Diabetes Diet #45: Diabetes Care For Ordinary People

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Judith's Diabetes Cyber Kitchen

Diabetes Diet #45: Diabetes Care For Ordinary People

Diabetes Recipes:

Italian Vegetable Soup
"You'll Never Eat Chicken Noodle Soup Again" Chowder
My Son's Fish Soup

Diabetes Care For Ordinary People

Choices. Is it a good thing to be faced with them or not? When you have diabetes, life is metered out with choices. The big one is attitude. The attitude with which you approach the disease will significantly trickle down to everything from management and care to food and exercise.

Making that first choice is pivotal. The range is wide. You can become a motivated and involved member of your own diabetes care and the diabetes community and ride the high road. You can withdraw from accepting the responsibility for your diabetes and flip flop along the murky road. And, there is always middle ground. The high road encompasses enthusiasm, learning about the many nuances of diabetes, seeking support, meeting challenges and gaining confidence in decision making regarding your diabetes, your health and your life.

About now you might be asking yourself “why is she waxing so philosophical today? Recently I was invited to partake in a diabetes program at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown, New Jersey. The program was geared to address sports and exercise for kids, teens and their parents.

The keynote speaker was Will Cross, intrepid adventurer and mountaineer who took us along with him educationally, psychologically, passionately and thrillingly on his climb to summit the top of the world, Mt. Everest. Will’s presentation was spellbinding. His delivery was punctuated with excitement, motivation and wit. We, in the audience, felt like we were there with him on his personal high road.

Will’s presentation was followed with a panel discussion and Q&A session. Concerned parents had many questions about insulin adjustments for when their kids play active sports like football and soccer, and should they eat meals before games, and how often do thy need to test bg’s before, during and after sports events. Will Cross, Bill King (brilliant moderator of panel, type 1 pumper, marathon man), Rick Philbin (type 1 pumper, basketball player and coach and strength trainer) and I ((dance, tai chi, distance walker) answered the questions as best we could to assure kids and parents that everything is possible and dreams can come true even though you have diabetes. It’s just a mater of learning the ropes and respecting the rules.

I looked out at the audience of kids, in their salad days of life with diabetes. Among them there may have been a few Will Cross’, but the majority were kids who will live their lives without trekking across the South Pole and climbing the tallest peaks on the planet. I also realized that Mt. Everest is a mind set, an attitude. You don’t have to climb that particular mountain, but you can reach for the highest goals in your life, to be the best at what it is you like to do. Making diabetes part of those goals fits very nicely at your side, in the winner’s circle.

Nothing like a bowl of heart warming soup to chase the autumn chill away. It’s a nice treat to come home to after a brisk bike ride or walk. Here are a few easy to make, healthy and delicious soups to add to the cyber kitchen repertoire.

Italian Vegetable Soup (4 servings)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 leeks, white and about 1” of green
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t. each: dried oregano, black pepper
3 cups chicken broth
4 heaping cups Swiss chard or green cabbage, chopped
1 cup green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
¼ cup small pasta, shells or tubes
1 chopped clove garlic, ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1’2 cup slices zucchini
4 t. freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in soup pot. Add leeks, celery, garlic and spices. Sauté for about 5 minutes to soften.
Add broth, chard, green beans and pasta. Bring to boil. Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes.
Crush garlic and parsley together, add to soup. Add zucchini. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. To serve sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Value: 1 portion = 150 cal, 17 carb grams, 6 fat grams, 5 grams protein, 3 grams fiber

"You'll Never Eat Chicken Noodle Soup Again" Chowder (4 Servings)

3 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, celery ribs and small onions, sliced
3 oz mushroom, cleaned and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. fresh thyme leaves
1 lb. boneless chicken breast cut into large bite sized pieces
2 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 cup fat free milk
1 cup broccoli flowers, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste, fresh chopped parsley

Combine broth, celery onion, mushrooms, garlic and thyme in large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Transfer ½ of vegetables to a blender or food processor and puree. Return to soup pot. Add chicken, cover and simmer for another 15 minutes to cook through.
In a small saucepan, melt butter, Stir in flour and whisk together until very smooth. Pour in milk gradually and continue to stir until mixture thickens. Mix it into soup. Add broccoli and heat through for 5 minutes.
Taste for seasoning before serving.

Nutritional Value: 1 portion = 200 cal, 13 grams protein, 8 fat grams, 20 carb grams, 4 grams fiber

My Son's Fish Soup (4 servings)

He is a chef and creates healthy recipes for the 400 children he is responsible for at a prep school in NYC. This is one of my favorites.

1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Spanish onion, chopped
4 ribs celery, sliced
SAUTE VEGGIES IN OIL TO SOFTEN, ABOUT 5 MINUTES.
ADD:
¼ cup white wine.
TURN HEAT TO HIGH TO EVAPORATE WINE FOR A MINUTE OR SO.
ADD:
1 28 oz. can Italian crushed tomatoes
4 oz. clam juice

Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Then add:
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish

Nutritional Value: 1 cup = 210 cal, 15 carb grams, 6 fat grams 18 grams protein, 2 grams fiber

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