A big part of what I do as a personal chef at Down to Earth Cuisine is creating meals for specialized dietary needs. Recent studies show that over 9% of Americans have diabetes. Knowing some recipes, and more importantly, some fundamentals can make it easier to live with diabetes.
Down to Earth Cuisine has teamed up with Comprehensive Home and Companion Services to bring you these few tips to make your life that much easier.
One quick and easy way to regulate your blood sugar is Cinnamon! That’s right, cinnamon helps to regulate your blood sugar. Take a spoonful of cinnamon with your morning oats to help regulate your glucose levels throughout the day. You could mix it in with half of the glass of milk or water for the same results.
According to the American Diabetes Association, Whole grains and fiber-rich foods can help to keep your digestive track regulated. This is important to keep your blood sugar levels in check. With whole grains, it takes longer for the starches to metabolize and convert into sugars, which can help avoid sugar spikes.
In an article published by Diabetic Kitchen, it was found that Fermented foods are great for regularity and proper nutrition absorption. This will go a long way to regulate blood sugar levels. The probiotics in fermented foods along with the tons of vitamins, folate, and polyphenols are one of the best ways to balance your overall digestive system. Over 90% of your immune system lives in your gut as well. Include fermented foods in your daily diet and you will be amazed by how good you start to feel. Try kombucha, organic yogurt, lacto-fermented kraut or kimchi to experience other great places to start diving into the cultured foods world.
Get a buddy! Just like in losing weight or developing other positive habits, a buddy system will hold you accountable which will go a long way in the motivation department. Keep track of your diets! Use a chart to track the eating habits and results they give. This is great to show you what works.
A great recipe that is tasty and good for diabetic diets is a Mediterranean Chicken Dish that I make:
- Mediterranean Chicken
- 4 4oz portions of chicken breast
- 12-16 oz cherry tomato
- 4 oz fresh basil
- 2 tbsp capers
- ½ cup Castelvetrano Olives
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine or juice from 1 large lemon
- 1 tsp ea salt and pepper
- 2 cup cooked brown rice (or you could use fingerling potatoes)
Using a serrated knife cut all tomatoes and olives in half. Season chicken with half of salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan (10 inches), heat the oil over medium-high heat until just starts to smoke. Add in chicken carefully then turn down the heat a bit. You should hear a sizzle but not a popping noise; this will let you know you’re at the right temperature. Cook for 5 minutes without turning or touching the chicken. Using tongs flip the chicken (you should have a nice sear by now) and add in your tomatoes, capers, and olives. Cook for 2 more minutes then add your wine. Cook for another minute while preparing basil. Tear basil with hands two small pieces and add to the pan. Add the rest of salt and pepper and serve over the rice.
