Recipe Tweaking Tips

At first I thought making meals for Joani was hard. Diabetes is such a big daunting word that it seems like too much work was needed in order to ensure that meals prepared for diabetics neither raise nor lower blood sugar levels. I remember spending almost one whole night just studying different researched recipes and comparing them to see how I can tweak them to accommodate Joani's personal food preference and condition.

It turns out that it really is not as difficult as I first thought it to be. Here are two of the details of the info I got online:

• Scrap the potatoes for good.

Well, they didn't really say omit it totally. However, because spuds are generally known to have a high GI despite the variation according to the specific type(some types have low GI they say), it is best to just skip them altogether. Besides, I do not really have the luxury of time to go out of my way to hunt down specific types of spuds if they are not available at the nearby grocery.

Sadly, Joani likes them. But for her health's sake, I really do not have much of a choice. Good thing there are other foods and veggies she enjoys that are low GI, which I can cook or use as substitutes in place of potatoes for her favorite dishes.

• Choose fat wisely.

Hydrogenated oils and trans fats are not good for diabetics(even non-diabetics actually). Studies say that they can promote the development of type 2 diabetes if consumed regularly or in large amounts. Trans fats are common among purchased baked goods. To keep Joani safe from health troubles, I opted to just do the baking myself, so I do not have to worry if her fave cupcake, which I usually just get from the grocery, has trans fat or not. For oils, I stick to suggested healthy ones like olive, canola, and corn for cooking and making salad dressings.

More to come in my next post. Do watch out for it!

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

To be diagnosed as diabetic when you are born with a sweet tooth is like being given a death sentence...Well, that was how I thought it to be with my relatives who were diagnosed as type 2(Me being a lover of dessert and all foods sweet). But after having stocked up on vital knowledge on the disease after Joani's diagnosis, I realized that it was not the end of the world after all for dessert lovers like me. Nonetheless, limiting sweets consumption is still a must, so as to stay safe from any potential health trouble arising from diabetes. 

In planning meals for Joani, I have seriously studied the different ways whereby I can tweak recipes to make them diabetes-friendly. Though daunting at first, it is really not that hard when you really get down to doing it. In fact, the guidelines are relatively simple and the needed substitutions are very doable, especially because healthy replacements are widely available nowadays. I wish I could tell you more about these guidelines in this post. But sad to say, I only have half an hour to make a snack for Joani before she gets back from school...

Squash Those Balls!

Without question, potato balls are yummy. But the GI of potato varies from a medium 57 to a high  85, depending on how it is cooked. To spare oneself from diabetes trouble, it is best to just find a replacement for potato—and what better alternative is there than the very nutritious and low GI summer squash. Call me a fanatic, but the taste and health merits of this lovely veggie are more than enough reasons why it has become one of my and Joani's faves. 

Since Potato Balls rank among our most-loved dishes best enjoyed as snacks, I have tweaked the classic recipe to make it more suitable for Joani. Dig this variation I created, and I'm sure you would go crazy for it just as well.

Squashed Balls

Ingredients:

1 cooked summer squash (baked/microwaved/boiled)

1 onion chopped

2 beaten eggs, divided

2 cups flour, divided

1 pack meat breading mix or seasoned bread crumbs

1/8 tsp. iodized salt

1/4^th tsp. pepper

1/4^th teaspoon onion powder

1/4^th teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups canola oil for deep frying

Procedure:

Scoop the flesh of the squash into a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add onion, half the beaten eggs, 1 cup flour, salt, pepper,onion powder, and the garlic powder. Mix well. Then shape into balls. Meanwhile, start heating the oil. For each ball, dip in egg first before rolling in the breading mix/seasoned bread crumbs, which is combined with the remaining flour. When oil is hot enough, deep fry squash balls until golden brown. Drain in paper towels and serve hot with catchup.

Yellow Burgers?

Do you know what glycemic index is? For most of us at the peak of health, such medical jargon would neither ring a bell nor catch interest. But for those diagnosed as diabetics, not knowing what it is spells big trouble. Why? Glycemic Index or GI is the term used for the measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar level. And with the need to closely and religiously monitor the latter because of the havoc wreaked by diabetes, there really is no justifiable reason to allow oneself be left in the dark.

I keep three copies of a comprehensive list of foods with nutritional analysis, including glycemic index, at the ready: One I posted by the kitchen, another I keep in my work desk, and the third one folded neatly between the pages of my prayer book in my bag. Also, I keep a compilation of recipes arranged neatly in a folder, which I use as a reference every once in a while, just in case I need some fresh recipe ideas for Joani's meals.

One veggie recipe that I have grown fond of is “Yellow Burgers.” Why yellow? Yellow because instead of ground beef, this recipe calls for summer squash and carrots. Though a vegetarian delight that is both a sight for sore eyes and a pleasure to the taste buds, these burgers were met with suspicion when Joani first laid her eyes on them. But upon taking a bite, she was totally smitten. Since squash is the primary ingredient for these burgers, it is good for diabetics. With a GI of 15, squash ranks among the veggies that diabetics can indulge in without fear. Mixed with carrots, which also has low GI(39), this veggie burger is packed with nutrients, especially Vitamin A and C. So...Without further ado, here is the recipe below. 

Yellow Burgers(aka Summer Squash Patties)

1 summer squash grated

4 big carrots grated

1 Vidalia onion(sweet) chopped

A small bunch of green or Welsh onions chopped(white part discarded)

1 egg

2 cups of flour

1/8 tsp. iodized salt

1/4^th tsp. pepper

½ beef boullion cube grated/pulverized

1/8 stick of non-fat or low-fat butter
¼ cup olive oil

Procedure:

It's quite simple. In a bowl just combine the first nine ingredients well. Heat a non-stick pan and melt the butter with olive oil. Make small thin patties and fry. Make sure that the patties are spaced evenly to prevent sticking together while promoting even cooking for each. Flip once when golden brown. Serve hot with catchup or barbecue sauce and a salad of fresh greens on the side.