Recipe review: tiramisu cups (quick & easy!)

I recently did a recipe round-up of a dozen cute little dessert shots. One of those made the final cut for the special birthday party we hosted last week: tiramisu cups from Sprinkle Bakes. Or, as my daughter calls them, "tirami-shooters."

I chose these because: A) they're so gosh-darn cute, B) they're super easy, and C) who doesn't love tiramisu?

Sprinkle Bakes uses a mixture of sour cream and cream cheese in place of the traditional but hard-to-find (and more expensive) mascarpone. I do wish I'd thought to purchase a large star tip for that finessed look when piping the creamy stuff on, but had to make do with a plastic baggie with one corner snipped off. It doesn't affect taste though, does it?

You may notice that there's chocolate in mine.... I couldn't find lady fingers at my grocery store, and didn't feel like taking the longer trip to a specialty store, so I subbed Milk Chocolate Milanos -- which are basically just ladyfingers sandwiched with chocolate. When the tiramisu had sat at room temp for a while, these worked okay because the chocolate became somewhat soft. But when they were served straight out of the fridge, it didn't work so well, because the chocolate hardened and interfered with the creamy, fluffy texture that is tiramisu. So, next time, I will start hunting earlier and go farther afield to find real ladyfingers. Or if I'm feeling especially industrious, make my own.

But these are simple, and darling, and delicious. I will certainly be making them again!

Thirty-Second Caesar Salad

This is the perfect lunch or snack for when you have no time, or when you need to make up for yesterday's pig-out on carbs.

Take a heart-of-romaine leaf, spread it with your favorite sugar-free Caesar dressing (I like Caesar Caesar, by Litehouse), layer on a few slices of smoked turkey, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. One or two makes a great snack, several make lunch.

Of course, you could substitute your favorite Ranch or other thick, sugar-free dressing, and your favorite deli meat, or chopped hard-boiled eggs if you want to go vegetarian.

How easy is that?  :)
You might also like:
Orange-cranberry chicken salad
Chicken club salad with creamy balsamic vinaigrette
Ginger-peanut dressing

Birthday cake in a jar!

My mother-in-law turned 80 last week. She's quite the inspirational woman: she got a black belt in tai-kwon-do when she was in her 50's; she did foster care for rescued dogs for several years, and retired from that a few months ago, at which point she had taken in more than 50 dogs. She goes to yoga class regularly, and just recently retired from her part-time job in a vet clinic -- but is having second thoughts about retirement.

She certainly deserved a big to-do!

So we had the family over yesterday for a dessert bar. I posted a few weeks ago about several cookies I was considering, and more recently about desserts in jars, and a few of those contenders made the final cut. I'll be doing a post about some of the other treats later this week (including the almond poppyseed shortbread that was a huge hit), but today I'm going to focus on the birthday cake in a jar.

You can't spend five minutes on Pinterest without running into some sort of dessert in a jar, and I love the trend! Oddly enough, though, I couldn't find any recipes for what I had in mind, so here are instructions for it.

My first task was to find a type of jar and a type of cookie or pastry cutter that would fit that jar. I love the little "shooter" desserts, but I couldn't find any cutters that small. Well, except for the set of 12 from Williams-Sonoma that cost $17. Overkill! After checking out a few possibilities, I discovered that a 6 oz. can of tomato paste is the perfect size to fit inside a 4 oz. mason jar. I just removed both the top and the bottom, emptied it, removed the label, and washed the can thoroughly.

I baked one box mix of "Fun-fetti" cake in a 10x15" pan, according to package directions. I checked it at about 18 minutes, then again every three to five minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center came out clean. I let it cool on the counter for several hours.

Here's my daughter using the fancy-schmancy cutter I "made"; it worked great. She would just twist it down into the cake...

then poke it out of the cutter into the jar. Some of the pieces needed to be pressed down into the jar a little further, to make contact with the bottom.

Once they were all jarred up, we frosted them. My daughter made a half batch of this wedding cake frosting, but using only 2.5 cups of confectioners' sugar. Then she just loaded this up into a gallon plastic baggie, snipped off one corner, and used it like a pastry bag.

She experimented with the design: some she did in a spiral, some she did in a fat squiggle.

All that was left was to add the sprinkles and candles. While applying the sprinkles, set the jars on a cookie sheet or other solid tray, so the sprinkles that miss the mark are collected in one place -- not rolling off the counter onto the floor.

We placed one candle in each jar, just for decor, then loaded one of them up with eight candles for the guest of honor.

These were an especially big hit with the little kids at the party -- my great nieces and nephews. (I hadn't thought of this benefit beforehand, but these little jar cakes are also much neater to eat than a cupcake.) I can't believe I missed the opportunity to get a pic of that cuteness! Well, this one will have to do...

Recipe roundup: one dozen delish dessert shots

Tiramisu, from SprinkleBakes.

Coconut-Lime, from Lauren's Latest.

Strawberry shortcake, via Lucy Dylan Weddings.

Peanut-butter chocolate, from TheFamilyKitchen.

(I think I'd put a mini Reese's cup on top.)

Pots de creme a l'orange, by Pioneer Woman.

No-bake raspberry cheesecake, from My Baking Addiction.

I've made this, but subbed homemade whipped cream for the stuff in a tub. It rocks!

Lemon-berry trifle, via Tasty Kitchen.

Lemon meringue, from Honest Cooking.

Key lime, from bloomingdesign.

Carrot cake, photo by Delicious Desserts on Flickr.

(No recipe, but it looks like it's just carrot cake and cream cheese frosting, layered.)

I'm thinking this blackberry cobbler from MyRecipes could be adapted.

Coffee panna cotta, from Oh, that's tasty!

Just pour into shot glasses after stirring and cooling.

Nut tarts

My kids have very different tastes: if one of them likes something, odds are, the other one won't. One likes hamburger; the other doesn't. One of them loves cheese, the other one hates it. If you ask them, "Where would you like to go in Europe?" one wants Ireland, the other Italy. Even some sweets don't get a unanimous vote. 

But EVERYone loves these!

And what's not to love? A honeyed nut filling between two layers of flaky crust, these treats are like the love-child of baklava and Pop Tarts! But store-bought pie crusts make these so much easier to put together than dealing with layers of phyllo. 

I like to use English walnuts for the filling, but you can use pecans, pistachios, or a mix.

These nutty wedges are perfect for shipping, because:

- Once cooked and cooled, they're pretty sturdy, 

- They're very flat, and

- They fit nicely in a box when you pack them as in the top photo above. 

I just shipped some to my college kids a few days ago. I wrapped two pieces at a time in cling wrap, then placed one layer of these on top of a couple layers of bubble wrap, topped that with a bag of their favorite chips -- and they were intact when they arrived!

Recipe: Nut Tarts

1 package refrigerated ready-made pie crust (2 crusts)

1-1/4 c. nuts, chopped to smaller than pea-size

        (English walnuts, pecans, pistachios or a mix)

1/4 c. sugar

3 T. honey

1 t. lemon juice

milk (optional)

cinnamon-sugar (optional)

Set crusts out to come to room temperature, following package directions. Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a medium bowl, stir together nuts, sugar, honey and lemon juice; stir till well mixed. 

Roll both pie crusts out till 12” in diameter. Roll the bottom crust out on the cookie sheet you’ll be baking on. Roll the second crust out on something that will let you transfer it easily. A flexible silicone mat works great for this.

Spoon the nut mixture onto the bottom crust, then, using buttered fingers, spread it carefully to about 3/4” from the edge. Spread as evenly as you can, but there will still be spots where you can see the crust; that's okay. 

Then, top this with the second crust: line up one edge of the crust, roll the mat and top crust across the filled bottom crust, then peel the mat back off. 

Using your fingers or a basting brush, moisten the perimeter of the bottom crust with a little water, and then press to seal the edges. Crimp edges with a fork, if you like. If you want, you can also trim off excess crust to make a neat, even edge.

Optional, and purely cosmetic; you can do none, one, or any combination. Prick top crust in a decorative pattern with a fork, knife or skewer. Brush top with a little milk; sprinkle cinnamon sugar over it.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, till crust is lightly browned. Remove and let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Let cool completely. Cut into 12 or 16 wedges. I cut it into fourth first, then divide each of those into three slices (for 12 servings) or four slices (for 16).

Flaky, gooey, YUM!

Low(er) carb chili

On a cold, grey winter day in Kansas, sitting down to a bowl of chili for dinner just feels right. But now that we're trying to lower our carb intake, I needed to rework our favorite chili recipe.

My approach to low carb would more accurately be called "balanced carb." I try (try!) to make sure every meal and every snack has a balance between carbs and proteins. (Did you know that going super-low carb or no carb for too long can mess up your serotonin? Not a good thing, if you have issues with insomnia, depression, etc.)

Most chili recipes have more carbs than protein: some by a small margin, some by a lot. The most popular chili recipe on AllRecipes has almost twice as much carbs as protein -- 55g and 31g, respectively. So I set out to see where I could cut out carbs and maybe even sneak in some more protein.

First of all, the beans. Beans are carbs, but most experts consider them healthy carbs. So I kept them in, but cut them back to half a can. A little label-reading taught me that the kind of beans I use can help, too. Look at these labels for red kidney beans -- the traditional chili bean -- and black beans; check out the ingredient list...

Yep, that's right: the red beans contain sugar and dextrose (a sneaky way for the manufacturer to avoid listing sugar higher in the list of ingredients), the black beans don't. Plus, the black beans have about 50% more iron than the red ones. So there's an easy switch.

Here's another one: instead of just using tomato sauce and/or diced tomatoes for the liquid, I used a small can of tomato paste (checking to make sure there's no sugar hiding in there), and used beef stock for the rest of the liquid. The stock brings a bit of protein to the party, plus I like the flavor it adds.

Other healthy-choice change-ups: I added a bit of red bell pepper to bring some fiber and vitamin C, and used turkey sausage instead of hamburger. Mostly for the flavor. And I actually prefer turkey sausage to pork. I just like the leaner flavor. If you don't, feel free to sub your favorite pork sausage.

I added up all the carbs and protein in my revised dish, using the label info and this handy resource, and guess what! This chili actually has more protein than carbs. 22g of carbs, 25.5 g of protein.

Now if only I could figure out a lower carb cornbread. I haven't tried it, but here's a recipe for flourless cornbread. Good if you're living gluten-free. (Still has corn and cornmeal, though.)

Until then, there's chili...

Lower Carb Chili
3-4 servings (can easily be doubled)

spices:
1 t. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried oregano
3/4 t. ground ancho chili pepper
1/4 t. salt  or 1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
---
1 T. olive oil
1/2 large onion
1/2 red bell pepper
2-3 cloves garlic
1 lb. turkey Italian sausage
1.5 c. beef stock
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste, no sugar added
1/2  can beans, no sugar added: kidney, black, pinto, or a mix; rinsed and drained
optional: sour cream, Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, green onion for garnish

Mix the spices together and set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat in 4-quart pot. (Larger, if you're doubling the recipe.) Chop the onion into about 1/2" pieces and add it to the pot. Chop the bell pepper into about 1/4" pieces; I cut it into long pieces one way then turn the cutting board 90 degrees and chop them the other way. Add the peppers to the pot, then mince garlic and add it.

Once the onions are translucent and the peppers are fairly tender, push them aside and put the sausage in the center.

I like to let the first side sit there till it's nicely browned, then turn the whole thing over. Then as the second side cooks, stir and chop it to break it up. Cook, stirring occasionally, till no more pink shows. Once the sausage is browned, drain most of the fat from the pan.

Return the pan to the heat and add all of the spices. Stir until sausage is well coated with spices; simmer one minute more. Add in the broth and tomato paste and stir till well combined. Turn heat to med-high. Once it comes to a boil, add the beans and turn it down to a simmer.

Cover partially and simmer for 20 minutes to 2 hours. If it gets too thick, add broth. Just before serving, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with sour cream (or Greek yogurt), shredded cheese, and green onions, if desired.

Recipe Roundup: Three by PW

So, you've heard of Pioneer Woman, right? Apart from having an entertaining writing style, fabulous photography, and thorough, encouraging instructions, her food is really, really good. Or, as my husband says, "The girl can cook!"

Here are three of her recipes we love. All photographs are hers. (The title of each section below is the link to the original recipe.)

Crash Hot Potatoes
I think this is the recipe that was my portal into PW's blog. I can't remember why I was looking for a potato recipe, but this one caught my eye. Red potatoes are boiled till tender, then coarsely smashed on a cookie sheet, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with rosemary, salt and pepper, then baked briefly at high heat so they come out golden brown and crunchy around the edges. Hungry yet?

The thing that makes or breaks this dish is getting the salt right. I was a little too shy with the salt the first time; a mistake I won't make again.

By the way... Did you know that new (aka, red) potatoes are lower on the glycemic index than baking potatoes? And that boiling them keeps them lower than baking? Boiled new potatoes rank in the mid-50's; baked potatoes, 85.

Quesadilla de Camarones
This was our second PW dish.  Shrimp are briefly marinated in a fiery off-the-shelf sauce, then given a quick, hot saute, along with some peppers and onions. Put it all between two tortillas and slap 'em back in the pan till everything is toasty.

If you want to be healthy, use whole-wheat tortillas. If you really want to go hardcore PW, make her from-scratch tortillas. (How does that woman stay thin?) I have to confess: I don't make homemade tortillas -- but my dear daughter does, and I have to say, they rock! No comparison to grocery store tortillas. None! But here's a handy compromise: go by a local Mexican restaurant (not a chain) and get some tortillas to go.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp
This is frequently a birthday entree in our house. Not because it's difficult to make -- it's not. But you really don't get the full wham! of the dish unless you have some crusty French bread (or crescent rolls) to sop up the garlicky, slightly spicy, melty butter that the shrimp is swimming in after it comes out of the oven. And now that we're low carbers, white bread is a once-in-a-while treat. But this stuff is SO worth it!

The other thing that makes this party food is that it's roll-up-your-sleeves, dig-in-and-eat-with-your-hands kind of food. And after that, a lick-your-fingers kind of food. Yeah, you'll want every drop!

Kitchen tips: Stuff to keep handy by the stove

Today I'm going to share a couple things I love that make everyday cooking just a little easier.

I've always kept all the most-frequently-used cooking tools close at hand in one large canister right by the stove. That's handy, but as we collected more gadgets it got more stuffed, to the point where you couldn't pull out one item without bringing one or two others with it. Not a major problem in the big picture, but just a little daily irritation.

So, a few weeks ago, I went through the utensils and narrowed them down to the ones that really get used weekly to daily. There were still quite a few, so I got two canisters of different heights and sorted the tools out by height. It's a small change, but it makes it so much easier to find the exact thing I'm after, and pull it out quickly and cleanly.

Then a few days ago I had an ah-ha: I use my measuring spoons every single day, but I've always kept them in a drawer with other gadgets. Why not keep them out in the open by the stove, too? So I hunted in a local flea market for something tall enough to hold my measuring spoons, short enough so I can read the measurements stamped on them, and hefty enough to not tip over easily. I found this cute little ironstone pitcher for six bucks -- score! It's just perfect.

By the way, one of the things that makes every day cooking a little easier is these rectangular stainless steel measuring spoons. What I love most about them is that because they're so long and narrow, they fit in just about any spice jar! I also like the fact that the rectangular shape makes it easy to eyeball a partial spoonful if, for example, you need a 1/2 teaspoon, but that spoon and the 1/4 teaspoon are in the dishwasher. Just grab the full teaspoon and guesstimate it.

I actually have two sets, so there's (almost) always one clean in any size I need. I also like that the set includes a 3/4 teaspoon and a 1/8 teaspoon. You might balk at spending $12 - 14 on a set of measuring spoons, but not only will you use them every day, but these things will last for generations -- literally. So that really makes it pennies per use.

Where I got the stuff:
The red canisters: Target (they came with lids, but I don't use them)
The ironstone pictcher: A Legacy Antique Mall, Wichita KS
The measuring spoons: I don't remember, but you can pick up a set (or two) at my Amazon shop.

Recipe review: Zucchini Noodles with Peanut Sauce

One of my go-to recipes when I'm cooking lunch for myself is Pantry Pasta from the ever-so-helpful cookbook, Desperation Dinners, because everything you need to make it is stuff you usually have in the pantry.

But I've loaned my copy out to a friend, so today I tried this very similar dish from Kitchen Confidante. It's pretty similar in ingredients and the quick-and-easy factor. And it's tasty, too! I just finished eating it and my tummy is very happy.

I've used zucchini and summer squash as a low-carb alternative to pasta many times -- most frequently when I'm craving spaghetti, or want something noodle-y in my chicken soup. (And as an alternative to pizza crust.) But today I didn't want to mess with making the squash noodles (which means I'm feeling very lazy; they're not that hard!), so I just used some pasta I had on hand and cooked it al dente.

Like most Americans, I'm accustomed to and usually prefer pasta that's been cooked till it's uniformly soft. But al dente means "to the tooth," and requires pulling the pasta out when the outside is soft but the inside still has a bit of resistance when you bite into it. The reason I cook it this way is because this lowers the glycemic index a bit.

I made the peanut sauce as posted by Kitchen Confidante, with a few minor changes:

• I sauteed about a tablespoon of finely diced onion in a bit of canola oil, and added the rest of the sauce ingredients to that, whisking it all together over low heat and eating the finished dish warm.
• I added a pinch of ground ginger.
• I used chicken stock instead of water. This adds flavor and also a bit of protein to the dish.

This dish could easily be made vegetarian by swapping out tofu or some type of pea or bean for the chicken, and using vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.

It was quick, easy and delish! And I look forward to trying it again with zucchini noodles.

Good place to eat in San Diego: Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park

The restaurant that earned two visits in a four-day vacation.

After a couple hours walking around in Balboa Park, enjoying the Japanese Garden very much, and (to a lesser extent) the Art Museum, I was flagging and in need of a little snack or caffeine. We had heard about Prado, the only restaurant on the grounds there. Since it was in a touristy spot, and without competition, we kinda figured it would be A) poor quality food, B) way overpriced, or C) both. We were pleasantly surprised to find that it was D) neither. It's not cheap food, but for the quality and the ambiance, I do not think it's at all overpriced. (You can find the menus at the bottom of this page.)

The complementary appetizer is a crispy cracker/flatbread, that comes in poppyseed and parmesan, accompanied by a bit of bean dip that is rather like a thick hummus, but with herbs. Quite tasty, and a welcome departure from bread and butter.

We were originally going to split an appetizer, but then I spied a wedge salad on the menu, and had to have that. Eric hates bleu cheese, so he ended up ordering a three-skewer trio. One mini-kabob, each with a nicely-done piece of meat and three appropriate sauces: steak with chipotle honey, chicken breast with cashew curry, and shrimp with mango ginger sauce. They were all tasty (I did take a tiny bite of each; Eric's so nice to share!), and just the right size for a mid-afternoon snack. I loved my wedge salad! It was simple and classic, but done just exactly right. Instead of one behemoth wedge of lettuce, there were four petite ones, with ripe, red, diced tomatoes and crispy bacon in the center of the four, and bleu cheese dressing drizzled generously over all. (Forgive me; no pics. We were hungry!)

So we were originally planning on one appetizer; now we were up to two. But as soon as we saw a gorgeous dessert go by, we knew we couldn't stop there! The dessert that seduced us was their flan, which is the photo at the top of this post. Confession: I shot this photo on someone else's table, without their permission. Just pointed my camera over there and clicked once.

What a lucky shot, huh?! That tells you how gorgeous the dessert and the sunlight was! We were seated on their lovely outdoor terrace.

And the waitress was happy to take our picture.

Back to the flan... It's speared with a shard of sugar glass, and accompanied by a nest of shredded phyllo and fresh berries. Although we were enticed by the flan, the waitress described it as more like a cheesecake in texture, and we'd already been there, done that. (See my review of El Callejon in this post.) So instead we ordered the tres leches cake.

But it was not just cake. Below is the architectural marvel that is this dessert: a pistachio meringue base, filled with caramel bananas, topped with tres leches cake, topped with vanilla bean ice cream -- and all that is topped with a thin slice of crispy-fried plantain.

I hate to say this... As beautiful as the tres leches dessert was, it wasn't my favorite. It's not that the dish wasn't well executed; it certainly was! It was just too sweet for me. If you eat a lot of sweets and/or you love tres leches, you might find this dish fantastic. But since I'm fairly accustomed to very little sugar, I'm more sensitive to the taste and actually prefer things that aren't so sweet.

Still, we were so happy with our first experience there that we decided to go back for dinner a couple days later.  That evening, we were seated indoors, so I tried to be very inconspicuous about my photo-taking. That coupled with the fact that it was very dim indoors, means that I don't have any pictures of the indoors or our entrees. The decor was the very definition of eclectic -- for example, the room was lit mostly by a hodge podge of mis-matched table lamps, and they had several lighting fixtures that consisted of vessels made of antlers, filled with multi-hued glass orbs. Yeah, it sounds a little weird, but it really worked with the whole of the decor.

Eric ordered... hmm, I'll have to get back with you on that. I don't remember the exact dish. It was something steak, I believe, and quite tender. I ordered the crabcakes; they are meant to be an appetizer, but I wasn't terribly hungry, and plus, I was saving room for dessert, round two! (I appreciated the fact that the waiter didn't try to upsell me; when I said I wasn't that hungry, he graciously suggested the appetizer section.) I usually don't order crabcakes, because it's just so hard for any version to live up to the best I've ever had, at Cafe Sebastienne in the Kemper Museum in Kansas City. But these stood up on their own. They come with a spicy sauce, which I asked for on the side, but I did use a fair amount of it. It was not too overbearing for this spice wimp, and added a just-right punch to the delicate cakes.

So, on to dessert! I ordered the dessert that really caught my eye the first time I looked over the menu: pumpkin creme brulee! Although it was the least attractive of all the desserts we ordered (or spied), it was the tastiest, in my opinion! The custard was perfect -- silky smooth, hinting of pumpkin, cinnamon and cloves, and peppered with vanilla bean specks. The brulee was nicely crunchy. What I really think could be nixed on the dessert is the "cinnamon chips." I can't imagine how they're made, but they look like bacon, and tasted like cinnamon-y burnt sugar. I have nothing against bacon! Just not so much on my pumpkin dessert. (Chef, if you wouldn't be offended to take suggestions from an everyday cook, I would drizzle the serving dish with something caramel, sprinkle the pumpkin seeds over that, then let the creme brulee stand on top of that in unadorned glory.)

Eric had the "Triple Chocolate Threat." Although my photo didn't come out so great, it was a beautiful presentation, and a delicious combo. The menu describes it as: chocolate cookie crust, dark chocolate baked custard, dark chocolate ganache, and salted caramel ice cream.

So, as you can see, we thoroughly enjoyed our two visits to Prado in as many days, and would recommend it to anyone.

Eat your oatmeal, get diabetes

Okay, I confess. That headline is a bit of an exaggeration.

Unless you're eating a sugared-up, ground fine, instant oatmeal for breakfast every day, and not balancing out those 32 grams of carbs with an equal amount of protein -- say, a half a dozen eggs, or five slices of Canadian bacon. Then it's very little exaggeration at all.

Yeah, I hear ya. "But I thought oatmeal was health food!" Maybe some oatmeal, prepared certain ways, but this stuff?

Still doubtful? Check this out: 43 grams of "Strawberries and Cream" instant oatmeal and 40 grams of Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies have the same amout of carbs, and about the same amount of sugar:

1 packet of Quaker Oats Maple & Brown Sugar instant oatmeal has:

157 calories

2 grams of fat

4 grams of protein

32 grams of carbohydrate ( incl 3 g fiber & 13 g added sugar)

Similar in macronutrient profile to:

4 Twizzlers, or

2 Fat Free Fudgesicle bars, or

a York Peppermint Patty.

(reference)

And this stuff? Don't even get me started! This is candy disguised as health food!

I have a very personal reason for being so passionate about this.

My mom had/has Type 2 Diabetes, which some studies suggest doubles one's chances of developing Alzheimer's. Which my mom also has.

For years she followed the low-fat diet recommended by the Diabetes Association: a bowl of oatmeal, wheat toast, orange juice and coffee. And she took her blood sugar medicine as prescribed.

Once, when I fed her breakfast, I gave her two eggs, whole wheat toast and water for breakfast. As usual, she took her meds.

Not too long afterwards, she started feeling weepy and strange -- "Just not right. Something is wrong." Because she had had a fall the day before, I took her back to the ER. After a few tests, the nurse tested her blood sugar. "Oh my!" she said. "There's the problem." Her blood sugar was 40. Normal is 65-104. 

what seemed to be going on here was that when she ate the low fat, high carb breakfast she thought was healthy, it would throw her blood sugar into overdrive. When she ate a balanced breakfast, she either needed less med, or didn't need the med at all. I often wonder if my she had had a better understanding of carbs, sugars, insulin and health, if she could have avoided the "A word." It's too late for her, but...

You still have time: Kick the corporate food! Shop in the produce section, buy lean meat, educate yourself about health! (Here's a good place to start.)

(I'm indebted to HealthHabits and BalancedBites for the inspiration, some of the content and the first image in this post.)