Diabetics Rejoice!: August 2019

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Blueberry Chaffles with Lemon Yogurt Cream

Blueberry Chaffle with Lemon Yogurt Cream

A chaffle wave is sweeping over the low carb world! What is a “chaffle?” It is a very low carb waffle made with a base of egg and cheese. They can be created in any flavor, from pizza to dessert, and are a good bread substitute for sandwiches, burgers and a bun for hotdogs. You can use any waffle maker, but the 4” Mini Dash Waffle Maker is just the right size, especially when making a single serving. This recipe makes two 4” chaffles. (If you’re using a larger waffle maker, you may need to double or triple this recipe.) The carb count is a very low 3.4g net carbs for two delicious chaffles bursting with fresh Maine blueberries! Of course, you can top them with your favorite sugar free syrup, but I enjoy mine with a dollop of Lemon Yogurt Cream. This is a quick and delicious breakfast and, because these mini waffles are so adorable, everyone in the family will want to join the chaffle craze!

Blueberry Chaffles with Lemon Yogurt Cream

Makes 1 serving (two 4’ chaffles)

Chaffle Ingredients:

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened (or substitute sour cream or ricotta)

1 tablespoon almond flour (or 1/2 tbsp coconut flour)

2-3 drops lemon extract, or to taste (can substitute 1/4 tsp vanilla extract)

5-6 drops Lakanto Monkfruit extract (or 1 tsp granulated erythritol)

1 teaspoon heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon fresh wild Maine blueberries (can use frozen, but choose the smaller, low bush berry, such as Wyman’s)

Lemon Yogurt Cream Ingredients:

1/4 cup plain, Greek yogurt

A few drops of lemon extract (or 1/2 tsp lemon zest)

4 drops of LaKanto Monkfruit extract (or stevia)

1. To make the chaffles, preheat your mini waffle maker. Whisk together all of the chaffle ingredients, except the blueberries, until a smooth batter forms. Add the blueberries and gently stir to incorporate. Spoon about 3-4 tablespoons of batter onto the preheated waffle maker and cook for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool, meanwhile repeat with the remaining batter to make a second chaffle.

2. Make the Lemon Yogurt Cream by stirring the yogurt, extract (or zest) and sweetener together.

3. To serve, spread a small amount of butter on each chaffle, top with lemon cream and sprinkle with additional fresh blueberries. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you’re looking for more low carb waffle and chaffle recipes, that can be made in any waffle maker, be sure to check out my book Creative Grain-Free, Low Carb Waffles: Healthy Culinary Magic With Your Waffle Iron available on Amazon Kindle or iBooks for only $2.99!

Nutritional Information per 2 chaffles (no topping): 176 calories, 4.4 g carbohydrate (1 g dietary fiber, 1.6 g sugars), 13.7 g total fat (5.4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 207 mg cholesterol, 171 mg sodium, 94.4 mg calcium, 128 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 8.9 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 3.4 grams

Nutritional Information for Lemon Yogurt Cream: 56 calories, 2.5 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g total fat, 56.5 mg calcium, 5.1 g protein.

More about my experience with Type 2 diabetes:

After experiencing gestational diabetes while pregnant in 1988, it wasn't long before a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes was made, and then, much later, I was correctly diagnosed with autoimmune Type 1.5 (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults, also known as LADA).

Like many people newly diagnosed, I had to read and learn what diabetes was all about. I did everything my doctor told me to do, took my medication exactly as prescribed, began to exercise more, I consulted with a diabetic nutritionist, I changed my carb-loving lifestyle to within the dietary guideline of my nutritionist and lost some weight. For many years, following the advice of the experts, I managed the disease fairly well. Yet, it concerned me that my need for medication continued to rise steadily, but I was told by my doctor that diabetes is a progressive disease and that what I was experiencing was normal. In a few years of trying diet change, exercise and oral medication alone, I was prescribed insulin to go along with the oral meds. My blood sugars stabilized, but my need for more and more insulin over time to manage good control continued to go slowly and steadily upward, along with my weight. With the larger and larger amounts of insulin (the fat storage hormone), it didn’t take long for me to become obese! I was not pleased because at the rate my need for meds was growing, it appeared that it wouldn't be long before my condition would be too difficult to control.

Finally, I said "enough!" Something had to change! I read The Diet Cure by Julia Ross and began a diet overhaul unlike anything ever suggested by my diabetic team. Two other books I highly recommend are The Blood Sugar Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman for a T2 diabetic and Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution by Dr. Richard Bernstein for a T1 or any diabetic on insulin. I cut out all white starches and grains from my diet and went 100% sugar free. (No expert had ever suggested I look at the sugar grams in the foods I ate before and I was shocked to discover large amounts hidden in most processed foods, even items not meant to be sweet!) I began to eat mainly fresh vegetables, very small amounts of fruit and only when it's in season (I love summer berries!), plenty of healthy fats and a moderate amount of high-quality protein. I now follow a Ketogenic diet which allows about 20-30 grams of good carbs per day, mainly in the form of non-starchy vegetables. I don't go out often but, when I do, I go to a restaurant where I know I can eat within my diet. By living this lifestyle, I lost over 65 pounds but, more than that, my need for medication grew less and less. I now need only very small amounts of insulin at meals and 4 units of long-acting insulin at bedtime (down from over 25 units when I was eating higher carb). The best part is that I’ve been able to stop all other oral prescription medications, as well! My blood glucose is always steady, in a normal range and hardly ever goes above 100 mg/dl. My A1c is consistently 4.9 or lower. These excellent health outcomes keep me motivated to stick with a keto lifestyle, plus I really enjoy the food!

I am now at my ideal weight and have kept it steady for over six years. My cravings for carbohydrates and my voracious "sweet tooth" are well controlled. I am motivated to cook and have made cooking healthy my #1 hobby. I'm excited about incorporating the alternative flours into my baking so I can occasionally still enjoy a dessert or bread product in my diet. The outlook of managing my diabetes and the future of my health is extremely positive.

If you're reading this and dealing with similar issues, take heart! You can make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle to share in this positive outlook, too. Just take it one day at a time, be good to yourself, and do not depend solely on medication. I had to face the fact: There is no "magic pill" out there! Instead, I needed to commit to eating well to heal myself from within. Remember, it's your future and your health; no one can do this for you! You owe it to yourself and your loved ones!

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Blueberry Chaffles with Lemon Yogurt Cream

Diabetics Rejoice!