My data-driven meal planning

Recently I started wearing a Continuous Glucose Monitoring device (CGM) to track my wellness. A CGM is a small wearable sensor that you can wear on your body painlessly at home for easy and accurate blood glucose monitoring. You place it on the back of the upper arm, where a small transmitter inserted into the skin collects glucose levels from the interstitial fluid beneath the skin. Each sensor lasts for 14 days. 

With the CGM you can empower yourself with data, on when and for how long your blood sugar spikes, which types of foods have the greatest effects, and how things like exercise, sleep, and stress affect your numbers. It has had a very positive impact on my behavior, what I eat, and my general sense of well-being. My habits have exponentially changed by the readings that provide a more granular, real-time look at blood glucose levels.  

We know that what we eat has a big impact on blood sugar and that blood sugar levels can affect mood, ability to focus, and physical energy levels. But how do we know the granular details and what exactly do we change within our diets?

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Based on my experience with monitoring my sugar levels, let me share some recipes that ensure your glucose remains stable and rises only slightly after meals. Remember: our ideal glucose range should be: 70-140 over a 24-hour window. After your meal: Maximum glucose level (140 or below, ideally). If you’re shooting above that by a lot, you might look at the foods you’re eating before that spike, both what the foods are and how much of them you’re eating. You want your glucose levels to recover within 2-3 hours of eating.

Breakfast: Emphasize protein and fiber such as veggie frittata, egg or tofu scramble with veggies; plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with berries and nuts/seeds; lunch or dinner leftovers. 

Lunch/Dinner: Fill half your plate with low-carb vegetables, ¼ with protein, ¼ with starchy vegetables or whole grains. Add healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, or olive oil. 

Snacks: Only if you are hungry. Choose protein and fiber-rich foods, like unsalted nuts, chia pudding, veggies with hummus or guacamole.

Coconut Blueberry Chia Pudding

Chia Pudding (Image courtesy: Mona Shah)
Chia Pudding (Image courtesy: Mona Shah)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup light, unsweetened organic canned coconut milk (choose BPA-free brands) 
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds 
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence or extract 
  • 1/4 cup blueberries 
  • Small pinch whole leaf stevia or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar (optional, to taste)

Directions

  1. Blend the coconut milk, vanilla, and stevia or coconut sugar, if using, together with a spoon.
  2. Mix in the chia seeds. 
  3. Pour into a jar and let sit for at least two hours until it thickens into a gel. 
  4. Top with blueberries prior to serving. Store leftovers in the fridge. 

Greek Frittata 

Greek Fritata (Image courtesy: Mona Shah)
Greek Fritata (Image courtesy: Mona Shah)

Ingredients

  • 1 small red onion, chopped 
  • 1 tablespoon 100% pure avocado oil, plus more for baking dish 
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil, minced 
  • 8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 
  • 2 oz feta cheese, diced 1/2- inch cubes 
  • 12 eggs, large 
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper pinch of nutmeg (optional) 

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 11 x 7 inch (2 quart) glass or ceramic baking dish with avocado oil or butter. 
  2. Sauté onion in oil over medium heat in a small skillet for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 
  3. Whisk eggs together with salt, pepper and optional nutmeg in a large bowl. Add cooked onion, basil, tomatoes and feta to eggs and stir together. 
  4. Pour egg mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. 

Mexican Tofu Scramble 

Mexican Tofu Scramble (Image courtesy: Mona Shah)
Mexican Tofu Scramble (Image courtesy: Mona Shah)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 block firm tofu, mash with fork into crumbly pieces 
  • 1 green chili, seeds removed and finely chopped 
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 40 mL unsweetened almond milk 
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered 
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste 
  • Avocado & fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, optional 

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a medium fry pan and sauté the tofu and chilies for about 5 minutes, until tofu is golden. 
  2. Mix turmeric, garlic powder, and unsweetened almond milk in a bowl and add to the cooked tofu. 
  3. Simmer for about 1 minute, or until the milk has been mostly absorbed. 
  4. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. 
  5. Serve with a side of cooked mushrooms and bell peppers, or in tortilla wraps, or on sprouted whole grain toast. Add avocado and cilantro leaves, optional garnish, if desired. 

Mona Shah is a multi-platform storyteller with expertise in digital communications, social media strategy, and content curation for Twitter and LinkedIn for C-suite executives. A journalist and editor,...