<snip>

I'm a little puzzled. Didn't anyone notice that the new
thread had a new subject?

Anyway, in either non-ADA thread, I welcome input.

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 2x500mg

Ok Alan I accept I have been over promising and under delivering on
dishes I make that are safe for most diabetes, at least based on my own
personal readings. The dishes I have concocted are some what derived
from cooking practiced in middle to south of India. But many things are
very different than what was cooked at my own home.

One of the reason I have been hesitating to go public with my diet
(other than being plain lazy!) is that I consider my diet as a big
experiment. Other than the "The China Study" and many other snippets I
have posted here, I have not found an authoritative place where my diet
is "blessed" for diabetes. So while I personally find it perfectly safe
and healthy to eat what I eat, I know I do lack an authority to say
definitively that this way will be very healthy in long term. I am
confident but I have no data. Anyway with that caveat let me give you
my dump.

Peanuts play a big role in my diet. I buy the raw peanuts with the skin
intact ($3.50/ 4 lbs or about $2.00/Kg).  There are at least three
different ways I consume peanuts.

Raw:
I soak them in water for 6-8 hrs. They become alive and very juicy and
tender. Once nicely fattened like this they are a joy to much on. No
need further cooking or processing is needed. I keep them soaked until
I finish all of them. I soak at least 100gms or an 1 Oz or a 1 cup at a
time. Once I am through say half of them I start the next batch. I much
on them as often as I feel like. They don't affect my BG levels
significantly. This is typically my breakfast. They very filling and
satisfying. Thank god I don't have peanut allergy!

Roasted:
You can roast peanuts very nicely and easily in microwave oven. Take
about 250 gms or half a lbs of raw peanuts in a glass pan stick it in
microwave for 2-3 min. Stir. Back again for 2-3 min. Stir. Back in
microwave. Repeat until they seem like they are done. They should look
light brown. Some like it well done, some like it less. So adjust the
cycle to suit your needs.

Once roasted you can make a peanut powder using a coffee grinder
dedicated for grinding spices etc.  While grinding you can add salt and
red chilies (available in any Indian Grocery store) and you have a
great peanut chantey to sprinkle on any dish you have made.

We (Full disclosure: My wife has now taken over the sprouting part!)
use one of the following legumes to begin the sprouting.
Black eye Bean
Lentils
Red Kidney Beans
A Varity of Garbanzo beans or what is other wise know as Chana dal that
Amy mentioned

·    Kala Chana (Black)
·    Hara Chana (Green)
·    Chana (Dark Brown)
·    Kabuli Chana (Garbanzo)
Whole Masoor (lentils as you find them in grocery store)
Moong

All of the above are available at http://tinyurl.com/s8t7x or many
other similar online Indian grocery stores. It does noty matter where
you buy the beans but at least in US I would recommend you stick with
Swad brand if you buy them in an Indian outfit. All of the above are
whole legumes.

They take between 1 to 3 days to sprout. I like mine with at least 3-4
mm sprout or say 1/4th inch or it.

Along with the Legumes my wife invented that we could sprout number of
grains This is where my dishes start morphing into unique ones as I
have not seen this done any where. The grains she uses for sprouting
are all of the ones listed below. Barley, oats, wheat, kamut, spelt,
quinoa, rice, rye. She takes about two teaspoons each and sprouts them
together. Separately we also sprout whole fenugreek. She found the
sprout able variety of all the above grains at
http://www.sproutpeople.com/. Yes even the rice they sell sends off
shoots after a few days of soaking.

The idea is that the proteins trapped  Legumes are much more digestible
when eaten with grains. But as you know, if I were to eat either Rice
or Wheat I would generate spikes that I just don't need. When I cook
the sprouted  grains with sprouted Legumes I gent a bump of about 20-30
above my base level.

The cooking process is relatively simple and can be modified to suit
ones tolerance for Indian spices. It is here you can experiment with
either the curry powder or garam masala if that is what you like or
prefer. I use neither. All my spice powders are prepared fresh.

Basic ingredients are Cumin seeds, Coriander seeds, A clove or two,
fenugreek, Black Paper. Put all of the above in coffee grinder so that
resulting powder is about 3-4 table spoons. At a time I use 1-2 table
spoons so the rest can be saved for future dish. If you make more its
quite ok you can use it later as you need.

Ok now you have the Spice powder and the Sprouted Grains and the
Sprouted Legumes. We are ready to start cooking now.

Use about 4 teaspoons of Olive oil in a wok. Heat the oil. Add black
mustard   seeds in the oil. At some point the seeds start popping. This
is where the oil has reached about 350 degrees. You can add the spice
powder in it at this time, add about half teaspoon of turmeric, and
some (about eighth table spoon) hing (http://tinyurl.com/qlaey) to the
hot oil.

You are now ready to add the grains to the wok. Add all the grains
along with the sprouted fenugreek to the wok. Stir fry this for say 4-5
min. At this point you need to add about 3 cups of water in the wok.
Bring it to the boil on high. Boil it for 4-5 min. Add another cup of
water and add sprouted beans to this mix. Mix the whole thing for a min
and let it simmer now with a lid on top of the wok for another 10-15
min. Let it cook to your desire.

The dish is ready! You can add freshly cut green coriander leaves to
this mix and eat to your hearts contents. Occasionally I also add
unsweetened Soy (Silk) milk to my serving bowl. The resulting
combination is just so delicious! You have your proteins, fiber, olive
oil, some greens, and yes some carbs too that don't seem to spike me
when eaten in above form!

I generally eat these dishes after having a big bowel of salad
(containing at least a 3rd portion of fresh spinach).

Total spike I BG after 2 hrs is about 10-20 points above my starting
point. Its at 20-30 above after 1 hr.

I don't know what part of food group minerals or anything essential
for my health I am missing now.

Well that was a long one and long over due. Even though it may feel
complicated the whole cooking cycle takes less than 20 min. Most of the
time is spent in the sprouting process. http://www.sproutpeople.com/
has some great advice on spouting. But feel free to experiment. I have
documented mine!

Happy cooking!

Anil
T2 500 Mg
Metformin 5.7 Hba1c 15/5.7/5.7(Last ckd Dec,05)
Total CHL 181, HDL 55, LDL 110, Trig 89, Trig/HDL 1.62
Wt: 169 Lb Ht 5'10" Lost 4 inches in girth since Dx (July  05)