When B was first diagnosed, there were very few recipe books for Type 1 as guides.
Each meal consisted of individual foods, ie a carb, vegetable and protein……easy in the beginning and even now to some degree. But, we didn’t know what to do with family favorites: soups, stews, lasagna; dishes that incorporated many different layers of carbs. And so, began the weigh and measure.
Each recipe on this site has been made a minimum of 3 times and the CHO count is very close, if not exact at least 3 times. Use our recipes as a guide and for inspiration. If you need precise CHO, then you will have to carb count every recipe, at least until you see how your cooking and measuring methods compare to ours.
Recipe carb counts can vary for many reasons. For example:
- Vegetables and pastas cooked longer absorb more water affecting the weight
- Vegetables roasted al dente or for longer have different CHO counts: Weight ratio
- Product Brands may vary in CHO count, ie: one brand of whole canned tomatoes may have a different CHO count than another
- Nutritional information on packaging has a range so the actual count may not be precise.We calculate the exact measurement whenever we can. For example, an Arborio rice package may say 45 grams dry rice = ¼ cup. When I measure 1 cup, the weight is 193 grams, instead of 180 grams. Hence, we calculate the CHO for 193 grams in the risotto recipes.
A scale is critical – We love Perfect Portions Nutrition Scale and Food Code Book
(more info under Calculating a Carb and Our Favorites).
After many attempts; success and failures, it became clear it is far easier to cook and bake using grams as compared to imperial measurements. 40 grams of onion is 3 CHO, regardless if finely diced or roughly chopped. Density does make a difference.
Our recipes break down the weight and carb count of the ingredients, calculate the total CHO and Weight per recipe, and CHO/GRAM where ever possible. All recipes are not necessarily low carb, we promote balanced and healthy living, which still includes family favorites and some treats.
Enjoy making some of our recipes and your favorites!
