Mr. Divabetic – Page 26

12/01/202312/01/2023

The Diabetic Pastry Chef’s Sugar-Free Gingerbread Cake Recipe

Last night, our friend, Stacey Harris, the Diabetic Pastry Chef, demonstrated how to make her favorite recipe for Sugar-Free Gingerbread Cakes at Divabetic’s Holiday Sugarfree Baking Party on Zoom.

The Diabetic Pastry Chef’s Sugar-Free Gingerbread Cake Recipe

Ingredients

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar substitute of your choice

3/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup butter, melted

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps baking powder

2 tsps ground ginger

1 1/2 tsps cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup boiling water

Directions

Grease an 8×8 inch pan, or grease a pan with 12 square cavities; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs until well combined. Add sugar substitute, molasses, and melted butter. Beat well.

In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and boiling water into the batter, beating until each addition is combined and smooth and no large lumps remain. Pour into pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

You may want to sprinkle sugar-free confectioner’s erythritol on top of the cooled cake for decoration. Serve each slice of gingerbread with a dollop of whipped cream.

Stacey’s Notes: I used White Lily All-Purpose flour to make the cake light in texture. Feel free to mix your flours to decrease the carbs, but your cake will not be as light in texture. I also used Splenda Magic Baker as my sugar substitute (white or brown sugar can be used) in this recipe.

At the start of our Holiday Sugarfree Baking Party, GUIDE Beauty Founder and Makeup Artist Terri Bryant, who works with Selma Blair, shared how she found beauty in her health challenge.

At the height of her makeup artist career, Terri Bryant started to experience a loss of hand dexterity, leading to challenges applying makeup.

Eventually, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Empowered by knowledge and a life-long love of makeup, she created a new line of easy-to-use makeup applicators for mascara, eyeliner, and more for those of us who may be dealing with neuropathy in our hands.

Divavbetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller spotlighted her new jewelry line of heroic adornment, Power Pieces, created to help you shine your inner gifts.

At the end of our program, three of our favorite Divabetics, Arlene, Seveda, and Leola, won Raffle prizes (GUIDE Beauty products, Power Pieces, and a Divabetic Gift Box filled with our favorite gift ideas for 2023).

Our next free Divabetic Zoom party will be in February to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

11/30/202311/30/2023

We’ll Be Baking Gingerbread Tonight At Divabetic’s Sugarfree Baking Party on Zoom

The Diabetic Pastry Chef demonstrates her favorite sugar-free Gingerbread recipe on tonight’s Divabetic’s Sugarfree Baking Party on Zoom starting at 7 PM EST.

Stacey Harris, the Diabetic Pastry Chef, will also share how cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom can help add flavor to your baked goods.

Additionally, we’ll spotlight ways to sparkle during the holidays with Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller and GUIDE Beauty Founder and Makeup Artist Terri Bryant.

Recently, Catherine launched her heroic adornment jewelry line, recycling vintage comic books into beautifully crafted accessories.

GUIDE Beauty Founder Terri Byrant introduces us to a new mascara that’s easier to apply for people suffering from neuropathy in their hands or a lack of finger dexterity.

Tonight’s fabulous diabetes outreach program is totally free!!!

11/27/202311/27/2023

Terri Bryant Joins Us For Divabetic’s Sugar-Free Baking Party

GOOD NEWS! Beauty Expert Terri Bryant, who works with Selma Blair, shows us how to add some DAZZLE to our holidays on Thursday night’s free Sugar-Free Baking Party, November 29, 2023, at 7 PM EST.

Join us for a delightful online baking extravaganza! Get ready to whip up some delicious treats without the guilt of sugar. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a newbie in the kitchen, this event is perfect for everyone. Plus, enjoy holiday beauty tips, a slew of great gift ideas, and prepare to indulge in guilt-free goodies.

At the height of her makeup artist career, Terri started to experience a loss of hand dexterity, leading to challenges applying makeup. Eventually, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Empowered by knowledge and a life-long love of makeup, Terri set out to create a better and easier way.

Now alongside Chief Creative Officer Selma Blair, who revealed her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2018, GUIDE Beauty is changing the game in the beauty industry and developing a culture of broader inclusion through Universal Design.

https://www.guidebeauty.com/pages/about-us

11/16/202311/16/2023

Are You Angry About Your Diagnosis?

We all know what anger is, and we’ve all felt it, whether as a fleeting annoyance or as full-fledged rage.

Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But keeping your temper in check can be challenging, especially while managing your diabetes.

Diabetes can be a catalyst for anger. Anger can start at diagnosis with the question, “Why me?” You may dwell on how unfair diabetes is: “I’m so angry at this disease! I don’t want to treat it. I don’t want to control it. I hate it!”

One reason diabetes and anger so often go hand in hand is that diabetes can make you feel threatened. Life with diabetes can seem full of dangers – insulin reactions or complications. When you fear these threats, anger often surges to your defense.

You can feel angry if your friends, family, and co-workers shame or blame you for your diagnosis. When criticized about your behaviors, you resort to rage to get the other person to leave you alone. ‘Shame Rage’ is a phrase used to describe when you feel humiliated, embarrassed, or ridiculed, your self-esteem drops and your rage cuts off these bad feelings.

You might also feel secretly ashamed of yourself for being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. You might feel guilty that you ignored the warning signs or your doctor’s advice and that being diagnosed with diabetes is your fault.

Experts advise letting your feelings out and learning to work them through. Understand the dynamics that send you from feeling threatened to rage so you don’t feel shame. Make a personal challenge to break destructive patterns in your life.

Figure out what triggers your anger and helplessness and what sets you off. When vulnerable feelings of disappointment and frustration arise, say, “This is a feeling. It’s only a feeling. Feelings are meant to be felt. That’s why they are called feelings. I choose to breathe through this feeling rather than act it out.”

Allow yourself to feel guilt and own up to what you did wrong. Taking responsibility for your actions can become a way to gain self-esteem.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Find a therapist to help you look at the emotional patterns in your life.

While it’s true that out-of-control anger can cause more harm than good, that’s only part of the story. Anger can also help you assert and protect yourself. You can learn to use your anger. You can even put it to work for better diabetes care.

Ready To Get Your Anger Under Control?

We’re discussing ‘ANGER and DIABETES’ with musical inspiration from Evelyn “Champagne” King on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast.

Podcast guests include Authors of Overcoming Destructive Anger , psychologist Dr. Bernard Golden, PhD, an anger management specialist, Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, Laura Laria MA, CASAC-T, Jill Knapp- Woolsey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Mama Rose Marie, and the Charlie’s Angels Outreach.

Throughout the podcast, we will play selected songs from The Essential Evelyn “Champagne” King courtesy of SONY Music.

Divabetic’s podcast is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”

Join us for a delightful online baking extravaganza! Get ready to whip up some delicious treats without the guilt of sugar. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a newbie in the kitchen, this event is perfect for everyone. Mark your calendars for Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 7:00 (Eastern Standard Time) and prepare to indulge in guilt-free goodies.

REGISTER NOW

11/09/2023

Free Holiday Sugarfree Baking Party Coming In November

Diabetes doesn’t have to dim your sparkle during the holidays. We’re presenting a Holiday Sugarfree Baking Party on Thursday, November 30, 2023, at 7 PM, EST.

During this fun-filled Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a Sugar–Free holiday dessert recipe and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes in recipes.

Plus, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller shares a sneak peek at Divabetic’s Gift Guide 2023. She showcases her new jewelry line, Power Pieces, made from upcycled comic books. These one-of-a-kind heroic adornments celebrate the inner power in all of us.

Win gifts courtesy of Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes’s Camper Cozy Mystery and Peak 10 Skin‘s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

REGISTER NOW – ITS’ FREE

Over 150 people have participated in our past Divabetic Baking Parties on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

There’s a good indication that murder might be part of the recipe when Nantucket’s ten-time reigning Baking Champion’s last name is ‘Coffin.’ Tune into Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast, Kill Me Madam.

11/07/2023

Don’t Miss Divabetic’s Gift Guide

This November, we’re sharing gift ideas to help you live life to the fullest in Divabetic’s Gift Guide.

Gift-giving can be stressful, especially when you’re shopping for someone’s wellness and are committed to finding the perfect present. We’ve rounded up our favorites from practical to “just because” for 2023 with exclusive discounts for you to enjoy. You’ll find many options we hope to infuse a little bit of joy or ease into your daily diabetes life. We sourced gift ideas from our community members, including people living with diabetes and professionals who work with people with type 1, type 2, and prediabetes.

Let us know what you think of our suggestions, and feel free to email me with your favorites, too —after all, you’re the expert on what will put a smile on your loved one’s face.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free culinary diabetes program with Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef on November 30, 2023 at 3 PM, EST.

During this fun-filled Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a holiday Sugar-Free Dessert recipe, demonstrates her favorite kitchen tools, and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes.

Win a Splenda Baking Kit! Plus, gifts courtesy of Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes’s Camper Cozy Mystery and Peak 10 Skin‘s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream during Mr. Divabetic’s random drawings. You must be present at our Baking Party to enter our gift drawings to win.

Celebrate National Diabetes Awareness Month with us. Over 150 people have participated in our past Divabetic Baking Parties on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge, named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic along with our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family, and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.

11/04/202311/08/2023

Divabetic’s Upcoming Holiday Sugarfree Baking Party On Zoom

Diabetes doesn’t have to dim your sparkle during the holidays. We’re sharing great gift ideas to keep you and your loved ones happy and healthy in our upcoming Gift Guide, demonstrating sugar-free baking tips and style advice.

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, at Divabetic free culinary diabetes baking party on Zoom with Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, November 30, 2023, at 7 PM, EST

During this fun-filled Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepares a Sugar–Free Dessert recipe, demonstrates her favorite kitchen tools, and shares expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes.

REGISTER NOW – ITS’ FREE

Over 150 people have participated in our past Divabetic Baking Parties on Zoom, so don’t miss out!

10/31/2023

You’ve Got To Have Friends To Create Halloween Displays

“But you’ve got to have friends,” Bette Midler’s song lyrics helped push me through the creative challenges of making my Halloween displays. I’m not an artist or a crafter, so the struggle was real. Thankfully, two remarkable women, Sharon and Lauren, cheered me on along the way.

After I created my first display, The Amy Winehouse Twins, made of recycled bottles for Halloween last year, Sharon kept encouraging me to create more art. My insecurities helped me blow off her comments until Spring.

But her interest in my creativity wore me down until I asked myself, “Why not?” I experienced so much joy creating the Winehouse Twins and Angela ‘LAMB’ sbury, it was worth a try.

I found a cheap plastic duck mask in a box in my closet. At first, a Halloween duck display didn’t make sense to me. But then, the name Cruella DUCK Vil popped into my head.

Still, even after that light bulb went off, I wondered if I could make a duck display. My paper mache skills were considered shaky back in elementary school.

Thank goodness for YouTube craft videos! I didn’t need to know there are so many types of paper mache available, from clay to cement, but the step-by-step demonstrations helped. After several frustrating days (weeks!) of trying to smooth out the seams, I moved on to decorations.

This step presented a whole new set of problems. I had never used a glue gun before, and my handcrafting skills were laughable or nonexistent at best. I had this ‘brilliant’ idea to decorate my Duck displays with candy.

Shortly after purchasing a bunch of candy, I found out that most types of candy don’t adhere to glue, and if they do, the glue deteriorates them. It was a sticky, hot mess. Then, after creating a 20’s style flapper dress using red licorice for Cruella, a hungry rat got into my apartment and devoured it.

Count Duckula, Cruella Duck Vil, Bri-Duck of Frankenstein, and Duck Vader are made from recycled bottles, shoe boxes, and New York Times newspapers with old-fashioned paper mache (flower and water).

Count Duckula’s costume is covered in Tic Tacs, cake sprinkles, Red Hots, Black Licorice, Dollar Store eyes, Chocolate Baking Dots, Recycled Red and Black Cloth Grocery Bags, and a Child-Size Dracula wig.

Duck Vader’s costume is made from a child’s Darth Vader costume, Take-Out Container, Trash Bags, Packing Supplies, Black Licorice, and Orange Tic Tacs.

Cruella and the Bri-Duck of Frankenstein were the last displays I decorated. By this time, I had decided to forgo candy and use household items for decorations. Cruella’s dress is made of placemats and Swifters. Bri-Duck’s dress is made from coffee filters, paper plates, doilies, Amazon wigs, and mops.

Periodically, through my creative meltdowns, I’d bump into Sharon. Her timing was perfect! Sharon’s excitement about what I was creating (even though she didn’t know what it was) and my friend Lauren’s enthusiasm boosted my spirits.

Lauren helped me with my displays last year, too.

When you tell Lauren you want to climb a mountain, Lauren will ask you ‘How many steps?’ she won’t question why you should do it. I love that! She’s a wonderful friend who cheers you and begs you to go BIGGER!!

Which I did!

Kitty Litter is made from recycled materials. Single-use bottles, packing supplies, boxes, and the New York Times newspaper with old-fashioned paper mache. Her head is a $14 mask from Amazon. Her bustier is made from assorted candy, including Dots, Licorice, three-sizes of Gumballs, Skittles, Mike & Ikes, Circus Peanuts, Tic Tacs, Jelly Bellys, Good n’ Plenty, and Swedish Fish. Her fins are assorted foil muffin liners. Her skirt is made of multi-colored spaghetti licorice. Her tail is made of three sizes of marshmallows. Initially, I wanted to use multi-colored mini marshmallows like my Aunt Francis used to put her in Ambrosia salad, but I couldn’t find them anywhere!

The rest of the Kitty Litter display is a nod to the enormous amount of single-use plastics in our oceans. Collecting my single-use plastics, including water bottles, take-out food containers, cups, straws, and food packages over two months opened my eyes to the staggering amount of trash I contribute to the environmental crisis.

I hope this post encourages you to create art, especially if you’re doubtful about your skills, afraid of failure, or unsure where or how to start. I shared all of those thoughts, too. But even at my most challenging moments, I had a blast!

This little boy’s excitement made my adventures in crafting worthwhile!

The spirit and community of West 69th Street inspired me to create some kid-friendly decorations for Halloween and learn how to use a glue gun. Sadly, many fingertips were burned trying to clue the marshmallows to Kitty Littter’s tail.

10/30/202310/30/2023

Bette Midler Hocus Pocus Themed Charcuterie Board

Recently, I hosted my Annual Pumpkin Carving party for friends. I made five mystery celebrity charcuterie boards for dinner.

Clever doesn’t cost a thing is my motto for entertaining. There are plenty of items to make your table dazzle available at the Dollar Store. I bought masks, placemats, pineapple lights, and plastic tablecloths. I anticipated the mess we would create from carving pumpkins, so I opted for a plastic tablecloth.

A broken toaster found on the street was my centerpiece. I transformed it using assorted black and orange flowers. My friends broke out in laughter the moment they saw it.

For dinner, I served Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie Boards. The items on Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie boards serve as clues to identify specific celebrities. The assortment of cheeses, meats, fruit, vegetables, and dips relates to movies, TV shows, books, celebrity family members, and songs. Once I present the boards and the mystery celebrity’s quote, my guests try to guess their identity.

Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie Boards is a lot of fun and a great icebreaker for people to interact with each other.

We played five rounds of a Halloween edition of Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie Boards on Friday. All my mystery celebrities are related to Halloween.

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #1: Halloween movie quote related to Jamie Lee Curtis: “I wish I had you all alone, just the two of us. I’ll hold you close to me, so close to me, just the two of us.”

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #2: Bette Midler quote from Hocus Pocus movie: “Oh, look, another glorious morning. It makes me sick!”

My friend Mark’s favorite Halloween movie is Hocus Pocus. No matter what quote I chose from the movie, I knew Mark would know it, which is why Bette’s Mystery Celebrity Charcuterie was made in her image. I found inspiration in a recent culinary curator’s Instagram post. I held off revealing the board until Mark shouted out the answer. Once Mark said, “Hocus Pocus,” I brought out the charcuterie board.

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #3: Michael Jackson about the making of Thriller: “I have felt touched by something sacred. In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists.”

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition #4: Bela Lugosi from an interview: “Horror means something revolting. Anybody can show you a pailful of innards. But the object of the roles I played is not to turn your stomach – but merely to make your hair stand on end.”

Celebrity Charcuterie – Halloween edition#5: Boris Karloff from an interview: “I guess I’m pretty much of a lone wolf.”

We’re sharing excerpts of interviews from our favorite Divabetic podcasts over the years. This excerpt is from our Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Turnaround podcast with Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel singer Pat Lacy.

10/28/2023

My Blood Sugar Was 1700!

Amparo revealed her blood sugar level was 1700 when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes on Divabetic’s World Menopause Day Zoom program. That scary moment became a wake-up call for Amparo to look closer at her lifestyle. Up until that point, Ampara never drank water. She consumed one Pepsi after another throughout the day.

Before she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Amparo admitted she was constantly thirsty and frequently needed to use the restroom.

Symptoms of high blood sugar include:

Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Blurred vision
Tiredness or weakness
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Shortness of breath
Stomach pain
Fruity breath odor
A very dry mouth

Our World Menopause Day panel was moderated by Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller and featured Donna Rice, Amparo, and Dr. Julianne Arena.

Dr. Julianne Arena is a double board-certified physician, a board-certified OBGYN who applies traditional, integrative methods and a multi-layered approach to helping women with sexual health and intimacy issues. She’s also a practitioner of Cliovana, the only treatment available that improves long-term clitoral stimulation with proven sound wave technology. Her goal is to help women create optimal and vibrant lives.

Catherine Schuller is the go-to person in the image industry for all things style and fashion for the plus-size woman. She began as a former Ford Model and became a spokesperson for the industry, a retail editor for Mode magazine, and wrote the highly acclaimed how-to guide The Ultimate Plus Size Modeling Guide, which has helped thousands of young women who want to enter the plus size modeling field. She is a frequently quoted media expert on the puls-size market and has appeared five times on The View, The Today Show, The Early Show, eight times on Neal Cavuto’s Your World, and many television and radio shows across the United States

Donna Rice is a registered nurse and a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She is a national and international thought leader and author of four books, including Divabetic’s ebook Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide To Love And Intimacy With Diabetes. She is a Past President of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and the Past President of the Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute for Baylor Health Care Systems in Dallas, Texas. Donna is the Chief Operating Officer for DiabetesSisters and The Chief Evangelist for Call-ai, working on voice-driven AI for diabetes care and education.

According to research, hormone levels (most notably estrogen and progesterone) fall dramatically during menopause. Changes to our hormones can affect our blood sugar levels and make managing diabetes more difficult.