What is Konjac? #GardenCuizine #guthealth #weightloss #diabeticfood #WLS

Magical Konjac
Zero Calories? 
Zero Carbohydrates? 
High in dietary Fiber

People who want to control or prevent diabetes, obesity, or who just want to succeed at weight loss, have discovered that a healthy diet and lifestyle are the keys to success. Healthy eaters never get bored from discovering new foods. Have you ever tried a food made with Konjac? Just what is Konjac anyway?

Low carb and no carb foods are popular with Keto and Paleo dieters. Personally, the clients I see that inform me they started trying a keto diet never really get to the stage of ketosis; we can talk more about ketosis another time. Just know that I do not recommend a ketogenic diet for the average person whose is looking to lose weight. 

Eating and cooking with lower carb foods and balancing carbohydrate intake throughout the day is always a winning strategy for glycemic control and weight management. Foods made with Konjac are often near zero calories and zero carbohydrates. 

Studies have shown that Konjac may promote increased butyrate, which improves gut health. And, people with diets low in fiber who suffer from constipation may notice improved bowel movements since Konjac is high in dietary fiber [1].

Knojac comes from a large plant native to China with the botanical name of Amorphophallus konjac. The corms (tuber-like roots) can grow to 10-inches and are the part that is harvested for use in foods. Konjac is most popular in Asian cuisine in flour, jelly, Konnyaku (yam cake) and Shirataki noodles.
Doesn't a food with no calories or carbs sound magical or like every dieter or diabetics dream food? Maybe that's why a noodle brand calls their noodles made from konjac "Magic Noodles." Often noodles made from knojac are packed in water with instructions to buyers to rinse them well before using. 

Reviews from people who have used Konjack noodles are all over social media. So check them out or try them for your self and let me know what you think.

Happy and Healthy Cooking!

Diana 

References and photo credit
[1] Chen, HL; Cheng, HC; Wu, WT; Liu, YJ; Liu, SY (Feb 2008). "Supplementation of konjac glucomannan into a low-fiber Chinese diet promoted bowel movement and improved colonic ecology in constipated adults: a placebo-controlled, diet-controlled trial". Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Photograph: By James Steakley [CC BY-SA 3.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

@Eatingsoulfully Preparing Nopal Cactus for salad #GardenCuizine #MexicanCooking #Diabetic #Nopales

Preparing Nopales
Prickly Pear Cactus

Ingredients 
Fresh Prickly Pear Cactus pads

I knew I wanted to cook nutritious Prickly Pear Cactus after reading Constance Brown-Riggs' article about it's health benefits in Today's Dietitian magazine. Our first recipe was a Cactus Salad. This popular Mexican dish tasted better than you may think! But, finding the cactus may be a little tricky.  

First, we went to our local ShopRite. They only had Cactus Pears, which is the fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus. Then we tried Wegman's, another supermarket. One of their produce guys told us they have not carried Nopales since October. I asked him if it was a seasonal item; he said he didn't think so. I did a quick search for local Mexican markets on my iPhone... we took a short drive and found it at Mi Ranchito in Moorestown, NJ - success!

We lucked out, the moist, green paddles were already prepared and ready-to-go in plastic baggies with 4 paddles per baggie. The cactus was in the stores refrigerated section next to a batch of fresh cilantro. 

To prepare Prickly Pear Cactus pads, carefully trim the thorns off and slice off the nubs too. To do it, run your chefs knife along each side; then trim around the outer edge (see above photo).

Cactus can be cooked several ways. One way is to brush each side with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill. We cut ours into bite sized pieces and boiled it for use in Cactus Salad. The cooking liquid reminded me of Aloe Vera juice so I saved it to add to smoothies. Even Mom loves this high fiber nutritious food. 

GardenCuizine Cactus recipes coming soon....

Related Links
Dynamics of Diabetes: Prickly Pear Cactus 
Cactus Pears

Blog post and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

@AmDiabetesAssn Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes #GardenCuizine #diabeticrecipe #lowcarb #Thanksgiving

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
low carb - fat free
high Vitamin C 

According to many parents I've spoken with, mashed cauliflower tastes so good that even children who don't eat their veggies will eat this. Pureed veggies add good nutrition for adults too, especially those on bariatric diets and anyone needing soft, pureed food. 

Nutrient dense cauliflower is considered a brassica or cruciferous veggie, which scientific studies show as being important for disease prevention. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare and is low in carbohydrates making it a healthy choice for diabetics, especially on Thanksgiving - a day known for excess carb consumption. 

Serves 6
Ingredients
Cauliflower 1 large head (840g)
2 cups water
1/4 cup dried potato flakes
salt and pepper

Putting it all together

• Wash and chop cauliflower into florets. Place cauliflower in pot and add water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and steam cauliflower in covered pot. Cook until really soft. Strain saving liquid.
• Puree in blender OR drain out some of the liquid and puree and mash the cauliflower right in the pot, adding back more liquid if needed. 
• Sprinkle in a little potato flakes to add desired texture. In my opinion, straight up cauliflower tends to lack the thicker, creaminess of potatoes; adding just a little potato flakes seems to perfect the recipe without adding any excess carbohydrates to worry about.  
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: no butter, milk or added fat needed if serving with gravy. If serving plain you may wish to add a tablespoon of butter, grated Parmesan cheese or Smart Balance spread.
 
GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes  
Serving size 1/6 recipe (147g)
Excellent Source: Vitamin C and Folate
Good Source: dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Potassium
44 Calories; total fat 0; total carbohydrate 9g; dietary fiber 4g (15% DV); net carbs: only 5g; Vitamin C (112% DV WOW!); Vitamin B6 0.3mg (18% DV); Folate 81mcg (81% DV); Potassium 452mg (13% DV); beneficial plant sterols 25mg
Related Links
November is National Diabetes Month

Recipe and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Quick Summer Slaw #cabbage #GardenCuizine #HealthyColeslaw #recipe

Quick Summer Slaw
High in Vitamin C 

Visit your local farmer's market during the summer for great prices on veggies. Yesterday, we picked up a few heads of locally grown cabbage for under $5.00 at our local farmer's market. This recipe only uses half the whole green cabbage and a small portion of the red cabbage, leaving the rest to use for other recipes. Who says you can't eat healthy on a budget?

Summer coleslaw is healthy and affordable and makes a great side dish for summer BBQ's and family summer meals. We enjoyed this homemade coleslaw with fried Flounder and brown rice! We have plenty of leftovers for sides with lunch and for toppings on sandwiches.

Yields 2 lbs Coleslaw
16, 2-ounce servings
Ingredients 
8 cups (712g) green Cabbage, shredded
1 cup (89g) Red Cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 carrot (30g), peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup lite mayo (60g) (for vegan, use soy mayo)
1/4 cup (56g) plain Greek yogurt (or soy yogurt)
2 Tablespoons capers (18g) (optional)
2 Tablespoons pickle or caper juice
2 Tablespoons (10g) apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons sugar (8g) (don't freak out about using real sugar! remember this makes many servings and 2 teaspoons is only 8 grams of sugar)
1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) salt
pinch ground black pepper

Putting it all together

• Wash cabbage and pull off outer leaves. Cut green cabbage in half. Put away and save one of the halves for use in other recipes. Cut half of the cabbage into wedges around the core. To save time, I used a food processor for chopping some of the cabbage wedges; be careful not to over chop. Thinly slice remaining green cabbage. Total shredded green cabbage should be about 8 cups. Place in a large mixing bowl.
• Cut a small piece off the red cabbage. thinly slice 1cup and add to green cabbage bowl. Store the rest to add color to salads and for use in other recipes.
• Wash and peel one carrot. Cut in half and thinly slice. Add to the cabbage bowl. Eat the other carrot half or save for other recipes.
• Add the mayo and remaining ingredients and toss until well blended. cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Summer Slaw: 2-ounce serving (~62g)
Diabetic Friendly: 3g net carbs 
Excellent Source: Vitamin C
Store bought coleslaw: higher in saturated fat and calories; often contains corn syrup and preservatives vs Homemade: only 31 calories, Total Fat: 1g; Saturated and Trans fats: 0g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Sodium 111mg (5% DV); Total Carbohydrate 4g; Dietary Fiber: 1g (5% DV); Sugars 2g; Protein 1g; Vitamin A: 457 IU (9% DV); Vitamin C: 19.9 mg (33% DV)

Related Links
Cabbage Health Benefits

Photos and recipe Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

"Mashed Potaga" you heard it first on @GardenCuizine low-carb Thanksgiving side dish #EatWellAmerica

Mashed Potaga
low-carb, low-fat side dish
perfect for holiday meals

I created the name "Mashed Potaga" since it's a combination of potato and rutabaga. Mashing rutabaga is nothing new. Since rutabaga is not a starchy root vegetable, straight up mashed rutabaga isn't as comforting and creamy as mashed potatoes. By adding just a little potato to mostly rutabaga, the texture becomes comparable and even better because of the distinct, indescribable, good flavor. Mom loves this recipe!

In comparison to mashed potatoes, Mashed Potaga's have less than half the carbohydrates and less than half the calories. And, by making it yourself, you control how much salt is added. This recipe has half the sodium found in typical mashed potatoes.

This recipe is another example of healthy cooking on a budget. The approximate cost per person is less than 50 cents. Enjoy!

Yields: 6, one-cup servings
Ingredients
1 large rutabaga (also called waxed turnip)
1 medium potato (can be any kind; we've used Russet)
2 Tablespoons Smart Balance (or butter)
1/2 cup milk (we use 2%)
1 teaspoon horseradish minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Putting it all together

• Wash, peel and cut rutabaga into small chunks. 
• Place in stockpot, cover with water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or longer depending on how big you chopped the rutabaga. When rutabaga chunks are getting soft, peel and chop the potato into chunks. Add to the same pot. Cook until both potatoes and rutabaga are fully cooked and ready to mash. 
• Remove the well cooked root vegetables with a slotted spoon. Mash using a ricer or food mill into a bowl. Use a potato masher to mix in the remaining ingredients. 
• Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Place in covered serving dish. 
• Can be made in advance and stored for several days in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave or oven just before serving.

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Mashed Potaga: 1 cup
   Excellent Source: Vitamin C
   Good Source: Dietary Fiber, Potassium, Magnesium and Vitamin B6
Calories 107; total fat 3g; saturated fat 1g; trans fat 0; sodium 256 mg (11% DV); total carbohydrates 18g; dietary Fiber 3g (11% DV); Potassium 574mg (16% DV); Magnesium ~38.3mg (~10% DV); Vitamin B6 ~0.3mg (~13% DV); Vitamin C 24.8 mg (41% DV)
Photos, Mashed Potaga comparison chart and recipe Copyright (C)Wind. *Mashed Potaga is a name created by GardenCuizine. All rights reserved.

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup #GardenCuizine #lowcarb #recipe #EatWellAmerica

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup!

Low Carb ~ Low Fat ~ Reduced Sodium 

Ingredients 
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion - diced
2 celery - diced
2 carrots - diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
9 cups no salt chicken broth (the best way to get nutrient-rich, NO SALT broth is to make homemade!)
2 1/2 cups roasted chicken pieces (bite size) 
1 teaspoon salt
2 Zucchini - spiral cut (Veggetti kitchen gadget works great)
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped

Putting it all together

• In a large stockpot over medium heat add olive oil. When hot: saute diced onion, carrots and celery until onion starts to become transparent. 
• Stir in garlic, thyme and cayenne. 
• Add broth and simmer until flavors blend. 
• Stir in cooked chicken and salt simmer another 15 minutes. 
• Using culinary shears or a knife, cut into the spiral cut zucchini noodles pile a few times to shorten the spaghetti-like strands. Add zucchini noodles, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Zucchini noodles cook fast so they are best added near the end.
• Serve with additional grated cheese at the table. Enjoy!

This GardenCuizine recipe was created just in time for American Diabetes Month®, which takes place every November. National Diabetes Month is a good time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®! 

Yesterday's Diabetic Cooking class at Inspira Health Network featured this recipe. Both adults and children had fun taking turns using the Veggetti spiralizer kitchen gadget.

Comfort food - Nutritious and Delicious
Homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup provides you and your family with double the Vitamin A and Vitamin C found in canned soups such as: Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle, Progresso Heart Healthy roasted Chicken Noodle or Campbell's 25% less sodium Chicken Noodle. 

Heart Healthy
Cooking your own soup gives you control of the salt content, making it a better choice for heart health. This recipe has low sodium of 235 mg per cup, versus 910 mg high sodium in Nissin Chicken Flavor Ramen noodles or 470 mg in Progresso's heart healthy Chicken Noodle Soup. 

Using zucchini in place of pasta or rice also makes homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup lower in carbohydrates, which benefits those keeping count for a healthy body weight and diabetes control.

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 

a few of the recent statistics on diabetes:

• Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.
• Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
• The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion.

American Diabetes Month takes place each November and is a time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®!
- See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html#sthash.z5qQ4cKn.dpuf

Recipe, photos, blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Stop Diabetes is a registered trademark of the American Diabetes Association.