Student chef, menu planning.

[Cheffette]

First of, hi!

Sorry for just coming crashing in and asking so much already but I don't want to make the person I am cooking for very ill.

Basically as an assessment I have been asked to cook a two course meal for the diabetic lecturer. His diabetes is diet controlled at the moment so I know I have to be very careful. What I am asking is if the menu I have planned is appropriate for a diet controlled diabetic.

Red chilli chicken on a bed of pasta and asparagus with a mango and natural yoghurt dipping sauce.
Onion, red
Chicken breast
Red chilli
Low sodium soy sauce
Natural honey
Garlic
Lemon zest and juice
Oil
Salt and pepper - though I am aware that I have to be very careful with the seasoning.

Natural yoghurt
Mango
Lime juice.

Flour
Eggs
Asparagus (though this might be replaced with Artichoke leaves)
(though if it is possible to use dried pasta I shall be using durum wheat pasta as I know that is better, but I cant find a recipe to reference for it anywhere!!)

It is also required that I make a sweet and for that I have chosen to do...

Bitter egg custard with a hint of chocolate and mixed berry coullis.
Egg yolk
Sugar (this will be split with arrowroot- a fecule used for thickening as well as sweetness, known for its use in diabetic diets. But you all know that :roll: )
Unsweetened dark cocoa
Milk

Mixed berries- summer.
Water.




Any input would be so gratefully received, as I really don't want to hurt the man.

 

[saz1]

Hi there and welcome!

They have given you an interesting task and not much to go by advise wise...

I would suggest skipping the pasta altogether, refined flour often raises bloodsugars very fast and often in diabetics to very high levels. Often diabetics use strips of courgette lightly steamed as a pasta substitute. If pasta is definitely needed, you could try wheat gluten mixedd with soya flour, that is low carb and high protein option.

The dessert could be made with splenda which tolerates cooking and tastes much like sugar.

Otherwise you are good to go!

 

[fergus]

Hi Chefette,

As a type 1 diabetic, I'm unfortunately not able to control my condition by diet alone. I do keep insulin to a minimum by following a low carbohydrate diet. A diet controlled type 2 diabetic will be using a very similar strategy to control their blood sugar levels.
With that in mind, the ingredients which stand out in your list are: honey, mango, pasta, flour and sugar. These will all have a significant impact on blood sugar and could be replaced with low carb alternatives. Sweeteners like Zweet or stevia could replace the sugar and honey, sliced courgette make an excellent alternative to pasta and avovado, although not too similar to mango, is much lower in sugar.

Good luck!

fergus

 

[Cheffette]

Ohhh thank you so much!

The pasta is not needed, but I do need a base for the chicken and, to be honest, I had never thought about the speed of which pasta could raise the blood sugar, dur! I just thought that it slowly released carbs. Would a bed of mixed green vegetables, i.e. courgettes and asparagus, with the chilli chicken sound appetising to you? Though I will ask the Chef about the soya flour and wheat gluten.

The honey is really sort of needed to, not only sweeten, the dish but thicken it and give it a shine (all about the presentation :roll: ). If I were to alter (replace) the sugar in the custard, would the small amount, say approx 20ml, of honey be ok then?

I was not aware that mangos were that high in fructose, again I was going on chef thoughts and mango and chicken goes really well together. Though I will try the dip with avocado, which will also help with the fat levels.

Yeah, its a really interesting task and I have to say I have found out a lot, but all the information I received was that I was to cook for a diet controlled diabetic and one of the dishes must be a sweet.

Again, thank you!
You are all life savers as I was starting to think I was going to go mad in GI index tables.

 

[Cheffette]

Also I was thinking, as a replacement to pasta, would eggplant/aubergine be suitable?

 

[saz1]

Your suggested replacements are ok for the pasta. Just try what you think would be nice. Also in my opinion you can use mango in the dipping sauce since I don't imagine the amount is going to be huge. According to my book, 150 gram medium mango contains 21 g of carbs and if you use 30-40 g for the sauce, it is only 5-7 grams total. I'm afraid 20 mls of honey is like 20 mls of liquid sugar so it isn't the best option.

 

[fergus]

Could you use a white wine reduction with clarified butter to give you a good finish to the chicken? Zero impact on blood sugar levels if you dis it that way.
The courgettes, aubergine and asparagus would all be a fantastic alternative to the pasta I think.
Then I reckon we could turn a blind eye to a wee bit of mango! :wink:

All the best with it,

fergus

 

[Cheffette]

The white wine reduction would give an excellent sheen to the chicken and also compliment the flavours, though it wouldn't really thicken the sauce... *ponders upon it being runnyish*
Actually, since I am now having to use a bed of veg a slightly runny jus lie might work better...

I really didn't realise there was that much sugar in honey, I mean I knew there was a lot, but I didn't know it was that bad.. If that makes any sense.

The mango dipping sauce, there will be one whole mango in about [sup]3[/sup]/[sub]4[/sub] litre of yoghurt and each portion is served with a lil sauce pot so you are getting something like a tblsp and a half of sauce with each portion. *turns a blind eye and loves that she can still do her favourite dipping sauce*

I mean you are still getting the essential vitamins and nutrients, though less carbs. But the aubergine is great as it is full of everything!

I could save my self so much bother and use a basic tried and tested diabetic recipe, but that would mean lower marks :roll: and I like experimenting lol. And I bet you all thought a chefs life was easy lol.

 

[hanadr]

Hi chefette
If you really want to serve pasta, try to get some Dreamfields. It has very little available carbohydrate. you'd have to explain to your guest though ,in case he hadn't ever seen it.
I concur with the suggestion that any sugar be replaced with Splenda.
Otherwise, please may I come to lunch?

 

[Cheffette]

I found out today that I am not allowed to use dried pasta anyway, so pasta is most certainly vetoed!

But I did take the opportunity to tell Chef about Dreamfields, as it was something I had found whilst looking about. Its just that because this is an assessment I have to make it all.

If you want to come and try my assessment, well you are welcome to, or you could try making it for me :mrgreen:

 

[ChocFish]

Chefette, if you reduce the sauce a bit and then add cream does that not thicken it? It certainly does that whenever I am cooking something similar.

As for pasta substitute I often use courgette and bamboo shoots, sliced lengthways it looks like pasta, I sautee that in butter until its al dente and it doesnt end up watery at all.

Good luck

Karen

 

[Cheffette]

Cream in the sauce would neutralise the chilli in it.
Though I am aware that different levels of spice for all, thats why I have included the cooling dipping sauce.

Ohh I hadn't thought about bamboo!

You are all fabulous people, you cant imagine how grateful I am you are taking the time to help me with this.

 

[Trinkwasser]

You can substitute xanthan gum and other similar things for starch as thickening. Psyllium husk would also work if you were not far from a toilet.

 

[Cheffette]

Red chilli chicken on a bed of aubergine and courgette, served with a mango lissi to drink
Onion, red x1 large
Chicken breast x 2
Red chilli x 2/3 large
Black beans x approx 60gm before soaking
Low sodium soy sauce x approx 10ml
White wine and butter reduction x a lil to cook it in, then add to plate as taste requires.
Garlic x 2/3 cloves
Lemon zest and juice x half lemon juice
Oil x enough to fry it with
Salt and pepper - seasoning.

Mango Lissi
Natural yoghurt (low fat) 175ml
Milk (semi skimmed) 150ml
Mango x 1 whole peeled and chopped
(mix in blender)


Coutgette
Aubergine
(fry off)

It is also required that I make a sweet and for that I have chosen to do...

Bitter egg custard with a hint of chocolate and mixed berry coullis.
Egg yolk
Sweetner
Unsweetened dark cocoa
Milk

Mixed berries- summer.
Water.


The edited version...
(and it tastes luverly!!!)
Hopefully that covers all the dietetic needs...

 

[sugarless sue]

Sounds wonderful ,Cheffette ,good luck with it.

 

[gardenfairy22]

Hi Cheffete,
If you get a chance to print the complete recipe for the dessert, I for one would love the chance to make it myself. Wishing you every success with your assignment.
Carole

 

[Aadrgon]

The edited version...
(and it tastes luverly!!!)
Hopefully that covers all the dietetic needs...

Sounds absolutely delicious

Good luck with it and let us know how you get on

 

[Cheffette]

Hi Cheffete,
If you get a chance to print the complete recipe for the dessert, I for one would love the chance to make it myself. Wishing you every success with your assignment.
Carole

Ohhh!!
*feels all special as it is just made up in her head!*

Custard - makes enough for 2)
Egg yolk x2
Milk x
Cocoa powder, unsweetened (the higher % the better) x 50ish gram, depending on taste. (basically I add it to taste)
Sweetener (powder version, not tablets) x30g

Mixed berries (you can buy a pack of frozen ones, does the job just as well) x 100g
water x enough to cover the berries and a lil more.
(this makes a lot of coulis, but you might need it)


Add berries and water to pan, boil for a few mins, until the berries are soft.
Place in blender and blitz.
Strain (gets rid of any seeds etc)
Allow to cool, in fridge of similar.

Boil the milk and then leave to cool, watch for skin forming- remove it.
Split the eggs so you are left with the yolks
Add the sweetener and cocoa powder and whisk until it thickens. Looks like lil bubbles.
The milk should be cool enough now, so add it slowly and mix with a wooden spoon until throughly mixed, return to heat and be careful not to scramble it. Very easily done!!

Remove from heat and serve with coulis.

 

[Cheffette]

And thank you everyone for wishing me good luck, assessment is on monday so its really soon!

 

[sugarless sue]

Will keep fingers crossed for you.