Jun 9, 2011 Posted by Jennifer on Jun 9, 2011 in diabetic, Dinner Idea, personal | 5 comments

Lettuce cups and Day 5

Over the weekend, I was trying to figure out what to make for lunch when I hadn’t gone to the store yet. I was cleaning out my freezer when I saw a package of ground turkey, and I had some frozen veggies, then I had a few fresh carrots and green onion and butter lettuce, so I decided to make lettuce cups.

This would be great to use up leftover veggies at the end of the week.

I used:

ground turkey – about 4 oz.
frozen carrots and peas
fresh carrots
green onions
garlic
butter lettuce
your favorite stir fry sauce – I use House of Tsang brand peanut sauce)

Cook turkey in a small skillet until no longer pink, add the veggies and cook for another 5-7 minutes and then add your favorite stir fry sauce. Take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and put it in the lettuce cup and fold up and eat. So good and easy to make!

So I have finished Day 5 of my goal of 100 days of getting some type of exercise. I rode my bike to and from work (3.4 miles) and even though it was 95 degrees, I walked for 30 minutes during lunch. Did I want to do that? Nope! Was I glad I did when it was over? YES!

On my walk I was thinking about Kelly who frequently walks a few miles during her lunch break. And I knew my sister Biz would be doing some type of exercise (she rode her bike for 50 minutes!). So those two people inspired me to move during lunch.

We had my daughter’s softball game last night..it was a nail biter, down the whole game and then we scored the last inning to win the game! It was a great time!

Have a great day!! It’s thunderstorms right now, so I won’t be able to ride my bike today to work, so I’ll have to think of something else.

Feb 15, 2011 Posted by Jennifer on Feb 15, 2011 in breakfast, diabetic, dieting, general ideas, product review, Side dish, soup, stir fry | 13 comments

Pearl Barley + Product Review

This is another first for me. I’ve never tried pearl barley before, but ended up picking some up from the store over the weekend. You don’t have to buy this brand, any grocery store sells this near the rice, dried beans, lentils. And the best part is? It’s super cheap!

It does take a long time to cook. 45 minutes, so you need to either make a batch ahead of time, or plan accordingly if you are going to make this. I wasn’t sure what the texture would be like, but once it was cooked and I tasted it, I LOVED it! It’s kind of chewy, but soft at the same time.

Since it was the first time making it, I just added a diced green onion, carrots, red pepper and a little stir fry sauce as a snack.

For a one cup cooked serving, it’s only 193 calories. It has 12% of your iron for the day as well as 24% of the fiber you need. It’s low in fat, and is known to help lower cholesterol, maintain blood sugar levels, so its helpful for diabetics, as well as it helps keep you fuller longer.

You can use it in stir fries, in soups, stews, casseroles, etc…

I plan to make like a breakfast dish with it tomorrow, with a little cheese and chopped up egg + veggies!

Have you had pearl barley before? What do you make with it?

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Also, I wanted to tell you about Mom’s Best Naturals Cereals. I was sent 2 of their cereals, as well as a box of Kashi and Kellogg’s to compare the taste and see if I saw a difference(as part of their Mom’s Best Natural’s Better Breakfast Challenge). I actually don’t buy cereal that often because of the price factor. I’m not willing to fork over $5.00 + for a box of sugary cereal that my kids will devour in two seconds. However, one thing about Mom’s Best Naturals is that its 20-50% less than other brands. (I like that!)

Mom’s Best Naturals uses high quality ingredients, without preservatives, artificial colorings and high fructose corn syrup. Mom’s Best also is devoted to the environment, looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint by reducing waste and reducing water usage.

If you leave a comment, Mom’s Best will be giving a lucky reader a prize.

To find a store near you that sells this: CLICK HERE

Apr 9, 2010 Posted by Jennifer on Apr 9, 2010 in cookies, diabetic, News | 7 comments

Cookie experiment – and it worked!

I’ve had this cookbook for a long time now, but more recently I’ve been reading it. I never knew just how informational this book actually is! Well last night I wanted to make chocolate chip cookies for my kids lunches and I used his recipe, which is pretty much the same as the tollhouse cookie recipe. So, I got the butter out, put the brown sugar and sugar in and started to mix. I went to the fridge to get the eggs, but guess what? I had no eggs! Rats! I looked at the clock. It was 9:00 p.m., I was in my jammies…should I just put my raincoat on and run out? No, I didn’t have that much energy. Then I remembered my fried Celine who is Vegan and has a great blog called Have Cake Will Travel. I didn’t need eggs…I had ground flax seed! Did you know that a lot of Vegans use ground flax seed in place of eggs? I had read before that in place of one egg, you can use 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water. So, in place of 2 eggs, I measured out 2 tablespoons of the ground flax seed and 6 tablespoons of warm water.

I continued adding the rest of the ingredients and the batter looked just like it should have. I put the batter on the cookie sheet and set my timer for 7 minutes. I have a very unreliable oven, so I always go low in case they get burned! Well, when the timer went off, I opened the oven and the cookies were…ummm….flat and crispy! Hmmm…what to do. I hate wasting batter, so I added some more flour and tried again. This time they were a little better, but I decided to add even more flour and try a third time. Well, the third time was a charm! They turned out just like regular cookies, and you never would have known there were no eggs in the batter!

Basic Chocolate Chip cookies adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix the butter and sugar together. In a small bowl, add the ground flax seed and water and stir together. Add that to the butter and sugar mixture and add the rest of the ingredients until combined.

My oven is weird, but these were done at 7-8 minutes at 375, but you oven might be more normal and it could go up to 10 minutes.

My family loved these! So, even if you don’t have all the ingredients you need, sometimes you can always improvise!

Have you ever used ground flax seed in place of eggs in recipes??

Apr 8, 2010 Posted by Jennifer on Apr 8, 2010 in dessert, diabetic, News | 4 comments

Guest post – Healthy desserts!

Hi everyone! I have my first ever guest post! I would like to thank Kitty for writing this post about some healthy recipe ideas!

Healthy Desserts by Kitty Holman

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about diets is that you have to starve yourself, and that you have to avoid anything that tastes good. But that’s not true! It’s possible to make and enjoy healthy desserts that won’t ruin your diet lifestyle but that still offer the same great tastes you’ve come to love. Here are just a few:

Baby tiramisu
This is an easy, low-calorie alternative to the Italian dessert, appropriate for diabetics, and low in cholesterol, carbs, sodium, and saturated fat. You’ll need:
1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ladyfingers (about 1 3/4 ounces)
4 tablespoons brewed espresso, or strong coffee, divided
2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips, melted

Combine the ricotta, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Arrange six of the ladyfingers in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and lightly drizzle with 2 tbsps espresso. Spread the ricotta mix over the ladyfingers, and then place the other layer of ladyfingers over the ricotta and drizzle with the remaining espresso. Then it’s time to drizzle the melted chocolate. Refrigerate the dish until the chocolate sets (about half an hour).

Broiled mango
This is another quick, easy dessert that’s simple to make and fun to eat. All you’ll need is one mango, peeled and sliced, and some lime wedges. Lay the mango slices on a broiler pan that’s been lined with foil. Preheat your oven’s broiler and place the rack in upper third of the oven. Broil the slices for 8-10 minutes, until they’re browned in spots. That’s it! Squeeze the lime wedges over them and serve. The tasty, sweet dessert is low in calories, carbs, cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fat, and it’s a heart-healthy treat, as well.

Pineapple-raspberry parfaits
These are ridiculously easy, and a great end to a smart meal! They’re also low in calories and cholesterol, and suitable for diabetics. Here’s what you’ll need:
2 8-ounce containers (2 cups total) of nonfat peach yogurt
1/2 pint of fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen or canned pineapple chunks

All you have to do is divide the yogurt into four glasses and layer it with the raspberries and pineapples. It’s a quick, delicious dessert that’s also a great source of vitamin C.

There are more healthy desserts I’ll be highlighting on this blog over time, but these should get you started. Happy eating!

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Kitty Holman, who writes on the topics of Nursing Schools . She welcomes your comments at her email Id kitty.holman20@gmail.com.

Thanks for those great ideas Kitty! I have never made any of those desserts before, and I especially like the idea about broiled mango!

Jun 12, 2009 Posted by Jennifer on Jun 12, 2009 in diabetic, Dinner Idea, general ideas, lunch, News, potluck | 10 comments

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Since it really doesn’t feel like summer yet in Chicago, with highs in the 60′s and getting into the 40′s at night, I can still make comfort food like this, since we don’t need the air conditioner on yet!

I got this recipe from Diabetic Living Magazine. My sister is diabetic, and my Dad was diabetic, so its something I will always have to look out for. And especially since we are twins, I will most likely get it sometime in my life, I’m just hoping it will be a LONG time from now!

For the chicken, I used these great grilled chicken strips I bought from Aldi grocery store. They come in a big bag, frozen and they can be heated up in the microwave for a quick chicken taco, or added to soups and dishes like this.

I made a few varations, (like beans on the side), but I will post the original and you can adjust it to suit your tastes, or add things you like!

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup light dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast or turkey breast (about 8 ounces)
1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained, or 1 or 2 canned jalapeño chile peppers, rinsed, seeded, and fin
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Nonstick cooking spray
4 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup canned black beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For chicken filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, onion, bouillon granules, garlic, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Do not drain. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, nonfat dry milk powder, and flour; add to onion mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in chicken. Set filling aside.

2. In another small bowl, combine tomato sauce, chile peppers, and snipped cilantro. Set aside.

3. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange tortilla strips in the baking dish. Top with chicken filling. Top with beans. Top with tomato sauce mixture.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. If desired, garnish with cilantro leaves. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 (1-cup) servings.

*Test Kitchen Tip: Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Servings: 6 (1-cup) servings
Calories 219
Total Fat (g) 6
Saturated Fat (g) 3
Cholesterol (mg) 43
Sodium (mg) 420
Carbohydrate (g) 23
Fiber (g) 5
Protein (g) 19
Diabetic Exchanges
Starch (d.e.) 1
Vegetables (d.e.) .5
Very Lean Meat (d.e.) 2
Fat (d.e.) 1

*For the dry milk powder. I bought a box about a year ago for cookies I was making. (the cookies did NOT turn out good!) They come in pouches, and if you were to add water, its enough to make a gallon of milk. You can store these in your freezer and they will last forever. I have used them for making mac and cheese if I don’t have any milk on hand, you can add it to milk shakes to make them richer. I think I have only used 1 package the whole time, but its nice to have on hand in case you need it.