The first thing I did when I realized that I was on the brink of type 2 Diabetes, was figure out what I could eat, and what I should limit or avoid completely. It wasn't too hard to include whole grains. I use a Tabbouleh recipe as a starting point, and then change up the grains and toss in whatever I have in the fridge and pantry for interest and variation. Of the go-to grains listed on the American Diabetics Association website, I gravitate toward the following:
- Brown rice
- Bulgur (cracked wheat)
- Buckwheat flour
- Whole grain barley
- Whole grain corn/corn meal
- Whole oats/oatmeal
- Wild rice
- Quinoa/Quinoa flour
Presently, Quinoa is my staple and I always have a batch ready to add to whatever I'm making.
I like to stir-fry barley, seasoning it with simply with salt and pepper. My oldest daughter, who is an extremely picky eater, has decided that anytime I make that particular dish, that I must make extra so that she can take it for lunch the next day. Ding, ding! We have winner.
I've completely eliminated anything made with refined white flour, white rice, and limited my potato consumption. Which is challenging, but doable. Do I look longingly at the chili cheese fries my son makes? li'l bit. Do I salivate when my youngest daughter makes ravioli? On occasion. However, there are lots of ways in which I can enjoy the foods I love by swapping a starchy vegetable or a refined white flour product with a whole grain. I'm thinking I might test out this theory by replacing the fries with barley. It isn't chili cheese fries per se, but I think it might just be a satisfying substitute.
With a little bit of planning, a dash of imagination, and a pinch of surfing the interwebs for recipe possibilities, it's pretty easy to include whole grains in your daily diet.
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