Red-blooded dieting

November is American Diabetes Month, a time when the American Diabetes Association likes to remind us about the importance of prevention and control of the disease.

The statistics are dreary. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (published in the journal Population Health Metrics), cases are projected to double or triple by 2050. One in 10 U.S. adults has diabetes now, but the prevalence is expected to rise sharply over the next 40 years, with as many as one in three having the disease, primarily Type 2 diabetes.

Personally, I live in the gray zone. My blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. The usual suspects — bread, pasta and desserts — aren't a problem for me.

But I'll admit it. I am addicted to meat. For me, it's a feel-good food, packed with the stuff that keeps me feeling sated for hours and hours. But it can be loaded with fat and calories, especially pork, beef and skin-on chicken.

For advice, I turned to expert Marlene Koch, a registered dietitian and best-selling author. Koch's cookbook, "Eat What You Love" (Running Press, $29.95), contains helpful information along with an alluring collection of more than 300 healthful, family-friendly recipes. Recipes low in sugar, fat and calories.

"Extra calories often mean extra pounds, and being overweight is the greatest risk factor for Type 2 diabetes," Koch said. "For everyone, including those with diabetes, you can eat meat up to five times a week as long as it's lean. The USDA defines lean meat as having no more than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3-ounce cooked serving."

She says studies also show that those who eat lean meats while dieting have an easier time sticking to their regimens.

In her book, she includes an easy-to-read chart that showcases meats that meet the "lean" category. I found it helpful to tape the chart to the inside of my kitchen cabinet for quick reference (the chart in the book also includes chicken and fish).

When you are at the market, she advises, look for the words "loin" or "round" on the label.

"Ground meat can really be deceiving," she said. "If it says 80 percent lean, that means that 20 percent of the calorie content is fat. The truth is, there is water weight in the mix. It is 20 percent fat by weight. So it can really be 60 percent fat in calories."

Meat and dairy are the only two areas left that are allowed to do percentages by weight, she says, adding that she likes the 93 percent lean ground beef.

"Most thinking centers on limiting sugar and carbs," she said. "But the number one cause of death among diabetics is heart disease. A healthy diet for those with diabetes is one that is not only controlled with regard to carbohydrates, but also one that is low in fat."

Less fat means eating leaner cuts, as well as consuming smaller portions. Recently, I made Koch's 20-Minute Pork Marsala for dinner. The easy recipe uses 1 pound of well-trimmed pork tenderloin cut into 3⁄4-inch wide medallions. Each medallion is pounded into a 1⁄8-inch thickness to look like a thin sheet of veal. The sauce, a combination of Marsala, red wine or beef broth, plus oodles of fresh mushrooms, melds beautifully with the lean but tasty pork.

"Veal Marsala at Romano's Macaroni Grill comes served on a bed of capellini pasta and clocks in at 1,090 calories, 47 grams of fat, 2,680 milligrams of sodium and 119 grams of carbohydrates," she wrote. "A bed of one cup cooked capellini will add approximately 200 calories and 42 grams of carbohydrates per portion."

That makes the nutritional breakdown under her slim-downed recipe look really inspiring (only 245 calories per serving). But the recipe is intended to feed four. Mr. Wonderful and I ate two-thirds of it for dinner, and I polished the rest of it off the next day for lunch.

Portion control. I need to work on portion control.

20-MINUTE PORK MARSALA

Yield: four servings

1 pound pork tenderloin, well-trimmed

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup dry Marsala

1⁄2 cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium beef broth

8 ounces or 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 teaspoon butter

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Cook's notes: "One of my favorite meats is pork tenderloin," Koch said. "You can turn it into something that looks like veal scaloppini."

Procedure

Cut the tenderloin into 3⁄4-inch thick slices and pound to a 1⁄8-inch thickness.

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the pork in a single layer and brown for about one minute on each side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Heat oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute (do not brown). In a small bowl, stir together the tomato paste, flour, Marsala and red wine or broth and mushrooms. Place mixture in skillet. Simmer three to five minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Add butter and stir. Return pork to pan and spoon sauce over meat. Heat until pork is thoroughly cooked. Garnish with parsley.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CRANBERRY PAN SAUCE

Yield: four servings

1⁄4 cup port wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1⁄4 cup dried cranberries

1⁄2 teaspoon dried ground ginger

1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard

1-1⁄4 pounds pork tenderloin

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon canola or olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1⁄3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1⁄4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon reduced-sugar raspberry jelly

1 tablespoon butter

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together the port, cranberries, ginger and mustard. Set aside. Season pork with the salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the tenderloins and brown well on all sides. Remove the meat and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees. Remove from oven, cover and let rest for five to 10 minutes.

While meat roasts, make the pan sauce. Add the garlic to the skillet and sauté for one minute (do not brown). Add port mixture, broth, orange juice and vinegar; cook over low heat for five to eight minutes, until mixture reduces slightly and the cranberries are plump and softened. Increase heat to medium and stir in the jelly until it melts. Swirl butter into sauce just before serving. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

To serve, slice meat and place it on plates. Spoon sauce over each serving.

SKILLET BEEF STROGANOFF

Yield: four servings

1 pound lean boneless sirloin

2 teaspoons olive oil or canola oil, divided use

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Optional: 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Pepper, to taste

Optional: 3 cups cooked wide noodles

Procedure

Slice the meat across the grain into very thin slices, 1⁄8 inch thick (partially freezing the meat makes slicing easier). Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a very large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the beef. Quickly stir-fry just until browned. Do not overcook. Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside. Repeat with remaining meat.

Add the onion to the hot pan and cook three minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and thyme (crush the thyme with your fingers). Stir and cook three to four more minutes, or until onion and mushrooms are soft. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir.

Add the beef broth and Worcestershire. Stir and cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Reduce heat and add the beef. Stir in sour cream and salt, if using. Cook briefly until slightly thickened and hot.

NOT EVERYDAY BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH GORGONZOLA SAUCE

Yield: four servings

4 (6-ounce) filets mignon (1-1⁄2 to 2 inches thick)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1⁄4 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1⁄3 cup low-fat milk

1⁄3 cup nonfat half-and-half

2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Optional: freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Procedure

Preheat broiler or grill to hot.

Pat filets dry and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil each side for six minutes for medium rare. Add one to two minutes per side to cook to medium (145 degrees for medium rare or 155 degrees for medium). Set filets aside to rest for five minutes.

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and rosemary; cook one minute. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to make a paste. Whisk in milk and half-and-half. Stir and cook for three to four minutes or until thick. Add Gorgonzola and stir until smooth. Season with pepper, if desired. To serve, drizzle the steaks with sauce.