Monday Recipes

A recent Diabetic Connect e-newsletter has numerous sweet potatoes recipes, describing it as the new superfood. To read the article, along with all the recipes posted with it, click here.

Hope your holiday weekend was good. Now we're in this year's home-stretch. (And yes, I'll be posting on Friday, which happens to be New Year's Day. And now, for today's six recipes. (I've posted a few of the recipes from the Diabetic Connect article here, along with other recipes.) Enjoy!

LOW-CARB SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This recipe from Diabetic Connect starts off, “You can avoid traditional sweet potato recipes that are closer to dessert than to a side dish. This wonderful recipe will remind you of when you were young, but keep your blood sugars in check.” Makes approximately 18 servings of 1/2 cup.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/3 cup orange juice

1/4 cup half & half

1 egg white

3 TBS coconut oil

2 TBS Splenda brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup chopped pecans

zest of 1 orange

Directions

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a medium sized casserole dish and set aside.

When potatoes are done, strain them and pour into a large bowl.

Add the orange juice and half & half and whip with a hand mixer.

Add the egg white, coconut oil and sugar, and beat until well mixed.

Add the vanilla, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and blend.

Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with pecans and orange zest.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve.

BUTTERNUT SOUP

This recipe also comes from Diabetic Connect. Makes 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash diced

1 sweet potato diced

1 onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

cinnamon to taste

1 teaspoon nutmeg

salt to taste

3 tablespoons plain low fat yogurt

2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes

Directions

In a large pot, add the olive oil and onion, stir until soft.

Then add the butternut and sweet potatoe and cover with boiled water half an inch over.

Add the stock cubes, nutmeg and salt.

Cook until veggies are soft.

Turn down heat, stick blend until smooth, and add yogurt and cinnamon… yummy!

SWEET POTATO-TURKEY HASH

This recipe from Diabetic Connect starts off, “Hash is a flexible and easy way to transform leftover cooked meat into a distinctively different dish. This version brings together healthy sweet potatoes, apples and onions along with lean turkey or chicken.” Time: 45 minutes; makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cups diced, cooked, skinless turkey, or chicken

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add apple and cook until everything is just tender, but not mushy, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Drain.

Transfer 1 cup of the mixture to a large bowl; mash. Stir in sour cream and lemon juice. Add the remaining unmashed mixture and stir gently to mix. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add turkey (or chicken), thyme, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Add the reserved sweet potato mixture to the pan; stir to mix. Press on the hash with a wide metal spatula; cook until the bottom is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Cut the hash into several rough sections; flip and cook until the undersides are browned, about 3 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

CRUSTLESS SWEET POTATO PIE

Also from Diabetic Connect. This begins, “Recipe makes two pies, eight slices each. A nice Christmas alternative to yet another pumpkin pie!” Makes 16 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cups Sweet-potatoes, cooked and mashed (about three average sweet potatoes)

1 cup sugar (or substitute would lower calories even more)

1 cup evaporated milk

3 eggs

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg

.25 teaspoon cloves, ground

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mash the sweet potato. You may leave some chunks in there for texture/effect.

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl; mix well

Pour into pie shells or greased pie tins if not using shells.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 mins.

Allow to cool.

CORN BREAD APPLESAUCE MUFFINS

Yield: 8 servings

Source: The New American Heart Association Cookbook

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/545.shtml

Ingredients

Vegetable oil spray

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup coarse yellow cornmeal

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup fat-free milk

Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg or 1 egg

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray eight muffin cups with vegetable oil spray.

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring well.

Beat remaining ingredients in a small bowl.

Make a well in cornmeal mixture. Pour milk mixture into well, stirring just until moistened. Fill muffin cups two-thirds full with batter.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 86; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 189 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch

SALAD NICOISE

Yield: 4 servings 
Serving size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Author: Sandra Woodruff, Christopher Saudek

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/465.shtml

Ingredients

8 ounces small new potatoes, halved

2-1/2 cups cut fresh green beans

1/2 cup light olive oil vinaigrette salad dressing

8 cups torn romaine, Boston, or Bibb lettuce

4 slices red onion, separated into rings

12-ounce can albacore tuna in water, drained

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

16 cherry or grape tomatoes

1/4 cup sliced black olives

Directions

Place the potatoes in a 2-quart pot and cover with water. Boil for about 12 minutes, until tender. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, rinse with cool water, and set aside.

Add the green beans to the pot and boil for about 3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Rinse the beans with cool water and drain well. (You can cook the potatoes and beans the day before and refrigerate until ready to assemble the salads.)

When ready to assemble the salads, slice the potatoes 1/4-inch thick and place in a bowl with green beans. Add 1/4 cup of the salad dressing and toss to mix. Set aside.

Arrange a quarter of the lettuce over the bottom of each of four serving plates and top with a quarter of the onion rings.

Arrange the center of each salad and drizzle each salad with a tablespoon of the remaining dressing. Arrange a quarter of the potato mixture and 4 tomatoes around the outer edges of each plate and top with a sprinkling of olives. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 347; Protein: 37 g; Fat: 12 g; Sodium: 680 mg; Cholesterol: 214 mg; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Exchanges: 3 Very Lean Meat, 3 Vegetable, 1 Starch, 2 Fat