Just a few weeks ago, I mentioned how Diet V8 Splash® agreed to donate $10 for every person who joined the StopDiabetes movement, up to $50,000. That’s $50,000 for research, education and advocacy efforts.
In just 5 days, the goal was reached. Thanks to any of you who responded!
And thanks to Diet V8 Splash, who gave the whole $50,000 donation to the movement. Yay!
It is Memorial Day, and it is time to think of all those who have died in our nation’s service. Around here, people tend to go to parades, and then head to a barbecue. I am planning on doing the same.
As I was trying to figure out what to bring to the after-parade barbecue, I started to think about all the typical food items that we normally have there. The various meats tend to be fine, but then BBQ sauce gets added – quite a few that are FILLED with sugar. Then there are all the pasta salads, the potato salads, the corn on the cobs, the cakes and other desserts. Yeesh, it is carb city. I do realize that I can eat carbs, but I try to keep myself down to a certain amount per meal. It helps my control if I do that. So, what can I do ?
Chef Hymie Grande created three BBQ sauces with no high fructose corn syrup or processed sugars (also vegan friendly and all natural). Also, part of the profits go to the American Diabetes Association. There is another sauce, this one by Jersey Mary. It has brown sugar, but the carbs are only 4 per 2 tablespoons serving and is low in sodium. They give part of their profits to the Juvenile Diabetes Association.
So, that is one way to reduce sugar intake. But what about veggies? Did you know that you can cover lots of different veggies with foil and cook them on the grill? Bell peppers, onion, snap peas and mushrooms taste great cooked this way. Just put the veggies in a sheet of foil. I tend to drizzle them with olive oil. Then, fold the foil in half to cover the contents; make narrow folds along edges to seal. (It looks like a little pocket, but completely sealed.) Then, put it on the grill from 10-30 minutes. (It depends on the size and type of the veggies.)
Did you go to a BBQ? What did you eat?
Here are some links for more information.
Reader’s Digest – 6 tips for healthier grilling
I found this video talking about some barbecue tips for those with diabetes.
Diet V8 Splash® will donate $10 for every person who joins the Stop Diabetes movement, up to $50,000.
This money will go to support crucial diabetes research. It will fund educational outreach to both young and old. And it will continue the fight so nobody’s rights are denied because they have diabetes.
I signed up, why don’t you?
Go here to help: http://stopdiabetes.diabetes.org/
Fruit and Vegetables in crates and boxes. (from freeclipartnow.com)
One way I tried to improve my diet/lifestyle (that actually worked) was to join a CSA.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. A person gives a a farm a certain amount of money which allows them to buy a share of the farm. Everyone who has a share gets a certain amount of vegetables during the growing season. Usually buying a share also means pledging to do a certain amount of farm work.
My share last year helped in a couple of ways. The variety of vegetables added more lower carb options to my diet. I got some vegetables I would never have thought to buy when I was at the store. Since I already had them, I looked into interesting recipes. But, the CSA even had more. My CSA (like a lot of others) had a weekly newsletter that had interesting recipes. And, I had to work at the farm for a certain number of hours. So, a certain amount of outside exercise was something that I had to do.
If you are interested in signing up for a CSA near you, start looking into it very soon. My CSA sent me an email about sign-ups already. Quite a few CSAs sell all their shares by early February.
Looking for more information?
Here is a list of some Massachusetts CSAs: http://www.foodonthefood.com/food_on_the_food/2009/01/putting-the-loca-in-locavore.html
Here is a list of local farms and CSAs near Marlborough MA: http://marlboroughlocalfood.wetpaint.com/page/Small+Farm
Massachusetts list of CSAs: http://www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/csa.htm
Looking for a CSA in another state in the USA: http://www.localharvest.org/
