Meatless Monday

It's time for another Meatless Monday, where we check out recipes that are both diabetic-friendly and vegetarian. Today's offerings include Broccoli with Asian Tofu and Lemon Pudding Cake. Enjoy!

BASIL FOCACCIA WEDGES

Recipe Yield: Yield: 12 servings.Serving size: 2 pieces.

Source: CanolaInfo

Recipe and image appear courtesy of CanolaInfo.org. Book Title: “The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen: Fresh, Fast and Flavorful Recipes Made with Canola Oil" from the American Diabetes Association and CanolaInfo

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/basil-focaccia-wedges.

Ingredients

1-1/2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

1 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 pkg (8 oz) sliced mushrooms

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg (13.8 oz) focaccia-style, refrigerated pizza dough

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 small plum tomatoes, cut into 12 rounds total

1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

16 pitted kalamata olives, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Heat 1 Tbsp canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onions; cook 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 2 minutes, using two utensils to stir easily. Add garlic, cook 15 seconds and set aside.

On baking sheet, drizzle remaining 1/2 Tbsp canola oil. Use fingertips to spread oil evenly. Unroll dough onto baking sheet and shape into an 11 x 8 inch rectangle. Top dough with pepper flakes and mushroom mixture, spooning as close to edges as possible. Top with basil and arrange tomatoes in 12 even sections.

Bake 12 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella. Bake 6 more minutes or until deep golden on edges. Top with Parmesan and sprinkle evenly with olives. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When serving, cut into 12 squares, and then cut each square in half diagonally to make 24 pieces total.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 125; Fat: 4.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 320 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g

CORN MUFFINS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 12

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/corn-muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup corn meal

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

Directions

Mix dry ingredients together.

Add lightly beaten egg, milk and butter.

Mix just until moist.

Bake in muffin tins lined with cupcake papers for 20 minutes at 400F.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 95; Fat: 2.5 g; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g

SPICED APPLE PUDDING

Recipe Yield: Servings: 4 (1/2 cup)

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spiced-apple-pudding.

Ingredients

2 cups Unsweetened apple juice

1/3 cup Granulated sugar substitute

1/3 cup Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 Egg

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, combine 1/2 cup apple juice and cornstarch; mix well. Add remaining juice. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add 1/2 cup of hot mixture to beaten egg. Stir until smooth. Return immediately to hot mixture, stirring constantly. (The hot mixture will cook the egg.)

Stir in sweetener and cinnamon. Pour into 4 dessert dishes, cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Cool to room temperature or chill in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 117; Fat: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch; 1 fruit

LEMON PUDDING CAKE

Recipe Yield: Servings: 6

Source: Cinnamon Hearts

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/lemon-pudding-cake.

Ingredients

3 Large eggs, separated

3/4 Cup sugar, divided

2 Tbsp butter or margarine, at room temperature

1 Tbsp grated lemon peel

1 Cup lowfat buttermilk

1/3 Cup lemon juice (fresh)

1/4 Cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Set a spray-coated souffle dish or other straight-sided baking dish in a larger baking pan that is at least 2-inches deep; set aside.

In a deep bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar; continue to beat until whites hold short, distinct peaks. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine butter, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, lemon peel and egg yolks. Beat on high speed until mixture is thick and lemon-colored. Stir in buttermilk, lemon juice and flour. Add about 1/4 of the egg whites to batter; stir to mix well, Gently, but thoroughly, fold in remaining whites.

Pour batter into souffle dish. Set dish (in baking pan) on middle rack of oven. Pour boiling water into BAKING PAN up to the level of the batter in the souffle dish. Bake until top of pudding is a rich brown and center feels firm when lightly pressed, about 1 hour. Serve pudding hot or cool, spooning portions up from the bottom of the baking dish to get the lemon sauce that has formed beneath the pudding.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 192; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 100 mg; Cholesterol: 72 mg; Carbohydrates: 32 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Bread/Starch, 1 Fat

LENTIL AND RICE STUFFED SQUASH

Yield: 6 servings

Serving size: halved zucchini

Find this recipe at: 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

BROCCOLI WITH ASIAN TOFU

Optional: Delicious served on top of brown rice or Asian-style noodles (soba or udon).

Yield: 4 servings

Serving size: 2 slices tofu, with broccoli and marinade mixture

Source: Deliciously Healthy Dinners

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/995.shtml

Ingredients

1 pkg (16 oz) firm tofu, drained

2 Tbsp lite soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped or shredded (or 1 tsp ground ginger)

1 lb fresh broccoli, rinsed and cut into individual spears

1 Tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

4 Tbsp garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (about 8 cloves)

1 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Cooking spray

Directions

Slice tofu into eight pieces. Place on a plate or flat surface covered with three paper towels. Top with four more paper towels. Top with another flat plate or cutting board. Press down evenly and gently to squeeze out moisture. Throw away paper towels. Replace with fresh paper towels and press again. (The more liquid you remove, the more sauce the tofu will absorb.)

Place tofu in a bowl just big enough to hold all eight pieces lying on their widest side without overlapping.

In a small bowl, stir to thoroughly combine soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and ginger into a marinade, and stir thoroughly. Pour over tofu. Carefully turn the tofu several times to coat well. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick saute pan coated with cooking spray. Add broccoli and saute for about 5 minutes, until it turns bright green and becomes tender and crispy. Remove broccoli from pan and set aside.

Heat a grill pan or flat saute pan over high heat. Drain tofu, reserving marinade. Place on grill pan to heat for about 3 minutes. Gently turn. Heat the second side for 3 minutes.

At the same time, in the saute pan over medium-low heat, warm the peanut oil, crushed red pepper, and garlic until the garlic softens and begins to turn brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broccoli and reserved marinade, and gently mix until well-coated.

Place two slices of tofu on each plate with one-quarter of the broccoli and marinade mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 183; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 341 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g