Stuffed Grape Leaves: Healthy for Anyone, A Diabetic’s Delight
November 26th, 2006
Walnut and Spinach Stuffed Grape Leaves
Here’s a delicious recipe that is not just acceptable for diabetics, but actually helps combat diabetes and many side effects resulting from diabetes and high blood sugar. The combination of the antioxidants, live probiotic cultures and LA (lipoic acid) combats diabetes and helps maintain healthy immune and digestive systems. Garlic, onions and other ingredients help purify the blood, while walnuts, brown rice, and selenium sources work on the thyroid.
But this is not just for diabetics. The health benefits from this dish are great for anyone. Don’t let the quantity of different ingredients scare you off. This recipe is not difficult to put together.
- 1 jar of grape leaves (about ½ lb) (vitamins C, E, A, K and B6, niacin, iron, fiber, riboflavin, folate, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese)
- 1 large bunch of spinach chopped (lipoic acid purifies the blood and enhances insulin activity and glucose-insulin response, carotene antioxidants, iron, potassium, calcium, folate, vitamins C and E)
- 1 cup chopped red tomatoes (vitamins C and A, potassium, iron, betacarotene and lycopene antioxidants, cancer-fighting chlorogenic acids)
- 1 chopped onion (flavonoid antioxidants, blood cleanser)
- 1 cup of ground walnuts (tannin antioxidants, iodine for healthy thyroid, omega-3 fatty acids helps reduce cholesterol levels, vitamins B and E)
- ¼ cup raw sesame seeds (calcium, magnesium, phytosterols to reduce cholesterol)
- 1 cup medium grain brown rice (vitamin B, magnesium, iron, fiber, manganese for energy and protein assimilation, selenium for thyroid health and combines well with vitamin E)
- 1 cup green olives (vitamin E, flavonoids)
- 3 cloves minced garlic (blood cleanser, liver tonic, vitamins C and B6, selenium)
- ¼ cup of chopped, fresh dill (cancer-fighting properties, anti-bacterial, calcium, digestive aid)
- ¼ cup of chopped, fresh parsley (kidney and blood cleanser)
- 3 Ts sesame oil (calcium, copper, helps reduce hypertension)
- 1/2 cup olive oil (oleic acid and other fatty acids help control cholesterol, vitamin E, phenol antioxidants, benefits for colon, heart, and liver)
- 2 cups white wine (the alcohol will mostly cook out of the wine, leaving just the flavor)
- 2 cups yogurt, Indian Dahi, or kefir with live cultures (probiotic cultures aid digestion and combat yeast infection, constipation, and diabetes).
- 1/8 cup finely chopped fresh peppermint leaves (digestive aid, anti-depressant)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Heat the rice (dry) in a large pan with a little bit of the olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup of water and cook for another 10 minutes. Add onion, tomato, garlic, dill, and parseley and spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool while you prepare the grape leaves.
Prepare grape leaves by boiling them for 5 minutes to soften. Trim off any excess stem and place face-down (smooth side down) for stuffing with the mixture. Add the olive oil, sesame seeds, olives and ground walnuts to the mixture, then spoon out a portion onto a leaf, fold the sides in, and roll it up. Stack these two or three layers deep in a glass pan and pour in the white wine and water until the sides are covered. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until the liquid is mostly gone and the rice is cooked. Remove and serve on a platter with sesame oil drizzled on top.
Combine chopped peppermint leaves with yogurt and serve as a dip for the grape leaves.
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