Going Green

I've always liked salads, but they've become a huge part of my "diabetes-friendly" eating plan. It's recommended that we eat several servings of veggies, anyway, but I find that they're a great way to fill me up now that my choices are a bit more limited.

My idea of the perfect salad is pretty simple: some mixed greens (I love baby spinach), red onions, sliced carrots, beets, red cabbage, cucumbers, a few olives, about a Tbsp of chickpeas and a sprinkling of cheese. I then have a low-fat or fat-free dressing on the side. I try to keep my salads colorful and add a little protein, but I don't like to go overboard with toppings. I like my greens to take center stage.

What's weird is that lately I've been craving salads! In the past, I'd eat one if it were given to me with a dish, but I didn't really go out of my way for one. Now I have to have one at every meal. I'm definitely getting at least five servings of veggies -- and then some.

Last night, I met up with some friends and we went to a vegetarian restaurant in the city aptly called Vegetarian's Paradise II. Their claim to fame is they serve various "meat" dishes made out of tofu, seitan and the like. I had a salad with grilled "chicken" and then enjoyed a stir fry that contained "chicken," "meat" and a variety of vegetables. Both dishes were delicious and the soy products really did taste like meat (though my husband disagrees). I was satisfied, but not too full when I finished, and even better, the meal barely made my blood sugar move. Woo hoo!

I don't know if I could ever become a full-fledged vegetarian (I like meat too much), but I am trying to eat less meat and more proteins like beans and tofu. In any case, I'm definitely feeling the change that has come with improving my eating plan. I have more energy, am sleeping better and am generally in a better mood. And what's weird is that I'm not craving sugar as much as I thought I would. I'm still eating fruit and yogurt, so I get the sweet taste, but I'm not dying for cakes and cookies. I know that there are sugar-free versions of sweets out there, so I can have if I want, but right now, I don't.

I've always thought of myself as having a sweet tooth, but I'm beginning to realize that maybe I don't so much. I haven't entirely broken up with sugar, but we're definitely in the middle of a separation.