Recipes

RECIPES FOR DIABETICS

Orange Roughy with Dilled Vegetables
 
2 orange roughy fish fillets
1 table spoon olive oil
2 te4aspoons fresh lemon juice
1deaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small (5oz) zucchini, cut lengthwise in half and then crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
3 plum tomatoes, each cut crosswise in half then into quarters (approximately 1 cup)
1/2 small yellow, red or green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green onion, cut diagonally into slices
salt (optional) 

1. Cut fish fillets to make 4 equal serving size portions, In 8-inch square microwave-safe baking dish, arrange fish in spoke- fashion with one portion fish in each corner; fold thinner ends under to make even thickness.
2. In medium bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, dill and pepper. Add vegetables, tossing to coat. Arrange vegetables evenly over fish. Cover with microwave safe plastic wrap, lifting one edge to vent.
3. Microwave on high 7-8 minutes or until fish flakes and vegetables are tender rotating dish halfway through cooking. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information: 126 calories; 18g protein; 4g carbohydrate 4g fat; .8 mg iron; 78mg sodium;23 mg cholesterol.

BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA

 

Ingredients

1 cup pizza sauce
1 12-inch Italian pizza crust
8 green pepper rings
1 tomato, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces cooked chicken breast, sliced about 1-inch thick, with all visible fat removed
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Spread the sauce evenly over the pizza crust. Add the pepper, tomato, mushrooms and chicken. Drizzle barbecue sauce over the pizza and top with cheese.
Bake about 12 to 14 minutes. Cut the pizza into 8 slices and serve immediately.

Nutritional analysis per serving

Serving size: 2 slices
Calories	333	Sodium	961 mg
Total fat	8 g	Total carbohydrate	44 g
Saturated fat	3 g	Dietary fiber	3 g
Monounsaturated fat	trace	Protein	23 g
Cholesterol	35 mg

 DRESSINGS
- often we are doing so well eating our vegetables and making sure to get enough greens, that we neglect to notice how bad our dressing can be. Below are some great recipes for simple and healthy dressing to add to your healthy meal and lifestyle!

Summer Dressing
This is a delicious dressing for many different salads such as sliced head lettuce, shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes, tossed greens, deviled eggs, or sliced tomatoes. After making this dressing, be sure to refrigerate for a several hours before using, stirring occasionally. 
1cup (8oz) plain yogurt 
2tbsp finely diced radishes
1/2cup very finely chopped and unpeeled cucumber, drained
1tbsp of minced parsley
1tbsp of green onions
1tbsp white vinegar
1tbsp prepared horse radish
1/8 teaspoon of salt

Combine all ingredients carefully and thoroughly, Turn into pint jar, cover and chill well before using, Stir before using.
YIELD: 1.5 cups, with total values of 15g carbohydrates, 9g protein, 4g fat, 132 calories.

No Calorie Dressing
Here is a basic recipe with variations for quickly made salad dressings suitable for many types of salads. Since none have any food values, you ay use them generously, The basic recipe itself is delicious on either fruit salads or vegetable salads. Serve the variations on vegetable or meat salads. 
1/2c cold water
1/2c white vinegar
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp pure, dry mustard
1/8tsp pepper
1/16tsp of paprika
Low calorie or no calorie sweetener to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pint jar, cover tightly, shake vigorously, store in refrigerator. YIELD: 1c-no food values.
Variations:
Green Onion- to above recipe add 2 or 3 green onions cut very small
Poppy Seed- Use1/2 c of cider vinegar instead of white vinegar; omit paprika; add 1 tbsp of poppy seed
Dilly Dressing: use 1/2c of mat vinegar in place of white vinegar; omit paprika; add 1-1/2 tbsp of dill seed



For more great recipes for diabetics, please follow the link to Mayo clinics recipes for diabetics site which can be found by Clicking Here


SPOTLIGHT ON BLOGGERS: What's your favorite healthy recipe??? Share here! by clicking the comment button and simply adding content!


This link can provide you with a free recipe book for diabetics! Click Here For Free Recipe Book!

What to Eat

Now that we've gotten the worst part out of the way, what CAN we eat. Take a look at the following tables to help you guide your healthy eating choices.

BEST & WORST CHOICES 

If you already follow a healthful meal plan filled with whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean protein, congratulations! You're on your way to a long, healthy life and are taking a major step in controlling your weight and blood glucose levels. Plus, you're probably already eating a bunch of the foods on this list.
For those who are taking the baby-steps approach to eating better, this list is even more helpful. This is a simple way to compare your best and worse choices for your diabetes. Stick to the best choices and you can enjoy without missing out while still keeping yourself healthy!

Breads, Grains, and Diabetes
 
Along with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, foods in this first category contain mostly complex carbohydrates that your body turns into sugar for energy. Even though carbs make glucose levels rise, complex carbs are absorbed more slowly than simple carbs, and you need carbs for energy. Use this list as a guide to help you choose the complex carbs that are best for you.

Best Choices	Worst Choices
Whole-grain flours, such as whole wheat flour	White flour
Whole grains, such as brown rice	Processed grains, such as white rice
Cereals containing whole-grain ingredients and little added sugar	Cereals with little whole grain and lots of sugar
Whole-grain bread	White bread
Baked potato or baked steak fries	French fries
Whole-grain flour or corn tortillas	Fried white-flour tortillas

Diabetes and Fruits

Fruits contain carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are naturally low in fat -- except for avocados -- and sodium. Fruits often contain more carbs than are found in vegetables. 

Best Choices	Worst Choices
Frozen fruit or fruit canned in fruit juice	Canned fruit with heavy sugar syrup
Fresh fruit	Chewy fruit rolls
Sugar-free or low-sugar jam or preserves	Regular jam, jelly, and preserves (unless portion is kept small)
No-sugar-added applesauce	Sweetened applesauce
100% fruit juice or low-carb juices	Fruit punch, fruit drinks, fruit juice drinks, sweetened soda

Diabetes, Meat, and Other Protein

 

These foods are high in protein. They include beef, chicken, fish, pork, turkey, and seafood. This group also includes beans, cheese, eggs, nuts, and tofu. Selecting non-meat sources of protein can help lower the amount of fat you eat. Use this list to guide your protein choices. 

Best Choices	Worst Choices
Baked, broiled, grilled, or stewed meats	Fried meats
Lower-fat cuts of meat, such as top sirloin	Higher-fat cuts of meat, such as ribs
Turkey bacon	Pork bacon
Low-fat cheeses	Regular cheeses
Skinless breast of chicken or turkey	Poultry with skin
Baked, broiled, steamed, or grilled fish	Fried fish
Tofu lightly sauteed, steamed, or cooked in soup	Fried tofu
Baked or stewed beans	Beans prepared with lard

Diabetes and Dairy

 

This group includes milk and foods made from milk, such as yogurt and sour cream. Milk contains a lot of protein and minerals, including calcium. Use this list to guide your selection of milk products.

Best Choices	Worst Choices
1% or skim milk	Whole milk
Low-fat yogurt	Regular yogurt
Low-fat cottage cheese	Regular cottage cheese
Nonfat sour cream	Regular sour cream
Frozen low-fat, low-carb yogurt	Regular ice cream
Nonfat half and half	Regular half and half

Diabetes and Fats, Oils, and Sweets

Fats, oils, and sweets -- and foods containing them -- often provide lots of calories and little nutrition Many "snack foods" are filled with fats or oils and sugar. Eating too much of these kinds of foods can lead to weight gain making it harder to keep diabetes under control. That doesn't mean you have to avoid fats, oils, and sweets altogether. Just select and eat them wisely. Here are some suggestions. 

Best Choices	Worst Choices
Baked snacks, such as baked potato chips, baked corn chips, puffed rice, or corn snacks	Snacks fried in fat, such as potato chips, corn chips, pork rinds
Vegetable oils, non-hydrogenated butter spreads, margarine	Lard, hydrogenated vegetable shortening, butter
Reduced-fat mayonnaise Light salad dressings	Regular mayonnaise Regular salad dressings
Air-popped or calorie-controlled popcorn	Butter-flavored stove-top popcorn

Diabetes and Beverages

 

Many beverages are not found on the food pyramid. Some beverages contain lots of carbohydrates while providing very little nutrition. This makes it easy for beverages to contribute to weight gain. Here are some best-choice and worst-choice examples.

Best Choices for Beverages	Worst Choices
Water, unflavored or flavored sparkling water	Regular sodas
Light beer, small amounts of wine or non-fruity mixed drinks	Regular beer, fruity mixed drinks, dessert wines
Unsweetened tea (add a slice of lemon)	Sweetened tea
Coffee, black or with added low fat milk and sugar substitute	Coffee with sugar and cream
Home-brewed coffee and hot chocolate	Flavored coffees and chocolate drinks
Sport drinks	Energy drinks

Diabetes and Vegetables

Vegetables contain carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. They usually contain fewer carbs than fruits. Many vegetables contain fiber and are naturally low in fat and sodium (unless they are canned). Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn, aren't included in this category. They are considered part of the breads, grains, and other starches group. Use this list to guide your shopping and cooking choices. 

Best Choices	Worst Choices
Fresh vegetables, eaten raw or lightly steamed, roasted, or grilled Frozen vegetables, lightly steamed	Canned vegetables with lots of added sodium Vegetables cooked with lots of added butter, cheese, or sauce
Fresh cucumbers	Pickles (only if you need to limit sodium otherwise pickles are a good choice)
Fresh shredded cabbage or coleslaw	Sauerkraut, (same as pickles, limit only if you have high blood pressure

What to Avoid

Foods To Eat and Avoid will be the topic of the next two blog entries, below is a list of foods to avoid and how some modifications can be made so you don't have to miss out entirely!

First and foremost: Eating healthy with diabetes doesn't have to mean deprivation, starvation, or bland and boring foods!!!
This however, does not mean that anything goes.
Some foods really are best left on the table or in the store.

Everyone, with diabetes or without, would be wise to avoid or limit the foods on this list because they are high in saturated fat and trans fat, which contribute to heart disease risk. The foods are also high in added sugar, which is an empty source of calories that can lead to weight gain and throw off your sugar.

If you see some of your favorite foods on this list, don't lose heart: There are several healthier options for you to choose from. So you can have your fries and eat them, too, provided they're baked rather than deep-fat fried.

1. Restaurant or Fast Food French Fries- while you should avoid these, you can always purchase and bake your own at home!
2. Burgers or Fried Sandwiches- again, if you prepare the burger at home, 3oz is a perfect portion size and you can use condiments as well!

3. Fried Chicken- this should be avoided outside of the home due to the oils used to fry, however, you don't have to give up the fried chicken you love, try this recipe at home Fried Chicken Breasts
4. Store-bought sweets- According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 40 percent of trans fats consumed in the United States come from commercially made baked goods, such as cookies.
Sugar, butter, high-fructose corn syrup, shortening, margarine and partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils are the biggest saturated fat and trans fat contributors that can also pile on calories and carbohydrates.
Instead of buying cookies, bake them at home!!!!
5. Purchases donuts and other baked goods- same as above!

. Garnering its name for a reason (it's traditionally made with a pound of butter, eggs, sugar, and flour), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists one slice of pound cake as having 3.5 grams of saturated fat and 4.5 grams of trans fat. There is no recommendation for any percentage of trans fat as part of your daily calories. Avoiding all trans fats can help lower cholesterol and manage your diabetes!


7. Frozen Meals
8. Processed lunch meats
9. Regular soft drinks
10. Flavored waters
11. Purchased smoothies
12. Fruit beverages- these sugar monsters make our list of worst foods for diabetics because they can be
high in calories and sugar.
       

For example, even in Minute Maid 100% Juice Blends there can be at least 29 grams of sugar, 120 calories, and 31 grams of carbohydrate and this is just in an 8-ounce serving!
13.Milk shakes-  These tasty treats are hiding places for bad-for-your-heart trans fat. They also are loaded with calories and sugar.For example, a small chocolate milkshake at A&W Restaurant has 700 calories, 1 gram of trans fat (with 29 grams of total fat), and 60 grams of sugar. Topping it with whipped cream adds more calories and sugar to your meal.
14. Frozen AND Purchased Pizza- both are equally bad for you, loaded with sodium, trans fats and cholesterol. Try making pizza at home with low sodium cheese, veggies for toppings, and a wheat crust!

Also be careful of:
Canned fruit- VERY high in sugar and preservative and ruins the nutritional value of your fruit
 and Kettle Corn Popcorn- though popcorn can be a great healthy snack for diabetics, it is important to be careful of which kind you are choosing. You don't want to eat this sugar and saturated fat filled snack.

Fear not bloggers- all of these DON'TS have an alternative that you CAN have
The next blog entry will include recipes for these alternatives and others, but as a general rule, if you prepare your food at home (yes even the junk food) you are better off than buying it at a store or getting it at a restaurant!
If you'd like to get a jump start on these recipes, they can be found at Diabetic Living Online