Top chef puts health on a plate for diabetics

As a sufferer of a prediabetic condition himself, Antony Worrall Thompson knows first-hand how tricky it can be to adapt to a new diet. So he has set out to create a book of original recipes from around the world that can help diabetics manage their condition.

The number of people suffering from diabetes continues to increase and many more are unaware that they are at risk of pre-diabetic conditions, such as impaired fasting glycaemia and impaired glucose intolerance.

"I have written four books designed specifically for people with diabetes," says Antony. "Many reader have written to me saying they have changed their life – some even that they've enabled them to come

off insulin.

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"My main message has always been that you can still enjoy great food, it just requires small changes to your food and lifestyle, and keeping one word fixed firmly at the front of your mind: moderation."

New Potatoes and Smoked Mackerel with Avocado Horseradish Dressing

Smoked mackerel is wonderfully nutritious, plus it's plentiful in the UK. The addition of new potatoes (good G.I.) and avocado (all the right fats), make this recipe a veritable superfood!

Serves 4

500g new potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 bay leaves, broken

4 garlic cloves, smashed

Juice and grated zest of 2 lemons

5cm-piece of fresh horseradish, grated, or 2 tablespoons from jar

1 avocado, diced

4 tablespoons 0 per cent fat natural Greek yogurt

3 smoked peppered mackerel fillets, skin removed, flaked

Handful of rocket leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.

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Put the potatoes in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, broken bay, garlic and half of the lemon juice and zest. Season with a little salt and a few grindings of pepper. Tip into a roasting tin and cook in the oven for about 40 minutes, tossing from time to time. When cooked, the potatoes will be tender, wrinkly and golden. Discard the bay leaves.

Combine the remaining lemon zest with the horseradish, avocado and yogurt. Mash with the back of a fork, retaining some texture. Gently fold in the mackerel flakes, leaving them as chunky as possible. If the mixture is very stiff, add a little lemon juice. Season to taste and arrange the potatoes on individual plates. Top with the mackerel mix and scatter with rocket leaves, and serve.

Amount per portion: Energy 595 kcals, Protein 27g, Fat 45g, Saturated fat 9.7g, Carbohydrate 23g, Total sugars 3.1g, Fibre (Englyst) 3.1g, Salt 2.84g, Sodium 1118mg

Pot Roast Pheasant with Chestnuts, New Potatoes and Cabbage

It's a shame that game birds are so under-utilised in Britain, despite being readily available in season. They are raised in the wild, are good value and lower in fat than most meats.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 pheasants

2 onions, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

Sprig of thyme

6 juniper berries

12 new potatoes, halved

175g pre-cooked and peeled chestnuts

450ml game or beef stock

150ml robust red wine

115g cranberries

175g Savoy cabbage, shredded

Grated rind and juice of 1 orange

Salt and freshly grated black pepper

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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish, then add the pheasants and brown all over. Remove and set aside. Put the onions in the casserole and cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.

Add the bay leaf, thyme, juniper, new potatoes and chestnuts, and stir to combine. Return the pheasants to the dish, breast side up. Pour the stock and wine around the pheasants, cover the casserole and bring to the boil. Transfer to oven and cook for 25 minutes.

Remove the pheasants and set aside to rest. Transfer the casserole to the hob. Add the cranberries, cabbage and orange zest and juice. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Carve the pheasants and return the meat to the casserole. Season to taste and serve in warmed bowls.

Amount per portion: Energy 570 kcals, Protein 46.8g, Fat 21.1g, Saturated fat 6.0g, Carbohydrate 45.0g, Total sugars 12.4g, Fibre (Englyst) 6.1g, Salt 1.15g, Sodium 454mg

Three Bean Stew with Grated Feta

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No meat, no fish, just beans, with or without the feta "snow" – your choice. This Greek stew is a good partner for roast or grilled meats.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 onions, roughly chopped

2 carrots, roughly sliced

2 celery stalks, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

350ml tomato passata

1 tablespoon tomato pure

1 x 400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed

175g runner beans, de-strung and sliced

85g feta cheese

freshly ground black pepper

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat, then add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook for 10 minutes. Add the oregano, passata and tomato pure.

Cover and cook for 45 minutes, topping up with water as necessary. Add the tinned beans and runner beans and cook for 20 minutes or until the sauce is thick and the vegetables are cooked. Spoon into warm bowls, then pass the feta through a fine sieve over the bowls to create a "snow" effect.

Amount per portion: Energy 265 kcals, Protein 14.2g, Fat 8.4g, Saturated fat 3.2g, Carbohydrate 35.3g,Total sugars 14.7g, Fibre (Englyst) 9.9g, Salt 2.37g, Sodium 933mg

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The Essential Diabetes Cookbook by Antony Worrall Thompson (Kyle Cathie, 20) with photography by Jonathan Gregson. To order a copy from the Yorkshire Post Bookshop call free on 0800 0153232 or go online at www.yorkshirepostbook

shop.co.uk. Postage and packing is 2.75.