Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. Here are six recipes to help you through the day (and weekend), including Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Salsa Verde and Baked Cajun Chicken. Enjoy!

COCONUT CUSTARD PIE

This recipe begins, “A baked custard pie with less carbs and calories.”

Recipe Yield: Serves: 8

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/coconut-custard-pie

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/coconut-custard-pie/print/

Ingredients

Pastry for single-crust 9 inch pie

4 eggs

2 cups 2% milk

1 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup toasted flaked coconut

1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional**)

* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

** For added coconut flavor use the optional coconut extract.

Directions

Roll pastry on floured surface into circle 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into plate; trim and flute edge. Set aside.

Beat eggs in large bowl about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Whisk in milk and remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into pastry shell.

Bake pie in preheated 375F oven 30 to 35 minutes or until sharp knife inserted halfway between center and edge of pie comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 194; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 301 mg; Cholesterol: 115 mg; Protein: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 milk, 1/2 starch, 2 fat

BUTTERNUT SQUASH ENCHILADAS WITH SALSA VERDE

This recipe begins, “It's a taste explosion! Treat yourself and your family to something different for dinner with this seasonal twist on an Mexican classic.”

Recipe Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/butternut-squash-enchiladas-with-salsa-verde.

Ingredients

1 package (16 oz.) diced peeled butternut squash, or 1 1/4 lb. squash, seeded, peeled and diced

Canola oil spray

1 can (15.5 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup (3 oz.) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, divided

8 large (about 7-inch) corn tortillas

1 jar (16 oz.) salsa verde

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Place squash in medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water. Cover pot tightly, and place over medium-high heat. Cook until squash is tender but not mushy, 12-15 minutes, depending on size of cubes. Drain squash, and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Select a baking dish just large enough to hold the eight tortillas, folded over and slightly overlapping, so that they fit snuggly in the dish. (You may want to "test" and see if the baking dish is the proper size by arranging unfilled, folded tortillas in it, as they would be once filled and ready to bake.) using the canola oil spray, lightly coat the interior of the baking dish and set aside.

Place beans in mixing bowl. Using fork, partially mash beans. Add squash and blend, leaving mixture coarsely mashed, with some beans still whole. Mix in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper.

Coat a tortilla on both sides with cooking spray. Lay it on a plate.

Spoon 3/4 cup of filling on one half of the tortilla. Fold tortilla in half over filling. Set it at one end of the baking dish. Repeat, placing filled tortillas so they overlap, filling baking dish tightly.

Pour pureed sauce over assembled enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over sauce. Cover pan with foil.

Bake enchiladas about 30 minutes, until they are heated through and tortillas are soft.

Uncover and serve garnished with cilantro.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 479 mg; Protein: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 33 g

CHOCOLATE-CHUNCK BANANA NUT BREAD

Recipe Yield: Serves: 18

Serving Size: 1 (1/2 inch) slice

View this at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chocolate-chunk-banana-nut-bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 (1 ounce) squares Bakers* Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 9x5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Combine flour, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Coarsely chop baking chocolate bars.

Mix eggs, bananas, oil, and milk in a large bowl until well blended. Add dry ingredients; stir until just moistened. Stir in chopped chocolate and walnuts.

Pour into greased loaf pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 2.5 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 105 mg; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Protein: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g

TANDOORI CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH MINT RAITA

Recipe Yield: Makes 4 servings for main course or a snack for 6 or 12 people

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tandoori-chicken-skewers-with-mint-raita.

Ingredients

1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt, divided

1/3 cup reduced fat coconut milk, divided

2 tsp. curry powder, mild or hot

1-2 finely chopped garlic cloves

3/4 tsp. sea salt, divided

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 lb. skinless and boneless chicken breast

2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

1 tsp. fresh lime juice

12 (8-inch) bamboo skewers

Directions

In wide, shallow bowl or deep plate, combine 2 tablespoons of yogurt with 2 tablespoons of coconut milk, curry powder, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix in oil.

Cut chicken lengthwise into 12 strips. Insert skewer into bottom of one chicken strip and work it up lengthwise to top. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Place skewers in curry marinade and using your fingers, make sure it coats them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 8 hours.

Arrange marinated chicken on paper toweling and blot dry, removing all excess marinade.

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, then coat with cooking spray. Or heat stovetop griddle.

Arrange skewers in one layer in pan and cook for 2 minutes, browning chicken. Using tongs, turn skewers and brown on another side, 2 minutes. Turn chicken and cook until it is opaque and hot around skewer at thickest part of chicken. Transfer skewers to serving plate.

While chicken cooks, prepare the Raita (follows).

In bowl, combine remaining yogurt and coconut milk with onions, mint, lime juice and remaining salt.

When possible, make Raita 30 minutes before serving chicken to allow its flavors to develop and meld. Serve it the day it is made.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 121; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 297 mg; Protein: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

BROCCOLI, CHERRY TOMATO AND WATERCRESS SALAD

Source: AICR

Makes 8 servings.

To view online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/broccoli-cherry-tomato-and-watercress-salad.

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups cherry tomatoes, stems removed

1 bunch watercress, long stems trimmed, coarsely chopped and cut in half

1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Cook broccoli in a steamer or in a microwave oven (covered with a wet paper towel), until tender but still crisp.

In a large bowl, mix together broccoli, tomatoes and watercress. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and black pepper. Drizzle over vegetables and toss to blend. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 30; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 12 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

BAKED CAJUN CHICKEN

Recipe Yield: Servings: 4

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-cajun-chicken

Ingredients

1-1/2 to 2 pounds split chicken breasts

1/2 dried thyme, crushed

Nonstick spray coating

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons nonfat milk

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons onion powder

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Rinse chicken, pat dry. Cut off skin and discard.

Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange the chicken in the dish; meat side up.

Brush lightly with milk.

In small bowl mix onion powder, thyme, garlic salt, white pepper, red pepper, and black pepper.

Sprinkle over chicken. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 166; Fat: 6 g; Protein: 25 g; Carbohydrates: 0 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat