Diabetic Thursday

I used to think that diabetic food meant boring. Then a family member was diagnosed as diabetic, and I soon discovered that while I did have to watch how I fixed meals, it didn't have to be boring at all. Here are six recipes to help dispel the boring myth. Enjoy!

CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP

Yield: 8 servings

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/876.shtml

Ingredients:

Filling Ingredients:

3 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples

2 cups fresh or frozen thawed cranberries

1 cup Equal Spoonful*

Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup stick butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup Equal Spoonful**

* Substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

** Substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

For Filling, combine apples, cranberries and 1 cup Equal in an ungreased 10-inch pie plate.

For Topping, combine flour, pecans, melted butter and 1/2 cup Equal. Mix until well blended. Sprinkle flour mixture over apples and cranberries in pie plate.

Bake in preheated 350F oven 55 to 60 minutes or until fruit is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 145; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 67 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Fat: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1-1/2 fat

NUTTY BANANA BREAD

Serves: 12

Serving Size: 1 (3/4 inch) slice

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/642.shtml

Source: Splenda

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup applesauce

1 1/4 cups mashed bananas

1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Spray one 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray coating.

In a large bowl, blend together the eggs, buttermilk, applesauce, and bananas. Sift together the Splenda Granulated Sweetener, flour, baking soda, and salt; mix into banana mixture. Stir in pecans. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 150; Calories from Fat: 45; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 270 mg; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 8 g

BREAD PUDDING WITH RAISINS

Yield: Makes 3 cups (6 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

Ingredients

3 slices day-old white bread, cubed

1/2 cup raisins

2 cups fat-free milk

2 large eggs, slightly beaten, or 1/2 cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 1-1/2 quart baking dish with non-stick pan spray.

Mix the bread cubes and raisins in the prepared dish.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; pour the mixture over the bread and raisins; stir to blend.

Set the filled baking dish in a shallow pan on the middle rack of the oven. Pour hot water into the shallow pan to a depth of 1 inch around the baking dish. This creates a water bath to cook the pudding slowly.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the pudding comes out clean. Remove the pan from the water bath and serve warm or chilled.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 cup): Calories: 139, Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 72 mg, Sodium: 229 mg, Carbohydrate: 24 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 16 g, Protein: 6 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Fat

BROCCOLI AND CHEESE PIE

Yield: 4 servings

Source: "Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/88.shtml

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup fresh broccoli, small florets

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1 whole egg, lightly beaten

1 cup skim milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with the cooking spray.

In a saucepan, cook the broccoli with the chicken broth, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring, until all liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg whites and egg. Add the broccoli, milk, cheese, and pepper.

Pour the mixture into the pie pan and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, and check with a toothpick for doneness. (The pie may need to bake for up to 45 minutes.) Remove from the oven and cool.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories: 171, Fat: 11 g, Cholesterol: 85 mg, Sodium: 268 mg, Carbohydrate: 5 g, Protein; 13 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 High-Fat Meat, 1 Medium-Fat Meat

CORN BREAD

Yield: 12 servings

Source: "The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup fat-free milk

2 large eggs, slightly beaten, or 1/2 cup egg substitute

3 tablespoons canola or corn oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch square pan with nonstick pan spray.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the milk, eggs, and oil in a small bowl, add to the dry ingredients, and blend well.

Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and turn out of the pan onto a rack. Cool slightly before cutting. Cut into 12 equal portions. Serve warm..

Nutritional Information Per Serving (2-1/4 inch square): Calories: 130, Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 36 mg, Sodium: 207 mg, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 1 g, Protein: 4 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Fat

TURKEY, PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS AND VEGETABLE KEBABS

Yield: 4 servings

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/907.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 to 2 pounds turkey thighs, skinned, boned & cut into 1-inch cubes

2 whole portabella mushrooms, stemmed & quartered

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded & cut into 1-inch cubes

1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

Directions

Place turkey cubes and mushroom quarters in a large, self-closing, food-safe plastic bag.

In small bowl, combine green onions, oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, rosemary and tarragon. Pour over turkey and mushrooms. Seal bag and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

Spray grill rack with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Prepare grill for direct heat cooking.

Drain turkey and mushrooms from marinade and discard marinade.

On 10 or 12-inch skewers, alternating ingredients, arrange drained turkey cubes, mushrooms, bell pepper, yellow squash and zucchini.

Grill over medium flame or coals 10 to 12 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink in center, turning once. Cook thighs to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 320; Protein: 49 g; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 150 mg; Cholesterol: 130 mg; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g