10 Healthy Diabetic Recipes

Being diagnosed with diabetes can be an alarming revelation for most people. However, the bright side is that with a healthy diet and lots of exercise, the adverse ill effects of the disease, such as ulceration and heart disease can be avoided, adding a good many years to your life.

The following is a compilation of some healthy, nutrient-rich recipes that will tantalize the diabetic palate, while adding value to your dining experience. The recipes are intended to educate the reader on how to create healthier meal options for optimal diabetes management. To ensure you are eating right, consult a certified dietitian, who will help you evolve a daily meal plan that is tailored to suit your nutritional requirements.

Stop!

Consult your medical doctor!

MEDITERRANEAN OMELET

The traditional omelet gets a

Mediterranean twist in this scrumptious recipe. Infused with an array of fresh vegetables and light spices, the Mediterranean omelet is a wholesome dish that makes for an excellent breakfast or brunch item. Accompany the dish with a wholegrain roll and top it off with a fresh fruit salad.

Ingredients

5 beaten egg whites 3 beaten whole eggs 1 small zucchini, sliced 5 medium sized potatoes, sliced and diced ½ medium onion, roughly chopped 1½ cups green/red peppers, sliced thin 5 mushrooms, roughly chopped 3 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese

Method

☛ Heat the oven to a temperature of 375 degrees ☛ Boil the potatoes until tender.

☛ Grease the nonstick pan with cooking spray, and heat until warm ☛ Next, toss in the onions and caramelize them. Add the vegetables and stir-fry till they are tender.

☛ Pour the eggs into a mixing bowl and add garlic salt, pepper and mozzarella cheese, and beat until well-blended.

Now drizzle this mixture over the vegetables.

☛ Grease a pie pan with vegetable spray, place the potatoes in it and pour the egg mixture along with the cooked vegetables over it. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over it and let it bake for about half an hour or until a nice brown crust starts to develop on top.

☛ Once done, remove the pie from the oven, and allow it to cool. Slice into equal proportions and serve.

LEAN MEAT STEW Lean meats are an excellent source of protein, iron, and other nutrients that are so essential for the smooth functioning of the body. Enrich this recipe with a side of cucumber salad, green leaf lettuce, and a wholegrain dinner roll. You may substitute the potatoes with corn or plantain.

Ingredients

1 lb. of chicken, sliced into cubes 2 tablespoons of whole-wheat fiour ¼ tablespoon of salt ¼ tablespoon of pepper ¼ tablespoon of cumin 1½ tablespoon of olive oil 2 garlic cloves, slice and diced 2 medium sized onions, roughly chopped 2 stalks of celery, chopped 1 average sized bell pepper (red or green), chopped 1 tomato, sliced and diced 5 cups of chicken broth 5 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

NO average sized carrots, cut into cubes

1¼ cups of peas

Method

☛ Heat the oven to a temperature of 375 degrees ☛ Pour the whole-wheat fiour into a mixing bowl. Add cumin, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Dab the chicken cubes in the mixture.

☛ Pour olive oil into a large skillet and heat. Now add the chicken cubes and fry for about 10 minutes until well browned.

☛ Place the fried chicken cubes in a standard oven casserole dish ☛ Meanwhile, toss in the onions, peppers, celery, and garlic into the skillet and stir fry for about 5 minutes.

☛ Now pour in the chicken broth and tomato into the cooked vegetables and let it boil ☛ Drizzle the broth mixture over the chicken cubes in the casserole, cover and bake for an hour.

☛ Now add the carrots, peas, and potatoes to the casserole and let it bake for about half an hour. Serve hot.

JAMAICAN RED SNAPPER

Re-create the oceanic fiavors of the

Caribbean with this delectable entrée item. The Jamaican Red Snapper is best served on a bed of wholegrain rice and vegetables. Garnish it with a generous sprinkling of parsley and enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 onion, roughly chopped ½ cup green pepper, roughly chopped ½ cup of carrots, sliced into longish strips

Single clove of garlic, ffnely minced

½ cup of white wine ô lb. of red snapper ffllet 1 tomato, roughly chopped 2 tablespoon of olives, roughly chopped 2 tablespoon of low fat cheese, crumbled

Method

☛ Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.

Toss in the red peppers, carrots, onions and garlic. Stir fry for about 10 minutes. Pour in the white wine and bring mixture to a boil.

☛ Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Next place the snapper ffllets in the center of the pan, one on top of the other. Place a lid over the skillet and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

☛ Toss in the olives and tomatoes and sprinkle cheese over it. Place the lid back on the skillet and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

☛ Now plate the ffsh and top it off with vegetables and oil from the pan before serving.

DOUBLE CHEESE PIZZA Here’s our healthy take on an ever popular fast food staple – the pizza. In place of white fiour, we use whole-wheat fiour for added ffber and nutrition. Top it off with fresh fruit and vegetables for a well-balanced meal.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of whole-wheat fiour 10 ounces of pizza crust (the refrigerated kind) cooking spray 2 tablespoons of olive oil ½ a cup of ricotta cheese (low fat) ½ a teaspoon of basil (dried) 1 onion, ffnely sliced 2 cloves of minced garlic ¼ teaspoon of salt if you want 4 ounces of mozzarella cheese (shredded) 2 cups of roughly chopped mushrooms 1 red pepper, sliced into ffne strips

Method

☛ Heat the oven to a temperature of 425 degrees ☛ Sprinkle some whole-wheat fiour over the kitchen top and roll the pizza dough as thick as you want it.

☛ Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place the pizza dough on it.

Dab the top of the dough using a brush dipped in olive oil.

☛ In a mixing bowl, toss in the ricotta cheese along with the onion, basil, salt and garlic. Mix thoroughly and then drizzle it over the pizza dough.

☛ Now sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the crust and then place the red pepper strips and mushrooms over it.

☛ Bake the pizza dough for about 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and a rich golden brown crust develops on top.

☛ Slice into equal proportions and serve hot TROPICAL FRUIT FIESTA A delightful desert is a fabulous way to wrap up a wholesome meal. We bring to you this mélange of tropical fruits drizzled with yogurt and packed with nutritional goodness for a sweet and tangy after-meal dessert.

Ingredients

8 ounces of orange yogurt (fat free/ sugar free) 5 strawberries, sliced into halves 3 ounces of honeydew melon, sliced 1 mango, peeled, seeded and sliced into cubes 1 papaya, peeled, seeded and sliced into cubes 3 ounces of watermelon, seeded and cut into cubes 2 oranges, sliced and seeded ½ cup of unsweetened orange juice

Directions

☛ Pour the yogurt and fruits into a bowl and mix them well ☛ Drizzle the orange juice over the fruit and yogurt mixture ☛ Mix nicely, chill and serve.

BANANA WITH HONEY GRAPEFRUIT When on a diabetic diet, eating a variety of fruits is a great way to satiate your sweet tooth cravings. Besides adding a dash of sweetness to your menu, fruits are also loaded with a multitude of vitamins, including vitamin C, and dietary ffber, that will help you lose weight and boost your immune system. Bananas, for one, are an excellent source of potassium. This delectable sweet/sour combo can add zing to your breakfast or conclude a wholesome meal. Mint has beneffcial antioxidant properties, while grapefruit is a good source of vitamin C, has a low glycemic index, and can be safely consumed by diabetics.

Ingredients

1 cup of sliced bananas 1 tablespoon of honey 1 jar of refrigerated grapefruit

A few sprigs of freshly chopped mint

Method

☛ Drain the jar of grapefruit retaining just a quarter of the juice. Now, transfer the grapefruit along with the juice into a medium-sized bowl. Add the sliced bananas and sprinkle the mint over it. Chill for a while and enjoy.

APPLESAUCE PANCAKES This next delicacy bears testimony to the fact that even low-sugar and low-carb foods can be delicious. Our take on this breakfast staple involves a switcheroo of applesauce in place of butter, so that you can enjoy a bit of natural sweetness while cutting down on excess fat.

Ingredients

1 egg beaten lightly 1 cup of fiour 1 cup of low or nonfat buttermilk 1 tsp of baking soda 2 tbsp of toasted wheat germ

A dash of salt

2 tsp of vegetable oil ¼ cup of applesauce (unsweetened)

Fresh fruit sliced

Cooking spray

Method

☛ In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the fiour, salt, wheat germ and baking soda. Make a hollow in the center of the mixture. Now combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and applesauce. Pour the mixture into the center of the dry mixture and mix well. Next, heat a nonstick pan, greasing it with the cooking spray.

Pour a quarter-cup of the dough, spreading it in the pan in the form of 5-inch circles. Allow the pancakes to cook and fiip over when bubbles start to appear on top and the edges are browned. Serve the pancakes with freshly sliced fruits of your choice, and drizzle with sugar-free maple syrup for an additional kick.

VEGGIE SAUSAGE CHEDDAR FRITTATA This next recipe makes for the perfect comfort food. Both delicious and healthful, the veggie sausage cheddar frittata is low in carbs and balanced with useful proteins and other nutrients. The low fat cheese and egg whites provide your system with healthy fats.

Ingredients

8-ounce pack of sliced mushrooms 1 cup of egg substitute 4 veggie sausage patties (crumbled) 1 chopped green bell pepper ½ cup of low fat cheddar cheese (shredded) 1/8 tsp of salt

Quarter-cup of half-and-half

1/8 tsp of ground black pepper

Cooking spray

Method

☛ Grease a medium-sized pan with cooking spray and heat. Toss in the mushrooms and chopped bell peppers and sauté for about 3 minutes. Now add the veggie sausage, sprinkle the salt and pepper and let it cook on medium-low heat.

Next, mix the egg substitute with the half-and-half, and pour it over the other ingredients in the pan. Cover the mixture and continue to cook for about 6 minutes. Drizzle the cheese over it, and broil for about 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Cut into 8 slices and serve while warm.

VEGGIE TOSTADAS The tostada is a popular delicacy that is native to Mexico and other parts of Central and South America. It is basically a fiat, sometimes bowl-shaped tortilla that is either toasted or deep fried. Our veggie incarnation of this dish makes for a healthy and wholesome meal with a low carb count, considerable protein content, beneffcial minerals including iron and calcium, and a good amount of ffber per serving.

Ingredients

4 tostadas 2 medium-sized zucchinis (sliced)

Cooking spray

1 medium-sized red bell pepper (chopped) 2 cups of mushrooms (sliced)

Method

☛ Grease a medium-sized nonstick pan and heat. Toss in the zucchini, bell peppers, and sliced mushrooms into the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes till the veggies turn tender. Now using a spoon, heap scoops of the bean mixture onto each tostada. Garnish them with salsa, cheese, and lettuce and serve.

BARLEY AND BLACK BEAN SALAD Black beans are an excellent source of protein and dietary ffber. Apart from aiding in digestion and ensuring intestinal health, ffber gives you a feeling of fullness so that you do not feel the need to snack between meals.

Barley has excellent diuretic properties as well, which helps fiush out toxins from your system and keep you feeling healthy.

Ingredients

1 can of black beans 1 cup of uncooked pearl barley 1/3 cup of lemon juice A pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 1 tsp of salt 2 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese ½ a cup of jalapeno peppers, sliced in half 1/8 tsp of ground red pepper ¾ cup of cilantro leaves ò cup of bell peppers, chopped ffnely 2 tbsp of olive oil

Method

☛ Follow the directions on the package and cook the barley, without adding salt. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water, and allow it to cool. Next, in a medium-sized bowl, add the black beans and all the other ingredients. Now add the barley to the mixture, toss gently, and serve.

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