Carrot, tomato, chickpea, and feta bake

I rarely eat pasta (I have very poor blood sugar control) and eating carrots alone also spike my glucose. But the combination of ingredients in this big veggie and feta roast makes it possible to eat both and this mix is also great paired with barley, farrow, or my nutty seed bread. Heres how it scores in the ZOE app:


And here's what happens to the score when I add a high-protein pasta:
This isn't something I eat regularly because it leaves me feeling pretty heavy. But it's great to know that something so creamy and dense isn't completely terrible for me.

Chop up red onions, carrots, and baby tomatoes then throw them onto a well-oiled baking sheet together with a couple of blocks of feta cheese and a can of chickpeas. Add little blobs of minced garlic to some of the veggies then season everything with salt, pepper and Italian herbs if you like them.

Once the veggies are well baked (and the cheese is soft and creamy) throw it all into a large casserole dish or ceramic bowl with the freshly boiled pasta. Mix it well so that everything gets coated in the creamy feta cheese. Add extra seasoning and olive oil if necessary and serve with a wedge of lemon - the little splash of acid is delicious!

HOW TO ROASTED CARROT AND FETA BAKE


PREP TIME: 15 mins
COOK TIME: 30-40 mins
SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS 

  • 2 blocks of feta cheese (depends on how cheesy you want the final combination)
  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 4-5 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1 large red onion, sliced
  • 15 baby tomatoes
  • Minced garlic (either freshly minced or from a bottle)
  • Salt, pepper, and any seasoning you like (e.g. thyme, rosemary, mixed Italian herbs)

STEP BY STEP

- Preheat the oven to 400F, prep a large baking sheet for roasting (line with foil and get it nice and oily) and have a good size casserole dish ready to mix everything in once it's all cooked.
- Chop up red onions, carrots, and baby tomatoes then throw them onto the oiled baking sheet together with the blocks of feta cheese and a can of chickpeas. Add little blobs of minced garlic to some of the veggies then season everything with salt, pepper and any other seasoning you like.
- Roast the veggies for 30 to 40 minutes, turning half way through
- While the vegetables roast, boil the pasta (high protein pasta is ideal)
- Once the carrots are tender, remove the baking tray from the oven and transfer everything to the casserole dish. Drain pasta and throw it into the dish too then mix it in quickly, getting the melted feta cheese to coat everything. 
- Serve with lemon wedges and a side salad. 



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Glucose spikes and why we need to avoid them


My ZOE test results showed me that I have very poor blood sugar control. And I saw exactly what that meant when I wore a continuous glucose monitor for two weeks: it seemed as if almost everything I ate resulted in huge glucose spikes. Below is my response to ZOE's test meal (muffins) versus others of the same gender and similar age: 
Since then, I've learned a lot about how to eat to avoid big spikes like this. And I've also learned why these spikes are such a problem, especially for someone my age whose goal is to live well for as long as possible. 

The more glucose spikes we experience, the faster we age. Ak! 

Here's how the Glucose Goddess (and scientist) Jesse Inchauspe explains it: When you experience a big glucose spike, every single one of your cells feels it and three main processes are set in motion: 

1. Mitochondria

The powerhouses of every cell, mitochondria are responsible for turning glucose into energy for the body. But during a big glucose spike, they get overwhelmed. They become stressed and shut down which leads to systemic inflammation and the inability to make energy properly. There is evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with age-related insulin resistance. 

2. Glycation

The more glucose spikes we experience, the faster we age. Spikes accelerate a process called glycation, which is responsible for aging. Jesse explains it as being a lot like cooking: from the moment we're born, we slowly start to cook via glycation... until we're "fully cooked". Ahem. Each glucose spike (especially those from sweet foods) accelerates this process. It shows on our skin as wrinkles and also internally, as our organs slowly deteriorate. Glycation also increases inflammation. 

3. Insulin

During a glucose spike, the pancreas produces insulin, whose job is to take glucose out of the bloodstream, to reduce the mitochondrial damage and glycation taking place. What does insulin do with the excess glucose? It stores it in our liver, muscles, and fat cells. This is a good thing! Without insulin, our bodies would be in a permanent state of crisis. The problem is that when insulin is present (working hard to do its job), fat burning is deactivated. So not only is it working to store fat (that makes us fat); it's also preventing your body from using the fat stores you already have. Over time, too much insulin can also result in hormonal issues and type 2 diabetes. 

I now eat with one guiding principle in mind: how can I protect my body from huge glucose spikes? Another way to phrase this question is "how can I keep my glucose level throughout the day?" ZOE has helped me a lot with this - I can easily see if a meal or group of foods will be bad for my blood sugar. My other savior in this regard? The Glucose Goddess. If you don't read her books, spend time on her Instagram account; it's a gold mine of good advice.  

Here are some of the most impactful hacks as laid out in her first book, Glucose Revolution: 

  • Eat foods in the right order (fiber, then proteins and fats, then starches and sugars)
  • Add a veggie starter to one meal a day (e.g. start your meal with a salad)
  • Have a savory breakfast
  • When you eat something sweet, eat it as dessert, not as a snack 
  • Have one tablespoon of (any) vinegar a day before the meal that will be highest in glucose (have the vinegar as part of your dressing on a veggie starter or drink it diluted in water)
  • After you eat, MOVE
  • Dress your carbs (avoid eating starchy and sweet foods on their own. Clothe them with protein, fat, and/or fiber to slow down glucose absorption. For example, have greek yoghurt with your brownie or ham with your bread).


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Sardine salad: how to love these little fishies


I grew up eating "sardines on toast" - something I now understand isn't a common kid meal. Then again, I also ate marmite on toast, anchovy spread on toast, avo on toast, and, of course, baked beans on toast. What can I say? It was the 70s in the South Africa. Anyway, the way my mother turned a can of sardines into a favorite meal was to finely chop tomatoes and onions and then mix those into the sardines along with vinegar. It was DELICIOUS! This salad is really just me amping up the fiber in my mom's toast topping and calling it salad.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard that these little fishies are crazy good for you. Here are just some of the health benefits of sardines:

  1. One can of sardines (approximately 3.75 oz.) provides 24.6 grams of protein. That's a big protein punch for a little can. Sardines are also rich in calcium (382 grams) and vitamin D. Full nutritional breakdown here. 
  2. Sardines are an excellent source of marine Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), a major player in reducing the risk of heart disease. DHA and EPA are also anti-inflammatories, can improve depression, are great for your skin, and have been shown to improve cognitive function.
  3. Sardines are a great source of vitamins and minerals like B1, B3, and Phosphorus, and the antioxidant Selenium.
  4. A study has shown that another health benefit of adding sardines to your diet is a reduced risk of diabetes. Starting from 27% of participants classified as high-risk for type 2 diabetes, this number reduced to only 8% by the end of the study.

But. A lot of people really don't like sardines; I don't like them straight out of the can either! But I love them when onions and vinegar are involved, so perhaps this salad will help make them more palatable to you. 

And it's gets a great score from ZOE (read my whole ZOE story here):


This salad is super quick to make - it really depends on how much chopping you want to do. Onions, tomatoes and celery are the primary ingredients.



These go into a bowl with the mashed sardines then you add vinegar and more olive oil (if you like). And that's really it. 

HOW TO MAKE SARDINE SALAD


PREP TIME: 10 mins
SERVINGS: 2

INGREDIENTS 

  • 2 cans of sardines
  • 1 rib of celery, minced
  • 1 small red/white onion or 3 green/spring onions (adjust this based on how much you like raw onion)
  • 6 grape tomatoes or one large tomato, chopped
  • Approx 1 tablespoon of vinegar (apple cider, white balsamic... whatever you like)
  • Extra olive oil to taste
  • 4+ cups of your favorite salad greens
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (and a bit of turmeric if you want to add more of an anti-inflammatory punch)

Other options depending on your mood and what's in the house
  • If you want to “spice up” the anti-inflammatory defense, add a little bit of turmeric and black pepper when you are preparing your sardines. The combination is critical: the piperine in black pepper inhibits your liver to make sure your body maximizes all the curcumin in the turmeric.
  • Chop up sun-dried tomatoes into the mix - they pair beautifully with sardines
  • If you like capers, you'll love them combined with sardines
  • Throw in 2 large springs of fresh basil, especially if you're adding sun-dried tomatoes
  • Make the whole thing *really* tomato-y by adding a tiny bit of tomato paste 
  • Raw garlic is always an option if you're a fan!

STEP BY STEP


- Use a fork to mash the sardines in a bowl. Add all the chopped veggies and stir. Then add vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper and combine well. If you can, get this 1-3 hours before you plan to eat it - this gives the onions time to mellow and the flavors time to mix. 

- Divide the greens between two plates and top each portion with sardine mix. If you're making this just for you, the other half will store well in the fridge for a few days. 


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