Kitchen Hint of the Day!

Buying Honeydew Melons.............


When buying honeydew melons a good sign to look for is if the melon feels heavy. Also shake and listen for seeds and juice sloshing inside. That means they are separated from the flesh, a sign of ripeness.

Diabetes-Friendly Fruit Salad Recipes

From the Diabetic Living Online website its Diabetes-Friendly Fruit Salad Recipes. Find recipes like; Fresh Fruit with Citrus Mint Dressing, Grilled Gingered-Melon Kabobs, and Marinated Melon. Find these Recipes and many more all at the Diabetic Living Online website. Enjoy and Eat Healthy in 2018! http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/

Diabetes-Friendly Fruit Salad Recipes

Sweet and juicy berries, melons, and citrus fruits combine in our favorite fruit salad recipes. These fruity and fun recipes make refreshing sides and sweet desserts--perfect for warm summer days!


Fresh Fruit with Citrus Mint Dressing
Pineapple, strawberries, kiwifruit, and mango combine for a fantastic fruit salad. The tangy dressing is made with orange juice, honey, and fresh mint
Tip: Make a luscious smoothie from any leftover fruit by blending it with low-fat vanilla yogurt.......


Grilled Gingered-Melon Kabobs
These fruit-salads-on-skewers are great for summer grill-outs.

Tip: Other varieties of melon, such as Persian or crenshaw, also taste terrific in these gingered skewers.............


Marinated Melon
These low-fat, low-calorie melon balls get a fun and flavorful zip from a bit of white balsamic vinegar in berry-flavor sparkling water............


* Click the link below to get all the Diabetes-Friendly Fruit Salad Recipes
http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/diabetic-recipes/side-dishes/diabetes-friendly-fruit-salad-recipes

Ohio Festivals Sept. 1-4, 2017

September 1-2, 2017
PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival
Lebanon, Ohio
Great BBQ festival featuring a professional BBQ contest, Live music, FREE BBQ samples during our Peoples Choice contest on Saturday, plenty of the nations best BBQ vendors onsite, KCBS Judging class and a kids BBQ contest

https://pigmaniabbq.com/


September 2-4, 2017  Milan Melon Festival - Milan, Ohio

(This festival website has been compromised and is a reported attack website as of August 25, 2017)
59th Annual Labor Day weekend celebration with rides, games, contests, an antique car show, baby contest, entertainment, grand parade, Queen's contest and more. Our famous muskmelon ice cream and watermelon sherbet are the must-have treats.  Attendance: 50,000

https://www.everfest.com/e/milan-melon-festival-milan-oh


September 2-4, 2017  West Jefferson Annual Ox Roast
West Jefferson, Ohio
Held annually over Labor Day weekend, our festival is the only festival that cooks 5,500 lbs. of beef underground. Join us for family oriented entertainment, food, rides, arts & crafts, parade, pageant, bike tour, car show, watermelon, hot dog and ice cream eating contests, and much more.

http://www.westjeffoxroast.org/index.html



September 3-4, 2017  Taste of Hudson - Hudson, Ohio
Join us for the NEW Taste of Hudson over Labor Day Weekend.  Featuring more than a dozen local restaurants offering “tastes” of their menus; an interactive children’s area; wine & beer garden; more than 75 exhibitors and artists and much more!

http://tasteofhudson.com/

Kitchen Hint of the Day!

What about the Cantaloupes........


Cantaloupe scores "very good" for potassium, and "good" for a host of B vitamins (B1, B3, B6, and folate) as well as vitamin K, magnesium, and fiber. When the edible seeds of the cantaloupe are eaten, this melon also provides a measurable about of omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid.

Gluten-Free Recipes

From the Diabetic Living Online website its Gluten-Free Recipes. Gluten-Free Recipes that include; Sunrise Smoothies, Watermelon-Tea Snow Cones, and Salmon with Cilantro-Pineapple Salsa. Find them all at the home of Diabetic - Friendly recipes, and one of my favorite sites, Diabetic Living Online.    http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/

Gluten-Free Recipes

Don't let gluten stop you from eating the foods you love. From drinks to dinner, enjoy these 20 gluten-free recipes. *Note: These recipes are designed to be prepared with gluten-free ingrdients and may be suitable for people who live with celiac disease. Check the ingredients list on foods you use in these recipes to ensure they do not contain gluten.



Sunrise Smoothies

Start the day off deliciously with this easy-to-fix melon sipper.....


Watermelon-Tea Snow Cones

When the weather's hot, cool off with this pick-me-up that gets its lively flavor but only a few carbs from mint, Red Zinger tea, and watermelon......


Salmon with Cilantro-Pineapple Salsa

For another diabetes-friendly meal, try this cilantro-infused salsa with grilled or broiled chicken breast or pork chops.....



* Click the link below to see all the Gluten-Free Recipes
http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/diabetic-recipes/main-dishes/gluten-free-recipes

Diabetic Dish of the- Fruit Kabobs

Add some fruit to your meals, and it's Diabetic Friendly!

Fruit Kabobs


Ingredients:

3/4 cup bite size Cantaloupe Chunks
3/4 cup bite size Honeydew Melon Chunks
3/4 cup small fresh Strawberries, hulled
3/4 cup bite - size fresh Pineapple chunks
1 small Banana cut into 1 - inch - thick slices
1 cup Orange Juice
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1 6 - ounce Vanilla Low - Fat or Fat - Free Yogurt
2 tablespoons frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, thawed
Ground Nutmeg or Ground Cinnamon (Optional)


Directions:

1 - On eight 6 - inch skewers, alternately thread Fruit chunks and slices. Place Kabobs in a glass baking dish. In a small bowl combine Orange Juice and Lime Juice; pour evenly over Kabobs. Cover; chill Kabobs for at least 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes, turning occasionally.

2 - Meanwhile, for Dip, in a small bowl stir together Yogurt and Orange Concentrate. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

3 - To serve, arrange Kabobs on a serving platter; discard Juice Mixture. If desired, sprinkle Nutmeg or Cinnamon over Kabobs. Serve with Dip.


Nutrition:  62 calories, 0 g total fat, 20 mg sodium, 14 6 carbs, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein

Top 20 Power Foods for Diabetes

I had been showing  articles from Diabetic Living On Line on 15 Foods that were bad for Diabetes and now I'll be showing articles on the Top 20 Power Foods for Diabetes and some healthy recipes along with it. All from: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/

By Lori Brookhart-Schervish; Contributing writer Marsha McCulloch, RD; Reviewed by Connie Crawley, RD, LD, 2009

Including these extra-healthy power foods in your diet will help you meet your nutritional needs as well as lower your risk of diabetes complications such as heart disease. Of course, the foods on this list shouldn't be the only foods you eat, but incorporating some or all into your diabetes meal plan will help improve your overall health.

Are These Power Foods in Your Diet?

If you already follow a healthful meal plan filled with whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean protein, congratulations! You're on your way to a long, healthy life and are taking a major step in controlling your weight and blood glucose levels. Plus, you're probably already eating a bunch of the foods on this list.

For those who are taking the baby-steps approach to eating better, this list is even more helpful. Not only are these power foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals, they're also familiar and easy to find. That means you don't have to hunt down any exotic ingredients or shop at specialty grocery stores to find foods that will help you get on track with a healthful meal plan.

#11 Melon

A dessert straight from nature, melons come in many varieties including watermelon, cantaloupe, muskmelon, honeydew, casaba, crenshaw, Persian, and pepino.

While all provide good nutrients, watermelon is high in vitamins C and B6 and is a good source of the antioxidant lycopene, which may help protect against cancer, says nutritionist Jeannette Jordan. Lycopene is commonly associated with tomatoes and tomato juice, but watermelon is another optimal source. Watermelon is also high in beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A.

Honeydew is high in vitamin C and a good source of potassium, which can help improve or maintain blood pressure, according to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide Online. Check with a health-care professional before increasing potassium intake if you have kidney complications or kidney disease.

Cantaloupe is also high in potassium and the antioxidant beta-carotene, and it's a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and folate. The American Heart Association recommends getting enough folate and other B vitamins in your diet to help lower homocysteine levels, which may help decrease the risk of heart disease.

Tips for choosing the best melon:

Watermelon should be firm and without bruising or dents. Store whole melons at room temperature for up to 10 days. One serving is 1 slice or 1-1/4 cups cubed.

Honeydew should feel heavy, have a slight scent, and not have bruising or softness. One serving is 1 slice or 1 cup cubed.

Cantaloupe should have well-defined netting, feel heavy, and have a strong smell. Store cantaloupes away from other foods to avoid crossing flavors. One serving is 1/3 of a melon or 1 cup cubed.

Marinated Melon
A splash of white balsamic vinegar in berry-flavor sparkling water gives low-fat, low-calorie melon balls a company-special twist.
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 11

1/2     cup calorie-free sparkling water with berry flavor
3     tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
4     cups assorted melon balls
     Fresh lemon verbena (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, combine sparkling water and white balsamic vinegar; add melon balls. Toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 2 to 4 hours or until ready to serve.

2. Divide melon mixture among six dessert glasses or bowls. If desired, garnish with lemon verbena. Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

    * Calories47
    * Total Fat (g)0
    * Saturated Fat (g)0
    * Cholesterol (mg)0
    * Sodium (mg)16
    * Carbohydrate (g)11
    * Fiber (g)1
    * Protein (g)1
    * Vitamin A (DV%)0
    * Vitamin C (DV%)0
    * Calcium (DV%)0
    * Iron (DV%)0
      Diabetic Exchanges
    * Fruit (d.e.).5


http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/