Diabetes Diet #44: Diabetes – Take A Hike!

Diabetes Recipes:

Oat Bran Apple Muffins
Vegetable Bagelwiches
Grilled Wraps

Diabetes — Take A Hike!

Take a hike. At a glance, these three simple words seem innocuous. But, with a little expansion, they can elicit a broader potential. “To pull up, to raise, to take a long walk” is what Webster says about hiking.

Let’s imagine a diabetes slant on these words. They can be applied to exercise, a vital component of diabetes management. Hiking has a stronger meaning than walking. It usually involves a more rugged terrain and goes for a longer time period. It means starting out on a small scale and carrying substantial snacks, which we’ll get to make later, over at Cyber Kitchen.

Hiking usually takes place in beautiful natural and wilderness settings such as forests, parks, hills, and country roads. Many communities have local nature parks, great for beginners and most states have state parks with a variety of hiking trails. The big dogs on the hiking tracks are the national parks where the bar can be raised to trails suitable for Olympics training. Is there such a sport as competitive hiking? I’m not sure.

The American Hiking Society, Hill Climb Media, and The Appalachian Mountain Club are sources where you can learn more about hiking. A few good websites are:  www.appalachiantrail.org, www.localhikes.com, www.hikingandbackpacking.com , www.shta.org and www.trails.com.

September is a glorious month to take a hike. Remember to be respectful of diabetes by observing these easy rules for a 2-3 hour hike:

  1. Check Blood Sugar Each Hour
  2. Bring Quick Carbs Such As Gels Or Glucose Tabs
  3. Pack Nutritious Snacks
  4. Don’t Forget Your Cell Phone For Emergencies
  5. Bring Water And Sip Often

Other Interpretations for TAKE A HIKE

Besides the physical act of taking a hike, the words can mean taking a break from diabetes which is not such a terrific idea even though it certainly would be nice. There are ways to take mini-vacations from diabetes. One is to be quiet about diabetes, not talk about it, and not even say the word for a few days. Of course, you still take medication, check bg’s, eat well and exercise, but try to put them on automatic, without worry or stress for a day or two. It’s a little bit of a break and can be quite refreshing.

A further meaning of taking a hike is to raise the standard, elevate the bar of your diabetes lifestyle. If you find yourself in a rut, read a new book, such as the terrific new edition of PUMPING INSULIN to inspire and motivate yourself to fine-tune your diabetes care. Join a support group or start one, Volunteer with a local diabetes center or ADA or JDRF chapter or devote yourself to the simple rugged power of taking a hike.

Note: By the way, this writer will soon be traveling to Austria and Bavaria and expects to do a fair share of hiking.

Oat Bran Apple Muffins (makes 12 muffins)
2 cups oat bran, lightly toasted (spread on the baking sheet and toast in a toaster oven for 5 minutes)
2 t. baking powder, ¼ t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
½ cup apple juice
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
2 T.   canola oil
1 medium-sized Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into small chunks
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

  1. Mix dry ingredients together to combine well.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients together. Add to dry and mix.
  3. Stir in apples and nuts. Lightly spray bottoms of the muffin pan and pour in batter. Bake 15-20 minutes in 350 oven. Check for doneness by sticking a wooden skewer or toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, muffins are done.
  4. Cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes. When going for a hike, wrap muffins individually in foil to keep fresh.

Nutritional Value:  1 muffin = 100 cal, 3.5 fat grams,   4.5 grams protein, 20 carb grams, 2.5 grams fiber

Vegetable Bagelwiches (makes 4)
4 small wheat bagels, sliced in half horizontally
6 oz. low-fat provolone cheese
4 thin slices each:   red onion, ripe tomato, red bell pepper
4 artichokes from a can, thoroughly drained and sliced into quarters
1 cup sprouts or chopped lettuce leaves
Dressing: ¼ cup light mayonnaise, 1 T. Dijon mustard, 1 t. honey

  1. Make dressing by stirring ingredients together in a small bowl.
  2. Spread dressing on the bottom and top halves of each bagel.
  3. Layer with cheese, vegetables, and sprouts. Cover with the top half of bagel. Press and wrap in plastic or foil to carry on a hike.

Nutritional Value: 1 bagelwiche = 260 cal, 3 fat grams, 40 carb grams, 20 grams protein, 7 grams fiber
Grilled Wraps (4 wraps)
4 slices of zucchini and 4 slices of yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
2 plum tomatoes, sliced into rounds
Dressing:   1 T. red wine, or balsamic vinegar, 1 t. dried oregano, 1 t. olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste
4 8″ whole wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

  1. Toss vegetables with dressing and place on a baking sheet. Grill in 450 oven or on the grill for about 10 minutes, turning so they don’t burn.
  2. Warm tortillas to soften. Divide vegetables into four and place on tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese and roll up jellyroll style.
  3. Wrap in foil immediately to keep warm for your hike.

Nutritional Value: 1 wrap = 220 cal, 3.5 fat grams, 15 grams protein, 32 carb grams, 4 grams fiber