Chef prepares holiday treats for diabetics

Diana Cox / Staff

Chef Jeff Martinez prepares a diabetic-friendly holiday dish at the Home Gallery by Richmond American Homes.

Friday, Nov. 21, 2008 | midnight

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. shrimp
1 lb. scallops
3 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/2 onion
20 limes
1 jalapeno
1/2 cup V8 Juice
2 tsp hot sauce
1/4 tsp salt

Clean shrimp and scallops and cut into 2-3 pieces (depending on size) and place in bowl.

Juice the limes and cut and squeeze over shrimp and scallops - when finished with limes, shrimp and scallops should be covered with juice.

Cut vegetables into bite size pieces and place in bowl- remove the jalapeno seeds if a less spicy taste is desired.

Add V8 Juice and hot sauce and stir mixture.

Add salt a pinch at a time - taste and add more salt if necessary.

Refrigerate mixture for a minimum of 4 hours. The acid from the lime juice will cook the raw seafood. The recipe is best if done 24 hours in advance as it gives the flavors a chance to combine together.

Nutrition information for one cup serving:

123 calories

10 grams carbohydrates

1 gram fiber

16 grams protein

1 gram fat

1 gram saturated fat

299 milligrams sodium

Chef Jeff Martinez said he was given the gift of diabetes at age 35.

At first he was very upset, but as time went on, the chef who has worked in famous restaurants up and down the Las Vegas Strip realized it was for the best.

Martinez, who works at the International Culinary School, was on hand Nov. 15 for a cooking demonstration of healthier holiday options for diabetics. The event was sponsored by Valley Health System and the Nevada Diabetes Association.

Martinez prepared an appetizer, side dish and dessert for a crowd of about 35 people in a display kitchen at the Home Gallery by Richmond American Homes, where the event was held. Three dieticians from Valley Health System explained the different ingredients and substitution benefits of the foods prepared by Martinez.

Bunnie Guanci discovered she had developed Type II diabetes 12 years ago during a routine checkup. "It changed my life," she said. "My entire family had to make changes, especially around the holidays."

It has been four years since George Smith received the same diagnosis. For him it was the first event he had attended where diabetics were actually shown how to cook foods that are better for them. "What I learned here today will benefit my whole family," he said.

Martinez also gave advice on how to take old family favorite recipes and make them healthier.

Candied yams, a staple at most holiday tables, can be made with low calorie sweetener, oat streusel and toasted pecans in place of marshmallows and brown sugar, Martinez suggested.

"All foods are possible with diabetes as long as you know how to make them and what size portions to eat," said Margaret Riedl, registered dietician and certified diabetes educator. She suggests making holiday cookies bite size instead of the traditional size. "People with diabetes live with it every day. It is important to learn how to work foods in and not deny yourself food," she said.

Martinez is currently working on developing a Web site that will include his recipes made-over to be diabetic friendly, instructions on how to properly read labels and a question and answer forum.

"There are not a lot of recipes out there that say you can eat this and it can still taste incredible," he said.

Diana Cox can be reached at (702) 990-8183 or diana.cox@hbcpub.com.