Recently diagnosed as an insulin-resistant Type-2 diabetic, I have managed to lower my A1c level from 13 to 5.9 (pre-diabetic) in three months by adhering to a whole-food, plant-based, low-fat diet. Here are some of the recipe sources I use. I have to be careful even then, since I have to avoid oils, fats, dairy and of course, sugars.

https://www.plantbasedcooking.com
https://thevegan8.com
https://www.masteringdiabetes.com/recipe/
https://myplantbasedfamily.com/recipes/
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/

You'd be surprised at how many creative (and easy!) ways there are to home make healthy foods that you wouldn't consider plant-based and oil-free (ketchup, ice cream, mayonnaise, etc.).

I was a reluctant adherent, but giving up a grilled steak in favor of keeping my toes, eyes and kidneys won me over!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fpuhan,

I've trended toward a more Mediterranean diet the last 10-years: lighter, reduced-meat dishes during the week (chicken/turkey, fish) but, with occasional bigger meat dishes (pork, lamb) on the weekend. I find the Med has a broader variety of spices and flavors anywhere outside of Asia; my favorite vegetable dishes I've gotten from popular author Yotem Ottolenghi and one of his cookbooks Plenty . His Jerusalem cookbook is my favorite but, the others are quite good as well. Flip through them and pick-out various dishes that appeal.

quote:

Originally posted by fpuhan:
Recently diagnosed as an insulin-resistant Type-2 diabetic, I have managed to lower my A1c level from 13 to 5.9 (pre-diabetic) in three months by adhering to a whole-food, plant-based, low-fat diet. Here are some of the recipe sources I use. I have to be careful even then, since I have to avoid oils, fats, dairy and of course, sugars.

https://www.plantbasedcooking.com
https://thevegan8.com
https://www.masteringdiabetes.com/recipe/
https://myplantbasedfamily.com/recipes/

You'd be surprised at how many creative (and easy!) ways there are to home make healthy foods that you wouldn't consider plant-based and oil-free (ketchup, ice cream, mayonnaise, etc.).

I was a reluctant adherent, but giving up a grilled steak in favor of keeping my toes, eyes and kidneys won me over!

Whereas the choice to be vegan/vegetarian may be a personal one and there may be short term improvements, this can come with long term costs.

Obviously sugar in all its forms and fake seed oils are prime suspects but also plants use chemistry instead of claws to avoid being eaten and so the diet must be individualized to minimize adverse reactions. There is so much negative press against keto and lchf mostly because it works (Virta Health) and industry lobbies against it. The low-fat low sugar diet is just a missedsteak imo.

Virpi Mikkonen is now ex-vegan:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/fe...early-menopause.html

Two of my favorite ethnic dishes just happen to also be vegetarian, I'd look up recipes for these:

Paneer Tikka Masala:





Chiles Rellenos:

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PASig,

Falafel is a big winner. I like it with fava beans instead of chickpeas.

Blanched fava beans feta lemon juice, mint and extra virgin olive oil is nice as well. we get frozen beans from our local middle eastern market.

Gazpacho is a favorite summer soup. I will make this tonight. A lot of work but delicious.


Equipment: Large soup pot, 2 large glass bowls, strainer, blender or mixmaster

Ingredients:

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 to 1 & 1/2 cups cooked white rice; or bread crumbs, millet, or dried cornbread
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 green (or other) bell pepper, seeded, cored, and coarsely chopped
1/2 small red onion, be careful not to add too much onion

1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon paprika powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
a sprinkle of dried taraggon and/or dried basil

6 to 8 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

This dish is made with raw vegetables so wash everything thorougly.

Bring the water in the large pot to a boil.  Turn off the heat.  Add the tomatoes.
Blanch the tomatoes in the large pot of just boiled water.  Let the tomatoes float for to 3 to 4 minutes and then remove to cool.  Peel the tomatoes by rubbing or cutting the skin crosswise.  Remove the core, skins, and seeds to the medium glass bowl.  The discarded parts will be strained so that the liquid is added back into the larger bowl with the meat.

Place the meat of the tomatoes in the large glass bowl.  Peel, seed, and chop the cucumber; likewise with the garlic, and red onion.

Place the garlic, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, seasonings, olive oil, vinegar, and rice in the large bowl with the tomato meat.  Use the strainer to harvest the liquid from the discarded cores and seeds.  Add the liquid to the bowl with the meat.  Blend to a puree or rough slurry depending on your preferred texture.  Chill several hours or overnight.  Serve with a garnish of shredded basil, croutons, sour cream, or avocado slices.

You can use bread, millet, cornbread, or such in place of the rice.

Magyar Hideg Meggyleves, Hungarian Chilled Cherry Soup. This recipe received a nice compliment on SF a few years ago

Equipment: large glass bowl, soup pot, blender

Ingredients

2 to 2 1/2 pounds fresh cherries, Rainer cherries preferred, stemmed and pitted
2 cups dry red wine, Bull's Blood preferred, or the full bottle
2 cups water, or equal volume to the bottle of wine
1 cup light whipping cream
1 stick cinnamon
zest of a small lemon
zest of half an orange
1/2 teaspoon clove powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 shot brandy (optional)
sour cream for garnish
Peach or apricot slices for garnish

Remove the stems and pits from the cherries.  In a large pot combine the wine, water, cherries, cinnamon, clove, ginger, molasses, citrus zests, and bring to a low boil.  simmer for twenty minutes.  Remove from heat and add brandy if desired.  Cover and allow to cool.  When cool, reserve app 1/4 soup for texture.  Fish out the cinnamon stick.  Blend to a rough texture.  Add back the reserved soup and cinnamon.  Stir in the light cream and chill for several hours or overnight.  Serve with your choice of garnish.

Indian. It can make an inveterate carnivore such as me eat vegetarian food.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
I've trended toward a more Mediterranean diet the last 10-years:

After my trip to Israel, I fell in love with Mediterranean food. I ate so much when I was there and it was all fantastic. What surprised me was that there was very little meat, other than the chicken or lamb dishes (which were delicious BTW).

It gave me a new appreciation for what can be done with just veggies.

I do have to disagree with your opinion on the Jerusalem cookbook though. I bought it soon after returning from there, hoping to be able to replicate some of the food that I enjoyed while there. I was very disappointed. There are three or four recipes in there that I do like, but other than that, I am not impressed.

What I would really like is a recipe for the bread that I had there. Not quite pita and not quite naan, but it was amazing. I do have a naan recipe that is close and I make it occasionally, but good God I could live on the bread from there if I could make it.