I and my DH are diabetic. I was just curious what others eat and how you manage your diet.

I count carbs and I am always learning more all the time. I read labels and watch how I put foods together.

I need to lose weight also but in the past my choices for a diet would be a piece of lean meat a veg and a fruit. I want more variety and would love to hear how you manage your diet. What are your favorite dishes etc.

One of my favorites is my Chicken soup. I make my own chicken broth from chicken backs I save and I use a few chicken breasts to add more meat. Then I simmer it with garlic and celery and onions and I add one jar of applesauce for a slightly sweet taste. Then I add the potatoes and carrots and let that cook. I let it cook for several hours all totaled. It reduces the broth and condenses the flavor. Then I add broccoli and peas at the end. I love it! and it is good for you too!
I freeze individual portions for later.

I deal with portion control by having home made frozen dishes or I buy individual portions of fruit. I do indulge in ice cream from time to time. I found individual portions that are only 28 carbs in one container. It is a small portion so I don't over eat.
It isn't cheap but it is worth it to keep me on track portion wise.
If I have these then I dont' go buy a lot of candy bars.

Got any good ideas??

I am not diabetic, but my diet to maintain my weight is the same :wink:
I eat a lot of brown basmatti rice dishes, one of the few starches with a very low carb count. I make my own whole wheat noodles and breads too. Low fat meats, cooked with all kinds of different herbs/seasonings for variety. Chicken/beef broth for gravies instead of drippings (or canned/jarred/packaged) and for soup base instead of using fattier meats for flavoring. Lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.
When buying store bought breads and such, I really look over the labels and buy the ones with the fewest ingredients, the same with canned/frozen foods.
Sorbets are good too, instead of icecream. But I do have to satisfy my chocolate cravings, so I bake using cocoa powder, splenda white and brown sugars, and I use atleast 1/2 whole wheat flour. I also use cocoa powder and splenda for the occasional hot chocolate.

I'm just starting so learning myself

I have gotten into Splenda and I do really like it. I have used Equal over the years but I like Splenda better. I also use the brown sugar Splenda.

I'll have to try the brown basmatti rice. We didn't use to eat rice as my DH was in Viet Nam where they ate rice 3 times a day and he came home with a healthy dislike of rice!! But he has been eating the Steamers I buy and one of them is a rice and broccoli with a cheese sauce so he is liking rice better now.

My daughter does a cashew chicken over rice I really like. I haven't made that in a long time.

For a fast fix on the chocolate craving spoon a little sugar free Cool-whip into a cup. Sprinkle with sugar free hot chocolate mix to taste. Stir like crazy. You can eat it right away for a more "soft serve" effect or freeze it for a bit for a harder treat.

Brown basmatti takes longer to cook, so you can soak it in the fridge overnight to speed up the process. When cooking it releases a dark colored starch, I just skim it off. I found it is easier to use extra water and just drain it when it is cooked tender. It refrigerates well, it doesn't get sticky like white rice. It makes it easy to cook it and save half for another meal a few days later. To me it has a nuttier flavor than plain brown rice.

I am a person with diabetes as well. I do alot of stir-frying. You can do it in a big fry pan if you don't have a wok. I use boneless breast of chicken, or lean beef. I use whatever vegetables I have on hand. Just cut everything up in roughly the same size pieces before you start to cook. I use chopped garlic for seasoning in the beginning when I add the oil to the pan and soy sauce at the end. I cook the veggies first, till tender crisp. I take them out of the pan and put them on a plate. Then I cook the meat. When the meat is almost done, I had the veggies back in and soy sauce. It tastes delicious and is quick and easy. Serve over brown rice or whole wheat pasta if you prefer. There are lots of diabetes recipies on line. A good place to start is the American Diabetes Association. Good luck!

I like Agave Nectar. Agave Nectar will not raise the glycemic level in your body like sugar products. But it is refined frutose which is digested in the liver not the intestines. Can't have the good without the bad. It looks like honey but has a very mild taste. It's very sweet. It's great on pancakes, oatmeal, plain yogurt, etc. I think it's a better choice for me to use then using syrup or honey for weight loss. I find it at Walmart sometimes.

DH is diabetic and we try to et a lot healthier. I use olive oil when I need oil to cook and use very little. We eat a lot of chicken breast. We also grill a lot in teh summer. I think the best thing I ever got for the grill is a grill basket. It looks a bit like a square wok with holes. I make lots and lots of veggies in that all summer long. I usually drizzle with a little olive oil and then season to taste. Asparagus with lemon pepper, zucchini and summer squash and onions with basil and garlic, home fries, carrots, cualiflower with redpepper flakes and garlic. We also eat a lot of salads, especially in the summer. Marinades are usually a great way to add a lot of flavor without a ton of calories.

Walmart carries a sugar substitute called Altern, i like that as well as splenda and it is a fat quarter cheaper