The Prediabetic Diet

 Any diagnosis with the word "diabetic" in it can be scary. Yet it you've been diagnosed  as prediabetic , there are ways to reverse it. It does require some sacrifice but it comes with some delicious ways  to get your sugar down.

I was recently diagnosed with this condition and it did freak me out. Diabetes doesn't bode well , with the threat of amputation and all the restrictions - and there are many. Yet with cutting out , eating less and exercising more I may just have a chance to reverse this.One aspect my doctor stressed was cutting the carbs. This is an easy thing to do. It's rare that I eat pasta and bread. I have tried to limit these in the past. However there are ways to work around this. Grocery stores - as well as Amazon sell all sorts of pasta made from different flours. Banza has one of the best and most variety. Theirs is made from chickpea flour and has half the carbs as regular wheat based spaghetti and manicotti. Classic pasta companies such Ronzoni are also creating veggie based spaghetti and a super greens rotini. The first has spinach and tomatoes cooked in while the second is a mix of spinach, zucchini, kale parsley and broccoli. with any of these you can serve them hot with any kind of tomato based sauce or as salads with chopped veggies. Pizza is usually off the table with a prediabetic diet. Again this can be remedied by making one with a cauliflower crust, such as Green Giant's or ordering one from Blaze Pizza. As for bread, keep away from the refined white kind. Go for the whole wheat.

Of course sodas and sweetened juices are also off the table. However you can get a Soda Stream and make your own sodas and seltzers. As far as their add ins use them sparingly. You can get creative by adding fresh squeezed blueberries or strawberries . Fresh mint leaves are also a good flavor booster. The only juice prediabetics should consider is kale which controls and can even reverse the condition. Think  plain iced tea and coffee when you want a frothy iced cappucino. Don't worry about sweetening. I've discovered liquid stevia which is a plant based sweetener - that i keep in my car. Not many restaurants or coffee places have it , instead offering artificial sweeteners instead. The liquid stevia bottle is small enough to fit in a pocket or purse and a drop can sweeten any hot or iced coffee or tea. Lunches and dinners should also changed- but just slightly. Get rid of the red meat. Roasted chicken or turkey without the skin is the best. Think chicken or turkey breasts with asparagus or broccoli. Beans are another good choice in the prediabetic diet. They take time to digest and are high in necessary fiber.

Don't freak out of you've been diagnosed with prediabetes .It can be reversed with some delicious foods. It's easy to sub in these healthy alternatives and still have a varied and tasty diet.

Steak Out Know Your Cuts

Nothing beats a good , juicy steak.It's always a special treat to come home and enjoy a good cut with a glass of wine .Yet what is the best steak to buy?Is a skirt style one better than a Tbone? What makes a good sandwich kind?There are different cuts,each unique ,suited to certain dishes . There are a few varieties out there.Some cuts are cooked one way while other methods leave them either too tough or under cooked.One popular cut is chuck.This is a popular sort during the winter season because it contains a larger amount of collagen than other kinds.This means ,a chewier ,almost more gristlier texture.The best cooking method for this is slow cooking like braising, a covered fry pan way . You can also stew or roast it.Chuck can be used for hamburger too if you want a better burger.Another tougher texture is flanksteak or the original London Broil.Again this has a more thicker feel that is best suited for a broiler.It is very flavorful so a simple salt and pepper rub will do just nicely.Sirloin too, has a very elastic texture and would be good on a grill(although this cut makes for a fantastic Steak Piedmontese, cooked in a hot anchovy bath until tender). Many steak lovers will tell neophyte cooks to try the New York Strip steak.This is similar to a porter house or T bone steak but without the filet or tenderloin attached.It is best off grilled but you can also pan fry it in a mix of olive oil and butter.Many steak houses feature porterhouse chops which are always a crowd pleaser.It's also worth the sometimes high price thanks to it being two steaks.It's a combination of strip steak and tenderloin filet.It is a large steak , perfect for two or just as a single meal for the quintessential Meat lover.Another favorite is the rib eye. This is from the cow's rib section and generously marbled with fat, making it juicy ,tender and flavorful ,a perfect trifecta.These steaks are generally roasted in the oven to soften the fat.Another member of the red meat elite is the T-bone.Like the porterhouse cut, it is a mix of two different cuts,namely the tenderloin and a smaller filet than the porterhouse. There's nothing like coming home to a good steak dinner, especially one that's been expertly prepared.Shop for the cut that suits your recipe and tastes.It will make for a delicious dish, perfect for any steak lover.

Garlic Bread - Comfort Food For The Holidays

Garlic bread has always held a special place in my heart. It was one of the first foods that I truly fell in love with and was a big part of my childhood. It still is. Who can resist garlic bread though? The golden loaf, , every other slice studded with a small slice of garlic clove, each slice a drift in butter and oil. Then you have the crust, well, oiled and salted down. Garlic bread is perfect for the upcoming holidays. It goes well with red meat or with any pasta dish. It's also good cold with a slab of roast beef on top.

When was this treat first made? Probably early on in Italian households. Garlic grows throughout the Mediterranean so it was almost a no brainer to pair it with a long loaf of crusty and rich olive oil. I'm guessing that my Piedmontese grandmother and great aunts added the butter part as an extra (they were also influenced by the Lombards and their many uses for butter). You can add cheese on garlic bread but that's ruining the taste. The one variation that I'll allow is rubbing the crust with seas salt as opposed to regular salt. This gives more crunch to the crust

Garlic bread is the perfect side to any holiday pasta or red meat dish . It will certainly be a part of my holiday dinners.