Lemon Parmesan Broccoli

2 pkgs (12-oz) fresh broccoli florets 

3 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp lemon juice

Heat oven to 400-degrees. Grease a baking sheet.

In a bowl, toss the broccoli with the remaining ingredients and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400-degrees for 15 minutes.

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FRENCH GREEN BEAN SALAD

2 cans French style green beans, drained

3 to 4 stalks diced celery

1 to 2 tsp onion flakes

1 small jar pimentos, drained

1 small bell pepper, diced

1 diced cucumber

1/4 cup vinegar

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 to 2 small packets Truvia or Splenda (may use sugar, if you can use it)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate several hours before serving, overnight is best.

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LIME CHICKEN BREASTS

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 cup chicken broth
1 lime, squeezed, and peel zested
1 cup whipping cream
white whole-wheat flour
salt to suit taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsps canola or coconut oil
Hot cooked brown rice for serving, optional

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts; dredge lightly in the flour.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet; when hot add the chicken and cook on medium-high for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked all the way through.  Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

In the same skillet cook the broth with the lime juice, and lime zest until reduced by half.  Stir in the cream and heat through. 

Serve the sauce over the chicken with the rice as a side. Rice is optional but if using, use brown rice. I suggest substituting some broccoli or something similar instead of rice.

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APPLE ROSE TARTLETS

1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough

5 red (preferably McIntosh) apples, halved, cored thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 granulated Stevia

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Swerve confectioners' sugar replacement, optional

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Generously coat muffin cups with cooking spray. Line rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into 12-inch square. Ising 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut our 12 rounds. Press 1 dough round into each muffin cup, leaving 1/4-inch space from top of cups. Chill.

In a large bowl, toss apples with juice. In batches, arrange in microwave safe baking dish, overlapping as needed. Microwave until soft enough to bend, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to towel-lined baking sheet. Mix sugar and cinnamon, evenly divide among the muffin cups.

On surface, line up 12 apple slices, short side to short side, facing in one direction and slices overlapping by about half; roll up jelly-roll style. Fit roll of apple slices in muffin cup, skin side up. Repeat. Bake until golden and tender, 25-30 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes; run small knife around edges. Transfer to racks. Let cool. If desired, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar replacement.

Yield: 12 servings  Per serving: 98 calories, Protein 1g, Carbs 19g Sodium 43g Total fat 3g (2g sat)

Please note this is a dessert and should be treated as such. 1 for the diabetic, remaining to be shared with family or friends.

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STAIR EXERCISE

 If at all possible, a diabetic should always take the stairs rather than an elevator or escalator.  One of the keys to diabetic exercise is to make it a part of your everyday life.  While that doesn't have to mean an hour a day at the gym, it does mean you should find the simple ways to get exercise.  Stairs are a very good way to do that.

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SIMPLE CHEF'S SALAD

1 1/2 cups mixed lettuce greens

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced

3-oz diced ham or turkey

1 tomato, cubed or your choice of small tomatoes

1-oz cheese cubes

2-oz olive oil or a drizzle of your favorite low carb or sugar-free dressing

Place lettuce in a bowl and add the egg, meat, tomato and cheese. Drizzle with the olive oil or your favorite dressing.

Yield: 1 serving

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ICED MOCHA MAGIC

1 cup brewed coffee

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp sugar-free chocolate syrup

Whipped cream

Puree first 3 ingredients with 1/2 cup of ice. Transfer mixture to a glass or mug. Top with the cream. Shave some 75% to 90% cacao over the whipped cream, if desired.

(Leave off the chocolate covered pretzels shown in this file photo below.)

recipe idea and photo First for women 2023

PUMPKIN LATTE CUSTARD

1 can (29-oz) pumpkin

1 1/2 cups granulated Stevia or Splenda

1 can (13-oz evaporated milk

4 large eggs

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tbsp instant espresso powder

3/4 tsp salt

Whipped cream, optional

Sugar-free gingersnap cookies, crushed, optional 

Pour 1-inch of water into a 6-qt slow cooker. Layer two 24-inch pieces of foil; roll up lengthwise to make a 1-inch-thick roll. Shape roll into a ring and place in slow cooker to make a rack.

Whisk together first 7 ingredients. Transfer mixture into a greased 2-qt baking dish. Very gently lower onto the foil rack, being careful not to allow dish to touch sides of cooker. Cover slow cooker with a double layer of white paper towels. Place lid securely over the paper towels.

Cook, covered, on low 6 to 7 hours or until a food thermometer reads 160-degrees. Carefully remove dish from cooker. Top servings with the whipped cream and crushed cookies. Garnish with additional cookies, if desired.

Personally, I would dip servings directly from the dish in the slow cooker, using potholder gloves and a long-handled spoon.

Yield: 8 servings

recipe idea and photo TOH 2026

NOTE: This is a dessert and should be treated as such. 1 serving per day. I do not recommend this immediately after a heavy carb meal.

DIABETICS AND STROKE

This article is a repost from 2011. I rechecked the statistics and updated the numbers.

Did you know that diabetics are more likely to have a stroke than the general population? Since immediate care after a stoke is urgent, it is important to know the signs of stroke. Remember the word FAST to help you remember the signs. They are:

Face: Numbness in the face, changes in vision, uneven smile
Arm & Leg: Weakness or numbness, trouble walking
Speech: Slurred Speech, Inappropriate words, Mute (words won't come)
Time: Time is of the essence; call 911 at the first signs!

Did you know stroke is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States? That is progress. In the original article stroke was the 3rd leading cause of death in the US,
Approximately 800,000 suffer a stroke each year.

There is a drug that can reverse symptoms and reduce long-term disablility in those who suffer an ischemic stroke (abstruction of blood flow to the brain). However, it must be administered within 3 hours of symptoms and test must be run to determine if the stroke was ischemic before the drugs can be administered. Thus, the need for getting to a hospital immediately.

F.A.S.T. stands for:

• Face drooping—Can the person smile normally, or does one side of the face droop?
• Arm weakness—When the person raises both arms, does one drift downward?
• Speech difficulty—Can the person speak normally, or is speech slurred?
• Time to call 911—If you see or experience any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately.

A person does not have to be experiencing all these symptoms to be having a stroke. Any one symptom is enough to call 911 immediately. The faster treatment can be started, the better. 

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BREAKFAST EGG-TOFU SCRAMBLE

3 large eggs

1 tsp coconut oil

4-oz soft tofu

pinch of salt

pinch of turmeric

fresh tomatoes for serving

fresh sprig of cilantro for garnish

Mix all ingredients together and scramble. Serve with diced or small tomatoes and garnish with fresh cilantro. 

I got this from a magazine about a lady that lost weight by changing how she ate. This was her go to breakfast. It would also be a good breakfast for a diabetic.

Note: Coconut oil may help prevent and/or slow down dementia.

idea and recipe First for women 2023