Meatless Monday

It's time for another Meatless Monday.

If you've ever wondered if you could actually become a vegetarian, trying out a meatless day one day a week might be the easiest way to try it out. It's healthy, and as easy to find variety as, say, making sure your diet is great for diabetics. Both food choices (diabetic and vegetarian) take a little forethought, but after a while, it's easy. (Of course, if you're already a vegetarian, you probably already know this!)

And now for today's six diabetic vegetarian recipes, including Cranberry Apple Crisp and Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Green Chile Swirl. Enjoy!

LEMON BASIL PESTO WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

Recipe Yield: Makes 8 servings.

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/lemon-basil-pesto-with-fresh-vegetables

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/lemon-basil-pesto-with-fresh-vegetables/print/

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups packed basil leaves

1/2 cup packed baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Asiago cheese

2 Tbsp. soft silken tofu

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4" strips

1 pint small cherry tomatoes

Directions

In food processor, pulse basil and spinach until finely chopped.

Add nuts and cheese. Whirl until nuts are finely chopped.

Add tofu, salt and pepper. With motor running, drizzle in oil.

Add lemon zest and whirl to blend.

Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Makes 1 cup pesto.

To serve, scoop pesto into serving bowl.

Set bowl in center of a plate and arrange pepper strips and tomatoes around it.

Provide toothpicks so tomatoes can be neatly dipped.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 140; Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 180 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g

CREAMY BAKED CUSTARD WITH MAPLE SYRUP

This is from Diabetes Self-Management and can be found online at https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/desserts-sweets/creamy-baked-custard-with-maple-syrup/

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups fat-free half-and-half

1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Dash ground nutmeg

3 cups boiling water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly spray 6 custard cups or ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine half-and-half, egg substitute, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg in large bowl. Pour into prepared custard cups.

Pour boiling water into 13×9-inch baking dish. Place custard cups in dish. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. (Centers will not be completely set.) Remove cups from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

Drizzle with maple syrup before serving.

Yield: 6 servings. Serving size: 6 ounces

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 131 calories, Carbohydrates: 23 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 17 mg, Sodium: 139 mg, Fiber: 0 g

Exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Meat.

CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings

View online with photo: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/cranberry-apple-crisp

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/cranberry-apple-crisp/print/

Ingredients

Filling:

3 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples

2 cups fresh or frozen thawed cranberries

1 cup Equal Spoonful*

Topping:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup stick butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup Equal Spoonful**

* Substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

** Substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

For Filling, combine apples, cranberries and 1 cup Equal in an ungreased 10-inch pie plate.

For Topping, combine flour, pecans, melted butter and 1/2 cup Equal.

Mix until well blended. Sprinkle flour mixture over apples and cranberries in pie plate.

Bake in preheated 350F oven 55 to 60 minutes or until fruit is tender.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 145; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 67 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1-1/2 fat

HUMMUS-VEGGIE WRAPS

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/hummus-veggie-wraps

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/hummus-veggie-wraps/print/

Ingredients

4 whole-wheat flour tortillas (8 to 9-inch rounds)

1 cup ready-made hummus

1 small carrot, shredded with a potato peeler

2 slices red onion, separated into rings

12 thin slices peeled cucumber

16 young tender spinach leaves or 1 cup alfalfa sprouts

Directions

Warm the tortillas according to package directions.

Lay the tortillas on a flat surface and spread the lower half only of each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the hummus.

Top the hummus on each tortilla with a quarter of the carrots, onion rings, cucumber slices, and spinach or sprouts, leaving a 1-1/2 inch margin on the right and left sides.

Fold the right and left margins in, then roll each tortilla up from the bottom to enclose the filling.

Cut each warp in half and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 258; Fat: 8.6 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Fiber: 6.7 g; Sodium: 625 mg; Protein: 10 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 Starch, 1 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

MUSHROOM, GREEN PEPPER AND ONION OMELET

https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mushroom-green-pepper-and-onion-omelet

Recipe Yield: Makes two servings.

Ingredients

3/4 cup good quality marinara sauce

1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Canola cooking oil spray

1 small onion, cut in crescents

6 medium white mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded, cut in thin strips

Salt, as desired

3 large egg whites

1 large egg

1 tsp. grated Parmeggiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

In a small saucepan, heat marinara sauce, vinegar and soy sauce, just until hot. Season with pepper to taste and set aside.

Coat medium non-stick pan liberally with cooking oil spray. Set pan over medium-high heat. Saute onion until lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Whisk egg whites and egg with cheese, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Coat pan with oil spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add egg mixture, tilting pan to coat bottom evenly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until eggs are well-set, about 4 minutes. Slip spatula gently around edges, then underneath to loosen omelet. Slide it onto a serving plate.

Spoon filling to cover half of omelet and fold omelet, covering filling. With a spoon, drizzle sauce in a ribbon effect across omelet. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Additional info: 1 g. saturated fat, 3 g. dietary fiber

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 158; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 545 mg; Protein: 12 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Vegetable, 1-1/2 Low-Fat Meat

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP WITH GREEN CHILE SWIRL

This is from Diabetes Self-Management and can be found online at https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/soups-stews/spicy-pumpkin-soup-with-green-chile-swirl/

Ingredients

1 can (4 ounces) diced mild green chiles

1/4 cup light sour cream, plus additional for garnish

1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (about 14 ounces) fat-free reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)

Directions

Combine chiles, 1/4 cup sour cream, and cilantro in food processor or blender; process until smooth.*

Combine pumpkin, broth, water, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and red pepper, if desired, in medium saucepan; stir in 1/4 cup green chile mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle soup into four serving bowls; top each serving with small dollops of remaining green chile mixture and additional sour cream, if desired. Run tip of spoon through dollops to swirl.

*Note. Or omit food processor step by adding green chiles directly to soup. Finely chop cilantro and combine with sour cream. Dollop soup with sour cream-cilantro mixture as directed.

Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: 1 bowl soup (1/4 of total recipe) without additional sour cream.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 72 calories, Carbohydrates: 12 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Sodium: 276 mg, Fiber: 4 g

Exchanges per serving: 1 Bread/Starch.