Showing posts sorted by date for query lamb. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query lamb. Sort by relevance Show all posts
This has to be my favorite apple pie of all time, I kid you not! It is the best apple pie recipe and I think you best prepare yourself now to fall in love because I am pretty certain you will do just that!
The original recipe comes from an old recipe book of mine entitled Food that Really Schmecks, Mennonite Cooking by Edna Staebler, published in 1968.
I remember taking a copy of the book out of the library when I was a very young mother and living in London, Ontario. I painstakingly copied some of the recipes out into my Big Blue Binder. This would have been back in the early 1980's.
I eventually purchased a copy for myself many years later. It is a wonderful example of Canadian Mennonite Cooking, written by Edna Staebler who grew up in Waterloo county in Ontario, Canada, at the very heart of Canadian Mennonite Country.
I have been to the area many, many times myself. The farm market in Kitchener is fabulous and filled with an abundance of Mennonite cooking and quilts, meats, etc.
I also have been to Saint Jacobs many times, which is a very Mennonite town. We used to love to eat at a Mennonite Restaurant called Anna Mae's in Millbank which is in the same area.
I have eaten there many times and in my opinion it was the best home cooking you could get in a restaurant outside of a home! Everything was delicious. They have a different special every night of the week, along with their special Broasted Chicken, and of course the pies are to die for.
If you ever happen to have a chance to visit it and eat there, I highly recommend. Be sure to bring along a hearty appetite because they will be rolling you out of there!
Mennonites are known for being excellent cooks. I am not surprised. They are very similar to the Amish in origin and life style. We lived not too far from Mennonite country and often saw them in their horse and buggies.
Anyways, this pie is one of the best apple pies you could ever want to bake and to eat, and its very simple as well.
Schnitz usually refers to dried apples, but in this case it refers simply to sliced apples. I don't want to start any arguments here. I know people can be very pedantic about terminology, etc.
I am only giving you the name by which it is listed in the book. A rose by any other name and all that.
This is a single crust pie, composed of a delicious streusel crumb that is used in three separate ways. First as a base in the bottom of the crust beneath the apples.
Second mixed into sour cream or cream as a creamy custard that gets poured over the apples, and finally, third as a cinnamon streusel topping that gets sprinkled over top of the pie before baking.
There is nothing extraordinary called for her, unless you consider cream or sour cream to be extraordinary.
For me they are just staples and something which I always have in my kitchen. It is the same with buttermilk and plain yogurt. Trust me when I tell you that they always, always get used!
You will want to use a nice all rounder when it comes to apples. Today I used some Gravensteins that are now coming into crop.
The Gravenstein apple is one of the earliest croppers when it comes to apples in Nova Scotia. They are great all rounders making for both great eating and great cooking. Firm, crisp and juicy.
As you can tell they hold their shape well in cooking. They are also generally quite large. I used one and a half for this pie.
The other half I ate out of hand and it was delicious! Best apple I have eaten in a while. Not long since being picked I am sure. I bought them at Goucher's farm market on Friday.
I had forgotten just how delicious fresh picked apples are. My first husband's family were farmers. They had orchards as well as chickens, eggs, lamb, beef cattle, and farmed vegetables as well for the local processing plant.
My late Mother In Law knew what to do with all of these things and she did it really well. Nothing was wasted. I learned a lot from her. Lois was a real treasure. She passed away a few years ago at the age of 100.
Normally I would make my own pastry for this but had a really busy day today so used a frozen pie crust. A Tenderflake crust. They are the best when it comes to ready crusts here in Canada.
Normally I would make my Butter & Lard Pastry. It is the best, flakiest pastry you could ever want in a pie, single or double, sweet or savory. Trust me on this.
*Butter-Lard Pastry*
Makes 2 nine - inch crusts
Makes 2 nine - inch crusts
Printable Recipe
This is a beautiful pastry. Flaky just right. You can add a touch of sugar to it if you are making a fruit pie.
2 cups all purpose flour (280g)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter (76g)
1/3 cup lard (or white vegetable shortening) (74g)
5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water
(note: if using for a sweet pie, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar.)
Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard, until you have pieces of fat in the flour about the size of peas. Add ice water, one TBS at a time, tossing it in with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each into a round flat disc. Warp in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
This is a beautiful pastry. Flaky just right. You can add a touch of sugar to it if you are making a fruit pie.
2 cups all purpose flour (280g)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter (76g)
1/3 cup lard (or white vegetable shortening) (74g)
5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water
(note: if using for a sweet pie, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar.)
Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard, until you have pieces of fat in the flour about the size of peas. Add ice water, one TBS at a time, tossing it in with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each into a round flat disc. Warp in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When the children were growing up, I always, ALWAYS had to make one of these for Thanksgiving along with the traditional Pumpkin Pie. The family loved it.
I also loved it. I would cut you a piece to show you inside the pie, but it really needs to stand overnight before I do that, and I am thinking I will bring it to my sister's tomorrow if I get invited for supper.
Do believe me however when I tell you that this is a DELICIOUS pie! (Sorry for shouting but I can't help myself when it comes to this pie.)
Crisp buttery crust, sweet, rich apple filling with a creamy sweet brown sugar custard and cinnamon brown sugar streusel on top. Now if that doesn't get your taste buds to tingling, I don't know what will.
I am only sorry it took me so long to share this with you! Now get off here and go and bake one for your family. This pie is guaranteed to make you one of their most favorite people ever!
Cream & Crumb Schnitz Pie
Yield: Makes one 9-inch pie
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 H & 4 M
This is quite simply my favorite apple pie. I have been baking and eating it for many years. The original recipe comes from a book entitles Food That Really Schmecks by Edna Staebler, published in 1968.
Ingredients
- Pastry for one 9-inch single crust pie
- enough apples to fill the pie shell (I used 1 1/2 large gravenstein apples)
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 3 TBS cold butter
- 1/3 cup (47g) all purpose plain flour
- 2/3 cup (160ml) cream (sweet, sour or turning)
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Have your unbaked pie crust ready.
- Measure the flour, sugar and butter into a bowl and rub into crumbs. Sprinkle half of them into the bottom of the pie crust.
- Peel, core and slice your apple into slices (schnitz). Place them in the pie crust on top of the crumbs.
- Divide the remaining crumbs in two. Mix the cream into one portion and mix the cinnamon into the other portion.
- Spoon the cream portion over top of the apples to cover them completely. Sprinkle the cinnamon crumbs over top of all evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes. The crust will be golden brown, the apples tender and the cream set and golden brown as well.
- Let cool to at least lukewarm before cutting into wedges to serve.
I learned to love two things over the 20 + years that I spent in the UK. One of them was lamb, and the other was the cooking of Nigel Slater.
Lamb was not something I had ever really had when I was growing up. My mother did buy lamb chops once, but they smelled like burning mittens when she was cooking them so nobody would eat them.
It was probably not good lamb. I only came to love and appreciate lamb after moving over to the UK. Our wedding supper was held at a restaurant and we were allowed to pick whatever we wanted from the menu.
I decided to be brave and picked Saddle of Lamb. It was delicious. I fell in love at first bite and have been cooking lamb ever since. They had beautiful lamb in the UK.
I know you are all familiar with what lamb is, but you may not be so familiar with who Nigel Slater is. Nigel Slater is a cook who writes. He is not a classically trained Chef, but he is every bit as popular as any celebrity chef.
He's been writing a food column for the Observer every weekend for 27 years, and is the author of multiple cookbooks. He has also had several very popular series on the television, and a movie made about him called simply "Toast."
He is a man who loves to cook and who loves to eat and who loves to write about it. He cooks the way I love to cook and to eat. Its that simple.
I have a few of his cookery books. Not as many as I used to have because I am having to replace the ones I left behind, but I am starting off with his best (in my honest opinion), The Kitchen Diaries. There are three volumes and they are exactly what the title says. Kitchen Diaries.
Taken from Diaries he kept throughout the year of his adventures in the garden, kitchen, etc. Recipe journal, kitchen chronical. I find them fascinating and filled with loads of inspiration and great recipes.
What I love most about his recipes is that they are great jumping off points for doing my own thing. I have replaced all three of the kitchen diaries (one at a time) and have just gifted myself with the two Volumes of Tender (again one at a time.)
The recipe which inspired what I am sharing with you today comes from the first volume of The Kitchen Diaries, which is something which he cooked on the 7th of May. I am cooking it a tiny bit later in the year.
When my sister and I were at the Super Store the other day I spied some lamb chops. I have not had lamb since I arrived back in Canada last November and I was so tempted by them that I picked up a small package.
They were a bit pricey at over $8 for three chops, but sometimes you just have to fill your yearnings for what you love and enjoy, especially food wise. I have only me to please now, so why not
They were nice thick chops as well, with abundant tenderloin bits on the sides. Loin chips are like the T-bones of the lamb kingdom, with a nice little chunk of meat on one side of the T-bone and a little nugget of tender lamb on the other. (No surprise that is my favorite part!)
Of course I wanted to cook them perfectly. I didn't want to be wasting these prime cuts of meat. I looked to Nigel for inspiration and found this recipe, amongst a few others.
This felt and read like what I wanted to cook today and I happened to have some new potatoes in my cupboard. I did improvise on the recipe quite a bit, but most good cooks do.
He starts off by boiling some new potatoes in a pan of lightly salted water. I did that as well. His chops were simply seasoned with salt and black pepper.
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to be exact.
He heated some olive oil in a heavy based skillet along with the finely grated zest of one fresh lemon and some fresh mint. I did not have fresh mint, so used dried and it worked fine.
I took the liberty of adding two fat cloves of garlic that I peeled, bashed and split open. These helped to flavor the oil that the chops were going to be fried in.
Simply fried, just until golden brown, seared really so that the lamb inside stays nice and pink and tender. But the juices of the lamb mingle with the olive oil, mint, lemon and garlic to make a lush pan juice.
He had merely crushed the potatoes into the pan juices at the end. I decided that I would fry them in the pan juices and brown them off a bit, before adding the lemon juice at the end.
The potatoes are boiled until tender. I lightly crushed them before adding them to the pan. Cracked them more or less, that way there were lots of craggy bits to brown and get a bit crisp. (I removed the lamb to a plate, keeping it warm and tented.)
That afforded me the time to really get the potatoes a bit crispy. And then I added the lamb back to the pan and squeezed over the lemon juice.
Leaving the skin on the potatoes and cracking them open rather than slicing or mashing them, gave them added interest I thought.
Well, the picture speaks for itself. Nothing there but the pan juices and golden crispy edged potatoes, lightly flavored with the lemon at the end.
And then I threw them into the pan with the potatoes and the lamb, coating them with some of those lush pan juices as well.
This was a beautiful combination. Tender moist pieces of lamb . . . crispy tender potatoes . . . lemon, mint and garlic pan juices.
Crispy tender beans . . .
You can see how perfectly cooked the lamb was. Just pink. Succulent. Delicious.
This combination made for a really wonderful dinner for myself. Cooking for one or two doesn't have to be boring. In fact if it is, then you're doing something wrong! (Now you know why I look the way I do.)
Many thanks to Nigel for the delicious inspiration!!
Lamb with Lemon, Mint & Potatoes
Yield: 2
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min
I wanted to take advantage of the flavors of the new potatoes that are showing up in the shops and paired them with some tender lamb chops. Inspired by Nigel Slater.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound smallish new potatoes
- 4 lamb loin chops
- one medium fresh lemon, zest and juice
- 1/2 tsp dried mint
- two fat cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- light olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and bring back to the boil. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until they test tender when prodded with the sharp end of a knife.
- While they are cooking, heat the olive oil, mint, mashed garlic cloves and lemon zest in a large heavy bottomed skillet. Add some seasoning.
- Season the lamb chops all over with some salt and pepper.
- Once the oil begins to sizzle, add the lamb chops. Cook for two minutes on one side until it begins to color, then flip over and cook the other side, again until brown. Remove from the heat and tent with some foil.
- Scoop out your cooked potatoes into the pan with the oil, mint, garlic, etc. Mash lightly with a fork. Allow them to brown before flipping them over to brown lightly on the underside. Add the chops back to the pan. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over top and heat everything through.
- Serve two chops each, along with some of the browned potatoes and pan juices.
- I like to eat mine with some mint sauce or jelly.
I love hearty salads such as this grain salad that I am sharing with you today. Not only are they delicious and filled with fiber, but they are very simple to make.
When I lived in the UK, there was a really delicious one that I used to pick up at Marks & Spencers. I loved the food at M&S. I always said if I won the lottery I would only shop at M&S.
Lamb Tagine Recipe
Do you want to cook something different for your next dinner party? If you've ever been to North Africa, you'll know all about tagine, a hearty local stew. If you haven't, it's easy to replicate in your own kitchen! Here are the key secrets you need to know about making lamb tagine.
What is a tagine?
Tagine is a dish native to North
Africa, popularly eaten in Morocco. It consists of various spices and
meat - in this case, lamb. Traditional tagines are made in a clay or ceramic
pot, which captures moisture and makes the dish all the more succulent.
It's fairly easy to buy these
Moroccan tagine pots at affordable prices - here is a great one by Uno Casa,
which you can also use for a range of other meals. However, you can also cook
this lamb tagine in a large saucepan or other pot.
This is something which I cooked as a dessert on a few occasions when I worked at the Manor. I often had to cater to silver service 5 course meals and my boss usually liked me to have at least two desserts for her guests to choose from.
Normally she liked everything to be overly complicated. I always tried to temper the complicated dishes with a few simple ones and dishes that I could do a lot of pre-prep for were what I preferred.
After all I was all on my own in the kitchen. When you are talking about shopping and prepping for a huge dinner party that is a lot of work.
They would start with canapes to be served with drinks. You would think canapes would be simple, but actually they are quite fiddly. I would have to serve no less than 4 or 5 different canapes.
A favorite with me was Quail's eggs with seasoning salt. The hardest part was the peeling of the cooked eggs, but depending on how many guests there were, this was something that went rather quickly for me.
They were always served on a huge platter atop a bed of shredded lettuce, a bird's nest holding a dish of seasoning salt in the center. Another favorite was smoked salmon on brown bread. Also very easy.
Other canapes would be parmesan crisps, easy . . . I used to make these Indian shortbreads that were gorgeous. The recipe is on here. I liked doing those because they could be baked ahead of time and then just put together on the night.
I had a few other favorites I liked to do as well. Lets just say, easy was key for me, as much as possible.
The first course all depended on what the main course was going to be. I liked it when she wanted a soup of some kind because I could also do that ahead of time and just reheat it on the night.
The main course would be major work, always. I didn't mind however. I got to use the finest ingredients and really stretch my culinary abilities. I got to cook things I would never have been able to afford to cook at home.
Usually it would involve duck, or lamb, maybe beef, with a sauce. A starch of some kind (either potatoes or rice.) I made a really fabulous Dauphinoise Potatoes. This could also be made ahead of time and then reheated at the last minute.
Usually two or three vegetables to accompany on the side also.
Always, always two desserts, and she liked to go really fancy there. Most people would not choose one or the other, they usually had a tiny slice of each, whatever it was.
One favorite was the frozen Lemon Souffle. One reason I liked that as a dessert was, again, I could make them ahead of time and have them in the freezer waiting to pull out when I needed them. I tried to do that with both desserts if I could.
Another favorite would be this simple French Apple Tart. It looks impressive and complicated, but really it isn't. And lets face it, if you call something a tart, it automatically sounds special.
A simple pastry is made. Its a sweet pastry. You can make it earlier in the day and chill it. Roll it out and then par-bake it. This can all be done ahead. Bonus!
The fiddliest part of this tart is peeling, slicing and arranging the apples. They are mixed with a spice mixture, some lemon zest and lemon juice and then arranged in the tart crust, atop a flour and sugar mixture.
The flour/sugar mixture is there to help absorb some of the juices from the apples, so that the pastry doesn't get all soggy.
And then you just bake it. It bakes for a short time at a higher temperature, and then you reduce the temperature and bake it for a bit longer.
Just until the apples are crispy tender. You don't want them mushy. Once they are just right, you pull it out of the oven and brush it all over with some sieved apricot jam to glaze it a bit.
Its best served at room temperature. They always enjoyed it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Always Hagen Das.
While they were enjoying their dessert, I would be getting the cheese course ready. This was always served on a large silver tray with a silver biscuit barrel to hold the crackers. Usually six cheeses, and some fruit.
And as if that wasn't enough, once they were finished with the cheese course I would serve them coffee and chocolates in the Linen Fold room, which was a special room that had oak walls carved in a special linen-fold pattern. The manor itself dated back to Tudor times and this room and its walls were dated back to that time.
Then while they were enjoying their coffees, etc. I would start with the cleaning up. Usually I had my husband and the housekeeper to help me with that. Even so, it was a HUGE chore and we would be very lucky if we were home by 2 a.m.
All in all though they were pretty wonderful experiences. I look back on them now and I wonder at how I managed to pull it all off. There was only me to do everything, but somehow I managed to sort it every time and do it well. I am rather proud of that.
In any case I hope you enjoy this French Apple Tart! They always did!
Yield: 6
Spiced Apple Tart
A wonderful tart with a crisp and rich dessert pastry base, delectably sweet filling of apples . Serve at room temperature with a hot drink after dinner for a real taste treat!
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- 280g plain flour (2 cups)
- 120g cold butter (1/2 cup)
- 56g sifted icing sugar (7 TBS)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 TBS water
For the filling:
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- the finely grated zest and juice of one large lemon
- 50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, packed)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 TBS each plain flour and granulated sugar, mixed together
To finish:
- sieved apricot jam
Instructions
- First make the pastry. Sift the pastry into a basin. Add the butter, cut into pieces and rub it into the flour until it resembled fine dry bread crumbs. Add the icing sugar. Whisk in well.
- Make a indentation in the centre of the butter mixture. Beat the egg yolks and water together. Pour into the indentation and then, using a fork, mix together to a rough dough in the basin.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth. Shape into a ball and then place into a zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, while you make the filling.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6
- Put the apple into a bowl along with the grated lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and spices. Set aside.
- Take the pastry out of the refrigerator. Roll it out onto a floured surface to a round about 14 inches in diameter.
- Line a 10 inch diameter tart tin which has a removeable base with it, being careful not to stretch it. Don't trim off any of the overhang.
- Prick with a fork and line with a piece of baking parchment and fill with baking weights. Place onto a baking sheet and place into the heated oven.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, remove the baking parchment and the weights and return to the oven for a further 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and run a rolling pin over the edge all around and remove the overhang and discard.
- Sprinkle the base with the flour/sugar mixture. Add the apple slices, placing them into the pastry on top of the flour/sugar mixture in a really decorative manner.
- Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160*C/325*F/gas mark3 and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the top with the sieved apricot jam. Allow to cool to warm.
- Cut into wedges to serve.
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In October of 2015 I was diagnosed with having Type 2 Diabetes. No surprise there. It runs in my family and I had been dodging the bullet for a long time. It was bound to catch up with me.
At first I was really dismayed. As a person who loves to cook and to eat, I despaired that I would ever be able to eat anything delicious again. Oh how very wrong I was. But more on that later.
Meal planning is the most challenging task in living day to day with diabetes. There are three types of Diabetes.
- Type 1 diabetes, which is found in about 10% of all cases and occurs mostly in children and young adults. This type requires insulin along with dietary management and regular activity.
- Type 2 diabetes, which I have. This kind of diabetes accounts for 90% of people and is usually seen in adults, although it is not unheard of in children with the growing rates of obesity. This type is managed with a personalised meal plan, oral medication and/or insulin and physical activity.
- Gestational diabetes, which occurs in 2% to 4% of all pregnancies. This type is usually managed by meal planning, exercise and sometimes insulin. This type of diabetes also can increase the risk of both the mother and children later in life.
Managing diabetes, once diagnosed, requires daily attention. Food intake, activity, blood glucose monitoring and healthy lifestyle choices all play a part of this. (Scroll down for some delicious diabetic friendly recipes.)
Some guidelines for people learning to live with Diabetes include:
(these can apply to all people)
1. Limit salt alcohol and caffeine
2. Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight by enjoying regular physical activity and healthy eating (this is the hard part.)
3. Choosing lower fat dairy products, leaner meats and food prepared with little or no fat.
4. Emphasize whole grain cereals, breads, other grain products, vegetables and fruit.
5. Eat a variety of foods. Eat a rainbow.
Most people with diabetes try to cut out carbohydrates from their diet altogether. This is not a healthy thing to do. The simple truth is we get a lot of our energy from eating carbohydrates. 50 to 60% of our daily energy needs and calories should be obtained from eating carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate sources include grains and starches, milk & alternatives, fruits, vegetables and other choices. These should be in our diets, but we need to be more careful about the ones we choose to consume. Complex carbohydrates are what is best for us.
A complex carbohydrate is one which contains plenty of fiber and starch. So you need to be eating carbohydrates that rich in these things. Fiber is especially important because it promotes bowel regularity and helps to control cholesterol.
Things you need to be eating carbohydrate-wise include:
1. Whole grains: Whole grains are good sources of fiber, as well as potassium, magnesium, and selenium. Choose less processed whole grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, and whole-wheat pasta.
2. Fiber-rich fruits: Some of these are apples, berries, and bananas. Avoid canned fruit since it usually contains added syrup.
3. Fiber-rich vegetables:
Eat more of all your veggies, including broccoli, leafy greens, and carrots.
4. Beans: Aside from fiber, these are good sources of folate, iron, and potassium.
Choosing the right carbs takes time and practice. With some research and by keeping an eye on nutrition labels, you can start making healthier choices to energize your body and protect it from long-term complications.
A fiber intake up at least 25 to 35g per day is what is recommended for adults. High-fiber foods are preferable, especially those with a low glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale that ranks carbohydrate rich foods by how much they raise blog glucose levels compared to standard foods.
Many factors contribute to a food's glycemic effect. Things such as the soluble fiber, how resistant the food is to digestion, how the food has been cooked or prepared, and whether or not the food is eaten alone or as part of a mixed meal.
By choosing foods which have a low-glycemic index more often than not, people with diabetes may experience less of a rise in blood glucose after meals or snacks. Low glycemic foods are often higher in vitamins, minerals and fiber and help you to feel full longer.
There are plenty of healthy and nutritious foods to choose from. You should build your diet around the following low GI foods:
Bread: whole grain, multigrain, rye, sourdough
Breakfast cereals: steel cut oats, bran flakes
Fruit: apples, strawberries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, kiwi, tomatoes, and more
Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, zucchini, and more
Starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes with an orange flesh, corn, yams, winter squash
Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, baked beans, butter beans, kidney beans, and more
Pasta and noodles: pasta, soba noodles, vermicelli noodles, rice noodles
Rice: basmati, Doongara, long grain, brown
Grains: quinoa, barley, pearl couscous, buckwheat, freekeh, semolina
Dairy and dairy replacements: milk, cheese, yogurt, coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk
The following foods contain few or no carbs and therefore don’t have a GI value. These foods can be included as part of the low GI diet:
Fish and seafood: including salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, and prawns
Other animal products: including beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and eggs
Nuts: such as almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, and macadamia nuts
Fats and oils: including olive oil, butter, and avocado
Herbs and spices: such as garlic, basil, dill, salt, and pepper
It goes without saying that foods which are high in salt, sugar, and fat should not be a regular part of a Diabetic's diet, or anyone's for that matter, however an occasional treat is something which can be enjoyed in moderation from time to time.
I know that I post a lot of baked goods and other delicious recipes on the blog. For the most part these things are given away and not eaten by myself. When I was living in the UK, I had a husband who could eat whatever he wanted to eat without any adverse effects, and in fact had a problem keeping his weight up. He lost weight all the time with little or no effort. Annoying to me for sure. He was always more than able to enjoy all of the treats
Now I am living with my family, most of whom are either diabetic or on the verge of being so, these treats have gone right down and its a lot easier for me to manage my diet. When I looked through my recipe archives however, I found a multitude of healthy recipes and things which were not verboten for Diabetics. I thought I would share some of them with you today.
ZIPPY RED SLAW
I think this is pretty healthy all told. You get vivid color and crunch from the raw red cabbage, which really doesn't taste much different from green cabbage. Cabbage is filled with vitamins and is quite low in any carbohydrate value and natural sugars.
I added some red beans and some corn for extra fibre and just a tiny bit of starch, but not overwhelmingly so. The beans also add protein, which is really important. Chopped tomatoes added a bit of colour and natural sweetness and some chopped spring onion added a bit of zest.
ALMOND CRUMBED COD
This is delicious, easy to make and low in fat. There are approximately 10g carbs per serving. I like cod because it has a lovely mild flavour and beautiful texture.
The almond and whole grain topping add a nice crunch and flavour as well.
PUMPKIN MUFFINS, TWO WAYS
I decided to play with one of my favourite Pumpkin Muffin recipes the other day to see if I could replace the sugar in it with a sugar substitute suitable for baking, and replace the regular cooking oil with coconut oil, which is better for you.
Actually I thought the sugar sub ones were a lot tastier. The coconut oil added a lovely flavour. But both muffins are very delicious.
TURNIP & CARROT DISH
This delicious vegetable mix here today is a very flavourful way to get in some of your five a day fruit and veg.
With carrots, turnips (you could use rutabaga or swede instead), celery and onions, it is a beautiful combination, both in looks and in texture and taste.
CHICKEN DIJON
Lean Chicken Breasts are simply rolled in a mix of plain yogurt and Dijon mustard, and then in some tasty whole wheat bread crumbs. I used a malted loaf, so there are also some little bits for extra crunch in the coating.
With some simple new potatoes (browned on one side in a nonstick skillet sprayed with low fat cooking spray) and the vegetables from the other day, it was quite simply part of a healthy plate for dinner! Yum!
OATMEAL PANCAKES WITH MAPLE FRUIT
Different doesn't have to be boring as this recipe I am showing you here today will prove! These are fabulous, and whilst they are not doused in lashings of butter and maple syrup, they are still filled with plenty of flavour and interest.
Wholesome and oaty they are delicious.
CRUMB TOPPED CORNMEAL & MOLASSES MUFFINS
Light and filled with whole grains, these muffins make the perfect breakfast when accompanied with a small bowl of unsweetened applesauce along with a dollop of low fat plain yogurt. High in fibre and relatively low in fat and sugars, these make a healthy alternative to most regular muffins.
WHOLEWHEAT BAKING POWDER BISCUITS
They rise high and have soft and tender insides with a delicious nutty and wholesome flavour. You might not think you can bake a fabulous biscuit using wholewheat flour that will rise high and be tender and delicious.
This recipe proves exactly the opposite. You really can!
TURKEY SPINACH BURGERS
These are moist and delicious and pretty healthy too. Both spinach and turkey are superfoods!
Served with some mixed green peas and beans and roasted sweet potatoes they made for a very delicious, color and fibre filled supper!
TURKEY TACO PIZZA
Something tasty to do with your leftover turkey (or roast chicken). Deliciously simple and pretty healthy. There is no luxurious thick crust . . . just a plain (six inch) whole wheat tortilla . . . there's likewise no real sauce, just some tomato salsa. (Pick a spicy one for extra flavor.)
With a bit of a nicely flavored cheese melted on top and a low fat sour cream drizzle, this went down a real treat.
FIG CLAFOUTIS
The figs were sweet and satisfying . . . the batter likewise, thanks to some Splenda sweetener. You could use regular sugar if you wanted to, 1/4 cup would do the trick. I would use fruit sugar however.
The only thing missing was a scoop of vanilla ice cream . . . but you just can't have it all! These were very tasty, filled with fibre and quite healthy. All pluses!
PASTA WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE
Who says a pasta sauce has to have meat in it to be delicious. This is fabulous. With a whole wheat pasta and this was rich and satisfying.
CAULIFLOWER, GREENBEAN & TOMATO SALAD
This was a really delicious way of getting in not one or two vegetables, but three or more. Celery is a vegetable I am sure and tomatoes . . . well, I know that they are classified as a fruit, but they're in there too!
MAPLE & OATMEAL MUFFINS
Easy to make and quite a satisfying healthy option. The batter seems a bit runny when you spoon it in, but don't worry, it works out fine. These delicious muffins are loaded with low GI oats. Yummilicious!
GREEK ROASTED PEPPERS
Simple and delicious. You could have a slice of crusty wholegrain bread with this to sop up all of these delicious juices, or serve as a main meal with some whole grain or basmati rice, or even cooked barley or quinoa.
CHICKEN PAD THAI
Low in carbs, high in protein and low in sugar. This is quick and easy to make . . . and that sauce is really moreish. It's salty (from the fish sauce and soy) and spicy and hot and sour.
I added carrots for color and a bit of crunch, along with the bean sprouts . . . you get protein from scrambled egg and chicken. Altogether it was delicious!
ROAST CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI PESTO PASTA
Dishes like this Grilled Chicken with Broccoli Pesto Pasta are a great example of how you can still fit carbs into your diet by making wise choices. You will want to choose a whole grain pasta for this, making sure that on the label the product information lists more whole grain than any other ingredient.
That broccoli pesto is amazing!
TURKEY & STUFFING CASSEROLE
Turkey breast, stuffing and a delicious low fat gravy. What more could you ask for? Easily multiplied to serve more than two also.
A hearty casserole that is healthy and deliciously low in fat and calories, served with it's own gravy. Why wait for the holidays to enjoy turkey and stuffing!
WHOLEMEAL PUMPKIN PIE ROLLS
This recipe makes a dozen wholemeal scone type of buns, filled with a delicious virtually sugar free filling of spiced pumpkin.
There is only 60g (1/4 cup) of butter in the whole recipe, and 1 tsp of molasses in the filling, which you add along with splenda sugar substitute. There is sugar in the glaze . . . you can't get around that, but with only 1/2 cup of icing sugar, spread over 12 rolls, even that is not an incredible lot of sugar.
BERRY & APPLE CRUMBLE
An occasional treat. This delicious crisp is full of lovely flavours and is low in sugar and fat. It's delicious. It has a nutty and oaty topping. I did use a sugar substitute called Truvia. It was quite delicious altogether.
GLAZED TURKEY MINI LOAVES
Although they didn't photograph well, these mini meatloaves with their lush glaze were delicious! Plus they are a great way to get some vegetables into the family without their knowing it. Courgettes (zucchini), onions and red bell peppers. I use all three for extra flavour and moistness.
There is BBQ sauce used both in the meat mixture and as a finishing glaze.
Carrots, cauliflower, onions, potatoes, peas and tomatoes . . . vegetable stock, lots of lovely spices and some raisins for just a touch of sweetness, this was fabulously delish.
Filled with fiber and lots of flavor.
TURKEY HOT BROWNS
Delicious open faced sandwiches which are low in fat and diabetic friendly, and yes, delicious! Grab your knife and fork!
These sandwiches make for a nice light and healthy supper when it gets too hot to cook, or when you are starving at the end of the day and can't be asked to cook. Not only are they quick and easy to make, but they are diabetic friendly also!
PARMESAN CHICKEN WITH AN AVOCADO & TOMATO SALAD
Chicken breasts are the perfect canvas for many flavours and these were simply seasoned, dipped in beaten egg white and then rolled in a simple mix of finely grated Parmesan cheese and chili powder for a bit of zip. Chicken and Parmesan are a marriage made in heaven!
The salad really makes this dish. It's a beautiful mix of colour, flavours and textures.
CARDAMOM & LEMON CHICKEN STIR FRY
Healthy and delicious! If you get all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time, it goes together in a flash. Filled with plenty of fibre, flavour and crunch.
CAKE PAN SALAD
This delicious salad is every bit as attractive as the normal layered cake pan salads you see and is not lacking at all in flavour. Even though it is healthy, it is filled with plenty of yummy ingredients.
A HEALTHY BIG BREAKFAST
You don't have to eat this delicious mix for breakfast, it also makes a delicious supper. Pesto grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, spinach scrambled egg on top of wholewheat English muffins.
GUILT FREE CHICKEN STRIPS WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES
Exactly what it says. Everything is baked instead of fried, and so you are virtually free to enjoy them without a lot of guilt! The chicken is marinated in buttermilk for several hours which helps to keep the meat moist and tender!!
GARLIC BUTTER SALMON & BROCCOLI
Perfectly baked and flavoured. Moist and delicious salmon with crispy tender broccoli, all baked together on one baking sheet. I served it with roasted mashed sweet potatoes for the win.
As you can see being diagnosed as a Diabetic is not the end of the world. There is still plenty of deliciousness and variety to be had out there. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Eating healthy can also be quite exciting if you put your mind and heart into it!
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