Friday Recipes

It's Friday, and if you have plans for the weekend that include driving anywhere, you might wonder if you should stock your car for emergencies, especially if you, or a loved one, have diabetes. While this is a good thing to consider at any time - weekends or not, and during the entire year - it's especially important as the weather starts to cool off.

Diabetes Self-Management has a short tip on what you should stock in your car for that unexpected emergency. While some of the items might be good for anyone (flashlight with working batteries, a first aid kit), other items are more for diabetics.

At the end of the tip, there's also a link to a longer article ("Disaster Preparedness and Diabetes") that is quite informative.

So please, take time to read both the tip and article; not necessarily right this very minute, but sometime over the next day or so. It could possibly save your life.

And now, time for today's recipes.

If you're looking for something yummy to help you through the weekend, today's six recipes should fit the bill, including Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs and Mayo-Free Chicken Salad. Enjoy!

ALMOST SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Recipe Yield: Yield: 2 dozen cookies (24 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook For People with Diabetes; photo by Tamara Manning

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook For People with Diabetes

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/almost-shortbread-cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup corn or canola oil

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet with non-stick pan spray.

Combine all the ingredients and 1/4 cup water in a large bowl to form a soft dough. Refrigerate the dough 1 hour to chill. Roll or pat out 1/4 inch thick on a floured board.

Cut 2-inch rounds and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are a light golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 90; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 26 mg; Cholesterol: 9 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Fat

STEAMED GREENS WITH GINGER AND WATER CHESTNUTS

Recipe Yield: Yield: Makes 4 servings.

Source: AICR

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/steamed-greens-with-ginger-and-water-chestnuts

Ingredients

3 cups mixed leafy greens, e.g. bok choy (Chinese cabbage or Chinese chard), spinach, Swiss chard leaves, collards or kale, stems removed

1 tsp. peeled, finely-minced fresh ginger

1 tsp. finely-minced fresh garlic

1/2 Tbsp. sesame seed oil, or as needed

1/2 cup diced canned water chestnuts (rinsed and drained)

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Directions

Steam each type of greens separately, until tender, adding each cooked green to a large plate. (Each type takes a different length of time to cook, some as little as 30 seconds.) Sprinkle ginger and garlic over the entire batch of greens, then evenly drizzle a small amount of oil on top.

Meanwhile, heat a small amount of the oil in a small pan over medium heat until hot. Add water chestnuts and sauté 30 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate covered with paper towels to remove excess oil. Scatter water chestnuts on top of greens.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Less than 1 g. saturated fat and 1 g. dietary fiber

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 30; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 19 mg; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Recipe Yield: Makes 32 appetizer servings.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

BUFFALO SOFT TACOS

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/buffalo-soft-tacos

Recipe Yield: 4 Servings. Serving size: 1 taco

Source: Cooking Up Fun For Kids With Diabetes

Book Title: Cooking Up Fun For Kids With Diabetes

Ingredients

1/3 cup mild cayenne pepper sauce (such as Frank's™ Red Hot Sauce, not Tabasco sauce)

1 teaspoon corn oil

2 cups (about 10 ounces) diced cooked chicken breast

4 (8 inch) tortillas, warmed if desired

1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup finely chopped lettuce

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons light ranch dressing

Directions

Put cayenne pepper sauce and oil in a large zip-top bag. Add cooked chicken, seal bag, and shake to coat chicken well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow chicken to marinate.

Pour chicken and sauce in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and heat 2 minutes or until hot (or pour chicken and marinade in a pan and warm on the stove over medium heat).

Lay 4 flour tortillas on the counter. Spoon 1/4 of chicken in the center of each one. Drizzle with the warm marinade if you want to. Top each with 1/4 of the cheese and 1/4 of the lettuce. Drizzle each with 1/4 of the dressing.

Fold each taco in half, or roll it up. Slice in half if you want to.

Notes:

Cooking Up Fun For Kids With Diabetes authors Patti B. Geil, MS,RD,FADA,CDE, and Tami Ross, RD, LD, CDE, have planted their collective fingers directly on the food tastes that kids really love.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 351; Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Fiber: 5 g; Sodium: 1220 mg; Cholesterol: 72 mg; Protein: 30 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 4 Meat, lean

ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH CITRUS-GINGER DIP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/asparagus-spears-with-citrus-ginger-dip

Ingredients

2 pounds asparagus

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1-1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Snap tough ends off asparagus. Peel stalks, if desired.

In large skillet, bring about 1-inch of water to boiling. Add asparagus and simmer, uncovered, until barely tender, about 4-5 minutes.

Drain and dunk in ice water until cold; drain, cover and chill until serving.

Meanwhile, combine well all remaining ingredients in medium bowl.

Transfer to serving bowl, serve with asparagus spears or cover and chill until serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 226; Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 231 mg; Cholesterol: 22 mg; Protein: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

MAYO-FREE CHICKEN SALAD

Recipe Yield: Makes 4 servings.

New this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mayo-free-chicken-salad

Ingredients

3/4 pound baked or grilled chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. dried oregano

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 2.2-ounce can (1/2 cup) black olives, pitted and roughly chopped

1 Tbsp. tiny capers, well-rinsed and drained

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup thin green beans, cooked, drained, and cooled

Romaine lettuce leaves, for serving bed (whole wheat pita bread for sandwiches optional)

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Directions

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl and combine with oil, oregano and lemon juice. Let stand for about 1 hour.

Toss the chicken mix with olives, capers, tomatoes and green beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the salad on the romaine leaves. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. This recipe would also work on whole-wheat pita bread.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 240; Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 280 mg; Protein: 27 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g