Delicious Meals for People with Diabetes (that the whole family will love)

A few months ago I found out it was National Diabetics week and I regretted not knowing about it so I could have posted a blog that week. Weeks and weeks later I am still determined to get a blog post out to you as it is a subject close to home. My father has type two diabetes and even though he has had it for more than twenty years I am only just beginning to understand what Diabetes is.

My research on what and what not to eat when you have diabetes is so varied and all I can conclude is so many factors need to be taken into consideration and each individual will decide and know what is exactly right for them. With type two diabetes there appears to be two types deficient,and excess and the person can even go from one to the other, so it really is up to the individual to seek advice for their needs.

Foods that are good for people with diabetes are fresh foods, non processed foods, food that doesn't contain refined sugars, whole grains, so if eating wheat whole wheat. Millet, buckwheat and brown rice are great alternatives to wheat. Oats help lower blood sugar levels so they are good too if you are not gluten intolerant. Foods low in fats, some dairy products are good including yoghurt and keffir. Some legumes, cannelini, gorbanzo and mung are good too. Lots of green vegetables and also a variety of coloured vegetables steering away from too many starchy vegetables. Sweet potatoes are better than potatoes as are green beans better than peas and pumpkin better than corn. Red vegetables like turnips, raddish and tomatoes and all white vegetables are also wonderful.

I have come up with three new recipes which are lovely and healthy and are good for people with diabetes to eat. Ironically broccoli is the only vegetable my dad doesn't like and I have seen over and over again how good broccoli is for people with diabetes, so if whoever you are cooking for doesn't like broccoli substitute it for something else that is green.

If you are cooking for a guest who is diabetic these three recipes will help you create a feast and you will know that you are not tempting your guest to eat something that may increase their blood sugar levels. Diabetic or not I think you will enjoy these recipes.

Please share this blog post on social media (buttons below) or with those friends and family members who you think might benefit from these recipes. I would also love you to the moon and back if you shared any of your favourite recipes for people with diabetes in the comment section of this blog.

Baked Sweet potato with Brocoli and Guacamole

On my recent trip to Canberra my sister in law cooked sweet potatoes wrapped in foil in an outside fire. My brother and I were talking about how good they were and I wasn't sure what set them apart from any other baked sweet potatoes I'd ever eaten. My bro knew exactly why, his wife had cooked them for that bit longer- and they had a creamy mashed consistency. So bake your sweet potatoes for 10 minutes longer than you normally would.

Serves 4

2 medium to large sweet potatoes- washed and left whole and pricked a few times with a fork.

2 heads broccoli

2 avocados

salt to taste

juice of 1 lemon or 1 to 2 limes

hemp seeds

sprouts for garnish

Bake the sweet potatoes in a 180 c oven for 45 to 55 minutes- bake just on the shelves no baking tray needed and they are cooked when the knife goes through with absolute ease. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, steam the broccoli for as long as you like it cooked and mash the avocado and mix with lemon or lime juice and salt to taste. Place half a sweet potato, skin and all on individual plates, arrange the broccoli and guacamole as you like and garnish with sprouts.

Buckwheat and All Coloured Veg Salad

A great alternative to Potato Salad to take to a BBQ. You could use brown rice or millet if you prefer.

1/4 cup cooked buckwheat

200g cooked canelinni beans

200g green beans cut on an angle and steamed

1/2 bunch of kale sliced finely and steamed

1/2 bunch of fennel sliced finely

1 avocado cut into slices

12 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters or halves

juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes

1 tsp wood smoked olive oil or normal cold pressed olive oil

2 tbsp tahini thinned with 2 tbsp of water

cayenne pepper to serve and hemp seeds too

Mix all the ingredients together and that is it.

Cauliflower Slice with Baked Pumpkin and Pesto

1/2 cauliflower steamed slightly then processed in a food processor until fine

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 small pumpkin sliced and baked on baking paper in a tin in the oven for 30 minutes or until soft

200g of cherry or other organic tomatoes processed in the food processor

4 sundried tomatoes (dried ones not marinated) cut into thin strips

1 handful of macadamia nuts

1 handful basil

2 tsp olive oil

salt to taste

50g cheddar (this is optional you can leave out if you prefer and sprinkle on hemp seeds after cooking.

Serves 4 with a side salad or steamed veg or for 1 to 2 people if eating it as a meal.

Mix the processed cauliflower and almond meal together and add some salt. On a piece of baking paper placed on a tray spread out the cauliflower mixture and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The cauliflower mixture will be firm on one side but not the other so with an egg flip, turn the cauliflower mixture over and cook for a further 20 minutes or so. Meanwhile mix the sundried tomatoes with the processed tomatoes and check for salt. For the pesto combine the nuts and basil in a food processor and add a small amount of salt and the olive oil. If you want a thinner pesto add a small amount of filtered water. Once the cauliflower is cooked spread on the tomato mixture, dollop on the basil and spread on the cooked pumpkin. If you like sprinkle on grated cheddar and melt under the grill or just serve as is with a sprinkling of hemp seeds.