RECIPE? - low sodium, low fat, low sugar

Consolation
Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:41:27 +0000

I make a sort of “stew” using black-eyed peas cooked from scratch. It has cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle pepper, oregano, bay leaves, tomato, onion, garlic, green and or red peppers, usually ham (You could leave that out or substitute something like a small pork roast, which can be shredded after cooking), rich chicken stock (Home made and reduced, so sodium is controlled and flavor is good) and chopped kale. It can be cooked in a slow cooker, BTW. I pre-soak the peas, brown the meat and set aside, saute the chopped vegetables in olive oil in the same pan (except the tomato, which is added at the end), deglaze the pan with some of the stock, then add everything but the tomato and kale to the slow cooker, and cook for several hours on high. Add boiling water or stock if you need to. When the peas are done, take the meat out and shred it. Add the chopped kale–a lot of it-- and cook until done as much as you like. Put the meat back in. Then add some crushed tomato to taste and correct the other seasonings. It should be flavorful and soupy and have some heat. Diabetic-friendly, high fiber, heart healthy, and you can control the sodium completely.

If you are cooking for a diabetic, please remember that potatoes, corn, and almost all breads–including most whole wheat breads–are high carb. Also realize that all legumes and beans are not equal when it comes to carbs, and most can only be eaten in limited quantity by people controlling diabetes with low carb. Quite possible no more than 1/3 cup cooked beans per meal. There are low-carb pitas (Josephs brand) and tortillas (various brands) available, but they won’t be made with corn. When it comes to diabetics, you need to throw out the nutrition establishment mantra about “healthy whole grains” being the basis of the diet.