Delicious Dishes for Diabetics

by Robin Ellis

The Mediterranean diet is now recognised as one of the healthiest in the world. Robin Ellis shows how by simply following such guidelines as eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, cooking with olive oil not butter, seasoning food with herbs and spices rather than salt, avoiding red meat, excluding foods such as white potatoes, white rice and white bread, by limiting dairy products and eating fish or shellfish at least twice a week, those with type 2 diabetes can help to improve their blood sugar levels and enjoy wonderful tasty dishes every day of the week. His recipe collection includes such favourites as Chicken Breast with Lemon and Caper Sauce, North African Lamb with Apricots and Bulgar Wheat, Simple Sea Bass, Pot Roasted Pork with Dried Mushrooms and Juniper Berries, Spaghettini in Walnut Sauce, to name just a few.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Health, Food

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Robin Ellis is best known for playing the leading role in the original BBC series Poldark, based on the novels of Winston Graham. He has had a long career in British television and theatre, including a stint with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He appears in Fawlty Towers, The Good Soldier, The Europeans, Blue Remembered Hills, She Loves Me and many episodic TV series including the Swedish police series Wallander.

A new, updated and expanded edition of his memoir, Making Poldark, was recently released with an extra chapter recounting his experiences being involved with the current BBC adaptation of Poldark in which he plays the unpleasant Rev. Dr. Halse. Also included are fresh photos from the new BBC/Masterpiece series, including photos from Robin's personal collection.

Robin lives in southwestern France with his American wife. Robin’s lifelong passion for cooking, plus a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, led him to author his first cookbook in 2011, Delicious Dishes for Diabetics: Eating Well with Type-2 Diabetes, based on Mediterranean cuisine.

In 2014, he followed with a second cookbook Healthy Eating for Life: Over 100 Simple and Tasty Recipes.

His third cookbook, Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics: Delicious Dishes to Control or Avoid Diabetes, was published in 2016 by Little, Brown UK.

For more information check out his blog: http://robin-ellis.net.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Robin Ellis, best known as the lead in the British period TV series Poldark, is himself a longtime Type 2 diabetic and the son of a Type 1 diabetic. Living in Lautrec in the French Occitan, Ellis embraces the Mediterranean diet. It’s worked for him, and it might work for you, as well. But don’t call it a “diet”! As he says:

This is not a diet cookbook; rather it’s a “way of eating and cooking” cookbook. There is something temporary implied about following a diet – like “taking the medicine”; it’ll be over soon and one can get back to normal life. The way of eating in this book is normal life!

However, caveat emptor. If you’re a diabetic or simply someone following a ketogenic diet, this cookbook does not provide calories, net carbs or any other nutritional information. That said, Ellis’ recipes downplay red meat and dairy products while packing vegetables and fruits. Most of the recipes I eyeballed would fit the low-carb definition while others definitely qualify as ketogenic. I definitely think it’s worth a look for those wanting to cut carbs.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is amazing! I am not diabetic but was interested in eating (and cooking) in a more healthy way. I stumbled onto this purely by accident. Since the new Poldark series was going be airing, I just happened to look up Robin Ellis, the original Poldark, and found that not only was he an excellent actor, he was a cookbook author as well. So because I'm a fan, I ordered his cookbook and boy, was I glad. He makes it so easy! The recipes are interesting, fun, and made me look at food in a whole new way. And of course, they are delicious! I now have a new appreciation for leeks, never had them before but now I love them, thanks to Robin. There are so many good recipes in here, but a few of my favorites are Leeks in White Wine and Butter, Fish in Tomato and White Wine Sauce and Chicken Breasts in a Spicy Lemon and Parsley Sauce.

I definitely recommend this book for everyone!

[Hollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely little cookbook from the famous PBS/Masterpiece Theatre actor Robin Ellis of Poldark fame. Recipes are designed for people who want to eat healthier--especially those with diabetes (which is about 1 in 9 Americans these days). Robin lives in the South of France, so the recipes have a special panache to them that you don't find in a lot of dreary healthy-eating American cookbooks. I used this book to plan my holiday dinners because there are several friends and family members whom I needed to look out for when it comes to healthy eating.

[Kirk]

Although I don't have Diabetes, I find reading these recipes tasty. I hope to try a few before the library loan ends.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of recipes to choose from. Unfortunately, nothing looked very appealing to me. Hopefully, other readers will enjoy the recipes.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some wonderful healthy recipes based on country cooking and fresh vegetables written by Actor Robin Ellis who starred in the British series Poldark. Wonderful food. I've tried several recipes. Made eggplant, quick tomato sauce, and another which I forgot but all were very good. this is a book I refer to when I need a recipe so I'm not READING it. I am going to mark as read since i refer to it all the time.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diabetics have special dietary needs to control the blood sugars. This collection of recipes is geared for those with type 2 diabetes

[Jc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the greatest but not the worst diabetes cookbook that I have read. I found a few great recipes that I am waiting to try soon.