Jet Magazine Returns with Slutty Vegan CEO As Their Cover Star!

After 63 years and thousands of issues, JET printed its last magazine in 2014, but it was announced that the iconic publication is coming back!

Growing up, Jet magazine was a staple in the Black community. Copies of Jet magazine could be found in Black hair salons, barbershops, and on almost every Black family’s coffee table, including Luther Vandross‘s house. He once told me how his older sister, Pat, would give him money to send him to the store to buy a copy!

The first Jet issue’s cover star is CEO & Founder of Slutty Vegan, Pinky Cole.

“I am so thrilled to be featured on the cover of Jet!” said Cole in a press release. “Ever since I was a little girl, I grew up reading every inch of every issue that I could get my hands on. Now here I am on the cover and as their iconic ‘Beauty of the Week.’ This moment is so personal and special to me because, in many ways, Jet helped shape who I wanted to become and who I am now.”

Pinky Cole is known for popularizing vegan meals in the Black community through her vegan comfort food and recipes. Since opening her business in 2018, her vegan burger chain has opened restaurants in Georgia, New York, and Alabama.

Her menus include such burgers as the Fussy Hussy (vegan cheese, caramelized onions), the Super Slut (guacamole, jalapeños), and the Ménage à Trois (vegan bacon, vegan shrimp). All were made with plant-based patties from Impossible Foods and doused with a spicy orange “slut sauce.”

Pinky Cole told New Yorker Magazine she estimates that three-quarters of Slutty Vegan’s customers are meat-eaters. “We like it that way,” she told the magazine. “It’s not a vegan concept where we’re this glorified group that’s better than everybody else.”

Some of Slutty Vegan burger options aren’t very healthy either. “I won’t sit here and tell you to eat Slutty Vegan every single day, all day,” she told the magazine before declining to share nutritional information.  “But I do want you to understand that veganism can be healthier, even if it starts with burgers and fries.”

A vegan diet doesn’t include animal products. That means no meat, fish, eggs, poultry, milk, cheese, or other dairy products. Strict vegans avoid honey.

Generally speaking, vegan diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and higher in fiber – as a result, they fit well with meal plans for people with diabetes. If you’re considering a plant-based diet, please consult with your friendly certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCDE) to determine the best meal plan for you.

International yoga teacher, and author Rachel Zinman, living with LADA diabetes, shares a guided meditation, “Compassion Meditation,” focusing on self-love and compassion to help jumpstart your day with a new attitude.

Quinoa Gets A ‘Quin-Wow!’ Makeover with Jill Weisenberger

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) has become the latest superfood to take America by storm.

Some people even call it the ‘Beyonce’ of Supergrains!

But is this gluten-free, high-protein grain-like relative of spinach and beets worth the hype?

We asked our friend and colleague, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, FAND, CHWC, who recently published The Beginner’s Guide To What To Eat With Type 2 Diabetes, for her advice.

Q: What puts the ‘Quin-Wow! into Quinoa and makes it so special?

Jill Weisenberger (JW): I love it for its taste, versatility and nutrition profile. We classify quinoa as a whole grain and eat it like it’s a whole grain, but technically it’s a seed. Nutritionally, it has all the essential amino acids, lots of fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and other vitamins and minerals, as well as health-boosting phytonutrients. 

Eat it hot or cold, in soups or stews, in place of rice or pasta and even as a cooked breakfast cereal. And it’s great sweet or savory.

Q: Why should someone with type 2 diabetes and/or prediabetes consider adding Quinoa to their meal plan?

JW: In general, eating whole grains is associated with less risk of type 2 diabetes. And whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet. Quinoa is a little higher in protein than most, but the goal is not to focus on one or two whole grains. Instead, we should eat a diet as varied as possible to get the best range of nutrients and other disease-fighters. I especially like quinoa because it’s an intact whole grain, as opposed to one highly refined. Of course, you can find it in crackers, breads and other processed foods – and that’s perfectly fine – but eating the intact seed is quite good for us.

Q: Can Quinoa help manage blood sugar levels?

JW: Not in any direct way, but a balanced diet in general helps manage blood sugar and other metabolic problems associated with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Q: What are some do’s and don’ts for cooking Quinoa?

JW: Rinse it first to rid the bitter saponins, which are natural pesticides. You can cook it like rice: 2 parts liquid: 1 part quinoa. I typically prepare it in my rice cooker with half water and half broth. This gives it a great flavor without too much sodium. 

Experiment with quinoa as a base for a whole-grain salad, a nourish bowl, as the starchy side to soup up sauces, and as a str on it’s own flavored with your favorite herbs, spices and cooked vegetables.

Love New Recipes?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free Virtual Cooking Party with special guest, Author of The Beginner’s Guide To What To Eat With Type 2 Diabetes,  Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND on Zoom on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, 7-8 PM, EST. Jill shares her favorite quinoa recipes with us!

REGISTER NOW – FREE REGISTRATION 

Cuban Food: Eating Smart for Diabetes with Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN

A ham and cheese sandwich every day. Fried chicken and pork rinds. White rice, white bread, and few leafy greens. Soft drinks with every meal.  When interviewers asked a nationwide sample of Cubans what they ate on a typical day, and what they would put on a daily menu if they could choose whatever they wanted, these were among the top responses. Results of that landmark study revealed that a majority of Cubans eat too much sugar, not enough fruits and vegetables, and have an unhealthy predilection for fried food, red meat and saturated fats.

I reached out to Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN, who is the co-author of ‘Diabetes Guide of Enjoying Foods of the World’ for her advice on how to enjoy Cuban foods without compromising your diabetes wellness.  Below is our exclusive interivew for Divabetic:

Q: What do you eat if you love fried foods and you have diabetes?

Constance Brown-Riggs (CBR): Years ago, conversations about food and diabetes were based on what you couldn’t eat.  But having diabetes doesn’t mean the end of good eating. The principles of a healthy diet are the same for the person with diabetes as they are for everyone else. Fried foods prepared with minimal amounts of heart-healthy oils can be included in your meal plan. However, fried foods are higher in calories than baked foods. Therefore, it’s a good idea to eat fried foods in moderation. Click here for a step-by-step guide to healthy frying—your taste buds will be glad you did!

Q: What are the healthiest options to choose when eating Cuban foods? 

CBR: Cuban cuisine contains many healthy ingredients including fresh seafood, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.  Two popular dishes are ropa vieja and sancocho.

Ropa vieja is shredded beef made in a slow cooker with tomato paste, tomato sauce, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices. It’s often served over rice or on tortillas. 

Sancocho is a hearty Cuban stew made with native root vegetables—squash, yucca, yams, or potatoes with pork or beef. Beans, lentils or pigeon peas are also added.

Q: What advice can you give to someone trying to cut back on salt without comprising flavor?

CBR: Get familiar with your spice rack! Spices are low in sodium and add wonderful flavor to food. The good news is you don’t have to cut sodium out of your diet all at once.  If you cut back on sodium little by little, your taste for salt will change with time. While you’re cutting back, it’s a good idea to avoid adding salt to your food after it’s cooked. Contrary to what you might think you’ll use less salt and improve the flavor of your food by adding just a pinch of salt during the cooking process.

Q: How much visible fat on your beef, pork or lamb should you remove before eating?

CBR: The general recommendation is to remove as much visible fat as possible. To prevent the meat from drying out and becoming inedible, I suggest trimming some of the fat before cooking. Then trim the remaining fat before eating the meat.

Q: What kind of oil do you recommend to use for frying foods?

CBR: For healthy frying as mentioned above, it’s important to use heart healthy oils with a high smoke point, such as almond, avocado, hazelnut, or sunflower. Remember even healthy fried foods should be reserved for special occasions.

Q: How important is other people’s support when trying to change eating habits?

CBR: Changing eating behavior is one of the most challenging behaviors to change. Having a support system in place can really help. You may tell people around you that you are going to change your eating habits and lose weight so that they can encourage you—not police you! It’s also a good idea to schedule a consult with a registered dietitian (RD). An RD, especially one who has been trained as a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), can help you to understand how food affects your diabetes and how to make dietary modifications that increase your wellness. They can also help you develop strategies for dealing with the food police.

Q: I hate vegetables, what do I do? 

CBR: With a little creativity you can begin to eat vegetables every day. Add kale or spinach to your morning smoothie, order veggie pizza for lunch and mix cauliflower with mash potato for dinner. And for dessert have zucchini bread or zucchini brownies. Don’t forget basic tomato sauce counts as one veggie serving! To boost the veggie power of your sauce, add puréed carrots or winter squash, peppers, onions, or greens.

Constance Brown-Riggs, is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of the Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World, a convenient guide to help people with diabetes enjoy all the flavors of the world while still following a healthy meal plan. Follow Constance on social media @eatingsoulfully

We’re talking about different ways to ‘SPICE UP’ your diabetes life with musical inspiration from the “Queen of Salsa”, Celia Cruz on March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. Guests include Best-Selling Cookbook Author (Eating Well Through Cancer Cookbook – Spanish Edition), Holly Clegg, Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. LISTEN NOW

Second Day of Blue Christmas Gift Ideas from Ansley Dalbo

On the second day of Blue Christmas my true friend, Ansley Dalbo sent to me a stylish set of Precise Portions dishware so I can easily figure out the size of my servings!

Precise Portions dishware has all the hard work designed right in, so all you have to do is follow the lines on each plate, bowl and glass. Their attractive vine and leaf design helps you to portion the right amounts without alerting anyone else that you are doing so. So you can use Precise Portions dishware for any occasion.

“Keeping portion sizes balanced is the key for healthy eating and Precise Portions makes doing that easy and beautiful!,” says Ansley.  “Their plates will help anyone figure out how to eat a healthy, balanced meal and their china looks lovely so you don’t have to advertise that you have diabetes.”

The amount of food you eat is closely related to blood glucose control. If you eat more food than is recommended in your meal plan, your blood glucose (sugar) will go up.  Although foods containing carbohydrate have the most impact on blood sugars, the calories from all foods will affect blood sugar. The only way you can tell if you are eating the right amount is to measure your foods carefully. 

The only way you can tell if you are eating the right amount is to measure your foods carefully recommends the Joslin  Diabetes Center.

QUICK TIP: Use a glass which you know only holds 4 or 8 ounces to better control your portion. You can also place a piece of tape on the outside of a glass to mark a 4 or 8 ounce line so you will be able to measure easily.

Our past Diabetes Late Nite guest, Ansley Dalbo and her husband run a website where newly diagnosed type 2 patients and their families could learn the basics about diabetes through an easy-to-use video-based email program– www.DiabetesWhatToKnow.com.

To help you feel blessed not stressed this holiday season we’re sharing our first-ever 12 Days of Blue Christmas Gift List . We’ve asked our panel of experts, friends and past Diabetes Late Nite guests for their product recommendations as well as tips to help you stay happy and healthy.  

Remember, the holiday season can be an extremely stressful time for all of us. But stress, both physical and mental, can send your blood sugar levels out of whack. It’s important to start taking steps now to relax, unwind and/or mediate to keep yourself and your family healthy for life.

TUNE IN: Don’t miss December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring music by Elvis Presley on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, 6 PM, EST. We will be discussing ways to not let diabetes make you feel ‘blue’ during the holiday season with our panel of experts. Guests include ‘Walking With Peety’ Author Eric O’Grey, Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, High Voltage. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring songs from the new “Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” album courtesy of SONY Music. The album brings together Elvis Presley’s best-loved yuletide performances from “Elvis’ Christmas Album” (1957) and “Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas” (1971) re-imagined with sublime and exquisite new arrangements performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

NEED MORE INSPIRATION? Our panel of experts, Divabetic community members and past Diabetes Late Nite guests will be sharing more Blue Christmas Gift suggestions on this blog for the next twelve days to help you enjoy the festive spirit of the season without compromising your diabetes health!

Are you feeling ‘blue’ this holiday season?

You’re not alone. Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may worsen symptoms of depression. Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions, such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking and weight gain — all of which are risk factors for diabetes.

The good news is that diabetes and depression can be treated together. And effectively managing one can have a positive effect on the other.

If you think you might be depressed, seek help right away. Your doctor or diabetes educator can refer you to a mental health professional.