This recipe is what thekitchn.com calls a very simple dal palak. I guess that depends what you usually eat. A parade of flavors, a mix of textures, and a happy, healthy-sized pot of food to serve a big bunch, it goes great with rice or chapatis (or warm pita if that’s all you have).
Diet-Controlled Diabetes
From what I’ve heard, people tend to divide the diagnosis of diabetes into three categories, two of which they suspect aren’t the real thing. Or at least not worth worrying about. Take, for example, diet-controlled diabetes. They’re not really sure if this is even worth mentioning, but they’ll take a shot anyway. “My sister might have something, I’m not sure, but she doesn’t have to take anything for it, as long as she eats right.” “Okay, so maybe diet-controlled diabetes?,” I ask. “Yeh, I think so,” comes the reply. More on this below.
The second is diabetes controlled by oral medications. They’re not sure if this is the real thing either, but they figure they’ll mention it, just in case. “I think my dad has diabetes,” they might say, “but he just takes a pill for it.” When I reply with “Well, okay, that’s important to know,” they nod, and then look relieved to have done the right thing by bringing it up.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Here’s a vegan version of an artichoke dip you may have made once upon a time. Except instead of mayo and parmesan cheese, this one is filled with cashews, spinach, and olive oil. It tastes delicious — I should know since I ate half the bowl last week!
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Carrot Cashew Pâté
All at once, you get a beautiful color, a creamy texture, and a silky warm flavor to savor. Thank you to care2 make a difference for the original version of this recipe.
An Oxymoron’s Version of Events
Today I’m thinking about “junk food.” So called junk food, that is. In my mind there’s junk and then there’s food; there’s no such thing as junk food. It it’s junk then it can’t be food. If it’s food, it’s not junk. Junk food? Really? Who put this one over on the American family? Junk food? What a joke. There’s some kind of logic to this. It’s fairly obvious: it’s one or the other, and if it’s junk, then it can’t be food.
Here in my virtual reality corner of the internet, I’m working to create a quiet storm around this concept. I post week in and week out about the differences between real food and manufactured calories. My commitment to this blog is so great that I post even when I’m on vacation, which makes it a working vacation. What’s that? Okay, I’ll cut back on those.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Mashed Cauliflower
Looking for a version of mashed potatoes, loosely defined, that 1) tastes delicious and 2) gives you all the smooth, fluffy, mashed white vegetables you want without worrying about your blood sugars or limiting your portion size to two teaspoons? Here’s the answer to your prayers! This is surely what you’ve been waiting for! And, in response to the person whose special request for more cauliflower recipes prompted this post, this one’s for you. Thank you, Whole Foods, for the original version of this recipe.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: A Pair of Fennel Salads
Fennel is a very special bulb of a vegetable, with the faintest sweet taste of…what?…licorice(!)…but very faint, so don’t be put off. To me it’s more like the bergamot in Earl Grey tea than actual licorice. If you’ve never eaten fennel before, these recipes are the perfect introduction. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Carrot Curry Soup
Had a recent request from a commenter for some more carrot recipes. Okay, here you go! Not only is this soup gorgeous, but it is so nutritious it is amazing! People who are worried about their joints or vision will benefit especially. A great carrot soup from AllRecipes.com.
Keeping Your Blood Sugars Normal
Last week my friend Dana mentioned that her blood sugars have been rising, but I could see she didn’t realize the significance of what she was saying. Her doctor said her Hemoglobin A1c (HgA1c) was 6.1 or maybe 6.3, but, as she reported, “he was pretty cavalier about it,” so she took her cue from her doctor and didn’t worry about it. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Mexican Layer Dip (Vegan)
If you love five-layer dip, but you don’t love dairy, then this recipe just might be the answer to all your prayers. It comes from Terry Walters’s Clean Food, and it’s just a taste of the goodies that she has to share with you!