Creative Control
By alaskanray
@alaskanray (4636)
United States
September 16, 2011 2:52am CST
I have been trying to work more cinnamon into my diet lately. I read somewhere that it helps control blood sugars and since I have determined to not have to go on the insulin, I want to keep my blood sugars under control as naturally as possible.
One thing I have started doing is adding at least a teaspoonful of cinnamon to my oatmeal when I have it in the mornings but that just wasn't enough.
Cinnamon is usually used in sweet recipes like cookies or cakes or pies or other desserts. However, since I am diabetic and insist on controlling my blood sugars with my diet as much as possible, I avoid sugar as much as possible. So I started looking online for some savory recipes that included cinnamon.
I found several recipes for things like chili and chicken that used cinnamon in them but didn't always have the ingredients these called for. However, I reasoned that if cinnamon would taste good in chili, then it should taste pretty good in most Mexican dishes, right?
So the other night I threw some stuff together...using some hamburger, I added a can of corn, peas and tomatoes and then seasoned it up with my usual Mexican seasonings and then I added some cinnamon.
Well, my daughter refused to try it but I actually liked it! I used it as filling for burritos and it was quite tasty. The smoky flavor of the cinnamon added a new dimension to the dish and blended quite well. Of course, once I added my favorite hot sauce, it was hard to taste anything else but oh, well. lol 
2 people like this
6 responses
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
18 Sep 11
When I want to try unusual dishes, I go to the web and search for recipes. Check this site: Epicurious.com or Allrecipe. THere you can ask for cinnamon dishes, no sugar and other things in advanced search.
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
18 Sep 11
Marguicha...I really would like you to read a discussion I started sometime ago...regarding cinnamon, the discussion is "OOPS..I fell into a trap!" And the reason that I am bringing this up, is that "cinnamon" is a broad term..and overuse can lead to severe liver problems. And the culprit is the common cinnamon that we buy in the supermarket, as it is made from a cousin of the true cinnamon tree...it is cheap to harvest, and commonly sold. The true cinnamon is quite expensive...and very beneficial to the health. Many big HUGZ!1 person likes this
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
18 Sep 11
I have bought the two kinds, I think. There´s one that is darker and not so good tasting (more like just tree bark) and the other has a more beautiful color, a pungent smell. I like the latter kind. Is that the right one?
2 people like this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
16 Sep 11
After reading your last post about cinnammon, I asked my wife to put cinnamon in my coffee and not to make it sweet, tasted great. Although I have no issues yet with blood sugar, I think it's good for the diet and to be honest I liked the taste.
2 people like this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
16 Sep 11
I don't drink coffee but on occasion I do like to drink Pero, which is a roasted barley drink similar in flavor to coffee. I may just try that out next time I have it. Also, when I do have cocoa, I have the Ibarra brand which has cinnamon in it and is my very favorite cocoa. It's not as sweet as other cocoas, either, so it's even better for me. 
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
17 Sep 11
Interesting. Sounds like a lot of work, though. lol 
I like my Pero...it's instant. 
I like my Pero...it's instant. 1 person likes this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
16 Sep 11
I'll teach you a little trick friend, don't know if you have done this already, have you tried making rice coffee? Well if you have not, it's really easy to make, just get some of that rice you use on your pressure cooker dishes and roast it in a frying pan as they would any coffee bean but just be careful not to burn it by continuously moving the rice with a ladle or any cooking utensil till it it's brown not black(according to your preference).Put it in a cup, pour boiling water or boil it, strain the rice if you prefer, presto it's done! You might just like it friend, for one it is natural and does not contain caffeine, think it would help you save, yes we could both experiment putting cinnamon.
2 people like this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
18 Sep 11
Good day, alaskanray..nearly a year ago, or so, I was watching Dr. Oz, whom touted the benefits of cinnamon. Course, me being the "take it as it is," type of person..started adding cinnamon (common supermarket type)to my coffee, and to a lot of cooking! After about a month, I began to have a constant pain, eventually growing worse, in the area of my liver. Finally, when it became severe, I went to the Dr., she asked if I had changed my diet..etc. I told her about cinnamon, (as she was a Locum (travels to different clinics) her response was "Oh, No..since the airing of that show" I have run across a lot of people with ailing livers. Stop using cinnamon immediately..flush your system...and if you wish to use cinnamon..you must use high quality, true, pure cinnamon that is very expensive. I caution you to research cinnamon (I did a discussion on it..the discussion is "OOPS..I fell into a trap")and you will see that the common spice disguised as cinnamon, and sold in supermarkets..is really BAD for your health! The horrendous pain is something I will not forget! Cheers!1 person likes this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
18 Sep 11
The PRICE! The only country in the world that produces authentic pure, true cinnamon from the Vernum tree...is Sri Lanka, and it is NOT in plentiful supply, hence the price much higher than any from the burmannii tree, which grows commonly in the Tropics, etc., and has a plethora of species, all related to the burmannii! Same...same as the "vanilla" scam that has been going around for years! Am sure you are busy, but if you are going to introduce more to your diet, it would caution you to read those articles and anything else related. I truly did suffer! 1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
18 Sep 11
I don't know what it's like in Canada but here in the US we have the FDA that is supposed to make sure that the labels say what is in the container. Still, I will look into this. Thanks for the heads up.
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
18 Sep 11
Interesting...how do you tell the difference when shopping???
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20156)
• India
31 Oct 11
Hi friend
You might be aware that our indian dishes are very rich in spices and chilli, cinnamon, cardamom etc are added to veg and nonveg curry, fried rice, dal etc, thus indirectly we eat cinaaamon.
I took one spoonful of cinnamon powder in empty stomach for a month, it didn't work.
Later a friend of mine who is a retd professor of botany,(mine is Physics), told me that the spices we get here are of no use, the traders draw the basic oil in them by steam distillation!!!
Thanks for sharing
Best of luck.
Professor
Professor
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
31 Oct 11
Fascinating! More reasons to grow as much of my own food as I can. Hmmm...I'm growing my own saffron, how hard would it be to grow cinnamon, do ya suppose?
@oldchem1 (8132)
•
16 Sep 11
I use cinnamon mostly when I am cooking apples, apples and cinnamon go SO well together it is also good in mashed pumpkin,squash or sweet potatoes. If you sprinkle cinnamon in stored potatoes it stops them sprouting and sprinkle it on fish to take away the cooking odours!
Also an unusual way to use it is to sprinkle buns for burgers with it, it really does add a great flavour, also good with fried tomatoes and any poultry dish.
2 people like this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
16 Sep 11
Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn't thought of using it on hamburger buns but that does sound good. 
1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
30 Sep 11
Dear Alaskanray I dídnt know before reading your post that my beloved cinnamon can also be used with savory dishes, will have to look that up as well.
As you know I am diabetic as well and I love to put cinnamon into my oatmeal, looots of it.... I dont like oatmeal too much but its edible with the cinnamon in it. I also put it into the ground coffee when making filtered coffee.Another of my favorites is, to cut an apple, put it into a microwave proof bowl, sprinkle it wih lots of cinnamon and then cook the apple in the microwave, eating it with a tablespoon of cold plain yoghurt instead of cream as a dessert.
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
30 Sep 11
It is amazing all the uses for cinnamon, isn't it? I grew up eating it on toast, of course, but I always had sugar with it when I did that. Now I avoid sugar as much as possible so I don't do that much anymore but love it when I do.
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
1 Oct 11
I'm eager to try it in meatloaf. I think with the right combination of spices it should be awesome. I don't make meatloaf very often, though, because my daughter refuses to eat it.
She is such a picky eater!
I don't make meatloaf very often, though, because my daughter refuses to eat it.She is such a picky eater!@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
30 Sep 11
yes it is amazing and I would like to learn more about uses of it. When I grew up it was not used a lot in my moms kitchen cause not every family member could hnndle it (it gave bad burps to someone in the family so it was a no no) and I love it and love to put it into the oatmeal, on apples and also into diabetic suitable muffin batter, chocolate cinnamon muffins..... hmmmmmmm..... should make dsome as this does not take too much time.
1 person likes this
