Meatless Monday

If it's Monday (and my calendar indicates that it is), then it's time for another Meatless Monday. Today's offerings include Spinach Vegetable Kugel and Baked Apples Burnette. Enjoy!

SPRING VEGETABLE PILAF

Recipe Yield: Yield: 7 servings

Source: Secrets of Good-Carb Low-Carb Living

Book Title: Secrets of Good-Carb Low-Carb Living

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spring-vegetable-pilaf.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 teaspoon dried savory or fines herbes

1 cup 3/4-inch pieces fresh asparagus spears (use thin spears for best results)

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1 teaspoon fresh or jarred minced garlic

3 cups cooked brown rice (or 1-1/2 cups brown rice plus 1-1/2 cups wild rice)

Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Coat a large nonstick skillet with the olive oil and preheat over medium heat. Add the onion and savory or fines herbes, cover, and cook for a couple of minutes or until the onions start to soften.

Add the asparagus and bell pepper and cook for another minute or two, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Add the peas and garlic, and cook for another few seconds or until the garlic begins to turn color and smell fragrant.

Add the rice, salt, and pepper to the skillet and toss over medium heat for a minute or two to heat through. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 129; Fat: 2.8 g; Saturated Fat: 0.4 g; Fiber: 2.8 g; Sodium: 149 mg; Protein: 3.6 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Fat, 1/2 Vegetable

NECTARINE AND BERRY TART

This recipe begins, “A seasonal dessert that looks as great as it tastes. Fresh blueberries, strawberries and nectarines fill a prepared pie pastry. This bakery-like tart is easy to make and tastes great.”

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings

Source: Equal

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Equal.

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/nectarine-and-berry-tart.

Ingredients

Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie

5 cups sliced nectarines

1 cup raspberries or sliced strawberries

1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries, partially thawed

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup Equal ® Spoonful*

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Roll pastry on floured surface into 12-inch circle. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.

Toss nectarines and berries with lemon juice in large bowl. Sprinkle fruit with combined cornstarch, Equal®, lemon peel and allspice. Toss to coat.

Arrange fruit mixture over pastry, leaving 2-inch border around edge of pastry. Bring edge of pastry toward center, overlapping as necessary.

Bake tart in preheated 425° F oven 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden and fruit is tender. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 188; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 101 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 starch, 1 fat

GRANNY SMITH APPLE TART

Yield: 1 tart (8 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/501.shtml

Ingredients

1 refrigerated fill-and-bake pie crust (7 to 7-1/2 ounces)

3 large Granny Smith apples (about 1-1/2 pounds total), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sour half-and-half, or 1/4 cup nonfat sour cream

1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the pie crust into a 9-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom; press the crust against the fluted edge and trim off any pastry that extends over the top. Roll the trimmed dough into a ball; flatten to 1/4 inch and cut 2 or 3 shapes with a cookie cutter. Prick the tart shell in several places with the tines of a fork.

Put the sliced apples in a large bowl; drizzle them with lemon juice and toss to mix.

In a small bowl, blend the brown sugar, sour half-and-half, tapioca, and cinnamon.

Fold the brown sugar mixture into the apples until all the fruit is coated. Spoon the apples into the tart shell; arrange the dough shapes on top of the apples. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Cut in 8 equal slices. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 200; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 146 mg; Cholesterol: 8 mg; Carbohydrates: 34 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Fat

BAKED APPLES BURNETTE

Yield: 4 servings

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/743.shtml

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/24.shtml

Ingredients

4 MacIntosh or Rome apples

2 tablespoons raisins

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Few drops pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Core apples and peel away about 1/2 inch of skin from top of each. Prick each a few times with a fork.

Fill each core with raisins, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg and a drop of vanilla.

Place apples in a baking dish and add water mixed with orange juice.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes until apples are soft, basting occasionally with liquid. Serve warm or chilled with syrup.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 96; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 2 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 22 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Fruit

GRILLED PANZANELLA

Recipe Yield: Makes 6 servings.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/grilled-panzanella.

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

15 fresh basil leaves, chopped coarsely

1 medium cucumber, seeded (or English cucumber) washed, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Tbsp. green olives, pitted and chopped (capers may be substituted)

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1/2 large red onion, cut in half and then 1/4 inch slices

1/2 small loaf crusty whole-grain French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch slices, halved

Directions

In mixing bowl whisk garlic, mustard, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and set aside.

In large bowl gently combine basil, cucumber, tomatoes and olives.

Brush bell peppers and onion slices on one side with oil mixture. Place oil side down on hot grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. Brush other side with oil mixture, turn over and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.

Remove from grill. On cutting board, slice peppers into 1/2-inch slices and separate onion rings. Add to vegetables. Add oil mixture and toss to coat.

Toast both sides of bread until nicely browned.

On a serving platter layer bread and top with vegetables and basil mixture. Toss bread with vegetables if desired. Serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 193; Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 187 mg; Protein: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g

SPINACH VEGETABLE KUGEL

The recipe starts off, “The vegetables for this colorful, vitamin-packed kugel can be prepared quickly in the food processor. Double the recipe for a large crowd. It's a winner! Use frozen spinach instead of fresh if you prefer.” Servings: 6

Find this recipe online at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/2.shtml

Ingredients

10 oz. package (300g) fresh spinach

2 onions, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

3 carrots, grated

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 eggs plus 2 whites (or 3 eggs)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon each pepper and garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup matzo meal

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash spinach thoroughly. Remove and discard tough stems. Cook spinach in a covered saucepan until wilted, about 3 minutes (or microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes). Don't add any water. The water clinging to the leaves will provide enough steam to cook it. Cool and squeeze dry.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Saute onion, celery, red pepper and carrots for 5 minutes, until golden. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes longer (or cook vegetables uncovered in the microwave for 6 to 8 minutes on HIGH).

Chop spinach coarsely. Combine with remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a sprayed 7" x 11" Pyrex casserole. Bake uncovered at 350F for 45 to 50 minutes, until firm. Cut into squares to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 81; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 2.7 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/3 Bread/Starch; 1/2 Vegetable