Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Here are six diabetic friendly recipes to help you through the weekend, including Eggplant and Sausage Slow Cooker Ziti and Baja Turkey Chili. Enjoy!

CRUSTLESS SWEET POTATO PIE

This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "There's no reason to feel left out during the holidays! Our homemade sweet potato pie recipe makes a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu. Best part? We use real sweet potatoes to make our Crustless Sweet Potato Pie, so you can enjoy a truly authentic taste!" Of course, you can fix this any time, not just on holidays!

Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Serves 10

To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Pie/Crustless-Sweet-Potato-Pie.

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)

1/2 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon light margarine, softened

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Let cool 10 minutes, then scoop out pulp and place in a large bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour mixture into pie plate. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Give this pie an extra-special touch by adding a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping!

GRILLED ONION BURGER

Here's a healthier version of a classic burger topped with grilled onions and all the fixings.

Makes 4 servings

View online with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1223.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds 95% lean ground beef

1 large sweet onion, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices

Vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

4 hamburger buns, split, toasted

Lettuce leaves

Tomato slices

Directions

Lightly shape Ground Beef into four 3/4-inch thick patties. Brush onion slices with oil.

Place patties and onion slices on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 15 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 13 to 14 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160F, turning occasionally. Grill onions, 10 to 12 minutes or until tender, brushing with oil and turning occasionally.

Season burgers and onions with salt and pepper as desired.

Line bottom of each bun with lettuce. Place burgers on top of lettuce. Top with tomatoes and grilled onions. Close bun.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 368; Protein: 39 g; Fat: 10 g; Sodium: 324 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g

IRISH BROWN BREAD

This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "If you can't make it to Ireland anytime soon, bring the taste of Ireland to your table tonight! One of the easiest and quickest breads to bake up, this Irish Brown Bread has become a favorite in our Test Kitchen. We like to slice it up and serve it warm with a little margarine or sugar-free jam on the side."

Cook Time: 35 minutes; Serves: 16; Serving Size: 1 (16th of round)

To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Bread/Irish-Brown-Bread-6746.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons light butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well.

Add butter, then the egg and buttermilk. Using your hands, mix until just combined. Place dough on baking sheet and shape into a round loaf about 1 inch high. Make a crisscross cut (an "X") across the top with a floured knife.

Bake bread 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly on a wire rack, then cut into wedges and serve warm.

BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN

Recipe Yield: Servings: 6

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baked-chicken-parmesan

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; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 303 mg; Cholesterol: 68 mg; Protein: 38 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3/4 Bread/Starch; 4 Low-Fat Meat

EGGPLANT AND SAUSAGE SLOW COOKER BAKED ZITI

This is from Eating Well, and begins, "Using a slow cooker makes this Italian style dish an easy meal for any night of the week."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Additional Time: 3 hours 35 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours; Servings: 6

To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/263593/eggplant-and-sausage-slow-cooker-baked-ziti/.

Ingredients

4 ounces bulk sweet Italian sausage

4 cups peeled and chopped eggplant

2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed

6 to 8 ounces dried cut ziti or penne pasta

1/2 cup snipped fresh basil

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

Snipped fresh basil

Directions

In a large skillet cook sausage over medium-high heat until brown, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat.

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker combine sausage, eggplant, fennel, tomatoes, water, wine, tomato paste, garlic and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. Stir in pasta and basil. Cover and cook for 30 minutes (see Tip). Stir pasta mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. Let stand, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with additional basil.

Tips

Tips: Skip the last 30 minutes of cooking by tossing eggplant mixture and basil with 6 to 8 ounces of cooked pasta. Sprinkle with cheese; continue as directed.

BAJA TURKEY CHILI

Recipe Yield: Yield: 24 servings

Source: NDOP

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/baja-turkey-chili.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons: olive oil

2 cups: chopped onion

2 cups: chopped celery

2 quarts: pulled or cooked turkey breast, chopped

50 ounces: white kidney beans, rinsed and well drained

44 ounces: white shoepeg corn, undrained

8 ounces: green chilies, chopped

2 quarts: turkey broth

2 teaspoons: ground cumin

3 cups: shredded monterey jack cheese

1 bunch: fresh cilantro sprigs

As needed: tortilla chips

Directions

In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat.

Add onion and celery, cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Stir in turkey, beans, corn, chilies, broth and cumin. Combine well.

Cover and cook about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until heated through.

Serve 8 ounces per serving and garnish with cheese and cilantro.

Serve with tortilla chips, if desired (not included in nutritional information).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 259; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 263 mg; Cholesterol: 37 mg; Protein: 21 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g