No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna

Okay, I feel like our first reaction to anything with zucchini is a negative one. But it can be substituted into many different recipes to make foods healthier and lower in carbohydrates. Pasta is very high in carbs, but I love to eat lasagna. My sister found this recipe and we tried it. It is actually very good. It doesn't taste identical to regular lasagna, of course, but it is a nice option for a healthier meal filled with energy-giving veggies.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time:  1 hour
Servings: 8

Ingredients:
- 2 large zucchini
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 small green pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- Hot water as needed
- 1 egg
- 1 (15 ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a deep 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Slice zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices. Sprinkle slices lightly with salt; set aside to drain in a colander. *
3. To prepare the meat sauce, cook and stir ground beef and black pepper in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add in green pepper and onion; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, wine, basil, and oregano, adding a small amount of hot water if sauce is too thick. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer sauce for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Meanwhile, stir egg, ricotta cheese, and parsley together in a bowl until well combined.
5. To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the meat sauce into the bottom of prepared pan. Than layer 1/2 the zucchini slices, 1/2 the ricotta mixture, all of the spinach, followed by all of the mushrooms, then 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Repeat by layering the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Spread Parmesan cheese evenly over the top; cover with foil.
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; raise oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information: (Per Serving)
- Calories: 494
- Total Fat: 27.3g
- Cholesterol: 121mg
- Sodium: 2200mg
- Total Carbs: 23.2g
- Dietary Fiber: 5.8g
- Protein: 41.3g

* We found that it was helpful to make sure that you have enough time earlier in the day to dry the zucchini.

Black Forest Cheesecake Delight

This is a recipe that my sister found in the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cookbook. But she tweaked it a little bit so that it would be more "diabetic approved."






Ingredients:

Crust:
- 1 cup sugar free chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
- 2 tbsp butter (melted)

Cheesecake Part:
- 2 8oz packages cream cheese (1  1/3 less fat, 1 fat free)
- 2/3 cup Stevia (or another sugar substitute)
- 2/3 cup egg whites
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted)
- 1/4 tsp almond extract

Topping:
- Sugar free Cherry Pie Filling
- Sugar free Whipped Topping

Directions:

Combine sugar free chocolate wafer cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto bottom of a 9 inch spring-form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Combine cream cheese and Stevia on medium speed until well blended. Add egg whites and mix well. Blend in semi-sweet chocolate chips and almond extract. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Loosen from pan, cool before removing. Chill. Top with sugar free cherry pie filling and sugar free whipped topping.

Nutrition Information: (Serves 12)
 Serving is 1 slice:
- Fat: 13 grams
- Carbs: 25.5 grams

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

It would be the understatement of the year to say that I love chocolate. I ADORE chocolate! However, I am a diabetic, so I have had to do a little extra looking to find cookies with high chocolate content but low carb content. I am proud to say that I have found such a cookie! :) These are so good (whether or not you're diabetic)!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup ( 1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Sugar substitute equal to 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons skim milk
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- In medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, and sugar substitute until well blended. (That should take about 3 minutes.)
- Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternately add milk and flour mixture to butte and sugar mixture, beating until well blended between additions.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press flat.
- Bake 7 to 9 minutes or just until set.
- Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely.

Nutrition Information: (Per cookie)                        
- Calories: 50
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: 3 gram
- Carbohydrate: 5 gram
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
- Sodium: 50 mg

Exchanges:
- 1 vegetable
- 1/2 fat

Low Glycemic Food List

Shortly after returning home from the hospital after discovering that I had diabetes, I did a lot of research into the disease and important foods to incorporate into my "new" diet. I came across this list of low glycemic foods. These things are helpful to keep in mind for those who are diabetic because it can help improve glucose control. This is because all of these foods take a longer time to digest, so the blood sugar levels rise slower than with other foods.
* This article/list was written by Dominique Brooks in 2010. However, most of the information comes from the American Diabetes Association.


Whole Grains
- Causes blood sugar levels to rise more slowly because they contain significant amounts of fiber
- Pasta and converted rice also have a low glycemic index
- Examples: barley, bulgar, and rolled oats

Foods with Protein
- Beans (Ex: peas and lima beans) are high in fiber and protein
- Lean meats and fish have lower glycemic values

Vegetables
- Most vegetables contain fiber
- Selecting fresh or raw vegetables may offer additional benefits for people with diabetes
- Examples: spinach, turnip greens, zucchini, okra, brussel sprouts, and eggplant

Healthy Fats
- Monounsaturated and omega-3 fats
- When consumed in moderation, these foods offer additional health benefits
- Examples: olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish, and nuts

Dairy Products
- Low-fat or nonfat
- Examples: Skim milk, low-fat yogurt (with or without fruit), low-fat cheeses, sour creams, and cottage cheese

Golden Peanut Butter Cookies

Today I tried this new recipe. These cookies are so good! They don't taste at all like diabetic cookies and they are quite healthy. Enjoy one or two on these nice sunny days!


Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 cup oat flour
- Sugar substitute equal to 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup peanut butter ( I use all natural Smuckers peanut butter)
- 6 tablespoons margarine or butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar ( I used 1/4 cup brown sugar substitute and 1/2 cup regular brown sugar)
- 1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the flours, sugar substitute, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and stir to mix well. Set aside.
- Combine the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer to mix well. Beat in the egg substitute, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and beat to mix well.

- Shape level teaspoonfuls of the dough into balls and arrange 1-1/2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie to 1/4 -inch thickness by crisscrossing the tines of a fork. Dip the tines of the fork lightly in sugar between each cookie if desired.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. Remove the cookies and let sit for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 40 cookies.


Nutritional Information: (Per Serving: 1 Serving = 1 Cookie)


- Calories: 77
- Protein: 2 grams
- Sodium 82 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Fat: 4 grams
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 0.9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 9 grams
- Exchanges: 1/2 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat

" Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth." ~ Psalm 50:2

Treating Yourself to Summer!

For diabetics and non-diabetics alike, summer can be a difficult time to eat healthier. There are so many picnics, bonfires, potlucks, get-togethers, and so forth. It can be hard to say 'no' because, after all, it's summer, right? It's a time to relax and have fun...not think about good vs bad food. But I have been coming up with some options for myself that might work for you as well. (Some of these ideas are centered around a diabetic lifestyle and some are not.)


~ "Sticking" to Portions: I love fruit so much! And this is a food that is a necessity for any healthy lifestyle. However, unfortunately it has carbs. So here's an idea to make sure that you aren't overdoing it on the fruit carbs when entertaining guests for a summer get-together. Instead of making a fruit salad in a large bowl, when it can be easily overeaten (and overcarbed), put together Fruit Kebobs! Put the amount of fruit that is your carb serving on each stick, then enjoy! It is also a fun and creative way to serve a meal also. (This idea can certainly apply to meat, potatoes, vegetables, or other foods that you can put on a stick. :) )

~Cool and FREE: There are so many ways to stay cool in the summer and not consume carbs or fat. Obviously, if you go to the store, you can find sugar-free popsicles which is a FREE FOOD! But eating sixteen of those a day can get a little old and boring. Here are some options that you can do from home to mix it up a little bit.

  - Coffee: I'm am avid coffee drinker. Iced coffee is a great way to cool down in these hot summer days. It's simple: Glass full of ice, pour coffee on said ice, add creamer to said mixture, stir, and enjoy. Another option is as follows: Get some popsicle making containers, pour coffee with creamer into the container and freeze. It's a tasty treat that will cool you down and give you the much needed coffee fix! 

  - Popsicles: While store bought popsicles are good, they do contain a slight amount of carbs so you can just sit with the whole box and eat them all. Here's a way that you can eat as many popsicles as you would like without worrying about counting any carbs. Mix together your favorite flavor of a sugar-free drink mix. Put that mixture into the popsicle making containers that you have. Freeze and enjoy. (Fun tip: Make a few different flavors that would taste good together and make layered popsicles!)


There will be more ideas to come on this subject. But meanwhile, enjoy these summer days and stay cool!

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

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