Wednesday Recipes

So, you or a loved one is diabetic. You know that you need to be mindful of meds and food. That said, today's article, from The Diabetic News, is titled “Skipping Breakfast Can Provoke Hazardous Blood Sugar Spikes in Diabetics.” While it's an older news item, it's definitely worth reading! (Click here to read the article.)

And now, six recipes to try, including Chili-Bean Soup and Chocolate Mocha Cheesecake. Enjoy!

AVOCADO AND MANGO SALSA

Yield: 3 cups

Servings: 12 (1/4-cup) servings

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/703.shtml

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped ripe mango

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped jicama

Juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)

Salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the avocado, mango, jalapeno pepper, jicama, and lime juice.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix in the cilantro.

Let the salsa sit 20 minutes for flavors to meld before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 35; Protein: 0.5 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 0.5 mg; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

Contains 2 grams dietary fiber and 14 grams sugars.

Makes: 1 Cake (9 Servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook For People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/347.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup poppy seeds

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup margarine, melted

2 large egg whites, or 1/4 cup egg substitute

1/2 cup fat-free milk

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch-square baking pan with nonstick pan spray.

Combine the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Add the margarine, egg whites, milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when the center is lightly pressed.

Cool on a wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over the cake. Cut into 3-inch squares to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 183; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 242 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Exchanges: Other Carbohydrate: 1-1/2, Fat: 1-1/2

CHILI-BEAN SOUP

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/242.shtml

Servings: 8

Source: Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods Cookbook

Ingredients

.1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1/3 pound lean round steak, sliced into very thin 1" long strips

4 cups low-sodium beef bouillon

1-1/2 teaspoons each: chili powder and dried parsley flakes

3 cups canned peeled tomatoes (with juice), cut into pieces

3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1 can (15 oz.) pink or pinto beans with juice

Directions

In a large, heavy soup post sprayed with nonstick spray, stir-fry pepper and onion over medium-high heat until soft but not browned. Remove from pot and set aside.

Re-spray pot with non-stick spray and brown beef strips over medium-high heat. Add cooked pepper and onion to pot. Add beef bouillon, chili powder, parsley, tomatoes with juice, cornstarch dissolved in water and beans with juice. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 101; Protein: 7.1 g; Fat: 2.9 g; Sodium: 395 mg; Cholesterol: 9 mg; Carbohydrates: 12.3 g; Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat, 1 Bread/Starch

CHOCOLATE MOCHA CHEESECAKE

Yield: 16 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of cheesecake)

Photo and Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1193.shtml

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

44 Reduced-Fat Chocolate Wafers, crushed

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

Batter Ingredients

3 (8 ounce) packages reduced-fat cream cheese

3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1-1/4 teaspoons instant espresso crystals

2 (.55 ounce) packages Sugar-Free Swiss Miss Instant Cocoa Mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix crust ingredients together, and press into a 9-inch springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Reset oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Beat cream cheese and Splenda Granulated Sweetener together until well mixed and smooth. Add eggs, egg whites, cornstarch and salt. Mix until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix until well blended.

Measure 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter and pour into a small bowl. Add instant espresso crystals and cocoa mix. Stir until well combined.

Pour half of plain batter over crust. Top with half of the coffee batter by placing rounded spoonfuls over the cheesecake batter. Gently swirl the coffee batter into plain batter with the tip of knife or spatula. Repeat with remaining batters.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set.

Remove from oven and gently run metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake (this helps prevent cracking). Let cool 20-25 minutes before covering and placing in the refrigerator. Refrigerate 4- 6 hours or overnight before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 200; Calories from Fat: 120; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 270 mg; Cholesterol: 65 mg; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g

CHILLED TOMATO SOUP

Prep Time: 15; Minutes - Cost: $; Servings: 4 - Difficulty Level: 2; Source: Family Circle's "All-time Favorite Recipes"

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

3/4 cup finely diced, seeded, unpeeled cucumber

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 pounds tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Combine 1/4 cup cucumber, 2 tablespoons basil, 2 tablespoons onion and 2 teaspoons oil in a small bowl.

Working in batches, puree tomatoes, vinegar, salt, pepper and remaining cucumber, basil and onion in a food processor or blender. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Garnish with diced cucumber-onion mixture. Drizzle each serving with 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 143 ; Protein: 3 g ; Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Exchanges: 1-1/4 Starch, 1 Low-Fat Meat, 1 Fat

NEW ENGLAND MINI CORN CAKES

Yield: 12 servings

Source: "200 Healthy Recipes in 30 minutes or Less!" by Robyn Webb

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/74.shtml

Notes: Make silver dollar pancakes the easy way, with a muffin tin.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1-1/3 cups yellow cornmeal

1-1/3 cups unbleached white flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup evaporated fat-free milk

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons low-calorie margarine

3 teaspoons maple extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spray 24 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients and mix until blended.

Fill each muffin cup one-third full with batter. Bake for 13 minutes until browned. Each pancake should be 1/2 inch high.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (2 cakes): Calories: 163, Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 54 mg, Sodium: 177 mg, Carbohydrate: 29 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 6 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Starch