| One of the most important aspects of diabetes | | | | - Just before serving, stir in banana slices. |
| treatment and management is a healthy diet. | | | | Pasta Pasta is one of the foods that will need to |
| Since diabetes is caused by your body’s | | | | be limited in the diabetes diet. However, limited |
| inability to produce insulin, which helps your body | | | | does not been completely eliminated – so, |
| turn sugars into energy, your diet may have to | | | | for special treats, try this Chicken Pasta Salad: |
| change. The most important thing will be to eat a | | | | Ingredients: |
| variety of foods and limit your intake of sugars | | | | - ½ cup fat-free mayonnaise |
| and starchy foods, which turn to sugar in your | | | | - 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce |
| body. Pastas, white bread, and potatoes are | | | | - 2 tbsp sherry |
| starchy foods that will need to be limited in your | | | | - 1/8 tsp ground ginger |
| diet – but there are many recipes for | | | | - ¼ tsp pepper |
| foods, even desserts, that are diabetic friendly | | | | - 1 cup cooked spiral pasta, drained |
| and allow you to enjoy the food you eat. | | | | - 2 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, |
| Sweets Desserts and sweets are one of the | | | | cut into bite-sized pieces |
| things that diabetics miss the most. Here is a | | | | - 2 cups fresh snow peas, strings removed and |
| recipe for Peanut Butter Squares that is diabetes | | | | blanched |
| friendly: | | | | - 2 green onions, sliced |
| Ingredients: | | | | - ½ cup water chestnuts, sliced |
| - Oil and flour aerosol spray | | | | - ¼ cup toasted almonds, for garnish |
| - 1 large egg | | | | Directions: |
| - ¼ cup “natural” style peanut | | | | - In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, soy |
| butter | | | | sauce, sherry, ground ginger, and pepper. Set |
| - 1 cup ripe mashed banana | | | | aside. |
| - ¼ cup skim milk | | | | - In a separate bowl, combine pasta, chicken, |
| - 1 cup flour | | | | snow peas, green onions, and water chestnuts. |
| - 1 teaspoon baking soda | | | | - Add dressing mix (step 1) and toss. Refrigerate |
| - 1 teaspoon baking powder | | | | overnight. Sprinkle with toasted almonds before |
| - ¼ cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts | | | | serving. |
| Directions: | | | | Many people with diabetes eliminate spaghetti |
| - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch | | | | from their diet because the spaghetti noodles are |
| square baking pan with aerosol spray. | | | | a starch food and because most prepared |
| - In a bowl, beat together the egg, peanut butter | | | | spaghetti sauces contain sugar. This Spaghetti |
| and banana until smooth. | | | | sauce allows you to enjoy spaghetti without the |
| - Beat in the milk and flour, baking soda and | | | | guilt – and if you use wheat noodles, you |
| powder, and stir in the peanuts. | | | | can really enjoy a guilt-free meal. |
| - Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for | | | | Ingredients: |
| 30 minutes until browned. Cool and cut into 25 | | | | - 12 oz tomato juice |
| squares. For holidays that fall in the winter, here is | | | | - 1 large can mushrooms, stems and pieces |
| a recipe for a Winter Fruit Salad: | | | | - Salt to taste |
| Ingredients: | | | | - Garlic to taste |
| - 8 red apples – cored and diced | | | | - Oregano to taste |
| - 8 green Bartlett or Anjou pears – cored | | | | - Dehydrated onion flakes |
| and diced | | | | - 1 large green pepper, diced |
| - 4 cups fresh strawberries – sliced with | | | | - 2 cans bean sprouts |
| stems removed | | | | Directions: |
| - 2 cups fresh orange juice | | | | - Cook all ingredients in a covered saucepan until |
| - 1 cup fresh lemon juice | | | | sauce thickens. |
| - ¼ cup orange-flavored liqueur (optional) | | | | - Add bean sprouts, and then simmer 10 minutes. |
| - Sugar substitute – optional, add to taste | | | | - Serve over cooked pasta noodles. A Healthy |
| - 4 bananas – sliced | | | | Diet in Diabetes A healthy diet is the most |
| Directions: | | | | important part of your diabetes treatment. You |
| - Place all fruit (except bananas), juices and liqueur | | | | can find these and other diabetes recipes in books |
| (if using) in a large bowl. Add sugar substitute (if | | | | and on the Internet. Be sure that you eat a |
| using). Gently mix. | | | | healthy diet and exercise regularly to help in the |
| - Cover bowl and refrigerate 4-8 hours – | | | | management of your diabetes and for your |
| but, no longer. | | | | overall health. |