Diabetic Thursday

It's time for another Diabetic Thursday. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the day, including Strip Steaks with Broiled Asparagus and Tikka Kebabs. Enjoy!

MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP

Yield: 10 servings. Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups. May be viewed online at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1206.shtml

Ingredients

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, sliced

4 celery stalks, sliced

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp red pepper flakes

8 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2/3 cup lentils

1 can (19 oz) tomatoes, chopped

3 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 lbs cooked chicken, cubed

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

1 cup frozen peas

1 small avocado, peeled and sliced

Directions

In Dutch oven, heat canola oil. Add garlic, onion and celery. Sauté until vegetables are tender. Season with black pepper, cumin and red pepper flakes.

Add chicken stock, lentils, tomatoes and carrots. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until carrots are tender.

Add chicken, zucchini and peas.

Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender. Garnish with avocado slices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 250; Protein: 33 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 280 mg; Cholesterol: 75 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g

STRIP STEAKS WITH BROILED ASPARAGUS

Yield: 2 servings

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/727.shtmlView online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/727.shtml

Source: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Terrific Diabetic Meals

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/76.shtml

Ingredients

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1 (8 ounces) boneless beef top loin (strip) steak, cut about 3/4-inch thick, trimmed of all fat

1 or 2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon cracked or coarsely ground black pepper

8 - 10 (6 ounces) thin asparagus spears, trimmed

2 teaspoons garlic-flavored olive oil or regular olive oil

Sauce:

1/2 cup low-salt beef broth

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

Rub steak on both sides with a mixture of garlic and pepper. Place asparagus in shallow dish and drizzle with oil.

For sauce, in a medium skillet stir together broth and wine. Cook over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced in volume to 1/4 cup. Whisk in mustard. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Preheat the broiler. Spray an unheated broiler pan with cooking spray and place steak on it. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare or 10 to 12 minutes for medium, turning once and place asparagus into the pan next to the steak for the last two minutes of broiling.

Spoon sauce onto a plate. Cut steak in half crosswise and place atop sauce. Top with asparagus spears.

Serving size: 3 ounces cooked beef top loin steak with 2 tablespoons sauce and four spears of asparagus

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 226; Protein: 26 g; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 58 mg; Cholesterol: 67 mg; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Exchanges: 3 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 Fat, 1/2 Vegetable

MINESTRONE SOUP

This originally came from Diabetic Gourmet, though the recipe is probably more than ten years old. (It was in an email that long ago.) Unfortunately, I no longer have the link to this recipe. However, it is from However, it is from "Cooking with The Diabetic Chef" by Chris Smith, which can be found at http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/23.shtml. Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1/4 medium carrot, finely diced

1/4 stalk celery, finely diced

2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium zucchini, diced

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

3 cups chicken stock

3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped

3/4 cup white beans, cooked

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat olive oil in medium pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring liquid to simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach and white beans. Return liquid to simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. Serve immediately & garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (about 1 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 283 mg, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

TURKEY CASSEROLE

Recipe Yield: Serves: 4

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Title: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

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

Ingredients

4 ounces vegetale elbow or shell macaroni

1/2 pound ground turkey

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper to Taste

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook macaroni until al dente, being careful not to overcook. Drain and rinse under cold water. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan or casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large non-stick skillet, cook turkey, onion and garlic until meat is browned. Drain off fat. Stir in macaroni, tomato sauce, thyme, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Spoon into casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 241; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 253 mg; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Meat, 1 Starch/Bread, 1 Vegetable

TIKKA KEBABS

Recipe Yield: Makes 4 servings

Source: AICR

Recipe and image appear courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.

Ingredients

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 tsp. ground

1 tsp. tomato paste

1 Tbsp. curry powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

12 oz. boneless skinned chicken breast, cut in 24 pieces

8 1-inch cubes fresh or canned pineapple

1 medium red onion, cut in 20 wedges

1 large green bell pepper, cut in 20 pieces

Canola oil cooking spray

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, curry powder, salt and pepper. Mix in chicken to coat on all sides. Cover bowl and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours.

Preheat grill or broiler. Soak skewers in water at least 15 minutes.

Remove chicken from marinade, scraping off and discarding most of marinade. Onto each skewer thread a piece of pineapple, then chicken, onion wedge and green pepper. Repeat, minus pineapple, until each kebab contains 6 pieces of chicken, 5 onion wedges, 5 pieces of pepper and 2 pineapple cubes, one cube at each end.

To help prevent charring, spray kebabs with cooking oil spray. Cook skewers 4 to 5 minutes, making sure they are far enough from the heat source to avoid charring. Turn and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, about 4 minutes.

Serve kebabs. Kebabs go especially well with freshly-cooked brown rice or tucked inside pita bread lined with lettuce leaves.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 161; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 81 mg; Protein: 23 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1/2 Fruit, 3 Low-Fat Meat

ROASTED BABY EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 servings

Source: Great Healthy Food - Diabetes

Book Title: Great Healthy Food - Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/roasted-baby-eggplant-and-tomatoes.

Ingredients

4 baby eggplant, stalks trimmed

8 small plum tomatoes, pierced once

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the baby eggplants into quarters lengthwise.

Put them into an open ovenproof dish with the tomatoes and drizzle them with the balsamic vinegar. Season, then roast in the oven for 1 hour.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 56; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 14 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable