Category: Food

Taste Test: Bulgur

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Total Rating for Bulgur = 4-1/2 plates* Yumminess = 1-1/2 Goodness = 1 Easy to find & prepare = 1 Yummy to family = 1 *Read about my 5-plate Taste Test scale here. Getting to Know Great Grains: Bulgur This taste test is inspired by the article Get to Know 6 Great Grains in Diabetes Forecast. Whole grains like bulgur (also spelled bulghur) are a really good for you. But is it good and yummy? I decided to test it out. Bulgur is whole wheat that’s been cleaned, cracked and cooked, then dried. This processing makes it quick to cook (soak in hot liquid for 20-25 minutes) and easy to store (in a sealed container on the pantry shelf or in the refrigerator). And most of the bran is left in place, so bulgur is still a whole grain. You’ve probably eaten bulgur prepared as tabbouleh salad. The most common version of tabbouleh in the U.S. has cooked bulgur

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Single Servings: Do They Help?

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Are single-size packages a good thing? As I wandered through the grocery store today I was struck by how many foods are available in single servings. There’s yogurt (of course) and string cheese, cream cheese, milk (dairy and soy), and tuna, and ice cream, and so much more. And it got me to wondering “Is this a good thing?” On the up-side, a single serving provides portion control. There’s no eye-balling 1/3 of a can or 1/6 of a jar to get the right serving size. I know that the carb count of the label is what I am eating. Single servings are easy to take along with me. I can have a snack pack in my purse or glove box. It’s really handy to have a pack of tuna and crackers in my desk drawer — especially on those days I’m “too busy” to take a lunch break. BUT…

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Can a Flowchart Help You Make Better Food Choices?

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Flowcharting eating choices can keep them healthy Darya Pino at posted a flowchart for finding real food at the supermarket on her blog Summer Tomato yesterday. It’s an intriguing combination of guidance and humor. Darya in answering the question “Was it [the item found in the grocery store] ever alive?” if you say “NO” the next box says “You’re probably in the home improvement aisle.” Clearly no yumminess to be found there. But if you say “YES” the next box says “Well done, you’re at the produce aisle or meat counter.” Looking at Darya’s flowchart got me to thinking. If I could flowchart my decision points in eating I would have a really nifty thinking tool for keeping the yumminess on a healthy track. When I ran into new food or dish I would have a way to look at it and decide whether I wanted to eat it or not. Hmmmm… This

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Good Idea: Make It Into a Salad

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Having a salad makes for a simple, healthful, diabetic-friendly meal. I know. I know. Salads are boring. Lettuce, tomato, vinaigrette. Lettuce, tomato, vinaigrette. Lettuce, tomato, vinaigrette. How many days can I eat such plain food? Or the other complaint I hear is that salads are too fussy. To be interesting they have to be filled with exotic (and expensive) ingredients like dandelion. Somehow I don’t think I can just go out to the front lawn and harvest some of those. A well made salad is filled with flavor, nutrients, and yumminess.

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Fight Hunger With Diabetes-Friendly Snacks

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When I’m out and about I never let myself get too hungry. I don’t always know where I’m going to end up or what kind of food I’ll find there. Waiting too long to eat is dangerous. My blood sugar levels can go wacko. And once hunger sets in I’m likely to eat anything whether or not it’s good for me or even yummy. My best defense in the fight against hunger is a diabetic-friendly snack. I always make sure I carry one with me. It’s part of being prepared.

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