Butternut Squash and Asparagus

I have continued to eat out, but lately I have also been trying to prepare more of my own food at home.

I recently purchased two big bundles of Asparagus at the new-ish produce market on 1792 and roasted them in the oven with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

I also made the recipe for Butternut Squash, Apples, Cranberries and Walnuts from the latest issue of DIABETIC COOKING. It came out really tasty and seems like a Thanksgiving Explosion when I put it in my mouth.

My blood sugars have been great, I have enjoyed cooking and eating, and I am currently down to 177 lbs. My goal is 169, which would mean that I was down 30lbs. from my heaviest weight.

8 more lbs. to go!

I'm getting close...

My most recent Doctor's visit proved that the extra exercise I have been doing is paying off!

My Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and LDL are all "In Range"
My HDL which was previously 35 is now 39 (40 and above is considered "In Range")
and what seems to be the most important regarding my Diabetes....
My Hemoglobin A1c was 7.2 on my last visit, she requested for me to try to get it under 7, and it is currently 6.6 !!!!!
She tells me that if I keep up the good work that she will reduce my medication.
That is my new goal, I have been diligent about keeping records of fasting sugars and am continuing the working out (trying for every day)
Now I just need to tighten up on my diet and get through the holidays without going overboard.
I will try to do a Food-related blog soon!

until then....

Unsweetened Iced Tea

A big glass of unsweetened Iced Tea is delicious! That is all for now

Back from Vacation

10 days away from home. New Mexico and Arizona. I ate really delicious food! I didn't hold back, but I did try to keep it somewhat balanced. I didn't exercise as much as I should have, but I did try to do some form of activity every day. I had a couple of fasting sugars in the 170's, but most of them were down around 120. I kept my weight off. I'm glad to be back home, and back in to my routine. I wanted to share just a couple of pictures of the wonderful things I ate. I discovered that I love Green Chiles. It was the perfect vacation!

SAFFRAN a new place to eat delicious food!

I recently saw that a new restaurant called SAFFRAN was offering a Groupon special and decided to check out their website to see what kind of a place it was. From what I could tell it seemed like a fusion of Indian and Middle Eastern Cuisines where everything was made fresh and had a health-conscience approach (low sugar, no frying, no MSG, no white flour). I also looked up a couple of videos on Youtube, which explained a little more about the place and the food, and I decided to go ahead and purchase the Groupon. My only concern was that it might be a little bland because it was so “healthy” and many restaurants cannot achieve that without sacrificing flavor.

Today I was out with a friend of mine who is a picky eater and does not like to try new things, especially any sort of non-American food. However we were in the area near SAFFRAN (located on the South West corner of the intersection at Sand Lake and Orange Blossom Trail) and I decided to take him there even though I knew he probably would not find anything that he liked. We went in and grabbed a couple of menus and tried to decide what we wanted. Still unsure, we asked the very friendly lady at the counter to help us out. With her guidance we selected the Saffran Chicken and Red Onion ($9.95) for me and the Kebab Burger ($5.95) for him, and with our $24 Groupon we also had enough for a couple of drinks and 2 desserts (Chocolate Mousse and Wildberry Skyr Mousse).

When our food arrived we were both pleased with it visually, but I was still skeptical until I tasted the tender and flavorful chicken served with rice, red onions, salad and a delicious spiced yogurt sauce. It was a lot of food. I had a bite of my friend’s Kebab Burger (served on a Naan Bread made in-house) and really enjoyed it, and was also delighted when he completely clean his plate, and then told the manager John that it was the best Burger that he has ever had! John also told us that everything on the menu is less then 700 calories, which amazed me since it was so filling. It just goes to show you that if you use good ingredients and leave off the “frying” that you can pack a lot of food and a lot of flavor without the extra calories. As for the Desserts they are decadent, delicious, and generously portioned, especially for a mere $1.55 each.

I am looking forward to returning and taking many friends, and spreading the word about this wonderful-tasting, super-healthy new place in Orlando!

Those of you who read my blog know that I have slowed down on writing restaurant reviews and are focusing more on health, however I am thrilled that this restaurant has come along because I can write about going out for a delicious meal and still eat healthy! Please give SAFFRAN a try, they have great prices, they are kind on the waistline, and most of all they have delicious food!

August 2011

I must be doing something right. I am looking back at my Blood Sugar Log for the month of August, and not one single fasting Blood Sugar is higher then 120. That is just what the Doctor ordered!

She would like for them to be between 80 and 120. Some of them are actually a little too low (I count 3 occasions where they were in the ‘70s). The bulk of them are in the ‘80s and ‘90s so I cannot complain.

What have I been doing different?

Well, I AM still eating out a little, but I am trying to keep that earlier on in the daytime as a general rule. Otherwise I have been making smarter choices and preparing more meals at home. (Photos) I have drastically cut my carbs later in the day as well, which seems to be helping a lot.

I’m exercising every day, and sometimes twice a day, trying to switch up my styles of exercising so that I don’t get bored or over work certain muscles.

I have continued to log in everything that I eat on myfooddiary.com!

With the combination of all of those things I have been able to keep my weight in the 170s (Towards the top, but still not creeping back in to the 180s either) and have had consistently low Blood Sugars.

I’m going to keep working at it, as well as give it an extra push to improve my results even further!

Snickers

Dear Snickers,

I haven't eaten you since 2008.
Although I do miss you terribly and I still think about you sometimes, I want you to know that I am doing just fine without you.
I'm sorry that it had to end this way.

Goodbye, I will never forget you!

losing weight?

I have been trying to get down into the 170's. I have been stuck between 180 and 185 for quite some time. I have been working hard this week, and when I got on the scale today I was delighted to see 178.4.
Now i have to stay tough on myself and actually keep this going for a few weeks, it is very easy to creep back up, and I do not want that to happen!

My Food Diary

A few years ago, due to Lynn's suggestion I joined myfooddiary.com. It cost $9 a month, you log in all of the food that you eat and your exercise each day. It calculates your intake and tells you information like how long it will take you to lose a certain number of pounds, if you have gotten enough vitamin A that day, and if you have consumed too much sodium. I cancelled my membership about 2 years ago, however I just rejoined. Right now I can use a little more control, and hopefully this will be the tool that can get me back on track. Not sure how long I will keep the membership this time, but for right now I am very pleased to be with it.

Tako Cheena- Exclusive Sneak Preview!

Shipyard Emporium Market, Bakery, & Brew Pub

Check out this video for Shipyard Emporium in Winter Park

Update - Doctor's visit

This week I had a follow up Doctor's visit. Since I have be taken off of insulin my Hemoglobin A1C has been slowly rising. Ideally it should be under 7, however at my last appointment (3 months ago) it had risen to 7.7.
I wondered if insulin was crucial to my condition and would she need to put me back on it?
So over the last few months I have been exercising harder and more frequently then ever. Overall I have eaten out less and made healthier choices at home. (I still struggle with food every day)
Much to my excitement and relief, upon reading my results, she was pleased to tell me that my number had dropped to 7.2.
This is the first time I have reduced my HA1C without adding more medication.
I am thrilled, however it makes me want to try that much harder to bring it down under 7.
I know that the additional exercise was a large factor with my diabetes, as well as I had a really good Cholesterol report.
so...
More Exercise (I'm keeping a good workout log)
Better Eating
I am going to succeed!

I love produce!

So I am taking a break from Restaurant Reviewing for a couple of weeks. Not only is this a busy time for me at work, but I have been enjoying hitting the Produce Stands and fixing my own meals (still dining out a little, but trying to cut back for now)
Mark has also been cooking, so there is plenty of delicious food to choose from.
I am currently weighing in today at 182.2. I am slowly getting down to the 170's but need to give that extra push.
I have been doing my Cardio pretty religiously, doing an average of 5 days a week.
I have a doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks, and I am hoping for a good report.
That is the health update, more after I get official doctor's news, or I successfully get below 180, whichever comes first!

Yellow Dog Eats

We just came back from Yellow Dog Eats out by Windermere, FL, and I must say that this is one of the best new establishments that I have tried in a really long time! Well, it isn’t a “new” place at all, I believe it has been in this location for about 12 years, but it is definitely “new” for me, and immediately climbed its way to the top of my list.
It seems to be a huge house that has been turned into a restaurant, a Gem that one stumbles upon with a Hippie Flare that serves Food made with Love! Throw in a touch of the Cracker Barrel Style Store where you can purchase unique Bar-B-Que Sauces, Wines and T Shirts. Then stir in a whole bunch of Eccentricity, and top it off with a cool guy named Fish (the Head Cheese and Chef) who walks around and talks to customers and makes sure everybody is happy!
The Food – Delicious! Sandwiches, Salads, BBQ, Desserts, Beer, Vegan/Vegetarian Options – all in interesting combinations. I had the Pulled Pork Salad ($12.95) a bed of fresh greens, grape tomatoes, fresh onions, scallions, carrots, tangy bleu cheese, fried onions, cucumbers, and dikon sprouts topped with a hearty serving of our famous pulled pork and Fish’s Citrus-BBQ sauce. It was sweet, spicy, hearty and extremely fresh all at the same time, there were some bonus peanuts and almonds on it which gave it an extra crunch, and not only did I practically lick my plate clean, but I couldn’t have been happier to do it!
It was well worth the 20 minute drive. Upon looking at the website I found they have a room upstairs with a Chef’s Table for larger parties, and also a cool outdoor seating section for a day with nice weather! I plan on going back often, and taking friends that I know will love it. And I feel excited to have this treasure in my repertoire of Delicious places to eat!

Cafe Trastevere

I have been eyeing Café Trastevere for years, but finally had it for dinner last week. Sitting just north of Colonial on Magnolia, in downtown Orlando it is a beautiful house that has been transformed into a quaint little Italian Restaurant. Inside it is surprisingly spacious, yet cozy at the same time and most importantly they serve thoughtful and delicious dishes.
For my Thursday evening dinner I had La Caprese ($9.00) which is something I like to get at every Italian place I go. Although it WAS delicious, I would probably pass on it the next time simply because there was nothing “special” about it. There was also nothing “special” about the Bread/ Butter (complimentary) that they brought around, however we had no problem emptying our Bread Basket.
But on to my entrée, after asking the server’s suggestion, I selected the Pollo Formaggio ($18.00): Chicken Breast in a white wine sauce topped with asparagus and mozzarella cheese served over pasta with broccoli on the side. Extremely Delicious! It tasted not only fresh, flavorful and fulfilling, but I didn’t feel too weighted down afterwards like I usually do after Italian Food.
They could use a price update on their website, however my bill (with a tea) ended up being just over $31.00 and I left with the satisfaction of a really nice meal.

Acropolis Greek Taverna, Tampa Florida

Acropolis is a Greek Taverna Chain in the greater Tampa Bay Area. I visit the one in Ybor city every chance I get. I have had several of their menu items, but I keep going back to the Gyro Platter : Sliced Lamb and Beef Gyro served with Pita and Tzatziki, which comes with not only a Greek Salad but also a side of Greek Fries with Feta. It is a steal for $10, especially considering that it is enough food to take home and have a second meal. If you haven’t already, give it a try!

Three Coins Diner, Tampa Florida

I was recently in Tampa, on a Monday night at 3am (technically Tuesday) and there was nowhere to eat. A friend suggested taking a small trip to the Three Coins Diner, and boy was it worth the trip. I am a fan of all greasy spoon type diners, however this one had the following things in its favor : Open 24 hours, Quick and Friendly service (Our server Cindy was excellent!), Large Portions, Inexpensive Prices and to top it all off, if you sit outside you can even smoke! ( a special treat for the friends that I was with) I enjoyed a delicious Omelet with Spinach, Feta and Gyro Meat, accompanied by Hash Browns and Toast, and my friends’ food looked really good too! Highly recommended!

Dixie Crossroads, Titusville Florida

Eatty PhoneHome and myself recently went to Dixie Crossroads and filmed this movie clip.
Hope you enjoy, and hope you will check out Dixie crossroads!

Thanks Anne

My mother just had a reunion with some of her classmates from nursing school, and her dear friend Anne sent me a gift.
The New Soul Food cookbook for people with diabetes. It is by Fabiola Demps Gaines and Roniece Weaver, who incidentally are both from here in the orlando area and work in the healthcare industry. Little did Anne know, but this was the Perfect gift for me, because not only do I love cookbooks and trying new recipes, but I really love Soul Food and this book has a lot of really good recipes, as well as a lot of helpful information for diabetics.
The first recipe I made was Althea's Beef Gumbo. I usually alter the ingredients a little, but this one seemed great just the way it was. Lean Ground Beef, Stewed Tomatoes, Navy Beans, Onions, Corn and Okra. It was easy to make and was really delicious! and now I have something to eat for the next couple of days.
Thank you again Anne for this very thoughtful and appropriate book.
In other news I just weighed in at 181.4 lbs. I'm still trying hard to get down into the 170's. I've been doing cardio just about every day. My fasting blood sugars are not quite as low as I feel they should be, but I am definitely working on it. I need to check my meter and make sure that it is giving accurate readings. But overall things are really good!

Anna's Polish Restaurant

I had previously been avoiding Potatoes, but when we went to Anna's Polish Restaurant again to review and film I had to dive back in.

all I have to say is Cracovia Chicken Cutlet (Sorry, but I couldn't wait to take a bite out of it before I snapped the picture)
served here with Beet Root Salad and Roasted Red Potatoes.

Please watch the video. we are very proud of it!

13 Days - No Potatoes

Not a long time, but I did want to show a couple of photos - proving that there can be tons of ways to enjoy Potato-Free Meals.
The next post will show and tell why I had to break down and go back to Potatoes.
Top to Bottom

Fresh Hand-Made Mozzarella
Carmela's in Longwood

Homemade Corn Chowder with Cornbread Croutons

Pulled Pork Samich with Baked Beans and Mac N Cheese
Porkies Original BBQ in Apopka

and a basic Salad with those same Cornbread Croutons

Potatoes

I haven't had a french fry or a potato chip in over a week.
I've been doing good with my exercise.
The days when I eat less, I have better fasting blood sugars.
Funny how all of that works.

Doing good!

Just a quick update to let you all know that I am doing pretty good!
Over the last 2 weeks I have been doing cardio 5 or 6 times a week.
My blood sugars have been mostly around 100.
I have started eating meat again, but have been trying to eat a little healthier overall.
I did make a delicious meal the other day and wanted to share the photo with you.
Meatloaf, Mac N Cheese, Sweet Peas, Corn Bread and a Salad.
(Small portions, multiple meals)
I've also been eating at some new restaurants which should get reviewed soon, as well as some favorites that I haven't been to in a while.
I am still struggling with trying to keep my weight down, I was down to 181 last week, but today I am weighing in at 184.6.
(I did eat decadently last evening)
My goal for the moment is to get down into the 170's and stay there!
Hopefully a photo of the scale reading a lower number will be posted on here soon!
I'll keep you updated!
News Flash... I made my decision today, I'm giving up Potatoes until further notice.
Goodbye Potato Chips from Bananas, Goodbye Home fries, Goodbye French fries, Until we meet again....

Vegetarian Challenge Day 10

Today was great! I got up and ran some errands with John Clor, and I took him to Sweet Tomatoes because I had a couple of meal vouchers. I made pretty good choices, I didn’t go too crazy with the Pasta or Bread, and I made rather healthy Salad selections.
Then when I got home I got on the treadmill and gave myself a good, sweaty 30 minute cardio workout. Afterwards I toasted one of those slim 100 Calorie Bagels that I had in the freezer and spread it with a reduced fat Sundried Tomato spread.
Then a little later I had an Apple and a piece of String Cheese.
I fasted through work, and then at the 8 hour mark I took my blood sugar reading which was 89.
Several of us ended up at Bananas where I ordered the same thing as the previous night, however instead of the Salad that I thought I was getting as my side item they put Potato chips on my plate. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t a little bit excited and delighted.
I cleaned my plate.
Now I have done it! I did my Vegetarian Food Challenge for 10 days. I wouldn’t be surprised if I ate meat tomorrow. However this challenge has been easier then expected, and I haven’t really missed the meat. As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, I definitely need to focus on choosing healthier foods across the board, regardless of what challenge I have taken on. I need to eat smaller portions, and more often. I need to keep up with the exercise and not let it start slacking. And I need to focus on losing a little weight. I'm gonna work on it and i will keep you all updated.
Thank you all for reading.

Vegetarian Challenge Day 9

So today I decided to make myself a Frittata with some leftover cooked Asparagus topped with some Feta, along with a piece of Toast with Jelly it was a pretty good breakfast. I did a few chores around the house, then a small workout consisting of crunches, push ups and stretching and then around 6pm I had some of the leftover Spinach and Artichoke Ravioli Lasagna and some Salad. When reheating leftovers, I am trying to use the salad plates instead of the dinner plates, it keeps my portions smaller and it looks better in pictures as well.
Then after my shift I took my blood sugar and the reading was 108. Off for our usual Friday night trip to Banana’s, I had the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, and instead of my usual Potato Chips I just got a Salad, and surprisingly it was just as delicious and I was just as full. Now I know that this Semi-Vegetarian thing that I am doing is probably coming to a close soon, but I do feel that I CAN do without MEAT, and now that I am exercising pretty good I just need to tighten up my eating choices and I might even be able to lose some weight, which will be very helpful for my diabetes.

Vegetarian Challenge Day 8

So I had lunch with Mark at a new place in Winter Park called Jimmy Hulas. It was terrible and I would not recommend it at all, however this blog entry is not a restaurant review. I had Veggie KaBobs and a Salad with fruit in it. Upon leaving I was still hungry, so as we were going to CVS anyway I grabbed a small bag of honey roasted Peanuts. Then after two games at the bowling alley, we went to the snack bar where I had a Veggie Pizza, I only ate half. Then later on I did some cooking at the house, I made a Spinach and Artichoke Ravioli Lasagna with some Garlic Toasts and a Spinach Salad with dried cranberries, almonds and a homemade lemon dressing. After dinner was some treadmill and then an Apple before bed. Morning Blood Sugar was 123. I’m pleased to keep Vegetarian week going for a little while longer.

Vegetarian Challenge Day 7

Well this is my one week mark, this will complete the goal that I have set for myself.
I started with breakfast where I took two morningstar farms veggie sausage patties and built a sandwich with a little Cheddar and an Egg, and I finished up the home fries that I had leftover. Off to a great workout with Lynn, then on the way home where I was going to meet Nicole and go out for a bite, the weather took a turn for the worse. Not much rain, but plenty of wind and lightening, all the street lights went out, and so did the power at my house. We decided to stay in and so I went through the fridge and made us Vegetarian lunch, Pita Pockets with Sprouts, Carrots and Feta, Hummus and Pita Chips, String cheese, Apple slices and Grapes. It ended up being better and cheaper then if we had gone out, and after about an hour the power came back on! Then off to work, where after my 8 hour fast my blood sugar was 86. Now it was time to celebrate, with the usual wednesday night after work trip to Steak-N-Shake. It was at this meal last week where I had eaten my last Burger and Chlli! I have met my requirements, so what shall I order?
I decided to try to keep the Vegetarian thing going a few days more, I had Baked Beans, a Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Cheese Fries. I am in no way saying that these were "healthy" choices, but i was pleased with myself with sticking with this task for a little longer, even if it is just for a couple of days. I'm sure that I will get the craving for a Burger soon, but until I do I am going to keep it this way!