Sweet Vermicelli With Strawberries

From The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook

The Mediterranean style of cooking and eating, which revolves around fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, is well known to be healthy for everyone, and it’s demonstrated to have a number of benefits for people with diabetes. Not only is it known to decrease the risk of heart disease, but it also helps lower blood pressure and glucose levels. Best of all, it requires no sacrifice since it’s based on delicious foods that marry beautifully.

The inspiration for Amy Riolo’s new book, The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook: A Flavorful, Low-Fat, Heart-Healthy Approach to Cooking, was her mother, who’d been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, to help her eat delicious food in place of the bland fare she’d been counseled to eat. The result is a cookbook with dishes so appealing they’ll be enjoyed by everyone in the family. But for people with diabetes, it’s an excellent resource, with lists of exchanges and complete nutrient information along with time-saving strategies and cooking tips.

This sweet breakfast dish can also be served as dessert. Served everywhere from the Middle East to India, it is popular with both children and adults. Other berries, raisins, bananas, or mixed nuts can be substituted for the strawberries.

1 cup vermicelli, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup nonfat milk, warmed
3/4 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1. Add vermicelli, sugar, and 2 cups hot water to a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Lower to medium low. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until vermicelli is tender. Divide vermicelli into bowls. Top each with equal portions of warm milk. Top with strawberries, and serve warm.

Healthy Living Tradition: In addition to their great taste, strawberries add fiber to your diet.

Serves 6, serving size 1/2 cup

Exchanges/Choices: 2 Carbohydrate

Calories: 130: Calories from Fat: 0; Total Fat: 0.0 g; Saturated Fat: 0.1 g; Trans Fat: 0.0 g; Cholesterol: 0.0 mg; Sodium: 10 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 30 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 19 g; Protein: 3 g

Copyright © 2010 American Diabetes Association. From The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook: A Flavorful, Low-Fat, Heart-Healthy Approach to Cooking. Amy Riolo. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. www.store.diabetes.org