Fluffy High-Fiber, Low-Fat Pancakes

One issue that I have when looking for breakfast options is getting filled up enough. As we have already established, breakfast is an important meal and gives you energy for the entire day. So it is vital that your breakfast is high in protein and other nutritious goodness!

I tried this recipe for pancakes and was pleasantly surprised. It is high in fiber, protein, and lowish in carbs. :) Also, they are very filling! I hope you enjoy!

Yield: 8 Pancakes (4 Servings)

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-fat (1 percent fat) buttermilk
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 2/3 cup miller's bran (unprocessed, uncooked wheat bran)
• 1 large egg, or 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Combine the buttermilk, oats, and bran in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat until blended.
2. In a small bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until blended. Add to the bran mixture and blend until all the flour is moistened.
3. Prepare a hot skillet or griddle with non-stick pan spray. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook about 3 minutes, or until bubbles form on the top and the edges are dry. Turn and cook the pancakes about 2 minutes more.

Nutritional Information: (Per Serving)

- Calories: 163

- Protein: 8 grams

- Sodium: 462 mg

- Cholesterol: 55 mg

- Fat: 3 grams

- Carbohydrates: 24 grams

- Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Fat

The Best You Can Be

I recently returned home from a three week summer choir tour. Although I was only able to participate for about one week, I learned so many things about myself, my friends, and my Lord. It was truly a blessing to meet these wonderful people and share stories and struggles. This is my second year in this choir, but it was still so overwhelmingly amazing to be involved. I have many memories from this past week, however, there is one idea in particular that has "stuck" with me the most:

"The best you can be is the only thing that is good enough." ~The director of my choir

I spent a large amount of time thinking about these words and here's what I came up with.

~ This statement is a main theme of how God wants us to live our lives. He has called us to give our 100% for Him. Anything less shows that we are not fully committed to living out God's plan for our lives.

~ We can live out this statement in every aspect of our lives. These words aren't simply for one or two areas in our lives. God calls us to do everything in life for His glory.* That is an incredibly huge responsibility! But it is also a life-giving gift from God. Life is so short; why would we want to cheat ourselves by performing less than our ability and potential?

~ "Good enough" This quote doesn't say: "The best you can be is perfect." We, as humans, cannot be perfect. Only in Heaven when we are right there with Jesus will we understand the true meaning of the word perfection. It may be easy to give up living the best we can because there is no way to reach perfection. However, our loving Lord calls us to give our 100% for the Kingdom of Heaven because that is the only thing that is good enough. He knows our every move, thought, and action. We may make mistakes in this life on earth, but God can see when we are giving our ALL for Him!


Thank you to my choir director for sharing this with all of us. It was truly a blessing to be involved in this summer choir tour and I miss everyone already! God's blessings!

* "So whether you eat or drink, do it all for the glory of God."  ~ 1 Corinthians 10:31

The Hobbit

I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan. So you can understand why I CAN NOT WAIT for The Hobbit to come out in theaters on December 14! I have started a countdown. If my calculations are correct (adding days together), I believe it's 176 days until it comes out. But someone out there should probably double check that and correct me if I am wrong! :)

Just look at this amazing cast. We meet again with Elijah Wood (Frodo), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Christopher Lee (Saruman), Hugo Weaving (Elrond), Andy Serkis (Gollum), and Ian Holm (Old Bilbo). New to Middle Earth in this movie, we have Martin Freeman (Young Bilbo), Richard Armitage (Thorin), and Evangeline Lilly (Tauriel) just to name a few.

Reading isn't usually a common pastime for me, however, I am proud to say that I am reading The Hobbit and will be finished with it before I see the movie. So I better keep reading...only 176 days left to get this book done. I am enjoying it exceedingly already. :) Sometimes I will but Lord of the Rings music on in the background as I read and I feel like I'm really in Middle Earth! Okay, maybe I just have a good imagination!

I will definitely be writing more in the future about this upcoming motion picture. Meanwhile, you can watch the trailer!

Dealing with Struggles

We all have struggles in our lives. For some it may be an lifelong issue, such as diabetes. For others, it might be family hardships, relationship problems, or a work situation. The point is, at times, we may all feel alone in our daily struggles. But it is comforting to know that there are other people who feel the same way. And even more so, God is always there listening and loving, all the while making an amazing purpose come out of the pain. I am going to share with you some thoughts that I have been reading in my devotions recently that have been very encouraging to me when dealing with struggle.


"God loves us, so He makes us the gift of suffering. Through suffering, we release our hold on the toys of this world, and know our true good lies in another world. We're like blocks of stone, out of which the sculptor carves the forms of men. The blows of his chisel, which hurt us so much, are what make us perfect. The suffering in this world is not the failure of God's love for us; it is that love in action. For believe me, this world that seems to us so substantial is no more than the shadowlands. Real life has not begun yet." ~ C.S. Lewis  (Thanks to my sister for sharing this quote with me!)


"If God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to 'supply all your needs.'" ~Oswald Chambers


"God is the Master Designer and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly." ~Oswald Chambers


"If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we remove God's riches from our lives and hinder others from entering into His provision." ~Oswald Chambers


"The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding and insistent on our own way." ~Oswald Chambers


"God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them." ~Max Lucado


"The next time you find yourself alone in a dark alley facing the undeniables of life, don't cover them with a blanket, or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don't turn up the TV and pretend they aren't there. Instead, stand still, whisper his name, and listen. He is nearer than you think." ~Max Lucado

Starting the Morning Off Right

If you are anything like me, you love mornings and you love breakfast. Since recently discovering that I have diabetes, I have been trying different recipes and experimenting with various foods to see which ones work the best for me at breakfast time. I'll share with you some things that I have found I enjoy. These tips and suggestions are not only for my fellow diabetics out there. Living with diabetes is all about getting into a healthier lifestyle. And, as it is important that we all learn more about our health, anyone is welcome to take these tips as some food for thought. ;)

There are countless options for breakfast. Sometimes I love to spend time and make pancakes, muffins, coffee cake, and so on. But other mornings, I just need to get the carbs in me as soon as possible! Either way, you know what works for you. I'll be sending some recipes I like for the more time consuming breakfast preparations in the coming days and weeks. So now, let's focus on the quick-but-filling morning meals.

I'm a cereal lover and am used to eating whatever is in my cupboard. But, having diabetes has taught me to study the labels a little closer and find out how these seemingly similar cereals differ. Two tips:

1. Check the serving size: You may assume that one serving size fits all cereals...not true. In fact, a lot of cereals are tricky in that one may be 1/2 cup serving, another 3/4 cup, and others still 1cup. Get used to checking the serving size before you look at the Carbohydrate count.
2. Check the carbs: Make sure that the carb count is reasonable and healthy considering whatever dietary plan you are on. For my nondiabetic friends, check the sugar and even the fat. You may be surprised. There are plenty of fat-free cereals in stores now, so why put some unneeded fat in our bodies so early in the morning? ;) 

Usually for me, my cereal counts as two starches. I am allowed three at breakfast, so I always have one remaining. Here's where it gets yummy! This is one of my favorite quick breakfast treats. I get 12-grain, low carb bread. (8 carbs per slice)  (2 slices = 1 starch) I toast them, then I put fat-free cream cheese on both. (1 tablespoon of fat-free cream cheese = FREE FOOD) I still need to get a fruit in with my morning meal. So I will slice 2-3 strawberries (it depends on the size) and put them on my cream cheese covered toast. This is a surprisingly filling treat! And I get my last starch and fruit taken care of. 

Okay, breakfast would not be complete without...coffee, of course! It was a great moment in the hospital when I was told that coffee was a FREE FOOD! *Sigh of relief* I make my regular coffee and put sugar free, carb free (well, there's like 1 gram) Hazelnut creamer in and I'm set to go. 

Let's recap: I've got my cereal which is fat-free and low-sugar, my two slices of fresh strawberry and cream cheese toast, and a lovely cup of hot coffee. Now I am ready to face the day and tackle whatever exciting plans God has in place! I hope that this has helped to give you some ideas to start the morning off right!

"This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" ~Psalm 118:24

Recipe: Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Every week, I hope to provide another diabetic friendly recipe. Sometimes good recipes are hard to find, especially when it comes to...my favorite...chocolate treats. This is one that my family tried yesterday for Father's Day. I thought it tasted very good. It is a little more bitter than regular cheesecake simply because there is no sugar in it. However, if you put a tablespoon of fat free Cool-Whip, not only does it make it sweeter, but the Cool-Whip is a free! Enjoy!

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
• 4 tablespoons stick butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons Equal ® Spoonful or Granulated*

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup Equal ® Spoonful or Granulated**
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
• 1 tablespoon fat-free milk
• Chocolate curls (optional)

* May substitute 3 packets Equal sweetener
* May substitute 3 packets Equal sweetener
** May substitute 18 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

1. For Crust, mix vanilla wafer crumbs, butter and 2 tablespoons Equal®. Press onto bottom and 1/2-inch up side of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated 325F oven 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack while preparing cheesecake.
2. For Cheesecake, beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup Equal® in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until smooth and well combined. Mix in eggs, egg whites and cornstarch. Fold in sour cream and vanilla until combined. Remove 1/2 cup cheesecake batter. Pour remaining batter over baked crust.
3. Add melted chocolate and fat-free milk to 1/2 cup reserved cheesecake batter; mix well. Place spoonfuls of chocolate mixture on top of cheesecake. Using tip of knife or spatula, gently swirl chocolate batter into cheesecake.
4. Bake in preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes or until center of cake is almost set. Cool on wire rack. Gently run metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Let cheesecake cool completely. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving. To serve, remove side of pan. Garnish top of cheesecake with chocolate curls, if desired. Cut cake into wedges.

Nutritional Information: (Per Serving)

- Calories = 164

- Protein = 7 grams

- Sodium = 235 mg

- Cholesterol = 57 mg

- Fat = 11 grams

- Carbohydrates = 8 grams

- Exchanges = 1 milk, 2 fat

New to Diabetes

Almost two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. As you can imagine, it was quite a shock to myself and my family. As I rode to the hospital that day to begin my education on diabetes, I thought about all of the changes that would occur in my life. For starters, I am an avid chocoholic! Chocolate is my favorite food and I rarely go anywhere without some form of it on my person. However, diabetes would change all of that, I thought. I was pondering this when a horrible thought hit me: I can't do needles! How in the world was I going to manage giving myself insulin? But, as with many things in my life, I decided to leave it to God and He would handle it. After all, He has everything under control.

So overall, hospital time was...overwhelming! So much information in so little time! I now think I have a college degree in diabetes...well, maybe not quite yet, but I'm working on it. I found that learning about diabetes, and even just diabetes in general, can easily become frustrating to someone who has just discovered they have it. But fortunately, God is amazing, has so much compassion, and can work miracles...literally! By the second day I was in the hospital, I could somehow inject myself with insulin with out going pale and passing out! I can't explain it, except that God had given me the strength and the ability to handle whatever came my way with this new change.*

My advice: take it one step at a time. Doctors, nurses, family, and friends are there to help and support you-take advantage of that! If there is something that is not understood, keep asking questions until you get it. That will make this new life changing situation so much easier and it can be faced with confidence. Another suggestion if you are a new diabetic: find someone who also has diabetes and talk with them about it. I have a friend who was diagnosed with diabetes about three months before I was. She is about my age. Her advice, suggestions, and understanding made my adjustment SO much better! There are so many people out there with diabetes and they all "get" what you are feeling.

I'll sum up what I have learned in the past couple of weeks in these three points:

1.) Get a routine: You will notice that that is a word everyone uses when talking about diabetes. But it is so important. When you get home and start making meals on your own, write menu plans down on paper so you can always double check. It will feel so much better knowing that you are on track. Stick with times for meals, snacks, insulin, and so forth.

2.) Don't be afraid to ask: Usually after you get home from the hospital, the doctors will have you call in for the next few days to report your numbers. If there is anything unusual going on or you are unclear about something, simply ask! That's why they are there. Even if it is some small thing that you think you should know the answer to, don't let pride get in the way, double check. Also, your family is there to help you. Maybe they don't know quite as much about diabetes as you do, but they can help you check carb counts, insulin numbers, and other things.

3.) Your life is still your life: Even though this is a very big life change, you still have the same friends, same interests, same beliefs, and you are the same person. Obviously, this is a huge change in the levels of chocolate intake that I get, however, I am learning that it just makes me more excited when I do get that chocolatey treat. :) Diabetes shouldn't be your life...it's just one of those things that becomes part of your life.

I hope this helps those of you that may be new to diabetes. One of the first things I heard when I found out I had diabetes was from my diabetic friend. She said, "It's super hard now. But trust me; it gets better." That is so true. Even two weeks after getting the diagnosis, I am feeling better and have a routine. So that is my encouragement to you diabetic newbies: it gets better!

* "For we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." ~Romans 8:28