Unrestricted Tastes on Restricted Diets Distinctive Diabetic Recipes

Join me on a journey to get healthy again through food while living with type 2 diabetes. Enjoy foods that you thought were off limits including classic Italian, Chinese, Mexican and Southwestern restaurant style dishes as well as many family favorites. Each diabetic recipe has been created based on the American Diabetes Association's food exchanges or on a low-carb content. You may never have to miss out again with these distinctive diabetic recipes. Chef Barrae

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope the recipes I provided are enjoyed by many and make your Thanksgiving a little nicer. I am thankful for everyone and their support in the launch of this new blog and look forward to creating many more new recipes for a long time and I feel very blessed. I am thankful for my family, my health and my friends.

I wanted to also take this opportunity to let you know that I will be posting some great Thanksgiving leftovers recipes each day starting Friday through Monday. I'm sure you're going to love them. I am also available via email on Thanksgiving Day to help you in the kitchen. I will be checking regularly throughout the day and answer you right away. Please email your questions to me at Chefbarrae@gmail.com.

Once again, have a wonderful holiday. Remember your neighbors that may be alone or be suffering in these difficult times and invite them to join you. I hope you enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Chef Barrae

Eat, live and enjoy life.

No comments:

~ Diabetes Awareness Throwdown Challenge to Chef Bobby Flay ~

I have been challenging Chef Bobby Flay to a Diabetes Awareness Throwdown for his television show. I think that it is of the utmost importance and would be of great interest to the 26.5 million people with diabetes to watch this challenge and see for themselves that almost any recipe can be recreated for a diabetic with my three simple rules. You all should know my mantra by now; "Simple substitutions for low carbohydrate ingredients, using classic cooking technique in new ways and portion control."

I would like to serve up this challenge for Chef Flay to prepare any of his dishes and I will recreate it in a low carb version that can be enjoyed by a diabetic, their family and friends with little to no differences in flavor. The judges will use the same criteria they do with any other dishes and blindly judge the best dish.

I am trying to get the message out that diabetics do not need to feel guilty, feel different and isolated or deny themselves good food. Please help me and post your comments on the Throwdown with Bobby Flay Facebook page urging him to accept this challenge at

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?ghd=21172357007&ref=mf#!/group.php?gid=21172357007&ref=mf

Also, please join my fan page to convince Chef Flay to accept this Throwdown challenge!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1000004313976658&v=wall&story_fbid=142940572390081&ref=notif#!/pages/The-Great-American-Diabetes-Awareness-Throwdown-Chef-Barrae-vs-Bobby-Flay/123731521005488?v=wall&ref=mf

And also contact the Food Network and tell them you want to see a Diabetes Awareness Throwdown with Bobby Flay vs. Chef Barrae at:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/contact-us/package/index.html

Let's let Chef Flay know how important this is and how much you would like to see a Throwdown with Bobby Flay vs. Chef Barrae!!!!

Thank you so much for your support and help!

Eat, live and enjoy life,
Chef Barrae

~ IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM CHEF BARRAE ~

I am pleased to announce that I have had the honor and priviledge of being a guest speaker on a radio/podcast show hosted by Dr. Robert Su, author of "Carbohydrates Can Kill." This podcast will be available for you to listen to on Dr. Su's website http://www.carbohydratescankill.com/ or as an iTune download on Wednesday, June 30th.

In our lengthy interview Dr. Su and I discussed my personal battle against type 2 diabetes over the years and the physical and mental challenges that everyone faces including the associated health issues many face such as high blood pressure and my weight gain and weight loss. This is a very frank, open, honest and in depth discussion and Dr. Su made me feel remarkably comfortable to speak freely. We also discussed my approach and philosophy to diabetes, cooking for family and friends when you are diabetic, some special tips and a very important project I am currently working on. Diabetes is a very personal battle for each of us and I hope that sharing my personal struggles can help at least one other person as we wage war against this disease. None of us are perfect but rather we are all works in progress.

I hoope you will all take the time to listen to my interview with Dr. Robert Su on his website. Please let me know your impressions and if our discussion was helpful for you by emailing me at ChefBarrae@gmail.com. I look forward to reading all of your comments.

Thank you all so much for listening.

Eat, live and enjoy life,
Chef Barrae

~ GULF COAST SEAFOOD WEEK ~

In light of the continuing environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico I am showing my support for our local fishing and seafood industry down here by promoting GULF COAST SEAFOOD WEEK the week of June 14th through 18th. You can find these dishes if you scroll down to "Blog Archive" listed below on the right and check by date. Please show your support by preparing these dishes with our healthy and safe gulf seafood. I will highlight dishes from my home state of Florida as well as Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. I will have the most delicious dishes and grills showcased with other local ingredients for your enjoyment. And if you have a vacation scheduled down in the gulf region please do not cancel it but rather come down to our still magnificent beaches and enjoy our local restaurants and seafood. We are still open for business. Help support us in the wake of this horrible catastrophe.

Thank you for your support.

Eat, live and enjoy life,

Chef Barrae

Latest Reviews...

This is why I do what I do and is what keeps me going, fires me up to research and experiment and test new recipes. I am the one who owes the thanks to you. We do not have to feel different, cheat or deprive ourselves. We should all "Eat, live and enjoy life" and I will always do my best to help us all achieve that.

February 29, 2010

Thank yo so very much! You have made my entire week, can not wait to whip up a batch [Hamantaschen] and at 6 carbs each I can have 2!! Thank you for taking the time to make this up. Words alone can not show how touched that I am! I thank you, very hard to be "different" when I cheat, it is a tough 12 hours till I get it back together, when I deprive myself, no so happy...So I want to once again say thank you and I think that you are remarkable and have a wonderful evening...oh, I forgot to mention, THANK YOU!!!!

.....pinkbenjiblue

November 25, 2009

Chef, I fixed the Cranberry Cheesecakes yesterday and already ate one this morning. Very good for about 5 carbs each! Thank you for the delicious recipe.

.....PG4003

November 28, 2009

I don't post here too often, but read alot! I wanted to tell you that I made several of your recipes for Thanksgiving and each one was a winner with my diabetic brother and me and also with the non-diabetics at our holiday table! I made the Herbed Butternut Squash and Turnip Gratin - never had a turnip before and loved it, the Cranberry Relish, which was a huge hit with all and my son tackled the Chocolate Silken Tofu Pie that went quicker than the regular pie. Thanks for the recipes that allowed me to feel like I was eating like a queen and allowed my blood sugar to be a fantastic 90 two hours after the meal!

.....Puppypants

Do you miss mashed potatoes?

Not really, I could live without spuds. My downfall is pasta and rice but you can't have a shepherd's pie without potatoes now, can you? Many thanks for your great mashed potato recipe Chef Barrae! It was delicious. I never mashed cauliflower before and was surprised its texture looks so much like mashed potatoes. It was fun to experiment like this. I fooled my husband and he is a hard core meat and potato guy.

.....CarrieOakey

December 1, 2009

Chef, I just want to thank you because you helped with my diabetic friendly Thanksgiving meal. I used your gravy recipe first off and I also made your sweet potato whip. Even the kids loved it. I also did the green bean casserole, the melange of fall veggies and the butternut squash and turnips, my personal favorite.

.....jumpnfool

December 16, 2009

Chips...chips! I can have chips again! I don't know which I'm going to do first, cheer or cry happy tears! You are a Goddess Chef!

.....Ramon

December 22, 2009

YUM YUM YUM YUM!!!!!

Oh man! You don't know how badly I was craving these [spritz cookies by special request]....This recipe is, I think, about as close as you could possibly get to the real thing....I can't thank you enough for the recipe. I will savor this recipe for years.

.....SCAPER

December 25, 2009

OMG, I made your mousse bites for Christmas and they are AMAZING!! You are a culinary genious my friend! Thank you for your blog and happy holidays!!

.....LissaMarie

Just a quick note to say that this [Herbed Butternut Squash and Turnip Gratin] is a wonderful dish, and so easy to make. This is going into my favorites section. This is another winner! I loved making this [Chocolate Almond Joy to the World]. The best part is that is has no exotic ingredients, just things that I normally have in the house. They were a huge success. Thank you! Wow! What a treat. Even my non-diabetic friends loved these [Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles]. I used crushed walnuts instead of hazelnuts and it...came out wonderful. Thank you so much for your site!

.....RET

December 28 & 29, 2009

I made this [Hot Artichoke and Crab Dip] on Saturday using real crab....my family LOVED it. Thanks for the recipe - it really is a keeper.

We wanted a lighter dinner tonight - so I did this [Ham Hash and Eggs] using canadian bacon - it was WONDERFUL - sure is a keeper - thanks for this one.

.....Colliemom

Join Chef Barrae on FaceBook and Become Friends!

I am pleased to announce that I now have a Facebook page and would love to invite each and every one of you to come visit me there and be my friend. I've been making photo albums with all kinds of holiday dishes with short comments about them that include the net carbs. You can look through all of the dishes and plan your holiday menu with ease. I'd love for you to become a Facebook friend! To find me just search Chef Barrae and don't forget to bookmark the page. I hope to see you all there. We can chat about cooking, share ideas and tips and much, much more!

You can also email me directly now and ask your cooking questions, comment on recipes, suggest recipe ideas or just chat! Feel free to reach me at ChefBarrae@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you all on Facebook and through emails!

Eat, live and enjoy life!
Chef Barrae

Chef Barrae's Slide Shows on YouTube

A Reminder...

Please remember, as was stated in my initial entry, that this blog, its food plan and recipes are not a substitution for any medications you are currently taking under your doctors supervision. It is recommended to consult with your physician before beginning any meal plan. The purpose of this blog is to provide recipes that are within the dietary recommendations of the American Diabetes Association and advocated by the Mayo Clinic. This blog and the information contained within it is not associated with any medical professional or the American Diabetes Association and is the sole property of the author.

Every diabetic has different needs and reacts differently to foods. Some diabetics prefer an extreme of a very low to almost no carbohydrate comsumption style meal plan. The meal plan in this blog is based on a nutritional balance of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables and fats. Again, it is important to consult with your medical professional or nutritionist before beginning any meal plan to see what is right for you.

"Your diabetes diet is a healthy-eating plan that's naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories. Following your diabetes diet can help you keep your blood sugar level within your target range — and it doesn't need to be a struggle. Start by meeting with a registered dietitian to learn about the diabetes exchange system." ~ The Mayo Clinic

Thank you.

How Does This Work? Information and Tips.

What is a Food Exchange?
One Carbohydrate Exchange equals 15 grams of total carbohydrates
One Vegetable Exchange equals 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw nonstarchy vegetables or not more than 5 grams of total carbohydrates. If your vegetable portion is greater than a total of 10 grams of carbohydrates or more than two servings, it must be counted as a carbohydrate exchange.
One Fat Exchange equals 5 grams of fat and 45 calories
Starchy Vegetables such as corn or peas and beans are combination foods and you must count them as both a vegetable and a carbohydrate for your exchanges
Sample Menu of Daily Meal Totals:
Breakfast - 3 carbohydrate exchanges, 1 protein exchange, 1 fat exchange.
Lunch - 3 carbohydrate exchanges, 2 protein exchanges, 2 vegetable exchanges, 1 fat exchange.
Dinner - 3 carbohydrate exchanges, 3 protein exchanges, 2 vegetable exchanges, 1 fat exchange.
Two Snacks Daily - 1 carbohydrate exchange each. Remember to wait at least two hours after eating your meal to have a snack.
Free Foods up to three times a day but remember, you can only eat one at a time.
~ Don't forget that breads, grains, pasta, rice, beans, fruit and dairy are all included in your carbohydrate exchanges.
~ Make good choices of lean proteins and splurge once in a while so you don't feel like you are missing anything. Things like bacon and hot dogs do have a place.
~ Choose healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil, almonds and walnuts. Avoid transfats by using a pat of unsalted butter in place of margarine.
~ Avoid the Fat Free foods and reach for the low fat instead. Fat free usually means hidden sugar to replace the missing fat.
Tips for Success
You'll probably be less tempted to stray and find it easier to stay on this meal program if you plan your daily menus out ahead of time.
You eat with your eyes first so make your food looks good.
To make life simpler, I purchased a few inexpensive pump spray bottles to make my own olive oil and canola oil spray. Because these spray bottles work by pumped air you don't ingest any chemical additives and are guaranteed the freshest and tastiest results that are much better than commercial vegetable sprays.
Using a slightly smaller plate tricks the mind into thinking you have an abundance of food on your plate.
Talking to people that have the same problems in common with you is very helpful. Please check my links for diabetic forums.

Thank You For Visiting

Thank you for visiting my diabetic gourmet blog. I hope you find recipes, tips and other information that is valuable to you. You can search for older recipes and articles by using the archives on the right or by typing in what you are looking for at the bottom of this page. I have plans to add short videos demonstrating recipes and simple techniques in my ongoing effort to always update the blog this year. I will also be creating new slide shows and videos for YouTube, so make sure to look for them.

Please become a Follower and subscribe to Unrestricted Tastes on Restricted Diets. You can find this by scrolling down and checking the right column. Don't forget to take the latest cuisine poll to let me know what kinds of recipes you'd like in 2010. Your input is valuable and it helps guide me to choose what you would like the most. Please leave a comment and rate my recipes in the spaces provided under each post. Feel free to email me with any questions you may have at ChefBarrae@gmail.com

Eat, live and enjoy life!

Chef Barrae

Unrestricted Tastes on Restricted Diets Distinctive Diabetic Recipes

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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