7 Diabetes-Friendly Recipes

7 Diabetes-Friendly Recipes

Having diabetes isn’t a death sentence for your palette. Check out these 7 healthier takes on your favorite foods for every meal of the day…

Zucchini Frittata
A frittata, as a flat omelet is known in Italy, can be filled with a variety of vegetables and cheeses and makes a great impromptu brunch dish or supper. In this version, fresh mint and basil brighten the mild taste of zucchini. If you prefer, use feta or ricotta salata (a type of Italian cheese) in place of the goat cheese.


Serves: 6
Preparation time: 35 minutes


Ingredients:
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup diced zucchini (1 small)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup slivered fresh mint
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste
5 large eggs
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (2 ounces)


Preparation:
1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion; cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, but not mushy, 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, mint, basil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the moisture has evaporated, 30-60 seconds.


2. Whisk eggs, the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper in a large bowl until blended. Add the zucchini mixture and cheese; stir to combine.


3. Preheat the broiler.


4. Wipe out the pan and brush it with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil; place over medium-low heat. Add the frittata mixture and cook, without stirring, until the bottom is light golden, 2-4 minutes. As it cooks, lift the edges and tilt the pan so uncooked egg will flow to the edges.


5. Place the pan under the broiler and broil until the frittata is set and the top is golden, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes. Loosen the edges and slide onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.


Enjoy!


Nutritional Facts
Per serving:
376 calories
28 g fat (10 g sat, 13 g mono)
445 mg cholesterol
10 g carbohydrates
21 g protein
3 g fiber
590 mg sodium
565 mg potassium


Nutritional Bonus: vitamin A (40% Daily Value), vitamin C (40% DV), iron (25% DV), folate (22% DV), calcium (20% DV)

Mushroom, Sausage & Spinach Lasagna
This Italian classic is made healthier with whole-wheat lasagna noodle that are higher in fiber than white noodles. To make this dish vegetarian, substitute a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean.


Serves: 10
Preparation time: 30 minutes


Ingredients
8 ounces lasagna noodles, preferably whole-wheat
1 pound lean spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
4 cups sliced mushrooms (10 ounces)
1/4 cup water
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese (2 cups)
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided


Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with cooking spray. Put a large pot of water on to boil.


2. Cook noodles in the boiling water until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain, return the noodles to the pot, cover with cool water and set aside.


3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage more, until the sausage is cooked through, the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 8-10 minutes. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water, then stir into the pan; remove from heat.


4. Mix tomatoes with basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.


5. To assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, trimming to fit if necessary. Evenly dollop half the ricotta over the noodles. Top with half the sausage mixture, one-third of the remaining tomatoes and one-third of the mozzarella. Continue with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining sausage, half the remaining tomatoes and half the remaining mozzarella. Top with a third layer of noodles and the remaining tomatoes.


6. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake until bubbling and heated through, 60-80 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on the lasagna. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted but not browned, 8-10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.


Enjoy!


Nutrition Facts
Per serving:
316 calories
13 g fat (6 g sat, 2 g mono)
59 mg cholesterol
28 g carbohydrate
26 g protein
6 g fiber
681 mg sodium


Nutrition Bonus: vitamin A (90% Daily Value), calcium (35% DV), folate (15% DV)


Carbohydrate servings: 1-1/2
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1-1/2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 2 medium-fat meat

Mixed Greens with Grapes & Feta
Contrasting sweet grapes with savory feta cheese and crisp, colorful greens, makes this salad an elegant first course.


Serves: 8
Preparation time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:
For the dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste


For the salad:
8 cups mesclun salad greens (5 ounces)
1 head radicchio, thinly sliced
2 cups halved seedless grapes (about 1 pound), preferably red and green
3/4 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese


Preparation:
To prepare dressing:
1. Whisk (or shake) oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl (or jar) until blended.


To prepare salad:
1. Just before serving, toss greens and radicchio in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top and toss to coat. Divide the salad among eight plates. Scatter grapes and cheese over each salad; serve immediately.


Enjoy!


Nutritional Facts
Per serving:
135 calories
10 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono)
13 mg cholesterol
9 g carbohydrates
3 g protein
1 g fiber
239 mg sodium
187 mg potassium


Nutritional Bonus: vitamin C (15% Daily Value), folate (9% DV)

Salmon Roasted with Tomatoes & Olives
Although you can use any firm-fleshed fish, such as halibut or cod, salmon is especially delicious with the roasted tomatoes and black olives. Serve with steamed green beans or broccoli florets and boiled new potatoes.


Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes


Ingredients
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, stem ends trimmed, cut into thin wedges
1/2 medium onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
2 strips orange zest, cut into thin slivers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1-1/4 pounds salmon fillet (about 1-1/2 inches thick), skin removed, cut into 4 portions


Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine tomatoes, onion, orange zest and garlic in a large roasting pan or on a large baking sheet with sides. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.


2. Roast, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes and onion are tender and beginning to brown on the edges, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 450° F.


3. Add olives and rosemary to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Clear four spaces in the pan and place a salmon piece in each. Spoon some of the tomato mixture on top.


4. Roast until the salmon is opaque in the center, 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness.


Enjoy!


Nutrition Facts
Per serving:
372 calories
20 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono)
90 mg cholesterol
14 g carbohydrate
34 g protein
3 g fiber
585 mg sodium
1281 mg potassium


Nutrition Bonus: vitamin C (40% Daily Value), potassium (37% DV), vitamin A (25% DV), folate (18% DV)


Carbohydrate serving: 1
Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 5 lean meat,1 fat (mono)

Green Beans with Poppy Seed Dressing
These warm, fresh-tasting beans offer an exciting alternative to old standby mushroom-soup-based green-bean casseroles. Toasting the poppy seeds brings out their nutty flavor.


Serves: 4, 3/4 cup each
Preparation time: 20 minutes


Ingredients
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white-wine or rice-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed


Preparation
To prepare dressing:
1. Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add poppy seeds and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl (or jar) and let cool.


2. Add oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, shallot, salt and pepper; whisk (or shake) until blended.


To prepare beans:
1. Cook beans in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, 5-7 minutes. Drain. Warm the dressing in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beans and toss to coat.


Enjoy!


Nutrition Facts
Per serving:
113 calories
8 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono)
0 mg cholesterol
11 g carbohydrate
3 g protein
4 g fiber
104 mg sodium


Nutrition Bonus: vitamin C (20% Daily Value), fiber (15% DV), vitamin A (15% DV)

Carbohydrate Serving: 1

Mixed Berry-Almond Gratin
How simple and delicious are berries topped with a rich custard and baked into a crusty dessert (or breakfast) gratin. No one will ever guess that you've replaced much of the butter in traditional almond cream with tofu.


Serves: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes


Ingredients:
1/3 cup slivered almonds (1-1/4 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar or Splenda Granular
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup firm silken low-fat tofu
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 cups mixed berries, such as raspberries, blackberries and blueberries
Confectioners' sugar for dusting


Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 1-quart gratin dish or a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.


2. Spread almonds in a shallow baking pan and bake until light golden and fragrant, 4-6 minutes. Let cool.


3. Place sugar (or Splenda), flour, salt and almonds in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add egg, tofu, butter and almond extract; process until smooth.


4. Spread berries evenly in the prepared gratin dish. Scrape the almond mixture over the top, spreading evenly.


5. Bake the gratin until light golden and set, 40-50 minutes. Let cool for at least 20 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm.


Enjoy!


Nutritional Facts
Per serving:
195 calories (138 calories with Splenda)
7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono)
40 mg cholesterol
30 g carbohydrates (16 g carbohydrates with Splenda)
4 g protein
4 g fiber
48 mg sodium
164 mg potassium


Nutritional Bonus: vitamin C (22% Daily Value), fiber (16% DV)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here's a new take on an American classic. Tahini (sesame paste) makes these cookies sophisticated for adults and lower in saturated fat, while brown sugar and chocolate keeps them ever so delicious for the whole family.


Serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup tahini
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup granulated sugar or 1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Preparation:
1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.


2. Whisk oats, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat tahini and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended into a paste. Add granulated sugar (or Splenda) and brown sugar; continue beating until well combined – the mixture will still be a little grainy. Beat in egg, then egg white, then vanilla. Stir in the oat mixture with a wooden spoon until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.


3. With damp hands, roll 1 tablespoon of the batter into a ball, place it on a prepared baking sheet and flatten it until squat, but don't let the sides crack. Continue with the remaining batter, spacing the flattened balls 2 inches apart.


4. Bake the cookies until golden brown, about 16 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Cool on the pans for two minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Let the pans cool for a few minutes before baking another batch.


Enjoy!


Nutritional Facts
Per cookie:
101 calories (97 calories with Splenda)
5 fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono)
7 mg cholesterol
12 carbohydrates (12 g carbohydrates with Splenda)
2 g protein
1 fiber
45 mg sodium
56 mg potassium