Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss

by Howard Shapiro

  Rosa Mexicano

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  MENU

  DINNER ENTRADAS

  Guacamole en Molcajete

  Freshly made guacamole with avocado, jalapeño, tomato, onion and cilantro, served with warm corn tortillas, tortilla chips, salsa pasilla de Oaxaca and salsa de tomatillo y habanero

  Ensalada de la Casa/Field Greens Salad

  Mixed field greens, shredded jicama, carrots and cherry tomatoes dressed in a pomegranate vinaigrette

  ENCHILADAS

  Mole de Xico/Beef

  Two soft corn tortillas filled with shredded chipotle beef, topped with Veracruz mole made with raisins, plantains, hazelnuts, pine nuts and mulato, ancho and pasila chiles, garnished with crema and queso fresco

  Suizas/Chicken

  Two soft corn tortillas filled with pulled roasted chicken, topped with a creamy tomatillo sauce and melted Chihuahua cheese

  Ceviche de Atun y Camarones/Marinated Seafood Chilled citrus-marinated tuna and shrimp

  Ensalada de Vegetales à la Parilla/Grilled Vegetable Salad Zucchini, hearts of palm, artichokes, corn and chile-rubbed red bliss potatoes tossed in a roasted tomato-oregano vinaigrette

  Rancheras/Vegetable

  Two soft corn tortillas filled with wild mushrooms and spinach topped with a mild Mexican tomato sauce, garnished with crema and queso fresco

  Jaiba/Jumbo Lump Crab

  Two soft corn tortillas filled with jumbo lump crabmeat, topped with a creamy tomatillo sauce, melted Chihuahua cheese and pumpkin seeds

  PLATILLOS PRINCIPALES

  All entrees are served with family-style rice, refried black beans and two condiment salsas: Pasillo de Oaxaca and Salsa de Tomatillo y Habanero

  Ensalada con Atun/Tuna Salad

  Avocado leaf-crusted seared rare tuna, served on a crispy black bean tostada over jicama, mango, cabbage slaw with mixed field greens and tropical fruit salsa

  Alambre de Camarones/Shrimp Brochette

  Grilled shrimp marinated in a garlic vinaigrette over house rice with onions, tomatoes, serrano peppers and roasted tomato-jalapeño-caper sauce

  Mariposa de Huachinango/Red Snapper

  Pan-roasted whole buttterflied red snapper, brushed with guajillo chile and served with roasted tomatillo and garlic molcajete salsa

  Salmon e Manchamenteles/Salmon Filet with Tropical Fruit Mole Grilled organic salmon over black beans with zucchini and roasted corn, served over a mole of ancho chiles and tropical fruits

  Beat Diabetes approved items in orange.

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  You can find delicious, healthful meals to help beat diabetes in restaurants outside of New York, too. Just take a look at what to order off these partial menus at some of our other favorite establishments across the country.

  California Pizza Kitchen

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  MENU

  APPETIZERS

  Cabo Crab Cakes

  Pan-sautéed blue crab cakes served with roasted corn and black bean salsa and a roasted red pepper aioli

  Tuscan Hummus

  Tuscan white beans puréed with sesame, garlic, lemon and spices, garnished with Italian parsley, fresh Roma tomatoes, basil and garlic, served with warm pizza-pita bread

  SOUPS

  Asparagus Soup

  A creamless vegetarian soup garnished with garlic-herb croutons

  Adobe Chicken Chowder

  A creamy rich chowder with chicken, Wehani rice, sweet roasted corn, green chilies, mild onions, bell peppers and cilantro, topped with crispy corn tortilla strips

  SALADS

  Grilled Vegetable Salad

  Grilled asparagus, Japanese eggplant, zucchini, green onions and roasted corn served warm over a bed of chilled Romaine lettuce, fresh avocado and sun-dried tomatoes in a Dijon balsamic vinaigrette

  SPECIALTIES

  Ginger Salmon

  Pan-sautéed Atlantic salmon topped with chopped cilantro, green onions and a sweet ginger sauce, served with wok-stirred Mandarin noodles, snow peas and sesame seeds and wok-stirred mixed vegetables

  Lettuce Wraps

  Minced chicken and/or shrimp, wok-seared with shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts and green onions in a soy-ginger sauce, served on a bed of crispy rice noodles with a side of spicy chili-ginger sauce

  Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup

  Hearty, vegetarian split pea with barley, carrots, onions and savory herbs, garnished with chopped green onions

  Sedona Tortilla Soup

  Vine-ripened tomatoes, tomatillos and corn with mild green chilies and Southwestern spices, garnished with crispy corn tortilla strips

  Miso Salad

  Shredded Napa cabbage with fresh avocado, julienne cucumbers, daikon, edamame, carrots, red cabbage, green onions, cilantro, crispy rice noodles and crispy wontons tossed in a miso dressing and topped with blue crab and shrimp

  Pan-Sautéed Salmon

  Lightly seasoned Atlantic salmon, served with fresh grilled asparagus and spaghettini in a creamy lemon-caper sauce or wok-stirred mixed vegetables (served blackened upon request)

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  Chili’s

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  MENU

  GUILTLESS GRILL

  Guiltless Cedar Plank Tilapia

  Seasoned tilapia fillet topped with house-made pico de gallo and a lime wedge, cooked and served on a cedar plank

  Guiltless Black Bean Burger

  Meatless black bean patty topped with low-fat ranch on a wheat bun, served with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle

  Grilled Shrimp Alfredo

  Spicy garlic-and-lime-grilled shrimp over penne pasta tossed in creamy Alfredo sauce, topped with diced tomatoes, green onions and Parmesan cheese and served with garlic toast

  Grilled Salmon with Garlic and Herbs

  Salmon fillet seasoned with garlic and herbs, served with rice and seasonal veggies

  NOT JUST SIDES

  Loaded Mashed Potatoes

  Homestyle Fries

  Mashed Potatoes with Black Pepper Gravy

  Black Beans

  Rice

  Sweet Corn on the Cob

  Seasonal Veggies

  Cinnamon Apples

  BOWL FULL OF FLAVOR

  Chili or Soup and Side Salad

  A delicious bowl of chili or soup with a Caesar or house side salad

  Soups of the Day

  SALADS

  Spicy Garlic-and-Lime-Grilled Shrimp Salad

  Spicy garlic-and-lime-grilled shrimp, mixed cheese, corn relish, house-made pico de gallo and crispy tortilla strips, topped with cilantro, served with fire-roasted tomato vinaigrette

  Beat Diabetes approved items in orange.

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  Denny’s

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  MENU

  BREAKFAST

  Veggie-Cheese Omelette

  Three-egg omelette with green peppers, onions and mushrooms folded in with diced tomatoes and shredded Cheddar cheese (order with egg whites and no cheese)

  Hearty Wheat Pancakes

  Three hearty wheat pancakes (order with sugar-free syrup)

  Bacon Strips (Four)

  Turkey Bacon Strips (Four)

  Sausage Links (Four)

  Chicken Sausage Patties (Two)

  Grilled Honey Ham Slice

  Egg Whites

  Hash Browns

  Cheddar Cheese Hash Browns

  Everything Hash Browns

  Buttermilk Pancakes

  Hearty Wheat Pancakes

  Toast

  Pancake Puppies

  Bagel and Cream Cheese

  Biscuit

  English Muffin

  Grits

  Oatmeal

  Granola

  Seasonal Fruit

  DINNER – Includes choice of a bowl of soup or a garden salad

  Grilled Shrimp Skewer

  One skewer of succulent shrimp grilled and placed over savory vegetable rice pilaf, served with choice of one side and dinner bread

  Homestyle Meatloa
f

  One slice of classic meatloaf, grilled and covered in brown gravy, served with choice of two sides and dinner bread

  Grilled Chicken

  Delicious, seasoned grilled chicken breast, served with choice of two sides and dinner bread

  Senior Country-Fried Steak

  BURGERS

  Boca Burger

  A meatless combination of soy, spices and cheese, served with lettuce, tomato, pickles and red onions

  SOUPS

  Bowl of Soup

  Soups are kettle-cooked to be rich and hearty

  AMERICAN DINNER CLASSICS

  Lemon-Pepper Grilled Tilapia

  A seasoned whitefish filet grilled and topped with a tangy lemon-pepper butter sauce (sauce on side), served on a bed of savory vegetable rice pilaf with choice of two sides and dinner bread

  Tilapia Ranchero

  A seasoned whitefish filet grilled and topped with freshly made pico de gallo and diced avocado, served with a side of creamy ranchero mashed potatoes and dinner bread

  DINNER SIDE CHOICES

  Coleslaw

  Corn

  Country-Fried Potatoes

  Fiesta Corn

  French Fries

  Green Beans

  Hash Browns

  Mashed Potatoes

  Onion Rings

  Ranchero Mashed Potatoes

  Smoked Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

  Tomato Slices

  Vegetable Rice Pilaf

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  Olive Garden

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  MENU

  ANTIPASTI (APPETIZERS)

  Mussels di Napoli

  Mussels in the shell, simmered with wine, garlic butter and onions

  Sicilian Scampi

  Large shrimp sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil with white wine, garlic and lemon

  ZUPPE E INSALATE (SOUPS AND SALADS)

  Minestrone

  Fresh vegetables, beans and pasta in a light tomato broth

  Garden-Fresh Salad

  Famous house salad, tossed with signature Italian dressing

  PESCE (FISH AND SEAFOOD)

  Shrimp Primavera

  Shrimp, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms in a bold arrabbiata sauce over penne

  Grilled Shrimp Caprese

  Grilled marinated shrimp served over angel hair pasta with melted mozzarella, fresh basil and tomatoes in a garlic-butter sauce

  Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

  Oven-baked delicate whitefish crusted with Parmesan cheese, served with Italian vegetables over angel hair tossed in a light garlic-butter sauce

  Herb-Grilled Salmon

  Salmon filet brushed with Italian herbs and extra-virgin olive oil, served with seasoned broccoli

  Seafood Alfredo

  Sautéed shrimp and scallops tossed with creamy fettuccine Alfredo

  Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

  Large sautéed shrimp served over creamy Parmesan risotto with asparagus

  Seafood Portofino

  Mussels, scallops, shrimp and mushrooms with linguine in a garlic-butter wine sauce

  POLLO E PESCE (CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD)

  Venetian Apricot Chicken

  Grilled chicken breast in an apricot citrus sauce, served with broccoli, asparagus and diced tomatoes

  Shrimp Primavera

  Shrimp, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms in a bold arrabbiata sauce over penne

  Beat Diabetes approved items in orange.

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  Outback Steakhouse

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  MENU

  APPETIZERS

  Seared Ahi Tuna

  SALADS

  Dressings—Tangy Tomato Dressing (fat-free), Vinegar Fresh Lemon or Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar

  House Salad (order without croutons)

  Caesar Salad (order without croutons)

  Queensland Salad (order without croutons)

  Entrée Caesar Salad (order without croutons)

  ADD-ONS AND SIDES

  Fresh Steamed French Green Beans

  Fresh Seasonal Veggies

  Jacket Potato

  Sweet Potato

  ENTRÉES

  Shrimp and Veggie Griller

  (order without butter or glaze during preparation)

  Salmon

  (order prepared without butter or seasoning; with fresh seasonal veggies without butter)

  STRAIGHT FROM THE SEA

  Atlantic Salmon

  Lobster Tail

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  Ruby Tuesday

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  MENU

  APPETIZERS

  Jumbo Lump Crab Cake

  Almost all crab and nearly no cake, made from fresh, premium jumbo lump crab meat and seared to a golden brown

  PREMIUM SEAFOOD

  Herb Crusted Tilapia

  Tender, mild tilapia crusted with panko garlic bread crumbs topped with lemon-butter sauce, with fresh steamed broccoli and brown-rice pilaf

  Chesapeake Catch

  Spicy, broiled tilapia crowned with a jumbo lump crab cake and topped with Parmesan cream sauce, with fresh steamed broccoli and brown-rice pilaf

  New Orleans Seafood

  Spicy, broiled tilapia topped with sautéed shrimp and rich Parmesan cream sauce, served with fresh steamed broccoli and brown-rice pilaf

  Parmesan Shrimp Pasta

  Tender, spicy shrimp are seasoned and sautéed, then served over pasta in Parmesan cream sauce and accented with diced tomatoes

  Asian Glazed Salmon

  Grilled Atlantic salmon glazed with a peanut-barbecue sauce to give it a sweet and spicy kick, served with fresh steamed broccoli and brown-rice pilaf

  HANDCRAFTED BURGERS

  Veggie Burger

  Blended with six all-natural garden veggies, long-grain rice and black beans, topped with Swiss cheese

  Jumbo Lump Crab Burger

  Fresh, tender, premium crab cakes, seared to a golden brown, accented with sweet and spicy chili sauce

  Blackened Fish

  A flaky, tender tilapia fillet, seasoned with Creole spices and broiled, finished with a sweet and spicy chili sauce

  SIGNATURE SIDES

  Sautéed Baby Portobello Mushrooms

  Premium Baby Green Beans

  Fresh Steamed Broccoli

  Baked Potato

  Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

  White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

  Brown-Rice Pilaf

  Loaded Baked Potato

  Beat Diabetes approved items in orange.

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  THE SKINNY ON SUPPLEMENTS

  Did you know that an estimated 80 percent of Americans use dietary supplements? We do so because we think the supplements will keep us healthy, prevent disease, treat or heal or cure a condition or sickness we have or all of the above.

  Supplements embrace a range of possible substances and can include plant extracts, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and more. They are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), but they are generally not subjected to the same rigorous testing as prescription drugs, and neither their safety nor their efficacy need to be established. In other words, let the buyer beware: there is simply no guarantee that the supplement you’re using works or that it won’t cause some side effect that might itself be harmful.

  That is why for anyone and everyone—but especially for diabetics—it is essential that you always consult your health care provider before taking any supplement.

  Still, many diabetics use supplements to lower their blood sugar or to reduce the risk or the severity of complications from the disease. The use of supplements is widespread and varied, so for purposes of talking about them, we’re going to set an agenda of five categories:

  Six popular supplements

  Chromium picolinate, which is controversial

  Vitamins and minerals

  Phytosterols and phytostanols

  Green tea capsules

  The following six popular supplements hav
e been particularly sought after by diabetics, and although all have shown some benefits in terms of blood sugar regulation, the testing for specific safety and efficacy concerns has thus far been inadequate. Some have tested safe and free of side effects, some not. Some have been proven effective, some not. So while we can’t say all are unsafe or none are effective, we recommend none of them for diabetics. The six are:

  Aloe

  Bitter melon

  Fenugreek

  Ginseng

  Gymnema

  Chromium supplementation in the form of chromium picolinate is widely used by diabetics—and widely recommended for them. Chromium is classed as an ultra-trace mineral, which means that it is found in the body in very small amounts—typically measured in micrograms—yet it performs a couple of essential roles in metabolism. Where diabetics in particular are concerned, chromium does seem to enhance insulin action and may thereby help regulate glucose and triglyceride metabolism in type 2 diabetes. Also on the plus side is the fact that chromium deficiency results in insulin resistance and can cause certain lipid abnormalities; these can all be reversed with the use of chromium supplements.

  In fact, several studies have shown that using from 100 to 500 mcg of chromium twice a day improved diabetes control, and many experts recommend at least 200 mcg per day for optimal blood sugar regulation.

  But some of these studies have been questioned on the grounds that the test subjects may have been chromium deficient to begin with. A number of the studies, in fact, were done in China, where there is believed to be a higher incidence of chromium deficiency than elsewhere, particularly Western countries. And in yet another recent study, a program of chromium supplementation over the course of twelve weeks showed no effect at all on glucose concentration, glucose-regulating hormones or any other measure of glucose metabolism. No wonder the American Diabetes Association, for one, declares that evidence demonstrating the benefit of chromium supplementation is “inconclusive.”