, pesto sauce, Alfredo sauce and others from scratch using wholesome ingredients and less carbs. Not only will they be healthier, they'll also taste better! (And by making your own from scratch, you're not just avoiding sugar - you're also staying clear of lots of nasty preservatives, trans-fats, and excess salt.)

* Add spice. Instead of adding sugar, try using different spices to jazz up foods. For instance, lower the sugar amount in muffin recipes and add applesauce and other flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg and citrus zest.

* Check labels. It is almost always healthier to start meals from scratch then trying to use prepared meals - and surprisingly, often almost as easy. Kids learn to cook with fresh foods and appreciate their flavors without adding sugar or extra carbs, thus setting them on a healthier path for life.

If your child is diabetic, they can still enjoy their favorite foods with a few substitutions - and if you are diabetic yourself, try some of these options as well - you might be surprised at how tasty it can be to eat healthy!

Be sure to check back later this week for some tasty diabetes-friendly recipes you can make from scratch!

Recipe - Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes

Love this video! I am a fan of a somewhat-Paleo diet, and all the ingredients he mentions are awesome and I am excited to try them. These actually could be called "Super Food Pancakes," as they contain multiple superfoods - oats, nuts, and blueberries - and coconut oil comes close to being another one as well! They pack a powerhouse of nutrition - protein, fiber, antioxidants, etc., and will keep you going for quite a while.

I would prefer to use honey or maple syrup rather than stevia, which I don't care for the taste of that much, but feel free to use what you like. All the ingredients here are whole, real, natural foods, and the combination sounds delicious!  I don't know why he does it as one and cuts it up - seems like it would be easier to make 4 smaller ones to start with, but feel free to experiment and see what works best for you.

Enjoy!

How to Make Oatmeal Pancakes - Terry Shanahan
www.theshanahanplan.com - A quick 5 min recipe to make healthy oatmeal pancakes. For more healthy recipes, visit my video blog above.

Recipe - Oat Pecan Cream Bars

Besides a breakfast cereal, a favorite way to eat oats is in breads, muffins, and desserts. Oats add a hearty texture and nutty taste, and are a great way to incorporate some fiber and some of the other nutritional benefits of oats into your diet - in a form everyone will eat! While you don't want to eat oatmeal cookies for breakfast every day, it's certainly okay to have them as a treat from time to time, and you know at least part of the ingredients are healthy.

These tasty bars make a yummy, hearty after-dinner snack, and you can cut down on the sugar, or substitute honey or other natural sweeteners if desired.

Oat Pecan Brown Sugar Bars

Image via WikipediaIngredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup sugar (or honey)
2 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar (for topping)
3/4 cup chopped, lightly toasted pecans

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, or butter.
• In large bowl, put butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and white sugar (or honey).
• Mix with electric beater until light and fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, water, and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well blended.
• Add oats, flour, and baking soda and blend well with a wooden spoon until a dough is formed.
• Spread dough in bottom of baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove and place on rack to cool.
• Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
• In a new cold bowl, add egg whites and beat with electric mixer until light and foamy.
• Slowly add 1/2 cup brown sugar, continuing to beat until you get stiff peaks.
• Distribute this mixture over the bars, spreading to edges of pan. 
• Put pecans on top, sprinkling evenly. Put in 325 degree oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned.
• Remove and cool for 10 minutes on a rack.
• Cut into bars, then when cooled completely, remove from pan and serve.

Oats - A Super Food For A Strong & Healthy Heart

Oats gained a special distinction as a super food back in 1997 when the Food and Drug Administration made the claim that there is an association between a diet high in oats and a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. With that announcement, oats, oatmeal, oat bran, and oat flour skyrocketed in popularity amount the whole grains, placing it right up there in the top 10 super foods. Let's take a look at what else this well known, but not totally understood, grain has to offer.

Super Nutrition for a Long Life

oats before blending (Photo credit: sweetbeetandgreenbean)We know that oats, along with other whole grains, provide protection against heart disease, potentially extending the lifespan of people who include this food regularly in their diets. That would seem to be enough of a reason to add oats to your diet, but there's more. This is a high fiber, high protein food that's low in calories and rich in important vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, and selenium.

Beta glucan is the main ingredient responsible for lowering serum cholesterol levels. Oats also contain special antioxidants called avenanthramides. Together these two elements have been shown to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels when oats are consumed on a regular basis.

Oats have a low glycemic index which means the energy from this food burns slowly and stays with you to satisfy your hunger for a longer period of time. Having nutrients released slowly into the bloodstream and throughout the body helps stabilize blood sugar levels, eliminating the spikes which can cause many health problems, concentration problems, and dieting problems. In addition, the B vitamins contribute to strong healthy skin, nails, and hair.

Along with other whole grains, studies have found that consuming oats can aid in the battle against breast cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and asthma in children. With this sort of super food on your side, why wouldn't you eat it?

Countless Ways to Enjoy

Oats are an inexpensive and widely available grain that can be easily incorporated into meals at any time of day. Oats are easy to store in containers or airtight bags, and have a very long shelf life.

A bowl of hot cereal in the morning is the most familiar way oats are served. Whether you buy raw oatmeal or quick cooking, you are starting off with a good basis for nutrition. Vary the toppings and you vary the recipe enough to eat servings of oatmeal a number of times each week without getting bored. Add berries, nuts, stevia, or protein powders to boost the flavor and superpowers of your oatmeal.

Oat Pumpkin Pancakes (Photo credit: digiyesica)Besides breakfast cereal, there are a number of other ways to incorporate oats into your daily diet. Oats can provide a toasty coating for baked or broiled fish, and are often used to make hearty muffins, cookies, and other desserts. Don't forget about convenient trail mixes or granola bars. Oats are often the central ingredient in those tasty treats.

Mixing oatmeal in as a binder in ground meat for burgers, meatloaf, and meatballs is another way to 'sneak' more nutrition into your diet. Oats also play center stage in a number of bread recipes, whether as a main ingredient or to add just a bit of heartiness and crunch. (Be sure to check back later this week for some tasty recipes to add more oats to your diet!)

As part of your healthy diet, incorporating up to three servings of whole grains a day is recommended by many nutritionists and health experts. Oats provide enough significant benefits for healthy living to make them a vital part of your good diet.

Video - Healthy Snack Wrap Recipe

Here is a really tasty-looking snack wrap, which is healthy and super easy to make. You can add many different kinds of vegetables - whatever you like or have on hand, but I would always recommend chopping them yourself - not buying cut or grated veggies like she mentions in the video. Almost all vegetables (and fruits) begin to oxidize and lose nutrition quickly as soon as they are cut, so you don't want to buy cut veggies that have been sitting in the store for several days - most of the nutrients will already be gone. Instead choose whole veggies, and use a food processor if you like, to quickly chop or grate small amounts as needed. This way you are getting the full nutritional content of the vegetable.

And of course, for the most nutrition possible, grow your own, or buy local at a farmer's market or CSA, to get them as close to harvest as possible!

Enjoy - this made me hungry just watching!

Healthy Cooking Lessons : Healthy Snacks Recipes
A great, healthy snack recipe is to spread Neufchatel cheese on a whole wheat tortilla, add sprouts, carrots and bell peppers, and roll up the tortilla with the vegetables inside. Cut the rolled tortilla into pieces for a more appealing presentation ...

Snack Recipe-Peanut Butter and Apricot Balls

Here is a fun recipe the kids will love! Combining dried fruit with peanut butter provides protein and fiber, making it a filling snack as well as a tasty one. If your little ones get feisty with too many sweets, feel free to omit the sugar - the dried fruit will make it sweet enough anyway.

Image via WikipediaPeanut Butter and Apricot Balls
Yields about 20

Ingredients:
¼ cup low-fat granola
¼ cup dried apricots, chopped
¼ cup sultanas (or chopped raisins)
¼ cup shredded carrots
¾ cup smooth natural peanut butter (avoid the ones like Jif, which are full of sugar and processed oils)
2 tbsp soft brown sugar

Instructions:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the granola, sugar, sultanas, apricots and carrots. 
• Add in the peanut butter, a bit at a time, and mix in well. 
• Chill the mixture in the fridge overnight to set. 
• Next day, form into about 20 balls and place in the fridge for a few hours to chill.

Makes a delicious and healthy snack for the whole family.

Healthy Snacks for the Whole Family

Eating healthy is not just for adults, but everyone. Even if one person needs to lose weight in a family, the entire group can benefit from eating a bit better. Here are some ideas for healthy snacks for the family.

Image via WikipediaSnacking is necessary. Many think that snacking is what kills your diet and ruins all of your hard work, but that is not the truth. In fact, many eating plans encourage snacking.

Eating three meals a day is a thing of the past. When you eat several small meals each day, your metabolism is stoked all day and you burn more calories. More calories burned equals more weight lost.

Snacks play an integral part in this equation. By eating a little something mid-morning and mid-afternoon, you keep the hunger at bay. If you can get out ahead of those hunger pains, they you will always feel satisfied and never deprived.

Snacking helps to curb overeating. If you ate breakfast at nine and are waiting until one o’clock for lunch, you will be mighty hungry by the time you get to eat. Having a small snack in between helps you to eat less at lunch because you aren’t as hungry. You can portion sizes better than if you were ravenous.

Healthy Snack Ideas

Here are some healthy snack ideas that you can buy or make at home to satisfy everyone’s needs.

* Veggies and dip – This is a snack that you can chomp on while watching the basketball play-offs or a scary movie. Choose your favorite raw vegetables and use fat free veggie dip or even hummus to add flavor to your snack.

Image via Wikipedia* Fruit – Fruit is a great idea. For one, it helps to curb the sweet tooth with its natural sweetness. Eating whole fruit also provides more fiber for your diet. Fiber keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer than eating a candy bar for a snack. If you want, invest in a food dehydrator and create easy-to-carry dried fruit snacks to eat whenever you need a boost.

* Boiled eggs – They are not just for breakfast. Carry a couple with you on a long trip or car ride. They are packed with protein. Protein at every meal, particularly breakfast, will fight the cravings better than anything.

* Trail Mix – Make this at home and carry it anywhere. Store bought is okay but it can contain extra calories or ingredients that you don’t like. Homemade trail mix only contains what you like, so you know what's in it and can control fat and sugar content. Fix enough for a week at a time and store. Try peanuts, granola, dried fruit, raisins, almonds, dark chocolate pieces and various types of nuts and seeds.

* Granola Bars -- These can be tasty and filling, but they can also be filled with a lot of sugar. While most are better than candy bars, if you do want to grab a granola bar for convenience, instead try one of the newer whole food bars. These will keep you full longer, without all the added sugar and oils. Try the Larabar - a whole food bar containing nothing but dried fruit and nuts - they're delicious, healthy, and easy to eat on the run. 

The simplest snacks are sometimes the best. It doesn’t take much to fill you up and keep you going between meals. Snacking healthy can benefit the whole family.

Recipe - Coconut Cocoa Oatmeal Drop Cookies

We don't usually post a lot of dessert recipes here, but hey, dessert is okay once in a while too! Depriving yourself of everything you crave leads to binge eating, which as we all know is not healthy. Packed with cocoa, coconut, and oatmeal, these hearty cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth - and they're drop cookies, so they're easy to whip up from scratch in a jiffy - no artificial flavorings or preservatives here! The secret is in moderation - try these next time you get a craving - just remember to stick to a few, and put the others in the cookie jar for later!

Enjoy!

Coconut Cocoa Oatmeal Drop CookiesImage via Wikipedia
(Makes about 4 dozen.)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed solid
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the butter and both sugars in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer until well blended, light and fluffy.
3. With beater running on slow, add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
4. In separate bowl, blend together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, then slowly add to butter mixture with beaters running until blended.
5. Add the coconut and oats and stir with a large spoon until mixture is well blended.
6. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet by tablespoons and bake 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, let cool for a minute, then slide off onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe - Mozzarella Swiss Chard Snack Wraps

Here is an interesting one to try, especially if, like me, you get a lot of Swiss Chard in your CSA share, and are wondering what to do with it! The cheese makes these a great way to get your kids to eat some vegetables, and you can add your own creative touches as well - try different kinds of cheese, add red pepper flakes if you want a little kick, or add other vegetables as well.

Try it, and see what you think!

Image via WikipediaMozzarella Swiss Chard Snack Wraps
(Makes 8 snack wraps)

Ingredients:
8 large Swiss chard leaves
1 large (or 2 medium) ripe tomato, cut into 8 wedges
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp onion flakes
salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil a large baking sheet.
2. Put big pot of water on stove and bring to a boil; drop Swiss chard leaves in for about 30 seconds, just long enough to soften, remove and drain on rack.
3. Lay leaves out on prepared baking pan and brush each with olive oil lightly.
4. Place a tomato wedge in the center of each leaf, sprinkle with a little onion flakes, season with salt and pepper, then divide the mozzarella cheese evenly on top of each leaf. 
5. Roll the leaves up and over the tomato and cheese, tucking under to close.
6. Place in preheated oven at 400 degrees and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and Swiss chard is starting to brown around the edges.
7. Serve hot.

Healthy Kitchen Tips: Prevent Food-Borne Illnesses

Eating healthy foods will help you to boost your immune system, but what if it’s the foods themselves making you sick? Food-borne illness can cause food poisoning and a variety of other more dangerous diseases, so they are a real threat to our bodies. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to prevent food-borne illnesses. Following safety tips when handling, preparing, and storing food is very important.

Image via WikipediaFirst and foremost, you should be concerned with the temperature of your foods. When cooking meat, make sure to use a thermometer in order to make sure that your meat is reaching proper temperatures inside. Some meats, like beef steaks or roasts, can be served rare safely, but proper temperatures for cooking are crucial. This kills any bacteria that may be growing on the meat. In the case of burgers and other loaf meats that have been ground and formed into patties, you should not eat rare meats. The bacteria can then be found inside the meat as well as on the outside, and you are at risk if you do not cook these meats for a long enough period of time to kill any bacteria.

After your food is cooked, you should continue to monitor temperature. Simply put, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods should be kept at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while cold foods should be kept at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The range between that is where bacteria can grow. When letting food cool for refrigeration, stir frequently to help cool more quickly, and place in the refrigerator after no more than two hours. When thawing meals - especially meats, do so in a bowl or pan in the refrigerator, rather than at room temperature.

Image via WikipediaCross contamination is a huge culprit when you are concerned with preventing illness and your food. Cross contamination is basically the moving of bacteria from one dish to another. This happens when you use dirty cutting boards, don’t wish your dishes properly, and use the same utensil for all of your foods. If you use, for example, a knife to cut raw chicken and then use that same knife to cut your food after it has been cooked, some of the bacteria from the raw chicken has probably remained on the knife, which can make you very ill. Make sure that you are using a clean work space and clean tools whenever you cook.

Along with using a clean environment, you should make sure that you are washing your hands regularly. Every time you touch raw foods, you should use disinfecting hand soap and hot water before and afterwards to make sure that no bacteria remains on your hands. Making sure that your food is safe is one of the most important parts of healthy eating, so don’t overlook this step the next time you prepare a meal. Following the simple tips above can help ensure that your food stays clean and healthy, and so do you.

Video - Cajun Cooking - The Holy Trinity

Here is a Cajun cooking video describing the "holy trinity" of ingredients - he shows some good chopping techniques, and the proper ratio of these important ingredients for most Cajun dishes, as well as making a good vegetable stock, and some sauteing tips.

If you want to try Cajun cooking yourself, this is a great beginner's video to help learn some simple tips that will yield you some tasty results!

Cajun Easy Cooking - "Cajun Holy Trinity"
This is a fun cooking video that is the first episode in a planned series of the soon to be famous hit internet series, Cajun Easy Cooking. For home chefs and amateur cooks who want to experience the tastes and styles of Cajun cuisine, Cajun Easy Coo...

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