Diabetic Thursday

It's time for another Diabetic Thursday.

It's usually only a matter of time before a family is affected by diabetes. And one of the things that changes is how the family approaches food. There are quite a few resources, at doctors' offices, the internet (check out Diabetic Gourmet, Diabetic Connect, and Diabetes Self-Management, for starters), and your local hospitals to find helpful hints.

And now, on to today's offerings, including Turkey Spinach and Apple Wraps and Raspberry-Almond Bar Cookies. Enjoy!

MERINGUE TARTLETS WITH PEARS AND SHAVED CHOCOLATE

Recipe Yield: Makes 8 servings.

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/cheesy-pesto-stuffed-mushrooms

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/cheesy-pesto-stuffed-mushrooms/print/

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup orange juice without pulp

2 cloves

4 ripe pears - Bosc or Anjou varieties (peeled, halved and cored)

1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided

4 large, room temperature egg whites

Dash of cream of tartar

Dash of salt

2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. shaved chocolate, from a good-quality dark chocolate bar

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large baking pan, combine water, orange juice, 1 Tbsp. sugar and cloves. Add pears.

Poach pears in the oven until soft. Remove pears from liquid and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until the eggs are frothy (about 1 minute).

With the mixer at high speed, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Beat for roughly 6 minutes or until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Drop the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet in eight 3- to 4-inch-diameter rounds, smoothing the edges.

Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, but leave the meringues in the oven for about 12 hours. Do not open the oven door.

When ready to serve, gently peel the meringues off the parchment paper.

Place each pear half in a bowl and top with one meringue.

To garnish, shave chocolate from the side of the chocolate bar using a vegetable peeler.

Note, it may help if the chocolate bar is cold, so refrigerate for several minutes prior.

Garnish each meringue with 1 teaspoon shaved chocolate.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 117; Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g: Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 65 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g

TANGY APPLE SLAW

This recipe begins, “A take-off on the traditional creamy version of coleslaw - chopped apples add crunch and a hint of sweetness.”

Recipe Yield: Serves: 6

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tangy-apple-slaw

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tangy-apple-slaw/print/

Ingredients

4 cups shredded green cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup chopped unpeeled apple (1 medium)

1/2 cup thinly sliced red or green bell pepper strips

2/3 cup light mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream

3 tablespoons Equal ® Spoonful or Granulated*

1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon pepper

* May substitute 4-1/2 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Combine cabbage, carrots, apple and pepper strips in medium size bowl.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Equal, mustard, lemon juice and pepper.

Spoon Equal mixture over cabbage mixture; toss to combine.

Refrigerate, covered, 1 to 2 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 152; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 331 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 vegetable, 2 fat

RASPBERRY-ALMOND BAR COOKIES

This recipe begins, “An easy to make bar cookie that is filled with flavor rich raspberry spreadable fruit. This buttery treat has 31% fewer calories than the traditional recipe.”

Recipe Yield: Yield: 24 servings

View online with photo: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/raspberry-almond-bar-cookies

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/raspberry-almond-bar-cookies/print/

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons cold stick butter or margarine, cut into pieces

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 jar (10 ounces) seedless raspberry spreadable fruit

3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

* May substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Combine flour, Equal and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in egg, water and lemon peel. Mixture will be crumbly.

Press mixture evenly onto bottom of well-sprayed 8 x 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 12 to 15 minutes or until edges of crust are lightly browned.

Remove pan from oven and spread raspberry fruit over top. Sprinkle with almonds. Return to oven, and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until raspberry fruit is bubbly. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 86; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 16 mg; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Protein: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat

APPLE AND PEACH CHUTNEY TURKEY PATTIE

Recipe Yield: 4 servings.

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/apple-and-peach-chutney-turkey-pattie

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/apple-and-peach-chutney-turkey-pattie/print/

Ingredients

4 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 apple, peeled, cored and finely diced

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1 clove garlic, finely diced

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/3 cup peach chutney

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In medium-size fry pan, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil.

Saute red onion, apple, green onion and garlic for 3 to 5 minutes, over medium-low heat.

Place ground turkey in large mixing bowl.

Add apple mixture, mustard, peach chutney, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Form into burgers.

In large fry pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil.

Cook burgers over medium heat until juices run clear, approximately 15 minutes.

Cooking time will depend on thickness of burgers. Turn once during cooking time.

Serve on whole wheat roll with side of baked chips.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 420; Fat: 26 g; Sodium: 370 mg; Cholesterol: 95 mg; Protein: 23 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g

MUSHROOM & CHICKEN SKILLET

This is fromDiabetes Self-Management and can be viewed online here.

Yield: 4 servings. Serving size: 1 1/2 cups.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 can (about 14 ounces) fat-free chicken broth

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups uncooked instant rice

8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) 98% fat-free cream of celery soup, undiluted

Chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Cook chicken in broth and water in 12-inch nonstick skillet until mixture comes to a full boil. Stir in thyme and rice. Place mushrooms on top. (Do not stir mushrooms into rice.) Cover skillet; turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes.

Stir in soup; cook over low heat 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Tip: Serve with mixed greens salad and sliced fresh strawberries.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 277 calories, Carbohydrates: 28 g, Protein: 32 g, Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 67 mg, Sodium: 774 mg, Fiber: 2 g

Exchanges per serving: 2 Bread/Starch, 3 Meat.

TURKEY, SPINACH AND APPLE WRAP

Recipe Yield: Makes two wraps, or 2 servings

Source: AICR

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-spinach-and-apple-wrap.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tsp. honey mustard

2 whole-wheat lavash wraps or flour tortillas

2 cups (washed and dried) baby spinach leaves, loosely packed, or two large leaves of a soft leafy green lettuce

4 thin slices turkey breast (4 ounces)

1/4 Granny Smith apple, sliced paper-thin

Directions

Combine mayonnaise and mustard. Lay out both wraps. Spread the edges of each with the mayonnaise mixture. Leaving a margin free on the side closest to you, arrange a layer of greens on top of wraps. Top each layer with half the turkey. Evenly divide apple slices and lay lengthwise across turkey. Fold over the end of the wrap closest to you, then the two sides. Roll the wrap as tightly as possible toward the opposite side. Cover each wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate, seam side down, up to 4 hours before serving. When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and cut each wrap in half, at an angle.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 234; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 294 mg; Protein: 20 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Fruit, 1-1/2 Fat