New way of eating

[Barbara Moulton]

Well...my hubby has been diagnosed with having high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Fortunately no blood sugar problems. In fact, his heart and weight are great because he is a marathon runner but obviously we need to pay attention to these other issues.

Sooooo...looking for new recipes etc. If anyone has any good ones, I would appreciate it.

He loves cheesy, buttery, spicy things.

This is going to be difficult time for him.

[Jenny Mitchell]

Spicy shouldn't be off limits! You might have a lot of luck with some African and Asian ethnic dishes - particularly if you eat them like natives and not Americanized versions (ours are usually heavy on the meat). Much Indian food, for example, uses yogurt instead of sour cream and isn't fried and is high on spice. Would he like ethnic recipes? If so, I'll post a few.

[Barb Bouldrey]

Well, you will have to use lowfat lite cheeses and cholesterol free butter substitutes since cheese and butter are not on his diet.

Also, my doctor says that fish oil capsules, 3 a day, are very helpful in lowering cholesterol.

Does he like baked tuna steaks? He needs to eat more baked chicken and fish.

We like stirfry recipes.

Barb

[Barbara Moulton]

Would he like ethnic recipes? If so, I'll post a few.

Very much so. We loved living in Toronto :-)

It will be good for both of us. I need to lose a few pounds.

[Dana Grant]

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but here's my experience.......

Diabetic, I had to go on a very low carbohydrate diet.

Beginning of diet -- cholesterol about 252, triglycerides about 290 or so (can't remember that number exactly).

Six months later after being on very low carbohydrate diet (eating a lot of chicken, fish, beef, cheese, eggs, butter, sour cream, etc., etc. -- all the stuff you would normally think as bad for cholesterol and fat levels):

Cholesterol: 180-something (can't remember the exact number)
Triglycerides: 78

From all of my research, it is not dietary fat and cholesterol that raise cholesterol/fat levels, but it is the carbohydrate content -- SUGAR -- the main culprit. Carbohydrates and sugar are one in the same. The minute carbohydrate hits your mouth it turns into SUGAR, whether it's flour, oats, wheat, whatever. It turns into SUGAR when you eat it.

I just thought I'd throw that in.

Also, my mother had been on a low cholesterol/low fat diet for YEARS AND YEARS -- her cholesterol was running in the 300s.

She went on a low-carbohydrate diet (not as severe as mine), and her levels also went down.

I think our own Scott Cundiff did the same (you would have to ask him what his levels were).

I'm not suggesting that you go on this type of diet, but it would be worth looking into. A person does not have to go on as severe of carbohydrate restriction that I do, but lowering carbohydrates does indeed help lower cholesterol levels. I've seen it for myself in my own body, and for several others who have also tried it.

That's my two cents, probably not even worth that much!! HA HA

[Jenny Mitchell]

One is Afghan. one is Morrocan, and one is the healthiest tasty chocolate recipe I've ever found. My family LOVES the muffins. I would alter the kebab recipe to make it feed 6 instead of 4 by adding a favorite veggie, like mushrooms.

Afghan Chicken Kebab

1 cup yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 centiliter garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb boneless chicken, in pieces
1 flatbread
3 tomatoes, sliced
2 onions, sliced
4 limes, quartered

Mix yogurt, salt, pepper, and garlic in bowl. Mix with
yogurt and marinate up to 2 days in refrigerator.
Thread meat on skewers and grill over barbecue. Place bread
on plates, divide meat among plates, top with tomato and onion and
fold bread over. Serve with lime or lemon quarters for squeezing.

Yield: 4 servings

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
2 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk (app.)
2 2/3 cup flour
3 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup oats
2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix eggs with oil. Add orange juice concentrate, buttermilk
and milk and stir well. Add dry ingredients except chocolate chips
and stir. If batter looks too dry add more milk; if batter looks too
moist add more oats. (This is not a real finicky recipe). Stir in
chocolate chips. Spoon into greased or lined muffin cups and bake
15-20 min. or until tester inserted in center comes out clean (unless
you hit a chocolate chip!) and muffins are golden. I prefer them a
little underdone. Serve warm or at room temp.

Yield: 24 big muffins

Moroccan Chicken and Potato Stew

1 1/2 teaspoon oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 lb potatoes; diced
1/2 cup baby carrots
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small onion; chopped
3 clove garlic; finely chopped

Brown chicken in oil. Remove from pot. Set aside. Cook and stir onion
and garlic until onion is translucent. Stir in spices; cook and stir 30
sec. or until fragrant. Add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and raisins; heat
until just comes to a boil. Return chicken to pot. Cover tightly; reduce
heat and simmer until veggies are tender. Stir in lemon juice before
serving.

Yield: 4 servings

[Barbara Moulton]

MMMMM...sounds delish.

If I can cook some really tasty things for him, right at the beginning, I know that will make it much easier for him to contemplate a continuing diet like this.

Thanks.

[Charlene Clevenger]

Just to clarify; you say in the first recipe: Mix yogurt, salt, pepper, and garlic in bowl. Mix with
yogurt and marinate up to 2 days in refrigerator.

Should that say mix with chicken?

[Jenny Mitchell]

Yup! Oh, my, the things we type when we type too fast....