Spiced Chicken with Couscous Salad

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine found this recipe and posted it on facebook. I'd had couscous before in other forms, but this recipe looked so good that I just HAD to try it! It was a smash hit, and I was excited to make it again this week, as it is still fairly diabetic-friendly. I tweaked the recipe a bit and it makes enough for 3 or 4 full servings (if served as the main dish). I'll link the original recipe as well.

Enjoy this easy, creative twist on salad!

Season 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each) with cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper, and perhaps a bit of cayenne. Grill until cooked through. Cut into small cubes.

Cook 1 cup of pearl couscous according to package instructions and let cool just a bit. Add 3/4 lb. of cherry tomatoes that have been quartered, 1/4 lb. of sliced sugar snap peas or thawed peas out of a freezer bag, 1-2 T. of dried basil, 3 T. of lemon juice, and 2 T. of olive oil. Toss to combine. Add cubed chicken and serve!

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spiced-chicken-couscous-salad-recipe-00000000034246/index.html

My Grandma is a Genius

This weekend, I went and spent a day and a half with my grandparents, who live about two hours away. My grandma has been my inspiration for MANY things over the years; she taught me to sew and encouraged my creativity; her incredible cooking, baking, and gardening skills taught me to appreciate the home-made and experiment in the kitchen for myself; and her love and care has always supported me, especially over the last few months since my diagnosis.

I'm not sure how long it's been since I just spent an entire DAY with my grandparents all on my own.. in fact, I'm not sure if it's ever happened before. It ended up being one of the best weekends of my summer, and I can't wait to do it again sometime!

So let me dive into the eclectic elements that made this weekend so wonderful:

ONE. Fresh peach pie surprise.
Although I love all desserts, fresh peach pie is probably one of my all-time favorites. When I arrived at my grandparents on Friday evening, my grandma pulled out a mini-pie that she'd made special just for me!! It was a complete experiment on her part, and it ended up, hands down, being the best thing I've tasted all summer! Let me share how she concocted this sugar-free marvel....

First of all, she used a small pie pan, only about 5" I'd say. She took a low-carb tortilla and trimmed it to fit into the pan like a pie crust. She buttered it lightly, sprinkled it with cinnamon and Splenda, then baked it in the oven at 350 for a couple of minutes until it was just barely starting to brown.

Once it was cool, she filled it with slices of fresh peaches. For the glaze, she mashed up one peach and cooked it over the stove, mixing in less than 1 tsp of corn starch and less than 1/4 c. of Splenda. She let it cool just a bit, then poured it over the pie and refrigerated it.

Now, I wish I had a picture to show you, but I don't. It was so good that I'll confess to eating the whole thing in 2 sittings. This marvel ended up being maybe only 12-14 carbs for HALF of that little pie!! (And that's with Light Whipped Topping!) I actually even liked it better than a normal fresh peach pie. The glaze was SO good, and even more flavorful than the sugary gel that you normally use.

TWO. My grandma's sewing haven.
I love to sew, something that both of my grandma's taught me from a young age. This grandma has an incredible sewing room built in her basement, complete with more fabric than any normal person would use in an entire lifetime ;-) We spent much of Friday evening and Saturday afternoon in this lovely little room; she quilted, and I made a new tote bag. I don't care if you're diabetic or not. ALL girls love and need big purses!! Anyway, it was completely relaxing and therapeutic, and I now have a Vera-Bradley-ish purse that was inexpensive and one-of-a-kind!

Amy Butler Birdie Sling Tote Bag Midwest Modern Sewing Pattern

THREE. Home-made berry jam.
After growing up with all home-made jams, I'm rather biased against store bought preserves. Using some sugar-free pectin given to me by a friend and a combination of red and black raspberries, my grandma and I made several jars of delicious, healthy, and sugarless jam! Hello breakfast love.

Natural ingredients and no preservatives! 

Nothing so beautiful as fresh jam!

So that was my lovely weekend. Not to mention feasting on fresh garden veggies, visiting the world's cutest antique/vintage store, and lots of coffee. Thank you, God for family and creativity!

Southwest Chicken & Avocado Salad

Consider the following setting:

- The clock finally strikes five, and you eagerly recall that it's nearly time for supper (as your grumbling stomach indicates). As you leap up from the task at hand, a sinking feeling comes over you.... Wait.. what am I making for supper?

Can anyone relate??

Here's another of my favorite quickies when it comes to meal time! You can never go wrong with a salad, and fortunately, the possibilities are endless! So run home, throw a piece of chicken on the grill or your George Foreman, and let's get supper going! And when you're done, come back and tell me about YOUR favorite salad combination.. I'm always looking for something new!

 (**thanks to my sister for this tasty concoction)

Ingredients:

• Spring salad mix with spinach
• 1/4 c. Sweet corn 
• 1/4 c. Black beans
• Your favorite salsa
• Light Avocado Ranch dressing, by Kraft
• Tomato chunks (fresh)
• 2 T. Sunflower seeds
• 1/2 c. Avocado, sliced (never cut up an avocado before?? scroll down for tips!)
• Grilled chicken breast, cut into strips

Lightly toss all ingredients together and enjoy! I suggest treating yourself with a chunk of some hearty bread on the side. 

Slicing Avocados... the quick 'n easy:

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and gently pull the two halves apart. The pit will remain in one side. Cut each half in half again, and then carefully pull the pit off the flesh. Make cuts lengthwise as well as across the flesh of the fruit, being careful NOT to cut through the skin. Using a large spoon, scoop all of the cut pieces out of the skin. Easy enough?

Brownie Bites

Here's yet another treasure harvested from my BHG diabetic cookbook! I've always loved brownies more than any other dessert, but let's face it: they're pretty rascally little fellows when it comes to being healthy. So give these a whirl! True, they are a bit more cake-y and not quite as fudge-y as some box mixes, but they're still very satisfying! Plus, they're made with real sugar *gasp*, and still only 15 carbs per cookie. My goal is to attempt them with Splenda next time.. I think they'll still turn out. But I'll keep you posted! Until then.....

Ingredients:

• 2 T butter
• 1/3 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 c. cold water
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 T. cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 T. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 1 tsp.  powdered sugar

Melt butter in small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in granulated sugar, cold water, and vanilla. Stir in flour, cocoa, and baking powder until thoroughly combined, then add nuts.

Spray the bottom of a large (8x4x2") loaf pan. Pour batter into pan and top with extra nuts, if desired. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until no longer gooey. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Cut into 8 equal bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

(I'd have a picture here, but my mountain-top wifi here in CO is currently refusing to deal with pictures. Fail. Guess you'll have to make them yourself to figure out how delicious they look and taste!)

A Slow-cooked, Sloppy Sandwich & Coleslaw

Sloppy Joes always take me back to childhood for some reason... and they ALWAYS make me think of summer. Not to mention the fact that they're easy to make with a can of Manwich sauce! This recipe for Sloppy Joes doesn't take much more prep time than a jar of pre-made sauce, plus it's sugar-free and better tasting! Next time it's too hot to cook, give this recipe a whirl..... I found it in Simple Everday Diabetic Meals by Better Homes and Garden, and tweaked the recipe just slightly.

Sloppy Joes: Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs of LEAN ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove of garlic, minced, or 1 tsp of minced garlic out of a jar
• 1 6 oz can of vegetable juice (I use V8's small cans)
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 T. Splenda (or other sugar substitute)
• 1 T. Mustard
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire 

Brown the beef with onion and garlic; drain off the fat. Combine all other ingredients plus meat in crockpot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hrs on low, or 3-4 hrs. on high.

***A couple quick notes: I tend to let it cook on low for about 5 hours, then I turn it up to high for the last hour or two. The original recipe also called for 2 T. Jalapenos, but I excluded those and added a bit of cumin and cayenne... it adds just a bit of delicious warmth. Serve on your favorite low-carb bread or bun! (I like Arnold's Sandwich Thins)

Now.. this is great served with some fresh coleslaw on the side, which is a very easy, low-carb dish. So here's a recipe I found while digging online one day that I simply love:

Coleslaw: Ingredients

• One bag of coleslaw mix
• 1 cup Mayo
• 1 T. white vinegar
• 1 T. horseradish
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend. Summer ease is served :)

Gotta have the chocolate!

After my diagnosis, there were many things that I craved... but I think that one of my biggest initial cravings was for chocolate chip cookies. So simple. So delicious. I never realized how much I'd taken them for granted! And thus began my search for a cookie recipe that didn't produce sandpaper rocks... Here's what I found and created!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup Splenda (or other sugar substitute) 
• 1/4 cup Splenda/brown sugar blend (or you can use 1/2 cup of regular brown sugar)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Dash of salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups of flour
• 5-6 oz. Ghiradelli's bittersweet chocolate chips (my personal favorites)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Beat butter on medium/high speed for about 30 seconds. Add sugars, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, then beat in eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat in as much flour as possible, although you may have to stir in some by hand. Stir in chocolate and pecans.

Drop by spoonfuls 2" apart on an un-greased cookie sheet. I use a cookie scoop to make sure that all of my cookies come out to be the same size so I have a consistent carb count in each cookie. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and cookies have set up.

Yield: 36 cookies      Carbs: approx. 10 per cookie

Gotta love the cookie scoop!

Finished product... delicious!

Tortilla Calzones

First of all, a quick apology for my absence of late. School and travelling drew me away....

But meanwhile, I have been capturing several recipes that I'd love to share with you! So let's get started...

I love pizza. What good American doesn't? But as a diabetic, the rules have changed a bit, and the days of mindlessly devouring as much grease and carb-laden crust as I could handle are over. (Yes... I've been known to eat half of a LARGE pizza at a time.) No matter how you choose to bolus it, pizza just is tricky.. and it's one of those that likes to come back and bite you a few hrs later!

So here's my little invention to satisfy my cravings. We'll call it a tortilla calzone. Unfortunately, I don't have an exact recipe, because every time I make it, I just chop up whatever is on hand, weigh it on my super hand Salter food scale that gives me the exact carb count for any food item (available at Amazon.. check out the link!), and then add it to my tortilla.

Basic Instructions:

1. Use a low-carb tortilla ( I like La Tortilla Factory Whole Wheat, with 6 net carbs
2. Place on cookie sheet and use whatever toppings you desire... I did cooked chicken (cubed), green pepper, onion, tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, oregano, and a dash of salt
3. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes or until the tortilla and cheese are just beginning to brown
4. Fold the tortilla in half, cut into triangles, and enjoy! I believe that just one of these totaled about 11 carbs! If you desire, serve with marinara, just remember to count those extra carbs :)

Baked tortilla, before I folded it in half

Here's the tortillas I use... love them! I also use them for wraps, burritos.. etc.

Crispy Peanut Butterscotch Pie

This little recipe caught my eye one day as I perused several cookbooks from the library. I quickly copied it down, but didn't have time to try it until tonight. We'll be having family in town for the holiday weekend, so I thought I'd test this out in advance to see if it would qualify as good "party food".

It's safe to say that I've found a new favorite dessert!

So... without further ado.. here we go!

• 1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
• 1 T. honey
• 1 1/2 c. Rice Krispies
• 1 (1 oz.) package of sugar-free butterscotch instant pudding mix
• 2 c. 1% milk
• 1 c. frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Combine peanut butter and honey in a medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 30 seconds, stirring until mixture melts. Stir in cereal. Line an 8" cake pan with wax paper and press mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Making the crust

Still on the crust...

Prepare pudding mix according to package directions, using 2 c. milk; fold in whipped topping. Spoon pudding mixture into pan. Cover and freeze until firm. Let stand at room temp 10-15 minutes before serving. (Now, I'll confess, we left it out longer than that, and while it got really messy, it was actually better than if it was frozen solid!)

Yield: 6 servings  

Carbs: 23 g per serving

Calories: 175 per serving

Seriously, you gotta try this.. the perfect blend of cold, sweet, and crispy!

When life gives you lemons...

Make Lemonade.
You know the saying.

Today, I decided to take this catchy little phrase literally. Diabetes can sour life if you let it, but with a positive attitude and willingness to learn, any situation can be sweetened.

But back to the real lemons. Okay, the 4th of July weekend is nearly upon us, and I've been thinking through all of my favorite summer holiday foods, trying to plan a menu that my extended family will enjoy... and that I can enjoy as well! In my opinion, lemonade is essential to any and all picnics. We happened to have two lemons sitting in our kitchen, so I grabbed them and set out to discover sugar-free lemonade.

With the combined input of several websites, this is what I came up with! It's so quick and easy.. because you use Stevia (sugar substitute), you don't even need to heat water to dissolve the sugar into a syrup, like most lemonade recipes!

(Keep in mind.. this only makes about 1 qt. of lemonade since that's all the lemon I had to work with! This is easily doubled, tripled... etc.)

• 2 large lemons (to make about 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice)
• 1 qt. of cold water
• 2-3 packets of Stevia sweetener (It depends on how sweet you like it! I made it with just two, and loved the bit of tartness that remained)

Set the lemons out at least one hour before you want to use them to let them warm up. Before cutting the lemons, roll them on the counter top, applying firm pressure with your palms to soften them. Cut lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup until you have about 1/3 cup. Mix with cold water and Stevia, and enjoy!

Next time I make this, I think I'll serve it with crushed ice and some fresh raspberries or strawberries. I may even add a bit of lime juice for some extra tangy-ness! 

Happy summer!

Moussaka: A Lasagna Wanna-be

My sister introduced me to moussaka just a few weeks, ago, and I'll be honest.. I was pretty skeptical at the time. If you're like me, you probably haven't even heard of it before! So.. a quick description. Moussaka is a Greek dish similar to lasagna, the primary difference being that it uses eggplant instead of noodles, and it also contains cinnamon and nutmeg. (Thus my skepticism... eggplant? cinnamon? nutmeg? in one dish??)


It would seem that my sister had every right to rave over this dish. The eggplant is a great substitute for carb-laden pasta, although it has a slightly different texture. My favorite part of the dish, however, is the addition of the cinnamon and nutmeg. Delicious. Think comfort food. Think warm, cozy flavors. Moussaka was a hit with the whole family, and we'll definitely keep this one around!


Warning: this dish does take 30-40 minutes of prep time, as well as 45 minutes to bake, so make sure you set out on this venture with time to spare!


Serves 4, approximately 12 carbs per serving.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
•  olive oil (as needed)
•  1 lb lean ground beef (or can use ground lamb)
•  2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
•  2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic (or to taste, I use lots!)
•  1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
•  1 teaspoon dried oregano (or to taste)
•  1 teaspoon salt, divided (or to taste, I use seasoned salt)
•  1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 T. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 T. ground cinnamon  

Cheese Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
•  1/2 teaspoon salt (I use seasoned salt)
•  1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)
•  2 tablespoons flour
•  1 cup half-and-half cream
•  1 egg
•  1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (can use more) 

1. Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan 

2. Peel the eggplants then slice 1/4-inch thick (or a little thicker won't hurt).
3. Lightly coat each side of sliced eggplant with olive oil then season slices with salt and pepper  4. Place the eggplant slices on a cookie sheet; broil under the broiler until brown; turn and broil the other side, brushing with oil if needed; repeat with all eggplant slices. (Don't go overboard with the oil.. you don't want it to be greasy!)

5. In the bottom of the prepared baking dish arrange half of the eggplant slices.
6. In a large skillet, combine beef and onions; cook stirring until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are soft; drain fat.
7. Add in the garlic, tomato sauce, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper to taste; pour mixture over eggplant slices. 8. Arrange the remaining eggplant slices over the beef mixture.    


PREPARE THE CHEESE SAUCE: 
9. Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste; gradually stir in half and half or milk, cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
10. In a small bowl, beat egg; stir in some of the hot sauce, then add egg to sauce mixture, mix well; add in Parmesan cheese, and stir again.
11. Pour the cheese sauce over mixture in baking dish.
12. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes.

 Note: If doubling this recipe to serve 8 it is best to make two separate casseroles instead of one larger one.


Voila! Dinner is served! 

Asian Chicken and Mandarin Orange Salad

Nothing speaks summer like a light salad topped with fruit and grilled chicken!

This was my supper tonight, and it was delicious! Even better, it's so easy to throw together. (Sorry there's no picture.. I'll try to add one later!)

Ingredients (for one salad):

• Spinach and lettuce salad mix
• 2 T. slivered almonds
• 1 small chicken breast, grilled and cut into cubes
• 1/3 cup of canned mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/2 cup chow mein noodles
• 2 T. Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing

Toss all ingredients together and enjoy! I calculated this to be approximately 24 carbs. That's my kind of supper right there! I was left with plenty of carbs to enjoy a side of fresh pineapple and raspberries, as well as a sugar-free fudgsicle. 

Summer has never tasted better :)

Peanut Butter Cookies

Let's get our priorities straight.. dessert must always come first! I'm the sort of girl who could eat dessert with every meal. One of my biggest frustrations as a new diabetic has been finding substitutes sweet treats. Here's one of the first recipes I discovered online for a quick-n-easy, low-carb & sugar free cookie!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups smooth natural peanut butter (I like Smucker's Natural Creamy Peanut Butter.. only 6 carbs for every 2 tablespoons!) 
• 2 cups no-calorie sugar substitute (I prefer Splenda or Apriva... I'll explain why in another post!) 
• 2 large eggs 
• 3/4 cup of oats 
• 1 tsp. vanilla 

Directions:Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a baking sheet. Thoroughly mix together all ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto pan. Bake until center appears dry, about 8-9 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen small cookies.

Total carbs in recipe: 137 

Carbs Per cookie (based on yield of 36): 3.8

**Note: These freeze really well! Make them in advance and store in freezer to stay fresh.

And there you have it! So easy, and so delicious. My family couldn't even tell that I'd used artificial sweetener. Enjoy!