Diabetic Cookbooks
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Cooking in accordance with a diabetic diet menu is much easier today due to the several diabetic cookbooks available. A well-written diabetic cookbook will offer recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a sampling of snack ideas for in-between meal noshing. More features and favorites follow. Also, be sure to check out our recipe collection for a diabetic-friendly meal anytime.
What To Look For
Due to the vast array of cookbooks available, here are a few things to look for when deciding on a diabetic cookbook for you.
- Updated and revised. Since the field of diabetes and research continues to expand with new details, it is always beneficial to buy the latest cookbook. Old cookbooks, say from the 1960’s, may not be up-to-date with new discoveries on the disease.
- Written or endorsed by a diabetic specialist. This will ensure that the ingredients, recipes, and advice within its pages are accurate.
- Nutrition information included for each recipe. This is a mandatory requirement for any recipe collection geared toward diabetes. The information should include number of exchanges, calories, fiber, carbohydrates, sugar, protein, and fat content at the very least. Also beneficial to know is the saturated fat amount, starch content, cholesterol and sodium amount.
- Recipes for several occasions, including quick and easy creations and gourmet masterpieces. A section on appetizers, beverages, and desserts completes a well-written diabetic cookbook as well.
- Ingredients that are easy to find, healthy, and tasty. If you do not like legumes, such as kidney beans, then purchasing a vegetarian diabetic cookbook is not likely your best choice. Review the recipes throughout the cookbook in an effort to identify individual ingredients. Be sure most of items are palatable to you. If you share meal times with family members, be sure to find recipes that are appeasing to them as well. This way you will not be obliged to becoming a short order cook for each and everyone preferences.
Where To Find Diabetic Cookbooks
Your local library is a great first stop when shopping for diabetic cookbooks. You can borrow the books for a significant length of time to allow for testing recipes. Bookstores, as well as large department stores will most likely stock the latest publications. The American Diabetes Association, as well as the American Dietetic Association share a host of books for purchase on the subject of diabetes, including cookbooks. You can find the most popular cookbooks at the diabetic gourmet magazine.
Top Picks
Here are a few favorites:
- American Diabetes Association Diabetes Cookbook: Written by the authorities of the subject, this recipe collection is chock full of ideas for every occasion, including buffet gatherings and childrens’ snacks. A highlight of this book are the guidelines for adapting a traditional recipe into a diabetic recipe. Practical tips, accompanied by pages of illustrations and full nutritional analysis makes this book a complete guide to diabetic eating.
- Better Homes and Gardens New Diabetic Cookbook: With an entrée collection including Sesame Chicken, Horseradish Flank Steak, and Fish with Cherry Relish, you are sure to find meals the entire family will love. Pair the main course with one of the desserts, such as Berry Cheesecake or Pumpkin-Maple Pie, and your palate will be singing with joy and satisfaction.
- A Month of Meals: Also published by the American Diabetes Association, this collection is indispensable due to its meal planning guide. The authors have organized the menus for you, which most often is the most difficult stage in managing diabetes with diet. The best feature is the page set-up that is split into thirds and interchangeable throughout the book. This allows for over 20,000 days of menus! You can find similar publications of this book for vegetarian fare, ethnic cooking, and meals in minutes.
- Reversing Diabetes Cookbook: As part two of the well-known book Reversing Diabetes, this book is sure to inspire even the laziest chef. With recipes such as Baja Shrimp, Grecian Mushrooms, and French Apple Cake, your taste buds will be delighted and thankful. Dr. Whitaker offers a sound approach to dietary adjustments in an effort to eliminate medications and insulin supplementation as best as possible.
Diabetic Cake Mix Recipes
Diabetics have to live on a special “diabetic diet” low in simple sugars, so everyday pleasures like eating a slice of cake are usually a no-no.
After looking around on the internet, I have found some suggestions for diabetic cake recipes, so have listed some ideas below:
- Make sure the cake recipes do not include fruit juice.
- Cake recipes should not have sugar added. Replace the sugar with a sugar substitute like Splenda.
- Limit yourself to a small serving.
- try to adapt traditional cake recipes. You know what you are allowed to eat, and with sugar substitutes, you can experiment and come up with your own diabetic cake mix recipes. If you have trouble, i have listed some sites below that offer recipes for diabetics.
Diabetes and Desserts
Many people with diabetes still want to indulge in a sweet treat occasionally. There are numerous diabetic dessert recipes available online and in diabetic cookbooks.
By adapting cake mix recipes or using special low sugar cake mixes, it is easy to create delicious diabetic cakes and cookies that everyone will enjoy. Following your diabetic diet plan and substituting dessert for other carbohydrates in the plan keeps your blood sugar levels normal. If you follow the diabetic exchange system, remember to count the sweets toward your daily exchange - 15 grams of carbohydrates equal one starch exchange.
Diabetic Cake Mix Recipes
Try these great recipes and enjoy the mouth-watering results.
Diet Soda Cake
This cake is simple to make and tastes delicious. The only ingredients needed are a cake mix and a can of diet soda. Have fun with this by experimenting with different flavors of cake mix and diet soda.
- Yellow Cake
- Preheat oven according to the directions on the cake mix package
- Empty one 18.5 ounce package cake mix into a bowl
- Add one can diet 7 Up soda (12 ounces)
- Mix the ingredients together
- Spray a 13x9 inch with a cooking spray
- Pour the cake batter into the pan
- Bake following the directions on the cake mix box
- Tips for Making a Diet Soda Cake
- Depending on the brand of the cake mix baking times will vary
- The carbonation in the soda makes the cake expand
- Diet soda cakes make great cupcakes
- For a moister cake add two egg whites to the ingredients
- Top with fat free whipped topping
- Flavor Variations
- Chocolate cake mix and Diet Coke
- Vanilla cake mix and diet orange
- Spice cake and diet root beer
- Vanilla cake mix and diet root beer
- Pineapple cake and diet 7 Up
- Nutritional Information: Make sure to follow the nutritional and serving size information on the cake mix box. Use the column for the cake mix alone, not the one for the prepared cake mix. For example, the following is the nutritional information for a Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Devils Food cake mix:
- Serving size - 12
- Calories per serving - 170
- Carbohydrates per serving - 33
Pineapple Angel Food Cake
A delicious, light and fluffy pineapple angel food cake that is quick and easy to make.
- Preheat oven according to package directions
- Empty one 18.5 ounce package angel food cake mix into a bowl
- Add one can crushed pineapple - eight ounce size
- Add one teaspoon pineapple or vanilla extract
- Mix all together
- Spray a 13x9 inch with a cooking spray
- Pour the cake batter into the pan
- Bake following the directions on the cake mix box. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Reduced Sugar Cake Mixes
Many diabetics prefer using cake mixes that have reduced sugar content. These cake mixes are available in supermarkets or online. Although most of these cake mixes do have a reduced sugar content, their carbohydrate content remains almost the same.
The following websites offer low sugar cake and cookie mixes.
- Sugar Control offers a variety of Sweet and Low cake mixes.
- Pillsbury Moist Supreme Reduced Sugar Cake Mix in the following flavors:
- White
- Yellow
- Lemon
- Devils’s food
- 1 Stop Sugarless Shop offers Bernard and Sweet and Low cake mixes.
- A Sugar Free Candy Store
- Healthy Heart Market
1400 Calorie Diabetic Diet
If you’re looking for the perfect 1400 calorie diabetic diet there are certainly handy sample plans to try, but remember; each person is an individual and because of this a specific diet may work better for one person than another. You can try any 1400 sample plan but personalized adjustments may be necessary.
Why A 1400 Calorie Diabetic Diet
If you have diabetes and your doctor recommends that you try a 1400 calorie diet plan it could be for a number of reasons.
- A diet plan with 1400 calories offers enough calories to meet nutritional needs when planned in a well-balanced manner, and still is low enough in calories to assist an individual who needs to lose weight. Even with minimal exercising effort it’s likely that someone eating 1400 calories will lose weight.
- If your current diet is not working you may be on the path of needing medication to help control your diabetes. A much easier plan is that you control your diabetes with diet and exercise if possible. Many doctors suggest that a patient (who is not in dire need of medication) attempt to control their diabetes with diet and exercise before moving on the medications.
- 1200 – 1800 is a typical healthy caloric intake range with 1400 calories being lower than what the normal American eats but a good goal to shoot for. Each person should consume calories needed based on personal body size combined with personal energy expenditure. However, it’s difficult to offer sample diet plans based on obscure calorie amounts like 1234, 1457, or 1603. It’s much simpler for a doctor or health guide to offer suggestions for a 1200, 1400 or 1600 calorie plan. This is one major reason people are often directed to say, a 1400 calorie diet plan, because they’re easy to find and easy to plan.
Find Sample Plans
The first place to find plans for a good 1400 calorie diabetic diet plan will be with your doctor. Better yet you are also working with a nutrition specialist. If not have your doctor refer your to one. The importance of personalized support and planning for your experience with diabetes cannot be understated. People with superior support plans and a team of helpers to back them up succeed at managing their diabetes far better than someone trying to plan their diet and care on their own. That said it’s highly suggested that you work closely with your support team to plan a diet that’s right for you.
However, if you are already working with a team and need fresh ideas for your 1400 calorie diabetic diet then these resources may help:
- First you’ll want to do some pre-planning and this handy guide from the Mayo Clinic; Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan can help. This will direct you as to what parts of your diet to concentrate on such as carbohydrate counting and also offers ideas on the the diabetic exchange system, consistency and diet variation.
- The National Diabetes Education Program offers a wealth of diet planning support including a sample diabetic diet planmeals for a day, nutrition information, some handy thoughts about the diabetic food pyramid, and more.
- Many of the healthier online 1400 calorie diet plans are not specifically related to a diabetic plan. That doesn’t mean they won’t work for you though. The following plans offer ideas about what to eat to add up to 1400 calories. Free dieting 1400 plan, Weight loss resources’ 1400 calorie plan in the UK, and one more 1400 calorie diet variation.
- Once you have a good idea of what belongs on a 1400 calorie diet plan skip back over to the Mayo Clinic for some amazing recipes. The clinic’s healthy diabetic recipe section not only offers seriously delicious food choices but a complete calorie, carbohydrate, protein, and more breakdown of the recipe so you can be sure you’re getting the right amount of calories and nutrients. If that doesn’t convince you, listen to some of these recipes; southwestern potato skins, blackberry iced tea with cinnamon and ginger, cookies and cream milkshake, barbecue chicken pizza, and many more. A diabetic diet can be fun… or at least tastier than you thought.
- You also may be interested in diabetic cookbooks, diabetic food list, and learning about the basics of the diabetic diet.
Don’t forget to always run any sort of diet plan or diet changes past your health care provider before you start..
Recipes
Pasta with Broccoli and Chicken
Ingredients:
4 ounces whole wheat spaghetti or 2 cups ziti 2 cups broccoli florets, coarsely chopped 1 cup sliced cooked chicken breast 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 4 teaspoons olive oil Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional) Instructions:
Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. Return the liquid to the pot. Place the pasta in a bowl and cover to keep warm. Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the broccoli, cover, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft, but not soggy. Add the pasta, chicken, cheese, oil, and pepper flakes (if using). Toss well.
Diet Plan 1 |
Diet Plan 2 |
| Breakfast | Breakfast |
| Cantaloupe - 1 cup Scrambled Eggs - (1/2 cup egg substitute or 1 egg and 1 egg white 1 teaspoon butter). English Muffin (dry, whole-wheat) |
Fat-Free Milk - 1 cup Strawberries - 1/2 cup English Muffin (with butter and jam) - wholewheat or oatbran + 1 teaspoon butter |
| Snack | Snack |
| Mug of Granola (2 tbsp. granola + 1/4 cup fat-free milk) | Graham Crackers (1) Chocolate Milk - 1 cup fat-free milk + 2 tbsp chocolate syrup. |
| Lunch | Lunch |
| Fat-Free Milk - 1 cup Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich (2 tbsp peanut butter 2 tbsp jelly or jam 2 slices whole wheat bread) Celery Sticks (1/2 cup) and Baby Carrots (1/2 cup) |
Small Roll - 2 1/2 inches in size. Satisfying Veggie Salad - (1 cup mixed greens 1/3 cup carrots 1/3 cup tomatoes 1/3 cup cucumbers 1/2 cup canned chickpeas 2 tablespoons chopped eggs 2 tablespoons reduced-calorie dressing) |
| Dinner | Dinner |
| Mixed Greens (2 cups + 1 tbsp reduced-calorie dressing) Spaghetti (1 cup whole wheat spaghetti 1/4 cup meatless pasta sauce 2 tablespoons Parmesan 2 teaspoons chopped basil) |
Pasta with Broccoli and Chicken (see below) |
| Treat | Treat |
| Ginger Snaps (3) | Frozen Fruit Bar - no more than 80 calories. |
Ensure you drink plenty of water - aim for 8-10 glasses per day.