Nourishing and Yummy Recipes for Diabetics
Diabetes is one of the most serious health conditions that affect people of every age, gender and race. Millions of people throughout the world have in fact been diagnosed of diabetes. According to certain statistics, 20.8 million of children and adults in the United States alone have the disease and it’s unfortunate to know that about 6.2 million of this population is unaware that they have the problem.
Diabetes comes in two types: Type 1 and Type 2. Each of these types occurs as a result of the improper use and functioning of insulin in the body which is deemed as a hormone that is needed to transform or convert the sugar, starches and other foods into energy that every person needs to start up his day. The Type 1 diabetes, in particular, is the result of the body’s failure to produce insulin, then opening a door for the glucose to enter and fuel them. On the other hand, the Type 2 diabetes results from the resistance of insulin and a relative insulin deficiency. Both of these types affect people in a number of ways.
If you are a victim of this disease, or you know someone who has been suffering from it, I bet you would like to find a way to at least prevent it from getting worse. Yes, although you’ve been diagnosed with it, there’s still a room for you to escape or at least reduce its chance to develop more rapidly. One of the most recognized ways to control diabetes is to eat foods that are healthy and glucose-free.
When dealing with foods, it is worth noting that just like anyone else, people who are suffering from diabetes need nutrition. This is a very vital part of the diabetic patient’s every day life, and this is more important than exercise and medications. As what many experts have said, by eating foods or meals that are well-balanced or in correct amounts, you can keep your level of blood glucose to normal.
What to Eat and What Not to Eat
Knowing what to and what not to eat when suffering from diabetes is by far one of the best moves you can take to control such disease. Obviously, this is pretty a simple process. All you need to know are the foods that are highly forbidden for the diabetic patients, as well as those that are allowed.
Well, the foods that can and can’t be eaten while having diabetes can be grouped into categories. One of the most important groups is that of grains of starches, which may include bread, cereal, rice and pasta. As you may know, these foods are rich in carbohydrates, and because of this, they are highly recommended for the diabetic patients. However, there is a limit to the intake of these resources and this is also true among the other food groups.
To make everything clear for you, I have stressed below the required amount of servings of each food group that every diabetic patient should consider on their diet. Read on.
Grains and Starches: There’s only one main thing to note here, that is, to choose 6 to 11 servings of these foods per day. Here are the serving sizes you can follow:
• 1 slice of bread
• ¼ of a bagel (1 ounce)
• ½ of an English muffin or pita bread
• 1 6-inch tortilla
• ¾ cup of dry cereal
• ½ cup of cooked cereal
• ½ cup of potato, yam, peas, corn or cooked beans
• 1 cup of winter squash
• 1/3 cup of pasta or rice
Vegetables: This food group is no doubt rich in vitamins, mineral and fiber. They are even low in fat, making them good choices to include in your meal. However, it is important to note that for this food group, it is best for every diabetic patient to consider only at least 3 to 5 servings of veggies per day. In particular, this is what you should follow:
• ½ cup of cooked veggies
• 1 cup of raw veggies
Fruits: Fruits also contain carbohydrates, and just like vegetables, they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers. Well, for this food group, the servings you’ll need to control your diabetes are:
• ½ cup of canned fruit
• 1 small fresh fruit
• 1 tablespoons of dried fruit
• 1 cup of melon or raspberries
• 1 and ¼ cup of whole strawberries
You can choose 2 to 4 servings of fruits per day.
Milk: For milk, it is best to choose 2 to 3 servings per day. But it is wise to choose only the non-fat or low-fat dairy products for a great nutrition and taste. Here is what you’ll need to prepare:
• 1 cup of non-fat or low-fat milk
• 1 cup of yogurt
Meat and Other Proteins: For this food group, it is highly recommended that you choose sources only from the lean meats, poultry and fish. Then, keep the sizes of your portion small. Perhaps the best is to save only 3 ounces of these sources. Also choose 4 to 6 ounces to make your whole day complete.
Fats, Sweets and Alcohol: Obviously, these food sources are not nutritious as the grains and vegetables. For this, it is recommended that you keep your servings small and only eat them for a special treat. The serving size that can be considered for this may include:
• ½ cup of ice cream
• 1 small cupcake or muffin
• 2 small cookies
The above mentioned food groups are just easy to prepare. However, it is still best to consult your doctor before you do your own meal plan. This is absolutely needed for better guidance.
So the basics of the diabetes and the food groups required for you to consider to control your diabetes is already given. Now that you’ve learned about the recommended foods, there is nothing great now than knowing what diabetic recipes you can prepare for your self or for your diabetic friend. The recipes are after all the main focus of this article, so let’s begin.
Diabetic Recipes
There are a number of worth noting recipes available for the diabetic patients to prepare. These recipes may range from appetizers, to breakfast and brunch, beverages, breads, desserts, entrees, seasonal, snacks, sauces and condiments, salads, and to side dishes. If you wish to try something new and fresh, then consider the following recipes I have adopted online from a few of the worth visiting sites out there on the cyberspace.
Appetizers and Beverages:
Chunky Lobster Rolls
Ingredients:
1 and ½ pound of cooked lobster meat (cartilage removed)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup of low-fat mayonnaise
½ cup of sliced celery
½ cup of minced scallions
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 cup of shredded romaine lettuce
6 ea of whole-wheat pita bread halves or whole-grain hamburger rolls
Directions:
Blend the cooked lobster together with all the ingredients except the bread and lettuce. If you are using pita bread, stuff the mixture and the lettuce into the pocket and serve. However, if you are using hamburger rolls, scoop out some of the bread on one side of each roll to form a pocket. Then, place the shredded lettuce in the hole. Pile on the lobster salad and top it with the remaining rolls half.
Cantaloupe Aqua Fresca
Ingredients:
½ med. of cantaloupe (peeled, seeded and cubed)
4 cups of cold water, divided
¼ cup of Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
Directions:
Blend the cantaloupe and 1 cup of water in a blender until coarse pulp is formed. Pour into a large pitcher. Add remaining 3 cups of water, Splenda granulated and lime juice. Stir until the sweetener dissolves. Serve over crushed ice and garnish it with cantaloupe wedges or slices of lime if desired.
Note: Both of these above mentioned recipes are featured at Diabetes.org.
Breakfast and Brunch:
Date-Nut Twist
Ingredients:
¾ cup of chopped pitted dates
½ cup of coarsely chopped walnuts
2 large egg whites
3 ½ teaspoons of Equal for Recipes or 12 packets Equal sweetener
2 teaspoons of grated lemon rind
1 (16-ounce) loaf of frozen Italian bread dough, thawed
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons of water
1 teaspoon of Equal for Recipes or 3 packets of Equal sweetener
Directions:
Mix together the dates, ¼ cup of walnuts, egg whites, 3 ½ teaspoons of Equal for Recipes, and lemon rind. Roll the dough on floured surface into rectangle 20 x 6 inches. Spread the mixture of date on the dough to within 1-inch of edges. Roll dough up and pinch the edge to seal. Cut roll into 2 equal pieces. Place the rolls on greased cookie sheet and twist together. Let it rise and covered in warm place until the dough doubles in size. This may take up to 1 hour. Proceed by baking the egg white and water in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the top of dough. Sprinkle dough with 1 teaspoon of Equal for Recipes and the remaining ¼ cup of walnuts. Bake in a preheated oven (375 degrees F) until turn gold in color. Let it cool on wire rack.
*This recipe is taken from CooksRecipes.com.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup of oat bran cereal, uncooked
1 cup of whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of baking powder
¾ teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon of salt
¾ cup of unsweetened applesauce
1 cup of apples (peeled, cored and diced)
½ cup of honey
½ cup of vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat 12 medium-size cups with vegetable oil or line it with paper baking cups. Blend the oat bran cereal, flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Then, in a large bowl, mix the applesauce, oil, honey, egg and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Mix well and stir in apple. Fill the prepared muffin cup almost full, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve.
*Note: This recipe is also featured at DiabeticGourmet.com.
Entrees:
Chicken Baked in Spicy Yogurt
Ingredients:
3 ½ pound of chicken legs (skinned)
1 cup of plain low-fat yogurt
½ teaspoon of cumin
½ teaspoon of dry mustard
¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
1 ea of clove garlic, minced
½ cup of scallions, including green part (thinly sliced)
Directions:
Rinse the chicken under cold running water and dry with paper towels. Stir together all the other ingredients, except the scallions. Add chicken and turn pieces to coat with the mixture of yogurt. Cover and refrigerate for about 8 hours or longer. Spray pan with nonstick cooking spray and arrange the chicken in pan. Cover it with the remaining sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 degree Fahrenheit for about an hour and garnish with scallions.
Deutsche Steak
Ingredients:
1 ea of 5 ounce top round steak
½ cup of red wine vinegar
¼ cup of fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons of low-calorie margarine
½ cup of sliced mushrooms
¼ cup of sliced red onion
1 dash of fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Marinate the steak for two days, turning twice each day. When ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and drain the marinade from the steak. Discard the marinade. Heat the remaining ingredients in a heavy skillet over medium heat until the mixture is hot. Add the steak and turn off the heat. Place the skillet in the over and cookfor 30 minutes, or until the steak reaches the desired degree of doneness.
*Note: Both entrée recipes are adopted from Diabetes.org.
Salads:
Asparagus Chef Salad
Ingredients:
2 ½ pound of asparagus (trimmed)
8 oz. of mushrooms, sliced
2 oz. of part-skim julienne Swiss cheese
2 oz. of lean julienne han
1 tablespoon of finely chopped onion
1 orange, peeled and cubed
Dressing:
1 pkg. lemon and herb salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons of water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions:
Chop the asparagus into bite-sized pieces and place in a microwave-proof casserole dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water, then cover. Microwave for 2 minutes and drain. Measure the remaining ingredients into a bowl. Add asparagus when completely cool. Prepare the dressing in a shaker container and add 1/3 of it to the salad. Save the remaining dressing for the fresh and green veggies.
Caribbean Shrimp Salad
Ingredients:
½ pound of medium shrimp
2 large plum tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
1 cup of canned black beans
½ chopped mango
1/3 cup of chopped red onion
1 small jalapeno pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
½ cup of fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups of loosely packed red lettuce leaves
Directions:
Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large saucepan. Add shrimp and cook until they trun pink and curl. Drain and peel. Halve the shrimp crosswise and place in a mixing bowl. Add tomatoes, beans, mango, onion, jalapeno pepper and the orange and lime juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces and divide among 4 plates. Top each plate with ¼ of the shrimp mixture. Serve.
*Note: These salad recipes are again adopted from DiabeticGourmet.com
Side Dishes:
Stuffed Artichoke Casserole
Ingredients:
1 large chopped onion
½ teaspoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2/3 cup of reduced sodium and far-free chicken broth (divided)
½ teaspoon of dried oregano leaves
1 can (14 ounces) of artichoke hearts (drained and sliced)
2 cups of seasoned stuffing cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Blend the onion, garlic, oil and 3 tablespoons of chicken broth in 2-quart glass casserole. Microwave on high power for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and microwave on high until stuffing is heated through. Do this for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with pepper and salt.
*Note: This is featured in ThatsMyHome.com.
Lighter Creamy Carrots and Peas
Ingredients:
¾ pound of thinly sliced carrots
½ pound of thawed green peas
1 teaspoon of unsalted butter
1 ounce of fat-free cream cheese
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of white pepper
Directions:
Place the carrots in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover saucepan and steam for about 4 minutes. Add peas and steam for 3 to 4 minutes or until the peas become tender. Drain and put back the vegetables to saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients and toss.
*Note: This easy to prepare diabetic side dish recipe is now highlighted at RecipeZaar.com, another great site for diabetic recipes and ideas.
So everything is said. As you may notice, some of the featured diabetic recipes in this page are all easy to prepare. Perhaps all you need to have to successfully prepare all of these suggested recipes is time and interest. If you want to taste something new, then there’s no reason for you to not to try the above mentioned recipes for you. They may not only taste better but they will also help you control your diabetes.
However, before you go and try these recipes, note and understand that diabetes is a serious health condition that requires proper or professional medical attention. And, the recipes mentioned on this page are just given with the understanding that the directions will be strictly followed so to maintain the normal amount of glucose in the body. The level of the blood glucose can be affected if you will not follow what is directed. But for better guidance, consult your physician.
