Mini Rose Heart Cookies Recipe by Diabetic Pastry Chef Stacey Harris

 

unnamedThis year, Divabetic is working with a team of experts to show people living with, at risk and affected by diabetes how to embrace the holidays without compromising their self-care.

February’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast encourages listeners to practice ‘self-love’ on Valentine’s Day and  also features George Michaels greatest hits.

Valentine’s Day puts the emphasis on love for someone special in your life. But did you ever think that, hey, YOU are someone special in your life?

Why not make this day about loving yourself and your health? You can’t love someone else until your truly love yourself.

It’s difficult to love yourself and your diabetes health if you’re constantly feeling deprived of the foods you love. The Diabetic Pastry Chef, Stacey Harris who is living with type 2 diabetes wants 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 our favorite Diabetic Pastry Chef recipes for Valentine’s Day:

Mini Rose Heart Cookies Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef, Stacey Harris

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. box sugar-free yellow cake mix
1 15 oz. tub sugar-free vanilla frosting
Mini edible organic rosebuds
Powdered sugar substitute or powdered sugar, to garnish

Directions:

Prepare cake mix according to box directions; bake and cool.
Crumble the cooled cake with your hands a bit and add to the bowl of a standing mixer. Turn mixer to medium speed to fully crumble the cake; this should take 1 to 2 minutes.

Stop mixer and add frosting one (1) heaping Tablespoon at a time. Turn mixer back on and continue to beat at low speed until well mixed.  Turn off mixer and add another heaping Tablespoon of frosting.

Turn on mixer again and continue to beat at low speed until well mixed. Continue this procedure just until dough holds together—3 or 4 heaping Tablespoons should do. (You may need to add a little more or a little less. You’ll know when the dough holds together by turning off the mixer, grabbing the dough and pressing it together with your hands until it forms a cohesive ball.  This is the same method that is used to make cake balls or cake truffles.)

Remove dough from mixer and place on a floured board. With a rolling pin, roll dough out thin, and cut with a mini heart cookie cutter. Place the hearts onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes or so. Remove cookies from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. (The cookies will harden as they cool.)

Dab a bit of the remaining frosting onto the center of each cooled cookie. Adhere a mini edible organic rosebud to the frosting and let harden. Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar substitute or powdered sugar. These cookies can also be sandwiched with sugar-free frosting.

Yield: 43 mini sandwich cookies or 86 mini cookies

Stacey Harris has been baking and collecting recipes since she was a teenager. Her cookbook “The Diabetic Pastry Chef” offers a healthier approach to baking for diVabetics.
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The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic and the Diabetes Late Nite team are honored to participate in the Second Diabetes Podcast Week in support of the Spare a Rose, Save a Child campaign” on  February’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast scheduled for Tuesday, February 7, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

“I’m thrilled to support such a worthwhile cause by participating in Diabetes Podcast Week again this year, ” says Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.”We’ve got a really wonderful show planned featuring guests Chef Ward Alper ‘The Decadent Diabetic’ and Diabetes Advocate and ‘Rich In Love’ fashion blogger, model and diabetes advocate Doris Hobbs along with many of George Michael’s greatest hits.”

The “Spare a Rose, Save a Child” campaign encourages people to buy one less rose this Valentine’s Day and donate the value of that flower to children with diabetes. Donations go to Life for a Child, an International Diabetes Federation program which provides life-saving diabetes supplies, medication, and education that children in developing countries need to stay alive.

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Don’t miss Diabetes Late Nite inspired by George Michael on Tuesday, February 7, 2017, 6-7 PM, EST. Enjoy our first-ever Valentine’s Day Party featuring 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.

You have beautiful qualities, both physical and emotional, that draw people to you. You don’t need to look or talk or act like anyone else. We all offer the world something different. That’s what makes it so beautiful.

Let our team of experts show you how to embrace Valentine’s Day without feeling like you’re compromising your diabetes self-care. Don’t let diabetes dim your Dazzle!

This podcast is part of Diabetes Podcast Week in support of the ‘Spare A Rose, Save A Child’ campaign. Please join us! #Dpodcastweek

Weekly Wow: Diabetic Nerve Damage

Diabetic Nerve Damage True or False
Diabetic Nerve Damage True or False
Did you answer this question correctly?

True or False?  Researchers have linked diabetic nerve damage to high blood pressure and high levels of fat in blood.

The correct answer is: True. Researchers think that over time, this combination damages the nerves. They also suspect that the nerves may be damaged by an autoimmune response triggered by diabetes. They also suspect that smoking or alcohol abuse contributes to the problem.

For more information on diabetic nerve damage, here are a few resources to check out.

 

Diabetes Nerve Damage

Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve disorder caused by diabetes. Symptoms of neuropathy include numbness and sometimes pain in the hands, feet, or legs. Nerve damage caused by diabetes can also lead to problems with internal organs such as the digestive tract, heart, and sexual organs, causing indigestion, diarrhea or constipation, dizziness, bladder infections, and impotence.

Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

Nerve damage from diabetes is called diabetic neuropathy (new-ROP-uh-thee). About half of all people with diabetes have some form of nerve damage.

Diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes. High blood sugar can injure nerve fibers throughout your body, but diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in your legs and feet.

Tips for Treating Diabetic Nerve Pain

Diabetes can cause long-term problems throughout your body, especially if you don’t control your blood sugar effectively, and sugar levels remain high for many years. High blood sugar can cause diabetic neuropathy, which damages the nerves that send signals from your hands and feet.

Chef Robert’s Recipe: Salmon Skewers of Love

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Chef Robert Lewis

On July’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast I interviewed Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ about grilling tips for the Summer. Our Divabetic Inspiration, P.M. Dawn’s frontman, Prince Be suffered multiple diabetes health-related complications including stroke, amputation and kidney disease before passing away at age 46 earlier this year.

People living with kidney disease are encouraged to follow specific dietary guidelines for optimum health including eating less protein. Since one of the biggest joys of Summer is using your backyard grill I asked Chef Robert to share some healthy summer grilling recipes that don’t include red meat.

After graduating from the Prestigios Culinary Institute of America in 1976. In 1998 Chef Robert was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Thus began his motivation to create great tasting dishes that are easy to prepare.

Chef Robert’s Salmon Skewers of Love Recipe

What’s in it?

2 medium-size fresh salmon filets

2 tablespoon fresh garlic

3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2-3 large leafs of fresh basil

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 red pepper

2 green peppers

1 red onion

1 large Portobello mushrooms

4 bamboo skewers

 

Let’s put it together

  1. Skin salmon and cut it into 1-inch pieces if your fishmonger hasn’t already

done the job for you.

  1. Mix garlic, oil, basil and lemon juice in a bowl. Combine

with salmon and refrigerate for 2 hours.

  1. Place skewers in cold water for 10 minutes before building them. (This will

keep them from burning.)

  1. Cut veggies into 1-inch pieces.

Alternate peppers, onions, mushrooms, and salmon on skewers. Place on a hot grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, or place on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Serves 4.

Nutrition per serving: 226 calories, 26.5 grams fat, 9.31 grams carbohydrates and 40 grams protein.

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Chef Robert has been selected buy Sanofi and Everyday Health to do consumer online cooking videos. He is a keynote speaker for Taking Control of Your Diabetes all across the USA. He has worked with Sanofi, Abbott, Accu-Check-Roche, American Diabetes Association, Lyons Club International, Rotary Clubs, University of Wisconsin, Genesis Hospitals, Hy-Vee Grocery Stores, Kroger stores, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Hill and Valley sugar free bakeries to name just a few!

His recipes celebrate great-tasting food that both diabetics and non-diabetics can enjoy. Robert’s cookbooks are filled with tips, tidbits, and humorous anecdotes that I hope will make cooking fun! You are not what you eat, you are how much you eat!

Visit Chef Robert’s ‘The Happy Diabetic’ website for recipes, cooking tips, and cookbooks.