Lentils…

Thanks, I think I might give tinned lentils a try and take it from there. I appreciate the suggestion about cannelloni beans, but unfortunately I hate them, it has made me think about other vegetables that I could try though.

PaperMonster

Lentils aren’t great for Diabetics. Just check his levels two hours after he’s eaten. Also, try celeriac instead of potatoes. Also carrots are great, but I find I can tolerate a small amount.

I agree with this. From a diabetic point of view, mince has no carbs, while carrots have 6g carbs per 100g and lentils have 17g carbs per 100g. I avoid lentils like the plague, which is a shame because they're cheap and otherwise nutritious, but the carb content spikes my blood sugar.

if you have a local asian shop buy them there, far cheaper,and supporting local business

Soak the (orange) lentils overnight and cook with the mince.

I think if you cook lentils in salty water they won't go soft. The salt draws out water from them rather than adding it.

Use a pouch or tin of lentils, very easy to add. You don’t notice them mixed in with the meat. Some come in a tomato sauce which is nice too. Years ago my now nearly fifty year old son threatened to report me to Childline if I kept putting lentils in his food but here I am still smuggling them in!! Perhaps it’s just the male of the species that is highly suspicious of them!

For a diabetic, the fibre in the lentils sort of cancel out some of the carbs. So, the brown puy lentils would be better than the red.

I prefer the texture of puy lentils.

I do like something to get my teeth into, though, so perhaps that's why.

I use yellow lentils (mung dal) a lot, too, but not in mince, just soups and curries. A very recent dal and cauliflower curry was v nice.
I get a huge bag (1.75 kg) in Asda’s World Foods aisle, for £3. 🙂

fluttERBY123

I think if you cook lentils in salty water they won't go soft. The salt draws out water from them rather than adding it.

Mine are always cooked with typically salted stock cubes, and they’ve never been hard. But I do always simmer for quite a long time on the lowest possible gas.

arum

For a diabetic, the fibre in the lentils sort of cancel out some of the carbs. So, the brown puy lentils would be better than the red.

How do you work that out? Sorry, but lentils are carb-heavy. For a diabetic, meat is the better option. Nothing "cancels out" the carbs.

Frankly, I don't think you can overcook red lentils - they should be mushy in my opinion, so I don't really understand what you mean. To me if they are even slightly hard, they are not cooked properly. Same goes for green lentils, which have to be soaked overnight, rinsed and boiled in fresh water.

I don't soak red lentils.

Obviously, if you like them mushy as I do, you have to take care they don't boil dry! I bring mine to the boil in plenty of salted water, turn the heat right down and let them simmer until soft under a tight fitting lid.

But I would not have thought there was any dietery advantage in using lentils instead of meat. And surely the starch content is not good for a diabetic?

You're right grandtante. The starchy carbs aren't good for a diabetic. I've been T2 diabetic over half my life. Years ago, I used to substitute some meat for lentils, partly because they're cheaper and they have a reputation for being "healthy". However, since I really started understanding carbs, I've realised how bad they are for my blood glucose levels.

Me too!

I know nothing about what a diabetic can eat - sorry, but I use soya mince (Holland & Barrett) mixed 50/50 with normal mince from when making shepherds pie or bolognese. My DH doesn’t notice the difference. Would this help at all?

Same as Mel 1947, I add tinned green lentils to mine and they don't seem to affect flavour or texture

Jan135

I know nothing about what a diabetic can eat - sorry, but I use soya mince (Holland & Barrett) mixed 50/50 with normal mince from when making shepherds pie or bolognese. My DH doesn’t notice the difference. Would this help at all?

Just looked it up. Holland & Barrett soy mince has 33g of carbs per 100g. Compare that with NO carbs in meat mince. For a diabetic, that's not a good option, although I'm sure soy has some advantages over meat for non-diabetics.

I think you’ll find brown lentils will be less obvious than the red which are split and tend to be more ‘pasty’ as opposed to being whole and will blend with the mince. Just drop them in halfway through cooking.

There are now various pastas made from lentils and other pulses if you want a change from potatoes. They're red, green or yellow in colour.

Used tinned, then not a problem.
Also, try sweet potato mash instead of white or a mixture of both which is what I do.

Since doing the Zoe plan I have used lentils a lot following their recipes. I’m not a fussy eater and like most things. Also use a lot of beans now. Veg chilli etc. Lentils just need time to absorb the liquid so make sure there’s more liquid than normal when you add the lentils. I know the yellow lentils need cooking for longer than the green or brown if that’s of any help?

Also Celeriac mashed with a smaller amount of potato is lovely.

Lentils are great, but my suggestion is for the mash on the top of a shepherd or cottage pie.
You may like to try celeriac in th mash instead of swede. I thinks it's better.

I've only ever cooked with Puy lentils so can't advise you Mamma66 but I do grate courgette into mince when making cottage pie, chilli or bolognaise and it thickens the mix. I also add carrots, peppers, celery etc. Mixed roots mash is lovely, potatoes, swede, turnip, parsnips, celeriac, butternut squash - whatever I've got in usually.

Lentils (soaked overnight - in water covering the tiny morsels)

I prepare a Vegetarian version:
Carrots
Celery
Turnip
Leek
Onion
Garlic
2 De-seeded and peeled large tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parsley - dry and fresh
Provençe 5 Herbs ( oregano, thyme, basil, savoury & rosemary)
A pinch or 2 of Spanish paprika / piménton
1 Stock Cube -vegetable or vegetable stock strained

And place all finely chopped / sliced in a pressure cooker.
Served with a crusty loaf of bread - can obtain no sugar

We enjoy it for 2 days.

Delicious & healthy.