My Grilled Mushrooms were delicious. I soaked them in olive oil, garlic, and parsley the night before. They had a delicious smokey flavor.
According to studies, vegetarian diets can also improve blood sugar management and insulin response and may lower the risk of developing other health issues related to diabetes.
Some diabetes-friendly vegetarian dinner recipes include Stuffed potatoes with salsa and beans, Green goddess salad with chickpeas, and Curried chickpea stew.
A vegetarian diet includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. These food choices can improve blood sugar control and make your body more responsive to insulin. This may mean that you’ll need to take less medicine, and it may also lower your risk of developing other health issues related to diabetes.
Enjoy another flashback from the Divabetic Vault. We spotlight three fantastic divas: Mother Love, Jessica Issler RD, CDCES, and Catherine Schuller.
Here’s the backstory on how I met these fabulous divas photographed and how they helped me pioneer diabetes outreach for women.
I met comedian and talk show host Mother Love, who is living with type 2 diabetes, while volunteering backstage on the National TV show dLife. Mother Love was one of the four hosts on the program. She was under contract with Novo Nordisk when Divabetic partnered with Novo to sponsor Divabetic’s national outreach program, “Divabetic- Makeover Your Diabetes.” Every show needs a diva, so I chose Mother Love over the other celebrities under contract when Novo Nordisk asked me if we wanted a celebrity to join us at our outreach events in Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, and Cleveland, OH. She even appeared in one of our Serve, Taste, or Trash! Videos at the American Diabetes Association’s Expo in New York, NY.
I’m so glad I did!! She was terrific on and off stage. She lights up the room. She would join me on stage to host our Glam More, Fear Less fashion shows and host one of the six education stations, The Tunnel Of Love, in the Makeover Maze. The Tunnel Of Love offered advice on love, intimacy, and sexual health issues related to diabetes.
I hosted pre and post-outreach program meetings and dinners in every city for my national team members and their families. Mother Love and her husband would join us for both meetings (which wasn’t in her contract.) She was hysterically funny and always, always made everyone feel loved. At our post-event dinners, I made it a tradition to toast everyone at the table and express my gratitude. After Luther’s stroke, I didn’t want to take a moment for granted. I also wanted people to know how much I enjoyed presenting this program. I consider Divabetic’s Makeover Your Diabetes national tour my biggest accomplishment. And I didn’t do it alone – I had a dazzling team of incredible people who partnered with me.
My parents and I met certified diabetes care and education specialist Jessica Issler CDCES (second from left) backstage at dLife, too. We met everyone in the diabetes community, including Jessica, while volunteering as audience coordinators at show tapings. Jessica attended a taping with two other young female diabetes educators, whom I nicknamed “Charlie’s Angels of Diabetes.” After the taping, we exchanged contact information after realizing a shared passion for helping empower and educate at-risk people affected by and living with diabetes in fun ways. I invited her to one of our monthly Divabetic Club support meetings at the local YMCA. Shortly after, she began volunteering as a facilitator at several meetings.
Jessica also volunteered as our sole diabetes educator at our first makeover program, Lipstick & Laughter, at MESS Makeup Studios in New York City. She met with women after they received free makeup applications to discuss issues concerning their diabetes.
When Novo Nordisk requested that I create a core National Makeover team consisting of diabetes care and education specialists, stylists, fitness experts, and makeup artists, she was the second name on my list. Between stops on our makeover tour, Jessica and I created several new, original outreach programs targeting children and their families affected by diabetes with Mount Sinai’s Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Department. All of our programs, like our Makeover program, featured progressive education. Participants would travel from one education station to the next, getting the information they needed to problem-solve issues related to self-care and diabetes wellness. I am opposed to lecture-style outreach.
Our first program, Walk To The Penguins, featured an obstacle course through Central Park that ended at the Zoo’s Penguins exhibit.
Our second program, the Broomstick Bash was a healthy Halloween party featuring several education stations, Ghost & Boast (goal setting for the holidays, Monster Moves (fitness), Freaky Foods (nutrition), and a broomstick decorating area. The program was first held in the Department offices and moved to Mount Sinai’s main lobby in the following years. The third annual Broomstick Bash was our largest outreach event, with over a thousand attendees.
Jessica replaced Joy Pape, we met at dLife too, as the lead educator for Divabetic’s Makeover Your Diabetes program from 2007-2009. She also worked with me on another health and wellness program called Energy Up!, targeting at-risk young women. Then, Jessica consulted and created recipes for Energy Up! founder Katie Dolgin aka High Voltage’s bestselling book, The Sugar Savvy Solution.
I’m wearing an Energy Up! t-shirt instead of a Divabetic t-shirt in this photo because I was moonlighting for my friend High Voltage’s Energy Up! wellness program. Early in Divabetic’s history, I chose to focus solely on adult women, not children. Since there wasn’t any diabetes outreach exclusively for women yet, I didn’t want to dilute our message by trying to all things to all people. But I still wanted to help younger people living with, at risk, and affected by diabetes, so I channeled my creativity into helping High Voltage with her programming rather than muddy the waters with Divabetic. I had a great time presenting and producing programming for both organizations.
Funny side note: I wanted to be booked as a guest when I heard about the national TV show dLife starting. Sadly, the producers disagreed. However, I still volunteer backstage during show tapings as a production assistant. One day, the producers took pity on me and let me host a table selling Divabetic merchandise in the cellar where the audience waited before the tapings. It turned out to be a life-changing moment because the Who’s Who of the New York City Diabetes Community (at the time) attended these show tapings. I met people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, their family members, authors, fitness instructors, hospital administrators, nurses, doctors, politicians, diabetes educators, and celebrities (like Mother Love). So I was rubbing elbows with the Who’s Who, hosting a Divabetic merchandise table in the cellar.
After a taping, I invited my parents to fly to NYC from Columbia to help me backstage on the show. We would put on Divabetic and Dude-A-Betic t-shirts and head to the studio. We sold merchandise as well as offered free healthy snacks. Yes, I coerced my Mom into making snacks in my tiny one-bedroom apartment before shows for audience members!! One day, the tapings upstairs in the studio were delayed, so the head of the production asked me if I could entertain the audience while they waited. Let’s say a star was born when I got handed the boombox with the microphone!!! I held runway contests between audience members, played games like charades, and made everyone dance to Luther Vandross‘s music. Sometimes we would have so much fun in the cellar that no one would want to go upstairs for the tapings. People noticed us. I don’t think they had a choice.
The woman in the picture on the far right is Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller. I didn’t meet Catherine at dLife. I met Catherine when we sat next to each other as judges for a Plus Size Beauty contest. We fell into a quick and easy friendship. She is amazing! She inspires me every day. She inspires me to create, challenge myself, and live my best life. Over the past twenty years, she has given her time, talent, support, and enthusiasm to Divabetic.
The morning of our last Makeover program, Catherine suffered a stroke. We hosted the program at Riverside Church, the location of Luther’s memorial. Catherine was rushed to the same hospital, Presbyterian Hospital, where Luther Vandross recovered from his stroke related to mismanaged type 2 diabetes. She also received treatment from the same team of physical therapists who helped Luther during her recovery. Catherine also put our Glam More, Fear Less philosophy to work at rehab. She did her hair and makeup and wore a glitzy sweatsuit before going to rehab sessions. She felt the attendants treated her differently because she made an effort.
Looking back, I feel grateful and fortunate to partner with so many women on Divabetic. Thank you for letting me share my memories from our 20-year history. It’s been a fantastic journey for me.
Let your ‘TRUE COLORS’ shine during Pride Month without compromising your diabetes wellness.
Pride Month is when the world’s LGBT communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. The original organizers chose this month to pay homage to the Stonewall uprising in June 1969 in New York City, which helped spark the modern gay rights movement.
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic stops by the New York Pride March to raise awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way.
Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ offers this fabulously colorful and sugar free recipe to help you celebrate PRIDE without compromising your diabetes health!
Stacey 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, eliminating trans fats and cutting the milk carbohydrates after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Stacey Harris has transformed more than 200 desserts into diabetic-friendly delights. Here’s one of the Diabetic Pastry Chef’s most requested recipes:
Sugar-Free Chocolate Cupcakes by the Diabetic Pastry Chef
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups dry sugar substitute (such as Whey Low D Granular or Splenda for Baking)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup dairy or almond milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
In large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients except for the sugar substitute. In bowl of mixer combine oil, coffee milk and sugar substitute and beat at medium speed with electric mixer for two minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Batter will be thin. Pour into paper lined muffin tin. Recipe should make 24 plus cupcakes. Bake in pre-heated oven at 325 degrees until toothpick inserted in middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove pan to cooling rack and cool completely. Frost.
Swerve Frosting
2 sticks, unsalted butter, room temperature
16 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Swerve Confectioners
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
Beat together the butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy for 2-3 minutes.
Reduce the speed to low and add the Swerve a cup at a time, then vanilla and cream or milk; continue mixing until smooth.
Beat for an additional 10 minutes until well combined.
The Diabetic Pastry Chef’s cookbooks are filled with information on the definition, treatment, and prevention of diabetes and include complete nutritional information (calories, fat, cholesterol, sugars, and protein) for each recipe. She uses Splendar and presents other sugar-free alternatives for pancakes, muffins, cakes, cookies, and pies. Stacey Harris shares the sweet secrets of her simple-to-use formula that will convert most any recipe into a lower-carb alternative without compromising taste or quality. Now ‘divabetics’ can enjoy Chocolate Truffle Cookies, Blueberry Tartlets, Cream Cheese Cupcakes, Coffee Bread Pudding, and hundreds of others. BUY NOW
“In The Diabetic Pastry Chef, Stacey Harris proves you can prepare and eat wonderful food and still stay well within the guidelines of food for a person with diabetes.”—Alan L. Rubin, M.D., author of Diabetes for Dummies and Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies
Instructions For Rainbow Frosting Swirl Technique for Cupcakes from My Cupcake Addiction
If you do choose to use artificial sweeteners to help with diabetes, weight management and calorie control, do so in moderation and check ingredient lists — your intake of artificial sweeteners may be more substantial than you think.
Don’t miss Divabetic’s 8th Year Anniversary Diabetes Podcaston Tuesday, July 10, 2018, 6 – 7:30 PM, EST. We’re talking about whether or not the ‘Food Police’ are helpful or harmful to our diabetes wellness.
Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND, Chris Pickering co-founder of ‘The Betes Bros, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, and Mama Rose Marie.
Throughout this podcast we will be featuring songs from ‘The Best Of Patti Austin’ album courtesy of SONY Music.
Deviled eggs are one of the trendiest appetizers at Backyard Cookouts this Summer. The good news is that Deviled eggs are packed with protein and can be a healthier choice than some other party foods. But, the traditional recipe is pretty high in fat and calories. By reducing the amount of egg yolks used and swapping the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt, you can make skinny deviled eggs. They’re the perfect low calorie, high protein snack.
This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to the Hamptons with my friend, Lady V. She loves to shop for fresh produce at the area’s Farmers’ Markets. From Montauk to Westhampton Beach, Farmers’ Markets located throughout the Hamptons are an easy way to shop local and enjoy fresh produce and other delectable finds.
We bought fresh tomatoes and parsley at Babinski’s Farm Stand located at 160 Newlight Ln, Water Mill, NY 11976. They also carry local fish, fruit and vegetables, Debragga Beef, as well as a variety of homemade pies and grocery items such as raspberry jam.
“What makes this Deviled Egg so delicious is the fresh parsley!” says Lady V. “It is also rich in a variety of different vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.”
Parsely Deviled Eggs by Verna Henry
Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/4 cup of Best Foods/Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Dressing With Extra Virgin Olive Oil (tastes more like regular mayonnaise to me than some of the other light mayos)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
4 cherry tomatoes (for garnish)
Directions:
Boil eggs in water (about 10 minutes).
After eggs cool, slice the hard-boiled eggs in half.
Scoop out the yolks and place them in a medium bowl.
Combine yolks with mayonnaise or yorgurt, parsley, ground mustard.
Continue stirring until the mixture is creamy with no lumps. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Fill a pastry bag with the mixture.
Lay the egg white halves on a platter with the yolk hole facing up. Hold the twisted part of the bag containing the mixture with one hand, and use the other hand to hold the bag near the bottom.
Apply even pressure on the top of the bag to force the mixture out through the tip or hole into the yolk hole in the egg. Continue until you fill all of the egg halves.
Garnish the eggs with parsley and cherry tomatoes
Easy to Make Pastry Bag:
If you do not have a pastry bag, fill a medium-size plastic bag (Ziploc Freezer Quart-size) with the yolk mixture and twist the top of the bag to force the mixture toward one of the corners. Use scissors to cut a small hole in the corner of the bag.
Lady V’s Cooking Tip:Overcooked hard-boiled eggs develop a deep green ring on the outside of the yolk that can darken the color of your yolk mixture. To keep your yolks yellow, place the eggs in a pot filled with cold water. Set it over the stove on high heat. When the water begins to boil, immediately remove the pot from heat, cover and let it sit for 15 minutes for large eggs.
The American Diabetes Association considers eggs an excellent choice for people with diabetes. That’s primarily because one large egg contains about half a gram of carbohydrates, so it’s thought that they aren’t going to raise your blood sugar.
Be mindful that eggs are high in cholesterol. One large egg contains nearly 200 mg of cholesterol, but whether or not this negatively affects the body is debatable.
Monitoring your cholesterol is important if you have diabetes because diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream also raise the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. But dietary intake of cholesterol doesn’t have as profound an effect on blood levels as was once thought. So, it’s important for anyone with diabetes to be aware of and minimize other heart disease risks.
Tune in to Divabetic’s June Diabetes Late Nitefeaturing music by Edith Piaf on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, 6 PM, EST. We’re talking about living well with diabetes by having ‘NO REGRETS’. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Dr. Lori Shemek PhD, Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Cindy Lou from the ‘Diabetes What To Know’ community, and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout this podcast we will be featuring music from ‘EDITH PIAF TOP 40’ album courtesy of SONY Music.
