Fennel Salad ;Diabetes Friendly

I love trying new food items, new food ingredients from different cultures and traditions as long as it is healthy and good for me. I am sure by now all of you are well aware of this as my blog is testimony to this fact. This particular salad that I am bringing to you today as part of the Thanksgiving DFT is one such foodie adventure of mine ! The whole discovery of this recipe makes for interesting dinner conversation. I typically shop at this farmer's  market in my neighborhood that is Jewish. They have good produce at a very reasonable price. Once when I went shopping I saw fennel bulbs with the greens on it for sale for 50 cents each. The bulbs were huge. I looked at it and thought to myself that if there is such a demand for these bulbs, there has to be some recipe that I could use it in! I know that fennel seeds  are good for the digestive system as we Indians use it a lot , then the bulb and leaves also have to have nutritional value to it. I bought a bulb and reached out to my DFT team of bloggers for recipes. They suggested using it in soups and stews. But, for some reason I was not convinced. My quest for a good recipe continued. A couple of days later I went back to the farmer's market to pick up something else and saw fennel again. I also saw a middle-aged Jewish lady buying it. I decided to ask her what she did with it and how to use it. In her broken English, she told me that they make salad with it. I asked her if the leaves had to be separated or the bulb had to be cooked. She patiently told me that no, just chop the whole thing up and use it in the salad. I was shocked to say the least! I asked her what dressing is to be used. She said just add in salt, vinegar, olive oil and salt.

I decided to be brave and give it a try. I did exactly what she told me to: chopped the entire fennel bulb, leaves and all, added salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar and olive oil and mixed it! Believe it or not, it was one of the most refreshing salads I have eaten! I was apprehensive about the strong taste of the fennel, but I was wrong! This is also one of the easiest salads that I have put together. This salad is now a regular in my home. Add this salad to your thanksgiving dinner menu. Read on for tips from Geeta Kakade on how diabetics can effectively deal with holiday meals and holiday eating.

Servings: 2-3 ( about 1 cup per person)

Ingredients:

Fennel bulb: 1 medium-sized one
Apple cider vinegar: 3 tbsp
Extra Virgin Olive oil: 3 tbsp
Salt: a pinch ( can adjust as per individual taste)
Freshly ground black pepper : 1/2 tsp

Method:

Wash the fennel bulb and leaves thoroughly and then pat them dry using a paper towel/ or a kitchen towel.

Chop the leaves and the bulb finely. Take it in a bowl.

In a small jar, take apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Shake well.

Add this dressing to the above bowl and mix thoroughly.

Keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve chilled. I am bringing this to the wonderful Angie's Fiesta Friday #96.

Here are some more recipes from our fellow DFT bloggers that you can use for your Thanksgiving dinner!

Green Beans & Caramelized Onions with Cranberry Chutney by Sonal

Spicy Jalapeño Hummus by Shailja 


Hot and Sour Mixed Veggie Soup by Swati

Cooking made easy:

I now like to use oil and acid in the proportion of 1:1 as opposed to the recommended 3:1 as I don't like to use too much oil. I also make a bigger portion of this vinaigrette and use as needed in the salad. Sometimes, you might want the salad to have a little more punch, then you can use more of the vinaigrette. 

If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you can use regular vinegar.

Footnotes ( tip for healthy living):

Fennel is a perennial herb belonging to the carrot family and is closely related to parsley, dill and coriander. It is extremely therapeutic for the digestive system. It aids digestion, prevents bloating and is known for it's anti-oxidant activities due to the unique phytonutrients it contains.It is also a great source of vitamin C, folate, potassium and dietary fiber. It obviously has no calories and a very low glycemic index.

Article by Geeta Kakade:

'Some ways a diabetic tries to resist food overindulgence at festivals, during the holiday season and at get togethers all year round.' 

Its a challenge...always a challenge. It doesn't matter if you are in your own home or in someone else's home: resisting the lure of food isn't easy. Here are some tips that help me when I'm at a party and I hope will help you. 1. The day you're going our, say for dinner, follow strict dietary guidelines for the other meals during the day. Balancing your sugar will give you a head start and will allow you to have a little 'extra'.

2. Don't skip your exercise on this day...exercise helps regulate hunger pangs.

3. Before you go out, eat a bowl of salad or some fruit...an apple works best for me.

4. Insist on serving yourself, then stop and look at your plate before you eat...both for appetizers and main course. If someone forces you to have something by putting it on your plate, leave it there. I get rid of the stuff on my plate very discreetly. 

5. Remember food will always be there and the healthier you are the more you can continue to enjoy it at future parties. The meal you're at is NOT your last meal.

6. Respond to comments like, "What! That's all you're eating?" with a firm but pleasant comeback. I tell people I'm there for the company and I enjoy myself best if I don't have to lose the next day to 'not feeling well' because I ate too much. 

7. Love sweets like I do? Make adjustments in the meal to accommodate your craving. I find skipping either the naan or the rice helps me at a party.

Okay so you read articles like this all the time and know what's right. What happens when you still fall off the dietary wagon once in a way? No big deal! (as long as its not all the time.) Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back on...all we diabetics can do is keep trying to do our best.

Geeta Kakade, Diabetes Support Group.

Food for thought:

Never complain and never explain. Benjamin Disraeli

Act on Diabetes Now; World Diabetes Day-November 14th.

Today is World Diabetes Day. During this day, campaigns are run worldwide to spread awareness of diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease that leads to high levels of blood sugar, estimated to impact 1 out of 3 people in their lifetime.

 In 2013, International Diabetes Federation estimated 381 million people had diabetes, with 90% of the cases being Type 2 Diabetes also known as Diabetes Mellitus. Did you know, that by 2040, 640 million of us worldwide will be living with Diabetes .

           India has more diabetics ( 62 million) than any other country in the world.This is followed by China and then the United States of America ( 30 million).

 According to the Indian Heart Association, India is the diabetes capital of the world with more than 62 million Indians ( which is more than 7.1% of India's adult population), currently suffering from Diabetes. November 14th is celebrated as Children'sDay in India. But by 2035, these children may become one of the projected 109 million individuals with Diabetes in India. An estimate shows that nearly 1 million Indians die due to Diabetes every year. The average age upon onset is 42.5 years. The high incidence has been attributed to a combination of genetic susceptibility, adoption of high-calorie, low activity lifestyle by India's fast growing middle-class.

Uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to heart failure, kidney disease, vision impairment and possible amputation.

However, Diabetes Mellitus is a preventable disease, through diet and exercises. 

To know if you or your loved ones are at risk, take this simple test:

http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/. 

You can also significantly reduce your chances of developing diabetes by:

 *   Eating Healthy
 *   Maintaining a Healthy Weight
 *   Quitting Smoking
 *   Increasing Physical Activity
 *   Monitoring Blood Pressure and Glucose Levels 

My contribution to increasing awareness regarding diabetes is via food. I truly believe that our body is reflects what we eat. Research has proved that diet ( food) and exercise are the cornerstones of both prevention and treatment of Diabetes Mellitus. Often, people are reluctant to exercise or find it hard to exercise for various reasons. But, deciding what we eat, making healthy food choices is something we control and easily attainable. You don't have to make huge changes in one day. 

• You make small changes in your food, little at a time so that you don't crave any specific food group. 
• Make healthy choices. 
• Swap unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones in your favorite food.
• Eat small meals..
• Eat everything in moderation.
• Limit yourself to one serving per meal. Don't take second helpings.

Today, I have put together a collection of recipes that are healthy and appropriate for diabetics. You will be surprised that quite a few of our regular meals can be consumed if you are mindful of the portion size. Click on the title of the food item for the recipe in it's entirety. 

Ragi Masala Dosa

Blackened Chicken

 Methi Sprouts Salad

Instant appe with vegetables

Ragi Shevai

Moong Bean Sprout Salad

Missal

Quick Masala Eggplant

 Ragi Phanna Polo

There are many more recipes all through the blog and for your weekly dose of diabetic-friendly recipes follow this space every Thursday for Diabetes-friendly Thursdays where 7 bloggers who are committed to creating diabetic-friendly recipes share them. To read more, click here.Even better follow this blog by signing up via email or following us on any social media. 

I am linking this to Throwback Thursday, Angie's Fiesta Friday#94 & Saucy Saturday to spread the word. Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and Stef @ The Kiwi Fruit are co-hosting the Fiesta Friday this week!

Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.


On this special occasion of World Diabetes Day, I have guest writer, Jonathan who is sharing with us Eating Tips for Diabetics. 

Eating Tips for Diabetics

Imagine that you are newly diagnosed as a diabetic. Now you have to learn to deal with knowing what to eat and what to leave alone, not to mention finding the right diabetic test strips and everything else associated with managing your disease. When it comes to eating tips, here are 10 steps that you can follow to make it easier and a little less frustrating.

Find recipes that you will actually eat

If all you have access to is recipes that you have no intention of eating, you're not doing yourself any favors. Find new ways to season foods so that you can have a whole new list of favorites.

Change the way you eat

This step goes hand in hand with the first one. When you find the recipes that really appeal to your taste buds, it will be much easier to change the way that you eat on a routine basis and stick with it.

Get active

Granted, this may not exactly be a tip about eating but the truth is, if you are eating more calories than you are expending, you will start gaining a lot of weight and this can cause even more problems for you if you're a diabetic. Therefore, it is definitely worth mentioning.

Try the homeopathic route

Many people control their diabetes with diet alone and you may be one of those individuals. Give it a try and see if it works for you. If it does, it will make your life a little bit easier.

Find new favorites

If you love a particular dessert or other food item that is especially bad for you, try finding new favorites that you can use to replace the more unhealthy food items. It might take some time, but it is doable. It is also worth it.

Do not give up

When you are first changing your diet, it is easy to get sidetracked and fall into old habits. Do not give up on yourself if you do this. Simply remind yourself of the importance of eating healthy and do your best to get back on track as quickly as possible. This will become much easier over time and you will find that you fall back into old habits less and less.

Take things slowly

Learning how to eat like a diabetic is something that takes a certain amount of time and effort. One of the best things that you can do when it comes to eating healthier is to take things slowly. There are a lot of things you have to adjust to and while it is important that you do it as quickly as is realistically possible, it is not something that you can do overnight.

Involve the whole family

If you can get the whole family to eat healthier, it will be much easier for you to do it. There is nothing worse than trying to eat a salad while you're watching someone 2 feet away from you sink their teeth into a plate of enchiladas or some other favorite food of yours.

Eat small portions more often

Eat more than three times a day. Instead of three meals, you should be eating five or six times a day and you should be eating smaller portions. This helps keep your blood sugar levels in control as opposed to eating fewer times a day, which allows them to fluctuate wildly at times.

Staying on course

Without a doubt, no one ever said that learning how to eat as a diabetic would be easy. Some days will be easy and others will make you wonder if you will ever actually manage to do it successfully. If you end up eating something you shouldn't, check your blood sugar levels and then do your best to eat healthy for the rest of the day. If you do this every day it will eventually become easier and you will find yourself staying on course more and more frequently.

Eating right when you are a diabetic can be challenging and sometimes, it can be extremely frustrating. With that being said, it is also vitally important for your continued health. That is why you have to get up every day with the attitude that you can succeed, even when you are struggling. 

Jonathan is the Editor of The British Gent and freelance writer who has worked with numerous national and international publications. You can follow him @TheBritishGent

Food for thought:

Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do. Johann Wolfgang VonGoethe