Cooking, Recipes, Grocery Shopping and More…

Being diabetic doesn’t mean boring meals or uninspiring shopping experiences. Turn a challenge into an adventure. Here’s some ideas.

Have you seen the American Diabetes Association Virtual Grocery Store yet?

Create a profile and sign in first. Then explore all there is to offer on this great site.

• Virtual Grocery Store Tour: lets you see your ordinary grocery store through the eyes of a diabetic trying to make smart choice.
• A Recipe File with recipes and a place to store your favorites. It also includes tips to modify recipes.
• Meal Planning help with exchange lists, the food pyramid and information on how to read labels.
• Express Lane, ideas and recipes on how to eat fast food that is healthy.
• Shopping list lets you import ingredients from the site’s recipes or just add your own grocery needs. It is printable to take with you to the store.

Diabetic Gourmet Magazine is a great online magazine dedicated to diabetic dining and healthy living. They also offer a free daily recipe subscription which brings you recipes with nutritional information daily. They also have a debut cookbook:

The Diabetic Gourmet Cookbook:More Than 200 Healthy Recipes from Homestyle Favorites to Restaurant Classics

Join the FREE Good Eating, Good Living program from KRAFT today!

You know how hard it is to find ongoing and reliable support when you’re living with diabetes. That’s why KRAFT created the Good Eating, Good Living program. Here’s what you’ll receive when you join:

• Flavorful everyday and seasonal recipes
• Recipe cards you’ll love to collect and share
• A magazine and newsletters bursting with inspiration
• Easy “How To” recipe videos

Check out the video of how to make a Mimosa Fruit Salad or the quick and easy Steak Salad recipe!

The Accu-Chek Inner Circle is an almost overwhelming site.

There is so much there. In the food and recipe department they offer:

• An interactive Recipe Box
• A carb counter that lets you figure the carb content for an entire meal <-THIS IS AWESOME!!!
• An interactive meal maker to create meals and tally carb content. <-THIS IS UBER AWESOME!!!

So register, check it out and tell me what you think.

Can diabetics use Splenda?

“Yes. Numerous studies have shown that SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener, or sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, is suitable for people with diabetes. Sucralose is not recognized by the body as sugar or as a carbohydrate. It is not metabolized by the body for energy and does not affect blood glucose levels. Sucralose has no effect on carbohydrate metabolism or insulin secretion. Other ingredients in SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener products, which are added to give necessary volume and texture, add only a very small amount of carbohydrate per serving. These are common carbohydrates (maltodextrin and/or dextrose) and are the same type of carbohydrates used in other no calorie sweeteners. They contribute less than 5 calories per serving, which, when used in moderation, (4 packets or 8 tsp. granulated) is considered a free food by the American Diabetes Association. ” Source: Splenda.com

Visit the Splenda site and click on the Living With Diabetes tab.

Check out the great recipes, including this one:

Nana-Nut Bread

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup reduced fat buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup chopped walnuts*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9X5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Blend the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Add oil, buttermilk and vanilla to the mashed bananas. Mix well. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.

Add chopped walnuts. Stir until just mixed.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven 45-55 minutes or until rich brown and the center is set.

Exchanges per Serving: 1 Fat, 1 Starch, 1/2 Fruit

YUM!

Time to run…I have to make that banana bread now!