Pilgrim Stew Harvest Pockets
Grilled Garden Vegetables Skinny Mashed Potatoes
Melt In Your Mouth Acorn Squash Cinnamon Yam Smash
Rustic Quinoa Pilaf Stuffing Fruit Zinger
Pilgrim Stew
Makes 8 ½ cups (8 – 1 cup servings)
1 ½ cups Morningstar Farms® Grillers Recipe (burger) Crumbles, thawed, or other meatless burger crumbles
¾ cups chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tablespoons Smart Balance® light margarine
3 cups water
1 ½ cups regular sodium canned pinto beans, drained
1 ½ cups regular sodium, canned kidney beans, drained
1 cup frozen kernel corn
2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into ¾:” cubes.
2 tablespoons McKay’s® Beef-Style Seasoning, Vegan
¾ teaspoon dried basil
1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh diced tomato OR low-sodium canned diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
In a large pot, sauté burger crumbles, green bell pepper, onion, and garlic in the Smart Balance® light until vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except the 2 tablespoons of water and cornstarch. Simmer until vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and water, and stir into the stew. Simmer 5 more minutes and serve.
Analysis for one serving: 1 cup
Calories: 163, Fat: 2.3 g, Total carbohydrate: 28.6 g, Protein: 9.1 g, Dietary fiber: 7.3 g, Sodium: 472 mg, Net carbohydrate: 21.3 g, Carb choice: 1 ½
Grilled Garden Vegetables
Makes 4 cups (4 -1 cup servings)
1 Cup Zucchini, sliced
1 Cup Yellow Squash, sliced
1 Cup Red Onion, sliced
1 Cup Green Bell Peppers, sliced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Turn broiler on. Place vegetables on cookie sheet or tray, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Turn veggies over once when they have browned as desired.
You may opt to grill vegetables on a grill.
Analysis for one serving: 1 cup
Calories: 89, Fat 4.86g, Total carbohydrate: 11.30g, Protein 1.72g, Dietary Fiber: 2.40g, Net carbohydrate 8.90g, Carb choice: 1/2
Melt In Your Mouth Acorn Squash
Makes 8 servings (1/4 squash)
4 Acorn Squash, quartered
Quarter the acorn squash, clean off the seeds and cook according to directions on sticker. If you opt to use butter, use Smart Balance Light to reduce amount of fat as well as cholesterol.
Analysis for one serving: ¼ squash w/o butter
Calories: 44, Fat 0.11g, Total carbohydrate: 11.37g, Protein 0.87g, Dietary Fiber 3.43g, Net carbohydrate: 7.94g, Carb choice: 1/2
If a bird graces your table this thanksgiving, reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol by removing the skin. You can further reduce the amount of fat by creating an herb based marinate that uses miniscule amounts of olive oil or Smart Balance Light instead of butter or shortening.
If you’d like to stay plant based this Thanksgiving, purchase a Tofurkey to serve as the “bird” at this year’s get together.
Analysis for one serving: 4 oz
Roasted
240 Calories
9g Fat
3g Saturated Fat
85mg Cholesterol
32 g Protein
18.2g Carb
Tofurkey Roast w/o stuffing
190 Calories
5g Fat
0g Saturated Fat
0mg Cholesterol
26g Protein
10g Carb
Rustic Quinoa Pilaf Stuffing
Makes 10 cups (20 – ½ cup servings)
1 ½ cups frozen kernel corn
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 cups finely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 medium jalapeño peppers, seeds removed and minced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups quinoa, rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon McKay’s® Chicken-Style Seasoning, Vegan
½ teaspoon celery salt
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
¼ cup fresh chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Sauté the corn in 1 teaspoon of the oil, stirring frequently until the corn browns, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large skillet, sauté the red bell pepper, onion, garlic and jalapeño peppers in remaining 2 teaspoons of oil until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the rinsed quinoa and salt, and sauté on medium high until the quinoa starts to brown, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the hot water, chicken-style seasoning, celery salt, and lime zest. Add to the quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered about 10 minutes. Cover with lid and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, crack the lid and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove lid, fluff with a fork. Stir in the corn, cilantro, lime juice, and cayenne pepper. Serve hot or cold.
Cook’s Tip:
Rinse quinoa in a mesh colander until water becomes clear, in order to remove the bitter-tasting resin (saponin) on the quinoa.
Analysis for oneserving: ½ cup
Calories: 90, Fat: 1.8 g, Total carbohydrate: 16.5 g, Protein: 2.9 g, Dietary fiber: 1.8 g
Sodium: 167 mg, Net carb: 14.7 g, Carb choice per serving: 1
Harvest Pockets
This year substitute bread rolls for pita pockets. Ezechiel 4:9 offers a great diabetic friendly version. You can roll them up in foil and place in the oven for a softer texture, or simply place them in the oven unwrapped for a crunchy feel. Serve them halved or quartered.
Analysis for 1 serving: ½ pocket
Calories: 50, Fat 0.1g, Total carbohydrate: 10.5g, Protein 3.5g, Dietary fiber: 2.0g. Sodium 20mg, Net carb: 8.5g, Carb choice per serving: 1/2
Skinny Mashed Potatoes
Makes 2 cups (about 2 - ¾ cup servings)
2 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower florets.
1 cup red potatoes, cut into 1” cubes
2 tablespoons unsweetened soymilk
1 tablespoon Smart Balance® light margarine
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
In a steam basket, steam cauliflower and potatoes together for about 12 minutes until soft. Place the hot vegetables and all other ingredients into a food processor, and puree on high setting about 15-30 seconds, or until smooth. Stop processor before the potatoes become “gluey.”
Cook’s Tip:
Do not use soymilk that has been sweetened. Even “plain” soymilk is often sweetened, so read the label carefully. Sweetened soymilk alters the flavor of this recipe significantly. Also note that when you over-process or over-blend potatoes, their starches break down, causing a “gluey” consistency.
Analysis for one serving: ¾ cup
Calories: 89, Fat: 2.3 g, Total carbohydrate: 15.6 g, Protein: 2.9 g,
Dietary fiber: 3.0 g, Sodium: 282 mg, Net carb: 12.6 g, Carb choice per serving: 1
Cinnamon Yam Smash
Makes 3 cups (6 – ½ cup servings)
5 medium sweet potatoes or yams (7-8 ounces), 2” x 5”
1 teaspoon white grape juice concentrate (frozen)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons Smart Balance® light margarine
Preheat oven to 400º F. Bake the sweet potatoes/yams for 50 minutes or until soft to the touch. Cool enough to handle, peel, and place in a large, flat-bottom dish. Add all ingredients and mash until desired consistency. Serve hot.
Analysis for one serving: ½ cup made with sweet potato and maple syrup
Calories: 120, Fat: 1.8 g, Total carbohydrate: 25 g, Protein: 1.7 g, Dietary fiber: 3.1 g
Sodium: 38 mg, Net carb: 21.9 g, Carb choice per serving: 1 ½
Re-Born Pumpkin Pie
Makes 1-9” pie (16 servings)
1/3 cup 100 percent natural floral honey
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Sucanat® organic brown sugar or other organic brown sugar
1 carton (12.3 oz) silken tofu, Mori-Nu® lite, extra-firm
1 cup canned pumpkin puree, plain, unsweetened (we recommend Libby’s® brand)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1-9” Arrowhead Mills® Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat oven to 400° F. In a blender, blend first six ingredients on medium setting until creamy, about 1-2 minutes, stopping blender to stir contents. Pour in pie shell and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F, and continue baking for an additional 35 minutes. Cover edge of crust with foil or aluminum ring halfway through baking cycle to prevent over-baking. Chill completely before serving, and top with your choice of topping.
Cook’s Tip:
Canned pumpkin works great, but if you want to make this pie from scratch, choose a sweet, fine-textured sugar pumpkin. Clean, seed and quarter the pumpkin. Place in a baking pan and add water to a depth of about one inch. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 400° F until fork-tender. Puree with skin on in a food processor until smooth.
Analysis for one serving: 1/16th of pie + crust with no topping
Calories: 93, Fat: 2.8 g, Total carbohydrate: 15.9 g, Protein: 2.1 g, Dietary fiber: 0.8 g, Sodium: 66 mg, Net carb: 15.1 g, Carb choice per serving: 1
Analysis for one serving: 1/16th of pie + crust with topping
Calories: 113, Fat: 4.3 g, Total carbohydrate: 17.3 g, Protein: 2.6 g, Dietary fiber: 0.9 g, Sodium: 88 mg, Net carb: 16.4 g, Carb choice per serving: 1
Tofu Whipped Topping
Makes 2 ½ cups (20 – 2 tablespoon servings)
1 carton (12.3 oz) silken tofu, Mori-nu® lite, extra firm
¼ cup fructose
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Resource® (Novartis) ThickenUp or other instant food thickener
In a blender, blend all ingredients except food thickener on high setting until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.. Turn blender speed to low, remove the lid, and add ThickenUp®. Replace lid, increase speed to high, and blend briefly, about 20 seconds, until mixture is thickened.
Analysis for one serving: 2 tablespoons
Calories: 19, Fat: 0.14 g, Total carbohydrate: 3.2 g, Protein: 1.1 g,
Dietary fiber: 0.01 g, Sodium: 44 mg, Net carb: 3.19 g, Carb choice per serving: free
Fruit Zinger
Flavor water by adding freshly cut fruit to give it a fruity taste without the sugar spike.
Total Dinner Analysis
The analysis below estimates that a person consumed 1 serving of each item on the menu (opting for the Tofurkey rather than the
Fresh and Festive Dinner Analysis
Calories: 966
Total Fat: 22.71 g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Total carb: 149.37 g
Dietary Fiber: 23.94 g
Sodium: 1111 mg
Net Carb: 115.43 g
Carb Choices: 7.7
Typical Thanksgiving Dinner Analysis
Calories: 3710
Total Fat: 208.6g
Cholesterol: 703mg
Total Carb: 762g
Dietary Fiber: 50.3
Sodium: 6237
Net Carb: 711.7
Carb Choices: 47.45
The Lifestyle Center of America (LCA) recently announced new products and services to further its commitment to improve the health and lives of people struggling with diabetes and other chronic diseases. In addition to the recently released The 30-day Diabetes Miracle book, LCA has just published a follow-on The 30-day Diabetes Miracle Cookbook which is full of recipes that are high in fiber, easy to prepare and help people with diabetes reverse the progression of their disease. LCA has just added telephone based lifestyle coaching to its portfolio and has announced a new intensive 3-day Stopping Diabetes Program held at the Sedona,
As of October 6, LCA has consolidated residential program operations at both its
A sedentary lifestyle nearly killed author and pastor, Mike, 55.
Overweight and caught in a downward spiral of only taking care of others, Mike’s heart suffered from lack of self-care. But with the determination set behind just one decision, his heart has performed its own by-pass and he is now living a robust life.
Last October Mike and his diabetic wife decided to visit Lifestyle Center of America (LCA), a resort dedicated to helping participants reverse their diabetes. In Mike’s case, the program re-directed his understanding of a healthy lifestyle and helped him implement a balanced diet and a regular exercise regimen. Unbeknownst to him, the program would essentially save his life.
“The doctor told me flat out that if I hadn’t done what I’d done when I’d done it, the odds were against me, and I wouldn’t be alive,” Mike says now, reflecting on the heart attack he suffered just eight months after visiting LCA (from pre-existing clots).
Before entering LCA, Mike weighed nearly 500 pounds, and had a risky resting heart rate of 97. But after visiting LCA and continuing to exercise, Mike has lost an astonishing 90 pounds and his resting heart rate is sitting pretty at 57. His cholesterol has also taken a significant 60-point cut.
“I knew that if I didn’t change my lifestyle, something would happen to me,” he says. “I finally saw myself as not being the indestructible person I thought I was.”
Recognizing his mortality, and especially since the heart attack, Mike has committed himself fully to continued success. An admitted type-A personality, he is driven to tackling daily tasks but has gained new perspective on keeping his health in check first. Mike says the hands-on approach program at LCA teaches basic principles that everyone should have in their lives: being healthier, feeling better and living longer.
To maintain a clear mind and active lifestyle, Mike exercises six days a week, walking three to four miles a day and has resumed weight lifting from his formative years. His weight goal is 280. And his bulldog mentality may add strong self-expectations to succeed, but Mike says that he has learned to focus on the day at hand.
“It doesn’t matter where I was at—it matters where I am going. Just worry about today,” he says. “Now I am not afraid of getting on the scale because I know where I am going—it’s no big deal.”
So with a heart that recovered itself after a heart attack through diet and exercise, Mike is what doctors call an enigma. But he declares that God had him at LCA last October by no accident. He is rid of heart disease and inflammation, and on his way to excellent health and prosperity.
“God is good. And He’s actually better than that,” Mike says. “I know that this is going to sound cheesy, but I know I have a testimony to share about simple lifestyle change and faith and what it can do. It makes a difference.”
Two years ago her doctor looked at her straight and said, “You’re fat. What are you gonna do about it?”
Emma glared at him in response.
Denial. Emma admits to being in denial—for years. In 1990, with a husband at war and a teenage son to raise, newly retired Emma found herself sitting at home, alone and depressed, and eating her way into type 2 diabetes. Eventually the phone stopped ringing (she’d said “no” too many times when invited to go out with friends), and the depression worsened. There were crying spells. And when her skinny legs grew swollen and painful last year, Emma finally decided what to do about it.
After having visited Lifestyle Center of America (LCA) years ago for a preview weekend, Emma knew that the program offered there would give her the resources to turn her diabetes around. Emma signed up for a two-week visit to LCA in
She entered LCA weighing 191 and left 11 pounds lighter. She says her once tight-fitting clothes felt comfortable again, and the weight loss resulted from adjusting her diet and implementing a regular exercise regimen, not from a lack of good LCA food. Emma’s willingness to break the barrier of denial she’d built up for years resulted in a newer, happier, properly-educated Emma. When her husband, Charles, picked her up she says he was giggly because of her tremendous weight loss. And he apologized for not having been supportive. Clearly, he could see what Emma felt.
“I’m taking responsibility,” she says now, weighing even 15 pounds less. “That’s the number one thing I learned—at 62. It is time to buckle up and get with the program.”
Her advice to others for beating diabetes includes walking, cutting out sweets, white grains and caffeine, drinking a lot of water, monitoring blood sugar often, weighing daily, and most importantly, keeping it simple. “Don’t let it overwhelm you,” she says. “Take it an hour at a time.” And Emma says if you find yourself standing in the kitchen tempted towards the wrong foods or drinks like she has been, recognize that you are your own worst enemy. Put on your tennis shoes, she says, and get out. “I believe I can get off of the diabetes medication,” she says. “I know how to eat and when I eat right, my blood sugar is good.”
She has also learned the power of exercise as a medication. The once sullen, overweight and inactive Emma now works out three times a week, does Yoga once a week and almost never turns down a walk. “Now everybody knows in the neighborhood, if you want to walk, call me,” she says. “Sometimes I will walk several times a day. I will stop whatever I am doing to walk. That is how things have changed for me.”
Learn more about the program Emma attended at Lifestyle Center of America.
A British study showed that infants of mothers who smoked 10 or more cigarettes during pregnancy had a four times greater risk of developing early type-2 diabetes. The same study showed a 1.35 times greater risk for developing adult obesity (there was also a 3.62 times greater risk of developing diabetes in teenagers, who were themselves smoking 30 or more cigarettes per week).
What about secondhand smoke? In 2005, for the first time, researchers determined that exposure to tobacco smoke raises the risk among teens of the metabolic syndrome, the disorder associated with excess belly fat that increases the chances of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Teens have a 1% chance of developing the metabolic syndrome if they're not exposed to tobacco smoke, a 6% chance (or more, depending on exposure level) if they are exposed, and a 9% chance if they're active smokers.
One of the best steps to take towards improving your health is to quit smoking. If you have diabetes and are smoking, it's imperative as smoking worsens insulin resistance, a problem that individuals with type-2 diabetes are already fighting. Smokers who have type-1 diabetes experience higher average blood sugar levels. Check with your physician, local health center, or hospital on products and programs that can aid you in taking that step.
