{"id":5664,"date":"2010-03-08T10:47:21","date_gmt":"2010-03-08T15:47:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664"},"modified":"2015-12-31T04:33:31","modified_gmt":"2015-12-31T09:33:31","slug":"review-delicious-diabetic-recipes-the-gourmet-cookbook-for-a-healthy-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664","title":{"rendered":"Review: Delicious Diabetic Recipes, The Gourmet Cookbook for a Healthy Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Ever since Galen, the Roman physician, people have trusted their health to doctors- and doctors, at least in the last century and a half, have often deserved such trust.\u00a0 In antiquity it was common for\u00a0 medicine and food to be variants of the same ingredient – certain spices or roots might flavor a stew, and mitigate the symptoms of an illness as well. In the modern era of manufactured pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, and biological drugs, however, health via food has taken a back seat.<\/p>\n

Of course, there have been food naturalists, vegetarians, and proponents of secret ingredients in every era.\u00a0 In a way, everyone is his or her own dietary theorist, and our theories are experimentally tested.\u00a0 Anyone who says, \u201cthis doesn\u2019t agree with me,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m allergic to this,\u201d or even \u201cbananas make me gag,\u201d knows what he\u2019s talking about.\u00a0 We\u2019re all scientists in the laboratory of digestion, but that laboratory tends to be ruled not by science, but by taste.\u00a0 What we like often wins over what we should<\/em> like – even if there are serious consequences, like high blood sugar.\u00a0 Diabetes is one of the most obvious and dramatic instances in which the curbing of taste is usually the only route to better health.<\/p>\n

Most of us have a \u201csweet tooth\u201d and lots more than that.\u00a0 We eat a diet coated in sugar in its many forms \u2013 sucrose, glucose, fructose, molasses, honey\u2026 under any of its disguises sugar means danger to diabetics \u2013 and it\u2019s also the world\u2019s most beloved taste.\u00a0 Sugar, our comfort food, the added touch, the dessert, the treat, is really the beauty queen that upon close examination, shows itself as the skull and cross bones.<\/p>\n

Thus the battle for the health of the diabetic body is almost always a struggle against one the most powerful human prerogatives- taste.\u00a0 There have been many attempts to combine taste and health in recipes for diabetics, and one of the most recent is Dr. Rani Polak\u2019s \u201cDelicious Diabetic Recipes, The Gourmet Cookbook for a Healthy Life.\u201d<\/a> Dr. Polak, physician and a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, isn\u2019t just offering us another book of lackluster recipes labeled \u2018healthy\u2019 for diabetics, that none of us really wants to prepare.\u00a0 He has the credentials and the expertise to attack the taste\/health divide from both sides, and he does so with great success.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Rani Polak<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each page in Polak\u2019s book is filled with step by step instructions, beautiful photographs, and detailed nutritional information, including caloric, carbohydrate, and fat content.\u00a0 While this nutritional information is prominently displayed along side each recipe, Polak doesn\u2019t suggest a single method of eating, recommend one food over another, or tell you how much fat or carbohydrates you should eat daily.\u00a0 The book has a simple principle:\u00a0 to bring pleasure to cooking, and to make preparing good food easy for everyone, especially for people living with diabetes.\u00a0 Polak says, \u201cNutritional research is important and definitely guides the contents of this book.\u00a0 However, sometimes too much information causes us to miss the main point: the pleasure of cooking and eating good food.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polak\u2019s book is exactly the cookbook I\u2019ve been looking for.\u00a0 It fulfills my needs as a diabetic, as food-lover, and as a busy mother of three looking for healthy and easy meals to serve my family.\u00a0 Dr. Polak kindly answered some questions for ASweetLife so that we could get to know him and his work a bit better.<\/p>\n

How did you get started in this field?\u00a0 Which came first – cooking or medical school?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I started my training in medical school and during those years I had many questions about what I would do long-term.\u00a0 Since I didn’t have the answer, I decided to take a break from medical school and to go study cooking. While training as a chef, I realized that, like medicine, cooking can help many people. I didn’t have a specific plan, but I decided to\u00a0return to medical\u00a0school and to\u00a0try to combine\u00a0my studies.<\/p>\n

Can you tell us about the Center for Healthy Cooking at Hadassah Hebrew University<\/em><\/strong> Hospital, where you serve as director?\u00a0 Is it for everyone, or only for people with special dietary needs?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The center for healthy cooking at Hadassah University Hospital is the only cooking school in the world that’s located inside a hospital. The center is for everybody, healthy people, young, adults and seniors \u2013 anyone who wants to learn how to improve the quality of life by cooking healthier food.\u00a0 We also work specifically with people who have special dietary needs and teach them how to cook food that suits their needs.<\/p>\n

Additionally, we work with\u00a0professionals. We teach chefs how to cook healthier food for their customers, as well as medical providers who can help their patients learn to cook healthier food.<\/p>\n

Until I read your book, I\u2019d never thought about the fact that warm desserts require less sweetening than cold desserts.\u00a0 Please tell us about this.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This is very easy to explain.\u00a0 Our tastes\u00a0are very sensitive to temperature, especially\u00a0sweetness.\u00a0Because of that, the warmer the dish, the less it requires sweeteners to get a nice taste.\u00a0 This is only one example of how very simple tips can help people improve their diets and lower their sugar intake. [In Polak\u2019s book, you\u2019ll find a lovely recipe for strawberries in lemon verbena and thyme, with ricotta cheese].<\/p>\n

What is your take on artificial sweeteners?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

If someone needs a high level of sweetening in order to be satisfied from a dessert, then\u00a0 artificial sweeteners are a reasonable solution.\u00a0 I think that the best way to enjoy a rich flavor is to use spices, herbs and other\u00a0aromatic ingredients whenever possible.<\/p>\n

What are some of your favorite dishes?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I like Mediterranean cuisine, food that cooks with roots, herbs, legumes and fresh meat.<\/p>\n

We tested a number of the recipes from Delicious Diabetic Cookbook<\/em>, and “Thai Beef Salad with Onion and Lemongrass<\/a>” was a favorite.\u00a0 Thai Beef Salad is a rich and filling meal.\u00a0 The pieces of filet, according to my husband (the resident carnivore) were tender and lean.\u00a0 The flavors in the dish were balanced and delicate and the onions did not dominate, but rather complimented the other flavors, especially the lemongrass.<\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Thai Beef Salad with Onion and Lemongrass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another of our favorite dishes was “Sesame and Herb Chicken Fingers”.\u00a0 Finding a dish the entire family \u2013 including little children \u2013 will eat and enjoy isn\u2019t always easy.\u00a0 I tried these chicken fingers to introduce a non-fried schnitzel alternative to my sons.\u00a0 The kids were won over, and for diabetics, or anyone looking to avoid breaded chicken, fried chicken, or salt, this is an excellent choice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sesame and Herb Chicken Fingers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

The flaky coating in this dish contains lots of dry herbs and very little salt. You can replace the herbs listed below with your own favorite selection.\u00a0 The Dijon-style mustard helps the herbs adhere to the chicken. Note that some types of this mustard have a grainy texture that is suitable for sauces but not recommended for this recipe which works best with a smooth variety.<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/em><\/strong>:<\/em><\/p>\n

10 tablespoons dried parsley<\/p>\n

2 tablespoons dried basil<\/p>\n

1 tablespoon nigella seeds<\/p>\n

1 tablespoon whole sesame seeds<\/p>\n

Four 4-ounce chicken breasts, cut widthwise into 1-inch strips<\/p>\n

\u00bc teaspoon Atlantic sea salt<\/p>\n

\u00bc teaspoon ground black pepper<\/p>\n

2 tablespoons smooth Dijon-style Mustard<\/p>\n

Preparation<\/em><\/strong>:<\/em><\/p>\n

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a small plate, mix together parsley, basil, nigella, and sesame seeds.<\/p>\n

Season chicken strips with salt and pepper; then brush each strip with a thin layer of mustard. Dredge chicken strips in mixed herb coating to cover both sides. Transfer to baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until ready.<\/p>\n

Serves 8 \/ Serving size: 3 pieces<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Polak, physician and a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, isn\u2019t just offering us another book of lackluster recipes labeled \u2018healthy\u2019 for diabetics, that none of us really wants to prepare…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":5727,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1463,1452],"tags":[647],"yoast_head":"\nReview: Delicious Diabetic Recipes, The Gourmet Cookbook for a Healthy Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A diabetic cookbook from Dr. Rani Polak, physician and Le Cordon Bleu trained chef. isn\u2019t just offering us another book of lackluster recipes labeled \u2018healthy\u2019 for diabetics\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jessica Apple\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664\",\"name\":\"Review: Delicious Diabetic Recipes, The Gourmet Cookbook for a Healthy Life\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/Book_JKT_Final1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-03-08T15:47:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-12-31T09:33:31+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/1f33fe649de04a31a493d746b6e72607\"},\"description\":\"A diabetic cookbook from Dr. Rani Polak, physician and Le Cordon Bleu trained chef. isn\u2019t just offering us another book of lackluster recipes labeled \u2018healthy\u2019 for diabetics\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/Book_JKT_Final1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/Book_JKT_Final1.jpg\",\"width\":595,\"height\":325},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=5664#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Review: Delicious Diabetic Recipes, The Gourmet Cookbook for a Healthy Life\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/\",\"name\":\"ASweetLife\",\"description\":\"The Diabetes Magazine\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/1f33fe649de04a31a493d746b6e72607\",\"name\":\"Jessica Apple\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c10409e04c60ee9e1a01fbe9c4a704b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c10409e04c60ee9e1a01fbe9c4a704b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jessica Apple\"},\"description\":\"Jessica Apple grew up in Houston. 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