Diabetes Everyday

Living your best life with diabetes. Toby Smithson provides professional guidance with personal experience.

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Eating Healthy

A Healthier Filet-of-Fish

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Here’s another healthier take on a restaurant favorite from Marlene Koch, form her latest book Eat What You Love- Restaurant Favorites. And you are going to love this.

Welcome to DiabetesEveryDay…..I’m Toby with some help from my husband Tony for today’s recipe.  This ought to be fun plus we will be doing a bit of an experiment….you’ll see what I mean.

A few months ago in my very first “Eating Out- Best Choices” video I went to McDonalds to put together a healthy diabetes-friendly meal for you. We’ve suspended that series for the last few months since many restaurants were closed, but we’ll start up again soon and I’ll link the video and playlist at the end of this one.

One of my choices for you at McDonalds was a meal that included the iconic filet-o-fish sandwich. Today, thanks to my talented fellow registered dietitian nutritionist Marlene Koch we’re going to make our own filet-o-fish. This recipe comes from Marlene’s newest book “Eat What You Love – Restaurant Favorites” and you can try this one out on the kids or grandkids. We’re going to try this in our new air fryer…..it’s maiden voyage…..that’s the experiment I mentioned. But I’ll share the skillet version too.

Ready….here’s what we need.

Now….we’ll make the tartar sauce first by combining the mayo…..yogurt….relish…..dill…and sugar.

Next, in a flat bowl combine the breadcrumbs…..onion powder…and garlic salt. Then lightly coat each filet with 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise and coat with crumbs. If using a skillet you would spray with cooking spray, heat the pan over medium-high heat, and cook the filet for 3 to 4 minutes until the underside is browned….spray the top with cooking spray and flip the filet until browned and flaky.

We are going to preheat the air fryer to 360 and cook these for about 8 minutes.

To finish, warm the buns in the microwave, add some lettuce… tomato…. the filet…. and two tablespoons tartar sauce. You can add a slice of cheese if you feel the need to be totally authentic, but the cheese is not included in the nutrition info. Which is….2 servings at 220 calories, 25 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams fiber, 24 grams protein, 5 grams total fat, and 480 milligrams sodium. That slice of cheese will add maybe 80 calories, 7 more fat grams and 150 milligrams of sodium, so I recommend passing. Also note that using only half the bun can save you 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrate making room for a small serving of French fries if your meal plan fits.

I want to thank Marlene for developing this recipe. And, For those of you that don’t feel comfortable eating out and like to eat healthier versions of your favorite foods, put this recipe on your list. Cheers to your health.

Naturally Lower Your A1C

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Everybody like natural these days, and that’s a good thing. So here’s a completely natural way to lower your A1C, and the case could be made that it’s virtually free.

Hi I’m Toby Smithson with Diabetes Every Day. Thanks for joining me today, please remember to hit the subscribe button and sign up for my monthly newsletter at diabeteseveryday.com.

Today we are going to talk about one simple step you can take to reduce your A1C, yes, you heard me correctly. Not only will this one change help your A1C score (I’ll tell you by how much a little later), but it will also help you with digestion, constipation, and reducing your risk of heart disease. This small change can also help with curbing your appetite which can help with weight management. Have you guessed it yet?

Yes, it’s adding more fiber to your daily eating plan. On average, we are only eating about 16 grams of fiber per day. The dietary reference intake for fiber is 14 grams per 1000 calories consumed….that’s 28 grams for the standard reference diet of 2000 calories. So, we are not getting the amount of fiber we need and missing out on all the good NATURAL health benefits.

Let’s check out some of the delicious diabetes friendly food options that will help us bump up our fiber intake and provide both soluble and insoluble fiber

Chia seeds: 1 ounce provides 11 grams of fiber and 12 grams of carbohydrate. Remember to check out my chia pudding recipe. It’s a win win for getting more fiber and a chocolaty treat! Chia seeds can also be added to your oatmeal, yogurt, fruit or mixed with water for an egg substitute.

Nuts, , almonds.. At 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of carb per ¼ cup serving.  In a one ounce serving, there are 3 g fiber and 5 g carb. ¼ cup pecans 3 g fiber and 4 g carb

Sunflower seeds: 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of carb in ¾ cup serving

Beans: black beans offer 5 grams fiber per ½ cup and 20 g carb and there is some great research showing that beans can often continue to give you steady blood sugar readings hours after eating the beans.

½ cup lima beans contain 5 grams of fiber and 22 grams of carb. Limas can be served as a side dish or in soups and stews

Raspberries: 1 cup of raspberries contain 9 grams of fiber and 17 grams of carb which you can have at breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack.

Orange: 1 medium orange contains 3 grams of fiber and 15 grams of carb. Again, you can have a serving of fruit with any of your meals or top a salad with orange segments.

Broccoli: 3 ounce serving has 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of carb. Fruits and vegetables are very versatile. You can fit broccoli in your breakfast omelet, eaten raw in your lunchtime salad or roasted broccoli as a side dish to your dinner meal.

Flaxseed: 2 tablespoons contains 6 grams of fiber and 6 grams of carbohydrate. You can add flaxseeds to your oatmeal, yogurt, salads or vegetables.

Lentils: in a ¼ cup serving uncooked there are 10 grams of fiber and 30 grams of carb. You can eat lentils as a side dish or main dish and serve them hot or in a salad.

 oatmeal: 1/2 cup of uncooked oatmeal has 5 grams of fiber and 30 grams of carb. I love sprinkling cinnamon and a low calorie sweetener on my oatmeal and to post the fiber further, I’ll add almonds.

Pearled Barley- ¼  cup uncooked  has 7 grams fiber and 37 grams carbohydrate

Both oatmeal and barley are “famous” for their soluble fiber.

And even this whole wheat burger bun has 3 grams of fiber at 22 grams carbohydrate

Including foods that are high in fiber has always been a message I’ve given in my role as a registered dietitian. And research continues to show benefits. Studies have consistently shown reductions of A1C by more than one-half of one percent, and a recent analysis of many studies finds significant benefits by increasing average fiber consumption by 15 grams per day to A1C, fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, total cholesterol, “bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, body weight and measures of general inflammation.

 Little changes- BIG results

Diabetes-friendly Chocolate Lava Cake

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My friend and fellow registered dietitian nutritionist Marlene Koch has authored a series of cookbooks under the banner “Eat What You Love.” And, she is kind enough to allow me to share some of these with you, including this one (which may be my favorite). It’s a chocolate lava cake with only 21 grams of carbohydrate and about 1/4 the calories you’d be likely to get with this dish at a restaurant. And, if I can do it that means it’s easy to prepare. Check it out

Hi, I’m Toby Smithson with Diabetes Every Day where you will learn tips and tricks for successfully managing your diabetes. Remember to hit the subscribe button. You are in for a treat today….OK, I’m in for a treat too.  In this video, I will be showing you how to make my FAVORITE dessert on loan here from my fellow dietitian and cookbook author, Marlene Koch. I have ALL of her cookbooks which is a series of books titled Eat What You Love. I make at least two of her recipes at my house every week!

The recipe for today is called Chef Judy’s Molten Lava Cakes out of Marlene’s newest book called  Eat What You Love Restaurant Favorites. This dish is often featured on a steakhouse or seafood restaurant dessert menu so let’s get started in making this diabetes friendly dessert…..

The ingredients are:

2 (1.45 ounce) Hershey’s Special Dark bars ….I have the 4.25 ounce bar and will need to make adjustments

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons low fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs, room temperature, separated

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, preferably Dutch processed

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional for dusting)

Ok let’s get baking.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set the oven rack to the lower third of oven. Lightly coat four 6 ounce ramekins with cooking spray.

Marlene’s recipe says to reserve either 8 squares of the chocolate from the small bars which is about 1 ounce. We have the 4.25 ounce bar and the equal amount would be 4 squares. We set these aside.

Now, In a medium microwave safe bowl microwave butter and remaining chocolate from the 2 small bars on high for 60 seconds or until chocolate is mostly melted. That’s about 2 ounces of chocolate so with our larger bar we’ll put in 8 squares and have 4 squares left over that I’ll need to deal with later.

OK…we stir this mixture until smooth……. Whisk in milk,…… vanilla and egg yolks until smooth. Next, Sift in cocoa powder and flour….. and whisk to combine.

Now, In a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat to soft peaks. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten and then gently fold in remaining whites.

Divide the batter among the ramekins. If using small chocolate bars, press 2 squares into the center of each cake…..with our larger bar we use one square per cake.  Bake for 8-9 minutes, or until tops are just firm to the touch and the cakes still jiggle slightly in the center. Let cool for 2 minutes and serve immediately with a dusting of powdered sugar, if desired.

This recipe serves 4 and each serving is 210 calories; 21 g carb; 2 grams fiber; 12 g fat; 7 grams of protein and 85 mg sodium.

Now, this isn’t an everyday food but if you are a chocolate lover, you can adjust your calorie and carb intake at your meal to fit in this delectable dessert. Here’s to your health, enjoy!

Chocolate Chia Pudding

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Check out this low carbohydrate, high fiber, CHOCOLATE pudding made with plant-based milk and cocoa.

Welcome to DiabetesEveryDay, I’m Toby Smithson. I know that you all love hearing about new recipes so I have one for you today. I don’t know about your favorite flavors, but I am most definitely a fan of anything chocolate.  In an upcoming episode we will talk more about the benefits of chocolate, yes there are benefits, so stay tuned.

Today’s recipe is a chocolate chia pudding that is super easy to prepare, loaded with health benefits and is  absolutely delicious.

Here are the ingredients for one serving:

 1/2c plant based milk — choose one that is 1 gram or less carb and 8-10 grams protein…see my video about plant based milks….that will help you choose. 1T cocoa powder; 2tsp Splenda or a LCS; 2T chia seeds.

Pour the milk into a bowl, add the chia seeds, cocoa powder and low-calorie sweetener and stir. Wait about 10 minutes and stir again. Then place in a cup or mason jar and refrigerate overnight. The next day, you will see that the chia seeds have gelled the pudding and is ready to eat. This recipe is 183 calories; 13g carb; 9 G protein with a big added bonus of 12 g of fiber, something we all need more of.

This pudding can be eaten as a snack or part of a meal. It’s high in protein and fiber so it may help slow down the absorption of the carbs you are eating at that time. One of the main ingredients also has omega 3 fatty acid, which has heart health benefits as well.

One quick caution. If you search the internet for chia pudding you get some beautiful appetizing photos like these…..most are at least twice the serving size and provide nutrition info that doesn’t include the beautiful fruit garnish. That means 2 to 4 times the carbohydrate and calories.

Let me know how you like the pudding in the comments below. Here’s to your health!

Can People With Diabetes Eat Chocolate? (spoiler alert – YES!!!)

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Chocolate is healthy! Not all chocolate, and maybe not in one pound portion sizes. But our focus is always to tell you what you can do, not what you can’t. And this “can do” message gives us great pleasure. Enjoy

Hi There! I’m Toby Smithson, Welcome back to Diabetes EveryDay. I think you are going to love the topic of our video today…it’s about chocolate! We will start by going over the benefits, yes benefits from eating some types of chocolate and then we will talk about best choices.

Did you catch the keywords…some type of chocolates? Not all chocolate is created equal when it comes to health benefits. Flavonoid amounts in a serving of cocoa or chocolate can range from as low as 5 milligrams to as high as 150 milligrams. Flavonoids are healthy antioxidant, anti-inflammatory compounds, and how the cocoa bean is processed determines much of the flavonoid content in finished chocolate. Many cocoa powders on the market are heavily alkalized, a processing which can destroy the flavonoid while also reducing the acidity of the cocoa,

Ok this gets interesting…If you are looking at cocoa powders to use in a recipe, choose a lighter color because it contains more antioxidant potential than the darker cocoa. But if you want to munch on a piece of chocolate, opt for dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa, which is rich in antioxidants. And it’s important to note that Milk chocolate has fewer nutrients, double the sugar and only one-quarter of the fiber of dark varieties.

Of course, just because some forms of chocolate have potential health benefits doesn’t mean it’s healthy to devour it with reckless abandon. Compared to other flavonoid-containing foods, chocolate candies are higher in calories. But then again, other flavonoid-containing foods aren’t chocolate.

And… we have to talk about portion size. Research suggests 1 to 2 tablespoons of natural cocoa or 20 grams (about 3/4 ounce) of dark chocolate per day is enough to result in cardiovascular health benefits. Check out an upcoming video for our chocolate chia pudding which has a full Tablespoon of cocoa powder per serving), One tablespoon of natural cocoa contains only 10 calories and even a little bit of fiber (2 grams). Three pieces of 70-percent cocoa dark chocolate contains 75 calories and is equivalent to 1 tablespoon of cocoa. I like including one of these squares at lunch or dinner especially since it’s portioned out for me. Again, remember I’m not recommending Milk chocolate. It adds calories and fat, and doesn’t offer significant amounts of antioxidant flavonoids.

Hope you enjoyed hearing about the chocolate that you CAN eat along with the health benefits. Check out one of my top recipe videos for the 90 calorie chocolate cupcakes. Chocolate can be part of a healthy diet for people with diabetes, but keep in mind that moderation is key. Cheers to your health!