Thursday, April 26, 2012

Living as a Diabetic and managing calories


Any time I change my eating pattern I have a difficult time sustaining my calories. When I can't eat what I want, when I want I have less interest in food.

It is really hard to analyze bite after bite to determine breakfast.

I've had half of my allotment of blackberries and 1/2 lavash with 1 ounce of cheese thus far and it is coming up on lunchtime.

I did make the switch from half and half to goat milk in my coffee, and still have to analyze my goat milk.

Thus far 38 grams of carb.

Lunch was a feast. I did it, I made an extraordinary satisfying and nutritious dish that included pasta and brought it in at 47 grams of carbohydrate.

A Sicilian Feast
1.5 ounces of pasta
1 tablespoon of olive oil
15 small black olives
1.5 cups of broccoli
Salt
Black Pepper
Red Pepper

Put a pot of salted water onto boil for your pasta. 

Finely chop the garlic and saute in the oil, when it softens add the broccoli and a touch of the pasta water. You want a little steam. Ideally broccoli should be crisp, not hard or mushy. Sprinkle lightly with seasoning.

When pasta is almost done, drain and finish in the skilled with the broccoli and oil. Know you are getting a lot of vitamin C and enough of everything else to make this a healthy dish.

Diabetics can have pasta, just not very much.

Dining out can be a mystery card for all of us. We just have to adapt with what is served.

Tonight I was at a graduation. Star Bosley of the C.H.E.F.S. program graduated tonight. She is an intern I have been working with and she has become a very good chef in her own right. The chefs who have no completed an internship prepare the food for the graduation of those who are ready (or in the case of Star)alreayd have moved onto jobs.

We began with finely chopped tomato and basil on sliced french bread served alongside 2 shrimp and 3 grapes. Odd composition, yes, but tasty little breads. I had my two and one off of another plate.

The main was a half cornish game hen with a pomegranate glaze. I had half, just the drum and thigh. The glaze was delicious. It was served alongside bulgar (I avoided it) and grilled asparagus which I ate.

When I did not eat my bulgar they brought out a small portion of the kid's meal, macaroni and cheese and my strong resolve dissolved.

I did manage to avoid dessert, but then they handed out goody bags of biscotti. Two are currently in my backpack taunting me.

I am jonesing for a snack but I will have a small bit of wine and try to resist. My calories are fine but my carbs are a little bit high in the total proportion of my diet coming in at 37%. Not in the danger zone, but time to stop.

...and I could not resist a snack. I chose well. I had some dried anchovies with chili peppers in the house. You can find them in Chinatown, sometimes with peanuts mixed in as well. Great snack.

Calories 1,880. Carbs 33%.

1 comment:

Karl said...

Michelle Suttle sent this to me via Facebook.

I have been reading your blog but it wont let me post there. I so admire your willingness to do this to yourself. You are right... it is not easy in a world where we are faced with food everywhere. It is not shocking that so many people are diabetic. I used to cook for people who were diabetic on a consistant basis and preparing their meals took lots of thought and willingness on their part to be a little willing to try new things. Let's face it, 1oz of cheese is NOTHING!!! I was curious why you wouldn't eat some of the bulgar? Whole grain options are perfect over any carbs offered. They contain protine and will fill you up and keep you feeling full longer. Also, don't be afraid of whole wheat and whole grain pastas. As long as they are not over cooked they have a great added nutty flavor (I have also seen they have quinoa pasta now too! I really have to try it.) Later when I am not chasing my wonderful little demon child around I will send you some links that have great Glycemic Index food ideas. Love your dried anchovies... but I could never seem to get my clients to eat anything with eyes LOL. When working for them I fell in love with sardines... the good ones packed with oliveoil and chilis. I would have them for lunch a couple days a week with a squirt of lemon on some arugula with a toasted slice of a hearty whole grain and flax seed bread (It had sunflour seeds in it too... I miss that bakery it came from!) I feel so bad for you saying you are hungry, because part of watching your blood sugar on a diabetic diet is also making sure you are never hungry. It takes getting to know your diet for a while though to get to that point. Kudos to you for doing this!