Diabetic Cookbook for Two (27 page)

QUICK & EASY

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

This recipe makes a super-fast, healthy meal and is stuffed with nutrition. Edamame are a complete source of high-quality protein and lower in carbohydrates than beans, making them a perfect choice to pair with a baked sweet potato. High-fat sour cream is replaced by nonfat Greek yogurt, which has the same rich consistency. A mix of chili powder and cumin gives this dish its Mexican flavor. Avocado slices as a garnish add a serving of heart-healthy fats and some creamy goodness.

1 medium sweet potato

¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped red onion

Pinch salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to season

½ cup fresh, or frozen, shelled edamame

4 tablespoons shredded nonfat Cheddar cheese, divided

4 tablespoons salsa, divided

½ small avocado, sliced

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

1.
Poke the sweet potato with a fork. Place in the microwave. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes on high, or until soft and cooked through.

2.
In a small bowl, blend together the yogurt, chili powder, paprika, and cumin.

3.
In a small pot set over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the bell pepper, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions have caramelized slightly.

4.
Add the edamame. Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes more, or until heated through.

5.
Slice the potato in half lengthwise.

6.
Top each half with half of the edamame mixture, about 2 tablespoons of Cheddar cheese, a dollop of the yogurt mixture, and 2 tablespoons of salsa.

7.
Finish with half of the avocado slices and garnish with cilantro.

8.
Enjoy!

PER SERVING
Calories: 259; Total Fat: 11g; Protein: 15g; Carbohydrates: 33g; Sugars: 7g; Fiber: 9g; Sodium: 417mg

TOSS IT TOGETHER TIP:
Keep a frozen bag of edamame on hand for adding creaminess to smoothies, topping salads, tossing into omelets, using in stir-fries, or making burritos. For a homemade edamame hummus, purée edamame in a food processor with garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and a dash of extra-virgin olive oil.

QUICK & EASY

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

Try something different for lunch. This high-protein, heart-healthy tuna salad comes together in minutes. Deli tuna salad is often mistaken as a healthy choice when it is usually a high-calorie, saturated fat, and sodium-filled bomb. That’s because most restaurants are generous with the high-calorie mayonnaise. Here you get all the creamy satisfaction of traditional tuna salad, but it’s from high-fiber, heart-healthy avocado and high-protein, calcium-rich Greek yogurt. Calories are kept in check by tucking the salad into lettuce leaves—that’s a wrap!

1 (5-ounce) can tuna in water, rinsed and thoroughly drained

1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ medium very ripe avocado

2 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt

¼ cup matchstick carrots

2 radishes, sliced

¼ cup halved green olives

2 tablespoons diced green chiles

1 scallion, diced

Salt, to season

Freshly ground black pepper, to season

2 large green lettuce leaves

1.
To a small bowl, add the tuna. Gently flake with a fork. Drizzle with the lemon juice.

2.
In a medium bowl, mash the avocado until creamy. Mix in the yogurt.

3.
Add the tuna, carrots, radishes, olives, green chiles, and scallion to the avocado mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

4.
Top each lettuce leaf with half of the tuna salad.

5.
Wrap and enjoy!

PER SERVING
Calories: 178; Total Fat: 7g; Protein: 25g; Carbohydrates: 10g; Sugars: 3g; Fiber: 6g; Sodium: 102mg

TOSS IT TOGETHER TIP:
Leftover green chiles can be used in just about any dish, depending on your personal preferences. Try adding them to omelets, burritos, cooked quinoa, soups, stews, chili, stuffed potatoes, or mixed with your favorite vegetables. Make a Mexican pizza by topping 1 portobello mushroom with Cheddar cheese, chiles, salsa, and avocado slices.

DAIRY-FREE

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES

This recipe gives chicken fingers a heart-healthy makeover. The wheat flour and bread crumbs are replaced with almond meal and chopped almonds. Traditional store-bought bread crumbs are made from refined white bread, with high-sodium seasonings, and an array of other ingredients including preservatives. Coating chicken with almond meal not only eliminates questionable ingredients, but adds a delicious, slightly buttery flavor as well as protein, fiber, calcium, potassium, and antioxidants. Additional chopped almonds give the tenders a nice crunch to mimic the crispness you would get by deep frying.

Extra-virgin olive oil cooking spray

½ cup almond meal

¼ cup chopped almonds

1½ teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into long strips, 1 to 2 inches wide

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.

3.
In a medium bowl, mix together the almond meal, almonds, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.

4.
Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge it in the egg and then coat it with the almond mixture. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat coating the remaining chicken strips by dredging in the egg first then the almond mixture.

5.
Place the sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden.

6.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

PER SERVING
Calories: 405; Total Fat: 25g; Protein: 38g; Carbohydrates: 9g; Sugars: 1g; Fiber: 4g; Sodium: 90mg

INGREDIENT TIP:
Almond meal is sometimes confused with almond flour. While both products are made from almonds, there is a difference in their consistency and process. Almond meal is coarsely ground unblanched almonds with the outer skin left on. Almond flour is finely ground blanched almonds that have had the skin removed prior to grinding. Store almond meal in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.