Cookbooks offer ideas for healthy eating for diabetics

NEW YORK -- The difficult business of keeping lively variety in a diet constrained by special needs is eased by the constant flow of cookbooks catering to those needs.

Diabetes is one of the conditions that attracts resourceful cooks who write to help others find solutions to menu and diet challenges. Here are some recent titles:

"Carol Gruber's Type 2 Diabetes Life Plan" (Broadway Books, 2002, $25) by Carol Gruber.

Gruber writes from the experience of coping with her own Type 2 diabetes, and with a distinguished academic background in nutrition and food studies.

Hers is not a recipe book. Rather, it suggests principles, a structure to help people "take charge, take care and feel better than ever." It includes biology and genetics, but also day-to-day advice about how to eat and keep fit.

From the American Diabetes Association:

"Guide to Healthy Restaurant Eating," 2nd edition (American Diabetes Association, $17.95 paperback), by Hope S. Warshaw. The book lists menu items in chain restaurants from Arby's to Wendy's by way of Krispy Kreme, with plenty of nutrition statistics.

"Last Minute Meals for People With Diabetes" (American Diabetes Association, 2002, $16.95 paperback) by Nancy S. Hughes. About 100 recipes are offered, for dishes using only six ingredients or less -- many manage to make good use of fresh ingredients in addition to pantry-shelf items.

"Sweet Kids" 2nd edition (American Diabetes Association, 2002, $16.95 paperback) by Betty Page Brackenridge and Richard R. Rubin offers "how to balance diabetes control and good nutrition with family peace."

Expresslane Diabetic Cooking" (American Diabetes Association, 2000, $16.95 paperback) by Robyn Webb has suggestions for putting dinner together fast using ingredients from the deli, salad bar and freezer sections of the grocery store.

The following simple recipe comes from "The Best Diabetes Cookbook" (Robert Rose, 2002, $18.95), a collection of some 150 recipes edited by Katherine E. Younker, a diabetes educator.

This barley salad makes tasty use of nutritious staples.

Southwest Barley Salad

3 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

3/4 cup pearl barley

1 cup canned corn kernels, drained

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup chopped red bell peppers

1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Dressing:

1/2 cup medium salsa

3 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander

1 teaspoon minced garlic

In a saucepan over high heat, bring stock to a boil. Add barley; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 40 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a serving bowl; cool to room temperature. Add corn, black beans, red and green peppers and green onions.

In a bowl combine salsa, sour cream, lime juice, coriander and garlic. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat well.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 190 cal., 37 g carbo., 6 g fiber, 8 g pro., 2 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 998 mg sodium, 3 mg chol.