DIABETES and HEALTHY LIVING

I have just returned from a 10 day visit to Paris, France. The trip was awesome and there were many interesting and beautiful sights to see such as:

 Arc de Triomphe

   Louvre (home of the Mona Lisa)

  Eiffel Tower (I ventured to the top but the wind was very strong so only looked from the top step)

 Dome church

Les Invalides Ceiling

 Moulin Rouge

 Sacre Soeur

St. Eustace Cathedral

  Notre Dame

Above are a few of the sights I had an opportunity to visit. I did more walking and climbed more stairs than ever before in life. I also traveled on the Metro which involved additional stairs. Motorcycles are very popular in Paris. Their rules of the road are quite different from those here in the United States. The cyclists weave in and out of traffic and between cars. They do no occupy one lane as expected here in the US. Bicycles and walking are also very common means of travel.

I had hoped that all the walking I did would have a positive impact on the scale today. However, to my regret I gained 3 pounds on my ten day holiday. Every time I reduce the quantity of food or emphasize vegetables I will remind myself of all the fun I had on my vacation. Then the sacrifice I make now will have been well compensated for by the pleasures I experienced. Speaking of food, I had lunch at the Eiffel Tower and dinner at a few Brassieries. However most of the time I grabbed quickie meals. I was so exhausted at the end of each day that I had limited energy for fancy dress restaurants. There was an extensive number of American fast food restaurants—McDonald’s, KFC, Subway.  In fact our first dinner was from Subway.  We were too tired to do more than grab a quick bite to eat.  We spent the night on the plane and most of the day sightseeing as we could not access our lodgings until early afternoon (having arrived at 9 a.m.)

Ladies most of the French women that I saw were quite thin, both young and older. I was pleased to note, however, that the women in London were more of the size of American women. In both Paris and London there were many, many people walking and riding bicycles. I feel certain that exercise is a factor in the slimness that I noted. In Paris most of the women wore scarves artfully draped around their neck. Short, short skirts and tights were also very prevalent. Both men and women were seen in the ‘berets’. The meal I enjoyed most was beef burgundy (Beef bourguignon). I did not get the recipe there but here is one I found that I believe can be adapted for someone who monitors their food intake closely. This recipe only contains 257 calories and is easy to prepare.

Beef Burgundy I     

By: Faith

"Succulent round steak is browned in olive oil, then simmered in beef broth and red wine. It's seasoned with marjoram and thyme and accompanied with fresh sliced mushrooms and onions."

Ingredients

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 2 pounds round steak, cut into small pieces

· 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

· 2 cups beef broth

· 1 1/2 cups dry red wine

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed

· 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 2 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

· 3 onions, sliced

Directions

1. In a large stock pot over medium/high heat, heat the oil and add the beef pieces. Sprinkle the flour over the beef. Brown the meat on all sides.

2. Pour in broth and red wine. Sprinkle in salt, marjoram, thyme and black pepper.

3. Bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally.

4. Add mushrooms and onions to the pot. Liquid should just cover everything. If necessary, add some more wine to cover. Cook until onions are limp.

Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving  Calories: 257 | Total Fat: 11.6g | Cholesterol: 45mg

Prep Time:20 Min Cook Time: 2 Hrs Ready In:2 Hrs 20 Min

7 servings

Enjoy!

Theresa Newell