Eating gourmet
Click on photo inside recipe for close up view of dish
Grilled Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 6 oz Salmon Fillets
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped fine
- 2 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- The juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry.
- Arrange the fillets skin side down on a baking dish.
- Rub each fillet with herb and spice mixture, making sure to coat each fillet well.
- Combine olive oil, soy sauce and the juice of one lemon in a bowl.
- Whisk together and pour over the fillets.
- Seal and chill. Marinate for 30-45 minutes.
- Heat grill pan or outdoor grill until piping hot.
- Brush grill grates with olive oil to prevent the fish from sticking.
- Remove fish from marinade and place it on a very hot grill.
- When the salmon starts to lighten in color, about 6 minutes use a spatula to flip it over on the grill.
- Cook for another 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove with spatula, garnish with lemon.
- Enjoy.
Being a diligent diabetic means we eat gourmet meals…not really, but it is important that we prepare delicious, nutritious meals and remember presentation is everything. A healthy diet is essential to maintaining a proper weight; and keeping a healthy blood pressure. It’s important to avoid eating large meals or skipping meals. To help prevent wide glucose swings
My medical care team chose the following schedule for my meals, I encourage you to work with your care team on a plan that’s best for you.
Breakfast – 7:00am
Morning Snack – 9:00am
Lunch – 12:00pm
Afternoon Snack – 3:00pm
Dinner – 7:00pm
Evening Snack – 10:00pm
Because my blood sugar levels tend to fall between 3am & 4am every morning, the evening snack helps my fasting blood sugar to be within target range when I wake.
It’s taken some time, but after six years I now use very little sweetener if any at all and when preparing and cooking meals I use no salt in my diet. Eating healthy and physical activity has helped me to keep my blood sugar within my target range. I’ve learned to use different herbs when cooking or just enjoy fruits and veggies raw or simply by baking, grilling, steaming or roasting them. During the times when we eat out I continue to be diligent by choosing baked, roasted, steamed or grilled options.
Often there will be times when you have food cravings for chocolate, sugary or salty foods. I eat walnuts, apples, albacore tuna or cranberries during those times. An apple usually satisfies any craving I have.
Taking one small step at a time we gradually reach our goals. Consistency and balance, eating well and daily exercise, taking all medicines on time.
Healthy Choices
Yum
Make your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks beautiful, delicious, and nutritious.
Grilled Fish and Corn Succotash
Ingredients
- THE FISH
- 4 Fish Filets
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried crushed rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- THE CRAB MEAT
- ½ lb crab meat
- 1/4 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp red pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 CUP white wine
- THE VEGGIES
- 1 lb Green Lima beans
- 3 large ears corn see corn prep
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 large zucchini
- 1 red bell pepper medium
- ½ purple onion medium
- THE SAUCE
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp basil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ cup greek yogurt
Instructions
Preparing the corn
- Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. Fold husks back into place. Put the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.
- Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, Cover and grill for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove the husks. During the last 2 minutes of grilling pull the husks off one side of the corn and place face down in order to get grill marks on the corn.
Preparing the Fish
- Can be prepared the night before. IMPORTANT TIP: Do not add acidic ingredient to the marinade. The acids in lemons and limes will cook the fish. If you choose to add acidic ingredients Only add to marinade 10-15 minutes before cooking.
- In a large Ziploc bag pour 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add dried herbs. Add fish and let marinate for a minimum of 2 hours. You can marinate overnight with oil and herbs.
- When ready to cook, place each piece of fish on parchment paper and grill for 10-12 minutes
Preparing The Veggies
- Slice the zucchini into long strips. Cut the bell pepper in quarters. Cut the purple onion into rings. Drizzle with olive oil and lay on hot grill. Flip veggies over as needed. total cook time about 8-10 minutes, leave the zucchini whole. Cut the bell pepper into thin slices and separate onion rings. Place all veggies on a platter and set aside.
- Cook Lima beans until tender, Drain all water from beans. Cut grilled corn off of the cob and add to Lima beans. Add grilled veggies. Slowly pour in cream sauce and toss lightly.
Preparing Cream Sauce
- Drizzle olive oil into sauce pan. Add minced garlic until fragrant. add basil and white wine vinegar. Bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat down to low. Whisk in the yogurt. Make sure the heat is low; you do not want it to boil or it will curdle. Add pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on very low heat until the the flavors have combined.
- Can be prepared the day before use for flavors to marry
Preparing The Crab Meat
- Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add red pepper, lemon juice, white wine. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Gently stir in crab meat. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Presentation
- Lay down 2 slices of the grilled zucchiniPlace a scoop of creamy corn succotash on top of zucchiniAdd grilled fish on-top of succotashTop with small scoop of crab meatGarnish with grilled red pepperEnjoy
Spinach & Feta Spanakopita
Ingredients
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup green onion choped
- 10 oz spinach frozen
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups feta cheese crumbled
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tsp nutmeg ground
- 12 sheets phyllo sheets thawed
- 1 tbsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients
- Take the phyllo dough out of the freezer to allow it time to defrost.
- Thoroughly squeeze all excess moisture out of spinach. (This is best done by using a clean kitchen towel)
- Coarsely chop the spinach
- Prepare the Filling
- In a large skillet heat the olive oil on medium heat.
- add the onion
- add garlic
- add green onion
- saute until fragrant and golden brown
- add the spinach
- add nutmeg
- saute until the spinach is limp (1-2 minutes)
- remove from heat
- mix in feta
- mix in the lemon juice
- mix in black pepper
- mix in beaten egg
- let the filling cool completely
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper
- Set aside
- Prepare the Dough
- Unroll the phyllo sheets and lay them flat on a dry surface. Immediately cover with plastic wrap and then a damp towel. Covering with just a damp towel will moisten the sheets and make them stick together. Keep the phyllo covered when not working with it, and don't leave it uncovered for more than a minute at a time.
- Fill Your Dough
- Unroll the phyllo and lay one sheet flat onto your work surface. keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a clean, damp kitchen towel. Working with the long side of the phyllo nearest you lightly brush the entire surface with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with oregano. Top with another phyllo sheet, lightly brushing with olive oil and sprinkling lightly with oregano.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut crosswise into four strips. Place 1 tablespoon of filling at the beginning of each strip and roll all the way to the end. Fold in excess dough and lay flat. With a sharp knife cut an "x" in top of the dough.
- Follow the same steps with the remaining phlllo and filling.
- Evenly space on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Notes
Rosemary Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rosemary dried or fresh
- 2 tablespoons oregano dried
- 1 tablespoon sage dried
- ¼ cup sea salt
- 1½ tablespoon black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic fresh/crushed
- 1/3 cup Olive oil
Instructions
- Place rosemary in a small mixing bowl.
- Stir in oregano, sage, salt and pepper.
- Transfer to jar.
- Cover and store away from heat and light.
- Rub will keep several months.
- Brush the meat with olive oil and crushed garlic, then sprinkle with rub, patting rub into meat with your fingertips.
- Let rub rest on chicken for 45 minutes to 1 hour to allow flavors to permeate the chicken
- Preheat the oven to a temperature of 450ºF (230ºC) for the first 10-15 minutes of cooking. Roasting the chicken at this high temperature of heat will result in a crispy golden- brown skin and deliciously succulent meat.
- Reset the cooking temperature to 375ºF (190ºC) for the remainder of cooking time of 45 - 50 minutes
- As a general rule calculate a cooking time of 20 minutes per pound of meat plus an additional 10 - 20 minutes at a temperature of 375ºF (190ºC).
Notes
metric imperial time
1kg - 1½kg 2½ - 3 lbs 1 - 1¾ hrs
1½ - 2kg 3½ - 4 lbs 1½ - 1¾ hrs
2kg - 2½kg 4½ - 5 lbs 1½ - 2 hrs
2½ - 3kg 5 - 6 lbs 1¾ - 2½ hrs
Grilled Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
- 2 medium yellow bell peppers sliced
- 1 medium orange bell pepper sliced
- 1 large red onion cut into wedges
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 slice lemon
Instructions
- Grill vegetables in olive oil until tender and lightly charred, about 8 to 10 minutes. Only add the minced garlic during the last 2 minutes of grilling. Squeeze 1 slice of lemon juice over veggies. Remove from heat. Serve warm. Enjoy
Notes
Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- 2 whole jalapeno peppers seeds and vein removed minced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 avocado pitted and diced
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Mix lemon, lime and orange juice in large bowl.
- Add cooked Shrimp (leave shrimp whole)
- Toss to combine
- Add tomatoes
- Add jalapeno
- Add cucumber
- Add red onion
- Toss ingedients to combine
- Let marinate for ten minutes
- Add avocado
- Add Cilantro
- Season ceviche with sea salt and pepper to taste
- Serve with corn tortilla chips
- Enjoy
Zoodles Primavera
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 3 Zucchini spiralized into zoodles
- 1 Cup Carrots sliced into thin long strips
- 1 Cup Mushrooms sliced
- 1 Cup Broccoli
- 1 Red Bell Pepper sliced into thin long strips
- 1 large Garlic Clove minced
- 15 Grape tomatoes cut in half
- 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley Chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Zoodles
- Steam zucchini noodles (zoodles) in rice steamer basket about three minutes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- (keep warm until ready to serve)
- Prepare Zoodle Topping
- In a medium saucepan add olive oil and heat over a medium heat
- Add carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, bell pepper and tomatoes
- Add Italian seasonings
- Sauté for 2 minutes
- Add garlic
- Add red pepper flakes
- Simmer until garlic becomes fragrant
- Remove from heat
- Serve over bed of Zoodles
- Top with fresh chopped parsley