Diabetic Foodie

Ladybug Cookies

diabeticFoodie — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:39:37 +0000

I’m not a big fan of artificial sweeteners, but when In The Raw found out I would be attending Eat Write Retreat, they sent me a bag of their new Monk Fruit In The Raw™ Bakers Bag and a “top secret” sugar cookie recipe. They asked that I try the recipe and decorate the cookies in my own “signature style.”

Thinking about my “signature style” is kind of scary. I have little patience and my cookie decorating skills are minimal, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. Where are my Ninja Bread Men-decorating nephews when I need them?

I made these Ladybug Cookies for Mom last weekend for Mother’s Day. Mom lives on a lake named Buggs Island and her chapter of the Red Hat Society is nicknamed the “Ladybugs.” (She naturally gets lots of stuff featuring the black and red insects as gifts.) She and Dad immediately realized that the cookies were supposed to look like ladybugs, so I took that as a good sign.

I don’t eat many cookies these days, but I did taste one of these and I must say they were pretty good. Mom liked them too and that was what mattered most to me.

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of Monk Fruit In The Raw™ Bakers Bag. All opinions are my own.

Fig Quinoa Bites

diabeticFoodie — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:11:25 +0000

I’ll be heading to Philadelphia later this month to attend my first food blogging conference, Eat Write Retreat. Everyone who signed up was sent a selection of OXO tools and one of the following ingredients to use in an Amazing Apps Challenge: California Raisins, US Potatoes, California Ripe Olives or California Figs. The Grillmaster was thrilled to learn I received one bag of dried Mission Figs and one bag of dried Golden Figs. I was thrilled to learned that 3 to 5 dried figs provide 20% of your recommended daily value of fiber, 7% of potassium and 6% of calcium! Who knew that figs contain calcium?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about combining quinoa or couscous with figs and herbs to make a nice side dish. I began to wonder if I could somehow use this combination to make an amazing appetizer. Then I remembered those Salmon Quinoa Patties and thought about making bite-sized fig quinoa patties. As I wandered through one of my local farmers’ markets, I spied some spreadable fig and honey goat cheese. It occurred to me that goat cheese would be the perfect creamy addition to my crisp patties.

While prepping everything and sampling many of the figs for research purposes, I decided that ball-shaped appetizers would work better than patties as finger food.

And may I just say that the California Figs are the best dried figs I’ve ever had. When I was experimenting with making Fig Butter a while back, the dried figs offered by my local market were less than optimal and I decided that fresh figs were the only way to go. The California Figs are so plump and juicy, I’m going to try the fig butter again with their dried figs. Hey, how great would that be served alongside these Fig Quinoa Bites? Yum!

Disclaimer: I received a fig gift box from California Figs and a set of kitchen tools from OXO. All opinions are my own.

Fig Quinoa Bites

1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
1 egg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme or thyme leaves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
1 ounce fresh goat cheese, crumbled or grated with the OXO coarse grater
3-4 dried Mission Figs from California Figs (about 1/4 cup), chopped
3-4 dried Golden Figs from California Figs (about 1/4 cup), chopped
1 cup Panko bread crumbs, divided
nonstick cooking spray

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, egg, thyme, parsley, goat cheese, figs and 1/2 cup Panko. Mix well. Cover and place in refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

Place an oven-safe cooling rack on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour remaining 1/2 cup Panko onto small plate.

Take about a tablespoon of the quinoa mixture and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball lightly in Panko and place it on the rack. Repeat with remaining mixture. (You should end up with about 16 balls.) Spray balls lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and hot all the way through. You may want to rotate the pan after about 8 minutes to ensure even browning.

Makes 8 servings
Per serving (2 balls): 91 calories, 2g fat (1g sat), 29mg cholesterol, 48mg sodium, 15g carb, 2g fiber, 4g sugar, 4g protein

Nutritional Analysis: These Fig Quinoa Bites are low in Sodium and they are a good source of Manganese. (Source: nutritiondata.com) If you are watching your Cholesterol intake, you may want to use 1/4 cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites instead of the egg.

Papaya Smoothie

diabeticFoodie — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:44:21 +0000

I had a birthday last month and The Grillmaster surprised me with a Vitamix blender. These things are crazy expensive, but I was amazed by everything it claimed to be capable of doing. You can even make soup in it – the heat from the motor warms the soup. I haven’t actually tried this yet, but I will soon.

Needless to say, we’ve been in smoothie heaven. We’ve made green smoothies, fruit smoothies and salad smoothies. You name it, we’ve probably tried it. This papaya smoothie is one of our favorite combinations so far. It’s the perfect thing to have about an hour before a workout. If the amount contains too many carbs for you, reduce the portion size.

If you don’t have a Vitamix, you can still make this smoothie if you have a blender capable of crushing ice. You may need to cut the fruit in smaller pieces and crush your ice some first. Refer to the instructions that came with your blender.

Papaya Smoothie

1 banana, peeled and cut in half
1/3 large papaya, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 orange, peeled and cut in half
1 apple, cored and cut in half
1 cup ice

Add all ingredients to Vitamix container in the order listed. Use the “Smoothie” setting and wait until machine stops. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings
Per serving: 163 calories, 1g fat (0g sat), 0mg cholesterol, 3mg sodium, 42g carb, 7g fiber, 28g sugar, 2g protein

Nutritional Analysis: This smoothie is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium and it is a good source of Vitamin C, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Potassium. (Source: nutritiondata.com)

Baked Beans with Swiss Chard and Kale

diabeticFoodie — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:32 +0000

I won’t bore you with a long explanation about why I haven’t been blogging much lately. Suffice it to say that I’ve been busy unpacking, reading a lot about new ways to eat healthy and exploring Chapel Hill, NC where I now live. The farmers’ markets around here are just incredible!

When I stumbled upon rainbow Swiss chard and Lacinato kale at one market, I decided to try a twist on baked beans. Most baked bean recipes include brown sugar and are overly sweet. This savory version includes greens, tomatoes and fresh herbs instead.

Use whatever beans you have on hand – I used a combination of pink beans, pinto beans and cannellini beans. Use three cans, rinse two and include the liquid from the third. Better yet, soak and cook dried beans and use a little bit of the cooking liquid.

These beans and greens really pack a nutritional punch. They are low in cholesterol and saturated fat, but high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Baked Beans with Swiss Chard and Kale

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bunch of Swiss chard, stems/ribs removed and leaves chopped
1/2 bunch of kale, stems/ribs removed and leaves chopped
1/4 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can pink beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
leaves from a 6-inch sprig of thyme or lemon thyme, chopped
leaves from a 6-inch spring of fresh oregano, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the chard, kale and water to the pan. Cook and stir until the greens wilt, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and increase heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the beans and stir. Add the parsley, thyme and oregano and stir. Simmer for another 3 minutes or so.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Coarsely mash about one-third of the beans in the pot with a potato masher. Season with salt. Transfer the bean mixture to a 2 quart baking dish, cover and place in preheated oven. Bake 45 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Makes 8 servings
Per serving: 225 calories, 3g fat (0g sat), 0mg cholesterol, 324mg sodium, 40g carb, 9g fiber, 3g sugar, 13g protein

Nutritional Analysis: This bean dish is low in Cholesterol and Saturated Fat. It is also a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Manganese, Dietary Fiber, Protein, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Copper. (Source: nutritiondata.com)

Curried Black-eyed Peas

diabeticFoodie — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:00:15 +0000

You can eat black-eyed peas even if the date isn’t January 1. Really, you can.

I’m trying to incorporate more legumes in my diet, things like beans, lentils and black-eyed peas. Legumes are low on the glycemic index scale and are a great low-fat source of protein. They are inexpensive while being rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. At least three major health-based organizations – the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society – all recommend legume consumption for optimal health. Dried varieties are best, but canned will do if you don’t have time to soak.

Legumes don’t inherently have a ton of flavor, so they can take on many different spice combinations. Here, the Indian flavors will wake up your palate. If you enjoy well-spiced food, but don’t necessarily like heat, skip the cayenne when you make this dish.

Make it faster: Substitute a high-quality curry blend for the coriander, turmeric, cayenne and cumin and/or use canned black-eyed peas. If using canned peas, rinse and drain, reduce the water to 1 cup, cut the cooking time in half and skip the salt.

What are your favorite legumes and how do you cook them?

Curried Black-eyed Peas

Adapted from Ruta Kahate via The Coastland Times

1 cup dried black-eyed peas
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, grated (about 1 teaspoon)
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced small
2 cups hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned light coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice

Rinse black-eyed peas and place in large bowl. Add water to at least an inch above the peas and let soak 8 hours or overnight.

In a small bowl, mix together the coriander, turmeric, cayenne and cumin. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté until the onion gets some color, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and spice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add the tomato and stir over low heat until the tomato is no longer chunky.

Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas. Add to the onion mixture along with the water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the black-eyed peas are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes or so. Just before serving, add the lime juice.

Makes 6 servings
Per serving: 154 calories, 5g fat (2g sat), 0mg cholesterol, 208mg sodium, 22g carb, 4g fiber, 4g sugar, 7g protein

Nutritional Analysis: These black-eyed peas are very low in Cholesterol and they are a good source of Folate, Thiamin and Manganese. (Source: nutritiondata.com)

Martha’s Vineyard Wine Festival

diabeticFoodie — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:08:20 +0000

Looking for something to do in New England over the weekend of May 10th? Check out the Martha’s Vineyard Wine Festival. My friend Marnely, from Cooking with Books, is one of the organizers and she says it’s ramping up to be an extremely fun event.

“But, Marnely, I don’t drink,” I whined.

“There’s still lots of stuff for you to do,” Marnely said. She mentioned two of her favorite events:

Man vs. Wild Food – a local chef will create a meal made entirely of foraged food found on the “beach, bush and backyard gardens” of Martha’s Vineyard.
Oyster and Wine Cruise – yes, wine is involved, but the heart of the cruise is learning how oysters are harvested. You’ll also get to eat fresh oysters!

So if you’re up for a trip to MV, you might want to do it during the wine festival. Whether you drink or not.

Recipe Recon: Italian Sausage with Polenta

diabeticFoodie — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:00:20 +0000

Today’s Recipe Recon comes to you via Donna Currie of Cookistry. Donna and I “met” while working on the One-Pot Blogging Party for Emeril Lagasse’s cookbook, Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders. Smart and funny, Donna is a wonderful cook and an even better writer. I say that only because I’ve sampled her writing, but not her food!

Donna lives in Colorado with her husband, Bob, and their dog, Snickers. (How great a dog name is that?) Bob had some health troubles over the last year, but is now home, on the mend and happy to be eating Donna’s cooking again.

One night I was craving something Italian with a red sauce, but I didn’t really want pasta. Poking around Cookistry led me to this recipe for Italian Sausage with Polenta. I knew that, after a couple of tweaks here and there, it would be the perfect thing to satisfy my craving.

The first thing I did was swap turkey sausage for the pork sausage and I eliminated some of the salt, olive oil, butter and cream cheese. You’ll note that my carb count and my sugar count actually went UP a little bit. This is because I used low-sodium canned tomato products. Sometimes lower fat and lower sodium products actually have more carbs than their “less healthy” counterparts. I thought about using low-fat cream cheese instead of regular, but it has double the carbs! I decided that, for me, the lower sodium versions of the tomatoes reduced the sodium content enough that it was worth a few extra carb grams. You mileage may vary. READ THOSE LABELS!

	Original Recipe	Recon-ed Version
Calories	444	364
Total Fat	26 g	15 g
Saturated Fat	12 g	4 g
Cholesterol	66 mg	63 mg
Sodium	2,514 mg	1,206 mg
Total Carbs	36 g	40 g
Fiber	6 g	7 g
Sugar	10 g	13 g
Protein	21 g	19 g

Here’s my version of Donna’s recipe. Enjoy!

Italian Sausage with Polenta

Adapted from Cookistry

FOR THE SAUSAGE & PEPPERS:
4 links sweet Italian turkey sausage
1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green bell pepper, cored and cut into strips
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce, no salt added
1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, no salt added
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning (I used Penzey’s salt-free Italian Herb Mix)
pinch of hot pepper flakes

FOR THE POLENTA:
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup polenta (course ground cornmeal)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 ounce parmigiano cheese, grated
1 ounce cream cheese

Make the sausage & peppers: Spray a heavy, deep skillet with cooking spray. Add the sausages and brown on all sides. Remove the sausages from the pan and drain on paper towels. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the bell peppers, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black pepper, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, then add the sausages back to the pan and push them down into the sauce. Cook on low until the sausages are cooked all the way through and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes or so.

Make the polenta: Bring the water and salt to a boil in a deep saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta in a steady stream. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. (You’ll want to use a long-handled spoon since the mixture will pop a lot and could burn your hand.) Remove from heat and stir in the butter, parmigiano and cream cheese and mix well.

To serve: Divide polenta among four pasta bowls, then top with sausage and pepper mixture.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 364 calories, 15g fat (4g sat), 63mg cholesterol, 1,206mg sodium, 40g carb, 7g fiber, 13g sugar, 19g protein

Nutritional Analysis: This dish is a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Iron. (Source: nutritiondata.com) If you need to reduce the sodium even more, cook the polenta without salt and cut back on the amount of parmigiano cheese.

Goat Cheese Basil Grits for #SundaySupper

diabeticFoodie — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 07:00:21 +0000

When I think about movies and food, I can’t help but remember one of my favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger lines:

“You should not drink and bake.”

I always thought this was from Commando, but it was actually from Raw Deal. (Yes, I think I’ve seen all of the Arnold movies so many times they blur together.)

When I learned that the Sunday Supper gang would be celebrating movie-inspired recipes today, I really, really wanted to bake a chocolate cake while drinking. (I was going to skip the part where the cake gets heaved onto the kitchen cabinet.) But, given that cake and alcohol really aren’t diabetic-friendly, I decided to go in another direction.

The Grillmaster and I recently moved from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the Chapel Hill area. Nearby there is a wonderful independent bookstore, McIntyre’s Books. While browsing their fiction offerings, I came across Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café.

I immediately remembered the most interesting take on fried green tomatoes I’ve ever had, at an amazing restaurant in Asheville, NC called the Tupelo Honey Café. They serve their fried green tomatoes over creamy grits with goat cheese and basil. The grits actually outshine the tomatoes.

I reduced the fat and sodium in the original recipe, but these grits are still mouth-watering. Rent yourself a copy of Fried Green Tomatoes and enjoy these grits with Mama.Mommy.Mom’s Not-So-Fried Green Tomatoes.

Goat Cheese Basil Grits

Adapted from Honey Tupelo Cafe Cookbook by Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus

3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1-1/4 cups quick-cooking grits
2 tablespoons fat-free half and half
3 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

In a heavy, deep saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the butter and slowly whisk in the grits in a steady stream. Bring the mixture back to a boil.

Stir in the half and half, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and thick.

Remove from heat and stir in the goat cheese until it melts and is well-incorporated. Mix in some of the basil and garnish with the rest.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 250 calories, 6g fat (4g sat), 12mg cholesterol, 386mg sodium, 40g carb, 1g fiber, 1g sugar, 8g protein

Nutritional Analysis: These grits are low in Cholesterol and are a good source of Folate. (Source: nutritiondata.com)

The #SundaySupper gang will be sharing movie-inspired recipes all afternoon on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram on Sunday, April 14, 2013. We will also have a live chat at 7 p.m. EST on Twitter and will be using the hashtag #SundaySupper. We look forward to answering questions, giving tips and inspiring you to spend more time Around the Family Table with those you love! Thanks to Heather of girlichef for hosting this event.

Toast (bready things)

Scones (inspired by Tea with Mussolini) – Country Girl in the Village
Croque Monsieur (inspired by It’s Complicated) – That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!
“Eat Me” Blueberry Lemon Scones (inspired by Alice in Wonderland) – The Messy Baker
Dog Bone Breadsticks (inspired by Frankenweenie) – The Urban Mrs.
Individual Deep Dish Pizzas (inspired by Mystic Pizza) – Momma’s Meals
Basic Bread Recipe (inspired by Agora) – Masala Herb
Mystical Double Cheese Pizza (inspired by Mystic Pizza) – Webicurean
Vanilla Cinnamon Pancakes (inspired by No Reservations) – Pies and Plots

No Reservations (soups and salads)

10-Minute Potato Ham Soup with Pesto Swirl (inspired by Julie & Julia) – Shockingly Delicious
Alaska Smoked Salmon, Celery, and Apple Salad (inspired by Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) – Pescetarian Journal

Today’s Special (fish, chicken, beef, and pork)

الدار البيضاء Fish Tajine (inspired by Casablanca) – Maroc Mama
Beef and Onions Braised in Beer (inspired by Julie & Julia) – Magnolia Days
Spicy Seared Tuna with Balsamic Reduction (inspired by Big Fish) – I Run For Wine
Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs (inspired by Brave) – Big Bear’s Wife
Puerco Pibil (inspired by Once Upon a Time in Mexico) – From the Bookshelf

Forks Over Knives (veggie-heavy dishes and sides)

Eggplant in Garlic Sauce (inspired by The Joy Luck Club) – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Beet Chips (inspired by Food Matters) – girlichef
Ratatouille (inspired by Ratatouille) – Noshing With The Nolands
Mushroom and Asparagus Mini Quiches (inspired by Sixteen Candles) - Home Cooking Memories
Veg Samosas (inspired by Monsoon Wedding) – My Cute Bride
Not So Fried Green Tomatoes (inspired by Fried Green Tomatoes) – Mama.Mommy.Mom
Roasted Taters with Bacon (inspired by Lord of the Rings) – Curious Cuisiniere
Goat Cheese Basil Grits (inspired by Fried Green Tomatoes) - Diabetic Foodie

Udon (pasta and noodles)

Big Night Timpano (inspired by Big Night) - Kimchi Mom
Better Baked Mac & Cheese (inspired by Soul Food) - What Smells So Good?
Spaghetti with Meatballs and Gravy (inspired by Lady and the Tramp) – Juanita’s Cocina
Spicy Sichuan Noodles (inspired by Eat Drink Man Woman) – Food Lust People Love
Chicken Tchoupitoulas Pasta (inspired by Last Holiday) – Gourmet Drizzles

Just Desserts (sweet treats)

The Best Chocolate Cake (inspired by Chocolat) – The Foodie Army Wife
Chocolate Almond Torte with Raspberries (inspired by Chocolat) – Vintage Kitchen
Iocane-Dusted Brownies of Unusual Size (BOUS’) (inspired by The Princess Bride) – The Cooking Actress
Minny’s Chocolate Pie (inspired by The Help) – Daily Dish Recipes
Pao de Lo | Portuguese Bundt Sponge Cake (inspired by My Big Fat Greek Wedding) – Family Foodie
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (inspired by Life of Pi) – No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
Fantasia Cakes (inspired by Disney’s Fantasia) – NinjaBaking. com
Chocolate Dipped Almond Coconut Bars (inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) – Kudos Kitchen By Renee
(Gluten Free) Orange Soda Pound Cake (inspired by Joe Vs The Volcano) – Blueberries and Blessings
Peach and Berry Cobbler (inspired by Soul Food) – The Lovely Pantry
Golden Ticket Peanut Butter-Pretzel Truffles (inspired by Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) – Weekend Gourmet
French Macarons (inspired by Marie Antoinette) – Happy Baking Days
Pistachio and Cherry Cannoli Cups (inspired by The Godfather) – Peanut Butter and Peppers

Bottle Shock (beverages)

Raspberry Cordial (inspired by Anne of Green Gables) – NeighborFood
Grapefruit Flirtini (inspired by Sex and the City) – Ruffles & Truffles
Wines To Pair With #SundaySupper Movie-Inspired Recipes (inspired by Sideways) – ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Packable Lunches for Kids and Adults

diabeticFoodie — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:42:37 +0000

Marelize, a fan of Diabetic Foodie’s Facebook page, asked for ideas about what to pack in her son’s lunch box. She mentioned that he wasn’t a fan of mushrooms (a man after my own heart), tomatoes or any raw vegetables.

Here are a few things I’ve come up with, although they may not work for everyone. Make sure whatever you pack in your lunch fits into your own personal meal plan.

Main Items

Mini whole-grain bagel with peanut butter, almond butter or low-fat cream cheese; add some thinly sliced apples too
Low-carb tortilla with grilled chicken breast strips, some spinach or lettuce and ranch dressing
Vegetable soup (in a thermos) with whole-grain crackers and sliced cheese
Turkey breast on whole grain bread with mustard
Chicken or tuna salad (chicken/tuna mixed with plain Greek yogurt, sweet pickle relish and a little bit of minced celery) with whole-grain crackers
Whole-grain English muffin with peanut/almond butter and sliced bananas
Taco salad – lettuce, black or kidney beans, grilled chicken breast strips, cheddar cheese, salsa and baked tortilla chips or pita chips
Quesadilla – grill a whole-grain tortilla with cheese and whatever veggies you like; it won’t be hot at lunchtime, but it will still be good. Pack salsa on the side.
Pita chips with hummus
Chickpea and Raisin Salad
Hard-boiled egg
Pasta salad with whole-wheat pasta and chicken – try Garden Pasta Salad with Chicken (you can leave out the veggies) or make your own combination

Sides

Grapes – try freezing them first, they will still be ice cold at lunch time
String cheese
Nuts – almonds, cashews or walnuts
Gorp – mix nuts, dried fruit (raisins, dried cherries, etc.), sunflower seeds and a few dark chocolate chips
Applesauce cups (no sugar added)
Popcorn (air-popped) – try seasoning it with Parmesan cheese and chili powder
Energy snack bars – Clif makes an organic product with no high fructose corn syrup or trans fats called ZBars, specifically for kids. Each is about 120 calories and 22g carb.
Plain yogurt mixed with fresh berries and a touch of honey
Cottage cheese mixed with pineapple chunks
Fresh fruit – banana, apple, orange

What packable lunch ideas do you have for Marelize?

Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles for #SundaySupper

diabeticFoodie — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 07:00:06 +0000

When I think of Spring, I think of asparagus. When I think of asparagus, I think of these salty, crunchy, creamy bundles of joy that I have making almost as long as I’ve been cooking.

Need an impressive brunch dish? How about a great appetizer that is perfect served warm or at room temperature? No one will ever need to know how simple these asparagus and prosciutto bundles are to make.

If you can’t find the light cream cheese with garden vegetables, buy plain light cream cheese and mix in some garlic and shallots or other veggies. Just be sure to mince them very finely or you’ll have difficulty rolling up the bundles.

If your asparagus is thicker, you may want only two spears per bundle. If you buy “steakhouse” style asparagus, you may only need one.

What food makes you think of Spring?

Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles

Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

36 spears thin asparagus
6 slices prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon light cream cheese with garden vegetables
freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. For each spear of asparagus, take one end in each hand. Bend until the end snaps off. (The stalk will break exactly where the end starts to get woody.) Discard end. Rinse asparagus. When water is boiling, drop in asparagus and cook until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on each half slice of prosciutto. Sprinkle with pepper. Roll prosciutto around 3 asparagus spears and place in single layer (bundles should not touch) on baking sheet.

Bake for about 5 minutes or until bundles have warmed through.

Makes 6 servings
Per serving (2 bundles): 44 calories, 2g fat (1g sat), 4mg cholesterol, 204mg sodium, 4g carb, 2g fiber, 2g sugar, 5g protein

Nutritional Analysis: These asparagus bundles are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Folate, Iron, Copper, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Riboflavin, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese. (Source: nutritiondata.com) If you are watching your Sodium intake, you might want to use low-sodium ham in place of the prosciutto.

The #SundaySupper gang will be sharing spring-inspired recipes all afternoon on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram on Sunday, March 17, 2013. We will also have a live chat at 7 p.m. EST on Twitter and will be using the hashtag #SundaySupper. We look forward to answering questions, giving tips and inspiring you to spend more time Around the Family Table with those you love! Thanks to Amber of Mama’s Blissful Bites for hosting this event.

Breakfast

Baked Eggs with Shaved Asparagus and Proscuitto by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Shrimp and Leek Quiche by Gourmet Drizzles
Spinach and Cheddar Quiche for St. Patrick’s Day Brunch by Supper For A Steal
Asparagus and Spring Onion Frittatta by Country Girl in the Village
Egg Bake with Spring Onions, Asparagus and Artichokes by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Apps, Bread, Salads, Soups and Dressings

Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread by The Meltaways
Strawberry, Avocado, Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette by Daily Dish Recipes
Asparagus Gazpacho by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Spinach Bacon Salad by In The Kitchen with Audrey
Anchovy and Egg Salad by Pescetarian Journal
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup by Fast Food to Fresh Food
Asparagus Red Pepper Salad by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
White Asparagus & Salmon Spring Salad by Family Foodie
Chicken-Strawberry Field Green Salad w/Strawberry Balsamic Dressing by The Weekend Gourmet
Bacon & Egg Spring Salad by Daddy Knows Less
Green Garbanzo Hummus by Soni’s Food

Main and Sides

Pea Shoot Risotto by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta by Juanita’s Cocina
Sweet Ginger Scallion Noodles by What Smells So Good?
Asparagus Pesto w/Heirloom Fingerlings and Orecchiette by Webicurean
Coddle for St. Patrick’s Day by Noshing With The Nolands
Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls by Curious Cuisiniere
Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts with Gruyère and Hazelnuts by Hip Foodie Mom
Raw Cucumber Sandwich with Avocado and Spinach Sauce by Mama’s Blissful Bites
Berry Tacos by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles by Diabetic Foodie
Caramelized Grapes and Brie Whole Wheat Galette by Vintage Kitchen
Pink Water Kimchi (Nabak Kimchi) by Kimchi Mom

Desserts

Key Lime Cheesecake by The Foodie Army Wife
Irish Coffee Ice Cream with Caramel Whiskey Sauce by 30A Eats
Coconut Raspberry Layer Cake by Gotta Get Baked
Fresh Mango Berry Mousse With Coconut Cream by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Chocolate Mint Brownies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Strawberry Sorbet by Magnolia Days
Cadbury Creme Egg Pull-Apart Sweet Rolls by Chocolate Moosey
Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Meyer Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches by Cravings of a Lunatic
Lemon Roll Cake by The Ninja Baker
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Candied Flowers by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Lemon Citrus Cookies by Mom’s Test Kitchen
Mini Fruit Tarts by Big Bear’s Wife
Faux Fried Ice Cream by Neighborfood
Watergate Salad by Cupcakes and Pearls Blog
Good-for-You Strawberry Tiramisu Cheesecake Cups by Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Beverages

Guinness Beer Milkshake by The Urban Mrs
Wines to Pair with Springtime #SundaySupper Dishes by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog