Learn something new every day

I think diabetes is fascinating! Yesterday's post just skims the surface. As I learned today, chronic hyperglycemia causes all sorts of damage over time, yes. But in the short-term, hyperglycemia is barely felt -- it's the ketoacidosis that brings people into the ER. Basically, since glucose stays in the blood instead of getting into cells, cells rely on alternate forms of energy. A byproduct of these "alternative energy sources" are molecules (ketone bodies) that make your blood more acidic. Patients come in breathing rapidly to clear the acid by getting rid of carbon dioxide. Only then do they notice that they're dehydrated (dangerously so) due to the hyperglycemia.

For tonight's dinner, I give thanks to my pancreas. After many years of trying, I finally made tomato sauce that tastes just like my dad's. It's sweet without adding sugar or wine and so simple that all you taste are tomatoes and spaghetti. There's nothing daunting about it, only you can't skip on the butter.

Simple tomato sauce (makes ~2-3 servings):

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled but whole
• 1/2 onion, left whole (you can peel the outer layer or not, up to you)
• 1/2 box or 1 small can of peeled tomatoes (whole or crushed or pureed -- my favorite brand is Pomi, which comes in a small box instead of a can)
• 1 tsp butter
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

Melt butter and olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and onion and leave it alone for few minutes. The garlic and onion should begin to soften and smell fragrant. Before they brown, add the tomatoes and simmer all together. If necessary, add some water to the pan to keep the sauce from drying out or burning. Simmer under a lid on to cook the onion through. My dad usually discards the onion, but I like to salvage it and eat it sliced with my pasta. Keeps the vampires away.

I may have mentioned this before, but I've learned to undercook the pasta and finish cooking it in the sauce with about 1/4 cup of the pasta water added back in -- this way the pasta absorbs the sauce as it finishes.