BEEF AND TURKEY MEATLOAF

3/4 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided
4 tbsp reduced-sodium chunky salsa, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 egg whites
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/3 cup no-salt-added mushrooms, stems and pieces, drained and chopped
1/2 cup old fashion 100% whole-grain oats
8-oz lean ground beef
8-oz lean ground turkey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a piece of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place foil on broiler pan; set aside.

Mix 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 3 tablespoons salsa, pepper, and egg whites in a medium bowl. Stir in the garlic, onions, mushrooms, and oats.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and ground turkey; Stir in the liquid ingredients and mix together well. Shape into a 4 X 8-inch loaf and place on the prepared broiler pan.

Mix the remaining tomato sauce and salsa; drizzle over top of meatloaf.

Bake 55 minutes or until the juices run clear. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: 220 calories, 7g total fat (2g saturated), 26g protein, 13g carbs, 60mg cholesterol, 3g dietary fiber, 300mg sodium
Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 meat

This is a diabetic cooking recipe.

COOL RASPBERRY PIE

This cool, refreshing pie is a good dessert option for summertime family meals, picnics, pitch-ins, etc. Remember it is a dessert! One slice only per day.

 

2/3 cup boiling water

1 pkg (4-serving size) sugar-free raspberry gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

ice cubes to make above cold water = 1 cup

1 tub (8-oz) sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 reduced-sugar graham cracker pie crust*

1/4 cup fresh raspberries for garnish, if desired

In a large bowl stir the boiling water into the raspberry gelatin at least 2 minutes to completely dissolve (gelatin must be completely dissolved). Add the ice water to the gelatin mixture, stirring until ice melts.

Using a wire whisk, stir in the whipped topping until mixture is smooth. Chill approximately 15-18 minutes until the mixture will mound up. Spoon into the prepared crust. Refrigerate at least 4 to 5 hours or overnight.

Before serving, garnish with the whole fresh raspberries, if desired.

*There is a recipe for this crust on my Diabetic Enjoying Food blog. Also, you could use a whole-wheat sugar-free regular pie crust.

 

 Note: File Photo

SHORTCAKES WITH WARM APPLE-CINNAMON TOPPING

1 cup your favorite low carb or whole-grain biscuit baking mix
2 teaspoons Splenda granulated
1 tsp grated orange peel
3 to 4 tbsp fat-free half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon Splenda Granulated
Warm Apple Cinnamon Topping (Recipe follows)
3 tbsp sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the biscuit mix, first Splenda, and orange peel.

Stir in the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a soft dough comes together.  On a lightly floured surface, knead dough 10 times.  Turn dough out on work surface and using a biscuit cutter or a 2-inch wide glass, cut the dough into cakes.  Rework dough to make a total of 6 shortcakes.  Place the shortcakes on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle the tops with the 1 tsp of Splenda.

Bake cakes at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until a light golden brown.

While the shortcakes are baking, prepare the following Warm Apple Cinnamon Topping:
1 1/2 tsp butter
3 cups thinly sliced apples
1/4 tsp cinnamon (I recommend using 1/2 tsp since cinnamon increases insulin production)
1/2 cup non-sweetened apple juice*
1 tsp Splenda granulated

Melt the butter in a large heavy-duty skillet.  Add the sliced apples and cinnamon; cook over medium heat up to 5 minutes until the apples are tender.  Add the apple juice and Splenda.  Increase the heat and cook 30 seconds or until the juice is reduced by about half and the mixture is syrupy.

To assemble: Split each shortcake in half crosswise.  Evenly divide the topping and place over the bottom halves of the shortcakes.  Place tops of cakes over the apple topping.  Spoon a half tablespoon of the thawed whipped topping over each of the shortcakes.  Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, if desired. Again, I recommend using the extra cinnamon.

*If you need to lower your sugar intake, use 1/4 cup apple juice mixed with 1/4 cup water.

You can lower your carb intake by using only the bottom of the shortcake.


Remember this is a treat, not an everyday staple. Only 1 per day! Share the others with family or friends.

file photo

DIABETIC PRESCRIPTION: EXERCISE

I know! Most of us hate the word exercise, let alone the actual activity involved. Well, get over it! Once we've allowed ourselves to become diabetic, we no longer have a choice. We must exercise!

Yes, you read that right. I really did say, "Once we've allowed ourselves to become diabetic." I'm talking to us Type 2 diabetics on that one, you Type 1s don't have to accept that remark. Now before you get all mad, have steam coming out your ears and start sputtering, "Who does she think she is, telling me I'm responsible for the fact I became diabetic," hear me out. Did you know you had diabetes in your family history? Did a doctor ever tell you to lose weight? Did a doctor ever tell you to change your diet or lifestyle? Did a doctor ever tell you to get more exercise (there's that dirty word again)? Did you gorge on sweets and/or carbs? You get the point. But there is a diabetic prescription: EXERCISE!

We helped to create this problem in our bodies, now we have to take our medicines. And that doesn't stop with pills and shots. Just consider exercise another of the medicines we have to take. I read somewhere that exercise is the diabetes treatment almost everyone can benefit from. I backed up, read that again and the light bulb came on. I got it! Exercise is another of our treatments and we need to think of it as such. It's not something we know we should do, something we might get around to someday, but something we have to do just as we have to take our other prescriptions the doctor gives us.

We don't, however, have to go out and join a gym or buy expensive equipment. Of course you can if you want to and it is a good thing to do, but it isn't necessary. We can work exercise into our everyday lives! We Americans have become very lazy as a whole. This is often caused by some terrific technological advances and inventions. But we can't use that as an excuse. Following are some easy ways start adding more exercise into your everyday routine. Give them a try. After all it is YOUR life that matters.

1. Hide the remote controls; they make it too easy to be lazy. This includes the garage door remote. Getting in and out of the car to open the garage door is good exercise.

2. Carry your groceries from the car to the kitchen one bag at a time. More steps and lifting; more exercise.

3. Instead of stacking things by the stairs to avoid extra trips up and down, make the trips. Stairs are a great way to get exercise. Always opt for the stairs over the elevator when possible!

4. Push the kids or grandkids on the swings. Play frisbee with them, etc. Quality time with the children is an added benefit.

5. Go for a walk. Start with a short walk and work your way up to several blocks or 30-40 minutes. If the weather is bad, go to the local mall and walk.

6. Walk around while talking on the phone instead of plopping down in a comfy chair.

7. Stop driving around the parking lot for ten minutes trying to get a parking spot next to the entrance. Park farther away and enjoy the walk.

8. Put items you use often on higher shelves so you do more stretching and reaching to get them.

9. Housework is an excellent exercise. Vacuum an extra time per week, etc.

10. Gardening is another wonderful exercise.

I'm sure you can think of other ways to add exercise to your daily routine. Take that prescription seriously. Do whatever works for you but do something! Take that most-hated prescription: EXERCISE!

CREAMY GARLIC SALAD DRESSING

 Remember when using salad dressing to go sparingly. The dressing should only enhance the salad, not overwhelm it.

1 cup reduced fat sour cream*

1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise*

1/3 cup low-fat milk

2 tsp SPLENDA

2 green onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and SPLENDA. Stir in the onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

For a change of flavor, try roasting the garlic before adding to the mixture. Yum!

If the garlic flavor is a little too much for you, use 1 garlic clove instead of two.

You can take this basic recipe and come up with a delicious dressing to suit your taste. Try replacing the salt with paprika or chili powder for a spicier dressing. Let your imagination run wild!

*You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream, mayo, or both.

Note: This is a file photo