Customer Reviews

Best Diabetes Slow Cooker Recipes

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having just been diagnosed with diabetes, and being fairly young and busy, I was so pleased when I checked this book out from the library. The recipes are quick, and for most recipes, the prep work can be done the night before and then just take it out in the morning, turn on the slow cooker, go to work, and when I get home dinner is all ready! The recipes are all based on the glycemic index, so they don't send your sugar on a roller coaster, but you do have to watch out if you are counting carbs, the recipes vary from hardly any to 60+ carbs per serving. I have used this book so many times since it has arrived!

I first came across this book in my local library when I was randomly looking for diabetic cookbooks. I liked the sound of the recipes and ingredients so much that I immediately wanted to include this book in my culinary book collection. Being a professional chef I was looking for some slow cooker recipes for home consumption so that I didn't have to spend all my time in the kitchen. Unfortunately, I did not try out any of the recipes prior to buying my own copy. Some of the recipes like the "Sumptious Spinach and Artichoke Dip" contained a combination of ingredients that sounded terrific, but the final presentation left a lot to be desired. Mine came out like a bubbling mass of gray matter with only minimal flavor. In all fairness to the author, it was not the ingredients at fault, but what happens to the ingredients while cooking in the slow cooker. This recipe would be terrific if baked in the oven at a higher temperature in a caserole dish/ boat for an hour or so. Anyway, I was a little shy at this point so I returned to the library and picked up other copies of the author's books: "Delicious and Dependable Slow Cooker Recipes" and "150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes". Contained in these books are some good recipes that are very good for diabetics, especially if you are good at substituting or using lowfat/no fat, low sodium/no sodium, low cholesterol/no cholesterol, low sugar/no sugar( you get the idea ) ingredients. From the "Delicious and Dependable Slow Cooker Recipes" book, I highly recommend the "Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with Coconut". This is absolutely one of the best recipes for lentils I've ever found. ( just remember to use light coconut milk instead of regular coconut milk ). The lemon slices and chopped cilantro garnish really sets this recipe over the top. This recipe works perfectly in the slow cooker. Another recipe from this book I really enjoyed was the "Saucy Pork Chops with Cranberries". Believe me, if there was ever a gourmet recipe in a crock pot this is it!! This recipe gets its flavour from the port wine, cranberries, orange marmalade and leeks. ( remember diabetics, use reduced sugar marmalade or those with splenda, and that the alcohol in the port wine cooks out leaving only that wonderful flavour without the alcohol/sugar calories ). Consider pairing the lentil soup above with the saucy pork chops for an interesting array of ethnicly inspired tastes and colors. How cool is that. On a final note, readers beware, some of the recipes found in one book may also be found in the others. I sort of expect this in "The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes" since this a collection of recipes from other works.

There were too many things that I don't use or have in my pantry. The recipes didn't sound good to me.
I must say that I received it in a short time, and it was in excellent condition.

Although cookbooks for diabetics are useful, but not one fits all as humans are the variable and what works for one just may not work for others. Foods effect people in a variaty of ways in diabetes. so some may find they have higher sugar levels on one receipt and lower on others. While some menus may cause weight gain, etc. all involving medications and the reaction on the person reading the book. As a result all must work it out for themselves and not assume that following a published cook book will be a full answer.