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DIABETIC-FRIENDLY PASTA PRIMAVERA

Note: This recipe may not work for all diabetics. But for those who have their blood sugar under control and have a pasta craving, give this a try. You can improve the nutritional numbers by using your favorite low-carb pasta or zucchini noodles. You can also substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth to add more protein. And only one serving, remember quantity counts!

6-oz whole-wheat thin spaghetti
2 tbsp canola oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup frozen baby peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
freshly ground black pepper as garnish

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions; reserve a half cup of the cooking water and drain.

Heat the canola oil in a deep and wide nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for a minute.  Add the garlic, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.  Add the peas and artichoke hearts; cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, just until heated.  Add the vegetable broth and keep warm over low heat.

Add the spaghetti and basil to the skillet and toss to combine.  Add some of the reserved spaghetti water to moisten, if needed.  Allow the flavors to blend for 1 minute.  Add the cheese and toss.  Serve immediately sprinkled with the pepper, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: Approximately 300 calories, 45 g carbs, 12 g protein, 8 g fiber

BISCUIT TOPPED TURKEY POT PIE

Many of you will shudder at the idea of a biscuit. Fine, skip this recipe. This is a diabetic-friendly recipe as you will see in the nutritional information. This dish has a great carb to protein ratio and should be okay for diabetics whose blood sugar is controlled. If you have trouble controlling your blood sugar, feel free to skip the recipe as a biscuit is probably not a good idea for you. Please refrain from scolding those who can eat it!

Filling:
2 tsp olive or canola oil
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 celery stems, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp white whole-wheat flour
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup cubed potatoes
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt
dash of freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cubed turkey breast (cooked)
1/3 cup frozen peas

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the bell peppers, onion, and celery; cook while stirring for 4 to 5 minutes to soften veggies.  Stir in the flour until blended then stir in the broth.  Add the potatoes, thyme, salt, pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the turkey and the peas to the simmering mixture; cook anter 5-7 minutes or until the potato is tender and peas are hot.  Pour the mixture into a very lightly greased 1-qt casserole dish.

Biscuits:

3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour (using whole-grain flour is important for the diabetic)
3/4 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp cold butter, cut-up
3 tbsp low-fat buttermilk

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until butter is pea-sized.  Stir in the buttermilk.  Place mixture on a lightly floured surface and knead lightly.  Pat dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness; use a biscuit cutter or a 2-inch glass to cut dough into 5 biscuits.  Reroll dough as needed.  Place biscuits on top of the filling and bake at 425 degrees 12-15 minutes until the topping is lightly browned.

Yield: 5 servings of 1 biscuit and 3/4 cup turkey/vegetable mixture = 250 calories, 30 g carbs, and 18 g protein per serving.
Dietary exchange: 2 starch, 2 meat, 1 fat per serving

Note: This is a file photo

GOOD OLD FASHIONED CHERRY PIE

For those special occasions that call for pie or those times when you just crave a slice of pie! Remember this is a dessert, one slice a day! Share with family and friends or take when you are asked to bring a dish or dessert to other occasions. This way you will know there is a dessert you can have, too.  Most diabetics can fit this into their diets occasionally. If you can't, sorry about that!

pastry for a 2-crust pie (made without sugar)
2 cans (15-oz each) pitted tart cherries
1 cup Splenda Granulated
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp white whole wheat flour or almond meal/flour
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract or flavoring
3 to 4 drops liquid red food coloring, optional
pinch of salt


EGG WASH: 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make the egg wash.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry; brush entire bottom and sides of crust with egg wash.  Reserve remaining egg wash.  Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Drain the cherries; reserve the juice and set cherries aside.

In a 2-quart saucepan combine the Splenda, cornstarch, flour, and reserved cherry juice.  Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a slow boil.  Cook for 1 minute; remove from heat.

Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extract, food coloring - if using, and salt; stir to combine well.  Fold in the cherries and pour into the chilled crust.  Top pie with a top crust or lattice crust strips, turning edges under and crimping to seal.  Brush top crust with remaining egg wash and cut air slits in top if using a solid crust. 

Use a pie shield or cover edges with a loose foil rim to prevent edge of crust from getting too brown.  Bake at 425 degrees for approximately a half hour or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

 

Note: File Photo

MY DIABETIC VERSION OF MY LATE AUNT'S BANANA NUT BREAD

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup Splenda Granulated
2 large or 3 medium eggs
1 tbsp milk
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter and Splenda; add the eggs and milk. Add the bananas and stir to blend.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to the banana mixture. Stir in the vanilla and nuts.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack about 10 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely on the wire rack.

The picture below is this bread I made this morning.

CARAMEL APPLE CRISP

6 medium apples (6 cups) cored and sliced thin
1 tbsp Splenda Granulated
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 tbsp butter
1 egg white
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp sugar-free caramel ice-cream topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl toss the apples with the Splenda Granulated and cinnamon.  Spoon evenly into a 2-quart baking dish or pan.

To make the topping, combine the oats, flour, and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend in a medium bowl.  Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the oat mixture until the mixture is crumbly.  Stir in the egg white and the pecans until all combined.  Sprinkle over the apples in the baking dish or pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.  If topping starts to get too brown, cover loosely with foil.  Remove from oven, remove foil, and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Just before serving, place the caramel in a cup or small bowl and microwave on high for about 10 seconds.  Drizzle over the crisp.

Note: This basics of this recipe and the photo are from a 2010 Diabetic Living Magazine.

WISHING YOU A GREAT HOLIDAY

WHITE FISH FOIL PACKET

4 cups spinach, trimmed and washed
1 lb white fish fillets, cut into 4 equal-size pieces
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 tsp black pepper
20 grape tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut 4 18-inch long sheets of heavy-duty foil.

Place 1 cup of spinach in the center of each of the foil sheets.

Combine the mustard, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic and drizzle evenly over the fish.  Sprinkle with the green onions and pepper.  Top evenly with the tomato halves.

Bring up the sides of the foil.  Double fold the top and ends to seal each packet, leaving room for the heat to circulate inside to cook fish evenly.  Place the packets in a single layer on a baking sheet that has sides.

Bake packets for 15 minutes at 375 degrees or cook until the fish is opaque and easily flakes with a fork.  Cut slits in top of foil to release steam before opening to keep from getting your hands steamed.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: 150 calories, 4 g (1 g saturated) fat, 23 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 65 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 200 mg sodium

SHRIMP AND PEA POD STIR-FRY

1 lb fresh or frozen medium shrimp in shells
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, optional
2 tbsp canola or olive oil
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup packaged fresh julienned carrots
12-oz snow pea pods, trimmed
1 1/3 cups hot cooked brown rice

If shrimp if frozen, thaw. Peel and devein leaving tails intact, if desired. Rinse; pat dry.

To make sauce: In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper, if using.

In a 12-inch skillet or a wok heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots; cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes until just beginning to soften. Add the pea pods and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add the shrimp; cook, stirring, 3 minutes more or just until shrimp are opaque. Add the sauce and cook, stirring, until thick and bubbly.

Serve the shrimp mixture over the hot rice. Garnish with additional crushed red pepper, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving of 1 1/2 cups shrimp mixture over 1/3 cup rice: 323 calories, 11 g fat (1g sat), 159 mg cholesterol, 499 mg sodium, 32 g carbs (5g fiber, 7g sugar), 26 g protein

Recipe and photo from Diabetic Living.

LEAN BEEF BURGERS

1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise (I only use olive oil mayonnaise)
1 tbsp catsup
4 red lettuce leaves
4 multigrain sandwich thins (a wonderful alternative to buns!)
1 large ripe tomato, sliced into 4 thick slices

In a medium mixing bowl combine the beef, onion, and garlic powder; mix well.  Shape the mixture into 4 even-sized patties approximately 4-inches in diameter.  Sprinkle the black pepper on the meat patties.

Cook on a preheated grill that has been oiled on in a large skillet that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Cook over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes per side.  This should make a burger slightly pink in the center at a 160 degree temperature.  Personally, I like my burgers very well done so I leave mine for another couple of minutes per side.

While the burgers cook, combine the mayonnaise and catsup in a cup or small bowl.  Layer the lettuce on the bottoms of the sandwich thins.  Top lettuce with the cooked patties followed by the mayo mixture and top with the tomato slices.  Finish by placing the top portion of the sandwich thins over the tomatoes.

1 completed burger sandwich per serving = 272 calories, 7 g total fat (2 saturated) 30 g protein, 25 g carbs, 70 mg cholesterol, 6 g dietary fiber
This recipe is from a diabetic magazine.