Republished with permission from diabetesmine.com

So this whole low-carb thing about diabetes is driving me crazy.

As I said myself recently, when struggling to control your blood sugar, the more carbs, the more struggle.

But I also don't believe that complete abstinence is the answer (like "just say no" isn't really the answer for birth control, right?) Carbohydrates are part of life, and part of a healthy diet, too, in moderation. I just wish there were more -- and more satisfying -- low-carb (LC) choices to make the whole carb restriction thing a bit easier.

So in desperation, I turned to Atkins / ultra-low-carb devotees for advice.

I wrote to Jimmy Moore of the leading LC blog Livin' La Vida Low-Carb, with this query:

Since most diabetics seem to struggle with restricting carbs and figuring out what in the heck they can eat, I need your help. Could you share your TOP 20 FAVORITE LOW-CARB MEALS & SNACKS with me to share with my readers?

What we're looking for are some viable meal/snack options that really keep a person satisfied -- some actual dishes you can prepare for a dinner or a lunch meal, or something you can order in a real live restaurant.

Jimmy posted the query on his discussion board, and whala, we got a whole mess of suggestions! I'm not sure they added up to exactly 20; I lost count (speaks for my carb-counting skills, ay?). Here's a rough synopsis, in no particular order:

Fave Low-Carb MEALS:

* Chicken Marsala

"Thin sliced chicken dredged in parm cheese and pan fried in butter and garlic. A splash of real marsala wine for flavor (do not drink the rest of the bottle). Serve with sauteed sliced mushrooms and a gorgeous salad."

* Chopped shrimp (the frozen stuff will do) on a bed of lettuce with a dollop of mayo and hard boiled egg slices

* Green bean casserole, mashed cauliflower, meatloaf, turkey burgers, unbreaded fried wings, baked chicken breasts, baked fish

* Fauxtatoes, buffalo wings, low carb pizza (not for the gluten-free, of course)

* Sea scallops wrapped in bacon, skewered on the BBQ

* Steak on the grill with "loaded broccoli": broccoli with a bit of sour cream, a touch of butter, real bacon bits, chopped onion, and shredded cheese (apparently kills those potato cravings)

* Spaghetti squash, instead of pasta

* "Lettuce sandwiches": wrap your sandwich fixins in lettuce leaves

* Salad, salad, salad: taco salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, Caesars salad with chicken or shrimp, spinach-strawberry salad, lemon-tarragon salad, and so on

Fave Low-Carb SNACKS:

* Steamed shrimp

* Turkey Kielbasa (good as an entree, too)

* Pepperoni chips

* Yogurt cup with a few chopped berries and walnuts

* Cauliflower "Popcorn" (comes complete with an oh-so-cute instructional video on YouTube HERE)

* Celery sticks with flavored cream cheese