Friday Recipes

Here are today's six diabetic recipes to try out. Enjoy!

NEW ORLEANS BRAISED ONIONS

Yield: 10 servings

Source: America's Everyday Diabetes Cookbook

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/590.shtml

Ingredients

2 to 3 large Spanish onions

6 to 9 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns

Pinch ground thyme

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

1/2 cup condensed beef broth, undiluted

Finely chopped fresh parsley, optional

Hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions

Stud onions with cloves. Place in slow cooker stoneware and sprinkle with salt, peppercorns, thyme and orange zest. Pour orange juice and beef broth over onions, cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours, until onions are tender.

Keep onions warm. In a saucepan over medium heat, reduce cooking liquid by half.

When ready to serve, cut onions into quarters. Place on a deep platter and cover with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired, and pass the hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 20; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 188 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable

NO-BAKE ORANGE CREAM CHEESECAKE

Light fluffy textured cheesecake filled with chopped oranges, reduced-fat cream cheese and ricotta cheese.

Yield: 16 servings

See the recipe here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/946.shtml

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons stick butter or margarine, melted

3 tablespoons Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

Cheesecake Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice

1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin

2 packages (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

3/4 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated**

1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

2 cups light whipped topping, thawed, if frozen

1 can (11 ounces) Mandarin oranges, drained, coarsely chopped

Oranges sections (optional)

Whipped topping (optional)

* May substitute 4-1/2 packets Equal sweetener

** May substitute 18 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

For Crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and 3 tablespoons Equal.

Press mixture onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Bake in preheated 350F oven 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack while preparing cheesecake.

For Cheesecake, pour orange juice into small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over orange juice and let soften 1 minute.

Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves.

Beat cream cheese and ricotta cheese in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until smooth. Stir in 3/4 cup Equal and orange extract. Add gelatin mixture to cheese mixture; blend until smooth.

Refrigerate cheese mixture, or place in freezer, 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened.

Fold in whipped topping and chopped oranges. Spoon over baked crust.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

To serve, gently run metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Remove side of pan. Garnish top of cheesecake with orange sections and whipped topping, if desired. Cut cake into wedges.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 152; Protein: 6 g; Fat: 10 g; Sodium: 158 mg; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 1/2 milk, 1 starch, 2 fat

CHICKEN CACCIATORE OVER CRISP BARLEY CRUST

Yield: 6 servings

Source: America's Everyday Diabetes Cookbook

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/592.shtml

Ingredients

Crust:

3 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup pearl barley

3 tablespoons low-fat milk

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon grated low-fat Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Topping:

1 cup chopped onions

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1 can (19 ounces) tomatoes, crushed

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2- inch cubes

2 tablespoons grated low-fat Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable spray.

Crust: In a nonstick saucepan over high heat, bring stock to a boil. Add barley; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until grain is tender and liquid absorbed; cool for 10 minutes. Add milk, egg whites, Parmesan cheese and basil. Press mixture into bottom of prepared springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden at edges and firm on top; remove from oven.

Topping: In a nonstick saucepan sprayed with vegetable spray; cook onions and garlic over medium-high heat for 3 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Add mushrooms and green peppers; cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, bay leaf, brown sugar, chili powder and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium.

Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken; cook for 3 minutes or until cooked through. Spread mixture over baked crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 190; Protein: 12 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 278 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch, 3 Vegetables, 1/2 Very Lean Meat

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS

Makes 12 servings

See the recipe here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/947.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups Kellogg's Special K cereal, crushed to 1 cup

3/4 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

1/2 cup raisins

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons light molasses

* May substitute 18 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Lightly coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray or line with paper-liners; set aside.

Combine flour, crushed cereal, Equal, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl.

Stir in buttermilk, egg whites, vegetable oil and molasses until all ingredients are just moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.

Bake in preheated 400F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 152; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 273 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Carbohydrates: 26 g

BALSAMIC CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

This comes from the Diabetic Connect e-newsletter, and begins, “We know how easy it is to resort to take-out on a busy weekday evening, but this tasty and simple low-carb meal will be ready in no time.” Serves: 6

Read more at http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/7260-balsamic-chicken-and-vegetables#3M6d9Jk8tGwmcuhQ.99

Ingredients

1.25 lbs chicken tenders

2 TBSP olive oil

1/3 cup light Italian dressing

3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

2 TBSP honey

Generous pinch of red pepper flakes

Pepper to taste

1 bundle asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup of halved grape tomatoes

Directions

Whisk dressing, vinegar, honey and seasonings together.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Add half the dressing mixtures, and toss to coat chicken. Remove chicken onto a platter.

Add asparagus and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Remove and add to the platter with the chicken and top with the halved tomatoes.

Add remaining dressing and cook 1 minute or until thickened. Pour over chicken and vegetables and serve.

Nutritional Facts For 1/6 the recipe: Calories 344; Saturated Fat 4g; Sodium 514mg; Carbohydrates 11g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Protein 27g

BLACK-EYED CHICKEN

Yield: 6 servings

See the recipe here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/948.shtml

Ingredients

16 oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped

1 cup diced celery

1 cup red bell pepper

1 cup green bell pepper

1/2 cup sliced green onion

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

3 Tbsp fat-free Italian salad dressing

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

6 cups lettuce leaves

Directions

Combine all ingredients except lettuce in a bowl. Stir well. Cover and chill for 4 hours. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 170; Calories from Fat: 20; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 430 mg; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Sugars: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 2 Meat, 1 Carbohydrate