Wednesday Recipes

There was a time, shortly after a loved one was diagnosed as diabetic, that I thought we'd have to give up on good-tasting food. Wow, was I wrong! Today's post is full of yummy diabetic-friendly recipes, including Grill Pan Chicken with Fiery Mango-Ginger Salsa and Crustless Sweet Potato Pie (because we all could use a little dessert, right?). Enjoy!

BAKED CAJUN CHICKEN

Servings: 4

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/33.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 to 2 pounds split chicken breasts

1/2 dried thyme, crushed

Nonstick spray coating

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

2 tablespoons nonfat milk

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons onion powder

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Rinse chicken, pat dry. Cut off skin and discard.

Spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange the chicken in the dish; meat side up.

Brush lightly with milk.

In small bowl mix onion powder, thyme, garlic salt, white pepper, red pepper, and black pepper.

Sprinkle over chicken.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 166; Protein: 25 g; Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 0 g; Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/541.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings. Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Carbohydrates: 1 g

COLORFUL TURKEY STUFFED PEPPERS

Yield: 4 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1321

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1321.shtml

Source: Jennie-O

Ingredients

2 bell peppers, preferably a mix of yellow, green or red

1/2 (16-ounce) package Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-1/2-ounce) can low-sodium diced tomatoes or seasoned diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup cooked white or brown rice

3/4 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese, divided

paprika, if desired

fresh parsley, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 375F.

Cut bell peppers lengthwise through stems keeping stem halves intact to hold stuffing. Discard seeds and veins.

Cook peppers in boiling salted water 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place peppers in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain peppers well and place cut side up in 8 x 8-inch baking dish.

Cook ground turkey as specified on the package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add onion, garlic, basil, salt, if desired, ground pepper, tomatoes, and rice; continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes or until heated through and most of the juices have reduced.

Remove meat mixture from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese.

Mound heaping 1/2 cup of mixture into each pepper half.

Bake 20 minutes or until filling is hot and peppers are tender.

Remove peppers from oven and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese on top of peppers. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley, if desired.

Always cook to an internal temperature of 165F. Learn how to safely handle turkey.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 2.5 g; Sodium: 210 mg; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g ; Sugars: 5 g ; Carbohydrates: 14 g

FAJITA TURKEY BURGER

Makes 5 servings

See the recipe with photo here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1326.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired

1 (16-ounce) package Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast

1/4 cup salsa, drained

3/4 cup cilantro, divided

2 onions, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

Wholly Guacamole classic or spicy dip, if desired

Wholly Guacamole salsa, if desired

5 reduced-calorie hamburger buns, split

1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

In small bowl, combine cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes, paprika and salt and pepper, if desired.

Mix ground turkey, half of spice mixture, drained salsa, and 1/2 cup cilantro; form into 5 (1/2-inch thick) patties. Lightly spray patties with cooking spray. Place patties in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 17 to 19 minutes, turning occasionally.

Always cook to well done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Meanwhile, coat large skillet with cooking spray. Cook onions, bell peppers and remaining spice mixture over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

To assemble burgers, spread guacamole and salsa, if desired, on buns. Place burgers, cheese and vegetable mixture on buns.

Always cook to an internal temperature of 165F.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 260; Protein: 29 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 410 mg; Cholesterol: 60 mg; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g

GRILL PAN CHICKEN WITH FIERY MANGO-GINGER SALSA

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings; Serving size: 1 chicken breast and 1/4 cup salsa

Source: The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen: Fresh, Fast and Flavorful Recipes Made with Canola Oil

Book Title: The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen: Fresh, Fast and Flavorful Recipes Made with Canola Oil

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/grill-pan-chicken-with-fiery-mango-ginger-salsa.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each), rinsed, patted dry and flattened to 1/2-inch thickness

Canola oil cooking spray

1 lemon, cut into quarters

Salsa

1 cup finely chopped mango

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon canola oil

Directions

Combine 1 tablespoon canola oil, curry powder, sugar, pepper and salt. Brush over chicken and let marinate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together salsa ingredients in a small bowl.

Coat a grill pan with canola oil cooking spray and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, discarding any marinade. Cook chicken 4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink inside and juices run clear. Transfer to a serving platter. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken; serve with salsa.

Notes:

This dish offers a medley for flavours. Using salsa in place of more salt lowers the sodium content and boosts taste!

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 205; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 175 mg; Cholesterol: 65 mg; Protein: 25 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 3 lean meat, 1/2 fat

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!"

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!