Meatless Monday

It's time to start off the week with another Meatless Monday. Check out the Two Bean Chili, the Savory Bean Spinach Soup, and the rest of today's offerings. 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

SAVORY BEAN SPINACH SOUP

This is from Eating Well, and begins, "Let a slow cooker complete this vegetarian soup. Serve it in cups as a sandwich side or ladle it into bowls for a light meal."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Additional Time: 5 hours; Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259615/savory-bean-spinach-soup/.

Ingredients

3 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth

1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree

1 (15 ounce) can white or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup converted white rice

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach or kale leaves

Finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours.

Stir spinach into soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

TWO BEAN CHILI

Yield: Makes about 7 cups (7 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/509.shtml

Ingredients

2 onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons canola, corn, or olive oil

One 14-15 ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice

1 can or bottle beer (12 ounces)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or 1 tablespoon hot salsa or picante sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

One 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

Direction

Saute the onions and garlic in oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, the beer, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and salt (if desired).

Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Stir in the beans and green pepper; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes longer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 173; Protein: 9 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 238 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 32 g

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

VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

Recipe Yield: Servings: 8

Source: The New American Heart Association Cookbook

Book Title: The New American Heart Association Cookbook

View this online at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/240.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound fresh broccoli

1 teaspoon acceptable margarine

1 teaspoon acceptable vegetable oil

1 pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

12 ounces fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (3-1/2 to 4 cups)

2 to 3 medium green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

Pepper to taste

Directions

Separate broccoli florets so they are of small, uniform size. Peel tough stems; cut stems into 2-inch pieces.

In a large skillet or wok, heat margarine and oil over medium heat, swirling to coat bottom. Stir-fry broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and green onions for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 65; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 57 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

WINTER FRUIT SALAD

This is from OnTrackDiabetes, a site with some good information for diabetics and their families.

You can view this at https://www.ontrackdiabetes.com/recipes/salads/winter-fruit-salad.

Ingredients

8 red apples, such as Jonathan or Gala, cored and diced

8 green Bartlett or Anjou pears, cored and diced

4 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed, sliced

2 cups fresh orange juice

1 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (optional)

sugar substitute, to taste (optional)

4 bananas, sliced

Directions

Place all of the fruit (except bananas), juices and liqueur (if using) in a large attractive bowl. Add sugar substitute, if using. Gently mix.

Cover bowl and refrigerate 4 to 8 hours, but no longer.

Just before serving, stir in banana slices.

Nutritional Information Per serving: 131 calories (5% calories from fat), 1 g protein, 1 g total fat (0.1 g saturated fat), 33 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 1 mg sodium

Diabetic exchanges: 2 carbohydrate (fruit)

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Blueberry-filled muffins that have a cake-like texture.

Yield: 12 muffins

Serving size: 1 muffin

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/998.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup light margarine, softened

1 cup Splenda Essentials No Calorie Sweetener with Fiber, Granulated

1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Directions

Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven.

Preheat oven to 400F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Lightly spray liners with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

Beat margarine at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add Splenda Essentials Granulated Sweetener and honey, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter evenly into paper lined muffin cups. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Calories from Fat: 45; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 280 mg; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g ; Sugars: 8 g ; Carbohydrates: 26 g