As I paged through Tex-Mex Diabetes Cooking ($19.95, American Diabetes Association)–which I accepted an invitation to review–I got excited about trying the Tex-Mex recipes, which author Kelley Cleary Coffeen, PhD, altered to “cut the calorie count, fat content and carbohydrates while increasing the protein levels in a manner that is sensitive to people with diabetes.” I don’t have diabetes, but I do try to cut carbs (including sugar) and eat more protein.
A fun way to do this is through the margarita martini (page 3), which replaces the agave nectar or orange liqueur with sugar-free, lemon-flavor syrup. At the grocery store, I could only find sugar-free, strawberry-banana syrup, but the result was still a super enjoyable margarita.
Next, I made the spicy corn salsa (page 52), a bright and fresh-tasting combination of corn, red onion, green onions, cilantro, red pepper flakes and lime juice.
For the entree, the Tex-Mex shrimp tacos (page 125) sounded good, and they were. The shrimp is seasoned with cajun spices and broiled, and then it’s topped with a white sauce consisting of reduced-fat mayo, fat-free plain yogurt and lime juice.
As you can see from this small sampling, the recipes are supposed to be simple to make. I appreciate that Dr. Coffeen takes several basic ingredients and shows you the multitude of ways you can use them to make healthy and delicious dishes.
In fact, I’m not surprised that Dr. Coffeen is the author of five Mexican cuisine cookbooks and previously hosted a cooking show. Here’s a short Q&A:
You say the recipes are “guilt-free.” How so?
“In an effort to reduce excess carbs, calories and fat in each recipe, I make sure to use lean meats and protein for taco, burrito and enchilada fillings. I add fiber with a lot of fresh greens, onions, tomatoes and peppers. I have created salsas and sauces that are considered ‘free’ exchanges within the American Diabetes Association guidelines made from fresh produce, herbs and spices. Finally, I only use low-fat dairy products and employ cooking techniques such as baking tortilla chips and taquitos using cooking spray in a high heat oven.”
What are some of the traditional recipes included that you’ve changed to make them healthier and accessible to people living with diabetes?
“Using only a few simple techniques and tricks, even recipes like churros or sopapillas, can be healthy! Oftentimes, the solution is simply changing the cooking technique from frying to baking or switching out an ingredient like sugar for a substitute.”
Anything else you’d like to mention?
“Truly we all should be eating like this for good health! Enjoying food with lower carbs, calories and fat while keeping the authentic flavors we love is a win-win opportunity to extend our lives.”
