Di[et]betes

With the growing problem of obesity in our country comes an increase in the number of people developing Type II diabetes. This disease results from a combination of genes (certain ethnicities are at higher risk for developing this disease) and lifestyle (excessive weight, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise can lead to developing diabetes) and occurs when the body is unable to respond to insulin. High levels of insulin can be extremely dangerous and can cause high blood pressure or other dangerous cardiovascular problems. In fact, most of the complications that can accompany diabetes arise from poor management of the disease.

Managing the disease includes discussing your health with your physician, eating a healthy diet, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, losing excess weight, becoming physically active, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing or eliminating smoking and drinking, among other things. Some people think this means you lose the ability to enjoy food, but that is not true. The recipe I’ve posted is diabetes friendly and emphasizes the use of fresh vegetables, non-sodium seasoning, and healthy fats.

Tilapia with Sauted Vegetables

What you’ll need:

• 2 filets of tilapia (or any other neutral flavored, white fish)
• 4 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 zucchini,chopped
• 1 yellow summer squash, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lime

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.
2. Coat the bottom of a non-stick baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.
3. Arrange the fillets of fish in a single layer and sprinke the black pepper evenly on top.
4. Bake the fish until they are opaque in color (approximately 11-13 minutes).
5. In a non-stick frying pan, add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
6. Add the garlic, zucchini, squash, green peppers, and onions. Sautee until the vegetables are almost tender.
7. Add the tomatoes and stir the vegetables constantly until the tomatoes are warm (about 1 minute).
8. Divide the vegetables into 4 shallow bowls or plates and top each one with a fillet of fish.
9. Sprinkle each with fresh cilantro and lime juice.