Reader’s Digest: Magic Foods for Better Blood Sugar
One of those books that I must have found at a library book sale for a buck or two. It’s re-enforcing that my choices, for the most part are good and in line with eating better. There is a test on pp. 60-61 regarding my current eating habits, and I think I did pretty well… Yeah, I did. I just checked and I scored a 27 which was pretty good.
But I just read that Agave Nectar is terrible because it causes blood sugar spikes, and a quick google has found nothing positive about using it. But, somewhere inside, I feel that there is something special about AN. If nothing more, that it causes chocolate syrup or honey to dissolve in cold milk. *If you’ve ever tried putting either of those in cold milk you know that they don’t mix well. They fall to the bottom of the glass, but if you add a little Agave Nectar, and stir, they completely dissolve.
I’ve been enjoying the Greek Gods Yogurt with various fruits or fruit purees that I have made. I pureed some raspberries and added a little Splenda, or I pureed a persimmon and had that with the yogurt. And the other night I added some walnuts to the mix. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. Loved it all.
I’ve been eating more oranges. Found the Cara Cara orange at Pate’s to be really flavorful. I bought a zester on Amazon and have actually zested several oranges before eating them. I put some of the zest in a sandwich bag and put it in the freezer, and some in a baggie just for current use. The current use is to add it to my Constant Comment hot tea for added citrus flavor.
*But, my goal was to have plenty of orange zest to go into the Dolce “K” Sweet Olive & Fruit Mix (Whole Foods) that I’ve learned to make at home. I haven’t gone back to my test batch that has been in the fridge for several weeks now. I don’t expect it to go bad, but who knows.
Recently, I’ve made some good Chorizo & Lentil Soup, and a good Seafood Chowder. I added more smoked paprika and regular paprika to some Spanish Chorizo (without the skin). I’ve got a basic ingredients list for the Seafood Chowder. The four seafood items currently include: cod fish, chopped clams, bay scallops and shrimp. I also include okra (fresh when I can or frozen), onion, potato, tomato & zucchini.
Since seeing Lee’s Fresh Market ad on TV, and then tracking them down just a couple of miles outside of Benson, North Carolina, I have shopped there repeatedly. It only takes me about 37 minutes one way, back through Erwin to get there. The two things I’ve bought the most there have been their Pepper Bacon and their Thick Cut Pork Chops. As long as the pork chops are on sale, what a deal! I can make at least 3 meals out of each pork chop. If they are a pound each, and even with the bone, you are still going to get a 3.5 or 4 ounce chunk of meat, and they are delicious when broiled in the oven.
[02/08/25]: And, I just broiled one tonight. I found two packages like the one shown above in my freezer and took one out to thaw. I only cooked one for dinner, but yes they still make about 3 meals. Amazing to me how quickly it cooks, being as thick as it is. I think it took about 10 minutes on the first site and then I flipped it for maybe another 4 or 5 minutes and it was done. The meat is still tender & moist on the inside with just a few charred edges, and it’s not raw, but just slightly pink on the inside. I’m now in my Asian seasonings era, so the English cucumber had some Spicy Chili Crisp Oil, Toasted Sesame Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Splenda Sweetener & Soy Sauce. The Stir Fried Green Beans had Toasted Sesame Oil, Ground Ginger, Red Pepper Flakes and some Soy Sauce.
I look at the image below of the chicken gizzards and yes, they were good. But, I was thinking of buying some chicken livers and Stir Frying them along with some of the green beans. I had a couple of helpings of the Stir Fry Green Beans at the “No. 1 China Buffet” in Asheboro, North Carolina last week.
I picked up a container of chicken livers at the IGA across town this afternoon, but the outside of the container had bloody smears and I couldn’t make out whether the livers were fresh. I put them back thinking I would stop at the IGA in Eutah Shopping Center. That is where I had taken the picture below, previously, of the gizzards. Eggs and chicken prices have gone up, although ALDI’s still has a dozen eggs for under $5, but livers & gizzards are still reasonably priced. [end]
I’ve also bought a bunch of the Sanderson Farms Chicken Gizzards at IGA. They looked good in the store and they translated well in the pot. An earthy flavored delight, that goes well with blackeyed peas and well seasoned collards.
I wanted some collards and blackeyed peas for New Years Day. A little bacon grease starts either, but then I added a white potato to the canned collards. I don’t need to buy a large bunch of collards and cook them down for just one person. The blackeyed peas just need time to morf into something delicious with some chopped sweet onion. The onion goes good on the collards also.
I do eat a bunch of nuts, and some dried fruit. I don’t eat a bunch of dried fruit because of the extra sugars, but I like a couple of pitted prunes (the really moist, shiny dark ones), a pitted date every so often, a few raisins with some roasted pumpkin and walnut pieces. I like the wasabi/soy powder on the pumpkins seeds. I like almonds and cashews, and I love raw peanuts in the shell from Pate’s. I ate them repeatedly for about 3 months until they were no longer available.
I’ve been drinking “Bill’s Drink Mix & Some Real Juice” for months now, and almost every day finishing off a 1 Litre carafe. There are four ingredients in this drink and it doesn’t work for me if any one of them is missing. They include: orange juice, cranberry juice, Pomegranate Lemonade Mix, and Sweet Tea Mix, with water. The majority of this drink is water in which to dissolve the two flavor packets from WalMart.
I bought a new electric wok (Aroma from Amazon) recently, one as a test, and the other as a wedding gift. When I saw the quality of this purchase, I ordered the second one. I go through stages of eating a lot of stir-fries, and then none for a long time, but once I’m into it, they are so easy to prepare the basic ingredients, quick to cook, delicious to eat, and finally cleanup is a breeze.
I like both chicken & shrimp as my protein, but then I want sweet bell pepper, onion, carrots, and a little pineapple. Add some soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, some spicy chili crisp & a little Splenda. If you have the Stir Fry Vegetables great, and Sugar Snap or Snow Peas are icing on the stir fry. And I try to finish off with a slurry of corn starch. Although I love rice, I rarely have rice with my stir fry. I might include a few Angel Hair noodles in the stir fry to soak up some of the juices. *I have stopped by the local Chinese restaurant and picked up a couple of egg rolls to go with my stir fry. These are one of the few fried items I still eat, although some good fried chicken from the Seaboard Station in Hamlet is always appreciated.
I so want tortilla chips to be healthier because I can just imagine that all the ingredients I put in my homemade salsa are healthy: roasted garlic tomatoes, onion, roasted jalapeno & poblanos, some chipotle peppers, some Salsa Ranchera (Herdez) and a little Splenda.
I like making hummus at home. The basic ingredients include: garbanzo beans, tahini, cumin seeds, lemon juice (lime), olive oil and maybe some water to thin it out, if necessary. I like to eat hummus with carrot sticks, some sweet onion & sweet colorful bell pepper. I especially like eating smoked oysters with hummus. The problem is that hummus is high in calories.
I was getting a half loaf of whole wheat, multi-grain bread sliced at Publix and happened to look down and see a bag of Sourdough English Muffins. They looked good, but I knew that regular English muffins were horrible for blood sugar spikes. So, I quickly googled to see if sourdough was diabetic friendly. The AI said, “Yes,” so I bought both items. It has a lower GL than other breads.
I had bought some fresh ham at the Harris Teeter near Pharaoh’s Legacy across town. This ham was pre-sliced and I checked the price online and it was 1.5 lbs. @ $3.99. That’s a great deal. *I have found this ham also at LIDL, but currently it is about $6 for the 1.5 lbs. I divided the ham up when I got home and froze half. I then made an Egg McBill (like an Egg McMuffin, but at my home) using the sourdough muffin. I toasted the bread first, then added a slice on each side of Wegman’s White American Cheese. I heated a slice of the fresh ham, but because it started to “pop,” I only microwaved it for about 25 seconds. I also took a large egg and beat it in a bowl adding, Dulse, ground Long Pepper, salt, and garlic powder. I microwaved the egg for about a minute and a half. **I’ve now tried the Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain English Muffin and it was good, but I prefer the “Knock Your Sprouts Off” – Reduced Sodium, sprouted grain bread from Aldi’s.
I had already put half of the ham on each toasted, melted cheese side of the muffin and I dumped the cooked egg on one of those slices. I put the two halves together and went and ate a delicious Egg McBill. Or is that Bill McMuffin?
Forgive the messy look of this sandwich. The muffin started off distorted and I had to make all the other items fit, but take my word, “This was a very satisfying breakfast.”
I mentioned that the fresh ham was an excellent buy, as was the thick cut pork chops on sale, but another “good buy” is the whole rotisserie chicken at Harris Teeter. I like the meat better at HT than Publix, which tastes a little mealy, and costs about a dollar more. The HT Rotisserie Chicken costs about $7.99, but I can make from four to five meals from the one chicken. The last meal is probably a chicken salad.
*I can also use the chicken carcass & skin to make homemade chicken broth. I freeze some onion tops & bottoms, carrot ends & celery ends (stalk and tips). When I buy a rotisserie chicken I pull off the different meals and then pull off the remaining meat to make a chicken salad, but then I am left with the chicken skeleton. I put that along with any skin I have saved in my stock pot and add the frozen veggie leftovers, along with any fresh carrots, onions and/or celery that I might think is needed. Add some S&P, some garlic or garlic powder and any other seasonings and let it simmer for at least a couple of hours. Strain the broth into containers. I use empty Greek Gods Yogurt containers that have a good snap on lid. I think I filled about 4 containers full with a little left over last time. What’s left in the bottom of the stock pot looks like the refuse that gets caught in a flood.
I have found this Hatfield Ham at LIDL, I think, but I haven’t bought any in a long while because I think the sodium & fat are prohibitive.
Nutrition Facts
| SERVING SIZE 3 OZ (84G) | ||
| SERV. PER CONTAINER 8 | ||
| AMOUNT PER SERVING | ||
| CALORIES 110 | ||
| CALORIES FROM FAT 35 | ||
| % DAILY VALUE† | ||
| TOTAL FAT | 3.5G | 5 |
| FAT FREE | 0 | |
| SATURATED FAT | 1G | 5 |
| TRANS FAT | 0G | |
| CHOLESTEROL | 30MG | 10 |
| SODIUM | 700MG | 29 |
| TOTAL CARB | 3G | 1 |
| DIETARY FIBER | 0G | 0 |
| SUGARS | 3G | |
| PROTEIN | 14G | |
| VITAMIN A | 0 | |
| VITAMIN C | 0 | |
| CALCIUM | 0 | |
| IRON | 2 | |
| †PERCENT DAILY VALUES ARE BASED ON A 2,000 CALORIE DIET. | ||
| Nuts: Marcona Almonds |
| Beans: Baked Beans Original 28 oz-Bush’s WAL |
| Beans: Black |
| Beans: Chia Seeds SPR |
| Beans: Edamame WAL |
| Beans: Fava – Broad WAL |
| Beans: Garbanzo |
| Beans: Green |
| Beans: Green Split Pea |
| Beans: Refried |
| Beans: Wax (Yellow) |
| Beans: White Chili Beans – Bush’s |
| Bread: Bagel Blueberry – WGM |
| Bread: Bisquick |
| Bread: Cereal FL |
| Bread: Ciabata Roll WGM PUB |
| Bread: Crackers Wheat Snacks PUB |
| Bread: Deli Rolls HT |
| Bread: English Sourdough Muffins ⁷PUB |
| Bread: French Baguette WF |
| Bread: Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix |
| Bread: Oats Quaker Quick 1-Min. |
| Bread: Onion rolls – WEG |
| Bread: Panko Bread Crumbs |
| Bread: Polenta – HT/WAL |
| Bread: Rice Thins Black Sesame 365 WF |
| Bread: Savory Rice Thins Sesmark HT |
| Bread: Seeded Rye |
| Bread: Tortilla White Corn WAL/GV |
| Bread: Tuscan Boule Loaf – PUB |
| Bread: White Mountain Bread – PUB |
| Bread: Yeast |
| Broth Beef |
| Broth Chicken WAL |
| Chocolate Dark, No Sugar Added Lily’s WF |
| Clean: Ammonia |
| Clean: Bug Spray WAL |
| Clean: Cleaner Carpet Resolve |
| Clean: Drain Cleaner |
| Clean: Hand Towels |
| Clean: Laundry Detergent All WAL |
| Clean: PineSol |
| Clean: Soap Dish Detergent Dawn Platinum WAL |
| Clean: Soap Dishwasher Detergent Cascade WAL |
| Clean: Toilet Bowl Cleaner WAL |
| Clean: Trash Bags Hefty 30 gal. 6n1 |
| Condiment: Chili Texas Tail Gate |
| Condiment: Curry Paste, Hot Pataks |
| Condiment: Dressing Ranch Hidden Valley WAL |
| Condiment: Dressing Ranch Packet: 4Dip |
| Condiment: Garlic Powder IGA |
| Condiment: Green Chilies |
| Condiment: Horseradish Cream Style Inglehoffer WAL |
| Condiment: Ketchup |
| Condiment: Mayo Dukes |
| Condiment: Mustard |
| Condiment: Mustard Stone Ground French’s HT |
| Condiment: Oil Avocado |
| Condiment: Oil Coconut |
| Condiment: Oil Olive |
| Condiment: Pepper Indian Long |
| Condiment: Peppercorns Black |
| Condiment: Peppercorns White |
| Condiment: Pesto Mix Knorr HT |
| Condiment: Salt |
| Condiment: Salt Pink |
| Condiment: Salza Ranchera Sauce |
| Condiment: Sesame Oil Toasted |
| Condiment: Soy Sauce Kikoman |
| Condiment: Spicy Chili Crisp WAL |
| Condiment: Sweet Thai Chili Sauce |
| Condiment: Tahini |
| Condiment: Tomato Paste |
| Condiment: Vinegar Apple Cider |
| Condiment: Vinegar Red Wine |
| Condiment: Vinegar White |
| Dairy: Butter Grass Fed |
| Dairy: Buttermilk |
| Dairy: Cheese 4 Italian Blend |
| Dairy: Cheese 4 Mexican Blend LIDL |
| Dairy: Cheese Baby Swiss WEG |
| Dairy: Cheese Bucheron WEG |
| Dairy: Cheese Capricho de Cabra WF |
| Dairy: Cheese Cream |
| Dairy: Cheese Feta Athenos |
| Dairy: Cheese Feta WEG |
| Dairy: Cheese Grated Italian Mix |
| Dairy: Cheese Grated Parmesean |
| Dairy: Cheese Intense Brie WEG |
| Dairy: Cheese White American WEG |
| Dairy: Cream Heavy |
| Dairy: Half n Half Creamer FL IGA WAL |
| Dairy: Margarine IGA |
| Condiment: Chipotle Peppers |
| Dairy: Milk FL WAL |
| Dairy: Sour Cream Breakstone FL WAL |
| Dairy: Yogurt Greek God’s Plain HT |
| Drink: Coffee Starbucks Breakfast Blend WAL |
| Drink: Iced Tea Mix WAL |
| Drink: Juice – Cranberry |
| Drink: Juice – Orange IGA WAL |
| Drink: Juice – Pomegranate SPR |
| Drink: Juice – Real Lime |
| Drink: Juice Muscadine/Scuppernong – Hinnant Vin. |
| Drink: Pomegranate Lemonade Mix WAL |
| Drink: Tea – Constant Comment Bigelow |
| Drink: Tea – Earl Grey Bigelow |
| Drink: Tea – Raspberry Royale WEG |
| Drink: Tea – Roobios HT |
| Drink: Tea – Scottish Breakfast Taylors FF HT |
| Eggs IGA ALDI |
| Fruit: Apples Gala WAL |
| Fruit: Apples Granny Smith |
| Fruit: Bananas |
| Fruit: Blueberries |
| Fruit: Cranberries Dried SPR |
| Fruit: Currants Zante – Sun-Maid HT |
| Fruit: Dates Medjoul |
| Fruit: Figs Raw |
| Fruit: Guava |
| Fruit: Limes |
| Fruit: Mandarin Oranges |
| Fruit: Olive Castelvetrano WF |
| Fruit: Olive Kalamata |
| Fruit: Oranges – Cara Cara PATES |
| Fruit: Pear Raw |
| Fruit: Pineapple (canned) |
| Fruit: Raisins SPR |
| Fruit: Raspberry Fruit Spread 365 WF |
| Fruit: Strawberries |
| Health: Baking Soda |
| Health: Band Aids |
| Health: Cotton Swabs |
| Health: Cotton Swabs Alcohol CVS |
| Health: Deodorant |
| Health: Disposal Sharps WAL |
| Health: Drugs CVS |
| Health: Multivitamins Mens 50+ WAL |
| Health: Nail Clippers |
| Health: Peptobismal |
| Health: Rasors Disposable |
| Health: Test Strips |
| Health: Toilet Paper |
| Health: Toothpaste Colgate |
| Herbs: Mint |
| Kitchen: Bags Plastic Sandwich WAL |
| Kitchen: Bags Plastic Trash 30 Gal WAL |
| Kitchen: Coffee Pot Glass TAR |
| Meat: Bacon IGA |
| Meat: Bacon Pepper LEES |
| Meat: Beef/Calf Liver SKYLARK – FL |
| Meat: Chicken Canned WAL |
| Meat: Chicken Gizzards IGA |
| Meat: Chicken Livers IGA |
| Meat: Chicken Raw |
| Meat: Chicken Roasted HT |
| Meat: Chicken Tenders |
| Meat: Chorizo WF |
| Meat: Deli Estonskaya (Groezinger) 1/3 lb. Hex |
| Meat: Deli Kabanosy Podsuszane 8 links Hex |
| Meat: Ground Beef / Hamburger IGA |
| Meat: Kielbasa Hillshire Farm Beef Polska – WAL |
| Meat: Lamb chop, round bone PUB |
| Meat: Liver Pudding PATES IGA FL |
| Meat: Liver Smoked Pate Nueske’s FF |
| Meat: Pastrami Deli Hillshire Farm WAL/WEG |
| Meat: Pepperoni sliced IGA |
| Meat: Pork Chop LFM |
| Meat: Pork Tenderloin |
| Meat: Sausage FRSHMKT WAL |
| Meat: Sausage Salami Pepper WEG |
| Meat: Steak |
| Nuts: Sesame Seeds |
| Nuts: Almonds SPR |
| Nuts: Cashews FL |
| Nuts: Peanuts Raw PATES |
| Nuts: Peanuts SPR |
| Nuts: Pistachios – SPR |
| Nuts: Pumpkin Seeds – FL SPR |
| Nuts: Walnuts – SPR |
| Olives: Castelvetrano |
| Olives: Green California WF |
| Olives: Kalamata |
| Other: Glue Super |
| Other: Strainer for Canned Beans |
| Other: Bath Rug |
| Other: Batteries Rechargable AAA |
| Other: BIC Lighters |
| Other: Cigars JRs |
| Other: Flour Jar |
| Other: Ice Trays |
| Other: Kitchen Stove Lamp |
| Other: Light Bulbs Overhead |
| Other: Organizers Shoe Boxes |
| Other: Placemat Round 15″ |
| Other: Thyme & Table Dishes WAL |
| Other: Trash Sm Plastic Personal WAL |
| Other: USB Charging Cable $Tree |
| Other: USB Wall Charger – $Tree |
| Other: Wall Tape |
| Pasta: Angel Hair |
| Pasta: Couscous |
| Pasta: Shells Small WAL |
| PIckles: Dill |
| Pickles: Sweet Bread & Butter |
| Prepared: Egg Roll |
| Quinoa SPR |
| Seafood: Salmon |
| Seafood: Clams Chopped WAL |
| Seafood: Cod Fish PUB |
| Seafood: Crabmeat |
| Seafood: Oysters Smoked – LIDL ALDI |
| Seafood: Scallops Bay PUB |
| Seafood: Sea Scallops PUB |
| Seafood: Seaweed Salad HEX |
| Seafood: Shrimp deveined, peeled, tail-off PUB |
| Seafood: Tilapia HT |
| Snack: Chocolate Chips Ghiradelli |
| Snack: Chocolate Chips Sugar Free – SPR |
| Snack: Popcorn |
| Snack: Potato Chips Wavy Small Bag – IGA |
| Snack: Tortilla Corn Chips – Mission |
| Soup: Cream of Celery |
| Soup: Cream of Mushroom |
| Spice: Ajwain |
| Spice: Bay Leaf |
| Spice: Cayenne Pepper |
| Spice: Celery Seeds TAR |
| Spice: Chives |
| Spice: Cinnamon |
| Spice: Curry Leaves |
| Spice: Dulse EARTHFR FOOMTR |
| Spice: Garlic Powder |
| Spice: Ginger Minced WAL EARTHF |
| Spice: Mace |
| Spice: Marjoram |
| Spice: Oregano |
| Spice: Parsley |
| Spice: Pepper Whole Black |
| Spice: Pepper Whole White |
| Spice: Thyme Dried |
| Spice: Turmeric Ground |
| Sweetener: Agave Nectar Wholesome⁸ WEG |
| Sweetener: Cary’s Sugar Free Syrup WAL |
| Sweetener: Splenda |
| Sweetener: Sugar Coconut WAL |
| Sweetener: Sweet’N Low |
| Veg: Arugula |
| Veg: Asparagus |
| Veg: Avocado WAL |
| Veg: Beets WAL |
| Veg: Broccoli FL WAL |
| Veg: Brussels Sprouts PATES |
| Veg: Cabbage – Green |
| Veg: Cabbage – Red |
| Veg: Carrots |
| Veg: Cauliflower |
| Veg: Celery |
| Veg: Cilantro |
| Veg: Collard Greens Canned |
| Veg: Corn – Frozen |
| Veg: Corn Creamed |
| Veg: Corn Mexican Style FL |
| Veg: Corn on Cob WAL |
| Veg: Corn White Canned |
| Veg: Cucumber |
| Veg: Cucumber Seedless |
| Veg: Eggplant |
| Veg: Garden Peas Frozen |
| Veg: Garlic Raw |
| Veg: Green Peas – Frozen |
| Veg: Leeks |
| Veg: Lettuce Ice Berg |
| Veg: Lettuce Romaine WAL FL |
| Veg: Mushroom Pieces |
| Veg: Okra |
| Veg: Okra Frozen WAL |
| Veg: Onions Regular FL |
| Veg: Onions Spring |
| Veg: Onions Vidalia FL |
| Veg: Peas – Sugar Snap |
| Veg: Peperoncini WAL |
| Veg: Pepper Braz. Starfish/Trinidad Perfum/Biquinho SFM |
| Veg: Pepper Jalapeños |
| Veg: Pepper Poblanos WAL COM FL |
| Veg: Pepper Sweet Bell FL WAL |
| Veg: Pickles Dill WAL |
| Veg: Pickles Sweet No Sugar |
| Veg: Potato Sweet Fresh |
| Veg: Potatoes Russet |
| Veg: Potatoes White/Yukon Sm |
| Veg: Sauerkraut -WM Silver Floss |
| Veg: Shallot |
| Veg: Spinach Fresh |
| Veg: Spinach Frozen |
| Veg: Stir Fry Vegetables Polar WAL |
| Veg: Sweet Potato Canned |
| Veg: Swiss Chard Red FRESHMKT |
| Veg: Tomatoes Campari |
| Veg: Tomatoes Diced Fire Roasted |
| Veg: Tomatoes Flavor Bombs |
| Veg: Tomatoes Roma |
| Veg: Tomatoes Sundried California |
| Veg: Water Chestnuts Sliced |
| Veg: Zucchini |
Bill Gibson, II 