Paige's Taco Salad

I love food.. Like all kinds of food.. good and bad.. When you are told that you can't eat your favorite foods.. you try and find new ways to eat them. I am starting to get sick of salads! I had hamburger and some lettuce so I thought I must be able to make some sort of Taco salad with this. I am not saying this is the healthiest option I am saying I can eat this.

You will need:
1 lbs of hamburger
2 tbsp of low sodium taco seasoning plus another 1tsp for sauce
a head of lettuce
1 tomatoe
1 cup cheese shredded
2 tbsp of Mayo
1 tbsp of Catalina dressing

Directions:
Cook hamburger. Once brown drain off the fat. Then add your taco seasoning and a little bit of water. Let that cook. then cool.
While that is cooking assemble salad. Cut up lettuce and tomatoes. I also added mushrooms, cucumber and onion. You don't have too I just wanted more veggies. and add the cheese. Then add the hamburger.
Then put the sauce together. Mayo, taco seasoning and Catalina dressing. Pour on top of the salad and mix it all together.

** you can add dortitos to this if you want. I can't eat them so I can't add them

Beef Broccoli

We make beef broccoli a lot in our house. Its quick, easy and filling. I serve it with Brown Rice but you can serve it with whatever you want.

You will need:

1 lb of steak cut in strips
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 package of mushrooms chopped
2 tablespoons of corn starch divided
1/2 cup water
1 tsp garlic powder divided
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups broccoli
1/3 cup low sodium soya sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ginger


Directions:
Cut up steak in strips. Then in a bowl mix water and corn starch. Then put steak in the mix and coat it with corn starch. Heat frying pan over medium heat and put in olive oil. Then place steak. When its almost cooked put in onion, green pepper and mushrooms. Cook until soft. Then place in another bowl or plate. Cut up broccoli and place in frying pan. While its cooking mix together soya sauce, garlic powder, brown sugar and ginger. Then add to pan. Once the broccoli is starting get soft add beef and veggie mix. Cook and stir or another 5 mins or so. Serve with Brown Rice.

Whole Wheat Bran Muffins

I really love to bake. When I am stressed out baking and cooking are my go to. I think its because I have to stay focused and concentrate. So I forget all my worries. Since becoming a diabetic I am being challenged to find recipes that are good for me. I am really like this challenge. I am always looking and reading recipes trying to find the best ones for me.

I really wanted some muffins. But I know I am limited. So today I made Whole Wheat Bran Muffins. They have no sugar in them besides whats in any of the ingrediants. I made these ones with Molasses but I think next time I will make them with honey I think it will make them a little sweeter.

You will need:
1 cup of wheat bran
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup molasses or honey
2 tbsp oil
1 egg

*** you can add raisins or blueberries or anytime of fruit if you want ***


Directions:
1. preheat oven at 400 degrees
2. stir together bran, flour, baking soda, and baking powder.  Then stir in raisins (if desired)
3. then stir together milk, molasses/honey, oil and egg
4. then combine the dry and the wet ingrediants
5. divide into muffin tin and bake for 15 mins.

Hamburger Soup

Its been a week since I was told the news that I was a diabetic. Its slowly sinking in that this is my new normal. But in a week my sugars have gone from a very scary high to almost normal. My doctor said that she wanted to see me every 2 weeks until my sugars were normal. I guess I will only get one visit with her! I have given myself a strict routine and a even stricter meal plan. Its been a busy week so I have been eating salads and salads and more salads. But I eat some pretty good amazing food! I am learning to read labels and read ingredients. 

It hasnt been easy. I have melt downs. Many melt downs. Like this weekend I am in Moncton and I want so many different foods that I can't have. But thats ok.. I get to try other things. I have sad in the car and cried because I really want a Wendy's Baconator, a poutine, and  frosty. But as much as I want it I think about my sugars and my waistline! My medicine is still working its self out in my body and that hasn't been easy either. I have been in so much pain and sometimes I want to cry but I know its doing its job and helping me get better. 

Its only been a week and I feel like I have conquered my Goliath but I know that it takes 21 days for habit to become a lifestyle. Its just the beginning but I can do this. 

The other day I was in charge of supper at my moms. She usually does the cooking for me so it was nice to cook for her for a change. I had no idea what to make. I was craving hamburger and thought I could make this. It was delish! 

Super Easy Hamburger Soup

1 lb of ground beef cooked (you can use turkey or chicken to if you wanted)
1 onion chopped
1 can Heinz tomato soup
1 box of beef stock
3/4 cup whole wheat macaroni 
1 cup frozen veggies
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
1. Cook ground beef and put in chopped onion. Drain 
2. in a sauce pan add soup and stock together. 
3. then add ground beef and frozen veggies
4. bring to a boil 
5. then add macaroni right before you are ready to serve and cook until almost tender

Sweet Potatoes Turkey Shepherds Pie

They say when you are given bad news that there is always a silver lining. When I got the news this week that I am a diabetic my first few thoughts where I am not going to be able to cook or bake anymore. Then I started googling and pinteresting.. its now a challenge to make delish food that I can eat and not feel guilty. This would be my silver lining!  When I came across this recipe I knew I had to make it..it sounded so good!

You will need:
1 package of ground turkey (or chicken or beef)
1 onion
1/2 cup carrots chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2  cups frozen corn
1 sweet potatoe cooked and mashed


Directions
1. cook the turkey on medium heat until fully cooked. Then add onion and carrots and cook until soft. then add garlic powder and salt and pepper. Then add chicken stock. Then take a cup and mix cornstarch and water together then add to turkey mix. It makes a gravy but just to hold it all together.  Then add peas. Place mix into a 9x9 baking dish. then add corn on top then spread sweet potatoes over top! Bake at 350 for about 20 mins.


** you can sub sweet potatoes for cauliflower. Just cook cauliflower and mash then put on top**

My new normal

This week I got some news that changed my world. At first it was a little shocking. I got in my car and drove home to Doaktown. I cried and I prayed the whole way home. When I pulled into my driveway I knew that everything was going to be okay. I went into my house and sat down with my husband and told him. I told him that Today I found out I am a diabetic.

Ever since I started working at the Health Centre I knew that this day would come. About 5 years ago if you told me that I was diabetic and that I would have to change my life style I probably wouldn't be so understanding as I am right now. In the last 2 years since I started Plexus I have made some big changes. We eat whole wheat bread, pasta and rice. We don't drink pop, however it is a treat. We try and eat more veggies and fruit. Junk food isn't really a big thing in our house though we have it from time to time. like today I really want a chocolate bar.. so I had strawberries.

I am going to be ok. Its going to be a adjustment. I have so many amazing people around me. My husband and my mom are my biggest cheerleaders. The staff at my work are already making sure I am testing my sugars. I am ready for this. Like anything else this will not run my life. I will run it!

The last few days I have had gone through every emotion. I have questioned why me? I have cried because all I wanted was a chocolate bar, I have embraced this new challenge. You name it I have been going through it. This wasn't part of my plan  (its never part of anyone's plan)  but I just have to trust God. He's got something big planned.. I know He does.

How does Plexus fit into this? Well... Plexus was developed for people with type 2 diabetes. Right now I am at a stand still. I have to wait to talk to my doctor and my pharmacists and get my medications figured out. I know Plexus will be a huge part of my journey. My doctor is very pro supplements. My pharmacists said she actually encourage supplements. I have complete faith that I can stay on this journey. I had questioned that I thought plexus was suppose to regulate my blood sugars. When I started they might HAVE been regulating them and now 2 years later my sugars where probably so high that Plexus Slim just couldn't do the job anymore. Believe me they were HIGH!

My journey has changed a bit but that's okay. I know that God wouldn't have given it to me if He didnt think I could handle it. I have been telling people that I am pretty sure God has been preparing me for this day for the last few years. I may have questions and I may struggle a bit, thats why I have friends like you that will help me and be my support along the way!

Strawberry Crumble Muffins

I was in the mood to do some baking. I wanted to make something different and I needed to make some muffins for somethings coming up this week. I thought these would be perfect!!

You will need:

For muffins:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup milk

• 1½ cups chopped fresh strawberries

For topping:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 16 standard-size muffin cups with paper baking liners.

1. In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment or in large bowl using electric hand mixer, beat butter and sugar 1 minute until smooth and light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until just combined.

1. In separate medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt to combine. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, stirring after each addition until just combined.

1. Divide batter evenly among muffins cups, about 1 to 2 tablespoons per cup (it won't seem like enough, but it is!). Top evenly with chopped strawberries.

1. To make topping, in small bowl, stir flour and sugars to combine. Use pastry blender or fingers to cut butter into mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle evenly in muffin cups.

1. Bake muffins 18 to 20 minutes until golden.