Keeping Your Kitchen Healthy
(submitted by Kathy Wool, RD,LDN)

Part of successful diabetes management is having the right foods available to choose from when you are hungry. Take a look at your kitchen and see if it needs a makeover to help you stay on a healthy meal plan. Whether you have just been diagnosed with diabetes, have had diabetes a long time or just want the best for your entire family, a few simple suggestions can help you achieve a home environment where all the cabinets and refrigerator shelves have foods which will provide the best nutrition choices for everyone.
Check out these ideas to keep your kitchen healthier.
• Put healthy snacks within sight so you choose them first.
• Keep a big fruit bowl on the table on the counter with fruit friendly choices.
• Keep whole grain snacks, cereals, breads and pasta in those cabinets.
• Have low fat granola, chopped nuts and fruit available to add to low fat yogurts.
• Cut up a vegetable bowl, use low fat dressing and encourage a vegetable dip for a snack.
• Put leftovers in small containers for quick “single serve” meals or snacks.
• Keep packaged snack foods and large bags of snack foods to a minimum- if those chips or cookies are there they will be eaten and in larger quantities than desired!
Here are some ideas for foods to keep in your kitchen- make them part of your shopping list when you go grocery shopping:
Fresh Vegetables: fresh cut-up vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, celery, carrots – add a light dip for a great snack.
Frozen vegetables: green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach are great to have on hand to add to meals if you don’t have time to prepare fresh.
Fresh fruits: apples, pears, bananas, berries- fresh or frozen- both are great for smoothies, to add to yogurt or just satisfy your sweet tooth cravings!
Low-fat dairy: yogurt, milk and cheeses- these are good sources of calcium, protein and a lower calorie, nutrient dense choice.

If you want to build healthy meals you need the right ingredients. Take inventory in your kitchen and begin to make changes that will establish good habits to last throughout your life. Over time you will find the healthy foods taste much better than their processed counterparts. And remember, a variety of healthy ingredients is a recipe for a healthy meal!

Wild Blueberry Walnut Bran Muffins

Ingredients
o 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (can substitute half whole wheat flour for slightly denser and healthier muffins)
o 1/2 cup sugar
o 1 tablespoon baking powder
o 1/4 teaspoon salt
o 1 ¼ cup fat-free milk
o 2 cups bran cereal (such as All-Bran)
o 1 large egg or 2 whites
o 1 teaspoon vanilla
o ¼ cup vegetable oil (such as Canola oil)
o 3 cups Wild Blueberries
o 1 ½ cups walnuts
o 3 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
Preparation
In large bowl, combine bran cereal and milk. Let stand about 5 minutes or until softened. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Add egg and oil to softened cereal mixture and mix thoroughly. Add flour mixture, stirring only until just combined. Do not beat. Fold in walnuts. Gently fold in Wild Blueberries. Portion evenly in 12, 2 ½ " muffin tins coated with cooking spray. (Sprinkle each uncooked muffin with 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar, if desired.) Bake in preheated 375°F oven 25 to 30 minutes. If frozen berries are used, add 5 to 10 minutes to cooking time. Yields approximately 12 muffins.
Nutritional Information per Serving (1 muffin; brown sugar not included)
280 calories; 16 g fat; 1.5 g saturated fat; 0 trans fat; 20 mg cholesterol; 190 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 6 g protein;

Mini Mushroom-Sausage Quiche

These crust- less mini quiches are like portable omelets- small and satisfying- light and savory
8 ounces low fat turkey breakfast sausage
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1/4 cup shredded low fat cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 eggs
3 egg whites
1 cup fat-free milk
1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Coat a nonstick muffin tin generously with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the sausage. Let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in scallions, cheese and pepper.
3. Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.
4. Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place a rack on top of the pan, flip it over and turn the quiches out onto the rack. Turn upright and let cool completely.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per quiche: (makes 12 quiche)
90 calories; 3 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 105 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 9 g protein; 0 g fiber; 217 mg sodium.