Living with diabetes comes with all sorts of challenges that can affect your everyday lifestyle. Monitoring your daily dietary intake and blood sugar levels can make social activities, like family dinners, unenjoyable. Well fear not, here are five inclusive and delicious alternatives that the whole family can enjoy around the table together.

Banana millet breakfast porridge

This porridge makes for an amazing breakfast that can serve eight people. Millet scores for being the best diabetic-friendly grain, as it has the lowest score on the glycemic index. This is high in fibre and low GI which helps regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol. 

All you need is millet, water, cinnamon, bananas, and the milk of your choice. A little honey or agave nectar is optional for some additional sweetness. You’ll need to soak the millet ahead of time before toasting it in a skillet on medium heat. Add the water and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the millet becomes creamy and the water has been absorbed. Add in your mashed banana and then stir in your milk and you are ready to serve!

Cassava/Yuca fries

These alternatives to a dinner table favourite make it an optimal choice as a side dish. These fries are best when paired with other low-glycemic foods. The seasoning in this recipe uses enhances flavours to a level that makes you forget about regular fries.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds yuca (cassava)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Vegetable oil, or another neutral oil (e.g., canola), for deep-frying
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Peel and cut: Peel the yuca and cut it lengthwise into four-inch pieces.

Boil: Add the yuca to a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, season with salt to taste. Let yuca cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain and cool: Drain the cooked yuca well and let it cool until it’s easy to handle.

Cut: Cut the yuca pieces in half and remove the hard spine in the middle. Cut the halved pieces into half-inch strips.

Fry: Add about two to three inches of oil to a heavy pot or Dutch oven and heat over high until the oil is 350°F. Working in batches, fry yuca pieces until they are gently browned.

Drain: Using a slotted spoon, remove yuca fries from hot oil and let drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve: Serve just as you would French fries with ketchup, garlic dipping sauce, or spicy homemade mayo.

Ghanaian red bean stew

This stew is high in fiber with black-eyed beans, vegetables, and coconut oil. Coconut oil is a great option to cook with as it helps regulate blood sugar and also improves insulin sensitivity. The vegetables used in this recipe are high in fibre which helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 360g ackee
• 150-200g brown rice spaghetti
• 1 ¼ cup coconut milk
• Fresh parsley
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil, drizzle

Instructions:

Sauté onion and garlic: Heat some oil in a shallow pan. Add onion and sauté on a medium heat until soft followed by garlic, sea salt, and black pepper.

Cook tomatoes: Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the pan. Sauté for 10 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break down.

Combine pasta and sauce: Add cooked spaghetti, chopped parsley, olive oil, and coconut milk to the pan and mix well.

Fold in ackee: Gently fold in ackee and leave on a low heat for five minutes. Season again with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

All these delicious and hearty meal ideas serve as amazing alternatives that everyone can enjoy around the table.