Diabetics Rejoice!: Low Carb Taco Salad in a Grilled Cheese Bowl

Friday, June 15, 2018

Low Carb Taco Salad in a Grilled Cheese Bowl

There are many variations of similar recipes online, but this salad is so much fun to make and eat, I had to share my own experience. I’ve seen other intriguing posts describing how to make taco shells with cheese, so I had to try it for myself. I prefer a taco salad in a bowl because it’s less messy to eat. This is an easy, foolproof, stovetop method that takes less than 10 minutes start to finish! Fill it with whatever taco salad fixings you like and, I think you’ll discover as I did, that the delicious, crispy grilled cheese bowl adds a lot of flavor to this festive salad!

Grilled Cheese Bowl

Makes 1 edible bowl

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or a blend (I used a Mexican blend)

1. Evenly spread 1/2 cup of shredded cheese into an 8-inch non-stick skillet.

2. Heat over medium heat until the cheese is bubbly and turns a dark golden brown. (Do not stir or disturb the cheese during the cooking process.) Watch carefully so the cheese doesn’t burn, but you’re looking for a dark golden color that indicates it’s well done and will be crispy when cooled.

3. Meanwhile, place an inverted 8 ounce bowl onto a plate.

4. Remove skillet from the heat and allow the bubbling cheese to cool slightly, but not harden. Drape the still warm and flexible cheese disk over the inverted bowl and gently press down the sides to create a bowl shape.

5. Allow to cool for a few minutes until the cheese hardens. Remove the cheese bowl from your mold, fill and enjoy!

Low Carb Taco Salad in a Grilled Cheese Bowl

Makes 1 serving

1 Grilled Cheese Bowl (see above)

1 cup of chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

3 ounces of cooked ground beef seasoned with 3/4 teaspoon of taco seasoning

1/4 avocado, cut into cubes

4 grape tomatoes, chopped

1-2 teaspoons of chopped red onion

1-2 teaspoons of chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

1 teaspoon shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoonfuls of sour cream

Place all of the salad ingredients into the Grilled Cheese Bowl and enjoy!

Nutritional Information per salad in cheese bowl: 534 calories, 12.9 g carbohydrate (4.7 g dietary fiber, 3.8 g sugars), 41.2 g total fat (20.8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 128 mg cholesterol, 588 mg sodium, 473.4 mg calcium, 661 mg potassium, 2 mg iron, 3345 mg Vit A, 20 mg Vit C, 30.3 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 8.2 grams

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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!

Friday, June 15, 2018

Low Carb Taco Salad in a Grilled Cheese Bowl

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Diabetics Rejoice!