The dried white mulberry is quite sweet. For this reason it is a very good option as a sweet treat. Surprisingly this dried fruit does not raise blood sugar that much compared to raisins or other dried fruits. But as always: It is better not to overeat.
Finally, the Vitamix!
For quite some time I have the wish for a Vitamix. Well, the Vitamix Pro 750 is in my kitchen now. My first kitchen tool with HP description… 2.2 HP! Indeed, that is noisy! But also very powerful. You can create yummy sorbets in no time, tasty purées and much, much more. I can not wait for a green smoothie!
It comes with a cookbook that offers a lot of recipes and motivate to own creations.
My Stand Mixer
The decision to buy a stand mixer was one of the best ever. It really makes a difference to a hand mixer. I was extremely surprised! As I enjoy baking I use my KitchenAid mainly for this purpose. Even mixtures I was not sure about how they should work for cake or cookies… they succeeded. Doughs and batters become very light.
At first I decided to have such a kitchen tool because it is just timesaving. The machine is running while you can prepare something else. Very convincing for me!
I guess other machines work the same way as the KitchenAid. I just like the design from KitchenAid products.
Palm Sugar
I always look for options to replace white sugar. Preferably I do not use any additional sweeteners. I just like the natural sweetness of foods. Only for baking I like to have a sweetener at hand.
Since a while I reach for palm sugar. This sugar is very sweet. So there is less needed. As palm sugar has a low glycemic index (GI) the blood sugar will not raise that quickly compared to e.g. white sugar or agave syrup.
Palm sugar tastes a little bit like caramel and is good to handle.
Turmeric
I started to use turmeric last year. Before I even did not know about its existence. But back then I heard so often about it… I thought I should give it a try. So I did, very carefully… I am not too courageous in such cases.
It was not the taste I tried it for. It was the anti-inflammatory effect to the body.
Here and there I add it to recipes, preferably if it matches with the color of the dish. You can add it to green smoothies as well.
Hint: Combining with black pepper is said to improve its body readiness.
Just the Best for the Blood Sugar… Keep It on a Low Level…
Since a while I take care of my blood sugar by eating foods with low glycemic load. That means I eat foods with a low impact on blood sugar and insulin. Because of that my blood sugar does not raise through the roof and does not fall back badly afterwards. So this helps to keep me away from cravings.
In the long run I want to maintain my health primarily by protecting the pancreas and thereby prevent diabetes.
My Small Steamer Basket
I did not own a steamer basket for a long time because all products I knew were way too large for my kitchen with only little space left. One day I spotted this small steamer basket. Fantastic! This basket does not take much space in my kitchen cupboard. Since then I regularly steam vegetables. Especially if I am short of time as it is a very quick method. Additionaly nutrients are retained.
I decided to buy the smaller basket (14 cm in diameter). It works in all pots I have.
Measuring Cups and Spoons
As you can see in the recipes I mainly use measuring cups and spoons. It was unfamiliar in the beginning. Meanwhile I do not miss the scale anymore.
I ordered at amazon.de. But you can find those in department stores, too. There are most diverse shapes available. I prefer the oval shape because it makes it easier to scoop from most different jars, canisters etc.
Cinnamon
I add cinnamon to yogurt, minced meat, fruits, curry powder, chocolate, I use it for baking, I stir it in tea or smoothies. There are many options for cinnamon.
I like cinnamon as it tastes and smells so good. Furthermore it is a very kind spice because of its numerous health benefits. My favorites are the positive effect on blood sugar and the anti-bacterial effect. A half of a teaspoon a day can have some effects. You should use the Ceylon cinnamon.
My Food Dehydrator
Actually this machine is a bit voluminous in my small kitchen. Nonetheless I do not want to miss this dehydrator anymore. It creates great jerky or veggie chips.
I am pleased with my choice because this machine dehydrates evenly over all shelves, it is easy to clean and it works nearly noiseless.
www.Keimling.de
Nuts are regular ingredients at my menu, dried fruits are welcome, too. Because of that I always watch out for adequate sources with a proper variety of these foods.
In Istanbul I bought at “Koz” (formerly “Ilgi”). Just awesome.
Thanks to Nicole I have a new source now. Lately I ordered various products. And I will order again. Thank you, Nicole!
Carbohydrates – Less Is More
Carbohydrates are not mandatory for the human body. This is especially true with today’s sedentary life. So I decided about 10 years ago to let them go. Not completely but my body and me we deal with a moderate intake of carbs. It was not that easy at the beginning.