Meatless Monday

It's time for another Meatless Monday. Today's offerings include Veggie Patch Soup and Meringue Tartlets with Pears and Shaved Chocolate. Enjoy!

SPINACH AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO QUESADILLAS

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spinach-and-sun-dried-tomato-quesadillas

Recipe Yield: Yield: 16 appetizers

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Book Title: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Ingredients

2 tablespoons julienned or diced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained

1-1/2 cups (moderately packed) chopped fresh spinach

1 cup shredded nonfat or reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

4 whole-wheat flour tortillas (8-inch rounds)

Directions

Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes in a medium nonstick skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and saute for a minute or two, just until the spinach is wilted. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.

Lay a tortilla on a flat surface and sprinkle the bottom half only with a quarter of the spinach mixture. Sprinkle with a quarter of the cheese. Fold the top half of the tortilla over to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 filled tortillas.

Coat a large griddle or nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the heated surface.

Lay the quesadillas on the griddle and cook for about 1-1/2 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown. Spray the tops lightly with the cooking spray and then turn with a spatula. Cook for an additional 1-1/2 minutes, until the second side is golden brown.

Transfer the quesadillas to a cutting board and cut each one into 4 wedges. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 47; Fat: 0.9 g; Sodium: 106 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Carbohydrates: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1/4 Medium-Fat Meat

SUMMER GARDEN PILAF

Recipe Yield: Yield: 7 servings; Serving size: 3/4 cup

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Book Title: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/summer-garden-pilaf

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1/3-inch dice) zucchini

1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups cooked brown rice

Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place the oil in a large deep nonstick skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, corn, red bell pepper, onion, and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Periodically place a lid over the skillet if it becomes too dry. (The steam released from the cooking vegetables will moisten the skillet.)

Add the rice and salt to the skillet mixture and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, for a couple of minutes, until the mixture is heated through. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture seems too dry. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 140; Fat: 2.9 g; Saturated Fat: 0.4 g; Fiber: 2.7 g; Sodium: 138 mg; Protein: 3.3 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/4 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

VEGGIE PATCH SOUP

Recipe Yield: Yield: 10 servings

Source: Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook

Book Title: Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/veggie-patch-soup

Ingredients

6 cups water

2 medium-sized white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 large tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 medium-sized green bell peppers, coarsely chopped

2 medium-sized onions, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

In a soup pot, combine all the ingredients; mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 84; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 383 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Sugars: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable

SUMMER RATATOUILLE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 (1 cup) servings

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Book Title: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/summer-ratatouille

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

3 cups combination sliced zucchini and yellow squash

1 cup sliced onion

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/3 cup minced fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 (4.75 oz) can prepared eggplant caponata

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Add the zucchini and yellow squash and onion and saute for 5-7 minutes until tender, stirring often.

Remove the zucchini-yellow squash saute to a salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 105;Fat: 6 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 299 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Sugars: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

NECTARINE AND BERRY TART

Yield: 8 servings

Source: Equal

View this 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.

Notes:

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.

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

MERINGUE TARTLETS WITH PEARS AND SHAVED CHOCOLATE

Recipe Yield: Yield: Makes 8 servings.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/meringue-tartlets-with-pears-and-shaved-chocolate

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup orange juice without pulp

2 cloves

4 ripe pears – Bosc or Anjou varieties (peeled, halved and cored)

1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided

4 large, room temperature egg whites

Dash of cream of tartar

Dash of salt

2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. shaved chocolate, from a good-quality dark chocolate bar

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large baking pan, combine water, orange juice, 1 Tbsp. sugar and cloves. Add pears. Poach pears in the oven until soft. Remove pears from liquid and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until the eggs are frothy (about 1 minute). With the mixer at high speed, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Beat for roughly 6 minutes or until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Drop the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet in eight 3- to 4-inch-diameter rounds, smoothing the edges. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, but leave the meringues in the oven for about 12 hours. Do not open the oven door.

When ready to serve, gently peel the meringues off the parchment paper.

Place each pear half in a bowl and top with one meringue. To garnish, shave chocolate from the side of the chocolate bar using a vegetable peeler. Note, it may help if the chocolate bar is cold, so refrigerate for several minutes prior. Garnish each meringue with 1 teaspoon shaved chocolate.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 117; Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 65 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g