Cooking Made Simple

As a lover of many dairy products as well as having Type 2 Diabetes, I am always looking for more information on whether things are good for me or will increase my blood sugar levels. Regular cow milk seems to be a problem for many diabetics, but we seem to do fine with it. We typically drink full fat whole milk. It has fewer carbs than the lesser fat milk, but many of the lesser fat milks also add high fructose corn syrup, or other forms of sugar, to make the milk taste better. The higher fat helps to slow down the absorption of the sugars from the natural sugars in milk to sugars in other foods that may be eaten with milk.

There are other types of milk that do not come from cows, or any animal for that matter.  There is soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk and probably other types that I’m not aware of as well.

I gave soy milk a try and found it horrible tasting. It tasted like bean sprouts, which I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by that. It in no way was a substitute for cow milk in our house. I gave it away to someone that does like it. Because of my experience with the soy milk, I have been hesitant to try the almond milk. I’ve used coconut milk in recipes before, and like it, but again, not as a substitute for cow milk.  I don’t care for any other animal milk either, so I guess I will stick with the cow version. I do need to cut back some though, as I drink milk, eat cheese, real butter, real cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. They all just taste so good!

I have considered looking for raw milk. I believe it can be found in our neck of the woods of central Kansas. We will be checking and buying it if we can. The flavor and the freshness are better than pasteurized, not to mention the difference in vitamins and minerals. Check out the website I am linking to in order to find out for yourself some of the differences, and then decide which is right for you.

http://www.realmilk.com/whichchoose.html

With the weather growing warmer and summer knocking on our doors, we are beginning to enjoy the fresh bounty of fruits and vegetables found at the local farmer’s market. This week we were also lucky to get some wonderful leaf lettuce and a few pounds of fresh strawberries from a local client. The lettuce goes with the ham I roasted the other day to make some really tasty sandwiches, lettuce rolls (meat, cheese and veggie mix rolled up in lettuce leaves), plus salads.

As for the strawberries, some of them went into the freezer for future use, but I couldn’t resist making some homemade, sugar free strawberry ice cream. It was sooooo good! You could make this with sugar if you prefer, but for us, it has to be artificial sweetener. I am using a very basic base recipe and adding whatever flavor of the day.

The base recipe is heavy cream, half and half, sweetener and flavoring or whatever other ingredients needed for that particular flavor choice. For instance, when I make coconut ice cream, I will use part coconut milk and add unsweetened shredded coconut. This time I added a few handfuls of strawberries. Other ideas are different types of fruit or nuts. I like to use a blender to blend the fruit with the cream, and then mix it all together into a large measuring cup. I use an 8 cup measuring cup. The pour spout on the cup makes it easy to pour into the ice cream freezer. My freezer is the type with the gel canister instead of needing ice and salt to freeze it. There is an opening at the top where you can add the ingredients that you don’t want blended up, like the nuts. I pour the mix in through that hole and it freezes in about 20 minutes.

Ice cream freezers are going to be different, so simply adjust the recipe to fit your tastes as well as your ice cream maker. Here are some tips to help make great ice cream:

* Mix up the ingredients and then put them into the refrigerator for a number of hours or overnight as cold mix will freeze faster.

* Use fresh ingredients. Nothing can spoil your anticipated ice cream faster than bad ingredients.

* The higher the fat content, the less ice crystals you will get. I use heavy cream and half & half, which results in a really nice and smooth ice cream.

* Homemade ice cream doesn’t have all of the junk added in that store bought has, so it wont have the same consistency and smoothness.

* Use your imagination! Try different ingredients and find what you and your family like best.

* Be careful of how much sweetener or sugar you add. Taste a bit as you go so that it doesn’t get too sweet or a sweetener aftertaste. Fruit and/or sugar free flavored syrups will go far to sweeten without adding a lot of extra sweetener.

* If you like, stop the freezer shortly before it is frozen all the way, and have shakes instead of ice cream. Tasty and refreshing either way!

If you have a favorite or unusual flavor of ice cream that you love, let me know what it is, and maybe we will give it a try and post it here on the blog! I wont be trying anything too weird or gross though. No fish or bugs or anything like that! : o)

I could kick myself for forgetting to take a picture to share, but I will do so next time we have this meal, and then I will edit this, so check back later!

It is starting to get pretty warm in our area, and cooking a hot meal isn’t always what we want to do. Let me share about the meal we ate last night. It was light, fresh and delicious!

After letting a package of cream cheese come to room temperature, I stirred in some diced celery and chopped green onions. This we ate with celery and carrot sticks and a few Ritz crackers. Also, tomato slices and baby dill pickles on the side, and a few fresh strawberries for dessert. We were satisfied and loving the flavors of spring in our mouth. You could add some meat if you like, but I try to stay away from as much of the processed meat as I can. I think some shredded or small diced chicken or turkey would be tasty, but certainly not necessary. We really love green onions, so I used lots. Be sure to not eat too many of the Ritz crackers, as they are just empty calories and carbs. Tasty ones, but empty none-the-less.

If you have suggestions on a variation of this meal, let me know! We are always happy to hear from our readers and to try new dishes!

I have a guest post for today, about the differences between regular Half and Half, and the fat free version of Half and Half. I hope you enjoy this report.

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I’m not a medical doctor so take what I say here with the proverbial grain of salt (though be careful you don’t get too much because salt is… well, that’s a topic for another post!)

In the last 18 months my life has changed radically… again. As many of you know I was diagnosed with diabetes so it meant an intense change in my eating habits. I listened to some of the crap being pushed by the American Diabetes Association and the certified mouth-pieces working for the doctors (the medical kind) and it just didn’t sit right with me. Something, the logical part of my brain told me, wasn’t kosher.

I’ve learned to listen to that part of by thinking apparatus and so I began doing some serious research — not in the usual places, but not with the wing-nuts, either. I found some excellent resources and I encourage you do to your own looking around. Check out Gary Taubes for starters. If you don’t find the good stuff drop me a note and I’ll point you in the right direction.

My searching shone some serious light on the whole subject of obesity (especially in children!) and diabetes. They’re linked (obesity and diabetes) of course, but not as has so long been thought. Being diabetic isn’t a “fat people’s disease”; rather both actually stem from the same underlying cause, perhaps an immune deficiency. Once we understand that so much more falls into place.

The number one external factor leading to both obesity and diabetes is high fructose corn syrup and, it actually surprised me to find this out, it is almost everywhere, in almost every processed food — it’s even being added to packaged meat! Many people who think they are watching their diet and eating well are actually doing more harm than they know.

I started looking at the ingredient and nutrition facts sections of labels on just about everything and I was shocked at what I found. Let’s take one that’s way out on the fringe if you are dieting but, none-the-less, a choice you might find yourself making.

Half and half cream is bad for you, right? But if you like it what are you to do. Well, obviously, choose fat free half and half, right? Not so fast!

Regular half and half has about 315 calories per cup and 78% of that comes from fat. That’s bad, right?

Fat free half and half has about 145 calories per cup with only about 20% of that coming from fat.

That must be better, right? Well, it’s not exactly what it seems. Never mind that fat free still means that 20% of the calories come from fat in there somewhere, there are some other interesting numbers when you look a little deeper:

Regular half and half gets only about 13% of it’s calories (about 41) from carbohydrates and has less than 1/3 of a gram of sugar per cup, but fat free half and half gets 60% of it’s calories (about 81) from carbohydrates and has a whopping 12 grams of sugar per cup! Neither, by the way, has any dietary fiber.

So, for fat free half and half that’s 81 calories from carbs with 12 grams of sugar without any fiber. That’s NOT good. Not good at all!

As a diabetic sugar is a concern. But, even more interesting is the fact that the sugar in the fat free half and half comes from one of it’s main ingredients, high fructose corn syrup. And that’s a really bad thing whether you are diabetic or not. If you are a non-diabetic trying to lose weight (or just keep weight off in the first place) these numbers are really bad. Choosing fat free can actually lead to more weight gain than choosing the high-fat product.

And, it turns out, the fat apparently isn’t as bad for you as the scare mongers and corn pushers would have you believe. If you get rid of the high fructose corn syrup and eat the right foods it turns out the fat may actually be GOOD for you!

We’re being conned, folks. Seriously conned! We need to re-think the whole calories in – calories out doctrine that’s been spoon-fed to us over the years. That spoon feeding has been more of a cause of weight gain, perhaps, and the primary cause of most dieting plans failing.

Rev. Stephen B. Henry, PhD., is a website architect, researcher, writer, philosopher, and diabetic.

While looking through the freezer a couple of days ago, I came across a forgotten bag of frozen rhubarb. I don’t have a lot of experience with this vegetable, but remember my aunt making strawberry and rhubarb pies. I decided that I might as well try to make something good since we had it, and I like to experiment with foods.

I really wasn’t very fond of the results, but Steve liked it so I thought I would post about it for others that might like it too. It was very sour in a puckery way, so if you like sour, you might really like this!

I first cooked the rhubarb on the stove with some water, lots of Apriva sweetener and a healthy shake of cinnamon. It smelled delicious, and I had high hopes at this stage. By the time it thickened up it looked like a thick and pulpy sauce.

I then decided I wanted to put some type of top on it. Pie crust was my first thought, but I didn’t want to use any flour so I quickly passed on that idea. I then decided to use a small amount of oatmeal with some more Apriva and more cinnamon. Then it went into the oven for the top to get a little crispy. Once out of the oven I added a dollop of freshly whipped cream. I think I would have liked it better without the oatmeal part and with a little more Apriva in the rhubarb.

Rhubarb is commonly thought of as a fruit, though it is a vegetable, and one with lots of great health benefits! You should only eat the reddish stalks though, and never the leaves.

Rhubarb is an excellent dietary choice when you are wanting to increase your intake of dietary fiber, Protein, Vitamin K, Calcium, Potassium, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory in natural foods. Several people who suffer from allergies have reported that they were able to breathe easier after they ate several helpings of rhubarb.

Rhubarb is also helpful in easing menopause symptoms, it helps absorb bad cholesterol before it has a chance to become a problem, it helps counterbalance acidity in your digestive tract, helping to ease upset tummies.

The large amount of calcium found in rhubarb will help prevent the side effects usually associated with osteoporosis. It has also been shown to help prevent certain types of cancer tumors from growing by increasing the white blood cell count.

When I was a child, I was told, “Drinking coffee will stunt youor growth!” Only adults could drink it. As I grew up, I found that coffee was a flavor that you had to get used to. Well, I quickly got used to it and now I love to have coffee often. Steve and I typically drink a couple of 10 cup pots each day, between the two of us. Steve drinks more of it than I do and neither of us care for flavored coffee. Our favorite is Breakfast Blend from Gevalia. It is a little pricey, but it is far better than what we find at our grocery store. In a pinch, any coffee will do though!

While enjoying a steaming mug I decided to look up the health benefits of this delicious beverage and was pleasantly surprised to find that not only is it not bad for most of us, but it is actually good for us! The more the better! And it doesn’t make us short after all. : o)

I found an article here: http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food that has a lot of interesting information to read. I plan to do more research on this subject, as you should too, before being convinced, but it is certainly enough to make me interested in learning more!

According to the article, drinking 6 or more cups of coffee per day can greatly reduce the risk of becoming Diabetic. It also helps with things like colon cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, gallstones, boost mood and even help prevent cavities!

Read the article from the link posted above for the full story. I hope everyone finds this as interesting as I do! If you would like to know more about a certain food, send me an email and let me know! I will do some research and share what I find here. My email address is lorama@swbell.net. I always welcome visitors to email me, and in the mean time…have another cup!

We are happy to share with you today, an article written by one of our guests on the benefits of maple syrup. She shares some great information on the health benefits of maple syrup, and how it can help prevent the onset of Diabetes as well as slow cancer cell growth. As with all things, consult with your doctor or nutritionist about changing your diet.

We thank the author for contributing. You can find out about her at the end of this article. If you would like to share a guest blog here on the Cooking Made Simple site please contact Lora through the Contact page.

Da Vinci SUGAR FREE Blueberry Syrup with Splenda
750 ml

Great Ways to Help Diabetes Prevention with Maple Syrup

This is good news for people who are looking for healthy foods against cancer and diabetes. According to latest studies, your everyday maple syrup has a very strong potential in reducing the risk of diabetes and is very effective in slowing down the growth of cancer cells. The syrup holds the key in controlling these degenerative diseases.

Research on maple syrup shows that it has thirteen previously unknown antioxidant substances. These substances were only discovered recently by US researchers. According to the study, the active antioxidants of maple syrup are the key elements in controlling diabetes and cancer cells growth. Maple syrup is also effective in fighting infections.

The Anti-diabetes Properties of Maple Syrup

Maple syrup has high concentrations of phytohormone and abscisic acid. These properties can serve as your natural defense against diabetes and metabolic syndrome. They are capable of encouraging the release of insulin through the pancreatic cells. They are also capable of enhancing insulin sensitivity of fat cells. The study on maple syrup and its effects or impact on diabetes has been revealed before the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.

Rise and Shine Good Morning Breakfast Gift Basket

The Anti Cancer Potential of Maple Syrup

A study by researchers at the Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi, published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, implies that maple syrup can be more effective than broccoli, blueberries, carrots and tomatoes in significantly slowing cancerous cell growth in the brain, prostate, lungs and somewhat less significantly in the breast.

Your Tasty Alternative to Fight Cancer and Diabetes

Maple syrup can serve as your tasty alternative in fighting cancer and diabetes. There are many anti cancer foods today like blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and carrots. However, recent studies have shown that maple syrup is more effective against cancer compared to other anti cancer foods.

Laboratory testing results also show that the syrup is more potent compared to the maple sap. It is also ideal to use the pure dark syrup rather than the lighter syrup. Dark syrup has high color oxidation.

This is the reason why darker maple syrup should be preferred. So if you want a better alternative to fight cancer and diabetes, then your favorite maple syrup is a good option.

Reference: Journal of medicinal food. 01/02/2010; ISSN: 1557-7600, OI: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0029

About the Author – Sandy W. Harris writes for the diabetic candy recipes blog, her personal hobby website focused on healthy recipes ideas to prevent, cure and manage diabetes.

We love garlic at our house, and I use lots of it in my cooking. The smells that fill the house when I make spaghetti are enough to drive someone crazy! Garlic and onions, and all those Italian seasonings! They just smell so good together! I think I might have to make spaghetti tonight!

Garlic is related to onions, and is often times referred to as a stinking rose. You can get it in a variety of forms. We really like the packages of peeled garlic cloves. They are ready to go, no mess, no fuss. You can also buy whole bulbs of garlic, which contain a number of cloves but you have to peel them. Their skin is papery, sort of like the skin on an onion. Sometimes we buy garlic in a jar that has been minced. This is good, but not as good as the fresh cloves. If you don’t use a lot of garlic, you may prefer to buy it as garlic powder or dry minced garlic.

Not only does garlic taste good, but it has tons of health benefits as well. It has been used for thousands of years to treat heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure. It is also used to ward off colds, and to fight coughs and regulate blood sugar levels. It was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene during World War I and World War II, and it has even been used to make mouthwash. Garlic cloves are used as a remedy for infections (especially chest problems), digestive disorders, and fungal infections such as thrush. It has also shown to be beneficial in treating some of the symptoms of AIDS. Is there any reason NOT to eat garlic???

Chocolate. Dark, melty and delicious chocolate. I even love the word…chocolate. I’ve been assuming that good chocolate was out of the picture for us since becoming Diabetics. You know what happens when you assume! Well, I was wrong, and I wasted a whole year+ of not having the heavenly pleasure of just buying a chocolate bar and eating it. I’ve made chocolaty treats using unsweetened bakers chocolate, melting it and mixing it with some heavy cream and sucralose sweetener, but it’s different to pick up a chocolate bar from the store to eat. I was missing out!

I have found in some online reading that it is ok for Diabetics to try really dark chocolate at 70% cacao or higher. I turned my nose up at the thought though, and just kept feeling sorry for myself. One day while shopping with my daughter, we came across a couple chocolate bars that were marked down in their price, so I took it as a sign from God that I MUST give this chocolate a try. Thanks to God I now know that 72% cacao and even 86% cacao bars are a wonderful treat! At first the flavor is a little shocking because our mouths expect the chocolate that we have always given it, but after a moment you begin to really taste it. Letting the chocolate melt on your tongue allows you to really enjoy the true flavor of the cacao. To me, there is a slight dark berry flavor at the end. There is no need for a whole chocolate bar at once. Just one square can usually satisfy my cravings. We have only tried a couple of brands so far, but our favorite is

Ghirardelli Intense Dark Premium Dark Chocolate Assortment 20.26 ounce bag

This package gives you a choice of 60% or 72% cacao. We also enjoy

Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark 86% Cacao Midnight Reverie Gift Bag

Besides, chocolate is good for us, right?! If you have a favorite brand of chocolate bar that is 70% cacao or higher, let us know and we will give it a try and post a review!

If you have been reading my blog, you know that both my husband, Steve, and I have type 2 diabetes. We were both diagnosed at the same time in October of 2008. At that time I started educating myself on diabetes and healthier living. I am committed to getting us into the best health that we can be in. After having cancer 3 years ago (and lymphedema in my legs as a result of the surgery), fibromyalgia for a number of years and now the diabetes, I know that our time on this earth can be much shorter than we thought. We have to do what we can to try to extend our stay for those that love us and that we love back. It has been almost 2 years since I lit up a cigarette, and we made drastic changes in our diets. Constant chronic pain from the fibromyalgia really cause the exercising to be difficult, so I’m still working on that one.

While researching healthy diets, I came across some things written by a man named Gary Taubes. Be sure to check out his book,

Good Calories, Bad Calories:
Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health

for so much more information about this, but in a nutshell, dietary fat is NOT the enemy! Moderation is still our friend though!

We decided to give this concept a try. For the past year we have been eating 2-4 eggs each, daily, plus bacon, nuts, legumes, oatmeal, real butter, whole milk, heavy cream and a lot of cheese are all a regular part of our diet. Plenty of veggies and some fruit too, of course! It is harder to do this than one would think! We have been brainwashed for so long about eating low fat foods, and it really is tough to overcome that thinking! We love eating these things though, as they taste good and are more filling and satisfying as well. It helps us actually, to keep our portions smaller.

Last week we had some routine blood work done at the doctors office. We needed to have our HbA1C’s checked and they tested for a few other things at the same time. We had EXCELLENT results! Steve’s A1C was down to 6.0% and mine is down to 5.4%! We are very happy with these results, and it shows that our choices are right for the diabetes part of our health! We also found out that our cholesterol is down. DOWN! I’m not sure where Steve was on his before now, but his level is 161 and mine has gone from 225 down to 180. I’m not sure on the specifics for other tests yet, still waiting on the paper to come in the mail, but they called us with these results and we are so relieved that all this saturated fat hasn’t been bad for us!

We will continue with the higher fat and lower carb diet, and hope to see more changes as we go. We definitely have noticed some positive changes in the way we feel, and I’m convinced now that we are moving in the right direction. Now we need to really focus on losing more weight as well!

I am very interested to hear from others with experience in losing a lot of weight, diabetes control, or overall general health improvements! Leave a comment here on my blog, or send me an email!