Recipes for an Rx

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It’s been a tasty season on set for the creators of the Diabetic Kitchen, a forthcoming Manitoba cooking and lifestyle show featuring diabetic-friendly recipes and local products.

“I wish I had a show like this back when I was first diagnosed,” says director George Orallo.

A lifelong food-lover, Orallo had to do a lot of research while grappling with his new dietary restrictions after being diagnosed with diabetes as an adult.

It was a common experience among friends and family with the condition, which impacts the body’s ability to use or produce insulin. Yet, there were few cooking shows catering to the nearly four million Canadians living with diabetes.

That gap gave Orallo and friend Karen Tusa — a local film editor and location manager, respectively — an idea.

After a decade in progress (owing to life, health issues and careers), Diabetic Kitchen has been picked up by Bell Canada’s Fibe TV1, the broadcaster’s community network.

“It’s like a dream come true. It’s been percolating for a long time, so it’s very exciting to see this actually come to life,” says Tusa, the series’ producer.

The business partners have been busy filming and taste-testing across southern Manitoba this summer.

Each of the episodes will feature low-sugar recipes developed by host Kevin Beaulieu, a practiced home cook living with diabetes.

“Kevin is very passionate about cooking diabetic-friendly foods and making them taste good. We road-tested the recipes before we made them for the show,” Tusa says.

“What we were after was things that you could eat and enjoy, but that didn’t spike your blood sugar levels. These are things that we love, but have made alterations to,” Orallo says.

Dishes include bison smash burgers, bell pepper nachos, grilled pickerel, chicken adobo and sugar-free Saskatoon berry crisp.

“I couldn’t believe how good they were,” Tusa says of Beaulieu’s portobello mushroom steaks, featured in a vegetable-focused episode.

The recipes will be shared with nutritional information vetted by a registered dietitian to help viewers make informed choices.

“If I was trying to eat something, I’d have to be carb counting and break down labels and try to figure out what the macronutrients are. We’ll throw up the macros at the end, so it’s already broken down,” Orallo says.

In addition to providing dietary education, Diabetic Kitchen will cast a spotlight on local ingredients through interviews with food business owners and farmers.

The film crew visited Prairie Oils & Provisions in Steinbach, Almost Urban Vegetables in St. Norbert, Unique Brazilian Dairy in Blumenort and Rockwood Bison ranch in Rockwood.

In each travelling episode, the local products are also used in the day’s featured recipes.

Orallo hopes the audience learns as much as he did on set.

“I can’t say enough about finding out about these Manitoba producers and farmers — I’m just gonna go grocery shopping at farmers markets from now on,” he says with a laugh.

While the show is geared towards those with a diabetes diagnosis, the filmmakers also hope the concept appeals to a wide viewership.

“It’s great for diabetics who are being very careful about what they eat, but it’s also for people wanting to live healthier,” Tusa says.

The first season of Diabetic Kitchen features six episodes and will air on Fibe TV1 later this year.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com