Apologize for no Wertfrei Wednesday post yesterday, both computers were out of commission, the 8 yo TC1100-my workhorse and the TF101-the reader. The workhorse is up today so posting today’s Healthy Thursday!

7 Diabetic-Friendly Food Substitutions for Holiday Meals

Holiday Foods for Diabetics

Brick ONeil, Yahoo Contributor Network Original publisher

Just because you have diabetes does not mean you have to be left out of a traditional holiday gathering. These 7 food substitutions will make any diabetic-conscious dinner shine.

1. Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes? Mounds of creamy, fluffy clouds of mashed potatoes! But they’re just too high in carbohydrates for us diabetics. Now, the in-vogue dish to substitute for mashed potatoes is mashed cauliflower! Steam (bake, roast or boil) a head (or two) of cauliflower, then mash it. While it’s in the pot (or bowl), add a handful or two of cheese, Gruyere, mozzarella, or any cheese that melts easily. That way you have a low-carb light and fluffy side dish chock full of calcium and vitamin C.
2. Gravies and sauces add so much to a holiday meal, but they’re usually made with flour which adds so much to your waistline. Instead of using flour as the base, use good old-fashioned corn starch. Mix one tablespoon cornstarch, one tablespoon butter, and your liquid (and pan drippings-where the flavor is!). You’ll never miss the flour base.
3. Forget the salt. Do not add or use salt in your cooking, as the meat (if you’re serving meat) usually has lots of added sodium or salt already. Raid your spice cupboard for meats and side dishes to add new, interesting flavors for your holiday meals.
4. Unsure what to have as side dishes? When my Dad invited me to a holiday dinner last year, I found an old-fashioned chestnut and brussels sprout dish. I’d never used chestnuts before so I was a little intimated. The unveiling of the dish and subsequent tasting was an instant smash hit! So don’t be afraid to use low-carbohydrate vegetables in your side dishes in new and innovative ways.
5. Serve and cook with low-fat skim milk or even soy milk. Both have the taste and texture of real milk but without the extra fat and calories, and therefore lower in carbohydrates too. I use soy milk in my morning oatmeal, cereal and puddings (sugar-free). It’s healthy, low-carb, and has the same taste without the added fat, carbs and calories.
6. Have pitchers of crystal clear water around the table. Consider garnishing the water with lemon slices, frozen melon balls or frozen strawberries and blueberries. Water helps with digestion, fills up your stomach and leaves your palate clean for the next course. It’s carbohydrate-free, fat-free and healthy for you.
7. Who doesn’t love dessert! If you thought that since you’re diabetic, all desserts are gone for the rest of your natural born life, you’re wrong. There are new and exciting desserts for diabetics, recipes that use diabetic-friendly sugars (measured like real sugar) and sugar-free desserts. With a little ingenuity, you can make breathtaking and mouthwatering desserts!