I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about nutrition and the nutritional values of food.
I was wrong.
Since I've started doing the 'Nutrition Facts' for my recipes I realized how much I don't know.
I know that there are lots of carbohydrates in pasta, rice and potatoes.
I didn't know that there are lots in onions and shallots.
I didn't know that there are quite a few in chili powder.... And even some in chicken stock.
I have always looked at the main ingredients in a recipe and gauged the calorie content based on that.
To be honest, I never tracked carbs.
I haven't done too badly over the years regarding the calories. I'm learning that I was a bit off on just about everything, but not so badly that either of us had to worry about weight gain.
Well, except at Christmas... When I go into a baking frenzy, which was fine when there were kids and and office to eat it all; not so good when it's just us two.
With V's diabetes I won't be baking the usual twenty dozen Christmas cookies this year. Actually, I won't be baking any.... But, in exchange, I will be eating more Foie Gras!
V has no pancreas, thus produces absolutely no insulin (many, if not most, diabetics will produce some insulin).
Insulin is necessary to break down the carbs.
The carbs are necessary to live (it's all your brain uses for nourishment, for example).
With too much insulin and too few carbs you can die.
With too many carbs and too little insulin you can die.
Any combination of carbs and insulin, other than the correct one, can cause all sorts of problems (short of the ultimate: death), such as organ damage, blindness, amputations....
You can see it's rather important to get it right.
Now, not only do I have to be accurate on the carbs, I have to figure out the Glycemic Index of the finished dish - not difficult, mind you, just something else to do.
I could only wish there was a little longer learning curve.
But.... We play the hand we're dealt, don't we?
Sausage and Potato Salad
2 medium potatoes, 300gr
300gr sausages
1/2 red bell pepper, 82gr
1 medium onion, 110gr
100gr soft goat cheese, Chavre, Chevroux
1 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
3 tsp olive oil
2 tbs snipped basil leaves
Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and coat with half of the olive oil. Either cook in a pan on the barbecue if you are using one or put on a baking sheet in a 400F oven for 25 minutes. Cook sausages - either on the barbecue grill or in a frying pan on the cook top.
Slice onions and peppers into thick strips. Heat remaining half of olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add pepper and opinion and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes.
When sausages are done cut into bite size pieces. Put sausages, potatoes, peppers and onions into a bowl. Add the chevre with a spoon, in small chunks and stir to combine. The heat from the vegetables and sausage will melt the goat cheese. Add the vinegar, basil, stir to combine and serve.
My 'guess' on this recipe was about 450 calories with 30 carbs per serving.
Actual was 512 calories with 38.5 carbs per serving - the difference coming from the pepper and onion.
Nutrition information for: entire recipe / per serving
Calories: 1024/ 512
Carbohydrates: 77 / 38.5
Fiber: 10.2 / 5.1
Fat: 50 / 25
Saturated: 11.7 / 5.85
Cholesterol: 150 / 75
Calcium: 143 / 71.5
Protein: 67.5 / 33.75
Sodium: 2096 / 1048
Glycemic Index: Low
I try to be accurate, but I do not guarantee it. I use 'grams' as the unit of weight; with an approximate conversion to ounces.
Note: this recipe really depends on the sausage. I used small, pork, chicken and olive. For traditional Italian Sausage made with just pork the nutrition is as follows:
Nutrition information for: entire recipe / per serving
Calories: 1617/ 808
Carbohydrates: 72 / 36
Fiber: 10.2 / 5.1
Fat: 118 / 59
Saturated: 35.8 / 17.9
Cholesterol: 288 / 144
Calcium: 122 / 61
Protein: 62 / 31
Sodium: 2583 / 1291.5
