Eat and Beat Diabetes Book Review and Brownies

Ever craved for a brownie that's healthy? well,this is it.

The Eat and Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss by Dr.Howard M.Shapiro and Chef Franklin Becker is complete with such healthy transformations of foods otherwise considered taboo for diabetics.But wait,you don't have to be diabetic to try these wholesome ,low calorie,low fat and low sugar recipes.Those over weight ,diabetic,pre-diabetic or at risk for diabetes and also those worried about heart disease or looking for options to lower weight, blood pressure or cholesterol or simply a health nut determined to find alternatives to unhealthy eating,would cherish this book.The book is an eye opener of healthy yet most delicious foods imaginable.

The Beat Diabetes Team
In Eat & Beat Diabetes with picture perfect Weight Loss,Dr.Howard Shapiro uses the same visual method of food comparisons that made his best selling weigh loss books so popular and easy to use.Now he has teamed with executive chef,Franklin Becker,a diabetic himself,and together they reveal the secrets to a diet that can actually help you prevent and beat diabetes - without depriving yourself of delicious foods.
Besides Chef Franklin Becker,other premier chefs from major restaurants around the country have contributed their shared of healthfully transformed tasty recipes.Also includes a 7 day sample meal plan.

Beat Diabetes Pyramid
Dr.Shapiro's Beat Diabetes Pyramid depicts a simple understanding of food groups that fight diabetes and lose weight.It not about depriving food but about making the right choices from the bounty of foods that can provide good defense to stay healthy.The pyramid reveals the secret weapons,the specific nutrients that actually targets diabetes,beating back its potential side effects and maintaining the healthy weight that is key to controlling the disease.

A Call to Action for Parents of Kids at risk
Children pay the terrible price of being overweight ,by being at risk for type 2 diabetes ,heart disease ,asthma,digestive disorders,joint problems,vision problems,liver disease besides the psychologically painful toll.
The books offers the solution of changing the unhappy unhealthy state of kids,by asking parents to take the responsibility,teaching them to make the right choices through the beat diabetes pyramid,while keeping in mind the dos and don'ts for building a strong foundation of healthy eating for children.

The Food comparisons
A picture is worth thousand words,that so true with this book.Includes more than 100 capturing photos of picture-perfect food comparisons(calories,fiber,fat and sugar) that help you make the right choices.
Visually compare your favorite foods loaded with calories and fat to much healthier and equally tempting choices.Like the kiddie treat even a mother can love ,a scoop of frozen yogurt with cone 140 calories instead of 4 ounce chocolate chip cookie with 640 calories and 40 grams of fat!.
You actually get a more satisfying healthy food portion if including more fruits and vegetables than the unhealthy meal concentrated with fats or sugar.For example ,the small breakfast of a muffin and chai latte with as high as 840 calories can be substituted with 2 whole grain low sugar waffles,generous serving of berries and coffee with low cal sweetener totaling just 205 calories.
A glimpse of the picture perfect food comparisions :

Did You Know That You Can Eat and Beat Diabetes?

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Sweeteners
Contrary to the assumption of abandoning the sweet foods for diabetics,Dr.Shapiro's beat diabetes pyramid allows indulgence in right kind of sweets- that includes fruits,no sugar added frozen treats and no added sugar candies.The lo-cal sweeteners(including the artificial) pose no fear as long as the sweetener is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA)

Soy Power
The book highlights the Soy protein and its good role in beating or preventing the disease.The phytonutrients in soy protein are power houses of blood vessel protection,preventing weight gain and regulating insulin levels,hence said to be heart's best friend and a key diabetic fighter.

The Diabetic recipes
The recipes have been prepared keeping in mind the guidelines of the beat diabetes pyramid,by including whole some grains,soy products,good fats, low calorie or sugar free sweeteners and lots of fruits or vegetables.While I cannot reveal all of them but to get the picture here is one of my personal best recipes in the book.

The Beat Diabetes Brownies

I never doubted Heart Healthy dark chocolate's good benefits,Dr.Shapiro resonates the same love for pure dark chocolate and cocoa.My first recipe to test was obvious,the richly chocolate beat diabetes brownies.
I follow the original recipe in most parts except for the sweetener.I don't use any artificial sweetener(Splenda as in this recipe) in my cooking,with liberty to choose a low calorie sweetener,I chose the agave nectar,that has low glycemic Index,and is 25% sweeter than sugar,so you use less,in fact for a cup of sugar you will need only about half cup of agave nectar.Rest of the ingredients remain as in the original recipe.

Be sure to use 100% cocoa powder to get the most of the benefits,Pure canola oil and the soy protein powder used in the recipe is available in health food stores and many super markets in the health foods aisle.


Recipe : Beat Diabetes Brownies
Yields 12 brownies
Ingredients
1/2 cup fine ground whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened soy protein powder
5 tablespoon unsweetened 100% cocoa powder
1 cup granulated Splenda(or 1/2 cup agave nectar)
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup brewed coffee regular or decaffeinated
1/2 cup sugar-free syrup(preferably chocolate,but any flavor is fine)
1/3 canola oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup roasted nuts and seeds of choice(Almonds,walnuts,peacans,sunflower seeds,pumpkin seeds etc)
1 tablespoon raisins(optional)

Method
Preheat oven to 350F.
Oil an 8 or 9 inch square or round baking pan,coat with non stick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine flour,soy powder,baking powder and salt.Add the sweetener(splenda or agave nectar),coffee,syrup,oil and vanilla,stir until well blended.
Pour mixture in to the prepared pan.Sprinkle the nuts,seeds and raisins evenly over top and press gently in to batter.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.Cool for 15-10 minutes on a rack.Flip on a cutting board,flip again with nuts side up,peel the parchment and cut in squares.Can be refrigerated for 2 weeks in air tight container.



The ingredients sure speak out loud about health.When it comes to taste and texture, moist with crunchy topping and intensely chocolate and coffee flavor,I could skip my morning coffee for these.Diabetic or not,enjoy them with a glass of light in calories soy milk for a completely healthy snack.

Order your copy of this phenomenal book at Amazon,Barnes & noble,Borders,Books-a-million,Walmart and Target.

Crunchy Oats Dates Bars and Oats beauty Secret.

Did you know besides being a super healthy for heart,oatmeal is also a brilliant skin nourishing food?.During the frigid cold season,when the thermostats are running full time and air outside is dry,the skin suffers the most due to lack of moisture in the air.The best affordable remedy for dry skin is the oatmeal mask,it gently exfoliates ,nourishes and tones the skin for a smooth and supple skin.You gotta try it to believe it.Before the beauty treatment lemme share the crunchy oatmeal bar recipe with the sweet potassium rich dates,which nourishes from within the body.Its a perfect morning breakfast or snack on the go.




Ingredients
2 cups whole Oats
1/2 cup flax seed meal(its the binder ,or use 1 organic egg ,make sure the honey mixture is completely cooled if using egg)
1/4 cup Pure Honey
2/3 cup dates,chopped
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Orange zest
2 tablespoon Orange juice or apple juice or any fruit juice

Method
Spread the oats on a baking sheet and toasting a preheated oven at 300F,for about 10 minutes.Let cool.
Place butter,oil,honey,oil,orange juice and orange zest in a small saucepan.Heat gently ,stirring until butter has melted.Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped dates,flax seed meal and toasted oats.
Spoon the mixture in to the baking pan(8X8 inches).Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top and press down so they are lightly embedded in the surface.
Bake for 20 minutes in a 350F heated oven , until deep golden around the edges.Remove from the oven;leave in the pan to cool slightly.Using a sharp knife score the top in to rectangular or square pieces. Leave to cool completely,then cut along the marked lines.Bar can be stored in an air tight container for up to a week.

Simple enough to bake these bars are my entry for Baking for Beginners
Also try Fruit Dark Chocolate and Almonds Granola Bar


For the Oatmeal Spa Treatment at Home.

Oatmeal Morning scrub

Take about 1 cup of whole oats or porridge oats,process in a grinder,only until coarse ,do not grind smooth to a flours consistency.Store in air tight container
Every morning,take about tablespoon of the coarse oatmeal,splash water on face ,neck and lightly scrub and massage in the circular motion for a minute or two,before rinsing it all clean.Feel the change in the skin instantly.Do this regularly everyday for smoother complexion.



Oatmeal beauty mask

1 heaping tablespoon of coarsely ground oats
1 tablespoon Olive oil or almond oil
1 teapoon honey
2 tablespoon or little more of luke warm water.

Nicely combine all of the ingredients and apply all over face and neck.Lay back and relax with some soothing music playing.After about 20 minutes wash clean with lukewarm water first then with cold water.Do this at least once a week for renewing a tired and winter damaged dry skin.You could even use this as a body scrub,leave it on for 10 minutes before washing.

All you beauties out there do you have any winter skin care tip to share?

6 beauties shared their Skin care secrets:
Varsha Vipins Says "Masks made with Banana+honey is also good for winter skin"

Aquadaze says "Ever heard of oatmeal bath..where you grind the oats into a powder and sprinkle it in the bathtub? thats great for dry skin too.."

Sharmila says "For me milk cream with a little maida(all-purpose flour) works very well."

Bharti Says "If you mix in a teaspoon of sugar with the oatmeal mask, it makes a great scrub for hands/body."

Navita Hakim says "applying 1 tbsp of honey with 1/2 tsp of lemon juice on the face and keeping for 10 mins.Wash face for a fairer, smoother and visibly supple
complexion... "

Rajani Says "I actually grind oats & almonds together - makes a superb scrub"
Thank you:)