Meatless Monday

It's Meatless Monday. Here are six vegetarian diabetic recipes to help you through the day, including Summer Garden Pilaf and Seasoned Eggplant Saute. Enjoy!

SIMPLE VEGGIE SKEWERS

Yield: 12 appetizers

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=779

Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/779.shtml

Ingredients

1 medium-small zucchini squash

12 cubes (3/4-inches each) reduced-fat white cheddar, provolone, or Swiss cheese (about 3 ounces)

12 small whole fresh mushrooms

12 pitted jumbo black olives

12 cherry or grape tomatoes

12 wooden skewers (6-inches each)

1/2 cup light ranch salad dressing (optional)

Directions

Trim the ends off the zucchini, quarter it lengthwise, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces.

Thread 1 of the zucchini pieces, 1 cube of cheese, 1 mushroom, 1 olive, 1 tomato, and another zucchini piece onto each skewer.

Serve immediately (accompanied by the dressing if desired) or cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 58; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 2.8 g; Sodium: 138 mg; Cholesterol: 7 mg; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 2 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Vegetable, 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat

SUMMER GARDEN PILAF

Yield: 7 servings

Serving size: 3/4 cup

Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=785

Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/785.shtml

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1/3-inch dice) zucchini

1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups cooked brown rice

Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place the oil in a large deep nonstick skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, corn, red bell pepper, onion, and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Periodically place a lid over the skillet if it becomes too dry. The steam released from the cooking vegetables will moisten the skillet.

Add the rice and salt to the skillet mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, for a couple of minutes, until the mixture is heated through. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture seems too dry. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 140; Protein: 3.3 g; Fat: 2.9 g; Sodium: 138 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.4 g; Dietary Fiber: 2.7 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Exchanges: 1-1/4 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

SPINACH AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO QUESADILLAS

Yield: 16 appetizers

Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=784

Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/784.shtml

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Ingredients

2 tablespoons julienned or diced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained

1-1/2 cups (moderately packed) chopped fresh spinach

1 cup shredded nonfat or reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

4 whole-wheat flour tortillas (8-inch rounds)

Directions

Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes in a medium nonstick skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and saute for a minute or two, just until the spinach is wilted.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.

Lay a tortilla on a flat surface and sprinkle the bottom half only with a quarter of the spinach mixture. Sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese. Fold the top half of the tortilla over to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 filled tortillas.

Coat a large griddle or nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the heated surface.

Lay the quesadillas on the griddle and cook for about 1-1/2 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.

Spray the tops lightly with the cooking spray and then turn with a spatula. Cook for an additional 1-1/2 minutes, until the second side is golden brown.

Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and cut each one into 4 wedges. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 47; Fat: 0.9 g; Sodium: 106 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1/4 Medium-Fat Meat

SEASONS EGGPLANT SAUTE

Yield: 4 Servings

Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/270.shtml

Ingredients

Olive oil cooking spray

1 large eggplant (about 1-1/2 pounds), unpeeled, cut into scant 3/4-inch cubes

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 large tomato

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute vegetables until crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes; add herbs and red pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Add broth to skillet and heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender and broth absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 83; Protein: 2.8 g; Fat: 0.6 g; Sodium: 18 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 19.3 g; Exchanges: 3 Vegetable

LENTIL AND RICE STUFFED SQUASH

Yield: 6 servings

Serving size: halved zucchini

Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=783Online version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/783.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown basmati rice

1/3 cup French green lentils

2 cups fat-free vegetable broth

3 large summer squash (about 2-2 1/2 lb.), halved

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2/3 cup finely chopped red onion

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 whole scallions, chopped

3 cups escarole, rolled up and sliced thin

1-2 Tbsp. finely-chopped fresh dill (optional)

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

6 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Combine the rice, lentils and vegetable broth in a deep saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Cook, covered, until the rice and lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and transfer to a mixing bowl.

If using yellow squash, cut off the necks. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the squash 4 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. When completely cooled, pat the squash dry and set aside.

Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat until hot. Sauté the onion 3 minutes. Add the garlic and scallions. Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the escarole and pepper flakes (if using). Cook until the escarole is wilted and bright green, about 5 minutes. Stir the vegetables into the rice mixture. Mix in the dill and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a baking dish just large enough to hold them, arrange the squash. Spoon in the filling, generously mounding it. Sprinkle on the feta. Pour 1/2 cup water into the baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is soft, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate, covered in foil, until ready to use. Reheat before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 173; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 240 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Exchanges: 2 Bread/Starch, 1 Reduced-Fat Milk, 1 Fat

LEMON SPIKED GARLIC GREENS

This recipe begins, “Kale, collard, turnip, or beet greens are excellent choices for this quick-and-easy healthy vegetable.”

Yield: 4 Servings

Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/269.shtml

Ingredients

Garlic-flavored vegetable cooking spray

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 pounds greens, washed, stems removed, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

1 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion and garlic until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add greens and water to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until greens are wilted and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 58; Protein: 5.9 g; Fat: 1.7 g; Sodium: 43 mg; Cholesterol: 53.3 mg; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 2 Vegetable