Mmmmmushrooms!

Since time immemorial, I've always been a big fan of mushrooms. Portobello, oyster, button, shitake, or whatever—there is no edible fungi sold in the grocery store that I never liked. Mushrooms of every kind, shape, size, and yes, even color have always been at the top of my fave foods list. Mixed with other veggies or just cooked a la carte, these delectable fungi are a staple in my and Joani's weekly diet. Having a low glycemic index due to little carbohydrate content, they supply the body with soluble fibre, which has been identified to regulate blood sugar levels. Besides this, I found out thru research that mushrooms could also curb appetite and are low in fat but high in water content, hence they can benefit people like me who need to seriously participate in an effective weight loss program soon.

Before, TV snacks meant popping a bowl of popcorn in the microwave. However, after I have successfully cooked a batch of my own version of mushroom fritters (I got the idea of making them after tasting an appetizer of crispy fried mushrooms at a nearby restaurant.), what was once Joani's seemingly never-ending love affair with popcorn finally came to an end. Well, popcorn, especially unsalted and unbuttered, is not really bad provided she does not eat too much. But mushrooms are far more nutritious and tastier.

Get a load of my version of these crispy mushroom goodies!

Mushroom Fritters

25-35 pieces of oyster mushrooms, washed in clear running water

1 egg beaten

1 cup flour

1 pack spicy or garlic flavored meat breading mix

2 cups canola oil for frying

Dip:

¼ cup tomato juice

¼ cup chopped stewed tomatoes

1 red onion cubed

1 red bell pepper cubed

1 green bell pepper cubed

1 tbsp. Splenda or any sugar substitute

1/8 tsp. Salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

½ of a beef bullion cube

Procedure:

Start making the dip first.

1. Heat the 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet.
2. Stir fry the onions until translucent. Follow with the bell peppers, red and green. Cook for one minute.
3. Add in the stewed tomatoes and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Pour in the tomato juice.
5. Add the beef bullion, sugar and seasonings. Adjust according to taste.
6. Let boil. Then simmer for 5 more minutes. Set aside.

Now for the fritters.

1. Heat oil in deep fryer.
2. Mix the flour and breading mix in a bowl. Place the beaten egg in a separate bowl.
3. Dip each mushroom in egg first, and then roll in the flour mixture.
4. Deep fry on high fire until golden brown. Do not crowd the fryer, so mushrooms would cook evenly and won't stick together.
5. Drain in paper towels when done.

Serve the mushroom fritters immediately (best enjoyed warm) with the bowl of dip on the side. Enjoy!

Pleasurable Changes for the Better

Going grocery shopping has always been a pleasure for me and Joani. Like me, the delight and excitement sweeping across her face upon seeing all those foods on display, as we enter the grocery store, is immediate. Something about being surrounded by shelves filled with rows upon rows of food of every imaginable kind fills our hearts with glee like no other. Apparently, having a love for food and a hearty appetite to match is inherent in our family genes, I and Joani in particular. Thus, it is unsurprising why I grew to be the size of the blimp I am today. But on Joani's part, her fondness for food has nothing to do with her acquiring juvenile diabetes.

Speaking of diabetes, ever since Joani's diagnosis, we have radically changed our style of grocery shopping. Gone are those days when we just gave in to the compulsion of grabbing any food item that caught our fancy, and dumping them in our cart without looking at the nutrition label. You just can't take any chances with diabetes when it comes to food. The risk of throwing caution to the wind is so great that Joani and I had seriously resolved to conform to strict dietary standards mandated by her doctor, every time we have to pay the grocery a visit.

It is not easy, believe me. And resisting the temptation of all those sweets and tasty foods that are major no-no's in Joani's diet, as we enter the grocery, can prove too much at times. Needless to say, the need to conform has sapped half the excitement we experience every time we do our grocery shopping. Yes, we still find it pleasurable to be in the grocery store. But the thought of having to avoid certain sections, so as not to get tempted, not only reduced our shopping hours, but our shopping pleasure as well. A real bummer, I know. But diabetes left me and Joani with very little choice, or maybe none at all.

On the upside, though it took quite some time to get used to, changing our grocery shopping ways has paved the way toward our becoming healthy eaters. The shopping experience may have declined somewhat, but the excitement of cooking up delicious meals stayed intact. In fact, it made it even more exciting than ever. The challenge of coming up with great tasting meals that would conform to the dietary standards set for Joani thrilled me so. As with everything else done during the first time, I have had my fair share of flops—tasteless foods, burnt or uncooked ones, you name it. However, with practice, I got better at it. Over time, I finally learned the ins and outs of good diabetic cooking, that these days, more often than not, I find myself looking forward to cooking up our latest grocery finds even more than the process of hunting them down at the grocery store.

Someone to Lean On

Caring for a child who is diabetic is just like having diabetes yourself. As the parent or guardian, the burden of managing his or her illness rests on your shoulders. In my case, the responsibility of teaching Joani how to control her condition thru proper diabetes management is a 24/7 affair. Being just a child, I cannot expect her to be as diligent and attentive to her health needs as she ought to be. However, even at her young age, Joani has shown remarkable maturity in handling herself well despite the restrictions posed by juvenile diabetes. 

I could never be more proud of my little angel. Thus, I have promised to stay strong for her through thick and thin. Even if she gets old enough to be left on her own, as her guardian, and in fulfillment of my promise to Anita, I would always back her up to ensure that she steers clear of any complications that could arise from diabetes. Valiant as this may appear, I know that taking on the hurdle of managing diabetes for life is far from easy, even if I am not the one directly affected by it.

For Joani to stay strong, she would need the support of her loved ones, especially mine. But being a flawed, fragile human being like every one else, I am afraid that time will come and my strength of heart and mind would wane, or worse fail (I do hope not.). Though inevitable, this is an option I can never take or allow to happen. Thus, I resolved to nurture my own will power and inner strength by seeking support from friends, loved ones, and diabetes associations online.

These days, provided there is a computer or laptop, the convenience afforded by diabetes virtual communities make seeking support and resource assistance so much easier than before. Browsing through the net, I found five dependable sites offering the kind of support and assistance we can use in our fight against diabetes. Check them out below:

• Children with Diabetes
  http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/
  The online community for children(juvenile diabetics), their families, and adults with diabetes.
• Diabetes Forum
  http://www.diabetesforum.com/
  A virtual community for diabetics
• Talkdiabetes
  http://talkdiabetes.net/forum/
  A social network for diabetics
• TuDiabetes
  http://www.tudiabetes.org/
  Managed by the Diabetes Hands Foundation, it is an online community for people whose lives are affected by diabetes
• NDAUSA Forum
  http://forums.ndausa.net/
  A reliable online diabetes association for diabetics, their families, or any one interested in diabetes prevention, management, and treatment

Want more details? Do check out this comprehensive article at http://www.diabetesshield.com/diabetes101.html. The information would sure come in handy when you need to find a good online diabetes association to lean on.

Water Drops

I originally planned to structure this blog according to the details of Joani's day to day struggle to live normally and enjoy her childhood despite diabetes. As the entries rolled in, with me as the lone author of each, I realized that I was discussing more about how I was coping with her disease and my life instead of her struggles. Staring at Joani's face while she slept in my arms as we were watching TV last night, there was nary a trace of anxiety or fear or even apprehension. 

Her cherubic countenance was an image of pure innocence and tranquility. Joani dealt calmly with her condition and the restrictions that came with it, just like she did with the house rules I have set regarding proper social behavior and etiquette. Not once did she protest or question if she was told to cut down on some of her favorite activities or foods because her health demanded it. She blindly followed all my admonitions and adjusted herself to her new life with perfect ease.

How I wish I could acquire that same childlike finesse in handling my personal issues with work and the other  people around me. The burden of dealing with my own frustrations at the office and overseeing the management of Joani's diabetes have taken their toll on my head. The big difference is, with Joani, my efforts, no matter how frantic, are appreciated. That sweet little smile, her total obedience, and that absurd warm feeling I get whenever she nestles her little head in the crook of my arms melt the exhaustion and disappointments I've dealt with, in raising her and making her young life worthwhile. At work, however, the ambiguity and total disregard of poker-faced colleagues and stone-hearted bosses leave me feeling cold, dispensable, and totally unappreciated. At the end of the day, being slapped on the face with this reality just drains me so. I don't know if they just got too busy and were swamped with tons of work, that they had lost sight of my sacrifice, after I stood by them unquestioningly during extremely pressing times. 

Oh, well...Life goes on. So long as I stay true to myself and dedicated to my craft all is right and well in my professional life. Bosses come and go. Loyalty shifts as you jump from one ship to another. But integrity and professionalism stay regardless of where the wind takes you--if you focus on bettering yourself continuously that is. For now, I would persist with being the scrupulous dogged creative that I have always been. Staying true to my craft is staying strong for Joani and of course, myself.

A Pleasant Tuna Salad Surprise

Taking on a positive mindset has helped me a lot in taking care of Joani. Together, we battle diabetes every single day--and we do so with our heads help up high and a bright smile stretched across our faces. Though serious, diabetes is not enough a reason to deprive Joani of her precious childhood. I would do everything in my power to make sure that she enjoys her youth to the fullest, while diligently overseeing the good management of her condition at all times and at all cost.

I am a warrior on a quest. As soon as her doctor has laid down the facts before us, the first thing I did was get organized. I created a daily log for Joani. From blood sugar testings, doctor visits, down to her meals; I got everything planned out beforehand, listed down, and recorded properly. I approached Joani's diabetes management itinerary as carefully and deliberately as if it were an important work project.

With diabetes, food is an all-important issue never to be missed. I took particular precautions in planning and preparing Joani's meals. I have to admit that readying delicious and nutritious dishes for diabetics daunted me at first. I realized later on, however, that it was not difficult at all. In fact, the kind of recipes I have checked out and tried included nutritious ingredients not only diabetics like Joani can benefit from. As time passed, I became more presumptuous with my methods and experimented with healthy substitutions for the well-loved dishes I am fond of preparing. One of the successful substitution experiment results I've had is this Tuna Kani Salad recipe.

Hearty, nutritious, and oh-so-satisfying to the tastebuds; never a week goes by that Joani does not request this for lunch, at least once. 

Tuna Kani Salad 

*1 cup canned tuna in water--drained, flaked and set aside

*5 sticks kani(imitation crabmeat or crabsticks)--sliced and flaked

*hard boiled egg white--chopped 

*1 cup reduced-fat light mayonnaise

*1 medium sized cucumber--washed well and chopped with skin intact 
*a pinch of salt

*a dash of white pepper

Toppings: shredded carrots, onion rings, lettuce leaves, and tomato slices                                                                                                       

To prepare, all you have to do is mix the first seven ingredients in a bowl. Then, you can start assembling your sandwich using 2-3 slices of wheat bread with the sides trimmed off. Spread 1 tablespoon of filling on one side of a slice of bread. Arrange toppings on top, and cover with other bread slice. Store the rest of the filling in a jar or sturdy plastic bowl container. It can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.