A Couple of Recipes For Diabetics and Those Who Cook For Diabetics - Rice Casserole and Stuffed Pita

One of the first things we think about when we receive a diabetic diagnosis is, "What will I eat?" It is really not as difficult as it may first seem. I was diagnosed as a type2 over 4 years ago. Having diabetics in my family in the past and seeing how they ate, how awful some of their foods tasted, etc. I set out on a mission. I went into complete nutritional studies and discovered we can eat healthy and tasty at the same time!! Before you think I am wacko let me tell you a little more. I was diagnosed with a blood sugar reading of barely under 500! My bs now averages around 110. My last A1C test scored 6.1. I do not take insulin but I do take an oral medication daily. I am sharing some of my recipes with you.

Yes, you can have rice and cheese. But this is important; only use brown rice. Brown rice is a whole-grain, white is refined. Whole-grains are important to the diabetic diet. And this is not a dish to eat three or four times a week, but once a week is fine.

BAKED RICE AND CHEESE
3 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp finely chopped green bell pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
1 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick canola cooking spray. Alternate layers of rice, cheese, and green pepper until all are used.

Combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Pour the egg mixture over the layers.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs with the butter and sprinkle the crumbs over the casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until lightly browned.

Serves 6.

Like everyone else, we diabetics are busy people. But we can't grab a doughnut or candy bar and run. Here is an easy portable sandwich for us!

PORTABLE DIABETIC SANDWICH
Do you need a portable sandwich for those busy times? Try this recipe. This is okay for breakfast on the run, too. Again you will notice the use of whole-grains with the whole-wheat pita. For many of us, half this sandwich is plenty. If you want the whole

1 Whole-wheat Pita, halved
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 small banana, sliced
4-5 walnut halves, chopped

Mix the cottage cheese, banana, and chopped walnuts together. Divide mixture and use half to stuff each half of the pita pocket.

Approximately 46 g carbs and 21 g protein; a very good combination for a diabetic.

Yes, Diabetics Can Enjoy Cake, Too, With These Tasty Recipes

Being a diabetic doesn't mean we don't still have a "sweet tooth" now and then! For me, one of the hardest things about eating for my diabetic body, is knowing I can't skip meals and eat sweets. But, thankfully, I have come up with some tasty cake recipes with which to indulge my "sweet tooth." Although we have to be careful with cakes, we can still enjoy them. But remember, one of the most important things for diabetics is to eat everything in moderation. Do not bake one of these cakes, sit down and eat half of it. Eat no more than a piece a day. If you are not sharing your cake with others, freeze at least half of it for later! The White Party Cake is good enough to serve to the whole crowd and that will eliminate having a lot of leftover cake! The Apple-Walnut Cake has natural sugar from the apples but has the walnuts to counteract that sugar and is still a good cake for diabetics.

WHITE PARTY CAKE
3 cups cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup Splenda granulated
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup warm water
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside.

Cream the shortening, Splenda and 3 tablespoons of water together in a large mixer bowl until fluffy.

In a measuring cup, combine the skim milk, warm water, and vanilla extract. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold the cake batter into the stiffly beaten egg whites. Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared baking pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the pans. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frost with a can of Sugar-Free white or chocolate frosting.

APPLE-WALNUT CAKE
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
3/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples
3 tbsp packed Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
3/4 cup Splenda Granulated
4 1/2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup fat-free milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a small bowl combine the flours, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt; set aside.

Place the apples in the prepared baking pan. In a medium bowl beat the Splenda Brown sugar blend, Splenda granulated, and butter in a medium bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Whisk in the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture until smooth. Pour the batter over the apples. Sprinkle walnuts over the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the apples are tender. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before cutting to serve. Serve while warm and should there be any leftovers, refrigerate them.