Diabetic Thursday

It's Diabetic Thursday, the time of week to explore how truly yummy diabetic food can be. Yes, it really can taste good, as today's six recipes prove, including Chocolate Filled Cake Roll and Lemon Basil Pesto with Fresh Vegetables. Enjoy!

LEMON CAESAR SALAD

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Manitoba Canola Growers Association

Photo & Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1213.shtml

Ingredients

1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and trimmed, cut into bite size pieces

1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (2 oz) can anchovies

1 cup canola oil

4 thick slices whole grain bread, cut into cubes

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

dash of pepper

1 Tbsp Italian parsley, very finely chopped

Directions

In a large salad bowl, prepare lettuce and toss with tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the dressing.

Combine lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, lemon zest, freshly ground pepper and Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds. With processor running, add canola oil in a fine stream and continue to blend until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Toss bread with canola oil, Parmesan cheese, pepper and Italian parsley. Spread on lightly greased baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes, until croutons are golden.

Pour desired amount of dressing over salad, add croutons and toss lightly. Top the salad with additional Parmesan cheese shavings. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 490 ; Protein: 9 g; Fat: 46 g ; Sodium: 570 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Saturated Fat: 4.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

CHOCOLATE FILLED CAKE ROLL

Servings: 4 (1/2 cup)

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/118.shtml

Ingredients

Cake:

5 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3 packets of Sweet'n Low

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling:

2 cups skim milk

1 package sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix

Topping:

2 teaspoons sugar-free cocoa mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Grease and line the bottom of a 10x15" jelly roll pan with waxed paper.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.

Sprinkle sugar, Sweet'n Low and vanilla over eggs; continue beating for 2 minutes.

Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.

Sprinkle half the mixture over batter; fold in with spatula.

Repeat with remaining flour mixture.

Spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake on center rack in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.

Arrange a towel on work surface and cover with aluminum foil.

Loosen edges of cake; unmold on foil.

Roll cake jelly roll style, using towel as a guide.

Leave cake rolled until it cools into jelly roll shape.

To make filling, blend milk with pudding mix according to package directions.

Refrigerate pudding until it thickens.

Unroll cake, spread evenly with pudding, and reroll.

Lightly sprinkle sugar-free cocoa over the top to decorate.

Cut into 1" slices and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 122; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 197 mg; Cholesterol: 92 mg; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1/2 Skim Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1 Starch

BLACK BEAN AND CHORIZO SOUP

This recipe begins, "This hearty Black bean soup will warm you up on a cold day."

Yield: 10 servings. 1/2 cup per serving.

Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourment.com/recipes/html/1204.shtml

Ingredients

1 Tbsp canola oil

1/2 onion, cubed

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tomato, deseeded and chopped

1 ancho chile, seeded, soaked in hot water

1 pasilla pepper, seeded, soaked in hot water

1 (19 oz) can black beans

1 bouquet garni (1 Tbsp each dried cilantro, oregano, marjoram wrapped in cheesecloth)*

1 lime, halved

4 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp mezcal or tequila

Salt to taste

6 Tbsp chorizo, fried and crumbled

6 Tbsp low-fat buttermilk

* Bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs used to prepare soup, stock and various stews. The bouquet is boiled with other ingredients, but removed prior to consumption. To make the bouquet, use 1 Tbsp each of dried cilantro, oregano and marjoram and place in cheesecloth to form a bundle.

Directions

In deep pan or pot, heat canola oil at high heat and add onion. Saute until brown and add garlic. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in tomatoes and peppers. Cook 15 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Combine black beans, bouquet garni, limes and broth with mixture. Cook 5 minutes. Add mezcal or tequila, salt and discard lime halves and herbs. Cook 10 minutes. Blend and season to taste.

Garnish with buttermilk and chorizo.

Tip: If too thick, add more broth

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Protein: 10 g; Fat: 7 g ; Sodium: 310 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g

LEMON BASIL PESTO WITH FRESH VEGETABLES

Yield: Makes 8 servings.

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/914.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups packed basil leaves

1/2 cup packed baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Asiago cheese

2 Tbsp. soft silken tofu

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4" strips

1 pint small cherry tomatoes

Directions

In food processor, pulse basil and spinach until finely chopped. Add nuts and cheese. Whirl until nuts are finely chopped. Add tofu, salt and pepper. With motor running, drizzle in oil. Add lemon zest and whirl to blend. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Makes 1 cup pesto.

To serve, scoop pesto into serving bowl. Set bowl in center of a plate and arrange pepper strips and tomatoes around it. Provide toothpicks so tomatoes can be neatly dipped.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 140; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 12 g; Sodium: 180 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g

TART CHERRY PIE

This comes from Diabetic Connect, and starts off, "Tart cherries in a sweet, creamy filling make this a pie that's sure to please."

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 (16 ounce) cans pitted tart cherries (in water - no syrup)

1 large box cook & serve sugar-free vanilla pudding mix

1 small box sugar-free cherry gelatin

Sugar substitute to equal 4 teaspoon sugar

1 baked 9-inch almond flour pie crust (recipe below)

1 1/4 cups almond flour

3 packets of Splenda

4 tablespoons softened butter

Directions

Drain cherries, reserving juice. Set cherries aside.

In a saucepan, combine cherry juice and dry pudding mix. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin powder and sweetener until dissolved. Stir in the cherries; transfer to pie shell. Cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

Pie Crust: Combine almond flour, splenda, and butter to form a pastry dough. Evenly spread dough in pie tin and bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes until browned.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 8; Calories 176; Sodium 293 mg; Cholesterol 0; Carbohydrate 24 gm; Protein 3 gm; Fat 8 gm; Diabetic Exchange1 starch; 1/2 fruit

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MINI MUFFINS

Yield: 48 servings

Print Version & Photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/788.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup light butter, softened

1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend

1/3 cup packed Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1 large egg

1 (12 ounce) package Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 48 mini-muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Combine butter, Splenda Sugar Blend, Splenda Brown Sugar Blend and vanilla in large bowl; beat at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Beat in bananas and egg.

Gradually mix in flour mixture; stir in morsels. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pan, filling cups 2/3 full.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack. Remove muffins from pans to wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 90; Calories from Fat: 35; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3.5 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g