Book Nook: The Create-Your-Plate Diabetes Cookbook

The "Diabetes Plate Method" is an effortless way to plan nutritionally-rich and healthy meals without any counting, measuring, tracking, or calculations. In THE CREATE-YOUR-PLATE DIABETES COOKBOOK, best-selling cookbook author Toby Amidor, (MS, RD, CDN, FAND) demonstrates how to build perfectly-portioned meals with a healthy balance of vegetables, protein, and just the right amount of carbohydrates with nothing more than a dinner plate.

Every recipe was designed to meet the nutrition guidelines of the American Diabetes Association, so readers can create their plate with confidence knowing they’re preparing fun, flavorful, and nutritious meals. This step-by-step guide is perfect for anybody looking to live a healthier lifestyle without getting bogged down in complicated diets.

I had a chance to interview Toby to learn more.

What is the plate approach for diabetes?
The Diabetes Plate Method lets you choose the foods you want, but changes the portion sizes so you are getting portions of nonstarchy vegetables and a smaller portion of carbohydrate foods, such as grains, starchy vegetables, fruit, or milk or yogurt. There are 5 steps in the Diabetes Plate Method which are:

• Start with a dinner plate that is approximately 9-inches in diameter and imagine your plate divided into 3 parts.
• Step 1. Fill half your plate with nonstarchy vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, kale, or spinach
• Step 2. Fill one-quarter of your plate with lean protein foods like lean meat, fish, eggs, or plant-based protein
• Step 3. Fill the last one-quarter of your plate with carbohydrate foods, such as grains, starchy vegetables, fruit, milk, or yogurt
• Step 4. To complete your plate, add water or another zero-calorie beverage
• Step 5. Choose healthy fats in small amounts

How do treats fit in to the Create Your Plate approach?
Dessert is not specifically mentioned in the five steps of the Diabetes Plate Method, but that doesn't mean that folks with diabetes can't enjoy a sweet treat from time to time. If you would like to enjoy dessert with a meal, there are a few things to keep in mind:
--Consider dessert a part of your plate. Most desserts are high in carbohydrate, so if you're planning on eating eating dessert cut back on other carbohydrate foods in your meal
--Keep portion sizes small
--Choose desserts that are based on whole fruit, and/or whole grains and limit added sugars.

How can this approach be tailored to specific diets, like vegetarian or Mediterranean?
When choosing an eating plan like vegetarian or Mediterranean, look for a plan that you feel you can incorporate into your lifestyle and follow long term. It is important that your eating plan fit your individual needs. You can choose to stick to one plan or implement strategies from a variety of different plans. With the help of your healthcare team, you can create an eating plan that will work best for you.
If you choose a vegetarian eating plan, you can follow the "create your plate" using the same five steps outlined above. As a general rule of thumb, people who follow a vegetarian eating plan do not eat any red meat, poultry, or products made with these foods. However, the term vegetarian is a broad term, and some vegetarians independently choose to include foods like eggs, milk and dairy, and fish in their meals. If you choose to follow a vegetarian eating plan be sure to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. If you choose to include milk and dairy products in your eating plan, low-fat and nonfat milk and dairy products may be the right choice for you.
As a vegetarian, you may be concerned about getting enough protein. However, getting enough protein is not a problem with a vegan or vegetarian eating plan if you eat a variety of the many plant foods that provide protein including dried or canned beans, other bean products (like hummus or baked beans), lentils, peas, nuts and nut spreads, soy and soy products, meat substitutes (like black bean burgers or veggie burgers). Plant-based proteins tend to be higher in carbohydrate compared to animal-based proteins, such as chicken, fish, or meat. If you choose to follow a vegetarian or plant-based eating plan, you may find yourself filling your plate with higher-carbohydrate sources of plant-based proteins, like beans or lentils, and a carbohydrate side dish too, like brown rice, whole-grain pasta, or quinoa. However, you can make some simple swaps from higher - to lower- carbohydrate starches or plant-based proteins to help keep total carbohydrates in check. For example opt for nuts or nut butter as a protein choice as nuts are a lower-carb protein.
When eating a Mediterranean-Style Eating Plan the plate is created using the same five steps described above. The Mediterranean-style eating plan emphasizes eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, eating fish and poultry at least twice a week, choosing healthy fats, enjoying nuts and seeds in moderation, choosing lean and extra-lean proteins from beef, pork, lamb, and poultry, and using plenty of fresh herbs and spices. The Mediterranean eating plan tends to also include less milk and dairy foods so pay close attention to getting enough calcium and vitamin D. You can always add an extra serving of low-fat or nonfat dairy in your day. Speak with your healthcare team and RDN to ensure that you're getting all the nutrients your body needs.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN is a best-selling cookbook author, leading dietitian and recipe developer. She is the founder of Toby Amidor Nutrition, where she provides nutrition and food safety consulting services for individuals, restaurants, and food brands. Her cookbooks include Smart Meal Prep for Beginners, The Easy 5-Ingredient Healthy Cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook, The Greek Yogurt Kitchen, and The Best Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook Ever. For 11 years she has been the nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com and is a regular contributor to blogs at U.S. News and World Report, Mens Journal, Muscle & Fitness, and Shape. She also has her own "Ask the Expert" column in Today's Dietitian magazine. Toby has also appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Coffee with America, Good Day Street Talk, and San Antonio Live. For the past 10 years, she has been an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University and is also an adjunct at Hunter College in New York City teaching food service management. In 2018, Toby was awarded by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics the coveted Media Excellence Award.
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The American Diabetes Association® and its mission are CONNECTED FOR LIFE®. The Association funds research to prevent, cure, and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, its mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both of these sources is available in English and Spanish.