1. Eat a balanced, varied diet containing healthy ingredients from the four main food groups (visit the American Diabetes Association nutrition page).
2. Bulk up on 100% whole grains for fiber and 5-10 servings per day of richly colored fruits and vegetables.
3. Trim bad fats like saturated and trans and get healthy monounsaturated fats from ingredients like canola oil, salmon or other fatty fish, nuts and avocados.
4. Eat seafood 2-3 times per week.
5. Try meat alternatives like beans and tofu and milk alternatives like soy milk.
6. Pass on adding salt to your food to keep blood pressure in check.
7. Be mindful of serving sizes and the number of calories you consume daily.
8. Limit your intake of alcohol, caffeine and sugar.
9. Strive for 30-60 minutes a day of exercise, and 60-90 minutes of physical activity per day for children (visit the American Diabetes Association fitness page).
10. Minimize stress and get plenty of sleep.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Garlic clove, minced.
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large red pepper, quartered
• 1 large yellow pepper, quartered
• 1 medium red onion, quartered
• 4 Whole-wheat flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 chopped green onion

Directions

1. Preheat gas barbecue to medium-high.  Combine first six ingredients in small bowl.
2. Arrange next four ingredients on greased grill.  Brush with olive oil mixture.  Cook for about 12 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing with remaining oil mixture, until peppers and onions are softened and internal temperature of chicken reaches 170 degrees Celsius.  Transfer to plate.  Cover with foil and let stand for 5 minutes.  Cut chicken, peppers, and onions into strips.  Transfer to bowl.
3. Arrange chicken and vegetables down center of each tortilla.  Add remaining three ingredients.  Fold up bottoms.  Fold in sides, leave top ends open.  Serves 4.

Source: 30 Minute Diabetic Cooking by Jean Pare

• 3/4 lb. Flank Steak
• 1/4 tsp. Montreal Steak Spice
• 1/2 cup Chopped roasted red pepper, blotted dry
• 1/3 cup Light herb and garlic cream cheese
• 4 Crusty whole-grain rolls, slit
• 2 cups Fresh spinach leaves, lightly packed

Preheat broiler.  Sprinkle both sides of steak with first amount of steak spice.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Broil on top rack in oven for about three minutes until desired doneness.  Transfer to cutting board.  Cover with foil.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine red pepper and cream cheese in small bowl.  Spread on bun halves.

Thinly slice steak diagonally across the grain.  Sprinkle with second amount of steak spice.  Arrange beef over cream cheese mixture on each bun.  Top with spinach.  Set bun tops over spinach.  Makes 4 sandwiches.

• 1 lb - Baby potatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup – Water
• 1/2 tsp - Montreal steak spice
• 2 tbsp – Balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp – Olive (or canola) oil
• 2 tsp - Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp – Salt
• 1/4 tsp – Pepper
• 4 cups – Spring mix lettuce, lightly packed
• 1/2 lb – Cooked medium shrimp that have been peeled and deveined)
• 1/2 cup - Thinly sliced red pepper

Put potato and water into medium microwave safe bow.  Microwave covered, on high for about 10 minutes, stirring every three minutes, until tender.  Rinse with cold water.  Drain.  Add steak spice.  Toss.

Meanwhile, combine next 5 ingredients in large bowl.  Makes about 1/3 cup of dressing.

Add remaining 3 ingredients and potato.  Toss.  Makes about 8 cups.

• 3/4 c Vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
• 2/3 c Sugar
• 1/3 c Unsweetened cocoa
• 1 lg Egg
• 2 tb Water if dough is dry
• 1 ts Baking powder
• 1/4 c Chopped walnuts
• 1/2 ts Baking soda
• 1/2 c Semisweet chocolate chips

1. Beat together the oil, sugar, and egg. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to blend well. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drop by spoonfuls, about 1 inch apart, onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes at about 375 F.

One cookie - 106 calories, 1 starch/bread, 1 fat exchange 2 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 124 mg sodium

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