Thursday Recipes

It's almost the end of the work week; if we made it this far, we can make it to the weekend.

In the meantime, here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Baked Chicken Parmesan and Stuffed Peppers. Enjoy!

GINGER SPICE BISCOTTI

Makes 40 biscotti

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/433.shtml

Ingredients

Canola oil spray

1-1/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

4 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened apple butter or applesauce

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries or other chopped dried fruit

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a large cookie sheet with oil spray. Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Use a food processor or hand mix eggs with oil and apple butter until blended. Blend in the sugar. Add half of the dry mixture and blend until smooth. Add remaining dry (The dough will be soft and sticky but easy to handle.) Transfer dough to a large bowl. Fold in the dried fruit.

Place one-half of the dough at each end of the cookie sheet. With damp hands, form each piece of dough into a log 3 inches wide and about 3/4-inch high. Place logs about 4 inches apart. (Logs will spread during baking.) Bake 25-30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. (Leave heat on.)

With a serrated knife, cut each log into 1/2-inch cookies cut on the diagonal. Bake 10 minutes. Turn each cookie over and bake 10 more minutes. Turn off heat and leave biscotti in the oven 10 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 63; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 38 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch. 1/2 Fat

PEACH MELBA

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

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

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/575.shtml

Ingredients

4 large ripe peaches

2 cup plus 2 tablespoons raspberries

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons non-fat dry milk powder plus water to make 1/4 cup

1 tablespoon unsweetened grape juice

Directions

Blanch peaches by dropping them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove, run under cold water and peel off skins.

Cut in half, discard pits and place 2 peach halves on each of 4 individual dessert dishes.

Puree raspberries with remaining ingredients, reserving 2 tablespoons of berries for garnish. Spoon puree over peaches, top with berries and serve cold.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 112, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Protein: 5 g, Sodium: 50 mg, Fat: 2.7 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Fruit, 1 Milk

STUFFED PEPPERS

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/238.shtml

Servings: 8

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers, any color or combination

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 medium crookneck squash, diced (about 2 cups)

1 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup diced onion (1 medium)

2 medium cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp bottled minced garlic

2 cups cooked brown rice (1/2 to 2/3 cup uncooked)

1/2 cup grated fat-free or low-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts (2 ounces)

1 cup no-salt-added tomato juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing stems, ribs, and seeds. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat bottom. Saute tomatoes, crookneck squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic until zucchini is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Don't overcook.

In a medium bowl, combine rice, cheese, and water chestnuts. Gently stir into skillet. Stuff pepper halves with vegetable mixture. Place in 9-inch round or square casserole dish, then carefully pour tomato juice around peppers. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 119; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 68 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Low-Fat Milk, 2 Vegetable

SPINACH AND CITRUS SALAD

This starts off, “Spinach is a good source of beta carotene, vitamin C and folic acid. If you buy loose spinach leaves, rinse the leaves well to remove grit and sand, then dry well with layers of toweling or a salad spinner. Along with some citrus fruit, add a little crunchy texture with diced jicama, canned water chestnuts, a handful of nuts, or some diced apple.” Makes 8 servings.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/233.shtml

Ingredients

6-7 leaves leafy green lettuce, like Romaine, Boston, Bibb

1 6-oz. package baby spinach, stems removed

2 cups peeled and diced jicama or canned water chestnuts

1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size wedges

1/2 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size wedges

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 oranges, peel and white pith removed, quartered

1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

4 tsp. Sherry or white wine vinegar

1-1/2 tsp. (1/2 Tbsp.) honey

1 tsp. fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp. chili powder, or to taste

12 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces. Place in large bowl. Mix in spinach, jicama, bell peppers, onion and cilantro.

Cut quartered oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. With grapefruit knife, remove individual segments of fruit from halved grapefruit. Add fruit to bowl and toss to combine ingredients.

In separate bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, honey, lime juice and chili powder. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat lightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 81; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 30 mg; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Fat

TUNA SALAD WRAP

This starts off, “Use vegetables in wraps, which hold better than sandwiches if you keep the wrapper flexible and don't overstuff them. The following recipe uses cream cheese and a lettuce leaf to prevent the moist filling from turning the wrapper soggy. Cold wraps usually improve in flavor by sitting in the refrigerator overnight.” Makes 4 wraps.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/231.shtml

Ingredients

1 can (6.5 oz.) water-packed white tuna, drained

1 small carrot, shredded

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

1/2 Tbsp. dried chives or chervil

2-4 Tbsp. nonfat mayonnaise

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 8-inch flour tortillas

4 Tbsp. nonfat cream cheese

4 well-dried leaves of leafy green lettuce slightly smaller than a tortilla

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

4 sprigs fresh mint, cilantro, or flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In small bowl, combine tuna, carrot, celery, green pepper, chives and enough mayonnaise to make a moist (but not wet) salad. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

On each tortilla, spread a thin layer of cream cheese (about 1 tablespoon) across the center two-thirds of tortilla's surface, leaving a 2-inch margin along edges. Center 1 lettuce leaf on top of each tortilla. Press leaf into cream cheese. Spread one-fourth of the tuna salad firmly over each lettuce leaf, leaving a 2-inch margin at top and bottom of each tortilla. Sprinkle one-fourth of cheese over each tortilla and top with sprig of fresh mint or other fresh herb.

Fold the bottom of the tortilla up to cover the top of the filling. Fold in the two sides a quarter-inch. Roll tortilla up, holding side folds in. Roll wraps tightly and as firmly as possible to ensure packets stays closed. Tightly seal each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve or pack. Wraps made without wet ingredients can keep for 24 hours or more without getting soggy.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 238; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 534 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Exchanges: 2 Low-Fat Meat; 1 Bread/Starch; 1-1/2 Vegetable

BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN

Servings: 6

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/228.shtml

Ingredients

Vegetable oil spray

4 slices whole-wheat bread

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1-1/2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk

Vegetable oil spray

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 4 ounces each, all visible fat removed

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly spray a rectangular baking sheet and slightly smaller cooling rack with vegetable oil spray. Put rack on baking sheet. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, process bread into fine crumbs. Pour into a shallow bowl. Stir Parmesan, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme into crumbs.

Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl.

Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Dip chicken into buttermilk, shake off excess liquid, dredge in crumbs, and shake off excess crumbs. Put chicken on cooling rack. Spray each breast with vegetable oil spray.

Bake for 15 minutes, turn chicken, and bake for 10 minutes, or until done.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 209; Protein: 38 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 303 mg; Cholesterol: 68 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 3/4 Bread/Starch; 4 Low-Fat Meat