Diabetic Cookbook for Two (40 page)

DAIRY-FREE

PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES, PLUS 15 MINUTES CHILLING TIME • COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES

Sesame seeds, marjoram, and basil form a crust that gives this dish its distinctive finish. Quickly roasting the fish at high heat keeps it moist and succulent so it melts in your mouth. Halibut is very low in calories and just one serving can help you meet more than 90 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin D, which is tough to get through diet alone. Sesame seeds give this dish even more bone-building power as they are a great source of phosphorus and calcium. Serve with a side of roasted vegetables and winter squash and a fresh green salad.

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Freshly ground black pepper, to season

1 (8-ounce) halibut fillet, halved

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

½ cup minced chives

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 lemon wedges

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3.
In a shallow glass dish, mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Season with pepper.

4.
Add the halibut and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

5.
In a small bowl, combine the sesame seeds, basil, marjoram, and chives.

6.
Remove the fish from the refrigerator. Sprinkle with the salt. Coat evenly with the sesame seed mixture, covering the sides as well as the top.

7.
Transfer the fish to the prepared baking sheet. Place the sheet in the preheated oven. Roast for 10 to 14 minutes, or until just cooked through.

8.
Garnish each serving with 1 lemon wedge.

PER SERVING
Calories: 202; Total Fat: 11g; Protein: 24g; Carbohydrates: 2g; Sugars: 0g; Fiber: 1g; Sodium: 75mg

TOSS IT TOGETHER TIP:
To toast sesame seeds, place them in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned. Top steamed or roasted vegetables with them, toss on salads, mix into hot cereal, and sprinkle them on pancakes.

QUICK AND EASY

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 5 MINUTES

This Greek version of a classic shrimp dish is especially easy to prepare and superbly flavored. Nonfat ricotta cheese replaces the feta cheese to provide a dish lighter in salt, with less saturated fat. Ricotta cheese is a bit sweeter than feta, but its crumbly texture can serve the same purpose. Decorate with lemon wedges and serve with a side of steamed broccoli or asparagus.

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and thoroughly rinsed

1 cup diced tomatoes

½ cup nonfat ricotta cheese

6 Kalamata olives

Juice of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill, or ¾ teaspoon dried

Dash salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges, for garnish

1.
In a large skillet set over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the olive oil for 30 seconds.

2.
Add the shrimp. Cook for 1 minute.

3.
Add the tomatoes, ricotta cheese, olives, lemon juice, and dill. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring so the shrimp cook on both sides. When the shrimp are pink and the tomatoes and ricotta have made a sauce, the dish is ready.

4.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5.
Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING
Calories: 350; Total Fat: 20g; Protein: 30g; Carbohydrates: 11g; Sugars: 6g; Fiber: 1g; Sodium: 558mg

TOSS IT TOGETHER TIP:
Use ricotta cheese to make summer squash and ricotta “sandwiches.” Simply grill slices of summer squash and spread with ricotta cheese. Place one slice on top of another to make a high-protein vegetable hors d’oeuvre or light lunch.

DAIRY-FREE • QUICK & EASY

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

While fancy in appearance, cooking fish in foil packets locks in moisture and flavor, making it a foolproof way to get tender, delicious results. Simply pile vegetables and fish on a foil square, seal, and bake. The contents will steam and the flavors will blend. This Caribbean-inspired recipe uses haddock, angel hair coleslaw, fresh lime juice, and cilantro for a fish dish with a kick. Haddock is super-low in calories, and high in protein and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, making it a great choice to include in your diet on a regular basis.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup angel hair coleslaw, divided

1 (8-ounce) haddock fillet, halved and rinsed

1 small tomato, thinly sliced

1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced

½ cup chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

4 dashes hot pepper sauce

Dash salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2.
Fold 2 (12-by-24-inch) aluminum foil sheets in half widthwise into 2 (12-by-12-inch) squares.

3.
In the center of each foil square, brush ½ teaspoon of olive oil.

4.
Place ½ cup of coleslaw in each square.

5.
Top each with 1 piece of haddock.

6.
Add half of the tomato slices and half of the red bell pepper slices atop each fillet.

7.
Sprinkle each with 1 of the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil, ¼ cup of chives, 1 tablespoon of cilantro, half of the lime juice, and 2 dashes of hot pepper sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

8.
Fold and seal the foil into airtight packets. Place the packets in a baking dish and into the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

9.
Carefully avoiding the steam that will be released, open a packet and check that the fish is cooked. It should be opaque and flake easily. To test for doneness, poke the tines of a fork into the thickest portion of the fish at a 45-degree angle. Gently twist the fork and pull up some of the fish. If the fish resists flaking, return it to the oven for another 2 minutes then test again. Fish cooks very quickly, so be careful not to overcook it.

10.
Divide the fish, vegetables, and juices between 2 serving plates.

PER SERVING
Calories: 227; Total Fat: 15g; Protein: 21g; Carbohydrates: 6g; Sugars: 4g; Fiber: 2g; Sodium: 117mg

TOSS IT TOGETHER TIP:
Serve this dish with baked or mashed sweet potatoes and a large green salad. For lower-carb mashed sweet potatoes, mash one small cooked sweet potato with 1 cup of cooked cauliflower, 1 to 2 tablespoons of nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.