Diabetic Cooking #GardenCuizine healthy soup #lowcarb #recipe

Diabetic Cooking

Diabetics can eat anything, but individuals must focus on limiting excess carbohydrates. This is something all Americans should pay closer attention too because carbohydrate control helps people all ages maintain a healthy body weight. Chicken and Rice or Chicken Noodle soup contain carbohydrates (noodles or rice) that can be replaced with spiral cuts of zucchini (zoodles). Who says you can't play with your food?

One 15 oz can of Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup contains 24g carbohydrates and 780 mg sodium. Homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup saves you both carbs and excess sodium. Homemade soup has better nutrition and best of all contains no additives.

My healthy soup recipe will be posted following Inspira Health Networks upcoming Diabetic Cooking Class, which is scheduled November 5, 2015 at The Fitness Connection, Vineland, NJ. 

Related Links
Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup Recipe
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Homemade salt-free, low fat, Chicken Broth #GardenCuizine #recipe

Homemade Chicken Broth
No Salt - Low Fat

Homemade chicken broth is not only inexpensive, it is super easy to prepare. Make it when you know you will be home for at least a few hours. Simply put all the ingredients in a stock pot, cover, simmer and walk away. The wonderful aroma will warm up your home and lure people into the kitchen to see what's cooking. Nothing you can buy has the richness and nutritional quality of homemade chicken broth.

Like many foods that once were a staple in home cooking, chicken broth has gone by the wayside of convenience. You'll find many low-priced brands of ready-made chicken broth. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Those broths are made for profit. 

Most store-bought broths are low in nutrients and made with dextrose and high sodium. Swanson's has over 850 mg of sodium in just one cup. Even low sodium, ready-made chicken broths are produced with added chemicals (necessary to maintain particular pH) that don't have to be listed on the food label.

Making Your Own Chicken Broth
There are a few methods to make chicken broth. One way is to boil a chicken until cooked, skim any scum that floats to the top, then remove the cooked meat for chicken salad or other recipes. Return the bones back to the stock pot to make chicken broth. That method leaves excess fat in the soup, which can later be removed after the stock is chilled and the fat firms up and floats to the top. 

Another method (shown below) is to roast the chicken first, remove the meat and use the carcass with a little meat left on the bones. 

Chicken bones added to a stockpot of water along with aromatic veggies (carrots, celery, onion), herbs and spices will yield a large pot of high quality chicken broth in just a few hours. The broth can be used immediately to make homemade soup or frozen for later use.

Yields: 4 Quarts Homemade Chicken Broth

Ingredients
16-18 cups Water
1 roast chicken carcass with some meat left on the bones
2 carrots 
2 celery sticks
1 large onion
5 whole peppercorns
3 bay leaves
few sprigs fresh parsley

Putting it all together
In a large stock pot add the water and chicken bones. Quarter the onion (can leave skin on) and chop the veggies into thirds. Add veggies to the stock pot along with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for 2 hours. Cover, leaving a little bit of the lid open to allow some reduction. Periodically stir, then strain into another large pot. Use as needed or pour into storage containers, label and freeze.

Related Links
Grow your own Bay Leaf tree
Stock, Broth and Bone Broth, What is the difference?

Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Healthy Snack: Fresh Fruit. Pears anyone? #GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Pears @Fruits_Veggies @eatright @kidseatright

Enjoy Fresh Fruit 

for a Healthy Snack

PEARS

Good source Vitamin C and dietary Fiber

We recently received a welcomed gift of a dozen fresh pears from a special friend. We allowed them to ripen at room temperature on our counter top and then put them in the refrigerator to slow down the ripening and preserve them long enough for us to eat them all. Ripe, fresh pears taste juicy and naturally sweet. 

To encourage more family members enjoy fresh fruit daily try this healthy eating tip: after a meal or in between meals ask your family, "Who wants some Pears?" Then use a corer separator gadget to core the pear and make it blossom into individual serving slices. Serve on a small plate on the table and I guarantee you that your family will all want to be first in line for their fair share! 

One small pear is considered one carbohydrate serving (about 15 net grams carbohydrates) for those who are counting.

GardenCuizine Pear Nutrition Data: One small Pear (148g):  Calories: 86; Total Fat 0g; Sodium 1mg; total Carbohydrate 23g; dietary Fiber 5g (18% DV); Vitamin C: 6.2mg (10% DV);

Related Links
Pears and Diabetes: A Sweet You Can Eat
Photo and blog post Copyright (C)Wind 2015. All rights reserved. 

According to doctors @ForumHSPH, medications alone are not the answer @eatright @kidseatright @letsmove #GardenCuizine

 Diet Quality is Important

In researching science-based evidence to recommend and teach to others to help improve their diets and lifestyles to prevent disease, I came across a video by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on Rethinking Cholesterol. New medications are being tested now. The distinguished medical professionals conveyed that medications alone were not the answer to obesity-related diseases such as high cholesterol - healthy diets and lifestyle for disease prevention is key. (Several of the forum participants were from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, which is where my Uncle is now as he battles cancer.)

Check out this important quote from Dr Patrick O’Gara, Senior Physician, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Immediate Past President, American College of Cardiology:

According to Dr. O'Gara, "...People need to know the benefit of exercise, maintaining a good body weight,and maintaining a good diet, learning about food. How to sit down with their family members and have dinner together, or how to go to the grocery store and then build on that..."

Lifestyle modifications including exercise and a heart healthy diet are, "...Key in prevention of disease and could prevent 90% of type II diabetes cases and 80% of heart attacks and 1/3 of cancers...", according to JoAnn Manson, Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She stressed her concerns of our current obesity public health crisis and more children being started on medications in grade school because of preventable chronic diseases.

For more information, you can watch the Harvard video on YouTube. Just know that food and exercise do matter. Keep exercising and cooking and eating healthy for yourself and for your family; you just may inspire others to do the same.

Watch for more GardenCuizine Heart Healthy Recipes coming soon!

Blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Prayers to Uncle Richard and Aunt Joanne and the Johnson Family. This blog post is not intended as medical advice. Discuss all medications, options and concerns with your doctor.