Use Protection! Cover Your (sushi) Roll in Cucumber

If you read my blog on The Deadly Diabetic Diablo burger (The Tale of the Deadly Diabetic Diablo Burger | The Diabetic Dish), you know my feelings on The Travel Channel’s program MAN V. FOOD. I find it to be some twisted form of tortuous punishment for a type II diabetic. This evening I found the show’s host eating mass quantities of a food I CAN NOT LIVE WITHOUT and that I can still eat as often as I want to (guilt free!) – sushi, specifically spicy tuna rolls.

A little background: Nine years ago I was living near the gulf coast in a city that had no shortage of seafood or sushi restaurants. I was dating Mr. Man and he was playing a pretty good game of hard to get…… only allowing one date a week and these usually took place on Sunday nights. These “date nights” quickly took on a very predictable routine. Mr. Man would come over for dinner and a movie. He would begin these evenings begging me to go eat sushi with him. Seafood has been my favorite food for as long as I can remember…… but, I must empahsize – I only ate my seafood cooked and had never even entertained the alternative.

It took about 3 months of begging to wear me down. Well, if I am completely honest, it may have been 3 months of his playing hard to get had made me a level of desperate that I never knew existed. Either way, I caved and found myself sitting at a local sushi bar. Mr. Man was exceptionally kind in the items he chose to order, even though he started the evening tricking me into eating a bit of wasabi (japanese horseradish). There was a tiger eye roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese and jalapeno), a spicy tuna roll with avocado, and an eel/avocado roll; you could also call this the Sushi Beginners Menu. I LOVED every bite and a sushi addict was born!! *I am pretty sure this is when he decided to quit playing hard to get! ; )

Although sushi can pack a punch to your pocketbook, it does not add to your waistline or backside. When I decided I was tired of being fat (my story:The Dishing Diabetic | The Diabetic Dish), sushi became a staple in my journey to lose 93 lbs. Most sushi items are low points on the Weight Watchers plan, low fat, high protein and DELICIOUS. I have not found any scientific evidence to support my next claim, but it’s my story and I’m sticking to it…… sushi just flat makes me happy. My assumption is it either sets off chemical reactions that release endorphines, contains “happy” vitamins and minerals OR the fact that I can eat A LOT of it without guilt results in the emotional experience that accompanies my trips to the sushi bar…… I don’t really care how it happens, it just does.

As most of you reading this can relate, my diagnosis of type II diabetes was like a machete to the list of my favorite foods. That list was sliced and diced to a point where very few foods remained that were diabetic friendly. One food that shined like a beacon on that list…… SUSHI! Rice? Doesn’t sushi have rice, you ask? Nope! Your don’t need no stinkin’ rice to enjoy sushi!! Allelujah!! Sushi restaurants are bottomless treasure chests of delectible food choices and the beauty is that you can taylor your choices to fit your needs.

How is this possible? 1st of all, you can ask to have your favorite rolls wrapped in cucumber. A spicy tuna roll with avocado wrapped in cucumber is pure bliss and my blood sugar loves it, too! Or, try asking for a bowl of seaweed salad, avocado and your favorite fish in it (mine is salmon, tuna and yellow tail). Oh, and have them put a little spicy sauce in it! Also, look for thin-sliced peppered tuna on the appetizer menu; the thin sliced yellow tail is wonderful, too! Both are fabulous with spicy ponzu sauce. I also eat pieces of salmon, smoked salmon, tuna, super white tuna, sea bass, flounder, and yellow tail sashimi style…. meaning no rice. I will tell you though, I did not graduate to the sashimi until I had worked my way through Beginner’s sushi (rolls) and intermediate sushi (the seaweed salad). Sushi is like wine…. you acquire the taste for it and that tast just grows and grows and GROWS! I now enjoy it all and so does my weight loss plan AND my diabetes management plan! ** I do not eat sushi items that include “tempura” ingredients as that means “fried”**

If you have tried sushi and know it is not for you, I understand. However, if you are like I was 9 long years ago and claim you do not like it (but you have never tried it), I urge you, RUN, don’t walk to a sushi bar close to you. Take a sushi eater with you and do not hesitate to ask your sushi companion (or your server) any question you have. Sushi addicts LOVE to help bring another sushi addict into their sushi loving world! You blood glucose will thank you, your waistband will thank you, your heart/cholesterol will thank you…… and your, pocketbook…. well, it is a small price to pay to be happy, healthy and a skinny minny!!

What are your favorite sushi items? If you go and try it for the 1st time, please let me know what you think!

Have a wonderful day!

The (Sushi Lovin’) Dishing Diabetic

http://thediabeticdish.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/you-dont-need-no-stinkin-rice/

Thanks for the tips. Still not sure if I want to try sushi. Some fish I like but most I don’t. I can tolerate tuna but I don’t really like it. I’m more of an orange roughy or snapper eater. Heck, I haven’t even tried talapia because I’m afraid too. LOL. I know I don’t like white fish, cat fish or bass. I do like waleye though. Tell you what, next time you go for sushi, have some for me.

Entertaining, a nice read. It may well be all in my head but I still think the place for raw seafood is in the bait bucket though.

I feel just as you did, I was really grossed out at first about the thought of sushi. Then low and behold I went out with a friend ordered some california rolls, and fell in love!!!