Lets Get Cooking...Recipe Share!!

I enjoy cooking and I love trying new recipes.  So I'd like to start a recipe share site right here.....based on tried and true HEALTHY recipes from me and YOU!!!  
Feel free to post any healthy recipe.  I enjoy taking fattening recipes and cutting down the fat and calories, while keeping lots of flavor.  So, I'll start with one of my all time favorites:
    Cheese Noodle Casserole 
Ingredients 
    1 package no yolk broad noodles
    1/2 cup splenda/sugar blend for baking
    5 egg whites whipped till fluffy
    8 oz low fat cottage cheese or low fat ricotta cheese
    8 oz low fat sour cream or 8 oz low fat plain yogurt
    1 cup apple sauce
     2 tsp pure vanilla extract
     butter flavored cooking spray
Directions
     Cook noodles and drain.  Beat eggs with fork and mix with sugar/splenda; cottage cheese and sour cream.           Remix until creamy and add 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce. Combine with noodles and thoroughly mix together.  Spray a square casserole dish with cooking spray and pour in mixture. Bake at 350 deg. for 40 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown.  Enjoy!!!!

Please post your recipes under "comments." You will have to click on "comment as" and either click on Anonymous or Name ( and then choose a name.) Cant wait to read and try your recipes!!!
--Lissy
PS..Thanks for the great idea Cuz JS!
   

"Do you Have Some Kind of a Foot Fetish or Something?"

A few months ago, my husband and I took a lovely trip down to Florida.  Before dinner, we both went up to the room to shower and we used two of the 4 towels that the chambermaid had left us.  Of course that left us with two for our morning showers and that seemed just fine.  But the next morning, my husband shrieked when he discovered that there was only one clean towel left and the other one was drenched.  I  explained that I had used the wet towel to clean my feet the night before, prior getting into bed.  He gave me the oddest quizzical look....and then blurted out something on the order of ..." Whats with you?? Do you have some kind of foot fetish or something?"

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, one of the things that my Podiatrist impressed upon me was to inspect and clean my feet every night prior to going to sleep.  With diabetes, we are more  prone to tongue twisting conditions like neuropathy...a complication due to poorly controlled diabetes over a long period of time.  With neuropathy, patients may experience numbness, tingling and/or  foot pain.  Although my diabetes has always been well controlled, I got into the habit of inspecting and cleaning my feet every night and just as I wouldnt consider going to sleep without brushing my teeth, I wouldnt consider going to sleep without cleaning and inspecting my feet.

I'd like to hear your comments.  Do you inspect your feet at night?  Do you suffer from neuropathy?  Feel free   to post your comments below.  After you write your comment, click on the down arrow next to Comment As  and either click on Name or Anonymous then click on Post Comment.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
--Lissy

"She Eats Sugar!!"

Dedicated to my daughter, MM who inspired me to write down the details of the following humorous experience.

I've been substitute teaching for the past few years for elementary aged students.  One day I was called in for a third grade class.  The day was going very smoothly and the students were very attentive to all my instructions.  This particular class had their lunch scheduled for late in the day.  About a half hour prior to lunch time, while the students were quietly working on a reading assignment, I felt myself getting jittery and decided to check my blood sugar.  Sure enough, it was 60 and needed to be addressed. I reached for my purse and took out two sugar packets, ripped them open and poured them into my mouth.  Within about 30 seconds I started to hear whispering around the classroom....."SHE EATS SUGAR.......THE SUBSTITUTE TEACHER EATS SUGAR!!!!"  I decided to "take the high road" and just ignore the comments rather than try explaining diabetes and insulin reactions to third graders.  But I did notice that I've never been called back again to sub for that class.......
I've been using sugar packets to treat BS reactions for about 7 years.  I've found that they work best for me for several reasons.  They are easy to carry and don't go bad; sugar dissolves quickly and easily without having to be chewed and  they're very inexpensive. Each packet is about 15 calories and about 5 g of carbs.  So I usually start off with two packets and recheck my blood sugar 15 to 20 minutes later to see if I need more.
I'd love to hear what you use to treat insulin reactions.  To leave a comment, please click on "comments" below and follow the instructions.  Looking forward to hearing from you.
--Lissy

Do you Exercise??

This blog is dedicated to my son, JM, who suggested I write these blogs as a way to inspire and to be inspired by others with diabetes.  Thanks JM!

You know those avid "gym rats" who live for fitness?  Well,  I wish I was one of them....but the sad truth is that
 I am not.  I do force myself to exercise about three times per week...and my very motivated husband does try to motivate me as well.  I also draw inspiration from my incredible daughter, who jogs, and from my sister who does weight bearing exercises everyday.  But some days (especially in the dead of winter when its frigid outside) I'd prefer to hang by my ear lobes than go to the gym.  So...this is an area where YOU...can motivate me!
What do you do for exercise?  Are you a motivated exerciser?  What keeps you motivated?  Please post comments.  I will reply to each one....I promise!
Also....feel free to add your e-mail address all the way at the top to receive these blogs via e-mail.

Do Your Fingertips Look Like Pin Cushions?

This blog is dedicated to "Anonymous" and her sister.  Thanks for your question.

 Several weeks ago in preparation for a wedding, I decided to treat myself to a manicure. The manicurist noticed my polka dotted fingertips and questioned why they looked that way.  She gave me one of those looks as if she suspected that I might be a member of some weird self mutilation cult.  When I left there I wondered if while I was looking at my newly polished nails, if others would be looking at my bruised fingertips instead.


We all know that blood sugar testing is the way to go.  We know we should be testing upon awakening , prior to meals and at bedtime.  But for me, the prescribed 4 times per day of testing just doesnt cut it.  I feel that it would be careless to drive without testing and I must test before and after exercising to avoid low blood sugars.   Then there are times when I just feel that my blood sugar is low and that always requires a test.  So...I find myself testing at least 5 to 8 times per day.  I cant say that I "like" to do this.....who would?  But I am now quite used to it and unashamed of my commitment of caring for my health.


I remember that after my children were born, it took me some time to  lose the 20 pounds of pregnancy weight gain.  Friends would tell me to wear the weight proudly as a badge of motherly honor.  When I glance down at my fingertips I think I will wear my bruises proudly, as a badge of health!


I'd love to hear from you....are your fingertips like pin cushions?  How often do you test your blood sugar?


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The Moment of Truth

Having Diabetes, we all have numerous doctor visits throughout the year.  There are the quarterly Endocrinology appointments and the annual Podiatry appointments and others.  But the one that makes me shiver in my sleep is the annual Ophthalmology appointment.  Each year as this day approaches my anticipation grows and with it comes a healthy dose of fear.  For the past 27 years the morning of the appointment has always been my scariest day of the year and that day was today!
When my name was called.  I entered the examination room and was greeted by my doctor who was holding my chart out in front of him.   "Hmmmm ....diabetes since 1984....wellllllllll lets see what we find."  The inference was that ...of course he "would" find something.
First, the easy part...checking of my vision.  Yes, I needed a stronger Rx for reading glasses....no surprise there and my distance had deteriorated very mildly....but the big exam was yet to come.
The Moment of Truth.....the doctor was beginning the retinal exam.  I felt my heart racing and seconds literally seemed like hours.  My left eye was done and he was moving over to the my right eye....SILENTLY.  What did that mean?  Was he waiting to give me the bad news when  he was all finished?   He had to be.  The right eye ...again seconds taking hours to pass.  And then the announcement......."NOTHING...NO RETINAL CHANGES!"

EXHALE!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I hadnt even realized that I had been holding my breath!!!!!

Do your annual eye exams go the same way as mine?  I'd love to hear about them!!!!

Are You a Diabetic?

Are you a "Diabetic?"  I am NOT!  No, I am not in denial.  I have lived with Type 1 Diabetes for 27 years.  But it has never nor will it ever define me.  I AM many things among which are  a Mother; a wife; a sister; a daughter; a friend and now...a blogger  AND I have Diabetes.  I take my illness very seriously and I live a full and wonderful life.  Is it easy?  Of course not...but no one ever said that it would be.  Is it worth the effort?  Of course it is.  The effort that I put into maintaining my health enables me to live my life to the fullest.  


Please comment and tell me ....  are you a Diabetic???? 
What defines you????