We’re taking a look back at last year’s Mr. Divabetic Mystery podcast: “Suspect Boulevard” as we prepare for this year’s brand new Mr. Divabetic Mystery: “Gypsies, Tramps & Peas” debuting in September.
There’s a glamorous Hollywood book launch party for Best-Selling Author Marjorie Melbourne Blaze’s newest novel, “Fires of Desire” in one scene of “Suspect Boulevard”. You’ll have to tune in to find out who gets burned by Marjorie’s scorching Best-Seller. When you do, make sure to listen to our podcast while you’re enjoying Stacey Harris ‘s delicious “Fires of Desire” Mini Victoria Cakes recipe.
‘Fires Of Desire’ Mini Victoria Cakes
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup Whey Low D Granular
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup King Arthur Cake Flour Blend
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
sugar- free or no sugar added strawberry or raspberry jam
whipped cream
Whey Low Powder or confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Fresh raspberries for garnish
Directions:
With mixer beat together the butter and Whey Low for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and beat for an additional 2 or 3 minutes. Sift the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl. Gently fold with spoon just until combined and smooth. Spoon mixture int 12 greased muffin tins. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Remove from pan. Split each cake in half. Spread with jam, top with a little whipped cream. Sandwich the cakes and sift powdered Whey Low or confectioner’s sugar on top. Top each with a raspberry or small strawberry.
Let Stacey Harris, The Diabetic Pastry Chef show you how to entertain like a ‘diva’ without jepordising your diabetes health! Stacey published “The Diabetic Pastry Chef” (Pelican, $24.95), a collection of more than 200 recipes that fit within the nutritional limits of the diabetic diet.
TUNE IN: Mister Divabetic Mystery Podcast: Suspect Boulevard. This special mystery theater production is loosely based on Billy Wilder’s film, Sunset Boulevard and involves around dogs, dementia, diamonds and diabetes. Our cast includes Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, ‘We Are Diabetes’ organization founder, Asha Brown, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Susan Weiner MS, RD, CDE, CDN, Chef Robert Lewis, USA Today Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout the podcast we will spotlight the wonderful music by the National Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Charles Gerhardt courtesy of SONY MUSIC.
Don’t miss our next Mister Divabetic Mystery: ‘Gypsies, Tramps & Peas’ debuting in September. Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic’s finally takes the plunge and ventures into a new career as a healthy caterer. With the help of his co-workers and nosy Italian mother, he heads for Coney Island to cater his first party for his former swim coach, Ted Rockow. But his nautical-themed soiree quickly capsizes when the guest of honor is found swimming with the fishes. What it an accident or foul play? Now Mr. Divabetic’s grilling Burlesque dancers, a lifeguard lothario and some sequined mermaids, all intent on keeping their secrets buried deep within the sand. Can Mr. Divabetic prove Coach’s death was a murder, not an accident? Or will he end up floating out to sea? Recipes included.
If you love knowing that a book is based on real life before you dive in, you’re in luck! I just finished the first draft of my next ‘Mister Divabetic Mystery: One Murder Tutu Many’, based on my own dietary restrictions.
I’ve been gluten free under the watchful eye of my doctor for two weeks. She thinks my new diet will help alleviate some of the discomfort I experience from psoriasis. During the winter months in New York City my psoriasis especially flares up so I decided it was worth a try!
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other related grains. It’s also found hiding in shocking amount of other foods including ketchup, soy sauce, coffee creamer!Those who are genuinely intolerant have an autoimmune condition known as celiac disease, where their immune system responds to the gluten protein by attacking the small intestine. The link between celiac disease and type 1 diabetes mellitus is well known.
Common symptoms of malabsorption include gas, bloating, diarrhea, and weight loss. Other symptoms may include fatigue, anemia, irritability, or depression. In many cases of undiagnosed celiac disease, however, there are no symptoms at all.
Once diagnosed, the only treatment of celiac disease is lifelong, complete elimination of gluten-containing foods from the diet. With gluten elimination, symptoms may disappear within a few days, but complete healing of the small intestine may take three to six months or, in some cases, up to two years.
The good news for me, someone who doesn’t have celiac, is that I’m seeing a slight difference in my psoriasis. It hasn’t disappeared but it has stopped itching andsome patches (on my shoulders and elbows) are now slightly smaller in size.
The bad news is a recent Harvard University study found that people who limited their gluten intake or avoided it completely actually had a 13 percent higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes.I have a family history of diabetes so this news immediately caught my eye!
“We wanted to determine if gluten consumption will affect health in people with no apparent medical reasons to avoid gluten,” explained Dr Geng Zong of Harvard’s School of Public Health. “Gluten-free foods often have less dietary fiber and other micronutrients, making them less nutritious and they also tend to cost more.”
Fiber is known to protect against type 2 diabetes. When the researchers had adjusted for the protective effect of fiber, they found those in the top 20 percent for consuming gluten in their study had a 13 percent less chance of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to those who consumed 4 grams or less.
After reading the report I’ve become conscious of adding more fiber to my diet. It’s that hard to do even if you’re gluten free! I’m eating more vegetables(the crunchier the better), nuts, berries, beans and brown rice.
Occasionally when I crave something sweet I now make myself a treat. Here’s a great mini cheesecake recipe I found onlineat my baking addiction. The author, ‘Erin’ claims, ”these fuss-free gluten-free mini cheesecakes are perfect for parties or potlucks and couldn’t be any easier to make!” After making them, I agree! Click the link for the recipe: Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes Recipe from ‘My Baking Addiction’
By the way, I liked this recipe so much it plays a significant role into next year’s Mister Divabetic Mystery: ‘One Murder Tutu Many’ podcast/short story set in the world of ballet.
Can’t wait until next year to hear one of my ‘Mister. Divabetic Mysteries podcasts? Click on the link to enjoy ‘Phantom of the Okra’featuring music from ‘Phantom of the Opera’ courtesy of SONY Music. A trip to the local Farmer’s Market turns into a fiasco for the happy healthcare host when he finds a dead body in a bushel of okra in theMr Divabetic Mystery podcast,’Phantom of the Okra’LISTEN
We know many people in our Divabetic community don’t like to celebrate the holidays because they feel they may disrupt their diabetes care. But with a little pre-planning and guidance from your healthcare entourage you can still enjoy Easter related festivities without failing your diabetes.
“Don’t let diabetes dim your dazzle!”
We asked several experts, Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ and Karline Ricketts, CEO/Master Stylist to share their favorite recipes and hair tips to encourage you to celebrate a Divabetic Easter in style without compromising your diabetes health.
Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ loves to bake! While she was attending cooking school she began creatingdiabetic-friendly recipes for breads, cakes and other desserts by swapping out the sugar, blending the flour and cutting the milk carbohydrates after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,. Here’s one of the Diabetic Pastry Chef’s most requested recipes:
3/4 cup Whey Low D Granular, or dry sweetener of your choice
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
Directions
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. In mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and beat until combined and Whey Low or other sweetener is dissolved.
Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fill 12 paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven approximately 20 minutes, or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
Frosting Ingredients
1 cup milk
5 T all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup trans-fat-free shortening
1 cup sugar, Whey Low D Granular, or other dry sweetener of your choice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
In saucepan combine milk and flour.Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thick paste forms, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
In mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat butter, shortening, sweetener, and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk mixture. Beat at least 10 minutes. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
Please note: a tub of sugar-free vanilla frosting can be substituted for this frosting recipe.
Topping Ingredients
1 bag sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes
green food coloring
sugar-free or low sugar jelly beans
12 pipe cleaners (can be purchased at cigarette/cigar store or drug store)
Directions
Color the coconut flakes with the green food coloring. Spread on top of frosted cupcakes and press down a little. Scatter several jelly beans on top and gently press down. Bend the pipe cleaners and stick into the sides of the cupcakes as handles.
Stacey Harris has transformed more than 200 desserts into diabetic-friendly delights. COOKBOOK
Is Wearing An Easter Bonnet Harmful to Your Hair?
Topping off your Easter best with a bonnet or hat is as ‘sweet’ as adding frosting to a cupcake but can it damage your hair?
Karline Ricketts, CEO/Master Stylist, opened her first salon in West Palm Beach, FL over 30 years ago to provide an upscale client environment for a growing ethnic consumer market. Karline offers these tips for wearing a hat responsibly:
Style your hair a bit fuller than you normally would before you put on a hat to keep some of the volume when you take it off.
Never put a hat on your wet hair. Doing so may cause tension, breakage and the ultimate case of hat head when the hair is dry.
Give your hair room to breathe. Wearing a tight hat causes the hair to get greasy at the roots but dry at the ends. When the hat rubs against dry hair, it may cause it to break. A tight hat will put pressure on your head (it should feel comfortable and not pressed against your head), crush your curls and make your scalp sweat, making the situation worse.
Wear a satin cap or scarf underneath your hat to prevent your hair from breaking and dryness and to preserve your hairstyle or choose hats with a satin or silk lining.
Don’t miss Fabulous 2017, an evening of extraordinary elegance benefiting Divabetic, presented by Karline’s Salon on Saturday, May 20, 2017, 7 PM.Enjoy magical night of culture and community, colors and curls, and trend-setting fashions in a spectacular runway show. BUY TICKETS
Don’t Let the Parade Pass You By!
I’’ll be raising awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way at this year’s Annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival in New York on Sunday, April 16, 2017, 12:30 PM
Tune in to Facebook Live (Divabetic) to catch all the sights and sounds live from the Red Carpet with guests Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, diabetes advocate, Laura Laria and hat designer, Evetta Petty and more!
We know many people in our Divabetic community don’t like to celebrate the holidays because they feel they may disrupt their diabetes care. But with a little pre-planning and guidance from your healthcare entourage you can still enjoy Easter related festivities without failing your diabetes.
From the annual Easter Egg Roll to eating iguana, turtle and the world’s largest rodent in Colombia, there are many different Easter traditions around the world to choose from!
Easter is the most important religious holiday in the Greek Orthodox calendar. Shops line their windows with brightly-coloured wrappings for Easter candles and chocolate eggs. Greek families sit down to a meal of whole roasted lamb or kid goat on Easter Sunday.
Germans like to decorate trees with hollowed-out, painted eggs for Easter. One elderly man has taken the art form to an extreme degree.
An old European tradition of tapping eggs together in a contest to see which is the strongest is enjoying a revival in Louisiana. The town of Marksville claims to host the oldest “egg-knocking” competition in the United States. Competitors pair up on the steps of the courthouse on Easter Sunday and knock the tips of two eggs together. If the egg cracks, its owner is out of the competition. The process continues until just one egg remains.
Instead of tucking into chocolate eggs, Colombians like to eat iguana, turtle and the world’s largest rodent for their traditional Easter dinner.
We say, whatever you and your loved ones may choose to do, “Don’t let diabetes dim your dazzle!”
We asked several experts, Cookbook Author, Holly Clegg, Wine & Spirits Expert Samantha Shaken Baker and diabetes advocate, author and model Doris Hobbs to share their favorite recipes, picks and fashions to encourage you to celebrate a Divabetic Easter in style without compromising your diabetes health.
With over 1 million cookbooks sold, Holly Clegg has become a culinary expert on easy, healthy and practical recipes through her nationally recognized best-selling trim & TERRIFIC® and her more health focused Eating Well cookbook series, including newly released 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY edition of Eating Well Through Cancer, (English, Spanish and Chinese editions), Eating Well to Fight Arthritis and Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association.Clegg who attended the Cordon Bleu Cooking School has appeared on Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, QVC, The 700 Club, USA Today, Cooking Light Magazine, Web MD, and Huff Post.She has consulted for Walmart, Teflon, The Coca-Cola Company, and hospitals throughout the country. Here’s Holly’s suggestion on to make a simple, impressive way to dress up eggs for Easter:
“These colorful Western omelet ingredients are piled on an English muffin and make this the ideal grab and go satisfying breakfast” says Holly.Egg beaters may be substituted for the egg and egg white combination.
Makes 6 muffins
1/2 cup chopped Canadian bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
2 eggs
5 egg whites
Salt and pepper to taste
3 whole-wheat English muffins, halved
1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
1. In nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook Canadian bacon 2 minutes or until begins to brown.Add onion and, green pepper sautéing until tender.Add tomatoes, cook 1 minute.Remove from pan, set aside.
2. In small bowl, whisk together eggs and egg whites.In same nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, scramble eggs.Season to taste.When eggs are almost done, stir in bacon onion mixture.
3. Meanwhile, toast muffin halves.Divide egg mixture to top muffin halves.Sprinkle with cheese.
Note:The prepared muffins may be refrigerated and reheated in the microwave or in oven preheated at 350°F. about 5 minutes or until well heated.
“Glamour is the feeling of beauty, with an undertone of femininity, while looking like a lady, for all occasions,” Luxury Spokesmodel, Diabetes Advocate, Contributing Style Editor & Published Writer,Doris Hobbs explains. “Glamour is an illusion, a form of mystery revealing a fragile state that changes with time. Glamour, from my perspective, is defined as recreation from all facets of our lives. Perhaps the best way to describe it is with a ravishing red lipstick, a sensual hourglass silhouette, and style inspiration from such mavens as Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner, and Jayne Mansfield.”
Vintage brooches are colorful, eye-catching sparkle and for a small investment, you get a big return style wise!
Did you know back in the day women wore “Scatter pins”, a matching set of two or more pins that were grouped together on a blouse or sweater?
If you love vintage brooches, there is no need to curb your enthusiasm because you think you wouldn’t get a chance to wear all the ones you find. There are plenty of ways to show them off!
DIVABETIC TIP: While alcohol can make blood sugar drop too low, certain beverages (such as beer or sugary mixers) can cause a blood sugar spike. What’s more, consuming more than one or two drinks can cloud your thinking and affect other food choices you make that day, which can also affect glucose levels.
What’s brunch without a little bubbly?
We asked Samantha Shanken Baker, who helps presents memorable food and wine events like the Annual Harlem Eat Up! to suggest a great tasting champagne for under $50. Samantha’s pick is G.H. Mumm Brut Champagne Cordon (retail $45) featuring a delightful notes of flavor—dried apricot, candied orange peel, nut and smoke. This very harmonious dry Champagne is still elegant and light-weight. The rich, toasty note lingers on the vibrant finish. Oh la-la!
DIVABETIC TIP: Heavy black pumps paired with lightweight white dresses can be an odd combination. If you wear a white dress in the spring , better options include natural toned or white sandals. If you choose to wear white in fall and winter, brown shoes still look better than black (and for sticklers to the rules, white shoes should be avoided after Labor Day). HOW TO WEAR WHITE
Why not enjoy a Coco Mimosa?
I love serving my guests mimosas at Brunch. The name of one of the characters. “Coco Mimosa”,from our upcoming Diabetes Mystery titled “Gypsies, Tramps & Peas” inspired this new tropical twist to a mimosa. It’s as easy as pie! Just splash some coconut flavored light rum over fresh orange juice and champagne.
DIVABETIC TIP: The weather is warming up and the cherry blossoms are in bloom – looks like spring has finally sprung! It’s the perfect season to jump start a walking program. It’s easy, safe, and inexpensive. It’s also relaxing and at the same time invigorating, requires little athletic skill, and does not call for club membership or special equipment other than sturdy, comfortable shoes. And it is fun and natural — good for your mind and self-esteem. LEARN MORE
Let a new walking shoe get you in the groove!
We love these striped spring flat mesh casual walking shoes (pictured above)! They’re breathable slip ons and reasonably inexpensive. BUY
According to the Who What Wear website florals are a big trend for Spring 2017. Sound familiar? Well, this time around, the scale, fabrication and mood is more exaggerated than ever! Designers are encouraging you to be in full bloom from head to toe—shoes included. From double doses of Rococo-style jacquard florals with ruffles and raw hems at Marques’Almeida to subdued, blousy ’70s bouquets at Chloé and neon carnations at Balenciaga, there is nothing standard about these arrangements. No ditsy prints here in this S/S 17 version of the fashion trend, thanks.
“Eat with color and you know you are eating healthy! This overnight sensation with bright colors and flavors will wake up those morning taste-buds!” says Holly.
Makes 8 (1-cup) servings
8 ounces ground breakfast turkey sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped
5 (8-inch) 98% fat-free flour tortillas, cut into quarters
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1. Coat 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large nonstick skillet, cook and crumble sausage until starts to brown. Add onion and bell pepper, cooking until sausage is done and vegetables tender. Add spinach, garlic and green chilies; cooking until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
3. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, half-and-half, chili powder, cumin and cheese.
4. Spoon one-third of sausage mixture in baking dish. Top with one-third tortilla quarters and one-third cheese and green onions. Repeat layers, ending with green onion. Pour egg mixture evenly over casserole and refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven 350°F. If using glass baking dish, place in cold oven and bake 50-60 minutes or until bubbly, golden brown and knife inserted into custard comes out clean.
DIVABETIC TIP: Want to get more for your money? Buying fruit and vegetables in season often helps! Prices usually come down when a fruit or vegetable is in season. In addition, the quality of the produce (taste, texture, freshness, etc.) is at its best. When you buy produce that is out of season (for example, buying berries in the winter), you are likely buying food that has been shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles. It is usually more expensive, less environmentally-friendly, and the quality not as good.
LISTEN NOW: Cook Book Author Holly Clegg podcast interview. With over 1 million books sold, Holly reigns supreme when it comes to helping today’s busy person cook everyday meals that are fast and fit into an overall healthy lifestyle.Known as the “Queen of Quick,” Holly’s recipes are time, user and pantry-friendly. LINK
What’s trending in Diabetes Wellness for Spring? Here are three recent diabetes and health & wellness headlines that caught our eye!
An amazing app that helps you improve your A1C!One Drop | Mobile provides real-time and historical blood glucose data and analytics to subscribers and their healthcare providers, allowing both to see relationships between specific health behaviors and health outcomes.
Go ahead, and laugh but I love the ‘Golden Girls’! So do a lot of other people. Over the course of seven seasons, the show racked up 68 Emmy nominations, 11 wins, and is one of only 4 shows in TV history whose principal actors all won Emmys for their roles. Despite Hollywood’s obsession with youth, The Golden Girls is still beloved by audiences thirty years after its premiere.
While the women exchange quips and get into fights, the overarching message of the show focuses on the importance of chosen family, and women supporting other women. Further, we see the women enjoying life after marriage.
Whether you identify with Blanche, Dorothy, Rose or Sophia, I think the ‘Golden Girls’ can help inspire you to improve your diabetes self-care. Over the years, I have hosted 3 podcasts loosely inspired by the ‘Golden Girls’ and a ‘Golden Girls’ inspired diabetes outreach program presented in Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA.
Why?
Let’s face it managing diabetes for women like the ‘Golden Girls’ presents a variety of challenges, ranging from increased insulin resistance and weight gain to sexual health issues and depression. As you age, you may be most aware of your new gray hairs and wrinkles, but aging causes changes throughout the entire body.
It used to be said that having diabetes aged people an additional 20 years. Today, thanks to better tools for managing diabetes and preventing and treating its complications, people with diabetes have the opportunity to live longer than ever before.
However, managing diabetes in the golden years presents a variety of challenges, ranging from increased insulin resistance and weight gain to sexual health issues and depression.
LISTEN NOW: Mr. Divabetic takes a ’50 Shades of Gray’ approach to talking about diabetes and aging during this lively hour of diabetes education and empowerment.
My guests include Dr. Andrea Chisholm MD, FACOG, OB-GYN, “How To Fight FATflammation!”, Author Lori Shemek PhD, “The Secrets to Living and Loving With Diabetes” and “Sex and Diabetes” Janis Roszler, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND 2008-2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE), Humorist and Author “The Sweet Blessing: My Adventures in Diabetes” Trisha Porretti RN, BSN, CDE.
LISTEN: GOLDEN GIRLS podcast about ‘Diabetes & Food Choices’ as we Age. Guest, Jessica Issler, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, offers the golden rules of diabetes care with a focus on food. Using the original Golden Girls – Blanche, Sophia, Rose and Dorothy – as inspiration, Jessica reviews healthy food options for a variety of palates (including cheesecake!) and shares advice on counting carbohydrates.
“I had to write ‘Golden Girls’…I’ve never gotten excited about a network idea before, but this was compelling. I could write grown-ups.” — Susan Harris, creator of ‘The Golden Girls,’ September 1985
LISTEN NOW: Studio d podcast on the Golden Rules of Style based on the ‘Golden Girls’ with Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP. Let the four iconic ‘Golden Girls’ characters inspire you to embrace your inner diva with the style! Catherine provides practical style advice to help you achieve a Glam More, Fear Less mindset in your diabetes life.
“A calorie is a calorie IS a calorie,” they say … but is it true?
No.
The truth is that the way the body breaks down carbohydrates, protein and fat, the three main sources of calories in our diet (four if you count alcohol), and the effect they have on our bodies differ vastly.
So your body knows whether you eat a 100 calories of candy or broccoli because different foods go through different biochemical pathways, some of which are inefficient and cause energy (calories) to be lost as heat.
Even more important is the fact that different foods and macronutrients have a major effect on the hormones and brain centers that control hunger and eating behavior.
For example, fats slow digestion, deliver important fat-soluble vitamins to the body, and provide important building blocks for every one of our cells.
Protein also keeps us feeling fuller for longer by slowing digestion, but its primary role in the body is to maintain and build new cells.
Our bodies use the different types of carbohydrates (such as fiber, starch and sugar) in very different ways. Fiber is considered a high-quality carbohydrate since it slows digestion (thus making you feel fuller, longer) and can moderate the absorption of other nutrients, like sugar.
A few years ago Weight Watcherseliminated the company’s popular “Points” system, which encouraged dieters to lose weight by eating any foods as long as they kept the portions small for this very reason.
David Kirchhoff, President and CEO of Weight Watchers International, explains their decision to change their hallmark system, ”we needed a program that recognized that calories are most definitely not created equal.
The new system tries to encourage dieters to consume more natural, less processed food.
“You’re not going to get healthier, even if you manage to shed pounds, by eating fewer cookies than you did before. If you really want to lose weight and improve your health, then you must replace empty calories and denatured foods with nutrients!,” says Kirchhoff.
As you can see, a calorie of carbohydrate is not the same as a calorie from fat or protein, nor are all carbohydrate calories created equal.
LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Late Nite inspired by the diabetes life and music of Ella Fitzgerald. Guests include Ansley Dalbo, Susan Weiner MS, CDN, RD, CDE, Mama Rose Marie, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach and Poet Lorraine Brooks.
It was a thrill to welcome Chef Ward Alper aka ‘The Decadent Diabetic’ as a first-time guest to our free monthly podcast, Diabetes Late Nite this past February.
Like me, he’s determined to show the world that you can lead a ‘glamorous and delicious’ life with diabetes without jeopardizing your health.
I think we’re both passionate diabetes advocates because of we share similar family histories of diabetes and have seen many of our loved ones suffer from diabetes health-related complications.
“My family has a sad history of diabetes. My father was dead by the time he was 67 from complications of the disease. Two of his sisters have had amputations,” says Ward Alper. “Both my brother and sister were diabetic, and died in part because of not taking care of the disease.”
For me, my former boss, Luther Vandross’s stroke related to type 2 diabetes became the catalyst for my desire to create diabetes education with dazzle.
Together Chef Ward and I would like to inspire you to manage diabetes and still eat decadently.
After all, “a diagnosis of diabetes doesn’t have to mean the end of great eating!”, says the Decadent Diabetic.
Double Chocolate RICOTTA CRÈME by ‘The Decadent Diabetic’
“Before you begin keep in mind that this recipe MUST be made in a food processor or it will be grainy. It will still taste good but the texture will be off,” says Chef Ward Alper.
Note: It takes less time to make the dessert than to clean the machine you make it in.
Make ahead
Ingredients
¾ cup GRANULATED SUGAR SUBSTITUTE
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-15 oz. container of ricotta cheese
1 Tablespoon UNSWEETENEDHERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa Powder
1 tablespoon Coffee Flavored liquor, Bourbon, or Brandy (you can substitute orange juice or strong dark coffee)
1 Squares PERUGINA Bittersweet chocolate
Toasted, sliced almonds for topping (optional)
Lightly sweetened Raspberries or strawberries (3-5 per plating) (Optional)
Directions
Place GRANULATED SUGAR SUBSTITUTE in the bowl of a food processor. Cut vanilla bean open and scrape seeds into the granulated sugar substitute.Run the processor to make vanilla sugar. (If using vanilla extract you can skip this Step).Add the cocoa powder.Process 30 seconds or so.Add the ricotta cheese and process for two minutes. Scrape down the sides and process for 1-2 minutes more. Add the liquor or coffee or zest and process until blended.
As an extra treat to the palate and the tongue, finely chop (almost pulverize) the squares of Chocolate and fold into the crème. Spoon the mixture into 1 cup white ramekins (for the kids) or Martini or wine glasses. cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours or more.
Top with very lightly sweetened raspberries or strawberries soaked in 1 tablespoon of Trop 50.
2-servings
12 grams carbohydrate
The GOAL of the Decadent Diabetic website is to help people with Diabetes transform what we can or should eat, into what we WANT to eat!
Are you afraid to dress up while you’re cooking? You might even like the idea of an apron, but you’re always halfway through cooking dinner before you remember you wanted to put one on. And you really do want to put one on: Aprons protect your clothes, have pockets to keep utensils handy, and make you look adorable!
Check out Cuisine Couture Apron, $32 at Anthropologie: We want our aprons to be functional, of course, but why can’t they be fashionable, too? This option is both — it looks more like a dress you’d actually wear out in public instead of something you throw on while you’re making chicken cacciatore.
LISTEN NOW: February’s Diabetes Late Nite inspired by George Michaelfeaturing Chef Ward Alper aka ‘The Decadent Diabetic’, ‘Rich In Love’ fashion blogger Doris Hobbs, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie
Learning to accept yourself for who you are is the most important step to self-love. Stop comparing yourself to others and learn to embrace the person you are.
Government figures show more than 16 million American adults report having a major episode of depression in the past year. Women are affected more often than men. A new field of study, nutritional psychiatry, looks at how diet can improve mental health. Its something we don’t often think about but there’s new research how healthy food can boost your mood.
According to experts, aMediterranean diet can help.A Mediterranean diet is traditionally followed in Greece, Crete, southern France, and parts of Italy that emphasizes fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, olive oil (as opposed to butter) and grilled or steamed chicken and seafood (as opposed to red meat).
Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease. The diet has been associated with a lower level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol that’s more likely to build up deposits in your arteries.
Boosting your mood might mean improving your gut bacteria?!!!
If you doubt the connection between your mood and the critters in your gut, you must read Peter Andrey Smith’s recent piece in the New York Times called Can the Bacteria in Your Gut Explain Your Mood? Not to ruin the suspense, but considering all the optimistic studies Smith includes, the answer is a resounding YES.
Findings from a new study at Oregon State University found that a diet high in sugar caused changes in the gut bacteria of mice, impairing the mice’s ability to adjust to changing situations, called “cognitive flexibility.” The change in gut bacteria also negatively affected the mice’s long-term and short-term memory.
Fermented food is the best kind of probiotic you can feed your gut, because it typically provides a broad combination of bacteria — so chances are greater that you’ll get a useful bacteria. Fermentation is by no means a new health movement. People were fermenting food more than 8,000 years ago. In fact, only recently — since the invention of the refrigerator — have we not placed a priority on consuming fermented foods, which may be part of the reason we have less of a diversity of gut bugs than we used to. One of the easiest, most common fermented products is yogurt (but make sure it is unsweetened). Other examples are kefir, kimchee, sauerkraut, pickles, and kombucha tea. Note: Be careful about alcohol content in some fermented drinks. I didn’t realize that certain kombucha teas and kefir can have a higher alcoholic percentage than beer — a problem for a recovering alcoholic.
LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Late Nite featuring music by Gladys Knight & The Pips. Guests include Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’,TamaraSellman from SleepyHead Central,Mary Ann Hodorowicz, RD, LDN, MBA, CDE, CEC,the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.
A lot of us experience late night cravings for salty, sugary and starchy foods that can cause havoc with our diabetes self-management.
What and how much you eat can directly affect your blood sugars both overnight and the next morning, especially if your snack choices are mostly carbohydrate foods. Your diabetes medicine may not completely “cover” excessive eating at night and you may be unpleasantly surprised the next morning when you check your blood sugar and find that it’s higher than desired.
March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast guest, The Diabetic Pastry Chef, Stacey Harriswho is living with type 2 diabetes wants to help you to have your cake and eat it, too, without sacrificing your diabetes self-care.
Stacey has created recipes for making breads, cakes and other desserts diabetic-friendly by swapping out the sugar, blending the flour and cutting the milk carbohydrates. Here’s one of the Diabetic Pastry Chef’s most requested recipes:
Ingredients:
8 ounces sugar-free or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces and softened
2 whole eggs
4 separated eggs
1 cup sugar or equivalent dry sugar substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Melt chocolate in double boiler or bowl set over hot water. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until it melts; set aside.
In a bowl, whisk whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar or equivalent dry sugar substitute, and the vanilla, just until blended. Whisk in warm chocolate mixture.
In a separate bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Slowly add remaining sugar or equivalent dry sugar substitute. Beat until whites form soft peaks and hold their shape but are not quite stiff. Stir approximately 1/4 of beaten whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in remaining whites.
Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan that has been lined on the bottom with a round of wax paper. Smooth top of batter and place pan in a preheated 350-degree oven. Bake until top of cake is puffed and cracked and center is firm, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Do not overbake.
Cook cake on a wire rack. Center of cake will fall as it cools. At serving time, fill center with sweetened whipped cream or sugar free chocolate sauce and dust top lightly with sifted cocoa. Run tip of a knife around edges of cake, and carefully remove sides of pan.
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Our favorite “DIVAbetic” Patti LaBelle is taking her dessert expertise to the next level with a new cookbook. Her fourth cookbook, entitled Desserts LaBelle: Soulful Sweets to Sing About, will be released April 25 and is available for preorder on Amazon now.
The singer, author, and actress, who is living with type 2 diabetes, is known for her sweet potato pie that became popular after a review on youtube went viral.
For years Patti LaBelle has been very outspoken about managing diabetes after experiencing a health scare during an open-air performance in New York City. Toward the end of the show, just after singing “Over the Rainbow,” she collapsed onstage, in front of thousands of fans. She was rushed to the hospital and was revived. An hour later, she was informed she had diabetes—her blood glucose was 600 mg/dL.
“I had no clue that I had diabetes,” LaBelle explained. “I’m one of those black women who just doesn’t go to see doctors. Had I not passed out, I would have never suspected that I had diabetes.”
But, in truth, LaBelle was no stranger to diabetes. She had watched her mother die from diabetes-related complications at the age of 58. So, LaBelle knew that she had to stop everything and take an active role in managing her condition.
While Patti still enjoys feeding friends and family her famous fried chicken and potato salad made with 12 eggs, she’s also learned to adapt her style to suit her needs.
“I’ll make an apple pie the regular way for everyone else, but I’ll also bake one with a sugar substitute for me.”
Her book written with Laura Randolph Lancaster is filled with her favorite recipes for pies, cakes, cookies, and puddings, as well as a chapter on diabetic-friendly recipes, moving personal stories from her career and life.
Patti is also an award-winning author of five books, three of which were New York Times bestsellers. She is the host of Patti LaBelle’s Place on the Cooking Channel, and the creator of Patti’s Sweet Potato Pie. She lives in Philadelphia.
Don’t miss March’s Diabetes Late Nitepodcast inspired by Gladys Knight & the Pips on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 6-7:30 PM, EST.
Gladys Knight doesn’t have diabetes, but the disease is as close to her heart as the memories of her mother, Elizabeth Knight, who died of complications from the disease in 1997. A five-time Grammy award winner, Knight is as busy as ever gracing the entertainment world with her exceptional voice. Yet she never misses an opportunity to voice the message of early detection and treatment of diabetes.
Gladys shares her final words of wisdom: ” Do something about diabetes … Know more, do more!” Knight feels nearly as passionate about spreading that message as she does about the incredible singing career her mom helped her launch some 54 years ago.
Guests include Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’, Mary Ann Hodorowicz, RD, LDN, MBA, CDE, CEC, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Diabetic Divas Unite, SleepyHead Central, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.
