The first thing I heard from many people when they were told about V's diabetes was:
No more wine for him!
As well as no more martinis; no more afternoon beers; no more after-dinner port....
They were right.
And they were wrong.
Diabetics can drink alcohol. They just have to be very careful.
Alcohol, while high in sugar and calories, lowers blood sugar levels, and can do so dramatically if not consumed with care.
First, and probably most important: while a glass of red wine is perfectly okay, more than that is not.
Overindulging is bad for everyone but can be extremely dangerous for a diabetic.
Second, and only slightly less important: always have something to eat with it. The food will help to mitigate the blood-sugar-lowering effects of the alcohol.
Third, as with anything else a diabetic consumes, the effects are individual. What works for one may not work for someone else.
Normally, we would be having a glass of wine with dinner.
But, there might be a more social evening when V would like to have a glass before dinner instead.
Here is a perfect dinner party 'nibble' to have on hand.
It can all be made in advance and is easy finger food - until you get to the bottom....
Steamed Artichokes with Dill Dip
The artichokes take about 45 minutes to steam. This can be done anytime and the artichokes can be served warm or cold. Have a small, sharp knife handy so that when you get all of the leaves off and are at the fuzzy choke you can cut it off and enjoy the bottom....and an extra bowl on the table for the 'used' leaves.
2 globe artichokes
1 tbs lemon juice
Dill Dip
Cut off bottoms of artichokes and remove any tough lower leaves. Dip in water to which a tbs of lemon juice has been added (to prevent discoloration). For a nicer presentation cut off the tips of the bottom half of the leaves - using a scissors. Cut the top 1/3rd of the artichoke off and discard. Don't worry about the choke (fuzzy hairs inside) Put in steamer and steam 35 - 45 minutes. Serve artichokes with small dipping bowl of Dill Dip, pulling the leaves off, dipping and scraping the edible flesh off of the tough leaf with your teeth. Have a bowl for the discarded leaves and have a small, sharp knife handy so that when you get all of the leaves off and are at the fuzzy choke you can cut it off and enjoy the artichoke bottom.
Dill Dip
1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) Greek or plain yogurt
1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) mayonnaise
1 tsp dill weed (dill leaves)
1 tsp snipped fresh chives
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp soy sauce
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Best if made at least 30 minutes in advance. Serve.
V has not yet had any wine so we don't know first hand what effect it will have. He's still on antibiotics for the original toe infection and they make even the best Gran Cru taste like bad vinegar....
Poor me, I have to drink it all myself....
