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Friday, January 29, 2010

It's Friday and things are looking up!!! After my doctor's visit yesterday, I came home and put my jammies on, hit the hay, slept off and on til 10 PM!! I must have needed it!! I went out in the frigid cold to get hubby last night and crawled right back to bed to sleep until 10 AM. My BS was 199 and I took 9 units of insulin to cover breakfast and the overage. Breakfast was 2 pieces of double fiber ww bread, about 3 egg whites, and a piece of cheese. I also had 6 oz of orange juice to boost my Vitamin C. Dr. Oz says to try and eat the same things every day. I try to take what khe says to heart! And as a diabetic I quit doing the "magic drink" because I didn't think that all that fruit so earily in the day was doing my sugar any good. I never did come down with the flu but did confirm the UT infection. Feeling much much better today! Yay.

My grocery shopping go a big boost because I found a new website! It matches your areas' grocery store ads with coupons from your weekly papers and the internet. So far it looks like a great program and you get 4 weeks free preview! Then it's only $10 every other month for the first store and $5 for every store after that. So for 2 stores it costs $15 every other month and they do all the work to get you the rock bottom prices by matching sales to coupons!

Here the link if you want to check it out:

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/


Tomorrow I will be posting some of my handmade greeting cards and they can be easily copied or stir up your creativity!

Everyone remember to ENJOY every second of your day!!!




Thursday, January 28, 2010

Well hello everyone!!! I woke up with what I think is going to be the flu! Isn't that such a nice present on top of a uninary tract infection??? When I get sick I guess I really get sick!!! That being said, I woke with a 234 BS (not bull sh*t) ha ha and I thought I took enought insulin to cover the 2 servings of tortilla chips I had with cheese, my peach salsa, and jalapeƱo peppers. Yum! 2 servings, 11 chips with each serving which equals 19 carbs each which equals 38 which at a 1 to 10 ratio of insulin which, bottom line means a shot with 4 units (cc) amd with a 108 reading before eating meant no extra coverage which in turn means I SHOULD HAVE WOKE UP WITH A GOOD NUMBER!!! but didn't so I guess I'll blame this one on an infection!!!
Just a little frustration going on here but I am defintely not giving up!!! So stay tuned! LOL

My son had a stress test done and it showed a blockage near his heart. He can't get a cardiac catheterization because his potassium level is to high. He has to keep a close eye on his potassium intake (ie: no potatos, tomatoes, cantloupe) because that cause kidney problems. The catheterization uses a dye that could send him right to dyalysis! The option is to wait until a heart attack and they will then fix the heart and he won't have to jeopardize his kidneys. What a sucky choice to have to make. This is why we raise money for the cure and research of Juvenile Diabetes!!!
He will be going home today and visiting the Nephrologist (kidney) doctor to see what he can do to improve his numbers.

Well now that the health subject is taken care of for today....lets visit some good healthy recipes!

Roasted Fennel and Baby Carrots

I absolutely love roasted fennel with baby carrots!! Yum yum yum!
The fennel loses some of the anise flavor and leaves just a hint which pairs up great with the baby carrots! You just take an amount of baby carrots and fennel "moons" on a shallow baking sheet. Cut the fennel in slices and remove any core from the slices. Drizzle with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and a little sea salt and some pepper! Easy Shmeasy!!! Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, pull out and mix around to redistribute the oil and reast another 20 or so until the a fork goes through the carrots. Any left overs give a veggie soup great flavor.

Here is one more recipe:

Fennel and Tangerine Salad

Serves 4 to 6
For the most aromatic results, chop the fragrant, dark green fronds attached to the fennel bulb and toss them in the salad along with the other ingredients.

Ingredients
4 tangerines, peeled and chopped, seeds removed
1 bulb fennel, halved and thinly sliced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Put all ingredients into a large bowl, toss together gently and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 5oz/142g-wt.): 90 calories (30 from fat), 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 260mg sodium, 16g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 8g sugar), 2g protein

Tags: Raw, Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy Free, Wheat Free
This recipe came from Whole Foods Market

Everyone remember to ENJOY every second of your day!!!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

It's Hump Day!

It was a busy Tuesday for me so I could not get to the computer till late last night. Went to bed Monday night at 3 AM with a 336 blood sugar reading!!! I took like 40 units of insulin!!! Have I mentioned how insulin resistant I am? I guess I wasn't lying cuz I did not have a low. I woke up with a 225 reading!!! I could not believe it!!! What was going on???

I took some more insulin, grabbed an apple (just in case) and headed to Ann Arbor to see my new Endocrinologist. I was so so so excited. She was recommended by someone I really trust. WE met at 11:40 and I felt so relieved. She listened and determined that we would start all over again. Alright!!! She left my lantus where it was and adjusted my novolog with an increased scale. Then reminded me to MEASURE what I ate and to count the carbs and follow the scale! The doc wants my numbers faxed to her every 2 weeks so she can make adjustments and when I come back in 3 months, she assured me that we would discuss an insulin pump and Byetta. Yay!!! I back on track!!! I felt hope when I left my blood and urine sample!! lol

So I ate my apple on the way home and as soon as I came in the door I checked my sugar so I could write it in the blank log!!! It was 232!!! What the hell was going on?? I thought all that insulin I was taking would drop a horse!! So I took more! I called my one sister and told her what the doctor had said. I told her I was feeling a little funny and described what was going on and she said the symptoms I was describing sounded like a urinary infection. Duh!! It finally dawned on me why my sugar wasn't coming down!!!! An infection will keep your sugar so high and out of control!! So I took 2 antibiotic pills I had left over from a previous infection, I had to get a new prescription filled when those didn't do the job for a prior infection! So I took them before bed with a vicadin for the pain that was already in by back and headed off to sleep with a 218 reading and a little extra insulin.

I woke up this morning with a blood sugar of 105, thank you very much, and no pain in the back or when I peed!!! I feel human OH SO HUMAN!!!! Yay!! Really on the right track now!!! Thank you, Shirley, Jean, and Rhonda oh so much for all you did!!

Now, did anyone try the new recipe? I'm sorry to say that my dollars would not stretch far enough for me to get the ingredients I needed so I could not make it yet, but I will cuz didn't it sound good??? I will be eating chili, dumplings, and salad the rest of the week. New recipes are coming soon.

Did anyone see Dr. Oz's show yesterday? I am going to watch it today (I taped it) It was on, 'what's in your food' and today's Oprah is the same subject. I can only imagine. It's a scary subject but we need to know the truth and thank goodness we have two people that will give us that much. Can you tell I believe they will give us the TRUTH?!!

And one last note, my son is STILL in the hospital!!! They found no infections. And he found a doctor that will listen to him!! There's a surprise! You see at the hospital he is at (same as my local hospital) they test his sugar before breakfast give his the novolog to cover the high but not the breakfast he will be eating. Then they test before lunch and cover the high from breakfast but not what he wll eat for lunch!!! Then they test before dinner and cover the high from lunch and so on and so on and so on!!!! R U KIDDIN' ME???? In this day and age with all the diabetics in our society, they don't even have a floating endo to cover the patients!!! It is a travesty!! So he was lucky to run into Dr. Peterson who listened to his reasoning. Mike should be home tomorrow!!

Everyone remember to ENJOY every second of your day!!!

Monday, January 25, 2010

It's Monday, again!!!

I do so love Monday's!!! Although I am not back in the rooutine just yet aas I say good morning to everyone! (It's only noon!! lol) Well I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine didn't go as planned but was ok. The vcr took a crap which hangs me up on my movie making, but wa'cha gonna do?

I made a huge vegetable soup that WAS going to be so good! Then I added too much white pepper :( I had no idea white pepper was so hot!! I swear I did not think it was too much in that huge pot! So beware if you have never used it before. Mam oh man it was going to be soo soo good! Roasted fennel and carrot was added and fresh baby spinach! I tried to use it by taking the broth and cooking couscous in it and adding carrots and beans. That worked out well. I had that on Sat. and Sun.
I tried adding a couple of baked potatoes thinking they would absorb some of the pepper like they will salt, to no avail. Such as life, you live and learn! lol

I had a low sugar last night about 5 AM (my last night) and thought I had over done it but woke up with a 139 blood sugar reading! Yay!! On the right track!

So today I am going to try this grain called quinoa. Why don't you join me? We will try it together! Here is the recipe:

I will be using craisins instead of dried cranberries and I will probably use walnuts instead of pecans. Make it your way and let me know what changes you made and how it tasted to you!!!

Changing the subject....my son is STILL in the hospital. He spoke with a doctor about an infection in his thumb nuckle of all places!!! He is still having low sugars and they are having a difficult time regulating the balance of insulin to food. Such a nasty nasty disease for type 1's. But only 4 years till the pancreas transplants. That is a miracle in itself!! YAY!!!

Everyone remember to ENJOY every second of your day!!!

Friday, January 22, 2010

It's just Friday....

Just another day in paradise! I woke up with a 205 reading. I guess I didn't take enough insulin to cover the not full plate of unsalted torilla chips with cheese, black olives, and my homemade peach salsa I had as a snack last night! I took 20 units and it looks like my sugar is still out of control! Geez there's a surprise!! The good news is I am getting closer to seeing the new doctor! Now I just have to make sure I get the paperwork filled out and printed before the appt.

That's a bad word...paperwork. I have a friend that dislikes it as much as I do! Right Andrea? LOL

My son is still in the hospital. We thoought he would get to come home once they got his sugar down but now it won't stay up! We just love this disease!!! He is usually very sensitive to insulin, unlike his mother!! He took his computer and is "watching" descriptive dvd's. He says they really do make a difference to the story. They describe all of the quite places and action scenes in a movie so the viewer knows what's going on when there's no talking going on. So I guess those would make great gifts for any blind people that may be on your list!

Well no new recipes today. Awwww...I know!! (lol) It's my hubby birthday and we get to go pay bills!!! Yay. He also gets a free birthday dinner (lunch) at Finley's. A resteraunt here in Jackson. They have great food and it's free on your birthday!

Everyone rememeber to ENJOY every second of your day!!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Healthy Cooking

I just opened a magazine that came in a plastic wrapper with a white sheet hiding the cover.  I thought it was one of those "samples" that mags send you so it will entice you to order. That's what I thought!  Well I was wrong!  It was a gift subscription to Taste of Home Healthy Cooking that my sister had gotten me for Christmas!!!  I can''t believe that I didn't notice it when it came it the mail!  She must think I got so much for Christmas that this was insignificant.  It was a very thoughtful gift and as I read it this morning, I find it will be very useful to me.  It has calculated the nutritional values and given the diabetic exchanges in most of the recipes. Very useful and I thank you so much Shirley!!!

I went to bed with a 99 reading and woke up the same!!!  Yay!  Another good start to the day and we'll see how long that lasts!!  It really is getting easier to not eat meat, drink pop or caffeine, and stay to away from the sugar as the days go by.  I spend alot of my time going through vegetarian recipes.  I didn't get around to making the biscotti yesterday but I will find the time before Monday. Yum!

Today I am giving out a recipe that I found in my new magazine.  I hope you will try it with me as it sounds really good to me.  Here it is:

Broccoli with Walnuts and Cherries~~Yeilds 8 servings   Kudos to Joan Ranzini

2 bunches broccoli, cut into florets (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1.   Place broccoli in a steamer basket, pllace in a large saucepan over 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil;  cover and steam for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
2.  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute walnuts and garlic in oil  until garlic is tender.  Stir in the cherries, salt, pepper flakes, and broccoli; toss to coat.

Nutritional Facts:  3/4 cup equals 140 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 116 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 7 g protein.
Diabetic Exchange:  2 vegetables, 1 fat.

Now doesn't that sound absolutely delious???!!!  Yummmmm!  And easy smeasy!!
Everyone remember to enjoy every second of your day!!!


Wednesday, January 20, 2010

My sugar was 259 this morning!!!  I ate baked potato with cheese for dinner!  It was good but look what it did to my sugar!!  (course it could have been that I didn't take a Lantus shot!!!)  I couldn't remember if I had taken one, cuz I was on the phone, and I absolutely could not take 2!!!  I guess the name of the game is PAY ATTENTION!!!   Damn, I hate when that happens!  LOL   I'll be paying for that mistake for the next couple of days!!!
My son called to let me know he is in the hospital for high sugar.  It had been high for about 5 days and he could not get it down.  They are going to see if he is spilling ketones and if so they will move him to intensive care to start an insulin drip.  They are going to check for an infection cuz as a diabetic we all know that  will raise your blood sugar tremendously. As I was posting this my son called to let me know he is not spilling ketones but his sugar was 702!!!!!  when he woke up this morning.  Now it is at 459.  Hopefully they can get it down soon.

Here is a great recipe: Almond and Apricot Biscotti
THIS I plan on making TODAY!!!!  Yum Yum!   Although I should lay off anything with a carb in it!! 

Dietitian's tip: This twice-baked cookie is a classic with coffee or tea. The whole-wheat and nuts are good sources of manganese (a mineral that helps bone formation) and selenium (an antioxidant important for thyroid hormone function).   By Mayo Clinic staff

MAKES 24 COOKIES
Ingredients
3/4 cup whole-wheat (whole-meal) flour
3/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup 1 percent low-fat milk
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons dark honey
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar and baking powder. Whisk to blend. Add the eggs, milk, canola oil, honey and almond extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough just begins to come together. Add the chopped apricots and almonds. With floured hands, mix until the dough is well blended.

Place the dough on a long sheet of plastic wrap and shape by hand into a flattened log 12 inches long, 3 inches wide and about 1 inch high. Lift the plastic wrap to invert the dough onto a nonstick baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to another baking sheet to cool for 10 minutes. Leave the oven set at 350 F.

Place the cooled log on a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut crosswise on the diagonal into 24 slices 1/2-inch wide. Arrange the slices, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Nutritional Analysis
(per serving) Serving size: 1 cookie
Calories 73 Cholesterol 18 mg
Protein 2 g Sodium 68 mg
Carbohydrate 12 g Fiber 1 g
Total fat 2 g Potassium 100 mg
Saturated fat 0 g Calcium 29 mg
Monounsaturated fat 1 g

Everyone remember to ENJOY every second of your day!!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Today I woke up with a 140 blood sugar reading. Not too shabby! It's not as good as yesterday's reading, however, I did eat at a restaurant for dinner and it's always hard to count cabs when your eating out. That coupled with not being at home all afternoon or evening. I got to drop my hubby off at work and head an hour and a half west to see my son and his family. It's a good thing I grabbed a couple of apples on my way out the door cuz I started to have a low sugar in the car. I wondered why the dog was getting worried! He kept turning in his seat every five minutes or so.

We went to eat at the Texas Roadhouse and I had a Caesar salad, a bun with that awesome butter, 2 peanuts (they have a bucket on every table), and some bloomin' onion. My tummy felt that later!!! Lots of grease, but it tasted so good going down!!

I took them to the drug store and then dropped the granddaughter off at home and we continued on to Walmart to grab an Internet security program along with a cd walkman and some essentials like tp and paper towels.

When we got back to their house I installed the security software in one computer and updated another one. I almost got the security software configured but I ran out of time and had to leave because I had to drive the hour and a half back to make sure to get hubby on time! Ah, such is life! It was a good day and it sure broke up the monotony!

Today, it's back to the routine! My magic drink for breakfast, celery soup for lunch and a veggie soup for dinner! Did I mention we didn't shop this week? LOL Recipes tomorrow.

Monday, January 18, 2010

It's Monday!!

I just love Mondays!!! It seems as if everything goes back to "normal". I feel really good this morning. I had a scary low last night of 67 and I woke up with a 96! Finally got it down there now let's see if we can keep it down there! Only a week and a day till I go see the new doctor and I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!!

I don't plan on making anything special this week, it's mostly gonna be soups cuz that's what's in the freezer and we're not shopping this week. I do need to find some way of using up the Napa cabbage that I bought last week and only needed a tiny bit. Any suggestions???

The celery root soup turned out awesome! I really did like that. I had to substitute the cashew milk for whole milk so it probably wasn't as creamy. I also didn't have the chives to make the chive oil and I didn't have granny smith apples. Just goes to show that you CAN leave some things out and it will still turn out good!

I will be posting some great recipes that I can''t wait to try and if you try them before me, please let me know how they turned out. I would love to know!!

I'm lucky I don't have to cook during the week as my hubby works afternoons and doesn't require a meal when he comes home. So that leaves me with a lot of time this week and so I will be making a lot of cards!!

Everyone remember to ENJOY your day!!!!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Today is Sunday and as a day of rest, I think I will! Not. I never really feel at rest when there is so much to do and so much that can be done. Today I woke with a 205 blood sugar and I had no idea that 3 tacos and 2/3 cup spanish rice would raise my sugar so high or that the 30 cc of Novolog would not be enough to cover it!!! So I took some more insulin and took my meds. I then meditatated a few minutes and afterwords made my magic shake. I also gave the dog his meds and his fish oil (I am sharing mine with him) which I cover up with 3 tablespoons of bacon grease! He loves that!!! And he got 1/2 hotdog (to hide the pills)! Max thinks he's in heaven!! All this good stuff all week long!!!!!
And of course now, I am writing. I ate the last of the spring rolls yesterday for lunch. I had a 102 reading before making lunch and that was very impressive!! I was very surprised!! Today I am making celery root soup. I got the recipe from a chef I saw on The Oprah Show. She said her vegetarian and meat eating friends both raved about how good it is! I thought I had seen this on The Martha Stewart show and looked and looked on the website for it and got so frustrated that I could not find it and wound up making it from memory (that right there I should have known I was in trouble cuz of that CRS syndrome I have!!!). When I got done making it and tasting it (yuk), my hubby said it tasted like dressing without the breading! That batch went out fast!!
Here is the link to that soup and other great stuff: http://myown.oprah.com/search/index.html?q=celery+root+soup
I can't wait to taste that! It's veggie broth with a little carrot for lunch today. It feels super cold today in Michigan. Good thing I love soup. Everyone remember to ENJOY your day!!!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I sat down to post then I had to go do something or other and did not get back to it. I woke with a 175 reading! Not good but going in the right direction! I just ate lunch which consisted of ww Fusilli with red pepper, green pepper, sweet onion, celery, and Miracle Whip light to make it stick together. I had a 85 reading before I ate so now I am thinking I still need to take some insulin cuz we all know that eating WILL CAUSE YOUR SUGAR TO GO UP!!!

I will be making Party Barley Pilaf (Vegan) and here is that recipe:

1/2 cup barley, cooked in approx. a cup of veggie stock, about 50 minutes
1/2 rib celery, cut very very fin1/2 small carrot, grated, OR a good chunk of red capsicum (something for colour, ya know?)
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 or 3 ounces mushroom (your choice), finely chopped~~(I will be leaving these OUT!) lol
1/2 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (yuk) but I will add
pinch of cayenne
Garnish: cilantro or Italian parsley, chopped

While the barley finishes cooking, put a non-stick pan on med=high heat and add maybe a twp oil if you like- add the vegetables and cayenne and cook until the vegetables are lightly cooked but still crispier than not (this won't take long). When done, set aside if the barley is not yet finished.
When barley is cooked, it should have absorbed all the liquid.
Finally, add the veggies to the barley, stir to mix thoroughly, taste for seasoning, garnish and serve.

Have I mentioned that I hate most beans? I will have a hard time turning vegetarian! I am looking forward to the Mexican food I plan on making Sat night! It will have been a week since I ate meat and I LOVE Mexican food!!!

I have a couple of things to let you know, our insurance changed at the beginning of the year and now it covers St Joseph hospitals and clinics!!! Why would I be excited by that? Because now I can see the doctors there that work with Byetta. Here in Jackson, we call it dragon spit. It is from the Gela monster and it is a new medication to treat diabetes. In 2005 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug exenatide (marketed as Byetta) for the management of type 2 diabetes. It is a synthetic version of a protein, exendin-4, derived from the Gila monster's saliva.[21] In a three-year study with people with type 2 diabetes, exenatide led to healthy sustained glucose levels and progressive weight loss. The effectiveness is due to the fact that the lizard protein is about 50 percent identical to glucagon-like peptide-1 analog (GLP-1), a hormone released from the human digestive tract, that helps to regulate insulin and glucagon. The lizard protein remains effective much longer than the human hormone, helping diabetics keep their blood sugar levels under control. Exenatide slows the emptying of the stomach and causes a decrease in appetite, contributing to weight loss.
I have made an appt and I am so so so hoping that I can be put on this medication and that it will help lower by blood sugars!!!
The last thing is I saw on the news where an artificial pancreas is going to be here in about 4 YEARS!!!!! That is going to turn the diabetes world so upside down!!!! Just think of all those kids who will not have to have a shot when they want something to eat!!! I am really excited about that!!!
Remember to ENJOY your day!!!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Yeah, still struggling....

This morning I woke with a 185 reading. I think it would have been better if not for the low sugar I had before bed. So, at 1:30 AM I was shoving cake in my pie hole to help bring it back and I overshot a little. Just a little though! LOL I have got to pick up some glucose tablets.

I forgot to report that Max, our pitt, is ok for now. The vet said that sometimes after the heart worm treatment their lungs and heart are damaged somewhat and that could cause the cough. He sent me home with inflammatory and antibiotic meds. Hope that works.

Yesterday's menu was changed a bit....I had salad for lunch and the spring rolls for dinner with grilled pineapple for dessert. I had to change the recipe somewhat for what I actually had on hand. I didn't have the rounds so I used the squares that are normally used in spring rolls which are cooked. I didn't have the cellophane noodles so I made it without. They are raw which was fine except they almost tasted doughy but not doughy cuz they're not made with dough! Does that make sense? Anyway the sauce was ok, a little thick. I think I used to much peanut butter. But I will finish eating that for lunch today and I did have my magic shake this morning.

Did I mention I am trying to lose a little weight while I get my sugar under control? I hope that's the outcome. It is harder to do when your over 50 and have PAD. That is that nasty vascular disease. It affects your legs and makes it difficult to walk any distance.

This is my newest sweetie pie. He is 6 weeks old today!! Gosh they grow sooo fast. Christian is already a handful. Poor thing has had tummy trouble since he emerged in the world. Mommy is doing a great job with him!

This baby bouquet is what I made to give to the Mom, my daughter, after the birth of Christian.
It was so so easy to make! I found this in Woman's World Magazine. It is made of onesies, socks, hats, and hand socks.
We wrapped it a blanket for his daddy cuz he was feeling left out! I had a great time thinking of the little one while I picked stuff out to make it!!!













Here are some pictures of the cards I make. These are not the ones I made yesterday cuz I don't want the recipients to see them before they get 'em in the mail!!!




The menu is set for today and I can go make some more cards!! Everyone please enjoy your day! : )

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Still Struggling

I am up a little early for me today because I went to bed as soon as I got back from picking up hubby (he doesn't drive). Blood sugar this morning is 149. Much better than it has been BUT of course not good enough! I "struggled" with it all day yesterday. Had a 249 reading after eating carrots! Is that not frustrating? It can get you down sometimes when you know your doing the right thing and the sugar is not doing what you thought it would!!! I just take the insulin and stay on the path : ) What's the alternative? Dialysis? Oh I hope not. I remember my Mom scared to death that would happen to her. God rest her soul.
Sooo..the Spring Rolls never happened. : ( I could not print out the recipe and my desktop computer does not move that easily! lol I am going to have them for lunch today and salad for dinner. Since my hubby fell asleep on the couch which is open to the kitchen, I think I will have a egg whites sandwich on double fiber bread with 2% cheese slice for breakfast, instead of the magic shake (cuz the blender is loud). Aren't I thoughtful? Now the whole eating thing is taken care of for today. Might have some ww pita appetizers for a snack, maybe.
Today I have to get some cards made! My iPod is charged and ready to go. It is so peaceful and zenlike to create them. I look forward to making cards. Soo....everyone have a great day!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Have I mentioned that we, my hubby and I, are on the afternoon shift. So my mornings are a little different than most. I woke up and took a nice long shower then made the magic shake. I drank half and remembered I forgot to check my sugar. Sooo....I checked and it was 205! I was kind of a bad girl yesterday in that I had a HUGE piece of cake! I knew I was starting a new way of eating today so I just had to have it! It really wasn't all that good. Someone once told me if I was going to be "bad", only eat 2 or 3 bites and wait 10 minutes. It seems if you wait, you really won't want the rest.

We went grocery shopping yesterday evening and I bought 90% of the groceries from the perimeter of the store. I think 80% was spent in the produce dept.! I had a list of ingredients from some recipes I found on vegetarian websites. I will cook (make) them this week and let you know how they go. I am a picky eater and thank goodness I love veggies. I don't like beans, cabbage, cauliflower, or most greens (collard, spinach). I do like turnip greens seasoned and in a can! I don't know why I just do!

One of my issues is that I'm so insulin resistant that it takes a lot of insulin to bring my sugar down. I took 20 units with a 205 reading. It will probably go down to much. It is such a balancing act trying to get it to stay between 80 and 110! Dr. Oz makes me laugh every time he says that it needs to stay there in between those numbers. I actually laugh out loud! But I do believe that eating nearly the same things and at the same times of the day can put you on the right path.


I have to take our Max to the vet today. A couple of months ago he contracted heart worms and he came through the treatment well. He had to stay on leash for 6 weeks and he was pouting a little cuz there were animals to chase and people to bark at! Poor thing just didn't know why Mom was not letting him go potty by himself. Well now he has developed a cough. It sounds like the one they wanted me to watch out for. He didn't get it then, he has it now! Hopefully it is not serious.


I will be making a big salad to eat over the next few days for lunch with lite raspberry walnut vinaigrette dressing. That's a no brainer. Just cut veggies and meditate while doing so. Dinner is going to be Fresh Spring Rolls and here is that recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups water
8 large shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined
1 ounce cellophane noodles
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup peeled, seeded and julienne cucumber
1/2 cup thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1/2 cup bean sprouts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or fresh coriander
4 rice-paper rounds,
8 inches in diameter
4 large fresh basil leaves, halved lengthwise

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 green (spring) onion, including tender green top, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted natural peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Pinch of brown sugar

Directions
In a saucepan, bring the 2 cups water to a boil. Add the shrimp and immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover and poach until pink and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 3 minutes. Drain and cut each shrimp in half lengthwise. Refrigerate until ready to use.
In a heatproof bowl, combine the noodles and boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and return the noodles to the bowl. Add the carrot, cucumber, cabbage, bean spouts and cilantro. Toss gently to mix.
Place a double thickness of paper towels on a work surface. Fill a large, shallow baking dish with water. Place 1 rice-paper round in the water and soak until pliable, about 30 seconds. Carefully transfer the wrapper to the paper towels and turn once to blot dry. Arrange 1/2 cup of the noodle mixture on the bottom half of the wrapper.
Fold the bottom edge toward the center and roll up the wrapper halfway, making sure to wrap tightly around the filling. Tuck 2 basil leaf halves along the inside crease of the half-rolled wrapper. Arrange 4 pieces of the shrimp, cut sides up, along the crease. Fold the right and left edges of the wrapper over the filling and finish rolling up. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, filling, basil and shrimp. Transfer the rolls to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels.
To make the sauce, combine the hoisin sauce, green onion, lime juice, fish sauce, peanut butter, red pepper flakes and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir until well blended.
To serve, cut the rolls in half on the diagonal and place on small individual plates. Pool the sauce alongside each roll.

I am omitting the shrimp cuz that's something else that I don't like.

Nutritional Analysis: (per serving) Serving size: 2 spring rolls

Calories 198, Monounsaturated fat 2 g, Protein 10 g, Cholesterol 44 mg, Carbohydrate 34 g,
Sodium 512 mg, Total fat 4 g, Fiber 4 g, and Saturated fat 0 g.


Dietitian's tip: Instead of being fried, like Chinese egg rolls, these appetizers are served fresh, letting the textures and flavors of the vegetable and shrimp filling shine through. Serve with the easy dipping sauce. By Mayo Clinic staff

Enjoy your day!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Ok, how's everyone doing today? I happen to feeling good today. I have so much to do today. Yay. It's a good day when you have a lot to accomplish! I woke up with heartburn which is my sign that my sugar is too high. : ( I checked it and got a 240 reading. Lots of work needed there! I know it can be done, I've done it before. : ) It usually takes 4 or 5 days to bring it to reasonable.

I've made myself Dr. Oz's Magic Drink to start my day off right. It's not bad. I didn't have a ripe banana and I added raspberry honey along with a little cinnamon. Oh and a little ice, cuz I love cold, really cold drinks. I also cut the recipe in half cuz it's just for me! Wow that's a powerful statement!!! I'm going to say that alot from now on.....just for me! Right? We need to put us first so that we can tend to others. I hear that from a few different people. And that's what my goal is!

I am going to start carrying a little notebook to compile all my to do's and use it to write my blood sugars down. I'm hoping by doing this it will help me to remember to check my sugar more often in between the to do's and also to grab a handful of veggies. Can you eat to many veggies? Sooo so glad I love veggies! Oh yeah, and I'm going to give up my diet A&W pop!
I started drinking it again at Christmas (to help me stay away from the bad stuff!) Now I have one 2 liter bottle left then I'm done. I did the same with coffee so that also is going. I only had one cup this morning.

Well I'm off here now to get some paperwork done, download a movie from the VCR so I can change that to DVD while I clean the kitchen really deep! Gotta get it ready to cook something good tonight! Everyone have a great day and remember to give your smile away!

Here is the recipe for Dr. Oz's Magic Drink ~~ 2 servings, 136 calories per serving

1 scoop ( 1/3 cup ) Soy protein (like Natures' Plus Spiru- Tein or Solaray Soytein)
1/2 Tablespoon flaxseed oil
1/4 Cup frozen blueberries
1/2 Large ripe banana ( or other fruit of your choice )
1/2 Tablespoon apple juice concentrate or honey
1 teaspoon Psyillium seed husks

Peel banana; break into chunks. Put all ingredients in a blender. Add 12 ounces of water and ice as well as powdered vitamins. ( I skipped this because mine are not powdered ) Cover and blend until fairly smooth.

Friday, January 8, 2010

As my first post I would like to give a little background of my diabetes. I have been diabetic for about 10 years and have taken care of it for about 4. My grandmother had it as did my mom. My son got it when he was 2 yrs and 2 months old. It was really tough at times to give him those shots. I want to be accountable to someone besides my doctor so I thought creating a blog might help others as I hope it helps me. If you will bear with me while I figure this blogging thing out maybe we can help each other!
I am insulin resistant and I need to see my doctor but just haven't made myself pick the phone up as yet. (I feel my sugar has been so out of control for the past 4 months) I am embarrassed to see her until I get a handle on this yet again!!!

So this morning I tested and got a 329 reading and took 20 units of Novolog insulin. I did not eat until 2 pm or so and was upset that I did not check before I ate. So I checked after I took another 15 units. It was 246! Way to high, AGAIN. Well all I can do is take more insulin and check again.

Chef Rocco Spirito was on the Rachel Ray show and he wants everyone to try 4 new foods this year.

1. Pop Corn on the Cob! (Available at MastGeneralStore.com) It's dried corn on the cob that you put in a paper bag and microwave! while it's on the COB!!!
Just spray with a little butter spray. LOW CAL and FAT FREE! (I plan on trying this)

2. Shirataki Noodles (Available at MiracleNoodle.com) It's a noodle with NO CARBS!!! and NO CARLORIES!!! I cannot wait to try these!

3. TVP-Texturized Vegetable Protein (Available at Whole Foods Markets) It's a soy protein that has a ground beef texture! It can be used in any hambuger recipe! How great is that??? This will be a staple if it is as great as it sounds.
(I have bought soy nuts which do taste great as a snack, but it is protein)

4. Pepquino Cucumbers (Available at Marx Foods) These look like tiny watermelons that have a cucumber taste and can be used alone are on salads, desserts, or alone. They are full of fiber and nutrients! Again this is something that I am looking forward to trying!

For the rest of my day I will be lowering my blood sugar and making some greeting cards, I have a few birthdays coming up and an annivesary this month. (not mine lol)