Inspiration And Expert Advice: Expert Columns

Lighten Up for Spring

By Lara Rondinelli RD, LDN, CDE

The warm breeze and blooming flowers can be very motivating for people who want to eat healthier and exercise more in the annual attempt to lose weight in time for summer. The hint of warmer weather during springtime brings more people outdoors to walk, bike ride, or go in-line skating. Physical activity is a key component to losing weight (and keeping it off) and is vital for heart health. Of course, people with diabetes need to make physical activity a part of daily life during all seasons of the year. But by all means take advantage of the great weather upon us now and get out there!

Spring is also a great time to lighten up your menu, as more fresh vegetables and fruit become available and your cravings for heavy stews and other, warm, comfort foods subside. Focus on seasonal produce as we head into spring, such as: asparagus, artichokes, avocados, greens, spinach, strawberries, and melon. Spend some extra time milling around the produce section, and fill up that cart with the season’s bounty.

Below are some tips to lighten up the menu this spring:

• Include a salad with every dinner.
But don’t settle for iceberg lettuce and a couple cucumbers. Have fun and mix it up by adding baby greens, spinach, tomatoes, mushroom, cucumbers, carrots, and even sunflower seeds or slivered almonds. These vegetables are packed full of vitamins and minerals and are low-calorie and low-carb –– but they add a variety of tastes and textures to please your palate. Don’t have time for all the chopping? Buy the pre-washed and -chopped bags of lettuce, pre-sliced mushrooms, baby carrots, and grape tomatoes for the quick and easy version. Don’t forget to use a light, bottled salad dressing or make your own light dressing by using more vinegar than oil. A strong vinegar, like balsamic, is great for salads –– it adds lots of flavor without fat. Also, experiment with adding fruit to salads for a twist. Strawberries, oranges, and grapefruit can be great non-traditional additions and a tasty way to get in a fruit serving at your meal.

• Start your day with a fruit smoothie.
Blend together your favorite fresh fruit, such as strawberries or blueberries, light (plain or sugar-free) yogurt, and skim milk. Frozen berries can also be used in place of fresh fruit. Avoid adding juice to smoothies because this quickly increases the carbohydrate content.

• Make your own stir-fry.
A stir-fry can be a great way to get a lot of vegetables into your diet. Sauté your favorite veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, pea pods, mushrooms, and zucchini. You can also add lean protein such as strips of chicken breast or shrimp, and then serve over brown rice or another whole grain. The key to keeping your stir-fry healthy is to watch the amount of oil you use when cooking. Olive oil and canola oil are great oils to use when cooking because they are heart-healthy, but they do up the calorie count significantly. Remember, one tablespoon of any oil contains about 150 calories. Using a wok is a great way to cook a stir-fry and requires only a little bit of oil. Add lots of vegetables to increase fiber and keep your grain portion to the size of your fist to hold down the carb count.

Why not kick off your "lighten-up for spring" campaign by inviting a friend over and making this flavorful salad for lunch on the next nice spring day?

Shrimp Salad

Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 2 cups

Ingredients:
Salad
12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
4 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced into rounds (about 3 medium carrots)
1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped

Dressing
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (unsweetened)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large salad bowl, toss together all salad ingredients.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well to coat.

Nutritional Information: 146 calories, 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 77mg cholesterol, 77g sodium, 11g total carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 12g protein.

Copyright © American Diabetes Association from Healthy Calendar Diabetic Cooking. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. To order this book, please call 1-800-232-6733 or order online at http://store.diabetes.org/.