Pork Roast with Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (trace Carbohydrates per serving)

Rub Ingredients:

·        2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

·        2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

·        2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

·        2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

·        2 tablespoons minced garlic

·        1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

·        2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

·        1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Pork Roast Ingredients:

·        approximately an 8 pound bone-in Boston butt

Preparation:

1. Process all rub ingredients in a food processor until the mixture forms a paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
2. Rub entire recipe on pork roast.  Refrigerate roast uncovered up to two days to allow the rub/paste to form a crust.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place roast on rack in large roasting pan.  Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into thickest part of roast.  Do not let thermometer come in contact with the bone or the bottom of the roasting pan.
4. Roast meat uncovered until the thermometer registers 155 degrees Fahrenheit, which will be approximately 4 to 6 hours according to the actual size of your roast.  (A general estimate is 45 minutes per pound.)  
5. Remove roast from oven, cover (with lid or loosely tented tin foil) and allow to sit for 30 minutes before slicing.

Numbers you need to know:

This recipe yields approximately 28 four-ounce servings.  (Subtracting

the one-pound bone weight leaves us with 7 pounds or 28 servings.) 

Each serving has the following:  207 Calories; 11g Fat (4g Saturated);

25g Protein; trace Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 88mg

Cholesterol;158mg Sodium (91mg, if sea salt is omitted).

Nita's notes:

Yes, this takes a bit of time to cook; but, it's an easy prep and yields

lots of meals.  It only takes about 10 minutes to make the rub/paste;

then the rest is refrigerating and roasting time. 

Suggestion:  let the roast become crusty in the fridge over a Thursday

and/or Friday night and then roast it on Saturday while you're doing

whatever you do at home.  The meat thermometer will let you know

when it's done. 

I love my digital meat thermometer.  It has a remote control with read-

out that sits on the counter.  The thermometer is attached by a wire to

the remote and you can set the target temperature (155 degrees

Fahrenheit in this case) before you put the toast in the oven.  The

remote control beeps when it reaches the preset temp.

This gives you GREAT sandwich options.  I like to place a four-ounce

slice on one half of a six-inch tortilla that's been spread with brown

mustard.  Then fold over the tortilla to cover the roasted meat.  Preheat

oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Toast the sandwich six minutes on

each side.  Yummy-yummy-yummy!

Hope you enjoy this easy many-meal recipe!  And, as always, make

healthy choices for a happier life.

Nita

Anita Peacock

Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic

Owner/Manager/Bag Designer at MyDiabeticBag.com

peacockproducts@bellsouth.net

229-928-2055





  

Stuffed Chicken Breasts (3g Carb per serving)

I know you will love this recipe.  It looks and sounds harder than it is and the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ you receive will be music to your ears.   It’s a level of yumminess that’s hard to beat and lends a special occasion elegance to any dinner.  The tantalizing smell of lemon, basil and thyme through your house is so delectable your nose will be twitching in anticipation.

Chicken and Stuffin’ Ingredients:

• 5 (8-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons cold  Brummel & Brown® Vegetable Oil and Yogurt Spread (or your favorite butter substitute)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped ( or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Brummel & Brown® Vegetable Oil and Yogurt Spread (or your favorite butter substitute)

Basting Liquid Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Preparation:

1) Partially defrost chicken breasts—this will make it easier to halve them smoothly.  Lay each breast flat on cutting board.  Cut each in half so that the two pieces are approximately equal in size (making a 4-ounce serving size).  Allow the chicken to finish thawing. 
2) While chicken finishes thawing, chop veggies in a food processor.  Spray a small skillet with olive oil spray.  Heat over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped veggies and sauté until onions are nicely browned and mushrooms are limp, approximately 5-7 minutes.  Set aside.
3) Place each breast fillet half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.  Pound thin with the flat side of meat mallet or with a rolling pin.  Take care not to tear chicken.  Set aside.
4) Gently combine the following ‘stuffin’ ingredients in a small-to-medium sized bowl with a fork:  cheeses, 2 tablespoons (cold) Brummel & Brown®, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, sautéed vegetables, thyme, basil, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper.
5) Spread each flattened breast half with 2 tablespoons of cheese-veggie-herb mixture.  Fold chicken breast over (like a taco) so that the cheese-veggie-herb mixture is in the center.
6) Place 2 teaspoons Brummel & Brown® and 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet (or on a stovetop grillpan) sprayed well with olive oil spray.  Heat skillet/grillpan to medium or medium-high and allow Brummel & Brown® to melt.  Swirl or brush the Brummel & Brown®-oil mixture to coat cooking surface evenly.  Allow coated skillet/grillpan to heat a couple of minutes before proceeding.
7) Add folded chicken breasts to skillet/grillpan and cook 5-6 minutes, until nicely browned.  Combine basting liquid.  While breasts are cooking, brush topside of chicken with basting liquid.  When grilling side is nicely browned, flip breasts over and continue to cook 5-6 minutes more.  (Again, while chicken cooks, brush topside with basting liquid.)  When grilling side is nicely browned, remove to serving platter.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
8) Excellent with quinoa salad and lemon-poached green beans.

Numbers you need to know:

This recipe yields 10 servings, 1 stuffed fillet per serving (don’t worry, these make great reheaters for a worknight supper).  Each serving has:  182 Calories; 6g Fat, 29g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 172mg Sodium.

Nita’s notes:

If you can find 4-ounce breast fillets, good for you!  You won’t have to go through preparation step 1.  But, around here, all we can seem to get are the Dolly Parton-sized huge-mongous 8-ounce breast fillets.  (How do those chickens walk?!  They must fall over a lot….)  Thus the reason for cutting them in half.  4 ounces of most meat is the standard serving size.  Just remember the serving size should approximate the size of a deck of cards in length, width and height.  (Tiny data tidbit about diabetic eating.  File it away for future reference.)

Please, please, PLEASE do try this recipe!  It is ‘oh, good golly Miss Molly’, ‘slap your mama’ fantastic.  It’s a hit with my y’unguns (nieces and nephews) and adults, alike.  It’s fast becoming one of my most-requested recipes.  I love to make it when I want something fairly easy that’s sure to impress.

To reheat leftovers, do one or two pieces at a time for the best and juiciest results.  Place chicken in a small bowl, cover dish with a damp paper towel.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  T’ain’t nothin’ better t’eat in my book.  Hubby and I had these chicken leftovers (with barley and broccoli) for dinner last night.  Where were y’all?!  We missed having you here.

Great flavors and good vibes from my home to yours.  Remember, make healthier, tastier choices for a happier life!


Nita

Anita Whittle Peacock
Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic
http://mydiabeticbag.com/
Owner/Manager/Designer
peacockproducts@bellsouth.net
MyDiabeticBag@gmail.com

Brought to you by MyDiabeticBag.com

Cilantro-Lemon-Lime Roasted Chicken (EASY Entree,2g carbs per serving)

Active Prep Time:  10 minutes (Do this the night before you plan to roast the chicken to allow ample marinating time for the best flavor.)
Marinating Time:  4 to 48 hours
Roasting Time:  50 minutes
Broiling Time:  5-to-10 minutes, until nicely browned

Ingredients:

• 10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (This is approximately 3 pounds.  (You can substitute 3 pounds of other bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, if you prefer.  Just use all the same cut so all pieces get 'done' at the same time.) 
• Olive Oil Spray (You won't need this until roasting time.)

Marinade*:

• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons lemon-pepper, or to taste--I like mine very lemon-peppery (BE SURE to use a no salt brand like Mrs. Dash®.)
• 2 Teaspoons minced fresh garlic (2 cloves)
• 1/2 Cup white wine
• 1/4 Cup lemon juice
• 1/4 Cup lime juice
• 1/4 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 Cup fresh tarragon, chopped

Preparation:

1. Place thawed chicken in a large resealable plastic storage bag or in a plastic storage container that has a tight-fitting lid.  Set aside.
2. Combine marinade ingredients well.    (*Can prepare marinade in a food processor/blender to save time and work.)  Pour marinade over chicken, cover  TIGHTLY and shake container/bag to thoroughly coat chicken. 
3. Refrigerate 4-to-48 hours before cooking.  (The longer you let it marinate, the tastier the chicken will be.)  Shake container/bag several times during the marinating time for better final consistent flavor. 
4.  When your marinating time is complete and you are ready to rock 'n roast, remove chicken from refrigerator.  Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
5. Place your oven rack in the middle position of your oven.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Coat two 9" x 13" baking dishes with olive oil spray.  Place five chicken thighs SKIN-SIDE DOWN in each baking dish.  Pour marinade from container/bag into a glass bowl (preferrably with a lip) and whisk to evenly redistribute the seasonings.  Once you have it well-mixed, pour marinade evenly over chicken.  Cover baking dishes with aluminum foil.  (If you can't tolerate aluminum foil, use baking dishes with tight-fitting ovenproof lids.)
6. Roast chicken 10 minutes.  Remove foil/lids and turn chicken over so that the skin-side is up, brush with pan juices, replace foil/lids and continue baking  10 minutes longer at 450 degrees.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Remove foil/lids and brush chicken with pan juices.  Continue baking UNCOVERED at 350 degrees for 30 minutes longer, basting with pan juices every ten minutes. 
8. Turn broiler on high, baste chicken once more and broil 5-10 minutes, until chicken is nicely browned.  Remove from oven and allow it to rest at least 10-15 minutes before serving.

Numbers you need to know:
Cilantro-Lemon-Lime Roasted Chicken yields 10 servings, 1 thigh per
serving.  Each serving has, as follows:  216 Calories; 15g Fat (4g
Saturated, 6g Monounsaturated, 3g Polyunsaturated); 16g Protein; 2g
Carbohydratetrace Dietary Fiber; 79mg cholesterol; 102mg Sodium. 

Nita's notes:
I get SO MANY compliments on my nice, juicy thighs.... my succulent
roasted chicken thighs, that is.
                                  .
The thigh is my favorite-est piece of chicken.  It's higher fat content (as
compared to the breast) helps it stay moist and delicious while it's
roasting.  You can substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts to save
11 Calories and 5g Fat per serving; but, your chicken won't turn out as lip-smackingly juicy.

No matter what chicken "pieces" I'm roasting, I use specific
time-and-temperature guidelines.  No, I didn't come up with these
on my own.  I discovered this roasting method in the cookbook, Living Lean and Loving It.   (See credits.)

I find that following that roasting method guarantees  perfectly roasted
chicken every time.  And, yes, that same cookbook still claims a
favorite spot on my dining room cookbook hutch.  I would never part
with it.  I couldn't.  Lots of culinary inspiration in that late-80s book.

What I'm trying to say is that this method should suit any of your
baked/roasted bone-in chicken recipes.  Try the time-and-temp
specifications with your favorite recipe.  You'll get a much moister,
more flavorful result.

This dish is lovely paired with pearl barley (if you do grains) and a
raw-veggie salad/pico de gallo or sauteed onions and broccoli.  (These
sides are not included in the recipe nutrition breakdown.)
  
Hope you enjoy this as much as my church-folk  (Gwynne, sorry it's
taken me this long to get it posted), my family and I do.  There are
never leftovers!  And that makes me smile.  Try this recipe and there'll be
smiles aplenty.
 
Now, get in that kitchen and whoop up something yummy.  And, as
always, make healthier choices for a happier life!

Anita Peacock
Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic
Email:  MyDiabeticBag@gmail.com
eCommerce site:  http://mydiabeticbag.com/



MyDiabeticBag.com

















Credits:
The timed-temp roasting method I used in this recipe came from "Eight
Ways with Barbequed or Broiled Chicken" published in Living Lean and
Loving It cookbook by Eve Lowry & Carla Mulligan Ennis;  Publisher: St. Louis :  Mosby/Forman, 1988.  ISBN: 0801632153   DDC: 641.5638.

You can get new and used copies through Amazon.  Some are as low as a penny plus $3.99 shipping--that's quite a bargain for such a great cookbook!  (I've ordered several 'used-like new'  cookbooks through Amazon and that's a GREAT way to expand you culinary resources.)  Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0801632153/sr=8--
1/qid=1327206724/ref=olp_tab_used?
ie=UTF8&coliid=&me=&qid=1327206724&sr=8-
1&seller=&colid=&condition=used

Mrs. Dash (http://www.mrsdash.com/) is a registered trademark by
ALBERTO-CULVER INTERNATIONAL, INC. in Melrose Park, IL,
60160-1163.

'It's the Great Pumpkin'-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie (6g carbs per serving)

'Tis the season of the pumpkin! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha……ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!' (That last bit was maniacal laughter, in case you couldn’t tell.)

It’s that wicked time of year again. Sharpen your scythe.  Pluck an unsuspecting pumpkin from its safe haven.  Carve it.  Prepare its sweet and vulnerable flesh for the devouring.

The bad “spray-on tan” shade of the pumpkin’s outside lets you know right off the bat that something’s amiss—some toxic evil’s a-brewin’ inside.  So what gives the pumpkin its supernatural, ungodly hue?  Get ready for it…drum roll, please…brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… beta-carotene.

Stop right there.  I don’t like the sound of this beta-carotene, at all.  It’s kind of freaking me out. "Ooooh, I am the super-villain Beta-Carotene, come to wreak unholy, unspecified havoc!   Cower before my awesome… uh…awesomeness! GRRR!"
　
Gulp. Uh, OK, I spooked myself. Time to change subjects or seasons…or, possibly, undergarments…. (Too far?)  All I’m saying is that you can just tell by looking at ’em that pumpkins are evil, right?  Up to no good. Bad to the bone. (If they had bones—I’m telling you, they’d be bad.)  Let’s just leave it at that.

No can do.  Sorry to trick you, boys and ghouls; but, we need to stay on this shaky ground a while longer.  Dig a little deeper.  Unearth more dirt on beta-carotene.  Where’s it come from?  Is it good or bad?  What’s it do?  Why is it that ungodly color?  

Sit up straight, uncover those eyes and unclench those fists!  We’re about to sink our teeth into some tips I gleaned in my search for the truth.

Beta-carotene is definitely a good guy when you get it organically through your diet, not through supplements.  It’s one of the most abundant “pro-Vitamin A” phytonutrients found in nature.  (Phyto means “plant”.)  Certain fruits and veggies are full of it—beta-carotene, that is.

Beta-carotene converts to retinol (Vitamin A) in our bodies with a little help.  It is a fat-soluble compound, which means you must eat foods rich in beta-carotene with a dietary fat for it to be absorbed and converted by the body.  (The good fat in the recipe below is just fine and dandy as an absorption-conversion catalyst!)

So, what’s the hubbub about Vitamin A?  Why do we need this unholy conversion?  Simply put, we need Vitamin A (and thus foods rich in beta-carotene) for normal growth and development, a properly-functioning immune system and good vision.  Ironic, huh?  The pumpkin is a time-honored symbol for Halloween—the season to flaunt all things abnormal—when, in fact pumpkins (and all beta-carotene-rich foods) help us be anything but.

And, believe it or not, that supernatural Day-Glo orange exterior is really one of the super natural colors in Mother Nature’s palette.  Beta-carotene produces (often vibrant) shades in the yellow-orange-red range and, when combined with other of nature’s pigments, deep green, pink, and white.

But, let’s concentrate on fall harvest colors:  Those silky ambers and deep, delicious gingers and greens that we see so abundantly this time of year.  Most of these are thanks to beta-carotene—sweet potatoes, carrots and winter squash (including the pumpkin).  Dark leafy greens like collards, kale, turnips, spinach, cilantro and fresh thyme—you guessed it, rich in beta-carotene.  Oh, and broccoli—never forget broccoli!

So get freaky and have yourself a happy beta-carotene-y Halloween-y! Treat your tricksters (with parental permission) to the delicious pumpkin cookies below.

Be they ghosts, goblins—whatever the evil incarnation that comes a-knockin’ at your castle door—these diabetic-friendly devilish delights are guaranteed to put a smile on those impish faces.  (And for you adults, a couple of these are GREAT with a cup of hot tea!   Just 'cuz you're too old for the trickin', doesn't mean you're too old for the treatin'!)

The Great Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Start to Finish:  1 hour

Ingredients:

-Butter-flavored nonstick fat-free cooking spray
-3/4 Cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
-1 1/2 Cups almond flour—I like Bob’s Red Mill®
-1/2 Cup flaxseed meal—I like Bob’s Red Mill®
-1 1/3 Cups old-fashioned rolled oats
-1 Teaspoon baking soda
-1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 Teaspoon ground cloves
-1/2 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1/2 Teaspoon sea salt or regular salt
-1 Cup Brummel & Brown Spread® w. yogurt (or your favorite butter substitute), softened
-1/2 Cup SPLENDA® Granulated No Calorie Sweetener
-2 Tablespoons SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend (optional)
-1 Cup Libby’s® 100% Pure Pumpkin (or your favorite, BUT, NOT PIE FILLING!)
-1 Large egg
-1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
-3/4 Cup raisins

Preparation:

 1)  Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray three large baking sheets (preferably with sides) with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.
2)  Toast chopped walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Set aside.
3)  Combine flour, flaxseed meal, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.
4)  Beat Brummel & Brown®, SPLENDA® Granulated No Calorie Sweetener and SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend (if using) in a large bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in toasted walnuts and raisins.
5)  Coat a tablespoon with the nonstick cooking spray. Drop cookie mixture by rounded tablespoons (try to get them equally sized and well-spaced) onto prepared baking sheets. 
6)  Bake 14-16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 3-4 minutes.  Remove cookies carefully (they will be a bit crumbly) to wire racks to finish cooling completely, about 15 minutes.

Numbers you need to know:

A little preliminary frightfest:  The regular "non-carb-reduced-AT-ALL" original Libby's® "Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies" recipe yields 48 cookies/servings, 120 calories each with a humdinger of 17g carbs per cookie.  That's enough to scare you to death.  Or carb you to death, as the case may be!  (And, these are not huge cookies!)

A little-less scary (but, still hair-raising) option:  "Harvest Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies" recipe from SPLENDA® Simple & Sensational cookbook reduced the calories a little and the carbs a nice chunk:  48 cookies/servings with 110 Calories and 12g Carbohydrates per cookie/serving.  Still, YIKES!

Now, I don't know about you; but, I thought we could do much better carb-wise than this; so, I went to work in my very own teen-tiny, not-so-secret laboratory.  (That's my kitchen, in case you didn't know.)  

And, here's the best option of all, my very own "The Great Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie" recipe. 

My muchly-modified recipe yields 45 cookies/servings, with 79 Calories (76, if you omit SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend) and 6g Carbohydrate (5, if you omit SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend) per cookie/serving.  That's a whole lot less scary.  And when it comes to carbs, the less scary and less lethal, the better.  

Again, these are not huge cookies!  But, my recipe cookie-size is exactly the same as the original Libby's® and SPLENDA® cookbook recipe cookie-sizes.  

Nita's notes:

Here's what and how I substituted to make the carb-load a good bit lighter.  My recipe in this post has only 1/3 of original Libby's® carbs and 1/2 of SPLENDA® cookbook recipe carbs for the same sized cookie.   I wanted much lower carbs without sacrificing the rich taste and texture of these yummy cookies.  I think you'll be very satisfied with my non-evil experiment results!

I used a mixture of almond flour and flaxseed meal (both MUCH lower in carbs) to replace the regular flour.  Now, of course, almond flour won't work for every recipe; but, it's perfect for cookies. 

Almond flour is simply blanched, ground almonds and has very little carbs, 6 grams per 1/4 cup.  Flaxseed meal is also a great lower-carb flour substitute--it has only 8g carbs per 1/4 cup.  In comparison, regular flour (white, all-purpose, whole wheat) has a whopping 23 grams of carbs per 1/4 cup.  That adds up in a hurry!  

So, how do you substitute almond flour and flaxseed meal for regular flour?  A general rule of thumb:  Replace 1/4 of the total amount of flour called for in a recipe with flaxseed meal and replace the remaining 3/4 amount with almond flour.  (This original recipe called for 2 cups all-purpose flour.  So, by using our formula:  1/4 of 2 cups = 1/2 cup flaxseed meal;  3/4 of 2 cups = 1 and 1/2 cups almond flour.)

Refined sugar and artificial sweetener adjustments:  Rather than using 1/2 cup each of SPLENDA® Sugar Blend and SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend  (I'm not even gonna discuss the undiluted sugar and brown sugar of Libby's® original recipe, egads), I substituted a total of 1/2 cup SPLENDA® Granulated plus 2 tablespoons SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend.   Same great taste.  MUCH fewer carbs.  No-brainer substitution.  (I've not yet tried a batch omitting that final 2 tablespoons of SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend; but, I'll let you know as soon as I do!)

(Special note:  check out the links to Libby's® original recipe and SPLENDA® cookbook recipe to get the SCARY nutrition breakdown for those.  Those facts'll send you screaming in fear for your life!)

Hope you enjoy my burnt offeringsas much as we do.  (No, really, I didn't burn them!)   They are scrumptious.

And, as always, make healthier choices for a happier life.
Happy haunting!  Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Anita Peacock
Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic

MyDiabeticBag@gmail.com
Visit us online now at www.MyDiabeticBag.com
Please, request to join our Facebook diatetes support group:  MyDiabeticLife

Info Credits and Links:

“CDC – National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition - Fat-Soluble Vitamins & Micronutrients: Vitamins A and E and Carotenoids”, http://www.cdc.gov/nutritionreport/part_2a.html

“Human Nutrition: PL FAQs”: http://ars.usda.gov/Aboutus/docs.htm?docid=4142

“Influence of Dietary Fat on Beta-Carotene Absorption and Bioconversion into Vitamin A”, Ribaya-Mercado, Judy - TUFTS-HNRCA,
https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=161734

MasterCook Deluxe, version 11.0, ValuSoft, a division of THQ, Inc. http://www.valusoft.com/

"Splenda's Real Nutritional Information:  An Update to the Sweetener Post", http://www.lowcarbfreedom.com/2005/06/an_update_to_th.html


Recipe Credits:

Bob's Red Mill® registered products and flour conversion use:
http://www.bobsredmill.com/; Bob's Red Mill, 13521 SE Pheasant Court, Milwaukie, Oregon 97222. All Rights Reserved. Permission to use granted to Peacock Products. (Thanks, Andre!)

Brummel & Brown is a registered trademark of the Unilever Group of Companies, dually headquartered in London, The United Kingdom (Unilever PLC) and Rotterdam, The Netherlands (Unilever N.V.).

The Great Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie recipe adapted from “Harvest Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies” in SPLENDA® Simple & Sensational Recipes. (Copyright©2008. Published by Publications International, Ltd., Lincolnwood, IL 60712. All rights reserved. Permission to use granted to Peacock Products.  (SPLENDA® adapted their recipe from the original Libby's® Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin cookies recipe as shown here:  http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/134563/Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Raisin-Cookies/detail.aspx)
Libby’s® is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé
S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.  http://www.nestle.com/

SPLENDA® is a registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.; 601 Office Center Drive, Fort Washington, PA  19034.  http://splenda.com/

Special Credits:

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, TV animated short film
based on Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” cartoon strip.  Director: Bill Melendez. Release date: 27 October 1966 (USA).  Produced by: Lee Mendelson, Bill Melendez. For more information, go to the following website: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060550/

Special BIG thanks to Ted Lowell for helping me get my blog templates tweaked!  You're a sweet boy, Tedward!  Much love from Deeda.

Barbecued Boneless Pork Chops (7g carb)

Celebrate Labor Day by indulging in some guilt-free and lip-smackin' good barbecued pork chops!  The double-duty marinade and serving sauce is easy to whip up and tastes better than any bottled sauce you'll find.  It's sure to be one you'll conjure up often for whatever you're throwing on the barbeque! 

Marinade/Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:

■     1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted, no salt added, diced tomatoes

■     1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

■     1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

■     2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (or lemon juice)

■     6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

■     2 tablespoons minced garlic

■     2 tablespoons minced onion

■     2 tablespoons dry sherry

■     2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

■     1/4 cup fresh chopped tarragon (or 4 teaspoons dried)

■     1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste

■     1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

■     1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly-ground is best)

■     dash red pepper sauce, or to taste

Pork Chops:

■     8 boneless top loin pork chops, 4 ounces each

■     olive oil spray

■     freshly-ground black pepper

Preparation:

1)   Pour fire-roasted tomatoes into a medium non-metal bowl.  Mash the tomatoes well with a potato masher or fork.  Add remaining marinade/sauce ingredients and stir very well to blend.

2)   Place thawed chops in a large glass or stoneware baking dish.  Pour marinade over chops and turn chops to coat all sides well.  Cover baking dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before continuing with the recipe.

3)   Spray grill or grillpan with olive oil and preheat on low heat for 2-3 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and allow to heat an additional 2-3 minutes until nice and hot.  Remove the chops from marinade (reserve marinade for step 4) and shake excess marinade from chops before placing each on your grill (or grillpan).  Grill 4 minutes per side, sprinkling each "up" side with freshly-ground pepper.  (Also, it wouldn't hurt to spray the "up" sides with olive oil before flipping the chops over to grill the other side.)

4)   Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade into a medium saucepan and bring to boil on stove burner.  Reduce heat immediately and simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until sauce is thickened slightly.  This is a lovely accompanying barbecue sauce to serve alongside the chops.  (Reduced sauce will yield approximately 3 cups, which is about 3 tablespoons per serving.)

Numbers you need to know:

Recipe yields 8 chops and approximately 3 cups of sauce (after reduction):

1 chop and 3 tablespoons reduced sauce per serving.

Per serving info:  179 Calories; 5g Fat (2g Saturated, 2g Monounsaturated, 1g Polyunsaturated); 21g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 51mg Cholesterol; 372mg Sodium (237mg, if additional lemon juice is substituted for soy sauce).

Nita's notes:

■     Great recipe for any grilling holiday menu!  (Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day.)  But, also great any time your mouth starts watering for good ol' barbecue.  Could be done on an outside grill over medium-high heat, be it gas or coals.  I just like to do it indoors with a grillpan.  Any time can be grilling time.  So yummy and really so simple.

■     Don't ever grab ready-made barbecue sauce!!  No one needs that high-sugar, high-sodium sauce in a jar, not when you can whip up this easy and delicious version.  Store any leftover reduced sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.  Great on sandwiches using leftover chops!  Great marinade and sauce for other grilling/roasting protein like chicken or beef.

Hope you have yourself a wonderful Labor Day! 

And, as always, make healthier choices for a happier life.

From my home to yours—Nita

Anita Whittle Peacock

Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic
peacockproducts@bellsouth.net
MyDiabeticBag.com

Basil Walnut Parmesan Pesto (1g carbs per serving!)

Ingredients:

·       1/4 cup toasted and coarsely chopped walnuts (measured AFTER toasting and chopping)

·       2 cups tightly-packed fresh basil leaves 

·       1 tablespoons minced garlic         

·       3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·       2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

·       1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

·       1/4 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

·       1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed 

·       1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

 

Preparation:

1.  Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often,  until they become fragrant (about 3 minutes).  Remove from burner and set aside to cool.

2.  Place basil leaves in a food processor.  Process until the leaves are well-chopped.

3.  Add remaining ingredients (including the toasted walnuts) to the processor and pulse several times until the pesto is blended well, but still crumbly. Store tightly-covered in fridge until ready to use.  Cover and refrigerate leftovers. 

Yields 1 cup = 8 servings, 2 tablespoons per serving.

Per serving info:  84 Calories; 8g Fat (1g Saturated, 4g Monounsaturated, 3g Polyunsaturated); 2g protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 106mg Sodium (47mg Sodium if sea salt is omitted).

Nita’s Notes:  I’ve been in a real “sauce-y” mood lately, using fresh veggies and herbs that are abundant right now in South Georgia.  I hope y’all won’t mind another.  This is delicious as a dip for fresh carrots, zucchini, yellow summer squash, any color bell pepper you like.  Or, yet again, this pesto is a great topper for a variety of grilled, roasted, broiled veggies, chicken or fish. 

We spread it on pan-blackened thick salmon steak fillets Tuesday night.  Good Golly, Miss Molly—that was TASTY!  I can’t wait to try it on eggplant and tomatoes—grilled or broiled, separately or together.  I know that’s gonna taste GOOD!!

 

From my home to yours—Nita

Make healthier choices for a happier life!

Anita Peacock

Lifelong Type 1 Diabetic

eCommerce site:  MyDiabeticBag.com  (Check out my bags!)

eMail:  peacockproducts@bellsouth.net



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