GUY AND HUNTER FIERI'S CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

This recipe is from 2011 when Guy said his son Hunter ate this sandwich three times a week.

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, skin removed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise made with olive oil
2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp granulated garlic
Pinch of paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 whole-wheat sourdough rolls, split and toasted
Lettuce and tomato for garnish

In a bowl, combine the chicken, celery, carrot, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, celery salt, garlic, paprika, and black pepper; mix until combined.

Serve on the toasted rolls with a slice of lettuce and a slice of tomato on each sandwich.

Note: You can eat this on a lettuce leaf to save the bun carbs and calories, if desired.

Note: File Photo

QUICK AND EASY TUNA CHOWDER

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 tbsp white whole-wheat or almond flour
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can (17-oz) cream-style corn
2 cups 2% milk
1 can (12-oz) solid white tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup water
1 tsp chicken flavored instant bouillon

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the celery, onion, and carrot. Saute the vegetables about 3 minutes until crisp tender. Add the flour and seasoning to the veggies, blending well. Stir in the corn, milk, tuna, water, and bouillon, stirring to blend.

Cover the pan and simmer 5-10 minutes, without boiling!, until heated through. Stir occasionally during this time.

Yield: 4 servings

 Note: File Photo

CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD PUDDING FROM EQUAL

A few years ago we were at the Ft Worth VA when they were passing out diabetic recipes.  This is one of them. I have never made it as I hate raisins.

2 cups fat-free milk
2/3 cup Equal Spoonful or 16 packets Equal Sweetener
4 tbsp stick butter, melted
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups 3/4-inch cubes day old cinnamon raisin bread

Combine the milk, Equal, butter, egg, egg whites, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; stir in the bread cubes.

Spoon the mixture into an ungreased 1 1/2-quart rectangular casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pudding is set and a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Yield: 6 servings
Per serving:  232 cal, 90 cal from fat, 10 g total fat, 2 g sat fat, 37 mg cholesterol, 405 mg sodium, 26 g total carbs, 2 g dietery fiber, 10 g protein
Diabetic exchanges: 1/2 milk, 1 1/2 starch, 2 fat 

 

Note: File Photo

DIABETIC APPLE CRISP

This is one of my old Internet articles I came across in the archives. It was first published in February 2008.I did make one change. I changed the all-purpose flour to white whole-wheat. Today we have excellent white whole-wheat flour on the market. In fact, it is all I buy now. No refined white flour in my house.

If you have a diabetic among your family and/or friends, there is no need to worry about what to serve for dessert. There is also no need to make two desserts, one for the diabetic and one for everyone else. With this delicious Apple Crisp recipe, everyone can enjoy the same dessert and you won't hear one complaint. That is because this dessert doesn't taste like a "diabetic dessert". When you serve this recipe, no one will guess you just served them a diabetic crisp. If you and/or the diabetic don't tell, no one will ever know!

                           

DIABETICS APPLE CRISP

1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 tbsp white whole wheat (or almond)  flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples (Rome recommended)
TOPPING:
1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup white whole-wheat (or almond) flour
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
To make the apple filling, combine brown sugar blend, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add apples, tossing to coat. Spoon into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
To make topping, combine oats, flour, brown sugar blend and nuts in a bowl. Stir in butter. The mixture will be crumbly. Spoon over the apples mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the apples are bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Best when served warm.

NOTE: Yield: 9 servings at 310 calories, 38 carbs, 4 grams protein each. As with all fruits, there is the natural sugar of the apples and a high carb count. However, the oats and nuts counter balance most of that. Enjoy this dessert after a meal that has a good protein count. You would not want to serve this dessert after a pasta or vegetarian meal. And as with all desserts, it is not a good idea to over indulge!
Enjoy!

 Note: This is a file photo.

HEALTHY OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

8 chicken legs and/or thighs - bone-in, skins removed
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups fresh crumbled whole-grain bread crumbs
1 tsp smoked paprika*
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with olive oil or canola oil nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and rub completely with the Dijon mustard.

In a shallow bowl or a pie plate, combine the bread crumbs, paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper; dredge the chicken in the mixture to coat overall; pat to hold crumbs in place.  Arrange the chicken in the prepared baking sheet; spray with the nonstick spray.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 425 degrees and bake until golden brown and juices run clear when pierced with fork, about 10 to 15 minutes.

*regular paprika may be used

Note: This is a file photo.

DIABETIC SNACKING

Everyone snacks from time to time and we diabetics are no exception.  In fact we should eat 5 times a day and a couple of those times will probably be snacks.  The key is to eat something healthy that will keep our blood sugar regulated.  Here are some ideas for snacks you can carry with you even when you are on the go.

• a hard boiled egg
• small package (or a few in a baggie) of almonds (also heart healthy), pistachios, peanuts, or sunflower seeds; unsalted is best for all those treats.  If you can't grab unsalted, a little salt won't hurt most of us.
• baby carrots
• celery sticks (have a negative calorie effect - it burns up more calories to chew and digest them than what we take in!)
• low-fat string cheese
• apple slices

I'm sure you get the idea and can add to the list with other of your favorites.  Skip the candy bars, potato chips, etc whenever possible.

 File Photo for reference only. If you eat the pretzels, eat them with peanut butter. I do that without it affecting my blood sugar. These are ideas. Use what works for you.

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix) + additional for dusting, if desired
1 1/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup Splenda granulated OR equivalent of your favorite sugar substitute
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
2/3 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt for garnish, if desired. Omit if you have to be cautious about salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick butter-flavored cooking spray and dust lightly with cocoa powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, using a whisk, combine the 1/2 cup cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a second large bowl, combine Splenda, egg and egg yolk until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and the melted butter; mix until smooth. Add the zucchini. Stir in the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly in the pan. Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle with the sea salt, if using.

Note: A friend shared a recipe with me from Delish wondering if diabetics could eat it. I redid the recipe to make it diabetic-friendly.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH SPLENDA

4 medium sweet potatoes
3/4 cup Splenda Granulated
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
2 tsp grated orange rind
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tbsp butter, melted
3 tbsp sugar-free maple-favored syrup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour or until done.  Cool to the touch; peel and mash.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease or spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside.

Combine the mashed sweet potatoes, Splenda, evaporated milk, orange rind and juice, vanilla extract, egg, flour, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter together.  Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the panko crumbs, pecans, 2 tablespoons melted butter and the maple-flavored syrup together.  Sprinkle this mixture over the sweet potato mixture. 

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Yield: 14 servings.

 Note: File Photo

WEIGHT LOSS LONG TERM

We diabetics often battle weight problems. If you get discouraged trying to shed pounds, remember this: THINK OF WEIGHT LOSS AS A LONG TERM PROCESS. Successful weight loss is not a quick fix but rather a lifestyle change in eating habits. As we all know, most habits die slowly!

VENISON STEAK WITH BLUEBERRIES

2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 venison steaks, 1/2-inch thick
1 large lemon, juiced and peel grated
1 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup fresh blueberries*
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add the vension steaks and cook until medium rare (or desired doneness) and browned on both sides. Remove to a platter and keep warm.

De-glaze the skillet with the chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced to a half cup. Lower the heat to medium and add the 4 tablespoons of butter, whisking in 1 at a time. Add the blueberries, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper to the sauce.

To serve, pour the blueberry sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.

Note: File Photo