The DX Diabetes Dish: Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic | The DX: The Diabetes Experience

The DX Diabetes Dish: Chef Robert Lewis, The Happy Diabetic | The DX: The Diabetes Experience: Chef Robert Lewis on what motivates him to advocate for diabetes as The Happy Diabetic

Chad Cushman, known as "The Crepe Guy"

It was a typical Sunday except it is Father's Day 2014. I like to say "everyday is fathers day at my house".  Cindy and I were walking the bike path and ran into out good friends Bob and Kathy (check Kathy out at Dr. Kathy Kaminski Exercise & Nutrition Physical Fitness · Active Life · Personal Coaching)

We decided to meet up at Dunn Brothers Coffee in Bettendorf Iowa. Bob mentioned they have an amazing "crepe chef" there. So we meet up around 9:30. He's there from 9 to 1 every sunday.

WOW what a treat! Check Chad out on face book and on the web! https://www.facebook.com/cushmancrepes     and     http://www.thecrepeguy.com

The Crepe Guy's delicious and unique crepes have become a staple of both food lovers and the food shy throughout the Quad Cities area.  Chad Cushman, known as "The Crepe Guy," can be found Saturday's at the Freight House Farmers Market and Sundays at Dunn Brothers Coffee — serving a new selection of freshly made crepes to eager stomachs. 

Savory or Sweet...

Crepe-lover or not, a weekend visit to the Crepe Guy has become a must for both culinary adventurists, and the pickiest of eaters. The Crepe Guy's specialty crepes stretch far beyond the typical classic French crepe, taking inspiration from culinary traditions the world over.
Chad makes each crepe by hand on a traditional, cast-iron crepe pan using his own special crepe recipe. Each week he offers up two new unique culinary creations for fans,  a savory option and a sweet option — made with fresh ingredients.

Sample Menu

SAVORY
Braised pork shoulder + white cheddar + apple butter + pecan slaw + maple boejits vinaigrette

SWEET
Fresh plum + sweet ricotta cream + candied almonds + lemon-thyme honey

SAVORY
BLT" Maple pepper bacon + artisan local greens + tomato jam + melba toast streusel + basil aioli

SWEET
Fresh berries + sweet ricotta cream + cocoa pecan granola + rosemary syrup

The menu today was....

 Savory

 Sweet

Taste for Life:

Recipes for eating and living better from “The Happy Diabetic”

We’re changing the way you eat one recipe at a time.

The Happy Diabetic Web Site  www.happydiabetic.com

Fresh Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe

Fresh Heirloom Tomato Salad Recipe

So...just what is an heirloom?

Heirloom

An heirloom is generally considered to be a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family because of it's valued characteristics. Since 'heirloom' varieties have become popular in the past few years there have been liberties taken with the use of this term for commercial purposes. At TomatoFest Garden Seeds we chose to adopt the definition used by tomato experts, Craig LeHoullier and Carolyn Male, who have classified down heirlooms into four categories:

1. Commercial Heirlooms: Open-pollinated varieties introduced before 1940, or tomato varieties more than 50 years in circulation.
2. Family Heirlooms: Seeds that have been passed down for several generations through a family.
3. Created Heirlooms: Crossing two known parents (either two heirlooms or an heirloom and a hybrid) and dehybridizing the resulting seeds for how ever many years/generations it takes to eliminate the undesirable characteristics and stabilize the desired characteristics, perhaps as many as 8 years or more.
4. Mystery Heirlooms: Varieties that are a product of natural cross-pollination of other heirloom varieties.

ok all you happy diabetic's here it is.....                                                                                                 extra-virgin olive oil, a great vinegar, and black pepper and sea salt.  This salad mixture has few ingredients so the final flavor bright and tasty. Of course, the key element is ripe, beauteous tomatoes, so hunt some down at your local farmers market or grocery store.

I used some heirlooms, grape, cherry and a mixture of multi colored tomatoes.

So lets put it together!
combine about 2 pounds of ripe heirloom tomatoes (choose a variety of colors and sizes, as well as the most perfect tomatoes you can find at the height of the season). Cut them into various sizes: wedges, thick slices, in half, or, if you have some tiny cherry tomatoes, leave them whole.Toss them with fresh arugula greens. the bitterness will complement the flavors.  Sprinkle with sea salt  and freshly ground black pepper.
Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and your favorite vinegar (balsamic, red wine, or sherry would be good).  I like to use 3 to 1 part oil to vinegar.                                                                                      

Enjoy...can you feel the love??