ODDS AND ENDS RECIPES
Change your food, change your life.
Yes, it may be as simple as that. We all know that many of us are prediabetic because of our food choices.
Together, let’s share recipes that are common and healthy. Let’s learn from each other—life is much easier that way, don’t you think?
Note: Before making any changes to your diet, talk with your healthcare provider and a nutritionist/dietitian to discover what will work for you.
T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon
EVOO = extra virgin olive oil
c = cup
POWER BOWLS
Power bowls have been around for a few years. They’re easy, tasty, and make meal prep less daunting. Plus, you can fill them with foods you love.
Reversing prediabetes doesn’t mean you have to subsist on a special diet consisting of tofu and curly parsley, with a piece of sugar-free hard candy for dessert.
A lot of the foods you like will stay in your cupboards and refrigerator. Be aware that if you have a daily dose of breakfast pastries and ice cream, that will change.
OK, let’s put together some power bowls. It’s a simple way to throw a meal together when, like most of us, you’re not sure what constitutes a healthy plate (bowl) of food.
You start by choosing an item from each category. Once you get into this, you’ll add your own food choices to the categories and find combos you love.
Power bowls are all about ease of construction. Prep ingredients on the weekend so that you can build a bowl when you like throughout the week.
If you want some of the weekend’s cooked ingredients heated when you’re ready to fix a bowl, slide them onto an oven-safe baking tray and heat them at 350° for approximately 10 minutes, testing for temperature after 5 minutes. Or, we all know and love our microwaves.
Amounts from each category are not set in cement. Base amounts on your preferences and your carb counts for a meal.
Keep your carb count per bowl/meal where it needs to be for your body.
You won’t always use an ingredient from each category, or you might use two instead of one, particularly veggies. Whatever works for you.
Per bowl:
Approximately ½ cup grains
2 to 4 oz proteins
1 to 2 cups veggies, depending on carb count in your veggie and grain choices, and size of bowl
¼ to 1 cup fats
Grains
We’re looking for complex carbs and whole grains if possible. Prepare about 4 cups total for the week and refrigerate. Use ½ cup per bowl. You can mix the grains, as long as you keep the total per bowl at ½ cup.
- Barley
- Amaranth
- Oats
- Farro
- Millet
- Spelt
- Bulgur
- Sorghum
- Quinoa
- Wheatberries
- Teff
- Brown rice
- Wild rice
- Cracked wheat
Veggies
A complete list of veggies would exhaust your interest. The important thing to remember is learn about the nutritional values of the veggies you like. Don’t put 200 veggie carbs into one bowl, and make sure your total carb count for the bowl is where you need it to be.
Do prepare the veggies ahead of time by roasting, steaming, keeping raw, sautéing—try a variety of preps rather than a one-note raw approach.
A few veggies to consider:
- Artichoke
- Sweet potato
- Kale
- Collard greens
- Mustard greens
- Salad greens
- Onion
- Carrot
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Bok choy
- Swiss chard
- Parsnip
- Radish
- Fresh herbs
- Green beans
- Lentils
- Pulses
- Black beans
- White beans
Proteins
Prepare your protein ahead of time, if possible. Try a variety of cooking methods to give yourself options. You can hard-boil eggs on the weekend, but may want to scramble them the day of. The more bowls you put together, the easier it will be to figure out what you like.
- Eggs
- Meat
- Fish
- Canned fish or seafood
- Fowl
- Pork
- Beans
- Legumes
- Tofu
Fats
Your fat might come from cheese, or dressing, or a combination of fats, and that’s OK.
- Salad dressing
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Mayo
- Nuts
- Avocado
- Hummus
- Oil
- Seeds
- Pesto
- Guacamole
Power Bowl Combos
- Leafy greens, barley, roasted squash, pumpkin seeds, maple balsamic vinaigrette
- Brown rice, pulled pork, avocado, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, creamy dressing
- Quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, sautéed kale, fresh spinach, blackened chicken, oil and vinegar dressing
- Farro, baked salmon, sautéed bok choy, avocado, caesar dressing
- Scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, combination of fresh herbs, pesto
There are thousands of ways to combine power bowl ingredients. Choose what you like and add it to your bowl. Watch your carb count and, for most of your bowls, try to include an item from each category. Balanced eating is the way.
Pro tip: leftovers make dandy power bowl ingredients.