Salads

Here are six diabetic-friendly Salads to help you through the day, including Chickpea Salad and Southwestern Chicken Salad. Enjoy!

FRESH SPINACH SALAD

Yield: 6 cups (4 servings)

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

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

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/578.shtml

Ingredients

5 cups (5 ounces) packed torn spinach leaves (about 1/2 of a 10-ounce bag), washed and thick stems removed

1-1/2 cups (3 ounces) thinly sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion rings

1/3 cup prepared fat-free or light red French or honey Dijon salad dressing

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup croutons (optional)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, mushrooms, and onion; toss to mix.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad; toss to coat the greens.

Sprinkle the salad with freshly ground pepper and top with croutons if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 50; Protein: 2 g; Sodium: 208 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable


CHICKPEA SALAD

Yield: 2 servings

Source: Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/622.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons lowfat mayonnaise

Pita bread or mixed greens

Directions

In a bowl, coarsely mash the chickpeas.

Add the celery, red pepper, onion, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise and toss well.

Serve over pita bread or mixed greens.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 206; Protein: 10 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 641 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 35 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1-1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Fat

TACO SALAD WITH CUMIN DRESSING

Serves 8

Online at http://www.diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/41.shtml

Ingredients

8 tortillas

1 teaspoon powdered mustard

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon ground cumin

8 cups romaine lettuce

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 cups turkey, chopped and cooked

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Toast the tortillas on a baking sheet in a 400F oven for about 10 minutes.

While hot, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese. Cool and break into bite-size pieces.

Chop the lettuce and arrange it in the bottom of a salad bowl.

Make the cumin dressing by combining the salt, vinegar, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, mustard, cumin, water and oil in a bowl or jar.

Heat the turkey in a skillet with the cumin seeds. Sprinkle chunks of turkey over the lettuce. Add the tomato pieces and cheese. Pour on the cumin dressing and top with tortilla chips.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 205; Protein: 17 g; Fat: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Exchanges: 1 Fat; 1/2 Bread/Starch; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Lean Meat

DOUG'S FLOWER POWER CAESAR SALAD

This salad keeps for 3 days in a glass (not metal) bowl in the refrigerator, if well covered.

Yield: 6 servings

Online at http://www.diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/5.shtml

Ingredients

3 cups broccoli flowerets

3 cups cauliflower flowerets

1 cup sliced red cabbage

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup Lighter Caesar Dressing or bottled low-fat Caesar dressing

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Wash vegetables well; drain thoroughly. Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. (Optional: Steam the veggies for 3 or 4 minutes if your prefer them softer.)

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 68; Protein: 6 g; Fat: 2.2 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/4 Low-fat Milk

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN SALAD

Yield: 6 servings

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/908.shtml

Source: 200 Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less!

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

Ingredients

Salad:

1 cup cooked corn kernels

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup green peas, frozen and thawed

1/2 cup each sliced red and green pepper

1/3 cup canned black beans, drained

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast

Dressing:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

2 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

Directions

Combine all salad ingredients. In a blender or food processor, blend all dressing ingredients. Toss the dressing with the salad and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 181; Protein: 17 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 94 mg; Cholesterol: 42 mg ; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Exchanges: 2 Very Lean Meat, 1 Starch, 1/2 Monounsaturated 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)