Cookies, candies, Yule logs and eggnog. Sound like recipes for an extreme sugar overload? The holidays are full of family visits and celebrations punctuated by large quantities of homemade goodies and figure “un-friendly” foods. Add gift buying, tree decorating and a lack of physical activity and you have a formula for a metabolic disaster!
The holidays can be a stressful time for families, especially for families dealing with diabetes. Questions of what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat and what’s in that food, lurk in the minds of those with diabetes. Food is at the center of our tables and our celebrations and it is challenging to accommodate special dietary needs, but it is possible. Healthy holidays are achievable without sacrificing flavor or fun. If you or someone in your family is living with diabetes, here are some helpful tips and healthy recipes to keep everyone on track for the holidays:
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1. Plan ahead: Just as you make a list of holiday gifts and to-dos, make a meal plan and shop ahead of time. This not only saves you time and stress, it can hold the mindless eating monster at bay.
2. Move every day: As you plan the menu and shopping lists, plan to be active. Whether it is walking your dog, taking a walk break at work, running errands, taking stairs instead of elevators or even grocery shopping, it all counts. Ten minutes of activity here and there throughout the day adds up. Strive for those extra steps.
3. Snack on “superfoods”: Sampling while preparing meals can determine if a food has the right flavor and texture; it can also add extra calories to a daily diet. Try snacking on “superfoods” such as cherry tomatoes, nuts, fat-free milk, grapefruit and orange wedges, or prepare your own healthy version of sweet potato fries. These foods will help curb hunger while providing important nutrients.
4. Create a balanced plate: Fill up half of the dinner plate with non-starchy veggies like spinach, green beans, tomatoes, cucumber, okra, peppers and mushrooms. Fill up the second half with starches (beans, pasta or whole grains) and lean protein (fish, shrimp, chicken or pork.
5.Don’t dwell on relapses: It is easy to take a couple of steps back, but the important point to remember is to not go on a guilt trip for a small relapse. Instead, embrace your successes!
We have tackled some strategies, but now for the best part: the food. This year, approach the holidays with healthful intentions and try something new in preparing delicious treats and meals for you and your loved ones.
Cheesy Tortilla Wedges
These are like nachos, but better and healthier,
Serves 12; serving size: 3 wedges and 1 tablespoon of guacamole
Ingredients
6 each corn (blue or yellow) tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese
1 cup reduced-fat, shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup green chiles
1/2 cup pitted black olives
12 tablespoons guacamole
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Mix together cheeses, chiles and olives in bowl. Set aside and spread both sides of the tortillas with olive oil. Place on cookie sheet and bake three minutes or until lightly browned. Turn tortillas over; top with cheese mixture and spread to the edge. Bake an additional three minutes or until the cheese melts. Cut each tortilla into six wedges and arrange on a platter. Top with guacamole and serve.
Nutrition Information: Exchanges/Choices: 1 med-fat meat, 1/2 starch, 1 fat; total calories: 144, calories from fat: 86, total fat: 10 grams, saturated fat: four grams, cholesterol: six milligrams, sodium: 232 milligrams, total carbohydrate: nine grams, dietary fiber: two grams, sugars: three grams, protein: six grams.
Recipe from the second edition of the Complete Quick & Hearty Diabetic Cookbook by American Diabetes Association.
Herb and Garlic Infused Roasted Turkey
This turkey is full of flavor and lean protein.
Servings: 12
Serving size: four ounces
Preparation time: 22 minutes
Cooking time: Three hours to three hours and 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 12-pound turkey
1 granny smith apple, unpeeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 head of garlic, separated into cloves, skins left on
3 sprigs thyme, folded over
3 sprigs rosemary, folded over
2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
Broth Mixture
2 cups low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. Wash the turkey inside and out, and pat dry.
2. In a bowl, combine the apple, onion, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper to taste, and two teaspoons of the olive oil.
3. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with this mixture. Tie the turkey using twine: First, tie the legs together so that the cavity is sealed, and then bind the wings to the body of the turkey.
4. Rub the outside of the turkey on both sides with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Combine the ingredients for the broth mixture in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Reduce heat to low.
6. Place the turkey breast-side down on a rack that has been coated with cooking spray. Place the rack inside a large roasting pan and roast for one hour. Baste occasionally with the broth mixture.
7. After one hour, reduce oven temperature to 375 F. Continue to roast the turkey for another hour, basting occasionally with the broth mixture.
8. Turn the turkey breast-side up and continue to roast about 45 more minutes or until the legs move easily and a meat thermometer registers 180 F. Be sure to insert the thermometer into the meaty part of the thigh, making sure not to touch the bone. It is important to cook the turkey thoroughly, so add additional time if necessary.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest on a platter, loosely covered, for 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle back into the turkey and to make carving easier.
10. Remove the twine to carve. The stuffing is for flavoring only and does not get consumed; discard it when carving.
11. Serve the turkey skinless, with the natural pan juices. Store any leftovers in a covered container for no more than two days.
Nutrition Information per Serving: Lean meat exchanges: four; calories: 200, calories from fat: 55, total fat: six grams, saturated fat: 2.1 grams, cholesterol: 85 milligrams, sodium: 100 milligrams (without added salt), total carbohydrate: zero grams, dietary fiber: zero grams, sugars: zero grams, protein: 33 grams,
Recipe courtesy of Diabetes Forecast magazine, which is published by American Diabetes Association, forecast.diabetes.org/recipes.
Double Chocolate Cake
This cake only seems sinful!
Servings: nine
Serving size: one slice
Preparation time: five minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Cooling time: two hours
Ingredients
Crust
½ cup sugar-free chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
Filling
¾ cup Splenda Sugar Blend
½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups fat-free milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon butter
Garnish
½ cup fat-free whipped topping
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare the crust: Mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar and oil. Pour the mixture into the bottom of an eight-inch springform pan or loose-bottom tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
2. Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the Splenda, cornstarch, cocoa and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk and then the egg. Whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
3. Cook and stir three more minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent the mixture from forming a skin. Let cool for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the plastic wrap,and pour the filling on top of the prepared crust. Refrigerate for two hours before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped topping.
Nutrition Information per Serving: Carbohydrate exchanges: two, fat exchanges: one, Calories: 195, calories from fat: 40, total fat: 4.5 grams, saturated fat: 1.1 grams, trans fat: 0 grams, cholesterol: 25 milligrams, sodium: 130 milligrams, total carbohydrate: 35 grams, dietary fiber: one grams, sugars: 23 grams, sugar alcohols: two grams, protein: four grams.
Recipe courtesy of Diabetes Forecast magazine, which is published by American Diabetes Association, forecast.diabetes.org/recipes.
Keeping these five simple strategies and tasty recipes in mind over the next few months can help you enjoy a genuinely heart healthy holiday that is not only within your reach, but also fun. Happy Holidays!
* Not all foods and recipes are appropriate for all diabetics. Continue to check your blood sugar levels and work with your health care provider and/or diabetes educator before making any drastic changes to your overall diet and physical activity levels.
* Erin Nitschke is a regular columnist of Live Well Wyoming, a lifestyle magazine published six times a year by the Casper Star-Tribune. She is director of recreation, outdoor education, health and wellness at Sheridan College. Reach her at enitschke@sheridan.edu.
