Diabetics Rejoice!: Low Carb Maine Crab Au Gratin

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Low Carb Maine Crab Au Gratin

Years ago, one of my favorite restaurants was Downeast Village in Yarmouth, Maine. They featured many Maine specialities and their dining room was warm and inviting, often with a roaring fire blazing in the huge, brick fireplace. Sadly, they have closed, but I will never forget my favorite meal there: Maine Crab Au Gratin! Creamy, cheesy, decadent and so rich, it was a special occasion meal. It's perfectly low carb and keto, so I thought I'd recreate it at home this year for my birthday dinner. This easy main dish is every bit as good as I remember!

Low Carb Maine Crab Au Gratin

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons butter

A pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon Thick-It-Up (or xanthan gum)

1/4 pound cheddar cheese, shredded

White or black pepper to taste

3-4 cups real crabmeat (not imitation), about 16 oz.

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a saucepan, combine the butter, salt, dry mustard powder, cream, coconut milk and Worcestershire sauce. Stir over low heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are combined. Slowly sprinkle in the Thick-It-Up (or xanthan gum) while whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Stir in the cheddar cheese until melted and no lumps remain. Add the pepper and crabmeat and stir until the crabmeat is well coated. Transfer the crab mixture to a 2-quart baking dish or divide into four individual ramekins. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. (For convenience, you can refrigerate the casserole at this point and bake it later.) Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until the casserole is bubbling and the Parmesan cheese begins to brown. Serve piping hot!

Nutritional Information per serving: 304 calories, 1.4 g carbohydrate (0 g dietary fiber, 0.6 g sugars), 21.3 g total fat (13.6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 154 mg cholesterol, 599 mg sodium, 195.5 mg calcium, 39 mg potassium, 499 mg Vit A, 26.8 g protein.

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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!

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Low Carb Maine Crab Au Gratin

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Diabetics Rejoice!