It has enough carbs, proteins and roughage to last you.

I can only wish you good luck, and hope all goes well.

Honestly I filled a plate with hummus, flatbread, olives, cheese, figs, Roma tomato slices, cucumbers, and sometimes shellfish, and that was it. It sounds boring, but I could have eaten that stuff forever. Sometimes I'd make a flatbread sandwich or rollup, and sometimes I'd eat it all with my fingers. Steamed shrimp and mussels drizzled with spicy Greek yogurt sauce....Mmmm...

I love Mediterranean food.



My problem is I also love everywhere elsean food too.

that HAS to end up in a future dictionary!

I mean I'd love to, but the expense makes it out of the question.

http://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/best-diabetes-cookbook-ever

apparently, it was well rated by the ada. i am thinking of getting it for my mom (prediabetic). there are also several good veg/vegan mediterranean cookbooks around if you thinking of going in that direction. tons of info on the web, too. some people have posted great recipes with photos. lots of food bloggers out there of every diet you can imagine.

i am a long time veg now vegan and what i do is probably a loose version of med. diet. lots of greens, veggies, not big on fruit but i do some, grains, legumes....i use a lot of chickpeas, lentils and white beans, i always use ex virgin olive oil, and hummus with crackers/veggies is a regular snack. and i looooove avocado/guac.

i also wonder if your insurance would cover a session or two with a nutritionist/dietician just to get started and answer any questions you have.

good luck!

edit...this looks good too
http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/meal-plans/mediterranean-meal-plan.html

I'm not sure I've ever seen a chickpea, though I already love fresh veggies (particularly straight from the garden). It would be great to have a better selection of fresh seafood here in Idaho.

Especially in Central and South America. I'm used to that name from Cuban cooking in Tampa and Ybor City.

I was planning on making a three bean salad even before the Mediterranean part occurred to me.

Then when hummus got popular I didn't realize it was the same stuff since usually the main ingredient was listed as chickpeas. Now I still don't like the things, no matter what name they are listed under. And hummus still tastes the same to me, no matter what other flavors are added.

It's too bad since I would love to have a spread that is healthier for me. Maybe I should try making my own from another variety of pea or bean?

Is it considered unhealthy in some way?

That is what is bad for me - they expect everyone to like it and I simply don't.

Compared to other spreads used on bread and crackers (butter, cream cheese, nut butters), hummus is low fat and high protein. It's also very flexible since other flavors can be added to it.

While I can see the health benefits, I just can't get past the underlying taste of garbanzo beans, aka chick peas.

But it looks distinctly unappetizing. I will add it to the list anyway and see if I can get past that.

Though I doubt it would go with jam, LOL!

Most of the flavored varieties I see in the stores have savory flavors - garlic, onion, herbs rather than sweet ones (fruits or berries).

recipe somewhere on line. I am not a recipe person, I just cook. But I look online for ideas and just make my own version of things. You can use any kind of legume you like and mix w/ aromatics (garlic, onion, celery, shallots, etc.) oils (olive is always best), fresh herbs, usually some kind of pureed or ground nut butter (or not, if you don't like) = just experiment with ingredients that you like! It's fun! And usually delicious!

Use it in salads, sandwiches, burritos, etc. Be creative. Being healthy doesn't have to be a drag. It can actually be delicious! Use Black beans, pintos, lentils, anything instead of chick peas. I like hummus, but I really don't like chick peas whole.

There are several of the bean/pea family varieties that I like but my husband doesn't so I don't cook them as a hot side dish. But if I could make a hummus that I like it would give me an alternative to improve my diet.

I'm having a problem coming up with a healthy lunch. While I like salad I don't find it satisfying for lunch. I really need something with protein - when I was recovering from knee replacement the most often complaint about my blood work was low protein. I'm partial to cheese but that is so high in fat it's hard to make a decent meal of it, even in limited quantities.

I'll have to pick up some cans of various beans to try out!

glad you liked the info. chickpeas are very versatile. i put them in salads, cook them over rice, hummus is great, and i even make "chickpea salad" as a sandwich filling. sometimes i make a lunch plate with kalamata olives, hummus, crackers, and sliced tomato. i find the med. diet quite yummy.

have fun in your new dietary adventure!

It's basically lots of veggies and fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fish, seafood, and healthy oils, like olive and canola oils. Poultry and dairy in moderation, red meat a couple of times a month. Any fish will do, especially cold water fish like salmon, tuna, cod, pollock, whiting and halibut. You can prepare it however you like, and still stay within the diet.