Just in time for Thanksgiving, red alert that November is also American Diabetes Month. When I help my patients to understand a diagnosis of diabetes, many are disappointed because they believe they will have to give up some of their favorite foods. The good news: how many more favorites you have yet to discover. Living with diabetes doesn’t mean you have to kiss flavor goodbye. There are ways to make all of our favorite foods a little healthier. This post is sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, and in the forthcoming posts this month through Christmas, I’ll be featuring a series of some of my favorite recipes from several fantastic diabetes-friendly cookbooks written by chefs and nutritionists. This recipe comes from Whole Cooking and Nutrition by Katie Cavuto. This book is easy to read, principle-based, the recipes are simple. Fresh spices and fresh fruits and vegetables stand in for simple sugars, as it should be. As a bonus, many of the recipes are building blocks that you can make all on a Sunday, then use in different combinations throughout the week.
Enjoying this gluten-free dish, I couldn’t help but transport now and then to some of the best eggs benedict plates I’ve ever had. Oh the flavor.
Socca with Poached Eggs, Roasted Tomatoes and Fresh Basil
From Whole Cooking and Nutrition by Katie Cavuto
1 cup chickpea flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill garbanzo bean flour)
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp EVOO
1 TB rice vinegar
As many eggs as you want to eat
1 cup roasted tomatoes*
1 cup chopped fresh basil
¼ black pepper
My eggs were so fresh, Lucille’s tail fluff was still stuck to one of them… haha.
Place a cast iron skillet in your oven and set to Broil. In a small bowl, mix the chickpea flour, cumin and salt together. Whisk in the water, then the oil and beat out all the clumps. Then let it rest for 15 minutes on the counter. Meanwhile, start boiling some water with the vinegar to poach the eggs! When the skillet is hot, add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan and then pour in the socca chickpea pancake-like batter into the skillet and place in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Stir the boiling water into a whirlpool and add as many eggs as you want to eat, and let poach for 4-ish minutes (as set or runny as you like), then scoop them out with a slotted spoon. Remove the socca and cut it into wedges. Top with eggs, tomatoes, and chopped basil. YUM.
To make your own roasted tomatoes, super easy, take a pint of tomatoes, mix with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp spices (fresh thyme, rosemary, oregano), 3 cloves of chopped garlic, ½ tsp of lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Pour this mix onto a foil-lined baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Seriously, this tastes like I got it at Ruby Slipper. Except this one will keep you alive longer, to continue enjoying over and over again.
Thanks, American Diabetes Association. You’ve published what promises to be a series of winning cookbooks! I look forward to trying the Italian Diabetes cookbook next.
Whole Cooking and Nutrition is ©2016 by the American Diabetes Association, Inc.® To order this book, please call 1-800-232-6733 or order online at ShopDiabetes.org.