Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Broccoli is a member of the protective cruciferous family of vegetables and is an excellent source of vitamins A and C. Australian broccoli is superb, especially during the colder months of the year.

Select: firm, very green, unblemished broccoli with compact heads. Avoid yellowing broccoli. Yellowing may be due to loss of freshness or to the broccoli buds opening out into flowers – a sign of over-maturity.

Preparation: Like most green vegetables, broccoli is best steamed, microwaved or stir-fried. Trim tough stalks, separate into flowerets and wash in cold water before cooking. Broccoli cooked in stock and blended to a puree makes an excellent soup and may be seasoned with a little curry power or a spice of your choice.

Suggested seasoning: lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, chili, soy sauce.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Soaking: Dried pulses are easy to cook, but you need to plan ahead as must pulses have to be soaked in cold water for about twelve hours, sometimes more (e.g. dried broad beans are soaked for two days, but this is unusual). Lentils do not usually require any soaking at all. Don’t put off by the thought of soaking pulses; it is really no work at all. First rinse pulses and remove any dark-looking ones and any of the small stones that sometimes find their way into the pack. Soak pulses in 3 or 4 times their volume of cold water and keep in a cool place. Too warm an atmosphere could make them ferment.

Quick soaking: A long soaking is preferable, but no one is perfect and you may have forgotten to put your beans in water. In this case, bring the rinsed pulses and cold water to the boil for 2-3 mins. Turn off the heat, cover and wait till the beans get plump before cooking again as indicated.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Eggplant has a bitter but rich, satisfying taste that marries well with other full-flavored Mediterranean-style vegetables, like capsicum, tomatoes, garlic and zucchini.

Select: small but full-looking eggplants with glossy, dark purple skins and no blemishes.

Preparation: Wash eggplant first. Small eggplants can be pan-fired or baked as they are. Large or older ones need to be halved or sliced and either soaked in very salty water or sprinkled with salt and left to stand for about 30 mins. The salt absorbs moisture and bitterness. After this time, squeeze the eggplant by hand or dry with a cloth or kitchen paper before cooking.  Baked eggplant is delicious and the vegetable can also be stuffed. To do this, halve the eggplant and remove a little of the flesh before cooking. Baked eggplant is delicious, and the vegetable can also stuffed. To do this, halve the eggplant with either a forcemeat, a vegetable preparation such as ratatouille, or a rice and vegetable stuffing.

Suggested seasoning: Thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley, basil, garlic, lemon juice.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Children love raw celery, and it is an excellent way for them to start a meal when they are ‘starving’. Raw celery is delicious in salads.

Select: Celery with fresh-looking, unblemished leaves. The outer stalks should be light green, crisp and firm, and the inner, more tender stalks paler in colour.

Preparation: Cut and discard thick, tough, upper portion of celery, leaves included. The thicker, outer sticks sometimes need to be peeled to remove tough strings. Wash and cut celery into pieces before steaming, stir-frying, microwaving, boiling or cooking in a casserole. The smooth, buttery texture of blended cooked celery mixed with a little cooking liquid makes an ideal substitute for cream, or butter in sauces to accompany fish, white meats and vegetables.

Suggested Seasoning: Freshly  ground black pepper, parsley, tarragon, chopped tomato, cummin.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

You may be surprised to learn that leeks are the favorite vegetable of the French. Leeks are most readily available in winter, and like all vegetables are best when in season.

Select: small leeks with deep green, unblemished leaves and a shine white base.

Preparation: Cut length wise into quarters, leaving the base intact. Wash well in lukewarm water to dissolve dirt caught between the leaves. RInse in cold water before either steaming, stir-frying, boiling ot microwaving. Leeks are delivious cooked in a broth with other vegetables and are usually cut into about three pieces and ties together with string before going into the pot.

Suggested seasoning: Lemon juice, grated cheese, parsley, chervil, chives, freshly ground black pepper.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Zucchini is a type of squash and, despite differences in shape and color, all squashes contain vitamin A, are similar in texture and taste, and can be prepared in the same manner. Like tomato and capsicum, zucchini and quashes are best and cheapest in summer, and these vegetables are lovely cooked together, as in ratatouile.

Select: small squashes or at least avoid very large ones, and look for glossy skins that are not too dark and have no blemishes. Squashes are excellent raw salad ingredients.

Preparation: Wash and trim ends before steaming or microwaving(do not boil squash). Slice it before stir-frying. Baked squash is delicious. Arrange whole squashes on a baking tray. Brush with a little olive oil, season with pepper and chopped garlic, and sprinkle with grated parmesan or breadcrumbs.

Suggested seasoning: Parsley, basil, cummin, tomatoes, freshly ground pepper, garlic, onion.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Like cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and broccoli, turnips are cruciferous vegetables; parsnips, however, are not (they are a source of fibre though).

Select: small, clean-looking, smooth-skinned turnips and parsnips, preferably with leaves still attached.

Preparation: Turnips and parsnips have a thick skin and therefore need to be peeled with a small, sharp knife. Cook either by steaming, microwaving or stirfrying but avoid boiling,  except in soups and broths where the liquid is to be used.

Suggested seasoning: Freshly ground black pepper, cummin, coriander leaves, parsley, chervil.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Corn is a source of fiber, and it is most readily available, and  therefore tastiest, in late summer to autumn.

SELECT: corn with fresh-looking, light green leaves and full, pale yellow kernels. The cobs should feel heavy.

PREPARATION: Remove leaves and silky corn hair. Rinse corn under cold water and steam or boil for 5-10 mins, depending on size and freshness. Alternatively, the corn kernels can be detached when still raw (using a sharp knife) and either added to a soup or a casseroles or simply steamed, and microwaved or boiled. Whole corn can be wrapped in foil and cooked in the oven or on the barbecue.

SUGGESTED SEASONING: A little margarine or butter and freshly ground pepper.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

The last few years have seen the strong marketing of several kinds of sprouts, including alfalfa and various beans such as mung beans, and they are available all the year around. They are most nutritious (like pulses, they are a good source of protein), and they are delicious eaten raw in salads and sandwiches. They may also be added to stir-fried vegetable dishes and soups.

Select: Firm, unblemished sprouts with fresh colors, and if you intend keeping the, for a few days, refrigerate them immersed in cold water.

Preparation: Wash sprouts. Stir-frying is the most suitable method of cooking and they require only 30-60 secs in the pan.

Suggested Seasoning: Soy sauce, oyster sauce.

Low Carb Diabetic Diet

Pumpkin is a good source of vitamin A and fiber.

Select: Firm, clear-skinned, unblemished pumpkin. If the pumpkin is already cut, choose a piece with a nice orange flesh.

Preparation: Wash and cut pumpkin into manageable slices. Remove seeds and skin and either steam, microwave, stir-fry or bake. I bake pumpkin in its skin on an oven rack, as this way it cooks quickly, does not stick and require little or no oil. Pureed pumpkin is delicious; of course it needs to be skinned before cooking.

Suggested Seasoning: Cummin, freshly ground pepper

Low Carb Diabetic Diet