Book of Days Tales

As a foodie blogger (and for personal reasons) I feel an obligation to promote World Diabetes Day. World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness day of the diabetes mellitus world and is held on November 14 of each year. It was introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to the alarming rise of diabetes around the world. World Diabetes Day is part of a campaign that features a new theme chosen by the International Diabetes Federation each year to address issues facing the global diabetes community. While the campaigns last the whole year, the day itself marks the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, discovered and isolated insulin in 1922.  Before then, people born with diabetes died young.  Banting’s discovery has saved millions of lives.

I have family experience with diabetes. My first cousin was born diabetic, my father lost pancreas function due to other medical complications, and my wife developed gestational diabetes while pregnant with our son, and it remained after the birth. During the pregnancy my wife was insulin dependent, monitoring her blood glucose levels 6 times per day to keep them within a very fine range to prevent harm to the baby, and injecting insulin before meals.  So, as a cook, I know something about living with a diabetic.  What do you cook for a diabetic?  The American Diabetes Association says the following to diabetics:

What is a Healthy Diet?

A healthy diet is a way of eating that reduces risk for complications such as heart disease and stroke. Healthy eating includes eating a wide variety of foods including:

    vegetables

    whole grains

    fruits

    non-fat dairy products

    beans

    lean meats

    poultry

    fish

There is no one perfect food so including a variety of different foods and watching portion sizes is key to a healthy diet. Also, make sure your choices from each food group provide the highest quality nutrients you can find. In other words, pick foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber over those that are processed.

People with diabetes can eat the same foods the family enjoys. Everyone benefits from healthy eating so the whole family can take part in healthy eating. It takes some planning but you can fit your favorite foods into your meal plan and still manage your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.

In other words, eat healthy stuff – that’s all.  I can’t give you a “diabetic” recipe, because there is no such thing.  Here’s what I had for dinner last night.

Santa Fe Green Chile Stew

I lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a year doing research and eating sopapillas, menudo, posole, and green chile stew.  Green chile is a staple in New Mexico where it is grown in vast quantities.  It is a relatively mild long green pepper with a rich, complex flavor.  The chiles are prepared by roasting the skins black and scraping them off, then using the inner pulp for cooking.  If you cannot get fresh, canned green chiles (such as Old El Paso) work well enough.  You do not need a detailed recipe.  Here’s the one in my head.

Put lean pork, diced onion, and diced green chiles, in a pot, add oregano, cover with light stock, and simmer for about an hour or until the meat is tender.  Add diced potatoes and simmer another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked to your liking.  Serve in deep bowls with flour tortillas.