RECIPE: Quick Low-Carb Chocolate Cake

By Gretchen Becker

Cake isn’t usually very kind to our blood sugars as people with diabetes. So I thought I’d mention an instant low-carb chocolate cake recipe I got somewhere. Can’t remember where, so I can’t give credit.

The nice thing about this recipe is that it’s incredibly fast, so if you suddenly get hit by a yen for something sweet and chocolate but you wisely don’t keep stuff like that in the house, you can whip up a batch of this in minutes.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup nut flour (or wheat bran or rice bran)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3 to 5 packets of sweetener

2 tablespoons melted butter, or sour cream

1 tablespoon water or DaVinci syrup, any flavor)

1 egg

Directions:

Mix everything together in a 2-cup microwavable glass cup and cover with plastic wrap. Cut a small slit in the center of the wrap to vent. Put in microwave for about a minute.

That’s it! I’m lazy, so I usually don’t bother to cover with plastic wrap and it turns out okay. I also don’t see a reason to waste the DaVinci syrup, as this is plenty sweet (5 packets of sweetener made it too sweet for me), and the chocolate flavor is intense so who needs more?

You can gussy this up by adding chunked nuts. Or you could add a low-carb icing or swirls of whipped cream.

I never particularly liked chocolate cake; I was more of an icing person. And I preferred fruit pie to cake. But I do occasionally feel chocolate-dessert deprived, and then I whip up a batch of this and feel satisfied for another month or so.

Tomato Scramble

Take advantage of lycopene-rich ruby red tomatoes and protein-packed eggs, and whip up this easy Tomato Scramble for breakfast or brunch. What a delicious way to eat healthy!

Serves: 4

Cooking Time: 15 min

What You'll Need:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 roma or pear tomatoes, seeded, diced
• 1 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute

What To Do:

1. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes.
   
2. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Add eggs to skillet and cook until eggs are set but not overdone.

Lighter Tiramisu

A classic Tiramisu is unbeatable, but unfortunately, laden with fat and calories. Try our Lighter Tiramisu instead. We promise you're not missing anything, and your friends and family will love you even more for keeping it healthy!

Serves: 9

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Chilling Time: 2 hr

What You'll Need:

• 3 ounces package ladyfingers
• 1/4 cup strong black coffee, chilled
• 1 package (4-serving size) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 (8-ounce) package of fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups frozen, fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa

What To Do:

1. Split the ladyfingers apart and line the bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish with half of them. Drizzle ladyfingers with 1 tbsp. of coffee.
    
2. In a large bowl, beat the pudding mix and milk until thickened; stir in remaining coffee. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spoon the pudding mixture evenly over the ladyfingers.
    
3. Place remaining ladyfingers on top of the pudding and top with whipped topping. Sprinkle with cocoa. Cover and chill for 2 to 4 hours, or until ready to serve. 

Fruit Stand Surprise

Summer is the easiest time of the year to get those all-important five-a-day servings of fruit and vegetables. With all our seasonal favorites picked fresh and available in our markets, a refreshing fruit-laden dish like our Fruit Stand Surprise makes any day seem like cause for celebration!

Serves: 10

What You'll Need:

• 1 (8-ounce) container low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
• 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into 10 wedges
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

What To Do:

1. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt and brown sugar; mix well. Add the strawberries, bananas, and kiwi; toss until the fruit is well coated.
2. Place each cantaloupe wedge on a serving plate. Spoon equal amounts of the fruit mixture over them and top with the sliced almonds. Serve immediately.

VIDEO: Understanding Insulin & Glucagon

By Ginger Vieira

What really happens in the body when insulin is produced (in those who still produce insulin), and what does insulin do when it’s present in the body (even if you injected it)? And last, but not least, what the heck is glucagon?

This clever video was created with “stop motion” animation from a fella named Armando Hasudungan.

Inhaled Insulin: Is It Effective?

By Ginger Vieira

The idea of being able to inhale our insulin rather than deliver it through a variety of methods that all involve puncturing the skin and stabbing our own flesh (syringes, pens and insulin pumps) is a very cool idea. But does it work? Is it really as effective as today’s methods? Personally, I wouldn’t trade my syringes for an inhaler if it means my blood sugars are going to be less controlled, so the proof would definitely need to be in the “pudding.”

While there have been several failed attempts in the development of inhaled insulin, MannKind’s Afreeza inhaler which uses “Technosphere Insulin Inhalation Powder” is getting closer to FDA approval.

At last week’s 74th annual American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in California, lead researchers Bruce W. Bode, MD, and Julio Rosenstock, MD, presented their results from comparing inhaled insulin with injections and oral diabetes medications.

In type 1 diabetes, the study found:

Technosphere Insulin Inhalation Powder (TI) showed equivalent HbA1c reduction for patients with type 1 diabetes compared with subcutaneous rapid acting analog (RAA) insulin and demonstrated significant differences in total hypoglycemia and weight gain.

This is all good news.

“TI provided effective glycemic control to subjects with type 1 diabetes and was not inferior in HbA1c reduction vs. insulin aspart,” explains Bode. “There was significant weight gain with insulin aspart vs. TI.”

The study also found that hypoglycemic events were lower in those using the TI, as well. Another piece of good news! Other improvements included fasting glucose levels!

The primary negative side-effect seen was a “cough.”

“This did not cause a large dropout; there was a small decrement in pulmonary function that was reversible,” Bode said. “TI had significantly less hypoglycemia no matter how you looked at it.”

In type 2 diabetes, the study found:

Similar results were found in the type 2 patients using the inhaled insulin.

“TI as the initial prandial insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with one or more oral agents effectively reduced postprandial glucose excursionconsistent with its time-action profile,” explained Rosenstock. “It was associated with increased, mild hypoglycemic events and neutral body weight changes.”

However, patients with type 2 did experience more hypoglycemic events in those taking a “sulfonylurea” such as Glipizide.

Wearing the Bionic Pancreas: Experiencing Life in a New Way

It’s been great to see all the recent press about the bionic pancreas since the ADA’s 74^th Scientific Sessions a couple of weeks ago. As many of you have seen here on Glu, it’s one of our favorite topics! In March, I had the great opportunity to speak about being part of the Beacon Hill Study at Camp Hot Shots in Omaha, Nebraska. This presentation was given to parents of children with type 1 diabetes. Cory Harter, the camp director and founder, introduces me, and after sharing some of my background, I dive into all the details about participating in the bionic pancreas study at the eight-minute mark in the video.

What was it like to wear the bionic pancreas? I lived in the moment without being distracted by the hundreds of diabetes decisions I make every day. The bionic pancreas did all the work. The mental relief let me and my family experience life in a new way. I felt like I was my true self for the first time since diagnosis—the impact was that significant. I hope you enjoy the video, and I look forward to your comments and questions!

Potato-Horseradish-Crusted Mahi-Mahi

Simple yet special enough to serve for company - even when you're in a hurry. Make it a Meal: Serve with steamed carrots tossed with dill and green beans.

Ingredients

• 1 cup precooked shredded potatoes, (see Note)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds mahi-mahi, skin removed, cut into 4 portions
• 4 teaspoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 lemon, quartered

Preparation

• 1. Combine potatoes, shallot, horseradish, mustard, garlic salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread each portion of fish with 1 teaspoon mayonnaise, then top with one-fourth of the potato mixture, pressing the mixture onto the fish.
  2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the fish in the pan potato-side down and cook until crispy and browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Gently turn the fish over, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 4 to 5 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges.

Tips & Notes

• • Note: Look for precooked shredded potatoes in the refrigerated section of the produce department--near other fresh prepared vegetables.

Nutrition

• Per serving: 205 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 105 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 27 g protein; 1 g fiber; 311 mg sodium; 623 mg potassium.
  Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (74% daily value), Potassium (18% dv).
  Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2
  Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 very lean meat

Salmon Chowder

The flavor of this salmon chowder is greatly enhanced by adding either fresh dill or dried tarragon: each herb lends its own distinctively different and appealing character to the soup. Even if you don’t keep instant mashed potatoes in your pantry, it’s worth picking some up for this soup. They give the soup a thick, chowder texture without any heavy cream or butter. Leftover mashed potatoes work too, but give a slightly less-velvety texture.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/3 cup chopped carrot
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 12-ounce skinned salmon fillet, preferably wild-caught (see Note and Tip)
• 2 1/2 cups frozen cauliflower florets, thawed and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallions, or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried chives
• 1 1/3 cups instant mashed potato flakes (see Note), or 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
  

  Preparation

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables just begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broth, water, salmon, cauliflower and chives (or scallions) and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, maintaining a gentle simmer, until the salmon is just cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the salmon to a clean cutting board. Flake into bite-size pieces with a fork.
  2. Stir potato flakes (or leftover mashed potatoes), dill (or tarragon) and mustard into the soup until well blended. Return to a simmer. Add the salmon and reheat. Season with salt and pepper.

  Tips & Notes

  • Notes: Instant mashed potato flakes is not a product that we typically use in our recipes, but we love how it gives creamy texture to soup without adding extra fat. Look for a brand that has the fewest ingredients possible (and therefore little to no artificial additives or flavoring). At our local market, the store brand was the best choice.
  • Wild-caught salmon from the Pacific (Alaska and Washington) are more sustainably fished and have a larger, more stable population. For more information, visit Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp).
  • Tip: To skin a salmon fillet, place on a clean cutting board, skin side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long, sharp knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.

  Nutrition

  Per serving: 115 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 27 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 15 g protein; 2 g fiber; 552 mg sodium; 496 mg potassium.
  Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (50% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), source of omega-3s.
  Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat

Teriyaki Kabobs Recipe

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and salt. Pour half of the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add beef. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4-8 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
   
   
2. Drain and discard marinade. Alternate meat, mushrooms, green pepper, onion and tomatoes on metal or soaked wood skewers. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side.
   
   
3. Baste with reserved marinade. Continue turning and basting for 8-10 minutes until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°). Serve meat and vegetables over rice if desired. Yield: 6 servings.
   
   

Originally published as Teriyaki Kabobs in Quick Cooking May/June 1998, p46