Low Carb Diabetic Diet

There are three or four varieties available and the yellow-fleshed type is the sweetest. Sweet potato is useful source of fibre and vitamin A, and you will lose least goodness if you leave the skin on.
Select: Unblemished sweet potatoes with unbroken on skins and no dark spots.

Preparation: Wash well in lukewarm water to dissolve dirt. Whether skinned or not, sweet potatoes can be steamed, boiled,  microwaved, stir-fried, baked or roasted. Like ordinary potatoes, they give substance or a casserole and may be wrapped in foil and baked in the oven or on the barbecue.

Suggested Seasoning: They really require no seasoning, but you may like to try cummin, freshly ground black pepper, parsley, chives or basil.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Cauliflower is at its peak during the coldest months of the year. A source of fiber and vitamin C and a member of the protective cruciferous family, it can be cooker or eaten raw in salads.

SELECT: Firm, white, compact cauliflower with no dark spots. If a cauliflower has its leaves intact you easily check its freshness.

PREPARATION: Remove leaves, trim large stalks and either leave whole or separate into flowerets. Wash in cold water and either steam, stir-fry, microwave or boil until just tender.

Suggested Seasoning:  Lemon juice, vinegar, parsley, chervil, pepper, cummin.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Most people adore peas, and they are a good source of dietary fibre. They are so popular that when other excellent green vegetables are in season, some people still serve peas, either fresh or frozen, out of habit. It is preferable to vary your diet as much as possible and include serves of different vegetables daily. Peas are tastiest in the milder months of the year.

Select: Bright green, plump pods, not too large or too firm.

Preparation? Shell peas, wash in cold water and steam, boil or microwave. I prefer boiling as it is more rapid (the nutrients are sealed inside the skin of each pea).

Suggested seasoning: Freshly ground black pepper, cummin, parsley.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

How To Cook Beans Easily

Beans are about the best nutrition bargain going. Low in cost, they provide thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, and calcium. When complemented by grains or dairy products, they are a main source of high-quality protein for vegetarians.

The simplest cooking directions are to sort through the beans and discard any bad ones, then rinse well, drain, and gently boil, uncovered, in three times their volume of water until tender.

For some beans, cooking “until tender” can take a considerable length of time. If you prefer, you can shorten their cooking time by soaking them according to one of the following methods.

1. Quick soaking: In a kettle, combine 6 to 9 cups hot water with 1 pound dry beans. Bring to a boil over high heat and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let soak, covered, for 1 hour before draining.
2. Long soaking: In a kettle, combine 6 to 7 cups cold water with 1 pound dry beans. Add 2 teaspoons salt, (it helps beans absorb water evenly). Let soak for at least 3 to 4 hours or until next day. Drain before cooking.

To cook soaked beans: In a kettle, bring 6 to 7 cups water to a boil. Add drained, soaked beans. Boil gently partially covered, until tender Add water if needed to keep beans covered. Add salt to taste (up to 2 teaspoons) when beans are tender. Drain excess water when done; reserve for soups or stews, if desired.

Beans double in size; 1 pound dry beans yields about 4 cups cooked beans. We prefer to cook a large quantity of beans and freeze whatever we don’t plan to use right away.

The following list of legumes (mostly beans) contains a brief description as well as recommended cooking time after soaking for each item. Note that lentils and split peas do not need soaking.

1. Black beans: Robust flavor; popular in South American cooking. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
2. Black-eyed peas: Smooth texture, pealike flavor; good mixed with other vegetables. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Garbanzos (chick peas, ceci): Firm texture, nutlike flavor; naturals for minestrone, salads. 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
4. Great Northern beans: Mild flavor; good in soups, and combined with other vegetables. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
5. Kidney beans: Firm texture, meaty flavor; hold shape well in chili dishes and other casseroles. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. Lentils: No soaking needed. Mild flavor blends well with many different foods, spices. 40 to 45 minutes.
7. Limas, baby: Versatile; use like other white beans in soups, casseroles. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
8. Pink, pinto, and red beans: Hearty flavor; great for barbecue-style beans, Mexican cooking, soups, casseroles. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
9. Soybeans: Strong-flavored, near-perfect protein source. Refrigerate while soaking. 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
10. Split peas, green and yellow: No soaking; good for soups, side dishes. 40 to 50 minutes.
11. White beans (navy), small: Hold their shape when cooked; classic for baked beans. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Cream Of Green Beans Soup Recipe

Green Beans Bake Onion Recipe

Seasoned with fresh herbs, mushrooms are an excellent raw salad ingredient, and also add flavour to many cooked dishes.

Select firm, unblemished, fresh-looking mushrooms that are creamy white in color. Large mushrooms are great for garnishing and in casseroles, small ones are more practical.

Preparation: Some people simply wipe mushrooms with a cloth before cooking, but it’s better to wash them gently and briefly in a large quantity of water to dissolve any dirt. Do this just before cooking, otherwise they lose their lovely color. Mushrooms can be steamed, microwaved, stir-fried, baked or barbecued, and are a popular addition to casseroles. When baking and barbecuing, dry the washed (large) mushrooms, brush them with a little olive oil and season with pepper just before cooking.

Suggested seasoning: Lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, soy sauce, parsley, chives, basil, nutmeg, cummin, garlic.

Baked Fish with Mushrooms Recipe

Baked Ham-Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

In the interests of freshness and economy, it is preferable to buy chicken whole rather then portioned. When serving meat of any kind pay attention to the size of the helpings on the plate. Health authorities advise us against eating large servings of meat. A chicken weighing 1.2 kg is sufficient for a meal to serve four average-size people. Small chickens (1 -1 .2kg) are generally more tender than large ones, but the larger ones usually have more taste.

Select a fresh, plump bird with a meaty breast and a fairly taut skin. Loose skin indicates lack of freshness. The color should be fleshy pink rather than off-white, and the legs should be strong-looking. Look for a bird with a rather solid bone structure. Free-range chickens, which have had a more varied diet and more exercise, are tastier and firmer-fleshed than battery chickens. The latter tend to lose more weight during cooking, due to slightly extra moisture loss. Free-range chickens cost a little more per kilogram, but there is more left after cooking for you to eat.

The cabbage could well be elected king of the protective cruciferous vegetables of winter.  It is a good source of vitamin C and I strongly recommend its use in your family cooking. Cabbage is widely used in Chinese cuisine. Finely shredded raw cabbage is excellent in salads.

Select cabbages with firmly packed, crisp, unblemished leaves and a good green, creamy white or red colour, depending on the variety.

Preparation: Depending on the way you wish to cook it, cabbage may be quartered, sliced or shredded, or the leaves may simple be detached. Trim large stalks and wash cabbage before cooking it. It may be steamed, stir-fried, microwaved, boiled or cooked in a a casserole. Quartered, it takes about 10 mins to steam. When using cabbage in a casserole, which usually required lengthy cooking, it is preferable to precook or blanch the raw cabbage first in boiling water for 2 mins to make it more palatable.

Suggested Seasoning: Parsley, soy sauce, cummin, vinegar, lemon juice.

Company Cabbage Pecans Recipe

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

It is a great pity that snow peas and sugar peas are so expensive, but the price should drop as they gain in popularity and are grown more widely. They are tastiest in the milder months of the year.

Select small, green, unblemished pods.

Preparation: Wash and top and tail, removing any strings. I find stir-frying to be the nicest way to cook snow peas and sugar peas, but they can also be steamed or microwaved. They are delicious simple blanched and served salads.

Suggested seasoning: Freshly ground black pepper, soy sauce, parsley.

24 hour Vegetable Salad Recipe

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Tangy, fresh flavor is the special bonus of making your own cheese and yogurt. Homemade cheese if marvelously light, delicate and creamy. Homemade yogurt is thick, tangy, and velvety, far surpassing anything you have every tasted from a carton. And besides tasting heavenly, both these foods are strong sources of protein.

Making cheese and yogurt is really quite simple. The only special equipment you will need is a thermometer that will measure 170 degree to 175 degree F. for cheese and 100 degree to 120 degree for yogurt; a variety of such thermometers are available in cookware departments.

Homemade thousand island dressing recipe

Low Carb Diabetic Diet Recipe

Want to learn how to bake a low calorie Apple Pie Crumb?

Here is one version of recipe: Homemade Apple Pie Crumb Recipe

Low Carb Diabetic Recipe