Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Yay! Here are six yummy diabetic-friendly recipes to help you through the weekend, including Seared Pork Chops with Fresh Basil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Baked Beef Empanadas. Enjoy!

PARMESAN CHICKEN TOPPED WITH SPINACH AND ALMONDS

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Hellmann's

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/parmesan-chicken-topped-with-spinach-and-almonds.

Ingredients

1-1/2 tablespoons Hellmann's or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise

1 cup loosely packed baby spinach leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped almonds

2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon plain dry bread crumbs

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425F.

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken.

On baking sheet, arrange chicken.

Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture.

Bake 15 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 140 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Protein: 27 g; Carbohydrates: 2 g

SEARED PORK CHOPS WITH FRESH BASIL AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Recipe Yield: Servings: 4

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/seared-pork-chops-with-fresh-basil-and-sun-dried-tomatoes.

Ingredients

4 lean center-cut pork chops (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lbs)

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup tomato juice

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper sauce (ie: Tabasco)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Trim and discard excess fat from chops.

In a large frying pan, Sear the chops.

When the chops are browned on the outside, add the juice, water, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add 1 tbsp of fresh basil, and continue to cook for 8 minutes. Add remaining basil and cook for 3 more minutes.

To serve, arrange the pork on a plate, and spoon some of the tomatoes and basil over it.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 234; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 187 mg; Cholesterol: 81 mg; Protein: 23 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Medium-Fat Meat; 1 Vegetable

TURKEY SLOPPY JOES

Serving size: 1/2 cup

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings

Source: The New Soul Food Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Soul Food Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-sloppy-joes.

Ingredients

2 tsp canola oil

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 lb lean ground turkey breast

1 cup tomato sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

1/2 cup catsup

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp wine vinegar

1/4 tsp pepper

Ingredients

Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion and bell pepper until translucent. Add the turkey and cook about 5 minutes. Drain off any fat.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Simmer 15 minutes and serve on buns.

To reduce the sodium content of this recipe, use salt-free tomato sauce.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 239; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 787 mg; Cholesterol: 68 mg; Protein: 27 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch; 3 Very Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable

TOMATO-ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Recipe Yield: Servings: 12

Source: Family Circle: All-time Favorite Recipes

Book Title: Family Circle: All-time Favorite Recipes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tomato-rosemary-chicken.

Ingredients

12 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 pounds total)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp vegetable oil (or olive oil)

2 tbsp butter (or margarine)

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 pound proscuitto, chopped

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried, crumbled

12 plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

Season both sides of chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Place flour on a sheet of waxed paper. Turn chicken in flour to coat both sides; shake off any excess and place chicken on another piece of waxed paper.

Heat oven to 375F.

Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 6 chicken breast halves and saute until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place chicken in a 15x10x1-ich jelly-roll pan in a single layer, filling half of pan. Repeat with remaining oil, butter, and chicken.

Bake chicken in heated 375F oven for 20 minutes or until internal temperature registers 170F on an instant-read thermometer.

Meanwhile, add garlic and proscuitto to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Add wine and rosemary; cook 2 minutes, stirring up any browned bits from bottom of skillet.

Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.

Place chicken on a serving platter; pour sauce over top. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 257; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 377 mg; Cholesterol: 89 mg; Protein: 34 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 4 Low-Fat Meat; 1 Vegetable

ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES

Recipe Yield: Yield: 27 ServingsServing Size: 2 cookies

Source: Splenda

Recipe and image appear courtesy of Splenda.

You can view this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/italian-lemon-cookies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup light butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup egg substitute

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a cookie sheet and set aside.

Blend together butter, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl until butter is softened. Add egg substitute, lemon juice and zest. Mix briefly. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder and nutmeg. Mix using a hand mixer on low speed (or by hand) until dough is formed. Do not over mix.

Remove dough from bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log approx. 1 inch thick in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1-2 hours, allowing dough to chill and become firm.

Remove dough from freezer, unwrap and cut into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick. Place cookies on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes:

These delicate lemon cookies have excellent flavor and an interesting texture. They are perfect for adding variety to a cookie tray.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Sugars: 7 g

BAKED BEEF EMPANADAS

Source: Lauras Lean Beef

Recipe Yield: Yield: Makes 20 servings.

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-beef-empanadas.

Ingredients

1/2 pound Laura's 92% Lean Ground Beef or 96% Lean Ground Round

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup canned low-salt yellow corn, drained

1/3 cup salsa

1 tablespoon tomato paste

20 wonton wrappers

Cooking spray

Salsa, low-fat sour cream (optional)

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 400F.

Cook ground beef, onion and next 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet 5 minutes or until beef is browned; drain. Add corn and next 2 ingredients and cook until heated through. Remove and let cool.

Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, spoon 1 tablespoon beef mixture into center of each wrapper. Bring 2 opposite corners together and pinch the points to seal, forming a triangle. Place wrappers on a wire rack and repeat procedure with remaining wrappers and beef mixture.

Place empanadas on lightly greased baking sheets and coat lightly with cooking spray. Bake 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning once or until golden. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 85; Fat: 1.5 g; Saturated Fat: .68 g; Fiber: .62 g; Sodium: 157 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g