Simple Menus

[Poshpots]

I have had diabetes sinnce 1997 kept in check with careful diet organised by my wife. Recently Metformin tablets reluctantly added.
Now my wife has passed and I am getting into bad habits.
Want simple menus I can follow to help.
The menus I have seen for four people are just not something I can or wish to get into.
Please have you a range of simple menus a 78 year old can follow catering for one.

 

[Geordie_P]

There will be more suggestions from better cooks soon, but some simple suggestions to start would be:

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs and black coffee/ tea
Lunch: sausage and cabbage
Dinner: chicken breast and broccoli

OR

Breakfast: scrambled eggs and bacon
Lunch: salmon and cauliflower
Dinner: beef and runner beans

OR

Breakfast: cheese omelette
Lunch: tin of sardines and a cup of tea
Dinner: pork chop and green veg

I like these meals because you can make them all in one frying pan and one saucepan, the amount is easy to gauge for one person, and you don't really need a recipe. Just boil the vegetables till they are nearly ready, then fry the meat in the frying pan on a medium heat until it's cooked through. Not much to wash up either.

 

[lovinglife]

I have had diabetes sinnce 1997 kept in check with careful diet organised by my wife. Recently Metformin tablets reluctantly added.
Now my wife has passed and I am getting into bad habits.
Want simple menus I can follow to help.
The menus I have seen for four people are just not something I can or wish to get into.
Please have you a range of simple menus a 78 year old can follow catering for one.

So sorry you lost your wife, it’s very difficult to stay focused when we are grieving, be kind to yourself.

Sheet pan meals are good and quick for one. Chop up into chunky cubes/pieces any low carb veg choose from courgettes, squash, a few cherry tomatoes, green pepper, green beans, asparagus, celeriac, celery, small bit of onion, broccoli, cauliflower. Toss them in extra virgin olive oil and some dried herbs of your choice. add your choice of meat, chicken leg/drumsticks, heck sausages are low carb, salmon, cod loin, spread them out on a high sided baking sheet, add your protein part of the meal next to the veg and roast for about 30-45 minutes depending on how soft you like your veg or to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooked. Brush your meat/fish with oil or a low carb paste, harissa paste is lovely on fish if you like a bit of spice. You can do cauliflower florets with some curry paste and sausages - very tasty.

my favourite is green beans and asparagus roasted with 3 or 4 cherry toms halved and salmon coated in harissa paste.
A tablespoon of mayo Is delicious tossed into cooked warmed veg.

you could make a frittata that would last a couple of days - 6 eggs a glug of cream beaten together then any low carb veg diced up and added, you can add chopped up cooked bacon, chopped cooked sausages, chorizo sausage p, cooked chicken, ham - a few herbs, cook in the oven in a buttered high sided dish until set, great hot or cold with salad

hope I’ve given you some ideas

meant to say you can wrap the cod loin in Parma ham and add some black olives to tomatoes, green beans and courgette

 

[Outlier]

Lumpy soup is a brunch mainstay for me and would be equally good as an evening meal. You need:

Some form of protein. Not much. Ideal for leftovers, buy a tray of chicken thighs or wings from supermarket and freeze individually, you only need one at a time, ditto mince, tin sardines or other fish if you like fish flavour, bones for broth - some supermarkets sell these, or a butcher will supply if you have one nearby, and/or keep bones from other food and freeze until you have enough. Make bone broth - well, it makes itself really, just put bones in hot water and simmer for however long you like, strain when cooked. that's your base. Add any diabetic-friendly veg. Even salad veg. Stock cube, Marmite or Bovril. Butter and/or olive oil. Garlic and herbs, chilli pepper or paprika and turmeric if you like it.

Cheap, easy, and tastes different every time. Also tastes great every time. And you can freeze it in portions if you need to.

 

[Ronancastled]

I have had diabetes sinnce 1997 kept in check with careful diet organised by my wife. Recently Metformin tablets reluctantly added.

So you've been T2 since 1997, diet controlled & have only recently added Metformin.
That's 25 years and an amazing achievement, you are an inspiration to all of us.

 

[jjraak]

I have had diabetes sinnce 1997 kept in check with careful diet organised by my wife. Recently Metformin tablets reluctantly added.
Now my wife has passed and I am getting into bad habits.
Want simple menus I can follow to help.
The menus I have seen for four people are just not something I can or wish to get into.
Please have you a range of simple menus a 78 year old can follow catering for one.

Hi @Poshpots

So sorry to hear of your loss .

Can really shake us up .
And must be hard if your wife took such good care of the food side, to now balance meals for yourself .

After an extended enforced break at home, I tend to cook all our meals.

Missus might not have anything (dieting or are at work)..so a lot of times it's just me.

Depending what meals you eat ..

I just eat a main meal, and a random few days a week I add in a breakfast.

Personally found a fried breakfast doesn't spike me.
So bacon & eggs, a ryvita or low carb slice of bread..occasionally a high grade meat sausage or two.

Yoghurt (Greek full fat ..Lidl sell 4 small pots )
And some real fruit added (blueberries etc)
Gives me a bit of zip when needed

Scrambled egg mix with veg or pieces of meat very filling I found

Main meals tend to be simply meat & veg

Usually I plan for week, for meats bought make two meals...a steak gets cut in two..and I add spinach and leek or mushrooms to fill out plate.

Chicken fillet, place in foil add tomatoes veg etc.
Cook in oven for 30-45 mins..careful steam is hot
A nice simple dish..work great with fish I guess.

I also make a chili, minced beef, one chili mix, some chopped onion, chopped tomatoes & kidney beans ...one pan ...brown mince, and veg, then add mix, let simmer .

Many use cauliflower rice. Instead of proper rice which is not a good choice for T2D's.

I tried it, it's ok but messy, so now I just cut up the cauliflower into chunky strips, lay them on a baking tray and cook in oven for 10minutes, then turn over for 10 more.
Not quite rice but not the cauliflower steaks some mention.

Goes well with the chilli or homemade Currys.

(If you like curry, check out the spice tailor at Tesco
We use their Goan curry, very simple to follow recipe, tastes great & makes enough for two maybe three meals, depending how hungry you are.

Add the cauliflower and it doesn't spike me
Like the mince I cook as directed & freeze half for later.

I try and be sensible with getting enough veg
I found a systema microwave dish perfect for small amounts of veg .

Pop some water into bottom of bowl, rest cut up veg into into tray, then microwave 5-8 minutes depending ..lovely cooked veg while you're frying meat etc

Good luck finding a way that suits your needs