The Real Paige Kitchen

Sometimes helping kids to try new healthier meals is tricky, especially when they can be somewhat inflexible in their thinking like my ASD PDA Picky Eater overweight Xavaroo

As we are trying to reduce carbs and sugars in support of his insulin resistance, I’m introducing non-sandwich lunch options. Xavier emphatically states he “will not eat salad.” So today, we made “Tuna Avocado Veggie Crunch Bowls” for our lunch and he loved it!!! (Shhh, it’s a salad, lol). He now says he could eat a “Crunch Bowl” everyday.

I love being this kid’s mom!!

Ingredients:
One can chunk white tuna, drained, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large avocado, cubed
1/2 cup chopped lettuce or salad mix
1 tablespoon mayo
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
Sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning

Bowls. Bowls. Bowls!!

One of the keys to a healthy diet and to balancing blood sugar/insulin throughout the day, is to include the different food groups on your plate in correct proportions at multiple meals or snacks throughout the day. I like to make beautiful, colorful “bowls” so Xavier can see what all is in the meal.

Veggies: Spinach, cucumbers
Fruit: Tomatoes
Protein: Tuna (mixed with salsa)
Healthy Carbs: Seven grain mixture
Healthy Fats: Avocado, Pepita Seeds
Dairy: Light sour cream, Feta cheese

High nutrient content, low fat, no sugar, amazing flavor, very filling and satisfying.

Mix bowls up by featuring different foods and flavors (Thai, Mediterranean, Southwest, Italian, etc)

Xav says “he likes it” and then asked for a sandwich!! Baby steps, baby steps.

Saturday Spotlight:

Lowfat Turkey Teriyaki Mandarin Asian Salad
for today’s spotlight healthier version meal.

I recently ordered a Chicken Asian salad at a well known upscale chain restaurant. I thought I was making a pretty healthy choice. Never mind…. Turns out a single serving of their version of the salad had 1600 calories, over 100 grams of fat, and 62 grams of sugar. That’s not a very healthy salad.

So I decided I love those flavors but not those numbers, and wondered how i could recreate it differently. Super quick and easy. Tons of flavor, very low fat, great balance of carbs, protein, fat, veg and fruit. I did it!!

Here’s how i made my 375 calorie Lowfat Turkey Teriyaki Mandarin Asian Salad

Brown 1 pound of raw lean ground turkey. Add a Tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 2 cloves fresh minced garlic, and a Tablespoon of Teriyaki sauce. Let cool. Use 1/3 of this mixture per salad, store remaining.

Empty 1/3 or 1/2 contents of a chopped Asian salad kit in a large bowl or plate. (I normally don’t use bagged salad mixes but i chose this for ease and for saving time chopping all the veggies). I use 1/3 of toppings and 1/3 of the dressing and add juice from 1/2 small lime. Add one small mandarin orange segmented and top with prepared Turkey and sesame seeds. Toss and enjoy.

I use chopsticks so i can eat it slower and in smaller bites. Honestly, so delicious and satisfying!!!

Have you tried any healthier copycat recipes for your favorite restaurant dishes? Please share.

Happy 2024 from The Real Paige Kitchen!!

Xavier and I are shifting our eating habits this year. We want to eat less, move more and address some health concerns. Because eating differently means cooking differently, I’ll be trying new recipes, modifying old recipes, and cooking up magic with Xavier in our new Pittsburgh location of TRPK. We’d like to share our journey here.

Health concern #1: Xav has been diagnosed as having insulin resistance and was put on a medication to lower his sugars. The medication was not tolerated due to the ongoing GI side effects and the only other way to manage it is through eating differently. We are following guidelines for a diabetes-friendly diet from our UPMC pediatric endocrinologist and nutritionist, and the Mayo Clinic.

Health Concern #2: Both Xavi and I have BMI numbers in the OBESE range. We realize we need to eat less fat, sugar and carbs and increase our movement in order to move that number into a HEALTHY WEIGHT range. Healthier weight will ease joint issues, back pain, cholesterol, insulin, and energy. We know this is a huge part of our overall health picture that must be addressed.

Health Concern #3: Mental Health and Neurological issues are part of our world. Trauma, Autism, Stress, Depression and Anxiety inform how we live, the choices we make, and the things we are able to do. Xavi’s autism includes rigid B&W thinking, adversity to change, sensitivity to discomfort of any kind, difficulty following rules and demands. Changing eating habits, and learning to manage overall health through diet is going to be lifesaving for Xav in the future. We also know that movement, exercise, and being in nature is instrumental in reducing stress, which causes all kinds of systemic disruptions to our overall health.

Today’s win: Xav wanted one of his all time favorites for lunch, Mac and Cheese. There’s really not too much about Mac and Cheese that is diet or diabetes friendly, so I asked him to be open to trying the lunch from our meal plan. He grumbled and fussed and moaned and rocked for a minute, then agreed to try it because he was hungry.

He ate every bite of this tuna salad and bell pepper sandwich and claimed it was delicious and he’d eat it again. I’m stunned and hopeful!

Xavi and I are considering starting up our weekly or bi-monthly live cooking show again. This time focusing on recipes for healthier family meals (lower fat, lower carbs and reduced sugar) as we embark on our journey towards a more diabetes-friendly lifestyle in 2024. Stay tuned for details!!! Comment below if you’d be interested in checking this out!!!