[diabetic z]

Hello. I'm new to diabetes and this holiday season will be my first as a diabetic. I am currently on a very restricted diet of protein packets (just add water meals, bars, drink mixes, snacks, etc.) and am limited to 1 cup of raw green veggies a day. For the upcoming holidays, I do plan on going off my diet for a single day for each holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and my birthday). I won't be throwing caution to the wind and will not be reviving old eating habits. However, I would like to eat "real" food again, but within reason. With this in mind, I would like to ask you all for any tried and tested diabetic recipes that you have found useful for this time of year. For instance, for Turkey Day, I will most definitely be enjoying a nice roasted turkey with a fresh salad. But what kind of sides can I also prepare? I know the usual stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, and bread are not gonna be on the menu. Is there a diabetic safe stuffing? I've checked dLife, but want to hear from some veteran diabetics. Thanks, ladies.

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

You could have a 1/2 cup of cooked turnip; plus many other veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, just to name a few which are lower carb (sugar). I always make a SF (sugar-free) pumpkin custard (no crust) for these holidays.

You can use any favorite pumpkin pie recipe, just replace Splenda or another favorite sweetener for the sugar in the recipe ... and trust me, you really don't need as much sugar as they say in the recipe: 1/3 cup or < is fine for the custard and it tastes great.

We have turkey, baby new potatoes w/skins, veggies, wg stuffing, salad, tomatoes & cukes, cheddar cheese, dill pickles, and pumpkin custard. I think you can have all of that in the proper amounts and you'll be stuffed -- the key is HOW MUCH ... keep the limits under 1/2 cup each serving (ie 2-3 baby potatoes). Sometimes, we have sweet potatoes intead of regular potatoes too (have 1/2 a medium or 1/2 cup for a serving).

Remember you can have a few nuts for a snack too which are good for you too; say put a few walnuts or pecans on top of your custard for decoration. The next day, I have a serving of leftover custard for my breakfast.

Sorry, can't help you on a replacement for stuffing, but I still make it using whole grain breads; and splurge, and have a couple of spoonfuls as my starch carbs for the meal for that day -- it's a special day remember! Save some up for that meal by having less at BF and lunch.

Go for a 30-minute WALK after dinner, and everything should be Okee dokee ...

PS -- I was just thinking that you could have turnip and cauliflower, instead of potatoes & dressing, with the turkey and salad and pickles, plus a pumpkin custard for dessert and thatsa lotta food really!

[diabetic z]

Thanks for the suggestions. I never even thought about the pumpkin pie modification. I was just going to rule out any type of dessert. Pumpkin custard sounds delicious. Again, thank you.

[Tapestry]

Wow diabetic z you're doing great! I'm trying to manage my diabetes through diet alone also. I'm not new to it, I've been a diabetic for about 15 years but never really got serious about it untill the last couple of years when I actually started getting sick. Now, at my age and the numbers I'm running I have to get them down.

I'm not having much success with the diabetic diet and lower calories. I lose weight so slow and that (weight loss) is what my doctor has said will bring my numbers down with a good diet and excercise.

I was wondering about Omnifast...is that similar to Medifast? Did your doctor prescribe it for you?

b' sweet y'all

[diabetic z]

Thank you, Tapestry. I've been really committed and motivated to improve my health ever since I was diagnosed with type 2. My latest blood test results reinforced the fact that my diet and exercise are paying off. My doctor referred me to a weight management center and their program is called Omnifast. The closest thing to it is Optifast, but it is very similar to Medifast. My dietitian works closely with my doctor (and now my personal trainer) to ensure my diet is optimized for weight loss and exercise (cardio mostly). Everyone is very cognizant of my diabetes and they are a great support structure for me. Yesterday, I just started reintroducing regular food into my diet. Before, it was so easy to just pick from the different protein packets for my meals and snacks. Now, I have to actually think about what I want, the nutritional values, and then figure out a serving size. It's a challenge, but at least I get to eat real food. Veggies have never tasted so good.

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

Here's my own Pumpkin Custard recipe, if you'd like to try it; and I will also put it in the file at the top of the page for other Diabetics, in the red sticky up there ...

* MY PUMPKIN CUSTARD *

1-1/2 cups pumpkin puree* (1/2 a large 28 oz can)
3/4 cup milk (regular or evaporated)*
2 large eggs
9-12 packets of artifcial sweetener*
1 tbl molasses (diabetics: sub 1 tsp coffee granules)
1-2 tsp flour (optional: to thicken custard)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp mace

Spray glass pie plate or casserole dish with olive oil spray; sprinkle bottom with flax meal, natural bran, or tsp of whole wheat flour. Pour custard into dish and bake at 375 F for 50-60 minutes (or until center is set). Let cool to almost room temp before serving; cover leftovers with plastic wrap and store in fridge: great for breakfast.

*Note: if you like thick custard, just cut the milk down to 1/2 cup; and 9 packets of sweetener = about 1/3 cup Splenda, but if you like a sweeter custard, use 12 packets or 1/2 cup Splenda. I put 1 tbl molasses in my pie which adds a richer flavor but you can omit that and just sub with 1 tsp instant coffee granules for the same effect without the sugar. For those that sugar is not an issue, you can use 2/3 cup brown sugar for the sweetener. Enjoy ...