Amy Riolo - The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook

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Cover Photograph: .

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The suggestions and information contained in this publication are generally consistent with the Clinical PracticeRecommendations and other policies of the American Diabetes Association, but they do not represent the policy or position of the Association or any of its boards or committees. Reasonable steps have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the American Diabetes Association cannot ensure the safety or efficacy of any product or service described in this publication. Individuals are advised to consult a physician or other appropriate health care professional before undertaking any diet or exercise program or taking any medication referred to in this publication. Professionals must use and apply their own professional judgment, experience, and training and should not rely solely on the information contained in this publication before prescribing any diet, exercise, or medication. The American Diabetes Associationits officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and membersassumes no responsibility or liability for personal or other injury, loss, or damage that may result from the suggestions or information in this publication.

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American Diabetes Association

1701 North Beauregard Street

Alexandria, Virginia 22311

DOI: 10.2337/9781580403122

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Riolo, Amy.

The Mediterranean diabetes cookbook / Amy Riolo.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-58040-312-2 (alk. paper)

1. DiabetesDiet therapy. 2. Cookery, Mediterranean. I. Title.

RC662.R515 2010

641.5'6314dc22

2009045264
eISBN: 978-1-58040-483-9

In loving memory of my uncle
Sebastian L. Foti,
who, in addition to inspiring me to
travel, study, and cook, shared his
love and knowledge of the Mediterranean with me.

Contents

As a nutritionist, I counsel many people with diabetes in choosing foods to help them lower and maintain a healthy blood glucose level and to lead a more healthful lifestyle. In my work, I often find that people are afraid of food. They do not know what to choose, how to choose it, or what is OK and not OK for them to eat. This rings true especially for my clients with diabetes. They dont know what to eat, and just as importantly, they dont know how to enjoy their food. As their blood glucose rises, the sweetness in their lives often diminishes, leaving them feeling distraught and somewhat hopeless. The number one complaint I hear is that they are bored, frustrated, and scared. They feel as though they have little pleasure in the way of food and, as a result, little to look forward to or to enjoy with friends and family. The problem is often compounded by the need to prepare separate meals for themselves.

Food carries such pleasure for each and every one of us, and a person with diabetes is no exception. Not only does our food supply our bodies with essential nutrients, but it is also the very essence by which we form, cultivate, and maintain so many of our important social and familial ties. It is a method by which we nourish and nurture our loved ones and ourselves.

As our lives have become so filled with activities, our food choices have greatly suffered. Many of us find the time to meet our deadlines, watch our favorite television shows, and attend our favorite social and sporting events, yet we dont take the time to prepare our food and enjoy our meals. Taking the time to choose wholesome food and eat well has become a thing of the distant past. In contrast, in the Mediterranean region, these activities are central to a vibrant life, and this book brings us right back to these core values that are so essential for the nourishment of body, mind, and spirit.

People with diabetes must base their meals on quality proteins, whole grains, and legumes; healthful fruits and vegetables; natural and healthful fats; and quality dairy products with the least amount of artificial additives and chemical preservatives. In the Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook, Amy Riolo has expounded on this way of thinking and eating, bringing both pleasure and health back to the table. The recipes are uncomplicated, delicious, and focused on taste, health, and appeal, using traditional ingredients and flavors that make Mediterranean cuisine so popular.

In my practice, I have often noted how changing ones thoughts from fear and discouragement to excitement, anticipation, and enjoyment of food and life can improve well-being. The people of the Mediterranean region enjoy optimal health and longevity due in part to their attitudes and appreciation of food. There, people understand that the spirit in which food is offered and consumed is every bit as important as the food itself. In this cookbook of luscious recipes, you will find healthy foods and living traditions that can easily be incorporated into your own life. With recipes as tasty as these, transitioning to a healthy diet and lifestyle for a person with diabetes becomes pleasurable and exciting.

There is absolutely no deprivation with this fine cookbook. Ms. Riolo teaches us in simple ways how to prepare the freshest food with the finest ingredients. She incorporates such simple delicacies as ripe red tomatoes, eggplant, fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, whole grains and legumes indigenous to the region, and tahini, just to name a few.

Seafood, so common to the Mediterranean, is creatively introduced with such mouth-watering recipes as .

And just take a look at the celebratory desserts! There you will find great pleasure as you sample the .

No longer should any person with diabetes feel forced to choose tasteless packaged, processed, and artificially flavored foods for his or her daily diet. This cookbook changes all of that by relying on traditional foods and ingredients, accompanied by valuable tips and techniques that have been practiced and handed down for centuries in the Mediterranean.

Alana Sugar, CN

www.alanasugar.com

I would like to thank my creator for the opportunity to write this book. With each book I write, I realize that recipes are not just formulas written down and exchanged, but a culmination of lifes lessons and experience. Everyone who has been a part of my life at one point or another has had a profound effect on my cooking, writing, and teaching style.