Fish in a Flash

Stir up some classic Asian flavors with this easy, versatile recipe. This seafood favorite is a great way to avoid heating up the oven on a hot summer evening; a quick stir-fry and dinner is ready in minutes.
The dominant flavors in this dish are found in the sauce, which includes oyster and soy sauces. While traditional soy sauce can contain over 1000 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon, choosing a reduced-sodium variety cuts the sodium by almost half. Rounding out the flavor profile, a touch of sesame oil, expressed from sesame seeds, imparts a nutty, savory taste.
Fresh ginger also features prominently in our stir-fry. Ginger, which is not really a root, but a rhizome - a tuber-like stem that grows underground - has been eaten for its medicinal properties for centuries. Studies suggest that ginger is effective in treating nausea caused by motion sickness, surgery and chemotherapy.
Ground coriander lends its warmth to the dish as well. It is commonly believed to be one of the first spices used by man. History notes its use as early as 5000 BC, when it is mentioned in Sanskrit writings. Although it is from the same plant family as cilantro, coriander is not interchangeable with its cousin.
Note that the recipe calls for frozen mixed vegetables. Although cooks with more time to spare may wish to dice fresh veggies instead, those in a hurry need not worry: Frozen vegetables are the nutritional equivalent to fresh. If you are opting for fresh produce, snow peas, mushrooms and bok choy work nicely in this dish.

Super Stir-Fry Fish Fillets
Yield: Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices ginger, shredded
1 small red onion, sliced
2 (16 oz.) bags frozen mixed Asian vegetables*
1 tsp. coriander, ground (garnish)
1 lemon, halved
1 pound boneless fish fillets (tilapia or cod), cut into 2-inch by 1/2 inch strips
1 Tbsp. white wine
1 tsp. sesame oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 tsp. cornstarch, divided
2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

*Almost any type of fresh vegetables can be added. See what's in season at your farmer's market.
Directions
Drizzle lemon juice over fish strips. Prepare marinade by combining wine, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir in 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Mix well then place fish strips into mix and let marinate about 15 minutes.
Heat wok (or heavy saute pan) over high heat. Put one tablespoon oil in wok and add fish strips and cook until lightly browned. Remove fish from wok.
Prepare the sauce in a small bowl by combing chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce and remaining cornstarch. Set aside.
Add remaining oil to wok. Add garlic, ginger and onion and cook until browned. Add frozen vegetables and stir-fry until vegetables are tender crisp. Add the sauce and stir quickly to thicken. Add fish to wok and mix thoroughly, being careful not to cause the fish to break or crumble. Heat until cooked through. Place on plates and sprinkle coriander over dish and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:270 calories10 g total fat1.5 g saturated fat17 g carbohydrates26 g protein6 g dietary fiber320 mg sodium

Thanks to Diabetic Gourmet!

Fish in a Flash

Stir up some classic Asian flavors with this easy, versatile recipe. This seafood favorite is a great way to avoid heating up the oven on a hot summer evening; a quick stir-fry and dinner is ready in minutes.
The dominant flavors in this dish are found in the sauce, which includes oyster and soy sauces. While traditional soy sauce can contain over 1000 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon, choosing a reduced-sodium variety cuts the sodium by almost half. Rounding out the flavor profile, a touch of sesame oil, expressed from sesame seeds, imparts a nutty, savory taste.
Fresh ginger also features prominently in our stir-fry. Ginger, which is not really a root, but a rhizome - a tuber-like stem that grows underground - has been eaten for its medicinal properties for centuries. Studies suggest that ginger is effective in treating nausea caused by motion sickness, surgery and chemotherapy.
Ground coriander lends its warmth to the dish as well. It is commonly believed to be one of the first spices used by man. History notes its use as early as 5000 BC, when it is mentioned in Sanskrit writings. Although it is from the same plant family as cilantro, coriander is not interchangeable with its cousin.
Note that the recipe calls for frozen mixed vegetables. Although cooks with more time to spare may wish to dice fresh veggies instead, those in a hurry need not worry: Frozen vegetables are the nutritional equivalent to fresh. If you are opting for fresh produce, snow peas, mushrooms and bok choy work nicely in this dish.
Super Stir-Fry Fish Fillets
Yield: Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1/2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices ginger, shredded
1 small red onion, sliced
2 (16 oz.) bags frozen mixed Asian vegetables*
1 tsp. coriander, ground (garnish)
1 lemon, halved
1 pound boneless fish fillets (tilapia or cod), cut into 2-inch by 1/2 inch strips
1 Tbsp. white wine
1 tsp. sesame oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 tsp. cornstarch, divided
2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

*Almost any type of fresh vegetables can be added. See what's in season at your farmer's market.
Directions
Drizzle lemon juice over fish strips. Prepare marinade by combining wine, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir in 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Mix well then place fish strips into mix and let marinate about 15 minutes.
Heat wok (or heavy saute pan) over high heat. Put one tablespoon oil in wok and add fish strips and cook until lightly browned. Remove fish from wok.
Prepare the sauce in a small bowl by combing chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce and remaining cornstarch. Set aside.
Add remaining oil to wok. Add garlic, ginger and onion and cook until browned. Add frozen vegetables and stir-fry until vegetables are tender crisp. Add the sauce and stir quickly to thicken. Add fish to wok and mix thoroughly, being careful not to cause the fish to break or crumble. Heat until cooked through. Place on plates and sprinkle coriander over dish and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:270 calories10 g total fat1.5 g saturated fat17 g carbohydrates26 g protein6 g dietary fiber320 mg sodium

Thanks to Diabetic Gourmet!

Lilly Diabeties.com chooses Chef Robert

Diabetes-Friendly Recipes

Recipes from the Kitchen of Chef Robert Lewis
"The Happy Diabetic"

Eli Lilly and Company, a leader in diabetes care for over 80 years, has developed this website to help you understand the basics of diabetes, to learn how to manage your diabetes or care for someone with diabetes, and to take steps toward living a healthy lifestyle.

Learning about and living with diabetes is a journey. And, it's a journey best taken with others. We encourage you to explore this website and work with your healthcare team to learn all you can about the best ways to care for your diabetes. Working together, you will find that living a full and active life while taking care of your diabetes can be a reality!

Diabetes-Friendly Recipes

Recipes from the Kitchen of Chef Robert Lewis
"The Happy Diabetic"

About Diabetes

As we discovered over 40 years ago, diabetes is one word, but two different diseases. Type 1 diabetes, or insulin-dependent disease, is an autoimmune disorder in which the body does not produce insulin, the enzyme necessary for the body to metabolize sugar. Without insulin, sugar cannot move from blood into the cells, causing the blood sugar to rise above a safe level and leaving cells without the ability to function properly. It is a lifelong disease. Once diagnosed with the disease, patients with type 1 diabetes must carefully control of their blood sugar levels, using blood sugar monitoring many times a day in addition to daily insulin injection, for the rest of their life.

Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of a number of health complications, including accelerated heart disease, blindness, stroke, amputation, nerve damage, and kidney damage. In addition to these debilitating health complications, type 1 diabetics also have a tendency to acquire additional autoimmune diseases, such as hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma.

Keeping the blood sugar level within a safe range by diet control, insulin injections, and regular exercise, has been the key to managing type 1 disease.

Type 2 diabetes, or non-insulin dependent disease, the most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90% of cases. Type 2 diabetes is linked with insulin deficiency or resistance-the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin, causing a buildup of sugar in the blood.

The complications of type 2 disease are similar to those of type 1-cardiovascular disease, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage. In most cases, the disease is managed with lifestyle modifications, including diet control and exercise, alone. However, over time, patients with type 2 diabetes will become insulin dependent. Once this happens, they have the same projected lifespan and same risk of complications as those with type 1 disease. Disturbingly, type 2 diabetes-traditionally called adult-onset diabetes-is being diagnosed in increasingly younger children.

We are facing a diabetes epidemic. There are approximately 18 million people in the United States-a staggering 6% of the population-with diabetes. Nearly one-third of these people are unaware they have diabetes. And these numbers are growing. The incidence of both type 1 and type 2 disease has multiplied over the past twenty years, due in part to the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of Americans. Prediabetes, or glucose intolerance, a precursor to type 2 disease, is also at epidemic proportions, affecting approximately 16 million Americans.

Although, a cure for diabetes has not been found yet, great strides in treating both type 1 and type 2 disease have been made. For those who do not require insulin injection, diet modification and exercise can be used to help prevent and manage the disease. In addition, though it has not yet yielded a cure, the great amount of money invested in research has provided us with invaluable information that has advanced the treatment of diabetes. Already we have seen many improvements in the therapies used to treat the disease and in the quality of life and quality of care for those living with the diabetes. As innovative projects and dedicated researchers continue to expand our knowledge, the promise of a cure seems closer every day.

A N I M O T O

A N I M O T O

Are you happy about being diabetic

The Happy Diabetic takes everyday dishes and international cuisine and shows us how to prepare them tastefully and in good health! Introducing Chef Robert Lewis the Happy Diabetic!

Growing up in California offered to me a culinary experience I will always cherish. I come from a long line of wonderful cooks. Family food artists and guests in my home were experts in preparing Jewish, Mexican, Middle and Far Eastern, and traditional dishes, which gave me a love for food and the creative outlet it provided. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in 1976, my personal and professional cooking journey began.

In 1998 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At that time I was sure my days of good eating were over. What I “heard” in those early days was only the list of foods that were prohibited. As I worked through my ups and downs, I came to realize that the selection of foods I could and should eat was vast and included many fabulous favorites. Thus began my motivation to create great tasting dishes that are easy to prepare. Requests to share tips and recipes resulted in the publication of two cookbooks, Get Happy Get Healthy, Recipes from the Kitchen of Robert Lewis the Happy Diabetic and Simply Desserts. I speak to audiences at hospitals and health fairs across the country delivering a message of hope and encouragement. My recipes celebrate great tasting food that both diabetics and non-diabetics can enjoy. My wish is that you will have fun as you follow my healthy cooking and eating plan! So…wield your French knife with the confidence of Zorro!

Happy Cooking! Chef Robert Lewis the Happy Diabetic

His personal experience with Type II Diabetes has been the motivation for the creation of hundreds of terrific recipes!