Published: January 06, 2009 11:40 am      

Diagnosis Defines Dinner: Portions, carbs, calories big part of cooking

TRAVERSE CITY -- Stephanie Beach got nervous. Then she took action.

Beach, 59, calendar editor in the Record-Eagle's features department, was diagnosed with Type II adult-onset diabetes more than a year ago.

"At first, I was really good," she said. "I lost about 30 pounds."

But then she "went into denial."

"I didn't have any symptoms," she said. "I couldn't even get the 'unexplained weight loss' symptom. I felt fine." Her blood-sugar readings were barely above normal, and yet ...

"I knew what was in my future." Beach's dad had diabetes, as well as a couple aunts.

"I want to see my grandchildren graduate from high school, get married," Beach said. She has three grandkids, ages 2&1/2, 5 and 7.

So she got serious.

"I told my doctor, Dr. William Smith, that I needed help," Beach said. "He doesn't yell. He doesn't lecture. But I needed a slap in the head."

He referred her to the diabetes education department at Munson Healthcare.

Beach had one-on-one meetings with both a nurse and a dietitian.

"The nurse explained what happens, what diabetes is, the various kinds of monitors," Beach said. "The dietitian goes through the diet. She asked me what I ate every day and the first thing she said was that I wasn't getting enough carbohydrates."

During that first meeting, the dietitian told Beach to set "two concrete goals" that she could work on. Beach decided to "measure everything for a week" and use her treadmill for 10 minutes four times a week. "Exercise is a big part of all this," Beach said. "And portions aren't as big as you think."

Turns out the portion-control goal was an eye-opener. "I'd pour out a half-cup of rice and just look at it," Beach said. "I'm into quantity, not quality."

Because Beach ends up cooking for just herself many nights, she began measuring out 1&1/2-cup servings of whatever she was making and freezing it for future lunches. She started eating breakfast before work, instead of at work, and she stopped buying the sweet and salty snacks she found herself gravitating toward in the evenings.

Now, a typical dinner is a chunk of salmon, some steamed vegetables -- Beach especially likes the SteamFresh brand for convenience and taste -- rice or bread and fruit, although the fruit often gets saved for that all-important evening snack.

"I count carbs and calories," Beach said of her new diet. "I aim for 145 to 150 grams of carbs in a day, which is about 50 grams per meal. I count calories, too."

She's lost about seven pounds since the initial cry for help at Smith's office and says she has a little more energy. "I'm not quite as exhausted at night as I used to be," she said.

She has a follow-up appointment in February and hopes to get a prescription for a blood-sugar monitoring device so she can track her progress more effectively.

Here are some of the recipes Beach has found helpful.

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped

1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 c. light mayonnaise

1/2 c. reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 t. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Spoon into 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with crackers and assorted vegetables. Makes 2&3/4 cups or 22 servings. One serving equals 2 T.

Nutrition per serving: 60 calories, 4.5 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, less than 1 g fiber, 1 g sugars, 3 g protein.

Chicken Corn Chowder

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 large potato, diced

2 c. frozen cut corn

2 (16-oz.) cans fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. skim milk

4 ozs. processed cheddar cheese, diced

1/2 t. salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 c. processed bacon bits

Spray a large soup pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot. Add chicken, onion and bell pepper and cook over medium heat until chicken is browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in corn. Blend the flour and milk in a bowl, then gradually stir it into the pot. Increase heat to medium and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese and stir until melted and well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with bacon bits before serving. Makes 8-10 servings. Serving size is 12 ozs.

Nutrition per serving: 202 calories, 3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 428 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 22 g protein.

Mushroom and Chicken Skillet

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 (14-oz.) can fat-free chicken broth

1/2 t. dried thyme

2 c. instant rice

8 ozs. fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (Beach substitutes cooked broccoli)

1 (10&3/4-oz.) can fat-free cream of celery soup

Cook chicken in chicken broth and 1/4 c. hot water in 12-inch nonstick skillet until mixture comes to a full boil. Stir in thyme and rice, making sure rice is covered with broth. Place mushrooms (or broccoli) on top (the steam will cook the thin slices of mushrooms, but the broccoli should be precooked). Cover skillet; turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes.

Turn heat to low; cook 2 minutes, gently stirring soup and mushrooms into chicken and rice. Continue stirring until ingredients are hot. Makes 4 servings. Serving size is 1&1/2 c.

Nutrition per serving: 277 calories, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 774 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 2 g. fiber, 32 g protein.

Fluffy Pumpkin Dip

Beach calls this dish "her lifesaver." She adapted it to make it healthier and says it's smooth, creamy and flavorful because of the pumpkin pie spice. She makes it, then divvies it up into 1/2-cup* portions. She sometimes crumbles a graham cracker over the top.

1 (16-oz.) container fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (5-oz.) pkg. sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix

1 (15-oz.) can solid pack pumpkin

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, mix together pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill until serving.

Nutrition per serving: 65 calories, 3.7 g total fat, 3.1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 67 mg sodium, 15* g carbohydrates, .1 g fiber, .3 g protein.

What's Cooking is a recurring feature in the Record-Eagle Food pages. If you're a home cook, a chef or even a non-cook and are willing to be featured, along with some of your recipes, contact Jodee Taylor at 933-1511 or jtaylor@record-eagle.com.