Tag: vegetables

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What Are You Putting On Your Plate To Replace What You’re Taking Off Of It

Changing our diet or mindset can feel like a daunting task, especially when it seems like others are breezing through the process. For our upcoming fee Divabetic outreach on Saturday, November 8, 2025, in Philadelphia, let’s engage in an activity that fosters open discussion and support.

In the comments, think about something you’re considering taking off your plate—maybe a beloved snack, emotion, habit or an indulgence. Then, share something you’d like to replace it with, perhaps a healthier alternative, attitude, or activity that excites you. This exchange can inspire and motivate us all on our journey toward better health.

For example, a friend of mine faced the challenging decision to eliminate gluten from his diet due to celiac disease. While the availability of gluten-free options has grown, it still requires significant adjustment, especially for someone who enjoys Italian cuisine. It’s certainly possible to embrace this change, but it’s important to recognize the difficulties that come with it.

I often recall the valuable insight from a Registered Dietitian who emphasized, “I focus on telling people what to put on their plate, not what to take off.” This perspective encourages us to view dietary changes as opportunities rather than restrictions.

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed by managing your diabetes? It’s completely understandable. Instead of focusing on what you can’t eat, why not shift your attention to the delicious options you can include on your plate?

One effective approach is the Plate Method, which can make mealtime both satisfying and manageable! Start by filling half of your plate with colorful non-starchy vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts—these are not only nutritious but also add a lot of flavor.

Next, dedicate a quarter of your plate to lean proteins such as fish, chicken, beef, or soy foods. Lastly, don’t forget the carbs! The remaining quarter should be filled with wholesome carbohydrates like beans, whole grains, or pasta.

Puting The Plate Method into practice sounds simple, but it can be a bit tricky in practice. So, take your time and make gradual changes to your meals. You might find that tweaking your plate is a great way to enjoy your food while taking care of your health!

Let’s support each other by sharing our thoughts and experiences. Your participation can provide the encouragement we all need to make lasting changes together!

Looking forward to hearing from everyone!

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Divabetic at New York City’s Summer Streets

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, plays his food game, ‘Serve, Taste or Trash,’ at the fifth annual Summer Streets – NYC. Here’s how you play: Mr. Divabetic lists 3 fruits and vegetables. Among the three food options, you must choose which one you’d serve, which you’d taste, and which you’d be willing to trash.

For this food game, the choices are melon, red pepper, and eggplant.

Nearly seven miles of New York City’s streets, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, will be opened up for everyone to play, run, walk, and bike.

Mr. Divabetic is a 2011 WEGO Health Activist Award finalist and the happy healthcare host of Diva TalkRadio. Diva TalkRadio is Divabetic’s dynamic free online and mobile podcast channel where tens of thousands of fans, followers, and listeners turn to laugh a little and learn a lot. The channel features a line-up of live and archived programs and specials. Guests include healthcare professionals, beauty, image/style, fitness experts, entertainment industry leaders, and VIPs: women and men living with, at risk of, and being affected by diabetes.

Learn how to become your own ‘Diabetes Bodyguard’ on this episode of Divabetic’s popular podcast with musical inspiration from one our all-time favorite divas, Whitney Houston.

Enjoy an exclusive first listen of “Whitney Houston – I Wish You Love: More From ‘The Bodyguard’” before the album’s release date courtesy of SONY Music. This 25th anniversary of The Bodyguard soundtrack album features the hit song, I’m Every Woman, echoing the recent statistics that 1 in 10 women are now living with diabetes.

Throughout the podcast, we will talk to experts about ways to safeguard you and your family from experiencing diabetes health-related complications such as stroke, blindness, and amputation.

Guests include  Dr. Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDE, Constance Brown Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie Gentle RN, CDE, Mindy Bartleson, T1D, blogger at “There’s More to the Story”, and author, Hairstylist & Salon Owner, Karline Ricketts, and America’s #1 Energy Conductor, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’.

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Discover the Joys of Jicama with Jill Weisenberger

Discover the Joys of Jicama with our friend, Jill Weisenberger RD, CDCES, in this short cooking video.

Nationally Recognized Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Best-Selling Author Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, FAND, CHWC joined us for Divabetic’s virtual Salad Making Party on Zoom.

Jill shares her favorite healthy salad and salad dressing recipes to perk up meals. The low-carb content of jicama and its health benefits means you can indulge in this vibrant veggie!

Jill Weisenberger’s candid and energetic approach and her sound nutrition and fitness advice have earned her a place as one of 10 Dietitians You Need to Follow on Social Media in US News & World Report.

Jill offers healthy and delicious recipe ideas and strategies based on sound nutrition science.

Jill Weisenberger is the author of Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week is a bestseller and can help you manage your weight and blood sugar at the same time, The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition offers solutions to your everyday food and nutrition problems – no matter how busy you are, 21 Things You Need to Know about Diabetes, and Your Heart gives you specific actions to take to improve your health right away, and her newest book Prediabetes: A Complete Guide featuring dozens of concrete steps to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other chronic health problems.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, for Divabetic’s next free, Virtual outreach program on Zoom. Visit Eventbrite and Divabetic.Org for details.

 

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Serve, Taste or Trash Food Game At Central Farm Markets

Serve Taste or Trash

We’re looking back on almost 20 years of Divabetic outreach.

One of my favorite memories is shooting our ‘man-in-the-street’ YouTube videos with my friend, Arthur Espino. We shot these videos with a camera (we weren’t using iPhones back then) without a microphone. I’d stop people as they walked by, and after we shot 3-4 interviews, I’d run home and edit the video.

In this video, I play the nutrition game Serve, Taste, or Trash! with the vendors and patrons at Central Farm Markets in Bethesda, MD.

This game was born out of my long-standing aversion to peas. Voicing your dislike for a particular vegetable aloud might inspire others to share different ways to enjoy it, which could ultimately change your mind about the taste. Personally, it led me to enjoy eating wasabi peas!

Fans of our popular Divabetic Mysteries podcasts know that my dislike of peas also inspired me to write and produce the mystery podcast Gypsies, Tramps & Peas.

Perhaps this video can inspire you to try another fruit or vegetable you dislike!

In the game, you’re given three choices of fruits and vegetables. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste, and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw?

Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones. And the texture is crispy rather than mushy.

Special guest Kathy Gold RN, MSN, CDCES (who participated in countless Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes outreach events) from Washington, DC, helps raise awareness for diabetes in a fun and glamorous new way.

Since 2009, Central Farm Markets has provided residents with a place to buy the freshest produce, meats, dairy, seafood, and bakery goods from over 50 top-quality farmers and artisan food producers. It’s a great farm market! They were always very welcoming to our unique brand of diabetes outreach and us.

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Quick and Easy Portobello Mushroom Pizza Recipe by Jill Weisenberger

Every day we’re bombarded with messages to limit the amount of processed foods in our diets and instead eat more fruits and vegetables.
But that advice can be harder than it seems since processed foods are abundant and convenient. So we asked our friend and colleague, Nationally Recognized Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Care and  Education Specialist, and Best-Selling Author Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, FAND, and CHWC, for creative ways to add more vegetables to our meal plans. Lucky for us, she also shared a delicious, easy-to-make mushroom pizza recipe! 
Q: Small changes often have big rewards. Can you advise us on how to add more vegetables to your meals – like breakfast and lunch?  
Jill Weisenberger (JW): For breakfast, you can add veggies to something you’re already eating. For example, top your eggs with salsa or scramble your eggs with any veggies you like. Alternatively, you can simply add vegetables on the side. I learned a lot of ideas from traveling. Roasted mushrooms and grilled tomatoes are often served in some European countries. In Greece, I sat down to stuffed grape leaves, Greek salad, and a bowl of olives. And in Israel, every breakfast included raw chopped tomatoes and cucumber or something similar.
I get vegetables at lunch by reaching into my fridge for anything raw and tasty: jicama, snap peas, radishes, carrots, etc. Plus, I usually have leftovers from the previous night’s dinner that I can heat up.
Q: Can you share some tips and resources to make eating more plant-based meals easier without sacrificing food and restaurants?
JW: Start with the plant-based foods you already love. Do you have a favorite lentil soup or chickpea salad? Put them into the rotation more often.
You don’t have to give up meat if that’s what you’re used to. Simply add plant proteins. Can you add white beans to chicken soup, red beans to beef chili, or canned chickpeas to a salad with leftover baked salmon?
In restaurants, double up on any vegetable to tame your appetite for a smaller serving of meat.
And try some new recipes based on your favorite flavors. Italian? You can get some ideas simply by entering “healthy Italian bean recipes” into your internet browser. Or, if your family loves tacos, create bean or lentil tacos and omit the beef.
Jill shares her simple portobello mushroom pizza recipe that you can personalize for a fast lunch or snack. Each member of your family can create and enjoy their own personalized pizza. There’s no portion distortion!!

Portobello Mushroom Pizza Recipe by Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, FAND, CHWC

Ingredients

  • Large or medium-sized portobello mushrooms
  • Tomato bruchetta or jarred spaghetti sauce
  • tomato slices or any veggies on hand
  • Cheese
  • Fresh or dried herbs or a combination of both

Click HERE for the Full Recipe

Jill Weisenberger is the author of Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week is a bestseller and can help you manage your weight and blood sugar at the same time, The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition offers solutions to your everyday food and nutrition problems – no matter how busy you are, 21 Things You Need to Know about Diabetes and Your Heart gives you specific actions to take to improve your health right away, and her newest book Prediabetes: A Complete Guide featuring dozens of concrete steps to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other chronic health problems.
Jill Weisenberger’s Stick With It is a self-paced video course that guides you step-by-step to the healthy habits you want. You’ll learn why your motivation and willpower move up and down like a roller coaster and what you can do to keep them up higher and longer!
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Oven Roasted Sweet & Savory Sweet Potatoes By Divabetic

Last weekend, I made these sweet and savory sweet potatoes and served them with grilled pork chops. It was my first attempt at creating a savory and sweet flavor using Splenda. They were easy to make and delicious!

Oven Roasted Sweet & Savory Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients
3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons of Splenda brown sugar blend
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Boil whole sweet potatoes for 15 minutes until soft

Let sweet potatoes cool.

Cut sweet potatoes into wedges, keeping the skin intact.

Mix sweet potato wedges with Splenda brown sugar mix and red pepper flakes. Drizzle olive oil over the mixture and toss to coat; pour into a shallow roasting pan.

Roast sweet potato mixture in a preheated oven, frequently turning, until the vegetables are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before serving. Enjoy!

Listen to Divabetic’s free monthly podcast on-demand featuring music from Teddy Pendergrass‘s album, Life Is A Song Worth Singing, and guests: Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES,  Build Jake’s Place Executive Director Arthur Anston, and Yoga For Diabetes Author and Founder Rachel Zinman

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic hosts this free, fun Virtual Valentines-themed Baking Party on Zoom with our special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Wednesday, February 9, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST.

During this virtual Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef will prepare a Valentine’s Day Sugar-Free Dessert recipe and share expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and flours in your favorite recipes.

Over 150 people registered for our recent Divabetic Baking Parties on Zoom so don’t miss out!

REGISTER NOW 

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Mr. Divabetic Raises Awareness for Diabetes At The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic visits the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, CA.to raise awareness for diabetes in a fun, new way. At Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Mr. Divabetic talks to some of the world’s most famous celebrities and plays his new food game, Serve, Taste or Trash.

Which food would you serve, which food would you taste and which food would you trash if your choices were: mushrooms, mangos, and broccoli?
The Chinese Theatre in Hollywood is the most famous movie theatre in the world. Millions of visitors flock here each year, most of them drawn by its legendary forecourt with its footprints of the stars. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre opened over 70 years ago, with the 1927 debut of the original silent version of “King of Kings,” produced by Cecil B. DeMille. Since then, the Chinese Theatre has been the site of more gala Hollywood movie premieres than any other movie theater.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic presents its Once In a Blue Moon program. This free, fun-filled, informative hour of diabetes outreach is intended to rejuvenate and reignite your attitude. The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, Maryann Nicolay MEd, NDTR, Wendy Satin Rapaport LCSW, PsyD, and Divabetic Image & Style Advisor Catherine Schuller share expert ways to expand food choices, add sparkle, and boost spirits.

So have some fun spending time with us during our Once in A Blue Moon program on Thursday, November 11, 2021, 7 – 8 PM EST on Zoom.

 

REGISTER NOW – FREE PROGRAM

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Divabetic’s Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Games

In the game, you’re given three choices of popular foods. You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic plays Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. 

The happy healthcare host, Mr Divabetic plays the hilarious Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game with Mother Love and the attendees at the American Diabetes Association’s Expo in New York, NY.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic plays Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game at Central Farm Markets in Bethesda, MD during our annual Bake Bethesda a Pie Contest over Labor Day Weekend 2012.

Mr. Divabetic hosts the new hilarious culinary podcast, Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game. A delicious combination of crazy food challenges and fresh perspectives on the latest food trends.

Tonight Mr. Divabetic discusses easy ways to go from ‘Farm To Fabulous’ with co-founders, Debra Moser and Mitchell Berliner of Central Farm Markets and one of the market’s featured vendors.

Our Serve, Taste or Trash! Food Game challenge features jerusalem artichokes, kale and oranges. One lucky contestant must decide which choice they’d serve, which choice they’d taste and which one they’d trash. But will they regret their decision after hearing our guest culinary wizard’s mouthwatering recipes for each choice? Can low-sodium foods rate high in taste? Stay tuned.

Special guests include Wellness and Diabetes Coach, Ginger Vieira, the author of “Your Diabetes Science Experiment” and “Emotional Eating with Diabetes,” Co-founders of Central Farm Markets, Debra Moser and MeatCrafters owner, Mitchell Berliner, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, the ‘Queen of the Green’ Miss Aida Romaine and Laura from Chattanooga, TN who is living with diabetes.

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Divabetic’s Cooking Party with Jill Weisenberger Highlights

Nationally Recognized Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and Best-Selling Author Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, FAND, CHWC joined us for Divabetic’s recent free virtual Cooking Party on Zoom

Jill shares her favorite  healthy soup recipes, suggests new flavor combinations like spinach and cinnamon to perk up meals, and answers questions on nutrition in this sneak peek of what you missed!

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk?

Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for Divabetic’s next free virtual outreach program on Zoom. Visit Eventbrite and Divabetic.Org for details.

Are you interested in learning how to bake with sugar substitutes? Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 10, 2020, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

FREE REGISTER 

 

 

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Divabetic Bookshelf: Kitchens of Great Midwest

Looking for a good read?

I encourage you to pick up J. Ryan Stradal’s Kitchens of Great Midwest.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest is a novel about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country’s most coveted dinner reservation. 

When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter—starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.

How you ‘sneak’ vegetables in treats ? Try these amazing Plant Strong Beet Cookies from Two Vegans Mission with us! 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAlIprkj3SE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link


Diabetes Late Nite Podcast with music from Dionne Warwick

We’re talking about ‘Secrets to Longevity & Diabetes’ with musical inspiration from Dionne Warwick.

Living longer and increasing your life expectancy with diabetes doesn’t have to be a chore. From flossing your teeth daily to getting a good night’s sleep, there are simple things you can do to help you live long, happy and healthy life.

Guests include The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Kitchens of the Great Midwest Author J. Ryan Stradal, Deborah Greenwood PhD, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, FAADE, Fonzi Thornton, Rachel Stahl MS, RD, CDN, CDE, and Lorraine Brooks. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from Dionne Warwick’s ‘Dionne’ album featuring I’ll Never Love This Way Again and Deja Vu courtesy of SONY Music.

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